Big Breakfasts and Hometown Comfort at Molly’s in Spokane

At Molly’s, breakfast can arrive in the form of a six-egg omelet, a cinnamon roll that barely seems to fit its plate, or a sourdough bowl full of Molly’s Mess. This is a Spokane diner where a modest appetite should not assume it has ordered modestly.

The food is classic American comfort fare—eggs, hash browns, waffles, French toast, chicken-fried steak, fish and chips—and it comes with the pleasantly un-fussy manners of a longtime mom-and-pop spot. Booths, coffee refills and a relaxed dining room set the tone. You come in to eat well, settle in for a while and probably consider a takeout box before the meal is over.

Molly’s has the easy hometown character many people hope to find in an independent diner. It is casual rather than polished, family-oriented without being precious, and comfortably suited to a solo breakfast, a table for two or a larger gathering.

The hash-and-egg omelet is an especially clear statement of Molly’s approach. It combines homemade hash with six eggs, then comes with hash browns and toast. It is not a dainty omelet intended to leave room for a midmorning snack.

Molly’s Mess takes another route to abundance, arriving in a sourdough bowl. The dish has been noted for being far larger than expected, a hearty breakfast that can quickly turn into tomorrow’s breakfast as well.

A more familiar plate can still be plenty: fried eggs, sausage patties, hash browns and a pancake make a straightforward diner breakfast with all the important categories covered. It is the sort of order that saves nobody from having to choose between savory and sweet.

Steak and eggs is also on hand, with some flexibility built into the meal. A waffle can be substituted for the standard toast and hash browns, which is a fine option for anyone who regards a crisp, golden waffle as a perfectly reasonable companion to steak.

The sweet side of the menu has plenty of company. Stuffed French toast is one of the better-known choices, and French toast with strawberries gives the plate a brighter fruit note without straying far from diner territory.

Belgian waffles have shown up with strawberries and crispy bacon, a combination that makes a persuasive case for letting breakfast include both syrup and salt. Waffles can also be paired with scrambled eggs for a simpler, all-day-breakfast arrangement.

Then there is the cinnamon roll. It is repeatedly recognized for its extraordinary size, the kind of bakery-style diner treat that can become a table project rather than a side item. Ordering one alongside a full breakfast calls for confidence—or a willingness to share.

The sourdough is not just an incidental toast option. Molly’s makes its own, and the bread is notably soft, tender and easy to pull apart. It has enough presence to support a substantial breakfast without turning the plate into an all-bread affair.

That house-made sourdough also gives the restaurant one of its most distinctive serving ideas: the bowl used for Molly’s Mess. A bread bowl may sound familiar, but in a breakfast diner it adds a pleasantly old-school bit of excess.

Breakfast and brunch may command attention, but Molly’s menu reaches into lunch and dinner territory too. The through line remains uncomplicated, generous diner food rather than anything fussy or overly styled.

The country-fried steak is a notably large cut served with white herb gravy. The gravy has a gentle herbal edge rather than an overpowering one, which helps keep the plate from becoming too heavy too quickly.

For a seafood change of pace, the beer-battered catfish and chips comes in a substantial portion with a comparatively light batter. It is a useful reminder that the kitchen is not limited to eggs and griddled favorites.

Vegetarian dishes are identified on the menu, a small convenience when a table includes diners with different preferences. The menu’s broad diner format also makes it easier for a mixed group to land on something familiar.

The dining room has indoor seating and booths, fitting the restaurant’s straightforward neighborhood-diner style. Conversation is generally easy, though the room can move from quiet to moderately busy as tables fill.

Look around and you may spot small dog statues among the décor, a quirky touch that picks up on the dog imagery associated with Molly’s sign. They give the room a little personality without changing its essential greasy-spoon simplicity.

Service has a warm, attentive rhythm: drinks are checked on, coffee keeps circulating, and tables tend to be welcomed without much ceremony. Food has often arrived promptly, though a busy diner naturally has its busier moments.

Reservations are not required. The restaurant works comfortably for a quick solo meal, a couple lingering over coffee, families and larger groups settling into a substantial breakfast.

Customer parking has been available in a free lot next to or near the restaurant, with free street parking also mentioned nearby. Current parking conditions and hours are worth confirming before a visit.

The portion sizes are generous enough that sharing or taking food home can make sense, depending on the order. At Molly’s, the practical question is often less about what sounds good than how much of it you are ready to see on the table.