Morning Thunder Cafe — Restaurant in Chico

I stand by the bacon cheeseburger, wedges, and vanilla milkshakes. As a creature of habit I always order the same thing here and it’s all delicious. The ranch for the fries is also good and not some bottled junk full of soybean oil. And if it is, you wouldn’t be able to tell.

On the other hand the service is 50/50. The men are significantly better waiters than the women. The men are pleasant and to the point while the women tend to be phony and emotional. The difference between your emotions and your feelings is you showing them to everyone around you. Feel however you want but don’t put your emotions on display at your job. Especially when people are just trying to have a decent meal. I say this as a person who has been frequenting this establishment for years and I seldom see new faces working here.

Lastly the bathrooms are vile. If you can hold it, I recommend doing so. There’s no telling when the drains were last cleaned, but the smell is telling enough. Yes the bathrooms are also dated, but the level of cleanliness is the real issue. The lack of airflow and fresh air circulating is a major contributing factor.

The kids’s meals are meager and overpriced. Truly no match for any of the competing restaurants in the area. Most kids menus serve children 12 and under but not here. If you’re feeding an athlete/athletes especially if they’re in multiple sports then I suggest ordering from the regular menu.

Parking all depends on the time you arrive. The restaurant closes at 2 PM which is around the same time the junior high school across the street is let out for the day. This parking lot is a popular pick up destination for the kids. There are also several other businesses in this plaza and a few of the parking spaces are reserved exclusively for one of those businesses. Either arrive closer to the opening or closing time. Otherwise it is very likely you will have to write your name on a clipboard and wait to be called. The wait times can vary, but if you plan on dining with an elderly guest, you should know that the seating near the front entrance is extremely limited.

I recommend this place if you just want a good burger to go. The kids meals are like a snack tray. The bathrooms need some freshening up. Above all else the ladies need to leave their baggage at the door. Especially the older brunette. It’s been years and we all hear your gossip, fake enthusiasm, and overall poor attitude.

If you do go here be sure to read about the restaurant’s history. It’s entertaining to see how many time the name and ownership have changed over the years. Makes a person wonder what it will...

A vintage Chico diner beloved by Chicoans everywhere. For most people this is a most go to restaurant for that late afternoon brunch. Several of the old time staff here are familiar and friendly with all the locals, at it really showcases the families and community side that Chico has.

This is probably most loved for the nostalgic feeling it brings a lot of families over the quality of the food. Place is always bustling and filled with people throughout the morning and packed on weekends, but the staff is quick, attentive, and great at cleaning tables and opening and seats. The menu has unique and flavorful items named after local places at the atmosphere of the restaurant captures the vintage diner look, not by choice though. Some of the carpeting and walls could use an update, but I suppose some people like the old look it brings.

The pricing is pretty standard for a local diner, the coffee is average, but the true setback is the sides that come with meals. The fruit, potatoes, toast or whatever side dish a meal comes with is usually lacking or inconsistent. The hotcakes are amazing and the bacon delicious, but a few instances of some meals lacking remove a star.

Still an awesome historic spot to check in Chico; recommend giving it a try and checking out some of their weekly specials...

I went to this cafe based on other people's reviews. Where do I start, got there fairly early, not too many people inside. I was greeted by a pleasant young woman and asked to sit at the counter. She asked if I wanted something to drink and I ordered a coffee which arrived promptly along with a menu. I noticed that the cafe was well appointed and very clean the staff was friendly and personable. After perusing the menu I ordered the Mexican omelette, I hadn't had an omelette in many a moon. Now this is where I was let down, the omelette itself was made well but the toppings were too much. On top of the omelette was a half cup of Pace salsa and at least 4 ounces of sour cream, with that much salsa I had a pool of salsa liquid on my plate and there was way too much sour cream. Those 2 portion sizes were enough for 3 omelettes, which in turn cooled down my omelette and my breakfast experience. The potatoes were tasty yet I felt the meal was not hot enough (no steam rising from the just cooked meal), too bad the toppings killed my omelette. The service was fine, however this particular menu item was not. Perhaps I should have ordered a Denver omelette. My overall experience was okay but based on the food nothing...