Poached Neighborhood Kitchen — Restaurant in Downey

The point of this review is to provide constructive feedback:

I finally stopped by this place this morning while on my way back to OC. We got some pancakes, French toast, two sides of eggs, 4 slices of bacon and some coffee. The total came out to something like $70.

I do not mind dropping $70 on breakfast however, the price did NOT match the quality. I have had less expensive breakfast at finer dinning places here in Newport Beach. Now, this isn't a knock on the place but rather here's what I'd like to see for that price:

1. The eggs: The eggs were hard and dry, they could have been maybe whisked with a little bit of heavy creamer to achieve fluffiness and maintain moisture.

2. The presentation of the food: The strawberries were a nice touch but the extra mile, would have been to bring syrup in a pourable little syrup pitcher. The same goes with the cream for coffee. Instead, they were brought to me in plastic? For $15 per stack of 3 pancakes? and another $15 for 3 slices of French toast?

3. The French Toast: Very lackluster. Moist inside but the crust was obscenely dry. We had to cut through the edges with the same fervor of a dry T-bone steak. It was dry as heck.

4. Payment, Gratuity, and Service: I understand the efficiency of paying at the counter and paying up front, however.. why ask for the Tip ahead of time? A tip is a gauge of service and I can't gauge what is appropriate if I pay for my food ahead of time then go sit. I never really saw a server come by to ask how the food was or anything.

TL; DR - The price did not match the quality. I'll for sure come here again and try something else.... maybe I didn't get the...

Looking for a good breakfast place while visiting Downey Ca, I may have found one. This popular local spot uses fresh ingredients to create their dishes. The food is good, portions are generous and all are priced accordingly. The French Toast was very flavorful and the bread was cooked perfectly, unlike other establishments where the bread tends to be a bit firmer (hard) which, negatively impacts the overall taste of the dish. The Steak and Eggs were good but the steak did lack seasoning and flavor and tasted a bit bland. The inside dining area is spacious, clean and can accommodate large groups. Outdoor seating is available should you desire. The painted wall decor is colorful creating a soothing relaxed atmosphere. The operational efficiency on how customers are greeted, seated and served is very much customer service friendly. You’re initially met by a greeter who directs you to a QR code where you’re able to view the menu and order. You’re then directed to a cashier where you pay for the meal (In advance, tip optional) and are then seated. Within 8 short minutes your food arrives table side. This process does have one distinct advantage, which, is your food arrives much quicker than most. The draw back, it’s already paid for if you’re dissatisfied. The servers were friendly and very attentive. I would suggest you arrive early since, it can get very busy. With that, other than the steak missing the mark, overall, I believe you’ll enjoy your dining experience here and would recommend this...

The line was crazy long but surprisingly our party of three was sat in less than 25 mins. Turns out you order your food with the hostess/cashier before you sit at your table. The prices here are very fair for the quality and portions of food you receive. I got the classic breakfast and it was pretty good! One problem was I asked for over medium and my egg whites were undercooked. My hash browns came out like mashed potatoes (which is simply a personal pet peeve of mine with hash browns) so I wasn’t a fan, but my friend liked them a lot. The fruit was super fresh and my bacon was thick cut and cooked to perfection! The sangrias were really good! I asked the cashier if they did pitchers and they said no, they only sold by the glass. I was disappointed to find out later on from a server that they had some type of bottomless deal, I wish the cashier would have offered this as an option after telling me they don’t have pitchers. The dulce de leche coffee I got was phenomenal! My friend ordered a matcha coffee and she really enjoyed it. I wish they had other nondairy options besides oat milk, but at least they have something. My friend and her daughter enjoyed their food as well, which came included french toast. Servers and other workers were all incredibly nice and approachable. I love the yellow colors everywhere, the ambiance is laid back and inviting. We didn’t wait long at all to be seated, order, receive our food and pay the bill. I will definitely be back...