North End Caffe

Four of us decided to try North End mostly because of proximity to our hotel. It was small, friendly and had a nice variety on the menu. Everyone loved their meal. The pasta carbonara was wonderful and a huge portion (might have served a small family), the stilton crusted filet was awesome and the salmon (Peruvian style) was very different but delicious. Kudos to the chef and the staff! more

Literally, tons of the stuff. Our meal packed more sodium than a bottle of Bloody Mary mix. It is a shame, because we are locals and really WANT this place to be good. We went today for the first time after seeing the DDD review online and set out on our beach cruisers to check it out. We tried the Kahlua Pig egg rolls, which were very good, but our first indication that the chef may have a heavy hand. We than split the Fuego Burger. A couple of bites confirmed our fear - it was so over salted it was leaving a chemical burn in our mouths after each bite. The accompanying fries were also heavily laden with the stuff. The homemade dipping sauce on the other hand was fantastic! Now I understand that the owner has a connection to a particular style of salt, which I applaud. But a better balance could be struck in the final product. We will certainly give it another try to see if this was a one off experience or symptomatic of a wider trend. The service was friendly and efficient - exactly what you want from a SoCal beach style eatery. To say the portions are generous is overly diplomatic - they are HUGE (suitable for sharing) and more than enough make up for the prices which are on the higher end of the spectrum. Our food was freshly prepared and served promptly, despite the fact the place was packed. Servers efficiently bussed our table (we sat outside) and the conversation with other diners and pedestrians passing by had all the hallmarks of a great haunt in the making. more

Now this is an amazing place to eat. I came from Australia to find one of the most amazing, exciting, taste thrills ever!. It is so reasonably priced. Service fantastic. Staff friendly and welcoming. Shame the local authorities don't allow alcohol ~ what is the problem? Very happy I found this place, I'll certainly be back and will tell all my fellow Australian travelers to make sure they put it on their list of 'MUST DO'S'. Thanks John and crew, you are the very best! Pros: EXCITING TASTES Cons: NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED (local rule....must get changed!) more

ME AND MY BOYFRIEND LIVE IN LONG BEACH AND WE DECIDED TO TAKE A DRIVE AND GO TO NORTH END AND THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME WE HAD JUST HEARD ABOUT IT AND FOR THE MANY RESTAURANTS IVE BEEN TO , EVERYWHERE, THIS PLACE IS FREAKIN AWESOME! THE FOOD IS FRESH, THE EMPLOYEES ARE SO COOL, VERY NICE, AND THE WHOLE GENERAL AREA IS GREAT. IVE BEEN TO MANHATTAN BEACH MANY TIMES BUT NEVER HEARD OF IT AND IF I HAD TO CHOOSE OUT OF A HUNDRED N SOME ODD RESTAURANTS IVE BEEN TOO, THIS ONE IS THE BEST.A LIL HIGH PRICED BUT THE PRICE IS WORTH THE TASTE ,QUALITY, AND FRESHNESS.OH YEAH I CANT FORGET THE PORTION TOO..NICE ANBD BIG..SO IF YOUR REALLY HUNGRY ..MAYBE YOU SHOULD EAT AT NORTH END CAFE SO THEY CAN MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO EXPAND AND GET A BIGGER PLACE...I WILL BE BACK TO NORTH ENDS VERY SOON. Pros: ocean view and great atmosphere Cons: not alot of seating, kinda small but i love it more

Always good! Dos Tacos are delicious. The fruit plate is the best anywhere. I wish I could remember the Hispanic gentleman's name that typically delivers the food but he is ALWAYS very nice and always helpful. The food is delivered quickly and eating at North End the BEST! Pros: great food - great service more

Excellent sandwiches.Great staff and service. Love how they always remember your name..even if you haven't been in there for a while. Pros: excellent fresh food more

the bad service is so bad it's almost laughable - the entire staff is so miserable it is depressing to even be in there!? more

it's really funny how a customer can become the bad guy by just wanting good service and to not be treated with disrespect from the owner of this cafe. Pros: quality of the food. Cons: owner more

I've been in this place just about every other day for years and disagree with the review posted below completely. It's a crime that the internet allows libel with no legal repercussions. Whenever anybody writes a scathing review like this it should be a red flag- Nobody gets treatment like that unless they deserve it! Customer is not always ""King."" Pros: food, views, service Cons: crowded weekends more

This is my fav breakfast spot, indoors or out. When you enter this place be prepared to hunt your table down, as there are no seating reservations. Once you recieve your menu, be prepared to wait no more than 5 min. in line to place your order at the front. Ordering coffee? ask for a to go cup ahead of time, then get refills for a nice walk on the strand after breakfast. Go as early in the morning as possible. I absolutley love their Sonoma Toast brakefast. Eggs any style, and four slices of panini toast with melted brie and rasberry jam inside.......so good. i am a brakefast junkie and hold this place pretty near and dear to my heart. Expect the average crowd to be 20-30 somethings. more

I used to enjoy eating breakfast here; however the mediocre service has taken a plunge to bad. During a recent experience where they made a mistake on my order, they A) ignored me, B) told me they were too busy to take care of it, and C) did nothing to remedy the situation. The food is good, but I can find good food elsewhere. I am by all accounts a very easy going person, however the total lack of customer service has left me disappointed and seeking another place to eat. Avoid this place and their ?take it or leave it? attitude. more

Excellent food, excellent service! Pros: PIZZA Cons: parking more

What a fantastic hole-in-the-wall find! YUMMY and good sized portions, especially love breakfast (if you can find a seat!...apparently the secret is out!) Huevos Divorciados = to die for. Even the fruit plate is gorgeous. I love the organic selection and the location as well. GREAT corner spot. Pros: Incredible breakfast! Cons: Not a lot of seating. (But you can share and get to know new people!) more

We were going to go to another restaurant across the street from this place but they had electrical problems so we glanced over and saw this place. Extensive menu. Very few tables. Order at the counter. My oh my oh my yum yum yum yum. The most incredible quality on the food. The breakfast potatoes were diced perfectly to the point you swear they were from frozen, but just one taste tells you otherwise. When the cashier cleared our table we raved about the food and turns out they are what is known in the industry as ""from scratch cooking"" where everything is homemade, even the sauces they use. Great coffee and if you are from New Orleans -- they sell Bengeits. Try them and you will fall in love with eating out. Pros: Quality quality quality did I mention the quality Cons: Parking - none - only on street more

I absolutely love this place! The food is amazing. I have so many favorite dishes, and highly recommend trying something new every time you visit. An absolute must have is the Tijajuana Dogs. They are addictive! The restaurant is immaculate and the staff is fabulous. I usually call ahead to order my meals and coffee and I'm always asked how long it will be before I arrive. My food and coffee are always fresh. Every single person who works at this place is extremely friendly. From day one they have treated me like my business matters to them. I have recommended North End Caffe to many, many people and almost every person that I have recommended to calls to say what a wonderful experience it was. Pros: Service, Outside tables Cons: Beach city parking more

Wow! Kind of shocked at the review below because I have been visiting this place for years since it opened and my experiences share nothing with theirs! For starters, the place is very clean and I've never visited it looking otherwise. Maybe they are talking about another one of the neighborhood establishments across the street? Busy? Yes, generally, this can be a very busy spot at lunch and on the weekends. The menu is extensive, catering to mostly breakfast and sandwich selections but there are numerous options -- including many for vegetarians. There are salads too and a wonderful fruit salad that shouldn't be missed -- all hand selected and beautiful to behold. Additionally, their bakery items are to die for. I highly recommend this place for breakfast, brunch or lunch -- their hours don't permit otherwise but I'll take what I can get. Great coffee too!! Pros: Light to Substantial meal options, Vegetarian options Cons: Busy on weekends and at lunch time more

North End Caffee is a great place to get fantastic sandwiches and food. They serve Boar's Head meats, and comes with a side salad. Chips are also available. Great iced tea, etc. But their coffee maker (expresso and cappicino) is not to be missed. They do a great job. Pros: Fantastic sandwiches, Fantastic Coffee, Fantastic view down 34th street, more