Clarkie’s

I fear Clarkie’s has closed. Perhaps peach valley opening was the nail in the coffin for them? Really sad to see them go. for those of you that did not support this great local eatery… shame on you.

This place is so adorable. I hung out and got breakfast at Clarkie’s this morning while my car was being worked on at Willie’s Paint and Body Shop next door. My server Tiffany was extremely cheerful and assured me that I could stay as long as I wanted while the guys next door had my car.
It’s slightly dive-​y but that’s how breakfast should be. And the biscuits and gravy are flat out amazing!

I was weary about this place at first. It’s very dive. I love this place. The food is good. The staff treat you like family. I love the pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and bacon. The only thing I didn’t care for too for was the grits. I would recommend this to anyone for breakfast.

I took my Dad here after his doctor appointment. I hadn’t been there since I stopped working in South Orlando back in 1983. Everything was exactly the same as I remembered and the cheeseburger we split was tasty, the fries perfectly executed and the to-​go tuna salad sandwich for my husband was also good. I’ll go again when I’m in the area.

Clarkie’s is nasty. The food is yucky & so is the entire place. AVOID.

Unpretentious and no-​frills, Clarkie’s is a south Orlando diner and an institution; one however that I’ve just now visited for the first time.
As you walk through the door, you’re welcomed and told to sit wherever you like. On the walls you’ll find typical diner stuff: a rooster clock, signs like
«Good Food
Clarkie’s
Good People» (crocheted)
«Keep you hands off the waitress»
«Any children left running and unattended will be towed away at owner’s expense»
And, noticeably not in keeping with the other décor, a big drawing of Johnny Depp.
I had eggs and pancakes. They don’t use those sissy batter rings when they make pancakes. They are irregularly-​shaped, just as God intended pancakes to be.
When I retire, I wanna find myself a neighborhood Clarkie’s and become a regular.

Cheap greasy spoon, but you’ll pay extra for the food you eat a couple of hours later once it settles. Be sure to stop by Publix and get some extra TP on your way home from here.

You just can’t beat Clarkies for a good old fashion breakfast. After a run around Lake Eiola, we went to Clarkies. They didn’t care we were still in our workout gear. Good, fast and reasonable!

Best. Pancakes. Ever.
Clarkie’s is a serious neighborhood joint. Waitresses are fast and friendly. Food is pretty darn good. And the ambiance is, well… a little divey. I mean, it doesn’t get more «local» than this. The food, however, is the star! It comes out really quickly, and the prices are soooo cheap. They even make their own syrup!

When I stopped at Clarkie’s for breakfast, I ordered scrambled eggs with no sides, and then I mistakenly emphasized that I did not want the eggs cooked with butter or grease or anything like that. From the moment I walked in the door, I knew this wasn’t that kind of place, but I was on a very strict diet so I decided to force the issue. I really don’t blame the waiter for looking at me like I was crazy. My eggs tasted like sulfur no matter how much salt I dumped on them. I sincerely thank the folks at Clarkie’s for trying to please me, no matter how absurd my request. Fact is, I got exactly what I ordered.
Clarkie’s also sells a pretty good variety of orchids, if you are so inclined.

At first glance, Clarkie’s doesn’t seem like nothing more than a whole in the wall breakfast/​lunch/​brunch place… and the inside isn’t very impressive either. So, why am I recommending this place you ask? Well, I’m reviewing and recommending this place because the food, it’s character, and the randomness of both the people and the décor are what make Clarkie’s standout among other places of the same food genre.
On a more personal note, the way I discovered Clarkie’s was by skipping class. I realize this sounds really bad, but I assure you it’s not. It was tradition among the seniors at my High School, Boone High School… an unspoken one of course, but something that everyone knew once they reached that long awaited last year. Most Fridays during the school year you will find Clarkie’s packed full of seniors instead of at their first period class, most likely wearing orange and white, stuffing their faces with food and discussing what they are doing for the weekend.
The menu features your typical breakfast foods like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and grits. And like most good breakfast places, the food is loaded with butter and grease… and sooooo good! Clearly, not a place for those who are on diets or trying to adhere to a healthy eating regimen. My favorite thing to order on those Friday mornings was the silver dollar pancakes, loaded with butter and syrup with a side of extra crispy bacon and eggs. YUM-​O!
The servers and staff are a mixture of young and older adults and are all so nice, always making it a point to greet you the moment you walk in and wish you a good day when you’re heading out the door.

Clarkie’s Restaurant is a little dive breakfast bar located on Orange Avenue south of Michigan. Pulling up to the place you see cartoon paintings of personified eggs, ham, skillets, and one drawing that looks suspiciously like «Hanky the Christmas Poop.»
Now, I generally don’t consider establishments where murals of feces are painted on the exterior, but going to Clarkie’s is certainly an experience.
Walking inside you are greeted with a hodge-​podge of tables, chairs, orchids growing everywhere, and pencil sketches of celebrities, with an disproportionate ratio of those depicting Al Pacino.
If those last two paragraphs don’t get you to go alone, maybe this will:
«Atmosphere» aside, Clarkie’s really stands out in terms of the character of their wait staff. Most of the waitresses are transplanted from the Bronx, the coffee mugs seem like they were collected piece meal from thrift stores, and the menu is nothing but short order.
I realize that all of the things I mention could make it sound like I was giving this place a horrible write up, with the exception that it’s awesome.
Check it out, if anything, just for the experience.