Jacinto City Cafe — Restaurant in Jacinto City

Absolutely quaint - if it weren't so lively. Crowded for a reason, but lines rarely gather because regulars know what they want before they get there. The overly-generous steam table offerings might cause a noob like myself to stand and gawk for a moment, but the friendly staff is there to help guide us from indecision to instant gratification, bringing us tall drinks and baskets of homemade rolls and cornbread muffins before we can choose our main, starch, two veg, and salad, all for a meager $7.99. If you're hankering for a great homestyle burger and pile of hot fries, or a stack of their delicious buttermilk pancakes, there's an actual menu, but the juicy thick cuts of roast beef, the huge fried catfish fillet, chicken fried steak, or a hamburger steak big enough for 2-3 kept what could have been a very noisy experience to a appeased minimum as the staff glided between tables with refills and take out boxes. By the time I was out the door with the group of regs that brought me into their fold, completely satiated and holding 3/4 of my unfinished meal, I was part of the family. The tiny cafe has held reign since the 1950s, and I can certainly see why! Great people, great food, at great prices have groups driving in from downtown at lunchtime, an unheard of feat! I stood there among happy chatter and good-byes in the tight lot, wondering exactly what had just happened. I'd have thought it all a ridiculous dream if not for the pics taken of our group, and the heavily laden box in my hands. We didn't even make it to dessert but I'll be back with a plan to follow the mantra 'Life is short, have dessert first!', IF I can decide on which the list of succulent pies to try before the tantalizing aroma from the steam table hypnotizes me once again. Lord help me, I've found a tiny slice of heaven in old Market St in Jacinto City. If you blink, you'll miss it, and that my friend would be a crime...

I went on a Saturday morning and understandably the restaurant was pack and im sure this place has been around a while but It simply doesn't make since to have a waitress in different areas especially when they are so busy We arrived sat ourselves in a packed restaurant we waited a bit before our drink order was taken then the waitress brought 4 coffees and only 2 waters because they ran out of glasses She took our order and when food came out someone else brought food out, no silverware and our waitress was across room servicing another table when we noticed it was a while before they brought rest of our food and when the same person brought out the rest of our order I politely suggested that having our waitress in a different area when being so busy wasnt a great idea I told her we needed our toast, coffee refill, a waffle still not out, SILVERWARE, and after that she had an attitude bring our items requested, and suddenly our waitress appears back to our table to see if we needed anything So if you cant take constructive criticism, or advise without attitude, then ill make my recommendation in my review because my food was not hot by the time i got my silverware, the pancakes were not big as another customers states in another review and were o k but not great, bacon was hard and atmosphere would have been pleasant had the lady bringing out food not had an attitude and sour face when i suggested the the waitresses have tables in the same area as so they could observe what a table might need. I was visiting from out of town and my family who lives here in houston recommended this place and likes it, but i will be suggesting another restaurant on my next visit and will not be returning...

Experience was absolutely disgusting. Bad waitresses, bland food, and chefs have an attitude.

I was served coffee that tasted like burnt coffee grounds. I asked for a fresh pot and the coffee proceeded to be the same. Waitress was quite visibly upset that I was not satisfied with the coffee, but she refused to taste it to see if I was correct.

Then my breakfast came. I asked for over medium eggs and I was given an egg with the yolk popped and the other almost close to over hard. Hash browns were also RAW. My pancakes had visible RAW flour on it, I told the same waitress about it and apparently that’s how they come and I’m at fault for not ordering it to be thinner??? Excuse me? You don’t serve RAW FLOUR to anyone! I shouldn’t have to be ordering pancakes to be thinner, what an awful excuse.

Apparently the kitchen staff, according to my friend as he went to the restroom, overheard they were speaking of me about how I kept sending everything back. A Hispanic guy was talking a lot of mess, said some very vulgar words.

As I had reached the end of this terrible experience, I went up to the cashier to pay, who I assume is a manger or owner, and she questioned me about the pancakes that were removed from the ticket. I told her the pancakes had raw flour on it and she walked away to ask the waitress about what was going on. The lady came back very upset and now I almost didn’t want to pay anymore. I really shouldn’t have because I didn’t even enjoy anything.

This place desperately needs a health inspector to check on that kitchen and for ICE to...