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101 Diner
Category: Restaurants Diners Diners [Edit]
552 S Coast Hwy 101Encinitas, CA 92024
Neighborhood: Encinitas
(760) 753-2123
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 6 am - 1:30 pm
Sat-Sun 6 am - 2 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for 101 Diner
Review Highlights
"The diner had unique variations on eggs benedict."
(in 25 reviews)
"Some of the best breakfast items I have ever had."
(in 9 reviews)
"I highly recommend the Acai Bowl for you healthy folks."
(in 5 reviews)
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Claudia H.
Whittier, CA
12/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
101 It is always on my "to do" list when driving to the SD area. They always fulfill the three "F's": Fresh, Filling and Fantastic and my spanish "B's": Bueno, Bonito, y Barato. Make sure you look at their daily specials. They change everyday. My favorite dish their has to be the Carne asada California Eggs Benidict which is a house special and not an everyday menu item. It's basically the California Eggs Benidict with avocado, carne asada and tomato. Yummy!
The second time we went, we all tried different dishes. I had their hawaiian pancakes which are pancakes with fresh bananas and pineapple chunks in them topped with coconut syrup. Sounded great but once I tried them, I noticed the syrup was too thick and too sweet. My daughter had their apple pancakes which basically tasted like apple pie. Good- in moderation or else, the sweetness will get to you. My husband had the machaca omlette which was out of this world!! The sauce was not spicey and it was perfectly cooked. This place is only open half the day so check hours of business. It is SO worth trying! -
Review from Fabi E.
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
2/2/2012
Been here twice now for breakfast. Had the Eggs Benedict both times. Not the best I've ever had, but right up there. The Ho-Made Hollandaise is perfectly emulsified with just a hint of lemon, Canadian Bacon is cut thick and the English Muffins had a great chew. The potatoes they come with are fluffy and tasty, if slightly under seasoned. I asked for them well done both times - once they came out with a super dark, crispy exterior and a cloud-like middle. Yum! The second time not as good as the first, but still pretty darned good.
Servers are cute little surfer chicks. Very nice, laid back and friendly. Pretty quick on the food.
My only beef with this place was that both times I went, they had Crab Cake Bennies on the Specials board...and both times were sold out.
Great little diner for breakfast. -
Review from Taufiq H.
Chicago, IL
Nice
Eat outside
Polish Kilbasa sausage with eggs go well -
Review from Ted O.
Oceanside, CA
2/6/2012
Great food, service can be spotty sometimes, specially when they're busy. But awesome overall. Great outdoor patio on Coast Highway when it's warm. Highly recommend the California Eggs Benedict and the German pancakes.
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Review from Michael B.
Nashville, TN
1/18/2012
Went for breakfast on a Tuesday morning around 9:30 AM. No wait and the food arrived almost instantly. Great Eggs Benedict (The California to be exact). Didn't really try anything else. Solid coffee, nice staff. This is a locals type place with a lot of early morning surfers carbing up before they head to the water. Not CoCo's or Denny's, this is where you want to go. Highly recommended and priced very reasonably...
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Review from Jonathan Y.
Seattle, WA
10/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The breakfast at the 101 Diner is out of this world good. There is generally always a line out the door. I've been here 3 times in the last three years, so finally decided to write a review.
The Acai berry bowl is like 'healthy' ice cream surrounded by nuts, oats, and a bunch of other good stuff. it's also a very generous portion, so it will fill you up.
The Eggs/bacon/hasbrowns/sausage are all very, very good. Some of the best breakfast items I have ever had. The eggs benedict specifically is awesome. Every breakfast place I visit I always get the eggs benedict first, as a litmus test for the quality I can expect. The hollandaise sauce is very rich, but not over poweringly-so. The english muffins were crisp and thick.
I'm always right in line for the place when I visit CA. A must if you are visiting, and an obvious choice if you already live here.
My favorite breakfast place, bar none. -
Review from Lisa V.
Palo Alto, CA
1/22/2012
I love this place. They have the best lunches at unbelievable prices. I would come here everyday if I could but they close at 2pm on weekends so it doesn't always work out... I've only eaten outdoors and it's very nice to sit outside. They have the best tuna salads and sandwiches I've ever had. Very healthy and fresh and the salad is great too. You can also bring your dog if you're going to sit outside. Best lunch in San Diego!
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Review from T G.
Los Angeles, CA
10/4/2011
Went here for breakfast on the way home from San Diego last week, and absolutely loved it. There was all kind of good stuff on the menu, but I wound up going with the monte cristo sandwich. It's hard to go wrong with the egg-battered thousand-calorie masterpiece, and the 101 Diner's did not disappoint. And their "ho-made" fries were delicious as well. I couldn't stop eating them. My lady had an omelette with "ho-made" salsa, and loved that as well. Whoever that ho is does quite a job!
Prices were very reasonable, and service was quick and friendly as well. I'll definitely go back here if I'm ever in the area and in need of a delicious, large, and affordable breakfast! -
Review from Michael W.
La Verne, CA
UGHHHHHHHH.....
I dont like breakfast!
Seriously I dont get why people would want to eat piles of eggs and flat pieces of dough covered in tree sap.
Yes I am special.
So me and my mom are going down to SD for two days so she can try some new things and I can see a friend on the way.
We get about halfway there and need to eat.
So through Yelp and deciding that we needed somewhere close we ended up here.
All the staff here could like totally be models its crazy...and makes me want to eat healthy.
I got a grilled turkey jalapenos and cheese sandwich for 7 something.
I then learned they wont make fries until 11
GAHHHHHHHH.......
So I get a cup of tortilla soup instead.
It was ok. It had cumin in it (my culinary nemesis) so that could have been why.
Then came the star of the show!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Yeah I know that's what I thought.
Most boring sandwich ever.
Luckily the jalapenos cheese and meat together made it a ok sandwich nothing exciting.
I was told the breakfast was ok too. Nothing amazing.
Sorry 101 I think I will pass next time (you wont miss me with all the locals anyways).Listed in: Tourist in San Diego!, Breakfast Hating
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Review from Kara R.
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
6/26/2011
hmmmm........where to go for breakfast on Sunday morning? We figured we would try this place since it's so close to home.
WOW! the best breakfast I have had in north county yet! We sat at the counter and watched 3 guys cook on a line like I have never seen. Two fleas couldn't have danced in the space that these guys worked in. Our waitress was super sweet, coffee was refilled before it was half empty and kinda shocked how quick and efficient they were.
Looks like we found our new breakfast spot! -
Review from Davene M.
Yuma, AZ
11/14/2011
Other than the wait sometimes cuz this place is SO POPULAR this place ROCKS. We live in AZ and everytime we are in the San Diego area we try to go eat bfast here b 4 we go home. Small, out of the way and BUSY but the food is great, service is phenomenal cuz all the wait staff is so great and all of them are so cute and friendly. Cant beat it for breakfast but b ready to WAIT to b seated if u show up on a weekend but definitely worth it.
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Review from Pepper P.
Oceanside, CA
11/15/2011
Fun, beachy diner. Average burgers, good service, stop here if you're hungry for a diner meal. Not much more to say... This may be a Coast Highway icon. Not sure.
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Review from Katherine B.
Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA
3/12/2011
If you are searching for a respectable hearty breakfast, this is really a excellent location to go. It's a bit smaller, but the food is fantastic and comes in good-sized portions.
The waitstaff is friendly sufficient, although it'll get congested on particular days. I wouldn't suggest it to people who are in a hurry. But in case you like to take your time over breakfast or lunch with buddies and family, this is the spot to go to. -
Review from Will G.
Encinitas, CA
5/26/2011
Probably my favorite breakfast spot! Great location, obviously because they are located in downtown Enci!!! Parking is a breeze and the beach is one block West!
I have the biggest crush on one of the waitress'. Total down to earth, surfer girl with the cutest smile, not to mention she always brings me awesome food!!
They consistently serve awesome breakfast. I have never had an experience that wasn't good. 90 percent of the great experience is due to their awesome food and the other 10 percent is for their sweet staff!!!
If you want to sit outside on the 101, enjoy some great food, awesome service and people watch, then check them out!!! -
Review from Kelly S.
Silver Lake, CA
2/21/2011
Just happened to stumble upon this place by randomly pulling over on the way from L.A. to San Diego to try and find a cafe to get breakfast.
We had the special eggs benedict with shaved ham and jalapeno cilantro hollandaise and an omelet (I can't remember the name) that had veggies and feta. We were really impressed. Super fresh ingredients and cooked perfectly.
And we couldn't believe how reasonable the prices were. These dishes were under $8 each. What a shocker - guess we are used to L.A. prices.
Service was friendly and the place had a nice vibe about it. We sat outside and the service was nice and attentive. Pet friendly too.
Four stars because the one of us ordered the fruit as our side and we were unpleasantly surprised to find that it had canned (!) peaches and pineapple in it along with not-so-fresh cut fruit. Seemed very odd considering the use of such fresh ingredients in the breakfast entrees.
Still think it was a great unexpected find. Will definitely stop here again next time we make the L.A. to S.D. trek. -
Review from Kawika D.
Del Mar, CA
9/7/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Love the home cook meal and the family feeling.
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Review from Courtney M.
Encinitas, CA
9/21/2011
Nothing special. Good food, menu just like any other diner. Reminds me of a johnny rockets... french fries, burgers and grilled cheese recommended. The restaurant is small!
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Review from HJ H.
San Diego, CA
1/30/2011
I've been seeing this restaurant whenever I passed by with bike, and finally tried it in this weekend. I ordered California Eggs Benedict with my friend's recommendation. I chose tomato and avocado instead of bacon, cottage cheese instead of french fry as side option. well, it was very light and healthy protein breakfast, yet still yummy. I enjoyed every bite of breakfast. I also liked the taste of ham which was served with other egg dish my friend ordered..
Well, most of time I suffered weird stomach feeling after eggs benedict and thought I might have an issue with Hollandaise sauce. but I learned today that it was not the case since I did not suffer any weird stomach feeling after this breakfast. still wonder why.. anyway, service was very gentle, nice, and prompt. Our waitress did not interrupt our conversation, yet provided attention as we needed. Price is very reasonable as well. -
Review from Jonny J.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2011
A nice little breakfast spot up from the beach on the main street in Encinitas. A friendly staff, a diner environment, accompanied by good food. The chorizo scramble with homemade salsa hit the spot. Quick service and a solid breakfast...I will be back!
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Review from Sf Momm Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/17/2011
Cute, fun, kid-friendly, super good, and great service.
We traveled up to north county on our way to the botanic garden (review follows) and had a super good breakfast on Sunday morning.
Quick service, great coffee, and good food... they have the basics down! We were thinking about going to the place across the street, but opted for this place for its many reviews.
Their mugs are cute, too... with lots of local advertisers on them. What a great idea!
If you're up in north county, it's definitely worth a stop... I do love that things are listed as 'Ho-made'. -
Review from robert b.
Encinitas, CA
8/30/2011
I cant remember a breakfast food as good as the one I got at the 101 cafe this weekend! The carne asada eggs Benedict was so good! I have been raving about it to all who will listen.
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Review from Damien B.
Palm Springs, CA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're in Encinitas this is a must for breakfast. Hands down one of the best I've had in a long time. Highly recommended!
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Review from Leo I.
11/27/2010 2 Check-ins Here
An Encinitas staple. Good classic diner. The french toast was just okay. I think the waitress built it up too much in my mind. She did say that she was somewhat of a french toast connoisseur and that this was the best french toast in the area.
Be that as it may, it's still just 'okay' in my book. I must be some sort of french toast diva! I even think the french toast I make at home is better.
Still, this place is pretty solid. Good milkshakes, excellent eggs benedict, and other diner classics. -
Review from Sueann N.
Escondido, CA
8/28/2011
They have great food!! I love there ACAI fruit bowl.. It's the best here... got to try there food..
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Review from Deb D.
Austin, TX
5/7/2011
My grand daughter and I were visiting my son and his wife who are the new owners of the bike shop right across the street - Ride Cyclery - and they took us to breakfast at the 101 Diner. It was so good! We sat out front ( but had to be careful where we put our chairs...something to do with the fire codes ). My grand daughter had the stuffed french toast that looked incredible. I opted for an old favorite corned beef hash and eggs over easy with rye toast. The hash seemed home made and was very good. They also offer a healthy breakfast with granola, fruit, and frozen acai if you don't want to feel your arteries snapping shut! Great place. Can't wait to go back and visit the kids and have another meal at the 101 Diner!
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Review from Michele J.
San Diego, CA
7/9/2011
One of the best breakfast in town! They make a wonderful chicken machaca! But only a few times a month so call! You will love it!
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Review from Kaylen K.
Stafford, VA
8/29/2010
My husband said that this was the best breakfast that he's ever eaten. I would tie it for best with Hash House A Go Go. Get here early, because there will be a line!
We ordered:
Blueberry Pancakes - Amazing. Huge, moist, delicious and just amazing.
Bacon, Spinach, Mushroom Omelet - filled with yummy, thick-cut bacon and has toppings in every bite. The best omelet I've ever had.
Corned Beef Hash - Delicious. Super flavorful and a side order is perfect for sharing!
Home Fries - I asked them to make them crunchy because she said they came soft. They were really good!
My husband got the special of the day - Crab cake Benedict, and he said it was amazing. A great crab cake with great hollandaise sauce.
Everything was great and the prices were definitely reasonable. I would go back in a heartbeat. -
Review from Helaana C.
Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Updated - 3/5/2010
From the Owner of the 101 Diner- Further proof why I will never go here and I advise you spend your money somewhere where you don't get harassing emails from the owner. See below. I received this after mentioning them in another yelp review.
scott s.
Block User
2 minutes ago
You've banned the 101 Diner? Then we've banned you. Make sure and wear that goofy hat when you try to sneak back in here, so we can recognize you and 86 you properly.
The 101 Diner1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/30/2008
The 101 Diner takes traditional greasy diner dishes and makes them with heart and soul. This place… Read more »
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Review from Steven M.
6/3/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I've been hitting this place up for breakfast at least once a week now. I have to so, Encinitas does have some of the best breakfast places around and plenty of them for some reason...go Encinitas.
Love sitting outside on Highway 101 and watching the foot traffic and the car traffic go by. Service is decent (7/10) and the food, its (8/10). I'm giving the place 4 stars overall for consistent service and quality of their food.
Try the pancakes and of course their eggs/bacon and potato breakfast, can't go wrong with that. -
Review from Alton H.
Oceanside, CA
4/2/2009
If your stomach was a person it would be kicking your ass for not going to this place right now.
We go here on the weekends for stellar breakfast. They have all the basics and more. There's a "specials" list each morning that consists of things like "Carne Asada Benedict" and an assortment of pancakes filled with awesome. If you like hollandaise sauce you might want to get your cholesterol checked right now because its going to be going up the next time you go here.
It's located in the last sleepy beach town in San Diego County. The staff is friendly and the food is great. You can even bring your dog and sit on the patio if you want. It's my favorite breakfast spot in San Diego. -
Review from Justin T.
Studio City, CA
9/2/2008
So I've only been here one time, but I've often thought about moving to Encinitas because of the 101 Diner. No, that's not true LOL, but the food is really good. My wife and I had the Eggs Benedict (which rocked) and this special-of-the-day Acai fruit bowl. Amazing.
I'd recommend you try it, and if it weren't for the distance between us, I would be there much more often. The wait was a little long, but we could see why once we took our first bite. The servers and staff are really chill and laid back and give great recommendations if it's your first time also.
Give them a shot, you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Julie G.
Berkeley, CA
11/2/2006
This is your typical diner complete with vintage signs that offer root-beer floats for 10 cents. They do a great breakfast and lunch in the greasy spoon style. Every time I have been there it's been very busy. On most occasions there is at least a 15 minute wait, but I've only been on the weekends for brunch.
When I crave that cream-cheesed stuffed French toast this is my first choice. Tuna melt is scrumptious and they make a really great spinach salad believe it or not with homemade poppyseed dressing.
Nice people, not terribly clean but fun nonetheless. Try to get the waiter that brings out the dinosaurs and then has dinosaur wars right at your table. -
Review from Teak L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/10/2009
Final Decision: If I had a long night of partying, I would definitely have the omelets here...
So the GF and I desired some brunch and she heard of this spot from her sister, so why not give it a try. We arrived and found a couple of tables available so we sat outside and viewed the pedestrians that passed by gawking at other tables and the food ordered.
Service - good, attentative, almost forgot the GF OJ, but apologized and got it out quickly.
Food ordered: had some difficulty, fairly extensive breakfast menu and various daily specials that all seemed very enticing.
Apple baked pancakes - sounds darn good, looks even better on the plate, but didn't taste like a pancake. Consistency tastes more like a pastry or doughnut. Though the consistency was unexpected the flavors were very tasty. The GF preferred my dish though.
California omelet - had bacon, mushroom, green peppers, spinach, garlic, jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. This was very tasty, great fresh ingredients. Omelet wasn't fluffy, but packed with all the above ingredients. Ordered potatoes and sourdough toast. The potatoes were made in a form of a hash which was nice and crisp all the way through. Probably one of the best breakfast omelets I had in the area.
Food was relatively good, the location was nice, I would definitely come back again, for the omelet or a different breakfast pancake dish. -
Review from Marti C.
5/9/2010
Just visited on Good Friday. The diner is small but mighty. We arrived at 11:30 and were seated immediately inside, outside was packed. The menu is vast with lots of great egg and sandwich menu choices.
We opted for lunch, but breakfast is served all day. I had the turkey club and my friend had the Rueben. Both sandwiches were excellent and the fries were great.
However, after we'd been there for like 35 minutes they began to close up shop. Tables outside were brought inside and stacked up. All condiments from the tables were pulled. We were never rushed but in like 10 minutes we were the only customers. Strange. The web site said nothing about closing early for the holiday. No idea.
The food was good, service was a bit sparse, but overall good. I'd go back and give breakfast a chance. -
Review from Ivan D.
San Marcos, CA
10/6/2008
I tried this place out thanks to our fellow Yelpers. Took a run on the coast with the girlfriend and stopped here afterwards. It was around 11:00am on a Monday so we had no problem getting a table outside. The place is quite small, but what in downtown Encinitas isn't? Located right next to El Q'ero which is also the bomb.
I had the eggs benedict special(shaved ham with a jalapeno/cilantro hollandaise sauce) and the GF had a chili omelet and we ordered a side of corned beef hash. My Eggs Benedict was quite good and the GF raved about her omelet. The portions were quite big(the omelet was huge!). The corned beef hash was tasty, but it was a little on the mushy side...i like it crispier on the outside.
We brought our dog with no problems(see review on Broken Yolk-Carlsbad). People at the outside tables were friendly, overall a great experience.
The rest of the menu looked great also, i can't wait to try more of it. I think we found our Sunday regular stop off!!(sorry pizza port....i have met another!!)
I"ll update my review if any other dishes are do not miss.... -
Review from Danielle J.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 8/17/2009 3 photos
Another great experience at 101 Diner. Their coffee is so good and their asparagus scramble is very tasty!
Boyfriend ordered the special eggs benedict (the specialty there) with cilantro jalapeno hollandaise and he loved it. They poach their eggs perfectly so that the yolk drizzles right down and saturates the english muffin, etc. Their potatoes are nice and crispy and their homemade salsa is basically life-changing.
The service was great and the guy manning the wait-list was not only super friendly, but totally on it. One lady who was just relaxing at one of the prime tables outside while she waited for the rest of her party was asked to move and free up that table so that we could sit down and enjoy a fabulous Sunday morning brunch.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/14/2009
I went here on sunday morning and the wait was a hefty 45 minutes for outside seating along highway… Read more »
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Review from Paul C.
San Diego, CA
10/7/2008
You can expect to get some things when you come here. 1) Breakfast that you can be proud to show off, but are more excited to eat , 2) A friendly staff that offers great recommendations and banter, 3) Lots of locals, a good sign as far as I'm concerned.
The milkshake is tasty and comes with the classic side metal tin of the overflow. The sirloin steak salad is huge. I think there was a half a cow and a whole head of lettuce in the bowl. The corned beef hash was outstanding. Brunch for the two of us was about $25. Not bad for the steak salad, hash, milkshake, and a soda.
We sat at the bar and didn't have a wait at all. But if you want to sit at a table, busy weekend mornings could lead to some extended waiting times. -
Review from Ricki U.
Encinitas, CA
9/8/2008
The Best breakfast place in town. Great Omlettes,eggs benadict,german baked apple pancakes, pancakes,french toast and I can go on and on.
The food is fantastic and the waiting staff is unbelievable. Going to 101 is like the show "Cheers" Everybody knows your name.
If you pass through our town make sure you visit 101 and see how us locals live, you'll be happy you did.
Look for the owner Scott ,and tell him Ricki sent you. -
Review from Brendon D.
Long Beach, CA
12/26/2009
No frills and does it right.
We rolled here after camping and surfing. It was cold and we need some serious breakfast. The 101 delivered with that special touch that only local diners know how to give.
They have front patio seating on the sidewalk and a counter. We sat at the counter. You get to watch the guys work the hot plate when you sit at the counter. I love watching that sort of stuff.
We had:
Acai Bowl: order the small. It looks like an XL. I'd say order it and split it among a few people in addition to normal breakfast order
Eggs over medium & wheat toast: Standard, but the bread was amazing. They guy said it was from San Diego Bakery.
I'd say go here for a great casual breakfast.
Don't half step. Sit at the counter and have a good conversation with the big dewd. He's super nice. -
Review from David G.
Scottsdale, AZ
6/22/2011
Friendly and accommodating wait staff. Very good for kids. Food was very quick and good quality.
