Thyme Cafe and Market

Lunch items are good, dessert is okay but they are both overpriced!!!
I paid $ 6.50 for a piece of chocolate cake which tasted very industrial, the frosting tasted like the $ 1 ones, too thick and sugary. I didn’t really taste the good chocolate in that cake

This place is super cute. Probably great to grab coffee/​tea and a pastry. However, the sandwiches were pretty disappointing. We ordered the steak sandwich and the tuna sandwich. The steak was basically roast beef… not so good. And the tuna was very mayo heavy… not my cup of tea.

I mean, my $ 4 apricot scone was pretty much perfection, but then again, it was a Four. Dollar. Scone. Am I just getting old and turning into one of those people who are like «back in my day (the 80’s?) this would have cost 50 cents, and they would have given you a free coffee with it!» or is that insanely expensive for a scone? Whatever. I’ll go back and eat more of them. But next time I’ll bring a jacket, because on a chilly morning, it was super chilly in there.

The food is ok. The desserts are amazing.
The service is terrible. They get orders wrong pretty often and when you ask for a correction they don’t apologize or make any reference to it. They just take the order neck with no smile and give it back. The place leaves me feeling unwelcomed as a regular customer. If it wasn’t right next to my yoga studio I probably wouldn’t go. This weekend I have been here several times and the service attitude has been particularly bad

I wanted to like this place. I liked it on paper (paper meaning Unilocal,and the information being rating and name). I didn’t have to get as far as the pictures. Or reading reviews. Maybe if I had seen what I’m about to write (maybe, being I haven’t seen it yet) then I would have gone to the many other great options up and down Ocean Park.
Truth be told, we walked in and was reminded of Jones on 3^rd, or Huckleberry. That is where it stops.
Everything on the menu appeared to be too expensive. Of course we didn’t know what we were getting yet. But when the food came out 30 minutes later after reminding them we had exchanged money for the promise of items listed on the menu, it was clear everything was three dollars too much. $ 11 gets you eggs in your breakfast burrito. They up-​charge for protein. The potatoes were served on the side and (still) soggy. If this was five dollars I wouldn’t have been bothered. So let me amend: the burrito is $ 8 too expensive.
The egg croissant sandwich is nothing to right home about. Again, at $ 11 for a single egg, I would expect it to be impressive. It was sloppily made. Fine for fast food. Not fine for what is trying to be a fine café.
In sum: at least $ 3 too expensive for what it is, slow service (there were tables available to sit, so it was not busy), but nice décor. Wanted to like it. I’ll spend that money where the food and service warrants it, not a place drafting on others that do it better, faster.

Really great tasting dishes.
Turkey meatloaf sandwich: delicious. Comes split into 2, great for sharing if wanting a light meal.
Already prepared:
Key Lime Pie: creamy. So good.
Grilled Asparagus: friend said they were better than fries.
Pesto Pasta: decent.
Service is fine, though they forgot we had ordered the last 3 dishes listed. We just reminded them.
Overall, pleasant experience.

I have a love-​hate relationship with thyme café. I don’t understand how they price things and how some things are great and others are so off. The customer service is hit and miss as well. They close at 8:30 yet they are unwelcoming after 8pm because they’re cleaning up for closing. Why not just close at 8 instead of acting like you’re doing the customer a favor by taking an order near the end of the day?
I finally had to write a review after the other night when I ordered a pasta off the weekly menu. I asked the person at the register if it was a good portion because it was for my 12-​year-​old son and they said yes. It cost 13 dollars plus 3 extra for chicken= a 16 dollar plate of pasta which had hardly any pasta or chicken amongst some sautéed vegetables. Needless to say, I had to order him another item so I spent $ 25 plus tip for one person. Barely satisfied. What a joke. I hate getting ripped off. I have had a similar reaction to their fried chicken special. Awesome fries and cole slaw but hardly any chicken meat inside thickly fried crust. Not once but twice. My bad.
That being said, Here are my go-​to items that always make me happy and are a good price:
Tuna sandwich
Meatloaf sandwich
Turkey/​Brie mini baguette
Any salad
Key lime pie
Chicken enchiladas in freezer case
I live around the corner so I’ll always go to Thyme café and appreciate it’s existence. I do however wish they valued their customers more especially their neighbors.
that’s my 2 cents.
What’s up Thyme café?

It is really hard not to like Thyme. They have a great case of prepared foods plus plenty of options. It is easy to make everyone happy. Plus, it is super quick.

I love this place. Their food is outstanding. I can’t complain about anything they serve nor their customer service. It’s a busy place but everyone is helpful and friendly. I take appreciation for café shops and this one goes in the book.

Horrible service! Nothing has changed since the last time I ate here. Took forever to order from the one person who not only takes the order but works on making the beverages while the rest of the line for 5 or more customers wait… and wait… Twenty minutes after ordering I got my coffee. Don’t expect a mug for your large coffee as they don’t have them. You’ll get a paper take out cup. Fifteen minutes after my coffee arrived my food arrived. Cold eggs. Yummy. Can’t wait to have cold eggs again. I was too hungry to send them back and wait another 35 minutes for new ones, with no guarantee that they, too, wouldn’t be cold. If you can get past the inordinate wait, and the temperature of the food, it tasted good — as good as cold eggs can taste. Come on people! Get it together! You’ve been here long enough to get your act together! Sheesh!!!

Food was good, but overall experience wasn’t much to write home about. Yes, the set up is cool, but it lacks the feel of a local breakfast spot. Service was just what it had to be, nothing much beyond that.
I really wish that they had small stainless steel condiment cups. From our meal alone, we had like 8 cups that had to be tossed. (I’m doubting that they’re recycled…)
Free and easy parking along the street.

I had the pleasure of dining here for lunch on Sunday. I stood in front of the menu trying to decide what to order because everything from the menu items to the freshly prepared foods looked amazing. They have a great selection of salads, pastas, vegetables, sandwiches, etc. to order. Did I mention the pastries? The carrot cake was delicious.
I also like that they have a refrigerated section with prepared meals to go. I will return.

I love counter service restaurants because you can grab a quick bite or stay for as long as you like — especially when they have pretty desserts on display!
Thyme Café has it all; A big menu selection with something for everyone (even picky vegetarians like me), late breakfast that goes until 1pm on the weekends and delicious food. The service was fast and friendly. The décor is simple and elegant without being fussy. I will definitely be coming back here! I recommend the veggie sandwich — the bread is insanely good!

Love these kind of new restaurant/​buffets. You have a great selection of cold salads, vegetables variations, sandwiches couscous, quinoa salads, lasagnas, pastas (they can warm it up if you want) and you pay either by plate (around 14 $) or by small bowls (around 5 $).
For the most part they vary the items all the time.
These are the ones i liked:
morrocan couscous (lacks a bit salt but pretty good)
Brussels sprouts lardons (delicious!!), some kind of quinoa salad (forgot the name) and macaroni and cheese.
They have various vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options!
Staff is really nice too.

What a gem on what appears to be a quickly gentrifying strip of Ocean Blvd. If I owned a café, I would model it out if this establishment. When you walk-​in you’re greeted by a huge cold case that contains everything from quinoa salad to key lime pie.
I ordered the turkey meatloaf sandwich with harrisa and caramelized onions. It came with a mixed greens salad. Delish! The vinaigrette on the salad was creamy with just the right amount of sharpness. My sandwich was good too though because I requested it not toasted, it made it a bit soggy. If I come back, I’ll be sure to try some of their deserts.

The Food – its good, I like it. I had a spanish eqq scramble, it was tasty and fresh.
The problem with this place is the attitude and the service. The few times I had been there, I had felt some insidious «tude», and then the last time, it was bad.
My son and I ordered. They brought my son’s sandwich, and I waited. And waited. I asked and they said a few minutes. Then a server came up to me with her conclusive evidence or receipt to throw in my face and say that although I didn’t pay for it, they will make the spanish scramble now and she is sorry. BIg problem — I did pay for it. She didn’t really apologize, she just said they would make it. I cancelled it, and it took about 10 minutes to get money back. My son was long done. Fortunately, I flagged down the manager and told him the situation, and he was very apologetic and professional. We were about to leave, and, wala, they had made my dish, and he graciously offered it to me, which I took.
I don’t like to downgrade places when the food is good, and the service is bad. However, this place is popular, but if another similar restaurant opens with a better staff, its done. It is similar to «FOOD», which has decent food but horrific customer service.
I don’t think I will be going back soon. It deserves 2 stars.

There needs to be more places like Thyme Café in more neighborhoods around LA. The descriptor «café and market» is most apt as you can go for a meal or walk away with other food items to complement your meal or future meal.
Located on a cute stretch of Ocean Park Blvd, Thyme Café is a bright and airy environment with a good number of tables inside and a small patio at the back by their parking lot. It’s great to stop in for a meal or linger for coffee or tea if you have the time. It’s perfectly casual, but easily a great place to come for a sit down meal as well. I ordered my meal to go as I was headed to the Hollywood Bowl and was quite pleased with the food, packaging, and service that accompanied my experience.
The salmon cake is worth getting — sizeable and satisfying. It comes with a small side salad with the most delicious lemon mustard dressing. If you’re looking for more of a French sandwich, the brie, jam, caramalized onions sandwich served on French bread with a small side salad is fantastic with a glass of wine. The haricot verts side was fresh, but a tad salty for my tasty. The avocado, bean, corn salad was refreshing and filling. The key lime pie is really tasty — I just wish it was a bit tarter, but again it’s personal preference. For two entrees, two sides, one dessert, my total came out to a little over $ 32. Not bad at all for a classy picnic meal at the Bowl.
I will definitely be going back to Thyme Café for more picnic meals, but also to dine in. I really want to give their other sandwiches a try.

Love this place. Been here twice about a year apart.
I have to say I have mostly had the desserts but did sample a shrimp salad today that I enjoyed. I would go back here for the desserts alone if I am ever in the area again.
Yum
YUm
YUM
!!!

When did it become okay to charge $ 8 for a slice of raspberry tart that is smaller and thinner than my iPhone 5? Okay okay fine, I exaggerated a bit… it was $ 7.50.
When I gasped in shock after being informed of how much I owed, the woman responded with, «It is the season when raspberries are expensive.» So that was why there was an extra $ 2 tacked on to what is advertised on their menu for pies? Re:
…
I’m no Farmer Francine here, but according to my calendar it is June 16 which means summer time and summer time = berries galore. And based on my recent visit to the farmer’s market, vendors were basically forcing berry samples down my throat.
Look, I consider myself a semi-​foodie (like most of you Unilocaler!) and willing to pay for deliciousness. But today, I felt completely ripped off. Not worth it at all. You can find way more delicious teeny portion pies/​tarts/​cakes and not for double digit prices. With the money you saved you can buy lunch for three starving children.
It is crazy that they can get away with this…

I love this place! The food is so delicious, you can go healthy with little salads or get a sandwich.
The turkey meatloaf is phenomenal, so is the lemon asparagus, snap pea salad, shrimp salad, egg salad sandwich and every single other thing I’ve tried.
Staff is super friendly, I prefer this place over Huckleberry.