Aunt Emma's Pancakes image

Aunt Emma's Pancakes

Breakfast restaurant Pancake house

Extensive menu of American & Mexican breakfast favorites, along with sandwich selections. People often mention good, breakfast, service, time, great, ordered, eggs, coffee, pancakes, parking,


Address

700 E St, Chula Vista, CA 91910, United States

Website

auntemmaspancakes.com

Contact

+1 619-427-2722

Price rating

$ $$$

Rating on Google Maps

4.20 (2.3K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Thursday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Friday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Saturday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Sunday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Monday: 7 am to 2 pm
  • Tuesday: 7 am to 2 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (20) breakfast (18) service (17) time (15) great (12) ordered (11) eggs (10) coffee (10) pancakes (10) parking (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Omar S. 2 years ago on Google
    Wow, was this place a disappointment. I never write reviews, but seeing this place rated 4.2 stars (as of 1/26/22), I could not stay quiet since it’s so misleading. First, parking sucks. There was no parking available in their parking lot and there is little to no parking available on the street, thus I assumed the food must be really good if the parking lot and street are so full. Was I wrong. When I entered, I was greeted and sat. It didn’t take long for me to order. Though I noticed someone ordered food after me but got their food first. I just attributed that to my food taking longer to cook. I ordered the bacon and eggs, with hash browns, wheat toast, and a coffee. A basic breakfast that would be the litmus test for my visit. First thing I noticed was the half and half they brought out was the little packet cups of half and half. This tells me a lot about a breakfast restaurant. If they skimp on the little things, they skimp on the big things. But that doesn’t always mean a restaurant with fresh half and half makes good food. Just one indicator of a restaurant’s quality. The coffee itself was terrible. Burnt, bland and warm. The overly processed half and half did not help. Then came the main dish. The bacon was some of the worst bacon I’ve been served in my life. It looks to have been sitting in a pan of grease for a while. As if they precook a bunch of bacon and let a pile sit and pick off of it per order to improve efficiency. It did not look fresh at all. Quality of bacon meat was evidently poor. Worse than Denny’s, even. See attached photo. I cannot attach video which shows more detail. I took one bite and became nauseous. I could not eat the rest. I ordered the eggs over medium but it was closer to over easy, but I didn’t mind. The hash browns were decent. The toast was basic. I was only given one packet of jam when requested which isn’t sufficient. Had to flag down a waitress to request more. The service was sub par. They weren’t rude. They just weren’t very attentive. They didn’t check on me. Never offered a refill on coffee or water (not that I really wanted more of the horrible coffee). Service was just not present. Still I’m not a jerk and tipped at least 15%. I normally tip 20%. This is supposed to be a mom and pop shop. Freshness and great service should separate it from the national chain, Denny’s, a few yards away but there was nothing that differentiated this place. I could have returned the food or ordered something else but all the indicators point to this place being one that lacks quality. There is nothing they can do today to change that. I wrote this thorough review with hope ownership/management can take feedback to change things for the better. Until then, I will not be returning.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Ashley Kaye (. 2 years ago on Google
    Come hungry! Soooo much food!!! I was blown away by the portion sizes and how much food you get. Everything I ordered was so good! The menu is huge and it was difficult to just pick one thing. I went two days in a row and was happy and full each time. I’m a member of the clean plate club and had a difficult time finishing the plates but for a good reason not bad. There seems to be a pretty big difference between day and afternoon crew. The morning crew all seemed pretty tired to be there and the afternoon crew were so happy and working together really great even when they were slammed with many people waiting. It is a classic type of diner so it’s not the cleanest place in the world but the food was good and worth the money Parking seems to be an issue (I walked there) but there was a car about to be towed and they made a huge effort to locate the person before that happened.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Alexa T. 2 years ago on Google
    This was some of the best service me and my sister have ever experienced. The food was amazing, and the portion sizes were perfect. The pricing was extremely affordable and the waitresses made sure we had everything we needed multiple times. Efficient and fast service. So glad we stopped for here for breakfast!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jay H. 1 year ago on Google
    I have ate here a bunch of times usually getting the pancakes or eggs and bacon type of morning items. This last time I tried the breakfast burger and it was fire 🔥 highly recommend. Im giving it a 4 and not a 5 because the patty could of used a little more seasoning but nothing a little salt and pepper couldn’t handle!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Juan Carlos G. 10 months ago on Google
    Great taste, fair prices and very nice staff. recommended
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Deanna F. 2 years ago on Google
    Husband and I went to San Diego for a mini vacation. I always try to find local spots to eat. Resort food is only if your starving or if it's free and ours definitely wasn't. This place had several types of pancakes, I had the churro. My husband tried the crepes ( peach). He also had some eggs and sausage that were good. The service was awesome. Wasn't just 1 person handling our table. Everybody in the restaurant had a job to do and they worked as a team. If I ever come back, will go there again.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Liz R. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was delicious, the crepes had fresh fruit and it was not overly sweet. I’ve never tasted anything like it, normally it’s all sugar. The coffee was great, the waitress was very nice and they served v-8 juice elegantly.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sylvia A. 6 months ago on Google
    The food was great, the service was great and the atmosphere was great. There was a line to dine inside so we opted to eat outside. We were in and out in 40 minutes. Prices are very reasonable for the portion and quality. The only con is the parking situation.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Steve's R. 2 years ago on Google
    Amazing food and customer service, Mary Jane is so friendly and beautiful. I had this egg Benedict in the picture, was delicious.👌 😋🥲
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sean C. 1 year ago on Google
    When looking for a place to have breakfast with my wife we thought we'd try this place sue to their extensive menu options. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who immediately brought us coffee. Our waitress came and took our order soon after. We received our food shortly after. My wife's pancakes were raw in the center so we asked for a remake. The food runner kindly took them back to the kitchen. At this point we still hadn't seen our server nor received coffee refills. 15 minutes later my wife finally received her remade pancakes but they were still undercooked. I ordered chicken and waffles not expecting to receive Tyson's chicken nuggets on top of a Belgian waffle. It was ok but feel free to make you own decision. Our waitress returned once we were at the tail end of our meal but had not checked back throughout. We had to ask other employees for items requested when we originally placed our order. As we were leaving the waitress did ask one last time if everything was ok but at that point it was too little too late. The reviews gave a different impression and unfortunately our experience was subpar.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Joey G. 8 months ago on Google
    A friend and I were looking for a breakfast place. He recommended Aunts Emma. When we got there, the parking was full. We had to wait until it became available. We got there after morning rush hour. We were seated right away. The servers were polite and friendly. We got our order quickly. I ordered a chicken fajitas omelet with pancakes. My friend ordered a steak and eggs with hashed brown, with pancakes. The plating was good with a very generous portion. It was a filler. The only critic I have was that the chicken fajita were in the overcooked side. Everything else was fine, including the omelet and hashed brown. Overall, I rate the establishment of a 5 star. Parking is limited. Handicap parking is available. Establishment is tidy and clean. Friendly service. Good family atmosphere. Good eats.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Irvin R. 2 years ago on Google
    Do not order the chilaquiles with mole. Waaay too sweet probobly from a can and on top of tostada chips. No effort to make this and 12$ for the plate! Fries are good crepes are ok
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 T 2 years ago on Google
    My experience started off horribly wrong. While I was waiting in line to be seated, a party of 3 was trying to get ahead of me. I did inform them I was waiting as well. While I was waiting, the staff skipped my name and started calling 2 parties who was waiting after me. I was not happy with this. The one staff member realize what was happening, but it was too late. Another staff member assured me I would get me food before the 2 parties, I still was not happy. I will bot recommend eating here because of first impressions
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Hyonara J. 1 year ago on Google
    Food is good here. The pancakes 🥞 are not what they use to be. However, it's still an okay place to have breakfast. I recommend the Egg Benedict.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 C H. 2 years ago on Google
    Not very good this morning. Waffle wasn't warm enough to melt the butter. The waitress took it back to heat it up. It was about the same. I would of been better off going to Jack In The Box. I'm not much of a complainer, I just don't return. The National City location is much better, they provided excellent customer service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Maria Sonia S. 8 months ago on Google
    I was by myself and they kept sitting couples ahead of me. I knew that there would be a wait as it was Sunday but I was really craving mole chilaquiles and they make them good here. I added a New York Steak to the meal. They brought out the steak first and about 10 minutes later everything else by this time the steak was cold. They are understaffed and the servers really have to step on it.

  • 4/5 Chris V. 8 months ago on Google
    Old style diner with great food but the waitress could have been better. She didn't check back with us after the food arrived so we had to retrieve our own requests or have the bus boy get it.

  • 5/5 Royce A. 5 months ago on Google
    Decided to walk across the street from the SureStay Hotel. Mainly because the hotel did not offer a hot breakfast. See review on the SureStay. This was a good decision. Omelet was great. With an order of Buckwheat pancakes. The service was great.

  • 5/5 Moses S. 8 months ago on Google
    We've been here plenty of times over the years, and this was the first time that i ordered the chilaquilles. I was so disappointed....in myself they were amazing. I'd always thought I'd be disappointed, and now i am. All the lost opportunities for some good food. The kids got a goos laugh because they know i love my chilaquilles. Just more reason to come back. Hahaha

  • 5/5 Ismael S. 4 months ago on Google
    The food is not only top tier but so is the staff! I had a little of everything on their breakfast and i greatly enjoyed it every single time. And it's definitely reasonably priced! If you feel like going to an IHOP or Denny's, just don't. Come to this spot and enjoy yourself!

  • 5/5 Jeremy F. 9 months ago on Google
    My first time visiting Aunt Emma's Pancakes and I was very satisfied. My Brother-in-law invited me for breakfast, thanks Joe! I ordered the Banana Crepe with Bacon, Eggs, and Hashbrowns. The Banana Crepe was delicious, not too sweet. The Bacon was thick and crispy. The eggs were over easy just how I like them. The Hashbrowns were the least greasy hashbrowns that I've had in a while. Service was top notch and four adults ate for $75.00 with tip. 10 out of 10, I recommend!

  • 5/5 Francisco de los r. 10 months ago on Google
    Always is a pleasure come back to Aunt Emma's... Excellent option to breakfast... I love it... Great memories!

  • 5/5 Bradley N. 11 months ago on Google
    I love finding family run restaurants and I believe that Aunt Emma's Pancakes qualify. I had corned beef hash and eggs. While the basic hash was from a can, the added onions and peppers completely changed the flavor profile. The eggs and hash browns were prepared well. Service was excellent. The server and food expeditor were on point. I had never had an empty coffee cup or water glass. The interior is a bit long in the tooth but serviceable. Overall a very pleasant experience. April 15, 2023 revisit. Still a darn good breakfast. Today was chorizo and eggs. I am still burbing in a good way. Service is still excellent.

  • 5/5 Passionate K. 9 months ago on Google
    OK, I didn't even know hash browns could taste that GOOD! Some Harry Potter magic right there. The waffle was also very good, actually everything was hot and super delicious. The decaf coffee was hot and strong, unlike most places where they forget about us caffeine - free people. The place is clearly a favorite of many, plan for some wait time if partaking over the weekend. The wait time was minimal for a party of two and well worth it. Everyone was so polite and respectful, no irritable persons here ;from patron to staff, great experience!

  • 4/5 Irene O. 1 year ago on Google
    The pancakes were great of course, but the rest was pretty greasy☹️ I ordered bacon extra crispy and got the complete opposite! Loved the crispy hash browns though. The servers seemed overwhelmed and we went early to avoid the crowd. Asked for a refill of my drink that never came, asked for a side of toast to go with my food but the toast came way after the food. I was sadly disappointed i used to look forward to breakfast here. My husband did enjoy the country fried steak, he asked if he could substitute toast for biscuits (we would have paid the difference) but he was told it wasn't possible. Which really surprised me. Anyway overall it was just ok

  • 5/5 Kandice O. 1 year ago on Google
    Definitely a place to bring your family if you live in the area. They have very cheap mimosas, so great to have one or two with breakfast! You have to make sure you come early or the line gets very long. The staff is very busy, but do the best they can and they have a dedicated server that goes around to fill up coffee, which is nice. The food is good, with some creative options, but mostly standard American breakfast options. The portion sizes are filling but not ridiculous. My dad likes coming here a bunch!

  • 4/5 Robyn 1 year ago on Google
    Diner type environment with generous portioned comfort food. Our grandson (military) chose Aunt Emma’s as a meeting point for breakfast. Lots of pancake and omelet options. Not much on atmosphere, but the food and service were good.

  • 3/5 Paul s. 1 year ago on Google
    Okay, so Aunt Emma's and I have a love-hate relationship. My girlfriend recently introduced me to Aunt Emma's and I absolutely love the food. I get the big breakfast and I love the home style nature of the meal. My girlfriend got the Chile Verde last time and I will just say the flavor was rich and on point! The downside and hence the hate part of my review boils down to service. I went to the National City location last time and was basically forgotten by our server, but the food was so good I decided we should go again. Fast forward to yesterday and we went to the Chula Vista location only to receive terrible service again! I'm not sure if it's only when I go but my girlfriend swears when she's gone without me service isn't terrible. For one, our cup had lipstick (eww) and my girlfriend's spoon was dirty. Okay, maybe we can overlook this because dish washers aren't perfect. They gave us another set of utensils and we used a straw. Now comes time for our food. As a server is coming with mine and my girlfriend's food (two plates total), our server puts my plate down crooked and bacon, fruit, sausage, and grease fall into my lap.... I get that people have off days so I wasn't even mad. My girlfriend was shocked at how calm I was but I get it. I gave my server benefit of the doubt and was hoping for a discount on the check since this is now my second time receiving awful service. Now I'm ready to check out and ask for a manager so I can at least get a discount to make up for the service and grease stains on my shirt. Guess who the manager is? The server that spilled on me... To sum it up (TLDR): Food good, service bad.

  • 4/5 Alex S. 1 year ago on Google
    You can't go wrong with getting some pancakes and waffles here. They are delicious and the highlight of my meal. The other two items are eggs and sausage which were okay. I understand that it's busy so they didn't come fresh out. Would go here on a different day next time. Good food for the price.

  • 5/5 Switch P. 1 year ago on Google
    Very nice place to take the breakfast. So delicious Pancakes and Omeletts


Call +1 619-427-2722 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Healthy options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Breakfast
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible lift
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery

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