Pine Cone Cafe

I really, really wanted to like this place more! We went here for breakfast and were immediately greeted with a smile. They brought over a highchair for our son– a very old one, but it had a tray for him, which was great. Then they gave crayons and a coloring book page, so he was happy!
The menu is a pretty big one, and we ordered biscuits and gravy, and pancakes. The food wasn’t long in coming out, and throughout the meal our coffees and waters were refilled promptly– I have zero complaints about the wonderful service. My disappointment is with the food. The gravy was made from bacon– an interesting twist that lends a completely different flavor to the typical biscuits and sausage gravy that I love. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. It was a strange taste and I think it would be nice to point out the difference in the menu. The biscuits were pretty dry, too, and so were my husband’s pancakes. He had a hard time cutting through them with his fork.
Despite the food, we loved the service, the location, and have heard great things about the lunch. We will be back (just not for breakfast) and hopefully will have an updated, better review!

This place is for breakfast fans and breakfast connoisseur’s like myself! I really love this place, its not too fancy but you can just relax and have some great homemade style food. Steak and eggs are so good; biscuits and gravy are really off the hook good. No joke, everything breakfast related is like no other breakfast diner. I haven’t tried the lunch entrees. Oh, the coffee is really amazing, I’m not even slightly exaggerating!

Great family diner. Affordable prices– paid $ 30 for breakfast for three including coffees and juice. Seating yourself is nice with a toddler who doesn’t like to wait. Waitresses are all attentive and hospitable. Feels like you’re at home with no need to dress up. Décor is probably the same since it opened, could use new high chairs… Made out of metal and looks like it belongs in an institution and not a diner (a bit creepy).

Great staff… great food… nothing fancy just good home style food… owner needs to smile more

Good old time diner. If you get Mandy or Becka will get good service. The owner has said maybe 3 words to me in my life even though I have been going here for 20+ years. And he is here almost every time I am there. My son loves the Taco salad very large and he is picky. My grandkids love coming here for the children’s breakfast good value. Prices are a little expensive but quality and quantity are more than fair.

It’s nothing to rave about but it’s in a convenient location for us. The staff is friendly enough and the food is ok. I would have thought for a local place the food would have been better. It’s nothing to want to run back to for breakfast. There are plenty of other places to choose from for that.

We came here for a party get-​together and it was overall OK..
They had a Great Reubin and a French dip that was tasty. They also had (in my opinion) the worse clam chowder I ever had — strongly fishy as opposed to hummm — clammy. :) NOTE — they did offer to replace it but I declined.
The service was efficient and fairly fast. Not a atmospheric place — more run down dinner that needs an update.

Hands down, the BEST Monte Cristo and Meatloaf ever!

I have been eating breakfast here for several years. I, and a group of friends, love the place. Food is good and service is outstanding. Mandie is our usual server. She knows us and our preferences. We all love her.
Marty

Everytime I eat here I ask myself why we went back. I had breakfast here a few weeks ago and it was again terrible. The gravy was bland and lumpy the biscuit was as dry as sand, the toast soggy, the eggs dry, the sausage overcooked, the chicken fried steak was hard, overall it was a complete disaster. The only good thing about the whole order was the milkshake and even it wasnt that good. It was grainy and tasted like fake sweetners. Honestly I won’t ever be going back here unless for some reason I am forced to do so. Drive a few more minutes into Tacoma and find somewhere else to eat.

We have been going to The Pine Cone for 15 years and we enjoy it very much. I love the big Chef salad. We go there at least once a month or we take out. The people there are warm and friendly, except for one that will go unmentioned, lol. They have a nice variety of regular food. Go there and enjoy a good meal.

Tried this yesterday morning cause we felt like we were going to UP station too much and wanted to try something different. What a MISTAKE! My girl and I both ordered ham n cheese omelets and we both blurted out «this tastes like a Hot Pocket». Just what you want your omelet to taste like. So Nasty. So bummed we tried this place. The bill adds up really quick also, pretty pricey for what you get. We will not be going back here. Gonna stick to UP Station from now on, now that’s a great breakfast place on the weekend!

Mushroom burger with grilled onions… very yummy. This is a popular neighborhood café. Crowed on a Sunday.

Cute little place with probably the most attentive and friendly staff I’ve ever seen. Pretty decent food and some AMAZING cherry cobbler. I won’t wait long to go here again.

This is great if you want to go back in time. Nothing special but your grandparents will love it.

Their breakfast is spectacular!!! I have had the taco omelette with pancakes and country fried potatoes which proved to be as delicious as it sounds. I’ve also had the corn beef hash with pancakes and eggs which hit the spot. The pancakes are ridiculously good and they made the corn beef hash nice and crispy instead of the mushy crap you get some restaurants. I definitely look forward to trying their lunch menu. The place is nice and quaint and has a great atmosphere!!!

No. No. No.
We’ve been here about 4 times. And every time we are in there we question «WHY???»
The only reason’s we come here are as follows.
1. We know someone who works there and she’s the best.
2. Its right up the street from our home.
Its not cute. Some of the staff is very friendly. My husband had a hair in his biscuits and gravy (dude, i get that it happens, but still.) And the bill adds up!
I think i’m officially done with this place.
SORRY Pine Cone! We tried!

My family has frequented Pine Cone Café for a few years now and we have always had decent experiences. It’s a small, «mom and pop» like restaurant with a decent variety of food. Prices are also not too bad for what you get.
The food is hit or miss, depending on the day. Sometimes it is delicious and perfect, but other times the dishes are off. My sister and I always order the broiled chicken breast with the teriyaki marinade and a side of fries. Generally, this is delicious. The chicken is flavorful and the fries are crispy. However, I have had a few experiences where the «teriyaki» was a weird color and the fries were crumbly (How that is possible? I do not know…) and we had to send it back to be remade. The dish comes with a side of (gross) green beans and a dinner roll. You also get a salad/​one trip salad bar and dessert with your meal. I like the bleu cheese dressing, which I believe they make themselves. For dessert you have the choice of tapioca pudding, apple cobbler, or ice cream. These are all just fine, but none are amazing.
My parents LOVE and always order coffee at Pine Cone. They say it is the best coffee they have had. I tried it recently and think it’s okay. My parents have been drinking coffee longer, so maybe they taste something I don’t.
Service is usually decent. Servers are friendly and fairly attentive, refilling drinks often. The building itself is pretty old and could probably use some updating, but it isn’t awful. They remain true to the name and have pine cones everywhere. It’s kind of cute!

The first couple times I went here I was in love!!! The CFS breakfast is DELICIOUS!!! Just recently I went and the service was terrible! I had to keep asking the bus boy for things and had to try and find my server because she forgot my son’s strawberries for his pancakes. Ugh it really was a bummer! Great price for food though! Just don’t count on great service

My friend bought me here. The prices are very reasonable and the food is pretty good!