I've come to this restaurant for the past 4 years. It's a fairly decent restaurant, nothing too bad, and a quick way to grab something to eat. I work as an EMT and come in the mornings when there's not too many people. I enjoy my conversations with the servers, especially Ms. Tina! The only downside is, since the new owners have came, the prices have risen a significant amount. Overall, the food is decent, but mainly stay for the servers I've grown to have a relationship with. read more

Excellent diner food! The waffles weee great, the bacon was crispy, and the eggs were cooked exactly as I had asked. The coffee was good too - strong and steaming! My friend loved her French toast, as well. The service was a bit slow because (I think) they were short-staffed, but when our server got to us she was efficient and helpful, and we still got our food without much of a wait. I'd recommend trying this place out for no frills, good food. read more

I don't understand if you do not have an item that someone ordered why is there not a phone call made??? I ordered 2 BLT sandwiches one beef bacon and the other turkey bacon. They both were made with PORK bacon. When I called them to complain about it they woman who answered the phone was rude and when I asked to speak to a manager the only thing he could tell me is that they do not carry beef bacon and that they were probably too busy to call. DO BETTER :( read more

My fiance and I found this restaurant on a Sunday morning looking for a good breakfast. We are new to town and some of the other places were way too busy which fortunately led us here. We were sat right away and greeted shortly after. There were a good amount of people but things were moving quickly. I got the cheese omelet with Taylor ham sandwhich on a roll and it was everything I could ask for. Simple and fresh. My fiance got the same sandwhich with bacon and the French toast that tasted homemade. None of that xtra large bread or stuffed nonsense, it was perfect! We're from California so when our bill was less than $25, we knew we found our new go-to. Word on the street is that there is new ownership, hope that doesn't change anything! read more

See all

No frills, no fuss, old-timey diner on Central Avenue and Halsey. Low prices and fast service. Ideal spot for brunch with senior citizens or to grab a taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a roll. read more

I have recently been visiting the Newark, Nj area more often. Some good friends of mine moved there in May so it felt like a great place to have new food adventures! My boyfriend and I tried Central Restaurant one morning via Uber. The pictures on Yelp drew us in honestly. Now I can say I don't believe the pictures even do them justice! Everything I have tried here was hot, fresh and tastes like it was prepared with love. My first trip here I got a breakfast platter. Eggs (with cheese) , meat, and potatoes. So did bae. He got coffee, I got a bottled juice and we ordered cheese grits to go for a friend. I can't tell you how many times a simple breakfast like this, outside of my home, would cost me $30-$40! Central was $20! I was so happy with the price I could write a whole review on that alone! (I will remember to get more pics when I return) Did I mention this food was takeout?! So we had to Uber back to my friends place and then eat. I still had steam rising from my plate. The bacon was still crispy and perfectly salty. The cheese was now married to the eggs and the grits in perfect harmony. Ok ok I'm drooling now but you get the point! I also want to commend the staff there. Always friendly and very efficient. I can't wait to return and have another awesome breakfast! read more

Central Restaurant - Grits with Cheese - Diners Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all

You have a 50% chance of your order being correct if you pick up. When it's right, it's pretty good. When it's wrong, it's annoying. I live one block away so I typically order for pick-up. This is a no-frills place with average breakfast. read more

Your typical diner. Great for an American traditional breakfast. I ordered the hot cakes and corned beef had combo. They're were exactly as you would expect. Tasty and served relatively quick. Coffee was hot and tasty. Nothing exceptional and nothing disappointing. read more

Central Restaurant - Hot cakes and hash - Diners Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I think the only redeeming quality of my experience today was the price (especially compared to nearby establishments). I spent $6.42 on a grilled cheese and fries. However, I would've gladly spent a couple more bucks for better quality. I could taste whatever else was made on the grill in my sandwich and in my fries. That itself was such a turn off. The taste of the food was really blah. Like I guess it could be worse but it left a lot to be desired as well. I would've given the place at the least 3 stars, but I was wholly unimpressed by the service. To be fair, I called to pick up, so maybe the other staff / waiters are perfectly kind. But the woman who answered the phone was rude and abrupt. She was behind the counter, so maybe the same person other reviewers mention. read more

Central Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Excellent food delicious excellent service I highly recommend it parking is not easy but the place Is worth it

My order was 40 minutes late and the woman on the phone was extremely rude. I called the restaurant when my order was 20 minutes late to ask for an estimate because I had to leave my home soon. She said, "That's not my problem--it's not my job." By the time my food arrived, I was already out. From the looks of other reviews, she seems to give everyone a dirty attitude. I also noted on the app that the person delivering my food was to leave the food at my door and was not to ring the doorbell, but he rang and knocked on my door several times, which sent my dogs into a frenzy. He also brought my food down to the front desk, who had to throw my order away because they're not allowed to hold onto perishables due to COVID. Never got my food. Wasted my time and energy. I'm getting a refund and never ordering from here again. read more

This place absolutely sucks. My husband and I ordered more than a 70 dollar worth meals. The meals we ordered came completely unwrapped ( breakfast sandwiches and more) I called to talk to this rude guy. He's no professional at all. And claim the owner/ manager or supervisor wasn't there. I know first hand there's always at least a manager on deck through personal experience. Would you want to eat any meal by delivery opened? The person on the phone literally said " I don't know what to tell you" if you're miserable with your simple job. Then quit. read more

Went there for breakfast on a recent Saturday and having seen favorable reviews I enjoyed the breakfast and the service was great... the coffee was very good ... I had corned beef hash with poached eggs... and my friend had the western omelette ... not many choices in the area so this place is a find .... read more

See all

We stopped coming here after the cleanliness rapidly declined. The last time we went, there was a roach in our ice cube

The best taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a roll that I've had. Amazing! I was having a rushed morning an needed a quick breakfast, so I finally stopped into this establishment after walking past it to work for several months. The vibe is pure old-school NJ diner. The proprietors were business-like: very helpful and competent, but not super chatty. In other words, exactly what you would expect from this type of NJ eatery. Seriously though, get the sandwich. read more

I absolutely love Central Restaurant! They never disappoint. I am a very serious breakfast person (after all it is the most important meal of the day) and I've had their pancakes, French toast, breakfast sandwiches and I'm always happy ...and full. I'd definitely recommend. read more

The service is excellent, I'm a daily customer weather I'm eating in or out and there catering is awesome as well. A clean restaurant and reasonably priced menu. read more

Found this hole in the wall place in downtown Newark. Fantastic food, made fresh, hot and tasty! Great service, fair prices and big plates. Menu has ALOT of food for anytime of the day (breakfast all day as well) Only small issue I had was the coffee cups are tiny. More like tea cups, so had to get several refills but very minor issue. I'll be back for sure!! read more

Cool little private morning diner type of place. Customer service is great. One day I left my phone there and the lady working there said " hey! Your phone " that was cool. read more

Pretty good sandwich, got a Taylor ham egg and cheese for takeout. Wish I could rate it higher but the bagel was burnt pretty decently. Otherwise order was on time. I plan on going again and hope the burnt bagel was just a one time thing. Also the lady working the counter was kind to me, even though she was overwhelmed with work and a rude customer in front of me. She wished me a nice day and I appreciated it because I could tell she meant it. Once I eat here again, and everything is good, I'll be happy to rate higher. read more

Good for breakfast sandwiches mostly. The reviewer who said they don't take cards is incorrect; they Do. I don't mind the attitude of the staff because they have to deal with a lot, and quite honestly the customers are probably ruder than the staff. read more

My friend and I walked into this diner after we discovered the restaurant we intended to go to wasn't open that day. We were disappointed to have to change plans, but this diner did a fine job of satisfying our desire for classic diner fare. I ordered french toast, and it tasted just like my mother's (the ultimate compliment). It was so lovely on its own that I didn't even add syrup. My eggs were also well-cooked. I ordered them scrambled, and I half-expected them to come out dry and bland, but they still had a nice softness to them. As far as classic diners are concerned, that's pretty outstanding! :) Prices are great. Service was a little slow (we didn't get our menus for several minutes, but after we ordered, our food came quickly). Ambiance, decor, and atmosphere were a little lackluster. read more

See all

Good small neighborhood diner. Had breakfast there and was OK. Very reasonably priced.

The service here was great!!! Me and my brother came here after a work out the YMCA for breakfast. The waitress was very nice and sweet. Service was prompt. I ordered grits ..cheese eggs ..hash browns and turkey bacon. I tried everything but the hash browns (obviously my eyes was bigger than my stomach lol). The waitress kept constantly checking on us-which was a great thing! Aside from everything, the prices are very inexpensive! I would definitely go back. read more

Got stranded in Newark for 2 days when our flight was cancelled and finding this little gem was the silver lining! The service was great and the breakfast was fantastic. We had the French toast, mushroom omelette, and a blueberry muffin. Everything was terrific and the homemade muffin was toasted - so delicious! The prices were very reasonable too. It's not fancy but it is clean, friendly, and has wonderful food. Next time we're in Newark we will definitely eat here! read more

Order oatmeal, bacon, and turkey sausage. The oatmeal had grease that was separating and pooling on top after I brought it home. I poured this grease out and it congealed, confirming it was grease. Why does oatmeal have so much grease in it? Let alone any at all. I ate a little bit of it and it was not good at all. Tasted like it had grease in it. The bacon was OK, and the turkey sausage was horrible. Will not be eating g from here again. read more

Good breakfast spot if your in the area , food comes out fresh and fast which is a plus . I've tried the staples like ;breakfast sandwiches and eggs over medium with bacon on the side YUMMMM. read more

man this place sucks!!!! the service might be the worse in newark if you can don't order here. go to tops. the entire staff is unprofessional and extremely lazy, not to mention the food wasnt good!!! read more

Food and price are good. The elder lady working the cash register is not customer friendly. I mentioned to her that every time I stop by she is having a confrontation with a customer. She responded to me by saying "you people". I stopped her and asked her what does she mean by "You people". She gave me a blank look. I spoke to her daughter which is the owner's wife and told her this lady was bad for her business. After years of patronizing Jay's I'm finished. Not good for the community in which they don't respect. read more

So I call this place to order, because I'm really not feeling good for walking, especially in the cold weather. And what response do I get after giving my address for delivery? A snyd, "We're in walking distance ma'am" Me, "So... you can't deliver?" Rude employee, "No." Mind you "walking distance" is at least a couple of blocks from the address I gave her. Furthermore, I didn't realize you could be too close for a delivery. I thought maybe that just made their job easier, but no, apparently that's just offensive (and I obviously would have paid a delivery fee and tip with no complaint). So if you're sick in bed, or exhausted from work, don't expect these jerks to deliver if you live "too close". Don't support these rude, lazy assholes. read more

Had the grilled greek chicken wrap and yankee bean soup. They were both delicious! read more

Central Restaurant - Yankee Bean Soup - Diners Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

This review is only about take out/pick up. I have never dined in. The food is ALWAYS super delicious! My favorite is the french toast!! Omg it tastes like it's made from scratch in your grandmother's kitchen. The grits are yummy as well. No complaints! read more

There's character and charm to spare down at Central Restaurant. I got the western omelet special, with french fries, and it was exactly what I expected it to be. Of course I had to order an egg creme, because it was featured on the menu for under $2. The machine they use to make them isn't old-fashioned, honey, it's just old. I didn't ask the tough-as-nails hostess why this diner-style restaurant sells aspirin. I don't think I want to know. read more

Stopped in here with my coworkers to pick up a lunch order. We ordered two orders of steak and eggs and the other had a hot pastrami sandwich. My steak and eggs were pretty good and my coworker agreed about her order as well. I will definitely stop in here again. The food was good and the price was rather inexpensive for the amount of food we had. read more

Central Restaurant - Steak and eggs w/home fries - Diners Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

From the outside it smells greasy and gross, but it really wasn't that bad. The two egg breakfast was all we ordered and that was okay. I personally didn't care for their turkey sausage patties, but my GF liked them. No, nothing was nearly as greasy as the smell outside would lead you to believe. No pungent smells inside. Prices are a bargain. The waitress has one of those don't-give-a-damn faces, but she wasn't rude or anything...just did the bare minimum of her job without fake smiles. read more

Food was pretty good, old lady behind the register was definitely not the best to deal with customers..

The food here is pretty good and the prices are really reasonable! Sometimes their salad crotons are a bit stale. The only trade off is the lady who answers the phone is unbelievably rude. read more

I almost gave them 5 stars . I believe that's excessive. BUT the food is here is so good. Especially the breakfast OMG. The delivery service is super fast and my orders are always accurate. They have a wide selection of food. The thing that earned them four stars is the VALUE. You can NOT go anywhere and find these kind of prices for the amount and quality of food you get here. Steak and eggs with home fries only 7 bucks , just an example of what they have. My coworkers introduced them to me and now I am forever hooked. They deliver anywhere downtown Newark and guess what delivery is FREE. Like what ?! Again another reason why this is a hidden gem. You can not order from most places anymore without charging a delivery fee. Its just unheard of. The delivery guys are so nice and pleasant when they come in and when you tip them they express a sincere sense of gratitude. read more

After reading the reviews for this restaurant we decided to try out the food and see just how true the service is. The reviews are right on. The food is amazing and prices make it even more appealing. The service is exactly as it was reviewed. We had a server who abruptly snatched our menus from us just to hand them to the diners in the booth besides us. We all got a good laugh about that and were expecting something like this from what we read. Overall, I enjoyed the time spent there, ate well and am looking forward to our next visit. read more

Good ol hood spot with tasty breakfast. They have grits! Food is cheap. Yummy. Comes out quickly.