Today I got my family to go to an old school American family restaurant we had never tried before. We were all on board for a casual brunch. Nothing too fancy. Brother’s Family Restaurant in the Allied Gardens neighborhood of San Diego looked worth a shot.
I think we got there a little after 11 AM on a Sunday. There were people waiting outside and they said it would be a half hour wait. My wife got us on the list. We were all quire hungry, so we grabbed a quick donut from Heavenly Donuts in the same strip mall on Waring Road. That tied us over.
We were pleasantly surprised to get seated after only 15 minutes, but that was a pump-fake.
As we waited for our food in one of the large, pleasant dining rooms, my wife noticed that they have a Prime Rib thing going on next week for Mother’s Day. My son and wife are both really into Prime Rib, and she was intrigued… at first. And then time dragged on.
I was proud of my family for remaining very patient as I eventually started to lose patience. I am usually the one to push for patience, but 45 minutes after having not heard from a server since our drinks arrived, I wondered aloud if my family wanted to bail.
They held out, and I am glad we did, but only a little.
My son finished his large orange juice, and my wife fought to get him a water. When the cold food arrived, we could tell that it had once been of decent quality.
My wife’s omelette still tasted fresh and properly cooked, just cold. The hash brows were very good, and held up better to the cold.
My son did not like his Philly cheesesteak sandwich, but I told him that he really shouldn’t order those at this type of place. The best Philly’s are had a hole-in-walls, where the over-the-top greasiness is socially acceptable. The fries were ok. This style actually held up to the cold ok.
I think my steak and eggs would’ve been good if served hot. The steak was heavily seasoned, which my son and I actually appreciate—we can sometimes have very downscale taste.
My wife and I both wanted to like this restaurant. It had a casual American feel that reminded us of our upbringing. Perhaps it was just an off day, but my wife is skeptical, since no one ever apologized for the wait or checked on us between the drinks and the food—45 minutes later. I can also say that I saw other patrons without food—staring at their phones.
My son noticed some apparent regulars having long conversations with the staff. There seems to be a devoted following, but in the end, we will not be going back for Prime Rib, or for anything. We might try some of the other places in the area though.
If you are a glutton for punishment or just don’t trust my advice, check out their website at:
https://brothersalliedgardens.com
P.S. If it would be possible to get the food while it is hot, it might be worth a visit.
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