J & A’s Cafe

This place is a good value on basic breakfast. If you are looking to fill up before a busy day, for not much money, this is your place. For this visit we stayed with very basic items, I had the cheese omelet and my wife had the hash. The cheese omelet was topped with a slice of melted cheeseburger cheese, it doesn’t get more basic than that. The hash was right out of a can. Service was prompt and the coffee was refilled often. Total bill for two breakfasts with coffee was under $ 20. If you manage your expectations you will be happy with this place.

I ate lunch at J & A’s Café in Duarte, CA on 11/​24/​2015. There were four of us and we all had good food for under $ 10 each. Saw Dom and Doug and their group as well. Plus, I took photos.

We visited after seeing this on KTLA. The food is delicious and fresh. We have tried a few items so far and have not been dissappointed. The décor is dated and service a bit so so but we think the food is worth it. Give it a try and don’t forget it is CASH only.

Very homey café with great food & prices. I recommend getting the French toast if you’re craving something sweet. I ordered it and it was delicious. Definitely coming back and bringing friends with me next time :)

CRAZY BUSY TODAY! I was craving a breakfast quesadilla so I came down here today! IT WAS PACKED, I guess they were on tv today. It is crazy how the two waitresses were running around trying to get everything for everyone and please everyone. Luckily we werent in a rush, i had to wait about 15 minutes outside, they tried to get our order asap but were constantly interrupted by other rude customers. But we didn’t mind. I love this place.

If I could give it zero I would!!!
Came after we saw them on ktla this morning!!!
We got there and waited 30 minutes to be seated.
After we were seated no one! Not one person, said we will be with you in a second!
They told us we have a booth for you but no one walked us to the booth. Since there was one booth available we sat there.
20 minutes later someone comes to take our our order.
My 5 year old even said, «it’s about time» they were on their second page of their coloring book. (That’s how long they waited)
She did not acknowledge the wait!
She walked around slowly delivering wrong food to wrong tables!
Then 10 minutes later she comes with my coffee and gives it to my husband. My kids asked for water and that was not delivered.
Then says… Oh did you want coke or something??? My husband says I ordered a diet coke.
Waited another 5 minutes. No drink! So we got up and left!
Worst place ever!

Don’t waist your time. Worst Biscuits and Gravy we have every had! Very starchy and gravy had no taste. Eggs and bacon and waffle nothing special.
Pick another spot and save yourself some disappointment.

Fair warning! Do not send back the bacon, no matter how old and dry it looks!!! I was recently there with a family member and their bacon was looking very dry and a bit grey at the tips. I had the waitress take it back to replace it with bacon that was just recently cooked. Then I heard a commotion in the kitchen. Mind you, its a very small place. Apparently, the cook felt extremely «insulted» that I had the nerve to send back any of his food. The owner came to our table and said that the bacon was cooked that morning. I described the bacon’s’ appearance and asked her if she saw the bacon. She said she had not seen it, but insisted it was OK. No apology from the owner whatsoever. After we finished, I went to the counter to pay my bill. I looked up and noticed the cook staring very hard at me. I asked the owner at the counter if her cook had a problem with me. That’s when she said he felt insulted that I sent back the bacon. REALLY!!! He continued to glare at me with such disdain. He then started to yell in spanish and broke a dish. I looked at the owner and said «are you kidding me???». He then motioned for me to «go outside with him» WTF??? I asked the owner «All this over two pieces of bacon»??? She just shook her head and said nothing more. Unbelievable! He’s very lucky I was with an elderly family member and didn’t want to them to witness a physical altercation. It seems to me that this guy is on the edge or has some kind of anger problem. But more disappointing was the attitude of the owner. Not once did she tell him to settle down or apologize for his extremely unprofessional behavior. That really speaks volumes to how she runs her business and speaks greater volumes on her character.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Omelets are amaaaazzzzzinnnngggg! Everyone that I bring here loves it. Small mom and pop place —-Bring cash because it is cash only. Highly recommended!

A decent breakfast find in Duarte, closer to a 3.5 than 3 rating. J&A is a cheap diner basking in the glory of route 66 paraphernalia. Look at the walls on the inside an you’ll know what I’m talking about. The faire is standard southwest American breakfast.
The Texas Omelet was pretty average. Some not so amazing, but still edible chili & cheese over eggs was more filler than anything else.
The Huevos Matador, however, hit the spot right on. Two scrambled eggs, with onions, tomatoes and sliced jalapenos. Those peppers had some kick and we’re a great complement to the rest of the dish.
Worth a stop if in the area, but not going out of the way for.
Cash only.

They have daily specials also senior menu and some orders comes with soup or salad and dessert. Some plates have fresh fruits very delicious !!

I’ve wanted to try this place since seeing it featured on a segment of Burrous’ Bites, early one Saturday morning on KTLA news. (I know I know, why was I up before 9AM on a Sat, ya got me) Anyway, when we arrived, we were greeted by a friendly woman who offered us our choice of seats. A sweet friendly server immediately came over with menus and took our drink order. I was hungry, but overwhelmed with the many delicious choices, so it took a bit to decide. Finally, after a 15min menu search, we made our decisions. My son had the French Toast Deluxe with an extra egg (meal offers only 1 egg, who eats just 1egg) I had the Breakfast Vegetarian Quesadilla (comes with a huge side of fresh fruit), a side order of homestyle potatoes and 1 iced tea. We also had the salsa trio. Freakin’ amazing! These were all generous portions but I was hungry. We shared the potatoes. I ate 2 pieces of the quesadilla and a lot of the fruit. I stuffed my face and still had leftovers. I was completely satisfied for the rest of the day, then finished the leftovers for dinner. My son finished his meal and was fully satisfied.
This is a small family owned business with fresh tasty homestyle cooking, welcoming employees, a fantastic chef and best of all, a diverse menu with solid offerings. They serve B, L & D, all this from 6AM — 2PM. Yup, they have a dinner menu. A small selection of standard dinner choices.
Our food total came to just under $ 20. (I spent more buying a couple of chili dog combos at a fast food joint days earlier) I was in Arcadia for business so I made a point to try J & A Café and boy am I glad. Even though we live over 30 miles way, I plan to return at least two more times. After all, I have to try lunch & dinner.
My only suggestion for improvement, add a «Cash only» message to the front of the menu. I forgot and had only $ 5 bucks on me, so my son went to find an ATM. This took a little time because of course my bank was 10 miles away so he opted for the closest one. While he was out the server brought the drinks and kindly waited for his return. Even though this is going to cost me an extra $ 6 in fees, the total cost of today’s meal was still a DELICIOUS bargain.
One more very important bit of info, I went to wash my hands and the bathroom and overall back area was immaculate! I’m a fanatic about clean bathrooms. This place was A++.
J & A Café should never be rated less than 4 stars! I will absolutely refer to friends & family.
P. S. the pictures on Unilocal are exactly what was on our plates. True to size, portion size that is!

saw this on burros bite on ch 5. i had the matordor
was good. reasonable price. only open from 6 – 2.
pretty nice place

Love this place!!! Come here with my parents all the time, so much that they practically know what we’re going to order. Love the fact that they pay attention to how you take your things, to the smallest thing like your coffee! And let me add that the coffee is amazing!

Standard café fare food establishment. J&A’s has SOLID coffee skills. Absolutely the best, not bitter or watered down.
Food wise, they offer a great variety. Standard breakfast menu, with all the extras. Now even serving Menudo, but it’s a little pricey. Quality is definitely ABOVE par so come and enjoy.

J&A’s Café is one of my go-​to restaurants. The folks are friendly and welcoming. The food has never disappointed. The «specials» are always satisfying and varied. My favorites are the ‘Chorizo and eggs’ breakfast and the ‘Baja eggs’ breakfast; Oh My Goodness! Treat yourself, stop by and try something.
*Take note, Cash only*

When I went, I was seated promptly and politely. The service was very good and the food was cooked to perfection. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a small breakfast/​lunch restaurant.

This place falls under the «Best Kept Secret» category. It took a few years for me to notice the place, and longer to try it… glad I finally did though. It’s basic diner fare, done just right. The food is fresh and flavorful, and the atmosphere is quirky, but cosy. Its cash only, and closes early, but that may be what keeps the prices so great, so I’m not complaining.

My best friend’s family owns this café and although my review may seem biased, I’m being completely honest.
I have been eating here for years and the service is amazing. Whenever you come in you are greeted with a friendly smile and people who are ready to provide you with great service. When it comes to the food. well, its delicious. I have never had a disappointment with anything here and I highly recommend :) Also, their prices are pretty great as well.
I also recommend the breakfast quesadilla. yum yum yum! :D

Good food, nothing fancy, just a simple home style menu. Friendly service and they keep your coffee full.
it would be nice if they took CC but sometime paying with $ is better.