Millies American Kitchen - Lafayette, California

L M.

I love small family run businesses. They have the warmth and love for the work they do. They never try to cut corners and always attentive.
This is was beautiful little diner. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Also have parking space.

Menu has good options for breakfast. Have free refills for the coffee.

Pancakes were nice and fluffy and were very filling.

The Chilaquiles were flavorful and a big portion.

The GPV were delicious. Really enjoyed it.

Coffee was lovely too.

Loved the cozy ambience and would love to come back again.

Mike N.

The food here is solid; maybe not great enough to write home about, but one likely won't be disappointed. 3.5stars is probably more appropriate.

It was a weekday morning (9-ish) between Christmas and New Year's. With only ~8 people inside, the ordering occurred quickly and the food came out equally quickly. Interestingly, they asked people who were arriving to sign up on a sheet outside, when only maybe half the seats/tables inside were occupied. It felt silly, watching it. This might be due to not having enough staff to accommodate more people, and/or allowed them to fit in groups of various sizes to the table sizes available.

The current owners (maybe for 2 years now?) bought a local favorite breakfast diner, which was called just 'Millie's Kitchen'. I believe they used to own a previous restaurant 'American Kitchen',' and merged the names. The previous diner aspect reveals itself in the small box of a dining room, with stark white walls and harsh lighting. I believe that the owners were actually working the room that day; he was seating customers and she taking & delivering orders.

I've read some of the other reviews here, saying how this isn't as good as the old Millie's. Whatever. Some people also get used to things (even if not that great), and don't handle change well. Of the (assumed) owners, he is a bit serious, sure, which I can see how some people might interpret as unfriendly, and she is bubbly. I didn't take him as unfriendly, just a dude doing his thing.

Regardless of all that, the place is what it is NOW, and I think it's a decent place for standard, decently made breakfast fare.

skye

Meh. I used to hear amazing things about this place until the ownership changed and the whole building looked different. Not only is the building now quite ugly, the experience is also below average. I ended up going here several times with friends and family, not by choice, and the quality of food was never consistent. Service wasn't consistent either. You'll probably interact with other patrons here more than you will with who I assume is the owner.

James L.

Review for Millie’s American Kitchen (A Warning for People of Color)

My visit to Millie’s American Kitchen left me with mixed feelings and concerns that I want others to be aware of. As a party of one, I stood at the door for 10 minutes without being greeted. The older tall gentleman at the counter (possibly the owner) was distracted by his phone and laptop, failing to acknowledge me until much later. After seating myself, I was told to put my name on a list—something that felt unnecessary considering the restaurant was empty with plenty of seats available. I couldn’t help but notice that other customers, who were white, were not asked to sign in or wait, which made me question if my treatment was influenced by my darker complexion.

Once seated, however, my experience improved. I was greeted by a wonderful lady server wearing a pink hat who was warm, attentive, and professional. She handled my complaint about lukewarm potatoes well and promptly offered to bring me fresh, hot ones. I appreciated her effort, and the food overall was delicious. However, the experience took an odd turn when I ordered a coffee cake. The staff appeared to "overcompensate" by comping my order, which felt awkward and forced, as if it were an attempt to make up for the earlier treatment.

To make matters worse, there was a dog (supposedly a service dog) walking around inside the restaurant, which seems like a health violation.

While the food and the service from the lady server were the saving graces of the visit, the overall treatment and the unclear response to my concerns were troubling. Everyone deserves to feel equally welcomed and valued, regardless of their appearance.

2.5/5 stars. The food and server were great, but the experience was overshadowed by inconsistent treatment by owner and discomfort over how the situation was handled. People of color should be aware of the unequal treatment I experienced.

Dan Q.

Sat on the edge of town and set back from the road, Millie's is a Lafayette gem. It's small and very casual. We sat outside on a warm Fall day and it felt like being on the family porch. The food was consistently excellent, the eggs Benedict and corn beef hash were particularl highlights. The staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful and the food arrived quickly. Highly recommended.

J R.

What a cute little find. We love stoping at new places an even more so for eggs benny. Avid eggs benny lover.

The staff were remarkable!
The place was busy but everyone got seated with in a reasonable time. I’d say best for smaller parties.

The coffee cake was absolutely delicious. The OJ. Delicious. The potatoes were yummmmmmmmmmmm yum. The fried chicken on the Benny. Pretty good. Never seen that before.

The bennys eggs were cooked to perfection. As least mine were. But both my significant other an I agreed. The sause was a disappointment. It was flat. No flavor. No salt. No taste. No lemon. No butter. Just sadness sauce. I really think if they could perfect that sauce it would be a game changer.

LH S. A. D.

Found this when looking for family breakfast places I kind of don't want to make a review because then it would get even busier! We have been twice now and they remembered us which is always a nice feeling. The food was just as good as last time and the service great. Not too cloying just the right level. The kids menus is great and the food is always fresh. I particularly like the Benedict's because they use great eggs. We always have take home so that's dinner sorted! We will be back for sure! Oh bonus you can pay using QR code which I personally love because it's so easy.

Michael S.

I was in the Lafayette this past weekend and tried Millie's for lunch. The food is incredible-fresh & high quality ingredients. My wife and I went back the next day for breakfast before we left town. The owners (complete with great personalities) really know what they are doing here and prices are very reasonable. I don't know why everyone in this area would eat anywhere else. As a past restaurant owner, this place is a must!