This was our first visit. I know people love this place but it just didn't work out for us. We got there around 7:30 on a Saturday morning. The place was half full already. There was only 1 waitress and 1 cook until 8:00 when about 5 other employees finally showed up. Our waitress was doing her best and was very apologetic but only 2 people servicing the whole restaurant made every thing really suffer. Food was very greasy and had no flavor. Portion sizes were fine and price was reasonable but we were there for an hour which is very long especially for mediocre food. Staggering when the staff come in would surely have helped with how smooth things could have run. You seat yourself at an open table. Inside is pretty small though clean. There are plenty of parking options around. I don't think we'll be back though. read more

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Cute town diner with friendly service (although it was a lil slow for food the day we went our server kept our coffee full). Breakfast was delicious and hearty- can't go wrong if you love a no-frills diner. I was a fan of the corned beef hash, but my group ordered the steak and eggs, which they will skip in the future. read more

Amazing breakfast at a good price! Always good service and never disappointed. Pancakes are huge and the kids love them

If you haven't made the choice to go and eat at Sparky's, you're missing out!! The food and atmosphere was the perfect small diner experience that I was hoping for! As you enter the building it's set in downtown Anoka, inside of a strip mall where you can get your eye exam done. The diner is a seat yourself place which gives the feeling of being a regular, as soon as we sat we were greeted and offered water. The server asked for our drink orders and let us peruse the menu while getting us our drinks. After they came back with our drinks, they asked if we were ready to order. My son ordered a GIANT chocolate chip pancake with a side of bacon. My husband ordered the Denver skillet with over easy eggs on top with white toasted bread. I ordered the supreme omelet with the rye toasted bread and hash browns with fried onions on top. (If you don't know, that's where you get the extra flavoring for your hash browns) We were stuffed and very content!! Also have to point out that the server came back and forth several times checking and refilling our coffee mugs, we were never dry...that's some freaking good service!! I would say run don't walk, get yourself to Sparky's for some fantastic breakfast! They've been around for 30 years and going strong with their obvious repeat business of locals. Plus while you're downtown, you can walk around and see the rest of the town and all of the amazing things that they have to offer. Such as boutiques and beautiful sights. read more

Sparky's Cafe - GIANT chocolate chip pancake with crispy bacon. 6. One Big Pancake with Choice of Meat - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

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Was craving a big pancake breakfast after a hospital visit, and Sparky's was just the ticket! Quick service, good coffee with frequent refills, and the pancake with blueberries was heaven. Ordered the 8a, supposedly the "smaller" breakfast plate. Generous portions! read more

Sparky's Cafe - 8. Sparky's Breakfast with Choice of Meat. This is the 8a, the smaller version, with eggs, ham, and blueberry pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

Greatest cafe in town! Best sandwiches and lunch specials ever! Been eating there for years! Always a perfect order!

Sparky's is located in Anoka. Definitely feels like a mom and pops spot in reference to the atmosphere ; decorated with Christmas and valentines decor. It was busy but our waitress Kenna was kind and attentive. Off-street parking. The food was just okay. Pancakes are HUGE but we didn't care much for the taste. We had sausage omelettes, hash browns, and toast as well. read more

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Intimate breakfast stop in Anoka. If you blink, you might miss it-just be sure to get here before they close (check hours BEFORE you visit). We both had the eggs benedict special-one serving was more than enough for both of us! Excellent service from our server, Burette (she brought the Tabasco sauce before I could ask for it). Check it out if you want a small, friendly breakfast stop! read more

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At the last minute we decided to go out for breakfast and Sparky's sounded good. Love the old time diner ambiance. The place is tightly packed with tables, and they were all full even on a Thursday morning. Staff was attentive Ann the food came quickly. Both meals were good and there was plenty of food, our dog was happy for some leftovers. They offer a 15% discount for veterans, and also have a discount for over 60 patrons. Would go back. read more

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Food was plentyfull but not great. I had steak and eggs, the steak was large but not tender. The place was cold when I got there And made it uncomfortable. It was very busy so Im sure they are doing something right. It's not for me but it's just my opinion. Try it for yourself. read more

Not like the old days. Took forever to place our order. Forever to get the food. The place wasn't that full. The pancake could have used a steak knife to cut it. Hot syrup was a plus. Hash browns were undercooked. Scrambled eggs and toast were ok (is it possible to mess up scrambled eggs?) Prices on the ticket were all higher than those in the menu. Server doubled charged for an item (maybe it was an honest mistake?) I discovered it after I had paid and asked for a refund of the item. Server gave me the ticket price and when I asked for the tax also, she said "you can have anything you want. would you like a $50 bill?" I should have said yes, but instead said I didn't like her smart ass attitude. I should have said snarky and snotty instead. (turns out she gat a 33% tip.) Yeah, we'll probably try it again because of past experiences, but Burdette won't be our server. read more

This space I was definitely caught off guard by its appearance- it could definitely use a face lift but that doesn't stop the regulars. This place was packed and we had to wait in a Sunday morning to get a table. The service was good, the food was classic breakfast and the pancakes were HUGE! I love a good hole in the wall (literally) breakfast place! read more

Kind of a weird place located in a strip mall. The tables were way too close together. We had literally whisper cause the people next to use were so close. Price was very good tho, reminded me of prices pre covid. The food was decent. Nothing soectacular. read more

The hash-browns were good. That's the only good thing about this place. Other than that, the dining room was small and cramped. Everyone is super close to each other. My French toast was completely burned on one side. My daughter's pancake was way too big for anyone to eat and also burned on one side. They changed a menu item while I was ordering it and I didn't get one of the things on it, but charged me the same price. Bacon was undercooked and not crispy at all. The coffee was terrible. The pricing was confusing and they ended up charging way more than they seem. They make you think it's going to be cheap, but do NOT let that fool you. It was crazy expensive for 4 people! And lastly after finishing eating, went to go the bathroom, but we needed a key, from Sparkys which was ridiculous. Not worth it. Will not be coming back. read more

I've lived in Anoka for over 30 years, and have never gone to Sparky's. Partially because it used to be a smoke-filled hole in the wall, and partially because there were better options with G's Cafe around the corner. Now that G's is closed, we tried this for my son's b-day breakfast. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. It's still a hole in the wall, but no remnants of the stale cigarette smoke. The tables were pretty tight and the Formica tops had ads for local businesses. Obviously pretty dated, as some of these business are no longer open. Lots of local regulars, typical of a small town diner. Our server was super attentive and made sure the surprisingly small coffee cup was never empty. We both ordered the #1, which was 2 eggs, wheat toast, tons of hash browns and choice of meat for $11. Food came out quickly and was prepared well. Lots of hash browns and a generous portion of smoked sausage (kielbasa). We were in a bit of a rush and had to leave behind a cup of coffee, so our waitress offered to give me a sizeable cup to go. Not sure my coronary arteries could handle being a regular, but we'd return. read more

Sparky's Cafe - The #1 breakfast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

First and last . Sunday, April 23, 2023. I have never, anywhere, including a busy Perkins or Applebee's, waited so long to get my food order! Over one hour to order and get food. I was getting up to leave, when finally a waitress came over to let us know they fell behind. Her excuse was that they were very busy. If you can't keep up because you're busy, then you're not doing something right. Bad set up. Bad flow. Other restaurants manage just fine. My hash browns were under cooked. My toast was hard as a rock, didn't even have a bend to it to soak up my yolk, must have been old. Very disappointed in my food. Couldn't eat it. What a waste. After all this, never was offered any money off the bill of over $40.00 for two people, for just basic breakfast choices. Terrible. Poor service. Waitress never came to check on us, at all, or ask how the food was. I'm home now, and yes, hungry. Will not go back. Do not recommend. read more

Typical small town breakfast spot! Worth the try. Typically food is hot fast and fresh. read more

Went for breakfast, we were hungry. Service was fast, food was great and plentiful. Would definitely go again! Thanks! read more

A greasy spoon that somewhat delivers. Me and my daughter went in after her work finished for a quick lunch. I ordered the Denver skillet, she ordered the biscuits and gravy, and we split a small chocolate chip pancake. Let's start with the Denver skillet. It was large, and overall fine, but there was actually too much hash browns, resulting in the middle being mushy. The chocolate chip pancake was, in MN fashion, perfectly ordinary. Next is the biscuits and gravy (although I'm not even sure you can call it gravy). The "gravy" was gelatinous and flavorless, with the only flavor being very sweet, as if someone had grabbed the confectioners sugar instead of flour. It was like frosting was added to the gravy. The sausage seemed pre-cooked and added to the gravy separately. Oh, and the biscuits were dense. It was a total train wreck, and yet you could not stop eating it. Not in a good way, but in a "I'm starving and this is awful and I know I'm going to regret it later but I'm still eating it" way. Service was fast, friendly, and efficient, and prices were very reasonable. Decor and cleanliness seemed sketchy. read more

Sparky's Cafe - Yes, that's the biscuits and gravy. That's all we could eat - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

I'm a traveler from the south. Sparky's has the best breakfast in Minnesota from all the places I have tried. Th only place that can compare to a good southern breakfast! Tess, my server is also awesome...excellent customer service! This little café is just a cute and comfort breakfast spot! Everywhere no matter the business type tend to get behind at times, if you can't be somewhat understanding and patient, well..."bless your heart". read more

upon coming in, we were informed that our food would take 45mins to come out. We were okay with that. But our food ended up coming out in 1 hour and 45 minutes after we ASKED the server about our food. Our food came out really cold, like not warm AT ALL. It also did NOT taste good!! I wanted to take my boyfriend who is not from around here to sparky because I have been coming here for years, but I am all around disappointed. The server was nice though. Just a little dissapointed read more

Great little hole in the wall diner type fare. Family atmosphere, with a very large portions and great service

I've been a regular customer for along time. And I still have to say they have the best breakfast around!! They have, in my opinion, the best hash browns in the business! I've had all their waitresses and they are top notched in the service they provide. Jaclyn is the one that is the best though. read more

Sparky's Cafe - Not bad for a small town cafe! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

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The food is not good. We had hashbrowns that were halfway cooked and everything else came out cold. Not worth your time.

This is your typical small town diner but with pancakes as big as your head! It's not a looker as far as interior design goes. It looks exactly like it has since it opened I envision. When you arrive there is parking in the ramp across the street and entrance it's from inside what used to look like a strip mall. You seat yourself either downstairs or walk upstairs to what looks like a loft with walls and your server will be with you momentarily The menu ranges to be about $7-8 average for breakfast. With everything from Omelettes, waffles with strawberries to steak with eggs. I ordered the pancake with strawberries and whip cream because it had been 12 years since I stepped into this place and I needed to know if the magical pancake still existed. It came out on what looked to be about a 11 inch in diameter plate and the pancake was falling over the edges. It was a slightly dry pancake but still had good butter flavor like you know it has butter milk in its batter. I also got a side of sausage and two eggs over easy and they were cooked perfectly but could use a little salt. I had to give this place four stars because it's been around for years and is an Anoka staple. Breakfast is delicious there and you can feed a big family even on a tight dollar. This does not really seem like a place for large parties of people but most of the seating looks to handle 4 to 6 people in one group. *For the food and price is the reason why Sparky's has four stars. read more

Sparky's Cafe - Exterior building - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

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Old school cafe feel and their breakfast was great. The wait staff was very nice and parking was easy.

Good food, good prices. Would return here anytime I'm in the area. Would recommend to anyone in the area.

Top notch service, pretty good food. Small town style. Exterior could use a little facelift, but it is a great little brunch spot/diner for the whole family. read more

Wanted to surprise my sleepy Irishman with this very blue-collar café this morning. Google Maps will overshoot your arrival, so start looking as you come up to the block lest you find yourself looking around from the ending point with a puzzled look on your face: It'll be the first shop in the strip mall, unassumingly blending right into the mall without even an entrance of its own, having blocked off its door with the dining area layout. At 6:25 am with barely any cars parked around to help draw the eye, locating the joint took a few minutes for two bleary-eyed diners. Clearly a neighborhood destination, complete with bulletin board by the strip mall entrance and sponsorship ads encompassing the border of every café table. Two such tables were already taken in the dining area this early morning, one by a working man getting ready to start his day, the other by a group of locals that kept growing as we sat, with new arrivals bringing newspapers in with them to read over coffee and company. Service was quick, simple, friendly, on-point. Notably, breakfast is served only during the daytime - a bummer for breakfast diehards (me!). Coffee was unfortunately watery for my Irishman - I had a warming hot chocolate nearly toppling over with its happy mountain of whipped cream. Ended up grabbing our food, a skillet breakfast special and a ham omelet special, to-go due to time constraints. Food was fine, not spectacular but not unpleasant. We both love American fries, crisp and balanced with a good heap of golden-fried onions. Unfortunately, the American fries here come basically unseasoned; be sure to grab salt and pepper as necessary, especially with a to-go order. While the fries were done, they definitely weren't done to the classic crisp, and there was one, literally one, onion slice in the entire batch of cubed, fried potato chunks. Highlight of the visit was likely the cook, whose happy energy could be felt even with his wishing a good day as we left. If we visit again, we may need to have coffee already in hand for my sleepyhead. That said, I don't expect to go out of my way to get back to this joint. Coming from RJ Riches in New Brighton, I admit to being supremely spoiled for amazing diner fare at rock-bottom prices for huge portions. Speaking of, I still owe them a Yelp review! read more

The staff was friendly and attentive. I had not even stepped into the restaurant when I was greeted! The food was what I had hoped for and the portions were generous. As an Army veteran, I appreciated the wall recognizing the various military branches. I like my eggs over medium and I often they are not cooked correctly; Sparky's cooked them perfectly! Good coffee and good food Sparky's was what I needed this winter morning! read more

Sparky's Cafe - One big pancake! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

My spouse and I stopped here for breakfast at the recommendation of a coworker. We came without reservations at about 11:30am on a Saturday and were able to seat ourselves right away at the last table they had available. The dining room is small, cramped, dingy, and gives you the kind of impression that Gordon Ramsey would be screaming if he saw the kitchen in back. There were dirty dishes stacked on the table next to us that were never cleared during the time we were at our table. Shortly after being seated, we overheard our waitress tell a nearby table that she lost their order and that it subsequently never got sent back to the kitchen so those folks gave up and walked out hungry. Shortly after that, a second nearby table complained to the waitress that they were missing part of their order, and a third nearby table complained to the waitress that they were charged for someone else's order instead of their own. We should have taken those three things as our cue to leave, but decided to stick it out. About 40 minutes after we placed our order, the waitress came back to the table and said she lost our order, as well, and so it never got sent back to the kitchen, either. By the time we re-ordered our food and had it served to us, people who had arrived after us had already eaten, paid, and left. We hoped the food would make up for the awful service, but it did not. The pancakes were fabulous but the positives end there. The "scrambled eggs" were a folded sheet of fried eggs, sort of like an omelet but without the fillings. The sausage links were warm but had zero browning around the outside. The hash browns were barely crispy on the outside and were uncooked in the middle. All in all, this place is getting 2 stars for the tasty pancakes but that was the only thing redeemable about our visit. We will not be coming back. read more

Very good local cafe. Honestly didn't expect much when I walked in, it's a pretty run down place but the food is good! And so cheap! Very fast service as well. You will not leave disappointed. read more

Very good food. I was looking for a mom and pop place to get a good hearty breakfast and came across this place. I am very picky on places like this! It is a hidden gem as it doesn't look like much from the outside. The portions are huge! The service was very good and everyone was very friendly. Definitely recommend read more

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First time visiting Sparky's. Great place to eat. Great service and the food was excellent. Enjoyed the Meat Eaters skillet. Great portion size for the pice. I ate every bite.....clean plate club. We definitely will be back to try out lunch and dinner sometime. read more

Sparky's Cafe - Meat eaters skillet at Sparky's Cafe in Anoka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Anoka, Minnesota

Sparky's offers decent American-style cafe food at really low prices. My wife and I finally made it to Sparky's. We both had burgers. My wife also had some potato soup. The best thing I can say about Sparky's is that the food is very inexpensive. The food comes out fast & hot and is served with a smile. The quantities are also very generous. It's a great place for people on a fixed income and a tight budget. I saw a lot of seniors and some big families with a pile of kids...this is a great choice for them. Sparky's seems to have a lot of regulars. And they're also very friendly to the military veteran's community - which is awesome! There are a couple of things that irritated me about Sparky's. 1) They don't serve breakfast throughout the day. 2) They only have bowls of soup, no small cups. 3) They don't have shakes or malts...but they offer other ice cream products. Who owns a cafe without shakes? But it's hard to be too irritated with this stuff when you get so much food for so little money. As a side note, the common area of the little mall (you have to enter the mall to access the front door of Sparky's) smells really weird. I'm pretty sure that it's some sort of medical grade cleaner or antiseptic from the dental office across the hall. Luckily, none of the odor seems to seep into the restaurant itself. A great place for breakfast (during the proper times), a burger, or a sandwich. -Daddy Maxx Retro read more

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Good breakfast. If you like pancakes. This is the place to go to.. plus really good biscuits and gravy.

I was here the other day, and I always like how they almost always provide prompt service. I have been here a few times, and really enjoy discovering a new menu item. Of course yet, we didn't have to wait too long to order, or even for our food. I had the meatloaf open faced sandwich, which is always good with gravy, or even french fries on the side. There was so much that I was able to have some dinner at home. Now this always seems busy even though they close like at 1:30 on the afternoon. I will be back again to have some breakfast, or have a nice juicy burger probably around noon to give myself some extra time to enjoy my food. read more

GOOD FOOD , fresh , an from scratch home cooking ,warm friendly small town like going back to Grandmas , an prices still great too,, not fancy but love it read more

A little cozy hole-in-the-wall that isn't the most stylish spot, but has everything else that truly matters- good food, fast service, great value, and friendly staff. The location was a little out of the way from Minneapolis but the small town it's in is charming and picturesque. Janea M was very friendly and hardworking- I don't think she stopped moving the whole time I was there! Although the food is great overall, definitely do yourself the favor and make sure to order the French toast! You won't regret it! read more

A great locals eatery. Huuuuuuuuge portions! Their English muffins are on steroids. Friendly staff. Reasonable pricing. I would say this place is the best breakfast place around. Lunch too. Check it out. read more