Reviews of Ball Square Cafe & Breakfast (Restaurant)

Alicia

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Per usual Amazing food , fresh fruit , delicious pancakes. I've come here every so often , every time they never disappoint. I came in about 30-40 mins before they close which is annoying for them because I know by then they just want to get out. Though I did not feel rushed, I made sure to order quickly and also pay and leave my server a generous tip! (They work really hard always tip your servers generously if you can!) fresh food , clean place! What's not to love. Parking is not too good, but totally worth the trip.

Kelsey McGlashan

Ok so here's the deal: Ball Square Cafe may be next to Sound Bites but if you fine with getting in line you won't regret it. They take care of you and Mike the owner is an excellent host. Everything on the menu is great, you can't go wrong.

Maria Powers

Quick stop after landing in Boston. Parking is limited. Food and staff were awesome. Didn't have to wait long for what we ordered. Great coffee selection.

Chantel 18790

Love everything about this place! The service is always great and the owner is a delight. The roasted mushroom omelette is my favorite and the fruit bowl is always fresh with an exciting mix of fruits unlike most places where you feel lucky if you get a strawberry.

Juvi F

Ball square has the best breakfast anywhere around...period. I have had omelettes and French toast here for years. The best quality non-greasy breakfast food. Omar’s mashed potatoes are where it’s at. Just make sure you get there early, as the line can get long.

Nice Stay

Bad experience. The Shortcut hair man with glasses behaves improperly and rude, not suitable to be a waiter. Tried to change for things that I didn't have. Stay away from it if you don't want to spoil your day.

Mike Lee

Good place for gluten free. Wife and daughters liked it a lot.

Kit Johnson

Lots of great gluten free options. Delicious breakfasts. I still haven't tried their lunch menu, but it all sounds good. The staff is friendly and helpful.

AFAflorecita

Fresh squeezed oj, coffee bar, and comprehensive breakfast selection. Try the grilled mashed!

Anthony Bissell

My wife and I have gone here once before and the food was mediocre. We'd consider going again, except that we found out that the owner of this place has repeatedly been intolerable to breastfeeding moms. He has replied on several comments that the situation was resolved, but I have seen no evidence to that effect. He hasn't publicly apologized or explained how his company preventing this or other kinds of intolerance in the future. The owner replies to nearly everyone with the same message saying that the situation has been resolved. It doesn't mean anything and nothing came after the incident.

glenn pierce

Great food huge portions good price cozy little place

Betsy Joseph

best breakfast this side of town so good traditional eggs Bennie is awesome! the servers are friendly and helpful the French toast is great and the coffee is free refills so... what else could you need? a bathroom.

erik haunold

Had the morroccan eggs, really tasty. Good service, not a fan of the background music - too smooth jazzy (think Kenny g). Otherwise great place

Nathan Cronin

Delicious food, generous portions. Best french toast you can get!

Tom Toner

Great little breakfast place good coffee, great service

gotrocs4751

Arrived at 830 on Sunday morning and I was pleasantly surprised that we 3 got seated immediately. Very clean place with nice soft jazz playing and a self serve coffee bar. Very good coffee. Regular, dark, French vanilla, iced and many other choices. Very diverse menu with many unique choices of omelets, french toast and pancakes as well as the usual egg choices. Everything was delicious and filling. I will be back. Even if it means flying from Ft. Lauderdale again.

Amena Bhatti

This is nice place. It gives such a nice vibe. The food quantity was great, and it tasted great too. However tbh its a little pricey, i got one cup of orange juice for 6 dollars, but anyways its a great place

Ashley Runkis

I am so impressed with this place. Absolute gorgeous atmosphere right through the door. The smell from outside is to die for. Staff amd Owner extremely attentive, and makes good conversation with the customers. Food is so FRESH and tastes like HEAVEN. If I could give 10 stars, I would. Highly recommended, and I will drive the 17 miles from home, EVERY SINGLE TIME for this place.

Scott Zyskowski

Fantastic! I had the nutella and banana french toast very good. Great staff!

V Parker

Not breastfeeding friendly.

Stephen Moccia

Food is amazing..if don't like I will pay for it..

Peter L Cataldo

Great food and exceptional service. Drinks and sides are overpriced though.

Lisa Hanson

Yummy food. Breakfast looked great. We had lunch but will come back again. Very friendly staff

Esmeralda Rojas

The food is great large portions. Kinda expensive. But they do have good food

Diana Bissett

Great place..great food. The owner is always there to greet you as well. Its worth the wait in line

Edward Chen

Very friendly servers who are quick to help! Also fast at preparing the delicious food as well! Though the food were a bit on the pricier side, but well worth it!

Hemal Patel

Excellent service. The host is so friendly and makes you feel like family the second you walk in the door.

Jaime Kearney

I love this place. I would come here every week if I could. There is usually a line, so plan for that (don't show up when you're really hungry). I love the self-serve beverage station, that way you can enjoy coffee while waiting for a seat. Great food, great atmosphere - what else could you ask for?

Deidre Bielicka

Free coffee and good food. How can you beat that! Service was fast. I had the coconut macaroon french toast. It was really delicious.

Steven Lefavour

Better than average dinner food; friendly, busy milieu; self serve drinks. You probably won't like it, especially at ten on Sundays; we usually finish by 11:00, so go then and don't mind the line outside.

Lisa Chakalos

This place is top notch! The food is very good ( had the roasted mushroom omelet with boursin cheese), the best omelet I have ever had! The portions are over-the-top. The service is great. Mike the owner was attentive to his guests and kept the line informed as to when a table may be ready for them. From what I understand there is always a line to get in and I know why. We will be back! Great place!! Thank you!

avantika nautiyal

This is the sort of place where you go with a single agenda- eat a lot of good breakfast foods. Food: definitely try out chef's North African inspired items. My favorite is their pear stuffed french toast or something savory with toasted muffins. Service is great and you will often have Mike stop by to check-in on the guests. I really appreciate an involved owner! It gets super busy by 9am on weekends, cozy seating inside and they don't have dedicated parking spots. Expect a lot of college crowd,so unless you're <22 yrs old probably not right pick for first date/friends and family gathering spot.

Popeye

Great place but long line

Jennifer Hamilton

Stumbled upon this gem of a place. Mike the host was great He was very accommodating and friendly. Let us have coffee outside while we waited. Food was amazing. This is my new favorite place for breakfast

Eric Harding

Simply the best french toast I've ever had and the omelet was amazing as well. Everything tasted fresh and overall a wonderful breakfast!

Nicolas Gohmert

What an adorable place to get your breakfast groove on. Very lovely staff and a cool owner make this places and out. The food is amazing and they have a massive selection of drinks. Can only recommend to visit!

Henry Huntington

I’ve been here several times and it is always amazing. Best breakfast in Boston.

Travis

You get your money's worth here. All around 5 stars. Self serve coffee and the selection is great. Service was super fast despite being packed, with a line outside. I had the caramelized apples and French toast, and it was delicious. Also, bonus for a super clean restroom.

Neva Irving

Fantastic service. Great food. A lot of food for the amount you pay.

nicholas Souris

Stoped by Friday morning for breakfast and wasn't a bit disappointed hands down the best breakfast around. Keep up the great job you guys are doing thank you.

viv Raj

Great place, love it. The food are delicious with reasonable price and huge portions. Staffs are always friendly.

Derek Wright

Great food and hospitality! The owner and the waitstaff are excellent!

taha mokfi

People are waiting outside, tables are empty. They still refused to sit. The same thing happened for our party. Not satisfied by the service at all.

THIRDEYEVISUAL based

My Favorite breakfeast spot period i recomend the steak omlet and desert the strawberry caramelized French Toast with whiped cream out of tgis world No syrup Needed

Andrew Lam

This place is great! The food is delicious and the staff is awesome. If you go later in the morning on the weekends, there usually is a wait, but it's worth it! I brought my cousins and siblings here when they were visiting and they loved it as well.

Jenny Woo

My cousin had recommended us this place to try. There was a long line since it was around brunch time. The owner was very nice and accommodating for our large group. He was understanding when we told him we rather sit more comfortably.

dandy2020

Awesome breakfast place! Ample portions, tasty food. Food from kitchen was rather quick too. Great service by Cynthia. I would definitely return.

Luis Ortiz

I never write reviews, but I'm compelled to give a huge shout out to Mike & his staff at Ball Square. The food is magical, portions are huge, and Mike & his staff are delightfully friendly. There's even an abundance of gluten-free option. This place is easily a Top 3 breakfast spot in all of Boston. Just go there now.

Marissa Groenendaal

Absolutely delicious place. We started with the mashed potato/hash brown and it was so delicious we ate that in 5 seconds. Never had anything like that before. I got the Coconut Macaroon French Toast and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So good!! Every time I visit Boston I'm going to come here. Fresh fruit was delicious and the omelet was fantastic. Thank you to our waiter Tod for great service. Love the serve yourself drinks bar. So many options. Love this place!!

Cat Ly

There's a great early morning café atmosphere, and the service was excellent. The beverages (coffee, tea, water) are self serve, which was different than what I expected but not a hassle by any means. I had the traditional breakfast plate (eggs, potatoes, and toast). The portions were larger than I expected, so it might be worth paying to substitute fruit for the toast/potatoes if you want to lighten up the meal

David B

You will always find a line, but 2 tops get seated pretty quickly. Worth the wait if you got the time.

Manny Mendez

This place is not bad & not great it’s sort of in the middle. The food isn’t bad the only problem was that I paid almost 18 dollars for a breakfast wrap & that itself really surprised me. I’d suggest just getting a combo plate that brings the usual breakfast. I know they are busy & the wait is long, but at least write down people’s name in the order that they got there. We had 2 people who had come after us who got seated before us & all because the guy outside was just telling everyone to line up & not even asking their names so we had to wait another half hour. Decent breakfast spot

vijeet goel

Very nice place for brunch. Great portions

Katherine Wijenaike-Bogle

After a red eye flight, this was a fantastic pick me up. The food was excellent, as was the very friendly service. The atmosphere is small and cozy, while also being fast and efficient in getting food out. Definitely worth visiting for a relaxing local breakfast.

Kanishka Singh

A great place for breakfast/brunch. They have quite a menu, from a variety of omelettes to French toasts to sandwiches and burgers. We've liked everything we've tried here. And while you are waiting for your food to arrive, you can pour yourself a cup of coffee or iced tea.

娄shirley

Actually I meant 5 stars for the place. The previous review was a mis-hit! Super welcoming and great food! No regrets!

Matthew Nevious

Let me preface this by saying I have worked in the restaurant industry for 13 years. The food is good but jesus if I wanted to wait 45 min for an omelet I would have gone to a farm, picked up some eggs, and cooked it myself. 30ish seating capacity with 2 servers. One was nice but one was passive aggressive af to everyone he talked to (trust me, I had plenty of time to sit and watch). Maybe it was an off day but service was awful. I just don't get the hype hence the review.

Gretchen Bennett

Everything is fabulously delicious at BSC. Be prepared to wait in a line on weekends but it moves fast and is SO worth it!

Dore Penn

Love this place. Just be sure to bring a big appetite... Portions are dope!!! (No worries, they provide nice biodegradable boxes).

Corby Cline

Great food

Dominique Florence

Good food and good service!

Nicole Sargent

My girlfriends and I went here for breakfast on a Saturday and it was great. There was a brief wait at around 9am, nothing too crazy. The inside is on the smaller side and the drinks are all self serve with the exception of specialty coffees, speaking of which, our server completely forgot about until we had finish eating. But that was really the only bad piece. The food was to die for, we couldn't decide on one dish each so we ended up getting a raspberry coconut macaroon french toast for the table. It. Was. Amazing. Not too sweet, perfectly balanced and the best ending to our meal. The owner also came by and said hi which is always a nice touch, he was very friendly. I don't live too close, but next time I'm in the area, I would definitely go back!

Tanya Zaika

One of my favorite local places for breakfast! Nice friendly staff. Delicious food. Quick service. I would recommend to go after 12...less waiting time, and not so crowded .

Vittorio Bucchieri

Mike, the owner, made sure to stop by to check on us, the meals and the service, then he stopped by the long line of people waiting to get in. Great brunch in a clean and comfortable place.

Rachel Martin

Nice place to go with a friend or two, especially on weekdays! Fantastic food for the price and I love the vibe.

Bessie Yang

The manager (or may be he is the owner, not sure) is a control freak or has race discrimination attitude. I was there to do take out this morning, he has pushed & yelled at me to move here and there like so many times! “ Move a few steps there, no, move more! ...” I was told to go to and waite the next door, so I headed out. But when I was about to open the door, he was yelling behind me and asked me to move away so that they other customers can get in! Wait...! I was at the door first, and I was about to get in too! It’s a raining day on Sunday, people from the neighborhood get there to enjoy a breakfast! Not to be yelled at so many times and be discriminated at! Change your manner before you can provide restaurant service to people from the neighborhood!

Brooke Rouse

Amazing experience would defiantly go here again. The service was awesome, Mike knows how to run a business!

Ddm agdgn

Year 2018: Delicious breakfast

Philipp Hanes

1) rude waitress 2) cowardly owner 3) plenty of other choices within 100ft radius No thanks. Came here because of the generally positive reviews. They're not getting one from us. When my wife asked the waitress to stop addressing us as "you guys" because she is not a "guy", the waitress walked off saying she'd find someone else to serve us because we're "crazy". We told the waitress who replaced her about the first waitress' behavior. She said she'd have a manager come to talk to us, and left. The third person to come by our table, when asked if he was the manager, said "no, I'm a waiter". Then the first waitress came back to tell us the owner told her to tell us to leave. No, the owner (Omar) was not going to come talk to us, and we should just go. Can't comment on the food, since we never got that far, but the way we were treated was ridiculous. If you've had good experiences there, better keep the interactions to eat, pay, and leave. Seems like they are completely unable to handle anything else. We'll stick to places that have staff who don't call their customers "crazy" and walk away. And where, if there is a problem, either with the service, or with the food, or whatever else, the staff/management/owners care enough to actually pay attention to their customers. Advice to business owners: if a customer has a complaint, talk to them. Try to understand what happened. Don't hide in the back and have someone else (especially the person who was so rude to begin with!) tell your customers to go away. This place gets minimum marks from us.

64lundyco

Best brunch ever

Kellee Strong

Amazing food. A lot of choices. Wait staff excellent. Manager was around and stopped to talk with you. Very accommodating especially with food allergies.

Sharon Fosbury

The environment, presentation and food are of a higher quality than similar breakfast places. Our only complaint is that they messed up our order twice -- once they lost the order slip, and once they forgot the bagel we ordered.

nanni shaheed-bond

Aaaaahhhmmaazxing.... ugggh come here..and order the caramelized strawberry French toast..yummmm

Isaac Brown

I love their french toast and their omelettes. Service from Mike and Cynthia were also great. One thing I wish they would change is their usage of the word "prosciutto" to describe their pork because it misleads customers. Many people, when they see "prosciutto," probably think of the thinly-sliced pieces of cured pork that you might eat as an appetizer in an Italian restaurant. But this place serves thick pieces of ham instead. For the sake of clarity, please indicate on the menu that this pork is presented as ham, not prosciutto.

Salih Zain

Excellent food and super friendly servers. Totally recommend it!

Kelly

This is my first time going to ball Square Cafe and it was a very pleasant experience. My waiter was so super nice. I hadn't realized that the coffee/juice/water area was help yourself. He mentioned this to me when I asked for a water and I said 'okay'. I intended to get up in a moment but was having a conversation with my friend at our table. Within a few minutes he brought me a glass of water which was super nice of him because he didn't have to do that. I was able to find a few vegan options on the menu which was a pleasant surprise. My meal was super tasty and my wrap came with sweet potato fries. Ya! maple syrup is kept on the table for those of you who like to dip your sweet potato fries in lovely tree goodness. So bonus points for that. Cha! My friend and I split the tab. Each of us ordered a wrap she had fruit on the side instead of fries. My half of the tab was 16 bucks and some change. I definitely think this is a bit expensive for lunch. That being said, I would definitely recommend this place to others. The service and food were super.

DZ Flores

Super fresh food for breakfast or brunch!

Nakia Parks Spruill

Food is excellent

Vinu Vikram

This is one of the best brunch place! A little bit wait to get a seat but you will forget that after having their food.

Elyse Bush

I decided to treat my family (coming from out-of-town) to a cute lunch place and it turned out to be a very bad decision. They took two separate parties before us, and the waiter messed up the order and then said "do you want me to get what you ordered or are you fine with this", my mother wanted what she ordered obviously, and the waiter realized he in fact made a mistake and gave the plate to the wrong table. We had no way of knowing whether or not the person had started eating it and he placed it in front of my mother and started arguing saying that the person hadn't eaten it so it was fine. Sidenote: he was in the kitchen the entire time so would have had no way of knowing whether or not the food was touched. The manager and the waiter then made a joke about us in the kitchen and pointed at our table. Incredibly rude staff, would not choose to go there again.

Alessandro Mora

Owner tried to accomodate our party of 6 and an infant with stroller and made it happen in no time. He was always making sure we were being taken care of and that added a personal touch to the brunch. We order a selection of their brunch items from eggs, pancakes, french toast, fruit. Everything tasted delicious, freshly prepared. Despite the place was tiny I found impressive how they were able to optimize the seating, the table space and the serving speed. There is also a fountain and a coffee station as self service. The quantities of food were above average and a serving of french toast can feed 2 people or a really hungry man. I will definitely go back to Ball Square Cafe.

Maxuel Spinola

The Greatest, the best of the best the one and only. Loyalty and respect for the Ball Square is very high.

JM Phillips

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

abdi gulled

Loved the Knox salmon and the fresh fruits on crispy cinnamon waffle...

Christopher Keplinger

Amazing food and excellent service. Drinks are self serve so you can have a coffee while you wait for a table. Very popular on a Sunday so get there early.

Jennifer Britton-Colonnese

We won’t be going here until they can treat all people with respect. The owner recently harassed a mother nursing her baby, which is not right. This place is not family friendly.

Stephanie Moreira

Wow take about fast service. It seemed like the food came out hot and ready as the order was flowing from my mouth. The coffee is free and self served so you can have your coffee as you please. Food is delicious and the staff is incredibly nice. definitely stop by here if you get a chance.

Lee Stringer

One of the best breakfasts I've ever had. Macaroon french toast on kings plate was amazing!

Georgia Hadjiconstantinou

Fast service. Amazing food. gluten free friendly and well informed. Best bacon !!!! Amazing potatoes !

Michael Browne

For breakfast, between Ball Square Cafe and Sound Bites, I prefer Ball Square Cafe. For those who don't know, their menus are nearly identical, including the recipes themselves. The key differences, for breakfast, are Soundbites has alcohol and Ball Square Cafe has bigger portions. That said, I feel the grilled mashed potatoes (home fries) to be not only more generous at Ball Square Cafe, but better tasting too. The omelets are light and fluffy, and the eggs Benedict marvelous. If there is no wait, I pick Ball Square every time for breakfast. The owner of Ball Square Cafe is also nearly always there and extremely friendly and attentive of his guests - its an appreciated touch. If there is a wait, I'll go to which ever has the shorter wait.

Stacy Shorr

Fresh brunch and breakfast type foods. Very nice: attentive wait staff. Fresh squeezed oj. Omlets, pancakes, eggs Benedict. I tried the smoked salmon and spinich omlet and had fruit instead of hash browns or homefries. Great cut fruit and huge omlet. Delish! They have gutten free options too.

Jessica Veri

Best breakfast spot around! My husband and I visit frequently and the food is delicious, fast, great quality and huge portions! All of the servers are excellent!! Try the grilled mashed potatoes! 6/5!

Barry Devlin

great food. coffee bar and water was self serve and sucked

Lilibeth Wolfe

Delicious coconut macaroon waffles and friendly staff as well.

Bree Gaddy

Food was good, but the service was subpar. At first it wasnt very busy but took awhile for a waiter to come over to us. Then it got more crowded and it was impossible to get someone to bring us over some butter. Perhaps it was an off day

Kate Woods

I cannot in good conscience recommend this business. The owner bullied and shamed a breastfeeding mother and such behaviour should never be accepted or tolerated. I have eaten here many times, and while the food is good it is not any better or worse than Sound Bites, which is next door. Go there instead. [edit: He's replied below trying to imply its the fault of other guests but shame on him, as a business owner in a state where this has been law since 2008 pleading ignorance and saying someone else made the complaint does not absolve him in this matter.]

Samuel Benzaquen

Great food, big portions

Isabel Lana

Excellent service. Super friendly staff and the food was amazing and came out really fast. I had the glorious morning sandwich and everything tasted great + fresh.

nathan verge

The best place in Somerville for breakfast

Davis Le

Food and service was great. Owner is super nice. Portions are very large and proportionate to the price. It is not self-seat, but drinks are self-service.

John Taddonio

Worst place ever! The owner yelled at a mother, discreetly breastfeeding her newborn in the corner. He started yelling at her to GET OUT! the woman said she would finish her breakfast and so will her son. When he yelled “you are immoral - I wouldn’t let my girlfriend run around topples”, she stood her ground and told him to call the police because breastfeeding is legal anywhere. All the patrons, including myself were pushed amd vowed to never return to such a backward owners establishment. SHAME ON BALL SQUARE CAFE. I’ll not return!!

B

Excellent place for breakfast

Jamie Kim

The food here was delicious and service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend if you are looking for a good breakfast spot (with options like pancakes, eggs benedict or stuffed french toast).

Matthew Aronson

Really disappointed. Food wasn't very good. And there are so many great diners in the Boston area that you can go too. Neither this nor Soundbites next door are half as good as I remember from college, much to my chagrin :(

Chris Cordima

If you love food that’s made with love then you will LOVE this place! Thanks for making every dining experience a great one!

Richard Lopez

The manager was one of the most accommodating people I have seen and I worked in the restaurant/catering business for 4 years. This place was a class act friendly and cordial engaged with us while we ere in line. Staff was friendly and efficient and gave great recommendations. I highly recommend this place without reservation. If I could give it 6 stars I would!

Your Ex

Really nice experience. Loved the food here. Got the salmon eggs benny and found it to be amazing. The waffles were good too and so was the mushroom omelette. One good thing is that the drinks are buffet style. Coffee was pretty decent too. Staff was very nice but there was a little bit of a wait time even though we went early on a weekday. Expect waiting and a hard time parking. 5/5 would go again.

Coffee Is Life

Literally one of the Top 3 breakfast places in the Boston area. Food is delicious, service is top shelf, and Mike the owner is a class act. It's very obvious that the cooks takes great pride in their food. If you're a breakfast fan, don't miss this amazing experience!

VINCENT MURPHY

Really good breakfast!

Stephanie Cummings

Great breakfast and good service. One of my go-to when I'm in Somerville. The raspberry/coconut French toast is AMAZING!! but just the basics are pretty great too.

Emma Wiegand

Owner has harassed and kicked out breastfeeding moms while claiming the moms are behaving inappropriately because the restaurant is a "family establishment." Height of hypocrisy. This behavior is intolerable anywhere, but especially in Somerville. Regulars should stop going and communicate their severe disappointment to staff and everyone else, take this off your restaurant wish list until the culture of management changes.

My 2 pence

Lines are loooooooong mid-morning, but the food is delish, and the staff are always pleasant!

Marielle Dragat

Second time here and it's still awesome. I got the "Famous Coconut Macaroon French Toast", which is crusted in shredded coconut and drizzled w raspberry and vanilla sauces. So incredibly scrumptious. One of those things that you tell yourself you're not going to eat all of and then you do. Service is very quick and wait staff is very friendly and attentive.

See exDiane Kaufman

Great pancakes bacon eggs sausage muffins good breakfast good staff

B Higgins

Lousy. Pancake came cold. If butter won't melt, cold right? Bacon came in a congealed mess. Very disappointed. Used to come here often but have moved. Was happy to be in the area to come here. Heard the cook say "I'm not remaking it". $12.82 error in judgement plus tip. Not waitress' fault. Certainly not Victor's place. Wish I had guts to leave a tip and walk out.

Alan Frontera

The breakfast was just great. Mike the Owner is very precious and a tentative

Kate Shaw

We saw this place on phantom gourmet so decided to step out of our “norm” for breakfast places and took a drive to Ball Square Cafe in Somerville. There was a long line when we got there but the owner (I think his name was Mike) was outside greeting everyone and taking names by memory. The line was deceiving because we moved super quick. They have a “self serve” station for coffee and water which is actually super cool because it saves time for the wait staff ( I worked at a breakfast spot when I was younger so I really appreciated this). My boyfriend got the Mexican omelette and I got the Fit for a Queen. The food was amazing!! It was so hot and flavorful for both our dishes. I highly recommend getting pancakes to whatever meal you decide. They were some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. Tony’s omelette looked so fluffy and was overflowing with pico de Gallo, jalapeños, chives, cheese and sour cream. Owner even came over and checked on our table throughout the meal and when we were leaving. Super nice guy! Totally coming back here real soon!

Jonas Junior

Great place

Brian Wyka

Had a little bit of a wait outside, but staff got us in to eat as soon as possible. Delicious food and big portions!!! Come hungry for brunch :)

alex adebayo

2nd time here but better than ever.

Vladimir Barash

The rivalry with sound bites has soured my opinion of this place a bit, but the brunch is still incredible

John LoPriore

Just had breakfast at Ball Sq Cafe It’s the best breakfast in city! This place get a 5 star for all parts of a dining experience whether it is the freshness of the food or the attentive service and also a great menu that offers something for everyone. This place is a true gem whether it’s your first time or your a regular this place knows how to treat their patrons!

Sharyn D

This place is nice, the server and service is great. The food is great as well!

Terk

Love Ball Square Cafe. Huge portions friendly staff. Amazing breakfast food. Coconut Macaroon French Toast is my wife's favorite. I'm a big fan of the Mexican omelet with grilled corn muffin. Corned beef hash is excellent check it out!!!

Anthony Allen

Five Stars On All Fronts: I met Mike, co-Owner, at an Industry event in May. Even after 12 yrs in business, he was infectiously excited about his business and his approach and commitment to the Industry. Construction: I was recently redirected right past Ball Sq Cafe due to bridge construction; I took the opportunity to pull over and grab breakfast. 1st. One of the cleanest restaurants I can remember ever visiting.; corner to corner, immaculate. 2nd. Warm, sincere greeting, an honest 'welcome'. 3rd. Fresh Squeezed OJ. Really? Delicious. 4th. Perfectly crafted/presented & generous French Omelette. 5th. I felt like a welcomed and appreciated Guest. That happens, occasionally. But combined w the meticulous presentation and quality of my breakfast, I feel compelled to tell anyone who will listen: Ball Sq Cafe will define how you think about breakfast from here forward. Thank you Mike and Gabrielle; Made my day.

Harrison

I was walking by one morning so I decided to get an iced coffee and a breakfast sandwich to go. I ordered a Sausage, Egg and Cheese on an Everything Bagel with tomato and avocado (1/4 of an avocado was $3 extra I wouldn’t have added it if I knew it was that much); However, The sandwich and iced coffee were absolutely delicious

Melissa McGinn

The food and homemade OJ are worth standing outside in the cold. The owner is always outside checking on the queue and running around inside making sure everyone is enjoying their meal- he is the nicest guy. Waitstaff is great too!

Frankie Cohen

i have had nothing but good experiences here. i have celiac disease, and the staff is always very accommodating. everyone so far has been super knowledgeable, and made great gluten free recommendations. i have never gotten sick here, which is actually somewhat of a rarity at locations this small. the food is really good, and i was actually pleasantly surprised at how affordable it is given the portion size and good tastes. there’s a reason i try to get my friends come here when going out for breakfast!

Martin Nantwi

Great breakfast menus and fish burgers too!

Erin McConaughey

Pretty good food. Crazy lines so get there early.

John Parks

It does not matter if it is your first visit or your 20th visit this is by far the best breakfast around. From the wait staff to the owner everyone if friendly and works hard to make sure everything is exactly as you want it. If you need to wait in line it is worth the time, go in and grab a coffee while you wait and enjoy. Everything I have ordered on the menu is always cooked to perfection and served with a smile.

Elora Vink

The wait staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. The portions are enormous - expect to bring a box home with you full of leftovers! Would definitely come here again.

Sarah Diri

Update: Dropping a star on my review after visiting today. The quality is certainly going down.. we were asked to move seats after having been seated a half hour so that a group of six could use our 2 top table. My partner found bacon bits under his French toast from a likely dirty grill. My apple cinnamon pancakes were basically crusted in sugar to the point where it crunched in my mouth. It wasn't altogether awful but it wasn't nearly as great as the place used to be, which is disappointing. My fiance and I came in around 12 on Monday; the diner is rather small but there were two open two-top seats, so we managed to sit down instead of wait. The diner has do-it-yourself drinks, with a drink station in the back of the seating area, although our server brought us a hot cocoa (not sure if it was back there or if they had to get it from the kitchen). They also seem to serve food as it is ready, but the wait between our dishes wasn't long at all. Food was tasty and looked fantastic. We got a breakfast plate with eggs, huge chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, and a plate of massive apple-cinnamon french toast. I recommend getting the apples on the side; the sauce will drench your thicker-than-texas cut toast. I wish I'd snagged pictures! Defo will come back.

Jason DeForge

Fun little breakfast place with convenient self-serve coffee. Endless breakfast options especially in terms of pancakes and French toast. Tried their "famous" coconut macaroon French toast and it was beyond amazing! By far the best French toast I've ever had. I wish I lived closer to this place because I'd be here every weekend!

Natalie

I really love this place for more reasons than one. The food is so good and you get a lot for what you pay for. I come here very often and have been for years. Everyone who works there is really cool and seem to love working at Ball Square which makes a great family. They provide great service and are so accommodating. This is a very busy place and it is small so I want to acknowledge them for providing the amazing service that they do given all the pressure. THANK YOU! The owner, (I believe his name is Mike) is such a good person. He provides a sense of community and compassion with the way he interacts with everyone and that to me is very special. You leave there feeling good about the food and supporting a local business of someone who genuinely appreciates everyone. There is a reason the line is always so long with people waiting to get in. They're THAT good! THANK YOU Mike & the entire Ball Square family. We appreciate you!

Shreedeep Bhachech

Our favorite breakfast joint in the area!

Lara Day

If you do not eat gluten/wheat products but used to and sometimes crave things like pancakes and always feel disappointed when you get gluten free ones... look no farther! The gluten free pancakes here are DELICIOUS. The owner is also very personable and clearly cares to get to know his customers. It's a bit of a wait and the space is relatively small, but it's worth it!

Michelle Scott

My only complaint was that there was a wait (I don't usually wait for breakfast, but that seems to be the norm in this town); however, the staff did an excellent job of turning the tables over and let people grab drinks while they waited. The food was excellent-- I ended up getting a platter with a bit of everything and it didn't disappoint. It was a little odd to have to fix your own drinks, but I get that it helps service be faster and anytime you couldn't figure out where the ice was, someone would help you out.

Rich Moretti

Great food and service, can't wait to go back!

david pankiewicz

Hello large appetite and a crazy selection of eggs benny! It was really difficult to nail down just one with all the options. The potatoes mashed were preferred by our foodies. The little crust made it a little yummier than the redskins. Friendly service and friendly owner.

Michael Sapienza

Always a great spot for breakfast. We don't go anywhere else. Be prepared for lines and a crazed atmosphere. This is like a regular, popular diner and have a huge morning crowd but the food and service is worth it

Nikhil Garg

The coconut macaroon French Toast was out of this world!

Blake Lingenau

The long lines tell all. This is THE spot to go for breakfast. Great food at great prices, and the staff is so nice!

Brian C

Rude owner our food took 40 minutes to be ready and waiter made mistakes with our order . But never care . If you expect your food to be ready in 20 minutes good luck

Malcolm White

There is always a wait here, but it is for good reason. The coconut macaroon French toast is incredible, though best to share if you are prone to sugar crashes.

Patricia Castonguay

Best food in town! We stop in every time we are in the area. We have never been disappointed!

Amy M

When I think of where we want to go for brunch, Ball Square is at the top of my list. While seating is at a premium, the owner Mike gets everyone in efficiently and with a jovial handshake. I always leave with a smile on my face because I am full with their fluffy pancakes or their bountiful piles of fresh fruit or French toast or just right crispy bacon...and so much more. Their diverse menu never fails to please. Service is just right, and the food comes out in a reasonable amount of time. Parking stinks, but it’s worth it once you have the food. I wouldn’t recommend coming with a ton of people (max of 4) because you will need to wait longer. Did I mention it’s worth the wait though?

Mahsa Almaeenejad

Rude employees! Had to wait outside even though there were tables ready and when we asked why, they said that’s the way it is! It’s “the rule”! They took care of a party who came after us ! So bad that although I liked the food, I will never go back!

Dominique Engome

Their portions are ginormous! And delicious to boot. During brunch hours on the weekends you'll likely have to wait a bit, but totally worth it.

T Mini

Small, friendly, warm and clean. Berry french toast was both beautiful and delicious

Brian Duke

Eggs Benny was slightly overcooked. If you like your eggs runny, be sure to make a point of it. Fruit plate was excellent and very fresh. Service was kind and helpful. Overall was a good experience, would recommend.

bags513211

Last I checked (a few weeks ago) this was the best breakfast spot in Somerville, not to be confused with the best breastfeeding spot in Somerville. The folks who give this place a bad review for being averse to breasts making an appearance while we’re all trying to enjoy a fire benedict are missing the point and conflating their role as a reviewer. I have no personal allegiance to this place outside of loving their food, great service and always getting some QT with Mike when I stop by. It’s great to see a place with the feel of that old fashioned, neighborhood restaurant. Kind of like Cheers without the booze. If I ever see a guest being mistreated/made to feel unwelcome for something they CAN’T control, my tune might change. For now, I’d encourage every adult going into any private establishment to accept the fact that you can’t do everything you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. If that weren’t the case, I’d be known for ordering with a j hanging from my lips and washing it all down with a cigarette. We’re here for the food (which is spectacular), people, not the breastmilk!!

Irene Shih

Good food, friendly staff. I love their self serve coffee! Next time would just get a small cup and then get refills if needed. Lots of options on the menu, both savory and sweet depending on what kind of breakfast/brunch feel you want. There was a line the entire 2.5 hours I was here but thankfully I came early enough so I didn't have to wait.

Patricia Nunez

Food was average. Coffee less than good. I would have given it 3 stars or let it alone, hoping it may have not been a good day to go. However, I can't ignore that patrons with a breastfeeding mother were treated rudely and harsh words were used by the owner to demand the mother cover up or leave.

Michael Cooke

Pretty good food, expect a line. Coffee is serve yourself. Owner is around shaking hands ans kissing babies if youre into that sort of thing. Our waiter was a bit weird but not bad.

Arundhati R

Amazing for brunch. I go here quite often. Food is delicious. Fruits are perfect. Can have upto 40mins waiting depending on when you go. They don't take reservations

Ella Harty

Love their breakfast/brunch! Delicious waffles, great coffee as well!

William Chin

Great, cozy place! Great food, and huge portions as well! The self serve coffee station is a standout feature and you an grab a to-go cup while you wait for a seat.