Maries Cafe

I don’t think I’m allowed to post zero stars but be assured that I would if at all possible. What business doesn’t take debit or credit cards… That’s just insane. food was alright and

I’ve been going here for years. Original diner in NP… a hold over from the 50’s.
Typically I get the burgers. In the summer that usually means 2 – 3 am drunk food (since I live around the corner and it is easy to say 30^th and University to cab drivers). They used to be open 24hrs during the summer.
Shakes and Root Beer Floats RULE!

Wow So unimpressed with this place and not just because the food is TERRIBLE.
1. WAY OVERPRICED
2. Food is terrible
3. Terrible Service
I work right up the block and i had never eaten there before so i decided to give it a try. i ordered an omelet w sausage, vegetables, egg whites, And NO CHEESE!
well i picked it up and brought it back to my office and the grease from the food spilled all over the bag, then i opened it and the presentation was awful and there was cheese all over the potatoes. I took my first bite and was immediately turned off. i had about three bites before i decided just to throw it out. the whole bottom of the box was covered in oil.
So i called the Maries and i explained the situation and they did NOTHING. they said they would try to make it more flavorful next time and barely apologized. the omelet was $ 11.00 which is so ridiculous because you can get an amazing omelet at zanzibar for $ 8.00 and its a much nicer and respected spot.
I am so turned off.
I Will not be back
THEY DID NOT EVEN OFFER TO REDEEM THEMSELVES!

This place had a great reuben and the patty melt was delicious. Fries were perfectly seasoned and soft on the inside crunchy on the out. Our waiter Eric suprised us with a coloring book and crayons for the girls after they had asked for coloring pages. Great lunch spot woth and especially friendly staff.

Great classic diner food! Big burgers, delicious shakes and friendly staff. Made for a great place to have lunch with my wife two month old baby and mother in law. Thank you!

Food was ok. Nothing out of this world. Service ok, pleasant. Cash only, so keep plastic at home, luckily we had enough cash for bill & tip. Best thing about this dinner? It was near many other potential places to explore next time we’re in the area.

The owners are so awesome and this place is straight from the 30s. They might be the oldest diner in San Diego. I life everything about it and the north park feel. It’s family operated and I hope it stays like this forever. Such good good service and drinks.

Service was good enough… But one in our party had the beef french dip sandwich at 9−10pm (1/1/14)…and was violently ill the next day. He normally doesn’t get food poisoning. Puking hard, the runs, the works. There was no alcohol, no
other food consumed but that sandwich and onion rings.
Another in our group had the hamburger, which was pink in the middle. She ordered it as medium-​rare, and wasn’t ill. However, only got the burger because the item that she wanted on the menu was gone. Our server didn’t tell us it was, despite telling us every group before us wanted it, but it was out.

I’m convinced the only reason this place gets any more than 2 stars is because it’s being written of experiences under the influence. The place is greasy all around: food, tables, booths, on the menus. The one (and LAST) time I was there the cook was smoking! The food is mediocre at best, and the spot is a long-​shot of being «quirky.» Only suffer going to this place if you’ve had enough drinks to downplay the taste of the food and the experience.

Where can you grab a special of 2 eggs, 2 bacons, and 2 pancakes for $ 4.95 and a personal hug from Marie? Only at Marie’s Café! I love this place because I’m treated like family. Oh and they serve the best cold Malt Chocolate Milk shake on the planet!
Did I mention they have the best value?! I’m extremely fortunate to discover this little place in North Park, and it’s not overly crowded. If you looking for an awesome breakfast and great value then please check out Marie’s Café. Don’t be surprise if you get a personal hug from Marie herself. She is so sweet!

After being in North Park for a year I finally tried this place. It’s a greasy spoon diner but it’s not greasy. It’s good. And hella cheap.
If it had more street presence, did away with their ’50’s theme and stayed open late… they’d probably bring in a lot more customers. North Parkers need more places to eat after the bars close. But it’s definitely perfect hangover food.
Portions are huge. I had an omelet and hash brown combo that took up an entire basketball sized plate. Leftovers for daaaaays.

Walking in I expected to hear a grouchy short order chef yell out «Vera, you dingy!» Instead, I was greeted not once, but twice with an extremely warm and inviting «Hi Honey!» I think I found my new divey, hole in the wall eatery. Nursing a hangover from my exploits in North Park the night before, my early afternoon visit provided me with a quiet, empty place to pray for my head to stop pounding and a chance to eat my meal in peace. With a floor plan that would guarantee Robert Irvine employ his prowess with a sledge hammer, boasting a counter section almost completely closed off from the rest of the diner. The kitschy décor and the cast of characters strolling in and out of the restaurant, sometimes behind the counter to get their own coffee, made this glorious dive feel like home.
I have to admit, the prices were a little steep, but the experience was well worth it. My North Park Burger with bacon, avocodo and cheddar came with all the fixin’s serving its intended hangover relieving purpose. [Almost] Cooked to order– I like mine medium. This one was just a bit over– and perfectly seasoned. The fries were super crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Not my favorite kind of fry, but damn good for those that like a bit of crunch.
If you are hoesick, hungover and in need of some comfort (food or just plain old parental soothing) this is the place for you.

Food prices that stay good as North Park changes around it.
A diner that stays a diner.

I am really not sure how this place is rated so highly. I usually try to give a place two to three times before reaching a decision, but I cannot justify ever going back here.
It’s a little before eight in the evening. Spotting Marie’s, my companion and I take a look. The hours of operation are crudely scratched off — on both doors. The place is completely empty. We walk in, and I ask what time they close, since obviously the hours are not visible. «Whatever time I decide to close.» Is the only short answer I get.
We take a seat and order our drinks, and the waitress comes back and tells me they’re out of cocoa. Coffee it is. As I reach for the cream, I notice something in the bowl: a bit of scrambled egg. Probably from someone’s breakfast that morning, and they hadn’t bothered to clean it out.
I try to order cheesecake. Wouldn’t you know, they’re out of that, too? I order apple pie, and that is a mistake. The bottom of the crust, as well as the edges, are burnt. However, the inside of the pie has raw dough in it, making most of it inedible.
After seeing our waitress falling asleep in a booth in the back, I excuse myself to the restroom, which is in even more shabby shape than the rest of the place. I hesitate using it when I realise that they have watered down soap. Yes, I do mean that they ran out of soap, and filled the Dial soap container with water to compensate.
Apparently, this is a cash only café. For a business that’s right in the heart of North Park, I would expect that there are quite a few people who don’t carry cash on them. This policy is not clearly stated upon entering, and certainly put me in an awkward position.
I will not be returning to this establishment, and hope they find a way to correct the problems there before losing more business.

Two stars for the service. Our waitress was fast, friendly, and thorough. However, for as much as we paid, we got pretty mediocre food. I got eggs Benedict and was actually pretty disappointed. One egg was cooked perfectly, but the other was cooked all the way through. Really, poached eggs are not difficult, and it was not busy in there. We were one of about four or five tables. My friend’s burger was equally mediocre, which was made even worse by the waitress bragging that Marie’s had «the best burger in town.» After trying it, that’s a very lofty claim, and one that holds zero weight. We won’t be back.

I love this place. It’s the quintessential diner right in the middle of North Park. It’s my «Seinfeld» spot =)
Hard to go wrong with just about anything on the menu, although the steak and eggs were… well, what did I expect?
Cash only, but there are about 800 ATMs within one block.
Open late so you can get a cup of coffee and pancakes after a night out in NP.
Super cool owner too. She gave my dog bacon when I stopped by to pick up a take out order tonight =)

Delish greasy spoon diner, without the greasy spoon. Also Excellent service. The Cinnamon French Toast was very yummy on a very rough morning.
***They are CASH only***

Way too expensive for what it is. Burgers are okay ($ 9.45), but to charge me .50 for a side of mayonnaise (and don’t bother to tell us this when we ordered it)?? The American cheese was greasy and tasted like vegetable oil. Shakes are $ 4.95…good, but again, too expensive. BBQ sauce was congealed, sodas ($ 2.39) were flat and fries were mediocre.
When we told the waitress the sodas were flat, she did not offer a refund or something else to drink. Just said she would «let them know». NOT RECOMMENDED AND WILL NOT RETURN.

Friday late night walking around University looking for different bars that we could go to, instead ending up at this café? How and why? We were craving food, even though we weren’t hungry, it must have been the drunk munchies. What ever, we saw this place and they closed at 3am, so we’re like why not. It was empty, we got there at 12:30ish, people are probably still in the bars getting drunk.
The guy was like don’t let the emptiness of this place fool you! And good thing because it was really good for a late night place. I got the pastrami sandwich with fries. The pastrami was really good! Probably one of the better ones that I’ve tried! And I definitely wasn’t drunk, so I can tell it was good! The fries were really crunchy and fresh. Fresh?! at 12:30ish am? YES, fresh! It was delicious. I love their fries. It wasn’t badly priced either. Would definitely come back if I’m in the area and need a place to go to after a night drinking out.

:-|
AUTHENTIC GREASY SPOON DINER… FOR REALS!
Though don’t think your eating cheap.
2 adults, 2 children (under 6) and our bill came out to almost $ 50.
What did we order?
1 chicken fried steak breakfast: Chicken fried Steak and biscuits drowned in gravy… (to late to resuscitate, though the chicken fried steak survived.)
1 country breakfast: 2 eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast, and real sausage. (real bland that is.)
1 elvis breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes (split to share for the kids.)
We also ordered 2 coffees and 2 small orange juices.
The bill came out to about $ 40… and we tipped $ 8. YIKES.
(service was good and came with a smile.)
Though we liked the authentic diner feel, and the authentic greasy spoon… the gravy was OVER the top (literally covering everything), and the sausages were rather bland considering they too looked authentic.
Check out my pics, you’ll have to see it to believe it.
At almost $ 50, not sure if I’d be back with the kids…
3 woofs. just a-​Ok.