For cleanliness, hospitality and overall feel, Janet's has earned 4stars. But after having visited several times, the food needs to be better. They're just average for East County and we all want more. I can't point you to a better nearby option, so be prepared for "ok" flavors. read more

Janet's Cafe - Yogurt parfait, one of the tastiest items on the menu. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Poor service, food ok we wanted way to long for the food. We observed other people being seated after our party of 3. We watched them order , eat and leave. We told our waitress who seemed oblivious to our displeasure . Finally after complaining to everyone who walked by our order was served. Everything was barley warm. Not happy campers. Pretty pricey for the whole unpleasant experience. read more

Nice local spot Great food and fast good service decent prices hash brown were overcooked but overall everything was good

This is a really nice little cafe just off the freeway with over 4 pages of menu items to choose from. The best part is that they serve breakfast all day which essentially means bacon anytime from 6am until 2pm!! I visited at 12pm on a Thursday and although I didn't have to wait it was certainly busy and seems to be a popular spot. It's hard to beat a Cobb salad but with breakfast all day I went with the make your own omelet. The portion was great but the eggs were a little overcooked. The service was pretty outstanding and I would definitely go again to try other dishes. read more

Janet's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Soooooo yummy. Awesome menu. Great staff. Went there a couple times before the shutdown. They are open for pick up yaaay read more

Just ordered breakfast, the California it's a bacon ,avocado and cheese omelette. We got it to go and it was amazing. I was worried it might not be as good as dine in but I was wrong. The food was hot and delicious. We also got biscuits and gravy. OMG. So good. read more

We had a server who was named AJ. He had an incredible personality and excellent customer service skills. We were treated with respect and never anything less. I would fly back here from Colorado Springs just to have breakfast here again. read more

Had such a great breakfast there. French toast was the best ever! We were just passing through this past weekend and stopped in for breakfast and now we are looking to visit them again sometime in the future. read more

Janet's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Tucked into a corner at Greenfield and E Main, in El Cajon, this place is everything you could ask for from a neighborhood eatery. I had a bacon burger and the bun was out of this world soft. My boyfriend enjoyed a mushroom burger and said it was delicious. Daddy had liver and onions and said it was cooked perfectly, which is good because Janet's is around the corner from his home and his girlfriend won't let him cook liver and onions! The staff was super nice and friendly, and dressed up for Halloween, which is always fun. I'd like to go there again. Maybe have breakfast (served all the time!) or try a piece of that pie... I swear the pile of whipped cream on it was bigger than my head! JUST as I like it :) read more

Called on Saturday to order for Sunday (mothers Day and they told me to call back Sunday they said it wouldn't be a problem to fill your delivery . I called Sunday and they told me they were to busy to take a take out order. I will never order or eat at this establishment again, they ruined Mothers Day for this Family. read more

Good food & service, I had a salad but will plan to stop by for breakfast. Cafe was busy, but the wait for food was short. Best staff I've seen in a long time. Friendly and always checking with the diners read more

This place is a great place!! I had lunch at breakfast and loved the turkey club. Be ready to wait if you get there at a popular time... worth the wait read more

Absolutely wonderful food and great service. I don't support the location much but what can you do when a city can't clean up the homeless and drug problems. I suggest going to the Alpine location. read more

Horrible customer service, my wife and I had to wait an hour before we got our order taken. We had to ask multiple times to get our order taken and when the food came it was cold read more

Haven't been here in at least two years. The management and staff have really changed. The service was very poor, no one ever offered to refill my cofffee! What happened to the Chipped Beef gravey? The food was average at best. From now on will take the time to go the Alpine Janets. read more

the service here is disgusting. when we first came in, we were told that we would have to wait a few minutes to get seated. 2 mins later they seated two other families while we were waiting for almost 20 minutes. i would not recommend this place at all. read more

Janets is the perfect hometown cooking restruant. The service was amazing and great prices. They're always busy too, but have never messed up my order. Will continue supporting their business! read more

We have eaten here many times and the food is pretty decent. This review is for the service we received today. The manager Johnny handled the situation very unprofessionally and because of this my family and I will NEVER eat here again. We had a party of 7 and we were okay sitting at different tables with a different server given how busy it was in a compact establishment. However per Johny this was not an option. He was adamant that the same party had to have the same server no matter how busy they were?? He disregarded my willingness to make it easier for them and proceeded to tell me "I don't have time for this" and walked away without a resolution. The older lady with short blonde hair and glasses who handles the payments in the front was also rude to me when I asked for the owner's name. I hope the owner Dustin reads this review for future consideration on who he allows to represent this establishment in the future. read more

Food was bland & customer service could've been much better. Asked for a coffee refill multiple times & it never happened.

Solid upscale diner! For $14.95 I received a cold, crisp salad, whole fried chicken breast with country gravy, fresh asparagus spears, cold flavorful potato salad, dinner roll, and dessert. Excellent service, quick preparation, quality ingredients. This is a diner, not fine dining. For people who complain about prices, stick to fast food. I found the prices inexpensive for the portion size. For people complaining about the fat content, opt for healthy choices. They have lots of options. My meal was not perfect. The salad was a little watery (drain a little more please!), gravy on the chicken vs my request for it on the side, and the carrot cake a little stale. Diner. Not fine dining. But a fine diner it is, and the staff tries very hard to please. For a quick honest meal, I am a fan! read more

First of all, what it's NOT: - Trendy - Gourmet - Fancy - Gluten-free, non-fat, free-range, grass-fed, organic, vegan, lactose-free, or any other hipster-hyphenated adjectives What it IS: Traditional, country-style food at a reasonable price. Recently, I was there with my wife for dinner, and I had a strange hankering for chicken-fried steak. I hadn't eaten that for at least 5 years, and Janet's didn't let me down. It certainly met my expectations, and then some. I was a little disappointed with the green beans, which were a bit too soggy for my liking, but my wife said they were exactly like what her papaw in Mississippi used to make, so I'll take that as being "good". Just don't plan on coming here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon -- it's going to be crowded. You'll have a better chance of finding a bottle of truffle oil than you would finding an open seat. read more

Adorable cafe with excellent service and food. I was greeted immediately and checked on often. I stopped for a late breakfast while in the area on business. Support the locals! Coffee was hot and the waffle delicious read more

I came here for breakfast early on Saturday morn before Jeepin' off-road with my Jeep club a short time ago. I had coffee, bagel, and oatmeal. All were very good. Moreover, the service that me and the rest of the gang recieved was excellent. I will come back here again. RECOMEND HIGHLY! read more

Was a little surprised that salads are 10 bucks. I ordered soup and salad...the salad was blend and soggy. Tortilla soup chips were very stale. They brought another soup without the chips and at the same time brought the folks at the table next to us the soup w the chips they already knew were stale. They also sent it back. BF's French Dip was microwaved. My sons meal and lemonade were really good but I realized the burger patty wasn't cooked through on the inside. What a yucky feeling to want to just go elsewhere, but I don't like causing scenes. Won't be coming back...bummer read more

" Comfort Food At It's Finest " Janet's cafe makes you feel like you are home with your Mom cooking for you. The tucked away restaurant behind the Jack in the Box on Greenfield Drive is a great place to get comfort food. On our last visit my wife had the Country Chicken Fried Steak & gravy which comes with eggs, potatoes and your choice of toast. The Chicken was so tender and tasty. I had my usual eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast which was cooked very well and was very good. Janet's makes you feel as if you are at home, so relax and have a great meal. Check them out ! read more

Love Janet's! Huge portions and great service every time. Great place for breakfast.

Had breakfast there AGAIN this morning and as always, very satisfied by the food, service and portions. My hash browns were extra crispy but not greasy as I requested and my husband's toast which came with his delicious ham and cheese omelet was slathered w/extra butter. I also want to say that I take offense at the short, detailed-less review by Will R. For some reason people like to think that all of El Cajon is the 'hood , divey and trashy but it ain't so folks. This is NOT a dive restaurant by any stretch of the imagination, I've NEVER had any greasy food at any meal in this restaurant and if these are the kind of restaurants you find on any "truck stop" then Lord, please let me wake up tomorrow and be driving a truck. This is the kind of place that serves comfort, well made food and you never feel as though you've not gotten your money's worth...that dude's crazy fo' sure! read more

the service i got was probable one of the worst. the older lady working the front was extremely rude and wasn't comforting at all in an environment like that. someone who's that manager shouldn't speak to guest with a rude demeanor. don't plan on ever going back there. read more

It looks like a dive from the outside. That said, it's incredibly quaint and homey on the inside. You walk in to smiling faces and a cabinet with delish pies almost screaming "buy me!". The booths are small and cozy. There is also an area outside which is nice to sit in when the weather is good. I've now been there 3 times. Every time, service has been extremely good. Always with a smile, always helpful, and not too annoying (like when they try to take your plate away while you're still eating). The portions are huge, it's home cooked for real, and even their juice tastes fresh squeezed. I've had omelets there (as good as New York, I swear!), my kids have had the French toast, my hubby eggs benedict, and the last time I had a sandwich and salad. The very last time I went was this past Sunday and I took my teenage girl and her best friend. They asked for strawberry lemonade and were told by their server they only had regular lemonade. Lo and behold, he later came back with two specially made lemonades complete with real strawberries! It was a special just for them! They felt so important. What's more, when they tasted the concoction, they were SOLD. I tried it, too, and it was delish. They had taco and enchilada plates that were huge - even my girl couldn't finish her plate. As always, service was excellent. Food was excellent. It's my new fave local place. Please support it - it's run by a local family. read more

Went here for breakfast this morning so disappointed. We had to eat outside because my husband who is disabled could get a table inside, they had a large family eating and it took up the whole place. Then the food was not good, ham and cheese omelet not cooked all the way thru, told it was white cheese. I know the difference charged 34.75 for something that was not good, ignored being outside bad experience all the way around. The food and service here has changed and not for the goos. read more

We visited on a Saturday morning after a water polo tournament game. There were about 30 athletes and parents in our group, and the staff was amazing at accommodating us! We were all able to sit together (at several tables) outside on the patio. The food was delicious and, most importantly, the service was friendly and fast. Thank you all for a great morning! read more

The staff is very friendly and attentive and the country-style breakfast was served fast and hot. Big portions, and very tasty in the good old fashioned way. Surprisingly good coffee and frequent refills. For an old diner it's really clean, too. Loved it. read more

A typical American dive restaurant, Janet's does what it does well.. serve greasy 'comfort' food. Cheap, large portions, American food... this restaurant is the closest you can get to a truck stop without being on a major route. read more

Janet's Cafe has to be one of my favorite places to eat! The service is impeccable and the food is always amazing! I usually have breakfast as this is one of my favorite meals, but when I'm in the mood for a burger, Janet's has great ones. Also the tuna melt is great. They also have the best ranch dressing and bacon. There is always someone to greet you with a smiling face which is nice! The place reminds me of my Grandmother's kitchen! read more

Amazing food! Big portions and the staff is so attentive and very nice! Will def have to come back out here again! I had the top sirloin and it is really delicious, I couldn't even finish it, I had to give some to my husband. read more

Stopped in here while in SD this weekend and was pleasantly surprised. It's always a gamble when you decided to go to a random cafe, but the food was really good and it came out super fast in the middle of their morning rush. I just had a simple eggs and bacon breakfast, which was great, but my husband had the chicken fried steak and it was REALLY GOOD. Crispy, flavorful and smothered in delicious gravy. So yummy! read more

This as a sweet place we have been coming here for years! They are always friendly and the portions are very big. They use real bacon !

Yummy! My husband and I love Janet's Cafe! Cinamon Roll french toast, Eggs Benedict, Regular French toast, Crispy hashbrowns & crispy bacon are our favorites! The service is fast and everyone is always friendly! read more

I got the turkey melt, it was really good, but didn't care for the potato salad. My friends got the avocado bacon burger and it looked delicious! The best part was the service, they are really sweet and on top of everything. read more

Janet's Cafe - Turkey melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Came in to for late breakfast and was in for a surprise! Our food so yummy. Good portions, and clean resturant. They have a nice selections of omelettes. Also serve gluten free pancakes and gluten free muffins. And the reason why I'm giving them a five star review is because of their customer service. Very kind personnel. One after another someone either greeted us, or made sure we didn't need anything. I wish ever resturant treated me like this place did. I don´t live in the area, but will make it part of my routing to come out to east county to visit Janet´s Cafe. read more