In the wake of Los Angeles’s brunch boom, modest Rock’n Egg Cafe gives famous brunch places a run for their money. Brunch is the combination of the words “breakfast” and “lunch” — allowing foodies to wake up at 12 and still be able to order waffles at 1. Brunch culture has taken over the city of Los Angeles and the formula for the perfect establishment is simple: pretty dishes, pretty restaurant, and pretty long lines. Rock’n Egg Cafe was born just earlier this year in February and while it has drawn up a little neighborhood buzz in its infantry, the cafe still has a long way to go to meet the hipster’s ideal brunch place. 

Is Rock’n Egg Cafe a pretty restaurant? It’s painted in a loud shade of red with black and white striped awnings so it’s pretty hard to miss on an otherwise dull street. The striking color is the reason why my parents must have spotted the ruby-colored gem on a Sunday morning, and why people are often coaxed by their curiosity to come inside. While its outside is definitely eye-catching and Instagram-worthy, its inside is a bit lackluster.  

To my disappointment, not only did the inside not match the bold exterior, it was a bit ugly. What I could remember the most from the inside is my father pointing out the art which were google-searched images printed on your everyday printer paper and then, framed on the wall. He called it resourceful because it was an inexpensive alternative than buying “real” art. Maybe it’s a bit snobby to call it in bad taste or unprofessional but a large part of brunch culture is how bougie you feel when you eat there. Also, I have to add that the artwork doesn’t have a theme that matches the cafe. The two seemed disjointed but the mismatch does create a sort of humbleness that is missing from most brunch places and that I can at least appreciate. 

So yes, it’s not so handsome on the inside but its ugliness does work to the cafe’s advantage. It contributes to its homey-ness. That sounds strange but I think its crimes of lacking aesthetic make you really feel cozy (besides the steel like chairs which again don’t match anything else in the restaurant).

If you’re looking for Instagram pics that please the eye and make all of your friends jealous, you better eat outside or add a hell of a filter. This is an area that the cafe should probably work on because this is half of the reason why brunch places haven’t gone extinct. Some places have huge neon signs in cursive that say something overrated like, “Good Vibes Only” or play up their aesthetics with brick walls. It’ll be interesting to see if this cafe will ever submit to a brunch-snob upgrade. 

As far as food goes, Rock’n Egg knows what they’re doing. I had a beautiful stack of pancakes that I proudly customized myself: plain pancakes with candied almonds, whipped cream, and strawberries. If that doesn’t sound like an absolute dream, then it’s because you haven’t tried pancakes from Rock’n Egg Cafe. These pancakes were so amazing that they transformed everything I thought I wanted from a pancake. My only critique would be the candied part of the almonds. They were a bit overpowering in taste and sweetness but not enough that I couldn’t enjoy it. I have to thank myself for adding the strawberries because they provided a citrus element that was able to cut the sugary taste in half. 

Then comes the pancake. I believe in two things: it’s very difficult to mess up a pancake and it’s very difficult to make a pancake stand out from other restaurant’s pancakes. Somehow Rock’n Egg was able to provide a slim difference in that the pancakes were a bit crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I am a “make the carb crispy as it can be before it turns black” kind of gal and it blew my mind to get a satisfying crisp on a pancake. 

But before I even not ate but experienced these pancakes, I made sure to add them to my Snapchat story. Partly to let people know that I do go outside, and partly to let people know that I was eating something that looked as beautiful as it tasted. I got several replies from friends whose mouths were watering as they typed how delicious the pancakes appeared. It’s safe to say that Rock’n Egg Cafe is a brunch place focused on the food and less on the aesthetic. 

The quaint cafe is situated on 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041 and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 6 AM to 2 PM. Dishes range from $12 to $30 and its Instagram handle is @rockneggcafe.