A destination diner with culinary flair and top-notch customer service develops a following in King City.

One might not expect to find a solid American brunch option in King City. Not straight off the highway, anyway (exit 282 toward Broadway, driving south) – and certainly not with five different eggs benedict options and bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese on the appetizer menu.

Tourists passing through on their way to or from Paso Robles, or even Los Angeles, who Google a breakfast or lunch option in King City are astonished, admits Monterey-based owner Ronald Bonilla, until recently a student and a soccer player at Monterey Peninsula College. He heard about an empty restaurant space from his cousin who opened a business in King City and told Bonilla that the town was in need of a brunch spot. The place, formerly Jessie’s Cafe serving Mexican cuisine, was closed for two years before Bonilla opened King City Grill in October 2022.

“Locals tell me every day, ‘Thank you so much for saving us time,’” he points out. “Now, they don’t have to travel to Monterey to have a family brunch, and wait in line without even knowing if it will be worth it.”

The place draws traffic from the highway, and people from Los Angeles and San Francisco ask if Bonilla would ever consider opening King City Grill in their towns. It’s a real find also for bikers, who quickly learned about the place and now stop by frequently.

“Upscale brunch and great customer service,” Bonilla says, summarizing his vision.

Part of that commitment means that the owner is on hand “99.9 percent of the time” and puts in the effort to make everyone feel welcomed.

King City Grill already has Sunday lines, but Bonilla’s long-term plan is even more ambitious: in about eight months, the breakfast and brunch joint will be also serving dinner. Beer, wine and mimosas are already on the menu, but soon Bonilla will pursue a full liquor license.

“People come blue and leave happy,” he says with pride, adding that success is all about details.

One show-stopper is the turkey burger with cranberry sauce and arugula, a lighter burger option created for Bonilla’s Aunt Betty – that’s also the name of the burger – that satisfies no-place-like-home Thanksgiving nostalgia. On the sweet side there is the Friou’s Signature, a deep-fried panettone bread with an unexpected wallop thanks to a signature syrup of Grand Marnier and brandy.

Bonilla’s family, originally from San Salvador, has been in the restaurant business for a long time. His cousin runs Angelina’s Bakery in Seaside.

The young owner curated the diner menu himself, picking bold names for his dishes, such as Copenhagen eggs benedict or Steinbeck omelet. He uses local produce and goes to Costco everyday for items he needs in quantity.

“Everything has to be right, down to the parsley garnish on the hash browns,” Bonilla observes. “I don’t want people to notice that, let’s say, a different cook prepared a dish on a given day. Consistency is important. People pay attention to details.”

Before he opened, Bonilla did a lot of remodeling, saving only the old-fashioned upholstered booths and swivel bar chairs (12 booths, some oversized, and 12 stools). Yet his intention was not to dress up the place too much. King City Grill remains unassuming, down to a big padlock hanging on the door (don’t be discouraged, it’s open).

Its appearance matches the highway-side surroundings – motels, a McDonald’s and a gas station. But inside you find upbeat music (reggae and oldies), as well as meticulously prepared omelets, hot cakes and paninis. Bonilla couldn’t resist a nod to the familiarity of Mexican restaurants in South County. His “fancy micheladas” are overloaded with shrimp, cucumber, pineapple and other ingredients.

It’s not that any diner would stand out along the King City roadscape. Diners were conceived by the American highway. A destination diner, however – that’s a new one.

KING CITY GRILL is at 5 Broadway Circle, King City. Open 8am-2pm (except Tuesdays). 386-1112.