By night, Hotel Congress tends to shout “”trendy hipster scene!”” at wary crowds who feel neither trendy nor hipster enough for the downtown hotspot. But during the day, The Cup Cafe, located just inside the hotel, plays host to all kinds of people.

Breakfast at The Cup is served all day. There is also a dinner menu that ranges from Sonoran hot dogs to fish ‘n’ chips. Each menu carries a distinctly southwestern influence, offering ingredients like roasted chiles and pico de gallo. Parents walk around with their toddlers and dogs lay on the patio. Judging from the lack of empty tables, the family-friendly, laid-back restaurant is very successful. The downside to The Cup’s popularity is its wait time.

Reservations are recommended and patience is necessary after ordering. The service might be slower than expected, but the servers’ manners are never unwelcoming.

The food, luckily, is worth the wait. It’s made fresh, indicated by the burn on my tongue brought about by an overeager bite of the cast-iron baked eggs ($9). Made with two eggs baked together with ham, leeks and gruyere cheese smothered in a ton of cream and herbs, the dish is served with your choice of toast and the hotel’s awesome potatoes. The potatoes are roasted and seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs, a fairly simple recipe. Also recommended is the “”Every Day is a Challah Day”” French toast, made with challah bread and served with fruit or walnuts ($9 plus 50 cents per topping). Less enjoyable is the “”Croque Senor”” ($8). It’s a toasted ham sandwich with gruyere and bechamel, but the saltiness of the ham was somewhat overwhelming.

Overall, however, my breakfasts were experiences made for people-watching and reading the Sunday paper on a lazy morning. Which is to say, they were very positive.

The Cup is not a place college students on limited budgets can afford to frequent. But every once in a while, brunch on its outdoor patio is a special treat.