Stoner 
In and around Old Town
Breakfast Club, on Scottsdale Road, is the busy one with the big menu and strong Bloody Marys. Go early or expect to wait. Daily Dose, also on Scottsdale Road, is a big-portions place with chile verde huevos rancheros that'll fix most of what's wrong with you.
Beginner's Luck, on Main Street, is the small, creative pick with a good patio, and it's closed Tuesdays. Arcadia Farms, on First Avenue, is the quiet garden lunch your mom would approve of. Culinary Dropout at the Waterfront opens at ten on weekends, and yes, the pretzels work at that hour.
South and central
The Eleanor, at 3207 Hayden Road in South Scottsdale, has a retro room and serious biscuits and gravy. Weekend waits can run long, and the bar seats go faster. Carlsbad Tavern, just up the road, opens at eight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for carne adovada and eggs.
Hash Kitchen, at Gainey Village, is the loud version with a DJ, and the crowd's half the point. Chompie's on Shea is the opposite: a New York style deli and bakery with a case that gets dangerous when you're baked.
Up north
Snooze, at Kierland Commons, is built for people who can't decide, so you can split the difference on your pancakes. The Breakfast Joynt, on Bell Road, is a plain, friendly neighborhood place that closes at two. In a part of town full of polish, that counts for a lot.
For a special occasion, LON's at the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley does breakfast and lunch on one of the prettiest patios around, and Sunday brunch at El Chorro brings the sticky buns.
How to beat the line
The whole strategy fits on a napkin. Most of these places open between seven and nine, and the rush builds right after. Get there at opening and you'll eat. Roll in at 10:30 on a Saturday in March and you'll stand on a sidewalk with a bachelorette party, wondering what you did.
Check the hours too, since most kitchens here close by mid-afternoon. In summer, ask for inside seating. In winter, the patio's the entire point. Sesh at home, take a ride, and order something with gravy. For everything else, see the munchies guide.