Hidden Cafe

Eh. Somewhere between A-​OK, and maybe I’ll pass.
This sucks too, because all the raving about the place. I’m just wondering if I just had a bad visit.
I came in hungry! Needless to say, the place is «hidden». But Siri helped me. Anywho, after reading numerous Unilocal reviews, I tried this spot and went with the House Omelette. Sounded delicious, and again… I was super hungry. There was only two or three other tables being served. It was about 11:45am on a Wednesday. Other reviews adequately describe the décor and environment. Small, «hole-​in-​the-​wall.»
Service was standard. No name tags or introductions, so I cannot rate individual staff by name.
Back to the food… I attached a picture of my omelette. Compared to other pictures of this item, mine came out a bit different. First the avocado on top was completely smashed. And the rest of the omelette was cold and dry. I was able to pick up the omelette from the end and eat it like a sandwich. I was very disappointed and by its taste and presentation, I truly believe I was served an old omelette that had been sitting there. Have you ever tasted an overly cooked fried egg? That’s what it tasted like :(I requested sides of salsa twice to try and freshen the omelette and bring it back to life.
I really hate giving this place a bad review, but I have to keep it real and be fair/​honest to my experience. I was really hoping this visit would have delivered a winning new breakfast spot

I gave Hidden Café 5 stars not just because of the great service and food, but because I do not mind making the short trip to this hidden gem and because I crave their food.
My partner and I went to Hidden Café after our Sunday service. To our surprise, the restaurant was not too busy. Immediately when we arrived to the restaurant, we were seated. Several servers checked on us to assistant with any requests. I ordered the Loco Moco and my partner ordered the Portuguese Sausage. Both were generous portions with flavorful taste. MAKE SURE TO TRY THE FINADENY SAUCE (FISH SAUCE) WITH YOUR LOCO MOCO or PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE!
We were in and out within 45 minutes! Thank you again Hidden Café, we will be seeing you again!

Had the ribeye and eggs, very tasty. We’ve eaten here several times an would recommend it to all. It is a little ways out of town (three miles from downtown) but it is worth going.

Tasty lunch, Spanish burger (chorizo mixed with beef), split pea soup, very tasty and full of flavor.

This morning I had delicious strawberry waffles and a side of the hot links, which I got to go because I scarfed the waffles! I chopped up the hot links for dinner in some chicken rice, from a pouch and they’re delicious and spicy! If you like spicy, I recommend the hot links. My forehead is sweating as I inhale my dinner.

I really wanted to like this place but was not impressed with the food. My wife and I ordered fried rice with our breakfast but it tasted dry and old. We’ll give it a try again and hopefully it’ll be a better experience. 3 star for the food and customer service.

So I decided to take my wife here on her birthday solely because it had the highest Unilocal reviews from any other restaurant nearby that offered breakfast. I was so glad that I did.
We got there at about 8ish and there was no one else there. At first I thought that maybe we had made a mistake but just a few minutes after we arrived, it started to fill up. It seemed like there were a lot of regulars there. We loved the atmosphere and cleanliness of the place. It is quite cozy too. There was a flat screen on the wall too although we didn’t pay attention to it.
The menu was nice and simple and I loved that it had a Pacific Island flair to it. I almost got the Loco Moco but I decided on the Rib-​eye and eggs instead. My wife got the Eggs Benedict.
Our selections came with potatoes and we both got the O’Brien style which are cut up in pieces with bell peppers and onions and then fried. So good… my only complaint is that I wish there were more of them on my plate.
My Rib-​eye was probably the only real criticism I have. I am a steak snob and so I know how to cook (and eat) one properly. While the temperature was fine, the seasoning was a bit wanting. A little more salt and pepper and maybe some butter would have done the trick though. I still enjoyed it.
I could have gotten pancakes with it but opted for the sourdough toast instead which was great.
My wife really liked the Eggs Benedict and also wished that she was given more potatoes. :-)
We are 100% for sure going back. Next time I’ll try the Loco Moco but it will have stiff competition from the Chorizo and Eggs.
I definitely recommend this place. It just feels good to be there.

Great food, atmosphere and employees. The best coffee in town… never tasts burned like most restaurants. All their food is delicious.. .especially the fried rice! Highly recommend… they won’t dissapoint!

Yay, another successful visit at a restaurant from my Bookmark List, check check.
I can understand how someone who isn’t from the area can easily get lost, because yes, this restaurant doesn’t have a huge sign that says Hidden Café, (hence the name, lol). It’s located in a small shopping center surrounded by gated communities, as long as you follow the directions exactly-you’ll find this HIDDEN gem.
Here’s what was ordered:
The House Omelet: very flavorful and moist, which is pretty hard to do at many other places. One of the best omelette ever tasted, which consisted of bacon, cheese, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado and onions. Most places over cook their omelettes, here they are cooked perfectly. $ 9.75
Rib Eye with Eggs: My Mouth-​watering Medium Rare Rib Eye, was cooked perfectly with such a juicy pink center. The side of fried rice was very filling which also had pieces of ham, sausage and egg in it. My scrambled (2) eggs was a good amount as a side. This also came with a choice of pancakes, toast or fruit. I chose whole wheat toast and it was already buttered, good stuff. I really enjoyed the fried rice, it reminding me of being back in Hawaii where it’s common to have rice for breakfast. MHmmMm, good filling dish for $ 15.00.
Coffee is $ 2.95/cup.
My husband and I were lucky enough to come in and have the restaurant to ourselves. Our server Derek was very attentive and provided great customer. Will we return?! Yes, I need to try their famous Fried Chicken and Waffles!

Delicious breakfast especially their specials and waffles. Very friendly owners. Love this place.

Excellent breakfast. I had the deluxe loco moco, my son had the regular loco moco, and my wife had the garden Benedict. It is a cozy place and everyone is very friendly. We sat in the enclosed patio.
Highly recommend!

Stopped by on the way to Morro Bay. Easy access from the 101. Great pumpkin pancakes and great service!

Great little café to visit if you want traditional or Hawaiian inspired food. Another great plus was there wasn’t any big crowds or waiting line to get a seat for breakfast… And it was a Saturday morning! The food was super yummy. I had their Garden Eggs Benedict with a side of fruit… Very yummy!!! My husband had their chicken and waffles. He said their waffles were very good and the chicken was okay, not bad but he’s had better. I’m so glad we found this place, I will absolutely come back again!

My first impression of this place was that it was dull and it lives up to its name The Hidden Café, because it was really hidden and there was no obvious sign that had The Hidden Café written on it.
I got the Country Benedict & my boyfriend got the Seared Ahi Benedict, we both got fried rice as the sides.
Country Benedict
It was mediocre, the presentation was bland, there were no greens it was pretty much all white because of the gravy. I couldn’t really taste the biscuit because it was drenched in the white gravy which made it really soggy. The sausage patty didn’t have any wow factor, it pretty much tasted like a frozen sausage patty and the egg Benedict was good, but the whole dish pretty much got overpowered by the gravy. I liked the fried rice that I got with my Country Benedict better.
Seared Ahi Benedict
This was my boyfriend’s dish, but I got a few bites out of it and it was amazing! I could taste the fluffy biscuit and the Ahi was very flavorful and I enjoyed it a lot.
The service was okay, they didn’t really attentive and would only come to our table if they were called upon.
I would come back here and try out other things.

Came to the Hidden café to have breakfast with my friend and we had an amazing breakfast. I had the chicken fried chicken and it was delicious! My friend had the eggs Benedict and she said is was fantastic. The chicken friend chicken is not frozen but freshly breaded and I couldn’t get over how good it was. The service was friendly and warm and beyond great. They refreshed our coffee and water often. Jo the owner is an amazing hostess. I’m not waisting my time going to breakfast anywhere else. The Hidden café is the only way to go.

Came here last week when I was on the west coast for business. Living in NYC, I am very keen to only eat at small, family owned businesses since in my experience, they tend to have the best food and owners have a special sense of enthusiasm.
This was definitely the case for Hidden Café. I was warmly welcomed as soon as I walked through the door. My waitress, a very attractive blonde, was super friendly and answered my questions thoroughly about the menu. I ended up ordering the classic eggs Benedict, which was DELICIOUS! I originally was teetering between the Classic eggs Benedict and the Seared Ahi Benedict, so I was very impressed when the Chef & Owner, Jesse, came out from the kitchen mid-​meal with a couple of pieces of the Ahi for me to try. This in itself was incredible. It was also incredible that the owner went above and beyond to try and impress me. Let me just say, it worked.
I went back to Hidden Café a couple times throughout my business trip. Ribeye Steak & Eggs, Huevos Rancheros, and Gluten Free Pancakes were all very good. I got to know the owners a little bit over the course of my trip, and my impression is that they are passionate about their business, their family, and truly love the art of cooking.
Overall, very impressed with the food, owners, staff, and payment method (very up to date with the times to use the iPad– nothing worse than an archaic form of payment when dining).
I would highly recommend stopping into this unique «hidden» gem of a family owned restaurant next time you are in Camarillo. Please, get out of your comfort zone a bit and order something you usually wouldn’t and get to know the staff/​owners. You wont be disappointed.

Went here today for breakfast and they have some non traditional items on their menu like steamed or fried rice with breakfast, chicken and waffles, waffles as large as the plate and little pancakes instead of toast. The little pancakes were very good. i love that you can substitute toast for pancakes! Only downside is that I paid an extra $ 1 to make them banana nut but I didn’t know that meant just putting some bananas and nuts on top. Lol still it was good.
The service was descent and the waitress was pleasant but wasn’t too on top of it. My drink needed refilling for a while and by the time I got it I was pretty much finishing my meal. Also the coke needed more syrup. We got the corned beef hash and the harvest scramble. Everything was okay but the cottage fries were very basic and probably the least memorable item from the meal.
When it was time to pay a girl brought over an iPad and they swipe your card through a Square. we didn’t really like the feeling of someone hovering over us while we’re trying to pull out money for tip etc. it felt very rushed or maybe it was the blank look on the girls face that made us uncomfortable. it was more off putting than anything I guess because we’re not use to it but not a reason to not go here. Just an observation. Overall the pancakes were the best part but nothing else was special enough on the menu considering what we already tried to want to come back for a second try. Also, it’s one of the only restaurants that no one said goodbye or thank you when we walked out. we did pass two workers that serviced us so that was a little disappointing and the icing on the cake.

I swear Ventura county has some hidden gems so the name of this place suits it well. It’s off of Camarillo Springs Road in the plaza right behind the baseball field. There isn’t a sign but you’ll know as there are a ton of people outside either eating or waiting. I went here toward closing on a Sunday afternoon with my parents. It was packed but we were seated fast on the patio.
My mom ordered the short ribs, my dad got the fried chicken, and I got the pork chops. I loved my order! The pork chops were cooked perfectly. They were super tender and browned just right. I ordered fries and pancakes on the side. The best brunch I’ve had in a while! As for my parents, they both said their food was too salty. I got a taste of each of their dishes and I have to agree! The chicken had a good crunch but did have to take a bite of my pancakes to counteract the saltiness. Same with the short ribs! I did like how fluffy the pancakes were and the amount they give is perfect for a side.
I say the food is a solid 4 but I knocked it down a star for the place we were seated and the wait to take our order. We were on the patio but were mauled by flies! It really did take away from the dining experience. Not sure what they can do about that but it was enough for me to be thoroughly annoyed. Our waitress was sweet but took awhile to take our order. We had already figured out our orders before she even asked us what we wanted to drink. There’s other places to eat so I’m glad I experienced it after hearing so much about this place. I’d come back for the pork chops though!

Small diner with excellent breakfast. Very nice staff with great female server. We can walk here and come here at least once a week. The patio allows dogs.
The servings are generous and very authentic, tasty recipes.
Coffee is hot and always refilled.
Not shabby for a local joint! In small business complex off Adohr Lane and the Camarillo Springs exit.

Came here on a Sunday morning around 11am. Place was packed but the wait was only 15 mins for a party of two. There is outside seating but we opted for indoors since it looked gloomy outside.
I got the fried chicken, fried rice, eggs, and pancake. The fried chicken was pretty good. Not too oily. I actually thought having fried rice for brunch was kinda weird at this kind of establishment but it was actually good. The pancakes were also on point.
I will most definitely come back here again for brunch. There is a lot for parking.