CASH ONLY Now that that out of the way, let me tell you about Spanky's. I was in town for a week and we went three times! I had the stuffed French Toast the first time, hot cakes the second, and can't stop thinking about it. Spanky's is a tiny place with a small lot, so don't be surprised if you end up dining al fresco in the inclosed patio or parking on the street. The waitress who worked our table, Sam, was awesome! read more

First time eating here and everything was excellent! The lady was very friendly and food was very good. I ordered #2 and one pancake for my daughter and they made surprise Minnie pancake for her! I will definitely go back for sure :) read more

Spanky's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Very random was passing thru and googled something to eat .. the food was really good surprising because I can be picky .. the service was nice she was helpful.... read more

Spanky's - " Pancake sandwich " two of everything ... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

When I want breakfast cooked to order, Spankys is where I go. Much better than the other cash only places in town. Would be five stars except it's cash only. read more

It's a Mom and Pop like diner. I saw other reviews that said it is dirty ...It was super Clean! I mean it's an old place but it's clean! It's a cramped sort of spot , that is what gives it the little diner feel though!! They allow your dog on patio which is always a plus for us! Chilibella loves to go with us on weekend drives so we always have to find places with patio seating! The service was excellent! Both servers we had were smiling and friendly! That is always a plus!! They were attentive and checked on is often :) The stuffed French toast was more like stuffed pancakes but it was still so yummy!! I would order it again!! The BF enjoyed the potato scramble and remarked how it was filling and tasty! Large portions!! Chilibella loved the half a piece of bacon she tried. She gave it rave reviews and agreed with us that it was cooked perfectly !! We both agreed on one thing though. The biscuits that are served with the gravy....Dry.... Oh so dry. A crumbly dry. The gravy was awesome and so you eat the biscuit . Will we go back? Yes! It's a great little place with some great character, service and food!! Thanks for having us and our dog !! read more

Spanky's - Quaint :) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

This breakfast place is great! Lots of food for the price! I got a full breakfast for only $8 The interior reminds me of an old 50's diner back in the day...pictures of the little rascals hints the name Spanky's. Very friendly staff. read more

Spanky's - Bacon,2 scrambled eggs with potatoes & bust us and gravy only $8 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Get the croissant French toast. So freaking good. Also this place is great with kids. They had plastic plates and cups for them and were super sweet and friendly. read more

Absolutely delicious food and family friendly atmosphere! Would definitely recommend the potato scramble and chicken pesto sandwich. Delicious taste in every single bite! My family and I will definitely be returning when we come back to this area read more

Spanky's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Helllooo! Little Rascals theme here! Went for breakfast- the service is spectacular, very attentive. The food-yum. Husband had steak hash which was "awesome". I had the Benedict. Perfect for a rainy morn after our first stay at Brookfield Lodge. read more

Spanky's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Incredible, great food, amazing service, we had their chicken and waffles it came with gravy and syrup and delicious crispy chicken. I highly recommend it. They have lovely outdoor seating and friendly attentive staff. read more

Great service, great breakfast. We had a delicious veggie scramble and breakfast burrito and they accommodated some specific dietary needs without hesitation and gave us extra hot sauce. Great salsa too. Their coffee was so good that I drove back for another cup. Finding a great place to dine while traveling can be hit or miss, so happy not a miss on this one. read more

Service staff was very friendly and the food was good. The one thing I noticed was that it took a long time for the kitchen (over 30 mins) to make our meal after we ordered it. To be fair, it was Sunday right before noon so they probably were just swamped with everyone coming in after church. All the kitchen and service staff were clearly working hard non-stop, but it just felt like a simple order of sausage and eggs with some pancakes should come out faster than that. Ambiance was nice, so I just pull out a book and read a book while waiting, but I would be careful if I was in a rush or had starving kids with me. read more

Awesome food. Hot, home cooked, deliciousness. Very friendly service. Good spot to just slow down and take your time and enjoy it.

It's the gravy! As my nephew said, "Now I 'get' gravy." Chicken Fried Steak is the dish of choice. Nuff said. Go for it. read more

CASH ONLY Cheap & delicious! I always think it's fascinating when the waitress/waiter takes your order with writing it down. Something about that gives me a welcoming small town feel. read more

We visited here on a Saturday morning about 10am. There was a mix of locals and tourists! Cute small dining room with a few tables and some seats at the counter. Tiny kitchen off to the right. Everything was simple and tidy. The menus are under the plexiglass table toppers so you can peruse right as you're seated! We ordered bacon, eggs, biscuit, gravy and Eggs Benedict. Everything was delivered as ordered by Ashley the owner! Everything tasted great as this was a great experience at a small greasy spoon in a tiny little mountain town. If your looking for a clean and comfortable 'traditional breakfast' spot we recommend Spanky's! read more

Came here after a camping trip with my best friend and had the most amazing potato scramble. We both loved our food and highly recommend this breakfast spot! read more

I've found Spanky's to have the best food around. I'm mostly referring to breakfast, since I don't really end up going there at lunch. The thing about Spanky's is that they always seem to have a breakfast special. And they experiment. If you want to go somewhere that always has the exact same food, maybe this isn't the best place for you (try McDonalds). Personally, I prefer the variety. It is kind of small, but they do have a deck out back that is open in the summer, so its bigger than you think. I've always thought the waitresses were nice. I've got two kids (4 and 7) and have felt comfortable bringing them there. As far as being a "local's" place, its like any small diner in a small town. The more you go there, the more they get to know you. It's not owned by some giant corporation, so when spend money with them, they appreciate it since it makes a difference to them personally. That's how small diners work. If you're not used to this, and you come here from out-of-town, expecting consistent robotic treatment, you should go eat at a franchise instead. Maybe some of the people reviewing here went on a day that the special was not to their liking? That's all I can guess. But its also the kind of thing that can happen when you experiment. I can't imagine somebody going to Spanky's for breakfast and not having a good experience. These kinds of places are dying out. I'm just glad we have one here in Ben Lomond and my kids can experience it. read more

Spanky's - The Building - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

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Delicious food and super friendly staff. Sam was sweet and had a fun apron of "green eggs and ham". Plus, the interior decor is cozy and just as the right amount of tacky... tastefully tacky and not over the top. Try the croissant French toast! read more

Spanky's - Croissant French toast is to die for! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Bacon is unforgettable!! The waitress Sam was so welcoming and hospitable! I could tell that she loved her job! The decor at the place is so on point and I love that it made me feel like I was really seriously and truly a country gal! Would come here again in a heart beat! read more

Very good don't even know how to explain it. It's the best food I've ever had. You should check it out

Gave me and my friends food poisoning. We think it was the biscuits and gravy. We also had to clear our own table when we got there. Thought the place was cute. We were very disappointed. read more

I had breakfast at Spanky's and the food was Amazing! But I have to say the waitress really did an excellent job on waiting on all the tables, very friendly and service! read more

I seldom give one-star reviews, but everything about my recent visit here sucked... The server, although friendly, was too busy bullshitting with some locals at the counter to ever come around. If the menus weren't embedded in the tables themselves, I might still be sitting there waiting... I had some type of potato scramble, which I regret. Eggs, potatoes, cheese, salsa, and sour cream which I added jalapenos and onions to in order to further "Mexicanify." Disgusting. Your best bet in these parts would be to go over to Heavenly in Scotts Valley... read more

I'd read a review in the Sentinel which mentioned homemade corned beef hash and chicken fried steak, two of our favorite brekkies. So I took the hubby to Spanky's this morning. First rule of any breakfast joint, keep the coffee cup filled. FAIL. Actually, that's the second rule. The first rule is make GOOD COFFEE to keep me entertained while I wait for nearly half an hour before the breakfast arrives. FAIL. Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait. The worst corn beef hash ever. FAIL. Biscuits and gravy tasted like paper pulp and wheat paste. FAIL. We didn't finish our breakfasts. When my husband's breakfast arrived, I asked, where's the gravy? He lifted the steak to reveal about a tablespoon of gravy on the plate. (Anyone who likes chicken fried steak knows it's just a vehicle for the gravy.) I leave you with two words: greasy and bland. I long for a wonderful breakfast place in the San Lorenzo Valley; I'm disappointed that this is not that place. read more

I could have have looked past the shitty service if the waitresses seemed hungover but instead I think they just sucked at waitressing. They might just hate travelers or something. read more

Ew. I gave this two stars because our server was great. I also liked the outdoor seating with toys and a little place for kids to explore. But the food was close to terrible. Not good tasting. At. All. The potatoes tasted like old grill. It was just....bad. read more

Does not accept any card payments. CASH ONLY (found this place while filtering for accepts cards).

The food here is Great!!! The snobby, arrogant never smiling waitress is a huge turn off. I have been there twice with her as my "server". She ignored me both times. This morning I went in and she finally got to me and asked what I want to drink. She delivered my ice water and abruptly turned and walked away, never asking if I was ready to order, which I was. 15 minutes go by and I gave up and walked out. The title "server" means "to serve". She obviously never got the memo. I would include her name but she never introduces herself. If you can get past her ugly attitude the food is great. read more

This place used to be amazing. We really like the new owner as a person but it is obvious things have changed - and definitely for the worse. Super short staffed, long waits, food quality has gone down significantly. We gave them ~5 tries over the past few years after the management changed but unfortunately it was progressively worse every time. I am sad to say we probably won't even try to go here anymore. read more

We were staying nearby for a wedding and decided to try this place before heading back. I've never seen croissant French toast on the menu before anywhere else so of course I had to try it. They were able to swap out the regular French toast for the croissant French toast in the French toast sandwich platter for me. The platter was huge! Two eggs, two sausage and two fat slices of the croissant French toasts. There was a giant heaping of butter on top that was melting and flowing downhill on my French toast like a river. I stared at it in amazement for a while before moving it to the side, I'm pretty sure there was plenty of butter inside the croissant anyways. It was delicious though! But then it was so much food and butter that I couldn't even eat half. The bf ordered their two eggs with apple sausages that also came with potato AND biscuits and gravy; which turned out to be a ton of food as well. Everything was good except that he thought the biscuits were too dense. Service was amazing and the waitress is extremely perky and friendly. The parking situation is a bit odd as their lot is small and only allow for cars to turn in one way, so backing out can be a hassle if you drive a big car. Might be best to park on the street. read more

The best food we have had in a long time. Great atmosphere. Super sweet staff. Very clean. Awesome prices. Amazing food. Totally deserves more than 5 stars. read more

I woke up in the morning, hung over and tired. I called my dear friend Jamie, to see what her plans were. She was going to Ben Lomond to check out a costume sale. I decided to go along, and we figured we'd have breakfast afterwards. When we were ready for breakfast, we figured we'd head back to Santa Cruz to eat some delicious breakfast. However, we decided to stop to grab some coffee, and across the street, we saw Spanky's Cafe! We decided to give it a try. We walked in and were pleasantly surprised. It's a very cute place with pictures of the Little Rascals everywhere. We got in immediately (I think we were lucky, but it was also around 12:30 pm by now), and we ordered some coffee and water! We looked at the menu, and the first thing we noticed were the amazing prices. It was much cheaper than any of the places I frequent in Santa Cruz. By this time we were both starving, and our eyes were bigger than our stomachs! She decided on the Egg Crepe, I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs with Biscuits and Gravy (or as I like to call it, the heart-attack on a plate), and we decided to split a Banana and Chocolate Chip pancake and the Croissant French Toast. After we order, I make the joke that I hope the food is terrible, that way we won't have to drive out to Ben Lomond every weekend for breakfast. When the food arrives, it looks amazing. We dig in to everything. First off, the pancake was amazing. So was the french toast. The biscuits were to die for. The egg crepe (which I didn't try) looked awesome. When I finally tried the chicken fried steak, I was delighted by the flavor in my mouth. Apparently people drive for miles to come get the chicken fried steak (which our waitress told us after I ordered it) and I can understand why they do. The potatoes were average, but it was just the side, and not the main part of the dish, so it didn't really matter. I ended up taking home some of the pancake, french toast, and most of my steak and potatoes. The best part? The bill came to about 30 bucks for the two of us. That's pretty good considering the obscene amount of food that we ordered, and I pretty much ordered the most expensive thing on the menu. They looked like they had a nice selection of specials, including Eggs Benedict (which the table next to us ordered, and looked superb, probably my order the next time we go, since I'm a huge Benedict fan) and special scrambles and omelettes. One of the best things is that the pancakes and french toast options came a la carte, and you can order just one pancake if you like, or if you want a whole stack order more! The menu said breakfast is served until 1:30 pm, and after that they did seem to have a lunch menu. The lunch menu consisted mostly of burgers and sandwiches. I'm going to highly recommend this place to people to try out. I know that Ben Lomond seems a bit out of the way to go get a meal, but considering my friends and I drive to Watsonville on a regular basis to get mexican food, so Ben Lomond isn't that far to go for breakfast every once in a while. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this gem of a restaurant in the Santa Cruz mountains. read more

Delicious breakfast! Bring cash to pay for your meal. We came here on a Spring day when we were going to zipline in Mt. Hermon. Loved the atmosphere and service. read more

If its a down home old school style breakfast or lunch you crave this is the place. The place is a real dump from the outside but your not here to lick the building are you. After a good night of drinking or just popcorn a movie the biscuits and gravy are always a welcome sight. Not to be out done by the breakfast the lunch is also something to stay for. Burgers, fries, grilled sandwiches and the likes round out a pretty good menu. The portions always overflow the plate and its usually asses and elbows on the weekends . This is a real local spot so dont get your panties in a bunch if you get funny looks showing up here in your full Banana Republic get up. read more

Ugh ugh ughh... I'm sorry but this place is not that good.... Mostly because of the service... Maybe it is because i am not local... Lets hope that is the reason... The young waitress could not have been more rude. It was really annoying... I udnerstand being sacrcastic but enough is enough... The food was ok.. We sat on the back patio for breakfast.. The weatehr was nice too.. The prices are ok.. We won't be going back read more

This place is bomb! I like ordering chicken fried steak and this place hits the spot. The meat is very juicy and goes well with their country gravy. The place is cute and the service is great. They are all very friendly and very attentive to your needs. They always check in with you to make sure everything is good. The price is also very affordable for the good quality food that you get. I'm gonna have to visit again on my next visit to lake lomond. read more

Spanky's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

No veterans day special menu Had to take family and our veteran son into Santa Cruz For his free pancake breakfast. He kept us safe in our beds for two tours in Iraq and its sad that we have to take him to Dennys to get him thanks for his aervice. Shame on the management! read more

Been here twice and they are two for two. Last meal was with family, and we were in agreement - tasty food in a tiny dive of a cafe. Hamburger was large and juicy, and everyones meal looked good. I like their patio seating when the weather is warm. Even simple eggs and bacon are well executed. Hash browns are crispy. Enough said. read more

The restaurant is kinda cute. Old but adorned with pictures of The Little Rascals which adds a certain charm. It's very small and the folks working there saw us walk in yet it took several minutes before they came over and showed us to a table. The younger man took our drink order and brought us our drinks (one was wrong but not a big deal) rather quickly. It was probably more then 10 more minutes before the waitress came over to take our order. It's not a hugely long time but then again she walked by several times in this very small restaurant and did not even acknowledge us. She wasn't very personable but took our order and the food came relatively quickly. The food was okay. Not great. Not terrible. The eggs were overdone and the sausage looked really over cooked. My homemade hash was nothing to write home about. She never checked back until we were basically done, even my kids who eat rather slowly were finished. She was very interested in chatting with a guy up at the counter during that time, however, and filling the ketchup bottles. The pricing was reasonable and if you are looking for a quick bite without a lot of expectations, this is your place. It seems like this place has been around for a long time and, it's in a nice location in the heart of Ben Lomand. With a little training on customer service, a few smiles all around or hiring wait staff with more personality, and adding a few spices and interest to their food, they could really have a gold mine. And they should really tell the cook to speak a little lower when mentioning she needs to go out and have a smoke. read more