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Auntie Em's Kitchen
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
4616 Eagle Rock BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90041
Neighborhood: Eagle Rock
(323) 255-0800
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
848 reviews for Auntie Em's Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"The MOST incredible red velvet cupcakes." In 153 reviews -
"An abundance of incredible cream cheese frosting." In 66 reviews -
"I also tried the orange french toast and it's amazing." In 32 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
847 reviews in English
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Review from E S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/9/2012
This review is for the CUPCAKES only. (Though I've been here for breakfast two times and its awesome, I want to speak only to the cupcakes now.)
What I like about Auntie Em's cupcakes are that they come in two sizes-
Mini (perfect for 1 person who doesn't want to get super fat)
or
CRAZY LARGE (perfect for two people to share, or one person who really wants to get fat.)
I went with 3 minis to taste the rainbow (and share w/ someone!!!) Chocolate chocolate, Red Velvet & Chocolate Peanut butter.
Chocolate chocolate- wow! What a huge decedent head of frosting on this mother! Its almost like a chocolate ganache its so rich and chocolatey. Not overly sugary, mind you. The chocolate cake part was super moist and delicious. Well done!
Red Velvet- Hmm. The cream-cheesy frosting on top was also very thick, but it didn't quite taste as good as some other frostings I've had. Maybe too dense for this cupcake? The cake, however, was again super moist and really flavorful. I devoured the whole thing.
Chocolate Peanut butter- Again, the frosted head does not disappoint. Very peanut buttery and the cake was perfectly bouncy and moist though not oily.
I should also note that the nice man ringing me up at the front counter couldn't have been more helpful. Their cheese shop with all sorts of amazing classy ass jams should be purchased when creating a gift basket for someone, or just when you really want a raspberry habenero jam.
Enjoy people! -
Review from samantha f.
Los Angeles, CA
5/13/2012
I live in the area and want to love this place, but it's only so-so for the price. Here's the rundown:
Service: Our waiter was sweet but a little MIA at times. Nobody greets you when you come in...the gal behind the baked good counter was chatting with friend and totally ignored us. We signed in, and I had to grab a waiter to ask what the deal is. He was sweet, told us to help ourselves to coffee while we wait. The waiting area is a cute little marketplace filled with homemade treats and cases of delectable looking deserts. Good place for a last minute gift if you are in Eagle Rock! Wireless was pitiably slow and pathetic.
Ambiance: Cute cafe, old timey-retro vibe.
Green Green Scramble, breakfast potatoes, salsa, and fresh baked bread: What they served me was edible. The eggs were rubbery and lukewarm, the greens were really wet....if you scramble greens with eggs you should wilt the greens first and drain them, then put them in with the eggs. Potatoes were good, tender and creamy. Super A's salsa is better.
Baked Rosemary French Toast with Strawberries: Lovely, creamy and custardy with a nice browned top. Hint of rosemany was really delish. Strawberry compote was just right, tart and sweet, a nice compliment. This was a win!
Cajun Turkey Sausage: Husband says it was OK.
Red Velvet cupcake: Tasty! Not sure why it was so cold. I hear this cupcake is legendary? I dunno, red velvet is red velvet. I liked it but it didn't take me to another dimension.
Coffee: Awesome, but honestly, I tip a waiter so that I don't have to get my own coffee, I can do that at home. Self-serve coffee in a cafe is stupid.
All together, this was a whopping $48 which is a little silly for breakfast.
Conclusion: If you go to Auntie Ems, get the baked goods, that's what they are good at. I've heard the gravy & biscuits with a fried egg is pretty great...probably because it has a fresh biscuit in it! The French toast was yummy...again, baked. Skip the regular food...you can probably do better at home for for a LOT less. -
Review from Lucky P.
Dallas, TX
5/9/2012
What in the world could I possibly say that hasn't already been said?
We came in early to beat the weekend breakfast crowd. Although the get-your-own coffee island was a little unusual, I'm only mentioning it because the servers had to explain it to me. So you, dear reader, be forewarned and thus, in-the-know.
Our server was fantastic. BEYOND fantastic. She went over the menu with us, offered her recommendations (my friend is a vegetarian and I most certainly am not) and the food came out absolutely delicious. We had the vegetarian torta from the daily menu and an artichoke scramble from the seasonal menu. I am not normally a fan of breakfast potatoes - these were just the right size, cooked well and seasoned to perfection! Vegetarian torta is a sandwich with black beans, eggs (I think they're eggs), avocado, and cheese on a super-soft bun with a side of this amazing homemade salsa. I don't even remember much about the scramble because I ate it in about 9 seconds - I remember eggs, artichokes, some other vegetables and cheese. And then came dessert.
Dessert. Oh dear god, dessert. Banana cream tart had huge chunks of fresh banana in every bite and a deliciously flaky crust. Red velvet bread pudding drizzled with a boatload of chocolate was warm, dense, with even consistency throughout, and just dissolved into melty goodness in your mouth. And it was FREAKING ENORMOUS! I took a box of goodies to go for a friend - a giant cupcake, pot de creme, and some other pastry that I had no idea what it was but it looked flaky, caramelly, nutty, whatever. Box it up, let's get it. And there were homemade dog biscuits. I made sure to load up on those - they're bone-shaped and super soft, like a people biscuit.
Overall very good experience, incredibly fresh food with unique and delicious flavors, appropriately priced, and a good serving staff (not one hungover frowny face in the bunch at 8:00 am on a Sunday morning - suck on THAT, Doughboys!) -
Review from Jasmine C.
Alhambra, CA
5/6/2012
Hmm..I think it was a little overrated. Maybe I had super high expectations because everyone's been raving about Auntie Em's red velvet cupcakes to me since I was in college. Finally got to try it, and yes, the red velvet cupcakes are good (and ginormous!!). Moist and soft, but heavy on the cream cheese frosting. Maybe because I bake, so I think red velvet cupcakes are a little overrated...they all kind of just taste the same after awhile and you just have to make sure you have a moist cupcake to have a good one.
I came with 3 other girls and we tried their soups...I got the asparagus cream soup, which was pretty good, but nothing too amazing. We also ate bits of the pear cobbler, which was pretty good, although the slice came out looking REALLY messy and kind or just a blob of pear filling and some crumbly crust sprinkled throughout. The bread pudding wasn't bad either, but for what you get, I think the prices were a little steep from what I remember.
All in all, not bad, but probably wouldn't be on my dying to return back to list! -
Review from Eunice K.
4/17/2012 8 photos
Located in a small street in Eagle Rock - Auntie Em's is a hidden gem! Known for their brunch - me and DD endured the long wait! One of the perks of waiting at Auntie Em's is the self serve coffee! We grabbed a cup right away and enjoyed some delicious, hot coffee while browsing through the adorable little store (attached to the restaurant).
Since we heard great things about the open face sandwiches - we decided to give them a try. They're each served with your choice of meat on top of a grilled ciabatta bread served with grueyre cheese, scrambled eggs, and home made salsa.
--Grilled Turkey Breast opened faced sandwich ($11.50)--
Turkey breast sounded healthy so this was my choice! Unfortunately this was the driest pieces of turkey breast I've ever had - like CARDBOARD! Kudos for using real turkey breast slices on a sandwich - but man! Talk about over cooked and under-seasoned! Thank goodness I had some tasty eggs and salsa to go with my cardboard!
--Beef Meat Loaf Open faced sandwich ($12.50)--
DING DING! Winner! DELICIOUS MEATLOAF! I never knew meat loaf could be so delicious! LOL. This dish actually inspired me to make my own at home! Yes that good! A nice, flavorful, moist, slice of meat loaf - at least an inch thick. JUST perfection.
Very hip, fun, loud restaurant. Fast and courteous service. Plenty of street parking around. And you can grab their delicious red-velvet cupcakes on the way out ! -
Review from Lily Y.
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cute restaurant in Eagle Rock! Great place to grab a quick lunch. There's also a bakery where you can get some baked goods to go. The red velvet cupcake was delicious! They also had whoopie pies, and cakes.
My friend and I came by for lunch.
Food:
1/2 Chicken salad sandwich + 1/2 salad (spinach and strawberry salad w/ blue cheese and pine nuts) - it was the perfect portion for lunch! The chicken salad was very flavorful and tasty. The salad had a little bit too much blue cheese for me.. but it was delicious.
Red velvet cupcake - very good! topped with a thick layer of creamy white frosting :) -
Review from Gina G.
Pasadena, CA
Updated - 5/2/2012
Auntie Em's - why do you disappoint me so?
Visited on Sunday, ordered a special 'pork and eggs' with scrambled eggs. The pork was DISGUSTING. Shredded pork, tasteless, and lots of water on the dish. I ate a few bites, because I was starving, but left a ton on the plate. The eggs were worse than the pork! My scrambled eggs came out as an omelette - and, I don't know what they do to their egg mixture, but it was the most plastic-tasting, grease eggs I've had in my life. I usually NEVER send back food, but I asked for scrambled eggs instead of what was served... and the eggs came back as the same thing, only cut up. Seriously?!
Fortunately, my dining companion had the biscuits and gravy with a fried egg on top and gave me one of the fried eggs (which was GOOD). And, the biscuits and gravy are really OUT OF CONTROL good and never disappoint... so I don't know why I put myself through unnecessary pain in attempting to order something different.
Their coffee, as usual, was AMAZINGLY good. I can never get enough of it!
...and, guess what - our table - STICKY!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2012
I have a love/hate relationship with Auntie Em's. I only go on Sunday's and there is ALWAYS a wait.… Read more »
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Review from Paula C.
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, CA
4/10/2012
I really wanted to love you...sigh.
After seeing their infamous red velvet cupcake on food network, my bf and I decided to drive down to eagle rock and check out Auntie Em's Kitchen to give our taste buds a treat. During our first visit we asked for their red velvet cupcakes, but we were disappointed as the staff informed us that they were already sold out for the day. WTH? It was early in the afternoon, couldn't they make more?The answer was "No" But of course we didn't want to leave empty handed, especially driving down to eagle rock from a different city, we wanted to make something out of our trip. So we ordered a different flavored cupcake. I can't remember what the flavor was, I guess it wasn't that memorable.
Weeks have gone by and the picture of that red velvet cupcake from the episode of Bobby Flay's Cupcake Throwdown still lingers in the back of my head. So the boyfriend and I decided to swing by again to Auntie Em's Kitchen. This time we called first before heading out.
Once inside the bakery I ordered one red velvet cupcake for the BF and I to share. The cupcake was big enough for two people. On top of the cupcake was a sloppy application of frosting and way too much may I add. The cupcake was drowning in its own frosting. So we cut the cupcake in half and the bf and I took our first bite. We looked at each other and knew we thinking of the same thing. The cupcake was good, especially the frosting, but it wasn't great as we hoped it would be. We haven't been back ever since. -
Review from Steff L.
Los Angeles County, CA
4/13/2012
The cupcakes at Auntie Em's are muchhh better than Sprinkles by far. The mini size are the perfect portion, just enough to hit the spot but not too much that you feel like you need to run it off.
I remember getting a mini cupcake of each flavor and a regular size red velvet, all which were originally for the parents up until I took a bite of the mini red velvet. That box disappeared from the kitchen and stayed hidden in my room, guilty pleasure much? OHHH YES.
Food wise? mmm, pass. It was probably two or three years ago that I've visited Auntie Em's so I don't quite remember what I ordered, but I do know for a fact, I enjoyed the cupcake more than the food itself. -
Review from Ashley C.
Santa Monica, CA
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Meh..
I went in for the red velvet cupcake everyone raves about and yes, its big enough for two people, but it was served COLD!... clearly not made fresh, rather took the left overs from the night before out to serve. I reserve my fridge for my leftovers... I would never order a sandwich and expect the bread to be ice cold.. same holds true for my cupcakes. Maybe its a personal thing, but I found it to be odd. My only assumption as to why the cupcakes are intentionally served ice cold would be to mask the intense smell and taste of vinegar. I came to this revelation after taking my first bite.
The cake itself along with the frosting had a very strong, distinct vinegar taste and smell. Yes, I know vinegar is a key ingredient in red velvet, but it hit hard. After the first bite, I suppose you get used to it, and maybe thats why people love them so much... as for myself, I didnt care for it.
Overall.... sub par -
Review from Alejandro M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/31/2012
Totally unimpressed. Ordered the Mabel's shortstack pancakes and my girl ordered the quiche. Her quiche was best described as plain "eggy", dull, unsavory. My pancakes had a bit more life thanks to the banana, strawberries and coconut shavings it comes with but still not great by any means.
There was a long line to wait inside so we sat out. It was a bit too cold for comfort and they don't have space heaters.
Not worth returning but not awful. -
Review from Donald N.
Hermosa Beach, CA
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Arrived here with no expectations. We walked in, not a word from any of the 4 people working the front counter. We see a sign-in sheet, all the names were crossed off. Ok... so we sign our name and opt for the inside. Over 15 minutes go by, ya.. we were hungry, but those minutes went by slowly. At least 10 people who worked at this place walked by without pause. A busboy saw us and asked us if we'd rather sit outside. Clearly, the sheet said we wanted inside, but he insisted outside was better.. with an umbrella, etc.. Whatever. We said inside, and he walked away.
The busboy came back 5 minutes later and seated us inside. Sat for a bit and stared at the menus and specials. A waitress came and explained that there were some items that they were all out of. She grabbed and pen and practically crossed out half the list. Then said there weren't any potatoes, and other items that usually come with the dishes. Well, here we are... on a Saturday looking to eat some brunch, yet this place has failed to adequately stock their kitchen? Ya..
Anyways, we ordered, got a cupcake, a cookie, and a couple breakfast items. Nothing spectacular. But ya, what's with the attitude here? Hipster? Hungover? I think it's just rude. Lot more gripes, but I'd much rather forget it. What kind of place is this!? They have items on the menu but don't complete it and serve you half ass crap...
Won't be going back! -
Review from Jacquelyn P.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2012
Came here based on a recommendation on our way to the Hollywood bowl one Friday afternoon for a treat. We decided to stay and eat because the sandwiches sounded tasty and we realized we were too hungry to just settle with a dessert.
The place while kind of cute in a kitchy unassuming way is only that way from outward appearances only. It ends up being way too contrived and unwelcoming like so many other hipster infiltrated eateries in the other "rad" and "mellow" neighborhoods like Studio and Culver Cities and Silverlake.
I don't know what it is about the pseudo intellects who've taken over the culinary scene but they are the most annoying little shits. Perhaps their bad attitudes are fed by losing mustache growing contests and getting booed at poetry readings. Maybe it's a chemical reaction caused by a lack of proper hygiene. I don't know. They just really really annoy me.
That being said: our waitress was a pomp little piece. While she was not excessively rude she reeked with the hipster expression of apathy toward anything not relating directly to her thrift store ensemble or her other ridiculously cool counterparts. It wasn't just our waitress either. This place was crawling with slime balls with attitudes. Come to think of it, there were like three other people in the cafe with us and about thirty twenty something deadbeats roaming the place. What where they doing there? Stuck in a shroom daze perhaps.
We ordered the Mexican torta sandwich and some goat cheese and walnut sandwich. They were okaaaaay. Nothing spectacular. I was expecting the Mexican sandwich to be hot just because I don't correlate tortas with cold but whatever.
Surpringly enough the thing I enjoyed most was the homemade pickles. Go figure.
We then wanted dessert, which we went and picked out from the other room. This is where aunti em's got some redemption. The guy behind the counter was 100% sweet and very nice. He was very helpful and asked how we were and what our plans for the evening were. I felt like giving him a hug he was so refreshing.
We ended up getting some kind of bread pudding that we asked to be heated up. It was okay. A little too buttery if you ask me. And way too sweet with the added icing on top. Who puts icing on bread pudding?
Don't know if I'll be back. I saw Em's chocolate chip cookies on Duff's show but I don't know if that constitutes a trip or a very undeserved second chance. -
Review from Kammie G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/25/2012
So close to home, but never been. I've caught sight of Zach de la Rocha many a time as I drove by. How cute he looks eating a sandwich & sporting his lil fro!
Red velvet and carrot cupcakes make this place. They are a thing of beauty. A friend once gave me one and said, "Try this, it's better than sex." It was a tie, alright.
I came here with my bud Jaime, cuz I owed him lunch & I'm not a freeloader. The place was filled to capacity with hipsters. We sat side by side, shoulder to shoulder, facing the window. We are both Scorpios. We enjoy making fun of passerby.
He ordered a vegan Indian curry sandwich and I got a meatloaf sandwich on whole wheat. Both were pretty substantial in size. The bread was nutty & dense. Delicious! The small side of sweet, sliced dill pickles made me happy.
Damn, this dude's skin is impeccable. Adorable scraggly black beard, dark-rimmed glasses, his hue that of caramel...but, he's a buddy and no more. My twin, minus five years.
I ordered two mini red velvet cupcakes to-go for my friend 'Soldier Face'. She digs them. -
Review from Allyson F.
Kahului, HI
5/7/2012
Their food is pretty good considering the small neighboorhood.
HOWEVER!! Their service is really bad. I've been going to Auntie Em's for three years now to grab cupcakes to give as gifts or to take to parties... but they've always been rude and give you this stare like you are the ugliest person in the world.
I hope this can change, but I've already had so many bad experiences, I don't think that this will. -
Review from Red R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/22/2012
Come here if you want
1) to have a waiter that does nothing... oh and get your own coffee, thanks.
2) to pay $15 for a sandwich that has mayo on both sides and tuna injected with more mayo, oh and has no side. ("But they bake the bread!!!" subway doesn't?)
3) to pay for "the vibe" of eating at grandma's house with strangers -
Review from Matthew B.
Encino, CA
3/28/2012
I am only reviewing this place as a bakery because I have not tried it as a restaurant. Let me get this disclaimer out of the way: I like savory and am not much of a dessert fan.
I have tried the chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, red velvet cupcakes, and mint chocolate cupcakes. I really enjoyed the chocolate chip. It is crazy thin yet still very chewy. When it comes to cookies, oatmeal raisin is my go to, and this one did not disappoint. It was not overly sweet, which I appreciated.
The red velvet cake was great. When I picked it up out of the box, I was surprised by the sheer weight of it. I think there are multitier wedding cakes that weigh less. This thing could seriously be used as a weapon. The cream cheese frosting was one of the best I have had, though I could not eat more than about a third of it. The cake had the classic bright red color to it and a nice taste. Neither the frosting nor the cake were too sweet.
The mint chocolate cupcake was good, though I am not entirely convinced about the mint frosting. -
Review from Kris A.
Glendale, CA
4/30/2012 1 photo
I ordered all of the cup cakes. I didn't know that it would be such a limited choice. Coconut, peanut butter, carrot, chocolate and of course red velvet.
All of their frostings tasted the same. I'd say it's an ok cupcake, but I would have preferred a room temperature cupcake rather and a cold one.
Front of the house was not as welcoming either. Cut short it was a decent cupcake. -
Review from SaVvy G.
Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA
4/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for some brunch on a hot day. It was nice and cool inside thanks to the ceiling fans they had inside. It was a pretty small place with some outside seating. I ordered an open faced breakfast sandwich with grilled turkey breast, eggs, and melted cheese on a ciabatta bread i think. It was pretty tasty. They have a decent menu but mostly breakfast and lunch type of food. The service was good, our waiter was very nice and attentive but there was an asian looking girl there that prob was a waitress but just looked all awkward like she didn't belong there and barely smiled. I would be back again but it's not top of my list. They have an adjoining bakery but I took a look and didn't see anything impressive. There was barely anything there.
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Review from Chris Y.
2/19/2012
I came here for the super thin chocolate chip cookies after seeing them on Duff Goldman's new show.
I'm a sucker for thin chewy chocolate chip cookies and these didn't disappoint. The chocolate chips turn into huge chocolate disks and the texture is just right. I also tried the oatmeal and peanut butter cookies which also were excellent.
If I lived in the area, I've come here everyday. A nice cute little neighborhood cafe. -
Review from Jeremy A.
Lately I've been giving a bunch of 4 star reviews. Not sure I was going soft or my expectations were just a little low. Auntie Em's broke that streak.
Auntie Em's is not a bad place to go. It's understandble there is always a crowd. Their menu is pretty legit with a variety of items and portion sizes are good. They have a self service station for coffee and have Intellegentsia too.
Should be a win right?
Well not exactly. Service is a little bit iffy. I had the vegetable quiche that looked good on paper, but when I put it in my mouth I was a little bit dissapointed. It was "warm" and didn't have that flakey, fresh out of the oven feeling that makes or breaks a good quiche. Also ordered the red velvet cupcake. The same red velvet cupcake that was featured on cupcake wars and throwdown. The frosting was good but the cake itself was cold and too dense like it was refrigerated for a day. I guess these are not baked daily anymore.
I'll come back to try some other things on the menu but my first visit here was ok. -
Review from Adriana S.
South Gate, CA
3/9/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This place is so good!!!
I come here for 3 things
1. Breakfast-Oatmeal w/heavy cream or the open face sandwich
2. Red Velvet Cupcakes (the best I've ever had.)
3. Coconut Cupcakes
Yum-O! -
Review from Ms. S.
Glendale, CA
4/23/2012
Good desserts.. But the food is not delicious. I ordered the torta sandwich and the beans and sauce on it were mildly frozen. They charged $2 extra for the smallest slice of cheese- which made the Sammie 13.00. No sides. Frozen beans, sauce avocado and greens- how did they figure they ought to charge this much??
My boy got the soup which was Luke warm and blaaaaand- and I love bland but I couldn't... The salads are nice. But how can u botch salad?
They have a good thing going, not to mention tons of fans who want to love them- I think though, if they don't start putting love into the food and giving customers what they pay for.. It's gonna go down hill. This is the 3rd time I've left hungry and sad. I can't say I'll go back unless it's for a flat cookie or some cheese from their market. -
Review from David G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/22/2012
Great baked goods. I made the mistake of having a meal there though, soup and half a chicken salad sandwich. The soup was really bland with undercooked "heirloom" beans (I guess that means crunchy), and the chicken salad was disgusting with huge chunks of raw red onion that were inescapable. Two bites was the most I could stomach.
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Review from Davie L.
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
4/19/2012
First off, both times we went they were out of every single thing on the daily board except the soup - and it was before 1pm. Hard to believe, but true, and we were one of only two parties there the first time and the only party there the second.
But these are my four main points of disinterest:
1. Service is virtually "self" as in you are on your own once you place your order. Even though there appears to be a lot of staff they seem self-absorbed. No one there possessed the courtesy to greet us/seat us when we walked in - either time.
2. Servings are tiny, not satisfying enough for a meal.
For example sandwiches (range from $11. to $14.) are very scimpey on the fillings and do not come with a salad or side.
3. Prices are high for what you get.
4. Food is BLAND and unimaginative.
If the food had been incredibly satisfying, you MIGHT suffer through the first 3, but it is no where near that. On second thought, even if the food had been great, I don't think I'd come back due to the above.
I don't understand all the great reviews, honestly.
Is this a matter of new owners taking over a previously great spot? -
Review from Amanda I.
Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's really cute and the food is fresh and flavorful but the service is scattered and slow. The food is over priced, the typical sandwich is 11 to 14 dollars and it doesn't come with a side. Don't know if I'll go back again.
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Review from Jerryleen W.
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, CA
1/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I have been coming here so many times during the past few years because of their famous red velvet cupcakes! They are so worth it. Enjoying that bite of cheesecake frosting and moist cupcake without thinking of the price so much made this place that much special. A mini cupcake for $1.25? I am so down for that!
I also had their open faced breakfast sandwich while waiting to get my car fixed one morning. They were very tasty despite of the price. The grilled ciabatta bread and Gruyere cheese were excellent in taste and flavor. Furthermore, the scrambled eggs and homemade salsa complemented the cajun turkey sausage very nicely.
Parking can be quite difficult. I would recommend if you cannot find any parking in the street to check out the residential area nearby.
Overall, Auntie Em's Kitchen is one of Eagle Rock's greatest treasures! I would definitely return whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dessert time. -
Review from Isabel G.
Los Angeles, CA
3/21/2012
Okay, so I just took some time to read some reviews about Auntie Em's & was really surprised by the range of ratings. Some are great, such as the one I am about to give and some are horrendous. (That said,, in this economy I am commited to giving good reviews to help the businesses I like. Don't come to me for negative reviews. I guess they only exist by omission in my case?)
Well, I can only speak for myself and say I have no complaints. I have lived in Eagle Rock for a long time and have stopped at this quaint place many times over the years. I have ordered sandwiches, soups, cupcakes, and breakfast foods. I have not disliked anything I have eaten, and in fact have been impressed by several of their dishes. One time I had a tomato soup that was heavenly. On that same day I ordered a mint iced tea that was made from fresh mint leafs and was soo good. More recently I tried their waffles and wow, what a treat they are! These are my favorites that I have eaten. I have however also tried their breakfast sandwiches that were delicious, but a bit too big for my taste and their salads. Again, whereas I have had my favorites, the food as far as I am concerned is very good. I do not think it is possible to be disappointed about their baked treats such as their cupcakes.
I do not know what is the big deal about hipsters this, and hipsters that. I also do not understand the supposed connections to hipsters, fake intellectual-ism, and arrogance. I suppose I do not know much about this cultural thang. In my world, well, I actually enjoy reading and writing poetry and today I happened to bring in one of my favorite poetry books which is solely Cuban poetry (I happen to be Cuban.) I read my book, and wrote a couple of poems before and after eating my meal. I bring this up because as I was getting ready to leave, the waitress that served me said a very nice "thank you" and asked about my book. Well, to me my book is a linguistic elixir in that the Spanish in the poetry is stunningly beautiful and poetically poignant and every time I read from this book I am reminded of how much I love my primary language. (Am I sounding like a "pseudo-intellectual?") I gushed to her about my book, she was genuinely interested, and told me that she is originally from Florida and misses having easy access to Cuban food. This was a very nice exchange. :-)
Was I acting "hipsterish" by reading and writing poetry? To me this is just an expression of a fascination that started when I was a little girl. Oh, well, this is probably irrelevant. I like the stuff and do not care about being judged one way or another. Bottom line is that for me, Auntie Em's is a relaxing spot for hanging out, reading a book & writing if I want to, eating some delicious food, and being treated well by the staff.
Oh, only one problem, did Dorothy get left behind in Kansas? Was it because of a lack of plaid & skinny jeans in her wardrobe? Did she forget to shop in a thrift store? Maybe she started working at Urban Outfitters? :-D just kidding & besides there are worse things in life than being a hipster, creative with clothes, etc. etc., (I know, I used to work in a prison.)
:-D :-D -
Review from Jocelyn M.
Long Beach, CA
2/12/2012
Pretty dang yummy. All their ingredients are fresh, which you can tell just by looking at the food. I had the B.L.A.S.T sandwich which was really good. I didn't really expect it to fill me up since it didn't contain meat (it did contain Bacon), but it did and I really enjoyed all the flavors. My meal came with their homemade pickles, totally bomb. My friend had the steak salad. I didn't taste it, but it looks divine. The kind of slices of steak look like it was just cooked and cut.
The environment was pretty chill, kind of felt like it was a place for hipsters, but I would go here again if I was in the area. I tried their Pecan Cheescake for dessert, omg, wow. So much flavor. I took a Cherry Chocolate fudge piece to go. Simply amazing. I am not really a big fudge person, I actually bought this for my Dad, but I got to have a taste of it, it's not heavy and you get the right hint of cherry, even the flavor of chocolate wasn't overpowering. Overall, great experience and great food, will come back. -
Review from Molly K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012
Disclaimer: I go here a lot and am totally in love with this place. It's the best place I know in LA to get serious down-home cooking AND tasty, filling vegetarian options. I love Auntie Em's so much I hired them to cater my wedding, and months later, everybody is still raving about the food.
On weekends, the breakfast is amazing. My favorite recurring special is the sausage cheese grits. It's hard to find good grits in these parts and these are just fantastic. The sausage gravy and biscuits are phenomenal, too.
I'm always excited to try the lunch specials. You can check daily specials on the website or on Twitter. Let me tell you, whenever you see the chipotle mac and cheese pop up, stop what you are doing and get over there as fast as you can. It's the best mac and cheese I've had in L.A. (and maybe anywhere). I also love the stuffed pasillas that sometimes come up on the menu.
Maybe most importantly, you really have to try the chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. NOW. The frosting is dense and fudge-y and unreal. Everybody raves about the red velvet cupcake (and it's good), but for my money, this one is the real standout. I had my wedding cake made with this chocolate cake and icing, if that's enough of an endorsement for you.
AND if all of the above weren't enough, the pie is amazing, too.
My main complaint, as you can see from the hours, is that they only serve breakfast and lunch. Scheduling sometimes makes it hard for me to get over there to get my fix as often as I'd like.
Other con: there's sometimes quite a wait. It's pretty small inside. Be sure to write your name on the board inside the shop area as soon as you arrive. I wouldn't recommend going with a group bigger than four unless you're prepared to wait a while or are willing to break into smaller groups. Coffee is self-serve, and you can grab some to drink while you wait for your table.
Finally, make sure to get there early if you have your heart set on one of the specials. They sometimes sell out fast! -
Review from Lee Ann M.
Mililani, HI
4/11/2012
My hubby and I visited LA in mid February (2012) and decided to check out Auntie Em's Kitchen for their "famous" red velvet cupcakes that were featured on Food Network's Bobby Flay's Throw down. To our dismay, their cupcakes weren't anything to have to write home about. They weren't terrible, but they weren't mind blowing as well. They were just, "OK". We also tried the chocolate cupcake and feel the same about that one as well. The biggest complaint we have about the cupcakes are the fact that they are served cold right out of the refrigerator. Because of this, the cake itself becomes very dense and dry, which is probably why they slop on so much frosting to help mask the dryness of the cake. The frosting on both cupcakes were overwhelmingly there and distracting. I understand that the cream cheese frosting is perishable so in that case, maybe it would be better if they were to individually frost each red velvet cupcake so that they can keep the cake itself at room temperature to avoid the cake drying out and becoming dense like a pound cake. Don't get me wrong, I love pound cake, but if it's cupcakes I'm eating, well, that's exactly what I expect from it. We can't understand why the chocolate cupcake had to be refrigerated as there was no cream cheese or perishable ingredients on this one. If they had just left the chocolate cupcake at room temperature, I'm sure the cupcake would have been much better, moist and soft, Unfortunately, this was not case for the chocolate cupcake so I can't rate this cupcake any better than the red velvet. Aside from the dense and dry consistency of the cake, the sweetness was on par with my taste buds. You could taste a hint of cocoa with the red velvet and lots of chocolate goodness with the chocolate cupcake. Due to it's dryness and despite their denseness, these cupcakes seemed to yield a lot of crumbs and was a little messy to eat. I don't think that I'll have to make an extra trip to visit Auntie Em's in the future. Basically it comes down to you never know until you try it yourself, and we did. Sorry Aunty Em, your cupcakes did not impress me but they were ok. On the positives tho, the girl at the counter who helped us was friendly and courteous.
*Note to self: Just because someone can throw Bobby Flay down, it doesn't mean that their product is awesome. Bobby Flay may be an Iron Chef but when it comes down to it, it seems almost everyone is able to throw him down. I think it's mainly due to the fact that he tries to put too much of a spin on a traditional favorite and basically violates all of it's goodness that purists shake their heads at, thus leaving him defeated at almost every try. -
Review from Mary Kay K.
Glendale, CA
11/27/2011
So they appear on Food Network as the challenge to Bobby Flay's throw down - and they lose to a chocolate mango cupcake. I guess that gives them the right to increase prices on everything. But not really. Seems a little greedy to me.
They have the best red velvet cupcake I've ever had, so much love there. Bresides for that, the service is terrible, cleanliness totally disregarded & parking non-existent.
I'll go for the cupcakes, but nothing else. They need to up the attitude. I dont feel like they are grateful for our business. Just saying. -
Review from Corey M.
Dorothy's an asshole.
Why? Because she didn't realize how good she had it. Prime example of white kid blues.
More like a cupcake of a different color. My group of 14 waited a little bit before they found room for us to sit down. This place isn't huge, and we didn't have reservations. Maybe we're assholes, too. But even still, they gifted our table with a shit-ton of mini cupcakes because they felt we waited a long time. Shit, I don't even like cupcakes, but the red velvet was really good.
AND they have a DIY coffee station in the middle of the restaurant. You can take your ceramic mug outside. Trinidad Coffee is bomb.
Their tortas made me think Auntie Em is actually short for Aunt Emelina. I got the breaky one. The bread is just perfect and soft. It's huge, and I was able to fit the whole thing.
Honey and Rosemary French Toast is more like dessert, and it's more like bread pudding. All of which, I'm 100% in favor of.
Excellent service, no mistakes, all smiles.
They offer catering for Thanksgiving, and Pumpkin Chipotle Soup on the menu. Um, one vat please.Listed in: B is for Breakfast.
-
Review from Gabriela G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/15/2011
Solid three stars for hit or miss menu.
Best items here are the fresh cookies, cupcakes, crumb cakes and all other baked goods.
The prepared salads on the display are often a hit as well (though sometimes a bit oily and under seasoned), their homemade soups are a home run! Absolutely delicious! While almost anything from the full menu (open faced breakfast sandwiches = greasy while lunch sandwiches = dry) are mediocre at best. If you are going to order a salad, best order one of the specials (showcased on the display).
I like that you refill your own coffee and drinks.
I like the quaint atmosphere and fast service.
The back patio is nice in the summers.
New store that opened adjacent (and as part of Auntie Em's) carries curio-foodie items and cook books. Cutesy presents for self-proclaimed chef friends that host dinner parties and like to wear frilly aprons and display food in unique platters.
Be willing to wait up to 40 minutes for a table during Brunch peak hours. The food is good, but absolutely NOT worth the 40 minute wait. Grab a cupcake to go and venture to FOUR just around the corner where you'll have a more refined dining experience for just a couple of dollars more.
This is a place to come with friends and preferably for breakfast or brunch. -
Review from Kislev A.
12/18/2011
Best vegetarian sandwich I've ever had. I know, it's an oxymoron!!!!
Auntie Em put together The Mobay Cheese Sandwich using great individual ingredients such as that balsamic sauce, chopped walnuts (mine was fur-esh), awesome Wisconsin cheese and various veggies in a ciabatta.
The House Roasted Chicken was very good too. The chicken was very tasty and juicy. The bacon was legit! Too bad I only has a tiny piece coz my daughter confiscated the while thing.
Both sammies came with house made pickles. Different, but good. They were so large that I would really consider them two sandwiches each!
Tea and coffe is self serve and bottomless. $2.50 each.
The place was a bit too dark to become one of my favorite breakfast places. But it's close to work and has great sandwiches so I'm definitely coming back.
Darn! That was the best vegetarian sandwich I've ever had... -
Review from Audrey B.
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
12/15/2011
I give this pace a 3 (maybe even a 4) for food but a 1 for cleanliness and service. First of all we had to wait for 40 minutes. Apparently there is a waiting list hanging on the wall but you wouldn't know that unless you were in the know.
After letting the server know that we had been waiting for a while he pointed to the waiting list. I put our name down and waited some more.
Even though he knew we were a party of 5 he sat a party of 2 (who came after we did) on one of the only tables inside that could accommodate 5. He then showed us to a table for four - Umm, we are a party of 5...
We were ready to leave when he told us there was a patio. We went out to the patio. The place looked very dirty. We were skeptical but had heard good things about the food. So we decided to stay.
The biscuit and gravy w/ sausage and eggs were delicious. The bacon was yummy. The strawberry shortcake pancakes were out of this world.
Do not order water. It has a terrible taste to it - like old pipes.
I wish they would clean up a bit and offer better service because the food is really good. -
Review from Erika E.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am just throwing this honest, heartfelt review into Yelpdom. Auntie Em's isn't going anywhere; so I feel honesty is the best policy.
We have never been here, the long lines always scared us off a bit - but today was our morning for a good breakfast - so off we went. We wrote our name on the list - and our wait wasn't that bad - but you basically just stand outside or in the middle of the market place waiting for the hostess to call your name (yes you can grab some coffee if you like).
I scanned reviews and saw the Orange Honey French Toast. I love all of those ingredients so how could I go wrong? Hmm. It was a plate of grease. I know, I know greasy french toast? It is fried. 3 slices of fried french toast. Geez it should be some kind of eating challenge. Just terrible. No orange, no honey - just tough bread and a lot of grease. Not at all what I had in mind or would ever have in mind.
My husband had the egg sandwich with bacon. Yes, the bacon was good. That is about all I got; good bacon.
We should have just ordered bacon. What a bummer. -
Review from Ciara G.
BEST BACON ALERT!
Cesar, dude, I think I've met our bacon match. Bacon + me + my belly = match made in heaven. Pigs flew it was so good.
Four strips for $4. Worth all 400 hundred pennies and then some. This may be the best darn bacon I have had alongside my bfast plate ever. It was cooked PERFECTLY! It nearly brought tears to my eyes. This is what I expected the bacon from Salt's Cure to be like. OUCH Buuuurn!
Thank goodness the bacon was of epicness bc it saved the day from the 86 B&G disaster (sold out by 1pm on a Sunday). Not to mention my slice of cake choice (chocolate with cinnamon cream cheese frosting) was also sold out by the end of our meal. I highly suggest doing the "Isa" and ordering your cake item WITH your meal.
The food IMO wasn't anything special. My open faced seeded bagel topped with cheese, scrambled eggs and tomato was lackluster. Salsa was served on the side but it needed some type of spread or a sauce, other than the salsa and tapatilo I loaded it up with to bind it all together. I felt the same about the bite I snagged of HC's open faced turkey bfast sammie.
Tiny T got the GIANT Red Velvet cupcake and I happily enjoyed my quarter of it. GREAT cream cheese frosting! I had my heart set on that darn Chocolate Layer Cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting but my dreams were crushed once again as when I went to order it they were already sold out. Again, best order your cake in advance. I guess I'm still a tad upset about this cake bc I mentioned it twice lol.
Service was good, baked goods seem to be the hot ticket. Even though I felt the food was just so-so, I'll be back bc I've gotta try their B&G's and that bacon...oh that bacon....
****UPDATE***
Went early on a Sunday afternoon to ensure my date with the selloutable B&G's. They were just ok. Served "soup" style in a big ol bowl. The biscuits were served open faced and sunk to the bottom in a bowl of gravy. This is probably the only time where there was too much gravy. -
Review from Senior P.
Santa Clarita, CA
4/2/2012
My local favorite. If you can get a table on Saturday, try the biscuits and gravy. If you're like me, top it with over easy eggs. Mmmmmm mmmmmm. Very rarely does arterial cement feel so right. Did I mention it comes in a cereal bowl?
The BLAST is a terrific meal for lunch. The 5 layers of veg (lettuce, sprouts, tomato, & avocado- is that a fruit?) make you forget that you're eating several hefty slices of bacon. This all rests in between two slices of home made bread; and it's accompanied by homemade pickles.
There so much more on the menu to explore. I'll leave it up to you to discover! -
Review from Nobody M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/7/2012
Bland, stoic sandwiches; Epicurean prices.
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