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The Red House Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Food Coffee & Tea Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
662 Lighthouse AvePacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 643-1060
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Fri 5 pm - 9 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Kristin K. said: "Came here with the boyfriend while we were in Monterey, based off the reviews from Yelp. I can say that these crepes did not disappoint. I'm not super daring when it comes to desserts, so I got the Nutella crepe and added Banana.…" read more »
365 reviews for The Red House Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...Chorizo and Eggs and Cinnamon Raisin Brioche French Toast." In 5 reviews -
"...recommend this spot as a stop for anyone visiting Monterey." In 58 reviews -
"My favorite is the blue cheese souffle and salad, my mom's..." In 5 reviews
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365 reviews in English
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Review from Dan S.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/26/2012
Dropped in with the family because Yelp liked the place. Wow!
Altogether, we had the chorizo, the crab cakes/salad, and the crab benedict. As we walked out, completely happy, we kept exclaiming repeatedly what a great meal it was. (And I'm obnoxious about taking them to nice places to eat. It wasn't unusual to expect a good meal, but the goodness of this caught us unawares.)
The waitress was extremely nice, and not overbearing. The iced tea was merely mediocre, but my wife loved her pot of green tea. My son complained bitterly that he wanted to try just about every entree on the menu.
I surely wanted dessert (olallieberry pie! Yes, please!) but was just too full. Rats.
I'll obviously go back. Strong recommendation. -
Review from J R.
Pacific Grove, CA
Updated - 5/11/2012 8 photos
Food is still pretty much amazing, though last night the service was pretty choppy. Waitress was very professional as far as the way she handled the Central Coast Deals coupon I had (rather than making me feel cheap, like they do at some restaurants). I had the Bleu Cheese Souffle--delicious & filling, served over lightly dressed mixed greens & the most incredible poached pear slices. (What were those poached in? Yum!) I also ordered the (Dungeness) Crab Cakes. Possibly the best I've had on the West coast. (Not the thick, almost spherical cakes you get some places, and lacking huge chunks of crab--but looking more like two good-sized potato latkes)*. Served with a too-thin slice of lemon & some excellent tartar sauce. Everything was delicate yet filling, and the flavors popped. Even the bread (sort of a soft ciabatta, I guess--served with a nice olive tapenade) was quite good--but be careful not to fill up on bread & drinks. I had to take home the small plate of raviolis, which are tempting me at this moment.
The server was hustling, but I think she just had too many tables. She would duck in & out of the room like she was allergic to it.
Dessert will have to wait for another visit (which I think will be soon!).
*Note--I later seemed to have, shall we say, an adverse digestive reaction to the crab cakes or the tartar sauce. This happened both the night I had dinner there and after eating the leftover crab cake the next day, and nothing else caused that kind of reaction during this time period, so I'm pretty sure this was the cause.
'nother note: They're still using, in some cases, styrofoam containers. Come on, guys! Get with it!Listed in: Memorable Monterey Peninsula…
9 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/16/2012
I know--I've reviewed this place--multiple times. But breakfast yesterday was so good--at least… Read more »
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Review from Arie C.
Salinas, CA
5/9/2012
Delicous.
Great Ambiance.
I'd definitely be back to take my family(: -
Review from Bethany D.
Bakersfield, CA
5/27/2012
Excellent blueberry pancakes! Very good! Wait staff was very friendly. Coffee was filled frequently! Menu is limited but seemed to have many yummy choices! Yelp states that this place isnt open weekday mornings but it definitely was. Very cute inside! Highly recommend visiting!
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Review from Johnny X.
Ventura, CA
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thoroughly enjoyed an excellent breakfast at the Red House Cafe. The place was busy but they were able to seat us immediately at one of two tables on the back enclosed porch with a nice heater. It was very private but still like eating on a back porch. Service was overall okay although a little brusque at times...trying to cover too many customers?
I love Eggs Benedict and so ordered it with the ham. The waitress suggested using the Applewood Smoked Bacon and it is the best! All served on a croissant... great flavors, it was soooo good.
Wife had a red house frittata (with artichokes, spinach, roasted red peppers, jack & parmesan cheeses) and it came with red potatoes that were season excellently.
Will be back. -
Review from K.s. P.
Sacramento, CA
4/7/2012
We wandered in around 11 on a Saturday. We were greeted promptly, and the atmosphere was quaint and homey. We selected from a brunch menu, although it was clear the establishment offered separate meal options on non-weekends.
We wanted greenery to start, so my wife and I split the mixed green salad. It wasn't pretentious or over dressed, and was actually sized appropriately for a two-person starter. No split plate charge nonsense either.
There were unique follow up choices we couldn't turn down. Since we jump at any chance to get a non-ham benedict, my wife enjoyed the crab cake eggs benedict. I typically find hollandaise sauce offensive, but my taste of her dish left me wanting more! It was served with crispy russet potatoes (though the portion itself was small).
I ordered the warmed tomato mozzarella sandwich, which came with a small version of the aforementioned salad. The sandwich was served open face, and each slice was topped with basil, balsamic vinaigrette and grilled onions. Be advised, the bread contained an unadvertised smear of aioli (perhaps mayo?), but I still enjoyed the overall composition, and was more than satisfied with the flavors.
Service was friendly and unobtrusive. After we arrived, in fact 6 or 7 parties checked in as well, and we never once considered ourselves ignored or forgotten. The pace was perfect, but we typically have low standards and above-average empathy for those in the service industries.
Contrary to info in other reviews and the ATM machine near the counter, this place is NOT CASH ONLY. -
Review from Katherine M.
Pacific Grove, CA
5/9/2012
My husband and I are new to the area, and this is by far our favorite restaurant. We go here probably once a week: breakfast, lunch, or dinner - it is all phenomenal!!! The soups are especially magnificent- usually a different one every day. My husband doesn't even like mushrooms and loved the mushroom soup. I don't even like onions and loved the French onion soup! It's so fresh, creative, and delicious. The atmosphere is so quaint and charming. Yes it's a little tight in there but I think that adds to the charm. Everyone is so friendly and remembers us every time. For the reviews that say they are cash only, they accept cards now. Simply an amazing experience every time!
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Review from M D.
Cedar Park, TX
5/16/2012
Cute and cozy little place with excellent fresh food. I had the pea and tarragon soup with salad and it was delish!
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Review from Laura B.
Long Beach, CA
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful food and service at a reasonable price.
My only comment is That their wasn't too much of a selection for lunch for my 6 year old and that there was only one bathroom it seemed that everyone needed to use at the same time. -
Review from Jeroen W.
Sebastopol, CA
3/22/2012
Not busy when we arrived and we were seated right away.
Nice cozy decor. The service was really slow and the waitress got one of our orders wrong. The burger was average. The bun was nice. The fries were oily and tasted old. The nutella brioche was good. A piece of meat was found in our glass of Pepsi. When we showed it to our waitress she didn't even apologize. Very weird. She even charged us for the Pepsi on our bill.
We had read the previous Yelp reviews and after our experience would not return again. The food was average and the service was mediocre even when it was not busy. -
Review from RJ A.
San Diego, CA
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Super friendly staff... the food is good... it's a little crowded inside... cash only...
service was very good... never had to wait or ask for anything, and they were fairly busy...
A bad experience at Tillie Gort's made us run back to Carmel to try out breakfast spots... this one pulled us back... I wouldn't try to bring a group here... -
Review from Barry H.
Pacific Grove, CA
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great Breakfast! Smoked Salmon is a great dish as well as the Crab Cake Benedict.
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Review from Deanna J.
Walnut Creek, CA
3/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Missed breakfast at the B&B. This place is such a cute place! Service is wonderful, food looks yummers! - The food was YUMMERS! I went with the eggs benedict. It was really good. I am not certain what they did to make eggs benedict better than it normally is but the ingredients were fresh!
We requested to be outside on the porch (it was a gorgeous day) and were seated immediately. The service was great! They came around every few minutes to refill the coffee and check on us.
A must when in Pacific Grove!
OH! It is a CASH ONLY establishment. There is an ATM inside near the cash register in case you forget. -
Review from Uland W.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
First, if you are hungry and want to avoid the wait, make a simple call and reserve a spot in this small but cozy cafe located in Pacific Grove. It has all the signs of a hobbit size interior with portion sized meals.
With a party of 7 and with reservations, we were quickly seated and the fun begins. We decided to do a family size meal, making each order tapa style. A taste of everything with calories divided amongst the group. We had the beet salad, the blue cheese salad, the Prince Edward Mussel, Crustnie, and Crab cakes. Each item had it's own unique flavor and style, the plates were empty after 2-3 turns around the table with smiles that grinned from ear to ear. The food was good and reasonably priced, but in my opinion nothing stood out amongst itself. Comfort food would be the best definition of this place.
Service was attentive and fast. Must come back for the breakfast. -
Review from Elizabeth A.
Stockton, CA
1/31/2012
I was very dissatisfied with the customer service at this establishment. Once my friends and I arrived we were not seated by the hostess. In order to be seated, we had to wait until the cook in the back was available to seat us. (Strange?)
Upon getting seated, the waitress was very rude. Eventually we were ALLOWED to order. Upon ordering, my friend asked for Chorizo and Eggs. The waitress said, "That's what I thought you would order". My friend is Mexican American. Is this the way that restaurants treat their customers in 2012? NO TIP and I CERTAINLY WILL NOT RETURN! I am truly disgusted. -
Review from Sarah D.
Monterey, CA
2/26/2012
We went here to try something new as we always go to Toastie's while in PG.
We were not disappointed!! I had a red house frittata (with artichokes, spinach, roasted red peppers, jack & parmesan cheeses) and it came with red potatoes that were season excellently with rosemary and other herbs/favors I couldn't pick out. The coffee was also really good! My boyfriend had eggs benedict over a dungeness crabcake, which he approved of as well.
I definitely want to go back for lunch sometime, because there were some sandwiches that looked amazing! -
Review from Jamie M.
Marina, CA
2/18/2012 3 photos
VERY good food! I see why there was a big line earlier this afternoon for lunch. Unfortunately the Red House Cafe doesn't take reservations for lunch. The restaurant itself is very cute albeit a little crowded--everything is crammed into a small Victorian House replete with cute decorations.
I had the Red Plate and its only downside was I couldn't pick the sandwich or soup--but both ended up being delicious. The sandwich was turkey with sweet mustard and spicy Jack cheese while the soup was a thick mushroom soup. My friends had a cheeseburger and the grilled cheese sandwich. Then we ate the desserts of apple pie and chocolate ganache.
I was sad that the cafe doesn't carry the French Mariage Frères Teas anymore--but the food was worth it! Everything was delicious, a little on the expensive side, and very worth it for the quality. This place would be good for visitors and nice events. I wonder about the breakfast and dinner as well! -
Review from Anthony P.
Marina, CA
I have been here in the past and it has been a 5 star experience. They only get 4 stars this time because of their limited Sunday Brunch menu.
My parents brought me here for my birthday around noontime and like always, the place was packed! I put my name down and the wait time was about 5 minutes or so, not bad for how busy they were.
Our waitress arrived promptly to take drink orders. I ordered the coffee which was needed on a chilly Sunday afternoon. The coffee was good, as was the orange juice my dad ordered. I ordered the Crab Cake Benedict which was on a croissant instead of an English muffin. MMM... this was sooo good! the crab cakes were flavorful and the eggs perfectly poached. The hollandaise was great and not too thick like some other places. The croissant was a nice change to something familiar. My mom and brother both ordered the blueberry pancakes. The blueberries were plentiful and tasted magnificent. I finished off what my brother couldn't eat. My dad got the pork tenderloin sandwich, which he said he enjoyed.
Overall: One of my favorite places in the Monterey Area. Great food and service. I will think twice though before I go for a Sunday Brunch because of their lack of options, but nonetheless very satisfying! -
Review from Ralph W.
Awesome awesome food awesome service awesome everything. All this awesomeness in an old slow town like pacific grove is really a true rarity since this place really stands out from all the snooty over priced spots we stumbled upon during our central coast road trip. The pictures here speak for themselves. One thing that really stuck out to me was the excellent customer service here and attention to detail.
They didn't have hash browns listed on the menu and the owner/manager was very helpful and hooked me up w/ a custom made hash brown. She even referred to us as "kiddies" which is a big plus in my book cus we don't even get carded anymore for Alki lol.
I ordered the chorizo plate which was plenty for a big guy like me, wifey had the eggs Benedict w/salmon, DAPH had the french toast, andy had the nutella briosche . Everything was on point and served in a timely manner.
I'll be back for sure. CASH ONLY!Listed in: Bomb spots, Central coast road trip stops
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Review from Eddie W.
Calamari Sandwich is simply divine =)
Well cooked (tender), well seasoned (flavorful), good portion (filling), and right price point!
Overall Thoughts
I would easily order this againListed in: Best Restaurants In Monterey…
4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/14/2011
You know that saying, never say never, well looks like I jinxed myself. I can't believe I am… Read more »
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Review from Dana C.
What a great experience!
We arrived and the dinning room was packed. The only seating available was at the sidewalk tables. The day was cool but not cold, so we decided to take our chances.
We expected the service to be sub-par on the sidewalk but to our (pleasant) surprise, that was NOT the case!!
Our waitress was attentive, bubbly and very sweet. Our order was promptly taken, our coffees were never empty and our food arrived very fast!
Two of us had the chorizo and eggs and two had the vegetable frittata. The frittata was unbelievably light and fluffy! I mean seriously, it was like they were whipped with air (and lots of cream). The frittata was packed with flavor and was served with a side of delicious red potatoes.
I was expecting the chorizo and eggs to be good... but wow! They were the perfect blend of spice and flavor! Served with a large, warm flour tortilla, red potatoes and a side of delicious salsa. Perfect!
Everything about our visit to The Red House Cafe was wonderful! The service was excellent, the food was delicious and the pricing was just right! I can't wait to visit again! -
Review from Karen F.
Sacramento, CA
2/16/2012
This place is so adorable. Very quaint, cozy atmosphere. My hubby and I went here for breakfast while on vacation in the area. I had traditional eggs benedict which was very good. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the sauce was not overpowering and was just the right amount for the dish. They serve it on a croissant, which is not my favorite but was still good. The potatoes were also good. My husband had eggs and sausage and enjoyed that.
It wasn't very crowded when we were there, and I imagine that if it's full it feels really crowded, as it's a house and each room has several tables set up. But our expereince was very good, service, ambience, food. I would go back. -
Review from Maranda S.
Walnut Creek, CA
3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hours are wrong on yelp profile. Thumbs down.
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Review from Kelly A.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
So. Good.
We went here the first night we arrived in Pacific Grove and I'm so glad this was our first dining experience there! The waitstaff was excellent - we ordered a bottle of wine and they kept our glasses full all night. I got the lamb chops and they were PERFECT. The whipped potatoes were the perfect compliment to the chops. I think we even got dessert there, but my head was pretty fuzzy due to the bottle of wine :)
A great restaurant for a romantic meal!
CASH ONLY! -
Review from brenda l.
Monterey, CA
12/10/2011
Well this is one cute little place down on Lighthouse Ave, in a funky little old house.
It's very small but we have had good luck getting in at slight off-hours, and if you need to go there at prime time, the short wait is worth it. Take cash however, because the last time they didn't do credit cards. It's one way of keeping their prices down, and the prices are very reasonable for what you get. We have had most of the items on the menu, never had a bad one, but my favorite is the pork tenderloin with aioli sauce. Good service as well from friendly people. -
Review from Scott R.
Ventura, CA
4/4/2012
Excellent dining experience...great service, an amazing spinach salad, really great chicken quesadilla and the apricot pie for dessert was tasty. Would go back again and again.
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Review from Natalie F.
Los Angeles, CA
1/20/2012
Coffee lovers need to go!!
A wonderfully cozy place on a crisp morning to go with your best girlfriend. A couple of my friends and I will always go here early in the morning to get our bowl of coffee (no joke, cafe latte literally comes with a spoon and a bowl) and a half soup/sandwich dish.
I went here the morning of my best friends 21st birthday and we sat outside with her dog, two mimosas, and a piece of chocolate cake (who doesn't love dessert for breakfast). If you are lucky enough to visit on a day where the sun is out, sitting on the patio is a MUST. And who doesn't love sharing breakfast with great company and you don't have to leave your puppy at home. Dog lovers welcome.
Red House is a real gem in PG and I can say favorite among the locals. -
Review from Liz B.
Royal Oaks, CA
12/13/2011
We were looking for a Korean restaurant in PG that I wanted to try, but we realized that it was long gone. Where now? We looked at some Chowhound reviews and settled on The Red House Cafe. We walked upstairs into a red house, literally. We stood at the doorway until the staff figured out where to seat us in the crowded quarters. They put us in the vinyl-enclosed patio near the heater. Once we received our menus, we realized that we had no cash, and the menu said "CASH OR PERSONAL CHECKS ONLY." We decided to ask our server if this was indeed the case. Our server said that she could take a credit card if this was our only method of payment. Relieved, we went ahead and placed our orders.
I ordered a beet salad and split it with my husband. It wasn't the best that I have had, but it was still decent. I also ordered a portobello mushroom sandwich, while my husband ordered their special, a fish dish over mashed potatoes. I tasted my husband's dish, and it was very good. I loved my portobello sandwich. Very nice. Service was a little slow, but understandable as the place was fairly crowded. It is a place worthy of a visit. I'm not sure how accessible it is as someone in a wheelchair cannot go up the stairs, so keep that it mind if you decide you want to try it out and have someone with you that cannot climb the stairwell. -
Review from Christina Z.
Pebble Beach, CA
5/7/2012
Very cozy and warm atmosphere! I had red snapper, which was perfectly cooked and delicious. Also had the calamari appetizer, and it was very good - not rubbery. Reasonably priced. Four stars because my husband's roasted chicken was a little dry and overall not as good as my dish. Wide dessert selection, the cobbler was very tasty!
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Review from tom w.
Monterey, CA
10/24/2011
Very good downtown place. Excellent for lunch or dinner. The one problem is the wait on occasion, so we always go during the week or when their is no event pulling in the tourists. It's a charming old victorian looking place on Lighthouse, but it is small, so time your visit.
Try some of the lunch options like the tomato and mozzarella sandwich. I imagined myself back in Calabria, as the mozzarella tasted like it had just been dipped out of the vat. Outstanding place, hard to go wrong on the choices.
It would be a 5 star, but the service can be erratic on occasion. It's not unfriendly, just slightly disorganized when they are busy. But they are nice folks. -
Review from Jessica G.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
3/21/2012
Unique, fresh, tasty dishes, great breakfast! Awesome hot chocolate. Seemed a little disorganized, but they were busy so it's understandable. I'd go back.
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Review from R. A.
Seaside, CA
3/26/2012
Had breakfast here today, everything was delicious! The portions are on the smaller side, but for me it was a good thing, since if it tastes yummy and is on my plate I'll usually eat it, even if I don't need it! Husband had the chorizo and eggs, I usually don't eat chorizo but his was perfectly cooked and not greasy. I had the mascarpone on crostini with berries, it was to die for! Again, not a huge portion and a bit overpriced, but it tasted so good it was worth it. We'll go back again to try out some more breakfast dishes. Also...they used to be cash only, but they now take cards, which is a big plus for me.
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Review from Shirleyanne Z.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
We went here for breakfast the day after Christmas last year. My brother ordered the Nutella panini and I highly recommend it if you have a sweet tooth and like sweet breakfasts. I prefer savory breakfasts so I ordered the Eggs Benedict. The Eggs Benedict was to die for. I love that they used a croissant instead of an English Muffin (not that I needed the extra calories from the pound of butter baked into croissants). The hollandaise sauce wasn't too heavy and I liked using the croissant to scoop up the sauce from my plate. The Red House Cafe is less touristy compared to First Awakenings and the restaurant is much smaller. I also think the cottage feel to the restaurant makes it more special.
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Review from Robert C.
San Jose, CA
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
My wife and I decided to try The Red House Cafe with no expectations. Although the cafe was very busy, we were seated quickly. We ordered the Chorizo and Eggs and Cinnamon Raisin Brioche French Toast. Both were exceptionally delicious. My wife also ordered a mocha coffee which arrived in, what looked like, a small soup bowl. It was delicious! We could not pass up the offer of olallieberry pie a la mode. Absolutely amazing! Rightfully so, the cafe was busy, but the service we received was second to none. Rachel, our server, was both friendly and professional. She helped make our experience even more delightful! The atmosphere was quaint and welcoming. Overall, I honestly have nothing bad to say about our experience at The Red House Cafe. We will definitely visit again!
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Review from Scott L.
Medford, OR
9/23/2011
Seriously, this was a surprise of the BEST kind! Thank you, Yelpers, for giving this enough positive reviews for us to try. My breakfast croissant was JUST the right size, and my wife's lunch chicken sandwich ("no butter or other fat, please") was absolutely delightful. Fresh, creative, and most of all, delicious.
Staff was genuinely helpful and friendly, and this has become the place to beat while we are in PG! -
Review from Gail W.
Salinas, CA
8/10/2011
This review is for BREAKFAST only. Their lunches I'd give 4 stars.
The selection is limited and pricey. Took us forever to decide since the options weren't balanced (do I want bread/potatoes OR fruit but nothing that gives a little bit of both unless I want to spend $6 for a bowl of fruit). My daugher chose the crostini: toasted baguette with marscapone and fruit drizzled with honey. The bread arrived barely heated with the very thinnest spread of marscapone. The berries on top were beautiful and the little drizzling of honey was good. To spend $8 for some bread with berries was NOT a good value or a satisfying meal. I got the Butterfly breakfast: 1 scrambled egg (a little greasy) 1 strip of bacon (nothing fancy about this bacon!) and 1 pancake. The pancake was as big as my head and just as heavy. Clearly made from a mix it sat in my gut like a rock...couldn't finish it which says a lot since I NEVER leave food on my plate.
The waitress was nice enough but she looked like she just returned from a walk on the beach with her somewhat dirty yoga pants and running shoes. She was carrying on a conversation loudly with the other servers about her trip to Las Vegas..nice enough story but I was there to enjoy a meal with my daughter and talk with her.
This was a Monday and Pavel's was closed otherwise we would have eaten there.
I love eating lunch at Red House. I'll stick with that meal and not return for breakfast. -
Review from Jennifer V.
Antioch, CA
4/22/2012
Yum! Our second visit yesterday for lunch was just as delicious as the first. We ordered crab cakes, cheeseburger(looks amazing too) and spinach salad. For our 18 month old son, we got a small plate spinach ravioli with marinara... He ate his whole plate as we did ours! It was all very delicious! We also got dessert because they are always so good. Try something different that you never had before, you just might love it. We got the, aloberry pie ( not sure of the right name of it but sounds like it.... A hybrid berry between raspberry and blackberry). Portions are large enough to share. Coffee mug is huge, kinda like a bowl and oh so de-lish! PS... If they have peach pie, get it.... It is so good that I have been craving it for a year! They didn't have it on this visit though.... But I am going to call ahead (few days) before my next visit to request it and to buy another one to take home for the whole fam to share! Yuuuuuummmmmmmmmy!
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Review from Nicole D.
Monterey, CA
8/15/2011 3 photos
As I started to scrawl my name in the 11th spot on the waiting list, I began to contemplate my exit. My stomach pangs were getting the best of me...and I needed food quick! When I told my mom, "let's head over to Peppers", a kind lady emphatically stated, "It's worth the wait! Everything here is wonderful!" Her face said it all -- and I had a feeling I might miss out on something great if we didn't stay. And so we waited 45 minutes for.....
......the most splendid gourmet sandwiches. So worth every minute of our wait! We split the calamari and the portabello mushroom sandwiches on franchese bread. I had a close encounter of the sandwich kind -- these sandwiches were out of this world!!
The portabello mushroom came lightly grilled with goat cheese and basil on some fresh franchese bread. The calamari sandwich was very tasty...breaded calamari ladened with a creamy, zesty sauce and a sprinkling of lettuce.
Come and take part in the beautiful artwork -- sandwich art, that is -- at the Red House Cafe. Nestled among the cottage-lined Lighthouse Ave., you will experience a breakfast or lunch like nowhere else. -
Review from Mary S.
Pacific Grove, CA
11/27/2011
The Red House Cafe is spectacular. It might be the best lil' restaurant on Lighthouse Ave in PG. I've been here maybe four times now, and each time, Red House Cafe never fails to impress. The menu is beautiful - every ingredient sounds mouthwatering, and they are in fact mouthwatering, fresh, and so flavorful. I've had tomato bisque here (they seem to have this quite often on the menu) and several of their sandwiches. The grilled cheese - which is SO MUCH more than your average grilled cheese. The BLT - I usually don't even eat meat, but this one is totally worth it. The fresh salads. Amazing. Even a regular, plain ol' cup of coffee seems to taste better here than anywhere else.
It's a little pricier than other restaurants in the area, which is why I haven't been here every single day, but the prices are justified by the quality of the food.
They don't take credit cards, which seems to be the trend in PG, which is sort of lame. They have an ATM inside.
Service tends to be a little slow every time we've been there. If they could improve this a little, and start accepting credit cards like regular modern businesses, than the Red House Cafe would be perrrrrrfect. Perrrrfect! -
Review from Alen L.
Hollywood, CA
9/20/2011 1 photo
3.5 Stars
The breakdown:
Rare Roast Beef: 3/5
Portobello Mushroom Burger: 3.5/5
Coffee: 2.5/5
My Food Rating = B-
Ambience: 4.5/5
Service: 2/5
Clean: 3.5/5
My Experience Rating: B-
Location: 4/5
Wait: 4/5
Hours: 4/5
Parking: 4/5
My Convenience Rating: B
Pros:
- Easy to find. Look for a red house.
- Cute cozy homely decor.
- Plenty of street parking.
- Indoor/Outdoor seating.
Cons:
- The portobello mushroom sandwich had great fresh ingredients, but it was sort of poorly put together it made you want to take it apart and eat it with your fork instead.
- Coffee was weak.
- Server was not that friendly and courteous.
- They charged the wrong bill to my credit card, the least they could have done is offer a free dessert or drink or something, but there was no formal apology.
Tip: Dog friendly patio seating.
Bottom Line: Had high expectations. The food was fresh but not that impressive. Coffee was weak. The place had a nice quaint decor but the service was sub-par.
