The areas best kept secret for 'greasy spoons'.
Fantastic bargain, good ass 'home cooking', and reasonably friendly staff. BE SURE TO ASK FOR JO-ANNE or CHARLENE. Both are cream of the crop waitresses for this type of place.
I'm a culinary type of guy, and I'll be honest and frank. Everything is good enough to feed the family. If you order fish, you are going to get deep fried, beaded, and frozen stuff. It's still fine and dandy though. I prefer the breakfast and lunch menu items, bit there are a few dinner items that are absolutely great! Pork chop dinner is great, fried chicken the two times I had it kicked butt, although a very trustworthy friend told me his was bad just a few days later... The specials board usually has a few fresh items on it like maybe a local fresh catch piece of tilapia or stuffed peppers. I've been disappointed maybe three times in 20+ years of eating at this place. I am partial with fond memories of my Mother,Father,Grandmother, and friends eating there. In fact the guy who had the soggy bottom fried chicken used to love going with my Dad, brother, and I before work on the weekends! He too is a lifetime Suncoast Family Restaurant (now suncoast cafe) diner and fanatic. He also has great taste in food and highly recommends it.
I usually stick to what I absolutely love there...
Biscuits & Gravy or a kick ass omelet for breakfast. (sometimes lunch and hell, even dinner if they have the biscuits left.) I promise you, it doesn't disappoint, and whew buddy...it'll stick to your ribs! I've had almost every breakfast item, and never not liked it.
For lunch, I'm a sucker... It's a corned beef Reuben with extra crisp french fries, or if I'm nursing a hangover or in the mood for greasy red meat, a Patty Melt. I literally just ate and am making myself hungry! I always get a side or house salad, only because I love their ranch dressing and I like the crispy cold thin slices of onion on their salads. On the Salad tip - if you are feeling like a rabbit, or just want to eat like one and pretend that you eat healthy... Get the DINNER CHEF SALAD!!! Now when your friends get up to wash their hands, go ahead and order extra ranch dressing and hose it down like its your pet dog and he's on fire, and ranch dressing is the only way to save him... It's honestly a that good slathered with any of their homemade dressings, homemade as in a powder mix probably. Not sure, but the consistency has varied from time to time, so it isn't bottled. It tastes delicious. I use the fresh bread they give you to sop it up. Let no drop be washed away by Carlos or Pablo. Ok, one last thing about the salad.... There is enough meat and cheese on the chef salad ($6.99 I think) to take half of it off and pair it with that above mentioned fresh bakery bread for a sandwich. Turkey, ham, roast beef, and two types of cheese. Hold the ranch dressing on the sandwich, probably be really good, but rather messy... No matter what you do, you will enjoy this classic crisp iceberg chef salad. Iceberg,tomatoes,whole Greek olives,onions,a pepperoncini or two,all the earlier mentioned meats and cheeses, and a whole lot of it!
All their dinners come with choice of soup or salad, fresh bread, entree, and a desert.
Soup here is a must try. Beef Barley is my personal favorite, with N.E. Clam Chowder at #2. Never cared for the red (Manhattan) but people love it. The soups are hearty. They are thick, loaded with goodies, and although they vary day to day, they keep a schedule weekly. Friday is clam chowder's, Wednesday is wedding or chicken lemon rice, Tuesday is beef barley, etc...etc...
My friend and I can go pig out like kings, drink a dozen sodas, get all the sides and extras we want, as well as leave a big fat tip and not spend over $20. That makes us happy. We go to Le Bouchon up the street and each entree is $20. Worth it for duck breast with red wine sauce a finely prepared starch, and a few asparagus spears... But not exactly wise on the wallets.
I can almost promise you that you will enjoy your dinner, lunch, or breakfast at Suncoast. Just keep in mind that this is an old fashioned greasy spoon style restaurant, its not fine dining. It is however delicious, the folks are funny and warm for the most part, its clean, and its truly a bargain. Breakfasts under $4.50 and dinners under $8 for three courses.
Give it a shot, and them you will see why this place has expanded four times in the last 15 years, to eventually outgrow the strip mall it was originally in, located right next door.
I bet you might even see your neighbours there!
Now, stop reading this and head toward your healthy rabbit and ranch dressing fix, or your greasy patty melt needs!
