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Mustard Seed Cafe

3.5 star rating
based on 110 reviews

Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
1948 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 660-0670
Breakfast all day!

Check out our website for new breakfast entrees.

 
Hours:

Mon-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sat-Sun. 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
No
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Breakfast, Lunch
Alcohol:
None

110 reviews for Mustard Seed Cafe

Review Highlights   

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"The sandwich had an extremely generous helping of goat cheese." (in 6 reviews)
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"Ahi Tuna Plate - LOVE this." (in 4 reviews)
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"…key and friendly and I have never been disappointed with anything I have…" (in 4 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Heidi K.

 

4

12

Heidi K.

La Crescenta, CA

4 star rating
9/11/2009

This little corner cafe is just so pleasant. It is so filled with local love and happiness. The first time I ever ate here, I was on the way to go eat at the Alcove, but it is always very crowded there so we just decided to try something new, and I sure am glad I did. I love going there and ordering their food.
Last few times I went, the food pretty much took forever, but it was nice to just look at their little local ads and stuff corner and just chit chat.
However their tables have that real large bottom foot thing in the middle and all the chairs sit ontop of that when the chairs are tucked in and that just bothers me.
Oh, and I heard someone by the name of MICHAEL CERA ate at the Mustart Seed Cafe!

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Photo of Joanne S.

Elite '09

109

237

Joanne S.

Los Angeles, CA

1 star rating
Updated - 11/18/2009

bad service. all the people who work here seem to be gazing off into nothingness, with sour looks on their faces.
i was here and i heard two different tables of two discussing whether they should leave or not since no one had come to greet them, bring them menus, or even acknowledge them.
the menu has way too many options, and unfortunately, most of the options are just mediocre. if they removed like seven of the menu pages, kept it at one page, and made sure everything on that page was made really well, they'd do a lot better.

but then again, i keep seeing yelp reviews mentioning celebrity spottings here (and i myself have seen michael cera a number of times, whoaaaaa diggity), which means that this place will probably always do pretty good business despite the many factors in which they should be suffering.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    1/28/2009

    maybe i ordered the wrong thing, but the eggs bruschetta was pretty blaaahhhh. i enjoyed my coffee… Read more »

Photo of Narumi O.

 

114

49

Narumi O.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
8/1/2009 2 photos

Here  are pros and cons about this restaurant.

PROS
Price is reasonable.

CONS
The waitress was not friendly.
The tables were dirty
The food tasted like it'd been sitting in the kitchen for a while. it's not warm enough.
The coffee was not warm enough.
And
Oh My God, the waitress was so obnoxiously loud talking with her customers. The bus boy drags chairs and tables when he cleans, and its' just so uncomfortable hearing the noise.

I took pictures of what we ate and they look good, but it's pretty bland.

I won't go back there for a while, and I don't think they want me to.

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Photo of Jhi C.

Elite '09

102

206

Jhi C.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
6/22/2009 1 photo

ADRIAN GRENIER.

If I rated restaurants based on pure emotion and giddy-starstruck-hysteria, I'd give this place 5 stars. But I won't let his dreamy eyes cloud my judgment of the food. My girlfriends and I ordered the following:

- Mustard Seed Omelette (which they're known for): pretty bland. I had to douse it in ketchup and tapatio to give it kick. I think the vegetables inside were too watery. The rosemary toast on the side was yummy! So were the fresh fruits.

- Turkey Sausage Scramble: much tastier than the above, but probably not as healthy. Potatoes on the side were good but looked hella burnt.

- Apple Chicken Walnut salad: Pretty tasty. Huge pieces of candied walnuts and chunks of chicken were excellent. I liked the variety of greens tossed up, too.

All in all, this place is cute with pretty quick service. Prepare to go deaf in one ear here, as acoustics inside are horrrrrrrrrible. It was so hard to hear my girlfriends talking and they were sitting right next to me!

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Photo of Wade D.

 

0

6

Wade D.

Burbank, CA

4 star rating
10/7/2009

A solid, tasty restaurant.    Really liked the breakfast quesadilla.   Friendly attentive staff.   I wasn't thrilled the first time I was there, but I gave it another go and then found better choices on the menu for me.

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Photo of J C.

 

6

17

J C.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/22/2009

A great neighborhood spot to relax for lunch.  Has a pleasant vibe and super friendly staff (the twins will confuse you).  There are a lot of healthy options on the menu. Nothing I have tried has been mind numbing amazing so far (been there 5 or 6 times) but everything is always fresh and very good.  The relaxed atmosphere makes it a great place to just hang out and drink coffee or tea as well.

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Photo of Quimo J.

 

4

97

Quimo J.

Canyon Country, CA

4 star rating
9/10/2009

Love this local cafe.  The items I crave from this place: Sunrise Breakfast Special and BLT for lunch :)

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Photo of alex M.

 

6

13

alex M.

Los Angeles, CA

1 star rating
4/10/2009

It's been a while since I've written any reviews, and I wish it was because of a better experience, but here it is.  

I've been reading about this place on chowhound for quite some time and have been meaning to get in, so I finally did earlier this week.  The food was pretty good, I got the rosemary turkey burger with a side of mixed green salad.  The burger was delicious, very nicely cooked and the rosemary was the perfect accent to the turkey.  The mixed green salad was overly dressed, but not too a fault, so I wont hold that against them.  

The problem is, good food doesn't make up for horrible service.  The waiter was kinda awkward, but there's no reason to hold that against him, except that he also just didn't seem to care.  After getting my food, he went and sat down inside, where it looked like he was reading a book.  I was never checked on to see how things were, my drink was never checked/refilled even though it was empty and it took over 15 minutes and me waving through the window before he came and collected my plate.  When he did collect my plate, I asked for my check and got a quick response on that, but it took him another 5 minutes (and me waving again) for him to get back up from doing nothing to pick-up my credit card.

I'm not one for reviewing a place to give it a bad name, but rather to get their attention.  I'm also not looking at this restaurant as fine dinning, but rather good food in a cafe environment.  That said, that sort of service will just leave people not wanting to come back (and possibly telling others via an online community).  You can do better, guys.

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Photo of Marie B.

 

53

67

Marie B.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
4/5/2009

This is a brunch review.

The Mustard Seed truly radiates a neighborhood cafe feel.  You are encouraged to come in, grab a menu from the front counter and seat yourself.  The server may ask you while working behind the counter if you want coffee.  

I started with coffee and a small grapefruit juice.  The coffee was okay, the grapefruit juice was fine, fresh but not freshly squeezed on the premises.  A terrific price [$2.95] for a tumbler full and that was just the small size.

Since the Mustard Seed touts their Eggs Benedict I decided to try it.  It is offered with either potatoes or fruit.

My main dish arrived and looked picture perfect except for the giant cup of ketchup lying on top for the potatoes.  I loath ketchup.  

The EB took a hit for a few reasons:  the English muffins were not toasted and the ham was cut from a ham roll with the requisite rind on the outside.  And the dish came with two slices of tomato below the ham making the untoasted muffins all the more likely to become soggy.  
Even though the eggs were perfectly poached the classic way and the hollandaise acceptable, the dish would warrant a 2 for me.

BTW, the lovely photo of the Eggs Benedict that someone uploaded is apparently not what they serve now ... add the tomatoes and the ham roll.

The potatoes were boiled red potatoes that had been sprinkled with seasoning, browned and served in a small bowl with the cup of dreaded ketchup.  Nondescript.  

Having said this, I would come back and try other breakfast, lunch or dinner offerings, not the Eggs Benedict and not the potatoes.  This place gets jammed later in the morning/afternoon so plan accordingly.  While I don't mind crowds for a simply fabulous meal, I wouldn't wait in line for this little neighborhood offering.

Street parking available on Hillhurst.  Bring lots of quarters.  Mustard Seed opens at 8am on Saturday and 8:30 on Sunday.

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Photo of Julie G.

Elite '09

117

130

Julie G.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
3/10/2009

Like the microclimates of San Francisco, Los Angeles has something I like to call microtimezones. For example, in Venice things move at a pace of their own; a pace mostly on par with the melting of glaciers. I suppose when you're stoned out of your gourd and the beach is but a hop, skip and a jump away, there is no hurry. Hurry is overrated anyway.

As you move East, the pace speeds up. Santa Monica moves at a chipper, cheerful, double-wide stroller (oops did I run over your toe? sorry I'm on the phone and didn't notice) pace. Brentwood skips along merrily at an I'm a rich mo-fo and I said I want my coffee now! pace. West Hollywood has just enough time to rubber-neck at the hotties. Koreatown moves fast. And then things start to slow down again...

Over here on the Eastside, things function more on the hipster timeframe. Like, it is so uncool to harsh on my buzz, so don't go rushing me to do shit, bro. And therein lies the Mustard Seed Cafe. It does not have the gorgeous patio of The Alcove, nor does is have the cheerful outdoor area of Home, but what it does have is tasty, tasty grub, that in my personal option, rivals both of those places and usually beats them outright.

At Mustard Seed you seat yourself, so don't go expecting a warm hug at the door. Someone will drop off menus eventually. Silverware is already on the table. The menu is varied, and everything I've tried is really tasty. I'm partial to the Eggs Florentine at breakfast, and the Club at lunch. And oh, the potato salad. Y.U.M. Their breakfast potatoes are quite nice too. I usually order a nonfat latte, and I think they make a fine one. Plus, you don't have to wait for it in the clusterfuck counter space they're sporting at The Alcove and then spill half of it while you negotiate your way back to your seat on the patio.

If you are in a hurry, or ravenous with hunger, I suggest you go elsewhere or calm yourself down until you're compatible with Mustard Seed Time. The owner answered the phone the other day when I called in a take-out order, and he was positively giddy. Cracked me up, he did. My food was ready in a mere 5 minutes, tearing a hole in the Mustard Seed Time-Space Continuum, but that was just fine by me. I like anomalies. And Club sandwiches. And walking to acquire food.

Last time I dined there in house I saw Henry Thomas of E.T. fame. He's all grown up now with a wife and two kids. That is a meaningless little bit of information, but it sure makes a nice conclusion. Word.

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Photo of Caleb B.

Elite '09

174

492

Caleb B.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
3/31/2009

They now serve dinner.  It's good too!  Romantic, sparsely attended, and full of atmosphere you'd not notice during the brunch rush.

_C$

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Photo of Christine C.

 

22

26

Christine C.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
2/7/2009

As of this morning, I have been here 3 times for brunch and can't believe I haven't written a Yelp review on The Mustard Seed Cafe yet.

My 2 favorite things about this cafe are 1)The twin boys who either own the restaurant or simply always work there.  Not only are they cute in a kinky kind of way, I have a fondness for twins, both of my parents have a twin. And 2) the fact that they have The Onion every week inside the door for your reading enjoyment, or in my case, my weekend Ben Tausig crossword puzzle.  

Food:
On 2 occasions I've had the Create your own Omelette and the other time I had the Sunshine Sandwich (a little messy to eat, so you might not want to order on your morning-after-a-one night stand brunch date). All were delicious.  Even with my nibbles off other peoples plates, it's safe to say, "You can never go wrong with most of their food."

The downer is the Coffee:
The coffee is good... WHEN they serve it to you.  I always have to ask for a refill, they've never offered. And in one instance, I was only served a half cup in the first pour because they had "just ran out and are brewing a new pot" and was never offered the other half of the mug.  I had to ask when the bill came.

The prices are reasonable. The food is great.  They just need to be less stingy on their joe.

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Photo of Michelle C.

Elite '09

16

451

Michelle C.

Belmont, CA

4 star rating
3/16/2009

They really make the best eggplant sandwich I've ever had. Their food is like super fresh and tasty.  They seem to be on the eco friendly side, so that is nice, they pack their take outs in non-foam packaging.

One of our friends has her art displayed on the wall so it was really cool to be there and see her stuff. Shameless plug but check out her art and the food.

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Photo of Erin J.

 

6

13

Erin J.

Glendale, CA

4 star rating
6/6/2009

I'm giving them 4 stars because all of the feta in my omelet was lumped on one side.  I love cheese in every bite of my eggs!!!

Other than that, my sun dried tomato omelet and iced vanilla latte kicked the day off right.  The fruit was fresh, unlike some places where you just get really hard honeydew.  

Servers were nice and the atmosphere was low key.  Didn't have to wait because we got there right when it opened.

Will definitely go back.

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Photo of David M.

 

6

58

David M.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
5/5/2009

I heard so much about this place, not to mention some celebs frequent the place. I really don't understand why. I was not impressed at all with what the menu had to offer not to mention when me and my GF finally picked something it was boring and not much flavor.

Do me a favor and keep driving past........

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Photo of Ana A.

 

1

107

Ana A.

CA

5 star rating
4/16/2009

I passed by this place many times before I actually tried it. The name intrigued me, but it never seemed to be open. Finally, two Sundays ago I went there for dinner and I loved it!

It's small, unassuming and pretty much awesome! The quality of the food was good. I thought the prices high at first, but after I tasted the food I quickly changed my mind. Good portions, delicious taste.

I went back last Sunday too, just to make sure it was that good.

Oh, and it is. I'll be going back!

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Photo of Derek S.

Elite '09

17

86

Derek S.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
1/22/2009

When the Alcove and Home are full...

There's Mustard Seed. A standout place in any other neighborhood, but unfortunately located next to two of my favorite restaurants. Their food is great and I totally dig the relaxed atmosphere, but it's just not the same as eating outside at a place with equal or better food. I've only tried breakfast, not lunch or dinner, but I've always left feeling like this place should be trying to fill a niche that hasn't already been spectacularly covered by two other restaurants within 4 blocks.

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Photo of Tony S.

 

22

32

Tony S.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
4/15/2009

I had one of the best salads I have ever eaten here. It might have been a special of the day but it was simply fantanstic. It was garnished with these giant candied walnuts. SWEET!

Nice atmosphere and friendly waitress. You should try it out!

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Photo of Melissa L.

 

4

45

Melissa L.

Costa Mesa, CA

4 star rating
1/4/2009

The BF and I really liked this place!  It is small enough to be inviting but holds enough people so that it isn't too intimate.  There is indoor and outdoor seating.   We snagged a meter right across the street, but I can see how parking could be an issue on crowded days.

We arrived at around 9:30 on a Saturday, and there were plenty of tables available, and there was no one seated outside yet.    

I got coffee (nice and strong) and the eggs benedict w/ fruit.  It was very good.  The eggs and the hollandaise sauce were cooked perfectly, which can be some places' downfall.  The fruit was fresh.  

The BF got the salmon and spinach pan scramble w/ potatoes and he loved it.  He really liked that they had a lot of salmon breakfast dishes.  

The server was very friendly and attentive.  Our total for two breakfast dishes and a coffee came to $23.  

We will definitely be back for more breakfast, and to explore lunch and dinner!

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Photo of Joe K.

 

0

9

Joe K.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
4/19/2009

Great, great place for breakfast or lunch (dinner just started and is good).  Mustard Seed Omelet, pancakes, french toast, chilaquillas, turkey burger are all exceptional.

Don't be in a hurry.  Service is friendly and relaxed.

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Photo of Richard J.

Elite '09

25

122

Richard J.

West Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
1/26/2009

I happened to be in the area this weekend and came here for lunch. I was really pleased with the food. I had the club sandwich. It was nice that the turkey was real thick sliced turkey breast, not just thin sliced preservative-filled turkey. Their potato salad was pretty delicious too.

Unfortunately I'm rarely in the Los Feliz area so there is a good chance I wont be back, but when/if I'm in the area its worth another visit.

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Photo of Moye I.

Elite '09

106

152

Moye I.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
10/11/2008

Breakfast here is always yummy, and we finally decided to try their dinner. I'll be honest and say that the menu was a little disappointing. It's clear that they're trying to branch out into the dinner world, but it seemed like they basically just took off the breakfast items on their menu and offered all the same sandwiches and entrees.

Maybe my mistake was that I was expecting something different, but their dinner menu carried a lot of the same items throughout the appetizer, sandwiches, salads and entrees. It didn't seem very imaginative and in that case, I had a hard time finding something I actually wanted to eat. For example, they have grilled wild salmon as a salad, a sandwich and an entree. Like, cool. We get it. You have salmon. Where's the imagination and variety? Blargh.

Service is always a little slow, even if you're literally the only table in the restaurant.

Nonetheless, I'll still come back here for their pancakes and outdoor seating. Yay for neighborhood restaurants. :)

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Photo of Vandana M.

Elite '09

45

353

Vandana M.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
6/20/2009

Such a chill brunch spot on a sunny day. Great people watching and tasty food. Yes, please.

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Photo of Lisa K.

 

1

12

Lisa K.

Denver, CO

4 star rating
7/17/2009

My brother and I went to Mustard Seed Cafe almost every morning during our vacation in Los Angeles.  He always got the Steak Breakfast w/ fruit (their fruit bowls are so juicy and tasty!), I was mainly a fan of their Cobb Salad.

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Photo of Justin M.

 

52

83

Justin M.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
9/12/2008

A very basic, very pleasant, exceptionally friendly neighborhood restaurant which comes free of any bullshit that lesser places used to distract from the mediocre food, cf. Home and the Alcove and Fred 62.  There's no huge patio, there isn't a giant display case of bad pastry dishes, there's no valet.  It's just a simple, small-scale breakfast and lunch spot without any real frills.

I've read a few reviews complaining about the service, but I don't give a shit about that.  I go here on my off-days usually, or very early on Saturday or Sunday mornings and from what I can gather, I think the service is very good.  It's just not "constant", as it were.  No one is checking in all the time, no one is pressuring you, you can just sit there and have some food and an endless mug of coffee and read a book and relax.  Maybe some people just need to chill out and not get histrionic when they don't get the check ASAP.  

I really like the food here as well, which isn't anything special on the surface necessarily but it's done very well and it's got a lot of good healthy options.  I haven't had any lunch dishes here so I can't comment on those, but everything I've had on the mornings I've stopped in was great.

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Photo of David S.

 

7

4

David S.

Oakland, CA

5 star rating
3/23/2009

Was in LA for a weekend vacation.  I was staying in the neighborhood with tooter, and had heard about Alcove, but as soon as we stepped foot in there we decided to try someplace else!

Thankfully, we found Mustard Seed!  Not only were they able to satisfy my desire for Chilaquiles, but they did it well.  The coffee was good, and so was the service.  I also had some of tooter's pancakes and they were also delicious.

Good food straight up.  No silly gimmicks.  I will eat here again on my next visit to town.

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Photo of tom D.

 

4

54

tom D.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
6/25/2009

Service can be inconsistent but always friendly. They have the best chix salad sandwich in all of LA. Great gauc and pot salad too. Breakfast is breakfast - nothing special.

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Photo of P. K.

 

3

11

P. K.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
11/12/2008

Every Saturday, my sister, brother-in-law, boyfriend and I walk down to mustard seed for brunch. There are a lot of good places to eat in Los Feliz, but mustard seed is the best one yet.
I always order the pancake breakfast and substitute the pancakes for french toast. It comes with a side of eggs and bacon. Even though I eat it every week, I am always craving for more.
Everything that I've tried on the menu from breakfast to lunch is good. I haven't tried anything from their dinner menu, but I haven't heard anything positive about it yet. They don't serve from the breakfast or lunch menu during dinner, which they totally should!!
The only downfall is the long wait you have to endure to get seated. Fortunately, they recently re-modeled and added about a dozen more tables. Still, there is about a 30 minute wait.

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Photo of Yuki M.

 

4

11

Yuki M.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
10/25/2008 1 photo

A brunch champion, Mustard Seed Cafe is our new dinner fave!
Their dinner price is very reasonable. Our bill was at least 10 bucks less than average dinner out.  

I will recommend:  (everything we tried so far!)
Ahi Tuna Salad,
Beef Stroganoff,
Grilled Salmon with pasta,
New York steak

Their dinner menu is similar to brunch dinner, but presentation and portion seemed different. My Ahi tuna chunks were bigger, tasty and in sushi grade. Just lightly sheered as I asked. Sauce for beef stroganoff was very yummy, although some beef chunks were a bit tough. I wonder if I can ask for Tofu stroganoff next time...

I can't wait to go back and order grilled veggie sandwich with goat cheese!

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Photo of Leilani S.

 

6

2

Leilani S.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
5/29/2009

This is my favorite local cafe that I've been going to for about 3 years now.  They know my dating history and that I like crayons when I eat there.  Not thrilled about the marble counter make-over, but the food is still the same, plentiful, healthy and delicious.  My favorite is THE MUSTARD SEED OMELET and I usually get that because it's amazing and I'll take half home for later, but I can get indecisive with the menu.  The sandwiches and quesadillas are good and interesting and portions and sides are generous.  I love the staff and the brunch rush.  Service can be a little slow but it's well worth the wait.  It's less expensive, less pretentious and has better food then The Alcove across the street.

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Photo of Aaron R.

 

173

563

Aaron R.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 9/18/2008

Stil the same old Breakfast place... but now...

THEY SERVE DINNER!!!!

It was yummy.
Eat dinner there now. Ready and.... GO!

Oh... they serve things like Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Picada, Burgers and Sandwiches.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    1/24/2006

    Brunch is great! It can be crowded, but standing on the corner making the scene in Los Feliz can be… Read more »

Photo of Rosie H.

 

7

74

Rosie H.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
4/18/2009

This place is good for what it is, nothing special, but a good place to grab breakfast I'm sure. I went here and got a chinese chicken salad, and it was good, nothing spectacular though. Maybe next time I should try their sandwiches or something. I also read there that they're opened for dinner now-- I hope that their dinner is better than their lunch. Also, my waiter had a bit of an attitude. I just walked there on a nice sunny day and he put me in a bit of a foul mood. I hate when that happens!

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Photo of Julia Z.

 

7

20

Julia Z.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
9/27/2008

I'm quite surprised to see Mustard Seed only earn an average of 3 stars, cause this place is clearly the best brunch/lunch spot out of the extensive selection of places on Hillhurst.

The vanilla chai latte is amazing, and so is the red coleslaw, which I always order a side of, even if I'm eating French toast (trust me, these three things all work together :). Speaking of which, the French toast is absolutely delicious and their selection of sandwiches (grilled chicken sandwich, the various sandwiches with goat cheese etc.), and many of the breakfast dishes (eggs, omelets, Mexican-style breakfast) are excellent too.

A neighborhood favorite and I am planning to check out their new dinner dishes soon too!

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Elite '09

221

452

Anh T.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
5/28/2008

I am like, so emo.

Not cool enough to stand in the long lines at Alcove across the way, I kept my sullen self at this little corner cafe. Even the waiter took awhile to notice me, despite the loud roar coming from my muffin top spilling out of my super tight jeans. Eventually, I ordered a coffee and grilled veggie quesadilla and waited. And waited. And waited as I drew pieces of a shattered heart on my arms.

Finally, another server came around with my huge veggie and cheese-filled tortilla that was oh so tasty. Apparently, my original waiter had taken his lunch. Maybe it was a coincidence that he decided to take a break right when this meticulously mangy girl sat her black-clad ass in his section. Maybe he really wished he worked across the street, where all the beautiful people roam. I don't know, but the painful tears of rejection salted my undressed side salad quite perfectly.

Before I cut my legs off (it is the only way I can feel), I attempted to masochistically burn my tongue with the hot coffee. Unfortunately it wasn't hot enough and quite good. Three cups later, I was extra wide-eyed so I put on more black eyeliner. Then I paid my $12 bill and dragged my Converse-covered feet all the way home to my Lair of Lament.

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Photo of Leonard A.

Elite '09

174

350

Leonard A.

West Hollywood, CA

2 star rating
7/13/2008

NAME: Mustard Seed Cafe

TYPE OF CUISINE: Chichi kicky-trendy yuppie watch-me-eating-this type food

ADDRESS: 1948 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027

PHONE: 323-660-0670

WEBSITE: No got

RESERVATIONS: Not that kind of place

GENERAL LOCATION: Southeast corner of Hillhurst and Clarissa

HOURS: M-F 8-5; St-Sn 8:30-5

DELIVERY SERVICE: Nope

BANQUET FACILITIES: Nope

CATERING: Possibly, but judging from the other Yelp reviews, you'd probably regret it big time

TAKEOUT: Yep

NOISE FACTOR: Gets buzzy

VEGGIE FACTOR: Possible

AMBIANCE/ATMOSPHERE:  Well *I* think it has a nice yuppie vibe, but when the door's open, you get the heat and the flies and the noise and the fumes coming in from Hillhurst. Otherwise it's fine!

FOOD: Evidently I've escaped with my life several times, because all I've ever ordered there were coffee and muffins. The other Yelp reviews have some horror stories.

FOOD PRESENTATION: It comes on plates, thank God.

DRINKS: Coffees, teas, waters.

SERVICE: Nice enough: they serve you and clean up after you.

RED FLAG: They're a very popular place despite everything you've read. So be prepared for long lines and waits (really crappy in hot weather), and having to sit out on the sidewalk. I've never understood the snob appeal of sitting at an umbrella table on the sidewalk. Who needs the heat, fumes, noise and flies -- not to mention the occasional passerby with a dog who jumps up on you and tries to get to your food or your crotch -- or both??? Can someone please explain this to me?

PRICE RANGE: Reasonable

PAYMENT: Cash, CC

PARKING SITUATION: Lousy, as with all the Hillhurst Avenue eateries, it's street parking, lots of circling, swearing and sweating in hot weather.

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0

12

Julie D.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
6/28/2009

I have enjoyed the Mustard Seed for years and was thrilled when they began serving dinner. The service is low-key and friendly and I have never been disappointed with anything I have ordered here--I love a place you can get a delicious sandwich, salad, or a fresh & delicious entree if you are hungrier. The Mustard Seed is a favorite place to meet friends for a meal or to bring a book for a solo repast.

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0

8

ophelia c.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
7/3/2009

A cool neighborhood cafe that always satisfies. Laid back and not a scene like the Alcove across the street. Good coffee and great service.

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7

20

Lisa V.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/1/2009

Went driving around last night over on Hillhurst with my man searchin' for a new place to grab some grub.  We stumbled across the Seed and we bummed to find out they don't have liquor.  The waitress sensed I was a lush and suggested I go buy a bottle of wine at Pavilions and she would open it up for us, without a corkage fee:) So we found our beverage of choice, went back to the seed, grabbed a spot outside and chilled.  The darling waitress who resembled Natalie Portman was very personable and made great entre' suggestions.  The food was excellent and the price was really great.  Afterwards a guy, sorry I can't remember his name, was hanging out waiting for his friend and he had tarot cards and did a free reading for us!  He was really darn accurate and I have to mention him as I believe he works down the street and frequents the Seed.  If you see him, ask him to do a reading for you if you have time-you will be amazed.  We tipped him although he didn't ask for anything but I felt it only right for such an accurate reading.  So I'm a big fan of this place now and I wanted to let all the Yelpers know.  By the way, There were only four tables full here so we loved it.  I'm sure they get really busy on the weekends but throughout the week rocks if you need a nice place to dine.

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6

8

Mimi G.

New York, NY

1 star rating
6/29/2008

About the ambiance:
I've been here a bunch of times. Each time I just feel like the place is unsanitary. The servers are often very nice, but the atmosphere inside is unclean, dirty walls, floors, etc... They could use a new paint job and some cool music, and art/photos on the walls. I'm an interior designer and I would love to do a re-interior design/decor to the place and make it a really cool unique place that stands out from every where else in the neighborhood. It would give the place such a different feel and vibe! And it could be done for such little money.

About the food:
I ordered a chicken cobb salad and the chicken was dry, and tasted like it had been made a week prior, and was sitting in a smelly refrigerator for the whole week, because it "tasted" like smelly refrigerator.
Also, the bacon tasted like it was made a week prior as well, and tasted like fish. Yukk...

They apologized and took it off the bill for me, and let me order something else. So I ordered a turkey sandwich to go, since I had many errands to run. I was so hungry, and excited to eat the sandwich, but when I got in my car and drove  away, I took one huge bite, and I was sadly disappointed when the turkey had the same dry, strange, smelly, refrigerator flavor. I couldn't even bare to take a 2nd bite, so I just put it back in the box and skipped lunch that day.

Since then, I haven't gone back. I don't like the unclean feeling of the atmosphere. I will say though.... the turkey burger is pretty darn good. But since I'm trying to eat lighter, I can't bare to eat the smelly refrigerator chicken, turkey, or bacon in my salad. And I'm not crazy about the salad itself either. Something about the dressing taste like bad fish to me.

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Elite '09

30

310

Gretchen H.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
10/1/2008

Sammich the size of your head? Check!
Outdoor seating? Awesome.
Cute servers? Don't tell my husband! ;D

I really enjoyed the peace of a beautiful, amazing, absolutely gorgeous Saturday afternoon with an iced vanilla chai and a chicken breast sandwich.

Thankfully we split the ciabatta sandwich and salad because it was massive!

The menu had some very tasty nibbles on it, and the ones we had were quite good.

If you're one of those annoying people who brings their dog everywhere because you think everyone loves dogs, this place seems a good spot for you. The Fido next to us was given water, and the owner was able to order a chicken breast for it to chow on for $4. LA is weird.

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