Love a classic Jersey Diner, and this one is about as classic as they come. Long counter with stools, booths with vinyl seats, paper placemats, and all the hearty, typical diner food you would expect on the menu, including a case filled with amazing looking pies and cakes. My girlfriend and I had dinner here on a Saturday night in September and sat in a booth. Our waitress was very friendly. My girlfriend got the meatloaf and I got a sandwich with breaded chicken and vodka sauce. The meatloaf was bad (dry and flavorless) but the sandwich and fries were excellent. Prices are high too. Charging over $20 for meatloaf - not very good meatloaf at that - seems insane to me. But I guess prices are up everywhere these days and north Jersey is a high-cost-of-living area in general so here we are. Nice place, nice people, good menu. Just avoid the meatloaf. read more

Budd Lake Diner - Drunken Nonna (breaded chicken with vodka sauce) $16.95. - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

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We always enjoy a dinner because of all the options. It was a cold and rainy day so the beef barley soup warmed us up. It was a fair amount of beef, veggies and barley. Plenty of soups to choose from if you are so inclined. Hubby and I wanted to split some mousaka, but alas they didn't have any so I opted for the Greek wrap sans onions. It was tasty but could've used more chicken. It was more of a salad w/ a smacking of chicken wrapped up. Hubby got the chicken raspberry salad. It was huge but considering the size, there was only 1 piece of chicken and he said that it wasn't really seasoned. There were a fair amount of walnuts but he had to ask for more dressing. The apple was cut into slices so hubby asked for a knife and cut it up so he could cut it up himself. He wasn't thrilled with the salad and left half of it which was $18.58! He thought it could use some type of cheese or something to give it more umph. On a side note, they need to update their bathrooms. The toilet was cracked and leaked when you flushed. There were no towels and the hand drier didn't work. All in all, it wasn't the best visit we've had but our server was nice and I would like to come back again and try their coffees. read more

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There is nothing better than a New Jersey Diner! Growing up in this area a diner was a part of our weekly routine. Living in the Mid West now, whenever we come home it's the first thing we take our kids to! Budd Diner did not disappoint! I had to have the Cannoli French Toast was perfect, not too sweet, but the perfect taste! Disco Fries a must! A gyro sandwich, mozzarella sticks, and a breakfast sandwich rounded out the perfect diner experience. Lovely staff, to-go cups for our drinks, nothing better! read more

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Their food is always great & the specials are terrific!! Everything is made there & the portions are generous. Last year we went with some of our out of town family & they enjoyed everything they ate. I definitely will be back there soon!! read more

While on the road, we stopped for a quick bite and stumbled upon this diner. It's your typical diner with a large menu of breakfast items to burgers. We didn't want to get too full and ordered two appetizers to share, but ended up pretty full anyways. We had the Appetizer Combo ($15.95) and Cheeseburger Sliders with Fries ($11.95) paired with an Apple Milkshake ($8.95). The appetizer came with tenders, mozzarella sticks, wings, and loaded potato skins. This was really basic and essentially just lots of fried food with some variety. It did come with lots of sauce to dip each item into though. As for the sliders, they were pretty standard as well paired with some crunchy fries. The food is your standard diner food to satiate any hunger on the road. The milkshake was pretty good though, but pricey at that. read more

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The new owner from a few years ago was nowhere as good as the original owner. The original over was great and most people loved going there. Unfortunately, the food was nowhere as good when the new guy took over the restaurant. read more

We passed by on the way back from getting a tree from a nearby tree farm. There was a line to get in, which was a good sign, and we were hungry for some diner comfort food. We were seated after some time understanding there was a lot of people waiting and place was packed. Typical NJ diner design and menu. Not as big as it looked from the outside. We ordered avocado toast and a chicken parm sandwich. Took a bit of time to come out but again, busy. But our server was kind and friendly. She came back to check on us a few times. The toast was good, fries were hot but not over cooked. The chicken parm was thin and too dry for me. Not enough sauce but the bread was soft. But overall it was good. Will try again if we get a tree next year. Recommended! read more

A vintage roadside diner with an ambitious menu and an unpretentious atmosphere. Had a tasty chicken dinner with lovely, mashed potatoes and perhaps the best stewed zucchini that I've ever had. The homemade split pea soup was nicely prepared, and the Greek salad was fresh and well composed. BLD is a pretty large space. There's lots of booths of various sizes. The wait staff and host were friendly. Service was somewhat slow however my experience here was positive. After driving for quite a long stretch of highway, I was happy to have landed on this spot. read more

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7 years ago I rated this place with 5 stars. It truly was worth it. After the original owners sold the diner, the new owners came in and made serious changes to the menu. Hey, it's their place, why not? At first glance, they have some good options. Then you taste and it's just ok. And that's saying a lot for diner food. Then you get the bill and it's like wow, this is not gourmet food. C'mon! How do you mess up, then pay so much for mozzarella sticks? Lmao! I've given them the benefit of the doubt and gone there several times, but now BLD gets only 3 stars. It's a shame, because at one time they were a gem in the area. read more

The only reason the Budd Lake Diner is getting second star is because they were flexible and able to accommodate our large party that arrived slowly over 30-45 minutes. Other than that, the food was quite terrible. The Monte Cristo was not good. The chicken and waffles had non-stick grease all over it and was chicken tenders they recently deep fried. Their corn hash beef comes from a can as well. Just not great all around. read more

Budd Lake Diner - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

Not even worth going. How can breakfast at a diner be so bad? Ordered a few option and literally nothing was worth eating...

I was very disappointed at the roast turkey dinner. The turkey was like cold cuts. What happened to the real roasted turkey the other owners served. I felt like I was at a I HOP. read more

Service was fine and food was good to very good. Unfortunately we got sat at the last table next to the bathroom and it was non stop traffic of people coming in and out. Didn't try the cheesecake, but had yummy crab cake Benedict. I ordered my eggs over poached (over hard) and they came out runny. But that happens all the time. Extra hollandaise sauce was server without asking, which was a a nice touch and the crab cakes were fantastic. The home fries weren't great and they didn't have yellow lemonade. However overall good to very good for standard diner fair. read more

Budd Lake Diner - Crab cake Benedict. - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

I was not feeling the best when I wrote this. This place is actually great, they are personable, and they ensure you get the best experience possible with their friendly atmosphere. read more

Not so good everyone. Maybe they will pick up the phone when you call to order. Maybe your food will come out ok on some occasion. Its definitely not consistant. They will charge extra for every nook and cranny. Example: to go orders, cheese...everything is extra. Just so done with what seems like a lack of care and concern for customers and there reputation. read more

Would have to agree with the below comment. They will nickle and dime you for every little thing, especially over charging you $3.00 for every glass of soda you order. Food is tasteless, service is non existant, and you heard left and right about the wait staff complaining that they are left small tips. Paid $30 for a $3.00 worth of Chicken and 2 soda. The waitress dropped off the dish and never bothered to attend the table properly. She passed by something like 20 times, and not once said anything. In fact, she didn't bother to give us all the things that we were paying for. The meal was 6 pieces of what looked like they could be used for chicken fingers, 1/2 a pound of lumped up things underneath the chicken. The whole dish costs not even $4 and it was tasteless. The place looked like the old place from when the previous owner had it, so you know these cheapo's didnt even spend a dime when they took it over. We noticed the same scratched up glasses, the same plates, everything was not even changed from the old place. So you know what the owners are all about, attempting to suck as much money as they can out of a low income location. We heard about 5 times about the waitresses not having any tips left for them, thats because the place thinks they can charge what ever one else charges for a low income area, and they get sticker shock when they see the price of the items and every little surge charge on the bill, so you know they are going to get out of there as cheap as possible and with that rip off prices, paying the places employees is not their problem. In fact the only reason why they are in business is the fact their local competition closed up. Would never return again, even though we were a frenquent customer of the old owners, but never of these new ones that are more interested in conning people other than offering good food and service! read more

It's a good diner. Probably better than anything around here. Decent menu, good portions, nice staff. Added this to my go to list.

First time in New Jersey and my first time at this diner for brunch. Plenty of parking all around the diner. We were a party of 12 on a Sunday. Unfortunately we weren't able to all sit 1 table, but they gave us 2 tables back to back. Since it was my first time in New Jersey, I was told I had to get the Taylor Ham (with egg & cheese). I'm so glad I did because it was a delicious meal. Our waitresses were extremely patient with our orders and constantly checked on us. read more

We have dined here several times and both the food and service is also consistent. I recently heard that they have the BEST cheese cake so we ordered and picked one up today. Well... this certainly is. It is huge and seriously creamy. Highly recommend. Kind staff too! read more

Budd Lake Diner - Absolutely delicious. Wayyyyyy better than juniors! - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

I think good! New owners are making a strong effort, and I find no fault here. My orders have been prompt, accurate, fresh, and tasty the way a diner should be. I say go to the Budd Lake diner and try it for yourself, I believe you'll leave happy! read more

Fantastic food fantastic service and an amazing hot chocolate!! Prices were very reasonable and the portion size is very generous!! Fast & friendly staff. Adding this to my diner rotation!! read more

Ordered a steak and blue cheese panini. Well it came on a cheap flatbread that was so soggy that the insides fell out. The steak was chunks of meat which were obviously too big to be in any kind of "sandwich". The onions and mushrooms were over greasy. I couldn't even pick it up without it flopping open and everything falling out. If a place doesn't know that a focaccia or ciabatta bread should be used for a panini they should be ashamed. read more

Budd Lake Diner - Budd lake diners idea if a panini - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

We visited for a family gathering. The waitress was great. The food came out hot and tasted good. The pancakes were just ok though. The overall place is very dated as well. read more

The Budd Lake Diner has been part of our regular breakfast rotation for years. We went there this morning, and had such a terrible experience we won't be coming back anytime soon. The service was extremely poor. It took an hour to get our food. The waitress never came back to check to see if we needed coffee refills while we waited. I understand that it was a busy morning, but if you can't get the food out on time, at least make sure the coffee/tea cups aren't empty. We asked for boxes to bring home leftovers, and we didn't get them until we asked a bus boy who was clearing our table. The service was just about the worst we've ever experienced. read more

It's a clean and polished NJ diner. Interesting menu - something for everyone. Food was ok Fries were great! Limit refills to 3. Staff was very attentive read more

This diner is THE BOMB!!! From an ALL DAY BREAKFAST menu to servers who LISTEN?!! THIS IS THE PLACE!! I ordered the Budd Lake Burger - it was cooked perfectly - and my fries?? I like my fries WELL DONE - and they were done right the first time! YAHOO!! My son had the breakfast burrito and he loved it! The downfall for me? No Coca-Cola - only Pepsi. But their tea is good. Had the Shrimp Cocktail appetizer and mozzarella sticks - they were DELISH! read more

Pleasant surprise! Long drive to a Family Wedding from (South Carolina to NEW Jersey). Our Metre De Gianna was very friendly in seating us, and answering our questions. Our Server Linda was polite, friendly, down to earth, empathic, and very efficient. I asked for basil and oregano and got it 3 minutes later. The was food was good and the prices were very reasonable. The Veal Parisian was two real veal medallions, breaded with a side of linguini. While the veal medallions could have used more seasoning, they were good. My wife had the Ruben which she enjoyed. I will have to tell you about the Raspberry Truffle cake later as my wife took it to go! We highly recommend the Bud Lake Diner if you prefer friendly service, good food, and a very reasonable price for dinner. read more

They Shouldn't charge you for pick up and using the credit card. Burger was good. Need some updating but overall not bad for a diner.

Been there many times since the '80's. Not as good since new owners. This evening I ordered the chopped sirloin. In three attempts, they couldn't get it past raw. The menu stated served with mushroom gravy. Instead there was no gravy and the meat sat in a tomato juice from the string bean side that usually comes in a side dish. In the old days I believe the server would not have served the dish that was not cooked properly. It took management way too long to figure how to use pencil and paper for our bill as the "computer was down". Altogether a disappointing experience that will be remembered. read more

While the Wait staff were very nice 2 out of 9 meals were raw and took very long time to come out.

Budd Lake Diner competes with the best small town dines accept you will enter and leave with full service customer service. The varied menu was a wide swath of cultural and local aperitif. Taste and portion size has large value, but again the customer service is not only uncommon, but reminiscent of Great America... read more

Budd Lake Diner - Blueberry pancake - Diners Near Me - Budd Lake, New Jersey

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My wife and I stopped in for a Sunday morning breakfast today. We really liked this diner. It was like a step back in time to the '80's when it opened, even with Billy Joel singing Piano Man on radio. The food was very good. My wife had cheese blintzes with cinnamon toast and I had corned beef hash with eggs. Coffee was good too! The diner was packed on this Sunday morning, but there was plenty of parking nearby. We had a short wait, but staff was very attentive. Prices were reasonable. Bathroom clean...all good! read more

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Stopped by with a group of 7 just a few days ago and enjoyed a late-night dinner at this diner. They were accommodating, had great service and the food was pretty good! I tried their pizza burger and rice pudding and the burger was surprisingly good for a diner. Others in my group ordered, omelets, steak n' eggs, chicken wrap, and classic burger and no one had any complaints. I'd say it's a solid diner and would go back if I'm ever in the area again. read more

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Do not place an order for pickup from there. They will tell you one time and it will be ten minutes more than they said. Additionally, they are not customer friendly. If you do not have an order when it is supposed to be done the first words out of your mouth should be I'm sorry, but not here. Finally in the year 2024 they are still depending on Facebook for a menu for this restaurant. read more

Very disappointing. Coffee was luke warm and was watered down. Food was basic and unnecessarily greasy. Service was super duper slow.

Since the changing of the owners, with whom I was close with, I have only gotten Budd Lake Diner for breakfast. This evening I decided to order from Door Dash and get my classic Greek favorite, the Souvlaki Platter. Mind you, on Door dash, this particular meal costs $21. IT WAS NOT WORTH 12 DOLLARS. The chicken came bare and in strips rather than chopped chunks like it's supposed to. There were no tomatoes or onions and the tzatiki sauce was in a side container smaller than their free side of coleslaw which came in a size bigger. The fries were mixed in the container with the chicken and were soggy by the time I got them. Overall their packaging was sloppy and poor, their portions were NOT WORTH $21, and the food itself is waaaaaaay sub-par from the original owners. Advice: just take it off the menu cuz I threw it away. I couldn't bring myself to sully the memory of the family that introduced me to that meal. Sincerely, a lost customer read more

New owners seem great. But the up charge on a meal I treat myself to once every couple of months went up from 15.95 to 21.50 in 2 months. So kind of disappointed and no bread with it either. Time to look for a different diner I hear Andover diner a good one. read more

The new owners do a great job of keeping the menu fresh and rotating always. Every time you go you can find something new. Service is typically fast with no issues and the diner is always clean. read more

Miserable breakfast experience. First, they didn't have a very wide selection of breakfast options. When our food arrived, they forgot and messed up more than half of our plates, like bringing the wrong drinks, wrong plates overall, forgetting condiments, the list goes on... Budd Lake Diner is not somewhere I would recommend to anyone in the area. There are so many better options in just a short distance. read more

I love this restaurant. Every time my husband and I come here, the atmosphere is nice and cozy, you feel like family. Delicious and fresh food for any type of occasion. Quality and 100% recommendation. read more