City Center Cafe — Restaurant in Comanche

We eat out at this restaurant about 1-2 times a month. We started eating here when we moved to Early in late 2021. When we first started, there was a waitress who was very quick, attentive in knowing how to read customer needs, friendly and knew the menu well. We haven’t seen her in the last month, but it could just be timing of her schedule. It seems like she used to be there all the time though. The others that have waited on us are great, but not as good as she is. We have had one new trainee that made a minor mistake, which wasn’t corrected before we finished paying. We could have waited but fresh fried okra was taking to long. It was fine though, we completely understand. In today’s times, it is extremely hard for restaurants to get and keep good help. Our food quality, temperature and taste has always been good and at the level one should expect from a restaurant similar to this. The variety of the food is also great. I wish they had more choices in vegetables and offered a vegetable plate option of five veggies like Cotton Patch in Brownwood, but we mainly go during breakfast times so I can get a blueberry pancake because they are the only restaurant close to Early that actually puts blueberries in the mix of the pancakes. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for the cashier to realize someone is standing at the desk ready to pay. It’s ok though, because we see this person is multitasking and either working in the office on other when in between or she’s taking care of another customer’s needs at their table. Currently with the job market like it is and their being a shortage of staff available to work these jobs or a lack of desire for people to actually get a job, almost every restaurant we have been to is suffering due to their inability to hire good help or any help for that matter. Therefore, I feel people leaving these reviews and dining in restaurants should use a bit more grace and patience in their words and expectations. If the food is cold, ask for it to be heated up. It could be the cook who is responsible and not the waitress. Tell the restaurant/waitress directly what you feel is inadequate or your needs from them so they can make improvements. We unfortunately tried to dine at City Center twice in this last week and did not know they temporarily had to change their hours to close on Wednesday’s and to close early at 4PM weekly due to staff shortages. This could be cooks as well as waitstaff. We want our local restaurant to stay open, so we will continue to support them by frequenting...

This location has been a restaurant for a tiny few years. It tried to be a bar but the community didn’t want a bar. The last time I was in there they were so painfully slow I left without ordering. It’s obviously a monopoly if you want a full breakfast served to your table. There is no other breakfast in town that is not fast food. When I walk in and find 10 tables already seated and one poor server trying to wait on all those people and run the register I know I’m at defeat. I didn’t wait around to find out how long it takes to get breakfast on the able.

Under the previous brand lunch was painfully slow too. The food was neither remarkable or bad but the place has a well earned reputation for not enough table servers for the people wanting to eat with them. I wouldn’t want to guess what it’s like when district court convenes or the local ranching family has their fall sale of animals. I wouldn’t want to see the first day of deer hunting season. The farmer’s and ranchers and merchants come together in every small town to solve all the world’s problems at the cafe every day. With the speed at which this place goes they’ll have time to solve the problems for 3-4 counties surrounding them. Most of us have to solve the world’s problems and still be at work on time.

40 years ago there were seven groceries competing and several cafes running a full menu. One has to be a little crazy and willing to work around the clock to be successful operating a cafe. The community increased in population 10% in the last census cycle but the ability to get something to eat has all but rotted completely away. The only new businesses I can find down there some way or another point toward alcohol. The country club just outside of town came out of the starting gate like a rocket ship in 1969, but by today the only thing left out there is golf and a short order grill.

Concerning this place if I want cooked to order breakfast I’m stuck with them. I offer criticism hoping they will see their errors and put some more staff on the floor. I have to believe that others’ are put off by their amazing speeds. I believe there’s plenty of business for a diner done right, or two, or three. One other brave soul has put in very elegant dining but they are not in he breakfast business. I can only hope that someone will put in more comfort food...blue collar dining because the people still live there and...

We had to make an emergency trip to Lubbock (driving), and we had been searching for somewhere to eat breakfast. This place did not show up when asking Google to search places open for breakfast. We saw it, quite by accident. It was barely 6:20 am, and we were just rolling along, we passed a light and I just happened to look over to my right and saw at least 25-30 vehicles I'm the street. I told my husband to turn up the next street and let's go see whats going on. HIDDEN GEM! The server was beyond Awesome. Seriously, they were understaffed and she was taking care of at least 25 or 39 customers by herself! She kept everyone's drinks full, was buzzing around like a busy bee, and all wi4u a huge smile. This beautiful lady enjoyed her job, and taking vare of people and it definitely showed! The food was delicious, hot, and plentiful. Portion sizes perfect. Hot coffee kept coming without asking, and she never complained once. We will most certainly make thus a stop on our next trip. This place need more marketing. It is...