Keith's Restaurant - Miramar

I'm pretty sure if you've driven South on the 15 freeway, you've seen the sign for Keith's.

The Missus, who loves diners just could not fend off the pull of this sign forever. So I just knew that we'd eventually be eating here.

On the day we visited Keith's we'd arrive right before what would be considered a normal dinner service. We grabbed a table, and soon enough our menus arrived.

My first thought was that the prices were a bit higher than others, but that could've just been my imagination.

The Missus who loves breakfast for dinner, or lunch, or even a midnight snack went for the two eggs combo. Now, there's just a couple of things that make a diner, well..... a diner for us. Two of them are eggs and potatoes. And though the Foodanistas will criticize something that they think it's below them....it's the potatoes(namely the usually perfectly executed SYSCO hashbrowns) that makes a place like Perry's Cafe (which we hope reopen soon). This is what arrived at our table:

The eggs were an adequate over-medium, though the toast could have been in the toaster a bit longer. The hashbrowns were a letdown. They weren't crisp enough on the exterior, I just don't think enough oil was being used. We really don't go to a diner for "healthy" hashbrowns. The strands of potatoes under the semi-crust were hard, and not good eats.

The entree I ordered started with a Macaroni Soup:

This was really just "meh" for me, but at least they used enough salt in it. The Missus enjoyed it more than I did.

Now one of the other items that makes a diner for us is gravy (and club sandwiches but that's another post). On the basis of a recommendation I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak ($11.79):

Now the steak was fairly good, it was tender and had been processed properly. The flour based coating could have used a bit of seasoning. I expected the vegetables to be mushy and bland, and they were. The fries (potatoes) were a disappointment, as fries with gravy of any kind is weakness of mine. The were the faux "natural" style fries, but were limp, dry, and bland. So on to the gravy..... how can I put this..... think of the texture of thick glue, very gummy...... it actually stood on my upside-down spoon. It also lacked flavor and was badly in need of salt. A disappointment overall.

The woman who served us was very nice.... and even tolerated the two guys who came in later and started asking question about how the mushrooms were sauteed, and stuff like that with good humor..... geeez, this was a diner, not Pampelmousse! We also noticed all the older folk who started coming in while we were living..... what does it say when one has dinner before the "blue plate special" crowd? Oh well, unless someone has a fantastic recommendation, I don't think we'll be back.

Keith's Restaurant
9449 Kearny Mesa Rd
San Diego, CA 92126

Open 24 Hours

Comments

[Loren Casuto]

You might want to try the Studio Diner, best diner i've found in San diego

[kat]

:(

[Kirk]

Hi Loren - This is what my last experience at Studio Diner was.... we were ignored, and two couples who came after us were seated first. When I asked why, I was dismissed...... Before I can determine whether I enjoy the food, I'd like to be able to eat the food.... aside from the almost raw burger I had several years back.

Hi Kat - Double :(

[meemalee]

I'm especially sad about the hash brown - that's why I won't order them because they're often undercooked and oily. Same problem with rosti :(

[caninecologne]

"All right, everybody be cool! This is a robbery!"

Looks like the diner could have been in Pulp Fiction!

I've only been to Keith's once - not my choice...the food was not memorable...

[Gastronomer]

OMG! I've driven by this place a zillion times while visiting my aunts in Scripps Ranch. Thanks for the report. The food looks *interesting*.

[Dennis]

Hi Kirk, I parked under that sign and took a photo of it just a couple weeks back. I didn't go in at the time. You saved me the trip back. But I really liked their sign, haha.

[Kirk]

Hi Meemalee - It's quite amazing how hard it seems to be to make potatoes properly.

Hi CC - It's too bad they demolished Hawthorne Grill.

Hi G - Yes, it is interesting....

Hi Dennis - It's hard to resist that sign! ;o)

[janfrederick]

Ah too bad! We went for the first time for breakfast the weekend before last and were pleased with the food. My hashbrowns weren't bad at all. I wonder if you got kitchen staff that was in training (and not subject to the main dinner rush)?

[Kirk]

Hi Jan - There looked to be two guys in the kitchen....... they both seemed to be pretty experienced.

[michael]

HI Kirk, I love diners. Funny about the guys asking about how the mushrooms were sauteed. hehe. You don't go into a Jack in the Box and ask what kind of meat they have. it's gray it's warm ya just eat it.

[MrM]

Its funny. This is the 'new' location. The old location was on National City Blvd. just before you get on I-5.

I have a long long history with Keith's. We used to go there a lot when I was a kid. They were pretty good in the 70s. They'd even light the fireplace and stuff at night when It was cold.

Over the decades since then I have seen Keith's go from good, to meh, to pretty bad, to dangerous.

My last visit gave me food poisoning...and it was from the simple egg breakfast! This was a couple of years ago. So very sad!

Interestingly, Keiths started out in the 50s as a drive-in and was heading in the McDonalds direction...they were famous for their fries, burgers, and chicken. Somebody missed the boat, me thinks.

Now the original Keith's in NC has finally died and has become Aunt Emmas. Good riddance...it had become a sad reminder of where we've gone as a society.

[Faye]

I used to go to Keiths all the time for breakfast. They had THE best chicken fried steak and eggs. Something about their gravy made me lose my mind (in a good way!). When i had their hash browns, it was always quite good. Super crispy and nicely done. Maybe the breakfast servings at night aren't as good as in the mornings??

[Kirk]

Hi Michael - And that woman was sooo nice.... i'd have probably shot back with a sarcastic "and would you like to see our wine list????"

Hi MrM - That's interesting..... and a bit sad.....

Hi Faye - I dunno, but this was a fairly lousy meal. Some of the blandest chicken fried steak I've ever had. It could be that I worked in the South for almost two years, and had some pretty good chicken fried steak with country gravy.....

[The Geonaut]

Keith's has kinda gone downhill for me over the last few years, but on the rare occasion that I do end up in here, I recommend their chili cheese fries.

[Kirk]

Hi Geonaut - Thanks for the recommendation.... not sure if we'll go back though. Sounds like you and MrM are pretty much in agreement.

[Bruce]

If the food at Keith's is no good, maybe it's because the location is cursed. According to the book "Cemeteries of San Diego" (Arcadia Publishing), there was an early-20th-century graveyard just north of Keith's but the "residents" were dug up and moved to Mount Hope Cemetery in the 1960s. You want fries with that poltergeist?

[Kirk]

Hi Bruce - Well that would explain why, wouldn't it? ;o) You made my day.....

[Lin critic]

Hello to the owner
Please just sell the restaurant , you have lost your way.
You are old fashion , and your taste in flood is " POOR".
Close , the place or hire a business's consultant.
Everything plus the food needs to go.
P.s
The critic

[Kirk]

Hello to Lin "Critic", welcome to our little blog. Since you feel that you need to give advice, here's some for you: Please stop acting like a troll, please go to the place you should feel the most at home; Yelp. your comment adds nothing to the conversation, your approach seems both immature and insulting. Oh, and by the way, since this place closed 2 1/2 years ago, you do realize your comment is in rather poor taste, don't you?
'Nuff said, I'm done feeding the trolls.