We really enjoyed our experience at Yana's. There was no wait at 11:45 when we went. The menu, while not too terribly big, had a lot of options to choose from. I decided to get the "famous" fritters. They were to die for! Crispy and delicious, they filled me up fast. If you aren't a heavy eater or aren't hungry, definitely go with the half-order! Service was excellent. The wait time for the food isn't anything to brag about in terms of speediness, but Yana's claims they make everything to-order. The wait staff always kept our drinks full and smiles on our faces. We'll surely be back the next time we're in Swansboro!
Review Source:Yana's was an awesome find! I absolutely LOVE little mom and pop breakfast joints! This was no exception. It wasn't what I expected to find when I searched online for breakfast near emerald Isle, where we were vacationing. Like everyone stated the decor is 50's-esque but in my opinion a tad tacky... kinda like a teenagers bedroom with magazine cutouts and posters stapled to the walls. If you look past that, the food is awesome! The fritters are out of this world delicious, you get a mountain of them but at almost $9 you pay for them too. At first bite it is evident that all the ingredients are top notch though, from the (assuming, they taste like it) farm fresh eggs, to the local sourced Sausage, and NC mountain Jellies(OUTSTANDING!). After we found this place, we HAD to come here for breakfast the remainder of the vacation. Unfortunately it was just the last two days. Just to give you an idea of the prices, when we hit our usual local breakfast spot we always fall right around $23 for a comparable breakfast for the two of us. The two days we visited Yana's, we tallied $44 and $47 (prior to tip). We really didn't care because we were on vacation, but if I was a local I couldn't afford to eat here regularly. If it weren't for the prices and the decor this place would be a solid 5 stars! Definitely HAVE to try it, if just for the fritters!!!
Review Source:Terrific restaurant in Swansboro. Â Be prepared for a long wait but so worth it! Â The fritters were fantastic. Â Wouldn't have ordered them without our friends' suggestion but so glad we did. Â Everyone loved them for an appetizer with whipped cream no less. Â
Neat 50's atmosphere with loads of photos/posters, etc. of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, etc. Â Cozy and fun.
Rest of the meal very well done and clearly homemade ie: Â the sausage was superb. Â Not fatty and interestingly flavored.
Mama came by to say hello and welcomed us back. Â Yes, we'll return!
Who wouldn't, after such a memorable breakfast.
Fun place to go for breakfast. Â Omelets were made to order, the grits creamy, the biscuits light and buttery. Â Shared an order of apple fritters, which were ridiculously yummy. Â Leftovers heat right up in the oven (and yes, even sharing an order - there were plenty leftovers). Â The Marilyn Monroe and Elvis decor adds the a country ambiance. Â The two working original jukeboxes were playing fun music.
Review Source:Our first visit to this area & had lunch. Â Service was friendly & excellent, the choices were very good. Breakfast was available at any time which was great because we were still on West Coast time. The shrimp omelette was fantastic as were the shrimp burger and sides. Â The desert choices were amazing. Â The ambience is noisy but a lot of 50's memorabilia (especially Elvis & Marilyn). This was a great start to visit the quaint & charming historic downtown area.
Review Source:I was not thrilled about my visit to Yana's. Â As everyone else has said, there was a wait, but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for our table. Â The food did take a while to come out as well, but we expected that. Â
I didn't read all the other reviews, but in the top few reviews I didn't see anyone talking about the "famous" fritters. Â They're HUGE. Â It's like they take an apple, quarter it, batter it, then deep fry it. Â We didn't expect that the individual pieces would be that huge. Â And it's an order of TEN! Â As an appetizer! Â Who would want to eat lunch after that much dessert? Â They came served with powdered sugar and whipped cream and cherries. Â The presentation was wonderful, but as an appetizer? Â Come on, that's a dessert. Â
My soda was all wrong. Â I ordered a Dr. Pepper, but it tasted off. Â Like it was knock off Dr. Pepper. Â I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was bad. Â So I got a sweet tea instead because I didn't trust anything coming out of the soda fountain after that. Â Come to think of it, I couldn't see where the soda was coming from anyway. Â It could have been coming from a flat 2-liter for all I knew. Â The sweet tea was good, though.
Then came my hamburger. Â I ordered it with mayo, ketchup, mustard, onion, lettuce, and tomato, and pickle. Â Pretty typical burger. Â I got it and on my first bite half the dressings came off onto my hands and the plate. Â Messiest burger I've ever eaten. Â I ended up eating it with a knife and fork. Â They had put the lettuce and tomato on the bottom for some reason so everything was sliding around everywhere. Â And the onions were diced like you put on hot dogs. Â But the burger was good, so I wanted to finish eating it.
It was overall a very confusing experience for me. Â The fries and onion rings are hand made, not frozen. Â If you're familiar with Five Guys Burgers and Fries, that's what the fries are like. Â I can't compare the onion rings to anything else I've seen because they looked so strange the way they were battered, but they tasted soooo good.
So, it had its good points and its bad points. Â Average at best.
Yana's has been a Swansboro stop for the last few trips to the Crystal Coast now. It's always crowded. I can't remember a single time I've gotten a table without a wait here. It's small, and that attributes to its problem. The orders here get backed up so badly, you may be waiting 45 minutes to an hour for your meal like we did. Not interested in an hour plus for breakfast? This won't be your place.
The service had its moments, but fell apart on the coffee. I had decaf, to which I was informed they would have to make up another pot. When 30 minutes rolled around, and said pot had not even been started, I was disappointed. The food was hot and good to eat. The sausage in my omelet may have been a bit strong, but it didn't ruin the meal.
The coolest thing about the place is its scenery. It has style, which is a little harder to come by these days. It's also fun to poke around their gift shop they have next door.
I don't get all the 'rave reviews'. Â The place is seriously over crowded, it has an overbearing smell of grease, and the food is average at best with a well above average cost. Â The bathrooms leave much to be desired. The waitress was friendly, though, even though I had to flag her down to refill my coffee.
Review Source:We decided to eat here based on the Yelp reviews. Cool 50s diner decor (Elvis & Marilyn). Crowded with a happy vibe. We sat at the lunch counter and the nice cook lady gave us sample apple fritters piping hot. Amazing! We had bacon cheeseburgers and fries. My husband had the onion rings. The fries were okay, but the onion rings were great! Cheeseburgers were also really good. I couldn't finish mine - it was huge. I'd get the fritters though if we ever come back.
It wasn't as inexpensive as it seemed though. $52.50 + tip for 4 people - 3 cheeseburgers, fries, 4 sodas, and 1 order of pancakes.
This place MUST be on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives one day. Â I'm nominating them! Â Cast your vote too! Â We went there for breakfast while visiting my brother in the area. Â It's a tight squeeze in there. Â It was a full house on a Sunday around 10am but the service was fast and the food was excellent. Â Everything was fresh and made to order. Â The apple fritters were amazing. Â The servers were on top of it despite the hectic atmosphere. Â The decor is over the top and totally kitsch, which I love. Â Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and what was either Xmas or Valentines decor, maybe there permanently, sets the scene. Â The tiny town of Swansboro is quaint, like stepping back in time. Â They could really use a boost of tourism as some of the stores were closed or closing. Â Kind of sad. Â Yana's will definitely be on my list of places to eat anytime I'm near the area.
Review Source:Yana:s is on our list as a must do every time we are in the area.
The kids love the diner experience and the food as much as I do.
The banana fritters alone make the trip worthy.
The burgers are great. as are the milkshakes.
The shrimpburger was outstanding. Most in the area have fried shrimp.
Yana Mama uses grilled shrimp (not fried) which is unusual for the area.
The shrimp are bigger but less plentiful than other shrimpburgers in the  area. (Big Oak's in Salter Path still ranks as the best). Yana's is well run; as Yana Mama used to teach business administration at the local college. It gets crowded though, try to sit at the bar if there is a wait. You can usually be seated right away. Thanks Yana Mama!
I was so excited to get some of their delicious food...I was NOT impressed! Their fritters are good but nothing you couldn't get at your local fair. The thing that upset me was that they don't split checks every table has to all pay on one check, I feel that is rude on their part to inconvenience their customers in that way.
I could get the same food for the same price with more room to eat at waffle house.
If you are going to Swansboro or the Cape Carteret area..... YOU HAVE TO EAT BREAKFAST AT YANA'S!!!!
The first time I saw Yana's from the outside, I pitched a fit to the hubs about going in to eat. I am not a fan of the cheesy 50's diners and this one had signs that were written on flourescent poster board paper with markers- UGHH! One of my biggest pet peeves! It was a Sunday and since nothing else was open, I gave in and decided to give it a try!
The place is crowded- often times a 30 min to an hour wait. When you get in, you are pointed to your table because the host cannot make his/her way to the table and back because of the tight quarters, sometimes the table may be sticky....all of those things are forgivable when you experience the divine sweetness that goes into your mouth!
It is a general rule that you must start with the fritters. Yana's has your choice of apple, peach, strawberry, or banana fritters- deep fried, topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream! This is a meal in itself. We often get an order (10 fritters), eat two each, take the rest home, then order breakfast. I always get the dinosaur pancake and a side of grits. Hubs gets one of many omelettes, hash browns and toast. The staff is extremely friendly. They all share in a tip pool so everyone comes by and checks to be sure you are ok.
The place is decorated with outdated and dusty photos of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean. It has Christmas lights and a tree up all year round. Even with the cheesiness factor out of the roof, we still always plan to stop on our weekend trips to the Cape Carteret area. It is a staple visit and we never miss it!!!
This place was OK but definitely not amazing. We'd heard rave reviews, and it's obviously "the" place to go, as there was a line outside and people waiting the entire time we ate as well as later in the day as we shopped around.
The breakfasts seemed to be a bit on the high side as far as prices, at least for 2 eggs, bacon and hashbrowns, I believe it was $8 for pretty much a diner meal---and their hashbrowns aren't hashbrowns at all, they're homefries.
The place was fine, but I don't know what all the fuss was about.
Locals have flocked here after the tourists go home for the winter for many years. Yes, the fritters are popular, but I like the chili omelet. You'll need a big appetite to finish it...eggs, sausage, veggies, all topped with a ton of chili. I love spicy food but this still makes me break out in a sweat.
All the food here is made for hungry folks.
My wife and I have come to Yana's in Swansboro for about 8-9 years now when we are at Emerald Isle, NC. Â I would fly from Southern California to Swansboro just for the peach fritters at Yana's! Â but things like their shrimp omlets are out of the world as well. Â This place is THE best for fun, food, and fooling around. Â Yes, one waits in line at times in the morning, but it is worth every bite!
Dr. Bill Johnson
Palm Desert, CA
This is an interesting place and wasn't what we expected. Â Not sure why they don't want you to take pictures of the inside. Â We parked behind Mrs. Yana's Jaguar in front of the restaurant and decided to try the clam chowder, shrimp burger, onion rings and milk shake. Â The milk shake was excellent and we would rate it a 5. Â The chowder and shrimp burger a 2.5 and the onion rings we could not eat. Â Even though the outside was brown the breading inside was still not cooked completely. Â I am not sure if we have ever had o-rings as greasy as these were. Â The burger was recommended, but we can get great burgers at home and wanted seafood. Â Unfortunately, this is not the place for seafood, unless you want a shrimp burger and clam chowder. Â Probably is good for the locals or anyone that likes greasy diner food.
Review Source:This place is a local treasure. Get heart disease as you enjoy the 1950s diner decor. The service is as sweet as your milk shake; the onion rings are heart stopping. Be sure to check out the fabulous bathroom. If you go at prime time, be prepared to wait.
The town of Swansboro is a cute little coastal town, fun to wander, and Mama Yana's is the crowning cubic zirconia.
Yana's is quite the experience! Â It's a small space, covered in Elvis and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, that always seems to be packed. Â We tried the famous fruit fritters as kind of an appetizer, but they would be better as a dessert. Â They are good, especially if you have a sweet tooth! Â We loved our burgers (but beware - 20 minutes to cook and they tell you on the menu to be patient - this is not the place for a quick meal) but not the onion rings. Â They seemed to have been dipped in the fritter batter or something - way too much dough around the onions. Â Our waitress was friendly and helpful and we left fat and happy!
Review Source:Yanna's is a local greasy-spoon, in the best way, on the water front in one of the prettiest places in the world. Â Its down home food made by Mama Yana, served by local ladies who get to know you real quick. Â Its packed in the morning by both locals and tourists alike, always a good sign. Â
The fritters are deadly-good, its a dish for a group of 4 or 5, not just one. Â Forget the menu, just sit around for 5 minutes with a cup of coffee and watch what comes out of the kitchen, and ask for what looks best. Â
How to describe the service... Â My wife and kids were regulars to the point that, (1) waitresses never even bothered to bring a menu, just breakfast becuase they knew what she was going to order and (2) after we went out of town for a week, Yana about called to police because the staff was worried about us. Â My kids had the run of the place, one of their first words was 'Cherry' and Ms Yana always rewarded them with a cup of cherries from the counter. Â Life is a bowl of cherries!!!
Parking is not usually a problem, expect a line out the door, but the down home social scene makes the wait suprisingly pleasureable.
I visited here as a little brief stop while browsing some shops and it was a lot of fun. If you're lucky Yana Mama will be there to greet you with her southern hospitality. She's very friendly and definitely has a love for the 50's era, which I am sure she grew up in.
I bought a few collectible items here for some friends and family. Good times :0)
This place ROCKS. The fritters are simply amazing , although be hungry for them! All other breakfast items are really good - but you have to have the fritters! Be prepared for at least a 20 min wait on Sundays. I go there everytime I'm in the area, which lately, has been like 4-5 times this year. YUM!
Review Source:OMG!
I've been here and they certainly do have the best cheeseburgers AND ONION rings!
I also had their yummy rootbeer floats!
I love small hole in the wall restaurants like this establishment!!!
YuM YUM!
P.S. I love Camelia Grill in NOLA too...but I cannot rate these burger joints....they are all yummy in my tummy!!!!! :D
Listen up. Â I'm a fat kid. Â No matter how much I weigh, I'll always be a fat kid. I don't like to run. Â I prefer air conditioning to room air. Â I love cheeseburgers. Â It's just a fact. Â
I have had two seminal cheeseburger moments in my life, before finding the Church of In 'N Out. Â One was the Camelia Grill in New Orleans, LA and the second is this place. Â The double cheeseburger is actually two separate burgers. Â
To be fair, I've been here once and it was at least 12 years ago. Â However, I still remember that burger. Â So good, I had it at 9AM on the morning we left. Â If ever you find yourself in this area, stop in and delight in an American dish served perfectly.
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