The Broken Yolk Cafe, as the name describes, is a breakfast-restaurant chain with roots that date back to 1979 in San Diego. Today, the brand has 40 locations, mostly in southern California, along with Arizona, Texas, and Las Vegas. Here, it’s now up to five cafes; the first opened in Town Square in 2019, so it’s expanded rapidly around the valley.
With good reason. The chain has received numerous “best-breakfast” awards and was named 2025’s “Top Breakfast Franchise” by Franchise Times. Broken Yolk is popular with locals and southern Californians for its breakfasts and Tex-Mex cuisine. It’s known especially for eggs Benedict, epic portions, fresh ingredients, good service, and not unreasonable prices. We went to the one downtown on Las Vegas Blvd. and E. Carson St., caddy-corner from the big red Fremont Street Experience parking garage, and the place definitely lives up to its rep.
The menu is as big as the food itself. Breakfasts include seven Benedicts ($16-$22), four skillets ($17-$18), a couple of huevos, along with machaca and chilaquiles ($15-$19), a whole page of eggs and omelets, plus pancakes, waffles, French toast, smoothies, and coffees. For lunch, Broken Yolk offers burgers ($17-$19), soup and salad, and sandwiches, such as the BLT ($13) and chicken Caesar wrap ($17).
There’s also a full bar, serving four Bloody Marys ($13), the usual brunch libations, and beer ($8).
When we were there between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on a recent Saturday, the place was packed and looking around, we noted that the Benedicts, huevos, and burgers predominated. We tried the smoked salmon and south-of-the-border Benedicts. We were uncertain about the latter — sweet corn cakes topped with carne asada, jalapeno, the two poached eggs, and house-made poblano sauce — but it didn’t disappoint.
The smoked salmon was especially tasty, with capers, arugula, fresh dill, and plenty of luscious hollandaise. The hash browns filled half the Border Benedict plate; we opted for half home fries and half fruit cup, which was a good choice, as they didn’t scrimp on the potatoes. Bring an appetite!
Our bill, with the Bloody Mary, two Benedicts, and tax, came to $63. Not a bargain by any means, but we will say this: It was breakfast and lunch and we didn’t need much dinner.