Crocker's The Well Dressed Frank

Stumbled upon this adorable local gem on Balboa Island, and it's easily my new favorite spot for pie and baked goods! The cozy vibe and friendly staff make you feel right at home the minute you walk in. The food menu is surprisingly extensive - much more than just pies - with a range of sweet and savory options that'll tempt anyone's taste buds.Their pies are the star, though - from classic flavors like apple and pecan to unique seasonal specials. You can tell everything is made fresh and with a lot of love. I ended up trying a mini apple pie and it was perfect: flaky crust, rich filling, and just the right level of sweetness.

I have never felt so at home at first bite. What a warm, welcoming place! It's a cute, cozy version of the kind of place you see in old school movies or TV shows, like 'Happy Days' or 'Back to the Future', where everything is delicious, and everyone is super friendly. Even the local patrons were fun to talk to!My fam ordered the fried zucchini (REALLY good), the fish 'n chips (delish, with low batter!), the Wild & Wet chili dog, and for my gluten-free self, the all-beef brisket 'Island Frank' which came with diced onions & tomatoes (but without the bun). Everything was enjoyable, and we got to exchange some friendly banter with John, the owner, who let us sample some beer import, as well as some delicious chai.Discovering Crocker's couldn't have come at a better time. I literally was getting sick of restaurant service in SoCal, as everyone seems bitter or entitled, and had just told myself I was done with Cali. Then I wandered in here, and had such a good time, I left in a much better place.Crocker's gives me something to look forward to on my future visits. HUGE shout and and love for this place!!

This place has become so hidden . I've been here before but thought it was someone's house due to the very lush gardens out front. It's really one of a kind. Homemade everything. The quiche was super delicious and comes with a yummy salad. I got a dessert but after a few bites too sweet for me. So many great desserts and fresh entrees.

Took my husband here on Father's Day, and I love this little place. Parking is of course a nightmare, it was street parking in a little beach community on a Sunday so yeah not good. As you walk to this place there are a lot of shops to look at. This place has very little seating, a small table inside and a few small table's outside. We got lucky and found a table outside even though it was in the sun. Ordering is easy and done at the counter and then they bring the food to you. They are known obviously for their hotdogs and also for their clam chowder, so we got both. They serve many flavored mimosas and beer and wine. Although we didn't try any of it, this place also serves as a coffee shop and they sell pastries. Everything was really good, the only critique I have is I wish the clam chowder had more clams in it, but other than that this is a must try in Balboa.

We were in town for vacation and wanted to find a place for chowder. This place popped up and we had to check it out. Cute spot in the downtown area on Balboa island. Parking can be tricky but we lucked out. This place has quite the extensive breakfast and lunch menu as well as sweet treats. I was thrilled with my turkey melt. Super generous portion (yay some for an afternoon snack ) and came with a tasty side of potato salad. My son loved his bacon cheeseburger .... Delish. My husband Enjoyed the clam chowder, the reason for our visit. We Will definitely be returning !

Located downtown balboa island. Minimal indoor and outdoor seating. Street parking only. Order at the register, and they bring it to you when ready. Casual atmosphere. Fast, but not so friendly service. Maybe it's because they were busy.When we went in Dec 2023, they had a burger /fries / beer deal for $25. That dish came with a pickle spear, too. Nice because their regular burgers and sandwiches don't come with fries - only other side options. Added a small clam chowder, which came with no spoon. Split all between wife, toddler, and I. Obvi toddler didn't drink the beer, although he did reach for it many times. Everything was great! We were full and there were no leftovers. Totaled just under $40 including tax and small tip.

A jaw-dropping experience. Yelpers have rated this one so correctly. Crocker's is a simple, hole-in-the-wall kind of place with such a fun, friendly vibe. The fact that it is smack dab in the middle of the adorably touristy island of Balboa makes it even more special in spite of the insane parking situation.I am not sure what caught my eye first. The decor: walls, plastered with millions of defiled one dollar bills, that a person can barely resist taking a sample (but don't!) or the bakery cases full of freshly baked sweet and savory goodies that will most likely turn your brain into mush while you are trying to calm down long enough to choose only one, or submiting to the urge to buy one of everything. But, we truthfully came for lunch, not sweet things.Their menu may sound very common, but once the food started flying out of the kitchen, and quite fast, I might add, we knew we had made an excellent choice coming here. There is nothing ordinary here.The burger was cooked to perfection. Juicy, big, full of quality ingredients, and crowned with a tender brioche bun. The one side my son chose was their homemade, red potato salad that ended up bringing tears of joy to his eyes. His strawberry milkshake was the final straw. Real strawberries, rich ice cream, not overly sweet, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Usually a silent eater, he could not contain himself with their praises.And then he tasted his wife's clam chowder. Complete melt down. And fun to watch as he scraped the container bare in between moans of ecstacy.This clam chowder ranks at the top of my list, too. I sure hope you love creamy! This is unadulterated, ultra creamy, and loaded with tender clams, potatoes, with a lightly herbed taste. This is my idea of the perfect clam chowder I have searched for over many years.My lunch choice, the grilled cheese sandwich, caught me by surprise. I love grilled cheese, but this one, in all its simplicity, soared to the top of my happy, grilled cheese dreams. Two kinds of cheeses, slices of tomato, sandwiched between two large pieces of sourdough, buttered and coated in parmesan, then grilled to a toasty finish. I could only eat half, but I sure had to resist the urge to become a glutton. I picked a green salad with their balsamic dressing for my side. Should I mention that the potato salad's siren call was unmercifully directed at me as well? I nibbled surreptitiously in between sanctimonious bites of baby greens.Last but not least was the foot long hot dog ordered by my hot dog loving husband. Although spectacular looking, he had regrets. If he had to do it over again, the hamburger would have won his heart. As it was, he was pleased with his award-winning potato salad. And, after sampling the clam chowder, he placed two large orders for chowder to go, knowing that our daughter and granddaughter back home would be the happy recipients of some of it, but not all.Now, the curse of eating inside their tiny eatery, besides having only a few tables, is the fact that those bakery cases are right in front of your nose. It's brutal torture. And our family is not known for self-control in that department. These bakery cases did not display ordinary stuff either. Every item they offered was unique and screamed of homemade goodness. Needless to say, we staggered out of there with a shamefully big bag filled with 4 irresistable baked delicacies, two full containers of chowder, and leftovers, to be split three ways.Bottom line? When in Newport, this is THE SPOT our family will instantly gravitate towards. No argument there!

I have been to Crockers a number of times. I also order the Chicago dog. I then remove a few items and add a few items and get an outstanding customized hot dog. I add sauerkraut and have them grill the onions. I also, and forgive me for this substitute ketchup for mustard.. What can I say. Overall, I love the Chicago dog at Crockers.

Crocker's is such a cute little spot on the island. It's cozy, delicious, and welcoming. We got the Chicago dog, onion rings, and clam chowder bowl. Portions were great and everything was delicious. They're known for their desserts which they make in-house. The staff was so friendly and kind, we felt so special here. Can't wait to go back!

This little cute cafe/bristo stole my heart. I love walking on Balboa Island streets. Its very arty and European style.The dollar bill decorations inside the shop , grabbed my attention and we went inside. The have coffee, pastry, beer, wine and small bites for breakfast or dinner. We got a beer and sausage, which I really liked. Try the Chicago dog and wild wet chili dog. Also loved the fact that teenagers were working nicely for this shop. They were very friendly and helpful.