Park Bench Café

We went there last weekend and we were disappointed since we found so many reviews!
The presentation of the food wasn’t very good, my husband asked for scrambled eggs with chorizo with cheese, and the eggs were dry, and cheese not even melted.
Mine was ok, I asked for eggs Benedict and I could tell that the holaindase sauce was watery.
I would not go back there.
The only good thing was the toast and the waitresses, they were very kind and nice, good service though, the food not so much.

We enjoy the breakfast, favorites are chili cheese omelet, and park Benedict. Coffee is top notch. Service is great. Recommend it… they even have a menu for dogs…

The service was great and so was the food. And a good vibe as well. It’s the kind of place where you can go and forget about everything for a while.

FANTASTIC! Awesome lunch with a perfect outdoor seating area in the park. Dad and I ordered the ‘turkey supreme’ and ‘the bogus veggie’ sandwiches. They were huge and loaded with meats cheeses and veggies! Ended up taking half of each to go. Big bonus is the fresh fruit– whole slices of watermelon and cantaloupe. Definitely recommend and definitely will be back. Added bonus is the nice trail around the park.

This place is fantastic and I would recommend t to anyone! Great for dates/​kids/​families dog friendly and the food is wonderful! And to top it all of the waitresses are super sweet and helpful ! A+++

I’ve lived in the housing track across from the Park Bench Café for over 36 years, but never been here, until 2 weeks ago… it was worth the wait.
You can’t get Monte Cristo just anywhere, so I opted for the «breakfast» Cristo. Nice and flavorful, but more like french toast with a hint (just a tiny hint) of the ham flavor. Good, but I’ve had better. My son got the traditional eggs bene. The egg was cooked perfectly. Done, but runny yolk. Delicious. We also ordered a cinnamon roll (how could you not?), but knew we should ask for it in a to-​go box. We both took a bite. Fantastic.
The only reason for the 3 stars vs 4 or 5 would be because of the service. The gals are nice and friendly, but there is always a long wait and even longer for the food to come out. We were told 15 min to get seated, and I had to inquire after 30 where we stood in line. They said there were 5 parties ahead of us. Then, finally seated, we were served drinks right away, but then never saw our server again until she served us our food 40 min later.
There was tons of room on the grass area to set up more tables, but when I asked her why they didn’t use the room to seat more people, she said that the kitchen couldn’t handle it. Maybe the kitchen is very tiny, but when you have a business (and food) as good as this… I’d think it would be worth stepping up a bit. It’s frustrating when you want to dine here, but now, knowing how long it takes, it’s not somewhere that I’d pick unless I had hours to wait for my meal. Kinda disappointed because I’d be a fan otherwise. When asked if they did take out, it seems like that was also frowned upon. Didn’t quite understand the reason, but sounded like once again «the kitchen can’t handle it». OK… it’s your business, not mine. I don’t have a dog, so that’s not the draw for me. All in all, I’m glad I can say that I went, after 36 years of living across the street.

I like the atmosphere and the food is above average, but I wish the menu had more of a selection.

Loved the food, loved the staff, loved the ambiance! We’ve never given our dog human food (except for when he steals it) but we hadn’t fed him breakfast yet so we figured we’d give him an extra special treat (even though it was my birthday)! My husband got one of the omelettes which was HUGE and more than enough to share! I got the soy chorizo Benedict– AMAZING! And lastly, we shared the cinnamon roll as my birthday treat.
Afterwards, we took a little stroll around the lake. My daughter (who is learning to walk) was in absolute awe of all the ducks, their ducklings and everyone else who was walking their dogs. The people we encountered had good control of their dogs so we never felt like our daughter would be knocked down. I’d definitely go back but if you have allergies, I HIGHLY recommend taking your meds. There was white pollen everywhere.

This place has the best breakfast and an added bonus is your dog can enjoy breakfast with you! Our dog is a big fan of the bow wow wow.

We’ve come here several times with the kids when we visit. There’s not many brunch spot where the kids can run around while the adults converse over a great breakfast. Always will come back.

Great place to bring your pup and have a quick bite. Food isn’t great but it’s nice to be able to sit outside and eat with your pup. So cool you can order a meal for your dog. I’ll definitely be back.

First time here… a lot of food servings very good and cooked as ordered probably depending on waitress but «ALISA» hooked it up. Thank you ALISA.
I like that they hire a lot of high school age young adults.
I went to another breakfast joint known «Supposibly» for their cinnamon rolls. NEGATORY they are nothing to compared with these ones. Oh my… probably extremely bad for my health but godly… they are the BESTEST OF THE BEST.
They are expensive but 100% worth the experience. Next time, one meal is enough for our fat asses.
I would guess less people on weekdays.
I am Rene and I endorse this place.

After our first visit, we decided we would definitely come back! Loved the food and the relaxed setting in the park. Super place for families and dogs.

Great Great food and a cute doggie menu!

My favorite place for brunch. Such a cute outdoors spot for brunch. You can even bring your best friends (pets) here too. They even have a canine menu. I love their pancakes. So fluffy. The service is amazing. Alisa was our server today and she was super sweet and nice.

The food here is pretty good. Have gotten biscuits and gravy and cheesy potatoes. I love how they have a menu for your dogs too. The service isn’t the greatest, it’s pretty slow. When I asked for hot sauce the waitress told me to get it myself, pretty rude. However the scenery is very nice! Who would want to spend a beautiful day inside when you could eat your meal on the green grass by the lake?

Lovely place located in the Central park, can be tough to find parking but you can always either park on the library and stroll to the restaurant. Bob loves the breakfast Burrito, I love the eggs benedict and the waffle. Reasonably priced and I love going out for a walk around central park after the breakfast. Dogs are welcomed.

It’s nice to see a dog menu with a good selection of options for them.
I’ve only had breakfast items. Banana nut pancakes are good. Skillet is pretty good.
It’s expensive for breakfast. Expect to pay $ 30 – 45 for 2 people.
Service is so-​so.

What a bummer, I was so excited to try this place. I came here with my friends and I ordered an omelette with fruit and my fiancé ordered the chorizo scramble with pancakes. We were not impressed with the omelette, I had to drench it in salsa, because it tasted very bland. My fiancé’s chorizo scramble was tiny, you would typically see more chorizo in a street taco than on this dish. They didn’t give him butter or include butter but they added the butter on our friends pancakes. They forgot to add salsa on my friends burrito order and warned her that they may need to charge her, not realizing that they were the ones that forgot about the salsa until after. I asked for hot water and they charged me for a coffee… Ultimately, not a good first experience.

Beautiful location on the outskirts of the park. More parks in LA should have a place like this.
Food is typical diner food, not a lot of salad options, however the service is great.
We went with a big group (after soccer game) and they handled it (Sue in particular) with patience, class and organization.
Would come back if nearby.

Really, it can’t get more idyllic than Park Bench Café on a summer Sunday afternoon.
The farmer’s scramble, the veggie omelette add potatoes, and the cinnamon roll are delicious!
Our server, Alisa, was superb! She was accommodating and forward thinking when I asked for non-​dairy/​non-​egg options, she has a FANTASTIC personality, and she is a great representative for the restaurant. She made the experience special and unique. She suggested the salmon dishes that used salmon the owner had recently caught on a fishing trip, and she explained that the dough for the cinnamon rolls was sourced from San Francisco, baked in-​house, and the icing was made by the owner.
Truly, a perfect experience. Thank you, Alisa and PBC!

I love it here. It’s close, peaceful, quick, and it’s yummy!
Nice staff and fair prices.
Cute walking path behind the café and dogs are welcome! They also have a cute dog menu!

Great little place, great wait staff but my burger was overlooked and my onion rings cold. My daughter asked for non toasted bread on her club sandwich and it arrived toasted. I mentioned it to the waitress and she asked if I wanted her to bring out bread.
The place is always busy so I’m hoping it was just an off day. I’ll give it another go at a later time.

Nice breakfast place with outdoor dining and a nice big yard for the doggies!
The interior is very small so most people just sit outdoors. We had some nice shades from the trees and it was nice and breezy on this hot summer day.
Service is friendly but the food took a long time to come out! At least 45 mins.
I got the Lumberjack which has 2 eggs, choice of meat (I got ham), potatoes, and buttermilk pancakes (I chose blueberry for an extra fee). My pancakes were fluffy and you can tell they were homemade. All dishes were big and prices reasonable.
Fresh squeezed OJ and smoothies werent really fresh but they were ok.
Definitely a place you would come for the atmosphere and it is connected to a nice trail for a nice stroll afterwards. Just dont come if you are in a rush. Parking lot is tiny but we found parking by the houses right across.

Atmosphere: Casual.
Literally tables outside in a park.
Favorite Item: The Huevos Benedictos, eggs benedict with chorizo and little bit of spice with avocado and traditional hollandaise.
Such a cute concept, we went on a nice Sunday morning. We were able to eat breakfast in the park with our dogs.

Sat afternoon in the park with your pooches… what more can ask for from this eatery located in the heart of Central Park in HB. We arrived around 2pm and had no problem getting a seat outside (few tables located inside if needed). All the tables can fit around 4 folks and allow your dog to sit right next to you while you eat (many bowls of water to keep them hydrated). The menu is pretty complete with lunch and breakfast items along with a few special items to order for your canine friend. I ordered the pancakes… pretty tasty and filling. My friend ordered a egg/​pancake breakfast while the other had a hamburger. Good overall choice… will be back!

Perfect way to start any day! Service is impeccable, patrons are extremely friendly, environment is FRESH!
Parking: there are ~30 parking spots right in front of the café. I’ve seen others park across the street in the residential area.
Food: We ordered the Eggs Benedict with home fries and the Griddle Combo with cinnamon roll French toast. To put in perspective how good this place is… both plates were completely empty within 10 minutes! And it’s a decent sized portion!
Service: Waitresses were friendly, seated us immediately (we went on Memorial Day around 10am), recommended some choices for us, checked on us just enough times. but most importantly they were actually smiling. on the job. Can’t complain.
Park: I’m sure there is a wait for this place on usual weekends. If so, there is enough ground in this park to take a light stroll and enjoy the scenery while waiting.
Definitely will be back!

Whoever came up with this idea is a genius. Eating outside at a dog-​friendly park where you can take your fur baby on a nice stroll after brunch perfects my Sunday.
I will start off by saying that the food, while given in generous portion, is nothing fancy. But I am giving it 5 stars for the overall experience. The servers were nice and attentive. We didn’t have to flag her down at anytime. My fur baby was happy. I was happy.
We arrived at noon on a Sunday and requested table for 6. It was a 35 minutes wait. Not too bad. There is a small parking lot in front of the restaurant or you can find street parking across the street. When our beeper went off, only half of our party was there. They weren’t going to seat us at first but was nice and allowed us to sit without all of our party there. Yay!
I ordered the eggs benedict with a side of fruits and a peach tea (so good and refreshing). I also ordered the bow wow wow (chicken) for my dog. Everything came out to be $ 20 which isn’t so bad. They also have water bowls for your dogs.
Like mentioned above, after brunch all 5 of our dogs got to take a stroll around the park. It was the perfect setting!

Dinner next to a park. Really good location for eating after walking your dog in the park.
1.Food:
A) Omelets: Nothing too fancy.
2. Décor: Not much. Its just like sitting in your backyard or a park for lunch
3. Price: Expensive for what you get.
4. Service: Friendly staff and relatively fast service.
It’s a cool spot for those that like taking your dog out to places, especially a restaurant after you walk the dog. The food is nothing spectacular, but if your here for the setting then its a cute little spot.

I love this place and how animal friendly their menus are.
If you decide to come, come early… Or just choose take out. Wait times after 10 – 10:30AM can be as long as one hour or more.
Park bench does offer services hard to find anywhere else and so for the range of menu items for both human and dogs, I think it is worth the wait.

Located at the massively large Central Park, this little café has plenty of outdoor seating, thus being quite dog friendly. I came here with my husband and our Cocker Spaniel on a Saturday afternoon around 1:30 pm. Since it was kind of later in the day, there weren’t that many tables taken.
We decided to take a table off to the side and looked through the menu. With your typical greasy diner fare, this is what we ordered:
Two Eggs Breakfast– ($ 7.25 prior to tax) I ordered my eggs scrambled (my favorite way to have eggs), which it came kind of runny. I also got the fresh fruit and toast (you can choose to have pancakes and hash browns if you wish but I was tying to make breakfast a bit healthier). The portion was a good size for me, left me feeling full after I ate it all. Wasn’t a fan of my toast already buttered though.
Signature Omelette– ($ 8.50 prior to tax) My husband added sausage ($ 1.25 extra, prior to tax) along with mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. This omelette was a bit on the greasy side, but that’s expected. With a little hot sauce, he ate the omelette up.
While we were eating, our Cocker Spaniel drank his water our server got us for him. We didn’t order anything for him (yes there is a dog menu) since he already got his breakfast before we left.
Food was average and service could have been better attentive. Truly the best thing about this café is the fact that you can bring your dog (s) with you. But just know that other people come here with their dogs too, in case your dog doesn’t get along with other dogs (big and small dogs). Also the OC Dogs Meetup group (
) comes here sometimes in case you want to meet other dog owners and their four legged children.
For the restroom (for humans), the park restrooms are a close walk.
For the parking, there is a little lot (which we have been fortunate to get parking every time we have visited this park). But you can also park in the residential area across the street, as I saw plenty of people do that.

In one review the Park Bench Café is described as endearing, and I have to agree. If you want to bring your dog to breakfast this is definitely the spot. They have a dog menu and will also bring them a bowl of water. This restaurant is located at the park, so there is plenty of room for your pooch to play! All or most of the seating is outside on plastic tables that are a bit run down. Ours dipped down in the center, so I had to watch where I set my water glass. All servers were friendly and seemed happy to be working. They were pretty good about coming around with water and coffee refills.
I ordered the Park Breakfast Burrito and added home fries inside. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and could only eat half. My favorite part was all the cheese! The mushrooms were also very good but there were too many onions. My dad and sister both ordered the Veggie Scramble. They said that the proportion of veggies to eggs was off. The dish was overwhelmed by too many veggies and they didn’t enjoy it as much as they could have. The best part of the meal was the Cinnamon Roll. This is a must try! It was huge, warm and airy and the cream cheese frosting on top was perfect. Be sure to split this between 2 or 3 people. I was disappointed that they don’t serve Chai Lattes, as this is my usual choice of breakfast drink.
Overall this is a quaint and homey breakfast spot. They serve lunch as well, beginning at 9:30am. No gourmet dishes are served, just homestyle meals that fill the belly. It is nice for a change of scenery to dine in the park rather than a crowded restaurant.

Park Bench Café has a large selection for anything you might want to try for brunch and the portions are large. I ended up with the Farm Breakfast which includes cheese, bacon, avocado, fries, mushrooms, onions, and eggs. Doesn’t look the healthiest but it’s pretty delicious. I ended up taking half of it to go since it’s very big, and I can’t wait until I’m ready to eat it again.
The parking situation is okay. Even though their parking lot is small, there’s plenty of street parking across the street, but it’d be in a residential neighborhood. I looked for street signs and it doesn’t say anything about permits needed for parking.
The wait was short. We only waited for about ten to fifteen minutes. We brought our dog. While we waited, they gave us a buzzer, which allowed us to walk our dog around the park while we waited. Very convenient.
There are some rules when bringing your dog. They’re listed in the menu. It was my first time there so I broke the first rule without knowing it, which is to not tie your dog to the chair.
All in all, it was a good experience. Servers are pleasant. I would come back.

Cool place if you feel guilty leaving your dog in the car while you enjoy breakfast/​lunch.
I had park burger, first of all, fries was aweful. I normally can eat fries without ketchup with this one even ketchup wouldn’t save it. Burger was actually better than I expected after seeing Joe’s review I set my expectation very low.
The seating on the grass under the shade and umbrella could be pretty chill even on summer noon time. So bring a light jacket if you are like me can’t stand cold.
They do have dog menu which I think wasn’t anything special.
The Bow Wow Wow which is basically chicken breast chopped into tiny pieces. Its served on a paper tray that half size of the hotdog. It’s not a very good designed for big dogs because they tend to eat it all over the tray. The tray is too small and the food is chopped too tiny. For small dog maybe…
and some kids would come want to play with your dog. And terrible kids will grab your dog’s tail
Why on earth so many kids think grab dog’s tail is a fun thing to play with dogs?