Potato Shack Cafe
Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
120 W I St(between 2nd St & Coast Highway 101)
Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 436-1282
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 7:00 a.m.-2:30 a.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast
- Alcohol: None
41 Reviews for Potato Shack Cafe
I love the potato shack! Aside from this place being made famous by the whole Taylor Steele crew and Rob Machado etc. back in the 90's, they serve the most massive, tastiest pancakes you'll ever eat. My personal fave is the banana/chocolate chip. Lots of really tasty breakfast items here too, like dif. potato cakes with good ranch dip sauce. Great for a post-surf meal!
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The Potato Shack make me happy.
Weekends are crowded. Go on a weekday morning and make yourself happy!
Yaaaaayyyy!
:)
Fun place if you're looking for some artery-clogging goodness. They have breakfast on the menu, plus sandwiches, burgers, and 4 salads. I had a patty melt on sourdough and onion rings. Both were amazing. The bread was thick and buttered just right and the onion rings squeezed juice when I bit into them. Greasy greasy.
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Lucked out on parking on Friday at 11:15am, right in front, they have a lot next door. Did get the #3 manhole cover plain pancake with eggs and sausage, $9 then the baked potato with the works to go, $8. So much food! Service was good, had a great lady, it does get busy at lunch. Couldn't finish the pancake. Look at the photos and you will see why.
Two dining rooms and patio dining out front. Cash only.
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This is a litlle local spot that is close to the beach. There food is like some good home cooking, nothing to fancy scmancy. Their helpings are always way more than I can eat too. I havent always had the fastest service when I was there but the waitress' were always friendly. I would give it a 4 star if the service was a little quicker.
Do you want a pancake the size of a manhole? One that is ACTUALLY CALLED a "manhole-sized pancake" on the menu?
I don't. Gross.
It has been years since I ate at The Potato Shack so I probably shouldn't knock it. I just felt so bad for bagging on them, actually, that I added a third star. Honestly, it's fine as long as what you're looking for is greasy eggs and greasy bacon with greasy potatoes and greasy toast served alongside bad coffee on a table carved right straight out of the trunk of a tree. Be careful not to drop your fork through one of the holes.
I'm just sayin'.
They've been there since the dawn of time, so they must be doing something right.
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I liked this cozy place until I got stuck in the same crappy, dirty corner table a few times. It was so scuzzy I barely wanted to eat my food. Unfortunately, the service is so slow, that you have time to notice how filthy the place is. There was also an old dirty sugar packet in my cola, and they barely flinched when I showed it to them. They didn't even take it off the bill. Oy! The food is avg greasy breaskfast stuff. The coffee sucks! This place is way over-rated if you ask me.
I guess I have to go against the grain here. I'd never been to this restaurant and am on a mission since recently moving here to try all the local eateries. The service was terrible though our waitress may have just been having a bad day. Unfortunately the food was just as bad. The "manhole size" pancakes would be better described as "manhole like" pancakes. Yes they were huge but had little flavor and were solid as a rock. When letting the waitress know that we didn't care for them she looked at us like we were crazy and said well we sell millions of them. That's a lot of manholes! Maybe people are secretly sneaking these things out of the restaurant and using them to cover pot holes in the streets. Next time I'm out I'll have to give the road a closer look. Next time you're out and looking for good food, skip this place....St Germaine's is right across the street and has killer food cooked strictly for consumption.
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I love this restaurant.
The potato shack has the best breakfast food in all of the north county area. In high school, I would come here and share my meal with my friends and we would just have a blast laughing with the staff there.
The food was very delicious and the portions are larger than life!!! Their man-hole pancakes are the best pancakes I have ever tasted in my life. I love coming to this place when my friends are in town and I take them out to a lovely spot for breakfast for the locals.
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The food is good and the location is quaint. The pancakes and omelets are really popular but I usually go for the basic egg breakfast. They are sometimes crowded but they do have outside seating that is nice on a sunny day. The waitresses have been there for a long time and are friendly and bring the food out quick. They don't accept credit or debit cards so be prepared.
cant really go wrong with breakfast right? i've been here a few times already and breakfast is yum-o! they give GENEROUS portions! especially their manhole pancakes. they are not messing around! so if you LOVE pancakes, this is the place for you! they have combos that come with eggs, bacon or sausage, oh and cubed hash potatoes. i like it here, they were very nice to us and the service was good.
they serve lunch too, but i have not tried it, so i cant comment on that menu.
a few tips: cash only and parking maybe hard b/c its all pretty much street parking.
Like the shack needs another review. Oh well, what can I say...the place rocks. Huge portions. Awesomely friendly staff. Fast service, and terrific food. I've been going to the Potato Shack for 10 years and I'm never disappointed. I'm definitely a bigger fan of the breakfast menu, rather than the lunch menu though. Here's a tip from a veteran... Park at least 4 blocks away, and plan to take the long way back to your car. You'll thank me later.
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Overall I like Potato Shack. If you are looking for some no-frills greasy breakfast food with no-frills service this is the place to be.
Positives: Laid-back vibe; very beachy and hippy 'Encinitas.' Price - large portions for cheap! Outdoor seating. Very quick turnaround time for food - if you're in a rush and want to eat fast and can get into a table quick, you will be in and out and 25 min. Dog-friendly.
Food Recommendations: The pancakes are huge and fall off the plate which makes syrup-ing them a bit tricky, but they are still pretty decent. I always go for the make-your-own omelette (omelette with American cheese, mushrooms, onions, ham) - I do have the palate of a six year old. I like to swap out the potatoes for curly fries. I remember their onion rings being really good, too.
Negatives: Cash-only establishment; they do have an ATM there that charges a hefty withdrawal fee, but cash-only just adds to the hassle. The tall young guy (the son of the owner?) who walks around and helps with seating is a complete jerk. We have had a negative run-in with him on more than one occasion. For example, we (my husband and I) got yelled at for trying to sit down at a 4-seater table because there were no more 2-seaters left. He is just such a prick - if you go you can't miss him; tall with dark hair, sunglasses, long shorts, and flip flops. The ambiance leaves much to be desired. The tables are awkward (old lacquered cut wood - tree trunk - pieces with random edges that can make eating uncomfortable and awkward) and seating is cramped anyway. If you're able, get a booth. The carpet is dirty and dingy and you can tell they haven't done a thing to the decor is 30 years. In fact, you'll find splashes of syrup or coffee or food on the wall or wall-hangings; no one bothers to wipe it up...EVER. You can tell the place is run by a couple of gents who don't care about those kinds of 'details.' The bathrooms are also really gross and I remember them always smelling of urine and fairly unclean. Parking can be a hassle, especially if you go during the height of breakfast. It's all street-parking but even during the busy times it hasn't taken us longer than 10 min. to find a spot. Service is quick but the waitresses are not friendly - it seems that their focus is to get people in and get people out, which is fine because usually we go here if we want to have a quick meal and don't want any chit-chat. They do all seem unhappy, though - we went there for about 3 years and the waitresses seemed to not change at all.
Yes, there are seemingly a lot of negatives to this place, but if you are okay with a no-frills home-style traditional breakfast for a little bit of cash, this is a good place to go (good hangover food, too!).
Worse service and food in North County. Go to McDonald's, way better.
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Really 3 1/2 stars. Good breakfast. Considering the name, it's interesting that the only thing I usually leave on my plate is the potatoes. The salsa is very good and the basic breakfast is very good, but not as good as Honey's or Pipe's -- which are both very close. You can sit outside here, which is the only choice for me. The food always comes out very quick and the wait staff is polite, professional and long term, which is a combo I don't usually see. Unlike both Honey's and Pipe's, the outside seating is less noisy since it's on a sidestreet which is nice. I'm not an omelet man, but my friend always gets an omelet here and it really is good. She always gets the one with spinich and feta cheese, and it's really damn good. Like I said, 3 1/2 stars. It'd be 4 if they would have espresso instead of just crap coffee so I wouldn't have to walk down to Java Hut for my latte first.
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A group of 7 of us headed down to this place while here for a getaway weekend. One of the friends LOVES this place and comes here frequently when in town staying at his parents beach house. He just raved and raved about this place.
We sat at a table outside along the street. There are quite a few tables out here and you can have your dog chillin next to you while you eat. For the most part the dogs are all very well behaved, at least when we were there.
The service is phenomenal. You coffee does not ever go empty for longer than a minute, the waitress was always checking up on us, and other wait staff came by as well to make sure that nothing was ever overlooked. It seemed they could accomodate our nearly every need.
You would think by what you have read so far, this would be a 5, but you will understand. We all ordered various breakfasts. Egg breakfast, omelets, etc. The food was pretty standard breakfast fare. Not one of us ordered the man hole sized pancakes though, so maybe those would have been over the top. But, every dish comes with american fries. These are red potatoes that are chopped and cooked. We figured a place like this would have EXCELLENT potatoes, right? Well, we left ours plain without the extra ingredient add ins that are possible, thinking they would be seasoned and just perfect. They were not. Far from it to be honest. They were a bit under cooked and had ZERO seasonings. We tried the salt and pepper addition, but they just still were not great. Bummer.
The rest of our food was good and I think everyone enjoyed their omelets and eggs. Luckily I am not a potato afficionado, and can take or leave them. I should have just gotten the sliced tomatoes like I usually do. But I liked the rest of the food.
Overall, the food is good, the service is great and the location is pretty cool and fairly easy to park. I just say, do not have too high of expectations for the potatoes.
The portions are large, but most of your meal is going to waste if you happen to be at all picky about temperature, texture and/or seasoning. If all you're concerned about is bulk, it might be a good deal.
I'm not sure if they're going for a retro look, or they just don't bother keeping the place up. The decor is old and tacky.
Wherever you parked, there are better breakfast joints within walking distance.
YUUUUMMMM.
What can I say about this place.
I previously thought the service was bad, but upon another trip to the shack, I was surprised with the awesome service.
The waitress brought me seconds on the fries even before I asked for them!
I usually get the fries with garlic, cheddar and sour cream. Last time I went, I ate so much potatoes, I was afraid that I would go blind.
Bring cash guys...this place doesn't accept plastic...
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We got to the Potato Shack at 1:59 and they were nice enough to seat us...The Shack closes early at 2PM!
I shared a huge clubhouse and a side of the home cut french fries...There was quite possibly enough food for 3 people...and those fries! Wowee!
Looking forward to going back for those "Manhole covers" and the biscuits and Gravy!
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AWESOME selection of potato dishes. A really great place in town. You can sit inside or out...and for those who don't like potatoes (people like that exist, I guess...) there are pancakes and other options depending on the meal you go to the Shack for.
Highly recommended place!
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No thank you. I had heard this place was good, so I decided to try it out. Yes, they have a selection of potatoes, but they werent good. The potatoes were cold. And hard....and not seasoned....and way too big..it was a waste.
I also had the manhole pancakes...umm not good. It was big, but I prefer a light fluffy pancake and this wasnt it. Bigger is not better...
Overall a mediocre meal. I am not going back as there are too many good breakfast spots. And its cash only....
At the coast, somewhere near Encinitas in SD and NEED BREAKFAST? HIT THE SHACK! Worth the wait! Make it a brunch because you won't be able to eat again until dinner time.
Pancakes are seriously the size of manhole covers. The omelets (my FAV) are also HUGE and stuffed with goodies. AND they are famous for their potatoes. We're not talking just hash browns here. If you want curly fries at 8am, you got em! Waffle fries, country fries, french fries, steak fries, hash browns, they have potatoes COVERED. There may be a wait but it will go fast and then you can gorge. Like I said, don't plan on needing lunch though.
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Always on point with great food, huge servings and friendly faces. My favorites are the California chicken sandwich and of course breakfast POTATOES! This is a family owned place and has been around for years. It's a staple of the Encinitas breakfast menu. There is usually a wait on the weekend, but it's worth it. FYI: The tables outside are the best and bring cash!
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Have you ever been stuck in the following situation:
"Give me of your tots." - "No, go find your own!"
Well - Potato Shack to your rescue! If you dig potatoes, you'll dig The Shack. You might find their Manhole Pancakes a challenging flapjack to consume any time of the day ...
Of course, if you're not into that whole warm delicious scrumptious savory delightful potato thing, then I've got two words for you - "Biscuits" & "Gravy" ... OMG! Holy Crap! Jeezus! ... I gotta go, I'm hungry!!!
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awesome bisquits and sausage gravy
walk in get a full order to go
drive to moonlight beach to eat while watching waves
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I don't like this place as the pancakes are plate-size and not good. I'm used to better. The place is old and it stinks. You can sit outside on the sidewalk which makes the experience better. I'm all for the greasy spoon pancake house but it has to taste good if I'm going to go there.
There is a great pancake house inland on Manchester and Encinitas Blvd. It's called Original Pancake House and it's worth the extra miles.
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wow... talk about HUGE pancakes! The blueberry pancake is loaded with plump juicy blueberries, potato variations and toppings are out of this world. Don't forget to go to the atm first! No credit cards are accepted.
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Oh so good, but why must you close at 2 pm????
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You'll wait a while on the weekend to be seated in this hole-in-the-wall Solana Beach breakfast joint but it's well worth the wait. They are famous for pancakes the size of man-hole covers (this is not a joke) but if you are not a pancake lover they have excellent create your own omelets my personal favorite is spinach, mushroom & avocado. All breakfasts come with what they call American fries which is a diced red potato hash for a buck you can add all sorts of toppings to make your potatoes special. They also serve lunch. Eat here then head down to the beach to walk it off.
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If big portions are your thing, this is the place to come. the food is beyond excellent. The manhole pancakes are truly amazing...and huge! My personal Favorites however are the Cinnamon Rolls and the onion rings...they are to die for!
however, the service has alaways been slow for me. When you come in groups the waitresses are usually slow and rude.
overall, it is a great place for a huge breakfast!
All good things come to those who wait. And on a Sunday in Encintas there is usually a long wait to eat at the potato shack. The restaurant is itsy bitsy, but it serves hearty classic American breakfasts that keep the crowds coming back for more.
Potato Shack is a classic breakfast place. You can't go wrong with their eggs, toast bacon and yum-yum potatoes and almost every meal is under 7 bucks. Sweet. The affordable prices make it a great family joint. I recommend sitting on the outside patio to take in the Encinitas fresh air, plus the interior of the restaurant gets a little cramped, but the place is popular for a reason and it deserves all the patronage it can get.
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This would be one of the main reasons that I miss living in San Diego. Saturday mornings at Potato Shack. Be prepared for a wait, they have coffee outside to make sure you don't pass out on the sidewalk. Omelets and pancakes are huge, and I never forget to get the potato pancakes...
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Situated in what I think is quintessential San Diego, the Potato Shack lives up to its name. From "man hole sized" pancakes to heaps of potatoes done to perfection, this place keeps it simple and good making for a lasting impression. Very inexpensive considering its high real estate location, just remember to bring cash...this place says no to credit cards. Simple egg breakfast with 2 thick slices of toast, ample potatoes runs you just under $4. Lovely outdoor seating off of Encinitas main drag, just in case you want to have a meal with your pooch.
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Obviously, the potatoes are great here. My personal favorite is the latkes w/ salsa (you can choose applesauce, salsa, or sour cream). Also if you like pancakes, they have "man-hole" pancakes-- a huge pancake that is almost the size of a man hole. you can get it covered with whipped cream!
One of my favourite breakfast spots. The potatoes are yummy with bell pepper, onion and mushrooms. Their salsa is good too. Yippie!
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potato shack is a good eating spot for morning chow in sd, but i must say that although the pancakes are quite large, they certainly are not the size of manholes. to illustrate this point once, i picked up the pancake and it was roughly the size of my head...how would my shoulders have fit through this so called "man-hole?"
i do wonder if the recent atkins craze the past few years have made business suffer, as the all you can eat home fries are quite the carbfest. nevertheless, they're damn tasty.
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Sorry, not a big fan of the Shack. Cold Potatoes, Chewy pancakes and vapid coffee. Over priced. Nice outdoor seating, but overall, the lowest quality breakfast place in Encinitas, IMO.
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Pancakes the size of manholes! Boy oh boy!
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If you are looking for a big, down-home, family style, hearty breakfast... than The Potato Shack is the place to go! Forget about your diet here. Huge, Huge, Huge pancakes that hang over the edges of the platter (watch out, sometimes the center is undercooked) with loads of syrup and butter, sweet & smoky bacon, fried potatoes, "American fries", biscuits & gravy, chicken fried steak, omelets of all kinds... the list goes on. The booths and tables are very interesting (read: awkward)... with misshapen giant pieces of glossy wood serving as your table top. For a coffee alternative, try a Beachtime Cooler to go with your breakfast... a mouthwatering raspberry iced tea/ lemonade concoction that i can't seem to ever resist. The outdoor seating is nice & shady, and usually offers a cool breeze from the ocean just down the street. Be sure to stop at the ATM before you arrive.. this is a cash only establishment.
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If restaurants and breakfast joints were placed on a spectrum with banal, impersonal, sterile chain restaurants with signs visible from the highway on one end and the unique, local, community-embraced gem on the other, Potato Shack would be teetering off the latter edge.
The character of the place has clearly evolved slowly over time like a comfy pair of sandals slowly conforming to the sole of your foot. Tucked away a block off the 101, the wait staff is invariably friendly, attentive and prompt with a refill if you need one. Booths, tables and outdoor seating suit any mood and the portions can easily be two full meals for even the heftiest North County Native (which, by national standards, isn't that hefty at all). If you are passing through and only have time for one meal, get a manhole-sized pancake. I prefer bananas in mine, but there's plenty else to put in there. Like potatoes. Go figure.
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