Barnside Diner is a gem of a place. It's between a very busy road but for those who want something that feels home cooked, this is the place to be. Like any diner, there's an open oven where you can watch your food get prepared. It's fun to watch as you admire everything about the diner and it's patreons who sit around you, talking about their morning/day, ect. The menu is vast featuring breakfast and lunch options, with affordable prices. I got the Big Three Breakfast which is Three Eggs made to how you want them, toast, links or pork sausage with a choice of grits or hash brown. It is a gigantic meal for someone that wants their day to start off fresh; you can't go wrong with this. The food was delicious, albeit it being a bit too greasy but that's the thing about breakfast places. You don't expect something healthy; you expect good and delicious food paired with a nice cup of coffee. Check out Barnside Diner! read more

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Everything about this Diner experience was absolutely horrible. Order came wrong to begin with twice. Service was terrible, waiter didn't speak English and is clueless. Meat was bloody and not cooked properly. Very expensive and food was tasteless and of very low and cheap quality and cold on top of all. Never again unless you have money to throw away! read more

Always the best breakfast and friendly staff, clean, bright. The food is fresh. About $24 per person with tax & tip. read more

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Well...well...well you may be here seeing the overall rating then seeing my rating. Let me preface this review by stating I am a Waffle House person through and through born and raised, so when it comes to short-order breakfast its about taste compared to price and since I've been in Alexandria, VA although it isn't close to WH its by far the closest I've been to a WH in this area. My wife and I finally decided to ignore the reviews and just try it for ourselves we wanted a cheap, fast, greasy spoon breakfast and Barnside with its classic style diner look on the inside delivers that. The sampler you can't go wrong with and can share it you get so much! Three meats, eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes for less than $20 pretax. You can't beat that and there is a lot of places that doesn't do that and over charges...*ahem Table Talk -_-* The only part that was a letdown was we had to get the waffle standalone. Next time I'm going to ask can I get it with the sampler for an upcharge. Although the pancakes weren't terrible being included, the waffle was far superior. I knew it wasn't going to be a WH waffle, but it passed...I'd get it again. Another thing we noticed but again was fine to us is that they use pre-cooked Hormel bacon. I didn't mind it, but I wish they just cook fresh bacon. The grits were a no-go watery and just not good so skip those, which bring me to service. We sat at the bar and was greeting warmly by everyone, our server was so nice, and as foodies you know that goes a long way, especially if the food is the middle of the road. Our server was nice enough to take off the grits which we didn't expect, but she was attentive to us barely touching it. Being that there are no Waffle Houses in NOVA, and I'm not going to Dumfries, VA to get to one or the fact that I'll never step foot in a Bob & Edith's again my quest for the best non bougie short order breakfast spot, with the charm and hint of Waffle House "aesthetics" lol will continue but Barnside is number 1 for the time being. read more

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This will be one of my breakfast "go to's"! Huge menu, very tasty, and friendly service. My coffee cup was never empty! Great place. Get there early as it gets busy! read more

Barnside Diner - Sausage & Gravy Over Biscuits - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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This diner is so quaint. It's a standalone building with great views, and its own parking. It's almost out of place in this busy area where everything is packed together. The place is warm, clean, and lovely. The menu has typical diner food selections. I enjoyed my breakfast except for the chicken fingers. Although, they were plenty, I did not like the taste. read more

Barnside Diner - Eggs, chicken fingers, and a waffle. - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This place is an outstanding diner. They are only open until 10:00 P.M. on Friday and Saturday. The close at 3:00 P.M. every other day of the week. I think they are catering to the breakfast crowd of workaholic federal employees who leave the house by six in the morning. This place is very underrated. I got a steak fajita omelette ($17.19), hash browns ($4.19), a Pepsi ($3.10), and a chocolate shake ($5.19). The omelette was similar to what you would get at Denny's but it was better due to better ingredients. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasty. The service was quick and friendly. The facilities were spotless and well maintained. The music playing was 1950s to 1960s doo-wop and rock like you would have heard at that time. If you are a fan of the show "Happy Days," you will know what I am talking about. Keep up the excellent work. No complaints. read more

If you're looking for a diner, that the service makes you feel like home. The food is fast, but also delicious and the smell of fresh pancakes and bacon makes you happy look no further because Barnside Diner is for you. I had the chocolate chip pancakes and omelette read more

Barnside Diner - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The perfect place for breakfast or lunch. Not matter what you want. It is all made here are the open oven. The team is perfect. The prices are great. It is good home cooking that cannot go wrong no matter what you want. Try everything and you will be happy. From scrambled eggs and baco to pancakes or waffles. Even vegan hash was a good meal with fresh made vegetables and cheese over fresh potatoes. It is something that cannot go wrong. And do not forget the coffee. This alone is worth it. Thanks to the team for all their help. It is a place to put on the list whenever you are in town. read more

Barnside is always a solid diner for breakfast. The food is good, portions are large and the staff are quick as well as friendly. The vibe is true to diners we grew up with in other states on the east coast. The coffee could be better, but it is standard diner coffee. I wish they had other options like espresso, but regular drip coffee is good enough given the other upsides. I ordered the Humpty Dumpty omelet with a side of wheat toast and my husband ordered the Big 3 Breakfast also with a side of wheat toast. Both dishes were exactly what we were hankering for that morning and plenty filling. The place can get busy, so plan ahead. We came in pretty early on a week day, so no issues with parking or waiting to be seated. Thanks for a good experience, we will be back. read more

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I really want to love this diner - the waitstaff is always top-notch, the cooks really hustle, and I love how it's open like a true diner so you can see the food being prepared. What I can't get over is the excess oil they use on their grills. The breakfasts are overly oily with some kind of fake butter-tasting oil that permeates everything - the eggs, bacon, hash browns. Not happy with the fake buttery spread they give you for your toast, either. Please stock real butter! It's always busy so people must love it; maybe I'll have to give it a try for something besides breakfast. But I really don't eat at diners for anything BUT breakfast. read more

Worst pancakes and waffles we've ever had. No flavor. Even the bacon tasted weird. Not the place to go! read more

One of my favorite diners ever, I've been going since I was a little girl and it looks exactly the same as it before! I've never had a bad thing here and everyone who works there is so friendly! My favorite things include the pancakes, French toast, eggs, hash browns, sausage, and chicken and waffles. read more

From the moment I walked in I was greeted at the door, (how often do you come across that?), at least 3 caterers throughout my meal checked in on me to see if I needed anything, the food was absolutely Phenomenal, to accompany my glass of water and hot tea I ordered the Philly Steak & Cheese Omelette and the Banana French Toast with strawberries: The steak was cooked to perfection, eggs were eloquent, The French toast was so nice and fluffy and I just love strawberries and bananas lol. The aroma and music added to the ambiance because I was jamming to Adele, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, James Arthur, and more. I think my mouth is watering might go order me some. See ya later. read more

Barnside Diner - Philly Steak & Cheese Omelette, Banana French Toast w Strawberries - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great value, food and service. Easy access from the bus stop and plenty of parking if you drive. read more

Barnside Diner - 3 Pancakes with strawberries and banana - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The appeal of Barnside Diner for us is the friendly, kind and hard-working women that work here. Prices are reasonable too. Barnside is popular and almost always busy. Food is decent. I will always either order the chicken-fried steak (served with eggs and hash browns) or the Big 3 Breakfast (egg, hash browns, choice of meat and toast). I'll eat the hash browns even though they taste like instant out of the box. Some things could be better. There are occasionally order mistakes when the server chooses to not write down our order. The other problem is that they always bring the toast over quite a while after you have been served you your main order. Yesterday, they just plain forgot to bring out the toast and had to be reminded twice to bring it. The restaurant is kinda lax on clean-up. Tables will be left uncleared for a significant amount of time. And yesterday, we were seated with a straight shot view into the kitchen. Three grease-covered flattened cardboard boxes were lying on the kitchen floor and the staffers were walking over the boxes. read more

The very best breakfast in northern Virginia. Excellent friendly service. Lots of friendly locals sitting at the bar. read more

Barnside Diner - The best gravy and biscuits! - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Tried for the first time, reminds me of a Waffle House-limited seating and front row seating. The establishment is warm and cozy and well staffed. Treated upon entrance and told I could sit at front corner or find a booth. Settled on a booth, ordered coffee to start: everything is at your table creamer, condiments, sugars, Chula, butter n jellies and hand sanitizer. Decided on vegetable hash with scrambled eggs, comes w/toast $10.89 ( instead of the vegetable omelette-same thing but with/shredded cheese vs American slices)@$14.89 quite a savings. The only difference is your omelette would have been folded and the hash was stacked. I would have preferred shredded cheese but once I sliced it up and stirred it around the cheese melted and it was delicious. Breakfast for one and a coffee to go, w/tip $17. Will be returning, thanks for you nice breakfast. read more

I am always backlogged on reviews of places. Barnside is a mystery to me. The food is phenomenal for a diner. African omelet, corned beef and hash, pretty much anything on the menus is pure Americana at its peak preference. Just 10/10 for the food. The short order cook and the kitchen operation is poetry in motion, a symbolic representation of what I'd think a diner in the era of old would be. But.. the persona of Barnside is much more or has a target of being a Michelin Star restaurant in the wrong sector of the industry. Or kinda locked away in a diners niche seeking a one way ticket on a south bound train. The hours of Barnside used to be 24/7 before Covid. But has changed to 7 to 3pm I think. The online ordering is really nonexistent or nonfunctional. But I'd say this. If the phones for ordering TOGO are broken, website are not functioning, and the delivery apps are shut down; I'd still walk 6 miles to eat what ever they have on the menu. read more

Barnside is one of those rare gems that makes you feel like a regular even if it's your first time. The staff is incredibly kind, attentive, and somehow always remembers your face--and maybe even your usual order. They've got a steady flow of folks coming through, but they handle the rush with such ease and warmth that it never feels chaotic. The food is exactly what you want from a local diner: comforting, satisfying, and made with care. Whether you're grabbing a quick breakfast or settling in for a cozy lunch, it hits the spot every time. It's the kind of place that makes your day better just by being there. Barnside is the best little diner around, hands down. read more

Not a lot to look at, but it gets the job done. I visited an hour after opening on Sunday and it was already packed. Service was good, food was decent-to-good. Not my most memorable diner experience but I'd return. read more

Barnside Diner - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I visited the establishment this past Sunday and ordered a scrapple and cheese egg sandwich to go, but even though I was seated at the counter to come back in 15-20 minutes. I am a black female and the only one of my nationality in the restaurant this statement after the 2nd time made me feel unwelcome. For these reasons I will never patronize this place again. And the scrapple was very subpar read more

Great small diner, the food was excellent and our waitress was attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was very cozy and inviting. We tried both the all day breakfast menu and the lunch menu and both were great. read more

The service at the counter is always quick and they are very attentive and filling drinks and checking what you need. The food is delicious - the scrambled eggs are some of the best I've ever had. The staff is friendly and learn the locals pretty quickly. read more

Well, this was our first time patronizing this diner and unfortunately, we did not get to experience the food and were not really welcomed. My friend and I entered the place and sat at the bar, immediately this lady behind the bar ( did not share her name) gave us the vibe that she did not want us there (we're of African descent), but we still wanted to give it a shot. I forgot to mention in my previous review that even after we sat down at the bar she still asked us if we were ordering takeout-after we literally said we are sitting to be served. She proceeded to take our order; my friend and I specifically told her what we wanted. Well, she dismissed it and when the order came it was incorrect, and she literally said "thats how it comes", we wanted her to correct the order but she said well it's "gonna take time" "thats how it comes". She was rude, her demeanor was very stiff, unpleasant, dismissive and just unwelcoming. She has very poor customer service-bad for business. We just asked for the check and she didn't want to give us the check and just said "you don't have to pay and basically dismissed us out. No apologies, no sense of good customer service/relation. A waste of time. I'll be posting more on other social media platforms - no one should patronize this place. DO NOT PATRONIZE this place. read more

The only thing worse than the service was the food. Mushroom Swiss burger - overcooked, charred tiny patty with barely cooked canned mushrooms. Beef Gyro - overcooked meat on a half-stale/half-soggy pita. French Fries - unseasoned and barely warm. Went for breakfast but they were out of eggs and hashbrowns??? Asked for a side of ranch (twice) - when the squeeze package arrived, it was COVERED in some unknown food substance - basically impossible for any half-aware person to carry to the table and not notice. Asked for a new one - server was wiping it off with a napkin when she came back from the kitchen. It was 57 degrees and windy when we came in - a very cool spring day. The A/C inside was absolutely cranking. Probably nice and comfy if you were standing over the grill but absolutely freezing with a vent blowing right on us. So, on top of the lousy food and sub-par service, I got to be miserable while dining with my coat on. Save yourself some time and money and stay far away. read more

Small but it has everything a diner typically has friendly staff good food it's definitely a spot locals go to, it's pretty hole in the wall - it's on the side of the road so if you're not looking for it, you'll probably miss it. Ordered: chicken + waffles chocolate chip waffles - were my favorite humpty dumpty omelette was really filling as well the service is particularly fast but that's what you do at a diner, you just wait and chat with your friends and have a good time : ) read more

Used to go here a lot. Am relieved it is still in business. It's a greasy spoon, and a fun place to eat. The pancakes and other breakfast foods are my favorite. You won't find anything fancy, but that's the point of it. This is a place to kick back with friends at. Located off of 236, getting in and out of here can be unique. This is close to 395 as well, so the location is excellent. The employees here are great, and will get to you in a timely manner. Easy going and casual, you can relax a bit here. A quick meal and time with friends is important. Seating is comfortable enough, and if your looking for a quick meal, here will be what you seek. read more

I went here for the first time since it wasn't too far from my house and I wanted to have breakfast with my friend. I ordered the chocolate chip pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and turkey sausages. When I tell you these pancakes tasted better than iHop! The pancakes were super fluffy and thick, and there was plenty of chocolate chips to satisfy my sweet tooth. The pancakes were so filling that I couldn't finish my turkey sausage but I highly recommend trying the pancakes here as they are a nice size and very thick and fluffy. In addition, my waiter was super nice and courteous. I would definitely come back to this location to eat breakfast. read more

I have been here many times the quality of the breakfast food and everything related is exceptionally good and a good value. Parking on site is magnificent they welcome you with open arms and they take care of you until you're ready to leave. my long time server Helen you must ask for her and they have a wonderful staff that's diverse! read more

Barnside Diner - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I love love love this place. Used to be a regular for 2-3 years until I moved but still go when I can. The staff are awesome, especially the two sisters. Watching the food cooked at the table is cool. Owner used to walk people to their booths, always nice to see him. Food is great! Its a cool place to go on a Sunday, eat and people watch. Excellent small diner, wish it was a franchise. read more

I have been eating here for over 7 years, and the food never disappoints. The staff are so friendly, and the wait is never long. I ordered breakfast this time around, and it was delicious! Eggs were fluffy, and I love my waffles each time! read more

First time here at this diner. The diner was pretty full. Small parking area. We waited for a couple of minutes but got a seat at the counter. The restaurant is very popular. Very friendly staff. Service was spot on. The food was classic diner food. Delicious. Food came out quickly. The blueberry pancakes were amazing. I enjoyed the chicken fried steak, two eggs over easy, hash browns, and toast. The ambiance is very laid back. We will be back. After our meal the waitress offered coffee to go and tea to go. How awesome is that? read more

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Stopped here on Memorial Day around 10am. It was busy but we were seated within 5 minutes. I ordered a ham and cheese omelette with a side biscuit and my husband got eggs and sausage. We both liked the hash browns- they were quite tasty. Eggs were fluffy and fresh. My only disappointment was the diced ham in the omelette- I prefer sliced ham and also it was a tad bit salty. All in all would return and hope to try some other menu options. The staff was very friendly and efficient. read more

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Food was perfect and on point for your all fab home style breakfast! Service completely spectacular! Great attitudes, service and cleanliness. Nice, quit and quaint. Loved them! read more

Prior to last Tuesday I hadn't stepped foot in Barnside Diner and have always been curious as to how it rates in the diner game. My verdict: very middle of the road. We were the first table in a little after opening on a weekday. Service was friendly but very slow. I think she might have just been learning the menu and computer system. She didn't understand what sunny side up meant. My boyfriend's eggs were over easy (not as desired). My eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast were bland. My boyfriend's Dad liked the pancakes so maybe that's the way to go? I'd go back, definitely, but it's not my first choice. read more

You can tell this is a local favorite. My wife and I decided to try it for breakfast yesterday and could immediately tell there were a lot of regulars. The menu was wide. The food was good. The diner was clean. Happy And the service was excellent. My wife went plain with eggs and hash browns while I went with chicken and waffles. It's a place worth going back to. read more

Barnside Diner - Eggs, hash browns, and a biscuit - Diners Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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My husband was a regular here since he was in college. Now the whole family (three kids in tow) regulars here every weekend. We love to sit at the counter, watching the hustle bustle of the nice cooks and waitresses making and serving our food. My kids cheer when we tell them we're going here and they pile in the car with no problem. Top recommendation for a breakfast/brunch traditional American Diner. read more

Used to be good..... Have gone here many times over the years.... May 21st my breakfast was burned black underneath! And still served it to me.... They didn't think I would notice?? This place is no longer good diner food.... too bad. Must have changed owners or management?? read more

Skip IHOP and head to Barnside. They make the best pancakes I've had in Northern Virginia. Service is friendly, portions are generous, and prices are great. I've been disappointed when I didn't order breakfast so stick to that side of the menu. read more