Luna Park Cafe
Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: West Seattle2918 SW Avalon Way
Seattle, WA 98126 (206) 935-7250
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
92 reviews
Neighborhood: Downtown
"This place is decadence cubed. I am not a big meat eater, but I had been graving a steak for months and when my Dad came to visit I knew I…" read more »
39 Reviews for Luna Park Cafe
Banana Split milkshakes!
The diner food is also very diner-y in the best way... but seriously, BANANA SPLIT MILKSHAKES!
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I do love eating at Luna Park! The staff are young and fun - not always that attentive or great at customer service - but like I said, young and fun!
The place is funky and retro which is always a treat and you get your jukebox at the table so you can play some "oldies" so the atmosphere is for a fun meal.
The food... pretty good. Standard - not excellent - not bad either. I keep going back!
I love the Tuna melt and I take my friends there for the AMAZING handmade shakes - simply the BEST shake around!!
They have outdoor seating so it is a great place in the summer on your way down to Alki...
Aaahhh Luna Park. Where else would a diner profit of the grisly demise of a fanciful ( badly planned) amusement park with more history than most places in Seattle .
They have so much Kitsch crap hanging from every available surface I'm worried that I've aged ten to thirty years because I'm starting to think I was alive long enough to feel nostalgic about the decor. It's delightful.
Kids like the giant guitar and plethora of toys and games of years gone by, but might be disapointed that they're for decoration. That loses a star, nothign can frustrate a well behaved child like being surrounded by a myriad of things they're supposed to want, but not touch. Despite this boys and girls I know enjoy it.
Everything from quirky staff to the brand of Coffee they use for espresso is good.
The food is no holds barred Americana. I've had breakfast and lunch there and would recommend the French dip and a hobo. Do yourselves a favor and go get a hobo.
It's (almost) summer in Seattle! Go now!
Have a fizzy mimosa in the sun on the huge patio out front! Get sassed by the wait staff! Eat a plate of hash browns the size of your head!
Tilt your head to the sun and sigh with happiness that a place like the Luna Park Cafe is here to fill your belly with deliciousness.
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I have a crush on the same hostess Mary does..freaky..and seriously the tattoo works.
It's often hit or miss, but I love the grilled cheese here. Not fancy, not stupid, just good ol' regular happy melty cheese sammich. It's never been bad, just sometimes I moan more than others when eating it.
Never made it here for breakfast, only lunches after days on Alki or at appointments that take me over this way.
It's one of the places I infrequently haunt that has all the right "I just can't quite put my finger on it" things in location, seating, decor, and people that it rates so high. I like my lil devil sticker too.
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I liked the look of this place right from the start -- funky, eclectic, bordering on eccentric. It's filled with antique bric-a-brac like any number of similar places, but there's a greater feeling of cohesion, like someone really thought about the decor instead of just buying any old crap at garage sales.
My food was pretty good, too, not that it is too easy to screw up a patty melt. The fries were crisp, and the portions were ample without being overwhelming. The mint milkshake, however, was divine.
And there are some seriously fun and cute waitresses, too. I got to meet the now legendary Suzie, who is so far beyond adorable it's hard to imagine without seeing her in person. There's a friendly and personable atmosphere to the place that would make me want to be a regular, if the commute from Miami wasn't so far.
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I love this place for the place and the staff. The food? Hash browns are good (though I didn't allow myself more than a taste). Milkshakes look good (though I didn't allow myself one at all -- why? tryin' to fit back into my happy hours). A right ton of oatmeal if you order it, and egg dishes are plenty tasty.
Now that that's out of the way, I am completely stalking the hostess named Suzie...Susie? Suzy? Whatever, the one with the cutest tattoo in the known universe (next to Prema's robot that is) of a crazy '50s linoleum pattern (it works, trust me) and whose clothes had me rhapsodizing about seeing The Go-Go's live in concert in 1982. Ahh, youth. She is a breath of fresh air and I will continue to go back to sta, I mean, visit her. /crazy
I love all the *stuff* in this place too. For grins, watch as some toddlers take a ride in the Batmobile. Batman looks SO depressed and intense. It's great. (Bonus note from Suz/s/ie/y: Up to two adults have been known to fit in the Batmobile, too!)
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after i helped some friends move, they payed me more money then i had seen in one place (outside of rent) for like, a year. I went here and got a drink. they had champagne, and i also got a platter of veggies and dip. the people here are always nice, always patient with me ( gee, i don't know what i want..hmm...hhmmmmm...) i like that they are not in my face about the service, and i like the food alot. this is the closest place to my house, so i end up coming here often, but i never feel like they are sick of me.
oh, that i had friends like Luna Park Cafe!!!
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We randomly ended up at this place after checking out Alki Beach in West Seattle. It's a cute little place, it's like the 80s threw up on the walls! I had breakfast and the bf had a burger...both were good but not great. They let you have your eggs 3 different ways which was neat; omelette, scrambled with hash browns (what i had) or with fried eggs. The chicken sausage/mozz/tomato combo I had was great and a huge portion...the burger seemed pretty greasy and standard. Fries were uber crispy though, which was great!!
We did notice that it must have been "bring your kids to brunch" day as we were surrounded by 4 tables with families and young kids. The wait staff seemed pretty inattentive to our area, we never saw our waitress after she gave us our food. That's always a bad sign. =P
They serve alcohol and great coffee...will probably revisit on our next trip to the emerald city.
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I love breakfast. I pay homage to the most important meal of the day on a at least a monthly basis at the Luna Park Cafe because I'm fortunate enough to live down the street. In all the times I've been there, I've had one bad experience when the hashbrowns were still cold. The server was very nice about it and returned my freshly redone meal within 10 minutes. The decor and the wait staff is what gives this place its character because to be honest the food is just okay. I never liked the hashbrowns even before I got cold ones. They make up for it with good omelettes (of which there is a really good selection), the coffee (rocks), and the milkshakes. Oh, and jukebox works, too. It's like a Johnny Rockets without the lame retro shit.
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Great atmosphere! As a child of the 80's, this place has some kick ass decor! All day breakfast and rockin' sandwiches complete the menu!
Sometimes I drive across the west seattle bridge only to come here.
Enough said. I just avoid weekend mornings, due to heavy kid noise.
I haven't seen you in years sweetpea : (
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I tried Luna Park for the first time and wasn't too impressed, sorry. I had breakfast for dinner and chose the biscuits and gravy with eggs and hash browns. I was totally grossed out by the hard biscuits and the gravy looked like it was straight out of a bottle. It just had a shiny glisten to it and it smelled chemically. Even the eggs and hash browns were sub par.... Well, at least I washed it all down with a Manny's Pale Ale....
Next time, I'll have to try the Chelan Cafe instead....
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the food was amazing
the guy in the restaurant that yelled at me for being on my cell phone..awkward...
i can def see that it can be distracting if you were enjoying a nice quiet dinner with your fellow blue hair, however, this place was PACKED and we were simply waiting for a table, so i decided to check my voicemail (no talking involved), when Grandpa jumped down my throat...point taken...moving on..we stepped outside. (now i know this isn't much of a reflection on the establishment or service, just the clientele....but it gives you an idea)
BUT the food was awesome, it was a sunny day and all in all we had a great time.
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If you want an artery-clogging burger 'n fries kind of meal, this is the best place to find one in West Seattle. Don't skip the milkshake either. You've probably already blown your diet once you've stepped in to the joint anyway. My personal favorite is the Mocha, but hubbie had a Banana Split milkshake that was a close contender. A small size is plenty.
Love the Seattle history here. For example, did you know that Luna Park used to be the "Coney Island of the West"? In 1906, the West Seattle city council agreed that their town (as opposed to Seattle) should be home to "the greatest amusement park in the Northwest." Pilings were driven into the tide flats to allow the park to be built out over the water.
Rides and amusements, including a Figure Eight Roller Coaster, a Merry-go-round, Chute-the-Chutes, the Water Slide, Cave of Mystery, and other funpark standards crowded the pier. The Canal of Venice, The Original Human Ostrich, The Joy Wheel, and Infant Electrobator were some of the others.
Sadly, in 1913, Luna Park closed, and its rides and amusements were sold or torn down, and on April 14, 1931, an arsonist turned what little remained of Luna Park into only a memory.
Interestingly, approximately once a decade, the tides of Elliott Bay fall back to their lowest levels. When they do, the tide flats are exposed and you can see the rows of pilings that once supported Luna Park.
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Arrived for brunch around 10:15 and had maybe a three-minute wait. The coffee (Tony's) was good, and the waitstaff was super awesome. They were attentive and friendly, quick to refresh the coffee, etc.
Luna Park is definitely a greasy spoon. I had the waffle with an egg and sausage. The waffle was great. The eggs were tasty--sort of buttery and greasy, cooke just right. The sausage was something I could have pulled out of the freezer case at Thriftway and popped in the microwave, cooked a little too much and not something I would order there again. This definitely isn't gourmet food, but it's all right for a nice brunch on Sunday morning.
The atmosphere was really fun: old collectible signs and lunch boxes, pictures, jukeboxes at each table that work. I imagine it great place to get shakes and burgers on a Saturday afternoon.
Parking wasn't bad; there is street and lot parking.
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We though we would support our local cafe in West Seattle, even after other mixups... Absolutely horrible service and food! The architecture and atmosphere however is awesome though.
LISTEN TO THIS!
We were having dinner there the other night on our way to see Arlo Guthrie at the Paramount. So far so good. Ordered and got our drinks, still good... An hour later and people that just got there are eating before us. We ask what's up and the waitress didn't want to bring out the food separately so she was just waiting on one order. Okay? Meanwhile the food is getting cold back there waiting for the other order... 15-20 minutes later our orders come out and it's soggy and cold lackluster eats. I'm not expecting too much as it is, but come on. Now here's the good part. Halfway through, my girlfriend finds A SCREW in her sandwich!!! Never have I witnessed something like this, nor the other on-lookers at the cafe. I strongly suggest you not go there and spread the word of how this place operates. It's too bad that the help here spoils this gem with potential. The gutterpunk waitresses have major attitude which tops off this not-so tasty treat. Say NO to LUNA PARK. And if you do go, check your sandwiches for SCREWS! Really too bad, because I desperately want to like this place, but they won't have that I guess.
OH! and if you're a vegetarian like me, double check your veggie burger from this place as I was given a real hamburger and just bit into it because I was famished. Ruined a three year run of no meat. Pretty gross.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
I've been here with a friend for breakfast several times. They have a nice variety of tasty breakfast options that can either be a scramble, a pile and I can't remember the third option. I always opted for a pile (over potatoes). They don't serve a great deal of food, but enough to satisfy. And I am told their pancakes are wonderful.
this is a family owned place and the staff has always been very friendly. I would recommend it as the breakfast place in West Seattle. (There may be another one, but I couldn't find it.)
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The Luna Park Cafe is great. Seriously good diner food. The shakes are the best I have had in a looooong time. (I went with my wife and 3 kids. The kids and I had shakes and I made them let me try each of theirs.) There was a butterscotch, chocolate, caramel and one other I don't remember, maybe banana split, but I do remember that they were all excellent and I could have sat there all day slurping milkshakes until I had to be carried out on a stretcher. Everything Soyna L. says in her review is right on. The retro feel. Great for kids. Our waitress was so cool to our boys. And, hey, they serve cocktails, too, so it's just fun for the whole family! And they don't serve cocktails to kids, which is also good. If you are ever over West Seattle way, you gotta try Luna Park Cafe.
I've eaten here several times and always loved the food. Then the place was sold and it just wasn't quite the same anymore. The first thing that brought the sale to my attention was notices on each table that coupons which had been gladly accepted previously would no longer be honored. I speak of the coupons in the Entertainment Book. I had used a coupon here three or four times and had never had a problem. On this day, coupon in hand, I was to be denied my coupon using experience. I get that the new owners didn't like coupons or whatever but come on, there were only a few more months until the coupons would have expired anyway, they could have sucked it up. In my opinion by advertising in the Entertainment Book the restaurant was making a commitment to its customers that it would take these coupons. Sure it was the previous owner that made the commitment but shouldn't the new owners honor those commitments?
That said, the food was always good. Nice big juicy burgers and wonderful milk shakes. This is a great place to eat before a nice walk along Alki Beach.
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The Luna Park Cafe is an absolutely delicious place that has a really fun feel.
It's basically a diner with some of the best diner food I have ever had. The burgers are fantastic and the milkshakes are even better! I highly recommend the butterscotch milkshake. It is seriously out of this world.
It's a fun place to go on a date or with family and it's a place kids will love! The fun retro feel of the place is due to it's large collection of retro lunchboxes and other items, and it even has old used rides (like the kind you found outside of grocery stores back in the day) that are really popular with kids.
The service has always been really excellent and the waitresses have been very friendly.
I've been wanting to go back for some time, but it's way out in West Seattle and that's pretty far for me to go regularly. Good thing though - I'd be going all the time then!
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I came here for Breakfast after it was recommended by a couple of people. The food was good and I love the decor. Everyone was friendly but it was a bit crowded. That's what I would expect from a Saturday morning however. The reason I only give it three stars rather then four was the service. I sat at the bar as I was by myself . Someone asked me if I wanted coffee and after I got said cup of coffee, no one helped me for about 25 minutes. In fact, someone, I think it was the owner, talked to the gentleman sitting next to me for about 20 of those minutes before I finally asked him if I could get someone to help me. He quickly asked someone who was on counter and shortly after that a wait staff took my order. After that everything was great.
Due to how good the food and decor was I'll come back and if the service is better I'll raise my score, otherwise its a solid 3 stars.
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Friendly service. Great vibe if you are not in a hurry. My visit was late morning on a weekday.
Good coffee, but didn't have to fight off many refill offers.
Omelet was good and plenty, which was nice because they served the worst hash-whites I've have since a bad camping trip that included cooking breakfast in the rain over a fire that would barely stay lit. I'm just saying. Cold and undercooked is a terrible thing to do to shredded taters.
Nearly sent them back. Nearly.
I'll try them again, everyone gets a do-over and I've only been once.
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I always feel like a kid again when I go into Luna Park Cafe, I love all the retro stuff they have decorating the place. It's all American diner food done good though I always get the grilled cheese and a milkshake so I can't say everything is good but my grilled cheeses always are. Go have a milkshake and check out all the lunchboxes just don't try to steal one...
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Breakfast on a weekday OUTSIDE with my dog and a good friend! I TRULY enjoyed my meal here at Luna Park Cafe. The waitresses were friendly and attentive. The menu was extensive and even included a couple of non-calorie laden choices. I had a massive omelet filled with a healthy portion of meat and a wonderfully-fresh vegetables. This place is fast and affordable, great for a lunch break meal or a hiatus from the grind of the city. I plan to make a few summertime visits ...and probably even year round visits a regular thing.
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I don't eat breakfast foods but it's nice to have the option anytime. I love having Luna Park within walking distance. My roommate and I find ourselves here once a week. The decor is rad with their old lunch boxes. I forgot about the Popples until I saw their lunch box hanging up. Their burgers are delicious along with their fries. I don't care for their ranch dressing much but all around a fun place to eat. Oh yeah, their shakes are fantastic.
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3.5 again, my favorite rating....
Breakfast on a weekday. Great service, no waiting.
Had the Eggs Benedict: the sauce was a bit chicken stocky. I like a bit more lemon, but it was good. The poached egg was just the slightest bit overcooked. The hash browns were picture perfect.
This place is really great - kitschy, and fun, and full of cool relics...a diner style cafe with jukeboxes @ each table.
Fun.
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Standard diner breakfast fare -- sufficiently tasty but it gave me a fairly unpleasant stomach-ache.
Unimpressed. Sure, it's a cute place, but the food I had (Fair Burger) was not good and the supposedly great milkshakes had little to offer and the service didn't improve the situation.
The burger tasted kind of funny and the fry grease was way past its prime resulting in stale tasting, overdone and ugly fries.
The milkshakes also tasted kind of funny, sort of chemically and artificial . Not at all great.
We went on a Saturday evening; we assumed it would be busy, but it was not. They weren't playing at their best.
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Sometimes I like Americana and Luna Park is great for that kind of stuff. I miss diner food but I don't miss the health hazard it poses. Luna Park has yummy but more "comfort food" style food. Grilled cheese sandwiches and milkshakes. Yum. It's a good place for a whimsical date or kids...or both! (no, I don't mean the kid is your date...)
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I use to frequent this place years ago when I lived in West Seattle. This was the first time I had been back in at least 5 years. And I was pleased to see the same retro decor, though I missed the massive collection of vintage tin lunchboxes. The menu still had my fave works burger and chocolate chip espresso milkshake (which I want to have sex with).
However the service was horrible. Our server attempted to ignore us as often as she attempted to serve us. At one point when she walked by our table she turned her head away so as not to see our table. It was odd and it resulted in me not leaving a tip for the first time ever. Seriously. She was condescending when I ordered a meal to go and asked if I could please have a separate check. She actually ( I kid you all not) leaned down into my face, patted my head, and told me that she'd work it out and I shouldn't worry about it.
You've GOT to be joking!
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Under new management as of this year. Burgers are better, and so is the service. You can still play songs from table top jukeboxes and order think, yummy shakes. And, now, there is BEER!
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Fun atmosphere, good all-American style food, mediochre service...that said, it isn't so bad once they acknowledge that you are standing there waiting to be seated!
The breakfasts are outstanding and the milkshakes are fabulous. There are too many flying insects most of the time, but it is what it is. It is a great place to take the kids...just make sure you have plenty of quarters so they can play the jukebox and get prizes from the toy dispenser. The Batman ride-on is also a big hit!
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Great food. Well it used to be. It has slid in the past couple of years. The service has been up and down. I used to love having breakfast there, but the coffee is terrible. I mean bad enough to keep me away. The shakes still rock, and thte burgers are good, but a little expensive. I hope that it will return to greatness....
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This is a great place for breakfast; I usually get the same dish each time. On an alternate note, my niece says it's the best place for shakes - they were delicious too!
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Great place for a Gardenburger, and if I hadn't already had desert before lunch (hey, it's the weekend!) I would have hit a milkshake hard. Oh well, I'll just have to go back again for desert!
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The worst part about this cafe is that it's pretty far from my house. My friend brought my here initially because I'm from the east coast and was bemaoaning the lack of delicious milkshakes here. Luna Park Cafe definitely helps make up for that lack. I took my parents, visiting from NY, here, and they really, really loved it. The milkshakes are so yummy! But get the small size, it's more than enough.
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goooooood hamburgers and fries!
All I got to say they got they got the best pancacks in town
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