Tom Sawyer's Restaurant — Restaurant in Boca Raton

If it were not for my kiddo, I would not return. Because she has the pallet of a child, she wants to go back. I'm struggling to find something that tastes even close to good here.

I've determined so far that things with sauces or gravies are ridiculously awful. I'll try French toast next time she drags me there. You can't really mess that up.

First visit, the hollandaise sauce is from a packet or some kind of powder mix that lacks any flavor. It's not silky or delicious. I normally want extra, I scraped this off and sent it back with my unfinished eggs benedict. The florentine was made with frozen or canned spinach. It was just gross. Also tried the corned beef hash. I'll never understand why restaurants use canned corned beef hash. It's so easy and tasty when it's made from scratch. This, just like many restaurants, was a miss because it was canned and flavorless. Next visit, I tried country fried steak with sausage gravy. I've lived in the South since birth. I can say without a doubt I've never ever seen sausage gravy made with a cheap pork sausage still in its casing. It was not even breakfast sausage it was like the cheap sausages you get in a box at Aldi for dinner. The roux was not made with the sausage grease, and there were large chunks of flour that were not mixed in. I was shocked and couldn't eat this. I looked around, and the restaurant was busy. I couldn't understand how. I finally realized it's because this is a familiar generational restaurant that's been around for a long time. It's homey. It's cheap. The waitresses are very friendly and quick, and there isn't a wait. The food, at least from what I've gathered on my two visits, is NOT the reason people fill this dining room. Unless they have all not had a decent breakfast before, which isn't likely. I've never had breakfast as awful as here on more than one visit. The recipes could use some very serious tweeking.

For the record, my kiddo really likes the scrambled eggs and...

Notes: Coffee- excellent; Order for a burnt bacon if you want it crispy: 1/2 French Toast is still a humongous size for me. Support staff ( Claudio) - efficient

Update: Coming here often and twice I had Tina to serve us. She has a pleasant personality and always provide us with fast service. The support staff , Claudio (Latino guy) welcome us warmly and seated us . He is fast and efficient in doing his job. I thought it was entertaining to watch. He has a system in his work.

I tried the Mark Twain this time that came with 1/2 French Toast. It's good I ordered 1/2 because it's still a big serving size. Another great breakfast experience at Tom Sawyers.

Update: Before heading back to NY, we visited Tom Sawyer again. We made sure to come around 9am before the crowd. We had Tiffany for our server and she's terrific ( with sense of humor ) as well. They are busy and the staff still maintained to be friendly . We had Aunt Polly breakfast special and again the Tom Sawyer. Aunt Polly includes the cinnamon bun French toast that's awesome as well and my hubby likes it.

Initial review- Tom Sawyer is the in top of my list of favorite breakfast places in Boca. I really like the old log cabin look and feel which separates it from the rest of breakfast place in Boca Raton. Been here few times already whenever we are in town ( snow birds here but not for long ) . Lucky to have Renee as our server. She's efficient ( filling up our coffee mugs regularly) , accommodating and friendly. Clean up and front desk staff were excellent as well. Turnover was fast so don't worry when you see a bit of a line. Try to be there before 10am on a weekend. Check menu so your ready to order once seated.

What we ordered the last time:

Breakfast specials- Eggs with any meat of your choice with cinnamon croissant French toast Eggs with any meat of your choice with pancakes

Delicious!!!! Coffee...

Here's the thing...the French toast, which is their "thing " ....sucked. my omelette was amazing, but my partners French toast was bad, no flavor, no cinnamon, sugar, nothing. lacked stuffing for being "stuffed", was supposedly strawberry and crab cheese, was just two flavorless pieces of French toast with about 2oz brown creamy goop that tasted vaugley of strawberry quick and milk.

Service was hectic, but waitress was being extra attentive too "richer" looking customers, only saw her at our booth to take our order, and give us the check. They also do this weird sign in sheet, while the hostess walls around folding silverware... get your side work done early, and HOST. It's badly needed, as the sign in sheet is around the corner from the door, only locals know about it, so people were crowded, and understandably upset. And since no one is actually hosting, three is no one to ask wait times, corral the crowd, etc. So it's a cluster f**k at the front entrance too an already small venue.

They need to have a full time hostess during busy times (memorial day weekend!), wait staff needs to not treat people differently, and fix the French toast. Like I said though my food was good, big omelette, well seasoned potatoes, good sausage and English muffin.

Prices were low enough that is give then another chance if I'm in the area, maybe it was just a bad day, but until then my...