Food is excellent. I love their grilled chicken. Service is also great, nice quiet environment. Must trust their Manhattan Clam Chowder Soup, open hot turkey sandwich. Prices are the same as any other diner. Larger options for food, well trained staff. read more

Not only didn't allow use of their own gift card but refused use of a use anywhere Visa gift card after I had already used the card there several times before! Insulting to customer...I walked out and left them with their gift card because I'll never go back again. Only reason I gave one star is because review wouldn't post without! read more

California diner offered great service with what you would expect for diner style food. My French Toast was fine and my husband enjoyed his Eggs Benedict. We popped in for an early breakfast around 8am on a Sunday. It was relatively quiet. read more

California Diner - French Toast - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

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This place was so delicious. I went here with a friend. We had the chicken fingers and fries, and I had the brunch burger. It was amazing on a brioche bun. I will definitely be going back again. The server was really nice and welcoming! read more

California Diner - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

As a kid this diner was a regular staple for my family, countless dinners on Friday & Saturday nights and always a great experience. Having moved out of the area some time ago I haven't had the chance to come back in quite a while. I've heard some negatives which left me a little hesitant but in the end it was a chance worth taking as it turned out to be a fantastic breakfast. My mushroom & Swiss omelette was generously portioned and expertly prepared, the accompanying home fries which I requested be well done were exactly the way I wanted them and my side of bacon which I also wanted well done was perfectly crisp. Reasonably priced by today's standards and super friendly service, I'll definitely be back when in the area. read more

Shooting over an updated review as this diner is still pretty on point and I would be doing people a dis justice if I didn't let people know that they are still putting out good food. I just recently grabbed takeout for the fam from here where I ordered the gyro. Gyro meat with tomatoes and onions on a pita. It comes with rice or fries and I opted for rice and it was a great choice. They cook the rice with veggies like celery and carrots. You can also opt to upgrade and add a Greek salad. Next time we are ordering those potato skins I use to love. I'm sure they still hold up as well! Great location right off sunrise if you need a pit stop when you're heading east! read more

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Food was great! Waitress, greeter and cashier were nice and the place was upgraded since I've last visited. Ambiance was splendid! read more

California Diner - Jumbo cheeseburger deluxe - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

We were seated right away but it took our waiter about ten minutes to come ask for drinks. Drinks and food came out quickly but everything was awful. My hot open faced sandwich was iced cold and the fires were stale and soggy, not even warm. We were sat in a booth in an extremely noisy dining room, which is fine for a diner but it was basically empty so not sure why it was so loud. The manager was nice and took the tuna melt off the bill, but save yourself the money and find another spot to eat. read more

California Diner - Tuna Melt Open Sandwiches - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

My boyfriend and I came here for breakfast. The breakfast menu is smaller than most diners, but we quickly found what we wanted. I had avocado toast and a side of bacon. While there isn't much to avocado toast and they didn't cook it..it was still good. Generous portion of avocado too. The menu stated it was avocado spread, but I was pleasantly surprised it was fresh avocado. There was fresh tomatoes on top as well. Balsamic glaze on the side. I also had a side of bacon. My boyfriend had two eggs with sausage. He enjoyed it and the potatoes on the side were flavorful. Service was good. We both agreed we would be back. read more

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Great food. Everything was fresh. Large portions. Best diner food i have had on ages.

Good service, fair prices and lots of diners food options. Personally loved it that the owner/manager wears a suit. That's class!

Great breakfast, efficient and friendly service. One of the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches I've had all summer. The Kaiser roll was fresh and exactly the right texture. Eggs cooked as ordered. Lots of crispy bacon. Enough cheese to hold it all together without dripping all over. Husband's "Long Island breakfast" as he calls it was perfect too. Eggs over easy cooked just right, super crispy bacon, French fries and rye toast. Great coffee, too. read more

Decided to try this diner out since I pass it all the time. I got the Reuben sandwich and it was good. Salads were average and wait staff was decent also. Nothing stood out but it filled my diner fix. Pretty good diner overall read more

California Diner - Hot Reuben Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

They stay open late, the male host is friendly and welcoming. Male waiter immediately took care of our group. The Bread was hot with butter, the salads fresh and crisp, the soup piping hot and delicious. Grilled chicken Greek salad was good and priced appropriately. Chopped steak was served with au jus, sides of veggies and potato. Desserts were great for my preference. They have affordable dinner plans. from $19.99 up it comes with the WORKS. Would have been 5 stars but they were ready to close and the vacuum came out. Right along Sunrise Hwy- Don't blink or you'll miss it. Ample parking and accessible. The place was bright, light and clean. Seating was comfortable. read more

Had a craving for a big grilled chicken salad and bf wanted a burger. Diner it is! Checked out a couple of reviews for diners and I have gone here once but many years ago. Ordering for pick up was fast, simple and friendly. Bf said it was decorated really nice inside, well-lit, and quite busy. The tomatoes in my salad were a little underripe and it could have used a little more of the onions and olives. Dressing was OK, a little more oil than I would have preferred. His burger was very good, cooked exactly as requested, the fries were great and I liked the onion rings( he doesn't eat them) Giving three stars for now. Would go again and try other items- I hope their breakfast is good! read more

After helping my brother get take his car in for the longest oil change in history, he decided to treat me to a late breakfast. I was hungry and it would be free, so how could I say no. He mentioned he knew a place in California.....I joke, it's called "California Diner." He's gone there with work friends and he swears by it. Looks like I'm going to California. You can find it on the service road off Sunrise Highway. It has its own parking, which appeared to be filling up fast. The building itself is dated, but I wasn't there for architecture. Inside the place is big and modern looking. There are plenty of booths around the restaurant. When you're inside you are in front of the hostess stand. It didn't take long to get seated at all. We were seated at a booth facing the highway, which I didn't mind. Seconds later, Lorraine, our waitress came to the table. She was very pleasant and thorough. We gave our orders in right away and within ten minutes it came out, hot! I'm just happy it didn't take two plus hours like the oil change. But this wasn't a car service, this was amazing food! The home fries were my favorite, with the sausage coming in a strong second. I even enjoyed my omelette, they used plenty of cheese (did I ever mention, I love cheese?). I was surprised, my brother picked a great spot. After, when the check came, I saw why he offered to pay. The price was great for the food we got. He pulled a fast one over me. But it was worth it because I enjoyed it. I will be back soon and recommend you try it as well. I'm just upset, my brother said "next time you pay." That next time is our birthday party; I wonder if I can call out sick that day? read more

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The California Diner has been one of my favorite diners in the area. Loved how it was open 24-hours pre-COVID when your hunger randomly kicks in late night or super early morning. Solid eats, plenty of selection on the menu, friendly and efficient service -- the California Diner is a great option that will satisfy a majority of palettes throughout the day. California Diner is located right on the service road on Sunrise Highway. It has its own parking lot with ample spaces for patrons who are dining in. The inside of the diner is pretty spacious with different rooms, which is perfect for the times we're in right now and for social distancing. Love breakfast-ing with them (no matter the time of the day), and during our most recent visit, I enjoyed my beloved Belgian Waffle (extra crispy and fluffy!) and shared the sides from my hubby's Pancakes Ala California (e.g. eggs and bacon). We also added an order of potato skins to get some potato action with our breakfast. Two potatoes sliced in half with some cheesy, bacon goodness sealed the deal for our awesome diner breakfast that morning. Service was great. Our waitress was very attentive, quick with our requests, and friendly. Our only gripe was the price for some of the items. Perhaps, prices went up because of the pandemic? $10 for two potatoes sliced in half with some cheese and a few pieces of bacon? They removed the blueberry waffle from their menu, but the waitress had them add some on to my order. Was delicious, but when we got the bill and saw they up-charged us a $1.50 to sprinkle some blueberries into the waffle mix without knowing they were going to charge us extra? Come on now... Overall, still have love for California Diner. Good food and we are happy they are still thriving and surviving during these unprecedented times. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

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We had the $24.50 special: Penne with zucchini and tomatoes and light garlic sauce for my wife, broiled beef liver with onions and baked potatoes and red cabbage for me. Both meals came with soup: matzo ball for my wife and seafood bisque (yum) for me. It came with greek salad, desert(chocolate ice cream and bread pudding -yum)and coffee. We took 3/4 of it home because there was so much. The waiter "Eber" was great! read more

Food portion and quality are great. The diner itself seems relatively clean, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the service is kind and responsive. read more

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The food was not To bad but the price was rediculous $8.50 for kraft quality mac and cheese $11.50 for 4 potato skins and $22.50 for potroast never coming back here again way over priced i can get more food at applebees for less read more

I would avoid the "chicken noodle soup" here at all costs. Absolutely NO chicken. NO vegetables. Soggy spaghetti like pasta. Dishwater is more flavorful. The grilled cheese with bacon was as expected as were the fries and onion rings. Seems like they are going through the motions here. Not even average. read more

Good service and atmosphere. The food was what is to be expected from a diner (mediocre) but it hit the spot. read more

California Diner - Corned Beef Hash, scrambled eggs & French fries - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

The food is like if you had a mother who couldn't cook. The service is polite but lacking in common sense. The ambience is ok. It looks like a diner. read more

Had group reservation for 20 elsewhere. Last minute, they were unable to accommodate us. Called diner, they said come right over, and put together one long table for us. Food was great, waiter amazing and very helpful. Even provided 20 separate checks for us as we all were mtg for first time. read more

Stopped in for a quick bite to eat on a Thursday, mid-day. Fairly empty and quiet. First impression, appeared very clean. Disappointed in the size of the menu - it was basically a foldover, nothing like any other Diner with unlimited options. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Corned Beef Hash. Served on an English muffin, layer of Corned Beef hash, poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. Pretty good. Home fries were cooked nicely, but bland. My husband had the Hamburger Patty melt with bacon and crispy onions, he enjoyed it. Food was decent, Katherine was our server, very pleasant. Based on the limited menu, we're not curious enough to return and try dinner. read more

California Diner - Corned Beef hash eggs benedict - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

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I went here today for Thanksgiving and ordered the roasted turkey with giblet gravy and stuffing. It was awful. 1). I was given large, skinless turkey cold cuts, resembling what you would get at a deli. 2). The giblet gravy was flavorless and had tiny flattened bits of giblets. How disappointing! 3). The stuffing wasn't seasoned and tasted very bland. I sent the dish right back and ordered a medium-rare Roast Prime Rib of Beef instead. That came out rare and flavorless. I sent it back to be cooked to order. I also had to season the meat myself with Worcester Sauce, salt and pepper to make it taste "Chez Gail". For sides, I had a baked sweet potato and roast corn. The sweet potato was ok, and the corn; a tad overcooked. Lastly, I was not even offered some bread. The waitress give me my Ginger ale order, and the pumpkin pie was surprisingly tasty. That is why I am giving The Diner one star. I should have stayed at home and cooked, but as a single person who was invited nowhere this Thanksgiving, I did not want to eat alone. So I chose the Google-y popular California Diner. In hindsight, I should have stayed at home. I will never patronize The California Diner again. It was a waste of my $30. I demand my money back! read more

California Diner - Decorative turkey The actual "roasted" turkey was skinless, sliced cold cuts - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

they advertise 10% off for seniors, yet they throw you an extra buck with your change when you ask for it. (And you have to ask for it, at the register, from the owners). 10% off $33 is not $1. Happens everytime. We only stop when we have no other choice now. read more

It is in a convenient location. I had a chef salad. The roast beef was in edible, it was so well done! The blue cheese dressing had no flavor. Sorry this place used to be great. Don't know what happened! read more

It's been 2 years since I ate at this diner but decided to try it again this time for lunch. Chicken salad is my go-to lunch at diners. Today's chicken salad was horrible! It was mush, no chunks of chicken or celery just mayonnaise mush which definitely was not freshly made. I never return food in a diner and exchange it for something else. I scraped it off the rye bread and ate the bread and coleslaw. Waiter never asked why there was a pile of food on my plate. Now I know..... read more

I was at a meeting with some friends and family and we decided to stop for lunch. I had eaten here before but did not review at that time. It is a very large place and you can enter on one level which was good because one member of our party uses a walker. We were seated immediately and were given menus- Water with ice arrived at the table and then shortly after a dish of coleslaw and a dill pickle. We were all somewhat hungry so we devoured these. The waiter came by to get our drink orders- 2 diet Cokes, a coffee and the water sufficed for one member. After looking over the menu we all decided. Two French onion soups for starters followed by 2 BLT's, the hamburger deluxe with Swiss cheese and French fries and a roast beef sandwich on rye. The food was plentiful and delicious. The restaurant was clean and comfortable. The restrooms were well maintained. Since we were somewhat full, we opted out of dessert. It was a pleasant experience, reasonably priced and I would recommend and return read more

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THE BEST MISSED EXIT off Sunrise Hyw! Ample parking, tremendous options, friendly waitstaff, nice other diners, no east end snobbery here - again what a great mistaken exit. Delicious breakfast, lunch, snacks desserts and Oh my@! chocolate milk, orange juice chilled iced cold. Appropriately priced with left overs to go. read more

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The chicken franchese is amazing though they have cut back on portions of chicken especially for the exceedingly higher price and the chicken has been dryer than in the past before the cut back portions and highly increased prices. One would think with the extensive prices they'd continue the once amazing portions and quality of chicken instead of lowering the portions and quality. With Michael Angelo's discontinued chicken picatta I decided to try it from the diner only to be disappointed that the "picatta" was only chicken francese with capers and artichokes! Costing a complete waste of another $35! The once amazing affordable diner has gone horribly down from where it once was. read more

The service here is great! Our regular waitress (JoAnn) is a sweetheart and always greets us with a smile!! Waiters are also very pleasant and efficient. Recently, the inside decor was completely modernized to a more amicable style. It is very open and cheerful! The food is hearty and quite good! They do try to make accommodations when asked. I'd say the California Diner is one of the better NY style diners around. read more

Great breakfast and great staff old school which is the best school kind of diner much love to this place God bless

Place was packed when I came here. Never have seen it this busy. Ordered the matzoh ball soup and side of onion rings. Soup was delicious but they changed their onion ring recipe. These looked and tasted suspiciously like store bought ones. They even boast on their menu about them being home made. I have my doubts. read more

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Having grown up in "dinerville" south Jersey, I can be a bit of a diner snob. This one? Definitely makes my top 3 list!!! Fresh, large portions - enough to share or take home for later. The baklava is heavenly! The cheesecake is scrumptious. The meat eaters of the group say the chicken Marsala is the best they've had. If you are heading to the Hamptons, give this place a try. You will not be disappointed. read more

California Diner - Spinach Pie Our Famous Greek Salad - Diners Near Me - Patchogue, New York

Now anyone who has lived in NY knows that diners are like Starbucks, there's one just about every mile in either direction. My father took me to the California Diner one evening, and I absolutely loved it! Like all diners, the menu was huge...lots to choose from. But I especially liked the special menu. You pay one price and get a four course meal. This is also in addition to the free and fabulous bread basket, and the veggie and mayo salad. The meal includes soup, salad, main course, dessert, and beverage. The portions are generous, and very tasty! I have been back several times, and tried lots of different dishes, but my favorite is the moussaka. The layers of potatoes, eggplant, beef, sauce and cheese is heavenly! I include a visit to the California Diner every time I am on Long Island. read more

I feel the same way about this diner that I do about 90% of the diners of Long Island. Everyone has their favorite based on where they grew up and what they're used too, and every diner basically has the same 17 page menu. This place is no different, good late night, diner food. read more

Upon entering, staff was friendly and we were seated right away. Our waitress was a very young girl who seemed to want to be anywhere else but her job that night. We ordered mozzarella sticks as an app and it took about 35 minutes for it to come out...cold. Our entrees came out 30 seconds after we got the mozzarella sticks and my boyfriend received the wrong order. Instead of apologizing the waitress said "oh" and took the plate back. I understand it's not her fault entirely but an apology is just common courtesy. I got the chicken parm hero and oh my god... the chicken was so stale that you could not even bite into it. Fresh chicken you can take a bite out of, this was so old it was like biting into hard rubber. We told the waitress and she took it off the bill but I left hungry and dissatisfied. Definitely will not return read more

Do I know why they called it the California diner? No, nothing Californian about it. For years and years and yeeeaaarrrs there were about 4 diners to actually consider in patchogue, now I think there are two left, the expensive metropolis, or the seedy California- I always choose seedy for that late night grilled cheese n bacon fix, but I've gotta say, I really enjoy their matzah ball soup. It's pricey but great. The baked clams are hella salty and yummy after drinking all night. Typical Joe-schmo diner but it gets the extra star for holding a place in my torrid history. read more

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