When you go to an expensive restaurant, you expect the wait staff to be friendly — after all, you're paying for it. And yet they rarely are. So why is it that at JP's Bagel Place, a joint where you can still scarf down a hearty plate of food for next to nothing, the staff is so unbelievably attentive? We have no earthly idea, but they are and we love it. This mini-diner is always abuzz with regulars, nearly all of whom the 20-something waitresses know by name. There are rarely open seats, no matter when you arrive, but after you do find a little nook to call your own, the real fun starts. Just watching the short order flurry behind the counter will floor you: the girls swarm like basketball players, effortlessly dodging one another with spins and skips. Newbies to JP's will hold temporary titles like "honey" or "baby" — which can be a bit unnerving to hear out of the mouths of waitresses who look fresh out of high school. Still, it's refreshing in South Florida to find an inexpensive hideaway with great food and spectacularly efficient, friendly service.
New Times 2008
Review by: Anonymous Breakfast Lover on 4/13/2008
It's not exactly hard to find a cheap place for breakfast. There are hundreds of chains offering the typical eggs, pig product, and fried potato for a couple of bucks, but they normally come with a much bigger cost. Try eating at a big-time chain or fast-food restaurant for breakfast and see how productive your day is. If you're anything like me, you'll spend more time wrestling with your intestines and the realization that you just ate mass-produced slop to start your day.
JP's Bagel Place in Hollywood, winner of New Times' 2008 best service in a restaurant, will not cause any regrets to your wallet, your GI tract, or your good conscience. JP's is a small restaurant, and by small, I mean microscopic. Twenty people seems to be about the maximum that will comfortably fit in the booths and along the old diner-style bar. Once you're in, though, it's smooth sailing. The service is fast and friendly, the menu is loaded with freshly baked, boiled, and fried breakfast foods, and it's all priced to please (so long as you bring cash... no credit cards here).
I ordered French toast with a side of home fries. The entire order came out less than five minutes after I placed the order. The four slices of toast were thick, perfectly crispy on the outside, and fluffy and buttery on the inside. The fried potatoes were crispy and perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper right off the grill. In less time than it took to cook the order, I'd devoured it and was presented with a check for $5.08. This could become a habit.
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Brett Gillin
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My family has been going to JP's for 8 years. We love the service and thefood as well. The waitresses, as well as J.P.(owner) ,know my children and grandson by name. If any of the customers gets his name in the paper, it is posted on the door of the restaurant. A large cork board holds the pics of regulars. The place is tiny, so on the week-ends, get there before 9:00, or you will have a wait. Take-out is an option. Lunch is also served.
Award Nomination: Best Breakfast Ever
Review #13346
Review by: cafépulla on 4/12/2008
Good, fresh food, filling but not fancy. JP is the best, watches over his customers, his employees -Casey, Erica, Rita, Heather, and helpers. Imagine, those hard workers show up to eat breakfast there on their days off and bring the family, too! (who knows, maybe that is a perk, but it shows the atmosphere is family and friends). Also, if you want to know what's happening around town, anybody will take time to tell you. Yeh, so sometimes you may hear politics over potato pancakes, but the laughter is dessert. SWEET. BTW, no desserts, just muffins and coffeecake.
Award Nomination: Best Service
Review #13331
