There's not a lot of breakfast place in Mira Mesa so despite of the "commercial" grade cooking of Mimi's...I still go here a lot! I like the revised menu - some of my fave are pain perdu, blt omelette and waffle! Love the ambiance and servers are very friendly! Not a very ideal place for meetings because there's no electrical outlet available (except for maybe 1 table) and no wifi :( I wish Mira Mesa would open an authentic mom n pop breakfast place but for now...I'm a frequent flyer here :)
(3)
Steve F.
I met up with some friends to get together, and when one of us got hungry, we decided to step in here for some dinner. It had been a very long while since I'd gone to Mimi's Cafe, but the food made me realize I should come here more often. We started with the Asian Sampler plate, which has glazed pork potstickers, spicy soy chicken tenders, and ginger coconut shrimp. While these were good, my friend and I loved the bed of sesame slaw that the appetizers were served with. My entree was the country fried steak dinner - this was definitely a huge portion of food (2 steaks!), and I brought some of it home for lunch the next day. Although, I wish I had more vegetables on my plate... Also, the carrot bread is to die for! But, on our bread plate, we only got one sourdough roll. Overall, we had a great time with good food and good service! Desptie this being a chain restaurant, at least having these two things made our evening fun.
(4)
Brinda J.
Just another Mimi's. You can't go wrong and you know you'll get what you expect.
(3)
Lisa L.
I am not a fan of the new Mimi's Cafe menu. There are a lot less choices and the salads don't come with a muffin anymore! Overall, the service was very slow (we got there at 5:15 on a Monday) but the waitress was nice. My daughter's french fries were the worst I've ever had - cold and soggy. My salmon was dry, but the lentil and spinach bed was really yummy. There were a few good things though too. The bread and bread basket was yummy. The corn dog bites were pretty good. My husband liked his turkey dinner. An OK experience, but it is not high on my go-to places anymore.
(2)
Leonard S.
Surprisingly good food for this "French" bistro themed establishment. The only thing french about the Le Club I ordered was the french fries but that's my fault for not being adventurous enough to go for something different. The cheeseburger my friend order looked amazing and according to him it was "excellent", although he often uses that term loosely. Will be back soon to try something else.
(3)
Patrick V.
I met a friend here for breakfast. One of the first things I lookout for when I go to a restaurant is how clean the table is before I sit down. The table was clean when we sat down and the table was not wet or sticky and I've gotta say that the servers were outstanding. They never ignored or forgot about us while we were there. I ordered an omelette which was cooked pretty well but it came with a blueberry muffin. I have nothing against blueberry muffins but this one was not fresh baked, it had that "Hi I'm a muffin that was mass produced in a factory and I've been sitting around for a day or so but dont worry, I have a lot of preservatives in me" look to it. The home fries were under-cooked. The coffee was second rate at best.
(3)
Erika D.
Great breakfast menu!
(5)
Irma J.
Fathers day at 7am very slow. Not busy, server was great. Meal was awful. After two tries I finally asked if the cook was angry. I decided not to give him/her a third try. It was just eggs. First batch was runny (I ordered medium). Second batch were harder than an Easter egg. Bummed! Happy Fathers Day!
(2)
Erika H.
Mimi's is under new ownership now and has totally gone downhill as a result. The bread is stale and cold, and they are way understaffed compared to how they were under the previous ownership. Now, I'll only go here if a friend wants to go.
(2)
Brett B.
Mimi's can deliver pretty decent food, but the quality seems dependent on location. This Mira Mesa area store is under par in comparison to other locations. Food and service could and should be better.
(2)
Paola R.
Their 3-course meal deal is pretty good, although they always run out of the desert that I want! The food itself is fine and the service is good, too. Mimi's is good, but it's nothing special.
(3)
Cindy D.
I hate the new menus. If it weren't for the old standby of a club sandwich I would have left. Won't be going back.
(1)
Heather L.
So I convinced my mom for our Sunday breakfast that we should go to Mimi's, but instead of driving to Mission Valley, we went to the one in Mira Mesa. I thought we were going to have to wait, but when we walked in, there really weren't a lot of people there. I don't know if it was the drizzle and "cold" weather, but I wondered if we had made a mistake or just missed the breakfast crowd. Anyway, we were seated... the two of us... at a huge booth. One of those booths that is in the shape of a half circle. My mom was rather annoyed because it was so big and she said that, but the host didn't really pay any attention, so we just had a seat. The decor is a little... confused. I say confused because it seems to have a French theme, but then there are Italian components. For example, on the wall there was a framed piece that said 'France', and then below was a sign that said 'Alla Trattoria', which I believe is 'to the restaurant'. And as you look around, you notice more and more of this confusing mix of French and Italian. Our waitress promptly came over to take our drink orders. The coffee was nice, the first round, but when someone else came by to top up my cup, it tasted burnt. Of course, while I looked at the other items on the menu, I knew I was going to get the Pumpkin Spice Pancakes because I was coveting them the day before. Mom was undecided and at one point decided on the Ham and Eggs. Then she asked me about the Corned Beef Hash. Knowing my mom and knowing how most places do corned beef hash, I told her that I didn't think she would like it. She decided she would get it anyway. Her dish comes with a muffin, so she had the Blueberry Muffin, which comes nice and warm with some butter to the table before the dish. Mom really liked the muffin, the same cannot be said for the Corned Beef Hash. Her main complaint was that there was not a lot of corned beef, just a lot of potatoes, not to mention that besides the eggs, you get a side of red skin potatoes. Fair point. I did try the hash though and thought it did taste good, but I agree on the potatoes issue. The red skin potatoes that were on the plate looked like they had been reheated. We also order our eggs over easy because we like the runny yolk and when we go to IHOP or Denny's we never have a problem with it, but here they didn't cook the egg whites all the way through. My pancakes on the other hand... delicious! I didn't even need the maple syrup because they were so rich and sweet! I loved them. And because they are made with pumpkin, they are nice and moist. Definitely the best part of the whole meal. I have a feeling if my mom asks where to go again, Mimi's will not be at the top of her list and I may opt out of eggs next time.
(2)
Jane T.
I Hate their new menu. Their breakfast portions are half the size of Broken Yolk. And for a French Cafe, you would think they would have more crepe, waffles, and pastry entrees for breakfast
(1)
Sherrie J.
Service-thumbs down, food-no flavor and I ordered the santa fe five alarm plate and I had to add tabasco for some heat. That is the reason for the rating. The one positive was the buttermilk spice muffin, hot and fresh.
I'm here about once a month for a recurring business meeting, and the food is reliably good, with exception for the muffins. These are consistently great! I've tried a few different things on the menu, including the protein breakfast, oatmeal breakfast and two egg breakfasts, and everything is usually pretty good. The service, as with any high-volume restaurant, can be hit or miss. The food is good, and everyone is always very friendly.
(3)
Lowell N.
The food, drink, and service are so-so but it's one of the few breakfast places near me so I went on occasion (maybe 1 or 2 times per year). This time they told me they don't allow dogs at their outdoor seating area, even though I've brought the dog every visit before. They suggested I leave the dog in the car, during this heat wave we're having!!! I walked out. Sorry Mimi's, our sordid relationship is over. For those of you who would tell me to leave the dog at home, let me kindly offer a pre-buttal of: shut up.
(1)
marg s.
Mimi's has always been good for cheap, reliable breakfast on the weekend. Having just left North Park for Scripps Ranch* I decided to try this depressing chain restaurant for the first time in over a decade. The food remains just fine for breakfast. Eggs are eggs, after all. I dared not order fancier fake-French things (like crepes stuffed with calories, or quiches stuff with god-knows-what). The service is painfully slow and personality-free. It should not take ten minutes to get a soda and fifteen minutes to order when there are only 4 tables with customers, and 2 waitresses (plus a hostess and two runners). I will continue to hunt for suburban replacements for my old go-tos, The Mission and Cafe on Park. *I'm not a rich hipster. My rent is cheap. My boyfriend is a Poway-working home-owner. He sleeps in and I go to brunch alone. It's a nice tradition.
(1)
Scott M.
If you go, allow for more time than you think you'd need for a meal. The service is bad here and has been bad for years. That being said, the french onion soup suits my taste, and is some of the best I've had. I'm not much of a bran fan, but the bran muffin is soaked with honey, and with butter is yummy. The menu has a wide variety of selections, with food mostly mediocre from my experience. Last visit prior to this one, I went for lunch with a friend, and after about 15 minutes I got up to tell the hostess we hadn't seen a waiter or waitress. This seems typical from my experience here. This time service for my wife and I was uncharacteristically fast. But true to form, the couple that was seated next to us, served by the same waiter, left after 10-15 minutes, because noone came to check in on them, or take their order. Seems management would benefit with some better methods of coordinating timing of waitstaff to the patrons seated by the Hostess, and perhaps some training. Since it is a consistent problem, it falls on management rather than the staff I'd think. How did I get to be a yelp regular here?
(2)
David H.
I usually only come to Mimi's once a year when I get the free birthday dinner when I bring a friend meal. Kind of a French flair. Kinda cute inside and out. Our waitress was really nice and attentive. Brought me a dessert for my birthday that I wasn't expecting. She was really sweet. Food is average. I love the carrot cake and french bread appetizers they give you. The french onion soup I love!
(4)
Kerra A.
This review is for the breakfast only. Went back and brought the whole fam bam to try their breakfast and I had a coupon for a FREE breakfast with a purchase of a breakfast. What we ordered: Berry French Toast Breakfast w/ two eggs sunny side up & 4 slices of bacon Verdict: 2 big slices of french toast with sweet cream cheese in between and topped with blueberries and strawberries were good. but not something i would order again. the eggs and bacon tasted just like they should. Buttermilk Pancake Full Breakfast w/ bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, turkey sausage and additional side of breakfast potatoes. Verdict: Hubby said the pancakes were better than IHOPS. made no sense in having turkey sausage but no turkey bacon. He also opted for the healthy choice egg alternative for his scrambled eggs. His meal was huge. Child Plate Eggs and Bacon w/ side of applesauce Verdict: sadly, my son gave his plate two big thumbs DOWN. He's a skinny 7 year old football player with a big mans appetite, and this child plate just wasnt satisfying to him at all. Everyone ended up giving portions of our breakfast because his plate didn't get him full. He was so upset he didn't even want me to take a picture of his plate for my yelp review. Child Plate Chocolate Chip Pancakes w/ side of banana Verdict: our oldest son said the pancakes tasted just like chocolate chip cookies and was able to get full off his breakfast. If you're used to getting breakfast at IHOP, Denny's or Keith's...you're in for a disappointing breakfast. CONS: -not very many syrup choices -child portions suck if you have kids that eat alot -all they have are orange crayons for the kids PROS: -our waitress Bonnie was very nice -our food came out pretty fast I think the kids would have liked the Lunch & Dinner menu better. Def not coming back for their breakfast.
(2)
Natalie F.
Everything here is pretty standard. I came here with some coworkers and honestly...I did not want to come here. As a yelper, I know you are pretty much wasting time coming to a chain place (UNLESS it is In N Out. That place is magical) when you're in a city with way better things. Yes, this place is not even close to trying to be that great, but it exceeded my very low expectations. The server was nice (but kind of slow it seemed) and the food is alright. I would not come back here not because it's bad, but because it's just alright, and the prices are decent (Actually, I wouldn't pay for this. I work for UCSD so they paid it since it was a work function. Sorry, UCSD-ers, this is where your fees go). The decor is kind of like a house, which apparently is a thing for Mimi's. I don't know because I have never been to one nor heard of them before a few days ago. Some people seem to get pretty excited about this place, like families and whatnot, but I turn my snobby Yelp nose up at that and say...go somewhere else. Don't waste your time here when you are in San Diego and could be somewhere way better and way more unique.
(2)
Cindy W.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner menu all at the same time?!!!! Mimi's doesn't have the best food but it's decent. The prices are very reasonable for what you get. I love the fresh carrot bread they serve complimentary! My friend decided to "be a man" and chop his own firewood. The axe didn't work so it was off to the chainsaw. After about an hour and a half of chopping he was starving and since we were in the area we went to Mimi's. We had the blueberry french toast. For $6.99 it comes with 2 french toast pieces, fresh blueberries and blueberry yogurt on top, 2 eggs, either bacon or sausage and a small cup of juice. I had the Ciabatta breakfast sandwich with spinach, egg, tomato, and of course bacon! The spread on the bread was pretty darn good. It comes with potatoes that were overly cooked in oil. For $7.99 it's ok of a deal. Service: I guess it depends on who your waiter/waitress is. Here's a good deal thou mimiscafe.com/summerrend…
(3)
Amanda E.
My dad is addicted to this place, he lives in Houston and the closest Mimi's is about an hour from him. Needless to say he HAS to go here every time he visits me, since I live about a block away. The food is good. The champagne flight with 3 diff juices is amazeballs and I love this Turkey ciabatta (sp?) sandwich and their corn chowder soup! They do recognize me there - even though I don't go very often but I took away a star because even though they recognize me, the lady only did so because she kept mentioning how tired I looked! Both times! Thanks - I have a newborn, should I look any thing but? I don't need to be reminded that I look awful! Any hoo, good food, decently priced and you can join their emailer that sends out pretty good buy one get one free lunch or dinner coupons! I'm all about saving that moo-lah!
(4)
Melissa R.
One of my fave places to go that has great service and open pretty late. Also, I came here for a brunch the day after my wedding and the staff was wonderful to my large party! :)
(5)
Gavin G.
I eat at this Mimi's a lot because of friends who live in this area. It is usually quite good with good service. They make me stuff that is no longer on the menu, but used to be. Prices have gone up over time. Booths are usually a quiet place to talk, so good ambience.
(5)
Kristin W.
When my boyfriend and I go out we do this to relax and to not have to worry about anything, our server was Ivan who we saw twice while we were there, first time to take our drink order and 2nd time to take our food order, we got no straws with our drinks so I had to get up to get them myself after waiting for 5 minutes sitting in the corner of the restaurant where no one ever came to and were we sure never saw Ivan our server. Our drinks were never refilled we had to ask another server for refills. After we ate and hadn't seen Ivan since we ordered since someone else, who was very friendly, brought us our food, we needed boxes for our leftover food. We waited for another 5 minutes but no one bothered to help us so again I had to get up and get a box myself and while I was at it asked someone else working there for the check, which by the way had extra charges on it that weren't supposed to be on it. Thank you Ivan for not only being a horrible server but adding charges that made no sense. We sure won't dine here again It might be a good idea to have more of the staff serving the customers rather than having 3 people at the front, 1 holding the door open, another to grab the right number of menus and a third to take you to your table. First and last visit to Mimis! If you do decide to come here though make sure Ivan won't be your server!
(2)
Ashley Z.
The chicken with red wine is awesome! So does the bread pudding
(4)
Karen L.
Food is always delicious. Though - be careful ordering a poached egg - I have yet to have one with a soft yolk.
(4)
Brett S.
The 3 course deal ($14) is a pretty good deal. I got top sirloin with a shrimp skewer. The steak was meh, not well done like I asked. It's cheap so I'm not complaining too much. The shrimp was small and kind of rubbery but tolerable. It's super hot at 9:30 at night, literally sweating at the table on an overcast rainy day. The super bright light over my head makes me feel like im being interrogated or abducted by aliens. Our server was a nice guy, seems like he cares about doing a good job. I'd say overall the experience is a small step up from Denny's.
(3)
Curtis P.
We had our Thanksgiving meal right here. The food was good caliber and wonderfully prepared. The prices are sensible. When in question for a place to eat well, we end up here. Actually, we totally checked around San Diego searching for a place to eat something light and couldn't find a respectable restaurant like this. The only disadvantage is during peak hours, as with our Thanksgiving meal, it's really loud. Every person in the restaurant is making an attempt to talk over the background music.
(3)
Teresita C.
My vision of hell is not a fiery inferno populated with Bosch's 1/2 human, 1/2 chicken hellions, but a little cottage decorated in the style of country kitchen, complete with geese and ruffled curtains. Mimi's looks a little bit like this, with an emphasis on home-style cooking. I didn't love my food, it was just OK. The servers were very good and attentive, perhaps to make up for the lackluster meal. My mum had the quiche and claimed to love it, but she's an easy one to please and she loves her some doilies. Guess that explains that.
(3)
Judy L.
Seriously, yuck. I came here just right after noon for some breakfast since the friend hadn't had breakfast or lunch. I was glad they were still serving breakfast menu items! Looking over the menu, I didn't find anything that screamed "please eat me, I'm delicious!" and it took me a long time to look over the menu. We were seated in the booths next to the area where servers come out with the plates and others stood by to order to-go, and that was really annoying. There were lots of people walking by the table, naturally, and it made having a sort of peaceful meal hard. The server kept coming up and asking if we were ready in a rushed way which I did not like! I understand why, but ugh, back off a bit maybe? I ordered the Banana and Caramel crepes (or something like that). I was looking for something light that wouldn't bowl me over with sweetness. I should've known that "caramel" would NOT fit that description. We also ordered a pumpkin muffin to share between us. We got our muffin first, and it tasted fine but I found it a bit dry. Oh well. What can you do? When we got our plates, I think I immediately regretted my choice just by looking at it. It's my fault for choosing it, but still it tasted disgusting. I could barely eat it. The crepe was disgusting and soggy; pair that with mushy, rot-my-teeth-sweet bananas? It was a no go. Top it off with whipped cream and caramel that tasted from the jar (you know, the kind that smackers makes for ice cream!) and you got a really nasty breakfast. I had to chug a whole lot of water to get the taste out of my mouth, and after leaving the restaurant I felt like I was physically sick! Anyway, the service was a little impersonal. I dislike when servers pull up to a table to refill water or something without acknowledgement of some sort, like "excuse me" or "may I refill your water?" It's only polite to do so, I think, given that I'm sure the majority of people dislike being disrupted and being asked how the meal is going. I sort of felt rushed to finish my meal as well, so that was another thing that made me frown. Overall, I'd skip this place next time someone offers it as a suggestion to eat out.
(2)
Traci D.
I have been to this Mimi's Cafe a few times on the weekend and it is always very crowded. Be ready to wait for a table. Usually there is coffee/tea and some type of bakery item for you to enjoy while you are waiting. I ordered an omelet and it came with juice and a muffin. I got my buttermilk spice muffin fairly quickly but after everyone else at the table got served their food, I was still waiting. The waitress offered me a free side salad while I waited for my omelet to finish cooking but I asked her for a side of toast instead. When I finally got my omelet is it was fairly bland. The portion was large so I was able to take home half of my breakfast and my whole muffin. I think the prices at Mimi's is rather high but you do get a lot of food.
(2)
Keem J.
The food is decent, but the service is terrible. I went on a Saturday night and they were nowhere near busy. It took forever to get our food out. When it finally came to our table, it wasn't even that hot! We even played, Which Comes Out First?: Me from the restroom or the dessert? I won. And the chocolate "mousse" was DEFINITELY chocolate ice cream that was sitting out so it could disguise itself as mousse. C'mon now.
(3)
Brett A.
How could I possibly give a chain restaurant four stars? I have a soft spot for Mimi's Cafe and have been to this location at least 10 times. For starters, I like the freshly baked complimentary bread they serve. I can never get enough carbs and we usually order a muffin in addition to the free bread. I'll admit that their food doesn't knock my socks off, but that being said, they have a wide selection of meals and every one that I've tried (pot pies, fettuccine etc.) has been solid. The salads are crisp, fresh, and just the right portion. It's one of our favorite placing to take the kids because they love the kids meals, which are pretty cheap, and we always are seated and served quickly, even on Friday nights. Our kids are especially energetic with a half life before radioactive decay of about 10 minutes so it's nice we can be in and out of Mimi's in less than one hour.
(4)
Roger B.
New menu takes away a lot of classic choices and leaves expensive beef and seafood items. Pot roast and chicken parm are gone. Salmon with lentils? Not sure about that one. Turkey breast and chicken pot pie were both tasteless -- bland as if they were cooking for hospital patients.
(1)
Pablo H.
Mimi's (at least this location) has excellent cappuccinos, and their French Onion soup is usually awesome. Other than that, it's mainly good for breakfast/brunch - you can order from the breakfast menu until 2:00 PM, I think, so one can mix it up and get stuff from either meal during the late morning to early afternoon. I highly recommend the various stuffed French Toast variations, such as Pain Perdu, and anything that has the tasty tomatillo salsa that they came up with, like the Sante Fe Enchiladas. Dinner is decent American fare, but the salads tend to be too sweet for my taste: Lots of fruit-based dressings and actual fruits in their selections, along with the vegetables. Oddly enough for a Cajun-themed restaurant, their blackened entrees are pretty bland; I feel that Red Lobster, for example, does a much better job of getting a good blackened spice mix of fish, so I stopped ordering those items. The beef and chicken is usually very good, though. Once in a while you will get a server that's kind of spacey, but of course that happens anywhere, and the management has always been good about correcting and compensating for errors in the service or the food (e.g. undercooked or overcooked entrees or muffins).
(4)
Ed M.
I came here many moons ago with people who I no longer associate with...it was their idea to eat here saying how quaint and trendy this place is. I should've bailed with the "quaint and trendy" part but I figured I would give it a shot anyways. I remember having the french onion dip soup which was pretty good. The sandwich I got was okay. Overall though this is basically a fancy schmancy euro version of Chilli's meets the Cheesecake Factory. I would take the Cheesecake Factory and Chilli's over this place first though. Other then the soup there was nothing special about their food I would make a return trip here for. I should've known better though with the "quaint and trendy" speech...now you know why I don't associate with said people anymore.
(2)
Jim L.
So Mimi's to me is a combination of TGI Friday's meets Applebees with a touch of French flair, only in name. WE NEED MORE FLAIR!! I have been here several times albeit not a favorite but rather a compromise or me just giving up. The menu offers many different selections to choose from and while it's not gourmet by any means, the food is alright. The Jambalaya has good flavor to it however I wish it had more of a bite to it. I like mine to be on the spicy side. If you're in the mood for a burger, I would recommend their French Quarter, which is topped with avocado, bacon, swiss cheese and served on a grilled parmesean sourdough. One could never go wrong with grilled sourdough....especially with cheese! The service here has always been very good from the hostesses to the servers. Food has been served promptly and their servers have always checked to see if everything is ok. Anytime I don't have to flag someone down, its a good thing for me.
(3)
Chris L.
Not joking! We had a cockroach crawl over the table. Bummer we had already ate our food. They promised that they haven't had a complaint like that before. Not what my friend said with a similar story. They saw one one the ground. There infested. I will never eat there again.
(1)
Abby W.
I been to Mimi's location in the Mission Valley area and never had any problem. Yet, this location was lacking on customer service. We arrived at the restaurant around 7:00 PM on a Friday. The place was busy but not comparable to the Mission Valley location. The hostess told us there is a 10 minute wait, so we decided to wait. Our 10 minutes ended up being a 20 minute wait, and once was actually seated not one waiter/waitress acknowledged us. We waited another 10 minutes and decided to just walk out. I will never think of going back to this location ever again.
(1)
Nakia K.
Absolutely horrible. I've been to this location three different times and have left each time dissatisfied. The serving staff is mediocre at best. The food is bad. There are other places that have good prices with much better food and service. This is definitely not a place I plan on returning to in the future.
(1)
Robin O.
This is another place my family and I have frequented for so many years I felt I must give them a plug. They even make us up food which is no longer on their menu, like Shrimp Spaghettini and their Cafe Club sandwich. Ridiculous loyalty on their part and ours. We have almost always had good service there, no matter who it was-I always thought they must train them that way. It is lovely restaurant to look at-Country French decor. I live in Mira Mesa and we sometimes go there just for their corn chowder soup and caesar salad (both consistently great) and to relax. They never rush you. I have not had the same experience at the Mission Valley Mimi's. The Santee location comes close. I want to advise some of the really bitchy critics on Yelp that you may just reap what you sow-I don't think a bad attitude is going to get you bad food but it could get you bad service....think about it.....
(5)
Nisarg S.
Awesome omelettes. Good service. 15 min wait is not too bad. The quiche was delicious!
The carrot bread is just great. The salad was OK but not my favorite. It had a little too much blue cheese and the salad desssing did nothing for the walnuts or cranberries. THe service was decent.
(3)
liltude S.
Normally I cook, but I'm at Dad's and he wanted to go out. Mimi's was not our first pick but where he wanted to go was not open. First off we made reservations, even came a lil early to check in. We ended up waiting an hour and kept seeing all these people that came in way after we did getting seated. Finally Dad went up and said something only to be told by some snotty lil 17 year old that they would get to us as soon as they could, asked when we got here, when we made the reservations. Why all the frickin questions dude? After an hour and half we finally were seated. (I understand it's Thanksgiving and I consider myself to have a lot of patience) but don't be rude, and don't say it's a 35 minute wait if it going to be an hour or more. Just be honest and you won't have so many customers coming up and telling you off, which by the way we didn't but there were plenty that did. Dinner was good, not excellent but good which is also disappointing because I've always loved eating here when I come down here. Next Thanksgiving, I'm cooking like I wanted to in the first place and I told Dad that. It's my favorite holiday and I don't like going out and putting up with rude people anyways. Mimi's if you're going to be open on a Holiday like that, be better prepared, be more organized, don't have kids who can't handle the pressure working on a high stress Holiday like Thanksgiving. Be honest about the wait time. And most important, teach them to wash their hands after they sneeze@! A day to remember o.O
(3)
Faye L.
They use to have the 1/2 soup and 1/2 salad lunch combo. Now they don't :( The cobb salad was (and i guess still is) a safe bet for this place. You get a choice of muffin with the salads. I usually get the carrot raisin but lately the muffin's been 'uninspiring'. I know - who calls a muffin uninspiring? Well, that's what I've felt the last few times I've been there. I use to look fwd to their carrot muffins and breads. But now, not so much. I went there for lunch today and decided to try the Asian Chinese chicken salad with the sesame dressing on the side. The dressing was super sweet (in a bad way) - it tasted and looked like Karo's corn syrup. But on their defense, I know alot of ppl that like their Asian chicken salad so it might just be me who thought it was too sweet. And for dinner, they do give you a basket of carrot bread and 1 french roll for free (we've usually had to ask for it though)... French onion soup is always great - that I can say. Always comes out hot and topped w/ bubbly melted mozzarella cheese. For some reason though, you usually stink of the soup for the rest of the day. I think you can add a cup of soup for less than $2 if you order a salad. One major downside of Mimi's - it's the type of place that even if get there and there's only ONE party waiting in front of you, the hostess (who's usually 18 yrs old or younger) will tell you it's a 10-15 min wait. What! That's where I think they're truly trying to be that chic French cafe restaurant they want to be (but can't)...
(2)
Alyssa B.
My experience with Mimi's: I've been going here since it opened and have now been over 100 times. I've found Mimi's to be consistently good, nothing to write home about, but still a reliable place for good food. If you're in the Scripps Ranch/Mira Mesa area, you know there are lots of lunch/dinner restaurants but there aren't many breakfast places. I see Mimi's as filling that hole for breakfast and doing it well. The employees are fairly young, the employment pool mostly coming from the local high schools. The hostesses and waitresses are usually enthusiastic, polite, and any inexperience rarely shows through. Mimi's is clean, well maintained, and comfortable. The food is good and reminds you of home cooking, some of which with a Louisiana twist. I don't want to go on and on, so here are my recommendations after going here so many times: The carrot muffin is always the surprise crowd pleaser, even for those who don't usually like carrot muffins. The side of fruit is good but doesn't have as much variety as I would like, but I always order fruit so I may be a bit picky. If you like orange juice, you won't be disappointed by the fresh squeezed orange juice here! If you like healthy food, they do have a good salad with chicken, apples, and cranberries that is yummy yet filling. (Just get the dressing on the side. They go a bit overboard on the dressing.) Also if you're into healthy eating, there's a good amount of healthy options and they do include the calorie counts on each dish. I wish I could say what my favorite meal is, but Mimi's change their menus so much I usually get something different each time. I hope this helps!
(4)
Amy B.
Let me start this by saying I dont think I have ever had such a bad restaurant experience where I have been so inclined to rush home write a review immediately after. Also, let me say I was in the restaurant business for 10 yrs and had breakfast this morning with my husband and friend, both of whom are restaurant managers. Lastly, I understand that breakfast service is a different animal where each server has several tables and its more rushed through than a dinner service would be. With all that said, our breakfast was really awful from the beginning to the time we walked out. Our server Tera did not approach our table for at least 10 minutes. When she did, the first thing she said was sorry it took so long, my boss is making me run all over the place and I have 9 tables. It was definitely awkward. We placed our order. Then I dont know if a tray was not available but one drink at a time came out. An OJ here, a coffee there, but never my water which was all I was having to drink. I asked for my water, then my friend asked for me, then my husband the 3rd time. After I finally got it, my husband noticed pink lipstick on his coffee. When he asked for a new coffee, our servers response was "I dont do the dishes" before getting him a new cup. When our food came out, it was intermixed with the large party next to us. She tried to give us a grilled cheese sandwich and then placed my friends food down in front of someone at the other table. After some confusion, she switched the plates and gave my friend her correct food not knowing whether it had been touched/eaten by the other table. My husband had asked for a side of fruit in lieu of potatoes when he ordered. Then when the food came, of course his plate had an omelette and no fruit. He asked about it and she said it would be a 99 cent charge. Sure, no problem. He finished most of his omelette and our server came back and said that b/c he waited to order the fruit after his food, the computer had charged him $2 instead. She went on about why and basically blamed this on my husband. Mind you, no fruit had come out and we were pretty much done with breakfast. We asked her to just remove the charge and forget the fruit. She was not pleased. At least once more she mentioned how her terrible boss kept making her run around and mentioned twice that she was brand new and it was only her 2nd day. Im sorry, if you are this bitter, talking bad about your boss, and talking back to customers on your second day, you are in the WRONG business. To top it off, none of us were happy with our food, possibly b/c the terrible service ruined it for us. I have always had good experiences at Mimi's cafes but will absolutely avoid this Mira Mesa location in the future.
(1)
Thai Y.
I've driven past this place at least 1000 times. One day I decided to finally try it after years of telling myself to give it a shot. I won't be coming back. Food was overpriced for the quality. The only highlight was the muffins. Both my wife and I felt sick the day after eating here. There are plenty of better options a few minutes away in any direction.
(2)
Jason R.
My family and I ate here yesterday. It was an overall mediocre to sub average experience. The food was slow to arrive, apparently they had a big party ahead of us, I had to dodge the waiter's tray with my head as he reached over me to deliver food to other people at the table, food was not delivered to our table (forgot items), and when the waiter brought the check he placed it squarely in front of my face to the point where it obstructed my view of my family. We had breakfast, and when it arrived it was not very warm and my eggs were rubbery, probably sitting under heat lamps for a while. I went to this same restaurant last year on Mother's Day as a last-minute decision, and it worked out very well. On that very busy day the experience was much, much better. If I ever choose to go back, I will update my review as needed.
(2)
Cyndi J.
This place is always packed with a wait to get in. It was good, only been there for breakfast.
(4)
Sega S.
I heart Mimi's Cafe -- especially for breakfast! I love how the menu lets you know how many calories are in each entree. The lite and fit omelets are so good! One of my all time fav's is the Ciabatta breakfast sandwich with a side of potatoes. Mimi's has a cute interior and cozy relaxed seating area. Staff is friendly and service is excellent!
(5)
Jackie T.
I first ate at a Mimi's Cafe like 10 years ago and I didn't like it. But I figured after so long I would give it another try. Another location, another time period. I mean it's been around for so long, it can't possibly be that bad right?? WRONG! The food was mediocre and over greasy. And I swear it made me feel queasy afterwards. The price of the food is not worth it for the lack of quality. The atmosphere is very ancient country and it was so dim inside I couldn't really see my food. Maybe it's on purpose so I wouldn't be able to tell how gross it is. Never again!
(1)
Chad W.
I haven't had a bad service here once. I live very close and it is a go-to place when we want a safe place where we know the food will be good. The last time we tried the champagne flight and it was delicious. We always hit the bar to sit and eat since it gets you in and out fast without the wait.
(5)
R. P.
I am done. I have tried this place a few times, and I am just done with it. The last time was breakfast. Food is just not good, I thought it's pretty hard to screw up breakfast. Guess not. Crab Benedict was awful (i know, what as I thinking, ordering crab Benedict at mimis). The eggs are cold, the toast is not toasted, the pancakes are dense and soggy. The "roasted red potatoes" we're terrible, bland and not even close to roasted. The orange juice is bitter, yet sickly sweet, even my 4 year old was like "thanks, but no thanks" and he will drink ANY juice, or so I thought. Service is very slow, totally corporate trained, insincere and frazzled, I watched the manager refilling iced tea all morning long. Really? Do you think that is the most effective use of your time as a manger? Ridiculous. This place is not worth your time in so many ways. Such a shame, as we really need a decent breakfast spot in Mia Mesa. I will not be back.
(2)
Lisa H.
It was a strange and hazy day. When you are hungry, I do not suggest driving around Mira Mesa Boulevard with the sea of crazy cars. I tend to get pissy and mad when I'm in that zone. I pulled into Mimi's because it seemed like there were parking spots. I wasn't really sure what I was in for. I walked in and was seated right away. I sat in the back with a few other couples. I'm a real observer when I'm by myself, listening in on conversations and acting like I don't know what's going on. There were two tables that were either unhappy with their service or were just annoying customers who had to know everything that was in the dish. My server came up. I was so hungry that I wasn't in the mode for the whole CORPORATE SPIEL, which I got. I tried not to make contact because I didn't feel like engaging in a conversation. I could tell that he was super nice, but it wasn't my cup of tea that day. The cool thing was that I was indecisive. They had a prix fixe menu for $12.99 which came with an appetizer, a main entree and a dessert. PERFECT! There were some other choices of pork chops, ravioli and a couple salmon dishes. I ordered the green salad to start off with. It was pretty hearty. There were carrot laces, tomatoes, cucumbers and a good assortment of greens. I ordered blue cheese to go with it. I was pretty happy with the salad. A bread choice came later as I was eating my salad. They gave me a carrot bread and a roll. Both super delicious. I really enjoyed the carrot bread. Then my dinner entree of spinach, artichoke spaghettini came. It looked like a huge portion. I should have honestly put some of the portion away into a container. Hard to explain the taste, but it tasted as if the spaghetti alfredo sauce was burned. It wasn't very tasty. The veggies inside the pasta were good, but I didn't think it tasted original. I would say that Pat & Oscars has a better taste and I don't even really like them at all. Kind of just pushed it to the side. I ordered dessert which was a chocolate brownie with ice cream. It was piping hot. It was pretty delicious. I wish that I could say I loved this place, but I think it caters to older people. I'm glad that I only spent $15 for a meal deal, but it could get expensive for people who don't order from the set meals.
(2)
Ashley T.
I dont know if its the cozy cottage "at home" feeling, or just the delicious food, but it keeps me coming back! Crab fritters &Chicken Tenders are GREAT!! Been eating here for a while I haven't tried anything I don't like!! They have good breakfast, and they also have a good happy hour food menu to order from. This is a good opportunity to try out different entrees without having to spend too much money, then when you find what you like most, you can order an entire entree of it the next time! The Hot Chocolate is AMAZING! Its creamy and not too thick or TOO sweet, just perfect. And the best part about it is that it comes in a big "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" Sized cup!
(4)
Shelby D.
i went to get some soup and salad to go because i was sick and it was amazing. i knew you got a muffin with the salad but it was awesome that i also got a big box of different kinds of bread for the soup. the clam chowder was delicious and the salad was great. the food was ready when i got there and the staff was really nice. the apple cinnamon muffin was aaaamaaazing!!
(5)
Katy C.
Decent service. Great food! Will be back. :)
(4)
Nadia Fern C.
No freakin bueno this place. I knew I didnt want to come here, despite having never been, but the friend I went with said I should try someone I had never Yelped before. I hate these types of places and avoid them at all costs. Whatever! Was NOT pleased with it at all. First of all, nevermind how much I do love meatloaf, it was bizarre how intense the meatloaf smell in this restaurant was. This followed by our waiter annoying me to no end. I have not been this aggravated by the presence of a server in quite a long time. I actually thought Id turned over a new, more understanding leaf in the new year. Nope! Luckily still the same old me. He had the attitude of a college frat guy but had silver sideburns. I am not knocking grey because it is my favorite, especially on dudes. But this guy was like that 6'8'' guy with the little girl voice that was on American Idol on Wednesday. It just didnt match! In regards to the food, my friend and I ordered the crispy chicken salad which came with buffalo and ranch. She ordered pea and ham soup and I got french onion. It took for damn ever for our food to come out. I did not understand the degree of difficulty in a dang salad and some soups?! Maybe its because we asked them to put it onto two plates. I imagine that was it. Now I am a lover of all soups of any variety, but her soup looked like baby food vomit. Yes, like food fed to a baby and then thrown up. The sight was gagging me. My french onion soup was actually really tasty. It was hot and there was lots of cheese. Yum! First positive of the visit. Salad? Epic fail! I cannot fathom how you can eff up lettuce but the lettuce in this salad was a disaster. It tasted horrible. I have written a review about gross lettuce somewhere else and I am completely passionate about the quality of lettuce. When you have an entree that consists mainly of this vegetable, please make sure it is bright green and doesnt taste foul. It was just sad. Please lets continue with the waiter annoying the shit out of me. We were there eating with a 7 month old and that dang waiter was taking 75x too long to do EVERYTHING! Water refill. Dropping off tab. Picking up payment. For heavens sake. HURRY UP MAN!??! On a closing note, I will say that the carrot walnut muffin was the highlight of the trip. It doesnt hold a candle to my moms but it was quite delicious. Next time, I will stick to my guns and we will just go to Panera instead.
(2)
Cjn S.
I have nothing against their food. I actually really like their food and was a regular there. Until that one time... We were seated by the host right away. However the waiter in charge of that table (or that whole corner) did not see us because he was chatting in the back. We thought it was very weird but decided to wait for about 20 minutes. When we were about to leave, the host brought a few people in and seated them next to our table. At that time, that waiter saw those two people and came out. He then realized our presence, so he came over and pretended that he wasn't in charge of our table. We said that we waited for 20 minutes already and were about to leave. He said that he could help us out by waiting our table or we could go talk to the manager. I already knew that this guy was full of it, but we decided to stay because we were very hungry. It was also Friday night so it was crowded everywhere. It was a mistake to stay. He kept trying to show us how awesome his service was and kept asking if we were happy and if he did an awesome job (who would do that???). It was a very awkward situation. That guy was full of it. It was bad enough that we don't want to ever set foot in there again. It would have been okay if the waiter admitted that it was his fault that he didn't see us in the first place.
(1)
Keoni C.
Yay or nay? DEFINITELY NAY. I went to get breakfast here and it was whack! Eggs were cold, potatoes were cold, and the service sucks. I'm surprised the place was somewhat busy. So don't waist your time coming here. I definitely won't be back even if it was for free.
(1)
Pakie S.
Super nice and patient waitress, we were being soo indecisive. I think the place is pretty pricey...their soups are good. The pasta portions are pretty big. I can get a lot more food for less money at souplantation.
(3)
Ross M.
Great food, very fast service, good atmosphere. Good way to start the day out right!
(4)
Mercedes T.
Never really had a great experience at Mimi's in the past, but since it's been about 20 years, my husband thought we should give it a try, different location too. Needless to say, my expectations were already low to begin with, but they still managed to underwhelm me. The pasta was soggy and tasteless, the chicken, which was corrected, still came in almost burnt (breaded), the broccoli had black spots, the carrots were dry and had cooler burns and worse of all, the server, an older woman, was uncaring from the moment she came up to our table. Still had to pay for my husband's meal since he ate half of it out of sheer starvation. We had to pack up and head to Cheesecake Factory where we finally got a good meal and awesome service. Waste of time and money.
(1)
Realtor Karl B.
Could taste better... Had lunch here and the food lacks kick and extraordinary flavor. Come here is you like your food bland. Chicken, turkey tasted dry. Prices are a tad high, with entrees at or above $10. On the positive side, food looks very clean. Salad and bread tasted fresh.
(2)
joe w.
seriously, the one star is just for the service. The particular item that I had (the quiche) was absolutely terrible! It was all soggy on the bottom, clearly microwaved (because when, pray tell, does anything come out soggy from being inside an oven, the way a quiche is normally prepared....?) at least the waitress took the entire plate away and gave a full refund. now if she could only have given my appetite back afterwards.....
(1)
Gestalt G.
Has gone hill significantly.
(2)
Joelle S.
I used to hate all these cafes that my mom would force us to go to (Coco's, Marie Calendars etc) until Mimi's. Mimi's takes a different twist and turns this cafe cooking into gourmet cooking. I especially love coming here for lunch or dinner, as I am not much of a breakfast person. My husband and I often try something new, and end up chatting with the staff about the ingredients they used to make the great flavor. The staff is so friendly, and more than happy to share their secrets. We even spent a few minutes chatting with the manager of the Mira Mesa location, and this won us over even more. If you haven't been to Mimi's before, give it a shot sometime, you wont be disappointed! Sign up on their website, they will send you some great email coupons!
(5)
Kelly Y.
Love the grilled cheese sandwich and garlic fries.
(4)
Melanie C.
Convenient location near movie theater. Sticky table, dirty booth, something floating in water glass. Warm muffins were the only good thing. No vegetarian options-- had to get a salad minus the bacon.
(1)
Dina W.
Business meeting lunch. Service attentive although we weren't even near finished eating and the bill was brought to us without server asking if we wanted anything else or offer of dessert. Tomato bisque was soooo good. My Cobb awesome. A little on the small/med size. Dressings Blue Cheese and Balsamic were very good. Mimi's is always consistent, clean and variety.
(3)
Meow K.
I just LOVE the atmosphere here, it's so french-style(?) and elegant! However, it couldn't match up to the food. Maybe I'm just not an american-comfort food kind of person, but it seemed a bit.. bland and boring to me.
(2)
Sarah E.
Went to eat with my gfs and her son here. Service started real slow but after the order was fast. Every time we placed our empty cups at the edge off the table, she was their with a new refill. I had the french beef gratin which is a sheppard's pie. The dish was real good but I couldn't eat too much of it at the end. You sort of get bored of the flavor.
(4)
Margie W.
Breakfast and service was terrible. I won't be back, read more if you like.... There were 4 hostesses that the manager would not stop flirting with. Our server Ana was overworked in her section and went through the motions rushing from table to table. My coffee sat cold waiting for 10 minutes for milk, she forgot to bring my muffin. When she stopped by to take our drink order- we wanted to ask her a question about the bacon- she answered abruptly and cut us off, saying, "Be right back". 5 minutes later she asked,"Are you ready to order?" I ordered the Parisian Omelet. The red potatoes were cold, the omelet was brown, hard and inedible. My husbands scrambled eggs were also hard and browned. The waitress finally made it back to inquire if everything was ok (she asked and started to walk off without listening to the answer). I told her about the food and she was apologetic. She had the manager take it off our bill but he never came to talk to us- instead choosing to go flirt with the 4 attractive hostesses and letting the waitress deal with us. I never once saw the manager do anything but stand in the front room of the restaurant, flirt with the hostesses at least 4 times in the hour I was there- oh wait! He did open the door for a few customers, what a guy! Anyways- I thought I was making a good breakfast choice to come to Mimi's, but I would have gotten better coffee at McDonalds and probably better breakfast food at Denny's (and better service at either).
(1)
Charlotte C.
My best friend and I have made this our unofficial breakfast spot when I'm in SD for the weekends. First because its centrally located in Mira Mesa and second because their corned beef hash is sooooo good. This morning however, I was very disappointed =( We went on a Sunday, around 11am, brunch time. The place was PACKED! We had to wait 30 minutes. Anyways, the corned beef hash was not so good today. The service wasn't so great. And I'm beginning to think everything is way too overpriced... I think its time to find another spot...
(2)
Brian K.
Really bad food. Almost on par with Trophy's but not as disgusting. Bland and mediocre. If you don't believe me or if you want to be Mr. Contrarian, be my guest, go to Mimi's. There crowd here (and at every other Mimi's) is generally older. Girls, if a guy you are dating takes you here, it's time to give him the boot.
(1)
Ann C.
Incredibly rude service including but not limited to snarky comments from the hostess! I couldnt believe the service I felt like I was on a candid camera show. The food was just okay and we definitely will not go back!!
(1)
Howard T.
5 minutes - Time we waited for our seats. (20 people in waiting area too!) 5 minutes - Time it took to get settled in and order. 5 minutes - Time it took to get our food. (WTF?!) 15 minutes - Time it took to eat, box up leftovers, and pay. It was so damn fast that I don't even remember eating there. I was cleaning out my wallet and shit, we went to Mimi's? It was like everything was premade. My country fried steak was plain. There's nothing special about the pot pie. I prefer Marie Calender's. Mimi's is still a good place for kids. They have a very good selection for your little demons. I loved the bread basket. Our server was really attentive and friendly. I think Mimi's is probably a better breakfast restaurant. The dinner menu needs a makeover.
(3)
Douglas B.
Excellent location - just off the I-15 Freeway at the Mira Mesa Blvd exit. Tons of free parking. Food and ambiance are typical for the genre (breakfast cafe - similar to Denny's, Coco's, Marie Callender's, etc), but a litle bit nicer. Very reasonably priced. Excellent service - I usually am served by either Elizabeth or Jessica, both of whom are great. We hold weekly business networking meetings there - they have a separate room we use for that purpose, which works great, but I wish it was just a little bit bigger. Management goes out of their way to make sure we get what we need. It is a wonderful restaurant for what it is.
(4)
Lindsey B.
This place has a fun atmosphere, and lots to choose from. When I went it was pretty busy. What I wanted was not on the dine in menu but was on the to go menu, the waitress let me order it anyways. Food was good, not my favorite place to eat but I would return here again.
(4)
Sandy L.
This place really deserves 2 stars but i give it 2.5 because their artichoke dip is very good...everything else is blah. I've been to this place twice now and both times I was quite disappointed. 1st time, the bf ordered country fried steak...he took one bite and was done. It was wayyyy too salty and tasted as if they just popped it in the microwave. When the waitress asked if he wanted a to-go box, he said no and she gave him this weird look like you barely touched your food which he did. I'd hate to waste food but that was not very edible at all. 2nd time, i ordered the french beef dip...i was quite disappointed but managed to eat half of it anyway. The au ju was very bland and it came on a sour dough bread which was gross! I brought it home and my dad ate it the next day and expressed to me how bad the sandwich tasted.. Needless to say, i've had 2 bad experiences dining, the service was good but the food wasn't. I do recommend the artichoke dip, that's about the only good thing there.
(2)
Steve R.
Had the 3 course filet of sole with veggies(steamed too much) and a cup of corn chowder which was ok but heavy on potatoes. The mousse tasted as though it was a mix out of a box. We were a party of 8 and service was quick and attentive. The portions are a little small but what do you expect for a soup, entree and dessert for $13? All was ok but nothing memorable. Would go again for lunch or a cheap dinner. Breakfast is like Dennys but more expensive.
(3)
Katherine B.
I like the blueberry muffin and french onion soup is decent. If you go during a happy hour you can find good deals for soup, entree, and dessert for 12.99 add $1 for a drink. Staff is very nice and attentive, the bread is very fresh. Entrees aren't the best, but good enough to come back.
(4)
Laura H.
If your restaurant is suffering from bad customer service complaints, this is the place to bring your employees to learn from. The waiters are super friendly, honest with suggestions, and knowledgeable of what the ingredients are for each entree. The free carrot bread is super tasty.
(5)
Amy H.
If I could give negative stars I would. I know - its Mimi's - expectations cannot be high. And yet, I was still beyond disappointed. After a 40 min wait to be seated (over 20 empty tables at one count while waiting) coffee was terrible, weak and just gross. Potatoes were cold, service was terrible - waited nearly 15 mins to finally get up and go to the front to pay the bill. Worst. Breakfast. Ever.
(1)
Lee Ann M.
There were 6 of us in our party. We were seated in the time frame advised--but had to wait at least 45 minutes for our food, even then one guest didn't receive her's for at least another 10 minutes. The muffins came quickly but the juices didn't arrive until the entrees--after another request. The waitress was apologitic and seemed a little frazzled. It was a busy Sunday morning...but still. My steak and eggs were ok--split it with hubby because it was a huge portion. But alas...the eggs were cold and overdone. Overall a disappointing visit. We were diappointed with this visit.
(2)
Joanna F.
The potatoes that came with my breakfast were luke-warm at best. When we asked for a new side, they came out obviously microwaved, and not fresh. The food is uninspired and boring. I will say that I have had decent meals here in the past, but have been let down the last few times. Service is good, which was the one redeeming quality of this morning's breakfast.
(2)
Gandhi D.
Service is too bad. Food is also not not worth it.
(1)
Nadine B.
I absolutely love eating here! I love that their menu is always changing and they have seasonal muffins. There is complimentary carrot raisin bread and a french roll, but you have to ask for it. The portions are generous in my opinion. Some of my favorite dishes are the Beef Bourguignon, Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Artichoke Ragout, & the French Onion Soup. Honestly, no other french onion soup compares! I know it's a big chain of restaurants but it's sooooo delicious here. I always ask for the cheese to be crispy on top. The only downfall I have is that once you pay your check and you're with a group of people, you're pretty much ignored so your water doesn't get refilled. I also love their lemon muffin out in the summertime!
(4)
Tania K.
I've been to this location a few times and each time I've been disappointed. I will not return to this location again. The first time I was underwhelmed by the dinner entree. The second time, the food was just OK and the lamp above our table was full of cobwebs. The third time (fresh in my mind), a Silverfish fell from the ceiling onto our bread basket, the pasta and the shrimp inside it were over cooked and gross (and too salty), and the chocolate mousse was a culinary crime the way it was served. It looked as if a 5 year old smeared it in a large cup with a spatula scraping it off the edge and just threw on strawberries. Horrible presentation (embarrassing) and if chocolate mousse didn't resemble poop before, it certainly does now!!! I'll post photos. It was so gross (both friends got the mousse as part of their 3 course meal) that I laughed really hard out of disbelief. My tummy hurts now from the grossness. Oh and the manager tried to be concerned about the bug that fell onto our table and wanted to hear what happened, but didn't offer anything...like a discount, freebie, coupon, etc....NOTHING! Even our nice waiter was surprised the manager didn't offer anything. Also, my friends waited at the bar upon arrival without any greeting or attention by employees and the place wasn't packed. They also didn't pace the food well. Our drinks took too long and our entrees came out way too fast when we had just started on our first course salads and soup. Also they were out of the drink menus we asked to see...huh?
(1)
Princess Kim R.
The darker, sweeter bread (raisin bread?) that comes in the bread basket is awesome. If I ever eat at Mimi's again, I'll just have them charge me for plate full of bread. The service wasn't overly friendly; the guy seemed bored. I wouldn't say it was particularly quick, either, and there were only two tables (ours and another party) active in our entire section! The French onion soup just wasn't good. I like cheese, I like onions, I LOVE soup, but if it's hella salty, it ruins the entire glorious combination. I ordered something along the lines of a lemon chicken piccata. I don't know what alcoholic base they used, but that was the only thing I could taste. I used to drink and party as much as the next person, but it's just crazy when eating a chicken dish gives you the same face as choking down something harsh like Jack Daniels. If you're going to Mimi's, just eat the bread. It's the best part of the meal!
(2)
Derrick H.
Not sure what has happened to Mimi's, but compared to a couple of years ago it has gone downhill. The service is still good, but the food and the timeliness of it has taken a backseat. The only thing I feel Mimi's has going for it are their muffins, which are very good. Outside of that I don't see this restaurant viable option.
(2)
Leezel N.
I have been here a handful of times and food is okay, but a little overpriced. Service could be better. Sometimes, my party stands there for a little bit while the hostess tries to figure something out. So I had a chicken sandwich for lunch which came with fries. Overall taste: Good, but definitely something I could have made better at home. Presentation was awful. The fries were all scattered, there was no greenery, and the sandwich looked like someone had thrown in on there. Also, I didn't get the free bread everyone else seemed to have gotten. Maybe it was because I came by myself.
(2)
Timothy O.
My parents wanted me to have a proper meal with them before I headed back north. I'm not sure why they thought Mimi's Cafe qualified, but I'm not one to turn down a free meal. Mimi's Cafe is a chain restaurant with a French bistro theme. I didn't realize it was a chain until I saw one down here in San Diego and heard my mother say that she had been to another one in the Bay Area. It looked like most other casual dining places, albeit with a couple of French-language posters on the walls instead of sports memorabilia or Italian-themed stuff or quirky stuff that seems to be the main design cue to let you know whether you're in an Applebee's, a TGIFriday's, or a Red Robin, or some other chain. We were in a bit of a hurry before my flight, but the wait staff was unmoved. As soon as my Dad suggested we just sit at the small counter area, a table opened. My Mom wanted a muffin and some coffee. I decide on the jambalaya pasta and convinced my Dad that he should order a cup of French Onion soup as part of the special. The jambalaya was better than I expected. There were chunks of sausage, shrimp, and pork loin in a sauce that had a hint of heat to it. Having said that, you could tell that the ingredients were all frozen, not fresh. That's the norm for a chain restaurant, but you could really taste the not-freshness, if that makes sense. My Dad liked his soup, and my Mom seemed most happy that I was getting a "good meal." As others have pointed out, the little bread basket with butter that they bring for the table is tasty.
(3)
Monkee C.
Never been to Mimi's before even though I pass it all the time, so on a whim I went there for dinner, not sure what to expect. The menu and ambiance seemed to be comfort food with a french/country flair. I really liked their bread basket, it was a mix of various fruit and vegetable (carrot, banana, etc.) breads and rolls. Everything was moist and tasty, if a bit sweet as an appetizer. I almost would rather have it as dessert, a la mode. My new england clam chowder was just ok, as was sig-o's corn chowder (though it was the better of the two). I ordered the meatloaf which came with two large (think dbl qtr pounder patty sized) slices of meatloaf covered with gravy, and mashed potatoes and broccoli and carrots. The sides were ok, the meatloaf itself was better, moist and tasty, but should have been warmer. The gravy was a bit salty though. Sig-o had the chicken pot pie which was at the appropriate (warm) temp with large chunks of chicken and veggies inside. So overall, ok. I wavered between 2 and 3 stars but I'll stick with 3 for now because I'd consider going back if I was in the mood for local comfort food.
(3)
Jessica D.
Try the French Onion soup. OMG!!! It is seriously good. Though I went there for breakfast not for lunch but this place ROCKS! Really like to come here for breakfast and lunch but either way, I'm here! lol Price is decent, decor is nice, nothing too fancy but pleasant and a feel good place.
(5)
Randy W.
The staff told us it was a 20 minute wait ..... we waited more than 45 minutes and the staff kept saying "only 15 more minutes at left 3 time. Once we did get food, it was not even close to worth the wait ...... could have went to any truck dinner and got just as good food.
(1)
Janet D.
Had mimosa's here with some girlfriends on saturday for brunch and it was amazing. the food was pretty good, i feel like it's gotten smaller since i was here last, but it was still pretty good. i had the mardi gras omelette and their potatoes are really delicious. the blueberry muffins are huge and delicious.
(4)
Momma M.
Very disappointed... I should have known it was going to go down hill after I found a curly hair in my menu. I had the country fried steak, was very bland and processed tasting. Didn't eat it all and I had a belly ache all night. Won't be going back.
(1)
Bob D.
I'll give it 1.5 stars and round up because the bread was warm and pretty good. The place is reminiscent of something like Olive Garden...only with a forced French theme. Food seemed like it would be passing quality so we gave it a try....anyways... I really should have read the reviews regarding the service at this particular restaurant. We waited almost 20 minutes just to get our order in. When we did order it took another 25 minutes before our waitress finally came back one time to assure us the food was coming. Almost 50 minutes later we got one of our entrees , but unfortunately, we were too pissed off to sit for it. We watched three other tables eat and get their check before our food came out. We got eggs...some soup...a salad...and a sandwich. I've never personally walked out of a restaurant, but they just don't give damn--which is fine if you're a hole in the wall serving up amazing food. You're not, Mimi's. You're a chain, and should give a damn about customer service. What seemed to be a manager tried to tell us that they were busy, that the order was complicated (it wasn't), and a variety of other excuses. That pitiful display kind of sealed the deal and we just asked for a check. They comped the meals (we didn't eat them) and paid for our drinks. It's funny because we were deciding between going to Ihop (which is down the street) or Carl's junior for breakfast. Unfortunately we guessed wrong because despite the fact that Ihop serves up pretty so-so food, it's fast and you're not going to be disappointed with the service.
(2)
Stacey W.
My Daughter and I were able to enjoy a perfect dinner Thanksgiving Day at Mimi's. As I traveled in from out of town and my daughter is a college student, we needed a place to eat a good dinner. Mimi's was it! Not only was the food fantastic, but the price was unbelievably low. While others were charging anything above $30 per person; Mimi's was under $15 each. My budget was thrilled, but more importantly, the meal was a great memory for both of us. The ONLY complaint was having to BEG for cranberry sauce which they had just run out of a little before our 4:30 dinner. Hopefully next year they will plan on having more on hand! What's a Thanksgiving dinner without Cranberry Sauce?!!
(5)
Annie T.
Mimi's is like an upgraded Denny's. Same type of food. A little better in quality. The portions are generous but I bet you it's fully loaded with MSG! I was SO thirty for the next 5 hours. The waitresses were really nice but seem disorganized. 3 different people stopped by to ask how our food was within a 10 minute span. It's like they don't know who's handling our table or something.
(2)
Henry T.
5 stars for Mimi Cafe's excellent breakfast menu. I had the cinnamon raisin french toast, which was an excellent dish because it included sausage and eggs. Big glass of orange juice and it's a great breakfast. Had the parmesan chicken ciabatta sandwich for lunch the day before as well. Pretty good dish.
(5)
Jackie E.
I only come here when my friends want to go. I've never had a bad experience, but the food always seems to just be OK. I've never had anything disgusting, but I never find myself craving Mimi's Cafe. The servers are always nice, though!
(3)
Ben C.
Definitely a great place to go when a more relaxed atmosphere is needed. The quality of the food and presentation will give you the illusions of the more upscale side of dining, without sucking the life out of your checking account.
(4)
Michele M.
I go here because it's in a convenient location. Their bread and muffins are pretty good. The food is hit or miss. It seems like they are constantly changing their menu and adding lots of non-"French" cuisine. I tried their Thai Peanut Chicken wrap and it was not good at all. Too much rice and not enough chicken. Their Asian Salmon was so fishy once, I had to send it back. The last time I was here I had the BBQ Chicken Ciabatta. The bread was tasty and the pork was a little dry. They have added kettle chips to their choice of sides and those were really good. I guess I need to stay away from their international ventures.
(3)
Matthew T.
I'm not a big fan of French food (or whatever this stuff is), but they do a few nice salads and sandwiches. This is a good stop if you're not sure what you're in the mood for, but you want some "comfort food." The atmosphere here is terrific, I love the decor. The staff are generally friendly, punctual, and attentive. Our favorite is Jared, we usually ask for him.
(5)
Lee F.
Boy oh boy was this inspiring ... of ambivalence. I wandered in here with a coworker after a nearby lunch errand. We had no idea what the place was, but figured "general American fare". We were close, as apparently there is a New Orleans theme here. There's a palpable TGIF/Applebeees/Bennigans/Fuddruckers/Ruby Tuesday/Flingers/etc. tinge here, what with all the faux-genuine shlock on the walls. (Yes that was an oxymoron - that's kinda the point.) There's a bit less "flair" here, mercifully, and a bit more light. A bit. The furniture is vaguely uncomfortable, the decor is vaguely cluttered, and the food is vaguely Cajun. I ended up getting a meatloaf chibatta sandwich with a red bean and andouille sausage soup. The soup was actually quite good. The sandwich was a solid 3 ... out of 10. Bland. My compatriot ordered a veggie burger and was likewise underwhelmed (a bit moreso, since he didn't get the soup). I should mention, though, that the sweet bread they brought out was tasty. Prices weren't great. We had to skimp to keep it under $10 a head. Then it came out to $11 a head. Oh well. Anyway, I won't be going back. There's no need. But I can see why people might come here, if they eat out around here a lot and aren't too picky.
(3)
Helena M.
Food is good. I have been there several times and they take forever to serve you. 5 stars.. because the food is really good.
(3)
Erin W.
This one star rating is based completely on their customer service. The service here is terrible. I would have given them no stars except that two "kitchen helpers" (the employees who come out and ask to refill drinks) were great. The waiter we (3 people) had apparently didn't like to talk. He took our order and left. He walked by our table multiple times with all of our cups at the edge to show we wanted refills and he looked at them and walked by. I understand that Mimi's may have certain people that come to refill drinks but I don't think a waiter should walk by, obviously notice empty cups, and not do anything about it. After he repeatedly walked by our table without refilling our drinks another girl brought out our food while he continued to help other guests. It wasn't busy at this time either. The restaurant wasn't empty but there was no reason that the waiter could not have given us more time and attention. Then, when we appeared to be done with our food the waiter came to our table and took our plates without even asking if we were done. I stopped him because I wanted to take the leftovers and he just said ok and then dropped a to-go box on the table a few minutes later. I doubt I'll ever go back to this Mimi's again. I like Mimi's food but with customer service like that, it's just not worth it. I just hope the kitchen helpers get promoted!
(1)
Jesse M.
Nothing special. The food was fine -- nothing outstanding, nothing bad. I ordered an $8 veggie burger from their "light" menu, so maybe I shouldn't be judging the food. Ambience was trying a little hard (one wall had a collage of jazz instruments -- great). Fake brick and fake flowers. Hammered brass sinks and a plant on the counter made the bathroom the standout for decor. As Lee mentioned, the little complimentary pre-meal basket with bread and cake (carrot? zucchini?) was a nice touch. No real complaints, except that there's no real value here. I could've gotten similar food with more interesting ambience elsewhere for cheaper.
(3)
Rothy C.
Ahh Mimi's! All the grandmas and grandpas love to go out to eat here. Everytime we come to visit, there's some geezer hacking and 'a wheezing. But Hey! We try to block that out, just hope he didn't have the flu or weird infectious malady. We come here for 'da food. No? Hubby was starving and he hadn't anything to eat yet. He was called away earlier that day on an emergency (some guy at work needed a psychiatric evaluation). It was about 1:30 in the afternoon by the time Hubbs met up with 'da familia. Mimi's was my suggestion and we went with it. Once there, we ordered an appetizer of spinach dip for all except Chica. Hers came as part of a lunch combo with fish taco. Hubbs ordered a 1/2 pound burger, Lil' Dude had fish 'n chips, and I had the chicken 'n fruit salad. The appetizer was nice and creamy-gooey with cheese. The guys enjoyed it. Chica supposedly had the same thing as part of her combo, but it had separated into oil 'n some goo I suppose is cheese. Girl just picked up the goo with her bread slice and left the oil alone. Everybody was OK with their entrees except Hubbs. He was expecting a thicker burger, afterall it's supposed to be 1/2 a pound wasn't it? but ofcourse, that could be the weight before they start cooking it. Still Hubbs insisted that wasn't enough meat and it didn't measure up to the name of 1/2 pound burger. I felt bad, he was really hungry. I've seen bigger burgers at Carl's Jr to be frank. It was other wise a tasty burger (thanks to the Thousand Island dressing on the side). I really love their muffins, all of them. Every flavor of muffin is yum yum to mi tum tum. So every time they ask me which muffin I wanted, I always, always hesitate as they are all so good to me. mmmmmmh! Mimi's muffins! Really, the main course or entrees may be average or barely above average for most people. But you still see them coming here in droves some days, especially Sunday after church. I come here for that fruited salad and those (mouth watering) muffins. Been thinking to mahself- how do I get to the back and hijack me a big rack of them muffins? or could I order a dozen of 'dos bad boys for mah own personal enjoyment at home?
(3)
Ryan T.
I've been to Mimi's mostly for breakfast and their breakfast food is above average with a wide variety of things on the menu. Our order did take a little longer than expected and our server came by to let us know. My wife and I really like their spice muffin that comes with the breakfast. I've had their pot roast for dinner once and I remember enjoying it,
(3)
Joseph Y.
Been here many times, finally decided to review. Went there last night for dinner. This time I had the turkey dinner and KC had the 5 cheese sandwich. The salad was a bit overdressed, so get dressing on the side if you're sensitive to those things. The turkey was a little dry, but gravy made up for it. Wasn't chalky or too salty, a chronic problem of mid-range homestyle restaurants. KC was disappointed with the "fruit salad" which consisted of 2 slices of oranges and pineapples. Additionally: "Acidic + Acidic = Thbbbbb!" Waitress was friendly and bubbly, like our friend, Sarah. It wasn't very romantic for Valentine's day, but if you're taking your grandma to dinner, it's a winner!
(3)
Dan P.
Got the meatloaf but this time was a bit disappointed. It was quite salty but I did feel like maybe the portion went up. That doesn't really help me but it might help YOU if you like bigger portions. Anyway, the bread here is still good heh.
(2)
Carolyn S.
Mimi's is a slightly upscale diner. For what it is...it's pretty good. The ambiance is colorful and cozy (almost like a tiny version of Disneyland's French Quarter). They put fresh flowers on the tables, have a wide variety on the menu and have a decent wine selection for a diner. This is one step up from a Coco's, two steps up from a Carrows. The one thing I must fault them on is the training of their wait staff. We've ordered wine here and the waitress actually brought it to the table already opened. She obviously didn't know how to open the bottle. Rather tacky. I have never worked in a restaurant that sells wine by the bottle where that would fly. Similarly, waiters will carefully avoid eye contact with you...to avoid helping out another table's customers....immature, inexperienced and poorly trained. I can say this because this is the same sort of tactic I used when I was all three of the above during my late teens and very early twenties. This place could be first rate if they created a better training system for the wait staff (and hostesses) and achieved greater consistency in the kitchen.
(4)
Eric T.
I went there yesterday along with a group of people (8 at one table, 4 at another). We got there at 945 AM and were seated right away. It took the waitress about 25 minutes to get our food and drink orders. When 11 o clock rolled around we still did not have any food. They weren't super busy and there was no wait to get in, the food just wasn't coming out. Two in our group had to leave to make a previous appointment so they cancelled their order after waiting over an hour. About 5 minutes later the manager Rob came out with their salads to go even though they had already left. We told him we had cancelled and he asked what he should do with their food. We told him to do what he wants with it because we had waited an hour. He then started to yell at us for lying, stating that the food order was put in eleven minutes ago and we had not been there that long. We pointed out that we had been there for over an hour and it is not our problem if the sever didn't put the order in when we gave it. He asked if he should just fire the server then to make us happy and he stormed off. When the food came out shortly after the manager's tantrum, it tasted okay (not good, not bad, about what you would expect). We had to wait another fifteen minutes after asking for our bill to get the check. I asked our server, two other waitresses, and the hostess for the full name of the manager but no one knew and no one was willing to look for him and ask his last name. We settled our bills (full cost for everything) and left, telling everyone on the way out what had happened. Two groups that were walking in turned around and went somewhere else because they didn't have an hour and a half to eat. I will not be going back. I have told several of my friends about this and they won't be going back either. I understand slow service with a new waitress, but having the manager be a jerk about is not acceptable. It made me feel like I was a burden to them for being in their restaurant, and that is not what I want when I go out to eat.
(1)
Jon T.
This place... well how do i describe it... SUCKS, took us a good 45 minutes to get sat on a weeknight (wtf?) the food i ordered was pricey and nasty, the bread was pretty good though. The service sucked, the waiter came to refill our water like what .. once? checked up on us like what.. once? yeah food took a long time to get to us as well and when it did wow I really wish it hadn't. would not go back unless paid to do so.
(1)
Al A.
We love eating here for family breakfasts after church or Sunday Brunch. Was real disappointed when they removed "Joe's Special" from the menu. A large omelette with pot roast, melted cheese and spinach. Great diner-like comfort food. Yes, it's popular and there's a 30 minute wait for weekend breakfasts. A great alternative when you're tired of high carb IHOP or not in the mood for fast food. Good service with good sized portions. The kids love this place too.
(4)
Clarissa A.
Been to this location a few times now but haven't had a chance to Yelp them just yet. This time around I did not want anything heavy so I opted for a chicken Caesar salad. Oh my gawd, it was good! They dressed the salad for me and at first I was annoyed about that but when I tasted it, I just loved it. I'm craving that right now in fact. The salad was perfectly portioned with cubed chicken, romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese and really savory Caesar dressing. When you order a salad from Mimi's cafe, it comes with a fresh baked muffin. These muffins are to die for usually. They come out all warm and sweet smelling. They serve it with some whipped butter as well. Unfortunately, they changed their recipe for their blueberry muffins (now called low-fat blueberry muffins) because I noticed right away that the blueberry muffin did not look the same. I bugged out a little bit because I even asked our waitress if they just started selling these "low-fat blueberry muffins with applesauce." She insisted that they were the same for years now and that it was the norm. But I knew the jig was up when I first glanced at it, the muffin top was not all sugary and crystall-y as from before. And the taste was not as scrumptious as I remembered it to be. Bring back the old regular blueberry muffins. No need for the low fat version, where's the fun in that? My sidekick ordered the creamy chicken crepes and we shared the fried zucchini. Both were terrific! Thanks!
(3)
Antoinette P.
Great food! Everything seemed fresh and was tasty! I ordered the chicken club sandwish with this pesto sauce that was super tasty. The wait staff was really friendly and attentive. Our food came out in no time! The place is reasonably priced..the food is good..staff is friendly..what more can I say?
(5)
Bruce L.
mimi's has the best breakfast in the world hands down , where else do you get free bread and juice with your meal ? Anthony is the BEST server in san diego has been working there for about 10 years and will take the best care of you .
(5)
Steve R.
Can get very loud inside due to the high ceilings. The food has been decent the two times I have been at this location. Service can be spotty at times but overall not too bad. Parking can be challenging since the location is in and near two very busy strip mall type areas including a movie theatre.
(4)
Gerald S.
Again, if it weren't for my niece and nephew, I wouldn't go here at all. There's really nothing eye-popping in the menu that I would care to order. I finally decided on the patty melt along with a new england clam chowder. I wished I could've ordered from the kids' menu instead though. Their deals are outstanding! Most of their meals are under $5 and include a drink (soda, OJ or milk), a side order, and a dessert (which is the "dirt and worms" oreo cookie thing). The clam chowder was a bit too salty for my taste. However, if you dip bread into it, it absorbs all the saltiness... yum (sarcasm implied). The good thing about the clam chowder was that it was pretty thick, not like Claim Jumper's. The patty melt was just ok. It is also slightly saltier than normal. The grilled onions had no caramelization at all, which is how it's supposed to be. I would give this place 2 stars, but the service was superb. Also, the breads that they give you are great: a sourdough roll that isn't too sour and raisin nut bread.
(3)
Dianna F.
Took granny out to celebrate her 82nd birthday. 5 of us went. Ordered 3 of the pre fix dinners. 2 regular dinner entrees were ordered. Then got overcharged for the drinks that were supposed to be discounted with the purchase of the pre fix dinner. 3 Salmon dishes were order and they were awful. One person couldn't even eat it. When that was noticed, after I flagged down the waiter to pay, I did get him to prepare a fresh not overcooked dish 'to go' for my sister in law. The food was mediocre at best. Not served hot and certainly way over cooked. It will be a long time before we return. The bread was good though :) Paying over $100 for a party of 5 to eat a lousy meal was well just plain lousy! And we left hungry. :(
(2)
Vicky L.
Cute theme dining chain restaurant, I go specifically for their soup/salad combo. Oh yeah, and that heavenly bread basket. I specially have a soft spot for their bananas fosters mud pie. Most of their entrees are hit or miss. I dont' really recommend their pastas but their pot roast is divine!
(4)
Nancy K.
My husband and I tried this place and was not very happy with it. The service is great but the food was not a go. The bbq ribs was dry and the seafood fettuccini had no taste at . Was going to give them another try but my husband says no "not worth our time and money"
(1)
Roberto B.
The food was not good at all. They did not taste fresh at all. The service was also not good at all, we had to wait so long to order and the place was not that busy. I totally recommend other places to eat around Mira Mesa. I was really disappointed about this place. I will not go there ever.
(1)
Jennilee W.
My experience at Mimi's Cafe was very disappointing. I decided to take my family here for Easter lunch. I looked at the website to see if they were open on Easter Sunday. I saw on the website that you can call ahead of time to put your name on the list if you decide to go during busy times. I called the restaurant and I was told that I could not do that and had to go in to put my name on the list. I was upset about that. What is the point of advertising that you can call ahead when you can't do that? So I went there and waited 45 minutes to be seated. Lunch was fine but the part that was so upsetting was the end. We decided to split the bill with each other depending on what was ordered. We told the server to put certain amounts on the cards and what ever was left to use the cash. We didn't want the person paying cash to overpay so we asked for change. The server (I believe her name was Samantha) came over without the change. When we explained again what we wanted she rolled her eyes and went back to figure out the change due. This was extremely rude. When she came back she had a bad attitude. This gave us an unpleasant dining experience. I was embarrassed that I brought my family here. I will never return to Mimi's Cafe because customer service seems to be nonexistent. This is one of the worst dining experiences I have ever experienced.
(1)
Erin J.
so I've only been to a Mimi's once before for breakfast and it was pretty decent. Well last night the bf and I ended up here after seeing a movie at the Edwards across the way. It was the only place that would seat us as it was so close to 10 p.m. So thats a positive right there. But the positives end there. Our dinners were just....gross. Very heavy. Very tasteless. Very overpriced! Plus when they mistakenly charged us for food we didn't order, it took FOREVER to correct. I figured it was because the manager was busy or something, until I went to the restroom and saw ALL the staff just hanging out around the service station talking about their econ classes. No joke they were discussing professors and what time to take the course. Uhhh yeah.....I wish I had the guts to ask for our $55 back.
(1)
Eddie P.
This isn't the great of a Mimis. I like the one in Mission Valley better. The food is usually prety amazing though, but the service is most often times lacking.
(3)
Lety M.
ive been here many of times... the last time i was here had their crab cake seafood plater.... bad f-ing idea... i almost pooped my pants. the food was not agreeing with my stomach. i know i have a sensitive stomach, but i mean this was a right away effect! 2 weeks of not eating or drinking or any of the above! never again!
(1)
Laura Z.
I came here for lunch with co-workers, we had a good time and the plates were huge I ordered a chicken ceasar salad with breadsticks and I was impressed...it was really good and even though I ordered a salad I got extremely full and I was only half way! The prices were decent compared to the plate sizes...the place was nice and clean...it was not very crowded, but then again we went on a weekday. Our waiter was attentive as well.
(4)
Selina H.
I think you would get the gist quickly. The bread is the best part of the meal. I'm not sure what Mimi's trying to be, but the decor tries to be an intimate cafe, the food wants to be fast food, and the service tries to be a hold in the wall restaurant. Not the best combo. Not inspired to go back.
(1)
Annette G.
So I was looking for somewhere to get some last minute cramming in before an exam and decided I didn't want to do the usual Panera thing. Last time I went there it was so noisy and hard to concentrate. I noticed the very empty parking lot by Mimi's and decided it was worth a shot. I had eaten at a different Mimi's a few years ago and it wasn't really a good experience. This however was the total opposite. At 5pm there were only a few tables of diners (and yes they were all older people, nothing wrong with that) but I was able to have a great 3 course dinner for $13 and got a nice big table to spread my books out and do some much needed studying. The waitresses were all super attentive and the food was great. Will be coming back for sure!
(4)
Al P.
I have dined here several times since I last wrote my scathing review. The service has improved immensely since I last posted my review. It is now adept and friendly and the managers are very visible. You are always greeted and they seem to have their act together. The food is good but not great. Last night the ribs were the best option. The split pea is good as well. The chocolate mouse is not edible and should be removed immediately. For a quick casual meal this place fits the bill.
(4)
Stephen W.
Wait 40 minutes to get a table, where you'll get to order giant portions of crappy food. Now, some of the food I've eaten here has been good, but some has been horrid. Seems like it's all facade to me.
(2)
Gina L.
I just want to enjoy my food and I don't need 5 other workers bothering me with questions. MY waitress should be the one asking me if I want anything.
(2)
Donna B.
i like this place for breakfast, but they sure make people mad as soon as they stop offering the breakfast menu. the food isn't that great except for the french onion soup and the tuscan chicken pasta or something like that. but the breakfast is great!! the wait is enormously long, they say "it'll be about 20 minutes," but it turns out to be 40, but you wonder because there's not that many people there, the hostesses are rude and make pretend they don't see you as they carry on their own private conversations. i've been here with my company for a gathering, with a date and with family, none of these were 5 star experiences, you have to have a lot of patience for this place
(3)
Jennifer A.
Their carrot bread and french rolls are free and tasty! I like their salads and they have some interesting twists on some comfort foods. However, I prefer Marie Calendar's chicken pot pies.
(4)
scott p.
this is where poop eats dinner.
(2)
Cindy E.
we've been a mimi's cafe customer and we've been a fan - like there simple yet warm and cozy feel when you dine in here. but this particular location, we're so not coming back. we have kids with hand held toys... for the first time this location told us to turn my girls (7 & 3 y.o.) handheld toys off because one of the customer is complaining. turn off, why? i don't think it's loud enough was just average sound (can small handheld like DS be really loud?), you can even hear the rumbling of the kitchen way more. also, why didn't they weigh the circumstance, can they just ask us to minimize maybe the volume not to turn it off. It feels like we're about to board the plane to that we have to turn all our electronics off. They should have in their disclaimer that handheld toys (DS) isn't allowed to be played inside the cafe. what upset me is, they are just little girls/kids, there were not rowdy and running everywhere. they were just silently playing in a normal average sound. they could just asked us to maybe slow the volume down if it really annoyed but not turn it off --- are we inthe theatre maybe? we are in a regular restaurant eating lunch, it won't be quiet at all... what upset me more is one of the staff didn't weigh the circumstance, it feels like they treated us with disrespect with discrimination because we're asian (the table who complain was full of caucasian - because they can't look into our eyes, they're looking away... and that's the table halfway accross ours, the one beside us were all out smile and said hi... the rest diners where 3-4 tables away). my oldest was asking me, if they did something wrong? and hiding behind us --- that's heartbreaking, may not be emotionally overly traumatic but she brought it up because it concerns her. we've been to several restaurants from affordable to high end and never heard about someone coming to our table and telling us to shut our girls DS --- for the first time!!! only in mimi's cafe in mira mesa location --- so family with kids, BEWARE!!! *** Oh by the way, they didn't complain on the loud kitchen behind their table --- and teenagers loud accross the hall. very interesting!!!
(1)
Hen A.
twenty to thirty minute wait....popular hangin' por local familias...mimi's common socal restaurant chain....lookin' similar to rest.....exception of outdoor seating availability....breakfast bein' first experience....finding scramble dry 'n' overcooked.....pancakes limp 'n' flat.....dry lump of an omelette...atleast muffins 'n' loaves pipin' hot....findin' mimi's lackin' and fallin' short on breakfast/brunch meals....under $ten disappointin' breakfast had....
(2)
Ken A.
take your grandparents here if they visit...the lunch crowd is mostly in the range "of a certain age". an extensive lunch menu, with a breakfast menu supplement...can't criticize a place that serves breakfast all day! the food wasn't awful; the service was adequate; the prices were good.
(3)
John T.
I have eaten at this Mimi's multiple times, and find it to be one of the best, and possibly even THE best, local dining experiences for the money. The food has always been prepared as I have ordered it (and I often make significant changes, as I try to stay away from heavy carbs and saturated fats--well, within reason anyway). The wait staff has always been been both timely and attentive. Despite my going there well over 20 times in the last three years, I have always been satisfied with both the qualitiy and quantity of the meals and the prices. My favorite dish is the Salmon dinner, but I have also had their steak, pot roast, cobb salad and breakfast omeletes, all delicious.
I was unwillingly dragged here by a group of friends for dinner. If it were up to me, I would've never picked such a tacky, psuedo-upscale restaurant-one that garnered a measly 3 star Yelp rating. Service was subpar and the food was mostly terrible and overpriced. My salad/soup combo was supposed to come with a fresh muffin-which I've heard great things about-but not a single muffin was served through the entire meal. Boo. My friends had the meatloaf and some type of bland fish, both of which came with mashed potatoes that tasted blatantly like the spud mix you can get at grocery stores. It was pretty nasty. Our server also seemed untrained-not only forgetting my muffin, but also handing plates of food to customers instead of placing them on the table and failing in all senses to be courteous or friendly. If there's anything about Mimi's that I actually liked, it was the bread basket. The brown raisin bread IS AMAZING, especially when ensconced in the super-whipped butter spread that comes with it. Mimi's succeeds much more as a bakery than as a restaurant. I don't intend to come here ever again, unless it transforms itself into a ginormous bakery with cheap raisin bread.
(2)
Agent X.
i like it that they serve warm, fresh carrot bread while waiting for your food. it is a bit pricey for diner food, but i guess you're also paying for the quality service and the decor. yes, the servers will disappear once you place your order but i like to enjoy my food without getting interrupted.
(4)
Janice A.
I actually LIKE their new menu! It used to be mostly "comfort food" with lost of fatty and starchy stuff, and now they have lots of healthier choices also. I used to be hesitant, but I'm fine with eating here now. They also have a "Seasonal Menu" from which I ordered the Lemon Chicken, with salad. The chicken was a little dry (I don't ea the skin, so that didn't help!) But it was fine, and the salad was good - nice and fresh. My friend ordered the same thing, and enjoyed it. The server was patient with our substitutions, and accommodated us nicely. I had to ask for more water but when I did, it was promptly brought, and the service was generally good. I will go back and try other things on their new menu, now that it is more interesting to me!
(3)
Jennifer S.
Hubby and I were hanging in Mira Mesa one evening this week and wanted to grab some dinner. We had Bitsy Boo with us so we needed a place with an outdoor patio and Mimi's was able to accommodate us, which we greatly appreciated. We took a seat out on the side patio and our server, Michael, took our drink orders and gave us some time to look over the menu. He brought out our waters and a bowl of water for Bitsy (so nice) and took our dinner order. Hubby ordered a glass of their house wine and Michael said he'd bring out some fresh bread. Great, we love bread, but that's when things started to get dicey. We waited 20 minutes for the wine and 30 minutes for the bread. The dinner plates literally took 45 minutes to come out. We had contemplated leaving before the wine came out but decided to chance it. I probably should have gone with my gut instinct and hightailed it outta there when we still had no bread or wine 20 minutes after giving our orders. The bread was okay, served warm, and the carrot bread was tasty and interesting to be sitting there in the bread basket. I had ordered the Brioche Cheeseburger, medium well. That thing came back well-done with fries that had been cooked too long. The brioche bun only seemed to be brioche on top and institutional on the bottom (did I really just get bun gypped?!) Hubby's salmon was also overcooked and dry. The sauce helped make it edible but we were not impressed at all. Hubby let our server know that the salmon had been overcooked and he apologized and said he'd relay that to the cook. I feel like they don't get much traffic on weeknights and may be short staffed. Mimi's really needs to evaluate their kitchen crew and see if more help is needed there. Wait times are much too long for a night when there was hardly anyone in the establishment. We really appreciated our server, Michael, and felt like his hands were really tied in this situation. A server can only bring out the food as quick as the kitchen can prepare it and everything he brought us was hot, so timing from kitchen to table was not the issue. Probably won't be back here. Wouldn't wanna know how long it would take to get our food on busier nights, if they even have such a thing.
(2)
Bryan F.
Went to Mimi's Cafe this morning for breakfast/lunch. We had a group of 9 and when we arrived we were told it would just be a few minutes to out a few tables together. 20 minutes passed and no table, so we were told it would be just 5 more minutes. Another 20 minutes passed, they told us 5 more minutes. Another 20 minutes passed and we got anxious so we walked the floor, pointed out to the hostess there was multiple tables open large enough for us. The hostess said to go sit down then. We sat at the table for 5 minutes waiting for menus or a server. FINALLY Gave Up and Left the restuarant. Got an attitude from the hostess and "manager" on the way out. Don't waste your time. Go across the street to one of the other resturants. Horrible staff working there. Really dissapointed because of our previous visits to other Mimi's Cafe locations.
(1)
Gabrielle V.
So bad. Disgusting. Not a big fan of chain restaurants, but this place should be avoided at all costs. I really couldn't believe how terrible it was. Fryer needed to be cleaned. New cooks need to be hired! Kitchen crew failed at even producing clean silverware. Nope nope nope
(1)
Sarah M.
Awesome meal! My boyfriend had steak and I had an omelette. The waiters are friendly. But could have come around more. Overall good food here. :)
(5)
Jim E.
Menu has changed and there is not much of a variety any more, the service is good but without the selection there are much better choices in the area. They had the sense to keep their French Onion soup which is one of the major saving graces.
(3)
Karen N.
So I used to really like Mimi's, but I haven't been to one in a while. They have completely changed the menu, with only a few items like quiche, etc. as carryovers from the old days. This one is near the Edwards Mira Mesa theater, and we went for dinner after we got out of the movie. There weren't very many people eating at 7:45. We got seated right away, obviously. And then it started to go wrong...... Our iced tea was so strong, it almost looked like a Cabernet with ice in it. My chicken with frites was totally burned, bitter, and dry. It almost tasted medicinal, and I made our waitress try some of it, off the side I hadn't touched. She agreed it was bad. The fries were good, skin-on fried in peanut oil maybe, like those places that used to be in the mall food courts before everyone developed peanut allergies overnight. My mom said her cassoulet OK, but it didn't look like a normal version of it. The lettuce in her salad was full pieces of small lettuce, and needed to be chopped up or something. I had to order a Frisco Burger, I knew that would be fine. They were willing to do Med Rare, which is unusual at chain restaurants nowadays. Our poor server Theresa did her best to make us happy, and she was hustling because other people were sending food back at other tables ( what did they do to someone's SALAD? I don't think I want to know). We were there for an hour and a half, having to wait for my reorder to be cooked. Next time we may just keep driving, and go to Cheesecake at NCF instead.
(2)
Brendan P.
The food was really good and for the most part met my expectations. I gave this a bit lower on the scale because of a few things 1) when my toast came out for breakfast it was not buttered and they did not give me butter until I asked for it. By that time it was already cold enough where the butter would not melt into the toast. 2) a huge pet peeve of mine is when your water cup is not filled up consistently and that happened. 3) Going back to the toast they did not have any jams present on the table and when I asked for some they brought a little holder with only two flavors Apple or Grape. Whatever happened to at least Strawberry let alone Marmalade? I will definitely give them a second chance because the food was really good, just a few things that need some work. Things I did like: you can call ahead to get your seat and on a Sunday when everyone is going out to eat this saves a lot of time. The staff was very pleasant and the food came out quickly. As for the price it was pretty average for two people coming to about $26. When I go again I will update my review if they put a bit more effort in.
(3)
Chrissie O.
Been coming here for years. I was never impressed with their food but my mom loves their bran muffin so I have breakfast with them here sometimes. Recently we came for my birthday breakfast. Most of the places I like are far so just decided to come here since it's in Mira Mesa right near the freeway. The waitress and the manager were great. Very friendly and helpful. I was disappointed they didn't have the champagne anymore for the mimosa. The portions are pretty small. Maybe they shouldn't use such a large plate. I ordered the corned beef eggs benedict and I shared with my family since I knew I was eating out all day that day. It was ok but there were a few egg shells. I didn't feel like complaining bc sometimes that happens and my mom kept trying to get free muffins since it was my birthday and I didn't want a birthday dessert so early in the morning. This is one of those chain restaurants that you go to when you can't think of anywhere else to go.
(2)
Phil B.
Went in to give the place a try. I ordered fish and chips wife ordered mushroom brie burger.. My fish was great fries were cold coleslaw mushy and inedible. Wife's fries cold.. burger.. Which should have been medium was burnt black. We showed waitress she said it looked terrible went to get a new one when bill came they charged for both we had to wait while they fixed check.... Over all nice quiet place hit and miss on the food great carrot muffin
(1)
Paul S.
Been going here with my family because it's one of my mom's favorite spots to go to for a small and quick breakfast. Can't go wrong with the steak & eggs breakfast over here.
(4)
Mali C.
I ordered their Santa Fe omelet and I personally didn't find it appetizing. The cappuccino also wasn't what I expected. The hot chocolate, on the other hand, was great. I would only recommend coming here for the hot chocolate.
(2)
Luri A.
The service was terrible as we had to wait at least 1/2 an hour to even have drink orders to even be taken and another 1/2 hour to be brought. It also took forever for the server to take our food orders afterwhich it took over an hour for anything to be brought out. Even when food was brought several of the food items's sides (such as toast, gellies, ketchup, etc) were forgotten, and several of the food items were not cooked properly or already cold. The server never came to check if we needed anything. The ladies in our group did not send anything back unfortunately because the server didn't frequent us and they thought it would take way too long to get a replacement (it was a group of about a dozen of us who went today for the birthday breakfast of 4 of the ladies in our group). If I decided to post this it's only because the ladies in our group regularly visit the establishment for other group birthday breakfasts and should not have such terrible service. It took so long to get our orders taken and get our food that we missed a previously scheduled engagement that we were supposed to have attended following our breakfast.
(1)
Suhel P.
Place looked decent from the outside. Inside decor was a tad old fashioned and tacky; service was very slow; coffee seemed burnt; no vegetarian options in main entrees.. Fries were soaking in oil. The only saving grace was the spinach artichoke dip which was decent at best. Overall disappointing experience.
(2)
Pauline W.
Been having pregnant cravings for steak and potatoes so my boyfriend decides to bring us to this Mimi's Cafe location. We were seated for 15 minutes with no acknowledgement. By the time someone even came to address us we were getting up to leave. I completely understand if they were busy...but they weren't. There were other customers, but the least they could've done was acknowledge our existence. BEFORE WE GOT UP TO LEAVE.
(1)
Chay M.
Food is good, staff is pleasant, but took a little time for our order to arrive. I ordered the banana nut griddle cakes and hubby ordered the corned beef hash.
(3)
Tyler S.
Food was decent, wait staff wasn't. It's one of the only brunch spots around but worth finding another.
(2)
James K.
I read a few previous reviews and seems this place just isn't what it used to be. I've been to this particular Mimi's before but after today, unless they are the only place serving food and everything else has burned down or gone out of business, I won't be back. Our server came up almost immediately after I took my seat and took my drink order. The others in my party already had their water and drinks. This was probably the best part of the visit. For whatever reason, the server seemed to take an exorbitant amount of time for everything. We had been sitting for quite some time before he came back and took our order. We started off with a waffle, chips and salsa for the table (okay, I know it's a crazy combination so no judging). The waffle was fair at best and the guacamole was just an avocado partially sliced. The rest of the avocado that wasn't sliced up was because it was too hard/not ripe enough. No salsa with the chips and avocado. Pretty odd. They advertise this as mashed with lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and red onion. Well, someone must have forgotten to tell the chef. There was NO cilantro or red onion. There was one jalapeno pepper but it was hole and not chopped up. And when the server put it on the table he did put some lime juice on the avocado. Not quite "mashed with" as the menu states. I ordered the Roasted Turkey Club with fries and also at the table the others had the Grilled Chicken and Guacamole. I'm somewhat of a self-proclaimed aficionado of club sandwiches and this was without a doubt the worst! For starters, the bread. I ordered it on white bread. The size of the bread slice was incredible small; each quarter of the sandwich was more like an eighth. I could go to a grocery store, buy a loaf of Wonder bread and have bigger slices. Furthermore, someone obviously forgot about the bread being toasted because it was completely burnt. Again, someone has no idea how to prepare a club sandwich but I don't know of ANY sandwich that is good with burnt bread. Pretty much loses the flavor of the whole sandwich. But even the turkey was terrible. Actually, the turkey was so terrible I took it off the sandwich. But with the bread as burnt as it was, the disgusting meat they called turkey, I discarded everything and just ate the bacon plain. So with the sandwich being what it was, why should I be surprised that the fries were disgusting as well? They tasted as if they had been cooked 2 hours prior. Completely limp and very greasy. I'm not going to go into the Grilled Chicken Guacamole sandwich my friends ordered but simple enough to say they didn't finish them. As a matter of fact, they ate half of one half of the sandwich and they were done. The meals were delivered after a significant amount of time. Our server even came out several times to tell us the meals were coming up. I honestly don't mind waiting for a meal as long as it comes out hot and fresh. Well, ours was anything but. As I pointed out, the fries tasted hours old instead of hot and fresh as they should have been. Despite the bread on my sandwich being burnt, the sandwich was quite cold. I know the turkey, lettuce and tomato are cold, but the bread and bacon should give a small warmth to the taste of the sandwich. Mine tasted as if it had been sitting at some other table, not even under a warming lamp. And the server. As I said, when I arrived he was very attentive and got me a drink right away. That's where it all ended. We were just drinking water and iced tea yet rare was the time when our server would come by and refill our drinks. Horrible considering the temperature outside was 91 degrees and we had all made a point of telling out server we were all very thirsty. A comment that clearly went to waste on our server. When our meals finally arrived, only one plate came with a small thimble of ketchup despite all of us having fries. He did kindly ask whether we wanted ketchup or ranch and we all requested ketchup. One in our party even asked for extra ketchup since all she had was a thimble of ketchup and the server gave such a rude look and took in a deep sigh. Hey server (his name is Raymond), if I want a bottle of ketchup, just bring it! We don't want YOUR attitude. Finally we were ready to leave and he offered the ladies in our group water to go since they were drinking so much. That was a very generous offer except he never came back with it. When we left, Raymond was just standing at the front door talking to friends. Needless to say, service and food, this was absolutely horrible. For anyone just looking for lunch, I STRONGLY recommend Island's Restaurant which is walking distance from Mimi's; and for breakfast, there is a Denny's only half a mile.
(2)
Theresa N.
Great place for really good onion soup. Service though, is not very good. Back in their beginning days at this location, I remember it being much more livelier and the staff a lot more prompt and friendlier. Not anymore...the past few times I've been there the service has been mediocre at best. The very last time though, was ridiculous. My bf and I sat there for 25 minutes before our soup even came. There was a total of about 8 occupied tables in the whole dining room...what?
(3)
Steven G.
Have eaten here many times.....just getting around to a review. We had lunch at this location on Monday....Fish & Chips(frites) for me, 1/2 roasted chicken with Frites for her. I drank iced tea, she had strawberry lemonade. It was hard to decide what to have, there were a lot of options, and we had a BOGO coupon, which is really why we had the lunch there. EXCELLENT fish(true cod) four pieces, batter was great, not too greasy, cooked perfectly. Chips were limp, coleslaw was not great, bland and not crisp. Squeezing on some lemon helped. Her chicken was ok, her frites were great, cooked perfectly, I forgot to ask for extra crispy chips, which was my bad. Usually Mimi's is four star for food and service in context, but we had to wait over 1/2 hour for our food, and my iced tea was down to nothing by that time. Tipped on the food and not on the service, our server was off her game, and it was NOT that busy....we got there at 11:15 am. Declined dessert.....Bill was about $31.00 out the door, including an $8.00 tip.
(3)
Cheeks P.
This location had good service. It took a while to be seated even though it was quiet, seemed to be a lack of servers in the area we were in. Seats could have been cleaner, gotta get those cracks! The food was hot and tasty, although the omelet& crepes could have used more flavor. The potatoes were great. The muffin warm and yummy. The berry mimosa rocked! I'm surprised this location didn't have a long wait like the mission valley one does on a Saturday morning. Would visit again.
(4)
Super M.
Lovely! Cocktails in the early a.m. my ATF! I love there bran muffins too. Terressa was our server a very a nice lady. Great place & excellent food.
(4)
Daniel G.
Mimi's has really gone down hill! Restaurant is dirty, old, and sad. Typical breakfast, nothing special or worth coming back for. They need a major revamp. Oh, and the potatoes are not fresh and seem like they came from out of the freezer and got dumped into an oily pan.
(2)
Shannon S.
I came here for a brunch, and wasn't in a breakfast mood. Thankfully, Mimi's has you covered with a full menu available during brunch hours on the weekends. I steered clear of the typical brunch affair (waffles, sandwiches, and such) and opted instead for a salmon niçoise salad. The salmon was cooked and seasoned well much to my surprise. I expected an over cooked, flavorless, previously frozen portion on my plate. While the fish was certainly previously frozen, it was really tender and flaky! There was a bit more dressing than I would have liked, but that was my fault for not asking for it on the side. The fingerling potatoes were tender and well seasoned, but they were cold. It would have been nice to have them warm and toasty to go along with the warm salmon. I'll be back for more niçoise!
(4)
Summer A.
Went to Mimi's for a work lunch with the girls. We were sat quickly, though the girl seemed shocked there would be seven people...They had an open table, so that was just weird, but nothing bad. The server was polite and attentive. She made sure to check-in frequently. All the stars that I gave go to her service. Reason for 3 out of 5 stars - The food TOOK FOREVER to come out. It was definitely over half an hour (as we were clock watching). When the food came out, everything was warm, but didn't have a whole lot of taste. Very bland. Not impressed at all. Personally, I would probably skip this option if you are going there for lunch and need to get back within a two hour time frame......
(3)
Cherish L.
Kayla was awesome!!!! She offered me a Dr. Pibb and my wife thought that was hilarious!!! I must say Kayla was super funny! She made a joke her knees were hurting for all the plates she had to carry from our table. One of a kind! We will most definitely be back! The steak and corn chowder were bomb.
(5)
Nellie S.
Great management team. Not sure why the bad reviews. Our experience was great. We had my sisters wedding party there yesterday. They did not have the party room available so they closed off the backroom for us. They even put up the decorations we brought them earlier in the day and keep her cake in the fridge for us. The food was delicious as well.
(5)
Shiela P.
Haven't been here in a while.. I was really looking forward to the free muffins they use to give out lol maybe they don't anymore but I didn't bother ordering thought I would have enjoyed it if they did give some but we received bread instead which was cool too... Took a while for our waitress to get ask for our order, it's pretty slow tonight. Ordered the pot roast. Sort of salty..not sure if it's the sauce or the beef seasonings .. It was good but wasn't great, it was mediocre.. I'll come back for the muffins during brunch instead Haha..
(3)
Mario G.
Oh Mimi's, I have a love hate relationship with this restaurant, the food and service are either great or bad never in between but as long as you serve those delicious muffins, mimosas and breakfast (stadard breakfast items like at Ihop or Denny's) I will continue to come here. The restaurant is always super clean and the service is great but for some reason the menus are always sticky and grimy, like they've been sitting in a trash can or something.
(4)
Melanie M.
Went to Mimi's for a victory win breakfast. Sat outside on the patio it was beautiful!!!! Ordered the SANTA fe omelette it was delish!!! Along with the triple berry mimosa! Very yummy!!!!
(5)
Camilla S.
I ordered a beef pot roast Togo at the Mira Mesa location. On the menu and in another picture I saw on yelp it clearly said it came with mash potatoes, veggies and gravy. And boy was I surprised , I opened the Togo container and there sat a small piece of meat with I say maybe 10 pieces of green beans . No gravy no mash potatoes. All for $14 dollars . A piece of meat and 10 green beans. Terrible !!! I've never experience something like that before in my life . To top it all off I was starving and craving for some yummy comfort food. What a disappointment . And I normally NEVER write bad reviews ever but just words to the wise , if you are doing to order Togo check your container to make sure you aren't getting ripped off before you drive all the way home.
(1)
Celeste J.
We love going to Mimi's Cafe for the ambiance and the muffins. The food is ok but nothing fancy. It's good Americanzied French food, but definitely not the real thing. The service that we get there was great. We had a really friendly server. My kids love going here. The waffle was excellent though. Definitely worth going back to.
(4)
Marianne L.
Love the corn chowder but the menu has changed so much with so many of the best originals gone and the best bread also gone. I ordered a bowl of chowder to go from this location. for $5.99 I got a cup half filled - usually given the complimentary bread but not even offered here. When I went back to ask why my bowl was literally 2 spoons of soup the waitress looked at me like I was an inconvenience and it was my fault; stated that she didn't know why it wasn't full then replaced it with the exact same half a cup no change at all. Did not even get a bag for my muffins and soup and it was pouring rain outside. I will stick to making my own or chose Panera much better meal deal! -_-
(1)
Alexa R.
I don't always have a great experience when visiting this restaurant, but there is one person of the staff that has influenced this 5-star rating. His name is Jordan (hopefully that's right; I'm going off of the name on my receipt). My girlfriend and I have been going to Mimi's often, and our last visit was made exceptional because of Jordan. We've been greeted by him one time before, and this time we went in to order food to-go and he was the one to greet and take care of us. We ordered a crepe, a pack of muffins, and my girlfriend ordered a coffee and asked if it was alright if we sat at the bar while we waited. He gave my girlfriend a fresh coffee in a mug and said that he'd give her one to-go once our food was ready. When the time came, she told him that he could just pour what she had into a to-go cup. Before he handed it back, he saw that it wasn't full and asked if she would like it topped off. After filling it for her, he went to the back for a second, and my girlfriend saw that the bartender had already taken back the cream, and I told her that she could use the one in the front waiting area. It's as if Jordan read our minds because he came back with a cup of cream for us. We were very impressed with his mindfulness and sense of urgency. I've been in the restaurant business for several years. It's not every day that you come across someone who makes you feel so welcomed and important, as he did for us. Jordan deserves recognition for his awesome customer service. I really, really hope that this gets to a manager at this location. Please let me know because if I don't hear anything back in the next few days, I would love to come back and talk to someone in person. Thank you!!
(5)
Jane D.
BAD service. When we arrived, we were the only party waiting to be seated. The waiters and the hostess/manager were arguing for a few minutes until someone realized a group of five people were standing there. I ordered hot tea and the water water arrived lukewarm. That should have been the sign to leave. I asked for another kettle of hot water and got it 10 minutes later. Our meals arrived late - and after another party who arrived after us received their meals . Our waitress did not have a friendly personality. When I got up to approach her to ask when our food would be ready, she kept working at the counter, made no eye contact and said, "I'll have someone check with the kitchen." Our food was fine. The portions were fine. The roasted potatoes were good. My family and I will not be coming back.
(1)
Consuelo M.
Better than I expected. This is my second time coming to Mimi's Cafe. It had been over 10 years since I'd been. Waited about 10 minutes for our table despite having a reservation (boo!). Other than that, the food & free bread were good. I liked the $5 happy hour special on all wine. The food is good for the price & service from wait staff was great. Much better selection that most chain restaurants. I'll be back.
(4)
Molly V.
4 stars for sure! Very very good service and I just love the carrot cake at minis cafe. I like how the bring you bread right away without you having to ask, this is great!! Their food is good and soup is fulfilling.
(3)
Carmen V.
I haven't been to Mimis for at least 6 years. But last night, in search of a hot soup, I called a friend to see if she was in Mira Mesa area. It happened she was with 2 other friends and I decided to tag along. Big mistake. The restaurant has still the 'fake French' charm, with nice colors, nice 'un jour dans la Provence' look, cool props, comfort and warm feeling to it. That was the only warm thing...bread was cold and like made 2 days before. Butter accompanying it tasted hyper salty and artificial. My corn chowder soup looked like vomit (sorry, so ugly to see and so think and tasteless). Plus cold. That was not the worst part. From the minute we all girls got our soups, the waitress kept coming and coming to ask if she could take plates or stuff from our way. Hell, no, don't you see we are still eating? (we talked with our eyes). No of us got this hurry thing, because after all we were the ones cheering up the boring-semi dead restaurant! It was 7.30 pm and barely no one in the whole restaurant, so why this pressing in the customers? The scene of 'can I take something off your way' repeated at least 3 times more. Extremely annoying, especially because the girls choose that place for the comfort and being able to spend long hours discussing kids related issues with no interruptions. That was not the case and we had the feeling that we were expelled from that place. Food not to be remembered (definitively I did not even crave anything in the menu) and service to be remembered as 'to improve'. Nothing against the server, she was nice and polite, is just the policy of pressing customers, we don't get it.
(1)
Glenn G.
Meh, you know it wasn't bad, but for eggs Benedict or something like french toast you just can't beat the independently owned little breakfast shops. Don't get me wrong, this place does fine for a hang over cure... Ive just had better.
(3)
Sharmila P.
Their breadbasket is always good. The French flair comes through the most with the seafood dishes. Not too bad. I like it much better than Denny's and Cocos.
(4)
Sarah M.
Great carrot bread, bread pudding, and corn chowder.
(4)
joje r.
one of my most favorite places to eat. i go there when i get cravings for corn chowder and a small salad on the side. their bread basket appetizer thing is good and so is their blackened fish of the day. i must admit though that this is more of a family restaurant than a place for loud talking and laughing, like tgifridays, but the food is really good and the murmuring of old people talking can be quite soothing at times. =)
(4)
Aida F.
Mimi's Cafe wouldn't be somewhere I'd find myself on a Friday night usually, but a friend wanted to go to dinner, so there we were. There was a short wait (no more than 10 minutes), and we were seated in the back corner; kind of nice and quiet. Our waitress, Kristina, was VERY accommodating. She told us what was new on the menu, and even suggested a wine to me since I'm anti wine. She apologized for the delay in our food coming out, but to be honest, I didn't even notice. The brie to share is a GREAT appetizer to start with! Paired with the moscato wine our waitress suggested it was divine. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because my entree was...sad? The quiche lorraine was a little dry, and the portion could have been bigger.
(4)
Roger D.
It's rare that I "Wish I hadn't eaten that." Mimi's Craft sandwich, Chicken Cordon Bleu, was just awful. But I ate it, and should have sent it back. I'm a dope. It was barely warm. The roll was tough and too thick, with a piece of chicken shaped like a golf ball. You could either have a huge bite of bread or lump of white meat. Cheese added nothing. It was served only with catsup (or was that for the fries?) and very dry. Horrible experience. Something is very wrong in the kitchen. I used to like eating there. What happened?
(1)
Anthea W.
Mimi's cafe has been here for I dont even know how long. This was my first time coming here ever since my mum tried it with her coworkers and swore it off. Coming into the restaurant, youre surprised by the decor. Its pretty cute and homey feeling. The hostess opens the door for you. The staff is friendly and courteous. I think even the manager helps out! You hardly see that at restaurants these days. I got the 5 way grilled cheese with ceasar salad. Its decently priced for a combo meal. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely love cheese, but the 5 cheeses didnt work well together. There's too much going on. Their overall menu is pretty decent though. Also got the bread pudding, which is decently priced. Tasted ok. A bit weird with the whiskey butter sauce, almost makes it taste like a pancake. Overall, unlike my mum, I wouldn't swear this place off. It is decent.
(3)
Tam M.
I went there today for breakfast with my family. Food there is ok, same as always. But I gave 5 stars to the service. My waitress was Gabriela. She was super polite, accommodating (food sensitivity), nice and knowledgable! If I go back, I will try to ask for her again! The whole dinning experience changes when you get great service!
(5)
Danielle C.
I used to like Mimi's and go to this location often for family events, dinner with friends before a movie, etc. But after today's experience, I will not be returning. Our server Barb took 10 minutes to greet us, and when she finally did she basically interrupted our answer to her "how are you today?" to tell us she is not having a good day. I also over heard her try to squeeze the same fact into her conversations with other tables as if it were a punchline, but every one just seemed more uncomfortable than the last. I have worked in retail/ customer service and restaurant industries my entire career; I understand having a busy day or having an interaction with a customer that may squash you for the rest of the day. But continuously telling that to all of your tables is not the way to handle it. I am sorry you are having a bad day, but I came to the restaurant to enjoy my white peach mimosas and eat my breakfast; not listen to you complain. On top of that, everything took a long time to get to our table. The most upsetting of those things was my buttermilk spice muffin, as it is one of my favorite things on the menu and was cold when I got it. I understand it was relatively busy, but by far not the busiest I have seen it there before and has never had this horrible of service.Barb also checked in with us maybe twice, but was not shy to chat up all of the other tables in the section frequently. I also felt I was rushed when she took our order as she was looking at other tables and practically interrupting me to ask me what my friend wanted to order. She also was extremely condescending when I asked a clarifying question about my order, only to find out later she had misspoken but did not take responsibility for it and kept talking as if nothing had happened. I feel bad leaving such a low-star review because it seems like there has been a lot of turnover as a lot of other positions including the hostess seemed very new. But as I have mentioned before, I have worked in the industry a long time and have been to Mimi's frequently over the years, so I know that things can tough or very busy in the restaurant. But being rude and condescending to your customers and being extremely slow without even checking in or even an attempt at an apology is ridiculous.
(1)
Kory S.
I'm not sure what about our meal at Mimi's tonight went right. Our experience began with a hostess trying to seat our party of 5 at a table for four. She had asked when we walked in if we needed a child's menu to which we replied 'yes'. She forgets to grab one and says she will bring it back and never does. Then we order. A few minutes later a woman comes to tell us they don't have any brick chicken left. My mother and I take a menu and decide on their roasted chicken that was a special. The server returns and informs us they have no baked or rotisserie chicken meals at all. Once again we go back to the menu and decide to have parmesan chicken. The waiter tels us he'll try to get our meal or worth everyone else's. I explain to not hold the other Meals if they come out first. Of course he doesn't listen. Therefore when the food comes out, the fries with my boys' meals are limp and cold. My husband's Salmon is over done and my parmesan chicken is bland and tasteless. My youngest finds a slice of raw potato in his mac & cheese. Not once does the manager come to check on us as we keep bringing up these issues with the server. When I ask to speak to the manager, she comes over and doesn't introduce herself. I kindly explain the laundry list of things that went wrong. She comps part of our meal. Unfortunately, this experience will keep me from going to a Mimi's possibly ever again. Horrible experience.
(1)
Gerry M.
Mimi's at Mira Mesa was recommended for an affordable family gathering with family at dinner-time, with teenagers. We all ordered something different and not much of it was good. The steak was under-cooked for the order, tough, and actually a bad choice anyway for a restaurant of this genre. It was good for a complaint that landed two comp desserts, which turned out to be the best part of the meal. The chicken Caesar salad was downright awful - a few tiny chunks of chicken tossed around in a very lightly dressed unseasoned bed of lettuce (12.99). The other entrees were forgettable. As for the service - friendly enough, but we were asking for stuff a lot..
(2)
Brad H.
It had been a while since I had been to Mimi's - looks like they may have remodeled it a bit from when I was last in here Came in on a random week day for breakfast like an old retired guy and was greeted and seated just as quickly - service was good, food came out fast and the standard black coffee was fresh so no misses here - give them a try during the week, weekends in here can be more crowded and busy especially with its location I dont always hang out in this area but would return should should the opportunity arise
(4)
Josh M.
If you want the worlds slowest possible service then this is for you! I just left and couldnt type this fast enough! After sitting and placing our order it took 30 minutes just for the water to come! (I started keeping tab after 15 minutes) the waiter Gerardo or something places the glasses down with his dirty ass hands cupping the rims of the glasses. Fingers where peoples mouths go? 50 minutes FOR A GODDAMN MUFFIN TO COME OUT!!! They must be putting in some extra love or something...but I guess I'll never know since it never found its way to my table. Must have been too good to let go. So as we sit here for 50 minutes with empty glasses we wonder, when did the customer service become so shitty? 10 minutes later (an hour from sitting down) our food comes out. 2 orders of kids pancakes and eggs benedict shouldnt take that long. Food was just meh at best. As I look up I can see the cheap ass instant juice dispenser in the back. That explains the water tasting juice..... This place has gone downhill fast over the years. I will never come here again and advise my friend to follow suit. CONS- -30 minutes just to get water -Waiter dropped off drinks and dropped off food, no check ins. ( until after I brought up the muffin, then he asked once if we needed anything) -Cheap instant juice? Cmon -the hostesses are lost in space trying to figure stuff out. And why put that podium DIRECTLY in front of the entrance? So a mob can block the door and nobody keeps track of who is in what order? PROS- Nice pictures on the wall Oh yea I must say they did offer me 4 muffins to go for the muffin mishap. ( I turned it down since I felt it would have taken another hour)
(1)
Frida Sofia R.
AWFUL SERVICE, simply awful. I completely understand that Easter is a busy day for everyone, I was totally understanding with that, but we ordered 2 baked bries to start with, and they never arrived, our waiter at the end lied and said we never ordered them, that we had only mentioned them, when we were very clear that we did want the 2 orders of baked brie. I have no idea where he would get that we didn't. I specifically mentioned I wanted my omelette with no onion, tomato, nor tortilla strips. Everyone's food arrived (including my omelette), and it had tomatoes and onions. I kindly asked if he could take it back, since I had asked for none of that, may I add that I said twice when I ordered, twice I said what I didn't want in my omelette, but that one was fine, kitchen is busy, whatever. So everyone had waited for my meal to arrive, I let them know after a couple of minutes had passed to start eating, and by the time everyone was finished my dish arrived. I get it was an accident, but at least speed up the process and don't make my family wait. They ran out of blueberry muffins, they ran out of Brussels sprouts. my omelette arrived and the jalapeños weren't even well diced, they were literally in slices. The waiter was very apologetic for it to take so long, but hey, at least the cook could've done a bit of a better job. Not to forget, someone was serving the table behind us and that waiter literally elbowed my father in law in the head, literally ELBOWED my father in laws head. Didn't make a big deal or anything about it. Im sure he should be aware of his crowd surroundings and used to that space, how could he not be careful? Seriously though the fact that the waiter lied to our face and said we never ordered the brie was annoying, we all know what we ordered we aren't ignorant. Never again Mimi's, NEVER again.
(1)
Michelle M.
Our server, Kristina, and manager, Angela were superb. Fantastic greeting from the hostess, and just about every employee as soon as we walked in. We are vegetarian, so we were recommended excellent selections, and alternatives that we never would have considered. The employees and manager definitely worked together well, and unitedly worked as a team so that our every need and want were satisfied. I miss this kind of good old-fashioned neighborhood service. Friendly, fast, and delicious. Two thumbs up! Keep it up!
(5)
Tiffany A.
Nice cozy breakfast spot. I know they serve dinner as well (been here once for dinner years ago), but I've mainly seen Mimi's as a good breakfast spot to go with friends to get a meal and catch up. Their brunch area is cute and the service is good. All the servers are very nice and take orders pretty fast. As a sit down restaurant I don't ever remember having to wait too long to order or to get my food. Located in a busy mall in Mira Mesa, it's easy to find, but also easy to overlook since there are a lot of other food options in the area. For a nice meal and pleasant atomsphere, Mimi's a is a good spot to check out every once in a while.
(3)
Mike B.
Back in 06/07, this place used to be pretty good. I came here not too long ago and was really disappointed with the food. I order some meat loaf dish, and the meat looked like a slab of microwaved garbage. The gravy was chunky and very mediocre, and even the broccoli was dull. The mashed potatoes were okay, but who can really mess up mashed potatoes? The services was okay, but the food took a really long time to come out. I really don't remember this place being that bad. What happened? I'm actually considering never setting foot in this place again. It feels more like Denny's-type food. If I wanted Denny's-type food, I'd go to Denny's. Bottom line: stay away from this place.
(2)
Terri And Paul G.
We chose Mimi's to meet relatives visiting from out of town... and looked forward to our Breakfast. All three young children had a variety of pancakes... and they said they were good... and they had fun. The Service was great... and the atmosphere at Mimi's is always pleasant. Terri and I both had Eggs Benedict. Terri had the Original recipient ... and I had Mimi's Corned Beef Hash Benedict. We both exclaimed immediately upon leaving the restaurant that this was the worst meal we've had in a restaurant... in years. The Hollandaise Sauce did not taste cheesy at all... it was curdled and was not a desirable taste at all. Both of our eggs were cooked hard... not poached soft as they should be... so no liquid yoke. To my taste the Corned beef hash had some spice flavor that did not work for me... and we both agreed the potatoes had to much garlic on them. The other two adults in the group had a Quiche... and honestly they both looked like a Costco frozen entre that had just been popped in an oven to warm them up. We did not ask about their meal... and they did not ask about ours. All in all... a very disappointing experience.
(1)
Sylvia H.
Wow, what on earth happened to Mimi's? They completely changed their menu which appeared to look fancier and sound fancier and in turn, you would hope that the food would taste better. Talk about great marketing but poor delivery. A bunch of us were attracted to the fancy entrees that came with Frites (fancy way of saying fries). They were to be seasoned with sea salt and herbs. A couple of us got the salmon with Frites and another got mussels with Frites. These "Frites" were just normal fries with no herbs and no salt! They were bland. The salmon was bland. Seems like they didn't season anything! Another friend got a different atlantic salmon recipe and it was also mediocre. There was only one good dish with flavor and that was the mussels that came with the frites. Did I mention they forgot to even bring out the frites for one meal and the chocolate milk with our kids meal? And to top it off, when we paid, we provided cash and 2 credit cards. Our server comes back with 2 booklets of cash. Assuming they were ours, we just combined the money and then were looking for the cards. Uh..where did our cards go and why are there 2 things of cash? Oh, he gave us someone else's change... When we asked about the cards, he was confused and couldn't think of what happened to them. He was also confused by the two sets of change we had. All the while, we listen to the manager give the table behind us a free meal since their food took long and their steak didn't get cooked well-done. It's kind of sad. Mimi's used to be decent. We will never be returning.
(1)
Ken J.
Overall lack of attention to detail with preparing food. Good tasting tomato basil soup garnished with parsley -why not a chiffonade of basil? A good-looking French onion soup had little onion, was thickened with corn starch, and had tough and yet gummy sliced croutons. The brick chicken was dry - even the dark meat. The accompanying salad had a very oily dressing with the barest hint of raspberry. The salmon was slightly overcooked. The rather small portion of French Beef Stew (beef bourguignon) tasted okay though. Delicious (dense and rich flavored) birthday chocolate mousse was compromised with strawberry glop topping with a few strawberry bits. The croissant bread pudding was good and was accompanied by caramel sauce laced with salt (I hate the salted everything craze) and much-needed whipped cream. All three forms of potatoes sampled were acceptable. The bread basket's carrot bread (cake), the tomato soup, and the mousse were the highlights. This used to be a good place to eat. I won't go back until a lot of time has passed.
(2)
Drea H.
No thank you. I hadn't eaten at a Mimi's Cafe in ages but my fiance and I were looking for a place to get a quick brunch and they were the most convenient for us. We were actually hoping to find some place pet-friendly, but unfortunately couldn't find any... :( They are located in a large shopping plaza on Mira Mesa Blvd near Albertsons and Home Depot. Parking here is alright - the parking lot is busy but it's big as they share a huge lot with the other shops nearby. We had to wait for about 10 minutes til we were seated, which wasn't too bad. They have a section with seats/benches next to the entrance for people who are waiting to be seated. They even offer complimentary coffee & pastries, but they were all out of coffee when we were there :/ I'm sure they would have re-filled it if we had asked, but we didn't really care to ask. As far as dining goes - their menu portions were small, prices were high (for the amount of food you get!), and the dishes were very worn out with lots of scratches and dark marks. Our waitress wasn't friendly nor attentive and forgot my drink. Needless to say, we weren't impressed.
(2)
Emily S.
Big portions, decent parking, ample parking. I don't go to Mimi's cafe often, but I found myself here for Thanksgiving dinner. The food here was good for Thanksgiving dinner. And they offered a pretty good deal.. for less than $20 you get turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato, stuffing, cranberries, and your choice of soup or salad. Top that off with either a pecan pie or a pumpkin pie and you're done! The pumpkin pie was not bad, the pecan pie was a little too sweet. The plate was easily shared between two to three people, although we all had our own dish. We had tons of food to take back. Since the restaurant was busy it was nice that they had a little waiting area with free bread, coffee, and apple cider as well as seating. I would recommend Mimi's again.
(4)
Nikki L.
If I could give less than one star I would. Mimi's defiantly isn't what it used to be. The service was alright but the food was less than favorable. I ordered a French dip with a salad and blue cheese on the side. My friend ordered a steak medium done. My French dip tasted like salty sauce and My salad Dressing was horseradish sauce (no joke! I had them bring out another thing of dressing and this second round was a different color and texture) my friends steak was well done (basically burnt) so both plates were bad! Don't spend your hard earned money on This place at all. Mimi's if your reading this please please please fix your issues with the chef. It's affecting business. I'll Never return.
We would go here to celebrate our daughter academic achievements (SD Unified would provide a free meal certificate to the honor roll student). I never really looked forward to going to Mimi's, as I always thought the selection was limited and the food was bland. French Dip is what I would usually get. Boring, a little dry, but nothing else on the menu really appealed to me. I think this place stays in business since the surrounding community of Scripps Ranch is pleasant, but not particularly adventurous regarding culinary tastes...
(3)
Ernie P.
Haven't been to Mimi's in a while and the menu has changed. They have a little snack area where you can grab a sample of cake and coffee while waiting in the lobby for your seat. I thought that was nice. Out server was great and was able to give us great service even though she had a lot of tables to help. Food was great and came as promised. I really love their freshly baked muffins. I would come here again.
(4)
Anthony R.
Very underwhelmed. I should have read the previous reviews but I came due to the name recognition and my prior experience. The service was extremely slow and the food was ok and not worth the wait. By the way the coffee tasted watered down as well as the cappuccino. Very disappointing. I remember coming here a couple of years ago and it being pretty good. Well, it went from pretty good to not worthy of a return visit. I got the egg whites with veggie omelette and it was ok but a bit bland, eggs were slightly overlooked and veggies were ok. Honestly I could have made an equivalent or breakfast at home. I think the omelette consisted of the whites of 3 eggs with about 3/4 cup of veggies with consisted of mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and onion topped with feta cheese . It arrives open-faced in the size of what looks to be cooked in a 6-inch pan with a side of a small cup of fruits. The fruits were decent. Again overall. Don't think I'll be coming back here anytime soon.
(2)
Robin B.
Service was terrible. We waited for our food for over 45 minutes after waiting for 15 minutes to order. Things were missing. Our waitress barely spoke to us and had an attitude whenever we asked for the correct items. We will never come here again.
(1)
Donnica S.
Very good food and wonderful staff here in the morning. The only down side is there isnt much to their menu and the prices. Their muffins are to die for!
(4)
Edilynne P.
It's a very simple restaurant with a fairly simple menu. The food is decent but personally not a place I would or could regularly come to. I have mixed feelings about their service. I generally like to be left alone when I dine in with a few kind check ins for water refills, or when my direct (but friendly) eye contact beckons the waitstaff. But our waiter this visit was quite the overachiever. He was too attentive, nearly to the point of annoying but a nice kid.
(3)
David P.
Business meeting ended up here.. For a change the egg white omelette was quite tasty. The blueberry muffin is huge and you can tell made on site, fresh and tasty. Service sas muted which I like and while attentive not over bearing. Good fall back place when you need a location that is visible and easy to find.
(3)
Gerard A.
This Location has the slowest service at any restaurant I've ever been to. They must've been waiting for the chicken to hatch 2 eggs for my eggs Benedict. No exaggeration, too 1 hr and 15 min to recieve our orders. I suspect it's the cooks r the slowest ever. As our drinks and bread were served promptly. Waitress apologized for the delay. Probably will never visit this location ever!
(1)
Ken S.
In the past, I looked forward to eating a meal at Mimi's in Mira Mesa. The atmosphere was nice, the wait times (for both seating and service) were reasonable and the food tasty. The menu was varied and there was something for everyone. Ii liked the chicken and fruit, or blackened chicken, or quiche. Went again on Saturday night, no wait, sat right down. Same decor. Looked over the menu and it was all changed. Fewer items and all new. More traditional French. It was difficult to choose as nothing really appealed to us. The usual bread basket came out. It was just ok - the rolls were tasteless but the bread slices were good. We ended up ordering the Chicken and Frites (ie: fries), and Quiche and side salad (extra cost) with dressing on the side. The salads were ok but very cold, but the house dressing had way too much dijon, making it bitter. After a little wait the main entrees came. The chicken was way overcooked and dry with a rather tasteless and bitter oily sauce, and the "twice cooked" fries were tasty but extra extra greasy. The quiche, which used to come as a nice fluffy moist slice with some side salad is now just a small round quiche (looked like a pot pie without the tin) and nothing else on the plate. Huh? The quiche was hot but very dry. The muffin included with the quiche was good. Service was fine, Muffin was good, rest of the food was blecch. We took leftovers but ended up throwing them out they were so unappetizing. I am giving two stars for the service and atmosphere, not the food. We are crossing this place off our list, never to return.
(2)
Gustavo G.
Staff is friendly but the service is terrible. Slow and they can't remember what you order. Food is ok but don't expect anything extraordinary. I will recommend you look for another place first. Update: menu doesn't reflect the dishes, I ordered apple smoked bacon with my breakfast and I got some thin slices of microwave bacon instead. Be prepared for long waits I gave them one star because of their friendliness but their food and service doesn't deserve the star.
(1)
D M.
I absolutely LOVE mimi's cafe! Estimated 20 min. Waiting time but got seated within 8 mins. I got the corn beef hash w/eggs, potato slices and blueberry muffin! All of which were cooked to perfection! The blueberry muffin was so soft and warm, it's the best thing I've ever ate! My server Janelle was extremely attentive and apologetic to the slow service, but she was definitely sweet! Would definitely come back!!
(4)
Nadine Z.
This was possibly the worst lunch i ever had at a Mimi's. They were not busy and the food took for ever to come. The salad came and it was wilted. The fries were soggy. I can go on. And the waitress was too busy talking .. Too bad.
(2)
Silvy L.
Terrible customer service! I tried to be patient but not only did our food take a very long time to get to us but our waitress Susan rarely came to check on us. I was so thirsty and I had to get her attention to let her know I needed water. She proceeded to tell me I had to wait because she had other customers to tend to. I fully understand if your busy but I'd been waiting for about 15 minutes for her to come to the table to get water. A few of us got our own water from the bar. Terrible experience.
(1)
Randi A.
The food here is mediocre, at best. I only come here when my mom wants to go, and even then I'm reluctant. I used to work here several years ago (it was average back then also), and since then the quality has further receded. They try to trick people by their "vast" menu of items, but they're the same items with different sauces on them. I ordered the meatball app and it was basically a hamburger patty that had been cut into small round shapes to resemble meatballs. The servers are nice though
(2)
Jason V.
Brunch. My 1st time eating at Mimi's Cafe. Was a good choice. Servers were very friendly. Sat in a booth. They had special pink passion mimosas for breast cancer awareness. Pretty delicious and cool concept. I orded the Quiche Lorraine. Inside of it was hickory smoked bacon, green onions, and swiss cheese. It also came with garnished fresh fruit. The crust was excellent, very crispy and delicious. It came with some potato skins and my meal was packed with flavor. For dessert, we split this pumpkin spiced cheesecake pie. So creamy with whip cream on top and glazed caramel around the bowl. Crust on that was also excellent.
(4)
P M.
Incredibly friendly staff, delicious food, cozy atmosphere. We ordered a quiche, which came well furnished with a salad *and a muffin!*, a brioche hamburger, also very nice, with a lot of meat and fresh vegetables, and a turkey and Brie melt, which came accompanied by fresh fruit. All great! Since this was our first time we also received two complimentary muffins of our choice. We'll definitely be back.
(5)
Robert B.
Went for lunch at Mira Mesa Mimi's on a Sunday, 10 minute wait for a table. No problem there, but after getting our drinks the waitress forgot about us for 40 minutes. She did not bring our bread or check to see how we were doing. We decided to leave and asked to pay for our drinks. The staff found our waitress and she had an attitude, saying "Don't you want your food, it has been cooked." I replied, "No, we just want to pay for our drinks and leave." She then said, "Well just leave then." We have dined at this Mimi's numerous times in the past, but service has declined. We won't be returning.
(1)
Chelle D.
Been going on a burger binge lately. Mimi's burgers come with bistro fries, coleslaw, or kettle chips. Decided to build my own burger since the specials weren't that special. Lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles are already included. Just got to pick: Patty - beef, turkey, veggie and grilled chicken breast Toppings (3) Cheese - cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, jack, feta, and bleu cheese Veggie - sauteed mushrooms, jalapeno slices, caramelized onions Extras - hickory smoked bacon, sliced avocado, onion rings Sauces - BBQ, spicy chipotle, fire roasted mild salsa, Final masterpiece I whipped up: beef, jack cheese, onion rings, bacon. Yum. Yum. It's a pretty standard burger. Nothing to complain about, but also nothing to brag about either. Bacon was actually crispy, which was perfect for me. Bun is dry. Beef is over done. Too smoky and burnt. Don't care for the tomatoes, onions, or pickles. Fries needed seasoning or at least black pepper. This is the 21st century it is no longer acceptable or palatable to just salt fries. Consumers, like ME, demand more flavor and finesse!
(3)
Jim W.
mimiscafe.com and Yelp states they close at 10pm on Thursday. So, I get there at 9:05 and the front door is locked. There is a freshly painted "9" over the "10" by the door. Can't they change the hours at least on their website before locking their doors early? One overly late and complicated dinner and very unhappy customer.
(1)
Nicolette E.
I have been here twice before and never had an issue until today. I'm in love with their lemon poppyseed pancakes which they didn't have but fell in love with another entree. The food was good got cold pretty quick and soggy, the service would have been okay if the waitress TAMMY didn't talk bad about my boyfriend and I while we were still eating in the restaurant. Pro tip Tammy wait till the customers leave to complain about us asking you to replace something. There were black flakes in our salt shaker and we heard of putting rice in salt shakers but couldn't figure out what the black flakes were. She mentioned it could have been pepper which would have been fine if she had just communicated that with us but those pieces were way too big to be pepper. Reading through the reviews here I'm not surprised that people complain about the service but the food is decent.
(2)
Soo H.
Kinda cool looking cafe decor. The waitress was overworked and service was slow. Good thing I brought stuff to read as it took an hour and a half to eat. I had the haddock fish and chips. The fried haddock had nice crunchy batter and moist fish. What I didn't care for was the flavor. The beer batter and haddock flavors didn't mix well. This dish is done better at Studio Diner. The fries were standard fast food fries and were ok. For dessert I tried the apple crisp. It was like a hot apple pie without the crust with ice cream on top. Pretty good.
(2)
Jen M.
We used to go here a couple times a week for breakfast. It was wonderful; we'd sit outside with our dog. A few years ago though our server basically told on us, that we had a dog, to the manager. We got told having her on the patio (even though she was away from the food and the server; in fact the only reason the server knew about her since she was silent under the table was that I asked for a to go container so I could give my dog water) was a health code violation. We were told that since we had already ordered and had already started drinking coffee we had to right away either put her in our car (it was 85 outside) or tie her to one of the chairs away from the eating area (where there was no shade). We were entertaining family who really didn't want to leave so I went to my car and found stuff to make shade and then tied her to the chair away from us all. We haven't been since My dog is a service dog due to my cerebellar ataxia. I did not have her vest though as ADA law doesn't require a vest for identification. That said, Mimis broke federal law here by violating ADA law.
(2)
Kirsten D.
Work friend calls and says, "Ya wanna meet for dinner? It's been a long week and I want to sit and enjoy a quiet bite." I think to myself, heck yea. I'm exhausted, never got lunch, and am ready to chew my arm off. She says, "Mimi's would be great, meet ya there at 7?" Reluctantly I agree and wonder to myself why any self respecting young woman like myself would agree to go to Mimi's on a Friday night. When I thought about Mimi's, I thought about retirees looking for some comfort food. Anyhoo....fast forward 2 hours and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. (not by the ambiance but by the food. I wasn't going to get a date in here, but I could eat like it was my last meal and leave with a smile!) I started with a spicy bloody mary (to take the edge off) and some bread. Once my hunger attack had subsided, I took a gander at the menu. They have this menu section called LeBistro, where you pick items from each category. I chose the top sirloin med rare, haricot ver, mashed potato's and gravy, mushroom madeira sauce, and a skewer of shrimp. When the plate of food came, my mouth was watering. The steak was cooked to perfection. The shrimp was yummmm! The green beans were tender. The mushroom sauce was bomb.com . I was blown away. I would normally never order a steak in a place like this, but man was I glad I did!! My friend ordered the filet, seasonal veggies, blue cheese sauce and something else I can't remember. She said it was amazing. The last super cool thing is that you can donate $$ to NoKidHungry.org and they give you coupons to use at Mimi's. (donate $5 and get a $10 coupon to use for lunch or dinner at the restaurant) I love that they are involved with this charity because it's an important one!!! Go Mimi's, I'm impressed!!
(4)
Nat B.
I eat here everyday, and I love the food so much, they have a new menu, unfortunately the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the lag in the staff is big. They take forever to come check on you or refill, I guess because they are busy. But it takes a while to get each meal or to get more refilling of the drinks. I usually get the check before I'm done eating just so I can get it in time.
(4)
Tiffany S.
Love Mimi's, not a huge fan of this one! the waiter was not good and was too quick to tell us what we couldn't eat and not what we could eat! I love their albacore and that's what I always order, well this particular Mimi's is apparently cutting back on their portions! I barely had any meat on my sandwich compared to the bread! I was very let down and will not be back to this location again!
(3)
Valerie H.
Went here for Mother's Day. Food good. Service a bit slow as they were at capacity. But nothing that would detract from the dining experience. Server Billy very good- didn't hover but made sure to check that all was okay with us. NOTE: many of the breakfast items served here are gluten-free (if the toast is omitted). Go to the on-line menu and look up the items on the nutrition page. My sister adores their French toast.
(4)
Sofia J.
AWFUL EGGS. SO RUNNY AND held high potential of sickness. i would never eat here again it was a step up from mc Donald's.
(1)
Priya A.
Okay let me start this review by saying the restaurant looks like it's from the smurfs. The pancakes were like bitting a tire iron and it just felt so unpleasant. Definitely going to pay this place another visit!
(1)
Dominic P.
I like this place. Service is good. Food is decent, the atmosphere is good.
(5)
Coralie F.
The new menu is very small and so are the portions. I ordered the steak and it was about 4 oz if I'm being generous. The bran muffins are the best item still.
(3)
Katie H.
Had a bad experience here about a month ago. The hostesses were bad and weren't seating people so the waitresses had to come up and seat. The service was slow. The food was ok. We did ask to speak to the manager as we were quoted a 15 minute wait and waited 35 minutes. It would have been nice if they informed us of the delay. The manager ended up comping our meal but we won't be returning. It used to be a good breakfast place back in the day.
(2)
Lorena S.
My first time being at this location...must say the wait was surprisingly long, understandable due to weekend. Our server was super fast and busy...didn't seem like he did not take his time...we felt rushed to get our order in. Waited 30-45 for our main course to come in...I expect that in a fancy restaurant but not Mimi's...I ordered the seafood stew...tasted very bland. Too watered down...I requested linguine noodles with it and charged me 4.49 for half cooked noodles on the side! I took several bites of my meal and I pushed it away. My tab for just my daughter and I was 70.00!! Really!! As I was walking out, there were 4 hostesses by the door not one of them say night good night or thank you for coming. Just by the whole service I received. I will never come back. I felt unwanted and overpriced for food that I did not finish.
(2)
Jennifer H.
What's wrong with this place?. Wednesday we got here at 7:30. No wait, yippee. After we got our drinks and LONG WAIT starting. We were almost walk out of this place. The bottle of wine did not come out until 8:20 The food did not come to our table until 9:05. The kids were so hungry and tired don't want to eat anymore. Food were so dry and over cooked. Yike. If I have choice of minus star for this place I would. Over priced for bad experience here. We still left good tip for the waiter. He was polite. He was overwhelming with so many tables. Sorry, but we will not coming back
(1)
Harry H.
Tried this place twice. Both time, service took forever, there were flies buzzing around me and the food was cold. Never again.
(1)
Amanda D.
I never really enjoyed a chain diner until I came here for breakfast. I really like their Five-Alarm Santa Fe Egg White Omelette. The spicy sauce is just right. Yum! The servers are really professional and sharp, unlike what you normally see in a breakfast place.
(5)
Mario V.
Have u ever seen restaurant impossible ? Where u show up n u can tell something is wrong but not sure wat it is.. This is it. The greeters wer excellent sat us down very courteous but as we sat down and we saw the menu. Well the menu's wer dirty n for the amount of business there was this clearly can b done. So once I saw that I asked for water which I received with my onion soup which was great by the way... Not cool really water took 10 min. Once I got my soup with water 2 min later I got my food. Not cool so here I hav my food getting cold n I'm not even done with my soup! Not cool. Would I go back. No. There r plenty of other places who can execute the basics of serving.. Ohh n there was a piece of onion in my water. Yeah.. A piece of onion, I'm just thank full I did not get sick.
(1)
Ali F.
I came here for lunch a few weeks ago and the experience was very underwhelming... Food was bleh and the service was slow and not all that friendly. Definitely won't be going out of my way to go back!
(2)
Jhuliet ''Walks To Eat'' P.
First timer w B! Hmmm, Looks and taste good so far.. Yum! : Mimi's has a wonderful atmosphere and great service. For those who live in Mira Mesa, or if you are just visiting, I highly recommend Mimi's Cafe for your breakfast considerations (or lunch or dinner for that matter). The food is wholesome, delicious and my waitress was fast, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu and various serving times and dishes for brunch meals. We found our food expertly prepared and the ambience easy on the eye. We received our meal promptly and had generous portions. This is the best place in Mira Mesa for breakfast. Highly recommended. Forget the snobs who go to a place one time and then write a bad review.
(4)
Sivaram V.
This was a nice cozy cafe with nice food. Nice place for a weekend brunch. The muffins are delicious....We got the honey bran muffin and it was De-li-cious....moist...juicy...sweet...chewy....Âdarn good!!! My wife got a egg white omelet she liked it but ..it wasnt an omelet but more like scrambled eggs.. I got oatmeal ...which was ok... Over all a good experience ...food was ok...
(4)
Maria L.
delicious! they also have a menu that's health conscious.. nice & friendly staff.. parking is spacious and free.. their desserts were just ok, it was more of a fast food style.. most of all their muffins are to die for!
(4)
Ryan K.
Came here recently on a Friday night. I hadn't been here in over 6 months, but we decided to give it another try. We got to the restaurant about 5:30 pm, so it wasn't really busy yet. Our party of 4 was seated immediately, which was good. But then we had to wait 5 minutes for someone to take our drink orders. The waiting would be a common theme that night, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it- the place was well staffed. I ordered a beer, and the waitress said it would be out after the other drinks because her bartender had to make it. And then she brought to the table (after a lengthy wait) a beer and a glass. So he "made the beer," did he now? The menu has been pared back dramatically from the last time I was here. The offerings now seem decidedly more French, although it's really more French-inspired. I ordered the Le Madame burger (burger with an egg in it) with crispy onion strings. The burger was very good, but the onion strings left something to be desired- there's very little substance to them. I'd stick with french fries if I ordered a burger again. Maybe I'll be back, who knows. As far as I'm concerned, I was satisfied, but I wasn't impressed.
(3)
Princess M.
upon arrival, the hostess didn't say anything except "this way" and walked toward a table. she didn't even say hello or ask if there was anything we'd like to drink! the menu was lacking variety and no al a carte options. We got up and left for another place down the street. probably never coming back here ever again.
(1)
Josh B.
No Thanks, out of beers, no potatoes for baked potatoes. Slow service. Claims to be French inspired but only has two French wines out of more than a dozen. meal names are simply "le" added in front, very very very few real French dishes. Le Duet, which sounds like it should be two, hence duet, was really half a sandwich.my girlfriend loved this place, guess they lost their way.
(1)
Jennifer R.
Dont come here for lunch if you have a time constraint. We called ahead of time and asked if we could be in and out in half an hour. They said yes and it took a while to get greeted by the server we placed the drink order and food order at the same time. Food took forever. Has to scarf it down to get back to work
(2)
Jayne M.
New menus Cut a lot of the regular food items OUT! My burger was dry and burnt even on the bun. I couldn't find anyone to flag down and no one even checked on is. My sons burger was the same. I think they were hoping we would just eat and leave because they knew it was messed up. I was doing the knife trick to both of our lunches and scraping off the burnt parts and slicing the burnt meat off. It took 40 min for us to get out food too it was weird. The are no appetizers on the lunch menu you have to ask for a dinner menus for appetizers . All the appetizers try used to have are all gone now iit's only like 4 to choose from and they are pretty boring. this place is gonna go out of business very quick
(3)
Michele S.
I like coming here for breakfast because I believe they have the best corned beef hash and it's never crowded. They only serve their benedicts until noon. Not sure why but they sounded really good and it was almost 1 by the time I got there so I didn't get to order that. Their tomato bisque is too salty and their crab cakes aren't very crabby.
(4)
Jen L.
Love the food there. Drove from paradise hills to this location simply for the service. Food was awesome. It was a party of 4 and when they brought out the bread basket 3 pieces wasn't going to be enough so we asked for more. It's kinda dark in there so I didn't notice the bread loaf I bought until I took it home. It looks like they put all the scraps together to make my loaf. Don't really know how I feel about that!
(3)
Jazmine J.
Typical family restaurant but took forever for our food to arrive (30 minutes) and the food was bland and the fries were old. Funny thing is that when I had to send my French dip back to the kitchen because they forgot the cheese, the fries were hot and fresh. When the server brought back my order with cheese, the fries were cold, refried and hard. Have only dined once and twice breakfast, but I prefer Coco's or Denny's. Definitely not returning.
(2)
Evan M.
I would have to say thank god our server was pleasant and on top of it. I came here with a large group of colleagues for a lunch holiday party in their private room. It was great to have a room to ourselves. Our server Elizabeth was really polite, presentable, and quick to bring drinks. The coffee was just ok. It wasn't nearly hot enough. It must have been sitting in the refill canisters for a while. I order the brie, turkey and apple sandwich with a chutney sauce. It was so so. The fruit was ok but wasn't ripe enough. Everyone else seemed to like their food. I wasn't too flattered with the sandwich. The chutney didn't match it well. I know this sounds more like a 3 star review but thankfully Elizabeth was attentive and very efficient in refilling waters and coffee (despite it being cold ;-)). I think I'd go back to Mimi's cafe. Maybe try something else. Keep it up Elizabeth ;-)
(4)
Karen B.
The food is fresh and delicious!! They have a new menu that's health conscious and just different!! The parking is spacious and free. The service was great as well. The waitresses were right there with refills, without having to be asked. I love that!! Definitely be back...
(4)
SS S.
Tried it for the first time today. My husband ordered the pasta cabonara and I ordered the seafood bouillabaisse. Both items were overly salty. The seafood was fresh and there was enough of it. The cabonanra was ok, but there was a quite a bit of liquid in the plate. Our waitress was very nice and came regularly to check for us, the 3 stars is mostly for her. We also shared the bread pudding, but the whiskey butter sauce was overpowering. I wish they had served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of that sauce. The ice cream would have complimented the warm pudding.
(3)
Lisa T.
yummy breakfast
(5)
Robi M.
We decided to go to Mimi's restaurant in Mira Mesa for my sister's birthday. I looked online at the menu and already decided what I wanted. We made reservations for 5 pm on Friday night. We were seated right away. I looked at the menu and was disappointed that I didn't see my selection on it. The waitress said the menu was different than the one posted online.. We ordered drinks first and I was pleased to see a split of Korbel champagne on the drink menu. After the drinks came we ordered our food. The restaurant wasn't that crowded and there was only 1 waitress for our side of the restaurant. The service was lacking. We had to ask for everything twice. My sister ordered a salad and it came after the entree and only because we asked where it was. The bread was sourdough and carrot bread and was tasty but we had to ask for the bread basket twice. When the food came ( salmon, fish and chips and lemon sole) the fish was good for all of us but the potatoes were greasy on each of our plates. UGH! The coleslaw on my husband's plate was warm and had too much mayonnaise. Another split of champagne was ordered but we had to ask for it twice. We had to ask twice for a small to-go container and the plastic bag to put it in. Terrible service! I don't know why they call it a French restaurant as it wasn't any different than a Marie Callendars or any other family restaurant. We won't be back!
(1)
Jeff I.
Never again. Went at around 800 PM on a sunday night the place was empty. Already I did not want to eat here but the rest of my party did. Mimis needs to decide what it wants to be. You can't have high priced "French" food that tastes like cheap american food. The warm bread was the best part, but who brings out bread with Margarine? When we asked for real butter they brought out cold hard packets. The waiter seemed scared every time he came to our table for some reason. I ordered the burger medium rare it was practically raw. Fries were ice cold. My uncle got the salmon that was obviously frozen with broccoli that was all ice cold. How does an empty restaurant serve cold food? The flies on the windowsill next to us where a nice addition. Just a horrible waste of a meal left feeling unsatisfied and depressed. A million better places to spend your money.
(1)
L S.
Friendly and quick service. Good breakfast but wish they had more healthy selections. Maybe add lox. :-). Reasonably priced.
(5)
Dave B.
Crap service. Inattentive, careless servers, no feeling of appreciating customers. Today will be last patronage of Mimi's Westview Pkwy. Over 12 years I've eaten there more than 20 times. Service has never been good, usually mediocre, a few times just plain crap. When server first came to table she seem rushed as if she had to attend to something very urgent, which was not me. I ordered french toast and eggs over medium. She hurried away w/o asking for drink order. I called out to her, she came back and I ordered a latte. It arrived few minutes later but, compared to Peet's, Mimi's latte tasted like watered down flavoring. Food arrive in good time BUT EGGS WERE UNDERCOOKED. In a fried egg order runny egg whites are disgusting and a good way to contract disease. No one ever came to table to check on me, how was meal, need anything else... Server dropped off bill and didn't ask anything. The check was for WRONG TABLE, the bill had nothing in common with my order. CRAP SERVICE.
(1)
Ana B.
Carry out service was great. I ordered penne pasta but when I got home, I got linguini instead. But the taste is good.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Tina B.
There's not a lot of breakfast place in Mira Mesa so despite of the "commercial" grade cooking of Mimi's...I still go here a lot! I like the revised menu - some of my fave are pain perdu, blt omelette and waffle! Love the ambiance and servers are very friendly! Not a very ideal place for meetings because there's no electrical outlet available (except for maybe 1 table) and no wifi :( I wish Mira Mesa would open an authentic mom n pop breakfast place but for now...I'm a frequent flyer here :)
(3)Steve F.
I met up with some friends to get together, and when one of us got hungry, we decided to step in here for some dinner. It had been a very long while since I'd gone to Mimi's Cafe, but the food made me realize I should come here more often. We started with the Asian Sampler plate, which has glazed pork potstickers, spicy soy chicken tenders, and ginger coconut shrimp. While these were good, my friend and I loved the bed of sesame slaw that the appetizers were served with. My entree was the country fried steak dinner - this was definitely a huge portion of food (2 steaks!), and I brought some of it home for lunch the next day. Although, I wish I had more vegetables on my plate... Also, the carrot bread is to die for! But, on our bread plate, we only got one sourdough roll. Overall, we had a great time with good food and good service! Desptie this being a chain restaurant, at least having these two things made our evening fun.
(4)Brinda J.
Just another Mimi's. You can't go wrong and you know you'll get what you expect.
(3)Lisa L.
I am not a fan of the new Mimi's Cafe menu. There are a lot less choices and the salads don't come with a muffin anymore! Overall, the service was very slow (we got there at 5:15 on a Monday) but the waitress was nice. My daughter's french fries were the worst I've ever had - cold and soggy. My salmon was dry, but the lentil and spinach bed was really yummy. There were a few good things though too. The bread and bread basket was yummy. The corn dog bites were pretty good. My husband liked his turkey dinner. An OK experience, but it is not high on my go-to places anymore.
(2)Leonard S.
Surprisingly good food for this "French" bistro themed establishment. The only thing french about the Le Club I ordered was the french fries but that's my fault for not being adventurous enough to go for something different. The cheeseburger my friend order looked amazing and according to him it was "excellent", although he often uses that term loosely. Will be back soon to try something else.
(3)Patrick V.
I met a friend here for breakfast. One of the first things I lookout for when I go to a restaurant is how clean the table is before I sit down. The table was clean when we sat down and the table was not wet or sticky and I've gotta say that the servers were outstanding. They never ignored or forgot about us while we were there. I ordered an omelette which was cooked pretty well but it came with a blueberry muffin. I have nothing against blueberry muffins but this one was not fresh baked, it had that "Hi I'm a muffin that was mass produced in a factory and I've been sitting around for a day or so but dont worry, I have a lot of preservatives in me" look to it. The home fries were under-cooked. The coffee was second rate at best.
(3)Erika D.
Great breakfast menu!
(5)Irma J.
Fathers day at 7am very slow. Not busy, server was great. Meal was awful. After two tries I finally asked if the cook was angry. I decided not to give him/her a third try. It was just eggs. First batch was runny (I ordered medium). Second batch were harder than an Easter egg. Bummed! Happy Fathers Day!
(2)Erika H.
Mimi's is under new ownership now and has totally gone downhill as a result. The bread is stale and cold, and they are way understaffed compared to how they were under the previous ownership. Now, I'll only go here if a friend wants to go.
(2)Brett B.
Mimi's can deliver pretty decent food, but the quality seems dependent on location. This Mira Mesa area store is under par in comparison to other locations. Food and service could and should be better.
(2)Paola R.
Their 3-course meal deal is pretty good, although they always run out of the desert that I want! The food itself is fine and the service is good, too. Mimi's is good, but it's nothing special.
(3)Cindy D.
I hate the new menus. If it weren't for the old standby of a club sandwich I would have left. Won't be going back.
(1)Heather L.
So I convinced my mom for our Sunday breakfast that we should go to Mimi's, but instead of driving to Mission Valley, we went to the one in Mira Mesa. I thought we were going to have to wait, but when we walked in, there really weren't a lot of people there. I don't know if it was the drizzle and "cold" weather, but I wondered if we had made a mistake or just missed the breakfast crowd. Anyway, we were seated... the two of us... at a huge booth. One of those booths that is in the shape of a half circle. My mom was rather annoyed because it was so big and she said that, but the host didn't really pay any attention, so we just had a seat. The decor is a little... confused. I say confused because it seems to have a French theme, but then there are Italian components. For example, on the wall there was a framed piece that said 'France', and then below was a sign that said 'Alla Trattoria', which I believe is 'to the restaurant'. And as you look around, you notice more and more of this confusing mix of French and Italian. Our waitress promptly came over to take our drink orders. The coffee was nice, the first round, but when someone else came by to top up my cup, it tasted burnt. Of course, while I looked at the other items on the menu, I knew I was going to get the Pumpkin Spice Pancakes because I was coveting them the day before. Mom was undecided and at one point decided on the Ham and Eggs. Then she asked me about the Corned Beef Hash. Knowing my mom and knowing how most places do corned beef hash, I told her that I didn't think she would like it. She decided she would get it anyway. Her dish comes with a muffin, so she had the Blueberry Muffin, which comes nice and warm with some butter to the table before the dish. Mom really liked the muffin, the same cannot be said for the Corned Beef Hash. Her main complaint was that there was not a lot of corned beef, just a lot of potatoes, not to mention that besides the eggs, you get a side of red skin potatoes. Fair point. I did try the hash though and thought it did taste good, but I agree on the potatoes issue. The red skin potatoes that were on the plate looked like they had been reheated. We also order our eggs over easy because we like the runny yolk and when we go to IHOP or Denny's we never have a problem with it, but here they didn't cook the egg whites all the way through. My pancakes on the other hand... delicious! I didn't even need the maple syrup because they were so rich and sweet! I loved them. And because they are made with pumpkin, they are nice and moist. Definitely the best part of the whole meal. I have a feeling if my mom asks where to go again, Mimi's will not be at the top of her list and I may opt out of eggs next time.
(2)Jane T.
I Hate their new menu. Their breakfast portions are half the size of Broken Yolk. And for a French Cafe, you would think they would have more crepe, waffles, and pastry entrees for breakfast
(1)Sherrie J.
Service-thumbs down, food-no flavor and I ordered the santa fe five alarm plate and I had to add tabasco for some heat. That is the reason for the rating. The one positive was the buttermilk spice muffin, hot and fresh.
(2)Joe M.
Mimi's Café has been one of those anomalous landmarks in Mira Mesa for as long as I can remember living in the area. I had been there only once in the entire time that I've lived in San Diego and remember the food being kind of mediocre and have since wondered, who eats here? Well, I decided to drop by with my buddy yesterday to find out and use a BOGO coupon that I just got to finally sample their food again at long last. My buddy and I decided to try the "Just Enough" dinner options. These are basically downsized portions of their main entrees. The meal started off with some warm dinner rolls and carrot bread which was actually pretty decent. I went with the honey Dijon salmon for my dinner selection, which sounded quite delicious. When it arrived, I was disappointed that the portion size was literally half the size of the picture. The food tasted good enough, albeit a little "safe", but I guess that's all part of the corporate dining experience. Nothing is every "too" anything and I found my fish to be a little under seasoned. I've never been a big fan of dining at corporate restaurants and was hoping that Mimi's comforting cottage-like façade would serve some home-style cooking, but it ultimately came up considerably short in that expectation. The food wasn't horrible and the service measured up, but overall I found this southern eatery a bit of a bore. I might go back with a coupon but, besides that, I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Food: 7/10 Service: 7/10 Price: $$ Atmosphere: 6/10
(3)Brian K.
I'm here about once a month for a recurring business meeting, and the food is reliably good, with exception for the muffins. These are consistently great! I've tried a few different things on the menu, including the protein breakfast, oatmeal breakfast and two egg breakfasts, and everything is usually pretty good. The service, as with any high-volume restaurant, can be hit or miss. The food is good, and everyone is always very friendly.
(3)Lowell N.
The food, drink, and service are so-so but it's one of the few breakfast places near me so I went on occasion (maybe 1 or 2 times per year). This time they told me they don't allow dogs at their outdoor seating area, even though I've brought the dog every visit before. They suggested I leave the dog in the car, during this heat wave we're having!!! I walked out. Sorry Mimi's, our sordid relationship is over. For those of you who would tell me to leave the dog at home, let me kindly offer a pre-buttal of: shut up.
(1)marg s.
Mimi's has always been good for cheap, reliable breakfast on the weekend. Having just left North Park for Scripps Ranch* I decided to try this depressing chain restaurant for the first time in over a decade. The food remains just fine for breakfast. Eggs are eggs, after all. I dared not order fancier fake-French things (like crepes stuffed with calories, or quiches stuff with god-knows-what). The service is painfully slow and personality-free. It should not take ten minutes to get a soda and fifteen minutes to order when there are only 4 tables with customers, and 2 waitresses (plus a hostess and two runners). I will continue to hunt for suburban replacements for my old go-tos, The Mission and Cafe on Park. *I'm not a rich hipster. My rent is cheap. My boyfriend is a Poway-working home-owner. He sleeps in and I go to brunch alone. It's a nice tradition.
(1)Scott M.
If you go, allow for more time than you think you'd need for a meal. The service is bad here and has been bad for years. That being said, the french onion soup suits my taste, and is some of the best I've had. I'm not much of a bran fan, but the bran muffin is soaked with honey, and with butter is yummy. The menu has a wide variety of selections, with food mostly mediocre from my experience. Last visit prior to this one, I went for lunch with a friend, and after about 15 minutes I got up to tell the hostess we hadn't seen a waiter or waitress. This seems typical from my experience here. This time service for my wife and I was uncharacteristically fast. But true to form, the couple that was seated next to us, served by the same waiter, left after 10-15 minutes, because noone came to check in on them, or take their order. Seems management would benefit with some better methods of coordinating timing of waitstaff to the patrons seated by the Hostess, and perhaps some training. Since it is a consistent problem, it falls on management rather than the staff I'd think. How did I get to be a yelp regular here?
(2)David H.
I usually only come to Mimi's once a year when I get the free birthday dinner when I bring a friend meal. Kind of a French flair. Kinda cute inside and out. Our waitress was really nice and attentive. Brought me a dessert for my birthday that I wasn't expecting. She was really sweet. Food is average. I love the carrot cake and french bread appetizers they give you. The french onion soup I love!
(4)Kerra A.
This review is for the breakfast only. Went back and brought the whole fam bam to try their breakfast and I had a coupon for a FREE breakfast with a purchase of a breakfast. What we ordered: Berry French Toast Breakfast w/ two eggs sunny side up & 4 slices of bacon Verdict: 2 big slices of french toast with sweet cream cheese in between and topped with blueberries and strawberries were good. but not something i would order again. the eggs and bacon tasted just like they should. Buttermilk Pancake Full Breakfast w/ bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, turkey sausage and additional side of breakfast potatoes. Verdict: Hubby said the pancakes were better than IHOPS. made no sense in having turkey sausage but no turkey bacon. He also opted for the healthy choice egg alternative for his scrambled eggs. His meal was huge. Child Plate Eggs and Bacon w/ side of applesauce Verdict: sadly, my son gave his plate two big thumbs DOWN. He's a skinny 7 year old football player with a big mans appetite, and this child plate just wasnt satisfying to him at all. Everyone ended up giving portions of our breakfast because his plate didn't get him full. He was so upset he didn't even want me to take a picture of his plate for my yelp review. Child Plate Chocolate Chip Pancakes w/ side of banana Verdict: our oldest son said the pancakes tasted just like chocolate chip cookies and was able to get full off his breakfast. If you're used to getting breakfast at IHOP, Denny's or Keith's...you're in for a disappointing breakfast. CONS: -not very many syrup choices -child portions suck if you have kids that eat alot -all they have are orange crayons for the kids PROS: -our waitress Bonnie was very nice -our food came out pretty fast I think the kids would have liked the Lunch & Dinner menu better. Def not coming back for their breakfast.
(2)Natalie F.
Everything here is pretty standard. I came here with some coworkers and honestly...I did not want to come here. As a yelper, I know you are pretty much wasting time coming to a chain place (UNLESS it is In N Out. That place is magical) when you're in a city with way better things. Yes, this place is not even close to trying to be that great, but it exceeded my very low expectations. The server was nice (but kind of slow it seemed) and the food is alright. I would not come back here not because it's bad, but because it's just alright, and the prices are decent (Actually, I wouldn't pay for this. I work for UCSD so they paid it since it was a work function. Sorry, UCSD-ers, this is where your fees go). The decor is kind of like a house, which apparently is a thing for Mimi's. I don't know because I have never been to one nor heard of them before a few days ago. Some people seem to get pretty excited about this place, like families and whatnot, but I turn my snobby Yelp nose up at that and say...go somewhere else. Don't waste your time here when you are in San Diego and could be somewhere way better and way more unique.
(2)Cindy W.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner menu all at the same time?!!!! Mimi's doesn't have the best food but it's decent. The prices are very reasonable for what you get. I love the fresh carrot bread they serve complimentary! My friend decided to "be a man" and chop his own firewood. The axe didn't work so it was off to the chainsaw. After about an hour and a half of chopping he was starving and since we were in the area we went to Mimi's. We had the blueberry french toast. For $6.99 it comes with 2 french toast pieces, fresh blueberries and blueberry yogurt on top, 2 eggs, either bacon or sausage and a small cup of juice. I had the Ciabatta breakfast sandwich with spinach, egg, tomato, and of course bacon! The spread on the bread was pretty darn good. It comes with potatoes that were overly cooked in oil. For $7.99 it's ok of a deal. Service: I guess it depends on who your waiter/waitress is. Here's a good deal thou mimiscafe.com/summerrend…
(3)Amanda E.
My dad is addicted to this place, he lives in Houston and the closest Mimi's is about an hour from him. Needless to say he HAS to go here every time he visits me, since I live about a block away. The food is good. The champagne flight with 3 diff juices is amazeballs and I love this Turkey ciabatta (sp?) sandwich and their corn chowder soup! They do recognize me there - even though I don't go very often but I took away a star because even though they recognize me, the lady only did so because she kept mentioning how tired I looked! Both times! Thanks - I have a newborn, should I look any thing but? I don't need to be reminded that I look awful! Any hoo, good food, decently priced and you can join their emailer that sends out pretty good buy one get one free lunch or dinner coupons! I'm all about saving that moo-lah!
(4)Melissa R.
One of my fave places to go that has great service and open pretty late. Also, I came here for a brunch the day after my wedding and the staff was wonderful to my large party! :)
(5)Gavin G.
I eat at this Mimi's a lot because of friends who live in this area. It is usually quite good with good service. They make me stuff that is no longer on the menu, but used to be. Prices have gone up over time. Booths are usually a quiet place to talk, so good ambience.
(5)Kristin W.
When my boyfriend and I go out we do this to relax and to not have to worry about anything, our server was Ivan who we saw twice while we were there, first time to take our drink order and 2nd time to take our food order, we got no straws with our drinks so I had to get up to get them myself after waiting for 5 minutes sitting in the corner of the restaurant where no one ever came to and were we sure never saw Ivan our server. Our drinks were never refilled we had to ask another server for refills. After we ate and hadn't seen Ivan since we ordered since someone else, who was very friendly, brought us our food, we needed boxes for our leftover food. We waited for another 5 minutes but no one bothered to help us so again I had to get up and get a box myself and while I was at it asked someone else working there for the check, which by the way had extra charges on it that weren't supposed to be on it. Thank you Ivan for not only being a horrible server but adding charges that made no sense. We sure won't dine here again It might be a good idea to have more of the staff serving the customers rather than having 3 people at the front, 1 holding the door open, another to grab the right number of menus and a third to take you to your table. First and last visit to Mimis! If you do decide to come here though make sure Ivan won't be your server!
(2)Ashley Z.
The chicken with red wine is awesome! So does the bread pudding
(4)Karen L.
Food is always delicious. Though - be careful ordering a poached egg - I have yet to have one with a soft yolk.
(4)Brett S.
The 3 course deal ($14) is a pretty good deal. I got top sirloin with a shrimp skewer. The steak was meh, not well done like I asked. It's cheap so I'm not complaining too much. The shrimp was small and kind of rubbery but tolerable. It's super hot at 9:30 at night, literally sweating at the table on an overcast rainy day. The super bright light over my head makes me feel like im being interrogated or abducted by aliens. Our server was a nice guy, seems like he cares about doing a good job. I'd say overall the experience is a small step up from Denny's.
(3)Curtis P.
We had our Thanksgiving meal right here. The food was good caliber and wonderfully prepared. The prices are sensible. When in question for a place to eat well, we end up here. Actually, we totally checked around San Diego searching for a place to eat something light and couldn't find a respectable restaurant like this. The only disadvantage is during peak hours, as with our Thanksgiving meal, it's really loud. Every person in the restaurant is making an attempt to talk over the background music.
(3)Teresita C.
My vision of hell is not a fiery inferno populated with Bosch's 1/2 human, 1/2 chicken hellions, but a little cottage decorated in the style of country kitchen, complete with geese and ruffled curtains. Mimi's looks a little bit like this, with an emphasis on home-style cooking. I didn't love my food, it was just OK. The servers were very good and attentive, perhaps to make up for the lackluster meal. My mum had the quiche and claimed to love it, but she's an easy one to please and she loves her some doilies. Guess that explains that.
(3)Judy L.
Seriously, yuck. I came here just right after noon for some breakfast since the friend hadn't had breakfast or lunch. I was glad they were still serving breakfast menu items! Looking over the menu, I didn't find anything that screamed "please eat me, I'm delicious!" and it took me a long time to look over the menu. We were seated in the booths next to the area where servers come out with the plates and others stood by to order to-go, and that was really annoying. There were lots of people walking by the table, naturally, and it made having a sort of peaceful meal hard. The server kept coming up and asking if we were ready in a rushed way which I did not like! I understand why, but ugh, back off a bit maybe? I ordered the Banana and Caramel crepes (or something like that). I was looking for something light that wouldn't bowl me over with sweetness. I should've known that "caramel" would NOT fit that description. We also ordered a pumpkin muffin to share between us. We got our muffin first, and it tasted fine but I found it a bit dry. Oh well. What can you do? When we got our plates, I think I immediately regretted my choice just by looking at it. It's my fault for choosing it, but still it tasted disgusting. I could barely eat it. The crepe was disgusting and soggy; pair that with mushy, rot-my-teeth-sweet bananas? It was a no go. Top it off with whipped cream and caramel that tasted from the jar (you know, the kind that smackers makes for ice cream!) and you got a really nasty breakfast. I had to chug a whole lot of water to get the taste out of my mouth, and after leaving the restaurant I felt like I was physically sick! Anyway, the service was a little impersonal. I dislike when servers pull up to a table to refill water or something without acknowledgement of some sort, like "excuse me" or "may I refill your water?" It's only polite to do so, I think, given that I'm sure the majority of people dislike being disrupted and being asked how the meal is going. I sort of felt rushed to finish my meal as well, so that was another thing that made me frown. Overall, I'd skip this place next time someone offers it as a suggestion to eat out.
(2)Traci D.
I have been to this Mimi's Cafe a few times on the weekend and it is always very crowded. Be ready to wait for a table. Usually there is coffee/tea and some type of bakery item for you to enjoy while you are waiting. I ordered an omelet and it came with juice and a muffin. I got my buttermilk spice muffin fairly quickly but after everyone else at the table got served their food, I was still waiting. The waitress offered me a free side salad while I waited for my omelet to finish cooking but I asked her for a side of toast instead. When I finally got my omelet is it was fairly bland. The portion was large so I was able to take home half of my breakfast and my whole muffin. I think the prices at Mimi's is rather high but you do get a lot of food.
(2)Keem J.
The food is decent, but the service is terrible. I went on a Saturday night and they were nowhere near busy. It took forever to get our food out. When it finally came to our table, it wasn't even that hot! We even played, Which Comes Out First?: Me from the restroom or the dessert? I won. And the chocolate "mousse" was DEFINITELY chocolate ice cream that was sitting out so it could disguise itself as mousse. C'mon now.
(3)Brett A.
How could I possibly give a chain restaurant four stars? I have a soft spot for Mimi's Cafe and have been to this location at least 10 times. For starters, I like the freshly baked complimentary bread they serve. I can never get enough carbs and we usually order a muffin in addition to the free bread. I'll admit that their food doesn't knock my socks off, but that being said, they have a wide selection of meals and every one that I've tried (pot pies, fettuccine etc.) has been solid. The salads are crisp, fresh, and just the right portion. It's one of our favorite placing to take the kids because they love the kids meals, which are pretty cheap, and we always are seated and served quickly, even on Friday nights. Our kids are especially energetic with a half life before radioactive decay of about 10 minutes so it's nice we can be in and out of Mimi's in less than one hour.
(4)Roger B.
New menu takes away a lot of classic choices and leaves expensive beef and seafood items. Pot roast and chicken parm are gone. Salmon with lentils? Not sure about that one. Turkey breast and chicken pot pie were both tasteless -- bland as if they were cooking for hospital patients.
(1)Pablo H.
Mimi's (at least this location) has excellent cappuccinos, and their French Onion soup is usually awesome. Other than that, it's mainly good for breakfast/brunch - you can order from the breakfast menu until 2:00 PM, I think, so one can mix it up and get stuff from either meal during the late morning to early afternoon. I highly recommend the various stuffed French Toast variations, such as Pain Perdu, and anything that has the tasty tomatillo salsa that they came up with, like the Sante Fe Enchiladas. Dinner is decent American fare, but the salads tend to be too sweet for my taste: Lots of fruit-based dressings and actual fruits in their selections, along with the vegetables. Oddly enough for a Cajun-themed restaurant, their blackened entrees are pretty bland; I feel that Red Lobster, for example, does a much better job of getting a good blackened spice mix of fish, so I stopped ordering those items. The beef and chicken is usually very good, though. Once in a while you will get a server that's kind of spacey, but of course that happens anywhere, and the management has always been good about correcting and compensating for errors in the service or the food (e.g. undercooked or overcooked entrees or muffins).
(4)Ed M.
I came here many moons ago with people who I no longer associate with...it was their idea to eat here saying how quaint and trendy this place is. I should've bailed with the "quaint and trendy" part but I figured I would give it a shot anyways. I remember having the french onion dip soup which was pretty good. The sandwich I got was okay. Overall though this is basically a fancy schmancy euro version of Chilli's meets the Cheesecake Factory. I would take the Cheesecake Factory and Chilli's over this place first though. Other then the soup there was nothing special about their food I would make a return trip here for. I should've known better though with the "quaint and trendy" speech...now you know why I don't associate with said people anymore.
(2)Jim L.
So Mimi's to me is a combination of TGI Friday's meets Applebees with a touch of French flair, only in name. WE NEED MORE FLAIR!! I have been here several times albeit not a favorite but rather a compromise or me just giving up. The menu offers many different selections to choose from and while it's not gourmet by any means, the food is alright. The Jambalaya has good flavor to it however I wish it had more of a bite to it. I like mine to be on the spicy side. If you're in the mood for a burger, I would recommend their French Quarter, which is topped with avocado, bacon, swiss cheese and served on a grilled parmesean sourdough. One could never go wrong with grilled sourdough....especially with cheese! The service here has always been very good from the hostesses to the servers. Food has been served promptly and their servers have always checked to see if everything is ok. Anytime I don't have to flag someone down, its a good thing for me.
(3)Chris L.
Not joking! We had a cockroach crawl over the table. Bummer we had already ate our food. They promised that they haven't had a complaint like that before. Not what my friend said with a similar story. They saw one one the ground. There infested. I will never eat there again.
(1)Abby W.
I been to Mimi's location in the Mission Valley area and never had any problem. Yet, this location was lacking on customer service. We arrived at the restaurant around 7:00 PM on a Friday. The place was busy but not comparable to the Mission Valley location. The hostess told us there is a 10 minute wait, so we decided to wait. Our 10 minutes ended up being a 20 minute wait, and once was actually seated not one waiter/waitress acknowledged us. We waited another 10 minutes and decided to just walk out. I will never think of going back to this location ever again.
(1)Nakia K.
Absolutely horrible. I've been to this location three different times and have left each time dissatisfied. The serving staff is mediocre at best. The food is bad. There are other places that have good prices with much better food and service. This is definitely not a place I plan on returning to in the future.
(1)Robin O.
This is another place my family and I have frequented for so many years I felt I must give them a plug. They even make us up food which is no longer on their menu, like Shrimp Spaghettini and their Cafe Club sandwich. Ridiculous loyalty on their part and ours. We have almost always had good service there, no matter who it was-I always thought they must train them that way. It is lovely restaurant to look at-Country French decor. I live in Mira Mesa and we sometimes go there just for their corn chowder soup and caesar salad (both consistently great) and to relax. They never rush you. I have not had the same experience at the Mission Valley Mimi's. The Santee location comes close. I want to advise some of the really bitchy critics on Yelp that you may just reap what you sow-I don't think a bad attitude is going to get you bad food but it could get you bad service....think about it.....
(5)Nisarg S.
Awesome omelettes. Good service. 15 min wait is not too bad. The quiche was delicious!
(4)George P.
You'd think I would learn my lesson by now and not go to a chain restaurant... We went in here for Mother's Day Breakfast, I'd never been to a Mimi's Café so we thought we would check it out. We arrived early, there were not many guests here yet. The hostess greeted us and seated us at a nice booth. She handed us a regular menu and a Mother's day special menu. Momma ordered the Florentine eggs benedict, but our waitress apologized that they were not doing regular menu items, only the special items; so she chose the Asparagus Quiche and a Mimosa. When breakfast arrived they brought both the Florentine Eggs Benedict (that they weren't making?!) and the Asparagus Quiche. Looking at the plates Momma chose the Florentine Eggs benedict. The plate just looked more appetizing. The Quiche looked as if it had just been taken out of a little tin foil pan. (Pre-made, frozen, heat, and serve look). She enjoyed her breakfast but wasn't impressed, our daughters enjoyed theirs as well (Pancakes, eggs, bacon and lot's of fresh cut fruit as garnish Our waitress was not as attentive as I would have liked; other staff had to help her keep us in coffee and took our check up for her. The manager changed the staff's responsibilities mid-shift (due to an increase in business I guess). Luckily for us we answered a random question by the manager and he awarded us 4 fresh muffins to take home at no charge. Not a bad experience not a memorable one either. Once again reinforcing my impression that most chain restaurants are mediocre at best and should only be frequented when traveling and in unfamiliar territory... Sláinte!
(3)Tanya R.
The carrot bread is just great. The salad was OK but not my favorite. It had a little too much blue cheese and the salad desssing did nothing for the walnuts or cranberries. THe service was decent.
(3)liltude S.
Normally I cook, but I'm at Dad's and he wanted to go out. Mimi's was not our first pick but where he wanted to go was not open. First off we made reservations, even came a lil early to check in. We ended up waiting an hour and kept seeing all these people that came in way after we did getting seated. Finally Dad went up and said something only to be told by some snotty lil 17 year old that they would get to us as soon as they could, asked when we got here, when we made the reservations. Why all the frickin questions dude? After an hour and half we finally were seated. (I understand it's Thanksgiving and I consider myself to have a lot of patience) but don't be rude, and don't say it's a 35 minute wait if it going to be an hour or more. Just be honest and you won't have so many customers coming up and telling you off, which by the way we didn't but there were plenty that did. Dinner was good, not excellent but good which is also disappointing because I've always loved eating here when I come down here. Next Thanksgiving, I'm cooking like I wanted to in the first place and I told Dad that. It's my favorite holiday and I don't like going out and putting up with rude people anyways. Mimi's if you're going to be open on a Holiday like that, be better prepared, be more organized, don't have kids who can't handle the pressure working on a high stress Holiday like Thanksgiving. Be honest about the wait time. And most important, teach them to wash their hands after they sneeze@! A day to remember o.O
(3)Faye L.
They use to have the 1/2 soup and 1/2 salad lunch combo. Now they don't :( The cobb salad was (and i guess still is) a safe bet for this place. You get a choice of muffin with the salads. I usually get the carrot raisin but lately the muffin's been 'uninspiring'. I know - who calls a muffin uninspiring? Well, that's what I've felt the last few times I've been there. I use to look fwd to their carrot muffins and breads. But now, not so much. I went there for lunch today and decided to try the Asian Chinese chicken salad with the sesame dressing on the side. The dressing was super sweet (in a bad way) - it tasted and looked like Karo's corn syrup. But on their defense, I know alot of ppl that like their Asian chicken salad so it might just be me who thought it was too sweet. And for dinner, they do give you a basket of carrot bread and 1 french roll for free (we've usually had to ask for it though)... French onion soup is always great - that I can say. Always comes out hot and topped w/ bubbly melted mozzarella cheese. For some reason though, you usually stink of the soup for the rest of the day. I think you can add a cup of soup for less than $2 if you order a salad. One major downside of Mimi's - it's the type of place that even if get there and there's only ONE party waiting in front of you, the hostess (who's usually 18 yrs old or younger) will tell you it's a 10-15 min wait. What! That's where I think they're truly trying to be that chic French cafe restaurant they want to be (but can't)...
(2)Alyssa B.
My experience with Mimi's: I've been going here since it opened and have now been over 100 times. I've found Mimi's to be consistently good, nothing to write home about, but still a reliable place for good food. If you're in the Scripps Ranch/Mira Mesa area, you know there are lots of lunch/dinner restaurants but there aren't many breakfast places. I see Mimi's as filling that hole for breakfast and doing it well. The employees are fairly young, the employment pool mostly coming from the local high schools. The hostesses and waitresses are usually enthusiastic, polite, and any inexperience rarely shows through. Mimi's is clean, well maintained, and comfortable. The food is good and reminds you of home cooking, some of which with a Louisiana twist. I don't want to go on and on, so here are my recommendations after going here so many times: The carrot muffin is always the surprise crowd pleaser, even for those who don't usually like carrot muffins. The side of fruit is good but doesn't have as much variety as I would like, but I always order fruit so I may be a bit picky. If you like orange juice, you won't be disappointed by the fresh squeezed orange juice here! If you like healthy food, they do have a good salad with chicken, apples, and cranberries that is yummy yet filling. (Just get the dressing on the side. They go a bit overboard on the dressing.) Also if you're into healthy eating, there's a good amount of healthy options and they do include the calorie counts on each dish. I wish I could say what my favorite meal is, but Mimi's change their menus so much I usually get something different each time. I hope this helps!
(4)Amy B.
Let me start this by saying I dont think I have ever had such a bad restaurant experience where I have been so inclined to rush home write a review immediately after. Also, let me say I was in the restaurant business for 10 yrs and had breakfast this morning with my husband and friend, both of whom are restaurant managers. Lastly, I understand that breakfast service is a different animal where each server has several tables and its more rushed through than a dinner service would be. With all that said, our breakfast was really awful from the beginning to the time we walked out. Our server Tera did not approach our table for at least 10 minutes. When she did, the first thing she said was sorry it took so long, my boss is making me run all over the place and I have 9 tables. It was definitely awkward. We placed our order. Then I dont know if a tray was not available but one drink at a time came out. An OJ here, a coffee there, but never my water which was all I was having to drink. I asked for my water, then my friend asked for me, then my husband the 3rd time. After I finally got it, my husband noticed pink lipstick on his coffee. When he asked for a new coffee, our servers response was "I dont do the dishes" before getting him a new cup. When our food came out, it was intermixed with the large party next to us. She tried to give us a grilled cheese sandwich and then placed my friends food down in front of someone at the other table. After some confusion, she switched the plates and gave my friend her correct food not knowing whether it had been touched/eaten by the other table. My husband had asked for a side of fruit in lieu of potatoes when he ordered. Then when the food came, of course his plate had an omelette and no fruit. He asked about it and she said it would be a 99 cent charge. Sure, no problem. He finished most of his omelette and our server came back and said that b/c he waited to order the fruit after his food, the computer had charged him $2 instead. She went on about why and basically blamed this on my husband. Mind you, no fruit had come out and we were pretty much done with breakfast. We asked her to just remove the charge and forget the fruit. She was not pleased. At least once more she mentioned how her terrible boss kept making her run around and mentioned twice that she was brand new and it was only her 2nd day. Im sorry, if you are this bitter, talking bad about your boss, and talking back to customers on your second day, you are in the WRONG business. To top it off, none of us were happy with our food, possibly b/c the terrible service ruined it for us. I have always had good experiences at Mimi's cafes but will absolutely avoid this Mira Mesa location in the future.
(1)Thai Y.
I've driven past this place at least 1000 times. One day I decided to finally try it after years of telling myself to give it a shot. I won't be coming back. Food was overpriced for the quality. The only highlight was the muffins. Both my wife and I felt sick the day after eating here. There are plenty of better options a few minutes away in any direction.
(2)Jason R.
My family and I ate here yesterday. It was an overall mediocre to sub average experience. The food was slow to arrive, apparently they had a big party ahead of us, I had to dodge the waiter's tray with my head as he reached over me to deliver food to other people at the table, food was not delivered to our table (forgot items), and when the waiter brought the check he placed it squarely in front of my face to the point where it obstructed my view of my family. We had breakfast, and when it arrived it was not very warm and my eggs were rubbery, probably sitting under heat lamps for a while. I went to this same restaurant last year on Mother's Day as a last-minute decision, and it worked out very well. On that very busy day the experience was much, much better. If I ever choose to go back, I will update my review as needed.
(2)Cyndi J.
This place is always packed with a wait to get in. It was good, only been there for breakfast.
(4)Sega S.
I heart Mimi's Cafe -- especially for breakfast! I love how the menu lets you know how many calories are in each entree. The lite and fit omelets are so good! One of my all time fav's is the Ciabatta breakfast sandwich with a side of potatoes. Mimi's has a cute interior and cozy relaxed seating area. Staff is friendly and service is excellent!
(5)Jackie T.
I first ate at a Mimi's Cafe like 10 years ago and I didn't like it. But I figured after so long I would give it another try. Another location, another time period. I mean it's been around for so long, it can't possibly be that bad right?? WRONG! The food was mediocre and over greasy. And I swear it made me feel queasy afterwards. The price of the food is not worth it for the lack of quality. The atmosphere is very ancient country and it was so dim inside I couldn't really see my food. Maybe it's on purpose so I wouldn't be able to tell how gross it is. Never again!
(1)Chad W.
I haven't had a bad service here once. I live very close and it is a go-to place when we want a safe place where we know the food will be good. The last time we tried the champagne flight and it was delicious. We always hit the bar to sit and eat since it gets you in and out fast without the wait.
(5)R. P.
I am done. I have tried this place a few times, and I am just done with it. The last time was breakfast. Food is just not good, I thought it's pretty hard to screw up breakfast. Guess not. Crab Benedict was awful (i know, what as I thinking, ordering crab Benedict at mimis). The eggs are cold, the toast is not toasted, the pancakes are dense and soggy. The "roasted red potatoes" we're terrible, bland and not even close to roasted. The orange juice is bitter, yet sickly sweet, even my 4 year old was like "thanks, but no thanks" and he will drink ANY juice, or so I thought. Service is very slow, totally corporate trained, insincere and frazzled, I watched the manager refilling iced tea all morning long. Really? Do you think that is the most effective use of your time as a manger? Ridiculous. This place is not worth your time in so many ways. Such a shame, as we really need a decent breakfast spot in Mia Mesa. I will not be back.
(2)Lisa H.
It was a strange and hazy day. When you are hungry, I do not suggest driving around Mira Mesa Boulevard with the sea of crazy cars. I tend to get pissy and mad when I'm in that zone. I pulled into Mimi's because it seemed like there were parking spots. I wasn't really sure what I was in for. I walked in and was seated right away. I sat in the back with a few other couples. I'm a real observer when I'm by myself, listening in on conversations and acting like I don't know what's going on. There were two tables that were either unhappy with their service or were just annoying customers who had to know everything that was in the dish. My server came up. I was so hungry that I wasn't in the mode for the whole CORPORATE SPIEL, which I got. I tried not to make contact because I didn't feel like engaging in a conversation. I could tell that he was super nice, but it wasn't my cup of tea that day. The cool thing was that I was indecisive. They had a prix fixe menu for $12.99 which came with an appetizer, a main entree and a dessert. PERFECT! There were some other choices of pork chops, ravioli and a couple salmon dishes. I ordered the green salad to start off with. It was pretty hearty. There were carrot laces, tomatoes, cucumbers and a good assortment of greens. I ordered blue cheese to go with it. I was pretty happy with the salad. A bread choice came later as I was eating my salad. They gave me a carrot bread and a roll. Both super delicious. I really enjoyed the carrot bread. Then my dinner entree of spinach, artichoke spaghettini came. It looked like a huge portion. I should have honestly put some of the portion away into a container. Hard to explain the taste, but it tasted as if the spaghetti alfredo sauce was burned. It wasn't very tasty. The veggies inside the pasta were good, but I didn't think it tasted original. I would say that Pat & Oscars has a better taste and I don't even really like them at all. Kind of just pushed it to the side. I ordered dessert which was a chocolate brownie with ice cream. It was piping hot. It was pretty delicious. I wish that I could say I loved this place, but I think it caters to older people. I'm glad that I only spent $15 for a meal deal, but it could get expensive for people who don't order from the set meals.
(2)Ashley T.
I dont know if its the cozy cottage "at home" feeling, or just the delicious food, but it keeps me coming back! Crab fritters &Chicken Tenders are GREAT!! Been eating here for a while I haven't tried anything I don't like!! They have good breakfast, and they also have a good happy hour food menu to order from. This is a good opportunity to try out different entrees without having to spend too much money, then when you find what you like most, you can order an entire entree of it the next time! The Hot Chocolate is AMAZING! Its creamy and not too thick or TOO sweet, just perfect. And the best part about it is that it comes in a big "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" Sized cup!
(4)Shelby D.
i went to get some soup and salad to go because i was sick and it was amazing. i knew you got a muffin with the salad but it was awesome that i also got a big box of different kinds of bread for the soup. the clam chowder was delicious and the salad was great. the food was ready when i got there and the staff was really nice. the apple cinnamon muffin was aaaamaaazing!!
(5)Katy C.
Decent service. Great food! Will be back. :)
(4)Nadia Fern C.
No freakin bueno this place. I knew I didnt want to come here, despite having never been, but the friend I went with said I should try someone I had never Yelped before. I hate these types of places and avoid them at all costs. Whatever! Was NOT pleased with it at all. First of all, nevermind how much I do love meatloaf, it was bizarre how intense the meatloaf smell in this restaurant was. This followed by our waiter annoying me to no end. I have not been this aggravated by the presence of a server in quite a long time. I actually thought Id turned over a new, more understanding leaf in the new year. Nope! Luckily still the same old me. He had the attitude of a college frat guy but had silver sideburns. I am not knocking grey because it is my favorite, especially on dudes. But this guy was like that 6'8'' guy with the little girl voice that was on American Idol on Wednesday. It just didnt match! In regards to the food, my friend and I ordered the crispy chicken salad which came with buffalo and ranch. She ordered pea and ham soup and I got french onion. It took for damn ever for our food to come out. I did not understand the degree of difficulty in a dang salad and some soups?! Maybe its because we asked them to put it onto two plates. I imagine that was it. Now I am a lover of all soups of any variety, but her soup looked like baby food vomit. Yes, like food fed to a baby and then thrown up. The sight was gagging me. My french onion soup was actually really tasty. It was hot and there was lots of cheese. Yum! First positive of the visit. Salad? Epic fail! I cannot fathom how you can eff up lettuce but the lettuce in this salad was a disaster. It tasted horrible. I have written a review about gross lettuce somewhere else and I am completely passionate about the quality of lettuce. When you have an entree that consists mainly of this vegetable, please make sure it is bright green and doesnt taste foul. It was just sad. Please lets continue with the waiter annoying the shit out of me. We were there eating with a 7 month old and that dang waiter was taking 75x too long to do EVERYTHING! Water refill. Dropping off tab. Picking up payment. For heavens sake. HURRY UP MAN!??! On a closing note, I will say that the carrot walnut muffin was the highlight of the trip. It doesnt hold a candle to my moms but it was quite delicious. Next time, I will stick to my guns and we will just go to Panera instead.
(2)Cjn S.
I have nothing against their food. I actually really like their food and was a regular there. Until that one time... We were seated by the host right away. However the waiter in charge of that table (or that whole corner) did not see us because he was chatting in the back. We thought it was very weird but decided to wait for about 20 minutes. When we were about to leave, the host brought a few people in and seated them next to our table. At that time, that waiter saw those two people and came out. He then realized our presence, so he came over and pretended that he wasn't in charge of our table. We said that we waited for 20 minutes already and were about to leave. He said that he could help us out by waiting our table or we could go talk to the manager. I already knew that this guy was full of it, but we decided to stay because we were very hungry. It was also Friday night so it was crowded everywhere. It was a mistake to stay. He kept trying to show us how awesome his service was and kept asking if we were happy and if he did an awesome job (who would do that???). It was a very awkward situation. That guy was full of it. It was bad enough that we don't want to ever set foot in there again. It would have been okay if the waiter admitted that it was his fault that he didn't see us in the first place.
(1)Keoni C.
Yay or nay? DEFINITELY NAY. I went to get breakfast here and it was whack! Eggs were cold, potatoes were cold, and the service sucks. I'm surprised the place was somewhat busy. So don't waist your time coming here. I definitely won't be back even if it was for free.
(1)Pakie S.
Super nice and patient waitress, we were being soo indecisive. I think the place is pretty pricey...their soups are good. The pasta portions are pretty big. I can get a lot more food for less money at souplantation.
(3)Ross M.
Great food, very fast service, good atmosphere. Good way to start the day out right!
(4)Mercedes T.
Never really had a great experience at Mimi's in the past, but since it's been about 20 years, my husband thought we should give it a try, different location too. Needless to say, my expectations were already low to begin with, but they still managed to underwhelm me. The pasta was soggy and tasteless, the chicken, which was corrected, still came in almost burnt (breaded), the broccoli had black spots, the carrots were dry and had cooler burns and worse of all, the server, an older woman, was uncaring from the moment she came up to our table. Still had to pay for my husband's meal since he ate half of it out of sheer starvation. We had to pack up and head to Cheesecake Factory where we finally got a good meal and awesome service. Waste of time and money.
(1)Realtor Karl B.
Could taste better... Had lunch here and the food lacks kick and extraordinary flavor. Come here is you like your food bland. Chicken, turkey tasted dry. Prices are a tad high, with entrees at or above $10. On the positive side, food looks very clean. Salad and bread tasted fresh.
(2)joe w.
seriously, the one star is just for the service. The particular item that I had (the quiche) was absolutely terrible! It was all soggy on the bottom, clearly microwaved (because when, pray tell, does anything come out soggy from being inside an oven, the way a quiche is normally prepared....?) at least the waitress took the entire plate away and gave a full refund. now if she could only have given my appetite back afterwards.....
(1)Gestalt G.
Has gone hill significantly.
(2)Joelle S.
I used to hate all these cafes that my mom would force us to go to (Coco's, Marie Calendars etc) until Mimi's. Mimi's takes a different twist and turns this cafe cooking into gourmet cooking. I especially love coming here for lunch or dinner, as I am not much of a breakfast person. My husband and I often try something new, and end up chatting with the staff about the ingredients they used to make the great flavor. The staff is so friendly, and more than happy to share their secrets. We even spent a few minutes chatting with the manager of the Mira Mesa location, and this won us over even more. If you haven't been to Mimi's before, give it a shot sometime, you wont be disappointed! Sign up on their website, they will send you some great email coupons!
(5)Kelly Y.
Love the grilled cheese sandwich and garlic fries.
(4)Melanie C.
Convenient location near movie theater. Sticky table, dirty booth, something floating in water glass. Warm muffins were the only good thing. No vegetarian options-- had to get a salad minus the bacon.
(1)Dina W.
Business meeting lunch. Service attentive although we weren't even near finished eating and the bill was brought to us without server asking if we wanted anything else or offer of dessert. Tomato bisque was soooo good. My Cobb awesome. A little on the small/med size. Dressings Blue Cheese and Balsamic were very good. Mimi's is always consistent, clean and variety.
(3)Meow K.
I just LOVE the atmosphere here, it's so french-style(?) and elegant! However, it couldn't match up to the food. Maybe I'm just not an american-comfort food kind of person, but it seemed a bit.. bland and boring to me.
(2)Sarah E.
Went to eat with my gfs and her son here. Service started real slow but after the order was fast. Every time we placed our empty cups at the edge off the table, she was their with a new refill. I had the french beef gratin which is a sheppard's pie. The dish was real good but I couldn't eat too much of it at the end. You sort of get bored of the flavor.
(4)Margie W.
Breakfast and service was terrible. I won't be back, read more if you like.... There were 4 hostesses that the manager would not stop flirting with. Our server Ana was overworked in her section and went through the motions rushing from table to table. My coffee sat cold waiting for 10 minutes for milk, she forgot to bring my muffin. When she stopped by to take our drink order- we wanted to ask her a question about the bacon- she answered abruptly and cut us off, saying, "Be right back". 5 minutes later she asked,"Are you ready to order?" I ordered the Parisian Omelet. The red potatoes were cold, the omelet was brown, hard and inedible. My husbands scrambled eggs were also hard and browned. The waitress finally made it back to inquire if everything was ok (she asked and started to walk off without listening to the answer). I told her about the food and she was apologetic. She had the manager take it off our bill but he never came to talk to us- instead choosing to go flirt with the 4 attractive hostesses and letting the waitress deal with us. I never once saw the manager do anything but stand in the front room of the restaurant, flirt with the hostesses at least 4 times in the hour I was there- oh wait! He did open the door for a few customers, what a guy! Anyways- I thought I was making a good breakfast choice to come to Mimi's, but I would have gotten better coffee at McDonalds and probably better breakfast food at Denny's (and better service at either).
(1)Charlotte C.
My best friend and I have made this our unofficial breakfast spot when I'm in SD for the weekends. First because its centrally located in Mira Mesa and second because their corned beef hash is sooooo good. This morning however, I was very disappointed =( We went on a Sunday, around 11am, brunch time. The place was PACKED! We had to wait 30 minutes. Anyways, the corned beef hash was not so good today. The service wasn't so great. And I'm beginning to think everything is way too overpriced... I think its time to find another spot...
(2)Brian K.
Really bad food. Almost on par with Trophy's but not as disgusting. Bland and mediocre. If you don't believe me or if you want to be Mr. Contrarian, be my guest, go to Mimi's. There crowd here (and at every other Mimi's) is generally older. Girls, if a guy you are dating takes you here, it's time to give him the boot.
(1)Ann C.
Incredibly rude service including but not limited to snarky comments from the hostess! I couldnt believe the service I felt like I was on a candid camera show. The food was just okay and we definitely will not go back!!
(1)Howard T.
5 minutes - Time we waited for our seats. (20 people in waiting area too!) 5 minutes - Time it took to get settled in and order. 5 minutes - Time it took to get our food. (WTF?!) 15 minutes - Time it took to eat, box up leftovers, and pay. It was so damn fast that I don't even remember eating there. I was cleaning out my wallet and shit, we went to Mimi's? It was like everything was premade. My country fried steak was plain. There's nothing special about the pot pie. I prefer Marie Calender's. Mimi's is still a good place for kids. They have a very good selection for your little demons. I loved the bread basket. Our server was really attentive and friendly. I think Mimi's is probably a better breakfast restaurant. The dinner menu needs a makeover.
(3)Douglas B.
Excellent location - just off the I-15 Freeway at the Mira Mesa Blvd exit. Tons of free parking. Food and ambiance are typical for the genre (breakfast cafe - similar to Denny's, Coco's, Marie Callender's, etc), but a litle bit nicer. Very reasonably priced. Excellent service - I usually am served by either Elizabeth or Jessica, both of whom are great. We hold weekly business networking meetings there - they have a separate room we use for that purpose, which works great, but I wish it was just a little bit bigger. Management goes out of their way to make sure we get what we need. It is a wonderful restaurant for what it is.
(4)Lindsey B.
This place has a fun atmosphere, and lots to choose from. When I went it was pretty busy. What I wanted was not on the dine in menu but was on the to go menu, the waitress let me order it anyways. Food was good, not my favorite place to eat but I would return here again.
(4)Sandy L.
This place really deserves 2 stars but i give it 2.5 because their artichoke dip is very good...everything else is blah. I've been to this place twice now and both times I was quite disappointed. 1st time, the bf ordered country fried steak...he took one bite and was done. It was wayyyy too salty and tasted as if they just popped it in the microwave. When the waitress asked if he wanted a to-go box, he said no and she gave him this weird look like you barely touched your food which he did. I'd hate to waste food but that was not very edible at all. 2nd time, i ordered the french beef dip...i was quite disappointed but managed to eat half of it anyway. The au ju was very bland and it came on a sour dough bread which was gross! I brought it home and my dad ate it the next day and expressed to me how bad the sandwich tasted.. Needless to say, i've had 2 bad experiences dining, the service was good but the food wasn't. I do recommend the artichoke dip, that's about the only good thing there.
(2)Steve R.
Had the 3 course filet of sole with veggies(steamed too much) and a cup of corn chowder which was ok but heavy on potatoes. The mousse tasted as though it was a mix out of a box. We were a party of 8 and service was quick and attentive. The portions are a little small but what do you expect for a soup, entree and dessert for $13? All was ok but nothing memorable. Would go again for lunch or a cheap dinner. Breakfast is like Dennys but more expensive.
(3)Katherine B.
I like the blueberry muffin and french onion soup is decent. If you go during a happy hour you can find good deals for soup, entree, and dessert for 12.99 add $1 for a drink. Staff is very nice and attentive, the bread is very fresh. Entrees aren't the best, but good enough to come back.
(4)Laura H.
If your restaurant is suffering from bad customer service complaints, this is the place to bring your employees to learn from. The waiters are super friendly, honest with suggestions, and knowledgeable of what the ingredients are for each entree. The free carrot bread is super tasty.
(5)Amy H.
If I could give negative stars I would. I know - its Mimi's - expectations cannot be high. And yet, I was still beyond disappointed. After a 40 min wait to be seated (over 20 empty tables at one count while waiting) coffee was terrible, weak and just gross. Potatoes were cold, service was terrible - waited nearly 15 mins to finally get up and go to the front to pay the bill. Worst. Breakfast. Ever.
(1)Lee Ann M.
There were 6 of us in our party. We were seated in the time frame advised--but had to wait at least 45 minutes for our food, even then one guest didn't receive her's for at least another 10 minutes. The muffins came quickly but the juices didn't arrive until the entrees--after another request. The waitress was apologitic and seemed a little frazzled. It was a busy Sunday morning...but still. My steak and eggs were ok--split it with hubby because it was a huge portion. But alas...the eggs were cold and overdone. Overall a disappointing visit. We were diappointed with this visit.
(2)Joanna F.
The potatoes that came with my breakfast were luke-warm at best. When we asked for a new side, they came out obviously microwaved, and not fresh. The food is uninspired and boring. I will say that I have had decent meals here in the past, but have been let down the last few times. Service is good, which was the one redeeming quality of this morning's breakfast.
(2)Gandhi D.
Service is too bad. Food is also not not worth it.
(1)Nadine B.
I absolutely love eating here! I love that their menu is always changing and they have seasonal muffins. There is complimentary carrot raisin bread and a french roll, but you have to ask for it. The portions are generous in my opinion. Some of my favorite dishes are the Beef Bourguignon, Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Artichoke Ragout, & the French Onion Soup. Honestly, no other french onion soup compares! I know it's a big chain of restaurants but it's sooooo delicious here. I always ask for the cheese to be crispy on top. The only downfall I have is that once you pay your check and you're with a group of people, you're pretty much ignored so your water doesn't get refilled. I also love their lemon muffin out in the summertime!
(4)Tania K.
I've been to this location a few times and each time I've been disappointed. I will not return to this location again. The first time I was underwhelmed by the dinner entree. The second time, the food was just OK and the lamp above our table was full of cobwebs. The third time (fresh in my mind), a Silverfish fell from the ceiling onto our bread basket, the pasta and the shrimp inside it were over cooked and gross (and too salty), and the chocolate mousse was a culinary crime the way it was served. It looked as if a 5 year old smeared it in a large cup with a spatula scraping it off the edge and just threw on strawberries. Horrible presentation (embarrassing) and if chocolate mousse didn't resemble poop before, it certainly does now!!! I'll post photos. It was so gross (both friends got the mousse as part of their 3 course meal) that I laughed really hard out of disbelief. My tummy hurts now from the grossness. Oh and the manager tried to be concerned about the bug that fell onto our table and wanted to hear what happened, but didn't offer anything...like a discount, freebie, coupon, etc....NOTHING! Even our nice waiter was surprised the manager didn't offer anything. Also, my friends waited at the bar upon arrival without any greeting or attention by employees and the place wasn't packed. They also didn't pace the food well. Our drinks took too long and our entrees came out way too fast when we had just started on our first course salads and soup. Also they were out of the drink menus we asked to see...huh?
(1)Princess Kim R.
The darker, sweeter bread (raisin bread?) that comes in the bread basket is awesome. If I ever eat at Mimi's again, I'll just have them charge me for plate full of bread. The service wasn't overly friendly; the guy seemed bored. I wouldn't say it was particularly quick, either, and there were only two tables (ours and another party) active in our entire section! The French onion soup just wasn't good. I like cheese, I like onions, I LOVE soup, but if it's hella salty, it ruins the entire glorious combination. I ordered something along the lines of a lemon chicken piccata. I don't know what alcoholic base they used, but that was the only thing I could taste. I used to drink and party as much as the next person, but it's just crazy when eating a chicken dish gives you the same face as choking down something harsh like Jack Daniels. If you're going to Mimi's, just eat the bread. It's the best part of the meal!
(2)Derrick H.
Not sure what has happened to Mimi's, but compared to a couple of years ago it has gone downhill. The service is still good, but the food and the timeliness of it has taken a backseat. The only thing I feel Mimi's has going for it are their muffins, which are very good. Outside of that I don't see this restaurant viable option.
(2)Leezel N.
I have been here a handful of times and food is okay, but a little overpriced. Service could be better. Sometimes, my party stands there for a little bit while the hostess tries to figure something out. So I had a chicken sandwich for lunch which came with fries. Overall taste: Good, but definitely something I could have made better at home. Presentation was awful. The fries were all scattered, there was no greenery, and the sandwich looked like someone had thrown in on there. Also, I didn't get the free bread everyone else seemed to have gotten. Maybe it was because I came by myself.
(2)Timothy O.
My parents wanted me to have a proper meal with them before I headed back north. I'm not sure why they thought Mimi's Cafe qualified, but I'm not one to turn down a free meal. Mimi's Cafe is a chain restaurant with a French bistro theme. I didn't realize it was a chain until I saw one down here in San Diego and heard my mother say that she had been to another one in the Bay Area. It looked like most other casual dining places, albeit with a couple of French-language posters on the walls instead of sports memorabilia or Italian-themed stuff or quirky stuff that seems to be the main design cue to let you know whether you're in an Applebee's, a TGIFriday's, or a Red Robin, or some other chain. We were in a bit of a hurry before my flight, but the wait staff was unmoved. As soon as my Dad suggested we just sit at the small counter area, a table opened. My Mom wanted a muffin and some coffee. I decide on the jambalaya pasta and convinced my Dad that he should order a cup of French Onion soup as part of the special. The jambalaya was better than I expected. There were chunks of sausage, shrimp, and pork loin in a sauce that had a hint of heat to it. Having said that, you could tell that the ingredients were all frozen, not fresh. That's the norm for a chain restaurant, but you could really taste the not-freshness, if that makes sense. My Dad liked his soup, and my Mom seemed most happy that I was getting a "good meal." As others have pointed out, the little bread basket with butter that they bring for the table is tasty.
(3)Monkee C.
Never been to Mimi's before even though I pass it all the time, so on a whim I went there for dinner, not sure what to expect. The menu and ambiance seemed to be comfort food with a french/country flair. I really liked their bread basket, it was a mix of various fruit and vegetable (carrot, banana, etc.) breads and rolls. Everything was moist and tasty, if a bit sweet as an appetizer. I almost would rather have it as dessert, a la mode. My new england clam chowder was just ok, as was sig-o's corn chowder (though it was the better of the two). I ordered the meatloaf which came with two large (think dbl qtr pounder patty sized) slices of meatloaf covered with gravy, and mashed potatoes and broccoli and carrots. The sides were ok, the meatloaf itself was better, moist and tasty, but should have been warmer. The gravy was a bit salty though. Sig-o had the chicken pot pie which was at the appropriate (warm) temp with large chunks of chicken and veggies inside. So overall, ok. I wavered between 2 and 3 stars but I'll stick with 3 for now because I'd consider going back if I was in the mood for local comfort food.
(3)Jessica D.
Try the French Onion soup. OMG!!! It is seriously good. Though I went there for breakfast not for lunch but this place ROCKS! Really like to come here for breakfast and lunch but either way, I'm here! lol Price is decent, decor is nice, nothing too fancy but pleasant and a feel good place.
(5)Randy W.
The staff told us it was a 20 minute wait ..... we waited more than 45 minutes and the staff kept saying "only 15 more minutes at left 3 time. Once we did get food, it was not even close to worth the wait ...... could have went to any truck dinner and got just as good food.
(1)Janet D.
Had mimosa's here with some girlfriends on saturday for brunch and it was amazing. the food was pretty good, i feel like it's gotten smaller since i was here last, but it was still pretty good. i had the mardi gras omelette and their potatoes are really delicious. the blueberry muffins are huge and delicious.
(4)Momma M.
Very disappointed... I should have known it was going to go down hill after I found a curly hair in my menu. I had the country fried steak, was very bland and processed tasting. Didn't eat it all and I had a belly ache all night. Won't be going back.
(1)Bob D.
I'll give it 1.5 stars and round up because the bread was warm and pretty good. The place is reminiscent of something like Olive Garden...only with a forced French theme. Food seemed like it would be passing quality so we gave it a try....anyways... I really should have read the reviews regarding the service at this particular restaurant. We waited almost 20 minutes just to get our order in. When we did order it took another 25 minutes before our waitress finally came back one time to assure us the food was coming. Almost 50 minutes later we got one of our entrees , but unfortunately, we were too pissed off to sit for it. We watched three other tables eat and get their check before our food came out. We got eggs...some soup...a salad...and a sandwich. I've never personally walked out of a restaurant, but they just don't give damn--which is fine if you're a hole in the wall serving up amazing food. You're not, Mimi's. You're a chain, and should give a damn about customer service. What seemed to be a manager tried to tell us that they were busy, that the order was complicated (it wasn't), and a variety of other excuses. That pitiful display kind of sealed the deal and we just asked for a check. They comped the meals (we didn't eat them) and paid for our drinks. It's funny because we were deciding between going to Ihop (which is down the street) or Carl's junior for breakfast. Unfortunately we guessed wrong because despite the fact that Ihop serves up pretty so-so food, it's fast and you're not going to be disappointed with the service.
(2)Stacey W.
My Daughter and I were able to enjoy a perfect dinner Thanksgiving Day at Mimi's. As I traveled in from out of town and my daughter is a college student, we needed a place to eat a good dinner. Mimi's was it! Not only was the food fantastic, but the price was unbelievably low. While others were charging anything above $30 per person; Mimi's was under $15 each. My budget was thrilled, but more importantly, the meal was a great memory for both of us. The ONLY complaint was having to BEG for cranberry sauce which they had just run out of a little before our 4:30 dinner. Hopefully next year they will plan on having more on hand! What's a Thanksgiving dinner without Cranberry Sauce?!!
(5)Annie T.
Mimi's is like an upgraded Denny's. Same type of food. A little better in quality. The portions are generous but I bet you it's fully loaded with MSG! I was SO thirty for the next 5 hours. The waitresses were really nice but seem disorganized. 3 different people stopped by to ask how our food was within a 10 minute span. It's like they don't know who's handling our table or something.
(2)Henry T.
5 stars for Mimi Cafe's excellent breakfast menu. I had the cinnamon raisin french toast, which was an excellent dish because it included sausage and eggs. Big glass of orange juice and it's a great breakfast. Had the parmesan chicken ciabatta sandwich for lunch the day before as well. Pretty good dish.
(5)Jackie E.
I only come here when my friends want to go. I've never had a bad experience, but the food always seems to just be OK. I've never had anything disgusting, but I never find myself craving Mimi's Cafe. The servers are always nice, though!
(3)Ben C.
Definitely a great place to go when a more relaxed atmosphere is needed. The quality of the food and presentation will give you the illusions of the more upscale side of dining, without sucking the life out of your checking account.
(4)Michele M.
I go here because it's in a convenient location. Their bread and muffins are pretty good. The food is hit or miss. It seems like they are constantly changing their menu and adding lots of non-"French" cuisine. I tried their Thai Peanut Chicken wrap and it was not good at all. Too much rice and not enough chicken. Their Asian Salmon was so fishy once, I had to send it back. The last time I was here I had the BBQ Chicken Ciabatta. The bread was tasty and the pork was a little dry. They have added kettle chips to their choice of sides and those were really good. I guess I need to stay away from their international ventures.
(3)Matthew T.
I'm not a big fan of French food (or whatever this stuff is), but they do a few nice salads and sandwiches. This is a good stop if you're not sure what you're in the mood for, but you want some "comfort food." The atmosphere here is terrific, I love the decor. The staff are generally friendly, punctual, and attentive. Our favorite is Jared, we usually ask for him.
(5)Lee F.
Boy oh boy was this inspiring ... of ambivalence. I wandered in here with a coworker after a nearby lunch errand. We had no idea what the place was, but figured "general American fare". We were close, as apparently there is a New Orleans theme here. There's a palpable TGIF/Applebeees/Bennigans/Fuddruckers/Ruby Tuesday/Flingers/etc. tinge here, what with all the faux-genuine shlock on the walls. (Yes that was an oxymoron - that's kinda the point.) There's a bit less "flair" here, mercifully, and a bit more light. A bit. The furniture is vaguely uncomfortable, the decor is vaguely cluttered, and the food is vaguely Cajun. I ended up getting a meatloaf chibatta sandwich with a red bean and andouille sausage soup. The soup was actually quite good. The sandwich was a solid 3 ... out of 10. Bland. My compatriot ordered a veggie burger and was likewise underwhelmed (a bit moreso, since he didn't get the soup). I should mention, though, that the sweet bread they brought out was tasty. Prices weren't great. We had to skimp to keep it under $10 a head. Then it came out to $11 a head. Oh well. Anyway, I won't be going back. There's no need. But I can see why people might come here, if they eat out around here a lot and aren't too picky.
(3)Helena M.
Food is good. I have been there several times and they take forever to serve you. 5 stars.. because the food is really good.
(3)Erin W.
This one star rating is based completely on their customer service. The service here is terrible. I would have given them no stars except that two "kitchen helpers" (the employees who come out and ask to refill drinks) were great. The waiter we (3 people) had apparently didn't like to talk. He took our order and left. He walked by our table multiple times with all of our cups at the edge to show we wanted refills and he looked at them and walked by. I understand that Mimi's may have certain people that come to refill drinks but I don't think a waiter should walk by, obviously notice empty cups, and not do anything about it. After he repeatedly walked by our table without refilling our drinks another girl brought out our food while he continued to help other guests. It wasn't busy at this time either. The restaurant wasn't empty but there was no reason that the waiter could not have given us more time and attention. Then, when we appeared to be done with our food the waiter came to our table and took our plates without even asking if we were done. I stopped him because I wanted to take the leftovers and he just said ok and then dropped a to-go box on the table a few minutes later. I doubt I'll ever go back to this Mimi's again. I like Mimi's food but with customer service like that, it's just not worth it. I just hope the kitchen helpers get promoted!
(1)Jesse M.
Nothing special. The food was fine -- nothing outstanding, nothing bad. I ordered an $8 veggie burger from their "light" menu, so maybe I shouldn't be judging the food. Ambience was trying a little hard (one wall had a collage of jazz instruments -- great). Fake brick and fake flowers. Hammered brass sinks and a plant on the counter made the bathroom the standout for decor. As Lee mentioned, the little complimentary pre-meal basket with bread and cake (carrot? zucchini?) was a nice touch. No real complaints, except that there's no real value here. I could've gotten similar food with more interesting ambience elsewhere for cheaper.
(3)Rothy C.
Ahh Mimi's! All the grandmas and grandpas love to go out to eat here. Everytime we come to visit, there's some geezer hacking and 'a wheezing. But Hey! We try to block that out, just hope he didn't have the flu or weird infectious malady. We come here for 'da food. No? Hubby was starving and he hadn't anything to eat yet. He was called away earlier that day on an emergency (some guy at work needed a psychiatric evaluation). It was about 1:30 in the afternoon by the time Hubbs met up with 'da familia. Mimi's was my suggestion and we went with it. Once there, we ordered an appetizer of spinach dip for all except Chica. Hers came as part of a lunch combo with fish taco. Hubbs ordered a 1/2 pound burger, Lil' Dude had fish 'n chips, and I had the chicken 'n fruit salad. The appetizer was nice and creamy-gooey with cheese. The guys enjoyed it. Chica supposedly had the same thing as part of her combo, but it had separated into oil 'n some goo I suppose is cheese. Girl just picked up the goo with her bread slice and left the oil alone. Everybody was OK with their entrees except Hubbs. He was expecting a thicker burger, afterall it's supposed to be 1/2 a pound wasn't it? but ofcourse, that could be the weight before they start cooking it. Still Hubbs insisted that wasn't enough meat and it didn't measure up to the name of 1/2 pound burger. I felt bad, he was really hungry. I've seen bigger burgers at Carl's Jr to be frank. It was other wise a tasty burger (thanks to the Thousand Island dressing on the side). I really love their muffins, all of them. Every flavor of muffin is yum yum to mi tum tum. So every time they ask me which muffin I wanted, I always, always hesitate as they are all so good to me. mmmmmmh! Mimi's muffins! Really, the main course or entrees may be average or barely above average for most people. But you still see them coming here in droves some days, especially Sunday after church. I come here for that fruited salad and those (mouth watering) muffins. Been thinking to mahself- how do I get to the back and hijack me a big rack of them muffins? or could I order a dozen of 'dos bad boys for mah own personal enjoyment at home?
(3)Ryan T.
I've been to Mimi's mostly for breakfast and their breakfast food is above average with a wide variety of things on the menu. Our order did take a little longer than expected and our server came by to let us know. My wife and I really like their spice muffin that comes with the breakfast. I've had their pot roast for dinner once and I remember enjoying it,
(3)Joseph Y.
Been here many times, finally decided to review. Went there last night for dinner. This time I had the turkey dinner and KC had the 5 cheese sandwich. The salad was a bit overdressed, so get dressing on the side if you're sensitive to those things. The turkey was a little dry, but gravy made up for it. Wasn't chalky or too salty, a chronic problem of mid-range homestyle restaurants. KC was disappointed with the "fruit salad" which consisted of 2 slices of oranges and pineapples. Additionally: "Acidic + Acidic = Thbbbbb!" Waitress was friendly and bubbly, like our friend, Sarah. It wasn't very romantic for Valentine's day, but if you're taking your grandma to dinner, it's a winner!
(3)Dan P.
Got the meatloaf but this time was a bit disappointed. It was quite salty but I did feel like maybe the portion went up. That doesn't really help me but it might help YOU if you like bigger portions. Anyway, the bread here is still good heh.
(2)Carolyn S.
Mimi's is a slightly upscale diner. For what it is...it's pretty good. The ambiance is colorful and cozy (almost like a tiny version of Disneyland's French Quarter). They put fresh flowers on the tables, have a wide variety on the menu and have a decent wine selection for a diner. This is one step up from a Coco's, two steps up from a Carrows. The one thing I must fault them on is the training of their wait staff. We've ordered wine here and the waitress actually brought it to the table already opened. She obviously didn't know how to open the bottle. Rather tacky. I have never worked in a restaurant that sells wine by the bottle where that would fly. Similarly, waiters will carefully avoid eye contact with you...to avoid helping out another table's customers....immature, inexperienced and poorly trained. I can say this because this is the same sort of tactic I used when I was all three of the above during my late teens and very early twenties. This place could be first rate if they created a better training system for the wait staff (and hostesses) and achieved greater consistency in the kitchen.
(4)Eric T.
I went there yesterday along with a group of people (8 at one table, 4 at another). We got there at 945 AM and were seated right away. It took the waitress about 25 minutes to get our food and drink orders. When 11 o clock rolled around we still did not have any food. They weren't super busy and there was no wait to get in, the food just wasn't coming out. Two in our group had to leave to make a previous appointment so they cancelled their order after waiting over an hour. About 5 minutes later the manager Rob came out with their salads to go even though they had already left. We told him we had cancelled and he asked what he should do with their food. We told him to do what he wants with it because we had waited an hour. He then started to yell at us for lying, stating that the food order was put in eleven minutes ago and we had not been there that long. We pointed out that we had been there for over an hour and it is not our problem if the sever didn't put the order in when we gave it. He asked if he should just fire the server then to make us happy and he stormed off. When the food came out shortly after the manager's tantrum, it tasted okay (not good, not bad, about what you would expect). We had to wait another fifteen minutes after asking for our bill to get the check. I asked our server, two other waitresses, and the hostess for the full name of the manager but no one knew and no one was willing to look for him and ask his last name. We settled our bills (full cost for everything) and left, telling everyone on the way out what had happened. Two groups that were walking in turned around and went somewhere else because they didn't have an hour and a half to eat. I will not be going back. I have told several of my friends about this and they won't be going back either. I understand slow service with a new waitress, but having the manager be a jerk about is not acceptable. It made me feel like I was a burden to them for being in their restaurant, and that is not what I want when I go out to eat.
(1)Jon T.
This place... well how do i describe it... SUCKS, took us a good 45 minutes to get sat on a weeknight (wtf?) the food i ordered was pricey and nasty, the bread was pretty good though. The service sucked, the waiter came to refill our water like what .. once? checked up on us like what.. once? yeah food took a long time to get to us as well and when it did wow I really wish it hadn't. would not go back unless paid to do so.
(1)Al A.
We love eating here for family breakfasts after church or Sunday Brunch. Was real disappointed when they removed "Joe's Special" from the menu. A large omelette with pot roast, melted cheese and spinach. Great diner-like comfort food. Yes, it's popular and there's a 30 minute wait for weekend breakfasts. A great alternative when you're tired of high carb IHOP or not in the mood for fast food. Good service with good sized portions. The kids love this place too.
(4)Clarissa A.
Been to this location a few times now but haven't had a chance to Yelp them just yet. This time around I did not want anything heavy so I opted for a chicken Caesar salad. Oh my gawd, it was good! They dressed the salad for me and at first I was annoyed about that but when I tasted it, I just loved it. I'm craving that right now in fact. The salad was perfectly portioned with cubed chicken, romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese and really savory Caesar dressing. When you order a salad from Mimi's cafe, it comes with a fresh baked muffin. These muffins are to die for usually. They come out all warm and sweet smelling. They serve it with some whipped butter as well. Unfortunately, they changed their recipe for their blueberry muffins (now called low-fat blueberry muffins) because I noticed right away that the blueberry muffin did not look the same. I bugged out a little bit because I even asked our waitress if they just started selling these "low-fat blueberry muffins with applesauce." She insisted that they were the same for years now and that it was the norm. But I knew the jig was up when I first glanced at it, the muffin top was not all sugary and crystall-y as from before. And the taste was not as scrumptious as I remembered it to be. Bring back the old regular blueberry muffins. No need for the low fat version, where's the fun in that? My sidekick ordered the creamy chicken crepes and we shared the fried zucchini. Both were terrific! Thanks!
(3)Antoinette P.
Great food! Everything seemed fresh and was tasty! I ordered the chicken club sandwish with this pesto sauce that was super tasty. The wait staff was really friendly and attentive. Our food came out in no time! The place is reasonably priced..the food is good..staff is friendly..what more can I say?
(5)Bruce L.
mimi's has the best breakfast in the world hands down , where else do you get free bread and juice with your meal ? Anthony is the BEST server in san diego has been working there for about 10 years and will take the best care of you .
(5)Steve R.
Can get very loud inside due to the high ceilings. The food has been decent the two times I have been at this location. Service can be spotty at times but overall not too bad. Parking can be challenging since the location is in and near two very busy strip mall type areas including a movie theatre.
(4)Gerald S.
Again, if it weren't for my niece and nephew, I wouldn't go here at all. There's really nothing eye-popping in the menu that I would care to order. I finally decided on the patty melt along with a new england clam chowder. I wished I could've ordered from the kids' menu instead though. Their deals are outstanding! Most of their meals are under $5 and include a drink (soda, OJ or milk), a side order, and a dessert (which is the "dirt and worms" oreo cookie thing). The clam chowder was a bit too salty for my taste. However, if you dip bread into it, it absorbs all the saltiness... yum (sarcasm implied). The good thing about the clam chowder was that it was pretty thick, not like Claim Jumper's. The patty melt was just ok. It is also slightly saltier than normal. The grilled onions had no caramelization at all, which is how it's supposed to be. I would give this place 2 stars, but the service was superb. Also, the breads that they give you are great: a sourdough roll that isn't too sour and raisin nut bread.
(3)Dianna F.
Took granny out to celebrate her 82nd birthday. 5 of us went. Ordered 3 of the pre fix dinners. 2 regular dinner entrees were ordered. Then got overcharged for the drinks that were supposed to be discounted with the purchase of the pre fix dinner. 3 Salmon dishes were order and they were awful. One person couldn't even eat it. When that was noticed, after I flagged down the waiter to pay, I did get him to prepare a fresh not overcooked dish 'to go' for my sister in law. The food was mediocre at best. Not served hot and certainly way over cooked. It will be a long time before we return. The bread was good though :) Paying over $100 for a party of 5 to eat a lousy meal was well just plain lousy! And we left hungry. :(
(2)Vicky L.
Cute theme dining chain restaurant, I go specifically for their soup/salad combo. Oh yeah, and that heavenly bread basket. I specially have a soft spot for their bananas fosters mud pie. Most of their entrees are hit or miss. I dont' really recommend their pastas but their pot roast is divine!
(4)Nancy K.
My husband and I tried this place and was not very happy with it. The service is great but the food was not a go. The bbq ribs was dry and the seafood fettuccini had no taste at . Was going to give them another try but my husband says no "not worth our time and money"
(1)Roberto B.
The food was not good at all. They did not taste fresh at all. The service was also not good at all, we had to wait so long to order and the place was not that busy. I totally recommend other places to eat around Mira Mesa. I was really disappointed about this place. I will not go there ever.
(1)Jennilee W.
My experience at Mimi's Cafe was very disappointing. I decided to take my family here for Easter lunch. I looked at the website to see if they were open on Easter Sunday. I saw on the website that you can call ahead of time to put your name on the list if you decide to go during busy times. I called the restaurant and I was told that I could not do that and had to go in to put my name on the list. I was upset about that. What is the point of advertising that you can call ahead when you can't do that? So I went there and waited 45 minutes to be seated. Lunch was fine but the part that was so upsetting was the end. We decided to split the bill with each other depending on what was ordered. We told the server to put certain amounts on the cards and what ever was left to use the cash. We didn't want the person paying cash to overpay so we asked for change. The server (I believe her name was Samantha) came over without the change. When we explained again what we wanted she rolled her eyes and went back to figure out the change due. This was extremely rude. When she came back she had a bad attitude. This gave us an unpleasant dining experience. I was embarrassed that I brought my family here. I will never return to Mimi's Cafe because customer service seems to be nonexistent. This is one of the worst dining experiences I have ever experienced.
(1)Erin J.
so I've only been to a Mimi's once before for breakfast and it was pretty decent. Well last night the bf and I ended up here after seeing a movie at the Edwards across the way. It was the only place that would seat us as it was so close to 10 p.m. So thats a positive right there. But the positives end there. Our dinners were just....gross. Very heavy. Very tasteless. Very overpriced! Plus when they mistakenly charged us for food we didn't order, it took FOREVER to correct. I figured it was because the manager was busy or something, until I went to the restroom and saw ALL the staff just hanging out around the service station talking about their econ classes. No joke they were discussing professors and what time to take the course. Uhhh yeah.....I wish I had the guts to ask for our $55 back.
(1)Eddie P.
This isn't the great of a Mimis. I like the one in Mission Valley better. The food is usually prety amazing though, but the service is most often times lacking.
(3)Lety M.
ive been here many of times... the last time i was here had their crab cake seafood plater.... bad f-ing idea... i almost pooped my pants. the food was not agreeing with my stomach. i know i have a sensitive stomach, but i mean this was a right away effect! 2 weeks of not eating or drinking or any of the above! never again!
(1)Laura Z.
I came here for lunch with co-workers, we had a good time and the plates were huge I ordered a chicken ceasar salad with breadsticks and I was impressed...it was really good and even though I ordered a salad I got extremely full and I was only half way! The prices were decent compared to the plate sizes...the place was nice and clean...it was not very crowded, but then again we went on a weekday. Our waiter was attentive as well.
(4)Selina H.
I think you would get the gist quickly. The bread is the best part of the meal. I'm not sure what Mimi's trying to be, but the decor tries to be an intimate cafe, the food wants to be fast food, and the service tries to be a hold in the wall restaurant. Not the best combo. Not inspired to go back.
(1)Annette G.
So I was looking for somewhere to get some last minute cramming in before an exam and decided I didn't want to do the usual Panera thing. Last time I went there it was so noisy and hard to concentrate. I noticed the very empty parking lot by Mimi's and decided it was worth a shot. I had eaten at a different Mimi's a few years ago and it wasn't really a good experience. This however was the total opposite. At 5pm there were only a few tables of diners (and yes they were all older people, nothing wrong with that) but I was able to have a great 3 course dinner for $13 and got a nice big table to spread my books out and do some much needed studying. The waitresses were all super attentive and the food was great. Will be coming back for sure!
(4)Al P.
I have dined here several times since I last wrote my scathing review. The service has improved immensely since I last posted my review. It is now adept and friendly and the managers are very visible. You are always greeted and they seem to have their act together. The food is good but not great. Last night the ribs were the best option. The split pea is good as well. The chocolate mouse is not edible and should be removed immediately. For a quick casual meal this place fits the bill.
(4)Stephen W.
Wait 40 minutes to get a table, where you'll get to order giant portions of crappy food. Now, some of the food I've eaten here has been good, but some has been horrid. Seems like it's all facade to me.
(2)Gina L.
I just want to enjoy my food and I don't need 5 other workers bothering me with questions. MY waitress should be the one asking me if I want anything.
(2)Donna B.
i like this place for breakfast, but they sure make people mad as soon as they stop offering the breakfast menu. the food isn't that great except for the french onion soup and the tuscan chicken pasta or something like that. but the breakfast is great!! the wait is enormously long, they say "it'll be about 20 minutes," but it turns out to be 40, but you wonder because there's not that many people there, the hostesses are rude and make pretend they don't see you as they carry on their own private conversations. i've been here with my company for a gathering, with a date and with family, none of these were 5 star experiences, you have to have a lot of patience for this place
(3)Jennifer A.
Their carrot bread and french rolls are free and tasty! I like their salads and they have some interesting twists on some comfort foods. However, I prefer Marie Calendar's chicken pot pies.
(4)scott p.
this is where poop eats dinner.
(2)Cindy E.
we've been a mimi's cafe customer and we've been a fan - like there simple yet warm and cozy feel when you dine in here. but this particular location, we're so not coming back. we have kids with hand held toys... for the first time this location told us to turn my girls (7 & 3 y.o.) handheld toys off because one of the customer is complaining. turn off, why? i don't think it's loud enough was just average sound (can small handheld like DS be really loud?), you can even hear the rumbling of the kitchen way more. also, why didn't they weigh the circumstance, can they just ask us to minimize maybe the volume not to turn it off. It feels like we're about to board the plane to that we have to turn all our electronics off. They should have in their disclaimer that handheld toys (DS) isn't allowed to be played inside the cafe. what upset me is, they are just little girls/kids, there were not rowdy and running everywhere. they were just silently playing in a normal average sound. they could just asked us to maybe slow the volume down if it really annoyed but not turn it off --- are we inthe theatre maybe? we are in a regular restaurant eating lunch, it won't be quiet at all... what upset me more is one of the staff didn't weigh the circumstance, it feels like they treated us with disrespect with discrimination because we're asian (the table who complain was full of caucasian - because they can't look into our eyes, they're looking away... and that's the table halfway accross ours, the one beside us were all out smile and said hi... the rest diners where 3-4 tables away). my oldest was asking me, if they did something wrong? and hiding behind us --- that's heartbreaking, may not be emotionally overly traumatic but she brought it up because it concerns her. we've been to several restaurants from affordable to high end and never heard about someone coming to our table and telling us to shut our girls DS --- for the first time!!! only in mimi's cafe in mira mesa location --- so family with kids, BEWARE!!! *** Oh by the way, they didn't complain on the loud kitchen behind their table --- and teenagers loud accross the hall. very interesting!!!
(1)Hen A.
twenty to thirty minute wait....popular hangin' por local familias...mimi's common socal restaurant chain....lookin' similar to rest.....exception of outdoor seating availability....breakfast bein' first experience....finding scramble dry 'n' overcooked.....pancakes limp 'n' flat.....dry lump of an omelette...atleast muffins 'n' loaves pipin' hot....findin' mimi's lackin' and fallin' short on breakfast/brunch meals....under $ten disappointin' breakfast had....
(2)Ken A.
take your grandparents here if they visit...the lunch crowd is mostly in the range "of a certain age". an extensive lunch menu, with a breakfast menu supplement...can't criticize a place that serves breakfast all day! the food wasn't awful; the service was adequate; the prices were good.
(3)John T.
I have eaten at this Mimi's multiple times, and find it to be one of the best, and possibly even THE best, local dining experiences for the money. The food has always been prepared as I have ordered it (and I often make significant changes, as I try to stay away from heavy carbs and saturated fats--well, within reason anyway). The wait staff has always been been both timely and attentive. Despite my going there well over 20 times in the last three years, I have always been satisfied with both the qualitiy and quantity of the meals and the prices. My favorite dish is the Salmon dinner, but I have also had their steak, pot roast, cobb salad and breakfast omeletes, all delicious.
(4)Mel C.
I really like the décor at Mimi's café- it makes you just want to kick back and sip coffee all day. If you go to their website and sign up for the e-club you will get a free breakfast coupon and the best part is that they serve breakfast all day! I got the artichoke, shrimp, and feta omelet which comes with juice, a muffin, and potatoes. Mike got the country fried steak w/ poached eggs, potatoes, a muffin, and juice. While waiting, we consumed 2 baskets of the yummy carrot raisin nut loaf and French bread so that by the time the food came out I was pretty much stuffed. I think the best part of the meal was the bread basket- the omelet was kinda ehhh. The portions are definitely huge - you definitely get what you pay for. The coffee was also a little ehhh. Our server didn't seem into it, but she was efficient. If you go at night, sit at a booth facing Black Mountain Rd and Mira Mesa and you will be amazed at how many times people run the light. After a while, the flashing cameras on the intersection get annoying.
(3)Matt H.
I was unwillingly dragged here by a group of friends for dinner. If it were up to me, I would've never picked such a tacky, psuedo-upscale restaurant-one that garnered a measly 3 star Yelp rating. Service was subpar and the food was mostly terrible and overpriced. My salad/soup combo was supposed to come with a fresh muffin-which I've heard great things about-but not a single muffin was served through the entire meal. Boo. My friends had the meatloaf and some type of bland fish, both of which came with mashed potatoes that tasted blatantly like the spud mix you can get at grocery stores. It was pretty nasty. Our server also seemed untrained-not only forgetting my muffin, but also handing plates of food to customers instead of placing them on the table and failing in all senses to be courteous or friendly. If there's anything about Mimi's that I actually liked, it was the bread basket. The brown raisin bread IS AMAZING, especially when ensconced in the super-whipped butter spread that comes with it. Mimi's succeeds much more as a bakery than as a restaurant. I don't intend to come here ever again, unless it transforms itself into a ginormous bakery with cheap raisin bread.
(2)Agent X.
i like it that they serve warm, fresh carrot bread while waiting for your food. it is a bit pricey for diner food, but i guess you're also paying for the quality service and the decor. yes, the servers will disappear once you place your order but i like to enjoy my food without getting interrupted.
(4)Janice A.
I actually LIKE their new menu! It used to be mostly "comfort food" with lost of fatty and starchy stuff, and now they have lots of healthier choices also. I used to be hesitant, but I'm fine with eating here now. They also have a "Seasonal Menu" from which I ordered the Lemon Chicken, with salad. The chicken was a little dry (I don't ea the skin, so that didn't help!) But it was fine, and the salad was good - nice and fresh. My friend ordered the same thing, and enjoyed it. The server was patient with our substitutions, and accommodated us nicely. I had to ask for more water but when I did, it was promptly brought, and the service was generally good. I will go back and try other things on their new menu, now that it is more interesting to me!
(3)Jennifer S.
Hubby and I were hanging in Mira Mesa one evening this week and wanted to grab some dinner. We had Bitsy Boo with us so we needed a place with an outdoor patio and Mimi's was able to accommodate us, which we greatly appreciated. We took a seat out on the side patio and our server, Michael, took our drink orders and gave us some time to look over the menu. He brought out our waters and a bowl of water for Bitsy (so nice) and took our dinner order. Hubby ordered a glass of their house wine and Michael said he'd bring out some fresh bread. Great, we love bread, but that's when things started to get dicey. We waited 20 minutes for the wine and 30 minutes for the bread. The dinner plates literally took 45 minutes to come out. We had contemplated leaving before the wine came out but decided to chance it. I probably should have gone with my gut instinct and hightailed it outta there when we still had no bread or wine 20 minutes after giving our orders. The bread was okay, served warm, and the carrot bread was tasty and interesting to be sitting there in the bread basket. I had ordered the Brioche Cheeseburger, medium well. That thing came back well-done with fries that had been cooked too long. The brioche bun only seemed to be brioche on top and institutional on the bottom (did I really just get bun gypped?!) Hubby's salmon was also overcooked and dry. The sauce helped make it edible but we were not impressed at all. Hubby let our server know that the salmon had been overcooked and he apologized and said he'd relay that to the cook. I feel like they don't get much traffic on weeknights and may be short staffed. Mimi's really needs to evaluate their kitchen crew and see if more help is needed there. Wait times are much too long for a night when there was hardly anyone in the establishment. We really appreciated our server, Michael, and felt like his hands were really tied in this situation. A server can only bring out the food as quick as the kitchen can prepare it and everything he brought us was hot, so timing from kitchen to table was not the issue. Probably won't be back here. Wouldn't wanna know how long it would take to get our food on busier nights, if they even have such a thing.
(2)Bryan F.
Went to Mimi's Cafe this morning for breakfast/lunch. We had a group of 9 and when we arrived we were told it would just be a few minutes to out a few tables together. 20 minutes passed and no table, so we were told it would be just 5 more minutes. Another 20 minutes passed, they told us 5 more minutes. Another 20 minutes passed and we got anxious so we walked the floor, pointed out to the hostess there was multiple tables open large enough for us. The hostess said to go sit down then. We sat at the table for 5 minutes waiting for menus or a server. FINALLY Gave Up and Left the restuarant. Got an attitude from the hostess and "manager" on the way out. Don't waste your time. Go across the street to one of the other resturants. Horrible staff working there. Really dissapointed because of our previous visits to other Mimi's Cafe locations.
(1)Gabrielle V.
So bad. Disgusting. Not a big fan of chain restaurants, but this place should be avoided at all costs. I really couldn't believe how terrible it was. Fryer needed to be cleaned. New cooks need to be hired! Kitchen crew failed at even producing clean silverware. Nope nope nope
(1)Sarah M.
Awesome meal! My boyfriend had steak and I had an omelette. The waiters are friendly. But could have come around more. Overall good food here. :)
(5)Jim E.
Menu has changed and there is not much of a variety any more, the service is good but without the selection there are much better choices in the area. They had the sense to keep their French Onion soup which is one of the major saving graces.
(3)Karen N.
So I used to really like Mimi's, but I haven't been to one in a while. They have completely changed the menu, with only a few items like quiche, etc. as carryovers from the old days. This one is near the Edwards Mira Mesa theater, and we went for dinner after we got out of the movie. There weren't very many people eating at 7:45. We got seated right away, obviously. And then it started to go wrong...... Our iced tea was so strong, it almost looked like a Cabernet with ice in it. My chicken with frites was totally burned, bitter, and dry. It almost tasted medicinal, and I made our waitress try some of it, off the side I hadn't touched. She agreed it was bad. The fries were good, skin-on fried in peanut oil maybe, like those places that used to be in the mall food courts before everyone developed peanut allergies overnight. My mom said her cassoulet OK, but it didn't look like a normal version of it. The lettuce in her salad was full pieces of small lettuce, and needed to be chopped up or something. I had to order a Frisco Burger, I knew that would be fine. They were willing to do Med Rare, which is unusual at chain restaurants nowadays. Our poor server Theresa did her best to make us happy, and she was hustling because other people were sending food back at other tables ( what did they do to someone's SALAD? I don't think I want to know). We were there for an hour and a half, having to wait for my reorder to be cooked. Next time we may just keep driving, and go to Cheesecake at NCF instead.
(2)Brendan P.
The food was really good and for the most part met my expectations. I gave this a bit lower on the scale because of a few things 1) when my toast came out for breakfast it was not buttered and they did not give me butter until I asked for it. By that time it was already cold enough where the butter would not melt into the toast. 2) a huge pet peeve of mine is when your water cup is not filled up consistently and that happened. 3) Going back to the toast they did not have any jams present on the table and when I asked for some they brought a little holder with only two flavors Apple or Grape. Whatever happened to at least Strawberry let alone Marmalade? I will definitely give them a second chance because the food was really good, just a few things that need some work. Things I did like: you can call ahead to get your seat and on a Sunday when everyone is going out to eat this saves a lot of time. The staff was very pleasant and the food came out quickly. As for the price it was pretty average for two people coming to about $26. When I go again I will update my review if they put a bit more effort in.
(3)Chrissie O.
Been coming here for years. I was never impressed with their food but my mom loves their bran muffin so I have breakfast with them here sometimes. Recently we came for my birthday breakfast. Most of the places I like are far so just decided to come here since it's in Mira Mesa right near the freeway. The waitress and the manager were great. Very friendly and helpful. I was disappointed they didn't have the champagne anymore for the mimosa. The portions are pretty small. Maybe they shouldn't use such a large plate. I ordered the corned beef eggs benedict and I shared with my family since I knew I was eating out all day that day. It was ok but there were a few egg shells. I didn't feel like complaining bc sometimes that happens and my mom kept trying to get free muffins since it was my birthday and I didn't want a birthday dessert so early in the morning. This is one of those chain restaurants that you go to when you can't think of anywhere else to go.
(2)Phil B.
Went in to give the place a try. I ordered fish and chips wife ordered mushroom brie burger.. My fish was great fries were cold coleslaw mushy and inedible. Wife's fries cold.. burger.. Which should have been medium was burnt black. We showed waitress she said it looked terrible went to get a new one when bill came they charged for both we had to wait while they fixed check.... Over all nice quiet place hit and miss on the food great carrot muffin
(1)Paul S.
Been going here with my family because it's one of my mom's favorite spots to go to for a small and quick breakfast. Can't go wrong with the steak & eggs breakfast over here.
(4)Mali C.
I ordered their Santa Fe omelet and I personally didn't find it appetizing. The cappuccino also wasn't what I expected. The hot chocolate, on the other hand, was great. I would only recommend coming here for the hot chocolate.
(2)Luri A.
The service was terrible as we had to wait at least 1/2 an hour to even have drink orders to even be taken and another 1/2 hour to be brought. It also took forever for the server to take our food orders afterwhich it took over an hour for anything to be brought out. Even when food was brought several of the food items's sides (such as toast, gellies, ketchup, etc) were forgotten, and several of the food items were not cooked properly or already cold. The server never came to check if we needed anything. The ladies in our group did not send anything back unfortunately because the server didn't frequent us and they thought it would take way too long to get a replacement (it was a group of about a dozen of us who went today for the birthday breakfast of 4 of the ladies in our group). If I decided to post this it's only because the ladies in our group regularly visit the establishment for other group birthday breakfasts and should not have such terrible service. It took so long to get our orders taken and get our food that we missed a previously scheduled engagement that we were supposed to have attended following our breakfast.
(1)Suhel P.
Place looked decent from the outside. Inside decor was a tad old fashioned and tacky; service was very slow; coffee seemed burnt; no vegetarian options in main entrees.. Fries were soaking in oil. The only saving grace was the spinach artichoke dip which was decent at best. Overall disappointing experience.
(2)Pauline W.
Been having pregnant cravings for steak and potatoes so my boyfriend decides to bring us to this Mimi's Cafe location. We were seated for 15 minutes with no acknowledgement. By the time someone even came to address us we were getting up to leave. I completely understand if they were busy...but they weren't. There were other customers, but the least they could've done was acknowledge our existence. BEFORE WE GOT UP TO LEAVE.
(1)Chay M.
Food is good, staff is pleasant, but took a little time for our order to arrive. I ordered the banana nut griddle cakes and hubby ordered the corned beef hash.
(3)Tyler S.
Food was decent, wait staff wasn't. It's one of the only brunch spots around but worth finding another.
(2)James K.
I read a few previous reviews and seems this place just isn't what it used to be. I've been to this particular Mimi's before but after today, unless they are the only place serving food and everything else has burned down or gone out of business, I won't be back. Our server came up almost immediately after I took my seat and took my drink order. The others in my party already had their water and drinks. This was probably the best part of the visit. For whatever reason, the server seemed to take an exorbitant amount of time for everything. We had been sitting for quite some time before he came back and took our order. We started off with a waffle, chips and salsa for the table (okay, I know it's a crazy combination so no judging). The waffle was fair at best and the guacamole was just an avocado partially sliced. The rest of the avocado that wasn't sliced up was because it was too hard/not ripe enough. No salsa with the chips and avocado. Pretty odd. They advertise this as mashed with lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and red onion. Well, someone must have forgotten to tell the chef. There was NO cilantro or red onion. There was one jalapeno pepper but it was hole and not chopped up. And when the server put it on the table he did put some lime juice on the avocado. Not quite "mashed with" as the menu states. I ordered the Roasted Turkey Club with fries and also at the table the others had the Grilled Chicken and Guacamole. I'm somewhat of a self-proclaimed aficionado of club sandwiches and this was without a doubt the worst! For starters, the bread. I ordered it on white bread. The size of the bread slice was incredible small; each quarter of the sandwich was more like an eighth. I could go to a grocery store, buy a loaf of Wonder bread and have bigger slices. Furthermore, someone obviously forgot about the bread being toasted because it was completely burnt. Again, someone has no idea how to prepare a club sandwich but I don't know of ANY sandwich that is good with burnt bread. Pretty much loses the flavor of the whole sandwich. But even the turkey was terrible. Actually, the turkey was so terrible I took it off the sandwich. But with the bread as burnt as it was, the disgusting meat they called turkey, I discarded everything and just ate the bacon plain. So with the sandwich being what it was, why should I be surprised that the fries were disgusting as well? They tasted as if they had been cooked 2 hours prior. Completely limp and very greasy. I'm not going to go into the Grilled Chicken Guacamole sandwich my friends ordered but simple enough to say they didn't finish them. As a matter of fact, they ate half of one half of the sandwich and they were done. The meals were delivered after a significant amount of time. Our server even came out several times to tell us the meals were coming up. I honestly don't mind waiting for a meal as long as it comes out hot and fresh. Well, ours was anything but. As I pointed out, the fries tasted hours old instead of hot and fresh as they should have been. Despite the bread on my sandwich being burnt, the sandwich was quite cold. I know the turkey, lettuce and tomato are cold, but the bread and bacon should give a small warmth to the taste of the sandwich. Mine tasted as if it had been sitting at some other table, not even under a warming lamp. And the server. As I said, when I arrived he was very attentive and got me a drink right away. That's where it all ended. We were just drinking water and iced tea yet rare was the time when our server would come by and refill our drinks. Horrible considering the temperature outside was 91 degrees and we had all made a point of telling out server we were all very thirsty. A comment that clearly went to waste on our server. When our meals finally arrived, only one plate came with a small thimble of ketchup despite all of us having fries. He did kindly ask whether we wanted ketchup or ranch and we all requested ketchup. One in our party even asked for extra ketchup since all she had was a thimble of ketchup and the server gave such a rude look and took in a deep sigh. Hey server (his name is Raymond), if I want a bottle of ketchup, just bring it! We don't want YOUR attitude. Finally we were ready to leave and he offered the ladies in our group water to go since they were drinking so much. That was a very generous offer except he never came back with it. When we left, Raymond was just standing at the front door talking to friends. Needless to say, service and food, this was absolutely horrible. For anyone just looking for lunch, I STRONGLY recommend Island's Restaurant which is walking distance from Mimi's; and for breakfast, there is a Denny's only half a mile.
(2)Theresa N.
Great place for really good onion soup. Service though, is not very good. Back in their beginning days at this location, I remember it being much more livelier and the staff a lot more prompt and friendlier. Not anymore...the past few times I've been there the service has been mediocre at best. The very last time though, was ridiculous. My bf and I sat there for 25 minutes before our soup even came. There was a total of about 8 occupied tables in the whole dining room...what?
(3)Steven G.
Have eaten here many times.....just getting around to a review. We had lunch at this location on Monday....Fish & Chips(frites) for me, 1/2 roasted chicken with Frites for her. I drank iced tea, she had strawberry lemonade. It was hard to decide what to have, there were a lot of options, and we had a BOGO coupon, which is really why we had the lunch there. EXCELLENT fish(true cod) four pieces, batter was great, not too greasy, cooked perfectly. Chips were limp, coleslaw was not great, bland and not crisp. Squeezing on some lemon helped. Her chicken was ok, her frites were great, cooked perfectly, I forgot to ask for extra crispy chips, which was my bad. Usually Mimi's is four star for food and service in context, but we had to wait over 1/2 hour for our food, and my iced tea was down to nothing by that time. Tipped on the food and not on the service, our server was off her game, and it was NOT that busy....we got there at 11:15 am. Declined dessert.....Bill was about $31.00 out the door, including an $8.00 tip.
(3)Cheeks P.
This location had good service. It took a while to be seated even though it was quiet, seemed to be a lack of servers in the area we were in. Seats could have been cleaner, gotta get those cracks! The food was hot and tasty, although the omelet& crepes could have used more flavor. The potatoes were great. The muffin warm and yummy. The berry mimosa rocked! I'm surprised this location didn't have a long wait like the mission valley one does on a Saturday morning. Would visit again.
(4)Super M.
Lovely! Cocktails in the early a.m. my ATF! I love there bran muffins too. Terressa was our server a very a nice lady. Great place & excellent food.
(4)Daniel G.
Mimi's has really gone down hill! Restaurant is dirty, old, and sad. Typical breakfast, nothing special or worth coming back for. They need a major revamp. Oh, and the potatoes are not fresh and seem like they came from out of the freezer and got dumped into an oily pan.
(2)Shannon S.
I came here for a brunch, and wasn't in a breakfast mood. Thankfully, Mimi's has you covered with a full menu available during brunch hours on the weekends. I steered clear of the typical brunch affair (waffles, sandwiches, and such) and opted instead for a salmon niçoise salad. The salmon was cooked and seasoned well much to my surprise. I expected an over cooked, flavorless, previously frozen portion on my plate. While the fish was certainly previously frozen, it was really tender and flaky! There was a bit more dressing than I would have liked, but that was my fault for not asking for it on the side. The fingerling potatoes were tender and well seasoned, but they were cold. It would have been nice to have them warm and toasty to go along with the warm salmon. I'll be back for more niçoise!
(4)Summer A.
Went to Mimi's for a work lunch with the girls. We were sat quickly, though the girl seemed shocked there would be seven people...They had an open table, so that was just weird, but nothing bad. The server was polite and attentive. She made sure to check-in frequently. All the stars that I gave go to her service. Reason for 3 out of 5 stars - The food TOOK FOREVER to come out. It was definitely over half an hour (as we were clock watching). When the food came out, everything was warm, but didn't have a whole lot of taste. Very bland. Not impressed at all. Personally, I would probably skip this option if you are going there for lunch and need to get back within a two hour time frame......
(3)Cherish L.
Kayla was awesome!!!! She offered me a Dr. Pibb and my wife thought that was hilarious!!! I must say Kayla was super funny! She made a joke her knees were hurting for all the plates she had to carry from our table. One of a kind! We will most definitely be back! The steak and corn chowder were bomb.
(5)Nellie S.
Great management team. Not sure why the bad reviews. Our experience was great. We had my sisters wedding party there yesterday. They did not have the party room available so they closed off the backroom for us. They even put up the decorations we brought them earlier in the day and keep her cake in the fridge for us. The food was delicious as well.
(5)Shiela P.
Haven't been here in a while.. I was really looking forward to the free muffins they use to give out lol maybe they don't anymore but I didn't bother ordering thought I would have enjoyed it if they did give some but we received bread instead which was cool too... Took a while for our waitress to get ask for our order, it's pretty slow tonight. Ordered the pot roast. Sort of salty..not sure if it's the sauce or the beef seasonings .. It was good but wasn't great, it was mediocre.. I'll come back for the muffins during brunch instead Haha..
(3)Mario G.
Oh Mimi's, I have a love hate relationship with this restaurant, the food and service are either great or bad never in between but as long as you serve those delicious muffins, mimosas and breakfast (stadard breakfast items like at Ihop or Denny's) I will continue to come here. The restaurant is always super clean and the service is great but for some reason the menus are always sticky and grimy, like they've been sitting in a trash can or something.
(4)Melanie M.
Went to Mimi's for a victory win breakfast. Sat outside on the patio it was beautiful!!!! Ordered the SANTA fe omelette it was delish!!! Along with the triple berry mimosa! Very yummy!!!!
(5)Camilla S.
I ordered a beef pot roast Togo at the Mira Mesa location. On the menu and in another picture I saw on yelp it clearly said it came with mash potatoes, veggies and gravy. And boy was I surprised , I opened the Togo container and there sat a small piece of meat with I say maybe 10 pieces of green beans . No gravy no mash potatoes. All for $14 dollars . A piece of meat and 10 green beans. Terrible !!! I've never experience something like that before in my life . To top it all off I was starving and craving for some yummy comfort food. What a disappointment . And I normally NEVER write bad reviews ever but just words to the wise , if you are doing to order Togo check your container to make sure you aren't getting ripped off before you drive all the way home.
(1)Celeste J.
We love going to Mimi's Cafe for the ambiance and the muffins. The food is ok but nothing fancy. It's good Americanzied French food, but definitely not the real thing. The service that we get there was great. We had a really friendly server. My kids love going here. The waffle was excellent though. Definitely worth going back to.
(4)Marianne L.
Love the corn chowder but the menu has changed so much with so many of the best originals gone and the best bread also gone. I ordered a bowl of chowder to go from this location. for $5.99 I got a cup half filled - usually given the complimentary bread but not even offered here. When I went back to ask why my bowl was literally 2 spoons of soup the waitress looked at me like I was an inconvenience and it was my fault; stated that she didn't know why it wasn't full then replaced it with the exact same half a cup no change at all. Did not even get a bag for my muffins and soup and it was pouring rain outside. I will stick to making my own or chose Panera much better meal deal! -_-
(1)Alexa R.
I don't always have a great experience when visiting this restaurant, but there is one person of the staff that has influenced this 5-star rating. His name is Jordan (hopefully that's right; I'm going off of the name on my receipt). My girlfriend and I have been going to Mimi's often, and our last visit was made exceptional because of Jordan. We've been greeted by him one time before, and this time we went in to order food to-go and he was the one to greet and take care of us. We ordered a crepe, a pack of muffins, and my girlfriend ordered a coffee and asked if it was alright if we sat at the bar while we waited. He gave my girlfriend a fresh coffee in a mug and said that he'd give her one to-go once our food was ready. When the time came, she told him that he could just pour what she had into a to-go cup. Before he handed it back, he saw that it wasn't full and asked if she would like it topped off. After filling it for her, he went to the back for a second, and my girlfriend saw that the bartender had already taken back the cream, and I told her that she could use the one in the front waiting area. It's as if Jordan read our minds because he came back with a cup of cream for us. We were very impressed with his mindfulness and sense of urgency. I've been in the restaurant business for several years. It's not every day that you come across someone who makes you feel so welcomed and important, as he did for us. Jordan deserves recognition for his awesome customer service. I really, really hope that this gets to a manager at this location. Please let me know because if I don't hear anything back in the next few days, I would love to come back and talk to someone in person. Thank you!!
(5)Jane D.
BAD service. When we arrived, we were the only party waiting to be seated. The waiters and the hostess/manager were arguing for a few minutes until someone realized a group of five people were standing there. I ordered hot tea and the water water arrived lukewarm. That should have been the sign to leave. I asked for another kettle of hot water and got it 10 minutes later. Our meals arrived late - and after another party who arrived after us received their meals . Our waitress did not have a friendly personality. When I got up to approach her to ask when our food would be ready, she kept working at the counter, made no eye contact and said, "I'll have someone check with the kitchen." Our food was fine. The portions were fine. The roasted potatoes were good. My family and I will not be coming back.
(1)Consuelo M.
Better than I expected. This is my second time coming to Mimi's Cafe. It had been over 10 years since I'd been. Waited about 10 minutes for our table despite having a reservation (boo!). Other than that, the food & free bread were good. I liked the $5 happy hour special on all wine. The food is good for the price & service from wait staff was great. Much better selection that most chain restaurants. I'll be back.
(4)Molly V.
4 stars for sure! Very very good service and I just love the carrot cake at minis cafe. I like how the bring you bread right away without you having to ask, this is great!! Their food is good and soup is fulfilling.
(3)Carmen V.
I haven't been to Mimis for at least 6 years. But last night, in search of a hot soup, I called a friend to see if she was in Mira Mesa area. It happened she was with 2 other friends and I decided to tag along. Big mistake. The restaurant has still the 'fake French' charm, with nice colors, nice 'un jour dans la Provence' look, cool props, comfort and warm feeling to it. That was the only warm thing...bread was cold and like made 2 days before. Butter accompanying it tasted hyper salty and artificial. My corn chowder soup looked like vomit (sorry, so ugly to see and so think and tasteless). Plus cold. That was not the worst part. From the minute we all girls got our soups, the waitress kept coming and coming to ask if she could take plates or stuff from our way. Hell, no, don't you see we are still eating? (we talked with our eyes). No of us got this hurry thing, because after all we were the ones cheering up the boring-semi dead restaurant! It was 7.30 pm and barely no one in the whole restaurant, so why this pressing in the customers? The scene of 'can I take something off your way' repeated at least 3 times more. Extremely annoying, especially because the girls choose that place for the comfort and being able to spend long hours discussing kids related issues with no interruptions. That was not the case and we had the feeling that we were expelled from that place. Food not to be remembered (definitively I did not even crave anything in the menu) and service to be remembered as 'to improve'. Nothing against the server, she was nice and polite, is just the policy of pressing customers, we don't get it.
(1)Glenn G.
Meh, you know it wasn't bad, but for eggs Benedict or something like french toast you just can't beat the independently owned little breakfast shops. Don't get me wrong, this place does fine for a hang over cure... Ive just had better.
(3)Sharmila P.
Their breadbasket is always good. The French flair comes through the most with the seafood dishes. Not too bad. I like it much better than Denny's and Cocos.
(4)Sarah M.
Great carrot bread, bread pudding, and corn chowder.
(4)joje r.
one of my most favorite places to eat. i go there when i get cravings for corn chowder and a small salad on the side. their bread basket appetizer thing is good and so is their blackened fish of the day. i must admit though that this is more of a family restaurant than a place for loud talking and laughing, like tgifridays, but the food is really good and the murmuring of old people talking can be quite soothing at times. =)
(4)Aida F.
Mimi's Cafe wouldn't be somewhere I'd find myself on a Friday night usually, but a friend wanted to go to dinner, so there we were. There was a short wait (no more than 10 minutes), and we were seated in the back corner; kind of nice and quiet. Our waitress, Kristina, was VERY accommodating. She told us what was new on the menu, and even suggested a wine to me since I'm anti wine. She apologized for the delay in our food coming out, but to be honest, I didn't even notice. The brie to share is a GREAT appetizer to start with! Paired with the moscato wine our waitress suggested it was divine. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because my entree was...sad? The quiche lorraine was a little dry, and the portion could have been bigger.
(4)Roger D.
It's rare that I "Wish I hadn't eaten that." Mimi's Craft sandwich, Chicken Cordon Bleu, was just awful. But I ate it, and should have sent it back. I'm a dope. It was barely warm. The roll was tough and too thick, with a piece of chicken shaped like a golf ball. You could either have a huge bite of bread or lump of white meat. Cheese added nothing. It was served only with catsup (or was that for the fries?) and very dry. Horrible experience. Something is very wrong in the kitchen. I used to like eating there. What happened?
(1)Anthea W.
Mimi's cafe has been here for I dont even know how long. This was my first time coming here ever since my mum tried it with her coworkers and swore it off. Coming into the restaurant, youre surprised by the decor. Its pretty cute and homey feeling. The hostess opens the door for you. The staff is friendly and courteous. I think even the manager helps out! You hardly see that at restaurants these days. I got the 5 way grilled cheese with ceasar salad. Its decently priced for a combo meal. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely love cheese, but the 5 cheeses didnt work well together. There's too much going on. Their overall menu is pretty decent though. Also got the bread pudding, which is decently priced. Tasted ok. A bit weird with the whiskey butter sauce, almost makes it taste like a pancake. Overall, unlike my mum, I wouldn't swear this place off. It is decent.
(3)Tam M.
I went there today for breakfast with my family. Food there is ok, same as always. But I gave 5 stars to the service. My waitress was Gabriela. She was super polite, accommodating (food sensitivity), nice and knowledgable! If I go back, I will try to ask for her again! The whole dinning experience changes when you get great service!
(5)Danielle C.
I used to like Mimi's and go to this location often for family events, dinner with friends before a movie, etc. But after today's experience, I will not be returning. Our server Barb took 10 minutes to greet us, and when she finally did she basically interrupted our answer to her "how are you today?" to tell us she is not having a good day. I also over heard her try to squeeze the same fact into her conversations with other tables as if it were a punchline, but every one just seemed more uncomfortable than the last. I have worked in retail/ customer service and restaurant industries my entire career; I understand having a busy day or having an interaction with a customer that may squash you for the rest of the day. But continuously telling that to all of your tables is not the way to handle it. I am sorry you are having a bad day, but I came to the restaurant to enjoy my white peach mimosas and eat my breakfast; not listen to you complain. On top of that, everything took a long time to get to our table. The most upsetting of those things was my buttermilk spice muffin, as it is one of my favorite things on the menu and was cold when I got it. I understand it was relatively busy, but by far not the busiest I have seen it there before and has never had this horrible of service.Barb also checked in with us maybe twice, but was not shy to chat up all of the other tables in the section frequently. I also felt I was rushed when she took our order as she was looking at other tables and practically interrupting me to ask me what my friend wanted to order. She also was extremely condescending when I asked a clarifying question about my order, only to find out later she had misspoken but did not take responsibility for it and kept talking as if nothing had happened. I feel bad leaving such a low-star review because it seems like there has been a lot of turnover as a lot of other positions including the hostess seemed very new. But as I have mentioned before, I have worked in the industry a long time and have been to Mimi's frequently over the years, so I know that things can tough or very busy in the restaurant. But being rude and condescending to your customers and being extremely slow without even checking in or even an attempt at an apology is ridiculous.
(1)Kory S.
I'm not sure what about our meal at Mimi's tonight went right. Our experience began with a hostess trying to seat our party of 5 at a table for four. She had asked when we walked in if we needed a child's menu to which we replied 'yes'. She forgets to grab one and says she will bring it back and never does. Then we order. A few minutes later a woman comes to tell us they don't have any brick chicken left. My mother and I take a menu and decide on their roasted chicken that was a special. The server returns and informs us they have no baked or rotisserie chicken meals at all. Once again we go back to the menu and decide to have parmesan chicken. The waiter tels us he'll try to get our meal or worth everyone else's. I explain to not hold the other Meals if they come out first. Of course he doesn't listen. Therefore when the food comes out, the fries with my boys' meals are limp and cold. My husband's Salmon is over done and my parmesan chicken is bland and tasteless. My youngest finds a slice of raw potato in his mac & cheese. Not once does the manager come to check on us as we keep bringing up these issues with the server. When I ask to speak to the manager, she comes over and doesn't introduce herself. I kindly explain the laundry list of things that went wrong. She comps part of our meal. Unfortunately, this experience will keep me from going to a Mimi's possibly ever again. Horrible experience.
(1)Gerry M.
Mimi's at Mira Mesa was recommended for an affordable family gathering with family at dinner-time, with teenagers. We all ordered something different and not much of it was good. The steak was under-cooked for the order, tough, and actually a bad choice anyway for a restaurant of this genre. It was good for a complaint that landed two comp desserts, which turned out to be the best part of the meal. The chicken Caesar salad was downright awful - a few tiny chunks of chicken tossed around in a very lightly dressed unseasoned bed of lettuce (12.99). The other entrees were forgettable. As for the service - friendly enough, but we were asking for stuff a lot..
(2)Brad H.
It had been a while since I had been to Mimi's - looks like they may have remodeled it a bit from when I was last in here Came in on a random week day for breakfast like an old retired guy and was greeted and seated just as quickly - service was good, food came out fast and the standard black coffee was fresh so no misses here - give them a try during the week, weekends in here can be more crowded and busy especially with its location I dont always hang out in this area but would return should should the opportunity arise
(4)Josh M.
If you want the worlds slowest possible service then this is for you! I just left and couldnt type this fast enough! After sitting and placing our order it took 30 minutes just for the water to come! (I started keeping tab after 15 minutes) the waiter Gerardo or something places the glasses down with his dirty ass hands cupping the rims of the glasses. Fingers where peoples mouths go? 50 minutes FOR A GODDAMN MUFFIN TO COME OUT!!! They must be putting in some extra love or something...but I guess I'll never know since it never found its way to my table. Must have been too good to let go. So as we sit here for 50 minutes with empty glasses we wonder, when did the customer service become so shitty? 10 minutes later (an hour from sitting down) our food comes out. 2 orders of kids pancakes and eggs benedict shouldnt take that long. Food was just meh at best. As I look up I can see the cheap ass instant juice dispenser in the back. That explains the water tasting juice..... This place has gone downhill fast over the years. I will never come here again and advise my friend to follow suit. CONS- -30 minutes just to get water -Waiter dropped off drinks and dropped off food, no check ins. ( until after I brought up the muffin, then he asked once if we needed anything) -Cheap instant juice? Cmon -the hostesses are lost in space trying to figure stuff out. And why put that podium DIRECTLY in front of the entrance? So a mob can block the door and nobody keeps track of who is in what order? PROS- Nice pictures on the wall Oh yea I must say they did offer me 4 muffins to go for the muffin mishap. ( I turned it down since I felt it would have taken another hour)
(1)Frida Sofia R.
AWFUL SERVICE, simply awful. I completely understand that Easter is a busy day for everyone, I was totally understanding with that, but we ordered 2 baked bries to start with, and they never arrived, our waiter at the end lied and said we never ordered them, that we had only mentioned them, when we were very clear that we did want the 2 orders of baked brie. I have no idea where he would get that we didn't. I specifically mentioned I wanted my omelette with no onion, tomato, nor tortilla strips. Everyone's food arrived (including my omelette), and it had tomatoes and onions. I kindly asked if he could take it back, since I had asked for none of that, may I add that I said twice when I ordered, twice I said what I didn't want in my omelette, but that one was fine, kitchen is busy, whatever. So everyone had waited for my meal to arrive, I let them know after a couple of minutes had passed to start eating, and by the time everyone was finished my dish arrived. I get it was an accident, but at least speed up the process and don't make my family wait. They ran out of blueberry muffins, they ran out of Brussels sprouts. my omelette arrived and the jalapeños weren't even well diced, they were literally in slices. The waiter was very apologetic for it to take so long, but hey, at least the cook could've done a bit of a better job. Not to forget, someone was serving the table behind us and that waiter literally elbowed my father in law in the head, literally ELBOWED my father in laws head. Didn't make a big deal or anything about it. Im sure he should be aware of his crowd surroundings and used to that space, how could he not be careful? Seriously though the fact that the waiter lied to our face and said we never ordered the brie was annoying, we all know what we ordered we aren't ignorant. Never again Mimi's, NEVER again.
(1)Michelle M.
Our server, Kristina, and manager, Angela were superb. Fantastic greeting from the hostess, and just about every employee as soon as we walked in. We are vegetarian, so we were recommended excellent selections, and alternatives that we never would have considered. The employees and manager definitely worked together well, and unitedly worked as a team so that our every need and want were satisfied. I miss this kind of good old-fashioned neighborhood service. Friendly, fast, and delicious. Two thumbs up! Keep it up!
(5)Tiffany A.
Nice cozy breakfast spot. I know they serve dinner as well (been here once for dinner years ago), but I've mainly seen Mimi's as a good breakfast spot to go with friends to get a meal and catch up. Their brunch area is cute and the service is good. All the servers are very nice and take orders pretty fast. As a sit down restaurant I don't ever remember having to wait too long to order or to get my food. Located in a busy mall in Mira Mesa, it's easy to find, but also easy to overlook since there are a lot of other food options in the area. For a nice meal and pleasant atomsphere, Mimi's a is a good spot to check out every once in a while.
(3)Mike B.
Back in 06/07, this place used to be pretty good. I came here not too long ago and was really disappointed with the food. I order some meat loaf dish, and the meat looked like a slab of microwaved garbage. The gravy was chunky and very mediocre, and even the broccoli was dull. The mashed potatoes were okay, but who can really mess up mashed potatoes? The services was okay, but the food took a really long time to come out. I really don't remember this place being that bad. What happened? I'm actually considering never setting foot in this place again. It feels more like Denny's-type food. If I wanted Denny's-type food, I'd go to Denny's. Bottom line: stay away from this place.
(2)Terri And Paul G.
We chose Mimi's to meet relatives visiting from out of town... and looked forward to our Breakfast. All three young children had a variety of pancakes... and they said they were good... and they had fun. The Service was great... and the atmosphere at Mimi's is always pleasant. Terri and I both had Eggs Benedict. Terri had the Original recipient ... and I had Mimi's Corned Beef Hash Benedict. We both exclaimed immediately upon leaving the restaurant that this was the worst meal we've had in a restaurant... in years. The Hollandaise Sauce did not taste cheesy at all... it was curdled and was not a desirable taste at all. Both of our eggs were cooked hard... not poached soft as they should be... so no liquid yoke. To my taste the Corned beef hash had some spice flavor that did not work for me... and we both agreed the potatoes had to much garlic on them. The other two adults in the group had a Quiche... and honestly they both looked like a Costco frozen entre that had just been popped in an oven to warm them up. We did not ask about their meal... and they did not ask about ours. All in all... a very disappointing experience.
(1)Sylvia H.
Wow, what on earth happened to Mimi's? They completely changed their menu which appeared to look fancier and sound fancier and in turn, you would hope that the food would taste better. Talk about great marketing but poor delivery. A bunch of us were attracted to the fancy entrees that came with Frites (fancy way of saying fries). They were to be seasoned with sea salt and herbs. A couple of us got the salmon with Frites and another got mussels with Frites. These "Frites" were just normal fries with no herbs and no salt! They were bland. The salmon was bland. Seems like they didn't season anything! Another friend got a different atlantic salmon recipe and it was also mediocre. There was only one good dish with flavor and that was the mussels that came with the frites. Did I mention they forgot to even bring out the frites for one meal and the chocolate milk with our kids meal? And to top it off, when we paid, we provided cash and 2 credit cards. Our server comes back with 2 booklets of cash. Assuming they were ours, we just combined the money and then were looking for the cards. Uh..where did our cards go and why are there 2 things of cash? Oh, he gave us someone else's change... When we asked about the cards, he was confused and couldn't think of what happened to them. He was also confused by the two sets of change we had. All the while, we listen to the manager give the table behind us a free meal since their food took long and their steak didn't get cooked well-done. It's kind of sad. Mimi's used to be decent. We will never be returning.
(1)Ken J.
Overall lack of attention to detail with preparing food. Good tasting tomato basil soup garnished with parsley -why not a chiffonade of basil? A good-looking French onion soup had little onion, was thickened with corn starch, and had tough and yet gummy sliced croutons. The brick chicken was dry - even the dark meat. The accompanying salad had a very oily dressing with the barest hint of raspberry. The salmon was slightly overcooked. The rather small portion of French Beef Stew (beef bourguignon) tasted okay though. Delicious (dense and rich flavored) birthday chocolate mousse was compromised with strawberry glop topping with a few strawberry bits. The croissant bread pudding was good and was accompanied by caramel sauce laced with salt (I hate the salted everything craze) and much-needed whipped cream. All three forms of potatoes sampled were acceptable. The bread basket's carrot bread (cake), the tomato soup, and the mousse were the highlights. This used to be a good place to eat. I won't go back until a lot of time has passed.
(2)Drea H.
No thank you. I hadn't eaten at a Mimi's Cafe in ages but my fiance and I were looking for a place to get a quick brunch and they were the most convenient for us. We were actually hoping to find some place pet-friendly, but unfortunately couldn't find any... :( They are located in a large shopping plaza on Mira Mesa Blvd near Albertsons and Home Depot. Parking here is alright - the parking lot is busy but it's big as they share a huge lot with the other shops nearby. We had to wait for about 10 minutes til we were seated, which wasn't too bad. They have a section with seats/benches next to the entrance for people who are waiting to be seated. They even offer complimentary coffee & pastries, but they were all out of coffee when we were there :/ I'm sure they would have re-filled it if we had asked, but we didn't really care to ask. As far as dining goes - their menu portions were small, prices were high (for the amount of food you get!), and the dishes were very worn out with lots of scratches and dark marks. Our waitress wasn't friendly nor attentive and forgot my drink. Needless to say, we weren't impressed.
(2)Emily S.
Big portions, decent parking, ample parking. I don't go to Mimi's cafe often, but I found myself here for Thanksgiving dinner. The food here was good for Thanksgiving dinner. And they offered a pretty good deal.. for less than $20 you get turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato, stuffing, cranberries, and your choice of soup or salad. Top that off with either a pecan pie or a pumpkin pie and you're done! The pumpkin pie was not bad, the pecan pie was a little too sweet. The plate was easily shared between two to three people, although we all had our own dish. We had tons of food to take back. Since the restaurant was busy it was nice that they had a little waiting area with free bread, coffee, and apple cider as well as seating. I would recommend Mimi's again.
(4)Nikki L.
If I could give less than one star I would. Mimi's defiantly isn't what it used to be. The service was alright but the food was less than favorable. I ordered a French dip with a salad and blue cheese on the side. My friend ordered a steak medium done. My French dip tasted like salty sauce and My salad Dressing was horseradish sauce (no joke! I had them bring out another thing of dressing and this second round was a different color and texture) my friends steak was well done (basically burnt) so both plates were bad! Don't spend your hard earned money on This place at all. Mimi's if your reading this please please please fix your issues with the chef. It's affecting business. I'll Never return.
(1)Séamus C.
We would go here to celebrate our daughter academic achievements (SD Unified would provide a free meal certificate to the honor roll student). I never really looked forward to going to Mimi's, as I always thought the selection was limited and the food was bland. French Dip is what I would usually get. Boring, a little dry, but nothing else on the menu really appealed to me. I think this place stays in business since the surrounding community of Scripps Ranch is pleasant, but not particularly adventurous regarding culinary tastes...
(3)Ernie P.
Haven't been to Mimi's in a while and the menu has changed. They have a little snack area where you can grab a sample of cake and coffee while waiting in the lobby for your seat. I thought that was nice. Out server was great and was able to give us great service even though she had a lot of tables to help. Food was great and came as promised. I really love their freshly baked muffins. I would come here again.
(4)Anthony R.
Very underwhelmed. I should have read the previous reviews but I came due to the name recognition and my prior experience. The service was extremely slow and the food was ok and not worth the wait. By the way the coffee tasted watered down as well as the cappuccino. Very disappointing. I remember coming here a couple of years ago and it being pretty good. Well, it went from pretty good to not worthy of a return visit. I got the egg whites with veggie omelette and it was ok but a bit bland, eggs were slightly overlooked and veggies were ok. Honestly I could have made an equivalent or breakfast at home. I think the omelette consisted of the whites of 3 eggs with about 3/4 cup of veggies with consisted of mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and onion topped with feta cheese . It arrives open-faced in the size of what looks to be cooked in a 6-inch pan with a side of a small cup of fruits. The fruits were decent. Again overall. Don't think I'll be coming back here anytime soon.
(2)Robin B.
Service was terrible. We waited for our food for over 45 minutes after waiting for 15 minutes to order. Things were missing. Our waitress barely spoke to us and had an attitude whenever we asked for the correct items. We will never come here again.
(1)Donnica S.
Very good food and wonderful staff here in the morning. The only down side is there isnt much to their menu and the prices. Their muffins are to die for!
(4)Edilynne P.
It's a very simple restaurant with a fairly simple menu. The food is decent but personally not a place I would or could regularly come to. I have mixed feelings about their service. I generally like to be left alone when I dine in with a few kind check ins for water refills, or when my direct (but friendly) eye contact beckons the waitstaff. But our waiter this visit was quite the overachiever. He was too attentive, nearly to the point of annoying but a nice kid.
(3)David P.
Business meeting ended up here.. For a change the egg white omelette was quite tasty. The blueberry muffin is huge and you can tell made on site, fresh and tasty. Service sas muted which I like and while attentive not over bearing. Good fall back place when you need a location that is visible and easy to find.
(3)Gerard A.
This Location has the slowest service at any restaurant I've ever been to. They must've been waiting for the chicken to hatch 2 eggs for my eggs Benedict. No exaggeration, too 1 hr and 15 min to recieve our orders. I suspect it's the cooks r the slowest ever. As our drinks and bread were served promptly. Waitress apologized for the delay. Probably will never visit this location ever!
(1)Ken S.
In the past, I looked forward to eating a meal at Mimi's in Mira Mesa. The atmosphere was nice, the wait times (for both seating and service) were reasonable and the food tasty. The menu was varied and there was something for everyone. Ii liked the chicken and fruit, or blackened chicken, or quiche. Went again on Saturday night, no wait, sat right down. Same decor. Looked over the menu and it was all changed. Fewer items and all new. More traditional French. It was difficult to choose as nothing really appealed to us. The usual bread basket came out. It was just ok - the rolls were tasteless but the bread slices were good. We ended up ordering the Chicken and Frites (ie: fries), and Quiche and side salad (extra cost) with dressing on the side. The salads were ok but very cold, but the house dressing had way too much dijon, making it bitter. After a little wait the main entrees came. The chicken was way overcooked and dry with a rather tasteless and bitter oily sauce, and the "twice cooked" fries were tasty but extra extra greasy. The quiche, which used to come as a nice fluffy moist slice with some side salad is now just a small round quiche (looked like a pot pie without the tin) and nothing else on the plate. Huh? The quiche was hot but very dry. The muffin included with the quiche was good. Service was fine, Muffin was good, rest of the food was blecch. We took leftovers but ended up throwing them out they were so unappetizing. I am giving two stars for the service and atmosphere, not the food. We are crossing this place off our list, never to return.
(2)Gustavo G.
Staff is friendly but the service is terrible. Slow and they can't remember what you order. Food is ok but don't expect anything extraordinary. I will recommend you look for another place first. Update: menu doesn't reflect the dishes, I ordered apple smoked bacon with my breakfast and I got some thin slices of microwave bacon instead. Be prepared for long waits I gave them one star because of their friendliness but their food and service doesn't deserve the star.
(1)D M.
I absolutely LOVE mimi's cafe! Estimated 20 min. Waiting time but got seated within 8 mins. I got the corn beef hash w/eggs, potato slices and blueberry muffin! All of which were cooked to perfection! The blueberry muffin was so soft and warm, it's the best thing I've ever ate! My server Janelle was extremely attentive and apologetic to the slow service, but she was definitely sweet! Would definitely come back!!
(4)Nadine Z.
This was possibly the worst lunch i ever had at a Mimi's. They were not busy and the food took for ever to come. The salad came and it was wilted. The fries were soggy. I can go on. And the waitress was too busy talking .. Too bad.
(2)Silvy L.
Terrible customer service! I tried to be patient but not only did our food take a very long time to get to us but our waitress Susan rarely came to check on us. I was so thirsty and I had to get her attention to let her know I needed water. She proceeded to tell me I had to wait because she had other customers to tend to. I fully understand if your busy but I'd been waiting for about 15 minutes for her to come to the table to get water. A few of us got our own water from the bar. Terrible experience.
(1)Randi A.
The food here is mediocre, at best. I only come here when my mom wants to go, and even then I'm reluctant. I used to work here several years ago (it was average back then also), and since then the quality has further receded. They try to trick people by their "vast" menu of items, but they're the same items with different sauces on them. I ordered the meatball app and it was basically a hamburger patty that had been cut into small round shapes to resemble meatballs. The servers are nice though
(2)Jason V.
Brunch. My 1st time eating at Mimi's Cafe. Was a good choice. Servers were very friendly. Sat in a booth. They had special pink passion mimosas for breast cancer awareness. Pretty delicious and cool concept. I orded the Quiche Lorraine. Inside of it was hickory smoked bacon, green onions, and swiss cheese. It also came with garnished fresh fruit. The crust was excellent, very crispy and delicious. It came with some potato skins and my meal was packed with flavor. For dessert, we split this pumpkin spiced cheesecake pie. So creamy with whip cream on top and glazed caramel around the bowl. Crust on that was also excellent.
(4)P M.
Incredibly friendly staff, delicious food, cozy atmosphere. We ordered a quiche, which came well furnished with a salad *and a muffin!*, a brioche hamburger, also very nice, with a lot of meat and fresh vegetables, and a turkey and Brie melt, which came accompanied by fresh fruit. All great! Since this was our first time we also received two complimentary muffins of our choice. We'll definitely be back.
(5)Robert B.
Went for lunch at Mira Mesa Mimi's on a Sunday, 10 minute wait for a table. No problem there, but after getting our drinks the waitress forgot about us for 40 minutes. She did not bring our bread or check to see how we were doing. We decided to leave and asked to pay for our drinks. The staff found our waitress and she had an attitude, saying "Don't you want your food, it has been cooked." I replied, "No, we just want to pay for our drinks and leave." She then said, "Well just leave then." We have dined at this Mimi's numerous times in the past, but service has declined. We won't be returning.
(1)Chelle D.
Been going on a burger binge lately. Mimi's burgers come with bistro fries, coleslaw, or kettle chips. Decided to build my own burger since the specials weren't that special. Lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles are already included. Just got to pick: Patty - beef, turkey, veggie and grilled chicken breast Toppings (3) Cheese - cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, jack, feta, and bleu cheese Veggie - sauteed mushrooms, jalapeno slices, caramelized onions Extras - hickory smoked bacon, sliced avocado, onion rings Sauces - BBQ, spicy chipotle, fire roasted mild salsa, Final masterpiece I whipped up: beef, jack cheese, onion rings, bacon. Yum. Yum. It's a pretty standard burger. Nothing to complain about, but also nothing to brag about either. Bacon was actually crispy, which was perfect for me. Bun is dry. Beef is over done. Too smoky and burnt. Don't care for the tomatoes, onions, or pickles. Fries needed seasoning or at least black pepper. This is the 21st century it is no longer acceptable or palatable to just salt fries. Consumers, like ME, demand more flavor and finesse!
(3)Jim W.
mimiscafe.com and Yelp states they close at 10pm on Thursday. So, I get there at 9:05 and the front door is locked. There is a freshly painted "9" over the "10" by the door. Can't they change the hours at least on their website before locking their doors early? One overly late and complicated dinner and very unhappy customer.
(1)Nicolette E.
I have been here twice before and never had an issue until today. I'm in love with their lemon poppyseed pancakes which they didn't have but fell in love with another entree. The food was good got cold pretty quick and soggy, the service would have been okay if the waitress TAMMY didn't talk bad about my boyfriend and I while we were still eating in the restaurant. Pro tip Tammy wait till the customers leave to complain about us asking you to replace something. There were black flakes in our salt shaker and we heard of putting rice in salt shakers but couldn't figure out what the black flakes were. She mentioned it could have been pepper which would have been fine if she had just communicated that with us but those pieces were way too big to be pepper. Reading through the reviews here I'm not surprised that people complain about the service but the food is decent.
(2)Soo H.
Kinda cool looking cafe decor. The waitress was overworked and service was slow. Good thing I brought stuff to read as it took an hour and a half to eat. I had the haddock fish and chips. The fried haddock had nice crunchy batter and moist fish. What I didn't care for was the flavor. The beer batter and haddock flavors didn't mix well. This dish is done better at Studio Diner. The fries were standard fast food fries and were ok. For dessert I tried the apple crisp. It was like a hot apple pie without the crust with ice cream on top. Pretty good.
(2)Jen M.
We used to go here a couple times a week for breakfast. It was wonderful; we'd sit outside with our dog. A few years ago though our server basically told on us, that we had a dog, to the manager. We got told having her on the patio (even though she was away from the food and the server; in fact the only reason the server knew about her since she was silent under the table was that I asked for a to go container so I could give my dog water) was a health code violation. We were told that since we had already ordered and had already started drinking coffee we had to right away either put her in our car (it was 85 outside) or tie her to one of the chairs away from the eating area (where there was no shade). We were entertaining family who really didn't want to leave so I went to my car and found stuff to make shade and then tied her to the chair away from us all. We haven't been since My dog is a service dog due to my cerebellar ataxia. I did not have her vest though as ADA law doesn't require a vest for identification. That said, Mimis broke federal law here by violating ADA law.
(2)Kirsten D.
Work friend calls and says, "Ya wanna meet for dinner? It's been a long week and I want to sit and enjoy a quiet bite." I think to myself, heck yea. I'm exhausted, never got lunch, and am ready to chew my arm off. She says, "Mimi's would be great, meet ya there at 7?" Reluctantly I agree and wonder to myself why any self respecting young woman like myself would agree to go to Mimi's on a Friday night. When I thought about Mimi's, I thought about retirees looking for some comfort food. Anyhoo....fast forward 2 hours and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. (not by the ambiance but by the food. I wasn't going to get a date in here, but I could eat like it was my last meal and leave with a smile!) I started with a spicy bloody mary (to take the edge off) and some bread. Once my hunger attack had subsided, I took a gander at the menu. They have this menu section called LeBistro, where you pick items from each category. I chose the top sirloin med rare, haricot ver, mashed potato's and gravy, mushroom madeira sauce, and a skewer of shrimp. When the plate of food came, my mouth was watering. The steak was cooked to perfection. The shrimp was yummmm! The green beans were tender. The mushroom sauce was bomb.com . I was blown away. I would normally never order a steak in a place like this, but man was I glad I did!! My friend ordered the filet, seasonal veggies, blue cheese sauce and something else I can't remember. She said it was amazing. The last super cool thing is that you can donate $$ to NoKidHungry.org and they give you coupons to use at Mimi's. (donate $5 and get a $10 coupon to use for lunch or dinner at the restaurant) I love that they are involved with this charity because it's an important one!!! Go Mimi's, I'm impressed!!
(4)Nat B.
I eat here everyday, and I love the food so much, they have a new menu, unfortunately the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the lag in the staff is big. They take forever to come check on you or refill, I guess because they are busy. But it takes a while to get each meal or to get more refilling of the drinks. I usually get the check before I'm done eating just so I can get it in time.
(4)Tiffany S.
Love Mimi's, not a huge fan of this one! the waiter was not good and was too quick to tell us what we couldn't eat and not what we could eat! I love their albacore and that's what I always order, well this particular Mimi's is apparently cutting back on their portions! I barely had any meat on my sandwich compared to the bread! I was very let down and will not be back to this location again!
(3)Valerie H.
Went here for Mother's Day. Food good. Service a bit slow as they were at capacity. But nothing that would detract from the dining experience. Server Billy very good- didn't hover but made sure to check that all was okay with us. NOTE: many of the breakfast items served here are gluten-free (if the toast is omitted). Go to the on-line menu and look up the items on the nutrition page. My sister adores their French toast.
(4)Sofia J.
AWFUL EGGS. SO RUNNY AND held high potential of sickness. i would never eat here again it was a step up from mc Donald's.
(1)Priya A.
Okay let me start this review by saying the restaurant looks like it's from the smurfs. The pancakes were like bitting a tire iron and it just felt so unpleasant. Definitely going to pay this place another visit!
(1)Dominic P.
I like this place. Service is good. Food is decent, the atmosphere is good.
(5)Coralie F.
The new menu is very small and so are the portions. I ordered the steak and it was about 4 oz if I'm being generous. The bran muffins are the best item still.
(3)Katie H.
Had a bad experience here about a month ago. The hostesses were bad and weren't seating people so the waitresses had to come up and seat. The service was slow. The food was ok. We did ask to speak to the manager as we were quoted a 15 minute wait and waited 35 minutes. It would have been nice if they informed us of the delay. The manager ended up comping our meal but we won't be returning. It used to be a good breakfast place back in the day.
(2)Lorena S.
My first time being at this location...must say the wait was surprisingly long, understandable due to weekend. Our server was super fast and busy...didn't seem like he did not take his time...we felt rushed to get our order in. Waited 30-45 for our main course to come in...I expect that in a fancy restaurant but not Mimi's...I ordered the seafood stew...tasted very bland. Too watered down...I requested linguine noodles with it and charged me 4.49 for half cooked noodles on the side! I took several bites of my meal and I pushed it away. My tab for just my daughter and I was 70.00!! Really!! As I was walking out, there were 4 hostesses by the door not one of them say night good night or thank you for coming. Just by the whole service I received. I will never come back. I felt unwanted and overpriced for food that I did not finish.
(2)Jennifer H.
What's wrong with this place?. Wednesday we got here at 7:30. No wait, yippee. After we got our drinks and LONG WAIT starting. We were almost walk out of this place. The bottle of wine did not come out until 8:20 The food did not come to our table until 9:05. The kids were so hungry and tired don't want to eat anymore. Food were so dry and over cooked. Yike. If I have choice of minus star for this place I would. Over priced for bad experience here. We still left good tip for the waiter. He was polite. He was overwhelming with so many tables. Sorry, but we will not coming back
(1)Harry H.
Tried this place twice. Both time, service took forever, there were flies buzzing around me and the food was cold. Never again.
(1)Amanda D.
I never really enjoyed a chain diner until I came here for breakfast. I really like their Five-Alarm Santa Fe Egg White Omelette. The spicy sauce is just right. Yum! The servers are really professional and sharp, unlike what you normally see in a breakfast place.
(5)Mario V.
Have u ever seen restaurant impossible ? Where u show up n u can tell something is wrong but not sure wat it is.. This is it. The greeters wer excellent sat us down very courteous but as we sat down and we saw the menu. Well the menu's wer dirty n for the amount of business there was this clearly can b done. So once I saw that I asked for water which I received with my onion soup which was great by the way... Not cool really water took 10 min. Once I got my soup with water 2 min later I got my food. Not cool so here I hav my food getting cold n I'm not even done with my soup! Not cool. Would I go back. No. There r plenty of other places who can execute the basics of serving.. Ohh n there was a piece of onion in my water. Yeah.. A piece of onion, I'm just thank full I did not get sick.
(1)Ali F.
I came here for lunch a few weeks ago and the experience was very underwhelming... Food was bleh and the service was slow and not all that friendly. Definitely won't be going out of my way to go back!
(2)Jhuliet ''Walks To Eat'' P.
First timer w B! Hmmm, Looks and taste good so far.. Yum! : Mimi's has a wonderful atmosphere and great service. For those who live in Mira Mesa, or if you are just visiting, I highly recommend Mimi's Cafe for your breakfast considerations (or lunch or dinner for that matter). The food is wholesome, delicious and my waitress was fast, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu and various serving times and dishes for brunch meals. We found our food expertly prepared and the ambience easy on the eye. We received our meal promptly and had generous portions. This is the best place in Mira Mesa for breakfast. Highly recommended. Forget the snobs who go to a place one time and then write a bad review.
(4)Sivaram V.
This was a nice cozy cafe with nice food. Nice place for a weekend brunch. The muffins are delicious....We got the honey bran muffin and it was De-li-cious....moist...juicy...sweet...chewy....Âdarn good!!! My wife got a egg white omelet she liked it but ..it wasnt an omelet but more like scrambled eggs.. I got oatmeal ...which was ok... Over all a good experience ...food was ok...
(4)Maria L.
delicious! they also have a menu that's health conscious.. nice & friendly staff.. parking is spacious and free.. their desserts were just ok, it was more of a fast food style.. most of all their muffins are to die for!
(4)Ryan K.
Came here recently on a Friday night. I hadn't been here in over 6 months, but we decided to give it another try. We got to the restaurant about 5:30 pm, so it wasn't really busy yet. Our party of 4 was seated immediately, which was good. But then we had to wait 5 minutes for someone to take our drink orders. The waiting would be a common theme that night, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it- the place was well staffed. I ordered a beer, and the waitress said it would be out after the other drinks because her bartender had to make it. And then she brought to the table (after a lengthy wait) a beer and a glass. So he "made the beer," did he now? The menu has been pared back dramatically from the last time I was here. The offerings now seem decidedly more French, although it's really more French-inspired. I ordered the Le Madame burger (burger with an egg in it) with crispy onion strings. The burger was very good, but the onion strings left something to be desired- there's very little substance to them. I'd stick with french fries if I ordered a burger again. Maybe I'll be back, who knows. As far as I'm concerned, I was satisfied, but I wasn't impressed.
(3)Princess M.
upon arrival, the hostess didn't say anything except "this way" and walked toward a table. she didn't even say hello or ask if there was anything we'd like to drink! the menu was lacking variety and no al a carte options. We got up and left for another place down the street. probably never coming back here ever again.
(1)Josh B.
No Thanks, out of beers, no potatoes for baked potatoes. Slow service. Claims to be French inspired but only has two French wines out of more than a dozen. meal names are simply "le" added in front, very very very few real French dishes. Le Duet, which sounds like it should be two, hence duet, was really half a sandwich.my girlfriend loved this place, guess they lost their way.
(1)Jennifer R.
Dont come here for lunch if you have a time constraint. We called ahead of time and asked if we could be in and out in half an hour. They said yes and it took a while to get greeted by the server we placed the drink order and food order at the same time. Food took forever. Has to scarf it down to get back to work
(2)Jayne M.
New menus Cut a lot of the regular food items OUT! My burger was dry and burnt even on the bun. I couldn't find anyone to flag down and no one even checked on is. My sons burger was the same. I think they were hoping we would just eat and leave because they knew it was messed up. I was doing the knife trick to both of our lunches and scraping off the burnt parts and slicing the burnt meat off. It took 40 min for us to get out food too it was weird. The are no appetizers on the lunch menu you have to ask for a dinner menus for appetizers . All the appetizers try used to have are all gone now iit's only like 4 to choose from and they are pretty boring. this place is gonna go out of business very quick
(3)Michele S.
I like coming here for breakfast because I believe they have the best corned beef hash and it's never crowded. They only serve their benedicts until noon. Not sure why but they sounded really good and it was almost 1 by the time I got there so I didn't get to order that. Their tomato bisque is too salty and their crab cakes aren't very crabby.
(4)Jen L.
Love the food there. Drove from paradise hills to this location simply for the service. Food was awesome. It was a party of 4 and when they brought out the bread basket 3 pieces wasn't going to be enough so we asked for more. It's kinda dark in there so I didn't notice the bread loaf I bought until I took it home. It looks like they put all the scraps together to make my loaf. Don't really know how I feel about that!
(3)Jazmine J.
Typical family restaurant but took forever for our food to arrive (30 minutes) and the food was bland and the fries were old. Funny thing is that when I had to send my French dip back to the kitchen because they forgot the cheese, the fries were hot and fresh. When the server brought back my order with cheese, the fries were cold, refried and hard. Have only dined once and twice breakfast, but I prefer Coco's or Denny's. Definitely not returning.
(2)Evan M.
I would have to say thank god our server was pleasant and on top of it. I came here with a large group of colleagues for a lunch holiday party in their private room. It was great to have a room to ourselves. Our server Elizabeth was really polite, presentable, and quick to bring drinks. The coffee was just ok. It wasn't nearly hot enough. It must have been sitting in the refill canisters for a while. I order the brie, turkey and apple sandwich with a chutney sauce. It was so so. The fruit was ok but wasn't ripe enough. Everyone else seemed to like their food. I wasn't too flattered with the sandwich. The chutney didn't match it well. I know this sounds more like a 3 star review but thankfully Elizabeth was attentive and very efficient in refilling waters and coffee (despite it being cold ;-)). I think I'd go back to Mimi's cafe. Maybe try something else. Keep it up Elizabeth ;-)
(4)Karen B.
The food is fresh and delicious!! They have a new menu that's health conscious and just different!! The parking is spacious and free. The service was great as well. The waitresses were right there with refills, without having to be asked. I love that!! Definitely be back...
(4)SS S.
Tried it for the first time today. My husband ordered the pasta cabonara and I ordered the seafood bouillabaisse. Both items were overly salty. The seafood was fresh and there was enough of it. The cabonanra was ok, but there was a quite a bit of liquid in the plate. Our waitress was very nice and came regularly to check for us, the 3 stars is mostly for her. We also shared the bread pudding, but the whiskey butter sauce was overpowering. I wish they had served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of that sauce. The ice cream would have complimented the warm pudding.
(3)Lisa T.
yummy breakfast
(5)Robi M.
We decided to go to Mimi's restaurant in Mira Mesa for my sister's birthday. I looked online at the menu and already decided what I wanted. We made reservations for 5 pm on Friday night. We were seated right away. I looked at the menu and was disappointed that I didn't see my selection on it. The waitress said the menu was different than the one posted online.. We ordered drinks first and I was pleased to see a split of Korbel champagne on the drink menu. After the drinks came we ordered our food. The restaurant wasn't that crowded and there was only 1 waitress for our side of the restaurant. The service was lacking. We had to ask for everything twice. My sister ordered a salad and it came after the entree and only because we asked where it was. The bread was sourdough and carrot bread and was tasty but we had to ask for the bread basket twice. When the food came ( salmon, fish and chips and lemon sole) the fish was good for all of us but the potatoes were greasy on each of our plates. UGH! The coleslaw on my husband's plate was warm and had too much mayonnaise. Another split of champagne was ordered but we had to ask for it twice. We had to ask twice for a small to-go container and the plastic bag to put it in. Terrible service! I don't know why they call it a French restaurant as it wasn't any different than a Marie Callendars or any other family restaurant. We won't be back!
(1)Jeff I.
Never again. Went at around 800 PM on a sunday night the place was empty. Already I did not want to eat here but the rest of my party did. Mimis needs to decide what it wants to be. You can't have high priced "French" food that tastes like cheap american food. The warm bread was the best part, but who brings out bread with Margarine? When we asked for real butter they brought out cold hard packets. The waiter seemed scared every time he came to our table for some reason. I ordered the burger medium rare it was practically raw. Fries were ice cold. My uncle got the salmon that was obviously frozen with broccoli that was all ice cold. How does an empty restaurant serve cold food? The flies on the windowsill next to us where a nice addition. Just a horrible waste of a meal left feeling unsatisfied and depressed. A million better places to spend your money.
(1)L S.
Friendly and quick service. Good breakfast but wish they had more healthy selections. Maybe add lox. :-). Reasonably priced.
(5)Dave B.
Crap service. Inattentive, careless servers, no feeling of appreciating customers. Today will be last patronage of Mimi's Westview Pkwy. Over 12 years I've eaten there more than 20 times. Service has never been good, usually mediocre, a few times just plain crap. When server first came to table she seem rushed as if she had to attend to something very urgent, which was not me. I ordered french toast and eggs over medium. She hurried away w/o asking for drink order. I called out to her, she came back and I ordered a latte. It arrived few minutes later but, compared to Peet's, Mimi's latte tasted like watered down flavoring. Food arrive in good time BUT EGGS WERE UNDERCOOKED. In a fried egg order runny egg whites are disgusting and a good way to contract disease. No one ever came to table to check on me, how was meal, need anything else... Server dropped off bill and didn't ask anything. The check was for WRONG TABLE, the bill had nothing in common with my order. CRAP SERVICE.
(1)Ana B.
Carry out service was great. I ordered penne pasta but when I got home, I got linguini instead. But the taste is good.
(4)