Diner
“Diner and Marlow have changed my standards for restaurants, and I basically compare every place I go to these two spots.”
“You learn the menu at Diner when your server sits down with you and writes it out on the parchment-like paper that serves as a tablecloth.”
“Places like Diner are why people think Brooklyn is some sort of cultural-export aging-hipster wonderland.”
Diner
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I mean, the vibes were better in 2002 when this was the best burger, vibe, and music joint in town. Maybe even one of three restaurants worth their salt back then. The burger remains the best in the world. I mean that. I usually have one at the counter. Brunch is decent too, I take out of towners: but yeah, full on basic brunch crush. If I am rich and feel like a meal to remember I dig into the menu. I've had some stunners. None of which I will see again coz the menu is always changing with the local ingredients yo.
This was an experience unlike any other I've had before. The food was exceptional, yes, but I say this because of the staff, not the food. When you interact with any member of the staff you are immediately more chipper because of it. They are friendly to the point that you think you're actually friends and not just customers.
We weren't exactly given menus when we sat down. Well, we were but when the waitress came over she took it away from us, sat down at our table with us, and began writing on the table cover. She wrote out the entire menu for the day from memory and told us in detail what each one was.
The food was so simple and yet totally unique and incredibly delicious. They took basic dishes and transformed them into top notch items. Hints of flavors in every bite that I would have never expected to find or enjoy in combination with one another were pleasantly surprising me at every turn.
The ambiance here is a cleaned up dirty. It's an old restaurant with ceilings that are a little low, a floor that's a little crooked, a door that's really rusty, and a crowd that's a little loud. But it was a comfortable and sanitary environment in a neighborhood that fits its vibe.
I really want to like this place, but my recent visit did not prove that either. Instead I became sure about my review. The intentions are good. The Diner-style joint is really cozy, the food decent – but the service is just a pain. Really, really terrible. Not a smile, not even a small-talk. The three waitresses did not say anything to me. Not welcome, not goodbye, nothing in between – Nothing. It is quite a talent actually. Big applause. They do not like their job. Fair enough, I suggest they find another one.
The food is important and their burger is decent. Do no get the hype though. I miss something to blow me away. The bun is a little worthless, while the beef and cheese is good. They do need some kind of sauce. Everything becomes bread-meat which can be good if the meat is extraordinary – it just isn't. The fries are good though, while I really love their homemade sauces like mayo and ketchup.
Dear Diner. I had hoped for a long relationship. I even gave you a second chance, yet you proved something else. I will not visit you again, so sorry.
After a month of work in the city, including several fabulous meals, this was by far the standout for me. The ambiance is great in this old dining car: intimate, retro. They pour some great cocktails, and the house rose (Terres des Chardons) went perfectly with our dishes.
The menu changes daily and there isn't a written dinner menu. Instead, our server read out the day's options, writing down the main ingredient on our paper table cover. I absolutely adored all of the dishes we had which were teeming with flavor and freshness:
– beef tartare on perfectly crispy toasts — luscious, truly the star of the show
– broccoli___ (leafier than broccoli rabe) flash fried in olive oil — crispy, tender, garlicky perfection
– perfectly steamed (?) mussels in a salad — the mussels were tender and delicious
– crispy-skinned porgy
– skirt steak, medium rare, swathed in a creamy, incredible sauce with tomatoes and other veggies
Skip dinner come for the desserts.
Very cool, authentic and pretentious. Everything you would expect from Brooklyn's best diner by Peter Luger. But considering you need a exceptional memory to decide what to eat and the servings are small and over priced I wouldn't be back.
Had an outstanding meal. Can't believe it took me so long to get to this place…thankfully, citibike has made that easier. Mackeral was fantastic, as was the corn. Our neighbors suggested ordering both and they were right. The entrees were good, particuarly the accompaniments with them. I particuarly liked what came on the pork chop, which were some nice roasted peppes and polenta.
One complaint: I pleaded with the server for them to cook the pork chop medium rare, and said I was happy to order something else if that wasn't possible. She assured me it was fine, but there was nothing MR about it. It was more like Medium to Medium Well. It was fatty, so it was ok, but that's the difference between 4 and 5 stars for me.
I've been to Diner a few times now and each time it lives up to it's hype.
It's cool, in a very Williamsburg almost-too-cool-for-you kind of way. The play on a diner with edge, if you will.
The food is fantastic. Nothing you order will disappoint.
Most recently, I was there and had the BEST CAKE OF MY LIFE. Notice the caps, take it in, because I take cake seriously. This Olive Oil cake rocked my world and did things for me that I didn't know cake could do.
John from Diner was so sweet and gave me his email to get this recipe! Alas, maybe I typed it in wrong, but the email bounced. John, if you are at all paying attention to Yelp reviews, please let me know how I can recreate this magic cake!
When I saw the outside of this place I thought I was sadly mistaken. How the hell did I bookmark this place and how does this place have 400+ reviews and 4 stars? The outside looks like a gross, run down mobile home and the door is a piece of sh*t that's hard to open. But the inside of this restaurant is what caught me by surprised. It's small and does look like its namesake, a diner. The food was anything but generic, diner food.
They obviously did not put a lot of money in the ambiance of this joint. There are no menus, no tablecloths only candles. No sort of decor whatsoever. What they did put all their money into was the food. They're menus change daily I'm assuming since the waitress had to hand write what they were serving on paper tablecloth in front of us.
For appetizers we ordered the beets with yogurt and the beef tartare. The beets were heavenly! I wish I knew what type of reduction was on those beets. It was so delicious and the yogurt complemented them perfectly. The beef tartare had a fried egg on top which always excites me. The toast it was served on unfortunately was burnt, hard and cold. I will probably not order it again. For the entree my friend ordered the char (a fish I have never tried until Diner) with broccoli raab. I ordered the whole trout that was butterflied and deboned. The char was good. The broccoli raab was smokey and delish. But it was the trout that took the cake and gave this place 5 stars. It was to die for! It was served lentils with a spicy kick. For dessert we ordered the apple cheddar tartine. Perfectly sweet but I wish it was larger. I will return to Diner. They cook food perfectly and only focus on that.