101 Cafe

Stopped in for my first time yesterday morning and overall I thought the food was pretty good. However, the service could’ve been a lot better. We arrived as a party of 3 around 10 AM and had to wait about 10 minutes for our table. We put our names on the wait list, but they forgot to come get us when the table was ready so the table sat for a couple of minutes until we went in and asked about it. Inside is extremely small, there are about 12 to 14 tables. There’s a small free parking lot in the back otherwise free street parking is pretty easy to find. Our waiter was not the most polite and he brought half of our dishes, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. He forgot the side of bacon, the side of toast and a few other things until we went up and got them. Then we were supposed to get coffee refills, but had to hunt him down for that as well. Which is kind of crazy given how small the restaurant is. I would give this place another try however Beach Break Cafe down the street really blew me away the previous week, so hopefully my next visit here will be a bit of an improvement.

The food here is fantastic. I ordered a BLT and must say it was very filling. The mimosas are not bad, keep you feeling nice a bit. 😉Should out to Angelica, she has amazing customer service skills and hope that she serves me again when I come back! :)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ True 5 star experience! Phenomenal service, delicious food and great vibe. My sister and I enjoyed our time there and left feeling like we found a gem. 🥓 🍳 Breakfast classic with full flavor options. Everything tasted just right and served fresh off the grill’s. I would definitely recommend having this experience for yourself. #YoullThankMeLater 👍🏼😃👍🏼

the server is super nice. love the atmosphere. nostalgic very berry french toast and eggs benighted (idk how to spell it) i didn't order alcohol but they have it and i look forward to trying it next time

A nice spot at the corner of Coast Highway. This cafe definitely has the old school vibe of a traditional diner. A diverse menu with enough to choose for breakfast or lunch. The waiters are very attentive and quick with orders. I did not wait long for my order. Go solo with some friends or family, there are plenty of space inside and outside. I will definitely visit again.

Ate there a few years behind. As Jeff’s. Aka Sean penn would say,”awesome, totally awesome. etc

I met my niece for an early lunch between appointments, helping seniors with their Medicare. She ordered an omelet scrambled. I chose their famous cheeseburger. In addition to the food tasting fantastic, the service could not have been better.

I had Chicken Fried Steak Breakfast, hand breaded and cooked perfectly, good eggs and nice thick slices of good sourdough. This is truly an old fashioned diner with great service, great decor, comfortable booths. Really glad I stopped!

First time here today and OH my goodness! I'm only sad we haven't been sooner. We tried a few menu items, and everything was fresh, cooked perfect and tasty. Highlights were the hamburger patty, the sausage patty, the HUGE sourdough toast yum!! We will be back to try the sirloin and eggs which they hand cut in the restaurant. Our server was super friendly and helpful. The inside is cute with Route 66 decor and a 50a vibe! We will be back soon! 10/10

Finally checked out Cafe 101. Parking is tight. Arrived around 8:45. Not busy at all, however, it filled up pretty quick once we sat down. We weren't even really greated when we walked in, just told to have a seat anywhere. The place was really cold inside. The tabletops are metal so that made it even colder. The waitress came over with the menus and took our drink order. When she brought our drinks, we placed our order. We went with pancakes with eggs & bacon and Deep South (biscuits & gravy). When our food came, she asked if we needed anything else, ketchup, which she brought. She didn't come back to our table until she brought our check. The food was very poor quality. The pancakes were rubbery. Bacon was limp & flavorless. Weird because the bacon looked cooked. The biscuits & gravy were horrible. The gravy was bland and the sausage was like the size of rabbit s***. The biscuits were so dry. And there was only enough gravy for 3/4 of a biscuit. The hash browns were the only thing good about this meal. Big disappointment.

Outstanding Service - Family Operated - Amazing Comfort Food What can I say? Biscuits and Gravy, Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast - YES Family owned and operated...this translates to unsurpassed customer service. They know customers by name. Restaurant is super clean, has nostalgic photos of Oceanside from 60+ years ago and parking galore. In a town that is reforming, it's nice to see a family run business that caters to locals and vacationers with a heart for the Oside locals that need a little help.

Delicious food, good service, hearty portions. I had the sourdough burger and it smacked.

The sad part is I've lived in Oceanside for a long time and I just stumbled across this place for the first time. I enjoyed a BLT with the crispiest bacon and an amazing root beer float which I have had in a very long time. Serviss was pleasant And attentive from the staff in the ambience has that old-school diner field so that was pretty cool. I got spending about an hour and a half in there just kind of eating while waiting for my tires put on my car. Definitely recommend that anyone passing through Oceanside stop by the diner and grab a BLT and a root beer Float.

Oooooooooooooooo! Killer Tacos to die for no kiding The right word is exquisite I've been surching for a taco place that had the right meat & great tast I usually go to LA KING TACO that's to far So I thought I'd try out this new place off 101 Primos LONG LINES waited almost 3 hours No joker tacos were ok 101 cafes tacos are YUM! YUM! LEFT ME HUNGRY FOR MORE EVEN THOUGHIM FULL SOOOOOO! Goooood!

Awful customer service, i believe the kid was named Anthony, he was very rude and didn't acknowledge my table. LEFT NO TIP

The 101 Cafe is all American diner that has been in Oceanside for decades! Great food and service. I highly recommend you try.

Nice place similar to the one01 in Encinitas which is the original restaurant. This one is an Oceanside off the road. They've got a front area facing the road and the side area and inside seating plenty of seating and plenty of parking.

Wow! Best breakfast and service for sure. Great value, super staff. Thank you, will be returning frequently.

Great Breakfast! Really good selection of all the breakfast classics. Lots of seating. Smaller diner with cozy booths and extra seating on the outside. It's a seat yourself as you walk in scenario. Water is brought out followed by some pretty quick service. Servers are pretty friendly and the food is always great!

We ordered the banana French toast. There was nothing special about it. I could've made it at home. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this place because of their prices. $15 for 4 1/2 pieces of bread that they made French toast out. The food was mediocre.

Good pit stop for Breakfast before heading to the beach. Eggs and French toast were good. Would come back when we're in the area.

Outstanding quality food and quantity for the price. Only critique is if they are busy, food can be expected to take some time to come from the kitchen. This is to be expected from a popular breakfast place though! If you are stuck between this and IHOP/Dennys, give 101 Cafe a try, you won't regret it!

Service was bad. Waited 10-15 to get a menu. Then another 15 minutes to get acknowledged by the waiter. Then our food still did not arrive till almost an hour.

Ever since visiting Oceanside beginning in 2014, 101 Cafe is my pit stop before hitting the highway for home. It's an old school, retro diner. Excellent food and service. Family owned and run. I added the buttermilk pancakes this time with my order and they were the best pancakes I've ever had. If you're in Oceanside, you must put 101 Cafe on your to do list!

Ive been coming here for years and some how its gotten better!!! Breakfast and lunch food, all so good. If you love that classic diner feel and good and actual delicious meals, you must go!!

Love this spot! The food and coffee is fantastic, and the service is always great. Breakfast and lunch are both winners!!!! They always offer some bacon for my pups also. Great place!

Nice place. I was able to switch out potato and toast to sliced tomatoes and fruit. Great breakfast experience.

Est. 1928 - Named after the historic US highway, the 101 Cafe has been feeding travelers since 1928. This tiny Roadside diner started off with just 20 seats and now can accommodate 60 guests. Of course in my opinion the best seat at in the house is at the breakfast counter (the command center of every cafe, diner and greasy spoon). The service is friendly service and accommodating, even though they are understaffed. The food came out in a reasonable time and definitely hit the spot. Crispy Bacon and Eggs with Hash Browns and Eggs Benedict. Everything was satisfying and the coffee kept flowing. There's a really nice old school Vibe here and there are plenty of great Oceanside photos hanging on the walls. The 101 Cafe is a classic "greasy Spoon" diner and is a must for all those who enjoy this type of nostalgia. Definitely worth a visit.

Stopped in here and ordered the corn beef hash.  Driven by this place before and decided to stop in and give it a try.  The art work on the side of building is really cool.  It distinguishes the place from all the other breakfast places along the old highway. Atmosphere inside reminded of old school diner.  Single waitress friendly and did a good job covering all the tables.  Not huge inside but layout not conducive to easily get around.  Counter service looks old school but the room attached with majority of tables looks like an add on. Food was ok.  The corn beef seemed to be a little overdone so didn't taste that great.  Overall, great service and atmosphere.

Friends come on in. Service is fast and friendly. Good portions and served hot. Comfort seating inside or outside on picnic type tables. The atmosphere is typically diner style.

We had really good service and the food was great we are definitely returning to this spot in the future

What a wonderful place. Great comfort food options and breakfast. Maintains that old diner feel with friendly service and delicious food.

For the most part, just like any American diner anywhere in America; but given its name and location, the curiosity inside me FINALLY got the best of me. I know this place to have been here for so long, it makes my mother look young. Ordered a Bacon Sourdough Burger with Onion Rings. I was not a fan. Never really have been a bacon on a burger guy anyway. The onion rings were decent, but yet no reason to wake mom. We also ordered the Patty Melt and fries. Fries were again decent but the patty melt was really delicious with its melted Swiss, grilled onions on some great rye. Lots of Hwy 101 stuff around to look at, along with the nostalgia that goes with this place from sometime ago, makes it worth a visit. Dicks

My turkey burger was fine the salad I subbed out the fries was really plain with iceberg lettuce. My hubby did not like the hash browns, over cooked, and his omelette was nothing special and didn't care for bacon bits in it. His raspberry coffee cake was OK.

Our first time here and we really enjoyed it! The food was delicious and the service was very fast and friendly!

Old school since 1928. After riding along the San Luis Rey river trail it was time for some breakfast. You have a choice to eat inside or out on their patio, we chose the outdoor patio. We ordered the veggie omelet combo with sour dough bread. We liked the food but the combo needed more hash browns. The service was very good with the waiters were always checking to see if everything was okay. I really liked the painted murals on the side of the building.

Have you ever eaten pancakes that you couldn't get a fork through? Like, you had to use a knife with effort? If you have, you've likely eaten at 101 cafe! Extra star because it's a great location with cute vintage pictures of Oceanside on the walls. Diner food but you won't really like it or feel good afterwards. More of a tourist cafe. They have a sign that they offer tourist info outside.

On our way to SD and decided to stop by and find breakfast. Cafe 101 plays up the theme of cruising the BLVD. Decor is cool, love the old pics. Wifey enjoyed her French toast and really recommend the avocado highway. I kid myself that it's healthy, regardless it's a very combination and the cottage was hitting the spot this morning. Over a solid local place with plenty of customers and a bit of nostalgic charm

They have a small parking lot attached which is nice. I was expecting a throwback kind of a place which it was not except for some photos hanging on the walls. The service was ok, nothing bad or great. My huevo rancheros were pretty mediocre. The side potatoes were good. My wife had better luck with her egg Benedict. Overall it was ok but there was not anything memorable about this place.

Might have just had the BEST pancakes EVER! The location is super cute and clean. Our breakfast was delicious and inexpensive. It's on the Main Street, but just down the street there is a cute little Nabor hood, perfect to walk off the meal. Can't wait to go back!

This is the second time we have been here and the first time was back in 2019. The food is amazing but you can't beat the guest service. The same waitress helped us today and she was just as welcoming as our first experience. Both my wife and I got breakfast combos. My wife got the cinnamon roll pancakes and I got the blueberry pancakes. Delicious!!!! This place rocks and the only reason we don't come back regularly is because we live over 70 miles away. We will be coming back.

Stopped by on the way to San Diego for a quick bite. 101 Cafe, 631 South Cosst Highway in Oceanside. Actual hours are 7am to 3pm daily. Hostess was a delight, very friendly. Definitely will return again.

Super cute vibe but honestly just sat there for over 1 hour waiting for breakfast. All came out cold, waitress then said it'll be a couple more minutes for toast ( we waited 1 hr for the food we got now we have to wait a couple more minutes lol) never received the toast lol. We told our server that our food was cold, she asked us if we wanted a new order and I said no we waited an hour for this already. We paid 30 dollars for this meal, I can't believe we did... but she told us they were short on servers so of course we felt badly... but the couple behind us said they often are short staffed. Save your money and go else where. Seriously and the server was not friendly at all, very robotic in a sense :(

Great food awesome staff give them a raise the only couple of downsides is parking, and that my friend and I came in the last hour and a half of being open. Other then that an awesome little restaurant I will be back when I'm in town I live in the OC area

Great mimosa's and the best sourdough burger! Love the little gift shop they have across the way.

Attentive service and impeccable pride of ownership! It has been yearsssss since I've stopped in and I'm kicking myself for it. I'm glad we ventured off our usual and stopped here for breakfast. I love looking at all the photo history on the walls during the brief wait between seating ourselves and our orders being taken. As I scanned the cafe, I noticed how clean it was. The window sills were without dust (new and old grimey), the table wasn't sticky, the banquets were crumbless... I was thoroughly impressed. In fact, while we dined, a window cleaner was outside washing the already spotless windows just as the morning drizzle ended. I usually order differently from my dining companion, but this particular Sunday we both wanted country fried steak and neither of us were backing down. I had mine with eggs over medium, hash browns, and sourdough toast. The steak's breading was crispy and the inside was tender. The gravy was the perfect amount and only need a couple shakes of black pepper over the top. Everything was tasty. There are three picnic tables outside for those looking to dine al fresco. It picks up close to 9, so get there early and enjoy!

This was my husband and my go to breakfast place. We went multiple times throughout our two years in Cali and I can honestly say I never had a bad experience. The staff is always SO friendly, the one hostess is the sweetest. I always enjoy one of their lattes here with my breakfast. Only down side is on the weekends there is a little wait due to the base being right there but they have a waitlist and will call you so you don't have to stand around and wait! If you're in the area I would absolutely recommend going to this cafe

The food was good grandson had French toast was delicious. Bacon was delicious. I had the biscuits and gravy. I tasted better it but it was good coffee wasn't that great

I had this restaurant in my collection, I finely stopped by on the way to SeaWorld. The restaurant has lots of nice murals outside. Inside it has lots of old pictures. It was a Sunday morning and I found it not to be very busy. I've read the reviews, lots of mixed reviews. I ordered the ABC omelet with home fries.. The omelet was a disappointment. The egg it was wrapped in was very thin and it didn't have much flavor. The home fries are just potatoes no onions or peppers. Its a big disappointment for a restaurant with some much history to not put out good food. The waitress was friendly and very helpful. The restaurant was clean and has a good feel to it.

Our burgers were not seasoned at all, not even salt and pepper. Dripping in grease and flavorless. We left the plate, paid, and walked out. Go to Denny's down the street if you want your food seasoned! Two burgers and a soda for $35. Biggest scam when in n out is a few blocks down.

Excellent food and service. The banana crunch French toast and Wisconsin habanero hollandaise eggs are two of my favorites. If you like classic American diners from the forties and fifties, this is one you will like. And I like the people who run this place!

Phenomenal breakfast. I had the special Nutella waffles with a side of bacon (of course). I ate outside, but was still very comfortable under the umbrella. Waffle was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of toppings. Service was fast and attentive.

If you are NOT a regular; don't bother. If you are, welcome right in! They'll cater the drink you want and the food you want the second you walk in, but will neglect the current new customer who has been waiting 15(+) minutes to order. What blew my mind--is that it wasn't even busy! And I can CLEARLY see why, because of customer service tactics such as this. Save yourself the trip, and quit playing yourself and just go to iHop or Dennys. Worst 1st experience ever. I would give it 0 stars if I could, but I liked the time capsule theme going on so they at least get the 1 start for decor. So I took my business elsewhere and within the 1st 5 minutes elsewhere; I already had my 1st dish out.

Food generous, service prompt, groovy deli ambiance, with psychic reader next door. Wish we had booth with juke box !( some booths had those)

Can't believe we had not stopped in for breakfast here! Very good breakfast. There was a bit of a wait, but it went quick. The portions were reasonable and they also offer mimosas or coffee. Very good spot for breakfast with a lot of Oceanside history (pictures). Neat to see some of the landmarks in this city.

This was a very typical roadside diner. Parking was adequate. There seemed to be several locals in place. Portions were good but not ridiculous. Price was very reasonable. Service was pretty good. I had thE Eggs Benedict. Eggs were expertly (and rare) poached. Country fried potatoes were meh. NO noons or peppers. Hollandaise had a nice citrus bite to counter the richness. Well done overall. I'd visit again.

Quaint little diner, with lots of pictures of local history decorating the walls. The staff was pleasant and the food was decent.