Pilot Light — Restaurant in California

I drove by this place plenty, today I decided to take the plunge. While I do not regret my decision to check this place out, I won't be doing that again.

This place feels more like a waiting area from a small town train station than a Restaurant. While not obvious upon entering, you are invited to go to counter and buy a ticket, I mean food. This place is the opposite of cozy, it was very chilly and very loud.

Most dishes are served on plastic plates, and cold drinks come in plastic cups that have seen better days. You will receive a cup and pump your coffee, with very limited condiments. Coffee was tasty.

There are plenty of choices on the menu for everyone. Young, old, vegetarian and even kids have a small area reserved for the usual comforts. The food is below average, especially if you dine frequently around Half Moon Bay's breakfast restaurants.

There is plenty of parking, and plenty of seating when we were there. Sunday brunch time. Prepare to wait, we ordered waffles, Rancheros, Grilled Cheese and Chilaquiles. We waited about 20 minutes for our buzzer to go off. We paid about $90...

They're just getting started here and the early results are huge IMHO. A major upgrade from the venerable Cafe Three-Zero that stood here for years--- and it couldn't be more different. PilotLight serves a very elevated breakfast (which is all we've tried, but we'll definitely be back for lunch) and some of the strongest, best house coffee I've ever had anywhere. Basic bacon / eggs / toast is a cut above with thick-sliced bacon fried crispy and griddle-toasted sourdough bread on the side. I'm not usually a frittata fan, but theirs is absolutely worth trying--- a healthy portion of vegetable-filled, fluffy eggs with a wonderful little gem salad. Both plates came with a generous bowl of crisply done home-fried potatoes with peppers and onions. And that coffee! Nice indoor setting is bright and airy, and of course the back patio has a front-row seat of the HMB airport taxiway and runway. Breakfast for two with all that goodness was about $45 before tip. Can't wait to come back -- this will be our main stop for breakfast or lunch...

Pros: Food was delicious. Also, it's next to the airplanes, so you can have a wonderful view of the Half Moon Bay "airport" and watch jets take off and land. Not pros, but not cons either: Flow of service. Instead of giving everything to you at once, they give you the drinks first, then they put you back into the queue (of potentially up to 25 people), and then they serve your food. I feel like this is a bit inefficient, as making the drinks individually and going up to the counter twice wastes some time that the staff could be catering to the customers. Also, the indoor space can get really crowded at breakfast/lunch hour. However, it isn't bad for a restaurant located in the middle of nowhere. Cons: Bees. The outdoor dining area is full of bees. The bees destroy my peace of mind when I'm eating. I wanted to get a better view of the airplanes, but the sheer number of bees surrounding me did not allow me to feel comfortable.

In conclusion, if you aren't afraid of bees, definitely come here for a mouthwatering...