I'll add to my review. I was craving a burger for lunch. Phoenix Cafe has it. It's good. I devoured it. But in looking at their menu. I really should have trued their Costa Rican dishes. I will. The staff is sweet and most attentive so next time I'm asking for their suggestion. Ambiance is clean and simple but plenty of booths and counter is big. I encourage everyone to check out the Phoenix Cafe. I'm in love. read more

See all

My fiancé and I are HUGE fans of the revamped, under new management, Phoenix cafe. It's becoming a weekly visit/take out restaurant for us. The food is absolutely delicious and tastes incredibly authentic. You can really tell it's made with care. The wait staff is super friendly, welcoming, and gives great recommendations. Knowing it's family-owned makes the whole experience even better. Highly recommend and definitely worth a visit! read more

Phoenix is under new management! New menu's! Great prices, we had an awesome new waiter this morning. If I could remember his name, I'd be playing numbers to hit the lottery!! So polite and attentive, service with a great big grin Food was delish, I looked at my plate & said no way am I eating 4 pieces of toast with all that avocado (which was just made) meanwhile my plate was clean when we departed right into the really bustling Somerville Street Fair!! Glorious day to have brekkie outdoors on an October morning, followed by shopping!! So thankful that our tab was so low at Phoenix, more coppers to spend at the street fair! read more

See all

Phoenix Cafe is so amazing! If you are anywhere near downtown Somerville, you need to stop in -- yes, it's that good! This is a Costa Rican & American restaurant that offers diner fare, burgers & Costa Rican food. I ordered orange juice, bacon & mozzarella cheese omelette and home fries. Everything was light, tasty and delicious! I love how the bacon was wrapped the omelette so A+ for presentation. The home fries had chopped red & green peppers in them and were quite tasty and flavorful. The dessert glass display case was extremely tempting and chock full of Costa Rican desserts. I will be trying the coconut pie upon my next visit! I have a new favorite restaurant in downtown Somerville! read more

Phoenix Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

See all

Love it there! I have been going for years. It recently changed owners and it is still really good. I usually get the eggs benedict. The waffles are really good too. read more

I went with family to Phoenix Cafe for breakfast/lunch. Cute place with very nice servers, fast service and interesting choices of Costa Rican or American fare. Delicious tostones, the bacon and eggs, gallo pinto and the chicken blt panini. so good! read more

Looks are deceiving when it comes to this place. The food was a solid 4 stars and that's hard for me to give for classic diner fare. The service and coffee are 5 stars. my waitress was so pleasant and an experienced. She brought everything I needed before I needed it. She also introduced herself and said she'd remember me if I come again. So it has that nice "Cheers" vibe too. Did I mention the prices? They are very reasonable, and the portions are not only delicious but generous. The bacon was cooked perfectly, my eggs were done as I requested, and the French toast with custardy and well cooked. If you live in the area, it's worth a visit, but don't expect a fancy experience. Come for the food not the looks. Oh and get the bacon and have the coffee. It's not the typical diner gasoline coffee. It's a nice smooth columbian cup. read more

See all

Soggy chicken quesadilla and 7 onion rings were $22.38. I can place the order online for $18.02. Won't be going back. read more

Phoenix Cafe - $22.38 for 7 onion rings and a soggy quesadilla. Onion rings were actually good but they melted the stryofoam container. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I'm honestly shocked this place is still open and favored by people. We came in for breakfast as a group of 4,ordered meals and received glasses (plastic cups) of water whilst the food was being made. One of the cups had a residue of something on the inner wall (gross). When pointed out to the waiter,he brought new waters in mugs (so it's not see-through,ha). When coffess came next,one of the cups still had lipstick stain on it having no faith in hygiene or cleanliness of this place,we stood up and left. Seriously,how are they still open,is beyond me... read more

My family and I are still relatively new to our area and my wife and I got to try Phoenix Cafe while my kid actually had school and we were off from work. I went for the Mexican Breakfast Skillet and my wife had the huevos rancheros in a tortilla bowl. Coffee and hot chocolate respectively. Boy neither of these plates disappointed. Can definitely understand why they are PACKED on weekends. Was super nice to go in on a quiet Monday morning haha! :-) read more

See all

Dined here twice once outdoor wasting and this time indoor before St. Patrick's Day parade. Service quick and friendly. Food was very good. Coffee fresh. read more

Where do I start!!! This is the worst place I have been to in my entire life. How is this in any way an establishment that serves brunch menu items right from Walmart to the microwave to the plate that they expect you to eat in. The home fries tasted like the griddle it was cooked hasn't been cleaned in weeks. The biscuits and gravy were sloppy and soggy. The service was subpar as the employees were talking louder than the other patrons of the place. And the place looked like a diner from the 70's. I see it says under new management but what happened to the other management that was here. Ughhhhhh then the waitress had the audacity to ask if I wanted a box to take the food home. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Wish I could give it a no Stars read more

See all

Phoenix Café is a restaurant in Somerville, New Jersey. Parking is located on the surrounding streets. When we arrived, the outside dining area was busy, but inside had plenty of seating. Interior has an older style look and as a heads up, the booths are a little small. Our group ordered from the breakfast menu and the food was good. My one friend liked his Ham, Egg, and Cheese croissant sandwich. Something unique, French Fries are an option during breakfast as a potato side. I had the Italian Breakfast Skillet that came with Toast and choice of potato. The stack of Home Fries was large and the Sausage was flavorful. Service was prompt and food arrived in a reasonable amount of time. I would absolutely return here to try more of the menu. Area around the restaurant is lovely so be prepared to spend some time window shopping or exploring the stores. read more

Phoenix Cafe - Italian Breakfast Skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Great food, service and atmosphere!! The newly added Costa Rican dishes were a total hit at our table. Definitely recommended. As the business is now under new ownership/management they will only get even better with time. Congratulations and blessings to the new team!!! read more

Love my boozy brunches at Phoenix Café! A spot I frequent often in Somerville, Phoenix Café may not be as flashy as some of the other brunch spots, but given the BYOB option that is well catered to by their staff every time we've attended and the great value on their menu, it's one that doesn't break the bank and makes us able to swing in on the weekend without issue or much of a table wait! They have a great selection of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, plus their coffee is always on point. Was just in for their St. Patrick's Day specials, ordering myself eggs & black coffee that also came with corned beef and cabbage, and gotta say, it hit the spot! It was a bit too chilly to sit outside for the parade, but there were plenty of tables available and they were right on the main street & route of the parade so you could easily see from inside as well. The staff is always sweet and attentive, and the place has a cozy diner vibe with a very cute outdoor setup when the temperature allows. We've gone in the past and they've brought out a little container for our champagne to keep it chilled on ice and have plenty of mixer options. They have all of your typical dinner foods but so much more. Prices are always good, usually coming out to less than $20 per person for a full menu item with sides and drinks. Nothing overly major on portion sizes but friends have taken a bit home before. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area for its quick service and great prices! read more

Phoenix Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Back again No wait for a table on Sunday at 11:45 am Trying Corned Beef Hash with 2 scrambled eggs, hash browns and a Diet Pepsi with Lemon Corned beef hash was not good Very slow service Note: Manager removed my meal from the total bill Free parking on Sunday's in Somerville read more

See all

We came here because we were in Downtown Somerville and love Diners. We had the classic breakfast eggs, bacon toast coffee. It was good. The bacon was a little over-cooked but I like my bacon on the done side. This is a good place if you're looking for a Diner-vibe. read more

Went in for breakfast, has what is like a denny's grand slam, eggs pancakes and bacon. Waitress was friendly and Prompt. Good meal and fair price. Clean place old school but nice. Recommend for kids also. read more

Phoenix Cafe - My meal - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

7:15 Christmas morning. Hardly anyone stirring. This place was open. The coffee was exceptional, the menu interesting, the price reasonable, and the service could not have been more friendly. My wife the food snob loved it! I left a ten on a $32 tab in appreciation for a merry waitress whose spirit fit the season. Unexpected wonderful experience. read more

Diner experience in the heart of downtown Somerville. The menu is quite extensive, with many options to appease the pickiest eaters. Love that there is always a breakfast menu too! The soup of the day - Lentil Chorizo was very good, and you can't go wrong with the GYRO Wrap. read more

Phoenix Cafe - Chorizo Lentil Soup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

See all

Affordable and delicious breakfast with a diner vibe. Loved the variety of options with more traditional Spanish flare. We had two breakfast specials with eggs and chorizo. Also tried the pancakes and it's was all very tasty. Service was fantastic and quick read more

I've come in twice for breakfast on Sunday. Neither time was super crowded. Typical diner fare with some Mexican additions. I thought the pancakes were good but not the best ever or anything. Eggs in all their shapes and textures were perfectly cooked. The best thing on the breakfast menu is the Mexican benedict. Chorizo yes plea-zo. I was really temped to give 3 stars here. The first time I came, service was really poor. Not rude, but our server was inattentive and didn't have any knowledge of the menu. They were clearly new and inexperienced. That's not completely their fault, because they didn't seem to have much support from anyone. Our second visit was better, but not perfect. The server was more energetic and knowledgeable, and there were more staff working to deal with all the tables. Still, I didn't get a coffee refill until we were already done eating and never even got a chance to ask for milk to put in it. Probably the best breakfast in downtown Somerville that doesn't cost an arm. read more

I have been to Somerville for the better part of my life and to the Phoenix Cafe over 20 times - this was by far the best service and food I have ever had at this establishment. The french toast was outstanding, the egg sandwich was amazing, the service was outstanding and truly cared how our food was and ensured it was prepared to our desire. I highly recommend going to the restaurant and with luck you will be get waited on by Kevin - he is fantastic. read more

A classic breakfast joint! A quick walk in downtown somerville, sitting outside on a beautiful day. The service was quick and the staff were lovely and all with smiles on their faces. I felt like I was a kid again, getting that simple quality breakfast food. Truly enjoyed my experience there and plan on going back in the near future. @rissyjayeats read more

Tasty and diverse breakfast menu. Great sausage and flavorful home fries laced with peppers and onion. Food was well prepared and delicious. Service was excellent. Several Mexican breakfast items on menu along with usual diner fare. Recommend for a spicy, interesting change from the mundane. read more

Before 2 or 3 o'clock I have enjoyed the food at Pheonix Cafe, and it's been excellent!! After the owner leaves, it's no good!! They don't even know how to toast an English muffin!! !!! The last chance was after at least 2 times I asked for a well toasted English muffin and it was given a well done grilled English muffin that tasted like a dirty grill!!! read more

Out of all of the options there are on Main St, Somerville, I am so happy we ended up having lunch at Phoenix Cafe! Me and my mom sat down for a quick bite around 2:00 this past weekend and had two full menus (breakfast or lunch) to look through. Although I was in more of a lunch mood, I loveeeeeee a spot that serves breakfast all day. I will have to remember Phoenix the next time I get a late afternoon omelette craving. I got the balsamic wrap and my mom got a panini, we both thought everything was so great. Each came with a side of fries (we made our's sweet potato), coleslaw and a pickle. Everything was hot, fresh and really delicious. They have all of your typical diner foods but so much more. And the hours are not correct on Yelp as of right now, they are open much later, breakfast, lunch and dinner! I will double check before trying to update them but call before you make the drive over. We spoke with the owner who just took over the restaurant this past year, an obviously tough year for so many. I loved hearing about the changes he's been making! The food was wonderful, our waitress was incredibly sweet and the place has a cozy diner vibe. I definitely recommend! read more

A lot of things were great from the food to the service and the variety of food the only reason why it's not a 5 star is because the place kinda seem ran down read more

Service was good but food.....not so great. The place was good with nice outdoor seating. Ordered banana pan cakes and a French toast with eggs. The pancakes were just plain topped with some bananas that were underripe. Also found some egg shell while eating the scrambled eggs. read more

Phoenix Cafe - 1 French Toast and 2 Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

See all

The food was okay but the service was terrible. I feel like the staff is a little disorganized and many times forgot about us even though we were the only ones there. I ordered the french toast and wasn't a big fan. What grossed me out the most though was how dirty the cups and utensils were... read more

I love coming to this place for breakfast when I drive to nj. It's a small restaurant with beautiful out side seating. Staff is friendly and nice. My family love to sit and relax here for breakfast. The food is always great. I always get their croissant sandwich and we all love to share the silver dollar pancakes. The menu is big and had a lot of choice for everyone. Would recommend this to anyone. read more

I was to hungry to wait for De Martino which is not far from this restaurant. I saw people eating, so I thought how bad can you mess you breakfast. The establishment is rundown on the inside. The air condition is broken, the ceiling is leaking water. The orange juice is the cheapest orange juice. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. I would not take a picture of the food because is was not picture ready. read more

See all

I love this place for the local vibe, the owners and servers are great, and the food is good diner food at an affordable price. But please, for the love of God! Replace the water stained and moldy ceiling tiles! read more

Phoenix Cafe - the ceiling of the restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

My coworker brought me here when I first started working around the area. Now we come here from time to time during our lunch hour to grab a bite if we don't want to bring our lunches. The service is quick and accurate. We always make sure to go on Thursday/Friday because that's when they have their split pea soup. I don't know what there is about about it but it's so good! That's the one thing on the menu I consistently get. Doesn't look appetizing, a bowl a greenish brownish goop but yum! And trust me I am not a mushy peas and carrots kinda girl so I didn't think I would actually enjoy this soup but my coworker kept on going on and on about it so I gave in. I guess peer pressure but the healthier kind? The menu is typical diner food. Moderately priced and has good lunch specials. Parking on Main Street is a nightmare (all street/metered/hard to find) especially during lunchtime during the week but if you're around the area I suggest it for a quick bite. read more

I gave it 4 chances. Food is great service has been terrible. I've never gotten a refill and I've always had to get up and ask for a server. I wish the service was better. read more

On Thursday April 18th I met some work colleagues for lunch. BIG MISTAKE! Table tops were not cleaned off and the food and service was non existent. I ordered a Cesar salad and it was the worse salad I have ever had. Who puts tomatoes in Cesar salad, a few miniature croutons and Italian dressing. Not once did anyone come by our table to check on our meal. My colleague had a breakfast dish and his toast was delivered AFTER he finished his meal. NEVER AGAIN will I dine here again!!!! read more

Popped in on a late Sunday morning brunch with my sis. As others have mentioned, this has more of a no-frills diner feel than a cafe, but all the staff members are friendly and the service was great. The place wasn't too crowded when we came in, so we were seated within about 5 minutes of arrival . We got our coffee pretty quickly. I and my sister got pancakes and waffles, respectively, with bacon and eggs. I asked for poached eggs, which came out a little watery than I expected, so they were nice enough to give me scrambled eggs as a replacement. Portion sizes were very generous and food was pretty good, nothing to write home about. Everything came out to about $20 for the 2 of us. This is a great place to stop for a quick, affordable brunch. read more

My husband and I have been having breakfast here for the last two years. The staff and ownership are friendly and attentive. The omelettes and home fries are delicious. We are now regulars and enjoy dining here. read more

The food is always great. Eggplant parm really good. The service and ambience were wonderful. Husband and wife run this place. Don't miss it. read more

We used to come here for breakfast, but they recently added dinner menu and open until 9pm. We have had dinner with them twice within last few weeks, and every time we all enjoyed our food very very munch. It is very hard to find a cafe that serves both awesome breakfast and dinner, and we just found one! By the way, the waitress and owner are both so nice! Love this cafe! read more

See all