Excellent food, good service. Good sized portions. The chocolate cream pie is fabulous!

Just stopped in for a late lunch... and A-1 never disappoints. The menu is eclectic. The service is friendly. The food is bang-a-rang. Not the homogonized Brooklynized Portland menu! The Scallop BLT, a Peeper, and pumpkin pie were superb. (Have you ever seen a scallop BLT on a menu?!) read more

Favorite place to eat in gardiner/Hallowell area. Consistent quality, great service, friendly Responsive staff. Great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Strongly recommend ordering off the specials menu! read more

Had not been there in a while, wanted some Good old diner food and was feeling nostalgic. big mistake. New owners took over...the food is horrible and the place looks run down. won't be returning. read more

I was trying to think of a reason to NOT give this place a 5. I couldn't. It's THAT great. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a train car with a lot of history... Which I think it is and has. The food is very well made. I had an omelette with spinach, broccoli, and guyere cheese. Yes; guyere. They also have salsa verde that was good enough to be from New Mexico. The star of the show was the home made hash which is as amazing as it sounds. The corned beef was delicious and lean. And yes, they have mimosas. I'm looking forward to coming back and eating some of their dinner dishes like the mojito duck. This place is a hidden gem and the best place for brunch outside of Portland. read more

A1 Diner - Bar area. Classic menu. - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

Small place to dine but delicious if you can get a seat- their burgers are the best on this area- my moms lived in Maine all her life and this is one of her top favorite restaurants! Recommend the pretzel bun burger. read more

Stopped by for lunch after seeing this place featured on food channel (DDD). It was raining, so it wasn't crowded and the service was great. Grilled blueberry muffin was moist, and you can actually taste the blueberries. Having it grilled gives it that browned buttery crust. Cornbeef hash was disappointing. It was mostly potatoes, herbs and celery and hardly any meat. Crab Benedict was spectacular with plenty of fresh crab, perfectly cooked egg and hollandaise sauce on top of a nicely toasted English muffin. Orange walnut French toast was also very good, except the nuts should have been toasted for additional flavor. In all a nice time and I will return. read more

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Old fashion dining car type diner. Reasonable prices and good food. Typical New England diner menu with burgers, homemade soup, seafood, varied salad and vegetable, homemade coleslaw, etc. Seafood plate was oysters, fish, french fries and home made cole slaw. Not the typical fish, clams, shrimp and/or scallops with fries and slaw. read more

A1 Diner - Outside the dining car - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

Excellent food and service--a Maine institution that consistently delivers. New Mainer here and look forward to making this a regular spot.

I went for the first time a couple months ago when snow was still on ground and I got a breakfast to go. Swift, friendly service. The menu is a little deceiving with ala cart price in bigger font and then in small print the full meal option. Pretty deceiving. When I asked why the total was almost $4 more than what I had read, the server pointed out the small print price for the entire breakfast meal, even she said she didn't know why it was printed like that. But food was good. I prefer Dave's diner breakfast, and their prices. But I will be back to get lunch/dinner at A-1 at some point. Very cool space!!! read more

Has been a few years since coming here last and unfortunately food and service is not anything close to what it used to be. Had a burger with fries that ended up coming out after almost an hour after ordering, missing the toppings the menu listed it comes with. Just had cheese and a patty. Ate the thing anyway as I was so hungry. Coffee was never refilled, and asked for a glass of water 3 times over the almost 2 hrs I was there and never showed up. read more

A-1 is a go to stop for us! I often stop by for lunch to enjoy the best Greek salad anywhere. Always fresh, always delicious! Try with chicken or shrimp for a wonderful change up. The service is always tip top and the soundtrack is on point. Love the A-1 Diner! read more

This is the most perfect diner experience you could ever ask for. In a historic train car overlooking a bridge, it has tons of charm. Keep an eye on their specials, which can run out quick! Here you'll find genuinely gourmet cooking- a clear step above any other diner food I'd ever had. It's fancy creative food done casually in a family friendly atmosphere. I can see that this place clearly earns every bit of its hype. read more

A1 Diner - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

Fabulous food in a a classic "lunch car" style diner. We stopped in for breakfast after ice hockey. Regular menu plus an additional specials menu for brunch. Everything was fresh made. Great coffee from a Maine company. Service was friendly and fast inspire of how very busy. Would love to come again for lunch because the rest of the menu looked amazing. read more

I don't know where you'd find a better diner experience. It's very old (1946) and offers an authentic patina that includes a little wear and tear. The mahogany booths and trim, tile floor, chrome backsplash, neon sign, so much nostalgia. You have to get to the bathroom from outside, the kitchen door. The best Reuben I've had, and I am picky. Lots of pastrami, sauce, sauerkraut, so that every bite is thick and juicy. Poutine was delicious, with the cheese curds fully melted under brown gravy. Very savory and strong flavored. All portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. They have unusual menu items, including soba noodles and specials with spice, like my brother's order: Moroccan haddock pita. My husband's meatloaf sandwich was smothered in gravy, which he probably wouldn't have ordered the same day as poutine if he'd realized it, but it was good. read more

Was staying in the area and our host recommended this place. What a treat! They make everything and it shows. We normally don't hit the same place twice while on vacation, but this place was that good. Burger, fried chicken, meatloaf and desserts, all fantastic read more

Small but charming classic diner experience. Food (lunch and breakfast) is excellent and service is knowledgeable, quick, and friendly. Food menu allergens were well known by staff and easily accommodated. read more

Always a treat for Sunday brunch. Never leave disappointed and the ladies that work the front are the best!!! read more

A1 Diner - Always a treat for Sunday brunch. - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

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This is a nice, quaint place to grab a bite! The staff is very nice and friendly. The food is quite good too !

We found this spot interesting when we saw it on the Food tv map. It was a little above average but nothing amazing. It is a really cool diner car but the place needs a lot of work. We got the fish tacos, a bacon cheeseburger, an egg salad sandwich and chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Total was about $44 without tip. read more

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This small, unique, local diner is awesome!! I have had their breakfast and now, their dinner. Both were fantastic! Our waitress, Kim, was top-notch and a good sport. I had the special (fish tacos) with fried avocado. I would go back there just for the fried avocado! The other folks with me loved their meals and desserts. I had the peanut butter pie, which was AMAZING. My brother had the toffee chocolate chip cookie and reported it to be delicious (it was so good, he didn't share). If you are in the Gardiner area, I highly recommend this gem of a restaurant. read more

Very slow service... long wait.... No customers.. we waited for drinks.. our order and especially our check, even after we told her we were in needed to get going. read more

Off the beaten path, but well worth the effort to get to. We had a variety of sandwiches and burgers and ate them outside. Everyone enjoyed the meal, and the prices were fair. The staff was also wonderful. They were very personable. read more

I wouldn't go back even if they comped my meal. The hipster staff doesn't make you feel at home. It's commercialized to the point it might as well be a damn Starbucks. At least at Starbucks the coffee isn't burnt and the food won't make you vomit. Avoid this rat trap. read more

Made a trip to A1 a few days ago for date night... we'd been there before, but I doubt we'll go back again. So many things on the menu sound delicious, it is hard to choose. The lady two seats down from us got fish tacos and they looked amazing, so I ordered them too. Hers had big (easily visible) pieces of fish, mine came with fish as a garnish on top of salad tacos. The poutine was fine - not "the best" as our server gushed. We were full enough and cold enough from sitting near the door and ready to get home so we took dessert to go - I had pumpkin caramel pudding and my date had maple cake. The portion of the pudding was about 3 spoonfuls, which was a shame, because it was yummy. The cake was so dry we could have have thrown it in the woodstove - it was inedible. Each dessert was $8! I know restaurants operate on thin margins in the best of times and are usually understaffed in the current times, but they still have to take care of their customers - we'll be taking ourselves and our visiting friends elsewhere. read more

This diner has the most eclectic cuisine and every dish is prepared to the highest quality. The food is absolutely amazing!!! Five stars is not enough to rate this diner!! read more

Like Sarah M. I heard about this diner thru Triple D aka Diners, Drive in's and Dives. However we did arrive around dinner time. My travelling companion was my daughter Haley and we were on our way home from Lakewood Camps in Andover, Maine and decided to take the long way home to try it out. After having spent the weekend at a Sporting camp, which feeds you oh so well we decided to have cheesburgers for dinner . We were not disappointed! They were char broiled and cooked to perfection. The hand cut fries are great and we ended it with the legendary Warm Brownie Cup. Of course the best places depend upon having great staff and it appears they do at A1. Our waitress, Jessy was more than accommodating and allowed us to take pictures. She also took our picture and answered all the questions that go along with the fame of being in the Triple D book and on the show. She was even willing to sign my book ! Thanks Jessy and the whole crew at A1. It's All Good!! read more

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My mom and I found this place on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. It was sort of on our way to Bar Harbor, and it got us off the freeway so we didn't have to pay as many tolls (what is up with that by the way there are no bridges?). I'm sure Guy came for dinner, but we were there for breakfast, which is nothing special. The waitress said they are known for their expansive menu which included everything from meatloaf to Thai. Their breakfast menu is a different story. There was NOTHING that jumped off the page, standard diner breakfast-eggs, potatoes, meat, but not even biscuits and gravy! I had 2 eggs and toast. They were fine and really cheap, but this was not worth getting off the freeway for. If you're in the area come for dinner, the menu looked really interesting, but don't bother for breakfast. Denny's has more options. read more

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Just finished a nice breakfast with the family. A1 is a small 40's style diner with a stone counter and about 10 booths. It appears that they have many regulars that come back again and again for the good food and great service! Be prepared to wait at certain times of the rush. The menu has a page of specials which are different than what you'd see elsewhere. I had an omelet with zucchini and mint! The potatoes were crisped, the toast dry like I wanted it. Also got a side of bacon. Rest of the family got some really good waffles, blueberry pancakes, very tasty eggs, and the wife and dad said the coffee was great! My OJ tasted as if it were a mix, which probably was the only thing that was not that great. As I said before, the waitress was awesome and was never resting...until she found a small window to go to the bathroom which she wanted to do 20 minutes earlier. She was very friendly and helpful. Street parking if you can find it! It was interesting to see that it was on at least a 29' slope which had a "ruler" to show the 100 year flood mark. $50 for 5 people, not including tip. read more

Their food is top-notch. Whenever I want brunch, but don't feel like cooking it, I come here. If you get a chance to try the garlic-infused maple syrup, I highly recommend. What I do not recommend is coming when it's totally packed at the last hour before brunch ends (unless you're alone and/or don't mind sitting at the bar). Their dinner menu always has intriguing options and the few times I've eaten there for dinner it's always been delicious. read more

The A1 Diner a fun, unique diner with great food. The restaurant itself is an old railway car, so space is limited. My favorite thing here is the avocado fries. I'm not even a huge avocado fan, (I know, unbelievable) but I LOVE these! read more

A1 Diner - Avacado fries - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

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Great food, served by people who are proud of what they do. Homemade onion rings, homemade vinaigrette, homemade soup, outstanding range of specials. Everything from the bread choices on sandwiches to the freshness of the salad greens spoke of pride. No bagged Cisco products going from the freezer to the fryer here! Desserts sounded more appetizing than they looked, but were clearly home made. Great coffee. The diner certainly shows its years, but it was clean and the staff provided great service. read more

This is quite a gem! An historic, old-time diner with a distinctively upgraded cuisine - with very affordable prices. We feasted on Bob's homemade corn beef hash... The orange pecan French toast... And a custom made omelette. All were terrific. So was the coffee! A local blend called wicked dynamite. Looking forward to stopping here the next time I am on route to Bar Harbor. It's about three hours from Bar Harbor... Two hours from Bangor... and about a half hour outside of Portland. Service was excellent, I believe the server was the owner. Friendly, clean, cozy. This is the spot! And it looks like their goodies include more than just breakfast. They have a great selection of wine and beer and their dinner and lunch menus looked terrific! read more

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You approach a diner, alongside a bridge, elevated on stilts. Don't judge, because it's not your typical greasy spoon. They have a beer and wine selection and their menu is above average for what you'd expect from a diner. However, their prices are totally reasonable. We had the goat cheese and arugula salad and a red onion chutney and cheddar panini, together that was under $20. My rule is that you can tell the quality of a place by its salads, and A1 lives up to its name. For desert, we shared a slice of Lemon coconut pie, and we were not disappointed. Definitely a place I'd strongly recommend to any diner lover, or anyone passing through the area. read more

A1 Diner - Goat cheese, beet, and arugula salad. - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

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Great local diner with friendly service and diverse menu! My friends and I stopped here on our way to Acadia and instantly fell in love with the home-y feel of this diner. We wish there was a bit more seating - there were 5 of us and we had to sit at the bar, which wasn't the most conducive for conversation. However, the food more than made up for it! I had the black bean burger with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and fries, which really hit the spot. Although the wait was a little longer than expected, we left feeling full and satisfied. read more

A1 Diner - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

Attitude of server was very negative. Food ok. Never again will I come here. Never greeted us and never a 'thank you''

The staff was very good I enjoyed the food Few suggestions: Maine clam po boy ($17.75) was skimpy on the clams In Maine if you get clams you expect more than about the 6-7 clams on this sandwich Good bread Might be my mistake but thought sandwich came with chips so I ordered fries with gravy Sandwich came with fries (which I wish server would have alerted me) Strangely I actually had more fries with sandwich than I got with order of fries with gravy $5.29. Skimpy on the gravy Fries themselves were good I enjoyed peach ginger cobbler Go there overall read more

This is a quirky little dinner that is actually on a bridge. No off street parking, we got a spot right in front. It's very small with booths and old fashioned counter stools. We went off our route to come here for lunch. The menu had lots of food I wanted. There also was a specials board. I settled on cream of carrot soup and a clam roll with coleslaw. My husband had a turkey sandwich with cranberry chutney and baked beans. Everything is home made. I ate half of his baked beans because they were amazing! They are one of the staples of Maine eating that I miss the most. My fried clams (whole with the belly) were cooked perfect on a toasted ciabatta roll. Jims turkey sandwich was also very good. They had some delicious looking desserts. If you're heading north stop here for lunch it's a true Maine experience. read more

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I ordered the Rueben with Horseradish Sauce. It was so, so good. Crunchy bread, gooey warm cheese and thinly sliced and flavorful corned beef. Maybe it was even pastrami because it had a uniquely delicious flavor. I'm not sure, but either way, it's a winner! Had to get the order "to go" and also got a slice of coconut cake -- a big, heavy slice and yummy. We found this on the DD&D list and we're so glad we stopped. About 10 years later, I think Guy would still be very impressed and they've even got new items on the menu -- like a kimchi burger! -- which my husband got and really enjoyed. The restaurant on stilts is super cool to see -- just a really unique spot with a long and neat history. Totally worth the stop! read more

A1 Diner - The rueben with horseradish sauce. - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

This is a great local place to go for breakfast! Not recommended for large groups as the booths are tight and there are no large tables, but for you and one other person this is a fantastic place to go on a Saturday morning. The breakfast menu has classic diner food, all of which arrived hot and delicious. No issues with order accuracy. I can't wait to go back and try a muffin on the grill! read more

A1 Diner - A1 Diner Big Breakfast - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine