The Breakfast Club has a familiar ring, but that’s hardly the reason San Jose’s newest Midtown restaurant feels like a classic. Open just a few weeks, ownership has more than 30 years of restaurant experience, at local favorites such as Los Gatos Diner, Lou’s Coffee Shop and Opa! The Breakfast Club feels comfortable, like a movie we’ve been watching for years.

Located in the brand-new Meridian at Midtown apartment complex, The Breakfast Club sports a posh, refined interior with chic modern art, lighting and wood furnishings. The menu is classic All-American diner fare, ranging from burgers and patty melts to benedicts, omelets and even chicken and waffles.

The Breakfast Club also features a nice selection of “Bubbles and Marys” to help start the morning strong. The wife decided a Sweet Spiced Pear ($9) would be the right call for a Christmas Eve brunch, and she was on point. The SKYY Infusions Bartlett Pear vodka with sour, cinnamon and house sparkling wine was a terrific way to start the meal. Thirst quenched, it was time for some chow. After perusing the small, curated menu, the Chicken Fried Steak & Egg ($14) and Red Velvet Pancakes ($9) struck our fancy.

I’ve always felt like a Chicken Fried Steak (CFS) was the best way to judge the quality of a diner, and this might have been my favorite rendition yet. The steak came out with a Panko bread crust, tender yet crispy, and it had a nice, thick layer of classic white gravy dolloped on top. I haven’t been this satisfied with a CFS in a long, long time.

The Red Velvet Pancakes are lumberjack-sized saucers topped with heavenly cream cheese drizzle. They’re also loaded up with chocolate chips and come with a side of cinnamon whipped cream, which really put the sensors on overdrive. After demolishing the CFS and pancakes we were both on a total food high, but I’m sure the vodka helped us on our way.

The South Bay’s breakfast scene has been a bit stagnant of late, but I can foresee The Breakfast Club shaking things challenging Midtown’s traditional players: Bill’s Cafe, Cafe Rosalena, The Mini Gourmet.

The Breakfast Club doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, but rather make the best damn wheel you can eat. For the record, there were no Ringwald or Emilio sightings.

The Breakfast Club
 1432 W. San Carlos St, San Jose.
408.564.7150