Candid Restaurant Reviews - The Wright Gourmet
Carolyn's Cafe - Redlands, Ca.
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a Carolyn's Café
1711 W. Lugonia Ave.
Redlands, Ca.
(909) 335-8181
Carolyn’s Café brings back to Redlands the quality of food that once saw lines out the doors of the tiny Kay’s Café… not that many years ago. The old style diner food was popular and drew customers from miles around. Open for only Breakfast and Lunch the pint-sized Carolyn’s Café serves up that same brand of nostalgic 1950’s character; almost like walking onto a “Happy Days” TV Set. But the charm here is in that the food and experience is real, as in really good!
Owner, Carolyn Strickland spent 11 years honing her waitress skills at the Kay's Café in Highland before opening her cafe; and clearly she understands what makes diner food a favorite. Carolyn’s Café serves up an old-fashioned menu of American Style comfort food the flavors of which have been lost with chain restaurants recipes. This hugely popular café opens it's doors remembering the look and feel of a classic 1950s coffeehouse diner with a fresh retro look, feel and flavor. |
Carolyn's Café
1711 W. Lugonia Ave.
Redlands, Ca.
(909) 335-8181
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Total
Possible |
Total
Awarded |
| Taste |
10 |
10 |
| Ambiance |
10 |
9 |
| Service |
10 |
9 |
| Cleanliness |
10 |
9 |
| Table Comfort |
10 |
8 |
| Menu Selection |
10 |
10 |
Serving Sizes |
10 |
10 |
| Perceived Value |
10 |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
20 |
20 |
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Total
Points Awarded |
95 |
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The service is friendly, attentive and fast paced… as is Carolyn Strickland’s sense of humor and constant banter with customers who sit packed into her diner. The noise level and small talk is part of the diner charm as anyone in one corner can easily carry on a conversation with anyone else at the counter. As with Kay's old cafe everyone in Carolyn's Cafe seems to know one another enhancing the small town warmth and coziness.
Carolyn's Cafe retro charm carries into the menu with all the old diner classics offered at reasonable prices. Everything seems to be homemade and served home-style. The chicken-fried steak is amazingly good loaded with sawmill style gravy; just the kind your cardiologist warns you about! Incredible seasoning and taste.
We have to thank several of California Online Magazine’s Photo contributors for the recommendation, and so it was the guys from Empire Camera shared lunch with us at my first Carolyn’s Café lunch. We have been back several times since, and the food has always been great… and the diner packed!
Just like the good old days of Redlands Kay’s Café all the charm and buttermilk pancakes, waffles and hardy breakfast favorites served. For lunch, retro specialty sandwiches, burgers, and house specialties like The Club, French Dip, Patty Melt, Tuna Melt, Beef Melt, Turkey Melt, and Reuben pop off the menu like old route 66 favorites. Classic roast beef sandwiches plus ham, turkey, avocado, BLT, tuna salad, egg salad, or hot turkey compete with Carolyn's house specialty country fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy. Throw in a mix of burgers and salads and it is easy to understand the crowds. Very well done Carolyn… your little diner café is the best! We love it; now only if we could find an open seat!
We can expect great things from Carolyn Strickland’s little Cafe, and are positive the reviews will be as good as her friendly service and homestyle food. Not a lot of flash and pretentiousness… Just Plain Good Eats, American Diner Style!
Carolyn's Cafe is located in Redlands, on Lugonia Ave, just across from the new J. C. Penney, and next to BrakeMasters down the street from the Redlands DMV. Just look for the full parking lot! | |
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