Rae’s Restaurant

10/26/2016

Their hotcakes are awesome, and prices are even better. It's an old school 50's style diner--no frills, just tasty comfort food, and lots of it!

I ordered three hotcakes with scrambled eggs, a great combo for under $6. As if that wasn't enough food, I also got a side of potatoes. Not sure how I managed, but I wolfed down everything--didn't leave a scrap.

All the components were cooked well; hotcakes were tender and fluffy and eggs weren't over or underdone. The maple syrup comes in a pitcher so there's guaranteed to be enough. The potatoes were pretty greasy, but nice and crisp and very good with ketchup and hot sauce.

I subtracted a star because of the service; food came out quick, but I never got a water refill. Had to ask for one which was difficult as the restaurant was crowded.

A cool little joint, though. It deserves its popularity.

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  Three hotcakes, two eggs scrambled.

  Three hotcakes, two eggs scrambled.

9/13/2016

• 1 check-in

Rae's Dinner is a throwback--to sweet good ol days!! --big portions at a great price--fresh greasy spoon--I come here when I need some county fried stuff--or if I am hungover--or really hungry and I want to eat for 8 bucks--ha ha--
Down side is the staff is friendly but not too friendly, if you know what I mean!! Lady at the register is a bit scary---and they only take cash--
But other than that--love this place--

6/16/2016

Rae's is great. It is a local hangout you will love. It is tourist friendly and you must go there. They have great breakfast specials everyday and the food is so good. The pancake special that comes with eggs and hash browns are so good. You must get a side of biscuits and gravy.
If you don't want breakfast, have a burger. They are made fresh and super tasty.
The service is friendly and fast. There is often a wait, but you can usually find a spot at the counter. Parking is not fun, They don't have enough spaces during peak times and you end up on the street, but that is okay, just read those street signs.
Rae's is a diner, it is old, it is not remodeled and we don't want it to be. The great neon sign may or may not work, I have never seen it on, but it is such a cool place.
Have a great time.

1/7/2016

• 1 check-in

Old school diner open since 1958, what a classic. I've came here a couple times and the service has always been good. The have a big selection on their menu to choose from.  I've tried a couple of their dishes and everything was delicious. I also recommend you try their shakes, yum! Prices are reasonable.    

Check out my IG foodie page @foodgurula

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  Yum!

  Yum!

12/19/2015

CASH ONLY.

You get lots of homey food and it's pretty much all delicious.

The corned beef hash was homemade salty goodness.  There's little better comfort food than corned beef hash, eggs and hash browns.

The Rae burger had a patty which was thick and juicy, well-seasoned, and hit the spot.  I liked the sesame seed bun, too. The accompanying steak fries were crispy and outstanding.  

Even the pancakes (called hotcakes here) were great and pancakes are the one breakfast food which never wows me.  They were light and fluffy and you get 3 enormous hubcap-sized pancakes with the kid's meal (with a side of scrambled eggs and a glass of milk all for $4.50--are you kidding me?).

The biscuits and gravy are decadent.  Check out the photo.  My biscuits were swimming in a vat of gravy.  It's an Olymoc-sized swimming pool of gravy.  I like to keep my cholesterol somewhere between 350 and 400 or otherwise, I would have licked my plate clean.

A few free parking spaces are located on the side of the restaurant but parking is insane in Santa Monica.  Good luck.

Good prices, tons of food, homemade grub and no pretentiousness here.  No wonder it's been around for decades.

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  The side of biscuits and gravy. Plenty to share. It's rich and decadent.

  The side of biscuits and gravy. Plenty to share. It's rich and decadent.

10/15/2016

I really like this place the food is good and they serve you good portions. I keep coming back because of the food and because it has the old school diner feeling. But omg the older lady in the front ,I don't know if she's the owner, but she is so rude to costumers and the employees. Her body language is horrible and she rolls her eyes if she feels that you keep asking and asking for things such as water.  She makes rude comments in Spanish thinking people won't hear or understand her but I do understand. Ugh just thinking about ugh...

10/7/2015 Updated review

• Listed in Super Smiley Service, Tasty Value Vittles

**Honest food from hard-working folks.**

THE VIBE. I've been coming here for about 30 years. I'm not a regular, but I certainly appreciate this establishment. It's a historical coffee shop... If you have a sentimental side, this place will win you over. Interior is what you'd think of, when thinking of an old-school, no-nonsense coffee shop. When walking in the door, booths line the left side and the counter offers seating to the right. (yelp.com/biz_photos/raes…)

I had a craving for a Grilled Cheese and soup, so I headed down Pico towards Santa Monica and found a spot in the relatively limited parking lot. Grabbed me a booth, scored some water, and put my order in. It should be noted, that they are CASH ONLY, which keeps prices low.

THE FOOD. This spot specializes in American classic comfort food and breakfast is served until closing. My soup arrived first, followed by my sandwich.

- Beef Minestrone. (yelp.com/biz_photos/raes…). When this was placed in front of me, I was a little reluctant to eat it. The penne noodles were obviously cooked to hell, and the look of the soup was not at all inviting. When I took a bite, however, it was absolutely soul-warming. Simple. Potato, celery, carrot, onion, beef, penne - no beans. It was full-bodied, thicker than I was expecting, and mushy pasta aside, I truly enjoyed it.

- Grilled Cheese. (yelp.com/biz_photos/raes…) American cheese or swiss? Duh... American, on grilled sourdough. The 'wich came with potato salad or coleslaw, but I opted for fries for an additional 50 cents. The grilled cheese was presented in a unique manner (see photo) and the fries were thick-cut steak fries. If you don't like a good grilled cheese and fries, you oughta' be ashamed of yourself. My only gripe was with the pickle, which was both room temp and floppy. I'd prefer a cold, crisp pickle, but it didn't keep me from eating half of it.

My check for my water, soup, grilled cheese & fries, after tax, was about $7.50. Now, THAT'S a killer deal.

OVERALL. Most of the people in the restaurant at about 2pm were apparently "regulars," as they seemed to be very familiar with the cooks and the waitress. I like that. I'm a sucker for a neighborhood joint, and Rae's is definitely a beloved neighborhood establishment. I hope they never close.

The prices are more than reasonable, the food is comforting, and the service is reminiscent of your favorite 70s coffee shops - a little banter, friendly vibes. For decades, I've been enjoying the food coming from Rae's griddles-n-grills... And I don't see that changing any time soon.

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  Grilled Cheese & Fries.

  Grilled Cheese & Fries.
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  Beef Minestrone. Looks terrible, tasted shockingly good (other than the mushy penne).

  Beef Minestrone. Looks terrible, tasted shockingly good (other than the mushy penne).
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  Counter, complete will swivel stools.

  Counter, complete will swivel stools.
• See all photos from Travis I. for Rae's Restaurant

9/3/2016

Since I found out about this place I have been twice. Best breakfast in Santa Monica, especially for the price. I get the huevos is rancheros with beans! Not many places will give you beans with your eggs so I'm totally hooked. The first time I got biscuits with gravy which was alright. I added my husbands sausage which took it to the next level. The second I had toast and they brought out the jelly in little jars, it was so delicious with chunks of fruit! I go to Santa Monica once a week and this is our new spot breakfast spot! Real food for a good price! I'll add a pic next time I go!

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  French toast special mmm..

  French toast special mmm..
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  Club Sandwich with avocado and potato salad

  Club Sandwich with avocado and potato salad
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  Clam Chowder on Friday's

  Clam Chowder on Friday's

1/12/2016

• 1 check-in

I feel like I need to give this diner another chance because I came for breakfast, ordered lunch, and felt like I should've ordered breakfast. I was house sitting in Santa Monica and really wanted Carrows because I have a weird obsession with Carrows. Since there was no Carrows and I haven't been drunk enough to enjoy Denny's in years, I searched yelp and found this spot. I ordered the Patty Melt. It was ok. Really simple and small, not what I expected. It was served with fries, I love fries but these were burnt. I guess I found this place pretty mediocre but I cannot complain when it comes to price.

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  Pattimelt

  Pattimelt

10/2/2016

Service was good and the eggs were exceptional! However, I don't recommend ordering the biscuits and gravy.. The gravy is super gross and the biscuits are cheap. If you order potatoes, make sure you request hash browns! My boyfriend ordered those and I ordered the regular potatoes. The hash browns were delicious but tHe other potatoes were very dry and didn't taste good at all! I honestly do recommend coming here because the portions are awesome and the prices are very low just beware of a couple of the items mentioned.

8/7/2016

A classic American diner, done right. No frills. Classic vibe, friendly service. Good grill food at a great price. I recommend getting a seat at the counter and watching the cooks in action.
The only con is the coffee. This is a 1950s diner and you get 1950s coffee. Folgers would be an improvement. But it is cheap and they're quick on the refills.

1/14/2016

• 1 check-in

Had the corn beef hash which was nothing great, the eggs were decent, but the biscuits and gravy was great! A little too much gravy even.

The staff was all amazing and very inviting!

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  Corn beef hash and pineapple

  Corn beef hash and pineapple

9/23/2016

I have not been here for lunch or dinner, so this is my experience with breakfast ... cheap food and ya get what you pay for.

To the reviewer who said the biscuits and gravy here are good:  if you consider chicken gravy from a can mixed with pepper and sausage to be sausage gravy, you have never had the real deal.  Geezus, it's not difficult to make, just mix the sausage fat with milk and flour!!  Most Mexicans' take on it is AT LEAST sausage flavored box mix with sausage added, but typically they never do real sausage gravy.

I've been trying to find descent biscuits and gravy in this town for 6 years now and it's one thing that L.A. does not know how to do.  The only place that comes close to good sausage gravy is The Old Place on Mulholland Highway near the Snake ... but sadly, they are a bit of a drive from the city and don't open until 9 a.m.

So for the guy who gave this place 2 Stars, he was being generous and so am I ... this diner is primarily Mexican, it's not a traditional American greasy spoon.  The only thing traditional American greasy spoon about it is the signage and decor ... the food is the Mexican take on what the greasy spoon food should be like.  Within an hour after breakfast, my blood pressure was very high and I had a headache from the iodized salt and canned food... all the food is from a can or is prepackaged ... for example, the corn beef hash on my plate was the stuff from the can, the biscuits are prepackaged as well.  Canned pineapple with canned corned beef hash?? That's just gross ... it might as well be dog food they're serving up b/c ya can't tell the difference in the appearance and lack of flavor.

5/23/2016

This place is cool and has that fun, retro-feel of a legit 50s diner.  Turns out, they even shot a movie there - you'll have to look it up ;-). The food itself is not outstanding, but it's definitely what the doc ordered when you want a dirty breakfast that will fill you up and make you feel like crap for the rest of the day - but you'll be happy about it!  Coffee is bottomless and the waitresses are friendly, and will recognize you after your 3rd or 4th visit, which always makes me feel special, as there are just a few people in LA.  We pretty much always get the same: eggs, bacon, hash browns and biscuits every time.  And it's great - not culinary genius, but tasty.  Sometimes I get the French toast, and that is pretty darn tasty, and will make you gain 400lbs with one plate.

The only real con is the main matriarch of the place.  I'm not sure if she's the owner or what, but she's always there, at the cash register, and always unfriendly!  It's a real bummer at the end of your breakfast, where everyone else has been pleasant, and then you go up to pay, and give a tip, and she has no smile, no friendly chatter, nothing.  It's like she secretly hopes you'll get food poisoning and die.

But, other than that, this place is great!  Lots of locals and regulars, and you will get your tank filled to the brim with a flavorful breakfast.

4/8/2016

Price: Okay, but I got what I paid for.

Service: 1 out of 10. The waitress was hard to get a hold of and was uninformed of menu. When checking out, the rude, older lady at the register informed me that it was cash only, not by actually telling me, but simply by picking up and waving sign in my face.

Food quality: 2 out of 10 maybe that of a low-end diner you'd find anywhere off a freeway. The food is cooked by two sweaty men crowding over one grill.

Location and parking: it's Santa Monica, so it's a little tough and parking there is very minimal and crowded.

Overall experience: the building is rustic, but very unmaintained. The food is cheap, but is reflected in it's quality. The employees are obviously overworked and frustrated: unable to provide service to their fullest.

JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE: There are sooo many other alternatives and you'll support businesses that facilitate the customer and their needs.

10/10/2015

• 1 check-in

The corned beef hash is simply amazing. The best I've had, hands down.  

The biscuits and gravy were simply perfect.  The pancakes were so soft and fluffy they were amazing.  

Me and my lady friend came to eat and we got the hobo breakfast and the biscuits and gravy with a side of corned beef hash. Everything is so good and homemade you wanna make it your Sunday spot every week!

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  Biscuits and gravy were so good!!! Such richness and taste. The corned beef hash is the best I've had. Hands down.

  Biscuits and gravy were so good!!! Such richness and taste. The corned beef hash is the best I've had. Hands down.

8/23/2016

The food and place is fine. They only take cash which is a little annoying. Cash only might not bother me as much if they were something really special, but the food and ambience is something you can get at any diner so I am more likely to go elsewhere.

8/26/2016

• 1 check-in

A small, quaint diner that has all the makings of a local and frequent breakfast for me. The tattered, yet vintage decor gave me mixed feelings about the place at first, but once I ate the food my apprehensions melted away! Rae's not only combines fresh quality ingredients with a low profile atmosphere, the portions they serve are HUGE!! To top it off, the freshly squeezed orange juice was the icing on the cake.

9/13/2015

• 1 check-in

Vintage Santa Monica in more ways than one.

Interior is well maintained but clearly hasn't been significantly touched since the 1950s, no A/C, and cramped-- rows of booths, some narrow, seats at the bar, slightly wider area at the rear for slightly bigger tables.

Service is clearly good to regulars, to n00b's such as myself it was a little more uneven-- attentive in some ways, a we'll-get-around-to-taking-your-order-eventually in others.

And the food is classic diner as well. Quite good, actually. French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, all nothing special but still very tasty; nice plump french toast slices, they do the eggs a smidgen runny, and the bacon, while not impressive looking, is very meaty and salty. Breakfast potatoes are chopped and done nicely crispy; also good (although if you prefer 'em shredded you'll need to go somewhere else).

Exactly as advertised.

4/23/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Food

Saturday morning. Place is half empty. Awesome! No lines no waiting. I sit at the bar. Party of one. I sit. And sit. And sit. Waiter after waiter walking by, not even looking at me. Two waiters are talking at the register while I sit. I clear my throat. Still no acknowledgement. Finally, a man asks If I've ordered yet. I tell him no. He gets another lady and says "he's ready". She pulls out her notepad and says "what would you like?"  I say " a menu please".
Needless to say this isn't the best start to my day but not the end of the world. Service might lack but good here is good.