Sparks Coffee Shop — Restaurant in Sparks

I travel a lot, and I've developed some "generalizations" over the years, one being that you can tell just how good the kitchen staff is by how well (or poorly) and consistently they do the trickier tasks - like cooking the perfect poached egg exactly as ordered. Sparks Coffee Shop is among the best I've found anywhere in the country - or the civilized world, for that matter.

And everything else I've seen come out of the kitchen has made me think, "I'll have to order that next time."

The wait staff is superb, and most impress me as being well able to hold their own in some of the finest white-tablecloth places. Fortunately, they've chosen to work here.

Only one negative, something which has been pointed out by other reviewers as well - the surcharge for using a debit or credit card. Most states have legislated that if you're going to do that, it must be disclosed, either at the entrance, at the register where it will be seen before you check out, or prominently displayed on the menu itself. It seems Nevada is a little vague on their understanding of "prominently." I never saw it.

Here's a thought, restaurant owners...I doubt any case study in a legitimate business school would applaud something that annoys (and can well drive away) your customers.

Good business practice would say you analyze your model, you know what your food costs are, you should be able to fairly easily determine what your credit and debit processing fees represent as a percentage. Then raise your menu prices to a point where those fees are covered. After all, those fees are a cost of doing business, just like the light bill and the detergent you use to wash the dishes.

Then, offer a discount to those who choose to pay with cash - and make it a prominently displayed offer. My eggs benedict menu price this morning was $14.99, to which 3.5% (52 cents) was added. If the menu price was raised to $15.99, it would still be more than competitively priced in the Reno/Sparks market and the processing cost would be covered.with some additional profit left over.

By the way, I also avoid buying gas at stations who charge a different price for credit/debit than they do for cash. ...

The owner of this place speaks fluent Food as their Love language and they are spreading the Love here in Sparks!! The food here is indescribably good. You must eat here. They take all of your Breakfast and Lunch favorites and put their extra touch to it. It's obvious somebody who loves feeding people delicious food designed this menu. Every dish I have tried has had a little extra flavor and texture to put it over the top. So far my favorites are every Hamburger they make, Carne asada Chiliquilles, Huevos Rancheros, Seafood Benedict, and the Blueberry French toast. The coffees are gourmet and made fresh and the prices are more than reasonable. The portions are large and the service is stellar. There is sometimes a wait because it's just so good. Parking can be tricky but they have extra spots in the back. If you want to be certain you will get a great meal for a good price come to Sparks and eat here. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this place. Oh, the art on the walls is very cool too.😎 This is my very favorite place to eat Breakfast/Lunch in all of...

I haven't been in this building since the late 90's. Back then it was called "Hot Rods". The owner then was trying to emulate the vibe of A&W, with burgers and dogs. While hosting weekly and sometimes daily car shows during the warm season. Sadly the fun only lasted a couple years.

Flash forward a decade or two this building was transformed into a super breakfast location. I've seen the crowd grow bigger since they opened. Even seeing folks waiting outside to get a seat.

Today was my first time in here since "Hot Rods". The decore is contemporary with a home feeling. Somewhere you could feel comfortable. I sat at the bar. Where there was a nice spread of different tequilas, a fridge with a variety of Mexican beers and an expresso machine. The staff was super nice and friendly.

I didn't have to wait even a minute for service. I ordered a Denver omelette. Within ten minutes it was placed in front of me, piping hot. My meal was super delicious. Although I was in a bit of a hurry, I ate slow to savor the flavor of every bite.

I...