Came here for an early breakfast yesterday. I got here not too long after they open at 6 and there were about 5 people already sitting there plus one leaving. Most appeared to be regulars as they were chatting with staff. The waitress was very nice and attentive. She can either read minds or knew by looking at me I needed coffee! And continued to check on me with refills. I got the Belgian waffle with a side of hashbrowns. Both came out fast and hot. Great flavor in the waffle with a good amount of whipped butter that actually could be spread over the entire thing, unlike some places. I agree with past posts that it is a little run down however all the furniture seemed to be working fine. (No wiggly chairs or tables which is a plus). Overall I think it's a good breakfast place for Kenmore and has easy access being off Bothell way with fast service. read more

Jay's Cafe - First page of the menu. - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

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Ate there this morning. The waitress was awesome. The portions were HUGE, prices great! Doesn't look special from the outside but who cares! You will leave with a full belly read more

After driving 13 hours through snow and rain to get to Washington this was our first real food and experience of our new home. Wife and the family recently made the trip to Washington and we first stopped in at Jay's Café before we began house shopping in the Bothell and Kenmore surrounding area. Experience: This is your classic diner/café for breakfast - eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, etc. Waitress immediately sat us in a booth and we were able to get coffee and drinks for the kids in moments. Throughout the time there the service staff was very friendly and when they found out we were moving to the area in a few months they talked about the local areas and placed to check out. Leave it to the youngest to wear a Raiders shirt to have us stick out in Washington. The rest of the customers had the quality local vibe to it and was a pretty busy morning which shows how popular the place is in the area. Food: Its what you expect when you go to a diner/café - food was quick and cheap. To compare it do Denny's or Ihop would not be fair to Jay's Café. It does have similar style menu items; but the evidence that its not a chain restaurant shows itself with the quality of the food and of course the service. Price: Cheap. Now we have been living in the South Bay in California for the past few years so we are jaded.. but the prices were below what we expected to pay for the meal and service. Bottomline: We will be back again once we get the move out of the way. Thank you again for your good food and quality service. read more

Jay's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

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Consistently good hot, yummy food! This reminds me of a hole in the wall, greasy spoon diner with that old hometown charm. Jay is the owner and cook and does a great job. He will even come out and talk to the patrons when he can. He knows his regulars and starts the cooking before they even have to order. At times the service can be slow if they are busy but the food has always come out piping hot (not luke warm like other places) and is consistently good. One morning we were there and noticed one of the waitresses had come in on her day off to kill some time while her car was getting serviced. She sat down at the bar then quickly popped up out of her seat to bring someone, who had just come in, menus and water. She did this a few different times to help out. Impressive. Our new regular breakfast spot. Thank you Jay and staff. read more

We used to go here and enjoyed their veggie omelet- we had a terrible time today and won't be back. We had $5 worth of hidden charges on our bill and poor quality food. $1 for splitting plate that the waitress pushed (I didn't want a split) $1 for subbing cheese *they use FAKE cheese on food and I tried to switch to something that wouldn't be fake processed American but it was still nasty processed cheese, sticks to your teeth and $1 extra??* $1 for each person asking for extra cooked hash browns. They came out completely deep fried like potato chips drenched in oil. It was disgusting. We used about 20 napkins to soak off oil. The veggie omelet is nice as it comes with lots of veggies. But having a sneaky waitress that pushes for hidden up charges is enough to not go back. read more

Terrible service, I show up to get food never being there before. Doors open, multiple party's are in side. And then am greeted by some elderly man asking if I knew what I wanted and menu? Like yes this is a diner for food correct?? Lol Must have fell apart from covid. read more

This is a great home-style family operation and they went out of their way to accommodate customers during this Covid fiasco. I look forward to being able to visit again when this is all over for the best chicken-fried steak breakfast in Washington. Lori H. read more

Great wait staff but the food is mediocre. The coffee really needs work, it's very watery and stale. Food isn't hot when it arrives. Place needs some tlc read more

Solid breakfast spot and an excellent value! Large portions, fair prices and good food. Just what we were looking for on a rainy Sunday morning after a walk through the park. The coffee flowed generously too! read more

Pretty good and what you'd expect from the looks of it outside. I'm new to the area but seems like the locals love coming here. A good old classic place. Probably check it out again in the future read more

Great place, good food, excellent service! We'll be back i had the philly dip with soup which totally hit the spot on a rainy day. The hubby had a huge omelette that even he couldn't finish. Recommend highly! read more

Great lil Breakfast spot we stumbled on food was as ordered pretty quick coming out and our waitress was on it!!

What a breath of fresh air... well, breath of a seasoned diner. Which to me, smells and feels like an original, generations old, small town coffee shop with your good old fashioned fare. The counter has seating with well loved swiveling chairs and a couple of retirees chatting up the news and eating up what's probably the same breakfast they've been coming back for everyday for 30 years. To some it up this diner offers the nostalgia only a real small town diner has to offer (except for the fact it sits along a traffic congested highway). Now that I've got myself convinced that I'm going to Jays for breakfast... read more

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Jay's is a little hole-in-the-wall diner located right on highway 522. It's a great spot for breakfast ... the food is hot and cooked to order, wait staff is friendly and prompt. I order foods I wouldn't ordinarily cook for myself, specifically biscuits and gravy. The sausage is very tasty, and the eggs are cooked just right. Hashbrowns are plentiful and crispy on the outside and completely cooked throughout. My hesitation about the rating is the cleanliness of the restaurant. It's incredibly dated, my bet says it hasn't had an upgrade in more than a decade. If you look at the air vents, you can see they are crusted with grime and dust. The restrooms are small and incredibly cramped. It's interesting that the health department gives the cafe a "Good" rating, so my thought is that behind the grill it's much cleaner than the customer areas. If you aren't put off by the grime and dated atmosphere, I can very much recommend Jay's. read more

My girlfriend and I have eaten here twice. The first time we came in on a Sunday after moving into the area and sat in the back. They were busy but the service was precise. The second time we called an order Togo. Our phone call was answered by a rushed gentleman who said "hold" and it sounded like he shoved the phone into a woman saying "I don't have time for a Togo order here" the woman irritated and rudely asked me "what can I get you" I ordered my food and she said okay and hung up. No total. No wait time. I waited 10 min and picked up my food. Which was amazing. As always. Just questionable service. read more

You won't find many restaurants offering generous potions at the prices they charge! Pancakes were desired and on point! If we ever are in Washington again, we'll definitely make time to eat here again! read more

I find a diner I like in every city I visit, and I've been to this place a bunch of times since coming to the Seattle area. Food is reasonably priced, cooked perfectly, and the servers are both sassy and highly attentive. I'll visit this place as long as I live in the area. Eat, pay, go. Very consistent. Great breakfast place. read more

This is a great little diner, with large portions and a great down home flavor. Run by Jay and Misty, they run a tight ship that is quite popular with the locals and it's the kind of place where everyone knows your name, well, at least the wait staff does. They have a special Thanksgiving dinner every year and it's one of Jay's examples of how good a cook he is. I especially like Jay's Corned Beef Hash breakfast, as he uses an excellent brand of corned beef to make it with. One of these days I'll try to convince him to put cheese on top with the eggs. That'll be a heart stopper! :-) Stop on by and have a cup of freshly ground coffee and lunch! [edit] For 2007, they held a "white elephant" Christmas dinner. Participants were encouraged to bring a "white elephant" gift they had received and put it in the pot and then take a number. Then each person's number is called out and they get to open a gift. Then they decide whether or not to keep it or trade it for another, previously opened gift. For this one one of the popular gifts was a toy bulldozer and a canister set for the kitchen. These got traded a lot. The dinner was buffet style and was delicious. The lasagna was done just right, as the curry chicken was delicious! I snagged a take out box and loaded it up with rice and curry chicken! Here's to next year's White Elephant Christmas Dinner! read more

Jay's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

We've been going here for years, and Jay's never disappoints. It's exactly what you would hope in a hometown diner- great food, great prices, surrounded by old white men whose wives left them and they can't cook for themselves so they go here every morning, and tired waitresses. I jest... but seriously. Great food at a great price. read more

This place is a gem in Kenmore, simple and unassuming out side leads to a quaint homey feel on the inside. The service is bar non, quick , friendly, personable. The food never a let down, perfectly crispy hash browns, every egg dish on point, every sandwich scrumptious. As a past time we like to try out new places to eat, but Jay's is one that we will go to time after time! read more

What a disappointment this morning. Haven't been to Jays' for many years but I always like diners. I had a basic breakfast. Eggs over medium, bacon, hash browns and english muffin. The eggs looked like they'd been cooked in some burned part of the grill. I asked for crisp bacon and it sure was almost burned. The hash browns were cooked in what I think was old oil or whatever they use. The english muffin was ok but had way too much butter on it. It looked like the food had been tossed on the plate. The service was friendly and timely. Social distancing was ok. read more

Over two decades I have dinned at Jay's. I have consistently received good service, smiles, laughs and jokes from the staff. Jay works that kitchen like a well-oiled machine. One of my favorite things are his pancakes! They are consistently fantastic. It is actually amazing how many people I know that frequent that spot. If you just want to go out and chow on home styled grub, this is the place to go. read more

The service was great for a cafe. Our server was very attentive with the coffee refill and making sure I had enough gravy for my food. The food came out very quick too with was nice since I went right in between breakfast and lunch rush. I got the country fried steak and the hash browns were Super crispy!!! I loved it! And the eggs didn't taste like it was fluffed with water it actually tasted great! I usually never finish my eggs but this time I did. read more

Jay's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

To sum everything up really quick: - Wait time was absolutely absurd - Burned food - Expired beverages - Less than stellar customer service My husband and I came here recently to grab some breakfast before heading home from our first ultrasound. I had heard wonderful things about this restaurant in the past, so I thought this was going to be a nice way for us to have a small celebration that our baby is on track and healthy. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted and seated almost immediately. When we got into our booth, there was an odd urine like smell lingering the area. It already wasn't off to a great start... Our waitress arrived shortly after we were seated and asked if we wanted any coffee. My husband had a cup, and I had the waitress make some decaf for myself. It wasn't until about 20-30 minutes later that we finally saw our coffee. By this time, she took our order for each of our breakfasts. We also ordered a hot chocolate and some orange juice. Another 30-40 minutes after our order was taken, she finally brought over our breakfast. Without the beverages we ordered... She kept insisting that she "hadn't forgotten" about us and that she was "working on it"... As for the quality of our food, parts of it were burned and overall the entire meal tasted off. Halfway through eating our meal, the waitress brought our hot cocoa and orange juice to us. The cocoa tasted good, but my husband's orange juice tasted like it was expired. At that point, we got up, paid and left. It was a huge disappointment, especially since I had heard such great things about this place. I will give our waitress some credit though, she didn't charge us for the hot cocoa or orange juice. So I guess there's that. Safe to say we will not be coming here ever again, nor will recommend this place to anyone either. read more

my favorite local breakfast spot, food has always been solid and service has been good. great to always see the owner their cooking!

This is a nice small mom and pop shop, service was nice and friendly, prices are unbeatable and food is ok (breakfast items are better than the burgers). The only problem is the cleanliness, the tables need a good wipe down and I think some small updates would also help. read more

Love this place! My boyfriend and I come here at least a few weekends a month for brunch. The staff are all very friendly, quick service, and the quantity of food given is great! I'm a fan of Jay's scramble and their omelettes which come with toast and hash browns or pancakes. The prices are great and it's nice to know we're supporting a local business. We even bring our family and friends here when they're visiting and not one person has had a bad experience. Definitely will be back soon :) (haven't tried their lunch or dinner options but I'm sure they're great too!) read more

Tonight we were greeted I passing and told to "seat ouselves". That also means get your own menu, which I had to get up to go get. Waitress asked if I wanted coffee, I said yes with cream and additional splenda'. She proceeded to answer me with they're in the back of the table. Now I didn't ask for their location, I noticed they were low and asked for more. Secondly, I asked for coffee WITH cream. It was served without, then she proceeded to clean tables. I tried getting her attention, but the table behind me offered me 1 of their 3 bowls of creamer. Hmm. Young girls have attitude, sit with customers "on break". Restaurant is consistently dirty. Weekend girls are much friendlier and conscientious about customer needs. Good luck. read more

It was okay for what it is. I've driven by numerous times and saw their sign for country fried steak, so figured I'd try it. The breading falls off as you cut into it, the gravy tastes as though it's from a powder packet, and the hash browns were crispy on the outside but way too mushy on the inside. So, not my favorite. Everyone was nice though, and the service was good. Don't know that I'd care to go back, but now I don't have to wonder anymore. read more

Food was exactly as I suspected, delicious. Staff is very friendly. Restaraunt and restrooms clean. If you're expecting a local diner atmosphere and food you will not be dissapointed. read more

This place is good, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go. Good French toast, but my hash browns and bacon were really soft. Being 2 of only 6 people in the restaurant, I was disappointed in the service. read more

Just now we ate at Jay's cafe in Bothell way and it was pretty good. They give you pretty good size portions of food for a good price. Them hot cakes were pretty fluffy and the rest were cooked the way you order. read more

Jay's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

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Standard diner, good food, clean. The hash browns are extra crispy. Wide range of options done well; I've had an omelet and a lighter breakfast, the eggs are done skillfully I'm happy they rye toast. Good breakfast sausage. The tea options are delicious, stash brand. read more

If you haven't dined at Jay's Cafe you are missing out. This is a place where service, kindness and good food is offered. Jay's serves up American comfort food plus home made dessert. Breakfast is served all day but serves breakfast specials on Sunday. An old fashioned place with real good old fashion food. read more

I might not have eaten here by the outside looks but the Yelpers told me it was good and they were right!!! I ordered a bacon burger and since I cannot eat fries the waitress offered cottage cheese. The bacon burger was 8.49 and yummy. My husband ordered a BLT which was really good. He ordered lemonade and me, I ordered apple juice. It hit the spot. Recommend this place. Staff is awesome Crowded with quiet but friendly customers. read more

This is an amazing place for breakfast! I been here two times already and got to say I'm impressed! They give you decent sized portions and the food is good! I had chocolate chip pancakes and meat lovers omelet! Very delicious! I would recommend this place! Come by yourself or bring a friend (or a few friends) they have the space! The building is quite older looking and the inside is too but that is what is nice about it to, it has the old flare to it like in the 70's or 80's (well except the flat screen TVs lol) the employees are experienced and very professional and nice! read more

Jay's Cafe - Chocolate chip pancakes and the meat lovers omelet! Very delicious - Cafes Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

I'll make this review short n sweet cuz basically there's not much to say haha. If you're looking for a nice clean place to eat then this is not the place lol but if you're looking for good food at a cheap price then you're in luck. Only came here for breakfast but everything on the menu including lunch n dinner didn't seem to be more than $10....that's what I'm talkin bout!!! Oh n I'm not saying that this place is all dirty n roach infested I'm just saying that some chairs n tables were being held 2gether with duct tape n the bathroom was pretty old looking. But all that said, I would definitely come back n try lunch or dinner if I'm in the area again. read more

The food here is truly disgusting. I've never gotten what I'd consider a really good meal here but last time I ordered biscuits and gravy and the gravy was rancid. They brought me bacon and eggs to make up for it but the bacon was so tough I had to use a knife to cut it and of course they still charged me. The place is dirty. It's popular with some of the locals but honestly they are people that would get thrown out of any other restaurant for smelling bad. You will see some of the same very large people sitting on the same counter stool eating the very same thing every day. This place is just gross. read more

As the previous reviewer posted, Excellent Hash Browns, yes - but HEALTHY isnt on the menu here. And neither is soap/dishrags/bleach or cleanliness of any sort. The plates/glasses/silverware had a slimy film on them, and strangely enough, the tables and chairs seemed to have the same grimey feel. I ordered eggs benedict, which was ok if you like 6 cups of bland hollindaise on your eggs/ham and muffin. It lacked spice of any sort - I could have added some salt and pepper, but I was too afraid to touch the shakers. Jay's is on our "Do Not Return" list. It baffles me that ANYONE would give this more than 2 stars. It makes Denny's look like Canlis. read more

Just went there with my son and his GF for lunch. Looking for a good burger place in Kenmore. This diner(?) reminds me of some greasy spoons I have eaten at in the past. We all ordered Jays Cheeseburger (5.99). My son and I upgraded to 1/2 pound patties (.99) and bacon (another .99) . I had salad, they had fries. His GF asked for NO ONIONS. We all got a cheeseburger with onions, tomatoe & lettuce. The salad was starting to get a bit on the wilty side. Their fries were frozen, packaged crinkle fires. **Wonder if they picked them up at Grocery Outlet, down the street?** The cheeseburgers were tasty, almost as good as Kidd Valley - maybe we should have driven down the street. I kinda agree with Adrienne H's assessment. We were seated at a table where there was still a tip sitting and a couple of place settings. The waitress brought another place setting, picked up the tip, but didn't wipe down the table. (OK, I am picky, but I own a pizza place and we make sure tables are wiped down and old place settings, napkins, etc. are removed.) I would give them 3 stars on the Cheeseburger flavor, but they lose some on the salad, and cleanliness. read more