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Don & Sweet Sue's Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants American (Traditional) Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional) [Edit]
68955 Ramon RdSte 1
Cathedral City, CA 92234
(760) 770-2760
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 am - 9 pm
Sun 6 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
53 reviews for Don & Sweet Sue's Cafe
Review Highlights
"We go to a about a dozen spots in and around Palm Springs."
(in 6 reviews)
"Friendly service, good food at reasonable prices."
(in 4 reviews)
"I love hash browns, and these were perfectly cooked."
(in 5 reviews)
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Nancy G.
Edmond, OK
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wish I could take Don & Sweet Sue's Cafe with me everywhere I travel. Yes, it is that good. We found this hidden jewel our first trip to the desert and fell in love. The service is spectacular, the food consistently great and moderately priced. I must admit we always go for breakfast, have tried multiple items and have never been disappointed
If modern decor is important to you, then this might not be the place for you, a little dated, country look, but clean and charming. Our waitress also works at the school and was a delight.
Local diner at it's best. -
Review from Spencer B.
La Quinta, CA
10/17/2011
Disclosure: I have only gone to Don and Sweet Sues one time recently so my experience might have been a bad day.
My parents like this as a lunch diner so I agreed to meet them for lunch.
The parking was good, the room seems like it is good sized. The decor is a bit dated and the room just felt a little grungy.
The service was slow and the waitress was pretty grouchy. The menu was average diner menu.
I ordered a burger and fries and a coffee. The coffee was like tepid light brown water. I drank about 1/4 of it and then set it aside.
When the food was delivered I asked for fresh coffee, and she came back to top off my cup, I asked for a new cup which she eventually brought. The next cup was hot but still weak.
It was an average experience with below average service. I have not crossed them off my list, but I also have not yet found a reason to give this place another chance.
Some places have bad days, so do not take this as a warning, just an informational note. -
Review from pickypicky g.
Tacoma, WA
1/17/2012
I would never recommend this show for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. They seriously need a visit from the television show Restaurant Impossible. I'd rather be eating at McDonalds. Breakfast is greasy and too expensive for what you get.
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Review from R D.
Palm Desert, CA
7/27/2011
Another place I don't get. The fries were good as was the Eggs Benedict. The "Chicago Connection" was also good. The service was okay. That's about it.....nothing more.....just fairly average.
Exc - None
Good - Food
Ave - Service
Poor - None.
WOULD I GO BACK? Probably not. There is no good reason to go back. -
Review from Gene W.
Palm Springs, CA
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good stuff, Maynard.
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Review from Seth B.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My family and I come to the desert multiple times a year and this has become our go to place for breakfast and lunch.
The service is good and friendly and there are always tons of people working to make sure coffee is filled and water glasses are not empty.
The coffee can be hit or miss leaning towards the watery side, but a second or third cup can yield a better pot. Plus they never let your cup go empty.
Admittedly, I am a breakfast guy, so haven't ordered the lunch. I usually get the corned beef hash and eggs all mixed together, which never seems to come out right in other restaurants. My kids have ordered the burgers and egg salad, which were very delicious and my wife has ordered the trout (only farm raised) and BLT, both of which she raved about.
This is a good old fashioned cafe/diner with reasonably priced good food and service. Very family friendly and good parking. -
Review from cherie c.
3/28/2011
Decent diner, fast service.
Please note that portions here are HUGE. I had the machaca plate and brought most of it home after eating the beans and rice and tortillas. My bf and I split the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
The food is fine. It's hearty, it will fill you up and get you ready for the day. There seem to be a lot of locals meeting up here.
Service was lightning fast but friendly. We were seated right away. Our coffee cups were never empty. Our food came out really quickly. If you're in a hurry, no worries about Don & Sweet Sue slowing you down.
If you're in the area and need to fuel up, you'll leave satisfied. -
Review from Paskal S.
San Diego, CA
7/22/2011 1 photo
Been coming here for the past 15+ years. Every time I visit the Desert, I have at least one meal a day here. I was just there last week again and the service/food was as excellent as it was when I 1st visited over 15 years ago. It was my girlfriend's 1st visit to D&SS's and she is now hooked! =)
Thanks and keep up the great work! -
Review from Gud F.
Kirkland, WA
5/26/2011
I've been coming to this place since I was a kid. About 15 years I guess? My wife and I stopped by while we were in town for breakfast and it's still as good as I remember. I had the Eggs Benny and she had the waffles (which are huge by the way. she ordered two but would have been fine with just one) For lunch as a kid, I remember getting the club, so if you're there for lunch, try that out.
This is a mom and pop type place, and there is a sense of nostalgia for me. But it doesn't matter, because the food is great. Staff is friendly. And the staff knows a lot of the customers that came in. So it feels very welcoming here. On top of that, as far as I remember, this place is still the only original place in this little shopping/food center. All of their neighbors have failed and changed to different businesses. But not Don and Sweet Sue's. They're here to stay. The locals won't let this one go. -
Review from Wendy G.
Los Angeles, CA
10/9/2011
I had breakfast with my husband here a couple times in the past. Here's how I'd break out a rating as "it is what it is," a traditional diner. The food is slightly above average, but consistent (meaning if you look forward to a particular dish and taste, you will likely get it the next time you come). Service is average but it likely depends on the server - ours was a bit worn down. I do imagine though weekends are tiring..the place generally has a full house.
If you are looking for atmosphere, this is not the place for you. If you are looking for a quick, convenient breakfast with no frills, this is probably a good bet. The food (btw) is about 3-1/2 stars. My 3 star rating takes the whole experience into consideration. -
Review from Mike L.
Alta Loma, CA
4/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I ordered a pastrami omellete with hash browns and white toast.
Everything was great, the only thing is , i would want more butter on the toast. -
Review from Sandy K.
3/31/2011 1 photo
#300 Yeah! I've been here before for breakfast but it's been a while.
I was surprised the waitresses remembered me as I walked into the place.
My order - Chicken fried steak, eggs over medium, hash browns, rye toast and a cup of Joe. All my food was tasty especially the eggs (farm fresh tasting), hash browns were prepared nice and crispy on the outside. My chicken fried steak was lean and condensed with no fillers and the gravy was just perfect. I was dipping my rye toast and soaking up that yummy gravy.
Only con here was the coffee seemed a bit weak although I had three cups!
Happy meal for breakfast. What's for lunch... -
Review from Adrienne T.
Palm Desert, CA
10/21/2010
How could anybody say anything nasty about a place named "Don and Sweet Sue's?"
This cafe has been reviewed down to the nails in the floorboards. They say, the food is wonderful, terrible or just so-so. It's too expensive, a bargain or you get what you pay for. What stays the same is that everybody thinks differently.
We have been eating there for years, but only when we are in the neighborhood. I heard about it ages ago when Ralph Waite, actor (Daddy Walton), political candidate and activist, did television commercials telling us all how good it is. The connection was Don was Ralph's brother. Since then Don has gone on to a better place, but I hope Sweet Sue is still with us. It would be interesting to know if the family continues to own it.
We went into Palm Springs on an errand yesterday, as we have been doing every month for the better part of this year and on the way home we always stop for a late lunch at D&SS.
They really have an extensive menu. So much choice it is difficult to decide. The last three visits we have had Light Lunch #4, which is Rainbow Trout served with coleslaw and three huge slices of Heirloom tomatoes. We think it is splendid, healthful and delicious. Because the menu is so varied, I'm going to try something different next month. I already know how delectable the Cobb Salad is.
I can't find anything more to say about D&SS except the staff is friendly, efficient and all appears to be nice and clean. I think you can't go wrong on this restaurant if you are in the area. -
Review from Jeremy Lou C.
Seal Beach, CA
2/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Love this little breakfast staple in Cat City. I'm really happy to see how popular it still is and it's getting. I used to love Carla's in the Palm Springs mall but that place shut down :-\ I really hope this Don & Sweet Sues continue to do well.
The food is ALWAYS delicious and hot. The service is personal, relaxed, and friendly. The ladies always have a warm smile on their face. This is my favorite breakfast spot when my boyfriend and I are visiting the desert. Oh! And how could I forget, they offer mimosa when you order off the specials board! What a great way to start the morning =] -
Review from Anne B.
New York, NY
5/4/2010
My friends and I stopped here after a long, exhausting, fun-filled weekend at Coachella. We'd been surviving for 5 days on pb&j sandwiches and crappy Chinese food. As we were driving to the airport, we were all craving a hearty, delicious breakfast, but all we passed was Denny's and Del Taco. Apologies to fans of these establishments, but ew. And then thanks to my magical iPhone, we stumbled upon Don and Sue's, which looked like a cute, family-owned diner. Needless to say, we were thrilled. We sat at an adorable corner table in their adobe-style outdoor area. It was completely shaded from the sun, and there was a nice breeze. Blissful!
Everyone got the breakfast basics--eggs, bacon, homefries, pancakes, coffee. All the food was good. Not exceptional, but good. It is diner food after all--nothing complex or unique. But a hell of a lot better than Denny's would have been. And we all left satisfied. A perfect ending to an incredible weekend! -
Review from Esme i.
Palo Alto, CA
6/27/2011
I'm sorry, but any eating establishment that charges you $1.75 for hot water gets NO stars in my book! I have NEVER been charged for hot water in any place before.
First off, it was 110F outside when we went for brunch. You can just leave a cup of water outside and that water would be hotter than the water I got. It did come in a cute teapot, although functionally, it was a mess. Water would spill out everywhere when you tried to pour water out.
My hubby ordered coffee and they asked him if he wanted ice water (which apparently is free). Then the waitress asked what I wanted, and I said "just some hot water".
We ordered the banana pancakes ($6.95, bland), Waff San ($9.95, OK), and a side of onion rings ($5.95, tasty!).
Imagine my surprise when we got the bill and it says "Hot water $2.75, Coffee $2.25". HUH? Hot water costs more than coffee? I pointed this out to the waitress and her reply...
"Oh, I thought you got hot tea. If it's only hot water, then we charge $1.75 instead of $2.75".
Uh...thanks? You can bet I drank every last drop of my hot water.
Just remember when you come here:
Ice water = FREE
Hot water = $1.75 -
Review from colleen b.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love this homey place. Friendly service and good food. The trout is tasty. i've also had the egg salad, which is excellent, yummy BLT. great atmosphere. if you are looking for something other than and better than denny's, this is the place!
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Review from Lisa R.
San Jose, CA
4/15/2011
Large portions, friendly services, has parking. Pancakes tasted like they came from a box from the supermarket, so do not recommend them. The corn-beef hash was a bit oily and in some areas burnt - so just average as well. It is not your affordable Denny's - you will pay a bit more here...$35 bucks or so for 2 of us :-(
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Review from Lola S.
Anaheim, CA
11/12/2011
This past weekend, we were in the Palm Springs area to attend a wedding, and in the morning, we were looking for a diner to get breakfast. We found Don & Sweet Sue's Cafe! We sat at the counter & were served menus and coffee right away by Tim & Anna. The menu has something for everyone, and is reasonably priced. I ordered the beef machaca & scrambled eggs, Karl ordered the country biscuits & gravy. The food was served promptly, was hot & delicious! The patrons consisted of many 'regulars' and the conversations were fun. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we returned the following morning on our way out of town. This time, it was a bit busier, being Saturday, but we sat at the counter again, and were recognized & welcomed again by Anna & Tim. This time I had the eggs Florentine & Karl had the beef machaca. Served as soon as it was cooked & plated, it was again delicious! I love hash browns, and these were perfectly cooked! We struck up conversatons with a couple of regulars, Leon & Charlie, and had a wonderful breakfast. I can't thank the staff enough for their fine service & terrific food. I hope I can get back to visit them again soon!~
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Review from Ethan S.
We've been here a few times now, and it doesn't disappoint. They have some pretty decent home cooked stuff here.
The tuna melt is always good, but they charge extra for onion and the like. The chicken salad is good and the menu is very diverse.
I wouldn't recommend getting lox or seafood here, but anything else is pretty good.
The room is old fashioned and the service is fast and friendly. However, there were some panels in the ceiling missing, which wasn't very appetizing.
They told us the chicken soup was homemade, but I could swear it was from a can. The noodles were so overcooked they were falling apart by themselves, and overall I swear I've had it before. Whatever, no big deal.
Always a fast and delicious place to get a meal. Who can argue with a place named Don & Sweet Sue's? -
Review from Flor D.
6/11/2009
Greasy spoon. Greasy affordable spoon.
If you aren't looking to fork over dollar dollar bills y'all, and ARE looking for some good home cooking, then go visit Don & Sweet Sue's.
They have it ALL. Carne Asada omelet, berry explosion pancakes, California Benedict, cinnamon french toast, does any of this spark your interest? Add in some standard favorites, and you have the makings for a very good breakfast.
Service is friendly, and portions ARE huge for the price. I couldn't finish my meal as it was massive. No fancy frills, just good food...and they do have biscuits and gravy. Again, my meal was $5.99 and I was stuffed!
And yes, mimosas are served! -
Review from Michael O.
Aliso Viejo, CA
3/28/2011 30 Check-ins Here
Great food and great people -- Anna, Eileen, Tim, Lucette, Steve, et al.
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Review from Richard M.
Riverside, CA
6/1/2009
Went down to the desert on a motorcycle ride this last weekend and was hungry for a good old home style breakfast. That's just what we found, service was good, portions HUGE, and the quality of the food good.
We ordered the ham and eggs, banana pancakes, and eggs florentine. Everything came out quick and hot. The pancakes we're fluffy, topped with banana's and granola, eggs scrambled medium just the way I had requested them. Eggs florentin poached perfectly and a ham steak that hung of the plate. We left stuffed like little pigs. -
Review from Daniel H.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2009
I've always maintained that the midwest starts at the bay bridge and doesn't end until the lincoln tunnel. Sometimes this is said as a negative, but not in the case of Don and Sweet Sue's - its totally a positive! This is the exact kind of place you'd expect to find in Anytown, USA - except its in Palm Springs (Cathedral City, to be technical).
Not only is the food reminiscent of something you'd find in my hometown in Ohio, but the whole ambiance is genuinely "hometown" - from the super friendly waitress with big hair, to the dish you ordered smothered in some kinda brown gravy, to the endless tchochtke's lining every surface of the restaurant - this place screams Don and Sweet Sues!
The food is all midwest - including canned corn! Its not something I'd eat every day, but it was a really delightful surprise in the middle of the desert and totally reminded me of home. If you want a homecooked meal with a ginormous glass of coke, friendly service and a tacky - fun ambiance - visit this place. We loved it! -
Review from Jim W.
Palm Springs, CA
6/24/2008
Always crowded during breakfast hours...prepare to wait...I like sitting outside...food is mediocre to good, depending on what you order...and you get lots of it. Service has always been good for me...down home cooking, nothing fancy.
There really isn't much more to say about this place...Listed in: Less expensive places to eat…
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Review from Sean E.
Los Angeles, CA
12/26/2009
My last trip to Don & Sweet Sue's was a disapointment.
I don't usually like to post a review based on an employee's attitude, nor do I write off a restaurant I like based on bad service but the hostess we met up with on our last visit was so nasty I may never go back.
What a shame, the food is pretty solid for diner fare. -
Review from Tim T.
San Diego, CA
5/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had Sunday Brunch here during Memorial Day weekend with friends. They were busy but we didn't have to wait for a table, especially outside where we wanted to sit. They have heaters for the cool days and misters for the hot ones when sitting outside. Fortunately Sunday was picture perfect and we didn't need either. The food was good and service quick. The price is defintely right. If you don't mind driving a mile or two out of downtown PS, this is a great breakfast cafe.
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Review from Edmond T.
Los Angeles, CA
4/18/2009
Dear Don and Sweet Sues,
You are the typical breakfast place for me. Which goes a long ways. Nice little mom and pop feel, old charming waitresses, and a decent sized good breakfast.
It's not going to break your wallet, it's not going to be the best of services, but its enough to get the job done, and that's all I need and expected when coming to this place for breakfast.
The seats are a bit low to the table though.. kinda weird huh.
-Ed -
Review from Sean G.
8/2/2008 1 Check-in Here
Cute place with a few vegetarian options. I've had both breakfast and lunch items - I liked the lunch options better, one of which was a wrap with vegetarian meat, cheese, lettuce, etc with a side of fries. Tasty and filling.
Service was efficient and kind.
We sat outside, wasn't so bad but there were folks smoking around us and a few flies here and there. -
Review from Alexa E.
Huntington Beach, CA
5/31/2011
Best breakfast/lunch place I've ever been too. Too bad I don't live in the area because I crave their tasty sandwiches and breakfast items often.
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Review from Michael L.
Long Beach, CA
4/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place definitely has an appeal to it. I love the Mom and Pops type of places. The waitress was a doll and she's probably worked here for a very long time. The menu is huge and there's lots to choose from. Sadly, the only seasoning seems to be salt here though.
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Review from robert b.
Clinton, WA
9/9/2011
If we don't get here once a week we are out of town or six feet under. The friendliest staff in town and homemade meals that we don't do at home - stuffed cabbage rolls, homemade vegetable soup, stews, a huge sandwich menu with fresh ingredients. Anyway, it's fun and reasonably priced and good. BB RM, Ca
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Review from Michelle Y.
Palm Springs, CA
3/15/2011
You can tell this is a place that has a lot of regulars. Service was fast and the food good - not great - but good. No reason to go back - but also no reason not to.
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Review from Laurie P.
3/3/2010
My car needed new tires and after an exhaustive comparison, we headed to pep boys. Well apparently Saturdays are THE day to get stuff done at pep boys, so our quick 30 minute replacement was turning into a 4 hour wait.
My husband and I strolled the local area looking for a place to eat. We came across Don and Sweet Sue's and thought we had found a hole in the wall gem. I mean any place that is remodeling to make their restaurant bigger, has to be good, right? Wrong.
The main/older part of the restaurant is quaint and pretty. Kinda like what you expect for a hoarding grandmother. It is ridiculously dark though and every imaginable flat surface (besides the tables) is covered by tea kettles. Tea cozies optional. The waitstaff was friendly, so that was a bonus.
We ordered the soup of the day (a baked potato soup), a BLT, and a Philly's Cheese steak sandwich for lunch, both with season fries. The soup was more like a chowder and kinda bland. Something was wrong with the bacon in my BLT as it kinda brought up a gag reflex. And I love bacon, but I could barely stomach this stuff. My husband's Philly had too much onions and was also kinda bland.
Maybe their breakfast items are better, maybe we just picked the two worst items on the menu. I will say, their seasoned fries were pretty tasty. But their lemonade was barely lemony and barely sweet . . . I've had more lemony and sweet lemonade by squeezing a wedge of lemon into my water.
Sadly this was no gem. I doubt we'll be back.Listed in: Désolé in the desert?
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Review from Daisy D.
Goleta, CA
8/2/2011
Don and Sweet Sues may very well have the best fries in Cathedral City. I ordered the BLT (as I always do) and the sandwich itself was five stars. It is a bit small, but the service is great. We were not only served by our waitress but at least 3 other workers came by during the meal to check if our drinks were filled and our meal was fine. Average prices for a big meal! It's not just for the older folks, its delicious!
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Review from Susan N.
Palm Springs, CA
12/27/2010
New to the area we had heard good things about this place....WRONG! Service was ok except for one server standing in the corner glaring at everyone. Weird.
I'm not sure where the blueberries came from in my pancakes but YUCK. They were chewy and stale tasting-I tried to eat around them.
My boyfriend had the chorizo and egss with beans-the beans had hard uncooked beans in them and a dried glob of what could only be the bottom of the pan of old beans??? He said the chorizo was ok but when they took his plate to replace the beans, his plate only had 1/2 the original amount of chorizo and he hadn't even had a bite yet....mysterious.
Never again! I was so disappointed... -
Review from Oyinda I.
Cathedral City, CA
7/24/2010
Food was super. Love the atmosphere. Very friendly & promt.
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Review from Brian R.
Kent, WA
7/31/2011
Who would have thought that Vanilla Pudding, Blueberries and Waffles would be so yummy! The French toast (forget their name for it) was great as well. Tight little location with tons of patrons...great find!
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Review from Kari S.
San Diego, CA
9/4/2008
My mom and I went here for breakfast on our way back to San Diego. The service was okay...not overly friendly but sufficient. I had the Pan San - 2 pancakes, 2 eggs and 2 pieces of bacon. The pancakes were huge...and really good! My mom had the 1 egg, sausage, hashbrowns and a side of blueberry pancakes. The hashbrowns were perfect....crunch on the outside and not mushy at all. The blueberry pancakes were enormous! There was probably over a cup of blueberries in the pancakes and the pancakes were super tasty!
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Review from Cigarettes S.
Rancho Mirage, CA
4/3/2010
They make a wonderful biscuits and gravy here.
