John & Elaine's Restaurant

Stacey rocks, and so does Ralph, the chef. While on vacation, we always try to walk to restaurants to get in some exercise and walk off a great meal. Our family tree has an Aunt Elaine whose married to Uncle John and we happened to notice this place. Read the terrible reviews first for the nasty comments and then enjoyed my awesome breakfast to now offer my personal opinion. The $5 small glass of OJ is FRESH SQUEEZED and not from concentrate! The owner and waitresses are pure joy and so sweet and pleasant. The chef does it up right. The homemade breakfast potatoes are just like mama made and the prices are just right. Best part, I crave pancakes now and again and theirs was best I’ve had in ages. Light, fluffy and taste like home. I always tell folks to sit down and try a meal; in the end it’s all according to what you like and you’re never going to know if you don’t try something!

Nice little breakfast stop. They had loaded avocado toast on special which was pretty tasty. Good for families and bigger groups. We had 8 people and got seated right away. They only take cash. They do have an ATM if you don’t have any cash on hand.

This restaurant was absolutely fantastic. The wait staff was very pleasant and did a great job. The food was great. We had a party of seven, and there was a ham and cheese omelette with toast, there were some egg sandwiches, there were pancakes and other egg dishes ordered, and my wife and I enjoyed a egg and cheese pork roll sandwich which was really very good. I ordered the hot corned beef and pastrami sandwich on rye, and I have to say it is the best one I've ever tasted. I have been to Jack's of Lombard Street in Baltimore Maryland which was a staple growing up, but this sandwich here at John and Elaine's was absolutely epic. There was little to no fat on the sandwich and it was the most tender and great tasting one that I've had in a long long time. I would almost drive from Virginia to this place just to get another one. The coleslaw that accompanied my sandwich was also excellent. We will be back. This is an all cash restaurant, so plan ahead but it is well worth it.

I stopped by this nifty cash only diner for the first time today. This place is very clean and has such a wonderful ambiance. The service and food is really good and the prices on the limited menu are extremely reasonable. I will most certainly be back again the next time I drive down to Point Pleasant.

I cannot say enough great things about this place! We have been multiple times for breakfast and try something different each time. Eggs benedict and corned beef hash absolutely scrumptious! But the absolute best is getting their country breakfast with a little bit of everything and we upgraded to oatmea cinnamon raisin pancakes which were to die for! Wash it down with fresh squeezed oj they make right in front of you! We came for lunch and got an open faced rueben with fries and coleslaw 😋 😋 best one I've ever had! We will DEFINITELY be back! Shavon was excellent too! Oh and PLENTY of free parking

A Jersey shore staple hidden in Point Pleasant Beach. Great breakfast, offers lunch as well. As a local I've been coming for years. Interior is a bit dated but charming. Food comes reasonably quick. Pretty busy on weekends and peak tourist times. We had trouble flagging our server down after getting our food, but other than this the service is nice. You'll have a good meal here.

And this post I have five points to make.. first off.. we were sat immediately. My wife was in a bit of a hurry so that was convenient. Second off.. The server was on top of her game.. very fast.. very polite and prompt.. kept our glasses full... Third all the volumes were at the appropriate levels. I could see the closed caption on the television to keep up with that and listen to the disco music that was playing in the background. Easy for conversation.. forth.. the reasonable prices. Two people orange juice, apple juice, milk and endless cups of coffee. Good stuff.. Enough said about that... Last but not least.. The food was very good. The bananas were fresh. The brown sugar was not Lumpy.. the oatmeal came out piping hot.. Every time a dish came out of the kitchen it looked very good like something I may get next time I visit. I do recommend this place for breakfast period. Something you could enjoy with your family or for a quick bite to eat. It was all very enjoyable.

I went here and had Shovan as my waitress and she gave excellent service! She was friendly and attentive to our table, checking in on us several times. When I dine here again, I will definitely request her!

The food was a well priced and delicious! Staff are all very nice . Tiny cozy place. Not fancy just feels like home

Decided to take my family on vacation to point pleasant and wanted to get some good breakfast so we decided to visit this place, the decor was a usual homie local feel and didn't take long for us to be seated but the service was lacking, we waited for quite some time to receive our food which was 2 adults and 2 kids, we noticed an older couple was seated about 5 min after us and received there food way before ours and there were not alot of people in the restaurant grant it they could have been under staffed but it didn't seem so also the staff seemed really depressed or not happy to be there it felt weird, the food finally came and it was good, not great but good, overall I will not be returning anytime soon but might give it another try way down the line.

My husband and I saw online their new menu items and ran to come try them. We were absolutely Blown away by how amazing they were! We will be back for more. I Highly recommend the Corned Beef Hash Benedict.

Solid place. The inside had a nice layout, and clean. The food was very good and the service was friendly. A bit pricey but worth it as you do get quality food.

I'm not sure what happened here but their food prices went up so much I couldn't get a second cup of coffee cups are small and got to register and no credit cards told me to use machine I use to like this place but for that price it's not for me price gouging for sure

Stopped in for a late breakfast with a co-worker since we were in the area. Luckily, it was off-season and it wasn't crowded. Neither of us had ever been here before. The welcome was not friendly and warm. Weirdly, that jumped out at me. The front of the restaurant has a charming diner like setting while the back is more restaurant. We scored a booth in the back. Basic diner menu. Nothing wrong that. I had the French Toast with sausage. I asked for a banana on top since I did not see it on the menu. Did not see any options for fruit. The French toast came out as 3 very thin slices covered in bananas and a lot of cinnamon. Syrup was the thick commercial sugary kind and not the pure maple syrup. Sausage consisted of two think links. Did I eat everything? Yes. As a coffee snob, I would say the coffee was OK. Would I go back? Yes. Service was good but not warm and friendly. However, it is a pandemic and people are doing their best. Prices were very reasonable and there is plenty of parking in their lot. The restaurant is located in the center Island.

Pass by this place on a daily basis, so figured I'd give it a try. The minute you walk inside, you can feel the tension. Unwelcoming, sweltering hot, rude server. Kids being punished in the corner. Very disappointing. Asked for a refill on a drink, blonde server rolled her eyes in disgust. Just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. 2 stars because food was ok. Service, horrendous.

Great food and service! We had the eggs Benedict and they were PERFECT!! My son had the blueberry pancakes. Everything nice and fresh and waitress even brewed a brand new pot of coffee when I asked! Definitely would visit again!

Been here twice in two years and have had great breakfasts both times! Pancakes are fluffy and delicious (also Mickey pancakes for kids), eggs Benny comes with three poached eggs, corned beef hash is delicious, and their omelets are packed with goodness. Definitely recommend!

If i could leave no stars i would,haven't been there in a few years stopped in for late breakfast/lunch place looked grimey when we first walked in,we were seated in the back restaurant section,wife got cream of mushroom soup and i had the jersey girl eggs Benedict,the soup was like paste my wife could barely eat it and the poached eggs on the Benedict were fully cooked,they need to get someone who knows how to cook the eggs should have been runny,almost 5 bucks for a tomato juice and 3 Bucks a piece for coffee,how this place has been around so long is mind boggling,never going back,oh and the servers were just as horrible not once did they ask how everything was and it took forever to get the check.

We arrived around lunch time, and it wasn't too crowded. There is both a seating area and a bigger, fancier, dining room. Atmosphere: John and Elain's Restaurant reminds me of an old dive seafood restaurant. It has plastic fish, and photos plastered all over a wooden wall. It's cute, and a fun stop, but it's not a big, metallic shiny diner you would picture.  The dining room appeared to be fancy. Coffee: I liked the coffee, but I needed more. I felt as though I had to beg the waitress for refills. Other then that, it was fine. Nothing of note. Food: The menu at John and Elaine's is much smaller than the average diner menu. In fact, for breakfast and lunch, it's only a single page front and back.  I decided to order the veggie omelet with a cup of the split pea (I can never say no to split pea). The split pea was ham based and was good. It was hot, which I can always use. The omelet was somewhat overcooked. It was visible from the hashbrowns and toast, that were both burned.  The food was good, and minus the overcooking, it was fine.  The omelet had a mixed medley of vegetables which included mushrooms and tomatoes, plus a lot of cheese.  Both the hashbrowns and toast were overcooked and somewhat burnt, so they weren't my favorite.  Service: The waitress was nice but appeared if she was having a rough day. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it didn't seem like she was thrilled to be there.  Our food came out quickly, and other than that, it was good. Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back? I liked John and Elaine's, and it was a good stop for breakfast. It wasn't my least or favorite, and somewhere right in the middle.

I'm giving this 2 stars because my mom raved about the corn beef hash a couple weeks ago. We decided to give it a try. To start our waitress didn't even greet us, another younger girl finally came when I made eye contact. She apologized took our order and told us "she just got back last week". After this we waited 50 mins. 50 MINS FOR PANCAKES!! A party of 8 was sat behind us and 2 parties of 4. All had their food and we sat reading the placemat. I understand people are short staffed but at least come to our table a coffee refill would be nice.

Went there for breakfast. Hated the pancakes and the French toast. Coffee was unsinkable. Coffee - typical diner coffee except worst. French toast - covered in cinnamon, looked like french toast, tasted like cinnamon toast I had the Apple cinnamon pancakes. Again covered in cinnamon, I'm pretty sure the apples are from a can, maybe not. Couldn't eat it. Wasted $25.

Very limited menu, rude servers, bad food, dirty table. Fox News on the television. No thanks.

Dined here two times during my vacation and overall was extremely impressed! A cute little mom and pop shop that does old school cooking and ordering. Cash only, which now is a little tough but overall a very smooth process. Both times I had gotten the country style platter with Chocolate Chip pancakes eggs, home fries and Pork roll. So good! 100% Worth the money spent instead of going to a chain place.

A breakfast only spot! Def don't want to be spending a beautiful day inside this place the atmosphere feels like you stepped into a West Virginia Diner the Staff was so nice from front to back the FOOD.. yum! Fresh and fast best eggs bennys I have ever had delicious home fries solid breakfast spot Point pleasant has no place for a decent brunch but this is a great spot for a breakfast NO WAFFELS beware..

Love this place . They are always so friendly . The food is perfect ever time . The Jersey Girl is a must have if your hungry

Not a fan of this place at all. Services was slow they only have 3 ladies working. I got a regular omelette I wasn't a fan! Cash only!! It's 2018! Everything is electronic. Bathroom was gross!

What an absolute treasure! John and Elaine's is a cozy, local fixture serving breakfast & lunch for over thirty years. It has a warm, family-oriented atmosphere with kitschy signs boasting world's best pancakes, famous eggs benedict and country style breakfasts. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast here this morning! Our waitress was kind and attentive. Our food came out in record time, yet cooked to perfection. I opted for the "famous" Eggs Benedict (The Bennie - with sausage patties) and hubs ordered a sampler with French Toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Both orders were served with the most delicious side of potatoes! A true testament to their sign: Our home fries are not deep fried. They are grilled. We cleared our plates within minutes! DON'T FORGET TO BRING CASH! ATM on premises but cash-only restaurant!

A gem! A quaint little diner with friendly and fast service. Their french toast is incredible as are their omelettes and hashbrowns! Cash only, but there is an ATM in the lobby with a sign that says they'll refund you the $2 atm fee if you ask! Definitely worth a visit !

When I am in Point Pleasant Beach I always go here for breakfast. Great food and service - very similar to being at home. Pancakes are a must try...

John and Elaine's Resturant is a hidden gem. I have been going for 30 years. I just stopped in again today and the food was amazing. Another great breakfast. It's a little hard to find and the Decor,a little dated, but the food is great and the prices are good !! Ask for Lynn she is really nice !! The owner John is friendly and funny. It's well worth a try !!

I gave 3 stars because the breakfast and service were good. The waitress was very attentive and pleasant! However once I saw the red hat hanging on the wall that said "Make Democrats Cry Again 2020" I knew I would never return. I'm sure they will call me snowflake for this but I will do no name calling. I don't care what your political beliefs are, but to hang something like this in your place of business, that is insulting to most of NJ and a particular group of people is just Ignorant and bad for business

The perfect breakfast - great service, smiley waitress and food delivered in a veritable nanosecond. Love the service here and can't recommend them highly enough . Tons of parking , hot fresh coffee and all kinds of fare ! Mmmmmm this was awesome !

Two words: food poisoning. Came out to visit family and mom in assisted-living. Spent whole time sick in bed. .

This place needs to be organized. were a table of 7 and they give us 2 drinks and then leave not even ask what we want to drink and then we wait 10 mins and then they finally come jus to drop of the drinks and then leave agian

We like to try new places and stumbled upon John & Elaine's, a strip mall diner that one could easily overlook. The décor is perhaps a bit dated but comfortable and clean is good enough. Our server was polite and attentive, and she had a good sense of humor. We ordered breakfast, the food arrived quickly, hot and everything prepared correctly. And it was good. The home fries had good flavor. The bacon was cooked perfectly and had good flavor. Even the rye toast was better than average. Hubby, enjoyed the French toast. Prices were average, in par with other diners. Over all it was a great meal and we'd return the next time we're in the neighborhood.

GREAT breakfast and the nicest people there taking care of you. AWESOME pancakes and great healthy options as well. We go as often as possible.

From the minute my husband and I walked in, the staff was very abrupt and rude. There were 3 employees chatting at the counter when we walked in. We picked a booth and 1 of the waitresses threw (yes threw) the menus on the table and quickly went back to talking with her coworkers. No general courtesies hello, how are you, what would you like to drink. We each ordered the breakfast special ($5.95 for 2 eggs, choice of meat, potatoes & toast) (waitress still unpleasant and abrupt with us). This was by far the cheapest option and by several dollars. Most meals cost $10+, super pricey for breakfast food. The food was subpar: eggs had an unpleasant vegetable oil aftertaste and potatoes were bland and just blah. Bacon was okay but a little undercooked for my liking. I normally eat all my breakfast but ended up taking some home for our dog. We paid the bill at the counter and they don't take credit cards, only cash. No signs outside to let you know, or anywhere else except a small sign on the cash register. We couldn't get out of there fast enough, the food and service were equally blah. Recommend you stay far away from this overrated, overpriced restaurant!

I used to live here, and I love this place! It's always my favorite spot for pork roll and great service! I always take an early flight into Newark, and my treat when I first get back into town is John and Elaine's. I highly recommend the pork roll Benedict... yummmmmmmy! Thanks for always being great! See you in a few months!

Worst pancakes ever about one eighth inch thick lead blanket When I complained they said ok We paid full price and no offer for replacement or different item This place really sucks owner coasting on old reputation he should pay more attention to the swill his grill men are putting on plates

Rude, over priced, empty sandwiches. Staff (female owner) is so rude, unfriendly and always has been. She was enjoying a bagel and jelly walked by me several times without a hello or good morning. (except for a lady who took my phone order over the phone. She was nice. I hope she leaves and gets a better job at a better restaurant - it was empty) and the breakfast sandwiches are way over priced and there was little if any Taylor ham and cheese on them. Wish they would care a little bit. Sad sad sad

My wife and I went there for breakfast this morning. It was our first time here and we absolutely loved it. My wife had an egg white vegetable omelette with home fries and rye toast, and I had their "Country Style" breakfast which is, pancakes, corned beef hash (I substituted this choice of meat for an extra $1 or $2), 2 eggs, home fries, and I added rye toast. The food and service was impeccable! I think the owner John, was continually walking around helping out, and greeting all of the patrons, which is a really nice touch! We'll be back there to try their lunch next, and then their dinner during the on season. Kudos across the board for this place!

Best hollandaise sauce ever had. Fresh squeezed orange juice, good butter...sorry I never came here before.

Staff was not attentive and the food was mediocre. We did not feel welcome, as they took 10 min to seat us in an empty dining room and they took another 10 min to take our order when we said we were ready. They even turned away a family with a baby in a carriage because they didn't have room, and the place was empty. Never coming back.

Love the fresh squeezed orange juice and texas french toast. Never had a bad meal there. My only complaint is that owner the John needs to tone down talking about his conservative politics in front of customers lol He has to remember not everyone shares his viewpoints and that people are there to enjoy themselves and have a good meal . But if your looking for a great breakfast & lunch place this place is a can't miss.

Great diner! Try the pumpkin pancakes! Yummy! Their pancakes are thin, but that's just they way they make them. No Denny's pancakes here! Just homemade and great tasting original pancakes. The eggs were cooked perfect! I would definitely go back! No issues with staff. They seemed very attentive.

This is my favorite breakfast restaurant ever! EVERYTHING is great even the toast. the waitstaff was wonderful. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody who loves a great breakfast in a warm atmosphere with a wonderful waitstaff. I'm looking forward to a great lunch next time.

Wow! Eggs Florentine, amazing with 3 perfectly poached eggs and homemade hollandaise. Thin pancakes, not a doughy mess. So good

Decided to check out the place for breakfast to go somewhere different. It's a diner for the most part and the food is fine and service is fine but it's expensive. For 3 basic breakfast, nothing fancy with tip we were at $60. To me at a NJ diner with no alcohol, that's a lot of money. I'm not sure if they are a seasonal business being they are in Point, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I at least want a bloody mary or something.

Tucked away and not easy to spot. Great food, atmosphere, and service. Great for breakfast lunch or dinner.Wheelchair accessible, service dog welcoming. We will definitely be back!

Fantastic little ocean-side Jersey diner. It boasts the look and feel of 70s kitschy perfection without trying for it. Unbelievably kid-friendly. My daughter's pancake was shaped like a Christmas tree with green sprinkles and whipped cream. So she was happy. I had the veggie omelet - good stuff, but the hash browns were the highlight. I was all, "Oh, I'm not going to eat the hash browns. I'll just try them." (In my head). And then I was all, "I am going to eat the hell out of these hash browns. Forget the omelet." Cash only; ATM onsite.

For breakfast, this is an absolute 4 star establishment. Wait how can a breakfast place get 4 stars? (It's a good question). The cinnamon raisin pancakes were awesome, not ok, not good, awesome! The cinnamon and raisin flavor was not overpowering (which can often happen). The pancakes were so moist, that you literally did NOT need to use syrup. In 4,322 times I have had pancakes, I have never made such a statement. I only wish I had the stomach to eat all 3 - they were huge! Their corn beef hash was off the charts as well. Clearly home made, and beyond delicious. When you can walk away from a breakfast and RAVE about two specific items, you know you got a great place.

The pumpkin pancakes are awesome. They come with pecans. I am allergic and told them. After waiting quite a long time for my order, they informed me it would be coming right out and it took some time because they actually cleaned the entire griddle to make sure there was no pecan residue anywhere. That was very nice of them! Def a nice little place to go to!

We were staying in nearby Bay Head, and looking for someplace to get a decent breakfast. Nearby places were either no longer open, or had gotten mediocre reviews. We stumbled across this diner while driving around in search of something home-towney. The food was very good and affordable, the place was very clean, and the service was excellent. We were seated right away,coffee came immediately, and was kept filled throughout, and our omelettes were generous and tasty. The toast was warm, and the potatoes were delicious. Our waitress kept an eye on us to make sure we were well cared for. What a great find!

never again..they open at 730 am-great..i go in 745/8 am order breakfast w home fries crispy-not deep fried or burnt-crispy...they come out practically raw...i say something n the owner/waitress in a snippy voice says well we just opened n next time order them deep fried-lousy excuse.rude is the word..well i dont want deep fried ,theres even s sign that says home fries not deep fried.and i expect my food cooked the way i want-im paying for it...cooks should be able to keep food on grill longer, glad it wasnt a medium burger -id get it raw im guessing... there was no rush on my part...funny some people i know have asked me has the owner/waitress been nasty yet--ive always said no not yet..tough to get her to refill your coffee though---not the most personable unless your 1 of her click like some places... the other great early am waitress shelley-can get a job anywhere has to do most of the work...i sit alone and listen-if your a regular and think shes your friend..lol..she gossips about everyone as soon as you walk out the door...never again

After telling myself I wouldn't deal with John and his political views anymore I decided what the heck I'll try out the place again. wow, was it better than I remembered it! We ordered the usual eggs and pancakes. Both of which are usually a "can't go wrong item." After eating these items here I have to say it will hard to go elsewhere. The eggs came out perfectly cooked and not too greasy. Homefries were cooked to perfection. The pancakes were perfect and crispy. Overall, the food was so great I think it's safe to say they even have a new cook. Best of all John wasn't even heard running his mouth. Cant wait to go back and try new items.

I would've given this zero stars if I could. This was the worst experience I've ever had at any establishment. Not getting greeted by anyone when you walk in was the first sign of a rude staff. They walk by you and don't say a word. Then you get seated which seemed to be a chore in itself. Felt like we were being a bother. Taking our orders took forever and again I felt very uncomfortable. The waitress made us feel like we were annoying her and felt we had to rush to give our order. The place was not even busy the time we went in. Then a family of four came in and were turned away because they had a baby stroller and the owner made them so uncomfortable about fitting the stroller they just left. I almost got up and left at that point but decided we already ordered so let's eat at least. The table behind us didn't speak the best of English when placing the order the waitress was so rude to the couple again making a very uncomfortable situation all around. Food was brought out and thrown on the table. Never asked again after that if we needed anything like refills on the coffee or waters. We asked another waitress for waters and again the attitude was terrible. Paid our check and not even a word from the woman who took my money for this terrible breakfast. She continued to bad mouth another customer that was seated in the dining room to the other waitress because the customer was unhappy with her pancake order. So again we weren't greeted when we walked in and didn't receive a goodbye. At this point I was livid. I left a very small tip which I never do since I've been in the food business all my life. I don't understand how you can run a restaurant in point pleasant near the beach and have such an unpleasant staff. The food was terrible and the service was even worse. I will never ever be back and will definitely not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

It's been awhile since we ate here so we came back. The menu changed and although still good, the meal was mediocre. 2 choices on how food is prepared fried or broiled on all seafood. The salad got this 3 stars not the main dish.