Beth's Cafe

Beth's Cafe is a local institution and very popular.  They've been around since 1954, on the west side of Aurora across from Greenlake; they're right near where the two teepees used to be, I think.  They're open late (24 hours a day, in fact), and up until the public spaces smoking ban, they allowed smoking.  This meant that they tended to get a tolerant, alternative, raucous kind of crowd.  In fact, they still kind of do, plus you won't leave there smelling intensely of smoke.  It's gonna be noisy and crowded, but really friendly and weird and interesting if you happen to go there.  I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case all day and all night, but I have only been there twice so I couldn't say for sure.  I remember lots of tattoos and hippies and hikers and complicated families, and folks there for the hangover cure or because they weren't done being drunk yet.  The long hours particularly lend themselves to the partying set. 

They do pretty basic and pretty darn large servings; omelettes, for instance, come in 6 or 12-egg sizes!!  Their prices range from $10.50 to $19.50, and you are paying for quantity.  There are also plenty of other basic diner breakfast options, and a basic lunch/dinner menu too.  Prices range from $6 burgers to $11.25 New York steak & eggs with a broad average in between.  If you are a big eater and like a challenge, Beth's is great for that. 

Unfortunately, the two times I went there, I just didn't care for the food at all, and having extra quantities didn't help.  It was cooked with indifference, and the ingredients were of the cheapest quality.  Online reviews also reveal some potential indifference in the wait staff; I suggest you take that with a grain of salt, because it's part of the atmosphere.  This place, for me, is more about the experience than the food.  I wouldn't be against going again if I was with an enthusiastic group, but I'd probably order fries or something really difficult to get wrong.  Sorry, Beth's.

• Address: 7311 Aurora Ave. N.
• Parking: on the street, I think
• Cost: reasonable
• Quality: so-so
• Wait: outdoors
• Coffee (since this is Seattle): it's been too long for me to remember its quality, but the online menu says it's Caffe Vita.  Cheap endless refills.
• Menu/variety: American diner standards with a few house specialties
• Extras: atmosphere and quantity
• Payment: cash or credit, no checks
• Website: http://www.bethscafe.com/index.html