Joy Cafe

My favorite place for brunch in Atlanta. Service is great, and food is even better. Their omelettes are the best!!! You won’t be disappointed

Joy’s café is one of my favorite places to go to for brunch. The café is a cute size, always packed, but so worth the wait. They have friendly staff and always provide complimentary baked goods. The flavors of all the dishes are out of this world! The portion size is perfectly satisfying. I recommend the Belgian Waffles, Crab Cake Eggs Benedict, and my favorite Shrimp and Grits!

Valentina was awesome and really sweet. I came midweek, so some things exclusive to brunch [on weekends] I’d salivated for, thanks to the reviews here, weren’t an option. The good part about the weekday visit is, it wasn’t packed — since it’s not that large a space, and I got to take my time and savor my meal. Really good quality food. So good! Obsessed with the tomato soup! I wish they would tone down the salt on it, I’m not a salt… sodium…gmo policer or anything in the least, but it was really heavy-​handed but if you ignore that it’s actually quite good. The older family of three sitting across from me mimicked my order, and I heard the dad say the same after he got his.
Citrus Vinaigrette was heavenly with my Cobb. And, a California Grilled Cheese with tea.
No judgment, ^_​^ I got a to-​go box.
They’re moving and from the description I got, it sounded like it would be amazing. The interior and décor isn’t anything to write home about now, so I’m excited for them having outdoor seating [among other things] at the new spot!

Joy Café’ is a regular brunch choice for me and my friends. We LOVE THIS PLACE!!! We’ve stood in line to get a table for this food. The food is VERY GOOD (I recommend the Shrimp & Grits). I’m also a coffee snob, and Joy Café has amazing coffee!!! There is a full menu, so there is something for everyone. The pancakes are HUGE. No seriously, read that again… HUGE! Do NOT get more than one unless you’ve been on a fast, or haven’t eaten for at least a day. They are also VERY VERY GOOD. The service is GREAT, even though they are always busy. The ONLY reason I can’t give Joy Café’ 5 stars is because the place is SUPER SMALL, so the tables are tight and the wait can be LONG, but trust me it is worth it. The owner is always there, walking around and greeting everyone. Definitely check out Joy Café’.

Located in a small strip off Pharr Road and unbeknownst to many, today was our lucky day. I have pass this café so many times and never know the greatness that existed here. Now that I know it will never be forgotten and I am spreading the word like a forest fire. My friends (whom I have breakfast/​brunch with every weekend) and I all agree that this has been deemed and knighted as our favorite brunch spot. The wait may be long, but they have a texting system to notify you when your table is ready and a window to get back to the restaurant if you leave.
Let’s start with this Biscuit and Gravy dish that was on Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dives. This is an amazing complete dish. I don’t normally do biscuit & gravy but I wanted to try something new. Sometimes its good to step off the cliff. I wanted to lick the plate when I completed my meal to waste none of the gravy but I restrained myself. My friends enjoyed their Belgian Waffle and Buttermilk Pancakes as much. Normally I try everyone’s dish, but I wanted to distort my satisfied palate.
You pay for parking here, but I parked on the street for free.

Yummy yummy yummy!
My best friend-​foodie companion introduced me to this place this past Monday. We went around lunch time and the tiny place was packed to the rim. We snagged the last two-​top and didn’t have to wait. The wait stuff was very pleasant and accommodating. My friend asked for iced-​coffee and I opted for water. My bougie friend (jk, :D) asked for simple syrup for her iced-​coffee and the waitress said they didn’t have any on hand, but said she would gladly make some for her as it only required hot water and sugar. My friend kindly declined and reached for the sugar packets as she understood our waitress was busy, as I jokingly rolled my eyes and smiled. (We were both waitresses through high school and college and completely understand that the tiniest tasks can take the largest amounts of time when it’s busy!)
Best friend got the tomato soup and grilled cheese. I got the half and half combo, the Tuscany sandwich and Caesar salad. The Tuscany was so delicious, pressed to perfection. The caesar– I wasn’t impressed by. The dressing was a little too runny for my taste, but still good. But the whole time I was eating my meal, I was also eating my friend’s meal. The soup was so so so good! Just the right amount of tomato and sweet. I wanted to get dessert to-​go but we were heading over to Lenox mall and didn’t want to scarf a dessert down. Will be back soon!

Delicious food, huge portions, fresh ingredients and nice servers. I’m not really a out-​for-​breakfast kind of gal, but I might turn into one if I could go here regularly.

Location: Off Pharr Rd in a small business complex
Fav Item: Ratatouille Panini
— Positives: Such great food and great service, I believe they have an app you can order from now making it super easy for me on my lunch break. Slightly pricey but worth every bite. Great coffee as well.
— Negatives: The space inside is small; however, they make it work.
— Overall: great spot for breakfast or lunch. Great quality food. The parking is limited and so is seating there but it’s Atlanta what you expect?!
I’m there on a weekly basis even if just for coffee. It’s a must go spot.

I visited Joy Café quite some time ago with my ex but apparently never wrote a review. How derelict of me! I do remember having a pleasant experience so when my dinner club decided to have brunch here, I was in! Expect to wait… and wait. We had a large party so I am sure it would have been faster if our group was smaller. The total wait was 1 hour. Thankfully, a couple folks go our name down early on the list. So personally my wait was just 30 minutes. Give them your cell and they will text you when your table is ready. That meant that our friends could walk over to Buckhead Atlanta for coffee. Two of us stayed behind and just chatted since we are not coffee drinkers. Plus I was wearing cute heels that weren’t really made for walking. :-) Thanks for the free parking, Joy Café. Made coming to Buckhead so much less painful.
I decided to order the Argentinean. A new item on the menu. This breakfast sandwich includes cheddar scrambled eggs, Mojo marinated skirt steak, red onions & chimichurri on a brioche bun. I asked if I could substitute for a biscuit instead. They accommodated the change. However, when delivered, it arrived with the bun. They quickly turned it around with a correct order. Ample sized. The chimichurri sauce is SUPER strong. Whoa. It was really too much for me. I wish I had gotten it on the side. However, you can tell that this is homemade quality stuff. And if you are a big chimichurri fan, you are likely to really enjoy it. Though it didn’t end up being not quite my thing, I appreciate the quality ingredients and execution. Also, the biscuit was very nice.
Bottom line: I’d definitely revisit, but I would order something else.

Okay a lot of people recommended this place to me and I was super excited about it.
I went for Sunday brunch and the wait was about 45 mins which was not surprising. They have a few tables outside that are covered but they don’t protect from the wind.
My biggest issue is with the service:
We were seated and our waitress seemed nice enough. It was obvious that she was busy and a little frazzled but quickly brought us our menu and utensils.
I asked if they had soy milk and could make lattes out of it. She said yes so I ordered a matcha green tea latte. She brought out a normal soy latte and said that the matcha latte was coming soon. I explained how I didn’t want two drinks and just wanted the matcha soy latte. She then became irritated at me for ordering wrong (when I ordered correctly but she misheard). She then said they had used the last of the soy milk on the drink they had just incorrectly made and tried to convince me that it would be okay if I drank the matcha latte because they used so little milk in it. I have light lactose intolerance and I can have a little milk, but it was irritating that she tried to convince me to drink something I didn’t want to. It would be similar to telling a vegetarian they could have some meat and it would be okay. I ended up getting the matcha latte with normal milk and it was actually pretty bad. I would not recommend it.
After the drink fiasco, I was really looking forward to my waffle. When the food finally came, they brought me strawberry pancakes instead. I was supremely irritated now because they messed up literally everything I had ordered. I ended up just eating the pancakes because I was so hungry and by this point I really just wanted to leave. The food wasn’t even spectacular! I didn’t think the pancakes were anything more special than what I could have gotten at IHOP. I would not go back for them. The person at the the table next to me got the avocado toast and that actually looked delicious. If I ever go back that is probably what I would get.
The two good things: lots of parking and they give complimentary pastries as an «appetizer». However these don’t make up for the long wait, subpar service, and just-​okay food.

I heard of this place from watching features on Atlanta Eats and later Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dives. The food looked so amazing I had to try this place out. I had a hankering for some breakfast, and I decided to come by on a Monday around noontime thinking I wouldn’t have as big a wait than if I came on a weekend (especially as I heard the place inside is kind of small). When I got there, the place was busy but I was able to be seated right away. However to my dismay, I discovered they only do breakfast on weekends **cue sad face**… I’d been dying to try this place anyway so of course I stayed, and let me say the food did not disappoint!
I opted to go for the chicken burger with a side of the loaded potato soup. The soup was nice and thick with some sour cream, bacon pieces and cheese on top, very tasty! And the burger, maaaaaaannnnn it was amazing! A nice sizeable patty with some onion, lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese and nice big strips of bacon. But what made the burger stand out was the sauces: a nice jalapeño aioli and a chipotle mayo. All together, this combined for a pleasant explosion of flavor to create one of the tastiest sandwiches/​burgers I’ve had in a long, long time. Bravo!!!
For dessert, I know their calling card is their cookies and milk pie; it looked so good on TV. Trust me, I wasn’t leaving this place without trying a slice. To best describe it, its like a cookie, whipped topping, chocolate chip concoction. It was delicious, and not overly rich. I savored every bite! I’d buy a whole pie and take it home if I could.
As for the service, it was pretty friendly and fair. I do wish my waitress was a tad quicker in topping off my drink without having to ask, but I can be forgiving if the place is really busy. Other than that my experience overall was A+!! Joy Café, in my humble opinion lived up to the hype! Everything just tastes fresh, and you can tell the food is made with love! I will definitely return someday and I will make it a mission to return on a weekend and try their breakfast.

This place is awesome, great good and friendly staff. Had the shrimp and grits, some of the best grits I’ve ever had. It had large shrimp and plenty of fresh corn. Also tried my friends Crabcake Benedict, delicious.
Worth the wait.

I am a die-​hard DDD fan. Whenever I’m traveling, I use the TV Food Maps app to find places near me that have been on different food shows from television. A visit from Guy Fieri means ALL good things, and Joy’s Café was no exception.
What a pleasure to eat here! My second time today. First visit I was disappointed that brunch isn’t served all week, but had a delicious tomato soup and half chicken salad sandwich combo.
Today I visited to get after that famous breakfast menu. I couldn’t make up my mind because everything looked so good, but Rasheda my server was very patient and offered some suggestions. I chose the shrimp and grits (one of Guy Fieri’s favorites) and was thrilled. To date, I have not been a shrimp and grits person, but the medley of flavors and well-​portioned shrimp made this a dish to die for. Next time I’m hoping to try the equally appealing Belgian waffle with fresh fruit, or the other Triple D selection of biscuits and gravy.
A few key points:
— Parking is free (don’t be distracted by the $ 10 parking sign; that’s to deter parking after hours)
— The wait for 2 is never longer than 15 minutes usually, but the café is tiny so expect 30 – 45 minutes for parties 4 or larger.
— Servers are very friendly– ask for recommendations if you aren’t sure!
— They DO offer gluten-​free tortillas if you have a special dietary concern.
Oh, and a nice touch was having the opportunity to meet Joy’s husband John. He stopped by my table to ask how everything was, and joked with me when I asked if he was the chef: «if everything tasted great then yes, I’m the chef!» He was around for ensuring a well-​kept café («I just do the walls and stuff») but on your visit you will see that it’s not JUST walls. He makes the place look wonderful. Such a nice man!
Thanks Joy and John. Superb food and service. I will definitely be back!

So nowwww I get why Joy’s café is always so crowded and the wait is so long! Joy’s totally lives up to the hype! I see why they were voted «Best of Atlanta» and showcased on «Diners, Drive-​ins and Dives.» I just hope they expand their restaurant someday because it gets pretty tight in there. It’s such a tiny little establishment!
We decided to try our luck with Joy’s for brunch after church on Sunday. I say «try our luck» because we’ve tried to eat at Joy’s once or twice in the past but always got turned off by the long lines. But, this time finally, we got in the door. The hostess said it would be a 45min wait which is a very long time for me when I’m hungry and usually I would leave but I’d heard such good things about JC I had to stick it out.
I love that Joy’s but only texts you when they’re ready for you but you can also track your party’s position online. I must admit we checked every five minutes or so. We waited almost exactly 45 minutes before our text came through. But when we got back to Joy’s we still had to wait about 5 – 7 mins until we were finally seated in the back of the restaurant.
JC gives their customers sweet treats to nibble on while they wait for the food. These treats vary. I saw some cinnamon rolls and other types of sweet buns on other tables, but we got two scones. The scones were good except the cranberries inside were tear-​producing-​ly sour, didn’t enjoy that part but the scones themselves were tasty.
The food came out super fast despite the crowd. I was surprised when I got my order because the plate they put in front of me looked nothing like any biscuits and gravy I’d ever had. The gravy is a brownish-​peach color instead of white; and after ladling the gravy on top of the biscuits, they add another layer of chunky sausage on top. Very unique. Turns out, the biscuits and gravy also tasted nothing like any I’ve had in the past either. It was mildly sweet and pretty spicy… bordering on too spicy for me since I’m not a fan of spicy food, but it was honestly delicious! I read another review that said you get used to the «sweetness» after a while and they were right. It was sweet enough to be interesting but not sweet enough to be off putting. I kept eating and found that I really enjoyed it. The scrambled eggs that accompanied the dish were cooked to perfection – not runny and not dry and overcooked – just perfect!
My wife ordered the shrimp and grits and couldn’t stop raving about them. I tried her food as well and could see why. Grits were creamy and smooth and they were generous with the plump, juicy shrimp and sweet corn kernels they piled on top. The flavor was incredible!
We decided we couldn’t leave without ordering a slice of the milk and cookies pie that looked so good on Unilocal.We were not disappointed. It tasted like chocolatey cookies layered between sweet, fluffy clouds. Yummy Joy!
Oh and we did see Joy stopping at the tables, chatting with customers and thanking them for coming in. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it over to our table. So maybe we’ll meet her next time. We’ll be back.

«You just wanna suck the joy out of everything.» — Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Funny, but I have found some of my favorite spots in my own city thanks to Food Network. Seems odd, since I have lived here (on and off) for 35 years that it would take a passing glance, or flipping channels, or my TiVo to tell me about some place amazing for brunch just up the street from me. I’m a terrible Atlantan. Well, sometimes.
You can call me a fan, for sure. But I will start with the negatives. A large group of us showed up for brunch early on a Saturday — one or two of us showed up earlier than the rest and were quoted 30 to 45 minutes for 12 people. Great! However, it was more like an hour and a half before we were seated and we had told them we were okay being split into smaller tables. Don’t quote a time unless that time is at least close to accurate — especially when you start seating smaller groups who came later than we did. Pretty disappointing.
Okay, the positives. Free parking in the lot where the café is located. Free coffee outside while we waited (until it ran out and it was not refilled) — especially great on a cold morning. They split our checks, even though the menu said they would not do that for us (I was well-​prepared to do some higher Math functions). And free pastries when we finally sat down. Score!
I knew what I wanted to eat before I ever stepped foot into the café — Thanks, Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dives and Instagrammers of Atlanta. I wanted the Biscuits and Sawmill Gravy with Chorizo. Done. No waffling (though I looked over the menu), I was going to have it. And that I did. First, that biscuit is seriously HUGE. I was starving and I could only eat half. The gravy was spicy, but in a good way and the crumbled, crispy chorizo on top was delightful. An excellent choice on my part, I must say. I am curious why the biscuits are not snowy white, as one would be accustomed in the South — I should go back and watch the episode, I guess.
The coffee was good and I did receive a refill and the water was kept full (pretty good for one server and a table of 12). For dessert, Kristin B and I ordered the Cookies and Milk Pie. This one, I blame on our fearless CM, Jonathan T. Having posted it on Instagram and Unilocal weeks earlier, I knew I had to eat it. It is the simplest of desserts, but probably one of the best I have eaten in town. Layers of homemade, unsweetened whipped cream, and chocolate chip cookies (no tree nuts). That’s it — no frills, just damn good. Get it and make sure to have some coffee.
Overall service was great, especially considering the size of our party and the tininess of Joy Café. All our food came out at once, despite a warning it would not. I would definitely come here again, but probably with just a couple of friends and not a huge party,

I’ve found my new favorite breakfast spot thanks to Unilocaler Tanya C’s Breakfast Club UYE!
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I love the motto here: Made with love, served with Joy!
Named after its Southern born-​and-​raised owner, Joy café is a place that believes in making everything they possibly can from scratch and using no preservatives. Along with her partner and husband, they are cooking up rural down home Georgia recipes for the masses, and oh how grateful we are!
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THE SCENE
Not gonna lie, the wait was horrible for a group of 12. We waited over an hour outside in the cold (but not too cold) weather and poor Tanya got there an hour prior to put our names on the list because you can’t make reservations over the phone. First come first serve only and this place is barely larger than a shoe box!
The parking lot was packed for a Saturday morning, so I had to deal with City of Atlanta street meters sucking me dry for three hours! I swear I feel Atlanta Parking is like a thug that just made me give up all my lunch money and dunked my head in a toilet (not that it has ever happened to me).
Aside from the horror of the wait time, the food was truly worth the wait. I’ve actually had this place on my bookmarks list for a number of years and jumped at the chance to hang with some of my favorite Atlanta Unilocalers (Tanya C, Lindy F, Jose O, Michelle K, Kristin B) and break bread. The fun part about this crew is I’ve been around them for a long time and they know me well. A few graciously sent me a portion of their meal because they know what a food monster I am! So I got to try a lot of different menu items during my visit today.
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THE FOOD
SHRIMP n’ GRITS (3.85 stars) | $ 13.50
This dish was featured on Diner’s, Drive-In’s and Dives and I totally see why! It is a bit of a different take on shrimp n’ grits because they are «sauteed in a Louisiana BBQ sauce» (which I believe is code for hot sauce), and topped with sweet roasted corn. The grits were creamy and sublime, but I didn’t altogether care for the flavor the BBQ sauce added, nor the extra oil. The shrimp were amazing, however I must say I wish she had stuck a little closer to traditional Shrimp n’ grits by adding sausage and/​or bacon. That would have been icing on the cake for me!
STEAK n’ EGG TACOS (5+ stars) | $ 11.50
Michelle K generously shared one of the three taco’s that came with this dish. One bite and instantly I was having buyers remorse. I could eat breakfast any time of day and these tacos would be something I would eat for daily for life if I could. Depending on your tastes, you may want to add a dash of salt n’ pepper, but OMG these bad boys are so worth giving this place a visit.
CRAB CAKES BENEDICT (4.5 stars) | $ 14
You just can’t go wrong with these. Thanks for sharing Tanya!
HASH BROWNED POTATOES (4 stars) | Side
Kristin called down from the other end of the table and said «Richard, do you have the potatoes. You must try them!» You don’t have to ask me twice! I immediately passed down my plate for a small sample and they were indeed very good! Someday maybe we as a group will have a Breakfast Club potluck at my house. I really want others to taste my wife’s breakfast potatoes. There are truly no finer potatoes on this earth.
BLUEBERRY BANANA BREAD (5 stars) | complimentary
Each of our tables got a small plate of dessert breads. I only tried the banana bread and I think I may have eaten more than my share. They were so good!
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FINAL THOUGHTS
OUTSTANDING place for breakfast or brunch. I can’t wait to return for the Steak n’ Eggs Tacos, they was absolutely amazing! The Salmon Eggs Benedict Unilocaler David R ordered looked divine as well as the Sausage n’ Gravy Biscuit my newest Atlanta Unilocal friend Tony M was chowing down on. I have never seen a sausage n’ gravy biscuit like that and Tony described the biscuit as tasting «almost like cake.» Color me intrigued! I will definitely be back. Heck, it’s 5 am in the morning the day after my visit and writing this review has me thinking I should take the family here today after church. Overall — 4.85 stars!
Shout out to my Unilocal girls Turner and Ripley K. It was an ABSOLUTE pleasure meeting you both today. We were already friends prior to this visit, but we have officially moved from Unilocal friends to real life buddies! Unilocal is so awesome!
²⁰¹⁶⁄₁₂

A recent ITP UYE is why I came to Joy Café, although I have driven by it many times. Notwithstanding our wait time and the small dining area, the food was good!
I deduced from my pre-​arrival reconnaissance that securing a car park in the plaza would not be likely therefore, I planned to park in the multistorey car park around the corner.
There was also metered spaces on the street, but not even free on a Saturday. (Willkommen in Buckhead).
It was good meeting some new Unilocalers and seeing those from events past.
Smaller parties were being seated ahead of our group of 12. Eventually, they were able to rearrange tables to accommodate our group.
The service was good and the members of the staff were friendly.
Complimentary pastries were brought to the table. The scones and what looked at tasted like banana bread with blueberries was good.
I ordered Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. I opted to keep the fruit instead of substituting it for hash browns or grits. Everything about it was good from the house-​made English Muffins, Hollandaise sauce, poached eggs and smoked salmon.
Other than that, my beverage of choice was orange juice, followed by coffee.
I enjoyed this UYE! I am not sure how soon it will be before I return however, I would visit again.

I have at least a couple work lunches a week, and my most recent occurred at Joy Café. And while this place doesn’t have the most captivating interior or a breath-​taking view, it does have pretty wonderful food that I could have just about every day.
*****
I. FOOD & DRINK
As an American brunch and lunch restaurant, they primarily soups, salads, and sandwiches. I ordered their Reuben, and the lovely person I had lunch with suggested that I taste their infamous Cookie Pie. I washed everything down with an iced coffee.
*Reuben: House-​cured and smoked pastrami with homemade sauerkraut with melted Gruyère in-​between a couple slices of marble rye. Super flavorful with a nice balance of tangy and savory. I also love the fact that the rye didn’t break apart from the moisture and juices.
**Cookie Pie: Oh. My. Goodness. This is a fantastic dessert with a delicious whip cream that I want to put on everything. I feel this dessert represents a stereotype about Southern food, on steroids, and it’s great.
***Iced Coffee: Smooth, only slightly acidic, and plenty strong. I like.
II. SERVICE
I stood around a bit confused for a bit, because I didn’t know whether or not a host was supposed to come and greet me. So, I just grabbed a table against the wall. (I guess you should, too.) Regarding our actual server, she was incredibly sweet and attentive.
III. ATMOSPHERE/​DÉCOR
Located in a strip mall off of Pharr Road, it’s pretty small and busy anytime throughout the day. (I don’t think they take reservations.) Local art is hung about, too. Very quaint.
IV. PRICES
I think most of the food is around $ 10+/- $ 3. In other words, it’s very affordable! Not to mention, they use quality ingredients and they execute the food very well.
V. OVERALL
Definitely one of my favorite cafes in the ATL!

I hate the long waits, the crowded parking, and the cramped space when walking in. However, I can overlook that when my breakfast arrives at my table because Joy’s is probably my #1 spot for brunch in Atlanta. Since I already mentioned the cons above, we’ll just focus on the pros.
I’ve been here twice and tried the smoked salmon eggs benedict and the shrimp and the shrimp and grits. I never had a complaint about either dish, everything just tasted amazing. My boyfriend would get their omelets and he enjoys those as well. Ask for their homemade hot sauce, which is excellent! ;]
The smoked salmon eggs benedict had the perfect amount of hollandaise sauce and a generous serving of smoked salmon. The eggs were poached perfectly and everything else about this dish was just great. You have the options of choosing either hashbrowns or fruit cup with this dish I believe, I ended up with the fruit because I already had enough carbs from the pastries they give that are complimentary.
Shrimp and Grits: oh my, very very indulging and heavy. They gave a generous portion and the shrimps were perfect in size. They didn’t skimp here, which is great since it got me full halfway. It was all seasoned perfectly. Even though I was feeling full, i still fought to finish the entire thing. I don’t think i’ll be getting this again since it is on the heavier side for me, but get it at least once to try since it is that good!
Another one of my favorite memories of Joy’s Café are the complimentary baked pastries they bring you for an appetizer. The cinnamon rolls were mouthwatering and some kind of crumble cake we had was nice as well. Staff and service is great also. Despite the cramped space here, they seem to have operations running smoothly. Don’t let the wait to get in discourage you from trying this place out, it’s totally worth it!

I would’ve really given this place 5 stars if they served mimosas. When I think of brunch I definitely think of booze and so this saddened me quite a bit. Other than that (and the 45 minute wait) it was all groovy. Our waitress seemed to be in her own little world half the time and we had to flag her down on a couple of instances but who cares when the food is that good?
I had the french toast and my boyfriend had the steak tacos and eggs. My french toast was great but those tacos were insanely good and I was suffering from that food envy real thick. Would like to return some day and have that. I like the small little quaint space too and the fact it’s close to other bars and stuff. Perfect to grab a mimosa afterward ;)