CDS Skyworks Cafe

If you work or just visiting the UCI Research Park area and looking for a budget friend breakfast/lunch spot this is one of those hidden gems only the locals know about. The Skyworks Cafe is tucked between Toshiba/Skyworks at the very end of the building. There is plenty of parking in the huge parking lot. The place is family owned by a family of Koreans so you will see a variety of Korean inspired items on the menu. This place has been here for over 15 years but not much has changed since it's built into the Skyworks campus. It feels literally like a cafeteria with office long tables for patrons to eat inside or you can eat in the courtyard outside. The do have weekly rotating "special" menus that you can find on there website. But majority of their items are under $10.The favorite items over the few years are the Korean fried chicken special which comes with spicy fried chicken paired with rice and macaroni salad. You can never go wrong with the many burger/fry options either. Every order is made to order so super fresh. So yes the wait sometimes does get long during peak lunchtime hours. You can pre-order online or call it in if you have meetings. Note the cafe does have a short operating window from 7am-11am for breakfast and then reopens from 11am-1:30pm for lunch. You can either call in for pickup at 949-231-3100 or order online at https://skyworkscafe.com/order-online The homepage will show the weekly daily specials, which are the best values. Overall highly recommended as the aunties and uncles working there are super friendly. They literally have the entire family working there from front to back so a totally family business supporting all the workers in the area. Absolutely recommended for a budget friendly tasty fresh meal.

Parking: Skyworks Cafe is located in one of the buildings in the business complexes. There are plenty of parking spots.Exterior: There is a patio area with plenty of seating and shade.Interior: The interior is pretty much a cafeteria. There are some tables and chairs for indoor seating.Service: The cafe is run by a small family. They are pretty nice but sometimes the food takes a while to make during lunch since there are only 3 them. They accept both cash and credit card payment (additional $0.15 charge).Food: The food is pretty good and made to order. They have a daily specials and all the prices are pretty cheap. I have been coming here multiple times for lunch since I started working in the area. My only complaint is that sometimes the food is very greasy.

Read Joy C review from 9 years ago. It still holds true today in 2022. I recently started working in the area and this cafe is a gem. $6 dollar breakfast burrito. $8 lunch entree. $6.25 breakfast plates. Specials vary every week. Solid well prepared food. Good quality, simple , like home cooked food. Not at all greasy and well cooked. If you like mayo the egg, tuna, salad here are for you. If not just ask for no mayo on the bread. Support a family run business.They're located in the industrial park off of California and Bison. Off California take a right into the lot with Toshiba and drive straight back. They're a little cafe on the right hand side of the little outdoor seating area with orange umbrellasThey do require masks indoors and are contactless payment at this time.

Nice spot for lunch, food has been always good so far, prices are good. They accept cards and Apple Pay.

I love stopping by here for a quick lunch as I work across the street. The menu offers a variety of different choices, but i would recommend getting the daily entree special. The food has that perfect home taste and is very reasonable! (under $10). Make sure to order ahead via online or phone as it does get busy during the afternoon.

Hidden cafeterias or food courts sprinkled throughout business parks is generally a secret, catering to nearby employees and to those "in the know." I remember going to a few of them when I was working my first job fresh out of college, and actually enjoyed some of the food. But now, I'd be hard pressed to tell you exactly where these spots are located. Chalk it up to old age.But thanks to fellow Yelpers, this little eatery will be a welcome addition to my list of affordable places near work to eat for breakfast or lunch. Ever since the roach coach left the friendly confines of the company parking lot, things haven't been the same. My Spanish had dramatically diminished as a result, and I was tired of eating the same overpriced fast food.So today, I decided to check this place out and ordered the steak tacos with bean and rice. Two tacos were generously topped with guacamole, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and carne asada that could use a bit more seasoning. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/3xTbXKlqf3luiSHdwr4qBw?select=ctrACShabJU9CySzmsyB4gThere was just too much food for the corn tortilla to handle, as trying to pick it up with bare hands proved to be futile. Everything broke apart, so I had to eat the tacos with a fork and knife, which is kind of sacrilegous. Double tortillas next time, for sure. By the end, I was full and satisfied, which is all you can ask for $5.The "chefs" behind the counter are friendly, although the cashier lady doesn't seem to want to be there at all. At a prior visit, I asked for the weekly menu list and she seemed annoyed. This time, I asked for the punch card and she seemed downright reluctant to give one up. She finally went to the back and got one for me. Who knows how she will react when I ask to sign up for the email list on the next visit. Por favor?

Fair warning....you will wonder why I am rating an office cafeteria five Yelp stars. Read through this review and understand why....this cafeteria is truly a needle in the haystack of a place to eat for people who work in the area.I do not work at the Skyworks offices where this cafeteria is at, but as far as I know, I am welcomed to go to this cafeteria as an outsider. By no means is the food the best in the world and it definitely should not get a five star rating on the Zagat's Restaurant Rating Book, but I'm rating it high on my Yelp stars is due to the prices and decent food that comes out of there for so little money.For the people who work in the area, they are familiar with the Bluffs and the University Center where spending $10 for lunch is not uncommon. I can go to the Skyworks Building where the Crystal Cove Cafe cafeteria is and get a decent breakfast or lunch for less than $5. The is a HUGE SCORE for the people who work in the vicinity.Thanks Crystal Cove Cafe...although you are a quick five minute drive away...you will get busier as I tell people in my office...don't you go changin' on us!

Great spot for breakfast or lunch, price is just right. Service always friendly. I'd eat here every day if I could.

Consistently delicious food at a can't-beat price. Best place to go for a quick lunch, especially if you work near the UCI Research Park. Highly recommend!My favorite weekly specials include the fish w/ garlic noodles, avocado cheeseburger, and the honey mustard chicken sandwich.The burgers and fries are truly phenomenal, better than most fast food joints and restaurants I've been to.The breakfast burritos are beyond reproach. Make sure to ask for extra salsaAnd how could I forget the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that are more precious than gold. They only make a dozen or so every day so if you get there too late they'll be completely snatched up by ravenous Skyworks employees and UCI graduate students.

Rather Limited selection grille in one of the industrial buildings on the UCI Campus. Decent tasting sandwiches at a more affordable price than some of the other places nearby, but there is not much choice in that part of the campus. You basically need to drive across the bridge to MacArthur and Bison to find anything better. Due to COVID restrictions, seating is outside in the breezeway between the buildings. There are some tables out there. Okay. Nothing special.