Do you ever sit in an environment where you wonder how they survived the existential threat of convenience culture? One where it feels almost criminal to be on your phone and that a newspaper is the proper form of media consumption? This is exactly how I felt sitting in a barstool in Snug Harbor. I was back in LA for the Holidays, and was planning to meet with a friend for breakfast. He runs a restaurant and a coffee shop in Venice, so I trust him with my life when it comes to a breakfast recommendation. He texted me "I'm about to put you on this spot that will blow you away. I'm not even going to say anything else, just going to let its game do the talking..." followed by a google maps link to Snug Harbor in Santa Monica. When I arrived, I stopped and stared for a second. The sign has seemingly been untouched since this place opened in 1941, and the "N" in Snug Harbor was leaning noticeably more forward than the other letters. I opened the creaky old door to an environment that has somehow embalmed the 1940s-50s feel perfectly. A front dining area with faux letter booths and barstools, a vintage Coca Cola branded sign where you have to change each individual letter by hand, those thick ceramic coffee mugs where servers come and refill the black gold with a pot every few minutes, etc. I was GEEKED, and locked eyes with my buddy Nick who was sitting at one of the barstools. He must've seen the look in my eyes and said "How REAL is this spot!?" as we exchanged a clean dap. "The vibe is INSANE, but I promise the food is even better than you're expecting..." Inject it into my veins. I was so ready. As we caught up and went down the most random rabbit holes you could ever think of, I noticed a guy in his mid 30s sitting at the bar alone as he was demolishing a stack of buttermilk pancakes just for the love of the game. Whenever I see someone eating alone, I always think they have it all figured out. You can tell someone is secure in who they are as a human being if they are just enjoying a meal alone. As we waited for our food, Nick would comment on things that only someone running a restaurant would notice. "Look at how yellow those eggs are... The way this guy keeps his griddle spotless is next level... Look at how the 2 of them are handling these 7 tickets, they are moving fast but not rushed. They are in a genuine flow-state right now..." I love sharing a meal with someone who sees the world in a totally different way than I do. I learn so much in such a short period of time. Every time I go to a diner, I get the same simple breakfast of 2 eggs any style with bacon or sausage. My girlfriend makes fun of me saying "You always get something you could easily make at home," which is true. But to me, this plate shows the quality of a place and really just gets me back to homeostasis. My steaming plate was filled with very yellow eggs, breakfast potatoes, a whole real sausage that was cooked perfectly, and pre-buttered rye toast. Every bite had me cheesing from ear to ear. The ingredients are much higher quality than a typical diner, and the food is made with the care and love of a home cooked plate. Truly a phenomenal meal to pair with an ambiance that has been untouched by the river of time. I'm obsessed. Places like Snug Harbor have a special place in my soul. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more

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The food was great, potatoes that felt like butter in my mouth. Some of the best damn rancheros I've ever had too They immediately sat us down and did everything they could to make me and my whole family comfortable. The ambience, is great. Has the whole rustic vibe going on but you can definitely tell they take care of the place. Definitely screams old-school diner but you know you're in Santa Monica. Love this place would definitely come again! read more

Snug Harbor - Bar area. Love how rustic it is. - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Super cute diner style restaurant. Came in on the weekend, pretty early. Parking is not easy, but you will eventually find street meter parking. Service was friendly, and the food was delicious!! The chicken and waffles was on another level. The chicken was crispy and super juicy despite being thin. The gravy...well forgetaboutit...I could have just had that on it's own! Welll done! read more

Snug Harbor - Loxocado Toast - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Friendly, quick service. Dog friendly, outdoor seating. Cute diner feel with table and counter seating. High quality country fried steak. Probably batter in-house. Doesn't taste like the country fried steak at Denny's or IHOP. Large portions. A little pricey for a breakfast spot but more quality ingredients than a typical diner. read more

Snug Harbor - Breakfast Sunrise Burrito - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Old school since 1941. This place looks small but there are many tables in the back patio available. The original front dining area retains it's old world charm. We ordered the Ortega omelet with avocado, house potatoes, and sourdough toast. The food was really good and the service was quick despite them being busy on Father's Day. read more

Snug Harbor - Old school since 1941 - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Solid diner for breakfast. Nothing fancy -- just good food, kind staff, and a few different seating areas so you can pick your vibe. read more

Snug Harbor - Chocolate Chip Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've dined here enough to say for sure that this great restaurant is the kind of place you're glad is still around these days: one with a diverse menu yet hitting the point on the basics, all the while including great service as well. Breakfast items are good, particularly the deuces wild. Egg dishes have good flavor. The sandos go great with the suzy Q fries - my favorites (among others) are the eggs benedict and the snug club...and all these years later, there's still more items I'd like to try! Only things I'd change - the gravy in the biscuits & gravy could use more meat, and there are some sandos that are slightly overpriced. The passion fruit iced tea is sensational, and I appreciate the owner always around checking in. They've done a great job adding the outdoor space, and on nice days it's a great place to dine. It's never seemed too crowded - just don't tell the people erroneously dining at Flapjax down the street to wise up and come here! This is the place! read more

This was such a hidden gem! This was like one of those places in LA that your friends tell you about because they love ypu. This place had a super cool old-school diner vibe 1940s built great service great food gotta say probably one of the best chicken fried steaks I've ever had. The coating on the chicken fried steak holy hell! Gravy, top-notch eggs we're real, not from the carton like you see at some places and delicious The only downside I'd say is the potatoes need some more seasoning Great spot but small so there might be a wait so worth it. Service was top notch. My coffee was never empty and everybody checks on you. read more

Snug Harbor - Chicken Country Fried Steak with gravy - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Really BAD. The worst meal I have had in Santa Monica in fifteen years, along with the worst service I have experienced. A burned cardboard-like waffle and burned fried chicken breast for me and a cold waffle for my friend, plus burned coffee. The bill arrived in the middle of the meal, not sure why, especially as the restaurant was virtually empty (with good reason as I know now). After we complained about the food, one waffle was taken off the bill. The server took a plate away from my friend without asking if he was done, before my friend ate the blueberries, which were the only decent part of both of our meals (because they came from a store). But she left my plate in front of me - as if she could only carry one plate at a time. In other words, nothing makes sense here. Save yourselves the grief and the money. They really should just go out of business. read more

Snug Harbor - Dry, overcooked shoe-sole like fried chicken breast and the overdone cardboard like waffle. - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

My club sandwich was trash and we also had the worst avocado toast I've ever had. It's gone down hill. People are nice enough though.

I LOVE SNUGGY! Quality diner food and they don't mind me (too much) making a few substitutions for my dietary issues. Delaney is the greatest server on the westside, and just the nicest person ever. I don't think people realize that they have TWO lovely outdoor patios. Perfect for dogs, and summertime, but also they have lots of toasty heaters for the cooler months. My only complaint is that they close SO EARLY at 2 pm. They said it was temporary for "the fall" but then winter and summer came and it's still not back to normal hours. Hoping it comes back so I can go more often! read more

The service is great and the mimosas are good but that's it I would never come here again because how all the food was nasty first I ordered the hungry man and I didn't know they put it all together like literally and then I ordered everything separately and it was still disgusting I think they need a new cook because he can't cook read more

Snug Harbor - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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One of my favorite diners in West LA. It's a true California diner in the best sort of way and as the name suggests it's very small, but it doesn't feel too crowded. They have indoor and outdoor seating as well as counter seating in the front. Parking was easy to find in the neighborhood behind the restaurant, otherwise it will be metered street parking. Our server was extremely polite and very fast with the refills. Also all our food items came out quickly with no errors. They have a lot of great options on the menu, mostly traditional American diner classics. One of my all-time favorite dishes is Eggs Benedict so I wanted to try that for my first time visiting. It was terrific and the eggs were cooked perfectly. We also ordered the Deuces Wild and the pancakes were especially delicious. They were really fluffy and really tasty. We also ordered a biscuit on the side and had that with some fresh strawberry jam and it was a great combo. Everything was honestly really good and made me immediately want to come back for future visits. read more

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Delaney is an angel! We literally visit just to see her and experience her one of a kind, top notch service! Not only that, we truly enjoy the food quality every time we visit! This snug diner never fails to exceed our expectations and the price point is wonderful for the location! read more

Snug Harbor - Chorizo and Sweet Potato hash. Fresh and delicious! - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I've been to this restaurant a few times in generally it is very good. However, one of the marks are a good restaurant is consistency. It has to be consistency and service and food so that people know when they're going to a particular place or a particular thing it will be as good as the last time. On this trip, we went there specifically for the eggs Benedict. What we found was a change in recipe for the holiday sauce. Maybe not intentional but a definite change in that it was sweet, almost as if somebody had added some substance similar to sugar or something else that sweetened it. At first, I thought it was a river abundance of women, but after discussing it with the person who also ordered it came to the collusion. It was just something of a suite that was added. When I mentioned this to the waitress, she just shrugged it off. There is no offer to redo it, no mention of going back to the kitchen to find out what happened, just a general typical California laser, fair attitude. Service and training needs to be consistent throughout the restaurant so that you are treated the same way when you come in. More importantly recipe should not be changed unless customers are notified. Otherwise you have to assume it's a mistake. So on this visit the review I'm giving is warranted and hopefully it will not be the same at the next visit read more

I'm sorry Snug Harbor, but the food was awful. We paid the bill and left the food on the plate - it just wasn't worth eating.

A truly outstanding and unique spot for a casual and delicious lunch. Best weekday lunch deal in Santa Monica. Double patty burger with killer curly fries and a soda for $15! Great food, friendly service, and that classic old-school diner vibe. This is the kind of place that every Angeleno should support and thank the Heavens that it still exists (been there since 1941)! read more

Not only is the food amazing, the service was excellent. Everyone is so nice and check in with you to see if everything is ok. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We loved it. read more

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This place is adorable. Old school, quaint, and casual. It's like a blast from the past. Sit at the breakfast counter and watch the line cooks do their thing. The food is exactly what you'd expect-not fancy but solid. Don't come here expecting a gastronomical affair. This is old school eggs and bacon. Although, they DO have avocado toast. So they are keeping up with the trends. The servers are delightful. There are lots of regulars. We got the breakfast sandwich and the oatmeal. But we're exactly what you would want them to be. read more

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This place kept popping up on my Google Maps, so I decided to finally go here for brunch. It has old-school diner vibes with a lot of that kind of charm, too. The wait staff is super nice and they always seem like they're having a great time -- a good sign! As for the food, everything I've had here was great. The chocolate chip pancakes are incredible and really have a lot of chocolate chips! I also enjoyed the Sunrise burrito a lot and the coffee always hits the spot -- and the staff is generous with coffee refills! I've come here a few times and I'll definitely return again! read more

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Snug Harbor is my GO TO place for American Diner food. The staff all work hard and work well together with a smile! I love their BBQ chicken hash with 2 eggs over easy. YUMMMMM! I also enjoy their sandwiches, Cilantro Chicken: with spinach, grilled mushrooms tomatoes, and more. In fact, everything I have ordered here is tasty! read more

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Never ordering the lox plate again. The bagel was burnt and the cream cheese is charged extra. Barely any smoked salmon. read more

Snug Harbor - Lox Plate - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Old school diner tucked away in Santa Monica. Came here for brunch on a Sunday morning with a friend around 10:30am and there was no wait. Metered street parking available. Credit cards accepted. Indoor and outdoor dining available. The outdoor patio is heated. I got the chicken and waffle, while my friend got the pancake combo with an extra side of home fries on the side. My dish came with gravy on top of the waffle and syrup on the side - I would recommend asking for the gravy on the side so that you can alternate between savory and sweet more easily. The chicken was boneless and it was very filling. You can opt to upgrade to maple syrup for an extra charge. There is one single occupant restroom available by the kitchen. Service was efficient. Overall, a nice spot to have a casual meal with American classics. read more

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Weekday special is the business. Delicious juicy burger and bang for the buck! A go to local staple. read more

Snug Harbor - The house special burger. - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

If you want a snug breakfast diner in Santa Monica without the bougie vibe, this is the place. Their food was delicious and they have a variety of options on the menu. Staff were very friendly, my bacon was over cooked and they changed it without hesitation. They serve beer and mimosas as well. Timings are 7-3. Pricing is reasonable for the location. Parking is a bit tricky but you can find some in the back. read more

Snug Harbor - BBQ Chicken Hash Bacon - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

One of my favorite spots for breakfast in Santa Monica. They've been serving breakfast and lunch since 1941. It's definitely got an old time diner vibe, in a nice quaint kind of way. They have a nice old fashioned counter and just a few booths and tables inside, with more tables in a nice patio out back. It's cozier than Rae's, another great Santa Monica diner. The food is delicious. They have diner standards like corned beef hash, country fried steak and eggs, a few versions of eggs Benedict, all of which are excellent. They have really good pancakes and waffles. There are around 10 dishes that can be served in an omelette, a scramble or a burrito. They've got good lunch options, like a Cobb salad, sandwiches and a decent burger. Beer and wine available. Service is always excellent. Staff is friendly and attentive. Coffee mugs are filled promptly. Definitely consider stopping by Snug Harbor for breakfast when you're in San Monica. read more

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Saw the name and had to come in. This will be the third place named Snug Harbor I've been to! (Lakewood, California & Kearny, New Jersey if you are wondering). The place is really cool inside. Straight out of the 1940s, which is very cool. Okay, I started this review years ago and never finished my draft. I had an opportunity to come back today and am very happy that I did! Sergio took care of my drink order right away and with a smile. He definitely made me feel very welcome here. I started off with a Bacon Bloody Mary. Very tasty and you cannot go wrong with bacon. Delaney took care of my order and was fun to talk to as I had to share my Snug Harbor story with her! Food was delicious. I ordered the corned Beef Hash. The potatos were surprisingly flavorful, and the hash was done just right. Just a bit of salsa, which added some depth. The apricot jam was also great! If you have an opportunity to eat here, you should! Hopefully Delaney is working. read more

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The chase: very good burger, very friendly service, and an ambiance that fit like a glove. Details? Sure. It's a rainy day. I generally like rainy days, but this day... I don't know, I am just feeling sad and I can't figure out why. Part of it is missing my girlfriend (who I've known since we were teenagers at summer camp) who lives in New York. It was going to be another week till we'd be together, so that was part of it. I'm also feeling a bit down about myself -- where I am in my life, my career, my bank account, my blank passport pages... Kind of an existential sadness one finds when they take a deep and honest look in the mirror (which was much easier since I picked up my new glasses earlier in the day). But, I digress... I was sitting on the couch next to my dog, Edward von Chocula, watching "Rick and Morty" (a show to which I had recently been introduced by my 16 year old -- absolutely brilliant, both show and child) and I needed more to make me feel whole. I needed comfort food, and more than that I needed a "comfort place"* [*If this is not a term in common usage I call first dibs at registering it!] Thing is, I don't have a comfort place, and I really wasn't in the mood for my regular comfort Chinese food. So, driving down Wilshire Blvd I drove by Snug Harbor. I'd always wanted to eat here, but for some reason never have, usually going to Flapjax for the herb pancakes (but this isn't about Flapjax, which you can read about it my other review). I pulled the car over, put money in the meter and sauntered in... 20 minutes before close. They were cool, though, and said they wouldn't kick me out till 2:30. I told them I'd be out by 2:20. Negotiation out of the way, I took my seat at the counter, looked around and realized I had found m comfort place! The aesthete is pretty barebones, but being a reincarnated radio comedy writer (and former airman in WW2) I felt immediately at home. I ordered a coffee (decaf, which is something I couldn't get in 1946) and without thinking much about it, ordered their special burger, the Zwiebel. Quick aside: I'm assuming this is named in honor of Alan Zwiebel, who is a brilliant comedy writer, was one of the original writers on SNL, the creative force behind "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and "North." I worked on two of his shows as a PA, he was always very nice to me even though I am sure I annoyed the hell out of him, being the eager (though only somewhat talented) 20-something comedy writer that I was. But, I digress... The burger was 98% perfect -- well cooked (not well done), tomato and lettuce and pickles and cheese, but points off for having "just over the line" too much special sauce (Russian dressing?). But, otherwise Exactly what I needed. The coffee was very good -- exactly what one would expect. I will come back. Maybe tomorrow. I would like to come here with my girlfriend when she comes West. I'm not sure she'll like it, but there's a certain psychological reveal every time I take her to one of my "places" (usually dark "old man alcoholic" bars that still have their Christmas lights up), something revealing about me that I can't put into words, but when you see it and experience it, you just get a better understanding of who I am. (Kudos to those of you who stick by me despite all this.) Yeah, I'll be back. read more

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We came back because we enjoyed the first time and just wanted to say everything is consistent and not just a fluke that we had a good experience. The experience was good again with good food and great service! read more

Snug Harbor - Sunrise Burrito - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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These are the best biscuits and gravy in Los Angeles. Sit at the counter on a quiet, grey June gloom morning, and enjoy a mug of coffee.

The service is impeccable. The food is amazing and hasn't changed over all these years! A must for breakfast anytime or lunch.

The food was amazing. I had a breakfast burrito. The homemade salsa was great. The interior decor is fantastic. It's like going back to the 1940's. The amount of seating indoors is very limited but there's seating outside in back. The service was great. Good coffee too. read more

What you would expect from a diner but I find that it's a great value with large portion sizes for a decent traditional breakfast. Lots of variety from numerous breakfast options to burgers and sandwiches. I've tried their scrambles, corn beef hash, pancakes, and the breakfast burrito. My least favorite of all those was probably the corn beef hash (not sure but the consistency and texture seemed to come out of a can), otherwise everything was pretty tasty. read more

Thank you for the great service Brooke and Fatima!! Rainy early start of the day to great coffee and delicious breakfast! I've gone to this place for decades. Great to know it's been around for about 85 years! I love these historic places that are family owned and operated. read more

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I was wiped out and famished after working all night before Super Bowl Sunday in LA. Did a search for a breakfast place open early and found Snug Harbor on Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica. I walked in and smiled immediately when I saw these 2 cute couples in the booth to my right snuggling. I got a beautiful welcome from the awesome Alejandro who gave me the option to sit out on the patio or inside. I opted for a nice, cozy table where I snuggled up with my hot and delicious coffee that he brought out in a jiffy. The menu was huge and I opted to create my own 3 egg scramble with cheddah and basil. Loved the vibe in this aptly named restaurant. It was warm. The chefs were smiling, relaxed and having fun. The decor inside was cute. The restroom was immaculate with hot water in the sink. Loved the aroma of the yummy food as Alejandro walked by me to serve the folks next to me. My eggs were just stellar. Hot, I mean hot. The basil and the cheddar were a perfect blend. The home fries were crispy on the outside and just gorgeous. No ketchup or seasoning needed. The sourdough toast was hot, just right and the butter did get to every nook and cranny. Alejandro was very attentive and kept my coffee cup full. He got me a to go cup with freshly brewed coffee and extra milk on the side. I mean top notch service. This was the most important meal of the day and a spectacular one on Super Sunday. I walked out and crossed Wilshire to take a photo of the store front cutely snuggled between two trees. This was a beautiful five star experience. read more

Snug Harbor - Basil and cheddar scramble with sourdough toast. Super Sunday just commenced. Good Morning! - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Great service and even better food. Chicken fried steak and eggs were That crazy is stupid delicious. Well worth the hour drive read more

I loved it. A quirky old times diner feel and the food was great. Recommend without reservation.

This morning, we ordered strawberry pancakes, omelette, chicken & waffle and lox-avocado toast. They were all fresh and tasty. No wonder customers keep coming in. The service great and our service was super friendly. It's been there for 80 years and has a nice retro feel to it. We will definitely back! read more

Snug Harbor - Lox-Avocado toast with a bagel - Diners Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Walked, driven, ran by for years. Finally, finally could no longer resist. Sure, I was a little hesitant because of the 'greasy spoon' and similar comments. Well, for one thing, greasy spoon doesn't bother me -- but when used in a negative way I pause. I submit to you that Snug Harbor has so much more than 'greasy spoon' going for it. The menu itself shows how they've got a tasty, creative and wide-ranging palate here. The place is also huge. The main room, off Wilshire, seems like a quaint little place. But there's an outside and a outside next floor, too. Clearly, Snug Harbor can handle some traffic. A place can't last 80+ years without some good planning and staff. Now the food: Happily, I was hoon-gry. Under 'Mixin it Up', you may choose any of the offerings as a burrito, scramble or omelette. I tried the Artichoke omelette. Italian sausage, artichoke hearts, garlic, mushroom, spinach and mozzarella cheese. (And the kitchen honored my request to go light on the cheese). I loved this. I wasn't sure what to expect with artichoke hearts thrown in, but it's an inspired ingredient. A large, filling Italian-inspired omelette. Yum. The accompanying potatoes were nicely cooked, deeply browned and crunchy. Thankfully not just a wet greasebomb. These were hearty and hit the spot. At the time of ordering, I asked about if they had salsa or hot sauce. Though bottled sauce along with ketchup is on each table, the server mentioned they do have something - with any extra charge. I would recommend that, if you're so inclined. A pureed pepper and seasoning for $1.75 is worth it. And, it goes great on the potatoes as well as the omelette. I chose Rye toast, and it was definitely better than the standard diner variety. If you take jam, there are a few to choose from. They're made on premise, from what I can gather. Pick one. I liked the marmalade. Coffee was just fine. Service helpful and on-top of things, without being on top of me. Refills were offered without even asking. So glad I visited Snug Harbor, and I look forward to digging in more deeply to their breakfast or their lunch menu. read more

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It is a great tuck in the wall. Old school and lovely. Great food and great service. read more