Phoenix Street Cafe
RICHIE’S EXPERIENCE:
Meal: Had the Eggs Benedict (but with crab cakes instead of ham) served with breakfast potatoes, a Blood Orange Mimosa, and coffee.
Bill Total: Came to $20 before my tip (which of course was enormous, as always.)
......soooooo, we switched it up this time. The ladies and I were in a brunch mood, so we landed on a spot I’m sure many people in South Haven are familiar with. Truth be told, we had a couple of places in mind, and your boy right here was in a boujie mood, and felt it was vital that an adult beverage be an option. (I mean, it is what it is. LOL)
The vibe of Phoenix Street Cafe has a busy feel. The colors are warm inside, the space is large and open, but there are lots of tables and seating filling the dining area. There is a bar area that separates the kitchen and prep area, and there is an open doorway and window into the kitchen, so you can hear and see the cooks working their magic. The dining area does have a rather congested feel due to its layout, which is not off-putting to me, but might not be everyone’s cup of tea. You can definitely feel people in your bubble if you are sitting along the walls for sure.
I felt like the service was on point. This is a hard part of the review for me to do, because I feel like I’m not coming at it from a new customer point of view. I know people that work there, so they treat me good regardless. Nevertheless, my experience with the waitress was great, and I felt that the food came out in a timely manner. Dolly checked on us frequently, and I had no complaints with regards to any of the service we received. I DO feel like this is consistent however, just by watching the interactions around us.
The food was legit!! Plain and simple. I’ve always love food here, and I tried to mix it up a bit. I was torn between ordering the Chicken and Waffles and the Eggs Benedict (my usual go-to breakfast to compare places), and both Aubree and our waitress steered me in the right direction. Aubree convinced me to kick it up a notch and go with crab cakes as the meat, and she couldn’t have been more right!!!!! I didn’t miss out on the Chicken and Waffles though, because the ladies and I can’t resist snagging bites off each other’s plates. The crab cakes were tender and moist, and played VERY well with a VERY well made hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise sauce is my jam, and it’s the reason I always order and compare Eggs Benedict if it’s an option. It was velvety and cheesy with the perfect mild amount of citrus, and was the perfect consistency. I tend to be rather textural when it comes to food, and their sauce did not disappoint. Speaking of textures, the potatoes were perfectly cooked. They were soft and hot on the inside, while perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside. I very much tried to find flaws (as I’m personally a hash browns man), but the breakfast potatoes rounded out the meal in a good way. I’d most definitely get this plate again!!!
I gotta hit quick on the drink I had too (cuz that was my deciding factor for Phoenix Street Cafe anyway). I ordered a Blood Orange Mimosa and loved it!! If it’s an option, I’m usually ordering a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary, and the blood orange option sounded tasty on paper. It was garnished with a candied blood orange slice, and it was extremely refreshing. If I had to criticize anything, it would be that it went down little toooooooooo smooth (but honestly, is that REALLY a bad thing? LOL).
.......so to me, I dug it!! All in all, I had a great breakfast at what I felt was a reasonable price. Dolly is always a pleasure to have as a waitress, so I had great customer service too (again, I’m not a newbie at Phoenix Street Cafe, so it wasn’t a completely neutral experience). My drink went down smooth and easy (the coffee was good too, but was second fiddle to my mimosa of course). They also make one hell of a crab cake, and a very delicious hollandaise sauce!! I’d recommend Phoenix Street Cafe to anyone that wants a good breakfast, but doesn’t mind a busy, open environment.
AUBREE’S EXPERIENCE:
Meal: Huevos Rancheros Tostadas feature for me and kid’s pancake meal for Starlin
Bill Total: About $24 before tip
Our second meeting was set on a blustery winter Saturday in downtown South Haven, we were set to meet at 11:30 AM for bunch just late enough that I was starving upon arrival especially after a morning workout. It took a few minutes to find parking, as anyone who has been to South Haven knows that can be a challenge on busy days. This time we had a special guest-my seven-year-old son, Starlin! He was so excited to Feast Mode.
We were greeted as soon as we walked in by a friendly young gentleman who made us feel welcome and quickly ran to clean off a table after I gave him the number in our party. We were seated at a four top close to the front window and in the middle of the restaurant. Not my first choice for seating, but all the tables that lined the walls as half booths, half tables were taken. I took this as a good sign that they were busy, even on a winter day. The gentleman who seated us took Starlin and my drink order, which was a coffee and water for myself and an orange juice for Starlin. Within few short minutes he was back with our drinks. The restaurant was full but with its high ceilings and layout it did not seem crowded. The walls are lined with chalkboards which have the daily features listed, specialty drinks, and reminders of events coming up. The writing is done neatly and some even featured little drawings which are always fun to look at. Richie and Stephanie arrived and I was reminded that they have cocktails when Ritchie asked for the drink menu, WHAT?! Game changer, maybe I need something to go with my coffee?! I totally did. I ordered the Blood Orange Mimosa which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I could have easily drank 10 of them; however, I was mom-ing too, so there will be other times for that! Steph and Richie had their drinks within a few minutes of getting there too.
I can’t even count how many times I have been to Phoenix Street. I almost always get the same thing; the Egg Benedict with crab cakes instead of ham. That is my absolute favorite thing on the menu and my go-to. For this review, I wanted to try something new. I was in luck they had a feature that our lovely server Dolly told us about which was Huevos Rancheros Tostadas-chorizo, onion, tomato, pinto beans, eggs, and salsa. Served with tater tots. I ordered my eggs over medium. I was lucky enough to get one of the two orders they had left. Starlin got his usual off the kids menu, which is enough food for an adult. A pancake as big as the plate, literally…I cut it in half because otherwise it will fall off the plate, one egg any style-he gets scrambled and one choice of breakfast meat-he gets his favorite, bacon. Once the food came, it did not disappoint. It was a huge serving which would normally be two meals for me, but that did not stop me from eating it all on this particular day. Oops! However, I did not eat again the rest of the day. Starlin nibbled on his and took the rest home which ended up being his breakfast on Sunday morning. It wasn’t my first time visiting this place and I would have to say it is currently my favorite local brunch spot. The owners also own Café Julia and Kitchen 527 so I think it would be safe to say they know the restaurant business. If you haven’t, go there and give it a try!
STEPH’S EXPERIENCE:
Meal: Chicken and waffles + black coffee + blueberry vodka deliciousness
Bill Total: $22.79 before tip
Ok so… if you didn’t know I’m the one that puts these up so I’ve read Richie’s and Aubree’s reviews and, well, I feel like mine’s going to be a bit of a bummer but just bear with me, y’all.
First of all, brunch is the best and brunch is not brunch without adult beverages (if I wrote the rulebook, anyway). In South Haven, that means pretty much your only option, that I’m currently aware of, is Phoenix Street Cafe. I actually worked at Phoenix Street for a bit during my college years. I can honestly say that the management and owners treated their staff very well during my time there and they take a lot of pride in their quality of food. I always know I’m getting high quality meals and great service when I decide to head to Phoenix Street. I also looove their wide variety of selection. When I was vegetarian, I knew I wouldn’t have to pick between only 2 things that I probably wouldn’t like. They have OPTIONS, PEOPLE!! If you have food sensitivities or follow certain meal plans, I highly recommend coming here as you will likely find something that fits your needs, is prepared well, and you’ll enjoy.
I was the last to arrive so Aubree and Richie had already gotten their drinks by the time I sat down. Dolly was our server and, seriously, if you get Dolly, you are in the best of hands for your dining experience. I’ve literally never had any service issues at Phoenix Street but Dolly is a literal icon there. I ordered a water, black coffee, and a blueberry lemonade vodka cocktail that I regrettably forgot the name of… but it’s dangerous. It literally just tastes like blueberry lemonade and goes down so easily. The coffee was just “meh.” I had 1.5 cups I think. Not my favorite but I’ve had worse.
Here’s where it gets kind of bummery. I ordered the chicken and waffles. Chicken and waffles is one of my favorite comfort meals and Richie got me craving them when he said that Phoenix Street revamped their version. It’s a waffle with basically chicken tenders, smothered in sausage gravy. I actually don’t eat pork but I broke my own rule just for this (you’re welcome, y’all). They serve it with 2 eggs any style and I ordered mine over medium. Portion size is ginormous and I could only finish about half of the chicken and waffle. There wasn’t anything WRONG with the meal, it just wasn’t my favorite. I prefer the southern, traditional style with crispy fried chicken. I just felt like there was almost too much going on. The gravy made the chicken and waffle soggy and, as I said, I prefer it crispy. There also wasn’t much flavor outside of the gravy. It was pretty much all I could taste. It was just very underwhelming and I left a bit bummed because I was super hyped about some damn chicken and waffles. LOL.
Even though my food on this visit was a 6/10, it won’t stop me from recommending Phoenix Street Cafe. They are a solid choice in our community as they consistently deliver delicious, high-quality meals with outstanding service. I KNOW, without a doubt, that I’m not going to receive questionable food or be ignored and they have amazing options for when I want something of a healthier variety. Richie and Aubree hit the atmosphere of the place perfectly, so I won’t bore you with a repeat of that. Phoenix Street is a staple in South Haven and a must-try if you want a good brunch spot. They also offer catering! Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Phoenix Street Cafe
523 Phoenix Street, South Haven, MI 49090
(269) 637-3600
A casual, New American breakfast and lunch cafe
Hours:
Open every day 7 am - 3 pm
