J & A's Cafe is a gem of a diner tucked away in a strip mall. Walking in, I was greeted warmly and given my choice of seating. Seating includes booths and tables. Coffee and water came before I even opened the menu! This is a breakfast/lunch diner. The breakfast menu included all the savory, sweet, carby, or protein packed items one could possibly want for breakfast. If it's for breakfast, they've got it here. I only quickly glanced at lunch, since we were here for a hearty breakfast. My friend arrived and orders were placed. Our food came out hot, plentiful, and quickly. My friend ordered Huevos Matador, which is a veggie scramble, with beans and potatoes. Salsas came on the side. I ordered scrambled eggs with corned beef hash, fruit, & toast. Everything tasted fresh and homemade. We literally left nothing on our plates and were quite content! Service was friendly and quick. I don't think our coffees ever got down to middle before they were topped off. Same with our waters. All the extras were brought out thoughtfully. Really, the service couldn't have been better! I don't expect this will be my last time here when out this way! read more

J & A's Cafe - Corn beef hash & eggs - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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They were just down the street from my motel, and since I woke up early and they opened at 6 AM, I decided to stop in. Nothing fancy at all, Just a storefront in the "grocery outlet" shopping center. A clean place with good service. They have a decent size menu, and I decided to go for the Texas omelette. Basically, a chili and cheese omelette. It was very good. The portions are generous. , the eggs were tender, I really liked the chili. It had just a tiny bit of a zip to it, just enough that it got my attention. Their in-house made hashbrowns were great. Crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. For my bread, I chose a biscuit, and it was light and fluffy. 2 extremely minor things that are definitely not worth taking off a star. While the cheese was good, there was a lot of of it for my personal preference . next time, I would ask for light cheese. Also, I wish it had some onions to go on top, to provide a little pop of freshness. These are just very minor things to me. The price was extremely reasonable, but they are cash only This was a great breakfast, next time I'm staying in the area, I would be glad to come back. read more

J & A's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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We had a great experience at J & A's Cafe. My wife and I were looking for a spot for breakfast on the weekend and we decided to stop by. First thing to note would be it's *CASH ONLY*. So just an FYI. The location was full of energy and full of customers. The moment we came in we were well taken care of by the staff. They greeted us and lucky for us a booth was open. It's a spacious restaurant for numerous party sizes. We opted to just shared the corned beef hash and eggs. Our waitress was amazing! She even asked the staff to split the dish into two separate plates. Which was a great surprise. The meal also came with bread of choice. The food came out quickly and the portions were sizable even when split into two. My wife and I enjoyed the corned beef hash plate and both of use finished it handily. I would love to try more things on another visit. The staff and service here is what stood out for me. We felt well taken care of the whole time by all the staff. Thanks, J & A's Cafe! ( ^_^)b read more

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My fiancé and I came to our local cafe for breakfast on a Saturday morning. It was our first time here at J & A's Cafe and, it's only just the beginning. We love it here! We got 2 hot coffees, 2 different breakfast plates: a California Omelette and Breakfast Quesadilla, and a French Toast to share. I'm a sauce gal, so I was super excited when they brought over 3 different sauces/salsas for our breakfast. I love a good tang to my breakfast, and these sauces were their differentiator. Their California Omelette was served piping hot and came with ham, onion, bell pepper, mushroom on the inside, and melty American cheese on top - my perfect kind of omelette. Ooo and their hash browns are done perfectly. Amazing crust on the outside, soft potato in the middle. I would come back just for their hash browns to be honest. My fiancé also liked his Breakfast Quesadilla and was a big fan of their hash browns, too. We were seated in the back in a booth and they have that great 90s leather feel to them. The whole restaurant is decked out with cool art on the walls and funny signage like, "We do not have Wi-Fi. Talk to each other. Pretend it's 1995" hahaha it made me laugh, and I appreciate that in this day and age, esp my generation where we are glued to phones all the time. The owners and managers must be pretty cool and for that, I will be back just for the chance of meeting these cool people. We will definitely be back to try more of their menu. We felt with happy smiles and full tummies. Till next time! read more

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Dropped in because it was close to the hospital and we were hungry. I'm not much for breakfast food but I have to say the service here was great and the breakfast was fabulous. I had the corned beef hash with eggs and French toast. Yum. I can't wait to go back. read more

J & A's Cafe - Corn beef hash and eggs - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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Plain vanilla menu, easy to read. Reasonably priced entree. Simple but delicious. Service was great and attentive. The place is clean and comfortable. A place I would always go back to. Unfortunately, it's cash only. But prices are affordable that it's pushing it to go over twenty if you just want plain breakfast or lunch. read more

J & A's Cafe - Egg & sausage links - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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Have to tell you I come here 1to2 times a week this place is Great alway good food and good service but today was exceptional when a got there they were pack they only had one waitress Judy she was Amazing taking care of all the customers at least 20 or more getting coffee and food to every one on time she definitely got her steps in today she deserves 5 stars if not more Thank you for your GREAT Service read more

I went here with my family and everything was excellent ! The staff and waitresses were very welcoming and quick with to check in to make sure everything was okay .just remember to bring cash this is cash only . read more

J & A's Cafe - Eggs and hasbrowns with sausage . - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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Where do I begin, this little hidden gem is amazing from the food to the service. The people are so kind but also on top of their service. Prices are reasonable and affordable for the amazing food you receive. I love my food hot and that is always on point here. I typically go for breakfast and their breakfast potatoes take me back to my mom's potatoes, but then I ask for a side of there ranchers sauce and it take them to a whole other level. Don't pass this place up, they won't disappoint but remember to bring your cash as they are a cash only establishment. read more

Looks like I'm J & A's 300th review! I had brunch here a week ago and really enjoyed my meal. To start, this isn't a glamorous place, it's quaint and down to earth. The chairs, plates, and interior decor all give off a cozy vibe, like the feeling you get eating at an elderly neighbor's home. The food was delicious! I ordered too much, but there were so many good options. My meal consisted of the huevos rancheros, a side of sausage links, a waffle, and coffee. My main dish, the huevos rancheros, was the perfect portion and was smothered in a tasty red sauce. The waffle was crispy and paired well with the savory eggs and sausage links. The service was also great- quick and efficient. read more

J & A's Cafe - Huevos rancheros - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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J&A's is such a hidden gem - great food, great prices (cash only), consistently good service and easy to get a table on the weekends for breakfast/brunch! Every time we come (and we've come a handful of times) we always say how good it is. The Mexican breakfasts are really good but so are the American ones! The only downside is that the decor and booths/tables are a bit outdated. The decor doesn't really appeal to me (a lot of vintage cars and pets), but I'm sure it does to some people. But I don't want to mark their rating down for those things - I think if they renovated then they would probably have to raise their prices, and their low prices are one of the things that appeal to their clientele like us. read more

Before we headed to USC Arcadia Hospital to visit my father in law first we needed to have some breakfast. I did some research on my Yelp. I found this hole in wall restaurant in the city of Duarte in a shopping center away from the hospital, but it pays off this adventure, getting great breakfast. When we arrived, we found parking right away. we noticed right away a pack that was headed to the restaurant. we got off the car and then headed to the restaurant. My wife added my name to the waiting list, and then we found out this restaurant is a CASH ONLY restaurant. Then, two elderly women told us there's a Bank of America just across the street from the restaurant. Then we waited for it to call my name, and finally, did the waitress bring us in to lead us to our table and hand us the menu. We we're looking at the menu. we surprised they a good selection of breakfast and lunch and some specials on the board outside and inside the restaurant. I decided to order the biscuit with gravy with two sausge pattys and two eggs scramble and an order of peach pancakes. I ordered the house omettle come the choices of sausage,chicken or meat I choices sauage to my omelet and got country potatoes and wheat Toast to my meal. It took a while because first, the restaurant is packed with customers' second limited staff. In the restaurant, they did their good. Everything is my from scratch daily and made to order. We got meals, and it looks so good. I took a bite of my house omelets it was pretty good, plenty of sauage and veggies, and also the cheese it was good that's a very good omelet and plus a nice slices of avocado on top of the omelet. The country potatoes were cooked perfectly nice golden brown they very good. My wife enjoyed her biscuit with gravy, and the two sausge pattys and two eggs. She also enjoyed her peach pancakes they very fluffy pancakes. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about menu and specials they have at the restaurant. We need to come back again at J & A Cafe. read more

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Came here on 1/30 around noon and the placed was packed! Its located in a small strip mall so parking can be a slight problem during peak hours. There seemed to be alot of regulars there and I can see why. Staff are friendly and welcoming and they have a large menu of breakfast and lunch items. I had their chicken fried steak w/eggs, hubby had their chorizo omelet and mom had their fish and chips. They serve this with saucers of various salsas including a chunky salsa and both red and green salsas! Food was delicious and portions large enough for leftovers the next day. Surpisingly, prices were low with entrees less than $15-$16. Thank you J&A for the excellent food and service! read more

Mm mm mm... you can smell the goodness from outside. I stumbled upon this place and was so happy I did. Ordered a burrito to go and it was delicious. It's right next to my job so super convenient. The girl working the register was so sweet she offered salsas and condiments and didn't rush me at all. She genuinely wanted to make sure I enjoyed their food, which I appreciated. The restaurant was packed in the middle of the day, which tells you everything you need to know. Just a heads up: it's cash only, so come prepared. read more

Home of retirees veterans. There many military personal coming through. Come by for a visit. Good food as well. read more

J & A's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

This is one of my favorites places to dine at. It's so cozy and The food is so great I struggle deciding what I want to eat. The breakfast burrito is a favorite, the ranchero sauce on top has so much flavor and the burrito is huge! And the service is the best out there! I never have an empty water glass or coffee. Everyone makes you feel welcomed. when it is busy they still handle it all with a smile and never let the amazing service stop. Special shout out to Judy for always being amazing. read more

J & A's Cafe - Breakfast burrito with ranchero sauce - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

First visit for breakfast and everything was okay. The service was prompt and the food good, but nothing out of the ordinary. We tried the Corned Beef Hash & Two Eggs ($11.99) and the Country Fried Steak & Two Eggs ($11.99 + $1 for biscuits & gravy, instead of toast). Food came out to the table hot and well-seasoned. I'd stop in again when in the area. read more

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Great variety in breakfast selections. I had amazing huevos rancheros. You are able to select your tortilla flour or corn . My husband had a senior special with eggs over easy, delicious Homestyle potatoes, and bacon. You're able to pick your toast Friday and had English muffins. Service is what is amazing here. Everyone is so friendly and has each other's back. Ambience --Typical diner We are from out of town but would go again, hands-down. read more

J & A's Cafe - Huevos rancheros - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

First off all, props to J&A for saving my butt & being open on 4th of July. In a strange twist, I had to work early in the morning, & when I finished work & searched "breakfast," this place came up. I took a chance hoping they would be open, & luckily they were. I was seated right away & got coffee & water. Service - the service here is unbelievable. They seem to use a team approach instead of my table vs your table. One person took my order, a different person delivered my food, and yet another person checked refilled my coffee & water. Everything was so efficient, & a minute after my food was bright to my table, my server checked to make sure everything came out ok. Love this! Food - My plate of food was delicious, everything was made fresh & served at the right temperature. I asked my English muffin unbuttered, & my server made sure it came out that way. Don't expect some fancy place. But the prices aren't fancy either, so everything matches. What you do get is friendly service & great food that is reasonably priced. Can't wait to come back. read more

J & A's Cafe - 2 eggs + ham - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

If you know, you know! J&A's is one of best kept secrets in the San Gabriel Valley. The front is small enough that unless you're looking for it you never notice it. Locals make it their spot. A plumber friend takes his crew there every Saturday morning for breakfast. They are CASH ONLY! Personally I love that, but it can be a bit inconvenient for some. Their prices are the lowest I have found out of the dozen breakfast spots I have been to. As a result they need to keep folks moving through. Now they would never treat you that way. It's just my personal observation. Once there are no more booths left and most of the tables are filled we take off so they can keep their prices. The food is always good to great. The service is fantastic. The coffee is decent enough to order. read more

J & A's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

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Service was amazing. The food is basic diner food but the coffee was refilled and they were constantly checking on us!

wonderful service and atmosphere. Decor is dated but has a retro feel. Food was tasty and done quick service. omelette was well cooked and exactly what you expect. Grits were also cooked well. read more

Old fashion diner. My daughter and I loved it! Affordable prices and everything was very good. The biscuits and gravy didn't look like much but it was one of the best I've had. Service was friendly and food served quickly. Would come back again! read more

Just came here for the first time, and read other reviews about the biscuits and gravy. First, J&A's Cafe has an awesome old school diner feel to it. Small, quaint, and quiet. The service is amazing. They give you a level of care that you rarely find nowadays at restaurants. They make you feel like family from the first minute you walk in the door. The food: so, I am a bit of a biscuits and gravy snob. I've had it in many parts of the US over the decades, so I'm hard to please in this area. What did I think of it? The portions are good sized, but if you just order biscuits and gravy, and not their country breakfast, you get two fluffy, yummy biscuits smothered in a country gravy. My only complaint is that there is no meat in the gravy. I prefer pork sausage, but I've had it made with lots of different meats. Do yourself a favor, if you are like me, and order a side of the sausage patties, which come with 3 thin but sizable sausage patties cooked to perfection. Once I ordered the sausage, and added some pepper, the meal was SO MUCH BETTER. Note that this didn't come cheap; with tax, before tip, it was right around $20. Instead of a 5 out of 10, this jumps up to an 8 out of 10. I would totally come back either to have this again, or have something else. The only reason I didn't give J&A's Cafe 5 stars is because their gravy doesn't have sausage in it, and they don't take cards. This is more my issue, I should have looked at this myself, just make sure you have cash. Thank you J&A's for a memorable meal in an amazing atmosphere!! Can't wait to see you again. read more

J & A's Cafe - Biscuits and gravy order - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

Friendly fast service. Good breakfast spot near City of Hope. Just what I was looking for. read more

This little cafe is so cute and welcoming! The food is made with so much love and the staff are so friendly. It was our first time here and it definitely will not be our last. We were a party of four ladies enjoying our monthly Brunch and we have definitely found our new spot. Our waitress kept the coffee cups full and my Arnold palmers coming. Ordered the country fried steak, eggs and hashbrowns. Loved that she asked my if I wanted it crispy and my answer was yes mam!!! I like my toast well toasted and I received it. The gravy was outstanding with a great pepper taste. I was so happy with my meal. Friends ordered the waffle special and it came out looking amazing with scrambled eggs and bacon. My other buddy ordered the French toast and she said it was the best she has ever had. I can't wait to come back and try everything on the menu. Thank you for your amazing food and welcoming atmosphere. read more

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Totally solid food. Not great or anything, but totally solid. It's cash only, but they have pretty great prices. Friendly service.

Found this little hole in the wall and it was pretty good. We did wait 40 minutes from ordering our food to receiving it. However, we came at a busy time of the morning. The booths are a little worn down so it wasn't the most comfortable. But when we got our food it was so good! The sauces and condiments did make the food a lot more tasty. And the prices were surprisingly really cheap! Overall, a good breakfast cafe to check out read more

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I had breakfast here on a weekday. They serve classic American breakfast with Mexican American favorites like huevos rancheros includes for delicious variety. I ordered a basic breakfast: bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. Staff is very friendly and attentive, restaurant very clean and inviting. Plenty of parking outside. Only one issue, for me anyway- cash only. I had to go to B of A for cash to pay. Great café, definitely recommend. read more

Friendly service and good was good amount portion! Tasted like home food, and I loved all decorations on the wall. This place is good and feels like home! read more

J & A's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

My husband was craving a breakfast burrito. Since we are around Monrovia, I went and looked up Yelp for a nearby place that serves Burrito and found J&A's Cafe. I ordered me some breakfast quesadilla and of course he ordered his bfast burrito. My quesadilla was good. Not salty. The burrito was also good but my husband said it has more potatoes than meat. I told him he should ask for extra meat next time . Ugh! Forgot to take a picture of his burrito The servers are nice. Very accommodating. I will bring my kids next time. I saw in the menu that they have corned beef hash. One of my daughters likes corned beef hash. read more

J & A's Cafe - Breakfast quesadilla - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

I've had breakfast here several times and they've been consistently good. Food is fresh and a decent quality. FOOD The omelets, quesadillas, and breakfast burritos are my favorite here. SERVICE Good quality service. They are friendly and check up on you at a good rate. PARKING Large, shared lot. Free and no issues. read more

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This place is such a cute little neighborhood spot! The food is always amazing, and the service is great. I absolutely love their country fried steak, it's so crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside. My husband got the corned beef hash and it was very tasty -- seasoned well and had a nice flavor. Everything here is solid and delicious, would recommend! read more

They have great service. They are friendly and patient. There are many options in the menu. We were a big party and they were quick to accommodate. Highly recommend Everybody liked what they ordered. Great food. read more

Classic diner food done very well! My lady and I stopped in on a rainy morning to grab breakfast before doing some errands. Cash only!!!!!!! The service was absolutely amazing. Everyone was really friendly right from the get go. We saw one of the waiters rush to the door to help two elderly people inside and I was so touched. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure we were happy with our meal. The jams came out in the cutest little basket. Someone is really paying attention to detail. If you're looking for a grouchy, grimy diner experience (for some reason?), look somewhere else! The food itself was hefty, comforting, and tasty. When I saw the house omelette, I knew I had to get it because it had all of my dream ingredients. It definitely lived up to expectations and also included a good amount of avocado which was nice to see in this recession. The hash browns were the best hash browns I have ever had in my life! And yes, that includes mcd's hash browns. They were perfectly crispy and I found myself scraping the dish for every last bit of it. The biscuit came out piping hot and was insanely fluffy. I offered my lady a bite, and next thing I knew, my whole biscuit was gone (T___T) I'll have to get her a separate biscuit next time... My lady had the breakfast burrito and could only finish half of it! She thought it was a pretty solid breakfast burrito. I think we found our new local diner spot! ＼(^o^)／ read more

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Great family owned business been around forever always busy. Breakfast is incredible. Service is great. Eat in and also picked up and service is always great. read more

A hole in the wall in Duarte. I always pass by it going to gym and when I went inside, I realized how busy it was. A lot of old timers enjoying the discounts! We went for breakfast but it turned into lunch. The server was quick and attentive. I saw the burgers and I couldn't resist it at 10am. The onion rings were perfect. Great crunch and after every bite, they remained in tact! The burger was huge and delicious. Better than In N Out as far as it being a fresh burger. The mushrooms on mine get me every time. Super delicious read more

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Food is always fresh and freshly prepared to order. Quality flavor, presentation, service, and bright, homey environment are superior to any chain. I have been a patron since J&A's opened 2- decades ago. It's so wonderful to see a family diner survive and prosper, never declining in any aspect of their operation. read more

I've made a decision to always write a review when I patronize a business more than once. I've been here twice now and find the food recomendable. I would wholeheartedly recommend this place to friends and definitely plan to come back here for breakfast and brunch. The last time I was here I got the matador omelette which I thought was great. This time, I got the breakfast burrito, (pictured at home) along with a short stack of pancakes, with sliced banana. The food comes out piping hot, so it must have been brought out straightaway. The burrito was perfect. I cut it in half and saw that all the ingredients were well missed. I have had breakfast burritos where they basically put strips of bacon on top of scrambled eggs, which all sit on a layer of potatoes. When it's well mixed, as it was here, you get all ingredients in every bite. The tortilla was nice and chewy and the ranchero sauce, which I had asked for separately, added additional flavor and spice to every bite. It was a really delicious burrito. The short stack was equally delicious. They were cooked to perfection with the smooth light brown surface and were so chewy. They had the right amount of bounce as you bit down. Really great pancakes. This place is a total sleeper. I had driven past it so many times without giving it a second look. Completely unassuming facade in a rather rundown strip mall. But don't let that fool you. I walked in at 9am this morning and it was already bustling. Oh and they only take cash. If it's in high demand at 9am and they only take cash, you know it's gonna be good. I'll be back for sure. read more

J & A's Cafe - Breakfast burrito with well mixed ingredients. - Cafes Near Me - Duarte, California

Thought we'd try a new breakfast spot since we were in the area.. So as I looked through yelp to help find a good spot to eat this place popped up with almost 5 stars and good reviews.. well I ordered the hamburger steak with grilled onions OE eggs and hash browns.. My wife also ordered the burger steak and eggs.. Well when I started eating my steak burger it was absolutely flavorless and super dry!!!! The hash browns were really greasy!!! My wife's burger steak was over cooked when we asked for it medium and it was like chewing rubber and also flavorless!!!! We were bummed out we didn't enjoy decent food!!! I guess you can't depend on yelp as well to deliver good places but we won't be back to that place that's for sure.., read more