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Galley Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Diners Breakfast & Brunch, Diners [Edit]
829 Harbor Island DrNewport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 673-4110
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 am - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
72 reviews for Galley Cafe
Review Highlights
"Corned beef hash had great crust again and bacon was cooked..."
(in 6 reviews)
"Love the chili cheese omelette and hash browns."
(in 10 reviews)
"It's a cash only place so bring your dough with you."
(in 13 reviews)
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72 reviews in English
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Review from Martin K.
Santa Ana, CA
10/16/2011
I found the Galley on yelp, looking to find a different breakfast place.
I like the 50's Diner Style of the Galley Café. You get your hearty breakfast (corned beef hash, etc) and good coffee. Again, I'd rate it _good_. Not "OH MY...... THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING ________!"
Again, it's a Diner, not a gourmet $$$$$ restaurant, hence not too much to write about the culinary experience.
With that in mind, it's a cozy local place. Just don't over-expect.
Four stars mostly for 50's Flair, location, friendly and prompt service.
Hint: Bring something to read to keep you occupied while you sit outside and wait until it is your turn. -
Review from Pillin L.
10/24/2011
It's such a bummer when a friend decides to take you to eat somewhere that they really love, grew up eating at, and just overall was hoping you'd like it as much as they do. Well on a gloomy Saturday morning I felt a little bad about not raving about the Galley Café as much as he was.
Galley Café is a small 8 booth café with a short straight to the point menu. No fancy creative omelets here. Instead they list the ingredients and you come up with your own concoction, and I must say, not a big fan of that. Especially when each ingredient is $1-$1.50 and cheese isn't a free ingredient.
My bacon, avocado and tomato omelet was okay. Nothing to rave about. Hash brown was tasty. Delightfully crispy as if they flattened it on the griddle. OJ was freshly squeezed and tasted exactly so. But a $40 breakfast for 2, I think I'll pass.
Breakfast, in my opinion, is really hard to mess up. Especially to a breakfast food lover like myself, but Galley Café doesn't deliver for me. I think the Galley Café is supported by local loyal Newporters. This Costa Mesa-er will stick to something else. -
Review from Drew M.
9/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
There are some things that the Galley Cafe does right, and there are some things that could be done a little bit better, but when you're old, you get the privilege of saying to younger, possibly more hip restaurants:
"Sonny, I was hand making sodas and malts when you were still too young to wear your non-prescription hipster glasses."
Sure the Galley Cafe is small and is cash only, but it's a piece of Newport Beach history. Sometimes I pay more for the ambiance than the food, and I think that's what you get here. You get a quaint, wistfully nostalgic spot that affords great views, and speaks to a time when Sputnik was a more important "S" word than Service.
I loved that they used a lot of cheese on their omelets, their coffee malt was piquant and enormous (it had better be for 5 bucks), their coffee was also quite good, and the views were appetizing to the eye. I also like the fact that each booth has an "owner," which begs the question, "Can you boot people out of YOUR booth?"
The service was a bit meh, I don't think the food is especially mind blowing, and the wait time and parking can be bad depending on when you arrive.
Would I recommend this place to others; absolutely, so long as you come prepared, and order a shake or a soda.
3.5 Stars. -
Review from Laura S.
Orange County, CA
7/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The food is three stars at best but the location and old school vibe of Galley Cafe brings it up to four stars in my book.
It's a tiny cafe located on the end of a peninsula somewhere off a newport island. How's that for descriptive?
Breakfast was average diner fare, but good ... the chili cheese omelet seemed to be the popular item.
They make their soda old school style (pump the syrup, then add the carbonated water) and they make old school style shakes as well.
It's been there since 1957 so they must be doing something right. You can tell it's a local hangout - no tourists around here even during peak season.
Cash only, but there's an atm inside. Come early, it does get busy and the seating is pretty limited. -
Review from Jeena E.
Incredibly over hyped cash only 50's styled diner.
The Galley enjoys a hugely loyal local following here in Newport Beach. I have heard the terms "institution" and "breakfast mecca" used loosely when describing this restaurant so naturally I was very excited to get this place off of the Yelp to do list.
The Galley is located inside the Balboa Marina and if you are not a local you may have a hard time finding this place, perhaps by design. The parking is pretty tough, you may have to squeeze into a spot on the street or inside of the marina itself. After parking you will then be outside in line waiting for one of the 8 tables or 10 seats at the counter to open up. In our case that was 10 minutes.
The restaurant itself is best described as grubby meets kitchy. Basically your typical greasy spoon, I was waiting for Guy Fieri to walk in and starting dropping 5 year old cliches and catch phrases ad nauseam. The interior is the same as it has been since 1957 and the booths are cramped and worn out. The service is very gruff and even the regulars seem used to that. They do not take any form of plastic (sticking with the 50's theme), but naturally they have an ATM inside that charges obscene fees. Well played.
The food itself was below average. The biscuits and gravy was a pool of coagulated tasteless goo plied high on dry biscuits. I can't think of the last thing I ate that was this tasteless. The french toast did not fair much better, bread is covered in egg wash and plopped upon the grill until warm. Again, no real flavor here. The highlight would have to be their famous Chili Omelet which was actually executed reasonably well. A mediocre chili is tucked inside of a folded omelet and served with hash browns that were nothing more than cooked potatoes. The omelet actually stood out amongst its peer group (I guess I am grading on a curve here).
Between the dirty environs, jaded waitresses, long lines, cramped parking, and lackluster food, I can't give this restaurant more than 2 stars and look in the mirror every morning. There are just too many great places in Newport to ever come back. Borderline 2 stars.Listed in: Breakfast, I heart J00!
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Review from Cat H.
8/12/2011
What an ADORABLE little place! Eating here is a delight.
This little restaurant is tucked away right on the water with views of the boats. The service is super friendly and efficient and the food is YUM! They still make their sodas and shakes by hand here. Who does that anymore? I had myself a turkey sandwich on wheat with some yummy applesauce on the side. I love that I can get applesauce on the side. Everything was fresh, made well, and yummy. -
Review from Louis B. M.
Manhattan, NY
5/27/2011
The best kept secret in Newport Beach, old school at it's BEST! It is a diner people so don't excpect Emeril to be making your breakfast here.
The place is very clean with a GREAT view the people are friendly and the food is good!
They have the best Shakes and soda pop here. I have been going here forever and really like the joint! -
Review from Charles P.
Arcadia, CA
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
WHERE:
The Galley Cafe is located in Beacon Bay near Balboa situated by the Marina. You cant really see much of the water, just Yachts parked next to each other.
PARKING:
Parking is terrible during the weekends, so you may need to park inside the marina.
ATMOSPHERE
The environment has an old feel to it with an old cash register, older worn out tables and booths.
RESTROOMS:
I couldn't find any. They must be out side.
FOOD:
The food was mediocre. I was expecting a lot from all the good reviews. The food tasted more like it was made in someones home kitchen rather than a restaurant. My bacon cheeseburger looked like I could have made it myself. Very simple and plan and the potato chips that were served with the meal came from a bag. The pancakes were pretty good though. I think overall I would compare the food to Denny's.
OVERALL:
The place is OK.. nothing special at all... You also need to bring cash. If not they have an ATM machine that will charge you $2.50. -
Review from Brent C.
Newport Beach, CA
10/26/2011
Great little popular family-run place. I love the location, and usually come visit in the winter when it's nice and gloomy out. The place is called the Galley, but the food is better than the galley food I had in days of yore. Enjoy the ambience, it's simplicity, and consistently good food that you could definitely make yourself--but that would mean that you'd have to clean the dishes, etc--and you wouldn't be right next to the water. It's a classic Newport Beach breakfast place. It always comes into my mind when it's morning, and I'd like to go out for breakfast. About 1-in-3 times that happens--I go here. I like their simple Patty Melt and very good Eggs Benedict.
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Review from Casey A.
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great diner! CASH ONLY!!!
We sat in the corner in the large booth so I'm not sure about views of the harbor but there is definitely plenty to look at while sitting in the restaurant.
I had French toast: great:) served with custom amounts of powder sugar.
Mom had cream of wheat: a perfect blast from the past for us.
She also had one egg over easy, hasbrowns and corn beef hash(it was St. Patrick's Day!).. All fabulous!!
Dad had a short stack and oatmeal: absolutely no complaints and almost no commentary which means he was loving the food:)
Ryan had 2 eggs over easy with cb hash, sausage links and tomato juice. He loved it all and rarely spoke either!
4 stars for service being a little lacking but the 2 women doing all the busing were also part of the "diner" experience.
We primarily chose this spot while on vacay because of the review somewhere on the page about the Galley only being for locals and to not even try if you were from out of town.. It intrigued us beyond looking for another restaurant:) so fail, buddy boy.
Full menu, great flashback with mementos from another time, delicious food.
Get there soon!! -
Review from Tim W.
Orange County, CA
Updated - 11/14/2010
I'm still a fan after many visits must mostly just because of the location.
I'm a 'boat' person so anywhere I can sit and eat breakfast and see water or boats... well, that's good for me!
Other than the location and history of the place, the food is pretty mediocre.
I was here last week and had an omelet, I added on the 'toasted bun' for 25 cents like I always do. ... It's basically the cheapest, smallest hamburger bun you can find, but they toast it up and it is just damn tasty.
So this time I decided to order an extra toasted bun. Stupid me..... thinking it would be another 25 cents??!!
NO..... more like $2.95!!!!! WTH? For a hamburger bun?
I know it's Newport and all, but wow... it felt like I got screwed and not in a good way.
So after our 30+ dollar breakfast (for 2) I started to lose a little love for this place.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/18/2009
Location, Location, Location!
Came here with Rob W. for breakfast over the weekend. Love this place!… Read more »
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Review from Tammy L.
St Paul, MN
2/18/2011 4 photos
Heard tons of great things about the place from family and friends, and since the line was out of the door I expected something extraordinary. But it Galley Cafe turns out to be just another breakfast/brunch joint.
It's a cute small diner like place. We had to wait quite a bit for the 'big' booth since we had a party of six, but I honestly didn't mind the hour wait because it gave me time to catch up with my family.
Pros:
-very friendly service
-location. it's sooo beautiful to look out the window and see boats and fresh water
-great malts and milkshakes
Cons:
-small
-wait time (i didn't mind this though)
-friendly BUT unattentive service (I had to ask for a refill on my water several times before I got it)
-overpriced mediocre food you could make at home for the fraction of the price
If you don't care about the water and the boats that the restaurant is overlooking I suggest trying Side Street Cafe in Costa Mesa for better tasting breakfast/brunch. -
Review from Trou D.
St Paul, MN
10/5/2010
Truly the best diner in the country - it's addictive, it's delicious, it's friendly, it's my sweet spot! The owner and his staff make this even more special. Thank thank you for so many years of Chili Cheese fries, Chili Cheese Omelets and Pancakes. You have never disappointed!
Yes, this has been a hidden gem to many for years, except locals. -
Review from Judi S.
9/14/2010
Not easy to find, bad parking, line out the door and cash only? WTF!
I went to Mimi's instead. -
Review from Raymond H.
Aliso Viejo, CA
Great little place at the marina. Tiny and usually a bit of wait bit worth it. Cafe food simple and easy. No frills but tasty and ok service. Love the chili cheese omelette and hash browns. Cash only at this joint. Don't forget.
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Review from Tom K.
Los Gatos, CA
1/29/2011
Great location, great service, okay food.
It is always incredibly peaceful to be in a harbor atmosphere and it was a charming old-style cafe'. Definitely worth finding and had friendly, casual atmosphere. The food was basic and not very creative. -
Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
7/9/2010
I was charmed the moment I walked up to this bright, tiny cafe on the harbor over the weekend. I could tell right away that this place was old-school and made no apologies for it. I appreciate that, so I tried to overlook a lot of things about it. But the fact is that this place lacked a lot of things that make a pleasant brunch experience for me.
First of all, this place is cash only. Annoying, but not a huge deal, and certainly ok for locals who are used to coming here every weekend. We could make that work.
What was less easy to deal with was their seating system. The place, like I mentioned, is teeny tiny, and understandably has a ton of people coming to breakfast on weekends. If they had as much as a signup clipboard it would make life so much easier; instead, they merely let people wait outside and figure it out. Luckily everyone we dealt with was pretty friendly and we were able to figure out who got there first and who would fit in what open table, but we had absolutely no help from the staff in that regard. One particularly annoying incident involved a couple who took up two seats at the bar with an empty seat next to each of them. A party of four ahead of them (ie, my party) or another couple could have easily sat and started eating if someone had told them to just scoot down one stool.
But for me the main thing that got on my nerves was the terrible - and I mean terrible service from our waitress. The surly diner waitress thing just doesn't cut it for me. From the moment we sat down, this lady had a scowl on her face and wasn't in the mood to answer any questions about the menu. One of us asked politely if they had turkey bacon and she basically cut him off with a firm shake of her head, as if he had committed a crime by inquiring. She slammed food down on our table and I don't know if I ever heard a 'thank you' from her end once. Two people at our table ordered orange juice but I inexplicably got a huge one while my dining companion got a tiny one.
That being said, my food was great. My egg was perfectly over hard, I loved the nice greasy sausage links and my english muffin was delish. And good thing, since this places charges a quarter for bread.
It's a nice classic place in a cheerful location - I just wish the waitstaff would make more of an effort to meet the cheeriness in their policies and service.Listed in: My Weekend In Newport Beach
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Review from Chris Y.
7/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
DON'T COME HERE.
SERIOUSLY!
This is not a place you go to try. Don't come here based on awesome Yelp reviews. Don't come here looking to try something new. This place is strictly for the regulars, for the locals, for the people who grew up coming here.
It's a small, unpretentious diner, tucked away alongside the harbor. It's not for everyone. The place is small and can be very cramped when they're busy. The service can be very slow at times, too (simply because they are just too busy). Actually, even when they aren't busy, the service is slow, because they don't make it til you order it. For the most part, the food ranges from above-average to delicious. Cash only here - they've probably been using the same cash register since my grandparents' days!
Now I guess I will let the world in on the secret of The Galley.... Milkshakes. The Best in the World. Malts included! They hand-make 'em the old-school way. One at a time, too. They're expensive -- but they're worth it. Really good sized, and probably half a dozen flavors (but I never stray from Chocolate). Well, since you all know the secret now, please just don't go in there and order 4 at once, because the service will be hella slow for everyone while they are making your milkshakes. Also, make sure to throw in a good tip, because making milkshakes while you need to wait on tables isn't exactly a fun job. Plus, they are the best milkshakes in the world!! That deserves a little something, right?!?!Listed in: Vote for These!!
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Review from Tiffany C.
Irvine, CA
1/17/2011
Walking into Galley Cafe instantly brings you back a couple decades, from the old school photos down to the old school cash register (in a good way). Yes it's true, it's tucked inside the boaty communities of Newport Beach, and it's true that you can expect to wait at least 15 minutes for a weekend breakfast or brunch. You basically arrive, wait in line, and figure out amongst the rest of the waiting customers which party can sit down next, based on the size of the next available table. Parties of 5 or larger, beware; they only have one big table. The majority of the tiny space is occupied by a bar with about 10 seats, and booths that comfortably fit 4.
On with the food. It's delicious and not vegetarian friendly! They're popular for their chili cheese omelet (which contains meat) that everyone in my party enjoyed. Their biscuits and gravy are also delicious, paired with perfectly over-easy eggs. Their "toast" costs a quarter extra, and are actually smashed and toasted burger buns. Weird, but good! They basically charge for almost anything extra, but that's expected from such a small, hole in the wall place like Galley.
I heeded a previous reviewer's warning about a grumpy waitress. Although it did seem like our particular waitress was rushy and rude, she actually gave us a pretty smile and thanked us for ordering at the end (then again, maybe it's because we had a cute 2-year-old at our table). Anyhoo, waitresses HAVE to be rushy at a place like this where the line reaches the parking lot and keeps getting longer. People (mostly locals) don't come here to be pampered by service; they come to eat great homestyle food, unembellished. -
Review from Alli T.
Mission Viejo, CA
6/19/2011
Wonderful family owned breakfast place in newport beach. Has a lot of great history attached to it and a whole lot of personality. Great breakfast and a line out the door. Also a great place for a milkshake on a hot day. I've been going here since I was young and nothing has changed. Still the best kept secret in newport, as its nestled in a neighborhood.
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Review from Jackie P.
8/25/2009 ROTD 10/5/2009
Looking for a place to grab some breakfast before hitting the Back Bay Loop for a bike ride. Rob W is the king of mom n pop breakfast joints, so decided to check it out. I'd say a good 3.5-3.75, food roundup:
Belgian waffle: Crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, we passed on the blueberry topping and whipped cream.
2 egg breakfast (1 with corned beef hash other with bacon) : Our eggs were cooked perfectly and the hashbrowns were excellent, great crust with fluffy, individual shreds of potatoes. Hashbrowns are the litmus test of a good breakfast joint. Corned beef hash had great crust again and bacon was cooked slightly different than I've had before, not greasy!
Lowdown: At the end of a quaint street in Harbor Island, this is your quintessential local breakfast joint with straightforward fare, and btw, the locals are LOADED. Keep in mind you're in prime coastal OC real estate, but the prices are reasonable (cash only) and the service friendly and efficient. And yes, there's no "list" so just wait in line for the next available table or spot at the bar. Just be prepared to see a Thurston Howell type or two here :)Listed in: ROTD's
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Review from Jay L.
Irvine, CA
4/24/2010
This place is way overrated. The ambiance is unwelcoming. It is very much for locals and may need to be patronized by locals only. The food is mediocre and the fact that they do not accept credit cards does make it a bit unpleasant if you're not used to carrying around cash. It's 2010 people. Who carries cash?
I walked in with a friend on a Sunday afternoon around 5:15pm and the place was virtually empty. 1 table of 4 adults and 3 kids sitting behind them at another table.
We felt out of place from inception. The only table there tried to be discreet, failing horribly, about how shocked it was to see us (black folks) walk in. No welcome to "Galley Cafe" , hello or anything from the 85 year old waitress/everything but cook. We weren't offered a seat, no biggie, we decided to sit down at one of the many empty tables. As I picked up a couple of menus on the counter, the waitress says, I'll bring them to you. I indicated to her that it was ok, I was already up, I'll just assist myself to the menus laying on the counter, to which she replies "Whatever!"
The other patrons look over at us, I guess in shock seeing if we'd heart the waitress!! I didn't hear the waitress clearly, so I asked the young lady that I came in with and she confirms what I thought I'd heard. My friend was uncomfortable and we ultimately felt very un-welcomed and decided to leave before even ordering...........
I had eaten there before on at least 3 occasions. The only reason I went back was the location, its a quaint little place nestled in the harbor. I need to find a new place. =/ -
Review from Micaela S.
Dana Point, CA
6/18/2011
Best pancakes in Orange County. Cheap, chill, and quaint. The Galley makes my Sunday morning.
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Review from Meredith P.
Fullerton, CA
6/13/2011
While we were tooling around in the NB area, BF found this breakfast spot on Yelp -- thanks Yelpers!
Small little diner-style restaurant that takes you back to (what I imagine is) an old-California feel. The place was pretty busy still at noonish on Saturday. We learned quickly that you essentially just... wait outside with the others and use the honor system (no formal waiting list). This worked fairly well. There was one lone OC DB among other hungry folks outside who was highly unfriendly (BF: "are you waiting, is this the line?" OCDB: "(blink, slight disgusted face, loud gum chewing)" BF: "okay..." Me: (struggles to refrain from, "you don't talk?") but other than him, just regular folks trying to get some eats.
We waited about 10 minutes and then seated ourselves at two available bar positions. We tried the chili cheese omelette with hashbrowns, short stack of pancakes (2 -- they're really big!) with scrambled egg and bacon, side of biscuits&gravy. The ordering was a fun process because there are goofy options, like the sides to the meals (including applesauce, cottage cheese, or strawberries) and additional a la carte options are fun and cheap (like biscuits&gravy, worth the dollar or two for a taste).
Everything tasted really good and fresh. Seriously, the eggs/bacon/hashbrowns were light as they can be, not oily or "dirty". The omelette was incredible. The pancakes were incredible! ALL of it was delicious!!
The place is long-time family owned and the service and quality reflects this.
Definitely give it a try if you're in the area!! -
Review from Rob W.
Orange County, CA
5/16/2009 9 photos
**Hidden Gem Alert**
How could anyone not love a little place like this. I love everything about it. Yep it's just good 'ol' American Diner Food, they're not trying to make it into anything else either. Love that! It is prepared and presented with a little extra care though.
I love how it sits quietly (and humbly) at the end of this street of multi-gazilion dollar waterfront homes. And, for 52 years!! If I ever hear they are tearing it down to make way some waterfront condos I swear I'll strap myself to the side of the building.
Not good for groups...the largest table is for 5 and there is only one of those. Now the servers in this tiny little place seem very focused on moving people on Saturday morning...no time for chit-chat. I'm looking forward to trying it for lunch during the week some time or maybe even an early dinner? I bet it's a ghost town.
It would be difficult to pick out a favorite part of this place, it's just the total package for me. However, one totally crazy thing here....FREE parking as far as the eye can see. Now, where am I again? Newport? Where are the parking meters? How come there is so much available parking? Where am "I" supposed to park? I haven't circled the block 10 times looking yet? You mean I just pull up anywhere and park? I dunno, I don't get it. I know....you don't believe me...whatever. Leave your quarters at home.Listed in: Let's do the Time-Warp…
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Review from Electric E.
Los Angeles, CA
7/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cute, small diner on the harbor. Looks like you're driving into a residential area and then bam! There's little Galley Cafe.
Definitely a diner from the menu items, booths, breakfast bar and waiters! We ordered a variety of dishes including corned beef hash, the chili cheese omelet, and the basic 2 eggs and bacon breakfast meals.
All the food was well made, and you can pretty much tell that Galley has been there for awhile with the homemade feel of the food and diner.
Chili cheese omelet? Definitely worth a try! My boyfriend got it, so I was able to grab a couple bites from it, since I'm not quite a chili fan, but he liked it and I was glad I was able to try a bit of it.
I ordered the hash extra crispy and it came out a tad past golden, which I was totally fine with.
Definitely a great place to grab breakfast after painting the town red, as the place fills you up with a satisfying meal and you get to enjoy the pleasant weather and surroundings in Newport Beach. -
Review from Tod B.
Fountain Valley, CA
5/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Times shouldn't have changed. Things were better in the olden days. Galley is a piece of old time California jammed inside of new California. A small diner with a cool bar, good food, and a cozy feeling. This is my go to place whenever I'm in the area looking for good food. I dont think I have ever ordered anything but breakfast food whenever I go here. Remember its CASH ONLY!
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Review from Sammy K.
Newport Beach, CA
5/18/2011
It has been around forever for a reason. Super busy on weekend mornings, but since its open 7am-7pm every day I usually stop by for lunch or early dinner during the week and get great food quick with great service too. I have been eating here for 15+ years. Best bacon i have ever had. great patty melts, french fries, chili sizes, and amazing milkshakes.
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Review from Rishi G.
9/14/2009
Holy cottage cheese, Batman. I've never seen cottage cheese featured so prominently on a menu in my life.
I'm low-carbing at the moment, so options are fairly limited. I got a turkey & onion omelette with cottage cheese (surprise!) on the side. The omelette was pretty good, onions were grilled at least and the turkey was of pretty good quality.
The place isn't much to look at, but it's functional and clean. It's funny how on on their menu they ask you not to tell anyone about the place, "locals only". Well, I'm a Canadian who lives in the Bay Area. Thank you Yelp for making this hidden place not so hidden.
I took off a star because they don't take credit or debit. Not everyone's a stripper, and always carries a stack of cash. :) -
Review from Emmanuel B.
Newport Beach, CA
12/3/2008
LOCAL SECRET. A Newport Beach hidden gem. I used to live a few steps away from this restaurant. I like the hidden nature of it and only a very few people knows about it. You have to be a Newporter or know one to even know that there is a restaurant at the end of my old street.
There is nothing fancy about the menu offerings. It is simple Americana. Writing this review brings back some old memories. I can remember those days when a former special someone leaves love notes under the frog outside the door of this place; in the middle of the night! I would go there in my jammies and bathrobe to get it.
Sorry, got a little carried away ... the food is great. I suggest breakfast or lunch. They close at 7 so dinner will be an early one if you really want to push it. I can't imagine that the Galley is celebrating its 50 and still owned by the Flach family.
If you come here, make sure to be patient because sometimes the wait is long because the place is small. It looks rundown outside but it just gives it personality. The view is great. A lot of boats and nice houses.
I think this is the place where snooty people just unwind and be incognito. Just remember, this place is not a frou frou place so don't complain you didn't get a finger bowl. -
Review from Tina S.
Newport Beach, CA
11/4/2007
So I found out about this place on yelp... and I called them this morning and asked if I could call ahead to make a reservation. The girl was what I at first thought to be rude, because she was like, it's not like that.
And I said ok....
but we went anyway, and she was 100% right, it's totally not like that.
I ain't mad at her.
Maybe internet exposure to this great place isn't such a great thing, but I thank it because it led me to it!
A totally small and old school diner right on the Balboa harbor in a residential area - celebrating its 50 year anniversary and maintaining a wait to seat yourself system.
classic simple american breakfast menu... it was perfect.
good times all around, and don't be a dumb ass like me and try to call ahead and shit. damn us spoiled modern bitches. -
Review from Kevin W.
Los Angeles, CA
6/6/2009
A local recommended the Galley to me after noting my large physical stature and inferring that I needed big food of big quality. I got it at the Galley.
Never had a chili-cheese omelet before coming to this spot. I fear ordering them elsewhere. How can they equal the sublimity of the Galley's offering in the genre? I'm talking about melt-in-your-mouth, finger-licking, don't-share-with-your-girlfriend, call-your-mama-in-tears good. The Galley's grill has been going strong for years and years, passed down in the family. As far as I'm concerned, it's in its prime.
This place is old school. There is a legit soda fountain, and they blend up milkshakes the old-style way: by gerbil-turned work-wheels. Just kidding man, they have a machine. These shakes are thick with real ice cream. Get two, and pour a little out for the homeys who ain't here.
The place is small; try coming during an off-hour if you can. Keep your group small, there isn't enough seating for you and your whole posse. -
Review from Brandi H.
Costa Mesa, CA
6/10/2011
The chilli cheese omlette... To die for!!
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Review from troy h.
12/11/2008
Off the beaten path...
I decided to try this cafe of the suggestion of a friend. Though hard to find, it was definitely worth the trip.
This cafe serves b-l-d-. Specializing in American comfort/cafe food, it's actually really good.
My first visit, I tried the Denver omelette and a side of corned beef hash.
The omelette was perfectly cooked and had lots of filling. The eggs were not overcooked, which is hard to find.
The hash was great, crispy on the outside, and soft inside.
They make malts and shakes the old fashioned way.
Next time, gotta try the lunch specials. -
Review from Philip P.
Huntington Beach, CA
5/5/2010
It was pretty average. Not going to lie to you, I was expecting a lot from Galley and ended up just whatever about it. First let me say, the view is weak. I was thinking a nice water and some boats, but instead it's literally just a bunch of boats. Sure, the locals must like it, but there was nothing really great about this place. I got the yelp-tip'd Chili Omelet, but it was very average: nothing special, just chili on my eggs. The service wasn't super duper old school, which I woulda liked considering it's such a hole-in-the-wall. I'm probably not going back either, not necessarily because it has bad food, but more because it's out of my way and nothing special.
cash only -
Review from Bojangles M.
Irvine, CA
8/4/2009
Clean, fresh, good! the service is perfect... attentive, friendly, and non-obtrusive. Visit the Galley if you want straight forward, simply prepared good 'ole fashioned "American" food. My pal had the Denver Omelet, which was ample and served with perfectly cooked potatoes and choice of toast. The coffee is good and fresh.
I like the ambiance, location and overall feel of the place. I've also gone for lunch and found the tuna melt to be superb! I'm super picky about Tuna and this was fresh, well seasoned and very filling! Nothing fancy here... just good home cooking! -
Review from Kat N.
Los Angeles, CA
5/7/2007
This is my 2nd favorite local spot to get brekkie. My roommate introduced me to this picturesque diner tucked at the end of an upscale, residential cul-de-sac -- and it still feels like she let me in on a great secret.
This is definitely a no-frills joint, owned by several generations of a longtime family. John Wayne was reported to have been a regular here back in the day. Some may find the the fare to be completely too ordinary, but I've never had more of a homemade breakfast than at Galley Cafe. I order two eggs, over-hard, with hash browns and bacon and sausage. The hash browns taste fresh and natural (if you like In-N-Out fries, you'll appreciate what I mean) and the bacon is just the way mom and pop used to fry them up with lots of savor and crisp.
If you're lucky, snag a table overlooking the small and glittering bay or sit up at the counter for a true diner experience. Oh, don't forget to bring cash! -
Review from Mike L.
Costa Mesa, CA
2/19/2007
The food is neither great nor awful, just ordinary diner food (the sliced American cheese in my omelet was a giveaway), but the quiet location is very pleasant: overlooking a yacht marina in a fairly out-of-the-way section of Newport harbor.
If you want a comforting coffee-shop meal, this would fit the bill. -
Review from Gstar K.
Huntington Beach, CA
12/27/2009
Yay!...b/c of chill atmosphere, & secret-like, dock-view location yet another cool discovery thru Yelp. But didn't read all reviews thoroughly so...
No yay...for twirling my damn thumbs waiting an extra 15-20mn. for guy friend to return later fr.drive to nearest ATM (which is winding back up the road thru residential 'hood to Bayside/PCH just for a decent cash machine!)
Lesson: should've called ahead to confirm credit card acceptance. Silly me, thinking we all lived in the 21st century!...no plastic, no love. =[ -
Review from Eric T.
Newport Beach, CA
4/10/2011
Great food and old school atmosphere with an original soda fountain! I suggest the chilli cheese omelet, but dont forget to factor in the dutch oven factor if your going home with someone special.
