Don't be put off by the decor, but do leave because of the smell. I like to try new places, and I'm always looking for the a great "mom & pop" diner so rugged appearances don't scare me. But the place smells old and moldy. The girls at the register had a small candle burning in the back for them, so they're aware of how awful it smells. We had a BLT & a patty melt for lunch and neither was great. The fries were super greasy. Their breakfast food may be great, but we couldn't find any redeeming qualities here. read more

The biscuits are everything! The food was fresh and everything was delicious! I'll be back!

I had the meaty Breakfast Skillet, with a side of biscuits and gravy. This was a very experience: three eggs your way, tons of meat (ham, sausage, bacon), cheese, potatoes, all of it perfectly done. The biscuits and gravy was mighty tasty too. They have a huge breakfast menu, served all day. Staff are very attentive. read more

John's Cafe Plano - Breakfast Skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Plano, Texas

Eek. We had one of those groupons or living social coupons for this place and hadn't realized it was in Plano when we bought it. So after we drove about 40 minutes from Mckinney we were starving and looking forward to some homestyle breakfast grub. Maybe we ordered the wrong things but we were WAY underimpressed with the food. Husband ordered waffles, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrowns. I got an eggwhite omelete with cheese and spinach. His waffle was so dense and floury it was almost inedible (like the batter wasn't mixed right?), the biscuits were the kind you might buy at Sams and if they were homemade, they were badly made, the gravy was obviously instant, watery and gross. My eggwhite omelette had a ton of spinach, and almost no cheese which made it kind of gross and tasteless. The service was also incredibly slow. We were really excited when we saw the other reviews for this place and were able to grab a coupon, but it really did not rise to the occasion. read more

This hole in the wall was surprisingly cute inside. Our breakfast was really good. They have a large menu including salmon. I ordered a salmon omelet and it was perfect. There were TVs showing CNN that could to with out. The service was good Overall I enjoyed and would be inclined to go back. read more

If you want corned beef hash from a can not crispy at all this is the spot. The home fries were so bad that I didn't eat them, literally no spices. The only redeeming thing were the biscuits, but I'm pretty sure they came from a tube, gravy was already congealed when I got the biscuits. My friend had a waffle they made with pancake batter, he couldn't even get through half of it. Just very, very disappointing. I was hungover so anything should have been amazing, but even that wasn't enough to save this meal. Don't go here. read more

If you like chicken fried chicken that has 1/16" thick chicken and bad waitressing then John's Cafe is the place. I sware, I don't know how they do it, unless they're frying up a battered single slice of thin sliced chicken lunch meat. It hasn't always been that bad, but the last few months, their chicken fried chicken is chicken fried "essence of chicken". It takes at least 3 tries to get the waitress to get refills on iced tea. But the tea is very good. Breakfast is ok, and sometimes they even get the eggs the way you order them. Overall, its gone from 4 stars a few months ago to 2 stars, at least for me. I guess everyone goes through rough patches from time to time. read more

Many years ago, Big John actually owned this place. Great food. today I go back hoping for the same. Order a CFS w gravy and sides. the usual standard of cafe judgement. I got a big piece of breaded and fried lunchmeat. I mean a slice of sandwich roast battered and fried. The meat was maybe 1/8 inch thick coated in batter. It looked good but there was nothing there. Bland gravy, cold sides. The house salad was some really tired iceberg lettuce w yellow cheese shreds. I could have gone and visited a nursing home for better food. Chef reached out to me but still won't tell what CFS meat is. Not the usual tenderized round steak for sure. A thin piece of lunchmeat I think. I had to dig to find the meat. read more

Don't come to John's expecting to find an undiscovered 5* hole in the wall b'fast joint OK? It is what it is, an old, tired looking, dark place serving above average food. Atmosphere non existent and I don't mean that in a good way, a la, Poor Richard's or The Allen Cafe. On the plus side is the food tho and really, that's what counts.. Omelettes were big, and stuffed with primo ingredients. In fact, I'd say my Western had the leanest ham I've ever had in n Omelette. Delicious. Hash browns were the requisite slightly crispy on the outside and creamy soft (in a good way) underneath. Slightly greasy but, they're potatoes cooked in oil so.... Can't say I was a fan of the heavy biscuits but they were fine for dunking in cream gravy and pretty much melted in me mouth with a swallow of coffee. Coffee was good. Service was adequate. No complaints. So, very good food rates 4*. The negatives weren't an issue for me. read more

Picked up some food from them this morning, the place was very nice inside and the waitstaff was very attentive. If your looking for some nice home cooking, I say give them a shot! read more

I really don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it. This place is pretty sucky. And it hurts to say that, given the fact that I would like to see small business thrive against chain restaurants, but it is very evident that the owners of this place have simply given up and don't even care anymore. I won't get into detail, because I feel it's unnecessary. If you still feed the need to go and try it for yourself, go ahead. It's impossible to support local businesses when the food is so terrible. read more

A co-worker told me about this place. They said it was good southern cooking, an old establishment that had really taken off in the last 4-5 years with new management. I was happy to try it, and man it was good! Breakfast all day, which is always my favorite! The meal I got was huge. Chicken Fried Steak took up a whole plate by itself. It was probably one of the best chicken fried steak's I've had while I've been here in Texas. The toast, delicious. Eggs and hash browns came with it too! I was so full, and by the end of it, we filled up an entire box with leftovers. It looked like we hadn't eaten at all. Full meal in the take-out container. Crazy. Crazy delicious! I hope to be back before I leave Texas. read more

This was my first experience at this restaurant and I tried it due to a coupon from restaurant.com. My husband ordered eggs benedict which was okay. I ordered the chicken fried steak with sides of cucumber salad, corn and french fries. I returned the fries to the kitchen because the potatoes were not cooked all the way. Even when the fries were returned after being cooked more they were soggy and limp. The plate itself was saturated in oil. The cucumber salad looked like it had been made 3-5 days ago and the outside edge of each of the cucumbers was soft. The chicken fried steak was bland and the gravy had the taste of flour. I was very disappointed in my meal and then when I received the check, the suggested tip range on the receipt was for 25%-45% of the meal!!!! It actually lists as a reminder that servers only make $2.50 an hour which is misleading unless the business is not following labor code. I tip very well in general, and I do not blame a waitress for a poorly prepared meal, but there is no way that I would be paying almost 10.00 tip on 23.00 meal. They did not have many customers when we were there and now I can see why! We will not be returning again. read more

John's Cafe Plano - Undercooked fries saturated in oil with a side of cucumber salad that was on its last legs. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Plano, Texas

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In the area, thought I would try. The place was empty for a reason. Greasy cold food, rude despondent staff.

So disappointed. We waited 45 minutes for food. No one came by to give us an update, refill drinks...nothing! We walked out due to the horrible service. Can't even comment on the food. read more

A couple of weeks ago, my daily lunch buddy went to Nascarolina for a week. This left me with four days of what I call "Road Kill Lunches". Just getting out and driving and waiting for something to jump out in front of me and say eat me. I've passed John's Cafe multiple times because it is right around the corner from my office. This was the perfect time to try it. I ordered a chopped sirloin, fried okra, black-eyed peas and a Dr. Pepper. The Dr. Pepper came in a 20oz bottle with a glass of ice. The fried okra was just ok. The black-eyed peas had good flavor and were not mushy like they tend to be in many places. The chopped sirloin was covered lightly in au jus and grilled onions. It was flavorful and not cooked to a hockey-puck well done consistency like most places like to ruin hamburger meat. I will try this place again if I end up with another Road Kill Lunch decision. read more

Standard breakfast fare, eggs cooked to, crispy bacon. In this time of Covid, don't be in a rush. One waitress, took a while to order, the a while to receive food. read more

Total Disappointment.............the food was not good and it was priced to high,.........

A party of four including myself had lunch here today. One of our group had visited John's Cafe a number of times prior, but it was the first visit for the rest of us. Ambiance is definitely small, local diner with the waitstaff knowing many regulars by name. Service is simple, "unfussy" and friendly. As for the food, since we all ordered different plates and shared a bite, I'll list the items with comments: Rolls; Yeasty with a good texture and great taste. Served with real butter, albeit whipped. A winner. Green beans and black eyed peas: From a can, wholly unremarkable. French fries and fried okra: From a frozen bag. Average at best. Mashed potatoes with brown gravy: Fresh with small chunks, tasted pretty good. Meatloaf: A little dry, but a HUGE portion served with tomato sauce. No major fillers noticed, and flavor was pretty good. Chicken fried steak: Most likely frozen and pre-battered; not a standout, but not bad, either. Russian pork stew: I didn't get the Russian influence, but it was a hearty stew with chunks of pork roast, potatoes and carrots in a mild savory sauce. I liked it. Fried catfish: Now, we're getting somewhere. This dish was delicious. A monstrous fillet, battered to perfection with a cornmeal batter, it was flaky, tender and just fantastic. Definitely the biggest winner of the meal, and more than worth coming back for. As mentioned above, service was warm and efficient, and most of all, the price was right. Most of the entrees were under $10, andthey have a large served-all-day breakfast menu that I'd like to try sometime. Overall, this place isn't going to blow your socks off, but they have good, down-home food at great prices and with friendly service. read more

First time trying it today, food tasted alright until I ended up getting food poisoning. Probably won't ever visit again.

Very good. Can't go wrong there. Coffee, eggs and bacon. Friendly service Robert Power. McKinney Tx read more

Great food and service. Highly recommend. It was my first time going (my husband had been previously) and I am so glad he talked me into it. read more

This has become our breakfast place of choice. I have to kick it up to 5 stars. Our favorites: - Caliente omelette - Migas It's a very down to earth place, so if you are put off by some duct tape repair on a booth seat, you may want to ease on down the road to a more fancy pants place. ;-) read more

This is my go to breakfast place on the weekdays. It is just right down the street from work. They have a HUGE menu, friendly staff who remembers you, and great prices. My favorite is their hash browns and Cobb salad! read more

I read several good reviews on this place, so I decided to give it a try. I was a little disappointed in the food, as it was priced too high for what you get. I got a simple club sandwich which they quarter give the appearance of more food on your plate. I chose a side salad, which was extremely bland and the dressing were terrible. No cheese, no croutons, nothing that normally goes on a salad. Our waitress was friendly enough, but she did not smile or act very enthusiastic about her job. I suppose I might give this place another chance, but probably not in the near future considering there are so many better options for the same money. Try Poor Richard's Cafe. They're much better. read more

The special of the day was baked pork chops. Thought "how can they ruin that?" Should have thought again. Came out so dry and tough I could not eat more than one bite. Thought it might be me, but two other tables complained as well. Ordered eggs & waffle to replace chops with sugar free syrup. 2 eggs must have been hummingbird. Never seen 2 eggs take up less than 1/4 of the plate. When requested sugar free syrup, I was given 1 1.1 oz package for the entire waffle. CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP. Noon on a weekday and there are only 4 tables. Expect them to close in the near future and it wouldn't be a loss. Not friendly about comping meals or handling customer complaints. Won't be back and suggest you never come. read more

I've been here for both breakfast and lunch now. My friend and I really enjoyed our breakfast last time and I really liked my buffalo chicken sandwich today. It comes with bacon. I'm not a bacon person so I can take it or leave it, but I added avocado and that added a yumminess (yes, it's a made up word) to it. The fries are homemade, but they're not fantastic. I'd order them again though. I will keep coming to try different things. The waitstaff is super nice and friendly. read more

John's Cafe Plano - Yum!!!! Build your own omelet. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Plano, Texas

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Was just okay. Not the best breakfast I've had but it fills you up at least. Got the meat lovers skillet for $10.99 which comes with a scramble of home potatoes, meat, and cheese, and 3 eggs with biscuits and gravy. Pretty substantial meal. The eggs were ordered over medium but on all 3 of them the yolk had exploded while cooking and they were obviously overcooked. Such a shame and obviously cooked without much care. At least they had flavor so they probably put salt before cooking. Toast was still very soft but that was okay because that's how I like it but I'm sure someone who just puts jam and butter on their toast would like it crispier. Meat and cheese and potatoes on the skillet were cooked well. Reasonably tasty and filling. I also really liked the biscuits and gravy as the gravy was a very thick sausage gravy. Overall it was okay like I said but a few things could've been better. But the price is very reasonable in my honest opinion for what you get at least for breakfast. I don't know about lunch and judging by everyone else's opinion it probably is not recommended. read more

I got the Russian Dumplings to-go. You get 3x sides for a lunch item?! Wow. I picked the side salad(comes with freshly shaved carrots, and chopped onion and green bell pepper), mashed potatoes(comes with brown gravy) and potato salad(mustard with egg, slightly sweet and trace of pimento). The dumplings were basically boiled or steamed pot-stickers, but they were good. Everything else was awesome. I am beyond stuffed(6ft 185lbs) for just under $11.00 after tax. read more

I really liked the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. It is one of the best I've had. I chose the home potatoes for my side. These are very good and made with added grilled bell peppers and onions. I was a wonderful combination. The service is very quick too. read more

John's Cafe in Plano is AMAZING, the service is great & the food is always great, especially the grilled peppers. Thanks John's!!!!! Nicole Air Today Heating & Cooling~~ read more

Great service, but lacking on quality somewhat. Prices will run a couple dollars less than Poor Richard's for example, but biscuits rubbery, coffee weak, gravy more starchy though servings were huge. You get what you pay for. 10% off on Wednesdays for senior citizens. If you want more for less with more starch, this is the place! If there had been more people to watch might have been more conducive for me to return. LOL read more

My granddaughter and children were visiting this weekend and we tried John's Cafe in E Plano for breakfast. I had a bad experience at Poor Richard's and did not want to go back after many years of patronage. The meals and service were EXCELLENT and price was very comparable. The iced coffee mocha is so good!! My great granddaughter's huge pancake was shaped like Mickey Mouse which thrilled her, and the waitress was so good with the children. I will tell all my friends and definitely go back for lunch too. read more

Nikkis is no more. Had to find a new breakfast joint. Migas are super good...I've never actually ordered them, but everyone I take there orders them and I take a couple of Bites....What? You do the same thing.... read more

Standard dinner, with the usual Texas Country flare on the walls. The wait staff is always attentive, and friendly (even on Sunday mornings)! The menu (at least for breakfast) is varied, yet with all the expected normal breakfast dishes. The portions are generous, and the coffee is good. Can't really find a fault; so I guess this is why I continue going back! read more

Finally! We got around to trying John's Cafe. Several friends have told us that we have to try it. We've been by it a hundred times and every time we'd say, "We've GOT to try that place." Well, we did, but only after our Saturday morning favorite breakfast place (Poor Richard's) was packed to the gills... must've been the Soap Box Derby in downtown Plano that drove 'em in. John's Cafe is located in an obscure little shopping strip fairly close to "Fry's"... the electronics store. The first thing that impressed us as we walked in was their friendliness and cleanliness as well as that feeling of stepping back in time about 40 years or so. Our waitress was exceptional. Everything was very good. The BIG "complaint" I've got is that "it's so dang QUIET" in there! If you want to discuss business or personal matters... don't! Just focus on the good eating and keep your "yummy" groans to yourself. And one other thing, they have one television monitor that was playing CNN, which to me is an aversion. I don't want to be distracted by "it" even if it was on mute. Sure, easy for you to say, "Just look away." Or, "Focus on the food." Yeah, right. You try it. Any way, my suggestion for John's Cafe is to bring up some music and put the TV on ESPN and I'll give you that fifth star because your breakfast was great! We're going back for lunch sometime real soon. Oh, and they give you a "Frequent Diner Card" where on your 10th visit, you get one free. read more

I eat here every other day for breakfast. It's a hole in the wall restaurant run by a mexican chef. He's awesome! His bacon burritos are enormous with veggies and homemade salsa to go with it. It's delicious. The staff is friendly and chipper considering they are up working so early in the morning. I've also tried their breakfast tacos; also delish. They serve lunch as well although I never make it that way around lunch time. I'll try it soon. read more

I went for lunch on a Saturday. I had catfish, the daily special. It was pretty good for city catfish. The side of black eyed peas was outstanding, definitely not canned. Mashed potatoes were also fresh and good. This would be better review if had just been cleaner. I couldn't sit in a booth because they were all dirty, only a few occupied. The whole place could use a good cleaning, the table and everything on it had that sticky "cafe grease" feel. This was stuff on the floor like empty creamer packages. Two employees sat at a booth and watched TV the whole time I was there. Be glad your food is good. read more

Neat place in a shopping center under the shadows of State Farm. Friendly and good food! I had the Migas and it was delicious! The atmosphere is definitely cafe than restaurant and there are just so little of these. Coffee was free too. :) read more

I've passed by this place a few times but never got a chance to eat there. Apparently they have new hours now or something. I hopped in for breakfast, which they serve all day. The inside is very early 90's looking. It really does feel like a random diner on the side of some rarely traveled road in south Texas. Industrial carpeting. Wood paneling. Texas themed artwork on the walls. It's all very clean. A nonfunctioning clock hangs on the wall. Service is fast and friendly, and there were obviously many regulars there. Honestly the food's not the greatest. The waffles were pretty dry and tasteless and the sausage patties were kind of thin and gravelly. You do get butter and syrup though. The syrup came chilled, which was an unexpectedly detail oriented touch. I was sort of expecting some lukewarm container with old syrup caked to the side. The scrambled eggs were decent, although it's impossible to screw that up. The iced coffee is a great deal though. They should really put new batteries in the clocks though, unless the place is some sort of time warp, which would be really great. All in all, it's a diner, and I like diners. I also like breakfast and small, independently run businesses. 4/5 it is. read more