Before we relocated from Hermosa Beach to LA’s Beverlywood neighborhood for a few days of museum visits, we wanted to grab breakfast in Hermosa Beach. Right next to our hotel on Aviation Boulevard was a smaller, easy to miss diner, the Ocean Diner, which looked like just the perfect spot to grab breakfast.
Walking in the door, the Ocean Diner has the exact ambiance that evokes a memory of, well, “1950s California Diner”, although at least this current incarnation of the Ocean Diner dates only from the 1980s. But it’s got the look down pat: neon signs, formica service counter, fake leather booths, 1940s and 1950s newspaper clippings, and a big case of pies and cakes at the end of the counter. Grabbing a seat at one end of the restaurant, we looked over menu that similar covers all your typical diner expectations: omelettes, skillets, pancakes, waffles, and a bunch of eggs-to-order specials. Being a California diner, it’s also got a pretty good selection of Mexican breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros variants, and a selection of “Healthy Eating” options like high-protein specials, avocado toast, and fruit bowls.
After a long backpacking trip, I try to be at least a bit healthier with my eating for a bit, so the Healthy Eating section of the menu got more than a little of my attention. I ended up deciding to try the “Body Builder”: marinated grilled chicken, scrambled egg whites with scallions and jack cheese, and brown rice. Surprisingly good, even if it doesn’t photograph well: the chicken was flavorful, tender, and nicely grilled, the egg white scramble having a nice amount of jack cheese, and the brown rice actually tied everything together nicely. Definitely an enjoyable breakfast.
So, if you are looking for a “Classic Diner” experience in the South Bay area, you’ll have a hard time doing better than Ocean Diner. The food is good, the service fast and friendly, the prices reasonable, and it’s less than a block from the Coastal Highway. Definitely worth a visit.
