Neighbarista — Restaurant in Santa Clarita

Dear Neighbarista,

I have been a loyal customer at your restaurant for quite some time and have generally enjoyed the food and atmosphere. However, my recent visit was deeply disappointing and upsetting. I feel compelled to share my experience not just due to the poor service, but because of what I perceived as discriminatory behavior.

On this visit, my mother and I were greeted promptly by a gentleman who seated us and ensured our table was clean. That initial interaction was positive. However, after being seated, we were only acknowledged once—by a woman serving coffee who asked if we would like a drink. I responded that we hadn’t even been asked yet, and she kindly offered us coffee, which we appreciated.

After that moment, no one followed up. Meanwhile, two other groups were seated after us, and both were promptly attended to. Their orders were taken and food served before our own order was even placed. When our assigned waitress finally approached us, she displayed a dismissive and unfriendly attitude. I ordered just a single club sandwich, and she remarked, “That should be fairly quick,” before walking off.

We waited more than 25 minutes without any update or service, while both groups that arrived after us received their full meals. When I politely asked another waitress if our food was almost ready, she returned shortly with a paper, defensively citing arrival times to insist we hadn’t been skipped. The exchange felt more like an argument than an effort to help.

Shortly after, our original waitress came back with a condescending and confrontational tone, speaking down to us in a way that felt not only disrespectful but prejudiced. It was so uncomfortable that I told her we would just pay for the coffee and leave. Rather than try to correct the situation or offer any apology, she simply brushed it off and walked away.

What’s even more disheartening is that when I asked to speak to the manager, the response felt dismissive. I was told the coffee was on the house and that they “hope” I give the restaurant another chance. Frankly, I’ve already given several chances, not only for myself, but for my family and others who have also sensed biased behavior during visits.

As a healthcare worker, I care for people of all races and backgrounds with the same level of dignity and compassion, no matter their skin color, status, or culture. To be treated so poorly in a public setting simply because of who we are is unacceptable and incredibly hurtful.

I’m not sharing this out of anger, but out of deep disappointment and a sincere hope for change. I urge your team to take this feedback seriously, review staff behavior, and commit to creating a space where all customers feel respected and welcome,...

I love kids because they have no filter. We brought our two boys here today and drove all the way from Whittier. So this is almost a two hour drive (must admit it was decent for a Sunday). Let me tell you it was worth the travel time and the cost of gas. The reactions of their faces when they brought and tried the food was truly priceless. My youngest son RARELY finished scrambled eggs and he finished every morsel of egg on his dish. The pancake was bigger than his head and he squeezed that thing in his tiny belly. I grew up with my mom making the best pancakes and these reminded of those. They truly were the best pancakes I've had outside of the house. I am glad my son let me sample them. We ordered the Lox and Bagel for my eldest and he was as happy as could be. There was not one gram of Lox left on his plate. My husband ordered a cup of coffee and house made Mexican hot chocolate creamer... oh it was so delicious. I debated ordering an iced coffee with that creamer to go... next time! The coffee and creamer paired perfectly. My crepe - the crispiness of the hash browns and bacon really complimented the soft fluffiness of the egg and crepe. The hollandaise sauce really made the entire dish memorable. It was without a doubt a wonderful breakfast crepe. My husband ordered corned beef hash and his potatoes combined with the corn beef hash were a match made in heaven. I have no idea what they do to their potatoes but I definitely need to up my potato game. They are the right balance of seasoning and texture. The entire meal was a treat. I could not have asked for a better breakfast experience for my entire family. The first thing the boys said when we got in the car was "Please bring us back... when are we coming back?" We promised them we would come back to visit. FYI we had to adjust the car seat straps for our eldest cause he ate so much. Thank you Neighbarista for making an enjoyable and memorable Sunday...

If you haven’t been to Neighbarista in Santa Clarita, I highly suggest you do. This iconic spot has been in SCV for nearly 2 decades and was previously Cathy’s Deli and Jerry’s Delicatessen. While the ownership has changed hands over the years, Chris and Kim who took over in 2019 haven’t looked back. Customers themselves over the years and natives to Santa Clarita, they knew they always loved the food and atmosphere. Back in the day, they sat and had late night dinners with Cathy. When they were offered to purchase in 2019 from the previous owner Eric, they couldn’t resist.

They knew that the locals loved the place, so their goal wasn’t to completely change everything, but rather enhance some of the menu items and keep the best dishes that everyone loves. Chris has been in the restaurant industry most of his life and grew up helping his parents run their restaurant in Studio City. Neighbarista was always destined for Chris and Kim.

People have been coming to Neighbarista for the amazing breakfast and lunch menu items such as pork belly, breakfast burritos, crepes, house made hollandaise, kolaches, sandwiches and cinnamon rolls just to name a few. You gotta try the pork belly!!!

Like with many restaurants in town our health crisis has impacted many small businesses, but Chris and Kim knew they couldn’t let the SCV community down and close their doors. They quickly shifted gears, made adjustments to follow all health regulations and everything they could to continue their service. They are both incredibly passionate about the Santa Clarita community, food and providing a great dine-in experience. From mouth-watering food to friendly experience, I know I will be eating at Neighbarista any day...