The Early Bird in Plymouth - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We went to Early Bird some time ago and I was completely put off coming back by being served a snotty egg.. but we gave it a go again. Unfortunately, we won’t be coming back. First thing: you have to pay before you’re served the food. Sounds reasonable right? Ha! They also hit you with a 10% service charge on top of it… before even giving any service! Luckily we don’t feel awkward or too shy to politely decline, but there are many people who will pay this ridiculous fee only to avoid any awkward encounters. The management should really rethink this policy as it portrays your business as greedy and it’s completely pointless. Paying a tip before trying the food and getting any service? Hilarious. Second thing: the food is pretty good but VERY overpriced. For 2 drinks and 2 breakfast, prepare yourself for £35 spent (or £40 if you’re too shy to decline the 10% service charge lol). Based on our previous snotty egg experience we asked for the eggs to be flipped. Unfortunately they came burnt and very well done. The toast with my breakfast was stone cold. Have you ever had a cold sourdough toast? I’m glad I didn’t break my teeth, as it felt like eating a brick. The beans were brought in the tiniest dip dish, there was maybe a spoonful of them. The coffee was tasty. We saw other tables being offered water for the table, but unfortunately we weren't. The mushrooms and the halloumi was really tasty. Overall the potions are very humble, especially considering the prices. This place has a lot to improve. Slips up are normal, but unfortunately in our case they were consistent. We will not be returning again.

After my wife had heard great things about this place off friends we though we would give it a try. Unfortunately the food was overpriced and burnt and believe they are riding the wave on the artisan experience but without delivering on it,unfortunately underperforming. Secondly i would have like to say the prices were fair but pay over 11 pound for a small satch breakfast bun is extortionate. 2 x small meals and 2 x coffees was over 33 pound, and on top of that they went to try to add a service charge! I personally don't think the food was horrendous overpriced it's just trying to be something it's not. We wish them all the best in the future how've we will not be returning.

We were really looking forward to visiting Early Bird after hearing so much about it but it was a real disappointment. The drinks were fine but the food was not good at all. Very salty, too much of it deep fried with the taste of old oil ( please change your oil). And sticky tables.

This is an amazing local independent restaurant where the quality of food and service is second to none Well done We had ciabatta and chicken fries and as always they were perfect

Im not sure how I feel about this place anymore… I probably won’t go again. The paying before and adding a service charge before you eat is something I’m not a fan of at all. We are not in America and why should we pay 10%. I know it could be taken off but what sort of service would you continue to get if all the staff knew you removed it?? This is not a good look for this place. Food is fine though although not special anymore.

We eat here quite often and the food is almost always good and nicely presented but the policy of having to pay and tipping upon ordering is irksome. Asking for the tip to be removed is of course possible but feels awkward and churlish, particularly when eating with friends. Service is usually cheerful but often not good with staff forgetting to bring things to the table like extra sugar, water etc. It’s not really possible to pay for food when you order and tip after unless you carry cash, which many people don’t these days, therefore paying after the meal would solve that issue and any tip would be added with genuine appreciation for good food and service.

If you’re thinking of coming to this ‘joint’ held in the meaning of Humphrey Bogart, then you’ll need your Paisley shirt, bell bottoms, or at least, your high waisters with the three buttons ( Oxford bags - anyone remember those ?) This is a hip place. Prices, probably outside the ability of uni first years studying Design, are high, but it is value for money. The waiter was straight out of the 60’s as is the decor, but that just adds to the charm. We had an amalgamation of brioche buns, Cajun chicken and assorted bagels, and no one complained. Plates were empty and stomachs full. Smiles all around. Great experience and good suggestion by our daughter, who clearly spends too much money on nosh. Get on with your studies. X.

We have been here a few times, it’s always been ok. Our main foible is that you have to pay for your meal upfront which is fine, HOWEVER to ask for a service charge at this point, before any service has been given is presumptuous. I gave a 10% tip as it felt awkward to decline, but subsequently our coffees were forgotten to be made. In addition the sweetcorn fritters were a bit of a soggy stack which I did not enjoy! I feel the management should rethink the logistics around service charge.

Really disappointed! Ordered EB Stack £10.95, the pancakes were stale and dry. I asked the waitress if they were warmed up, she said yes. I would have thought for £10.95, they would be freshly cooked. Definitely won’t be returning.

We discovered this venue in January and we’ve eaten here twice for breakfast when we’ve visited Plymouth. The breakfasts are eggcellent 😉 Both savoury and sweet dishes were great. You will have to queue at the weekend but we managed to walk in on weekdays. As this is in the centre of Plymouth this is our first choice for breakfast. The deli downstairs is well worth a visit for something nice to takeaway.

Staff were incredibly abrupt and rude upon arrival. Treat members of staff like crap! Barista staff stood around talking for the whole duration of our visit. Absolute shocking service- would not recommend in the slightest. All the staff are up their own arses!

I have visited the Early Bird may times since they first opened but would just like to say what a fab place! I have never been disappointed with what I have ordered. From brownies and cookies to sweetcorn fritters and pancakes. From living in London for quite a while there is just not quite anywhere that lives up to the Early Bird! They have a varied menu and always seem to be adding exciting new dishes or new takes on sweet treats. I am still deciding which is my favourite. They have created such a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Each time I pop in, the staff have gone above and beyond to make sure I have everything I need. Speedy as well as quality. They also look like they are having the best time! All that I ask is when are you opening in London!?!?

As a regular visitor to Early Bird, I was disappointed in my visit today. I ordered the shakshuka, which I had last weekend and was amazing! However, today, it was simply two fried eggs placed on top of hot tomatoes. I did add salmon as an extra, and was very happy with the amount for the price! This experience won’t stop me from returning in the future, but I am reluctant to order shakshuka again, due to this disappointment.

Went for brunch at the early bird and had a great meal. Staff were so lovely and friendly. Served by a girl with dark hair who was so attentive and couldn’t do enough for us! Me and my partner had the fish finger ciabatta and mac and cheese pimped hash browns which I would really recommend. Will definitely be returning:)

I had heard the hype about this place and finally convinced my husband to take me. What a disappointment from the start . We had to wait outside in the rain for 10 minutes then was shown up some stairs and was surprised to see a table which you had to wait by to be seated. I thought this space could be better used by letting customers wait there out of the wet and cold. We were then seated at our table where the chairs felt like they were made for children my bum could not fit into the seat as it was so narrow and small. My husband is 6ft so was definitely no good for him. Finally our server came to take out order but we had to pay immediately which I don't mind but to be then asked if we would like to add a 10% tip to our bill , my problem is we hadn't yet been served only seated which is a bit cheeky. Our food then came and was sub standard the bacon had been left under a heat lamp and could snap one of your teeth the hashbrowns was full of oil when I bit into it and a teaspoon of beans that where just room temp oh and the sausage was a bit pale as well. I'm not a complainer but I would definitely not be going back!! . £30 for two breakfasts! 😬

We have been to early bird several times on mutley plain. Always been a great breakfast expensive but worth it. Today we went and ordered the full English it was really cold and didn't taste the same standard as usual. We looked in the kitchen and could see that everything had been pre cooked and reheated the eggs were like rubber. We kindly asked for another breakfast which they did without question. The next one was warm but again the eggs were like rubber with bits of skillet on the bottom we had scraps of bacon, sausage was pale mushrooms tasted and looked like they were cooked yesterday all ingredients did not taste anywhere near as good as previous visits. So disappointing as it's £30 for 2 breakfasts and 2 teas. Really put us off going back.

The food is 10/10, and usually comes quickly. But the service is hit and miss; I find it a bit embarassing that I wasn’t allowed to bring in my own drink. It made me feel like a child. We also spend over £50 a week here so just thought that was a bit petty. The service charge needs to go, unless you ask people if they want to pay it, or the table is over 4 people. Sometimes it’s not very welcoming when you come in downstairs.

Lovely food lovely staff! Couldn’t fault it at all. Went for a birthday brunch with a friend and had a lovely time! Would recommend to everyone!

I purchased two tea cake cookies today. An Oreo one for me and kinder for my son. We got them to takeaway as a Sunday after dinner treat. We were left extremely disappointed. The cookies were stale and tasted old! The chocolate on top was starting to get white speckles and they just did not taste good at all. For over £3 per cookie I expected them to be fresh and delicious. I can make better myself at home.

This place does the most incredible brunch. The food is such good quality, tastes amazing and reasonably priced. I definitely recommend the loaded hash browns!

My mum always walks past mayflower street cafe and see how busy it is , so we tried for a early breakfast , dads birthday ! Lovely food service was great , I used to be a waitress and your girls are a credit to you , will def be back ! Thank you !

We visited Early Bird Cafe on Mayflower Street, we arrived and had to wait a few minutes to get a table, but the staff downstairs assured us it would only be a few minutes (which it was). Upstairs was busy but we were shown to our table quickly it was right next to the window :). Shortly after our server came and took our orders, she was very kind and caring. The coffee used here is Clifton Coffee which is roasted in Bristol, hands down one of the nicest coffees I’ve had out in a cafe. The orange juice is also so amazing and smooth. Our food came out nice and quick, the I always go for the avocado toast, with poached eggs on top. Lovely flavour and you could taste how fresh the toast was. The eggs were still runny which is perfect! Both other dishes were Christmas Specials. The garlic mushrooms on toast were exceptional, with the perfect amount of sauce and favour to them. Now, early bird is known for its pimped hash browns, but the Christmas Pimped hash browns are on a new level. topped with cranberry Mayo sauce, stuffing and mini pigs in blankets they were eaten very quickly! After being here quite a few times, I thought it was important for me to write a review of it. The service has always been amazing, and you’re always served with a smile. All the staff have always been so kind on every occasion we have been. I would absolutely recommend stopping by, even if it’s just for one of the treats from the bakery downstairs. C

Fantastic! Varied menu. Excellent veggie/vegan choices. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Top quality. Highly recommend! You won’t be sorry.

My wife has been pestering me to come here for weeks saying she’s heard a lot of good things about it (despite me not even knowing it existed) so we came for breakfast yesterday. We were seated in a lovely spot and the place had a really good vibe to it! Our waitress was really polite, warm and welcoming. I had an Americano, my Wife a Latte and we both had the EB Stack Pancakes. Wow! Not gonna lie, it was like sex in my mouth! I’m not really a breakfast person and I normally skip it but this has converted me, it was absolutely banging 👌🏼🥞 Would I return? Absolutely. Already planning it 😋

We love the early bird and have been here multiple times. The food is super tasty and generally the service is great too. The reason I am giving three stars is because of the policy of not being able to swap out items. For example, if one of our party has a mushroom allergy, they’ll let you remove mushrooms from the order but will charge you extra for swapping in another item. It’s a really rubbish policy to be honest and not one that I think I’ve ever seen at other restaurants. Most places are happy to swap out and exchange items. It just means the customer ends up paying more when they’re getting the same amount of food they would have paid for originally. Cmon Early Bird please re-visit this policy and if you decide to change your mind we will definitely be giving you another try.

I have visited here many times and always enjoy the breakfast even though it is a little pricey compared to others. I visited last week and was disappointed to be asked to pay a 10% service charge before I had even had any food!? For...

Having discovered my original destination for lunch today was closed, I nipped across the road to the Early Bird. The café was almost completely full but I was swiftly welcomed in and given a freshly cleared table. The atmosphere was lovely & brimming with positivity....

Service charge should be added at the end, not before you’ve had your service. Food is good, but a 10% stealth increase that should of been highlighted by the server; unfortunately it wasn’t and was levied automatically. Whilst, on leaving we saw this in writing,...

£10 for a slice of toast with some avocado and scrambled egg. Not even a large portion. I was stunned.

I went here with friends fully anticipating I wouldn’t be able to eat anything being GF….. but I was so pleasantly surprised! There were lots of options for me, and it was good to see there were vegan and GF options too! I had the...

Lovely decor. My breakfast asked for no mushrooms and she said i go ask come back took my order and come out with mushrooms gave half my food to my mate the homemade beans are a copy of boston tea party beans was a poor...

Great food,reasonably priced,friendly staff. Busy as always. Superb home cooked food,cakes, and breads. I've been there several times and have never been disappointed .

Firstly the food is lush. I had a really nice breakfast quesadilla with halloumi and iced coffee. Absolutely lovely. My friend had the pancakes and chicken which she said she enjoyed. But I mainly came to review for the facilities. I think it’s really refreshing...

Only just managed to get past the amazing bakery selection, the smell - heaven Great brunch, fab smoothies and tasty hot coffee.

Absolutely amazing place. I have no words to describe how great place it is. Food is awesome. Staff is awesome. If i could i would give them 10 stars. Highly recomend😁

Visited early bird for brunch with my family. The food was delicious and service was amazing. The staff were also fantastic when unfortunately one of us fainted, making sure we had everything we needed. They were very kind and respectful whilst we made sure that...

We went to the mayflower street early bird today and it was a lovely environment and staff were lovely, we actually wondered why they make you pay upfront before receiving your food because we definitely would have tipped them come the end because of the...

I judge the quality of a breakfast by how the tomatoes are served. On the menu the big breakfast states ‘tomato’, but when the the breakfast arrived it only had half a tomato, I made a complaint to the server and they just laughed. So...

Huge choice of Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian and Omnivorian Fare! Delicious, quick and efficient with a great atmosphere. I've seen staff dancing on duty before, simply because "it was a Wednesday" or the "Sky was Blue" or something! Being very popular, it gets very busy at...

This is one of my favourite brunch spots in Plymouth! Repeatedly visit and the food, staff and atmosphere never fail! Friendly, great quality, plenty of choice and clean! Couldn't ask for much more! And local/independent! Good to see business thrive in challenging times, will continue...

First time visiting - simply stunning! Went for brunch. Amazing menu & great coffee. Great vegan/vegetarian options available.

I normally love this place, best avocado toast I’ve had. But sadly went today and we were a party of 3, and our third person was on her way, less than 5 minutes away. We knew what she wanted and everything. We were waiting in...

Been visiting Early bird for ages and never disappointed. Ignore the haters who talk about cost, you get what you pay for and this place is great.

Fantastic food, little on the expensive side though! Great customer service would recommend to any friends and family

Ordered what was labelled as a cheese and caramelised red onion turnover started to eat it to only realise it had BACON in it! Have been a vegetarian for a long time and I am disgusted. Went back in to double check it was not...

We struggled to get a table here but when we were eventually seated, the food and service was great. Menu is decent, albeit a little expensive. I gave 4 rather than 5 stars as it was uncomfortably hot. We would recommend here if you're sat...

Very poor value for money. £4 for toast, arrived cold and very small portion. Staff obviously wanted us out with over zealous table clearing and pointed 'do you want to order more drinks'

Be prepared to queue outside but it is worth the wait. We arrived as a party of 7 on a busy Sunday morning. The young lady on front of house was excellent and after a wait of around 30 mins, managed to organise a table....

We absolutely love that The Early Bird has done so well and it’s no suprise as their staff clearly love what they do. You feel welcomed, recieve personal and kind service and everyone is so happy. Yummy food, deciduous coffee and outstanding brownies!

Visited today for lunch. Had seen the amazing reviews so had very high expectations. Another highly recommended eatery across the road and Early Bird had a queue, but we decided to go for it and join the queue! We all had sandwiches, fries and drinks....

I visit the early bird regularly and the food is amazing every time. Would definitely recommend the pimped hash brows 🤤🤤

Our first visit and we’ll certainly be returning. Lovely food and superb service. All the staff are friendly and keen to please. What an asset to Mutley Plain

Been here a handful of times now, and have loved everything I’ve had. If I had to show someone the best of Plymouth, The Early Bird is one of the places I’d bring them to.

24 July at 3pm. Visited for cake and drinks. 20 odd minutes no service but the couple who came in 10 minutes after for served. Poor service at a quiet time. Won't be in a rush to visit again.

The food here was fantastic. Luckily I arrived 10 mins before it opened so I got a table - as there were plenty of people queuing for some time to get a table. But it’s easy to see why. Great tasting food. Reasonably priced. Brownies...

I’ve been here loads with my friend the last few months and I’ve always been greeted so warmly by Katie. She’s so friendly and down to earth. Credit to the work place <3 the food here is amazing and would really reccomend!!

Lovely place - it is definitely worth a visit. There are various choices for on the menu for every tastebud. The staff are very friendly and approachable. My only quibble is the eggs, a bright orange yolk impresses me - Clarence court style. Unfortunately these...

Really lovely place. A few tweaks necessary though, poached eggs should not be hard and for £9.95 I would have expected a larger breakfast - only one sausage and one slice of toast! If you ask for one more slice it’s £1.50. Come on guys,...

The Early Bird was recommended by friends and certainly lived up to the hype!! Amazing atmosphere, super friendly staff and delicious food. So many amazing choices on the standard menu and then they put specials into the mix as well. It had to be the...

Well presented breakfast that tasted delicious! Lovely unique decor indoors and outside too. Always a nice busy atmosphere, friendly team and quick service. They also sell the best selection of brownies which you can buy to take away! A lovely experience and I will return.

Whenever I come to the Early Bird it is such a great atmosphere due to such lovely staff. The food is great and good for either on the go or for a brunch with the family.

My first visit to the Early Bird, Mutley Plain, although my daughter, who treated me, is a regular! I can now see why she is a regular - an absolutely brilliant experience from start to finish. Extremely friendly, and efficient staff, who took our orders...

Saturday afternoon 1500. Welcoming staff as always. Specials menu a chilli with cornbread. Fantastic fresh flavours of freshly prepared food. Admit first cornbread for me and it was lovely. In fact too much to eat. A chai latte that was wonderful. Worth every penny and...

Wow. Been meaning to come here for ages and finally managed it. We were greeted with smiles by Beth who showed us to our seats, and served by one of the young lads (didn’t catch his name) he was superbly polite and helpful! He felt...

We are gutted to be moving to Exeter soon meaning we won’t be able to pop to the early bird anymore. We love it here, amazing food, such friendly staff, always accommodate requests from our toddler (normally a plate of mushrooms). Our 3 children love...

Fabulous food, amazing staff, great prices… and incredible brownies!!! Visited twice during a visit to Plymouth and highly recommend. The staff are super helpful and friendly, advising on gf options. Also catered for our 9 month old baby. Superb place and half the price of...

I love the Early Bird. I moved away from Plymouth a year ago but I’ve followed them on social media and seen some of their new stuff. They’ve gone from strength to strength and our breakfast was exceptional. Breakfast stacks and dirty hash browns -...

I don’t have enough words to describe the utter party that went on in my mouth after eating here today. I’ve wanted to try this place for a while but it’s so popular and could never get a table, today we struck lucky though. We...

Really lovely food with some very nice changes to the usual cafe options and great friendly service. Recommend loaded hash browns!

We paid an early morning visit to the early Bird Cafe for Breakfast. Good choice of Breakfast dishes to suit most tastes and appetites and prices were comparable with others in the area. Food was freshly prepared and quality was good. Enjoyable but not the...

Walked in was invited to sit outside as there was no seats inside but as soon as one come available inside we was offered the table. The young girls who served me were so friendly and polite and really good with my little boy. Great...

Although it’s not possible to book in advance, it didn’t take long to wait for a table on a Sunday morning and we didn’t feel rushed once inside. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of GF options on the menu and the fact that...

Every time I visit Mutley we always come here. It's fabulous, has lovely decor and a great menu choice. Food is excellent quality and the prices are reasonable. Don't forget to grab some brownies on your way out. Oh, and there is always a queue...

Met a friend for brunch and coffee. Had to wait a little while for a table, but when we got in the atmosphere was great, and the staff were attentive. Lovely coffee, amazing vegan breakfast! They even have vegan brownies etc, so had to take...

I visited for the first time earlier today…. I wasn’t disappointed. I was there with my son and I ordered a Phili Cheese Steak ciabatta with fries. Long story very short, delicious food, brilliant Service, and great value for money. I’m going to make a...

Had a lovely breakfast yesterday for my birthday with my partner and the food was outstanding, staff were friendly and just happy they have done well. Only negative I did have is the knives didn’t cut into the bagels very well but that was the...

Amazing food, bustling atmosphere, really helpful staff. My very favourite go to place. Have tried everything on the menu and each dish is better than the one before. Spoilt for choice.

The food was banging and the staff were super friendly. 100% recommend, brilliant that they offer gluten free and vegan options. Really well priced too.

Visited late afternoon (approx 2pm) on a Wednesday afternoon. It was very busy but there were plenty of staff on. All very friendly - helpful but not too pushy (allowed me to take my time whilst I decided what to have from the menu). I...

Seated quickly and presented with a good choice on the menu, and then served quickly. The food is first class. Eggs Benedict and a veggie breakfast done to perfection. The hash browns and halloumi were delicious. We ordered two lattes' which were really good. The...

I've been meaning to review The Early Bird since it opened as I am a repeat customer and have never had anything less than the best experience here. Today was no different! I met my mum for lunch (as she is a big EB fan...

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, we discovered them on Instagram. Quick service and lovely staff, we all really enjoyed our food!

Love the early bird. Wonderful fresh food and a lovely location. Great breakfast and brunch menus and friendly staff.

Came here for brunch on a Friday, only had to queue for about 10-15 mins but it was definitely worth the wait. Fast service, great selection of choices. Ordered the donut french toast (brioche french toast with yoghurt, berries, honey and a berry compote on...

Breakfast @theearlybird was perfect! Pancakes with berries! So good that I actually went back for lunch!!! A total must if you visit Plymouth.

I only tried this place because the place is always packed and has a que outside. That's the best advertisement you can have right. It really didn't disapoint. Portion sizes aren't very large but they make up for this in amazing flavours.

I often buy treats from the early bird and the Blondies are particularly amazing! Have also bought a box of personalised birthday doughnuts for a family birthday which were great. The brunches etc are great too with a varied menu - the halloumi and falafel...

I try and make a visit once a week for a brunch. During these troubled times, the tables are well-spaced, staff and customers wear masks and the tables are cleaned between customers. The staff are friendly, welcoming and helpful; table service only at the moment....

Decided to visit during a trip to Plymouth after finding this place on TripAdvisor. Was surprised to find that a café on Mutley had a 15 person queue on a rainy Sunday at 11am but that just shows how popular this place is! The service...

We stopped here on our journey to Cornwall after seeing a friend rave about it on Instagram... it did NOT disappoint!! The banana and Nutella pancakes were delicious, and my parents both had the 'breakfast stack' which also looked delicious (I'm getting that next time!)....

An incredible brunch super friendly service absolutely gob smacked by how fantastic this amazing brunch destination is. Will be visiting! Cannot recommend enough!

What a find! We had heard so many good things about this place and it didn’t disappoint! Amazing brunch fantastic atmosphere excellent service and great coffee! Well done Early Bird we’ll be back!

Went for lunch with a friend and the music was so loud I could barely hear her talk, the food was quite expensive for what it was, staff were very friendly but we felt very rushed as I was not close to finishing my food...

My family and I have been here several times since they've opened and we have never been disappointed. We even ordered delivery when they were shut due to Covid and the quality was still outstanding. They've recently added new dishes to their menu which we...

I normally visit for take away (doughnuts and blondie/brownies - which by the way are absolutely amazing 😍). But today I wanted to sample their food, and omg they don’t just make fantastic sweet treats, but outstanding food!!! The staff are so so friendly, you...

Easily my favourite cafe even been to in Plymouth. Wide variety of unique savoury breakfast and brunch dishes from various parts of the world from full breakfast baps to Cubanos & Huevos Rancheros and a positively VAST array of sweet treats and freshly made pastries...

Omg! Love this place! Had an amazing ‘brunch’ - one complaint - hard to decide what to order - it all sounded delicious! Will have to keep visiting until we’ve gone through the menu! Such a warm atmosphere and the staff were lovely. Totally recommend...

Me and my friend visit the early bird nearly every day to purchase coffee and brownies and we are always treated with the friendliest service and the BEST brownies ever tasted!! The coffee is always so so good with and without alternative milk we have...

Early Bird have never disappointed me and my friends on our weekly visits to the shop. Whether it’s for coffee and their baked goods or for a sit down meal, they’re food is delicious no matter what you order. I couldn’t say a bad thing...

Veryy yummy doughnuts and bread. Great service. Always a treat to pop in for a yummy snack. Can’t wait to get a k to eating indoors to try some of the breakfast I have seen shared .