Cliff’s Cafe & Catering

This place has a lot of folks in here at lunch on a Sunday, so I thought there must be something there.
I ordered eggs, home fries, and bacon… and could have done a better job at home. The toast was either stale when they made it or it had sat for a while before they put the oil butter on it to warm it up. The potatoes were a medium pile of diced reds, again, kind of dried out around the edges and the eggs were overdone while the bacon was under cooked.
I could have made better at home if I were in the mood, and saved about ten bucks with tip. Waitress was very nice.
Sorry, just not impressed. The place needs an overhaul of the inside too — the ambience is more «casual headed toward divey» but I’ll give it the benefit.

Cliff’s never disappoints! Great staff, great food — always reliable! I’ve been going to Cliff’s for over 20 years and it has only gotten better.

I’ll try to keep it short.
Cliffs is pretty basic. Basic breakfasts and lunches, though the fish and chips is pretty good and probably the one thing you couldn’t make at home yourself, or least wouldn’t want to.
We’ve been going to Cliff’s for years, and now know what to expect. Basically we go if we want breakfast and don’t feel like cooking it ourselves. Its not fancy.
They charge extra for onions on your home fries, and they don’t tell you, but they sure ask you. Actually, all the extras you end up with really add up here, so just be careful. They are super busy on weekends, like any breakfast place. They are very friendly here though, they keep the coffee coming, and the place is always clean.

Party if 4 arrived waited 20 minutes for a table Table for 5 was available but we could not sit at it. Finally got a
Table for 4 and I see the table for 5
Is still empty as I write this Ordered food and it took 30 minutes for the cold food to arrive. Had high hopes for cliffs but won’t be back anytime soon

We have lived in the area for nearly two years and finally stopped by Cliff’s. Sorry we didn’t stop by sooner! First they were busy. Next upon entering we were struck with how clean it is. Greeted by a very pleasant hostess/​server who waited on us. Great coffee we sat at the counter giving us a good view of the well organized kitchen. My wife had a ham, cheese, spinach omelet that was very good, not greasy and flavorful. I had one of the specials: eggs Benedict on a corn muffin with chorizo and a spicy queso sauce that was perfect. The photos I took say it all! We just found another favorite breakfast spot! Also we left without any food odors.

What restaurant doesn’t include Home Fries with Breakfast… REALLY???
We went to Cliff’s Café for Sunday breakfast. As we each ordered eggs or omelettes we were asked by the waitress «Would you like homefries? They are not included.» Taken a bit aback I asked, «I’m sorry but you don’t not get any potatoes with eggs, bacon and toast?» and she replied «That’s right.» So I ordered 2 eggs Over Easy with Bacon and the 5-​grain toast they offered and also the side dish of homefries at $ 1.99 and was asked if I wanted them with onions and I said «sure».
I am a retired truck driver and have traveled millions of miles and been to THOUSANDS of diners in the U.S. and Canada. Every single one offers a side besides your eggs, meat and toast. Depending on where you are you may be offered home fries, hash browns, grits or a choice of either and in Canada baked beans are also a choice. I personally rate diners on two specific meals. Bacon & Eggs Breakfast and a Burger & Fries lunch or dinner. I believe you should be able to roll into any town and find a place to enjoy one of these comfort meals no matter which State or Province you are in. Diners that offer breakfast «all day» or at least while they are open get Bonus Points. Besides eating in diners for decades I was a short order cook in a few all-​night diners and can sling hash with the best of them.
My breakfast arrived and the eggs looked large with an abundance of egg white. In my opinion Over Easy eggs should have firm whites and the maximum amount of liquid yolk without any runniness in the whites. These were closer to Over Medium as each egg only yielded about a teaspoon of yolk to be mopped up with my toast. The 5 grain sounded like a nice option but one slice was overcooked and crunchy. The bacon was by FAR the star of the meal and had a nice thickness, color, crispness and flavor and if I had just gone in to eat bacon Cliff’s would have gotten 5 stars and the coffee was pretty good too.
The homefries came in a side dish. They were made with Red Bliss potatoes and had a 2 – 3 tablespoon pile of sauteed onions piled on top. They were small cut, ½″ to ¾″ cubes. They were over boiled in the parboil. Only 20−30% had any crisp on them, and if I hadn’t gotten the onions on them they would have been bland as they were under seasoned. They would have been disappointing if included in the meal but charging $ 1.99 for 6 ½ cents of poorly cooked potatoes is thievery.
As we prepared to leave I pulled one of the waitresses aside and explained that I would be giving them a positive review but that not including homefries with breakfast was unacceptable and she said, «Will you PLEASE go tell that to the owner?». This led me to believe that other customers have had this issue and that the owner is unreceptive to the input of his staff who were all helpful and courteous and more importantly to his customers.
I approached the owner and explained that my breakfast wasn’t bad but that I was put off that they charged $ 2 for a side that is included in 99.99 999% of diner breakfasts. He seemed a bit put out that I would make such a comment and said in a dismissive tone, «Well that’s how I’ve been doing it for years.». I told him that may be true but that it would affect any online review I may write online, to which he rudely said to me «Yeah…Whatever!»
His attitude showed his true colors and his approach to his customers, his staff and most importantly to his food. I hope that even if he never includes a side dish with his breakfasts that at least he figures out how NOT to alienate customers because whenever the subject of dining in Townsend MA comes up I will be telling people to «Steer clear of Cliff’s Café… Not only do they not include homefries with their breakfasts but the owner acts like a rude jerk.»

Awesome little spot, great for lunch or breakfast (which they serve all day until they close at 2). Staff was super friendly and attentive, food was delicious and fresh. Can’t believe I’ve driven past this place dozens of times and it took me this long to stop in. Great place, highly recommended!

A great place to eat! It’s ok if there is a wait… it’s worth it!

Great service. Great food. First visit for me. I will be back. Corned beef hash and home fries really good. Bottomless cup of coffee was appreciated.

Huge pancakes, best deal. Canned hash and no fancy meals. Don’t try to get there early, doesn’t open til 7. May have to wait for home fries til 7:30 or 8:00 when they cook them. No homemade muffins or breads.

My morning ruined! First let me say I’ve been here before and the breakfast has been OK. This morning was a different story however, My wife and I figured would give them another shot. Breakfast arrived in a normal amount of time however the home fries weren’t cooked at all (like eating par boiled potatoes at best). I informed the waitress they weren’t cooked and so I asked if they could be cooked more to which the answer was a short yes. While waiting for my potatoes to be cooked I break my eggs open. I asked for them to be cooked over medium, instead they are runny white throughout and all over my plate (I would call it barely over easy). My potatoes return and I inform the waitress my eggs aren’t cooked properly I get a sigh/​OK and she asked over easy right? My answer was no over medium. Now back to the potatoes that came to me after I discovered my eggs not cooked properly. They looked more brown and almost like they were cooked so I take a bite, man looks are deceiving. They were just as hard as they were before, I stand up and go to the counter to tell the waitress to cancel my eggs because I’m not eating anything else from there. I get the cold shoulder from there on out, bill slapped on table and so on. My meal wasn’t on the bill and if it was I wouldn’t have paid for it anyways. Oh, and if you like boiled/​steamed sausage make sure to order them, it might even be precooked out of the package. If you want sub-​par food at regular prices visit Cliff’s. My wife, Myself, and for that matter anyone we know won’t be going here ever again. Thanks for ruining my day!

Good local breakfast /​lunch joint with typical menu options. They do have specials every week, including pancake specials. I usually get a blueberry pancake — it is massive! One will do for most. Staff is friendly and attentive. If going on a Sunday, you may want to time your visit between church services.

on a Saturday it took a one hour from the time we got there until the time we paid our bill. I was particularly frustrated that we waited a half hour to get our food. we almost left before the food came we were so annoyed. the food is still pretty good but the service was awful.

Nice location right on the Main road. The dining area is clean and cared for.
Good food with the typical offerings. They make a terrific salmon bagel sandwich and the biggest pancakes around. One is enough. Worth a visit.

Food is really good and service was good but then the staff left because there was too many changes and the service just isn’t the same anymore

Best service in town and the portions are crazy. Salads are super fresh and amazing with some chicken on top! Definitely stop in and ask what the specials are… things like BBQ shaved steak bomb quesadillas and their awesome homemade turkey salad! If you get a sandwich, don’t get white bread; try your sandwich on one of the cool breads they have like sourdough, hemp, Portuguese, etc. We can’t help eating here all the time!

Have stopped here for b’fast a few times before taking off for a full day of motorcycling. Oddly, I haven’t ever been inside, yet, because we always sit out front on the porch to eat, LOL. Food is good, waitstaff is very friendly and fellow diners tend to be a chatty friendly bunch, too. Now that I’ve gotten around to reading their Unilocal reviews, I’ll skip my usual poached-​eggs-​on-​toast order next time and check out that Portugese sweetbread French toast or one of their pancakes! YUM!

My mom works at the town hall right next door & eats here all the time (yea, she’s a «regular»), so sometimes I join her.
(For those of you who have to find parking, there’s some on the side of the street — otherwise, park in the weird little triangle «lot» across the street. Or poach the town hall lot, haha.)
They’ve redone the interior somewhat recently: new paint, replaced the ceiling, changed the lighting, added some nice décor — they have a really gorgeous painting of the Townsend town common hanging on the wall — I hope it doesn’t get ruined by some little kid smearing ketchup on it or something! Overall, it’s a huge improvement & now it’s a nice little space for breakfast or lunch. They have a lot of seating outside on the front porch, too.
They serve the traditional diner food — pancakes, eggs, sandwiches, burgers, etc. I usually get a grilled cheese because I like to live really, really dangerously — & also because they have Portuguese sweet bread. So good! My mom likes their tuna & BLT sandwiches.
Service is quick & friendly, even if you aren’t considered a regular. It’s also a cheap meal.

Down home greasy spoon from ye olden days. Good stuff if that’s your bag.
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Back again a few times over the past few years and not much has changed. It’s not going to WOW you, but that’s not what this place is about. It’s about serving up a solid eggs & bacon kind of breakfast or a simple BLT sandwich. Basic and inexpensive. Yankee-​friendly service from the owners is a plus.

Cliff’s Café is, as the other reviews indicated, your average small-​town diner. The location itself is small and unassuming, but the service is always fast and friendly. There are a few standouts on the menu — their french toast made with Portuguese sweet bread is delicious, as are their home fries and all of their breakfast sandwiches. Their pancakes are ENORMOUS, unless you have a huge appetite there’s no way you’re eating more than one. My personal favorite is a coffee roll french toast, a frequent special that I always order when available.
Cliff’s always manages to draw me back in with its great prices, good food, and reliable service. I’ve been there countless times and I’ve never once had a subpar meal or bad experience.