We had breakfast at what is arguably the most famous breakfast restaurant in Palm Beach County, John G’s, and it’s taken several days to get to a review. Was it that awful? NO! It was as good as claimed and it’s taken us this long to absorb it all. (Actually we’ve been busy, but that’s beside the point.)
John G’s used to be located at the Lake Worth Beach until construction there caused them to move in 2012 to the Plaza Del Mar near the Lantana beach, in the town of Manalapan, across from the Ritz Carlton. Soon after John G's moved there, the Lantana Bridge closed for a year of construction. "Son of a ..."
Despite the obstacles, John G’s appears to be doing just fine.
Besides its great food, John G’s has been famous for decades for customers waiting up to an hour to get in. Cindy avoided this place because she doesn’t believe in waiting in line for an hour for breakfast. She had eaten here only once before, in 1990, because a friend worked in the kitchen and snuck her in the back way.
Sean, similarly adverse to lines, had NEVER eaten at John G’s in 30 years of living in South Florida! But we figured, if we are going to blog about breakfast in South Florida, we have to go to John G’s. This meant getting there at 7:30 to avoid the lines.
First Impressions
At 7:30 a.m., our big party of 8 was seated right away. When we left at 8:30, the place was quite full, but no line had formed yet. So the trick for this place is: don’t sleep in!
Our friends who regularly visit John G’s said the décor and tables are the same as the previous restaurant, but the space is slightly bigger, which means less bumping into other customers.
The Food
Dishes we tried:
Willet kids: CRUNCH HONEY GRANOLA FRENCH TOAST
French Toast with almonds pecans & raisins & peanuts. Also, bacon! Mmmm .... bacon.
Sean: HAWAIIAN OMELET Filled with a colorful array of sautéed vegetables, topped with our special cheese sauce, with a grilled pineapple garnish. Incredible! $9.25.
This omelette was delicious, and extra points for being something we haven't seen at other restaurants. The waitress said this was a customer favorite.
Cindy: STUFFED CROISSANT. It comes with scrambled eggs, chopped ham, and our great cheese sauce. Served with hash browns or grits. $8.75.
This was fabulous. Served with fruit and four tomato slices. The eggs and ham were overflowing the croissant, but each forkful was a good balance of egg, ham and bread. I had leftovers believe it or not, and it was just as yummy the next day.
Laurie: THE ORIGINAL CINNAMON-NUT FRENCH TOAST Featuring our
special thick-sliced bread, liberally coated with sliced almonds
& a hint of cinnamon sugar. $8.10.
Sean tried one of these and
it was incredible. The toast was flaky and crunchy while also chewy and
delicious. It's probably the best french toast ever. There -- the
gauntlet is thrown down!
Jerry: CORNED BEEF HASH Topped with two poached eggs, buttered toast and jelly. $9.50
The presentation of the food was gorgeous. And the portions were ridiculously huge, except for the corned beef hash. Yet 6 out of 8 of us were able to finish our breakfasts. This place is a diet buster, because you will want to eat every bite.
Each dish also comes with a choice of fruit cup (made with chopped fresh fruit, not canned) or a glass of juice.And finally, many restaurants claim they serve gourmet coffee, but John G's actually delivers. You'll want more, if you're a coffee drinker. John G's also offers a nice selection of teas.
The Service
The staff was attentive without being too pushy, and they were quick to accomodate our large party.
Memorable Note
John G's also has a bar, so if you're in the mood for spirits with your breakfast, you can go eat in the bar. You don't see that every day.
But really, if you want to take visitors out for a memorable breakfast in South Florida, take them to John G's. They'll brag about it when they get back home.
Worth a Return Visit?
Heck, yeah! And we won't wait decades to go back.
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