Kimmie’s Coffee Cup

1605 W. Commonwealth
Fullerton, Ca. 92835
Phone 714-449-1580
Hours: Mon-Fri 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sat and Sun 7 am to 2 p.m.

Reviewed: 11-16-07 at 11:15 a.m.

I found this place by catching an older person, possibly the owner at Spadra’s in downtown Fullerton and asked him where the best place was for breakfast, knowing full well that that would be a difficult question to answer because there were few to choose from. Immediately he said Kimmie’s Coffee Cup and told me how to get there. He said his restaurant, Spadra Restorante, is the best for weekend breakfast but during the week Kimmie’s was the best (Spadra is closed during the week). Unfortunately, it is way out from the down town area by about two to three miles west.

Once I arrived at Kimmie’s, it became apparent to me that  a new condominium complex is being built across the street from the restaurant. Kitty corner from this restaurant is the City of Fullerton maintenance yard.

Once inside Kimmie’s, it is a girly girl small diner type restaurant that emotes a women’s’ touch wall-to-wall and ceiling. If you are from a small town, this is the place for you. The walls are pained yellow with cheap linoleum tile floors and thin wood chairs at small tables along the outside walls. It is quite small inside a bit cramped and absolutely not modern. The counter seating looks to be surplus from some B movie. The walls and windows are painted with pictures. Two overhead fans were off. Three cute lamps hang from the ceiling along the counter. They have added a canvas-covered patio out back to add a couple more tables. The parking is simply unacceptable with only 7 to 8 spaces behind the restaurant. This deficiency might require you to park on the street.

This place is for breakfast and lunch only.

There is a radio station playing somewhere but the kitchen clatter can be quite loud at times.

Coffee is ok, not bad, not memorable in any way, and comes in a large coffee cup. Real cream comes in those small plastic containers and is on the table along with artificial French Vanilla creamer along with a sugar shaker, selection of jams, salt and pepper. The tables have a plastic cover table “cloth” with a glass plate on top. The silverware is complete even including the often times missing spoon. Napkin is paper.

I sat in the corner of the dining room so no one could see me type this review on my laptop. For breakfast I choose the scrambler for $7.80. The scrambler is composed of three scrambled eggs scrambled with your choice of cut up bacon or ham or sausage, onion, red skin potatoes, and topped with cheese.

The most expensive item on the menu for both breakfast and lunch is the Cowboy Steak and Eggs for $11.85.

The scrambler was all I got, no side dish just a huge plate of scramble and toast that came on a small side plate. The cheese and components to the scramble seemed fresh. I liked the cheese, which, at a lot of other small restaurants, would taste bland and plastic. The cook did a perfect job making the scramble.

For handicapped persons, this restaurant might be a challenge. The inside of the restaurant is closed in, tight. I did not feel comfortable eating here because I do not like small restaurants. I like spacious areas to dine in. Tables, chairs and counter area were very close to one another making a person with crutches or wheel chair a larger item to navigate. The entrance had a rise to it by about a couple of inches. The restroom hallway was too narrow and the door and space inside the restroom was way too small. It did not have any bars mounted on the walls to help the handicapped. There was only one male and female restroom. I found the restroom to be very clean. It was well lit by a skylight and when I looked up I found a florescent light for nighttime use.

Summary: For breakfast, Kimmie’s Coffee Cup, so far, is the best place for west side downtown Fullerton. I liked the food but thought the building was deficient. I think the owners of this restaurant need to think about moving into a better building. Two options come to mind. They could move into downtown Fullerton and hopefully offer the customer a larger dining room and more parking. The second option is an urban renewal project for its current location. A final note, a better coffee needs to be provided for the customer.

Aside:  I have a friend, let us call him Mike.  He just loves places that are NOT modern but send you back in time to memories in your mind of past events.  When he and I compare restaurants and buildings that, for lack of a better phrase, I will call old, we seldom agree.  Mike likes Kimmie’s Coffee Cup for more reasons than I do.