There are 2 entrances... a dive bar on the parking lot side... and a wood panel lunch counter / booth place on the Main Street side. Agree that the bar is ROUGH... the counter side has cool black and white photos of Auburn from the early 1900's. They are always short staffed, but the food is hearty and bountiful. 2 Lottery machines seem to be the draw for the senior citizen crowd... we have been there twice... and would go back again... if only because we are 30 years younger than anyone else in the joint :-)! read more

Rainbow Cafe - Extensive breakfast menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Auburn, Washington

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I just moved into a downtown Auburn apartment building in the neighborhood recently,from Indianapolis, IN. I stopped in the Rainbow Cafe for breakfast and ordered the French Toast. It was the best French Toast I've ever eaten! The service was impeccable! Rainbow Cafe is now my #1 breakfast spot on Saturday mornings! read more

First timers at the Rainbow Cafe! Our server, Jill, was amazing! Although she was the only server at the time she did not disappoint! The food was delicious! We definitely would return. read more

Great food breakfast through dinner. Veggie Omelette. Prime Rib Melt. Friendly staff. It's been there for years.

This place has two good things about it. The bartenders know what they're doing and the kitchen staff is amazing. That being said, you should have more than one waitress and one cook on staff to feed an entire restaurant. They treat their employees poorly, it shows in their spirits as they rapidly try to do the best with the little they are given. Get the kitchen a fan and give the employees better pay if you're going to juice them. Love the crowd. Think the management could use some work. read more

Rainbow Cafe is the breakfast joint we all need in life. Solid breakfast, lunch, and dinner options with an attached bar. I went last night and got the TJs special: 2 eggs, potatoes, and toast. I also split a side of french toast with my boyfriend. It's not the best breakfast on EARTH but it is super solid. The sourdough toast I got with my meal was a little under-toasted but the french toast was perfect and bomb and eggs perfectly cooked. As usual, hash browns could be crispier but I've had worse. I still cleaned my plate. We all did. My boyfriend got the home fries and they looked pretty good. My friend got the tuna melt and said it was awesome. She also got fries, which looked crispy and house made and a cup of baked potato soup which she said was great also. It was cool to be able to get some beers with breakfast for dinner. Overall, we liked it and will be back.. read more

I came in this morning craving an omelette. The bartender Jen ( I believe ) was so helpful in helping me decide on the country omelette with hash browns (which was delicious). A very nice atmosphere everyone seemed to know each other gives you a real auburn city feel. I would definitely come back here read more

Rainbow Cafe - Country omelette and hash browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Auburn, Washington

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The Rainbow Cafe has been a staple in Auburn since 1929 and I'm glad it's still in operation today. The food is consistently fabulous whether it's breakfast ( served all day) or their generous sandwiches. My favorite is the Reuben, the best I've had anywhere. Burgers and hand cut fries have always been a crowd pleAsk for the sweet potato fries, they are fabulous! Lots of great dinner options, from fish & chips to amazing lasagna made fresh by the owner, a nice Sicilian boy that was raised in Auburn. I remember going to the Rainbow every Friday night with my parents and then as a teenager filling a thermos with their clam chowder before going to the AHS football game. read more

The mamager bartender (old blonde with glasses), has zero people skills and is an angry, unhappy person...very rude. I asked for a second menu (there were two of us), she said "I would prefer you to share"...other people overheard and pitched in that she is ALWAYS rude and that "Sherie" is the waitress we want...the waiter DID bring another menu but slammed it down on the table...we almost left ..our neighbors at another table said that everyone complains about this person and the manager doesn't care...he then said we need to meet Sherie...she came in 15 minutes later...I told her about our experience, and she said she hears complaints about this person all day long!!! With mediocre food, and terrible service, we will spend our money elsewhere!!! read more

Clean food service good cooked breakfast hash browns crisp steak tast great service professional prompt

Service was awful and when she did finally acknowledged me, she was rude, my money and I walked out

Home of the World's Smallest Chicken Fried Steak. The service was great but the food...not so much. The hashbrowns were cold and the eggs rubber...but the service was fantastic. The coffee was flavored and tinted water...but the service was outstanding. Front of House just needs a backof house to support them. read more

Service was on point. Jill was very friendly and absolutely attentive but get this....she was the only waitress working! Many thanks to the kitchen staff my food came out fast and delicious read more

LOVE THIS PLACE. Great food, good prices, and great service. My friends and I have been coming here for years now fro breakfast, and won't go anywhere else. read more

Yuck Cafe . Decided to try this place instead of Sun Break Cafe . That was a major mistake. The atmosphere is as if your at your dentist starring into the bright light as he cleans your teeth. Very bright fluorescent lights illuminate your deep fried food . Nichole was our waitress. She wasn't very friendly just what can I get ya ? Anything else ? Very short and off putting. I ordered the hillbilly chicken fried steak. Nothing on the menu shows that the " home fries " are deep fried ? I was shocked when they came to the table. Over fried and way way over salted . I like salty food but this was like a salt lick. You could actually see the salt on every potato. We also ordered the corned beef hash. It came out very plain and boring. Looked as if you took dog food and made patties. They were warm in the middle not hot. Honestly the corned beef hash by Hormel is a 10 and this crap is a -1. When our " waitress " ( Prison Guard ) asked how it was going we were hesitant to say anything but we did. She went straight into defending how the corned beef is shredded in house . She asked if we wanted something else or if we wanted it taken off. We said no thanks. Didn't want to wait for more food while I try to eat my chicken fried steak. When she brought us our bill she said she took 20% off the corned beef. She asked how mine was since the plate was still full. The only thing I ate was the fried steak. She then took another 20% off the chicken fried steak. At the end she was sorry and a little nicer. Instead of coming here to eat just pick up a can of Alpo dog food and a jar of salt read more

Rainbow Cafe - Slated Chicken fried steak & Dog food hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Auburn, Washington

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Horrible service, the bartender was unbelievably rude. He was inattentive but then a total jerk if I had to go order my drink. Which I had to do because he never came to our table, more concerned with eating his food. Needless to say we will never go back. It was the worst and rudest experience I've ever had. read more

5 people in the bar and I got 1 beer in 45 minutes. Shut this shit hole down or find some people that can sling drinks. 1 star is modest fuck this place I'm so thirsty read more

My coworkers and I go here at least once or twice a month after a long 12 hour night shift @ the hospital. During the weekdays it's usually Cami working at the bar and she is my favorite. She's amazing! She knows our drinks and what we like to eat. She's just so quick and very nice. I love that you are able to get any type of food at anytime. Aka you can order dinner foods like their spaghetti at breakfast time! My fiancé usually gets a burger at 8 am (hey, technically it's our dinner time!) I am pretty basic and get the 112 -- one pancake (i usually get a blueberry pancake) one egg, and 2 strips of bacon or sausage. Their hashbrowns are always extra crispy and golden brown! They have a breakfast burrito special on some days and that burrito is probably one of the best breakfast burritos I have ever had! It's huge! The bacon in it is extra crispy. Mmmm. What else have I tried? Their crab benedict is very yummy as well. I can never finish it because it's huge! For drinks I usually get a strawberry mimosa or a strawberry orange mimosa! Super yummy! Everything is priced very well, not too expensive! read more

My friend and I set up a meeting at the Rainbow Cafe for breakfast. No one was there at the time we arrived ( close to noon ) And I thought it a bit odd they were not as busy as I had thought they would be. Regardless I ordered the Denver omelette. We spent the afternoon in a bit of silence what with no one being in the restaurant then when it was time to leave I asked for a box and we left. It wasn't till I got home to finish my omelette that I found a long black hair, knowing it was not mine ( I am bald ) Nor my friends as she is blonde. I tossed the omelette out. The service was fine and the food was good I just don't like finding strange hairs in my food is all. I would just say watch your food when you get it. read more

I have come here a handful of times with my mom. I always enjoy it and the food. Today we had the clam chowder. I was very skeptical that it would taste good from a small cafe that doesn't specialize in it. I could not have been more wrong! When I talked to our server, she said that they made it from scratch every time. You can tell! I was shocked!! I nearly ate my mom's entire bowl. Our sandwiches were good too (The Club & French Dip) and I was glad to see the number of things they do make my scratch, although it's not everything. One server really made our experience a special one! Her name was Janina. She is pleasant, efficient, and personable. She had a lot of knowledge about everything at the cafe and was so personable while we shared family stories. :) I would go back just to have a pleasant homey experience and be in her section! If I want to go have good quality time with my parents when I visit... this is the place I want to come. I particularly thought it was sweet that as my 1 year old daughter and I faced the kitchen... I noticed somebody back there playing peekaboo with her which was sooooooooo adorable! How sweet! The bottom line.. Janina and much of the other staff is fantastic and their clam chowder made me want to come on here and rate their cafe more than any other time I've visited! :-D read more

The old owner had pretty well driven this ham and egger into the ground so when it was announced that someone with restaurant and food service experience had purchased the Rainbow it was received with welcoming arms. We purposely waited several months so the new guy could get things in order. This morning we walked in and seated ourselves and waited and waited, finally the waitress shows up to tell us she'll be right with us, several more minutes go by and she shows up again to offer coffee and menus but no silverware. Where's the silverware? It's all in the dishwasher. We do order, and again we wait and wait and we aren't the only ones waiting, the problem is a group in the meeting room. So ignore the main dining room for a group. Great, just great. The food was warm when it was finally served and good but this is just a ham and egger, nothing special. We are given our check and go to the counter to pay and we have to wait for our waitress to cash us out because no one else can. Again, really? If you have nothing else to do and want to spend an hour and half for breakfast then you will find nothing wrong with this place. If you are like me and think the owner might want to get his act together or watch his clienteler go elsewhere you'll avoid this place. After all, it's just a ham and egger. read more

No, this is not a gay cafe. At least I don't think so. There is always a group of old guys at the counter drinking coffee in the morning but I think probably don't realize what the rainbow flag means. I have been coming here once in a while for at least 15 years and always get the yakamush. It is just a regular hometown cafe on Main Street of my small town. Good food and good friendly people. Nothing spectacular but never a bad experience either read more

I have been here a couple of times with friends. Ok its very inexpensive but I wouldn't say its a strong showing. For Auburn perhaps its not bad. I think there are some better choices in the area. read more

I came across this place on yelp and reviews seemed good enough to try it so I ordered to go. I walked in band stood for at least 5 min until somebody acknowledged me and told me to go to the bar for to go ordered. I went there and there's wasn't a bar tender. So I waited for almost 10 min and walked back to the front to see what's going on. They're like go back to the bar and she'll be there soon. So I did and she came a few minutes later. Bartender was RUDE!!!! The bar probably had about 10-15 guys sitting there and she's just chatting away with them. Finally acknowledged me and I paid for my food. I tried to ask her a question but she was too busy flirting away in the bar. I wasn't impressed with the food at all. It was ok. Oh also they charge 75 cents per entree for to go orders. Very disappointed read more

Great food and selection. Wait staff is friendly and helpful. Just a very nice diner in a world that wants fast food!

Full service cafe and bar! Open at 6 a.m. for those who work nights! Super breakfast menu with lot's of choices, for any taste. , I love the country omelette, a great choice for an egg lover! read more

Rainbow Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Auburn, Washington

I've been coming to the Rainbow for decades. I've brought car clubs there, had coaches meetings there and for the last 5-6 years been filling the banquet room for them two Thursdays a month. The homemade pies and grandma's home cooking is long gone. Everything comes across as cafeteria food now and the new owner (Gio) is an a**. We tried putting up with the banquet room door being locked 90% of the time even though I filled out the schedule a whole year in advance. And the front door was usually locked, so everyone had to enter through the bar. Turns out the key was always there, but most employees didn't know where. The air conditioning was always set to freezing in the banquet room, even in the dead of winter. He fired all the good waitresses for not putting up with him and we found ourselves dealing with nice ladies in their 50's or older who had never waitressed before. Combine all that with the food going downhill so far, we couldn't take it anymore. So we found a different venue. I went in and told him in person he could take us off the schedule for all future dates and why. And he said "fine". I wouldn't have even bothered writing this, but now he is telling his waitresses who are telling the customers that he kicked us out and banned me personally from entering the restaurant for life. None of which is true. Auburn is a small town. I've lived here for 50+ years and run my business here. Don't talk smack about me and my group in my town or I will make the truth known. read more

In a town where options are limited... it'll do. Had only been in restaurant once and now bar once so our experiences have been few. Service in the bar on a snowy Saturday was mediocre. Bartender seemed kinda scattered, people waited 20+ minutes to order food, but it was rather full. Food was ok, touch tunes jukebox was fun to commandeer and watch the old timers reaction to Slayer and Dead Kennedy's. 30 minutes to get a refill on a drink was kinda annoying and the bartender had no idea how many beverages our table ordered when it came to to pay. Auburn has hardly any places like this, there was definitely some old regulars there and it ok enough to visit again. read more

This place is amazing I really recommend this place to all people, the best north American style breakfast I ever have been too. Service was quick and efficient, food was excellent and tasty. read more

My wife and I went there my omelette was not meaty it was diced small tiny pieces The hashbrowns were cooked in Grease Super greasy the only thing that was good is the coffee I would not recommend this place for my wife and I got sick afterwards she had a chicken fried steak it was very dry and bland my omelette turned out to be $20 read more

Came in this morning for a good breakfast treat after a long drive, but have to leave without being seated. Was standing by the door waiting to be seated as what the sign says, but was ignored the whole time. There are a few empty tables and at least 4 waitresses and none of them said anything. They just look at us and pretended we do not exist. What the heck happen? They use to be attentive and nice! Guess our business is not good enough for them. Definitely not going back to this cafe. read more

Solid diner food. Went there for a late lunch on a Saturday, and the The Rainbow has been an Auburn staple since forever. Their sandwiches are very different from what you'll get at the Sunbreak: they are known for their hand carved meat. We went for a late lunch on a Saturday, and the service was quite slow. I later learned that our server was also doing the cooking, so I suppose it was bad on us for coming during off-peak hours. The clam chowder had bacon, to picky boyfriend's chagrin, and my fries were on the soft side. That's an issue for some people, but I'll sacrifice for real potatoes over extruded white mush. read more

A lot of reviews mention poor service. I wouldn't describe the service as poor but its not great either. It is essentially typical diner service. The lady taking your order probably works there 6-7 days a week. She cares about providing great customer service about as much as she cares about making great life choices. She's not here to make you feel special she is here to take your order and get you your food as you like it. Mission accomplished. Solid C. The owner did come by and ask how we are doing +1. He does care about his business and it shows. I always appreciate an owner that takes the time to stop by each table. The best part about Rainbow Cafe is the food. It is better than your typical diner fair. I'd go as far as to label it well above average. If you went to 5 diners in a day this would be #1 or #2 in terms of food quality. All four of us really enjoyed our food. After informing our server that the food was excellent she did warm to us a little. There might have even been a smile or two in that conversation which was a nice change of pace. Overall if I'm in the area I'd stop by again for a quick meal. read more

We love coming here! The service is well worth the drive from Burien. We get the skillet. Such a sweet little joint. We will be back.

I love this place! My dad works nights so when he gets off in the morning we come here and get Bloody Marys and breakfast or dinner for him.

Second time here. Enjoyed out first visit and decided to come back. Weren't disappointed. Quick and friendly service. Even the owner stopped by and asked how things were. Nice atmosphere and great food! We'll certainly be back here for breakfast and lunch often. read more

Rainbow Cafe - Egg Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Auburn, Washington

Got here and sat for 20 minutes before being acknowledged. By that time two other tables had arrived and gotten drinks and menus. We finally were able to order drinks and the miserable looking waitress came back 10 minutes later and asked us for our orders-no drinks in sight. Finally she came back with the drinks and didn't offer a straw or a spoon for my fiance to serve his coffee. We ended up just leaving. read more

My husband and I went there this morning ( 11/19/21) and we were standing and waiting to be seated for 6 minutes. A lady employee passed by us at least 3 times and she totally ignored us. We left the place and will never ever go back there. Customer service is really rude and horrible read more

So this place - at least on a Monday morning - seems to be for an older crowd. I was by far the youngest one there. The service is good, very friendly. I ordered a cheddar and mushroom omelet and coffee. It was good, but really greasy. The hash browns were just OK. I don't think I'd come back, but wouldn't kick and scream if I did. ;) read more

Breakfast for dinner you bet. One omelet0 is enough for two people. Nice people. Great food.