The most important meal of the day doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. Grab a seat at one of these well-worn and dependable neighborhood eateries for morning fare that easily satisfies. From sunny-side-up eggs to thick slices of butter-streaked toast and griddled blueberry pancakes, here are 17 unfussy breakfast joints to check out in Los Angeles.
Read More17 Wonderfully Unfussy Breakfast Joints in Los Angeles
Start the day with eggs, pancakes, and coffee
The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop
Opened in 1972, the Little Red Hen Coffee Shop is where Altadena residents go for dependably good breakfasts and warm service. While most everything on the breakfast menu is well-executed, its owner Barbara Shay’s shrimp and grits, served with two eggs any style and a thick, toasty biscuit, that ought to grace every table.
Eat'n Park Restaurant
Eat’n Park is a Burbank mainstay that has endured since 1982. Drop by to savor the diner’s puffy red booths and just the right amount of kitschy signage. Everyday breakfast basics like buttermilk pancakes and eggs cooked to preference keep the community fueled.
Nat's Early Bite
Find a parking lot full of diners waiting for their turn to tuck into heaping plates of chilaquiles and pancakes on any given weekend morning at Nat’s Early Bite on Burbank Boulevard. The restaurant might always be busy, but it’s worth enduring crowds for reasonably priced breakfast favorites and appealingly spongey muffins.
Andy's Coffee Shop
Andy’s Coffee Shop isn’t exactly a hidden gem given its location on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, but it’s still off the usual diner maps thanks to its tiny, mid-block storefront. The breakfast basics are best here, so opt for the omelets, crispy bacon and hash browns, and pancakes — which can be ordered individually, so there’s no need to share with the table. Best of all, Andy’s Coffee Shop is free from those pesky lines found at hip brunch places in town.
Fred 62
It’s impossible to miss the electric green exterior of Fred 62. It’s a familiar Los Feliz sight on Vermont Avenue for 25 years and counting, with an incredibly relaxed and easy breakfast menu of Denver omelets, steak and eggs, and breakfast enchiladas. Fred 62 works for late-night revelers and early morning breakfast seekers alike.
Lisa's Coffee Shop
From its dependably good cooking to its retro style, Lisa’s Coffee Shop is adored among those who reside in Covina and beyond. The thing to get at this throwback diner is the aptly named Filler Up that comes with eggs, bacon, sausage, griddled potatoes, and a choice of biscuits and gravy, a short stack of pancakes, or French toast.
Nick's Cafe
Whether seated at a table outside covered by a tent or perched on a stool at the counter inside, there’s no such thing as a bad table at Nick’s Cafe. Regulars know to order the griddled ham that’s glazed in brown sugar with a side of eggs and hash browns. This 75-year-old Los Angeles institution on the outskirts of Chinatown is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CJ's Cafe
Pico Boulevard's favorite CJ’s Cafe is a reliable option for Mexican American and soul food diner fare. Find chorizo and eggs in the morning, super-sized wet burritos for dinner, and chilaquiles and fried chicken that are perfect for any time of day.
John O' Groats
Rancho Park’s longstanding daytime spot John O’ Groats feels a bit like a country cottage transported to Los Angeles. The biscuits are a major draw, served in various forms ranging from bacon cheddar to chocolate chip, while pancakes and eggs dominate the rest of the morning fare. Sidle up to the counter, order some coffee, and pull out a book for a wonderfully relaxed breakfast.
Rae's Restaurant
Googie architecture is a beloved part of the Los Angeles landscape, and this Santa Monica greasy spoon is a perfect example of the style, with its midcentury signage, teensy red booths, and mint green and blue color scheme. Westsiders flock here for affordable waffles, hot cakes, omelets, and breakfast specials, like buttermilk biscuits with gravy.
S & W Country Diner
Don’t be intimidated when the server hands over a winding menu at S & W Country Diner. Hone in on the classics, like the chocolate chip pancakes and crispy hash browns, at this over-two-decade-old Culver City institution. The weekend crowd is consistent but relaxed; sunny patio seating is often available.
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The Serving Spoon
Opened in 1982 by Harold E. Sparks, the Serving Spoon is a full-service diner serving Southern classics in a brightly-lit and energetic room. Today, the restaurant is run by Sparks's daughter and son-in-law. Cookie’s Wings & Waffle combines well-seasoned and expertly fried chicken with a cinnamon-dusted waffle. Also spectacular is the fried catfish, a boneless fillet battered and beautifully browned.
Pop's Cafe
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Pop’s Cafe attracts a steady crowd of Downey locals who arrive hungry and ready to fill up on biscuits ladled with obscene amounts of gravy, crisp-golden chicken fried steak, and Belgium waffles topped with enough butter to cover every divet. The vibe inside is classic diner Americana with monochrome black-and-white tile floors.
Watts Coffee House
Watts Coffee House has been feeding the neighborhood dependably good breakfast staples and soul food comforts like fried chicken, smothered pork chops, and buttermilk biscuits since 1997. Owner Desiree Edwards’s warm hospitality keeps the crowds coming back time and again.
Uncle Bill's Pancake House
Seaside breakfast joint Uncle Bill’s regularly draws weekday and weekend lines in Manhattan Beach for ample platters of eggs, hash browns, and of course, the restaurant’s namesake pancakes, which come loaded with things like chocolate chip, blueberry, and banana-nut. On warmer mornings, patrons sit out on the patio with views of the water or come inside for a bustling country cafe-style atmosphere replete with coffee-slinging servers and diners of all types.
Off Street Cafe
It’s no wonder this woman-owned restaurant has been thriving since 1996. The service is fast yet warm; the cooking familiar and solidly executed. It’s open every day from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. with chicken-fried steak, homemade biscuits, and vegetable-loaded skillets on the menu.
Country Touch Cafe
This humble roadside diner in Torrance prepares egg plates, omelets, French toast, waffles, and more with care in a dining room that feels straight out of the ‘80s. Service is homey and warm, while prices are incredibly reasonable, making this a true South Bay gem.
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