Seto Cafe

I have walked by this place for 3 years, and just ventured in today. It was ok, as my friend and I were in for the cheap $ 4.99 breakfast.
The place is a little generic inside, but brightly light and quite clean. The coffee is typical weak luke-​warm brown water, but my breakfast~ I can’t complain about. My eggs were cooked well, and the hash browns were delicious. The service was ok as well and we didn’t have to wait long for service, or our meals.
When leaving, we giggled at the huge line up across the street, at the Red Wagon. I’ve been there, and its good, but wait for an hour outside in the rain? Um, nope. The Seto will do nicely for cheap breakie for me, from now on…

I like this place. Staff is friendly, food is tasty and the menu is basic. It’s a cheap one step above a greasy spoon restaurant and that’s all i really want some days. I like the fact that they are not trying to be something that they are not. If you are looking for a simple quick and cheap and tasty breakfast then this is a good little place.

Best cheap breakfast in Vancouver, hands down.
Also the best fried rice in the neighborhood.

Free wifi at this little ol’… err new café? Wow, I’m impressed.
You’ll never expect a place like that would have free wifi, but then again now we got smartphones and can get our Unilocal fix anytime of day! (Anyone Unilocaled a place while still there? lol I did!)
Seems like they redid the walls and it has a really clean look to this place. They seemed to overlook cleaning up the floors during their reno, but that’s ok. They have specials if you look on the board on the back left side near the washroooms.
Breakfast is cheap and simple here. Oh btw, they are Chinese, so don’t think it’s weird that they do have chow mein on the menu. Chinese Canadian Café. The food isn’t bad, but not the best. The hash was deep fried, but eggs were cooked well, and service was friendly :)
The food can’t compare to Roundel (
) or Red Wagon (
), but they have the prices on their side… But if you take a walk east just one block over you’ll find yourself at an even cheaper joint and much better. Master Chef (
)

The Seto has just recently moved into my neighbourhood, which gives me the chance to be the first to review the Seto, Mark II. Hooray!
It’s actually a little cleaner than the last location, probably because it just opened last week (check your breakfast for sawdust — just kidding!). The best thing about the Seto moving into Hastings-​Sunrise is that it counteracts the rise of the «fancy» diner-​type joints that have sprung up here: the Red Wagon (good food, but expensive) and the Roundel (ditto).
People who miss the old King’s Café (which used to reside at the spot the RW now fills), and who don’t like to empty their wallets, or wait for tables, can now rest easy. Service at the new Seto is speedy & friendly — the woman who seated me remembered me from my 5 or so visits to the old location on Commercial — even though that’s been over the last 3 ½ years!
I recommend the 2−2−2 special: 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, and 2 pancakes. They have pretty good coffee, as well…

They moved! Onto Hastings I think. Alas. Outta da hood.

It’s cheap. It’s diner-​y. And if there were more non-​meat options I’d be there a lot more. I think the $ 6 veg chow mein is awesome and it feeds two. or one of me. either way, good portions.
The service isn’t great but what can you expect. It’s not terrible. I can live with it. I’m not a snob!!!

I’m going to give this place four stars because of all the cheap breakfast joints I’ve tried in Vancouver, this one is currently my favorite. Their basic breakfast (~ $ 3.99) is not overly greasy, and I’ve always been happy with the way the eggs, bacon and toast are done. The potatoes are not the best but the rest makes up for it. I haven’t tried any of the other food because the breakfast is so cheap and good.
The place itself, while slightly run-​down, is cozy and dependable. I always get a table and I feel comfortable dining solo there. It’s a great place to tuck yourself away on a rainy Saturday morning to read the paper, study or write. Also because it is usually not too busy it’s a nice central spot to meet up with a group for breakfast.
For this price I don’t think people can afford to bitch about the service, but in my experience it’s always been fine — basic and friendly, some days better than others.

Alright, alright. I know I was hating on this place in my last review, but the other day I was nearby and super hungry so I decided to stop in and get a cheap breakfast. The place is still rundown, but for once the waitress was very friendly! My food was good and I didn’t have to wait long, and the waitress was very attentive with refilling my coffee! And she didn’t overcharge me when I paid, which is a first. I even tipped her.

I just had the breakfast special at this place (bacon, eggs, toast and potatoes). Sure, it wasn’t the greatest breakfast I’ve had, but it definitely put a little fuel back in the tank. I mean come on… for $ 3.75, what do you expect, the Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Shangri-​La? Hell no! Seto Café is just a little hole in the wall Chinese-​Canadian eatery with a cute smiley little old lady playing hostess. Since I was getting my order to go, I can’t really comment on what it was like to eat in. From the empty décor I would imagine it’s pretty much grab your food and split. Surprisingly a few people didn’t seem to have too much issue plunked down on their seats devouring this that and the other. One of these days I’ll sit and dine in. Until that day comes, I’ll simply keep dreaming about that Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Shangri-​La. After all, we are living in tough economic times… did i really just say that played out phrase?

Bacon and eggs or Chinese food, it’s your pick at this decaying diner buried in the long storefront stretching out between 6^th and 7^th Avenue on Commercial Drive. It’s actually right on the street, but goes unnoticed by many of the pedestrians that go bustling by.
And maybe it’s for the best. The food here is pretty mediocre, with runny eggs, dry toast, and coffee laced with battery acid. Dependant mostly on their regulars, the servers aren’t particularly nice to people off the street, and the general feel is quite apathetic.
But the glass plate windows are great for people watching, and if you like diner food there are probably worse places you could go. All in all, not a spectacular experience, but at least they don’t set you up for anything else.