I went down here recently with my mother for lunch. Judy's Café is an old-school style lunch and breakfast diner located on Old Seward Hwy. and Klatt Rd. The business has been a fixture in Anchorage's south side for many years and it shows with how packed the place was for the noontime rush. The parking lot is very small for the property with little room to maneuver at the front of the diner much less park there during their busy times. The staff however is among the friendliest you'll meet and treat you like family upon entering the front door. The dining room is cozy with a home-style feel but can be cramped when crowded. There is a counter in the back for solo diners however elbow space can also be tight when seated on a stool next to others. We were lucky to find a table by the corner when every other table was taken and the waitress quickly took our order. The menu is the classic variety of diner fare like soups, sandwiches, and breakfast which is served all day. I decided to go with a Patty Melt on marbled rye, a sandwich I haven't had in ages with a side of Onion Rings. My mother chose the French Dip with a cup of Clam Chowder. Despite the amount of diners eating, the wait was relatively short when our orders came in which was about 10 minutes. The Patty Melt was delicious with plenty of caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese. The rye was toasted just right to provide a crispy texture. The Onion Rings were also good, not the most flavorful, but also crispy and made better with some ketchup on the side. Mom loved her French Dip. For someone who usually eats a smaller portion than what she ordered, she finished the whole thing which meant we made the right choice on where to have lunch. Down-home cooking like this is why this place has stayed in business while other restaurants in the area have come and gone over the years. read more

Judy's Cafe - Patty Melt with Onion Rings! - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

If you like the small mom & pops breakfast cafe/dinner setting. This is the place to try. The food was prepared fresh and tasted great! They do not accept credit cards. Cash and checks only. read more

Judy's Cafe - Menu as of 8/24/22 - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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Bring your cash because they don't accept cards. Huge portions of some of the best home cooking I have ever had. Well worth any wait to get in. Lots of Alaska memorabilia on the wall. I love this place and highly recommend it! read more

Delicious food and great service! The waitress was so nice. She made us feel like family. read more

Breakfast was great! The bacon was thick and crisp and the eggs were perfect. One of us had fried and I had scrambled. Great family atmosphere , prompt service and relaxed Alaskan setting. read more

Came in on a Friday at 11:30 and its not very busy. It is a sit where you would like to kind of place. Waitress is friendly and attentive. I ordered biscuits and gravy with two eggs, my sister ordered ham and cheese omelet with a side of pancakes. She asked for extra crispy hashbrowns. It was amazing how fast the food came out! The biscuits and gravy were delicious as well as the scrambled eggs! My sisters omelet was great and did not lack on the ham or the cheese! Hash browns were crisp as requested. This is a nice down-home place and I would come again. But be sure to bring cash because cards are not accepted , there is an ATM here! read more

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I've always loved Judy's . The main lady at the front is always polite and sweet. Always makes you feel welcomed.

You want breakfast? This is a great place to come to. We came here around 10:30am and there was a little wait maybe like 5 - 8 minutes so it wasn't too bad at all. People eat and leave. Coffee is good and you get plenty of refills. They also give you choices of different creamers to choose from, like French Vanilla, Irish Coffee, Hazelnut and plain cream. I ordered the Ham and Eggs and Hash Browns, and my husband ordered the Reindeer Sausage, Eggs and Hash Browns. We both got eggs over medium which was perfectly cooked and ham was more like a 'ham steak' you can say. My husband enjoyed his reindeer sausage and will have it again. Overall, we left full and satisfied. Will be back for sure! read more

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THIS SPOT IS MY FAVORITE FOR BREAKFAST. If you want a simple, traditional, breakfast, this is where you go. They are CASH ONLY, so be prepared. The restaurant also has an ATM onsite. You have to wait for a table sometimes for a very long time, but it is so worth the wait. I had a girlfriend that we would go here as a treat on Sundays. Breakfast was only perfection, you knew what you were getting, and everything came out great. I love the fact that it doesn't seem like it has been updated since the 80s. Wait staff are friendly and your coffee never stays below 3/4 full. I have never even tried the lunch there because I love the breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day. I do enjoy a nice bougie breakfast, but you can't say no to a place that is just traditional - like your grandparents made it. Sure you can make the same food at home, but who does not like to go out for breakfast and not have to do dishes? Check it out at last once, and hopefully you will feel the same. read more

I was very pleasantly suprised by this little place. It is very small, but you get your food fast! Very busy little spot with a lot of regulars. Check the hours of operation before going! I don't believe they are open all day. The salmon chowder was on point. Very good! Alaska is the salmon capital of the world. The fries were delicious. They were hand cut, crispy, yet soft and salty! My husband said his burger was great and my club sandwich plate was perfect! I would recommend trying this place for lunch. read more

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The country Benedict is the best I've ever had! The hashbrowns were nice and crispy and the service was very fast and friendly. The only downside for me was they don't take cards, but there is an atm inside. Highly recommend Judy's! read more

Judy's Cafe - Country Benedict and hash browns - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Long time customer, maybe taken for granted. Served cold coffee more than once. I will not be going for breakfast for awhile, maybe a short time maybe I will find another place. Food is usually very good and I don't remember a time it wasn't good. Owner very pleasurable to visit with, most employees are great and attentive. I recommend you try it if you have not. Just my choice not to anymore. Remember the outside of building doesn't represent the food and atmosphere. Have a great day read more

FYI Judy's cafe is NOT open Monday or Tuesday. Sign says they are. Visiting from California. I'm sad read more

Stopped in for a bite. Fast service! I had a bowl of homemade beef and barley soup. It was more beef, barley and vegetables than broth, hit the spot! Also, it was not overly salted, which is something many places FAIL at. My partner in crime had the half order of biscuits and gravy, which came with one egg and a sausage patty. He says it was the perfect size meal for him. I like that, because tossing leftovers you forget in the back of the fridge is a pet peeve of mine. Menu not very original but hey, it's a little place and they're good at what they do. read more

Wow what a great lil diner. This place could qualify for Diners Drive-inns & Dives. It's that good. So let's talk about when u walk in you'll be seated by the hostess. Then the journey begins, when your seated the views of the mountains are stunning. Now I was here in 2014 and found this place as having great home cooking. Biscuits n Gravy are as good as it gets as is the thick cut bacon. I've had the omelettes here it's a full meal it's self you won't leave hungry, it comes with toast n jelly which is made from Alaskans. So good!!!! Now it's the patty melts that kept me coming back. It comes out with hot fries. Maybe the best patty melts I've eaten. A plus read more

I'm being generous with 3 stars because the staff and service is great! Sadly, I don't have much positives to say about the food except that the grits was the best part of my breakfast. With a place like Judy's, I was expecting the biscuits to be phenomenal.. but they were pretty rubbery. Bummed! read more

If you want a Alaskan Dinner this is the place. Locally owned and operated. Small place but great service and big portions of food for the price. Would recommend instead of mainstream restaurants plus your supporting the community. read more

This is a very small, house type restaurant. They have about 10 tables and it's a breakfast and lunch only place. The menu is perfect with selections, not to many, not to few on choices. My sister and I decided to have breakfast items. I had a 3 egg omelet with ham and cheese, a side of pancakes and it came with hash browns. The portions were very generous and as simple as my order was, the flavor was perfect. The pancakes light and fluffy, the hash browns cooked to a perfect crispy texture. We had a cup of coffee it was good, nothing special there but a good cup. My sister had biscuits and gravy and a side of scrambled eggs. Again, very generous portions and it looked good. All in all this is a great small breakfast place, cozy and quiet. read more

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Judy's Cafe is another old-skool Anchorage establishment that has stood the test of time. As I walked in, I could sense the stares from the local Carhartt sporting bearded men getting their morning grub on -- giving me the "'you aint from these parts, is ya boy?" look. Nevertheless, I grabbed a seat at the counter and ordered a Denver Omelette. Judy's is as Americana as you can get. Probably built in the 1970's, they offer up your standard greasy spoon fare at standard Alaskan prices. The food comes out quick, hot, good portion sized, and greasy. You'll definitely feel the breakfast sittin in your stomach for hours on end. Just like Harley's Old Thyme Cafe, I'm sure this place has a loyal following. Personally, if I'm having breakfast in Anchorage, I'm going to Middle Way or Snow City because I like upbeat, fresh, and new-school. read more

Pretty standard breakfast joint, located towards South Anchorage on Old Seward Highway near Klatt. $$ only, which was a surprise. But they have an ATM on sight just in case. Parking is a bit sparse, especially if the place is busy. Speaking of which, place seems like it's normally pretty busy. They only have 10 or so tables, so it's safe to expect a little bit of a wait. Limited space also seemed to kick them in the pants a bit. People would show up in a steady stream, but they lost about 90% of the people that showed up because they saw how crowded it was and decided to go find food elsewhere. They also don't like to seat parties unless everyone is present due to the limited space. Which we found out the hard way, got seated, told them we had one more person coming, and promptly were asked to get back up and wait again. Pretty annoying, but oh well, what can yah do? :-P Other than that, service was fairly standard, nothing more, nothing less. Effecient in taking order and efficient on getting our food back out to us. We also found a hair in one of our dishes, and were able to get the dish replaced with a good turn around time, which earned them some points back. Food was normal, which means it was good and satisfied the hunger, no more, no less. So basically, average establishment and glad I tried it and I'll probably be back at some point. read more

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If you're looking for a traditional diner that's actually good, this is the place. Thick bacon, two different sausage options, and overall great food. The pecan waffle is delicious (golden crispy brown on the outside, soft in the middle). Great service too. read more

Amazing service with a great home feel . We ordered a few plates and all was made to perfection. The people seem very happy smiling being there. I give a 5 star for perfect service and food . The food is on point . A must visit place for sure read more

Everyone liked everything they got. Sausage some of the best, bacon very good, ham good, hash browns , though from frozen were still cooked nicely, pancakes very good, biscuits and gravy very good, eggs cooked nicely, and even the English muffin was very good. Friendly staff. We will be back. Their cinnamon rolls were huge and could feed 4, we didn't try one but it looked like it would be delicious! Really the best breakfast we have had eating out here in Anchorage. read more

Very old school diner. Cash only (there is an ATM inside). Makes me nostalgic, and that's not only because the interior is a little dated. The staff are wonderful and the portion sizes are pretty big. The timely service reminds me that this is the kind of place people would come into before a hard day's work (back in "the day"). Be aware it can get crowded during peak hours, and parking can be a little rough. The menu is standard dinerfare but they hit the bullseye. If you're looking for a place that does classic American diner food, definitely give this place a whirl. read more

You know I've been wanting to stop in here for a long time. Finally did and was pleasantly surprised. Super friendly staff. Your coffee and water are always full and your meal is prepared super fast. I even saw the kitchen guy listening in on orders that were close to him and jumping right on it. Good coffee is served although I didn't ask which one. Another good little breakfast spot read more

A favorite for my partner and I! I believe we're considered Regulars, the waitress' know us and frequently make sure everything from food to coffee is good. The place is a bit small, and is usually full of customers but service is quick and reliable. My favorite breakfast dish is a tie between the homemade corned beef hash with two eggs and toast and the Delicious Biscuits and Gravy! My Beau loves the Denali Omelette and regularly replaces the reindeer for breakfast sausage instead. We never leave disappointed and often take with us one of their cookies for the road read more

The food was great! Service was awesome! It's a very family oriented restaurant. You can tell it's a spot for the locals. Nice mom and pop place! read more

I've eaten here a bunch of times, foods always hot and good. Very friendly staff. My family loves Judy's!

Oh my,,, if you want a perfect Cheese Burger Deluxe with the finest crispy fries go to Judy's Cafe! I haven't had a true burger like that for 20-30 years! You will love them. Totally tops ANY burger place in the state of Alaska. Thank you!!!!!! read more

Excellent comfort food. Massive cinnamon rolls. Coffee was meh. But everything else was hella dope. Only complaint, and this is true for everywhere: no one likes grape jelly. No. One. I should say, no one over the age of 5 likes grape jelly. Like almost every diner I have ever been in ... from cali to Texas to North Carolina to Oregon ... you get your jelly tray and it will be 90% grape, two orange marmalade and if you are lucky, one strawberry. Big Jelly has got to stop trying to force grape jelly on us. It ain't gonna happen. read more

Best corned beef hash in Anchorage! It's dated but it doesn't matter if they have good food!

Fantastic breakfast! We love the reindeer sausage! Service is great and fast and the food is always hot and delicious. We love our South side restaurant! read more

This place brings me back to being a kiddo growing up in small-town Montana. Good folks and good food in a down-home environment. Maybe it's the wood paneling? Their bacon is pretty special along with their fries. The fries exist in this realm between a chip and a steak fry... super crispy, but still a tad bit fluffy on the inside. Very, very delicious. It's a great place for breakfast! read more

There's a funny thing about Alaskan culture. While there are plenty of folks who will generally go for the all-organic uber-healthy vegetable-laden self-imposed-eating-disorder diet, you will only rarely find someone who'll say no to the occasional sausage omelet with properly crispy hash browns. It's almost certainly due to the weather; something about it being freezing cold and windy outside just makes you crave fat and salt and sugar. Anchorage has made great strides over the past couple decades; it used to be very much a wilderness town, and now it's really blooming into a city in its own right. But I'm glad there are still places like this around, holdouts from an earlier time when it was barely more than an outpost of civilization. Simple, sodium-filled, fat-laden but unquestionably tasty food - the reindeer sausage alone always makes me feel like I'm home again, no matter how many years I spend living in the rest of the United States. Great food, friendly service, clean and neat and cheap (especially by Alaska standards - watch out, though, as it's cash only). Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for an authentic Alaskan experience. read more

Judy's Cafe is a great breakfast joint. They are cash only and have an ATM in the establishment. Four stars given only because of the fact they are cash only. Fully understand that though because of the expense of credit card fees. Seating is limited so be ready to wait or sit at the counter. Staff is friendly and the menu has a very nice selection. You are sure to find something you will love to eat. Hands down better than the chain restaurant up the street. I like the fact they offer several types of bread for toast. I'm a sour dough bread fan and they offer that! Go in hungry cuz portions are large. read more

Cash only. I like dingy hole in the wall type places and this place is exactly that with decent service from the waitresses. If I'm alone I'll sit at the bar near the kitchen so as not to take up a whole table since it's a small place. Recently, I came in and ordered the 2X2 which is eggs and meat protein, but I subbed pancakes instead of toast. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to make the substitution since I've had push back before from other places. I like this joint and will come again. read more

Good Reindeer and cheese omelette!! Hubs had the biscuits and gravy and it was delicious. It is a great local diner with friendly staff and good food. The only thing to know when coming here is it is cash only! They do have an ATM in the diner. read more

Judy's Cafe is a long time favourite of mine, it may be a small, packed, greasy spoon, but thats exactly the kind of dinner I'd like to eat at. The hot chocolate comes in mugs decorated by children on one of the local schools, and the cinnamon rolls are a meal unto themselves. I always order the breakfast special (some kind of omelet usually) which ensures I can get in and out under $10. Enjoy and remember to tip if you like the food and service! read more

Judy's Cafe - Judy's hot chocolate served in a one of a kind mug - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Local diner, no credit cards, closes mid afternoon. The menu was mostly breakfast, and I'm sure it would be great for that. I got there just before closing and I was more interested in lunch. They had some sandwiches on the menu for that, and I had a turkey, cheese, tomato thing. Just meh, but the people were nice. read more

The best breakfast in town! I have never once gotten anything other than a five star experience at Judy's, and as a bonus it has such a homestyle, relaxing dining experience! Tables are always clean and well stocked, service is quick, and they have a HUGE menu selection along with a special board! I highly recommend their omelettes, reindeer sausage, and breakfast burger. Support a truly unique local business and get a DELICIOUS meal! read more