Food you can literally make it home . Not at all impressed. Greasy spoon diner joint with lackluster food

This place is a great breakfast at a good price! The decor is a throwback for sure, but the coffee is hot and the pancakes delicious. The pancakes and two eggs is perfect - you leave full but not gorged. The waffle was also quite good. Bacon is a good addition and cooked well. Coffee is good and hot. A solid breakfast with a great vintage feel. It's a great way to support a local business. read more

I visited the Chef-O-Nette today, for the first time. It was a very enjoyable experience. The place has oodles of character. It feels like such a classic. Not so much from the outside (in a modern strip mall), but going inside is like going back in time. The service was excellent, and the food was very fresh and tasty, as well. A great place! read more

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Places like this once were center of many small towns in the area I grew up. You know the place, with the 1950/60s decor, the mom-and-pop model, where you take the bill to a register displayed with Hersey Chocolate and Snicker bars. A menu of basic The Walton's Americana choices; the kind of diner you must walk out of with a toothpick sticking out your mouth no matter if there is something caught in your teeth or not. Unique to my experience the place didn't have one but two bars. They both jetted out in unison from the kitchen in a 20-some degree angle. This formation makes the bar area more intimate yet retains a good number of single seating. When I came the place was slow, but this seemed expected as the servers worked on project at the bar. There was just a few customers: basically families eating with children after school let out across Tremont. It's been here for awhile and seems central to UA. I stopped in starving after visiting the library. I ordered pork chops. When I did the waitress inform me that it was cook on the stove and not baked, which means it is more stringy. This is the way I cook them so I was game. The cops were good, quality pork, and the amount serve was worth the price paid. Sides were a single soft roll and a no thrills salad which were on par for a diner. The server were great and the food served pretty quick. The price was pretty good. Ideal for a quick dinner when you are lazy, or busy. Not a thrills, date, cool kind of place, but the solid support that makes those kinds of places possible. read more

Chef-O-Nette Restaurant - Simple lettuce salad with ranch and a warm roll comes with many meals. - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Decent vintage style restaurant. Burger was juicy. Berry tart was amazing and had the perfect balance of cold and warm. read more

Chef-O-Nette Restaurant - Berry tart - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Have gone here before for breakfast and wanted to bring my wife to experience this historical food landmark in Upper Arlington. While the service is good and the establishment is clean and roomy, the food is just okay. Nothing we ate made us say that we can't wait to come back for more. Not really a very extensive menu so we are left wondering why the portions aren't a little bigger or more flavorful. We might return to give it another try. read more

Chef O Nette is a quick, easy place to grab a meal and not spend a lot of money. You'll certainly find half of Arlington in the restaurant on Saturday mornings, not to mention a few famous football players who grew up in the area. I like the place and it is certainly cherished by those who live or grew up in the neighborhood, but I award it three stars based solely on the fact it is a diner and nothing more. The Chef-O, as its name is lovingly abbreviated, offers nothing more than standard diner fare. People talk it up mostly for its unchanged 1950's atmosphere and the extremely low prices- which are truly hard to beat for a decent home-cooked meal. Do not come here expecting a unique dining experience. And definitely don't come here if you want to eat healthy. It's bacon, eggs, burgers, fried steak, and as much coffee as you can stomach. Although, I must admit the milkshakes are pretty darn good and the Hangover Burger has worked its greasy magic more than once for me! I live very close to the Tremont Center and quite often we order carry out before walking the dogs. With Chef-O's pickup window facing the parking lot, it's easy to take the dogs for a spin through Northam Park and swing by the carryout window to grab breakfast or lunch. I can't remember the last time I spent more than $4 or $5 on carry out. If you are interested in a good cup of coffee and a whiff of nostalgia, the Chef O' Nette is for you. read more

A very old school style restaurant that is located in Upper Arlington. The food choices are very old fashioned which makes you feel like you have been transported to many years ago. What I mean is that the food is very simple, nothing fancy, and no crazy ingredients. The food was good, we had a great time, and the staff was friendly. read more

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Really disappointed to return here after many years. To be fair, staff indicated that UA schools let out at 11:00, so they were slammed with students. When we arrived at 12:20, the place was maybe half full, and we were asked to seat ourselves. we sat without water of menus for almost 10 minutes, ordered simple sandwiches (BLT and Hangover) and an order of onion rings, but others who ordered after we did were halfway through lunch by the time we saw our food. Sandwiches were good, but onion rings were mostly breading and were served at room temperature. Guessing they had been frozen variety. Overall, very average experience at a place that we used to love. read more

Chef-O, that Upper Arlington staple, has been around for over 50 years now. And it looks like it. In fact, I doubt things have changed here much at over the passage of five decades. The menu is super traditional. Greasy burgers, fries, breakfast stuff. We're talking diner cuisine here. It's nothing you have had before. The atmosphere is the big draw at Chef-O. Oh, and the prices are darn low too. read more

Chef-O-Nette Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Nice place for a quick bite. 50's retro decor. Very clean. The 5 stars is for being a great diner. It's not a 3 star Michelin dining experience. read more

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I grew up going to the Chef many moons ago. When in town from our home in CA, we always stop in. After my parents became empty nesters, they made the Chef their go to diner do the place brings back so many memories. Today we were at a restaurant near where we live in the San Francisco East Bay. Six of us ordered burgers and they were the the worst we've ever had. That brought up a conversation about the best burgers and where. We mentioned the Chef but that's 2,000 miles away read more

From the looks of it we thought it might be pretty good diner comfort food. Definitely not. First and last time there. My friend got a pork chop with mashed potatoes and a salad. The salad was nothing but a block of iceberg lettuce with dressing on it. The pork chop was tough and tasted like the smell of the place. The mashed potatoes and gravy tasted horrible. Root beer was good. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich. It was served on stale bread with nothing alongside, no potato chips or anything. A couple of slices of dill pickle. It looked like chicken salad from a can and definitely not freshly sliced chunks of real chicken. The Sprite was good. Pretty sad because they're in a really good location and should up their game on quality and do homemade items, not canned or frozen. read more

I'm not sure what to make of my first trip to Chef-O-Nette. It's been on my must-try list for a while, it's an Upper Arlington institution, and I so wanted to LOVE it. Maybe I'd built it up in my mind, but I can give it an a-okay for a couple of reasons: 1. The food is simple, well-cooked, and inexpensive. Coffee was good. 2. The staff were nice. 3. The setup is so old-school diner it hurts. Retro? I would bet money that the hardware is exact the same stuff from day one. Well-made, sturdy and classic. Why was I disappointed? It was dirty. Like, using napkins to wipe the table enough to keep grease off your sleeves dirty. My fork was so greasy that it was gunky (I used a spoon to eat my omelet). There seemed to be a film on the windows and, well, everything. All things considered, we will make an attempt a lunch here, to see if things clear up a bit after the morning (no rush when we stopped in, but it was after 9am) and after a few hours' work. read more

Wonderful local business. It isn't a chain so don't expect that kind of service, but it is a local hub and has really supported Upper Arlington and the Columbus community. The prices are reasonable and deserves a 5 star rating. read more

Very nice little diner. Tasty food and decent prices backed by a friendly staff. I'll be sure to stop by again when business brings me to UA

We are new to UA, so we don't have any family history at Chef-O-Nette. But its easy to see why people wax nostalgically about it. It really is a throwback to the 1960s. I got a burger with a side of mash potatoes and gravy. Burger was good, fresh veggies crisp. Good mashies. I LOVE the fact that you get a side of coleslaw in a bowl that was clearly put in with an ice cream scoop. Come on peoples, this place has got some old school charm! Decor is vintage. When you're done, you take your check up to the register to pay, and the counter is filled with candy. Service was VERY friendly and on top of things. I visited with my 10 year old daughter, and she loved it. It looks like we have a new tradition! read more

The Chef-O-Nette was the very first restaurant I spent my own money at, and the first restaurant I ever went to without my parents. My 12 year-old self bought a hot dog, fries, and a coke with her $3.50 in allowance money, and my 27 year-old self usually does the same. One of the great things about this place is that the prices, decor, and attitude of the wait staff hasn't changed much over the past 50 years. I come here every time I feel the need to do a bit of time traveling, since I can immerse myself in an environment that looks EXACTLY the same as it did when I was four. The food is seriously sub-par, but when you're paying less for a sit-down diner meal than you would at the Wendy's drive through, you have to expect that. read more

If you're driving around Upper Arlington on a Saturday morning looking for a simple, no frills breakfast in an old school diner, you've found your joint. Eggs, pancakes, and toast are the feature items on the menu but what more do you really need? The eggs were cooked right, the toast was generously buttered, the pancakes were fluffy, and the side of home fries were crisp...maybe a little too crisp at times but still, good for what they were. I'll be back! read more

Chef-O-Nette Restaurant - Two eggs breakfast with a side of home fries - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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An Upper Arlington tradition, in the same plaza as the other Upper Arlington traditions: Huffman's Market; Moretti's; The Goody Shop. I was worried Chef-O-Nette would lose its 1950s MoJo when it replaced all its upholstry a few years back. Thankfully, the switch in color scheme from Aquamarine Naugahyde to Maroon Naugahyde did not alter the fundamental essence of the place. The funky pendant light fixtures and sunburst clock remain unchanged, standing vigil, preserving the Eisenhower era. The food here is Diner Food. Ham Steak. Fried Fish. Cottage cheese. Breakfast any time. Burgers with fries. Some other Yelp reviewers have questioned the food. Guess what? This is not an $11 "Gastropub" Prime Rib burger, nor is it fast food with God-Knows-What-Chemical added to make it taste like we imagine it should taste. This is Diner Food. Put on some Ketchup, some Mustard, or some Mayo. Or all three. And eat the pickles and onions on top. And when you pick up your tab (hand written out on one of those delightful old pale green and white tickets with red numbers, placed discreetly upside down in front of you on the counter), notice you've just paid 1950s prices (OK, probably 1960's at this point, but still . . .) Don't like it? You are not Diner Food Folk. Go back to Red Lobster or The Olive Garden, McDonald's or (shudder) Burger King. I, for one, will keep "Chef-O" for Saturday mornings. read more

A girlfriend and I went here today when we were out looking for holiday partay dresses (note: always eat AFTER you've tried everything on!). My friend went to high school in UA, so she knew of this little diner, and we marveled at how such an establishment could possibly be located in snooty Upper Arlington... but alas, it IS everything everyone mentions (including dusty!). This is your basic feel-good diner. It's REALLY inexpensive, and the menu is pretty limited, but everything we had was good. We just got cheeseburgers with fries - which was nice because it was a moderate portion and not overwhelming. Nothing to particularly write home about, but the side of mac n cheese (the world's most perfect food) was pretty good. My whole meal cost me seven bucks. Now, not an every day type of meal, but definitely what I'm talkin' bout. Service was fast, friendly, and polite. I'd come back, though I still maintain that Johnny's has the best burgers I've ever had. *drools* read more

I was disgusted by the lack of cleanliness and standards. I watched the chef touch a sandwich and fries with his bare hands just after wiping his face of sweat. None of the chefs wear gloves when handling food. They will handle money at the drive through and then without washing hands touch/prepare the food. I will never eat here again. The food tasted like it was frozen and then put into the microwave or thrown on the stove top. I wouldn't recommend. read more

I'm glad that Upper Arlington has decided to keep this hometown staple from the past. A small shopping center towards the end of the hustle and bustle of Upper Arlington sits this ode to a past diner. I can't vouch for dinner, but stopping by here for breakfast on a blustery winter morning was not a bad start to my morning. The menu here is limited and very cut and dry at a whopping two pages... (Tiny pages, too) In fact, there's nothing really fancy about it. You'll find more modern cooking at a waffle house, but its all-in-all a nice little knook to grab some breakfast. Service was good and friendly. No qualms here. Strangely enough...They have a drive up service available for carry out orders. It is indeed a time capsule at best, but I don't think a drive out of your way to get here is totally worth it, but for locals... it's not too shabby. read more

Awesome diner / comfort food. Walk through the doors and you'll think you were whisked 40 years in the past by a time machine. The Chef-o-Burger is so good it's sinful. read more

The only reason that I can see for this place still being in business is that it's considered an "Upper Arlington staple." The food isn't great, service is sub par at best and it's overly priced for the type and quality of what they provide. I took 2 toddlers for lunch and the bill ended up $30+ despite me getting a grilled cheese, fries and water while the kids ordered off the the kids section of the menu. I understand the desire to support local and I'm all about it. However there are plenty of local restaurants that have great pricing, excellent food and attentive servers. All of these things are crucial to the dining experience and it's lacking in all of them. read more

The restaurant serves its purpose. It is a Upper Arlington area institution that rests on the laurels of being a family quick-stop breakfast and lunch feeder-ree! Kids eventually turn into teens and college goers who then turn C-O-N into a place to review their night-before drinking escapades while hangovers get nourished with french fries and burgers. Let's get to it. C-O-N delivers the goods as an inexpensive, early morning diner. Ambience? Oh, its all 50s and 60s motive but nothing overdone. Nostalgia for locals oozes as that same motif was there when Mom & Dad "took me there"..... I hear that... really! Inexpensive - sure is. Food portions - nearly match the coin needed to eat. Breakfast is simple. Choose something with an egg .... get the bacon before you choose the sausage..... rye toast is better than white or wheat (personal preference there)... and there are kids portions too. All good. BE SURE and check the condiment buckets, though. I sometimes flinch a little having to stir in the new ketchup back into the day-old goop. But it works.... its diner fare. The rave is the french fries with burger (cheese if you please). It's comfort food, hangover food, chat-with-your-friends food. The burgers are nothing special, albeit always hot and greasy but not homeade. The fries are always HOT and crispy and you get VOLUME. That is key to keeping down those Blue Moon ales consumed the night before. The wait staff.... be a patron and be a favorite. I fawn over Allie and Deeana - the sisters working every other weekend. Choose the second diner bar in on a Saturday morning, bring a paper, have coffee and smile. A & D will be kind. So, 3-stars it is for C-O-N. read more

This is the place, Naugahyde and fountain drinks with old school french fries (order them extra crispy). Our kids pretty much spent every Saturday morning of their early lives there for breakfast. It's been there for over 50 years and hasn't changed a bit. Harlan (the owner) works his rear off to put out good food for people and has done a great job. In the age of franchises and carbon copies, this is the real deal. read more

By far the worst meal I've had. Went for lunch at 2:00. We were the only two people in the restaurant (that should have been our first clue). Had to ask for silverware and napkins once the food arrived. The food quality was unacceptable. Also,we had to listen to what appeared to be a manager and his stafg argue loudly about scheduling isdues. Not a good way to run a business. read more

Bang for your buck: 10/10 Quality: 10/10 Service: 6/10 Ambiance/Location: 10/10 Overall: 9.5/10 We LOVE Chef-O-Nette! Such a hidden gem! The food is AMAZING and perfectly portioned for the price. You can't beat the adorable atmosphere of the old-timey diner. The only critique of this great spot is the is the service. It's predominantly teenagers, and bless them for trying, but with that comes with the awkwardness of adolescence and doesn't always translate well to table-side service. read more

There are much choices including Mc Donalds. The food is at best below average. Service good. Drink glasses extra small. Menu is brief. If you menu is brief you need do things very well. read more

This is a great place to come for comfort food on the cheap. The menu has your typical diner items: cheeseburgers, spaghetti & meatballs, fried chicken, milkshakes, cobbler, etc. The food isn't amazing, but it's pretty decent. And again it's cheap! I don't think any of the entrees exceed $9 or $10. I crack up at the paper place mats every time I come. They have just an image of a ceiling fan and a hanging lamp - the same ones that can be found in the restaurant. It just seems like they should have something less random and stark on the place mats. Perhaps an artist's sketch of the exterior of the restaurant? read more

An Upper Arlington classic! Every time we go in my parents tell me a "when my family used to come here" story and I think that's part of the reason this place is so special to ua residents. That's only part of it though, the other part is really good diner food cheap! If you haven't been here stop reading this and go now! Why are you still reading? You should be eating their hangover burger by now! read more

Take a trip back to the 1950s. Simple comfort food favorites in a place that hasn't changed much in over 50 years. The hangover plate has always been a favorite along with the tuna melt. Portions aren't huge, but you will be full. Food reminds me a bit of cafeteria food in its simplicity and flavor. Still, this is a UA Tradition and you must experience it. The hangover plate with a side of onion rings will have you saying, " I've been Cheffed!" read more

I went here for breakfast because I read the rave reviews both here and on Reddit.com/r/Columbus. Most of the reviews, in addition to praising the food, also praised the value / price with one reviewer going so far as to say that the prices matches the decor, both were like the 50's. The food was good. The service was fine. The prices, while not outrageous, were more than expected. I think that, at least for breakfast, you would do better to head to the German village coffee house (or Das Kaffe Haus) on Thurman. You'll definitely get better bang for your buck there if what you want is eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, pancakes. Especially the bacon. Again, Chef-o nette is not bad. And it might be everything people say it is for the lunch menu, but if you're after breakfast you better be coming here for some reason other than price/value. read more

Chef-O-Nette Restaurant - Breakfast Menu 1 of 2 - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The place seems pretty dirty and needs some renovation. I know it's supposed to be a local mom and pop diner but I definitely think it could use some work. Food is decent but not the best, it is however pretty cheap. Coffee is good as far as I can remember. It seems like its better to come here for breakfast, otherwise I'd probably only show up if I didn't want to spend a lot and it was the closest thing. read more

This place gives you that classic dinner feel. Something I believe is lacking in the Columbus area. The food is standard dinner food with nothing jumping off the menu. I would be liar if I told you that is was above average in the food department, but I can tell you it is not a bad place to grab a quick bite to eat. read more

We dined here for breakfast simply out of reminiscing. The diner is adorable in regards to everything being original. The service was okay. The menu is very, very basic. I had a ham and cheese omelet and it was okay - nothing special. Needless to say, we tried South of Lane the next day and fell in love. We wouldn't go back if we were in the area again simply because South of Lane is so much better. read more

I love this place! It has the comfortable feel of an old time diner and the prices reflect that too! The food is good and the portions are hearty! My husband and I sneak out there for brunch without the kids! It's like a step back in time, in a relaxed atmosphere. read more

I can't help but wonder how sanitary Chef-O-Nette is. I was curious upon hearing that the restaurant's decor has--more or less--stayed the same, but I knew I had made a big mistake after seeing the dining room, then the presentation of the condiments... It only went downhill, I soon learned. I stepped inside the ladies' room to wash my hands before my meal and walked out in disgust. I ate my lunch (and the two slices of rye bread that accompanied my 'Sta-Slim' dish) with a fork and knife. Cleanliness question aside, the food was sub-par. My 'Sta-Slim' plate was actually a bun-less burger. Eating a burger without the bun is like eating a birthday cake without icing. Depriving this girl from carbs only takes away major stars. The rye bread was quite dry, but the cottage cheese tasted decent. Then again, you have to TRY to make inedible cottage cheese. AT's chicken fingers (which came straight from the kid's menu) was, surprisingly, pretty good. I didn't try the french toast that AT ordered, but truth be told, it didn't look all that appealing. True, it's hard to put a dent in your wallet here (especially with their breakfast menu), but I do think that the quality reflects the prices. Things to keep in mind: 1) Servers seem to mainly cater to the regulars which was quite apparent 2) Bring hand sanitizer if you plan on eating with your fingers. I really wish I could have given Chef-O-Nette a 1.5, as opposed to a 1, but I was REALLY unimpressed by the food right down to the service. read more

I just really love the fact that this place exists. Old school diners are harder and harder to find. Look, the food is diner food, so that's not why I love it. I love it because it's cheap, and because the waitresses call you hun, and because the last time I was in there, an old lady cussed out her husband, all the way through their meal and as she followed him out the door. read more