Swami’s Cafe

Their dishes are HUGE. They do not skimp at all. I tried their lobster egg benedict dish & my BF tried their Tex mex version. Honestly the lobster one was tastier than the Tex mex but if you prefer the spicy taste I would suggest Tex mex. The lobster egg Benedict was sooooo yummy and was def worth $ 14 or $ 15. I couldn’t even finish my sides (sweet potato fries and I forgot the other) because the benedict was so filling! Also, they give out complementary bread and butter while you wait for your food which is a plus! Will def come back here again.

I prefer the other locations rather than this particular one. There are ones that are much cleaner and I’ve had the garlic chicken omelette from this location and the North Park location, I stopped eating after 2 bites at this location, tasted like raw garlic. If you’re gonna go to Swamis, try the North Park location.

Great for lunch !! I work nearby and wanted a good acai bowl, so I decided to go to swami’s. My job is only 8 minutes away so as I’m leaving work I call for a to-​go order, by the time I got there it just came out.
Parking wasn’t so bad, but you do have to feed your meter. When you have a phone order, approach the counter on the left side of the regular line. (do not wait in the line where everyone orders for dine in). Service was friendly and prompt.
Their acai bowl is fresh and huge !! Comes with a bunch of berries. Starwberries, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry. Coconut, bee pollen,& granola !!! I’ve been here many times and everything has always been consistent!

Order at the counter sort of joint. Average food, atmosphere, menu items. Satisfied high level of hunger but was left feeling underwhelmed from lack of flavor. My friend loved her food and comes here every so often. My French toast was very dry and tasted like hard scrambled eggs. My eggs were cooked perfectly and this establishment accommodated my request to have avocado instead of bacon. For the record this joint has tons of vegetarian meat substitutes but I wasn’t able to try the mock bacon as it was unavailable.
I would return if I was in the area and my friend’s wanted to go. Not bad, just too plain for me.

I have been to several of their locations now and still do not really get the hype.
Always very busy meaning service is often lacking.
Such a huge menu means you can’t not get every menu item right, time to modify and cut back.
Prices are high for the quality and portion size you get making the value not really there.
I prefer the lunch over the breakfast items, but all of it needs some seasoning.
Ok, but not worth going out of your way for.

This place is pretty good. The location is cool located in La Mesa near other restaurants and shops. This place seems like it has a good following of regulars. I tried the Lobster Benedict with potatoes which was delicious. Will be coming back again to try other menu items.

Great place. Not super cheap, but not super expensive, though you get more than enough for what you pay. It’s clean, the staff is nice, and the food is good. It’s pretty consistently full of customers, too.
Look out for parking though, it’s pretty hotly contested.

This is a great healthy place to eat lunch. You do have to stand in line to get your food and pay the cashier. Sit down with your number. They will bring your food to you. The food is always delicious.

What a great find to find in La Mesa. Well Unilocal quick tips helped me picked this place to eat for breakfast before our 7 hour road trip back to Tucson. I had ordered the corn beef hash. It kept me full the whole day! The coffee bar was great, it seems to be the trend at most of the breakfast places we visited in La Mesa.
Over all the place was great, I would love to go back when we are back in the area.

I love Swami’s. I love breakfast food and Swami’s gets it right every time.
I’ve been here several times. for breakfast, for lunch, with friends, even with a large group. I’ve tried the North Park location as well and I have to say it’s never disappointed me. I get either the Chorizo Hash or the Tex Mex Benedict. They also have incredible acai bowls. The large size is huge and more than enough for 2 people.
All their dishes are affordable and the portions are generous. You wait in line, pay at the register, and your food is brought out to you. My only complaint is that the line to order can get pretty long, but that’s just a sign of how great this place is.
Honestly, brunch gets so overdone at trendy places with garden patios and fancy cocktails and flavored mimosas. If you’re looking for a place to «do brunch» with a group of 10 girls in sundresses, go somewhere else. If you want good food, good service, affordable prices and no pretentiousness, come here.

First time coming here.
I heard about this place but never really pajd attention to it. This Swami’s is locates in the beautiful downtown La Mesa. Parking is street parking and you pay on the meter. It’s surrounded by other places to eat to shop.
Got here around brunch time on a Sunday. It’s super busy. Line was long to go and order but didn’t take long. I suggest you check the menu and start thinking on what you want so you’re ready. They have different variety of choices from pancakes, waffles, french toast to omelettes, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, salads, seafood, veggie and etc. Different choices of juices, smoothies, coffee, ice or blended.
Like I said it gets busy so you have to keep an eye out on seating areas because you seat yourself. Once you’re seated they serve you your food.
I got the stuffed french toast with strawberries and cream cheese and a aide of french fries. I do love my french fries!
My bestfriend got the black bean egg breakfast burrito with that came with diced potatoes.
My french toast tasted really good. It may not look a lot on the plate but it gets you real full quick. Oh and I got a kona mocha blended coffee (not picture) it was okay. Tasted any regular mocha drink.
But this place felt homey. I love brunch places like these. It’s décor defines it’s own way notbing you can find anywhere.

This is definitely the best place for breakfast/​lunch in the village if you want a good selection and healthier choices. Obviously for burgers or a nice patio style dinner– go elsewhere.
I love their breakfasts. They serve an amazing omelette, always perfectly cooked and full of fresh ingredients. Lunch wraps are huge and they have a ton of veggie and vegan options. Their fresh juices, smoothies and shakes are great for on the go as well.
They have a solid but few good beers on tap, and lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Super kid/​family friendly. Out of all the Swamis locations, this is by far my favorite.
Get yourself a nice breakfast or lunch and the. Cruise down the Blvd. for great consignment clothing shopping or a photo op in the steam engine train on Spring street.

The gluten free selection isn’t very extensive at this location compared to the one in North Park, but I’m happy to say my go-​to favorite dish here is always consistent across the board. They have the best Acai bowl, complete with coconut, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and bee pollen!
It’s not much of a looker from the street, but the inside is pretty spacious with pretty murals on the walls.

Went to Swami’s the first time for Sunday brunch. It was really crowded, and the line was really long when we came in, but it dissipates rather quickly, so kudos for the counter staffs for taking order quickly.
For the food, we ordered Acai bowl and Banana Pecan pancake. The Acai bowl is huge! It should be a portion for two people (in fact, two spoons are served with the bowl lol). It comes with berries, bee pollen, coconut flakes, and granola on a big muddle of acai smoothie.
The banana pecan pancake comes in two with a side of bacon and egg.
The pancake is soft, flavorful, and not too sweet. Personally as much as I love the smoothie, I would probably order the pancake next time because it’s super delicious! It probably rivals the pancakes from Snooze (but there is no flights here).
Will probably be back to try some other of their breakfast/​brunch menu.

When you walk into Swami’s, there’s coffee and water on the right. Keep going straight and order at the front counter. The line goes pretty fast and there’s always tables available.
TIP: It gets busy so people if you don’t have your food yet do not sit down. Allow the people who’s ordered and waiting for their food to have preference. I haven’t seen a problem but that’s courtesy to others just in case.
Food:
Pastrami Melt with Russian Sauce
Soy Chorizo Omlette with fruits
Lots of tables and there’s also seating outside on the patio.
A hot spot for breakfast.

⁰²⁵⁄₁₀₀ — 2016 Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE.
I recently started a new job in the area and my co-​workers decided to take me out for lunch. Apparently Swami’s Café is a pretty popular place (which proved to be true because the line went to the door by the time we got to order!) so we went here. I want to start off by saying that their menu is ridiculous.
Like, genuinely RIDICULOUS.
They’ve got a menu that has 3 – 4 pages, a board menu that has items the hand menu does not have, and then another board on another wall that has food/​drinks the other two areas don’t. I’ve never been to a restaurant that had that many options before, so this was really confusing and kind of nerve wracking! I had absolutely no idea what to order or where to even start. Do I want a sandwich? Or a wrap? Or burgers? What about a salad? Or curry? Or tacos???
I decided to go with the chicken quesadilla because I really don’t know what to go for and, well, I didn’t want anything too heavy lol. The chicken quesadilla seemed like a great idea. We ordered our food, got our drinks, and then found a place to sit. The restaurant is pretty clean, has tons of indoor seating and some outdoor, and the staff is very helpful and incredibly polite. Great service!
My issue, though, was with the food.
People had been telling me all morning how it was awesome and delicious and so, so good. So in my head I was thinking it was gonna be the next big thing, right after sliced bread. The food got to us in a timely manner and it looked great!
I want to start off and say that the food was NOT bad. It wasn’t amazing either. The chicken quesadilla was average and sadly underwhelming. I loved what they had put into it, but my side (fries) were very oily as was my quesadilla. It was a lot greasier than I had imagined. I couldn’t finish my meal because of that. :(
Other reviews seem to show that getting breakfast food is a better idea. If I eat here again, I will try out the pancakes or something breakfast menu related.

Yum, yum and YUM! I love this place for breakfast. I normally hate breakfast but I had the croissant breakfast sandwich and my cousin had the lobster eggs Benedict and it was seriously so good! I normally wouldn’t think lobster and eggs in the same dish but they make it just right and not too fishy although it was heavy… I didn’t eat until the next day haha!
The food came out pretty fast too for being so busy, so no crazy waiting time.
I will definitely be back!

3.5 stars
I don’t remember how we ended up here, honestly. I have vague memories of being in the area, and being hungry. How we got here, specifically, though… that’s beyond my ken.
I do know that the first place we stopped for brunch was crazy busy, and the line quickly drove us away. I’m sure the food was amazing, but neither of us wanted to wait in a line that wrapped around the interior of the restaurant, so off we went.
The line at Swami’s wasn’t terrible, but it was pretty long, too. They have the specials on a board by the first wall you hit, and then everything on their menu on a chalkboard above the register, but you don’t actually see a menu until you notice the person in front of you with one, or until you walk up to the front to grab one. Plus, they have additional specials that aren’t listed up front on another board to the left of the register!
It was this menu board that caught my attention. I had already decided on one item, when I looked up and saw «Cheddar bacon pancakes, served with eggs and bacon». SOLD!
The guy working the register was friendly, but not really forthcoming with the information. Having never been, we didn’t realize that the regular coffee was a serve-​yourself kind of set-​up, so when my husband ordered it with his meal (the chorizo feta hash), we didn’t know to grab it before finding a table.
And oh, the tables. The place was busy, so we had expected to have to wander a bit before finding somewhere to eat, which we did. What I hadn’t expected was to see tables and booths large and small taken over by people who were «holding» a table for their group while others were waiting in line to order. Most places won’t let you do that, and for good reason. You’re blocking a perfectly good dining space for those who already have an order in, while those who are actually waiting for food are left with nowhere to sit. Kind of frustrating.
In the end, we had to grab a dirty table outside, which was even more frustrating because it was approximately 9000 degrees outside, and there wasn’t much shade.
The food took its time getting to us, which did nothing to improve my mood, but at least it was tasty and filling. The guy who brought the food was friendly and offered to get us everything from more napkins to a more full bottle of syrup. The girl who brought my iced coffee wasn’t as accommodating — my husband asked about the regular coffee, and she was all, «Oh, WE don’t get that for you, didn’t you know?» Clearly not — he’s not asking for his health.
Anyway — the food was good, as I said. I liked the pancakes, though they were super filling. Their bacon is tasty and was served crispy, as I like it. The eggs were… well, scrambled eggs. Can’t really go wrong there.
My husband did love his breakfast, as well. It sounds strange — chorizo and feta?! — but he said it was delicious. The potatoes were country fries, so a larger cut than he would have liked, but he was able to look past it. Oh, and the coffee? He thinks that the soy was going bad, because it looked funky once it was in his cup.
At any rate, food was decent, wait was a bit much, and the table situation was out of control. I doubt we’ll go back, given all that and the location.

A must try place if you’re in the area!
Food: everything here is basically delicious. They believe in fresh healthy meals, and so with every breakfast meal you’ll have the option to get fruits or something healthy on the side. Eggs benedict here are good, but not the best in SD. I’ve tried a lot of their breakfast, lunch and dinner plates and I guarantee you, it’s delicious and bang for your buck especially if you’re trying to eat healthy. French fries are a must! Portions are huge, so expect to get a togo box. I appreciate how you can tell how much heart is put into each meal by its presentation and flavors, so thumbs up to the chefs!
Drinks: chai latte here is my favorite! They have self served coffee, so you’ll have to purchase the cup at the front. Fruit smoothies are fulfilling and tasty, and of course fresh and healthy, loveeee them! A lot of people leave with a smoothie in their hand, so I’d highly recommend it! Acai bowls here are massive, and enough for 2 people. Of course it’s bomb dot com too. $ 4 for beers are decent, cheaper than other places. Mimosas here could improve, i don’t know what it was but I had a dark orange residue in my glass and it didn’t look appetizing. I’ll have to try it again next time. They do serve wine here, so pinkys up!
Service: if you’re going for breakfast, you go up and self order at the front and they’ll give you a number and it’ll be delivered to your. Menus are placed next to the cashier/​bathrooms. I do suggest them to put it near the front door so people can look while they’re waiting in line instead of holding up the line at the cashier. It’s different for dinner because you’ll be seated by a hostess. Service is efficient, and productive. It does get very hectic during peak hours, so you’ll have to flag them down but overall the workers are friendly and want to make your experience the best and accommodating.
The waiters and hostess during lunch and dinner are awesome! Had a small convo with one of them about Dolphins!
Overall, I love Swamis. It’s always my default place to go if I’m indecisive because there are plentiful selections from wraps, french toast, burgers, pasta, salads or seafood. Every time I’ve gone here, the food never disappoints, service is attentive and trying new foods is never a risk here because everything tastes amazing!

I’ve probably walked past this café a hundred times and never stopped in before today. They employ a familiar ordering strategy; you place your order at the counter. There are menu boards above the counter and actual menus in a cubby to the left. Once you order you pay and are given a number that you place on your table and your food is brought out to you once it’s freshly prepared.
The service was friendly and efficient. Our order came out pretty quick. My son had ordered apple juice and ended up not liking it. It turned out to be a fresh squeezed one and it wasn’t cold. I took it back to the counter and asked if I could exchange it for an ice water. The gentleman was nice enough to bring him the ice water and a tree top apple juice instead.
I ordered the spinach omelette with the side of potatoes and wheat toast. This was one of the best spinach omelettes I’ve had. The spinach was very fresh and not at all over cooked. It also came with tomatoes and feta cheese. The feta cheese was perfectly melted. As I’m writing this, I’m starting to crave another one! Somehow I managed to finish the entire omelette along with the potatoes, the toast, and the watermelon that came with it. I must have a tapeworm or something.
There’s lots of seating here, tables and booths galore. My son is a fan of their open wifi. Yes, it’s downtown La Mesa, so you’re going to be parking on the street and walking. Keep in mind that it’s La Mesa, so you won’t be walking that far. There is an interesting liquor and craft beer store nearby that you can stroll afterwards :-).