Sound Bites Cafe

This was a pleasant surprise! Certainly a diner, not a cafe. But it’s a great classic local diner. Floors need a coat of paint, but the food is really solid. Everything in my sandwich tasted really fresh, fries were warm and fluffy with a perfect little crunch. The iced latte was good too! Their bar isn’t operational, but they’re open from 7am-2:30pm, so you really don’t need a full bar, I never found myself wishing the bar was open. Staff was also kind and friendly. So if you want high-quality, no-frills diner food at a great price point, this is a great place to go. I could see myself coming here with friends for a hearty hangover meal on Sunday mornings

If you are a pancake lover, then you must try their pancakes here. They were so fluffy, light, and flavorful. We ordered the apple cinnamon pancake and was surprised to find the apples inside the pancake, but it was yummy regardless. Of course, we had to order a savory dish to complement our sweet one so we got the Tuscan omelet, which was served with their home fries. I really liked the portabello mushrooms. Make sure to come here early before it gets crowded around 10:15 AM on the weekends. The server was nice and checked on us several times. We didn't order drinks this time but I know you serve your own coffee/tea. I'm so glad this brunch restaurant is in my neighborhood!

Delicious food and really great service. The menu is very similar to the Ball Sq Cafe, but just as good. Omelets are yummy! Good coffee and OJ!!

We went here three different days during our stay in Boston because it was so good! The orange juice was fresh, they re-filled our coffee and both the classical american pancakes and the egg-based breakfast’s were dericious! Favourite was the french toast.

Just a mid experience. Service was super mid, I sat at the bar and I was one of the only people there, yet I rarely saw my waitress. You get your coffee yourself which they didn’t tell me, just added to my tab. The food was mid, not much flavor or spice which was surprising. Would definitely be willing to come back to this place to try it again because it was really busy when I first got there, but overall saw nothing special here.

5 star as I want to be generous! The omelette was OK but could have been better for $20.99 (goat cheese added) with loads of meat. The hash brown was something else, they should change the name to mashed potatoes. Waffle was good but probably I forgot to ask the crème over it. $3.75 each for a cup of coffee? Lol Overall 4 star and willing to go back. Thanks

Had a great experience at Sound Bites in Boston! We came in for breakfast and were really impressed with the food. The egg sandwich was the best egg sandwich I've ever had. And the pancakes were fluffy and delicious. Also, some of the best I’ve had in a while. Everything we ordered was fresh, well-prepared, and satisfying. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, which gave the place a fun, energetic vibe. It was pretty busy when we arrived, but the staff kept things moving efficiently, and we didn’t have to wait long to be seated or served. Service was friendly and attentive throughout. If you’re looking for a casual spot with great breakfast food and a vibrant atmosphere, Sound Bites is definitely worth checking out. I’d happily come back again!

Great diner food! This is my go-to place to bring visitors for lunch, or to grab brunch with friends. Reasonably priced classic diner food and attentive staff. Nothing you order is going to blow your mind with how delicious it is, but you'll not be disappointed either.

Food excellent good coffee relaxed ambience 2 thumbs-up Had the eggs Benedict fresh orange juice coffee yum

If you are a pancake lover, then you must try their pancakes here. They were so fluffy, light, and flavorful. We ordered the apple cinnamon pancake and was surprised to find the apples inside the pancake, but it was yummy regardless. Of course, we had to order a savory dish to complement our sweet one so we got the Tuscan omelet, which was served with their home fries. I really liked the portabello mushrooms. Make sure to come here early before it gets crowded around 10:15 AM on the weekends. The server was nice and checked in on us several times. We didn't order drinks this time but I know you serve your own coffee/tea. This cafe reminds me of a more "old-school diner vibe" instead of an upscale brunch place, but that's ok. The prices are average. I'm so glad this brunch restaurant is in my neighborhood!

So I went here because they offered mimosas, but when I got there and the bar was closed because they are not licensed at the moment. I ended up getting a tuna melt which was very disappointing the tuna was so cold, just the bread was grilled. It gave it a weird contrast because you're eating hot and cold. The service is not very professional. They don't check on you, not helpful with questions. I had to keep trying to flag someone down to get necessary items. They never brought napkins, water, nothing. There is street/meter parking. There are lots of shops in the surrounding area. The establishment is clean, and big, plenty of seating.

Good portion sizes with a side of fruit. But it had more of a diner feel than an upscale brunch. It is quite spacious and finding a table was easy enough on a Saturday morning. My friend and I both got the eggs Benedict which was good (mine was with avocado, hers with smoked salmon) and a side of fruits. It was good The coffee however was burnt, and we could barely finish our mug, let alone request a refill.

Great food great service. I ordered a side of French toast and a side of bacon as well as coffee. All were delicious. Will return again when I'm in town!

I've been going to this place for years. There has been a change in Ownership last December. I wasn't aware. The food is okay but the menu has changed with reduced quantity and increase in price. Orange juice was fresh before, not anymore. The quality of the fruits has gone down as well. I ordered an omelette but this was not 3 eggs. Very disappointing. I left the restaurant hungry. It's expensive to be honest. I won't go there in the future.

So if you know diners you know they could be hit or miss. Sound Bites HITTT. Let's talk about why. It was a very young crowd that was in and out. The staff gave this interesting southern hospitality in Somerville, did not know that existed. They had a self serve coffee section that I thought was cute as hell. So I felt like a cute little barista. Always they had a classic diner menu and they had gluten free and vegan options. The server that we had was really sweet and helped us get a better bang for our buck. The food was not too expensive either. I had two cups of good diner coffee and enjoyed my time. It was really cold in the restaurant due to the weather outside only downside.

The diner is located in a busy neighborhood and is usually busy on the weekends. Luckily there was no wait this time I went! The place has a very relaxed vibe. Once seated you can grab water from the water stations or grab coffee or juice from the drinks station. The food came out really quick after ordering. I was very satisfied with the meat lover omelet as it was packed with meat. You get to pick three breakfast meats and what cheese you want. The portion was definitely a good size, a lot of food, but you can finish it.

Things changed a lot. Under new ownership and some recipes changed. Also it was closed a long time this year. I am not sure I would call this my neighborhood staple now.

My sister and I wanted to check this place out after going to the brunch place previously next-door seeing they were not getting as much business. We were able to get the outside seats as requested which was perfect for people watching. Parking can be tough when it's really busy since if there isn't a meter, it is permit parking only. We started with mimosas which came with some fresh slices of oranges and was the garnish for all the dishes following. They must have used fresh squeezed juice because it was so sweet! For dishes we ordered the Corned Beef Hash with "over easy" eggs, Real Lumped Crabmeat Bene and Pumpkin Waffle with caramel walnut and banana. The corned beef hash was more like shredded and dry brisket and the over easy eggs we're more like over medium. Unfortunately, my sister was severely disappointed. My eggs Benedict however, was perfectly runny. Crab meat would have been better had they had more of a sear to provide extra crunch but taste was on point. The slice of tomato was a complementary touch. I found the waffle to be soggy by the time it touched our table, probably due to the "caramelized" walnuts and banana which were really just soaked in syrup. Taste was pleasant but not spectacular. Overall, moderate experience with great service. I could get a better Benedict at a lot of other places which was the highlight.

Everything you could want in a local breakfast diner. The service was friendly and incredibly fast. Laid back atmosphere where everyone was having a great time. We arrived at 10 am and there was only a 10 minute wait. Parking is very limited on the street though. The food was great. Classic lox bagel and French toast. Hash browns that are actually mashed potatoes. Actually pretty good. Food came out in 5 minutes. The iced coffee was meh but self serve coffee bar meant an easy fix with milk and syrups. Prices are reasonable and the portions are big.

Many people dream of a world of peace; some people dream of power. However, I am a simple man, and I dream of home fries. Succulent, slightly fried pieces of potato with just the right amount of seasoning. I do NOT dream of gray slabs of grilled mash, labeled as "home fries". As for the main dishes, why I was taken aback. I ordered Jimmy's Moroccan Eggs, while my partner ordered a breakfast burrito. Both were a dishonor to Jimmy and Mexican cuisine everywhere. Worse still, and I do not say this lightly... there was even an eggshell in my food. It ruined my appetite, if not my whole day. Heard that the sweet food was pretty good tho, and my standards are dirt low frfr. Will probably be back

I had the turkey club with a side of homefries tbh too much oil 7.5/10 would still eat again tho periodt!

Big fan of SB. Always keeps me coming back...even when you walk by the place next door with a similar menu. It's tempting but familiarity wins out. Self serve coffee and traditional eggs Benny...with a side of SB "mashed" browns. Only remark is that the potato portion seemed flatter and smaller than in the past. But still crispy and tasty. My only regret is that I didn't get a grilled muffin this time.

Food here was extremely disappointing. My waffle was so soaked in juice from the grey strawberries they put on top that it disintegrated into mush on the plate. Stuffed french toast was underwhelming and kinda stale-feeling. Coffee is serve yourself, which i liked and was standard diner quality. Waitstaff were perfectly pleasant and the ambiance was good. It wasn't too crowded compared to neighboring places, which is how we ended up here, but I'd say brave the wait elsewhere for good food :( Price felt high given the low quality of the meal, but pretty comparable to places around. For the two meals, a side of home fries, and coffees we paid around $50 after tip.

Love Sound Bites! They have a massive menu with so many options and its the perfect place to meet friends for brunch. The cocktails could have been a bit stronger but I still enjoyed my mimosa and espresso martini. I love that they have a coffee bar where you can make your coffee yourself to be sure its exactly how you like it. I had a chorizo omelet that was delicious, and my friend and I shared a chocolate chip pancake that was perfect. I wasn't a huge fan of the breakfast potatoes which are served as sort of a mashed potato cake, rather than home fries, but it was fine. I definitely recommend Sound Bites!

Love the self serve coffee station. Great selections of brews. My favorite choco raspberry. My College daughter loves this place. Portions are huge n everything is fresh. We love coming here whenever we come to visit her. Eggs Benedict w perfectly poached eggs. You know how hard it is to poach an egg? Extremely hard. The mashed potatoes were sooo good. People next to us had the expresso martini, i was jealous! she said it was excellent! I would have one but I was driving home . Next time. Prices are reasonable. The cushion seats could use a makeover though. Some spots were ripped. But the food is excellent n don't need and changes .

Good coffee. Nice omelets and blueberry pancakes. Sat by open doors, nice breeze on a hot day. Great place.

This place changed ownership recently so I thought I would give it another try as the previous owners turned out a fair-at-best product, but had solid service. Today I had the worst breakfast food and experience at a diner. Nobody came to my table to take my order for 15 min. Order was wrong and had to send it back. The new order came out only to be undercooked, cold unmelted cheese in the omelet, which then made the entire dish lukewarm. The home fries were cooked well but had a strange taste via some sort of unknown spice. The English muffin was like rubber because it is not even close to being reasonably toasted. No real iced coffee exists albeit on the menu. It is steaming hot coffee that they expect you to pour over ice in a clear solo cup. Imagine the chemicals leaching from that interaction. I picked at the food and maybe ate 1/3 of it and pushed it away in disgust. There are plenty of other places. Moving on. This place is not a NO, it is a NEVER.

Space is good, we were seated 5 minutes after our arrival, we got the food 10 minutes from putting the order but it took them a while to come take the order. Food is delicious and portions are very good, big.

We had a nice brunch here today. Good drinks, eggs were cooked perfectly and the staff is incredibly friendly, helpful and fast!

Sound Bites... Food & Fun! What an extensive menu offering so many fresh home made options for all tastes. We all had all different omelets that were packed with fresh ingredients. I loved my Green Egg white omelet with their signature home fries. We washed our meals down with freshly squeezed OJ screwdrivers. Delish! The experience was definitely enhanced by the owner Yasser! He took our order and took his time to interact and really show us a good time with a TON of personality. We really enjoyed the whole experience.

Had the fried chicken Benny and it was pretty bad. The eggs were overcooked, the chicken was dry, and the hollandaise tasted off. Not quite off enough to make me throw it away but definitely off. The home fries were mostly fine but there were some pieces that were rock hard and inedible. It also included a surprise orange slice which was nice. Given the mostly positive reviews, I might give this place one more try but I'm definitely staying away from that hollandaise.

The Broadway bowl was chefs kiss I got it delivered and the presentation was i can't imagine what it would be like to be at the restaurant in person, but if the delivery looked amazing it would look even better Fredy served on a plate!

Ordered on ubereats so this may not represent the real dine in experience. I ordered the broadway bowl: the over easy eggs are over cooked. Other ingredients are poorly assembled in the box: a bunch of pepper and onion on top of some kinda mashed potato bedding. There is zero flavor to the dish. Probably you will need to add salt and pepper yourself. Goat cheese stuffed French toast: good portion but the French toast is extremely dry. May taste better when it's fresh out of the oven and you will need to add a ton of butter to moisturize it and syrup to add flavors... Moroccan eggs are basically poached eggs with lots of peppers and onions. The portion looks huge but mainly made up with tasteless diced pepper, onion and tomato.

Always a pleasure a go-to spot amidst a growing neighborhood with a forthcoming Green Line T stop Great quality service and meal. We enjoyed a special mushroom with Boursin omelette and their signature coconut encrusted French Toast. Multi-flavored self-serve coffee bar with mugs. Fortunately ahead of the rush and line. One of these days we'll be back to check out their bar and dinner menu.

Doesn't look like much when you pass by but boy is the food good! We like the fact that it's family-owned (we like to support small businesses) and the service is super attentive! The portions are more then plentiful, the eggs are fluffy, the toasted muffin is delicious, the French toast super yummy and they have real orange juice (freshly squeezed not the packaged "fresh" yuckyness!) For us and added bonus was the fact that the coffee is black with no added frills and you can top up for free! Definitely recommend!

This kills me to write But don't waste your time or money going to Sound Bites anymore. The new owner absolutely ruined the place. Food and service use to be 10/10 everytime now the food is bland, oily and to be honest just plain gross. (They also got ride of their FAMOUS home fries!) Don't even get me started on the service although it's completely understandable now why the good people left. Doesn't make sense why the new guy would want to change something that wasn't broken. Won't be back, go to Kelly's if you want to have a good experience

Unfortunately we made the mistake of choosing the restaurant where there was no wait. Next time we'll go next-door where we might wait a little bit longer for a table. It was nice to have outdoor dining and the inside is quite spacious but the food was nothing to come back for. Ordered what we thought was their version of a shakShuka But it was really oily puddle of diced tomatoes onions and peppers. I'll look for another option next time we are in the area

There are not enough good things I can say about Sound Bites! It's the local, small town diner that you know always has a table waiting for you. The staff starts to get to know you and your order and is always happy to see you walk in. It's a restaurant that no matter where you're from, it feels like you're back home at your favorite diner. The food is exquisite! The portions are huge and guarantee your plate will always have leftovers on it. The pancakes are huge and done perfectly, the grilled muffin is mouth watering, fantastic home fries, and so much more. I cannot rave enough about Sound Bites! It's the best home-style brunch in Boston for those good ol' slow Sunday mornings.

Chicken & Waffles for me. Eggs Benedict's, combo plate #1 for my friends. Self serve cold beverages. Staff very friendly. Food was amazing. How been here several times. Food always good.

If you wake up on a weekend morning craving an awesome brunch, Sound Bites will satisfy. We came around 11:30 AM expecting to wait - we had even built it into our schedule for the day - and were so surprised when our group of 2 was seated in just about 5 minutes! The place is pretty large, so especially if your party is on the smaller size, the waits aren't necessarily outrageous. If you are waiting, it can still be a pleasant one since you can go inside to pour yourself some coffee. I was pleasantly surprised to find different coffee flavors like hazelnut and pumpkin spice as well as almond milk! Now on to the food. The menu is pretty large and covers all of your brunchy essentials along with some unique specials. We opted for the corned beef hash benedict and the cream cheese and fig jam stuffed French toast (special). The meaty hash laced with red peppers is a must-try! The perfectly poached eggs with hollandaise on top really brought the dish together. We were pretty surprised by the "home fries" which seemed more like mashed potatoes, but they were still tasty. The French toast comes on great bread, and the cream cheese & fig filling was the perfect ratio. The portion was huge, and it was perfect to go splitsies and enjoy a savory-sweet morning meal.

Love sound bites. It's always very quick and very yummy. Their menu is pretty extensive and they have a little bit of everything for everyone. Sometimes there's a wait but never usually that long. Parking can be a little tricky at prime hours but it's super close to the newish ball square green line stop!

Standard diner fare, omelette had a lot of filling which was nice, but it didn't really stick together as an omelette and was light on the egg relative to the filling. Fast and casual service with friendly patrons, the woman next to me chatted me up. She said she liked to frequent the diner because the people are so nice. Food wasn't memorable but the company was!

Very nice neighborhood spot! Especially for brunch! My husband and I went last Saturday and we really enjoyed the food! They sit us right away. They have self-service drinks and a a very big menu!!! We tried fried chicken egg Benedict, crab egg Benedict and French toast filled with jelly and cream! We loved everything!! Prices are reasonable! We will be back!!

Came in when I saw a sign for breakfast served all day and fresh squeezed orange juice. The orange juice was really good, but the rest of the breakfast was just regular. Adding an English muffin (not that tasty) or bacon (small portion) isn't worth it. The griddled mashed potatoes are good. Maybe the more adventurous breakfast choices are the way to go... The caramelizad peach French toast with mascarpone special sounded really good. I went in at an off time- but it was kind of a weird atmosphere. Staff was chatting loudly. Later, the lights dimmed a little to show a sports game on the projector.

My wife & kids and I love it. Great vibe and location. And the food? Purty darn good, too.

Just amazing fly overpriced, not sure who they think k they are charging $20 for an eggs Benedict with hash...but it's delicious -- except when it's not (which is about 20% of the time the execution doesn't come remotely close to the pricing which can be a huge disappointment when u decide to splurge for something g otherwise really good

Such a cute place! I went in on a whim looking for a ginger tea with honey and they had that plus more. The staff is very sweet. I visited on a Saturday morning and it was busy. You make your own tea/coffee in the back and I loved that. Next time I'll try the food too.

The place is an institution of breakfast happiness in Somerville. I would avoid going there on the weekends between 10am-12pm. Order the hash! It's made with fresh corn beef not that canned crap. My partner always gets the french toast with lot of strawberries and whipped cream. It looks good however I am sweet enough on a good day.

Today was a little chilly outside ,there was a long line outside of this restaurant. We went inside to give our names, we were welcomed with smiles and told that we could grab a cup of coffee or tea as we waited outside. We waited for about 10 minutes. We were then seated at the bar and we were handed menus. My daughter and I placed our orders. Wow the food looked amazing! It didn't take long to get our food. (I thought it would be a while because the place was packed). The waiter checked on us to see how the food was and if we needed anything. This is definitely the place you want to eat at if you want to feel as though you are home. Everything tasted really, really good! People looked happy as they were eating. There were people representing various cultures which made this place a comfortable environment! Their menu has something for everybody. We will definitely come back! Thank you for offering us this positive experience!

I wanted to like this place and thought it was a sure thing with the 4-star review, but not for breakfast. A few pros, I like the coffee bar idea and there's fresh squeezed juice and the chicken and waffles was good too. Cons, there was nothing scrumptious about the scone, tasteless and very dry. The eggs and omelette (not pictured) were bland and the veggies were undercooked and finally the hash browns were mushy and under seasoned.

Another overrated diner. Don't get me wrong, we had a nice breakfast here. The food was good- not spectacular but still good. I ordered the Jalapeño Lovers omelette with sour cream on the side. My sour cream was forgotten by my server but I did not bother to correct them. The omelette was loaded and packed with fresh avocado which was nice but other than that there was no sauce or real flavor. The potato hash was more like fried mash potatoes and I was digging it. My omelette was about $14. I mean the food was good and you get a large quantity, but I can make this omelette at home, you know? It wasn't anything special for $14. If you want water or coffee, it is self serve inside the restaurant. Our servers were fast and friendly. Usually there is a wait here but we came around 8 am and had no problems with any lines. We won't be back here. There are just plenty of awesome breakfast spots that serve more innovative flavorful breakfast meals for the same price.

Went with some friends on a suggestion from a friend... Got breakfast, LOVE that you can serve yourself beverages, Im a thirsty girl and that is the biggest thing for me, Hot/Cold, Everything, you can just keep drinking - I think more places should adapt this! Food, the menu is EXTENSIVE, there is something for everyone & Portion size and option was crazy. I have a thing for Ham & Cheese Omelets, I didn't love this one, and I know it sounds weird, but there was too much meat, and it was BIG, HUGE pieces, and the ratio wasn't equal to cheese, so it was a disappointment. I heard things about the Blueberry Muffin and I also wasn't wowed, it was good, but DENSE and not really warm which could have helped with the thickness. Everything else was delish, service was great, atmosphere was great. I would def come back, but just change the way I order a bit, and possibly request certain things be different!

Soundbites is an essential Boston (Somerville) breakfast joint with classic local diner flare and a hipster edge. In pre-COVID times, it was almost impossible to get a table here. However, with COVID spikes keeping many people at home, we took the opportunity to come out (SAFELY) for a delicious breakfast. We ordered the granola, yogurt, and fruit bowl to start. I ordered the jalapeño omelette, and Matt ordered the Broadway bowl with scrambled eggs and a side of corned beef hash (lol). My omelette was kind of lack luster, and it wasn't just because I ordered egg whites. The cheese wasn't fully melted, and it was a little cold on the inside. It wasn't very spicy and there were very few jalapeños in it. I expected a little more on this visit, but I know everyone is operating a little differently these days. I'll be back once lockdowns and restrictions are lifted for the full experience. The menu is full of so many other interesting options - they have everything from Benedicts, seafood omelettes, Mexican omelettes, waffles, French toast, and most importantly, you can get a side of almost anything you want - smoked salmon, corned beef, eggs, etc. The food is portions are massive, and you won't have to worry about leaving hungry.   We ordered coffee, which was strong and good. They have dairy alternatives, like almond milk. The orange juice was fresh squeezed. I eyed some of the cocktails which also looked really good - specifically the black cherry mimosa with luxardo cherries.

I love this neighborhood spot! I didn't realize they have a back patio til I went today. This is a sit down service restaurant, but you have to grab your own coffee and waters from the back corner area. While I'm fine doing this, this area can get a little chaotic when busy. Short stack of chocolate chip pancakes was a great size and the side of mashed home fries is especially good with hot sauce.

I love the atmosphere, the waitstaff , the extensive menu . (You should try the breakfast bowl. ) I like getting my own coffee. It's set up to get your own drink because there are so many choices! Just go there. It's the perfect place for BREAKFAST LOVERS!

Apparently there is new ownership and things are already starting off all wrong. Took away their claim to fame mashed browns, food was flavorless and tasted oil soaked. I used to love this place but there is a reason it is currently 50 percent off on Uber eats, it's gross!

I took my family here for lunch-3 kids under 11, 3 adults, 2 teens. Most of them are underwhelmed by the burgers; both commented that the buns were charred, beef a bit dry. Fries were not very crispy but ok. My niece had the Turkey burger and was also underwhelmed. I had the Mediterranean Plate 1 and i thought it was good and a large portion. I'd give it a 4 because the tabouli had no flavor. Sister had the Moroccan eggs which she gave a 3. Everyone was a bit confused by the statement in the menu that said drinks were self serve but the server did not explain this. Nephew loved his egg and cheese sandwich and hot chocolate.