8915 S Lindell Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89139
Everyday from 7:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Credit card and cash accepted
Grade: A-
As the sole building in a nearly empty lot, Keke’s Breakfast Cafe was hard to miss with many eye-catching signs pointing you in its direction. Although the exterior of the building itself was colored in muted beiges and black and white, it was still striking to look at compared to the desert surrounding the restaurant. What initially reeled me in was the bustle of people outside the establishment. However, this also proved to be a challenge as the parking lot was overwhelmed with cars from the crowds of people waiting to get inside, making it hard to find a spot near the entrance.
There was a bit of a wait time to be seated, but it wasn’t a big deal because the restaurant provided many benches for customers to sit on. Aside from that, it allowed me to admire the overall ambiance of the restaurant. The place was illuminated by natural light streaming in from large windows, and the chatter and laughter in the background only made me more excited to get to my table. The interior was rife with vibrant blues and oranges on the decor, which came as a shock in comparison to the modern, minimalist exterior of the building. Overall, my family had to wait around 15 minutes before being seated, which took longer primarily because they weren’t able to move tables around to accommodate larger sized parties.
Once I was seated, I carefully examined the menu and noticed that many dishes were marked as “Keke’s Specials.” I decided on two of them: the Turtle Stuffed French Toast and the Cheese Steak Omelet. I also chose to get a classic breakfast dish, the Chocolate Chip Pancakes.
The first dish I tried was the Turtle Stuffed French Toast ($14.99). As soon as the plate was placed in front of me, I was intrigued by the presentation of the delicate meal. The dish was stuffed with remarkably sweet chocolate, caramel drizzle, fudge, and pecans in between crispy pieces of toast, topped with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. The melted chocolate, sandwiched together by the golden bread, was similar to the consistency of nutella, and it was the most overpowering out of all the ingredients in the dish. The pecans added a satisfying crunch in contrast to the oozing chocolate, while the caramel and fudge had a rich sweetness that lingered on my tastebuds. The only downside for me was how messy this dish was to eat; the filling kept spilling out from between the bread. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish as I usually dislike overly sweet meals.
After having an extremely sugary treat, I was excited to try something a little more savory to mediate my palette, so I moved on to the Cheese Steak Omelet ($17.49). At first glance, I was a little skeptical of the presentation of the dish. However, after trying it, my tastebuds were immediately overwhelmed, but not necessarily in a bad way. The cheese in the omelet was not too overpowering and added a subtle texture and flavor, while the steak on top was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The onions contributed a nice complementary crunch, and the dish was exactly as the menu promised—it tasted almost exactly like a philly cheesesteak. The potatoes were a nice touch as they were thoroughly seasoned and had a slight crisp around the edges. Out of the two Keke’s Specials I tried, this was definitely my favorite.
Lastly, I moved on to the Chocolate Chip Pancakes ($14.49). After trying countless pancakes in my lifetime, I was curious to see how Keke’s would hold up to my expectations. I was especially intrigued because of the promise of how large the pancakes would be online, not to mention the waiter gave me a warning about the portion sizes. When the pancakes arrived at my table, they did not exaggerate the size; the pancakes were around the size of a dinner plate. Appearance wise, they seemed to be simple buttermilk pancakes with a few chocolate chips on top. However, after cutting into the pancake itself I could see that it was filled with a generous amount of chocolate chips that were melted into the pancakes. After taking a bite, I was met with the sensation of smooth, rich chocolate and the crispy outside of golden pancakes that comforted my tastebuds. On top of that, the inside was perfectly buttery and almost melted on my tongue. To say the least, Keke’s Chocolate Chip pancakes were everything that I had hoped for.
All in all, I had a great experience at Keke’s Breakfast Cafe. Between the specialty dishes and the classic ones, I felt the prices were more than reasonable for the amount and quality of food I was getting. Although the wait times could be seen as a deterrent, I’d be willing to wake up earlier to beat the crowds of people and try these delicious dishes again.
