Janet's Cafe and Deli

9225 Carlton Hills Blvd, Santee, CA 92071, United States
+1 619-749-1786
$$$ Restaurant
(786 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

Janet's Cafe and Deli sits comfortably on Carlton Hills Blvd in Santee as a relaxed neighborhood restaurant where brunch and breakfast draw a steady local crowd. This spot leans into a classic American diner style with a broad menu that caters to morning cravings and hearty midday meals alike.

The atmosphere feels casual yet busy, especially on weekend mornings when much of the outdoor seating fills up quickly, creating a lively but unhurried vibe. Inside, the extended bar area offers a quieter nook that some diners appreciate for a low-key meal or a break from the bustle.

Janet’s menu is straightforward and diverse, with standouts that include a thick, juicy cheeseburger and traditional breakfast plates like chicken fried steak with eggs and hash browns, or pork chops paired with pancakes. For a fresher, lighter choice, the Tomato Basil Greek Chicken Wrap and the turkey club sandwich come highly regarded by regulars. You’ll also find touches of comfort in options like cinnamon rolls, stuffed French toast, and blueberry muffins, which reflect a careful balance between indulgence and homestyle cooking.

Service here tends to keep pace with the crowd without making guests feel rushed. Staff check in at reasonable intervals—enough to keep your coffee refilled and any needs met without interrupting your meal rhythm. Takeout is popular too, as portions are generous enough to warrant a to-go box. The feel is neighborly, with repeat customers enjoying familiarity with the menu and staff alike.

Those best suited for Janet’s Cafe and Deli include early risers looking for solid breakfast plates, families or friends gathering for a casual brunch, and locals who appreciate a dependable spot with no fuss. It works well for solo diners sinking into a coffee while reading or catching up on the day, as well as groups sharing a variety of dishes.

Visiting on a weekend morning or mid-morning during the week will find the restaurant humming with activity but still welcoming. The largely outdoor seating area thrives under mild Southern California weather, inviting patrons to linger over coffee and conversation. Whether you’re stopping in after a morning walk or settling in for a more substantial brunch, Janet’s answers well to comfort-driven cravings paired with friendly, easygoing service.

Highlights
Has fast service
Serves great coffee
Has great tea selection
Popular for
Popular for breakfast
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Serves wine
Best for
Serves breakfast
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Tuesday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Wednesday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Thursday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Friday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Saturday

6:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Sunday

6:30 AM - 1:30 PM

786 Reviews
Maria C

19 Dec 2025

Stopped off while on a morning walk, we were seated right away and given time to get situated before drinks were ordered and brought. It was pretty busy with almost all back outside seating taken and a good portion of inside filled too. They were very quick with refills, getting our order up, and check ins. We got a Greek Chicken Wrap with fruit -which really hit the spot, really fresh veggies and lettuce, perfect amount of everything and dressing, fruit was fresh too and ripe with nothing overly ripe; and the Country Fried Steak & Eggs with house potatoes -which was not only awesomely crispy and perfectly cooked for both potatoes and steak, but had a great flavor, generous helping of gravy, and a super tasty blueberry muffin for the bread selection. They never let you down here, service or food.

Rod Gullo

24 Nov 2025

An excellent cafe for brunch. The portions and prices are fair. We got the chicken fried steak, toast, eggs and hash browns; and the pork chops, pancakes, eggs, and hash browns entrees. They were excellent. Update: Got the Build Your Own Omelette, Italian sausage and eggs, and strawberry French toast breakfasts. Everything was excellent.

Alicia Sanchez

20 Oct 2025

This is the first time we've sat in the extended bar area and it was a quiet treat! Sorry my pictures are after we've already half eaten our food, but it was delicious. The cheeseburger was juicy and a thick beef patty cooked perfectly and my husband had a breakfast burrito that he said he'd order again and he is very picky. The service was great and we brought home an awesome piece of carrot cake that we'll definitely go back for again. Great visit, great food, decent reasonable prices

RJ Martinez

17 Oct 2025

This is my favorite place to come have turkey club sandwiches. The service is always good. We had Breanna take care of us and she gave us extra napkins and checked up on us a few times. I always have extra food on my plate when I'm full so I always have to take a to-go box home. I enjoy coming here. I will be back again. Thank you for taking care of me.

M Wong

16 Oct 2025

What a nice local hole in the wall breakfast and brunch place. I thought it was quaint and enjoyable and felt welcome and part of the scene. Food was just fine, I'm not a picky eater and would say there was a lot to choose from.

Czar Fonzarelli

08 Oct 2025

Janet's cafe and deli in Santee serves a good country fried steak breakfast I also like that you can get pancakes instead of toast definitely one of the better breakfast places in santee the service was excellent and there is plenty of parking

jamesinSD619

24 Sep 2025

Food was great even met the owner who actually waited on our table because the waiter took our drink order brought us our drinks and then didn't come back for like 15 mins to take our order. It was actually the manager who seen us sitting there and came over apologized and took our order. He then got our food out quick and came checked on us. Just wish his staff had the same work ethic as him. He brought us our check and apologized again.

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