Dorn's Breakers Cafe - Morro Bay, California

Shreyash P.

The omellete with Portuguese sausage was good, fresh veggies. Service was good. Fresh squeezed orange juice was good.

By far the best thing I had was the buttermilk pancakes. Soft, buttery, delicious. Highly recommend.

Views of the bay made the already great breakfast even better.

Maria H.

We visited Dorn's Café for breakfast and had a mixed experience, though overall it was positive!

First Visit:
We were seated right away, which was a great start. The service stood out as exceptional—every employee, from bussers to servers to runners, was incredibly attentive. Dirty plates, empty glasses, or unattended tables simply didn’t exist. Everyone worked together seamlessly, which created a welcoming and efficient atmosphere.

The food itself was good, with massive portions. However, the pancakes didn’t live up to the hype. They were advertised as an “80-year-old recipe,” but they had a grainy texture and weren’t sweet or enjoyable. Everything else we ordered, though, was satisfying.

Second Visit:
We loved the service so much on our first visit that we came back the next morning. The food was again decent, but unfortunately, the service wasn’t as stellar this time, likely due to having a different server.

As for the food, the Denver omelet my partner ordered was disappointing—the green bell peppers were undercooked and still raw, which threw off the dish. I stuck to a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, country potatoes, and sourdough toast. While the bacon was fantastic—thick, flavorful, and generously portioned—the country potatoes weren’t as great as I’d hoped. I wish I had tried the hashbrowns instead.

Final Thoughts:
Despite some inconsistencies, we’d still recommend Dorn’s Café for a visit to Morro Bay. The service (on the first visit) was top-notch, and most of the food was enjoyable. Just be mindful of specific dishes like the pancakes or the Denver omelet, and if you’re in the mood for potatoes, maybe go for the hashbrowns!

Evan W.

Best restaurant in Morro Bay. Classy but not snooty. The prices are decent as well. For pet owners, they are dog friendly on the outdoor patio, which gives you an amazing view of Morro bay. The fresh bread and clam chowder are stellar. My wife got eggs Benedict and said it was one of the best brunches she’s ever had. If your in Morro you must try this place, it has earned it’s reputation.

Brian C.

Experience was great! Seating was full so we sat at the bar. Which I prefer. The conversations with people are part of that great experience. Bar tender very good and some strong drinks, we like very much. We had the oyster on the half and the swordfish. Best swordfish I have ever had. Definitely a must go to place.

Mary S.

Went with friends, shared the fried zucchini appetizer, which was amazing. I had a lovely pasta dish, my husband enjoyed jambalaya which was very good. Our friends enjoyed crusted halibut and one had the red chowder with shrimp appetizer. Everything was very good and the bread was fresh out of oven. One of them had the mousse for dessert. Good food and good friends.

rodvac

Great food here last night! Started with a cup of chowder and we all enjoyed it. I had the steak which was super tender! The halibut was a little tough but ok. Scallops also great. Tried a couple of bottles of the local rose which was also fine!
Sat at a window seat with a view of the water.
Would not hesitate come back here again!

Judy R.

This restaurant was established in 1942 and there were a lot of pictures with famous people that visited (Bob Hope, presidents, etc). Also a great view of Morro Rock. Be prepared for omelettes overstuffed with your choice of filling, the fresh squeezed orange juice, perfect pancakes, lean corned beef hash, fresh squeezed OJ, and if you pick muffins as a side they give you TWO!!! Our beautiful waitress Elly gave us awesome service and the ambiance was very cozy and comfortable. So impressed with this place.
Be sure to park on the upper level unless you don’t mind climbing stairs on the lower level. Our group of 6 loved all our meals but we definitely could’ve shared a dish. This will definitely be a place to return to. Highly recommend flurry scramble, omelettes, pancakes, and homemade muffins. All our dishes came with fresh homemade salsa.

R M.

Lived in central coast 10 years and this was our first dining experience at Dorn’s. Recommended by a biking friend we had high expectations and were not disappointed. Celebrating a family birthday, we started out with drinks and appetizers. The raw oysters were excellent, fresh, good sized and properly chilled. Our server Kathy was prompt and friendly. The main courses were also excellent (one previous reviewer noted the Halibut was dry, but that was not the case with our Halibut orders - my brother had the lightly breaded Halibut special of the day and I had the traditional halibut broiled with spicy rub. The fish was fresh, tender, flaky with great flavor. Nicely sautéd string beans and mushrooms (I skipped the rice/potato carbs, but brother liked them). I opted for Caesar salad with anchovies which was crisp and perfectly balanced with homemade dressing. Wife had a seafood salad with large fresh avocado. She loved it and had leftovers for tomorrow. One desert worth mentioning is the Mixed fruit cobbler - blue berries, black berries & strawberries covered in a unique homemade crust that looks like crushed tater-tots. Unique and very tasty. A killer view of sunset over the water with the Morro Rock off to the side. Doesn’t get any better than this. Sure, a little pricey but worth every cent. Great service, nice “old school” ambiance and great seafood.