Formerly Mountain Center Cafe this cafe has a great meatloaf special. They also regularly have on special a giant rack of baby back ribs and a New York steak. Their burgers are great. We live nearby and eat here at least fortnightly (yes I said FORTNIGHTLY! #makefortnightlyathing) Service is friendly . read more

Husband and I came for first time. We sat down to order, and were informed anything we tried from the menu from each others plate we would be charged a $3 split fee. We asked if we would be charged this if we tasted the other persons milkshake, she confirmed we would be charged another $3 split fee. The menu says "we split, you split". How is this place in business? I don't care how good the food is, this isn't normal anywhere- and the service was awful. We left without ordering. Ridiculous. Never again. There's plenty of places in the area to eat that won't charge you to try your spouses food. Yikes. They better understand that if you charge someone for split- you also get no tip. Run!' We did read more

I passed by many times and decided to stop in. There was a few people there outside seating so we decided to sit inside. The waitress was very friendly and we got our food in a decent time. I ordered the club sandwich and it was delicious and the fries were very good too. The place is clean and well organized. Plenty of parking. We went there on our motorcycle coming from Hemet so the ride was nice. Great place to stop for a good meal. read more

Friendly staff quick service the burger seems like one of those premade burgers. It was good not great for the price. French fries were well done in crispy as I asked it to be. I had an Arnold Palmer to drink, they filled it and also made sure I had one for the road, so the service was excellent. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - American burger - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

Whenever I drive past this place I always say I am gonna stop one day. The day finally came and it was lovely. Its a cute diner with an interesting aray of decor. The menu has variety as well. We all liked what we got. The hash browns were my favorite, plus they buttered the toast perfectly and had orange marmalade . Our servers were very friendly and made it feel very welcoming. The food was made promptly and tatsed great. Definitely have to stop in again next time we drive this way. read more

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Me and my wife took a drive and we found Paradise Café Valley, off of Highway 74. We ordered THE GUS BURGER we split it half pound it has great flavor and they have outside seating very comfortable. very nice people read more

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The waitress on a Friday afternoon was lovely. Not your fathers root beer float but the spot read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

We had lunch here on a weekday afternoon and it was a great experience. It's a beautiful drive to get here and the crowd consists of a lot of hikers which gives a nice vibe. The menu was big, but they were out of a number of items. I tried the Cajun chicken which was very good. My wife wanted the Cajun tuna but they were out. She ended up with turkey. The sandwiches were both tasty. She had a blueberry beer which she enjoyed read more

Good steak and eggs, nice outside sitting area good for bikers, no bs service, quick meal. Good place to stop on a ride. Noticed lots of of hikers. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - Steak and eggs - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

11:30 am Saturday. Seated, given menus & ordered drinks. Menu says "Breakfast until 10:45" & "Lunch 11:00 until close". Waitress says, "Did they tell you 'Breakfast ONLY'? No. WTH? We both wanted lunch. It's the middle of the day! Made us pay for our half finished drinks as we left. WTF!! Zero stars. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe was okay. We were on our way home from Indian Wells, and we decided to take the windy road too this cafe, and upon coming up to it, it's really super cute. However we got there around 10:50 am, and they stopped serving breakfast. I personally think a cafe like this should serve breakfast all day long. Their menu is not that extensive. They have a nice array of beers to choose from. It's very, very old. It's almost like eighty years old. It's been there since the 1930's. It seats, maybe 15 to 20 people on the inside, and it has outside seating too. If you have a dog. The waitresses are nice. The service is friendly. The food is really good. I just wish they served breakfast all the time. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

Wife and I decide to stop on our way home from Indian Wells, The Paradise valley Cafe is so quaint so much history. The ambience is unbelievable! The service with the two ladies here and the cook impeccable but let's get to the food. Damn for a cafe. Good food. I had a turkey burger with cheese. My wife had the turkey melt and very very happy with the size and The taste on both. Our are servers or Cynthia and Annie? Very very great waitresses and enjoyable to be around! read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - Look at this delicious turkey burger bacon french fries - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

After a long day hike to San Jacinto Peak from Idyllwild, I was looking for much needed sustenance and I almost drove by this place again but this time I decided to make the sharp turn into the parking lot. So glad that I did since the food and service was great and the venue is very inviting. Although dining on the patio was enticing, I opted to eat indoors. Started off with a beer while I waited for the tasty Aston Martin burger. Love how each burger comes with 1/2 lb of beef. The grilled onions really complemented the burger well but I realized I didn't love mustard as much as I thought. The mustard has a strong horseradish burn which I like but it was missing something to really make it complete. For me, it was just missing ketchup and after adding it, it completed that familiar flavor of a delicious and juicy burger. It came with fries which were cooked perfectly and salted just right. I stopped by on a Saturday around 430p and it wasnt very busy. I was quickly seated, gave my order rather swiftly and enjoyed the cold beer and some quiet time while I waited for my order. The staff are very attentive and friendly which made the whole dining experience a pleasure. Definitely will make it a point to come back :) read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

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Fun lil spot up the mountain had a small meal and pilsner bottle (no draft options) after a hike. Homemade chili was okay, fries were good as was cheese garlic bread. Table behind was raving about the BMW burger they split so sounds like the burgers are great. read more

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The Paradise Valley Cafe is a phenomenal and well maintained restaurant with great food and Kayla was very attentive thank you for the great lunch of ; Cajun Chicken Melt Clam Chowder Cup of Chill Beautiful location and very convenient. read more

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food is ok but the service could very easily be better. Ambiance cant be beat as it is situated beautifully amongst the San Jacinto mountain range. Mountainous views of pines throughout rolling foothills is the perfect spot for lunch. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - breakfast burrito - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

A great restaurant on the way to the desert. The food was good, the service was friendly, and the decor gave the place a unique personality. Overall, it's a great stop along the way! read more

In this review: Ambience, orange juice, coffee, huevos rancheros. At the intersection of highways 74 and 371 is the Paradise Valley Cafe. Been there for decades--13 years under the current owner the waitress said. The vibe is exactly what I want from a roadhouse at the intersection of nowhere and somewhere and worth making a stop. I always order orange juice with savory breakfasts and this was among the best I've had. Fresh and a nice balance between sweet and tart. The coffee...not bad, but unremarkable. Ordered the huevos rancheros on the waitress' recommendation. Spicy enough to wake you up and paired with some tasty refried beans. Though great by itself, I would order it again with some hash brown or perhaps a meat to round things out. Prompt and friendly service. Overall, a great experience. I hope to get back soon for some lunch or perhaps dinner. read more

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Service was prompt. The owner was very kind came over and spoke with us. As for the food, very good and you can bet we'll stop again!

Been eating here, since 2007. Cindy is an excellent server and knows what's good here. My favorites are the Gus Burger, Omelettes and Tuna Melt. Highly recommended pit stop, when hungry. read more

I love this cafe! Staff is so friendly and the menu is straight to the point. Fast and gracious service, and the food is BEYOND. Such great energy here! Especially if you love a mom and pop cafe with some biker vibes, cutesy!! thanks so much! read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - BLT, Gus Burger, and Tuna Melt - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

The food was delicious as usual. This place never lets us down. The staff is so fun and so nice. No matter how busy they are they are very prompt. It's the cutest little restaurant. Plenty of outdoor seating and plenty of indoor seating. read more

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This was a pleasant find as we were traveling across the Temecula Valley. Deb was our server and she was exceptional the thing!! The food was bar fare and dinners but the quality of the ingredients was top-notch. Thanks again, Deb and be sure to continue to save our great state of California. read more

Great place, especially for Bikers!! Good food, excellent service the owner Neil personally welcomed us sat down and chatted with us - will definitely return on my next motorcycle adventure. read more

Had a great breakfast here. Generous portions and attentive service. Highly recommended

I pass by the Paradise Valley Cafe every drive to and from Idyllwild-Pine Cove. the parking lot is ALWAYS busy with what (even at a "high" speed glimpse) looks like an intriguing cast of characters: a pack of Harleys lined up side-by-side, lots of classic cars, and at least once a Corvette rally. the place has a definite Route 66 diner vibe. decided to make a point of stopping on the way home on Labor Day. I had the STERLING BURGER ( 1/2 lb Angus patty, melted jack and cheddar, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, grilled onions, mango chutney, and chipotle mayo) on a potato bun with potato salad. at home, I eat potato salad with sriracha and Crystal (which I assumed was in the condiment caddy) and loaded mine up before realizing it was Tabasco. LOL. my bad. fortunately, I have a high heat tolerance. the burger was cooked medium-rare, per my order, and was special. I added bacon 'cause I'm just that kinda guy. next time you're in the neighborhood, eat a STERLING. if not life-changing, it's at least life-affirming. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - STERLING BURGER (½ lb Angus patty, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, mango chutney, and chipotle mayo) + bacon w/potato salad - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

Had a very generous-sized burger on Texas toast --did I mention it was yummy?Love the names of their burgers. The service was good and the vibe peaceful though right by the highway. read more

Trust me when I say this the burger here is so good that the less you put on top of it the better it tastes. I don't know what they do different and preparing the meat or the way they're cooking it but it's fantastic. It's a beautiful location little far out Drivewise but it's a nice drive and the food is worth it. And the people working here are always really nice. read more

I've lived in Mountain Center my whole life and finally stopped in to this place on my way out of town and wow I feel like I missed out every time I passed it over now. The biscuits&gravy were so delicious, and my boyfriend destroyed his breakfast burrito. Such good food and the service inside was so warm and welcoming, the staff seemed like the best of friends. Will definitely be coming back from now on!! read more

Great burgers! Fun staff and hi quality food. Neal buys the best. Keep your hands off the wait staff

First of all the my Family and I were not allowed to even enter the Restaurant. We did not even make it to the door when we were approached and told that we could bot eat there due to the wait.Even thought we were fine with the 1 hour wait, once we complied with the wait they turned around and said it would be much longer. We even were denied access the the rest room with the same excuse ( these restrooms would also be busy for a long time. Keep in mind other guest were allowed in while we were being denied entry. And the rudeness and racial profiling was evident... So enough of being polit.. "F" this place read more

Reliability delicious food and good service. This is our "go to" spot on the way to Palm Springs every year. Arrived at noon on Sunday and they were still serving breakfast only. A little disappointed we couldn't get our favorite burger and fries. So we ordered a breakfast burrito and huevos rancheros instead. Both were great! Generous portions! Looking forward to a burger on our next visit. read more

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Sunday, March 12, 2023: I woke up in my town, south of L.A. a bit later than I intended due to the clock change. I showered, dressed and planned on hitting up the Paradise Valley Café due to seeing it on YouTube Pacific Crest Trail videos. Google said it was 117 miles and would take nearly 2.5 hrs to get there. Geez, 2.5 hrs? Well, heck I wanted this so, I was all in. Before departing I hopped over to their Yelp page to confirm their Sunday hours. It said they closed at 7... perfect I thought but, for some reason I doubted Yelp so the hours were double checked on the restaurant's webpage. Both hours were listed at 8 to 7 on Sundays. I grabbed the car keys and planned to arrive a couple hrs before closing. After 117 miles and with a crazy appetite worked up, I pulled into their parking lot only to learn that they were closed i did note three bullet holes in the plate glass windows and I had to wonder if they had disappointed some locals in the same fashion, ones who didn't feel like driving on to experience an absolutely wonderful meal at at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Rancho Mirage. Since PVC was closed and I really wanted to post a review here, here is my meal review. We took the long way here from southern L.A. County (143 miles instead of a direct 118 miles) through Mountain Center because we like wasting gas and time. Our server at the Old Spaghetti Factory was Thomas, a charming gent who grew up in a place called Indio, watching a lot of American Movie Classics. Thomas was fine humored, well-versed with the menu items, including the specials and both how things were prepared and the ingredients used to create each masterpiece that was blessed enough to be born in their kitchen. Thomas was professional enough to be attentive but, also non-intrusive... this character trait was fully noted. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip as our appetizer. It came out looking precisely as wonderful as the Yelp photos. Entrées ordered included the spinach ravioli and the chicken parmigiano. Both were more than plenty for each of us. Keep in mind that you also have to add in that they bring you a heavenly mini loaf of bread (enough to share)... and then force you... to have dessert... well, okay maybe not force you... but, due to dessert being included we ordered it. I left with something beyond a food coma... it was like food amnesia... I had mistakenly thought I had eaten at a place in Mountain Center. Silly me, right? The 118-mile drive home took over 2.5 hours due to traffic on the 10/60/605 End game? Well, I normally, I grab a snack before bed. Not tonight. Bravo! Old Spaghetti Factory ... you served us well... oh and thanks for being open when you said you were going to be. Not every place goes that extra mile. Some just make it a guessing game. read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - Submitted to my meme diary for Sunday, March 12, 2023 - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

Last time my family was there our order was misplaced & we waited 45 minutes before our order arrived. Won't go back.

Our meal (Greek Salad) was superb as it has always been. We haven't been here in a year or so but the portion and quality was the same as it's been for years. When we were offered drinks, I asked for a glass of Cabernet, but was told they only sell white wine by the glass and offered that we could buy a bottle of red for $20! I've never heard of a restaurant that only offers red wine by the bottle. The restaurant was busy as it was Labor Day. There was a party of about 12-14 people and instead of bringing our salad out (no cooking required!), they waited to make our salad till after they cooked burgers, toasted sandwiches, fries etc. We waited about 40 minutes for a salad. We loved the food but the service was quite slow (after the wait for our salad, we had to ask for the check as they were more focused on closing up for the day) and I'm still puzzled by the fact that they don't serve a glass of red wine! read more

Food was AMAZING! Best burger I've had in a long time! I ordered the Angelina Double D burger. Great quality angus burger. Service was fast. Kayla was super nice and gave us great service! Thank you ! read more

We came here on the recommendation from a friend for a day of fun in the snow. The service was so-so...it strikes me as a small town mom and pop establishment that caters to the locals only. A group of bikers came in way after us, but were seated ahead of us and two other families on the wait list, not cool. By the time we were seated, they were basically done with their meals and beers and were heading out. Our waitress also wasn't the friendliest which is a bummer after a long drive/wait. The food was decent, prices were a little up there, the paradise salad was surprisingly good (gave me Mediterranean vibes) and the fries were crispy. Everyone raved about their daily homemade apple pie except our measly slice was burnt to a crisp on the bottom, their coffee milkshake was just ok, but the hot cocoa was definitely the highlight. They also only give a military discount to AD, sorry to all our veterans. *All my pictures are gone because my original review was deleted due to posting on Paradise Bakery Cafe in error read more

When headed to hike the pacific crest trail this is always our reward for a long day...best chili! Great service and out side seating...all the food is excellent read more

Stopped in for a late lunch early dinner with my coworker on 2/2 around 4:30! My coworker ordered the French dip sandwich and I ordered the Cajun chicken melt. Both plates came with fries. Both sandwiches were delicious and were a big portion so we had leftovers to take home. Also, Cindy is the best hostess ever. I love visiting just to see her! read more

Paradise Valley Cafe - Cajun chicken melt - American Near Me - Mountain Center, California

Food is great. Pleasant atmosphere. Friendly staff. Would recommend stopping in even for the scenery.