Green Owl Restaurant: A Cash-Only Delray Beach Diner with 250-Plus Owls on the Walls

Green Owl Restaurant has been serving breakfast and lunch on SE 4th Avenue in Delray Beach since 1981, when original owners Jim and Flo Nowlins opened it under the name Natural Eats before Flo renamed it the Green Owl, nodding to their Irish heritage and the owl hidden inside their surname.

A BLT Regulars Call the Best Around

The diner's BLT has earned a reputation as one of the best in the area, backed by a menu of classic breakfast and lunch plates like egg sandwiches and coffee priced well below chain competitors. The current owner, David Gensman, who took over in 1995 after his mother Carol Savage ran the restaurant in the 1980s, is known for personally inspecting produce before it goes into the kitchen and swapping dishes off the menu on days the ingredients aren't up to standard.

Sea Foam Walls, Wood Paneling, and a Wall of Owls

The dining room is lined with sea foam green walls, heavy wood paneling, and an owl collection estimated between 250 and 280 pieces, most contributed by customers over more than four decades. Regulars compare the vibe to a real-life "Cheers," with servers who know orders before customers sit down. The restaurant is cash-only.

Good to Know

Green Owl Restaurant is located at 11 SE 4th Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33483. It remains one of Delray Beach's longest-running breakfast institutions.