Love the vintage vibe of this place! The staff was friendly and attentive. The turkey sausage was delicious! Also of note was how they handled mistakes from the kitchen; my eggs were perfect on the second try. I think its just as important how you handle mistakes as well as when you deliver perfection, and the Ocean Diner rose to the occasion. The bakery looked good; I barely escaped without buying a cinnamon roll, but no worries, Ill be back!
My buddy and I came here on Saturday around 10:30am well knowing that the wait could be insane. As luck would have it, we got there just before the next rush. We were seated and sipping coffee within a manner of minutes.Upon our arrival we were greeted with friendly staff and what can be described as a family feel environment. Our waiter was friendly and joyful, and really made our dining experience that much better.Both my friend and I got the basic 2 eggs, 2 sausages, and 2 pancakes. Even though basic and simple, the food was delicious. Nice fluffy pancakes were just what we needed for some carb loading. HaParking could be tricky I’m guessing. We got lucky and grabbed one of the few spots behind the restaurant. Street parking looked a bit tighter. But walking a few blocks would be well worth it to dine here.Enjoy, I know we’ll be back.
Cute vintage diner near the beach. The service was great and the food was even better. I would highly recommend this place if youre looking for a cute, non-pretentious place for breakfast. Please note this place closes early so it is definitely just a breakfast or brunch spot.
Portions of the plates are very generous. Great tasting food and fast service. Very friendly service. Felt welcomed from the first step inside the restaurant. Highly recommend this establishment for breakfast. One of my favorite places to have breakfast.
Love this place but ---- the grilled tuna parmesan sandwich smelled fishy and it had a reddish color to it. Be careful if you order it.
Great beach town dinner with all your favorites for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Long lines and waits on the weekend, but great any time you can get a seat. Parking is a challenge, there is a small lot around back for 6ish cars, but it is pretty much always full.Would definitely recommend you grab a slice of peanut butter pie after dining as a great snack later in the day!
Great small town feeling diner atmosphere. Great and fast service. Dog friendly patio and delicious breakfast.
The food is pretty amazing here and the service is some of the best. The atmosphere has this classic old school vibe to this place and the service was top notch good.
Excellent milkshakes with novel flavors. Good straightforward diner food with some interesting non-traditional additions. The fries are shoestring style. Been here twice. Second time my burger was overcooked but everything else was so good I couldnt not give them 5 stars.
Great food, staff was really friendly and pleasant. Spacing was a bit tight and Im not claustrophobic, but overall this pace gets top marks. The creme brulee oatmeal is legit!!!
Best Biscuits, awesome food. Tortilla Scramble is a dish my mom would make. “Huevos con Tortilla”. Big plus that they had Tapatio.El Sancho got breakfast enchiladas. He said they were good and the house potatoes had a good flavor.
First time being here. Very delicious food cant complain. The coffee is top notch definitely coming back.
Nice people. Excellent salsa. Good breakfast.
Great menu selection and nice staff. Food was great
Really good omelette and the coffee was delicious! Fiancé loved her meal as well.
Always great service..great food. Love it
Talk about fresh! They make everything in the restaurant but the salsa is by far the best salsa I have ever had. Guacamole is also top 2 (but it’s not 2).We at here, family of 4 : Husband, Wife, 12 yr old daughter and 1 year old kid and we all are enough to get filled and look forward to coming back. If you are staying in the area this is a must. Small, retro decor and classic feel with great tasting food. Not to mention they have a toy bin for free toys for the kids.
Love the chicken tomatillo breakfast burrito. Awesome food in a throwback diner style. Our favorite breakfast place in the South Bay.
There was free coffee while we waited for a table. And while it did take 25 minutes it was a much warranted wait due to all the goodness within the diner. Beginning with a almond streusel coffee cake, lathered in butter staved off any hunger annoyances brought about by the coffee laden wait. I am a firm believer that a good breakfast includes bacon, and so a great breakfast would have bacon in the waffle. Yes, my delicious, savoury, not too sweet, Belgian pastry was packed with crispy fried pork bits. A hot pitcher of maple syrup and butter elevated the flavors ever so much.Aside from my romance with the food, the staff was excellent the food arrived in a timely manner, the decor was a time capsule to an era long past and the general energy in the air was uplifting.Eat at this restaurant. You will find yourself there again and again.
Very friendly and courteous staff, savory food and just overall a chill place to have breakfast, lunch or super early dinner. Their Java Man Coffee is very good.
The French toast was fantastic!And love the forties feel, especially the newspaper articles on the walls!They are friendly and genuine.
This place is charming! It has sat on this spot for 31 years, this old time diner has the most delicious eats Ive had in ages and the silver-haired set waiting to be seated, lets you know it’s a well-worn favorite with locals, surfers, and their families. We spoke with owner Rick who said it used to be called ”Grandmas” when it was 1/2 the size it is now, which is still small and cozy. We will be back for sure!
Always good simple consistent diner food. Never disappointed.
Great service very friendly. Good food.
This place is the real deal!I target restaurants primarily for ambiance, and this one is a prize. A forties atmosphere right down to the music and the artifacts and newspaper pages which appear to actually have been here since then.The kind of place my parents might have hung out .....and met at. (love and miss you both).....and the food, portions, service, and prices are swell too!
One of my favorite restaurants in all of LA. Fantastic food, great service, very fair prices. I love this place
Cozy place and great food.
Nice family owned place
Excellent salsa, good breakfast
Great baked items and love Mannys skillet!
Nice service and good food.
Great food, Delicious! Coffee was good too. Service was excellent, our server was very attentive. We will definitely be back!
What a great breakfast spot. Diner feel is a real throwback from news clippings on the walls to the swivel counter chairs. Hot skillet options make for a very hardy meal. The coffee is Java Man and the staff keeps the cup topped off. The fresh muffins and cake options are amazing. They have real icecream shakes and a shake of the day. Staff is very friendly. Food is very consistent. Definitely a great place.
Nice friendly service affordable food
Really good food. Super service!
While on holiday, we stumbled on this amazing place. I had the strawberry waffle and my wife had the morning after(it’s called that). Haven’t given a breakfast diner 5 stars since I was in Santa Cruz at the walnut with their fresh squeezed OJ. I will definitely be back.
Good food. Great service.
The Ocean Diner is a great place to eat. You know youre in for something special as soon as you walk through the door and you hear the 40s music playing and you see the serving bar with the case next to it filled with homemade baked goods.Each dish is made with fresh ingredients. I was in town for three days, and had a different item each day. I started out with Ericas Special which is grilled veggies over brown rice with an orange ginger soy sauce that is awesome. I topped mine with 2 eggs over medium and had the fresh muffins. Day 2 was Ricks Special which has egg whites, mushrooms, and green onions with brown rice. I ordered the fresh biscuit with it which was like a slice of cake. Today, I finished my week with Gregs Special which is chopped turkey breast, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes scrambled in egg whites with brown rice. I went with an English muffin which was perfect.Come hungry and come early. This place gets packed on the weekends, but its worth the wait.
I used to live not far from this fantastic diner almost 10 years ago and loved it then. On a recent trip, I was thrilled to discover not only was it still there but very little had changed. Awesome ambiance, amazing food, truly a South Bay gem.
Great food and unique dishes. My favorite is the Sullivan scramble, eggs, spinach, bacon, caramelized onions and goat cheese.
Great experience, great service, great food
Good consistently made food. Recommended for a good breakfast or lunch. This diner is closed for dinner. Staff are nice and generally long wait times the mornings of the weekend. Try the Crunchy French toast... not the healthiest option on the menu but really good.
The food was good and the staff was friendly.
Love this old school diner. Their outdoor seating is decent but worth the road noise to support this cool place.
Best breakfast and muffins
Very good omelet . I love the cinnamon roll. Friendly and fast. Outside seating available.
This place always has incredible food! Weve yet to have something we didnt love!Their bakery items are great!
This is a super good 50s diner with homemade meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all good with everything from homemade meatloaf and mashed potatoes to seriously good French toast for breakfast. BTW the French toast is not just bread in egg, they add something to it that gives it a really rich texture. Service has always been great too. It seems the same servers that were there 15 years ago are still there.
Great cafe for breakfast! Lots of choices for egg dishes, pancakes & French toast and healthy alternatives. Their bakery case is really good too! Weekends are VERY CROWDED. Expect to wait 20-30 minutes.
Small place with a huge menu, yummy food and super friendly staff! Wide variety of sweet and savory things to choose from. My favorite (special of the day) pancake is the lemon ricotta. My favorite dish from the menu is the Hipster Toast. Place is almost always busy, so be prepared to wait before being seated and you may have to ask someone to refill your coffee.
Gregs Special rocks
Good service and breakfast
We ate here about a month back. Forgot to leave a review, but man! The food is amazing!!! Very cool spot, get there early or you will be waiting on the weekend. Worth it!
Ive only been to this place twice. First time I had the grilled mac and cheese sandwich wonderful. But I truly believe what would make this sandwich even better is a nice slice of ham. Second time I went I had their chicken fried steak. The gravy is on point the steak on the outside was great but when I got towards the center and it was completely Raw. Even though that sounds bad I loved the way the waiter handled the situation he brought me a brand new plate my daughter had finished her food so I took it to go. Heres the best part instead of just replacing the steak he replaced everything so it was all the same temperature. Now I call that some great customer service. I would definitely come back.
Great place great food!!!
Great food, great service
This is a great spot for breakfast and lunch. They have many traditional breakfast options but they also have a lot of unique options like cinnamon roll french toast or strawberry cheesecake waffles. The pastry case was filled with delicious looking and huge pastries. They also have a huge milkshake menu with a flavor of the month. Unfortunately they did not have ice cream when I went, so I wasnt able to try them. I ordered the Italian Grilled Cheese which was fantastic. The coffee is amazing and is from a local cafe and is available for purchase by the pound.
This place is my go-to diner for breakfast. Service is always excellent. Some of the best scrambles and skillets around; I love the Sullivan Scramble in particular. Good sourdough toast and salsa too. It has a genuine, homey vibe. An all-around great restaurant.
Loved this place. The food was exceptional. The servings were large. The service was good, especially on weekends. the atmosphere was pleasant. We were in the area for a wedding and went there 4 times in 3 days. If youre looking for a non franchise, family owned place that serves good food, and has its own unique vibe, this is the place.
Ive been to many places in the South Bay for breakfast and this was one place that I will definitely return to for a delicious morning start. It has a small cafe feel, which I love. I grew up in small town America and this atmosphere sends me back to our little cafe. I had a scramble and so did my wife. You can find street parking, but it can be a little tricky. Service was outstanding and they constantly refilled my coffee, which is important after a night out ;)
Hospitality above and beyond. Food ridiculously good (waffles, French toast, coffee cakes...)
Not the best not the worst super cheap the waiters r super busy and dont really pay attention to needs (refills checking to make sure everything was good)
Clean, timely and great vibes from everyone working. Good quality ingredients solid breakfast
Great Breakfast!
Kids pancake 🥞 the size of the plate!! Gone in 60 seconds....
Solid 3.75 stars.Food and service are good however, I generally opt for the many comparable spots on the beach that are equally good.Out of respect for this nice establishment, I wont name the others, but my friends Scotty & Martha might have something to say about breakfast.I like Ocean Diner.3.75 stars.
Stopped in on my lunch break and got homemade chicken vegetable soup and a salad with their signature lemon basil dressing. Finished every bite. Very classic diner/cafe.. no frills but just a nice, clean, and tasty food.
Love this place!All the food is great, the folks there are always nice and welcoming, and there is something on the menu for everyone. The banana pancakes are to die for! Great for anyone, tho parking can be dicey. On the street in front of the diner or around the corner on the street or in the lot. Or just anywhere you can find a spot! Even if you have to walk a bit, its worth it!
This place is a small place but is very popular as it was full in there when we went. The food was fantastic. I had the vanilla stuffed french toast. It had lots of fruit on top. Very yummy! Highly recommend this place! Will definitely go back when Im in that area again.
Really good! No wonder theyre so busy. Big portions and great service.
Best breakfast in town.
Love this place. Hermosa beach local classic. Quintessential diner experience with some of the best coffee in town. Gotta love ocean diner.
Good food.
Just had Rick scramble. Egg whites scrambled with chives and mushrooms and brown rice. Delicious. Java man coffee so smooth there is no need for milk. Ambiance of a diner. Attentive staff. Great place for breakfast and lunch.
Nice place. Good service. But the food was not that great. I ordered the Sweet Lorraine Omelette, it came with home fries and a side of toast. The Omelette was ok, not that great.
VERY FRIENDLY STAFF!! My family visited the area from TN and ate breakfast there 3 days in a row. BEST BREAKFAST/LUNCH AROUND!! We tried different food every day we were there and you really can’t go wrong with whatever you get. WONDERFUL PLACE!
Clean fresh traditional American diner food in a traditional small cafe restored to 20th century. Pre- & -post WWII newspaper front pages are framed on the walls and period music plays subtly. Primary sources from the time bring new insight if you step up and see whats there. Food is made to order and the plates are generous. They even make real malts and have special featured flavors on the menu board. Bakery case up front. Last time I saw a strawberry 🎂It had the most attractive fluffy ballerina pink frosting imaginable. I havent seen a fluffy frosting like that for so long that I think many people have never seen frosting like that. It looks like the old boiled frosting whipped with egg whites. It was the ballerina pink color that pulled me in. Ive never seen such a pretty pink in sugar. It was so beautiful it defied photography. It was made to eat.
Very good place. Good menu, Clean, nice staff. Customer for years. Drive 35 mi. for breakfast..Great coffee!
Great food and fast friendly service! I only gave 4 stars because the wait is often pretty dang long. All the food we ordered was amazing and fresh. They say its just like moms cooking, but better and I couldnt agree more! I got the veggie grilled cheese and it was incredible! We also ordered the peanut butter pie and it was to die for! Love this place!
Standard diner fare
Great food! Amazing and diverse selection. Food tasted amazing.
Tried this place in the past with a friend and I am hooked since then. I like the great mood and flavorful food and drinks. I recommend this place.
Great neighborhood diner not far from the beach. Tasty food, friendly service and a WW2 era motif that will appeal to the history buff.
Ah-mazing coffee! Great 40s style diner with hometown favorites. We had brunch with pancakes, vanilla French toast, eggs, bacon, and sausage. The OJ was great, too. Service was fast and friendly. Did I mention the coffee? We will be back.
