Karlton Cafe

We were headed to see our son at State College and stopped in for breakfast on our way out. The restaurant is right in town, there is plenty of street parking and there is a lot across the street. We were seated right away in the lower level. The service was fine, maybe a touch slow but not a problem. The food is VERY good and is priced reasonably. If you're a local you must know about this place already and if you're passing through I would recommend stopping in for a bite.

Got the honey lemon ginger latte- really good but they only have whole milk or oat milk My over medium eggs and potato pancake were good. The potato pancake was not was I was expecting. Very crispy and fried vs a soft pancake like I was expecting. Food came out quick and service was good.

We had brunch here the other day. The food and atmosphere is very good we would recommend eating here. See our other reviews on google and tik tok @ debsandwalt

Comfortable atmosphere, excellent waitstaff and food and drink is always amazing. We have done large parties here as well as cozy meals in a booth downstairs. We always enjoy our time here. Blueberry lavender pancakes 😍

Delicious pancakes. If these aren’t the perfect pancake, they’re pretty damn close! And make sure you try the potato pancake, too! #lEtsreAlesTate with Scott Geller, The Home Seller

Suuuch a beautiful spot and kind hearted waitress.. it’s hard to find a breakfast place that offers that homemade taste this place definitely hit that im a big breakfast gal 10/10

This was the third time my husband and I went there to eat. The first time and second time nobody seated us. We were told to go ahead and seat ourselves. The third time we waited at the top of the stairs...no one told us to wait. We were seated by a very hateful waitress and didn't like our seats. We asked her if we could move...she very reluctantly told us we could. There were numerous seats in the restaurant. She had an attitude right from the start. Another person came to take our order and I told her I was sorry we asked to move because the waitress got angry. She said it was a problem. My husband said isn't the customer always right and she said, no they are not. She was very rude also. My husband asked to speak to the manager and she said good...he's my husband ....turns out she and her husband are the owners. It is really too bad they don't know how to treat people. I am sure the waitress must have been related to the owners because she would have been fired if she was working for me. You don't get angry because someone wasn't happy with their seating. Needless to say, we will not be going back...the customer service and the way they treat people leaves a lot to be desired. The second time we went there we even took people with us. Never again....rude people.

My husband and I love the Karlton Café! We have been costumers for a couple years now. Get on the rewards program, $10 birthday coupon! Great staff, lots of smiles. We love the seasonal menus and recently enjoyed the lemon stuffed french toast and the Honey Hot fried chicken (it's not very hot but so delicious!) The coffee is good. The fresh squeezed OJ is awesome.

Their seasonal menus never disappoint, but there isn't a single dish they serve that isn't out of this world. The espresso drinks are delicious, I'm a sucker for the creme brulee latte personally. Grab yourself a potato pancake, regardless of what you're ordering- you can thank me later! Also, don't pass up on the fried chicken benedict... really, any of the benedict options are incredible, though. I'm a big fan of their lavender lemonade, and the creme brulee latte. Our favorite seasonal item is the New School Potato Pancake (a perfectly crisped potato pancake stuffed with a cheesey pepper and onion omlette). What's better than amazing food? A fantastic, friendly staff, to boot. I love coming in and being treated like family.

The service was EXCELLENT and that is the only reason I'm not giving one star (which is rare for me ) Where do I start ? At the risk of going full Gordon Ramsey , I'll tell you : this food was garbage . For starters How do you **f up a Caesar salad and not one but TWO soups in one meal? At a CAFE nonetheless. I mean guys , we're not talking diner here (although John's and every other diner from here to Pennsburg will give you a better soup and salad , truly ) Answer : with bottled dressing (though I can't even say for certain it's that because I can't believe anyone would actually bother bottling a dressing this bad . I challenge them to open one of those Caesar salad kits at home and put them side by side and tell me the packaged one ...isn't better . Was it that bad ? Yes , It was . A salty , nasty travesty of a dressing . An insult to Caesar salads everywhere. I'll say this for it the lettuce WAS fresh so I finished it if only to get my greens for the day . Guys , I'll say it again , if you're a cafe , and you do nothing else . Do your business and your customers a favor and Make your OWN freaking fresh vinaigrettes at the very least . That's a no brained for anyone other than a bennigans that's privately owned . Second, when was the last time you QC'd something coming out of your kitchen or had the cooks try their own soup of the day ? Because that maple bacon shite ...was bloody TERRIBLE. There is no way any self respecting cook could taste that and go " yep , we're good to go --order up --send it out to the customer. No. Freakin. Way . I double dog dare you . The nastiest mess I ever had . Literally tasted like someone opened a jar of baby sweet potatoes , poured a jar of maple syrup in it , a pound of salt , didn't stir it , called it a day --and served it lukewarm . And this was not a mere matter of palate difference. This was objectively awful . How do you make a soup both too sweet and too salty all at once ? So I order the French onion instead . Because ...cheese and a good basic broth with some sautéed onions, beef stock , a splash or two of cheap sherry cooking wine and voila , am I right ? Wrong again ! Where they went to heavy on the salt in the maple bacon , it was barely existent in this flavorless broth one step above dishwater with a few onions and a slab of cheese slapped on (hey at least the cheese was good .) Oh and your lemonade is rancid . Have someone scrape up the mildew from the bottom of the machine once in a while or try swapping it out of the walk-in more than once a week . Did I mention my server was awesome and ran the damn place ? I cannot imagine she is proud to serve that food . Bloody awful . Won't be back based on this meal and it's a shame because we live in p-burg and this town is crying out for a few good cafes . With a tear down of the menu and a refresh (emphasis on fresh ) for local ingredients this place could be a great local staple . I hope the rest of the menu is better , but your soup and salad have to be on point --that's a basic hallmark --not a throwaway .

Such a cute place! My friend recommended this place for our "it's been way too long" get together, and we were happy she did. We all enjoyed our food, and it has a nice relaxing atmosphere. Great place to catch up and gab! Our waitress and the staff members were all friendly, helpful and attentive. Check them out!

Had higher hopes for this place. Went in with my Mom and sister for lunch. Mom is using a walker and hostess asked if we wanted upstairs or downstairs (no elevator)... Needless to say we sat upstairs and it was very loud with music and open kitchen talking. My short rib grilled cheese was delicious and my sister's seasonal chicken sandwich was good. However my Moms Myers lemon stuffed grilled cheese left a lot to be desired. It came out cold and bread tasted like it'd never been soaked before cooking and very little of lemon filling, asked the waitress if it was supposed to arrive cold and her reply: "maybe filling cooled it off" as she walked off. Service overall was subpar as I had to ask several times to get my iced tea refilled. I'll probably try a new place before I give this one another shot.

I've lived in quakertown since 2013 and in the time that ive lived here I've eaten at alot of breakfast spots and most are pretty good but this one is without a doubt great. From the outside it looks pretty small but they actually have a ton of seating. You walk in and your just overwhelmed by the smell off food. Partly because they're actually cooking the food right there when you walk in. As we walked by the kitchen area we were actually greeted by the chef which was really nice. Are waitress was pretty friendly but the ones who helped her bring our food over were awesome and full of smiles.they were super nice. I got a bacon and cheese omelet which was superb but I also love sweet stuff so I got pancakes and man they were 5 out of 5.I definitely can't wait to come back to this place and try more stuff from the seasonal menu.

Karlton cafe is a great breakfast/lunch spot. They always have a changing seasonal menu and I always look forward to what they have because they do everything so well. It's a go to. I hope they bring back the sweet potato quesadilla for the fall because it is the best! Try if they have it!!!!

We went back to Karlton Cafe to use my $10 discount for my birthday. They had the same special menu as they did in July. I got the Peach Bourbon pancakes again and hubby tried the cream chipped beef served over a baguette. The food was delicious. Our server was very attentive. We both brought home leftovers for breakfast tomorrow.

The food was good. Staff seemed very busy and trying their best to accommodate everyone. The layout is quite strange- you are eating downstairs or right next to the kitchen if at one of the three tables on the main floor. There is no waiting area. We had the rancho eggs, zucchini bread French toast, two sides of potatoes.

If you visit Philly this place is a MUST for brunch lovers everywhere!!! I had the short rib benedict and OMG!! The meat was so tender. Had we stayed longer we would've went back. So yummy!!!

I really really really was hoping to give this place a 4/5 star review. I am a local, lived here pretty much my whole life. I've gone to the Karlton Cafe at least a dozen times. I'm not cheap by any means. I will pay good money for excellent food. But The Karlton Cafe is just not that great. It's absolutely filthy. I'm going to post the ketchup bottles. I didn't think restaurants were allowed to refill the bottles, but as you can see the grime and whatever else is growing on it was so freaking disgusting. My chicken salad wrap was fantastic. The house made chips on the other hand were completely burnt. I don't understand how the server didn't see how burnt there were or even how the hell they made it out of the kitchen looking the way they did. Also, not every sandwich should be made on a French baguette. I don't know if they think that it just makes their food that more "fancy" or what, but sometimes a soft bread is ok to use. And when we said something to the young lady taking our money how dissatisfied we were with the Short Rib French Dip, her response was (and I'm paraphrasing)... "oh, are you just used to the kind you get at diners?" Come on, really? Some customer service training could be helpful for that "hostess". I would say the only things they are good for is a big cup of coffee and a bowl of soup. Otherwise, go to The Proper Brewery for lunch across the street, Sundays for breakfast down the street, Earl's in Trumbauersville (brunch on weekends) or The Ram in Perkasie.

My review was great years ago....now in 2024 I believe this cafe has fallen off the cliff. Wait staff is horrible. And the food is expensive and not worth it. You can't even hear yourself with everyone seated below in the dungeon. Wait staff took long to get your basic drinks (OJ and iced tea) and when the food came out it was the wrong tables food. I'll spend my hard earned money at a diner before going out to Karlton. It's too bad because a few years ago I couldn't image this place turning into this one star rating.

Went to breakfast Saturday morning with my husband and there was surprisingly no wait. I've been here a couple times and the food is always so fresh and so delicious! I had the shrimp scrambler and it was SO GOOD! The only thing I would say is it was a tad on the salty side, which I think is probably from the shrimp. It was still delicious and I ate the entire thing. My husband had the Bacon and cheese omelette with extra cheese and he loved it!! Always recommend Karlton based on its fresh ingredients and friendly staff.

What a sweet little find!! It would be easy to miss this restaurant if you weren't looking for it. Easy parking! I met up with a friend here for a mid-morning breakfast. Menu selection was fantastic. One of us ordered pancakes. They were huge and so tasty. One of us ordered an omelette and a side of sourdough toast. So fresh, piping hot, friendly staff and a calming, rustic environment. I will absolutely be back.

I definitely love coming here when I'm in the area. Felt like it was time to update my review....Nothing has changed.... It was excellent as always. This time I had their special Cheesesteak Benedict with a side of fresh fruit. Service was still great as well.

Diamond in the center of Quakertown! I have been hearing about this place for years and I finally had the chance to dine here and it is fabulous. I have only had a few things , the omelette and the Carmel apple pecan French toast ... totally unique offerings and made with passion. They give you mushrooms, onions , peppers, jalapeños in the omelette for no extra charge. The eggs are fresh and so good , not your average breakfast joint! They offer monthly gourmet specials that are very creative! I will be going here weekly so I'll be the Duke and I'll try everything! The coffee is also delicious and the offer expresso and other gourmet options. Do not judge this book by its cover , the front storefront looks small and uninviting but there is a lower level that is large , updated and fantastic!

Food is innovative and very tasty! Service is very friendly, attentive and fairly quick. The space looks clean, with a few cozy decor touches...a pleasant find overall! Will definitely recommend

Interesting older building, be advised if they are crowded the majority of the seating is downstairs. If you have mobility issues this will be a problem. The interior was typical of any gentrified hipster vibe on a budget. The coffee was hot at least the one cup I had. First time ever trying a pumpkin spice latte. And after finishing it. I was never asked if I would like another. I ordered a glass of cranberry juice to be delivered with my meal. It did t arrive until I was half way thru the meal and had asked for it. The food was ok, not bad not good. Just ok. The service was spotty, I don't know if it was because we weren't the regular lunch time crowd or if the fact we sat close to the stairs and the waitress-stand that it made it so easy to ignore us. If we are back in the area, I am not sure we would return, It just was.

Came on a Thursday morning only about 3 tables occupied we waited 22 min just to order drinks 9:48 put order in at same time since breakfast and are still waiting 1/2 it's 10:22 and we still have no food finally got food at 10:39 waitstaff is EXTREMELY RUDE the blonde waitress was the only one taking orders the other just walked in circles cleaning a table here and there watch the cooks no gloves no beard covers touched his neck spoke on Apple Watch I took my food to go had nothing but attitude for as much as this place cost they should have nicer staff try to accommodate their patrons as for me and my friends and family this is a NO HELL NO

One of my TOP go to places for breakfast! Food is amazing; servers are all friendly and accommodating; and the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. One of my favorite dishes is not on the regular menu but a seasonal item. It is Meyer Lemon Stuffed French Toast. Scrumptious! And a favorite from the regular menu is the corn fritters and eggs. Just perfect. And finally, if you are a bacon lover--chef's kiss. Thick cut bacon and ask for it crispy. Yum!

We love going to Karlton Cafe. We love the people and the food. We travel a bit of a distance to go there, but it is our go to. The menu is huge and unique and has seasonal specials. I don't know anywhere else where you can get fresh squeezed orange juice. Maybe we will go today.

Terrible service. Waited over an hour for pancakes and an omelet. Had to flag down our waitress to ask where our breakfast was. She says they lost the slip. Ok, but another 20 minutes before our food came. Then, the pancakes were terribly burnt on one side. Sent them back. The cook questioned our opinion of burnt pancakes. I wish I had taken a picture. So finally, we got our pancakes, an hour and 37 minutes after we sat down. We have been here before, but today was a total disaster. The manager never came to apologize. They did comp us our breakfast, but only after the waitress ask them too.

Always good breakfast,around 10-15$ per person but very tasty !!My son loves the croissants breakfast sandwiches:)

I want to give 5 stars, but there are quite a few things that could use some work at the Karlton. The "basement" main dining area reeks of mold and is definitely musty. I had pancakes that weren't fully cooked. The open kitchen feel, though unique, shows how dirty the kitchen is. The coffee is decent and the waitresses are typically sweet and friendly.

Hidden gem in Q'town! Super interesting menu and our food was delicious! Potato apple pancake was amazing! Service was fast, friendly and helpful. Cozy rustic-decor downstairs is a little loud but comfortable booths and tables. We will be back!

Our favorite place to stop by when we're in Quakertown. We came here for the first time last year and had these amazing brussel sprout omelets and grilled cinnamon buns. This time we brought the kiddo and she got the fruity pebble French toast. Brussel sprout omelets are off the menu now but still a great selection. Their sourdough bread has a great flavor to it as well.

My fam loves this place for their amazing breakfasts (not to say the lunch menu isn't great, too). Everything is special and you can taste the quality of their ingredients. The chefs are great - and friendly, too! Prices are great and the apple stuffed french toast is an amazing bargain. The staff is wonderful - even with younger "energetic" kids.

Pretty good! I'd definitely go back to try other dishes. Other people ordering eggs looked amazing!

What happened to this place? Eggs Benedict and eggs were hard boiled, no sauce, dry chicken, gross lol, over seasoned homefries and burnt, won't return

We love going to Karlton Cafe. What is it we love best? Is it the people? Is it the great food? I'll have to think about it for a while. We travel a bit of a distance to go there. It's never the less our go to. They seasonally change the menus. So cool!

they told me 20-25 min for a pick up and it took the 50min .I stood there waiting there for 25min.you would think the food was warm when I got home but no it was cold.I didn't get any utensils,butter or salt/pepper.Home fries and eggs lacked seasoning so it wasn't worth the wait.

Excellent food and service. You'll return. Carmel Apple Stuffed French Toast definitely 5. Stars

Steak sandwich was the bomb! It was so juicy and so much flavor. Atmosphere: is beautiful and there is a down stairs that. The exterior is quaint so nice. Such a friendly staff! Definitely recommend

Mediocre might be a generous description of the breakfast I had here. Unfortunately I would prefer to eat at any diner on 309 than the Karlton Cafe so I can't say I would recommend this place.

Cute little place we're glad we tried, coming in from out of town for occasional medical appointments, Karlton Cafe is a small gem. They serve traditional breakfast & specialty dishes as well. I had the Ranchero Eggs, + sides of thick cut crispy bacon, smoked scrapple. My wife had a traditional dish. Both of us loved our meals & our waitress "Cameron", 1st day, was on point, attentive & just a doll. We will definitely be coming back, next time we're in town

My daughter is writing this review, as she found her fruity pebbles French toast and cinnamon bun to be "absolute fire" and "bussin." I have no idea what these words mean, but I assume they mean she is generally in favor of the food, since she at it all and asked when we could come back.

We were there for brunch last Sunday and I have to say the food was delicious. We both started with the smoked potato corn chowder. It was wonderful. I had pork roll egg and cheese on French bread and my husband had an omelette. Both were fantastic. My French bread was perfectly toasted (would have been great to dip in the chowder!) However, I hate to say this but I don't think we'll be back. When you walk in to the restaurant, it's an open kitchen, you can see them cooking. .. it was dirty. The floor was absolutely filthy. Before Covid I was a bit of a germ-a-phob, and since I've become even more so. While standing there waiting to be seated, I saw the chef chatting with workers with a rag in his hand, wipe the counter with the rag, wipe his hands with the rag then wipe out the pan with the rag. Maybe this happens all the time in kitchens, but again, between that and how dirty the floors were, not just in the restaurant, but in the kitchen area, I didn't want to eat, I wanted to grab a broom. Real shame because the food was wonderful. I wasn't going to post this but maybe it's something that the chef/owner didn't notice and it just needed to be mentioned.

Good service and clean! Everything was flavorful and each flavor complemented each other. Chicago Style Steak sandwich, the Karlton Burger, Bacon Panini, Creamy tomato and spinach soup and Creme Brulee Latte.

Really tasty food. I stopped by after seeing the signs that said made from scratch. It was delicious . Service was excellent. Do get the old school stuffed potato p

A serious gem! My family and I had the best experience at Karlton Cafe. Everything was five star about this place. The next time I am in Quakertown, PA I will check dine with them. When I say that my family accompanied me to lunch here, I am speaking of my parents, husband, and two children. As you can imagine we were a nice size party. My first impression of this place was that it was clean and cool inside. The sun was out and it was hot outside, however, inside the temperature was just right. The guest inside of the restaurant were just as kind as the staff working there. It was as if to say, "when dining there everyone is family." Our server greeted us right away and took our drink orders. We had a variety of drinks from handcrafted lattes, hot chocolates, juices, and waters. My mother gushed over her almond milk latte repeatedly. To eat I had a bacon omelette. Delicious! I tasted a bit of my children's pancakes and had a side of bacon. Hey don't judge my bacon fest! They have this really scrumptious thick cut bacon that is full of flavor. At the table there was also a cinnamon roll and other omelets. All are to perfection! The prices were reasonable and the experience was out of this world fabulous! Five stars and more for Karlton Cafe!

Loved this place! So far one of the best brunch places i have ever been to Loved food and coffee but i didnt like lemonade much Taste more like.. fruity water

Disappointing. Was in the area for business and thought I'd try this place for lunch. Walked in and was ignored by the young hostess. After several minutes, I asked to be seated and get a menu. Ordered French toast and ice tea. The tea was extremely bitter. The French toast was Denny's-quality. The woman who was my server was very nice and fast.

I like the food & the service but the downstairs smells like mold & the open kitchen if filthy. Like, not sure I should be eating there filthy. The floors are gross. They need to clean it up and deal with the smell, it ruins breakfast.

We went here for brunch a couple months ago and watched as everyone's delicious food was prepared and served. Then ours arrived. Matt's was fine but my huevos rancheros had sausage and bacon mixed into the beans. It doesn't list this on the menu, and the waiter swore it isn't supposed to have meat in it, so no one knows what happened. Our waiter was so gracious and tried to remedy the situation by bringing me a whole different meal and comping my entree. However, we noted that most of the savory food (eggs, potatoes) had been cooked in bacon grease. I'm not sure if this is typical, but if you're vegetarian or avoid pork products, be extra careful when you're here. I'd like to try this place another time and see if we have a different experience.

I love the concept. But it's Quakertown . The food was good. Maybe even better then good. But it's dingy. The restaurant although not dirty doesn't look clean, especially the kitchen. We sat in the front and to be honest the state and the mess the kitchen was in put me off. All that being said you can see the quality. Extra thick cut bacon, not cooked enough for me, home made sausage, very good cream dried beef . Good ice coffee. Staff and delivery guys chatting it up.. not very professional. I hope they do well but a good scrub and a fresh coat of paint would make me want to come back.

I have had breakfast here multiple times and it never disappoints. Great staff amazing food!

Been eating here for years and have never had a problem before today, the food is still good I'm really reviewing the Smoked Salmon Benedict I bought today. I don't know what happened but my eggs were very overcooked almost hard boiled, on top of that they must have rested on the cold fish for too long because my eggs were stone cold, I'd make the rating lower than 4 stars if it weren't for the fact that I have been coming here for years and enjoying the food. I left quite a bit of overcooked yolk for them to see and my waiter cleaned it up without asking any questions, I realize it was close to closing and maybe they were in a rush, but I was pretty disappointed altogether. Still recommend the restaurant but possibly not the dish

Never disappoints. Freshly made, lovingly served. Their staff is amazing and their coffee selection can't be beat. Enjoyed the lavender camomile latte and it was heartwarmingly good. The restaurant was clean and appropriately spaced for comfort and safety. Plenty of outdoor seating as well. Try for a lovely brunch with friends or reconnecting with loved ones.

I would not recommend this restaurant. James Pharo, the owner & manager, & his staff are unprofessional and disparagingly rude to repeat customers. Below is my experience: The 4th time I ordered from the Karlton Cafe since I arrived in town 1 month ago. I was moderately satisfied the first 3 times I ordered from the Cafe, nothing gourmet and nothing to write home about but, fair enough to satisfy an appetite. I ordered a potato pancake as my 4th order for my teenager. I got a burnt, see-through hash brown instead of a pancake (see posted pictures). I called Karlton Cafe to request a refund since the menu said "pancake," not "hash brown." The young female server said James Pharo would call me back. Then, I drove to Pumpernicks Deli in Montgomeryville to get an authentic potato pancake. I had not received a return phone call in well over a day so I drove to the Karlton Cafe to request my refund & return my order. Instead of listening to my concerns, the same young blonde server and the owner himself, James Pharo, began to argue with me about the mechanics of making a potato pancake. When I asked James, the owner & manager why he did not return my phone call, he yelled "I don't think I needed to call YOU back to argue with YOU over something YOU ordered off of our menu." After he tried to argue with me for literally over 5 minutes over an $8.50 "pancake," he finally gave me a gift card. Unfortunately, I won't be using it there. On my way out the door, the blonde waitress said "Hope you do really well" in a sarcastic sing-songy voice. I would think that during these hard times, a business would be interested in keeping the repeat customers they have instead of rudely driving them away & prompting an unfavorable review. Furthermore, the owner, James Pharo, had a very slovenly appearance wearing a college tee filled with holes and he had unkempt, wily facial hair. His appearance was dirty. Thumbs totally down. Rude, unprofessional & lack of hygiene is a major concern, especially during these times.

Love this place, I've only had breakfast here but it was over the top! Highly recommend!