Baby Barnaby's

"Smack in the middle of Montrose’s gayborhood—a dense cluster of excellent gay bars—sits the tiny breakfast-only cafe Baby Barnaby’s. A neighborhood staple, come here enough times and the long-term servers will likely remember your name, your order, your dog’s birthday, and if you got that job you applied for. Seriously, the servers are really good. Almost as good as the crispy home fries and the perfectly golden waffles. Ever popular, get to Baby Barnaby’s early on the weekends, or for a mid-morning weekday breakfast." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene

"Baby Barnaby’s in Montrose not only serves the best and most crispy breakfast potatoes, but does so from a postage-sized dining room with maybe the best serving staff in town. We don’t know this for sure, but considering the servers are always the same (there are only three), always working, and always remembers the names and orders of every regular, we are convinced Baby Barnaby’s is not only a great breakfast restaurant, but also some kind of non-stop breakfast theater performance. It’s scrambled eggs and waffles with a side of camp, and coffee." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene

"The original Barnaby's Cafe is right next door if you need lunch or dinner, but if you're looking for breakfast this is the place to eat. The local chain was named for a beloved dog, and is adorned with bright stripes and paws, and of course welcomes your four-legged friend on the patio. On weekday mornings there is no need to jot your name down on the list, the norm for the weekend crowd. The orange juice is as fresh as the staff is friendly. Grab a glass, and don't try to resist the breakfast plate or the green eggs, scrambled with spinach, artichoke hearts, and melted cheese. Maybe, just maybe, a fluffy waffle too." - Curiosity and Curiosities

"For impeccable, friendly service and a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast head to this local chain, but more namely, the OG Montrose location. The menu plays all the hits, from migas, corned beef hash to eggs to French toast — but the dishes with its signature crispy potatoes reign supreme. Start the morning off on the right foot with some hearty spuds that are crispy and fried to perfection, and eggs, knowing that you’re in good hands with one the friendliest waitstaffs in town." - Sean Hekmat, Brittany Britto Garley

"If you go to Baby Barnaby’s more than once, it’s not uncommon for one of the servers (there are only three) to remember your order. Go there more than a few times, and at least one of them will greet you by name, crack an endearing joke, and bring you a giant thermos of coffee. Baby Barnaby’s in Montrose only serves breakfast, and the name fits because the baby-sized dining room squeezes in maybe a dozen tables. photo credit: Liz Silva The servers appear to be orchestrating their own kind of breakfast theater, chatting loudly with regulars, sneaking in one-liners to get tables to talk to one another, and rhetorically asking, “Best breakfast potatoes in the city, huh?” as you nod yes furiously while cramming crispy home fries into your mouth with a fervor that might make someone think you only now realized how delicious potatoes are. And while chowing down on artichoke scrambled eggs, a golden waffle, or a chicken- and egg-white-stuffed burrito, the staff continues the non-stop diner play around you. photo credit: Liz Silva Everything from the fresh-squeezed orange juice to the somewhat out-of-place posters depicting California’s state parks hanging around the dining room become so wholesomely lustered you can’t imagine eating breakfast anywhere else. And yes, the potatoes are that good. Go here for breakfast or brunch, make sure to write your name on the clipboard list, and be prepared to wait. photo credit: Liz Silva photo credit: Liz Silva photo credit: Liz Silva photo credit: Liz Silva photo credit: Liz Silva" - Chelsea Thomas