This place is cute and perfectly located in old town Tustin! Their decor is so cozy and makes you feel like you're eating at an Abuelita's house. It really adds to the experience! The service is great, the workers are all so helpful if you have any questions. The food is fantastic and tastes authentic! The only reason why it's missing one star is because I think it's too pricey for the amount of food you get in comparison to other places. However, if I could give a 4.5 rating I would because it's definitely nearly a 5 star experience. Would come here again.
Jose M.
First time here, amazing food the atmosphere is great hostilities great. Would highly recommend.. Mexican food.
David D.
We went in to try the popular dish served there the chilaquiles " they offer ur choice of red or green chili chilaquiles served with rice and beans and a meat topping if you'd like and eggs made to order the red chile was our choice and was very pleased with its presentation and flavors slightly crunchy full of flavor and spiciness. I highly recommend this spot you wont be disappointed ,
Dj V.
i come to this cafe pretty often since i live very close. i also brought coworkers here for business meetings because i love their chilaquiles. their orange juice is amazing. overpriced but that didn't bother me before. i always had nice things to say about this place. unfortunately, i recently had a horrible experience. i noticed the staff did look completely different since the last time i had been there. first, we were asked if we wanted to add any toppings..... and then later found out all these toppings cost extra. i don't mind, but why would you offer toppings but fail to mention that they were extra..... second, as we were placing the order, i had asked the girl at the register to change the large OJ i had ordered to 2 smaller ones AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR MAKING THINGS "COMPLICATED". both of the blonde girls standing behind the counter side eyed one another.... ?????? did that break your back to change???? regardless, i still tipped 15% even though i noticed that. i had worked a similar job before. and also 5+ years of ACTUAL serving experience. i know these small things can be annoying. lastly, we had ordered our eggs over medium. our eggs came out really runny. no problem. we moved the egg over to a separate plate, untouched, and asked if they could just fry it up a bit more. we were told they were unable to do so because we could have potentially "touched" it. the only way they would be able to fix the issue is if we had ordered another side of eggs the "correct" way. we really didn't want to do all of that due to the fact that i already felt weird even tipping their rude asses in the first place. NOW THEY ARE TELLING US WE ORDERED WRONG. good grief. THEN they called out a man from the kitchen to repeat what the same things the girls told us. putting up such a fight over one egg..... i get that restaurants have their sanitary policies but at this point they just had us fucked up. after that episode, i honestly didn't even want to eat there. i nearly spent $60 on two plates of food and 2 orange juices. but i wasn't trying to battle over a refund now too. i should've at least had the tip refunded cuz wtf was that. i will unfortunately be avoiding this place now. really wish i could have my money back. so sad. kinda ruined our vibe on such a beautiful morning. money was never the issue for us but it clearly was for el camino real. i'll admit their stuff is yummy so here's a star, assholes.
Chris T.
I wanted to update this as my wife and I had gone back a couple times since. Compared to the previous review I wrote, service was a bit better. If you're wanting to get food ordered for brunch, sweet spot I've found is to order closer to closing. Portions are gonna be a bit larger. The staff does verify ordered items with you a bit better now which is better. Food is what I expected of this place. We typically order the Better Than Bacon Breakfast Burrito with salsa verde. Potatoes were a bit under and soggy. The chilaquiles are good here with a protein add on. We opted for carne asada. This location is a smaller cafe style so they can only fit so many in one sitting; some maybe 25 seats inside and out. If they're busy, line is literally out the door. I'm updating this review upon request of the cafe staff. There were some changes since and I'm glad that they got things dialed in. Can't justify 5 stars since I got called out for my review but I'm giving my updated and honest post.
lil m.
Welcome to El Camino Cafe, where our motto is "Customer come last!" Upon entering our establishment, you will be greeted by our team of rude and unhelpful employees who clearly have better things to do than serve you. Don't expect a warm welcome or any sort of friendly service here - we pride ourselves on making our customers feel like an inconvenience rather than valued guests. Once you are finally seated, be prepared to wait a long time for your food to arrive. Our kitchen staff is known for their slow and inefficient service, so don't be surprised if your order takes forever to be prepared. And if you dare to ask about the status of your meal, be prepared for a snarky response from our waitstaff. And let's not forget about our lovely policy of "no substitutions or modifications." That's right, if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, tough luck - you'll have to eat whatever we decide to serve you. And if you dare to complain about it, be prepared for a rude response from our management team. So if you're looking for a dining experience where the customer is definitely not always right, come on down to El Camino Cafe. We guarantee you'll leave feeling frustrated, unappreciated, and thoroughly dissatisfied. PS: Should've made my eggs the way I wanted to, now you have a dissatisfied customer, honestly the food could be better, but the service is terrible, think long term, don't worry about losing $2 over a single egg, & the funny thing is we left you guys a tip $7, that could've covered it,, anyways good luck on your business, I hope the best for you, and remember think long term, don't worry about losing a couple dollars Actually on a side note the orange juice slaps!!! That I would recommend 10/10, flesh straight out the source
Cam T.
Doing my best to leave an unbiased review. I come here quite often (twice a week ish) and the food really never gets old. This place is not a starbucks so dont expect to have the employees bending over backward for you. They are very kind and respectful but its family owned/operated and they are perfectly fine with losing a customer who doesnt respect or appreciate them. The main thing that keeps me coming back is the quality of the ingredients and authentic recipes. I have yet to try something i dont like. I'll leave my go-to's listed below. The atmosphere they've created extremely peaceful and relaxing and its always an enjoyable experience for me. Go-to's: -asada burrito -chilequiles but wrapped into a burrito with meat (if im super hungry (it's massive)) -el rockero w/ an extra egg and added asada
Cat T.
I would come for the Dirty Horchata alone and the chilaquiles is some of the best I've ever had, which says a lot living in L.A. The chips had the right amount of crunch and had so much flavor and was the perfect level of spicy for me too. The server was friendly, service was quick and food delicious! I will be returning when I'm in the area for sure!
Jason M.
I've eaten at this place numerous times, and they never disappoint! The Food is outstanding! It's a small family run restaurant in Old Town Tustin That makes me feel welcome every time I walk in. The people are so friendly from the top down. I highly recommend El Camino Cafe! -George Menges
Andrew M.
El Camino Cafe is definitely the best cafe in Orange County. The food is always fresh, the service is always top notch, and the owner found out that I am a fireman and refuses to let me pay full price. The carnitas burritos and the pozole are always fire!!!! If you're anywhere near the Tustin area you should definitely stop in!!!!
Absolutely authentic and delish!!!! Went on a Sunday and thought it would be crazy but they are organized and keep it running smooth and efficient. Can't wait to go back.
Khalil S.
I almost used to come in here regularly when I worked in the area, and it sucks that I don't have easy access anymore. I always get the same thing but it's always a hit. Green chilaquiles with a sunny side up egg with steak and a dirty horchata. Red chilaquiles are good too if you want to mix it up. Family owned and they always greet you with a smile on their face. Service is good and the ambiance is nice especially on sunny day. Very consistent overall.
Yesenia Cervantes
Enjoyed a delightful breakfast experience at El Camino Cafe! The Chilaquiles rojos with beans and rice was delicious, with authentic Mexican flavors that hit the spot. With attentive staff making sure we had everything we needed. Despite its small size, the cozy atmosphere felt welcoming and added to the charm of the place. Definitely a hidden gem worth visiting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chilaquiles Rojos
Jake G
Cafe de olla is the best, I add a shot of espresso to it. Chilaquiles with a fried egg on top. The best.
This place is cute and perfectly located in old town Tustin! Their decor is so cozy and makes you feel like you're eating at an Abuelita's house. It really adds to the experience! The service is great, the workers are all so helpful if you have any questions. The food is fantastic and tastes authentic! The only reason why it's missing one star is because I think it's too pricey for the amount of food you get in comparison to other places. However, if I could give a 4.5 rating I would because it's definitely nearly a 5 star experience. Would come here again.
First time here, amazing food the atmosphere is great hostilities great. Would highly recommend.. Mexican food.
We went in to try the popular dish served there the chilaquiles " they offer ur choice of red or green chili chilaquiles served with rice and beans and a meat topping if you'd like and eggs made to order the red chile was our choice and was very pleased with its presentation and flavors slightly crunchy full of flavor and spiciness. I highly recommend this spot you wont be disappointed ,
i come to this cafe pretty often since i live very close. i also brought coworkers here for business meetings because i love their chilaquiles. their orange juice is amazing. overpriced but that didn't bother me before. i always had nice things to say about this place. unfortunately, i recently had a horrible experience. i noticed the staff did look completely different since the last time i had been there. first, we were asked if we wanted to add any toppings..... and then later found out all these toppings cost extra. i don't mind, but why would you offer toppings but fail to mention that they were extra..... second, as we were placing the order, i had asked the girl at the register to change the large OJ i had ordered to 2 smaller ones AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR MAKING THINGS "COMPLICATED". both of the blonde girls standing behind the counter side eyed one another.... ?????? did that break your back to change???? regardless, i still tipped 15% even though i noticed that. i had worked a similar job before. and also 5+ years of ACTUAL serving experience. i know these small things can be annoying. lastly, we had ordered our eggs over medium. our eggs came out really runny. no problem. we moved the egg over to a separate plate, untouched, and asked if they could just fry it up a bit more. we were told they were unable to do so because we could have potentially "touched" it. the only way they would be able to fix the issue is if we had ordered another side of eggs the "correct" way. we really didn't want to do all of that due to the fact that i already felt weird even tipping their rude asses in the first place. NOW THEY ARE TELLING US WE ORDERED WRONG. good grief. THEN they called out a man from the kitchen to repeat what the same things the girls told us. putting up such a fight over one egg..... i get that restaurants have their sanitary policies but at this point they just had us fucked up. after that episode, i honestly didn't even want to eat there. i nearly spent $60 on two plates of food and 2 orange juices. but i wasn't trying to battle over a refund now too. i should've at least had the tip refunded cuz wtf was that. i will unfortunately be avoiding this place now. really wish i could have my money back. so sad. kinda ruined our vibe on such a beautiful morning. money was never the issue for us but it clearly was for el camino real. i'll admit their stuff is yummy so here's a star, assholes.
I wanted to update this as my wife and I had gone back a couple times since. Compared to the previous review I wrote, service was a bit better. If you're wanting to get food ordered for brunch, sweet spot I've found is to order closer to closing. Portions are gonna be a bit larger. The staff does verify ordered items with you a bit better now which is better. Food is what I expected of this place. We typically order the Better Than Bacon Breakfast Burrito with salsa verde. Potatoes were a bit under and soggy. The chilaquiles are good here with a protein add on. We opted for carne asada. This location is a smaller cafe style so they can only fit so many in one sitting; some maybe 25 seats inside and out. If they're busy, line is literally out the door. I'm updating this review upon request of the cafe staff. There were some changes since and I'm glad that they got things dialed in. Can't justify 5 stars since I got called out for my review but I'm giving my updated and honest post.
Welcome to El Camino Cafe, where our motto is "Customer come last!" Upon entering our establishment, you will be greeted by our team of rude and unhelpful employees who clearly have better things to do than serve you. Don't expect a warm welcome or any sort of friendly service here - we pride ourselves on making our customers feel like an inconvenience rather than valued guests. Once you are finally seated, be prepared to wait a long time for your food to arrive. Our kitchen staff is known for their slow and inefficient service, so don't be surprised if your order takes forever to be prepared. And if you dare to ask about the status of your meal, be prepared for a snarky response from our waitstaff. And let's not forget about our lovely policy of "no substitutions or modifications." That's right, if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, tough luck - you'll have to eat whatever we decide to serve you. And if you dare to complain about it, be prepared for a rude response from our management team. So if you're looking for a dining experience where the customer is definitely not always right, come on down to El Camino Cafe. We guarantee you'll leave feeling frustrated, unappreciated, and thoroughly dissatisfied. PS: Should've made my eggs the way I wanted to, now you have a dissatisfied customer, honestly the food could be better, but the service is terrible, think long term, don't worry about losing $2 over a single egg, & the funny thing is we left you guys a tip $7, that could've covered it,, anyways good luck on your business, I hope the best for you, and remember think long term, don't worry about losing a couple dollars Actually on a side note the orange juice slaps!!! That I would recommend 10/10, flesh straight out the source
Doing my best to leave an unbiased review. I come here quite often (twice a week ish) and the food really never gets old. This place is not a starbucks so dont expect to have the employees bending over backward for you. They are very kind and respectful but its family owned/operated and they are perfectly fine with losing a customer who doesnt respect or appreciate them. The main thing that keeps me coming back is the quality of the ingredients and authentic recipes. I have yet to try something i dont like. I'll leave my go-to's listed below. The atmosphere they've created extremely peaceful and relaxing and its always an enjoyable experience for me. Go-to's: -asada burrito -chilequiles but wrapped into a burrito with meat (if im super hungry (it's massive)) -el rockero w/ an extra egg and added asada
I would come for the Dirty Horchata alone and the chilaquiles is some of the best I've ever had, which says a lot living in L.A. The chips had the right amount of crunch and had so much flavor and was the perfect level of spicy for me too. The server was friendly, service was quick and food delicious! I will be returning when I'm in the area for sure!
I've eaten at this place numerous times, and they never disappoint! The Food is outstanding! It's a small family run restaurant in Old Town Tustin That makes me feel welcome every time I walk in. The people are so friendly from the top down. I highly recommend El Camino Cafe! -George Menges
El Camino Cafe is definitely the best cafe in Orange County. The food is always fresh, the service is always top notch, and the owner found out that I am a fireman and refuses to let me pay full price. The carnitas burritos and the pozole are always fire!!!! If you're anywhere near the Tustin area you should definitely stop in!!!!
Restaurantji Recommends
Great breakfast and coffee!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dirty Horchata
Absolutely authentic and delish!!!! Went on a Sunday and thought it would be crazy but they are organized and keep it running smooth and efficient. Can't wait to go back.
I almost used to come in here regularly when I worked in the area, and it sucks that I don't have easy access anymore. I always get the same thing but it's always a hit. Green chilaquiles with a sunny side up egg with steak and a dirty horchata. Red chilaquiles are good too if you want to mix it up. Family owned and they always greet you with a smile on their face. Service is good and the ambiance is nice especially on sunny day. Very consistent overall.
Enjoyed a delightful breakfast experience at El Camino Cafe! The Chilaquiles rojos with beans and rice was delicious, with authentic Mexican flavors that hit the spot. With attentive staff making sure we had everything we needed. Despite its small size, the cozy atmosphere felt welcoming and added to the charm of the place. Definitely a hidden gem worth visiting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chilaquiles Rojos
Cafe de olla is the best, I add a shot of espresso to it. Chilaquiles with a fried egg on top. The best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5