Stopped by to eat dinner on a Friday night after checking out the American Dream (only 8 mins away) . Was attracted to this spot because of the old school look and the menu variety looked great and prices are definitely reasonable. I recommend finding street parking because the front lot looks super dangerous to back out onto a busy road, the back lot seems okay but small. We were seated under the tent they had set up which was to the right of the diner, it was very nice and heated. Our waitress is the reason I am giving a 3 star rating, the minute we sat down all she says is "Drinks?" then comes back "What are we having?", it all felt so rushed and she was not consistent. When she brought out our food she noticed she forgot silverware then brings it over and says "Do you really need this?", didn't ask if we needed anything else. The food was great! I had a panini and my boyfriend has the pizza burger. If it wasn't for the service this would be a 5 star diner in my eyes, however our waitress did not check on us during our meal when we needed refills, napkins, extra sauce, etc. Even just to pay our bill we waited close to 20 minutes which is insane. Love the food, not the service. read more

Colonial Diner - Pizza Burger & 5. Honey Chicken Panini - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Have visited this place many times and must say the help is great and friendly. Greet you with a smile and make you feel welcomed. On the other hand the cooks need to calm down a bit. If a good looking girl walks in their eyes are popping out . Please be discreet guys , it's a family place not a bar. Sorry , it's so noticeable. The food is good but it has lost some taste and may Gus rest in peace but I guess it's the way he cooked . Probably used more spices and salt. Soups are a little bland. The rice pudding is not the same . I would like to see the specials changed up a bit and not the same stuff all the time on the same days of the week. Use some imagination , change it up. OVERALL GREAT STAFF GREAT SERVICE GOOD FOOD Take the place to the next level guys , it's your show now. Your dad is looking down and knows his place is in good hands. read more

Came here for breakfast, food was great , love the old fashioned diner style, breakfast was great , had the classic jersey breakfast sandwich Taylor ham egg and cheese. read more

We came in late one night. It was pretty much a dive to say the least. My boyfriend's fork and his cup was not very clean. We sucked it up cause we were hungry. Glad I did because the food is actually really good! Dirty silverware and cups is going to be the deal breaker though. Our serve was respectful and quick. Also, I felt like I was in the episode of twilight zone! The waitresses we're talking about a co-worker, another waitress was talking about someone else's affair.. it was really dramatic. I'm ok with foul language, but I just didn't expect it in to be so nonchalant around customers. They were pretty busy. The drama had me cracking up waiting for my good. I'd give it another go. Not a terrible experience. read more

I remember the food was good but I not like parking The building also looks cool. Word on the street is that Victor Cruz used to eat there. He used to play of the New York Giants. Salsa dance read more

I have always been a fan of Jersey diners since living here. I moved to Massachusetts about 12 years ago and was in the area. This diner was close by the hotel that I stayed in so I ordered a Rueben to go for my dinner. I ordered online for pick up and I left a note to put extra Russian Dressing on the side. When I returned to my room I was very disappointed with what I found. The corned beef was dry, there was way too much sauerkraut and there was not a drop of Russian dressing to be found. None on the sandwich and none on the side. There was enough food but not what I was expecting at all. And there were no utensils or napkins in the bag. Considering the fact that there are at lease 3 hotels within a half mile ratios and you offer take out wouldn't it be nice to put some utensils and napkins in the bag. I gave it two stars only because there was enough food but not very tasty and they did not follow my instructions. The prices were ok. read more

Foods great. Service is attentive. Old school diner, full menu. Soup of the day was Yankee bean...hot and delicious! I'll be going back

Great diner, has everything you'd expect and more from a diner. The food is always good never had an issue the many times I've been here. The owners are great guys and very friendly! Stop in for some dinner lunch or just to grab a coffee read more

Colonial Diner has the classic diner setting and the most amazing diner food you will find. My partner and I started coming here recently and we make it a point to come at least once a month. We had the Greek salad and the lentil, chicken and NY clam chowder soups-all amazing! The tuna melt is outstanding and the desserts will knock you out. You will be greeted by a friendly smile from everyone who works here. A special shout out to Jackie Who was our wait staff. She as well as everyone else who works here understand what it means to be friendly, a rare quality these days. We highly recommend Colonial Diner. read more

Sesame ginger salmon dinner is absolutely fantastic. And only $15 with soup or salad. A great healthy deal. Love this place

Loved everything from the grilled cheese and coffee to the massive banana walnut buttermilk pancakes! Great service and friendly staff. read more

Colonial Diner - Asked for a grilled cheese with two scrambled eggs - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

I brought my family there on 4th of July morning...The servers were overworked & running around, we had to wait for toast after the food was served! The breakfast was just OK. The waitress tried to be friendly...BUT There was a CONSTANT banging noise that sounded like construction in the basement. When I asked the waitress what it was she said it was the kitchen "banging out the chicken" really?! This wouldn't be my first choice of diners- there are so many better diners in NJ! Try Park West on Rt 46! read more

Was visiting out of town and went here with 5 people. Not one of our meals was any good. The eggs Benedict was delivered with a hard yolk and burned English muffin. I never had a hard yolk ordering it at hundreds of places. The sausage on one plate was not even cooked and looked disgusting. And the Chicken Tender kid barely ate them, he said the dipping sauce (I think ranch) was the worst he had ever tasted. I could go on, but this should be enough. Stay Away. The one star was for the drinks, the only disgusting thing read more

This place is so quaint an old school..... Great staff greated with a smile and food was served quickly. We absolutely adored it and the food was outstanding, the price even better. Would definately recommend this place for people who love nostalgic looks with the old school taste. read more

Mediocre service met with bland food, this diner wasn't much to remember. I would only recommend Colonial Diner if you're looking for something fast and cheap. But if you want quality, try one of the many other options for food nearby. read more

This place is average quick bite is more like it if you are up to it. First time in prob 7 years i have been here. Its alright dont count your chickens not the vest place on the block. Customer service is average a little moody yet kind but average. Water seems a bit dirty. Up to you if you want to be here or not. read more

Colonial Diner - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

The Colonial Diner is truly amazing! My food has been super excellent both times I've been there. I tried that diner on Rt. 3 (and a billion others) and this one is better by far. I've had over-easy eggs, sausage, home fries, french toast, and blueberry pancakes. I know that's a lot for someone who has only been there twice, but I immensely enjoy eating if you couldn't tell by my reviews. Also, I ate my bff's french toast when she was too hungover hehe. Unlike some diners, I feel perfectly fine and wonderful after my experience here. Sometimes diner food has you leaving a little queasy, full of food, but more with regret... not here! Parking is a pain sometimes. The parking lot has been full both times I've been there. The street signs are permit parking during certain times too. We parked on the street outside the establishment anyway. We had a seat overlooking the car so we could see if we were going to get ticketed. I think the parking is easier on weekends though. read more

Maybe I picked a wrong time to order steak and eggs? Horrible. A Joke. How can you mess up steak and eggs? First off, the steak didn't even look like steak. I could not tell what cut of steak it was supposed to be. It looked like two pieces of beef that were torn apart, grilled up and labeled steak. My first and last time here. Please spend your well-earned money elsewhere. The bacon was good, but it's tough to mess up bacon. read more

Colonial Diner - "Steak" and Eggs - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Awesome experience. Diane working the shift so late at night was such a sweet and wonderful host. Good old simple and authentic Americana dining experience. Loved it. read more

Colonial Diner - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

I love this diner. Only the locals come around, which to me tends to say a lot. Many a-night has this place & it's employees seen me at my most belligerent...and yet, they welcome me with open ham-&-cheese-omelet arms...at 3am. There's only one cook, who not only bangs out your order in 2.5 seconds, but makes it sooo fuckin' good, you wish you had more room in your gut to fit in more of his creations...no matter how drunk or sober you find yourself to be (it just so happens my experiences tend to lean on the inebriated side). There's only one waitress, who doesn't fuck around. You tell her what you want, if something is available, if they can make something up or substitute. She *will* handle business. The place is open 24 hours a day...which leads me to believe these people may not necessarily be of the human species, but undercover aliens in the form of a bad-ass cook & a handlin'-bizniz waitress. *OR* it could be that I've only experienced the late night crew...which is fine by me...ain't no one that can love me better than those home fries, ham & cheese omelet, whole wheat toast & coffee @ 3am. read more

Recently renovated to accommodate about 70+ people, it just recently reopened. They'll need more parking space based on the amount of customers they get. I'd rather order the diner basics like burgers and fries, I tried the chicken parm, it was done well but the red sauce that comes with the pasta needs a little more flavor, was a little too bland. At another visit, tried the grilled chicken sandwich, it had a little flavor, other than that, it tasted like a slab of chicken dipped in oil without any seasoning, could use a lot of improvement. Soup is home made and good, wish they would have bigger cups. Downside is the service made me feel weird, been here more than once and each time there was a weird vibe, like we weren't welcome, could be due to my natural tan which I can't scrub off if you know what I mean. The help would hang out and talk to most if not all non-tanned customers except us and when we were out of drinks, the waitress didn't refill or even come up to check until it was time to bring the food and pay the check immediately after we had entrées, I guess they didn't want to offer any dessert. In any case we decided to go somewhere else for dessert. Final verdict after 3 visits... not coming back, there's tons of diners within the 5 mile radius that would appreciate having my business. read more

The food is always delicious and when a hot dish is ordered, it comes out hot and stays that way. Kudos to the staff and to Georgia, Mary and Jimmy. Everyone at the diner works so well together. 5 star experience every time my husband and I go in. We love the Greek chicken soup on Wednesdays and their Greek salad is awesome. read more

Wish there was an option for less than ZERO!!! Ordered a cheese burger and there was hair embedded in the cheese. Then went to use the restroom and the cook comes out without washing his hands. And to make matters worse when the waitress was told of the issue she acted like it was my fault and she couldn't be bothered...smh Definitely will not be back EVER!!! And will be filing a complaint with the health department! read more

Great diner. Staff very friendly, professional and humorous. Edward, is cool, charismatic and knows how to make you at home. Fish 'n Chips here are delicious but served on Fridays only. I would highly recommend Colonial Diner to anyone with a taste for burgers, chicken and on Fridays, old style Fish'n Chips. read more

The only reason I went to this diner is because it's literally 1 block from my house and I recently moved to lyndhurst. I went to this diner about 5 times and every single time I went here, I regret right after why I went here with my friends. The service was absolutely terrible every single time I went there and there was a problem with the food every other time I went there. Burnt toast, burnt pancakes, tuna salad open sandwich with about 60 percent celery over tuna and the list goes on. Please note that I worked in the food industry for about 6 years and as a rule of mine I always tip at least 18 percent tip regardless how bad the service was. I am pretty open minded and understanding when there is a problem with the food and I do not send anything back unless it's like rotten. 3 out of 5 times there was a problem with the food and I took some pictures and I just ate what I could. In addition I had 3 different waitress in the 5 visits and every single one of them were rude and one or two of them "throw" menus and plates on the table and are very unfriendly. None of them introduced themselves and they just come up to you and "demand" your order. Today after receiving my burnt pancakes, I made a decision that I will never go to this diner again. It's so bad that I am willing to drive 3 miles out of town to avoid this place about 100 feet away from my house. Pictures are posted on the diner for proof. I only visited this place at night time. read more

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Been here a few times since my last review and my experiences were much better as of late.

I understand the "diner" = dive, at least most of the time. But "dives," many times have the best bites known to the human palette. The Colonial Diner, however, is stuck in the 1930's and seems to be experiencing a great depression. The menu had approximately 7-9 different salads that BARELY varied in the ingredients. The majority ranged from: some sort of lettuce or leafy vegetation, tomato, and onion. All between $7.95 and $9.95.... for leaves. $4 dollars for chicken and $7 for shrimp. How is this possible? The worst mark up I have EVER seen. An amazing Italian restaurant (NOT diner) down the street has a spinach salad with gorgonzola, pine nuts (those little sh*ts are expensive as hell! have you ever tried to buy a bag?), apples, and other marvels topped with blacked chicken or massive mutant shrimp for $16 and THAT I consider a quality salad. If a diner is meant to be simple, a quick good bite, dive-ish, or no-frills-yummy-food, than mark your prices accordingly, please. You have little to no variety: The Colonial Diner does not have a cappuccino machine (and hence cannot do espressos), only 3 varieties of cereal, few varieties of cheese, few fresh veggies, no fresh juices... We looked through the entire menu and it was a first to see such lackluster variety at a diner (something New Jersey diners are notorious for excelling at. Though, I'm well aware that variety does NOT necessitate quality, but I'm just sayin') Ciao Colonial Era of dining. You can keep your depression to yourself. read more

The Colonial Diner Always a great experience. Great food and people,our go to spot, Burgers, sandwiches, breakfast, baked goods and awesome rice pudding. Highly recommend!!! read more

Old school retro NJ diner with as many parking spaces as there is room for people to eat. If the parking is full, expect a small wait. Came here on a Saturday morning and it was pretty full. Food: The food was OK, average diner quality, except for one thing. There was hair in my potatoes. When I showed the waitress/hostess, she litterally said "What do you want me to do, make you a new plate?" She did take it back and just cut off that section of potatoes, but now I had less potatoes and very wary of the rest of my food. Mistakes happen with food, but how you handle it matters. Service: See above...it was fine, but the lack of care for our food sucks. The other younger waitresses seemed to care more about their job and I think we might have been served by the hostess/owner who really didn't care to do waitressing for our table but had no choice. I won't hold it against them, but willing to revise to give them a star if I decide to try it out again. Decor: Classic NJ Dinner Price: Reasonable, under $10 for my usual scrambled eggs with american cheese and sausage patties (if they have it, if they don't then sausage links) Special 5th Star: Nothing to note. It's a retro NJ diner, almost looks like a truck stop diner but that's what they should look like. Parking is a bit limited but so is spacing inside. Not the worst I've had. read more

I've only been here once, a few days ago to have lunch with family. It's a tiny, old-style diner without frills, across the street from a large cemetery, but I liked it. Had a yen for a cheeseburger, so I went with the cheeseburger deluxe with fries, and was well satisfied. Could have used a bigger side of cole slaw, but that's quibbling on my part. Waitress was pleasant and efficient, and they left us alone when the food was cleared to sit and talk. It was an off hour, but I was pleased. When I'm in the area, I'll be back. read more

I have been coming to Colonial Diner since I was a kid. I moved away and I have been raving about this place every summer that my boyfriend and I come back to Jersey but we never make it in. So, last night we finally decided to stop in with our 3 year old in tow. When we walked in, we were not greeted, acknowledged, offered a seat or a menu. So I just grabbed 2 menus and sat down. While we were waiting to order there was some drunk local/regular continuously saying "BITCH, BITCH, BITCH". The server kept yelling at him to stfu, but like a true meat headed jock that this town seems to birth, he refused to listen to her. Took forever to take our order because she probably couldn't hear over his incessant "bitchin". Our food came out and it was every bit as delicious as I remembered it. I got the taylor ham, egg and cheese on a roll with home fries. The home fries could use a little salt, but the sandwich was so good. Too bad I only got to eat half of it because due to the servers inability to make an executive decision to kick out the guy who repeatedly was yelling curses in front of my child and the other patrons, my boyfriend took it upon himself to handle it. He demanded our check and then walked over to the guy to tell him about himself and wouldn't ya know, he shut what they call TF up! The server was semi apologetic, but I just think she should have told him to leave because he was clearly bothering everyone. So, while the food is great, the customer service sucks and the customers suck even more. Don't deny yourself that delicious taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich though.... just order it to go! read more

The staff was great. Good staff always makes an eating experience better, even if the food isn't that great. Not the case here. The food was good. The ham was very tasty. The home fries lacked seasoning, but nothing a little salt and ketchup can't make better. Scrambled eggs are just that...scrambled eggs...The bacon was a bit dark and fatty, but it was ok. The pancakes were very, very good. They were fluffy, light, and they had a good taste. They use the package Smuckers (I think or something like that) syrup which, to me, is nasty. I absolutely love the whole diner experience and was not disappointed here. If I lived here, I'd be a regular. read more

3.5 Stars. This place recently gave me shelter from the bitter cold, as I waited an hour and a half for my very late friends to go to Medieval Times (to be fair though, I was 45 minutes early), and for that I am very grateful. Service was very good, the place had a nice "welcome to the neighbourhood, you must be new here" feel for me, because there were several patrons around who were clearly regulars (always a good sign, right?). They served strong coffee, and excellent cheesecake, which the host was kind enough to recommend. And as it became clear that my wait wold be longer than anticipated, I took the unusual turn of ordering an app after my dessert, and got the chili-cheese fries as well, which would have been a pretty average dish, but was elevated by the surprisingly flavourful and crispy fries. Good food, enormous portions, reasonable prices, indoor warmth- me happy. read more

Very cute old school diner. Open 24 hours- love! Food is very tasty. Not over priced. Service is nice and quick. Simple place with good vibes. Will visit again! read more

Server named Natalie (I hope I got the name right, if not, is the server working around 5:00am on Friday is extremely rude. I've been there many times with co-workers and I won't come back. I'll make sure my co-workers won't come back as well. Food is great and the other servers (working other shifts) are great as well. We enjoy the place but this type of treatment from one of their servers is just not acceptable. I wish management read about this and do something about it. read more

I think it a good habit to greet patrons as they walk in. And in any event, at the very least inform them off their expected wait time, especially when the place is busy and several groups of customers wait to be seated. Instead, we and several other unfortunate clients, were explicitly ignored and waitresses royally rushed by tending to their unappreciated state of business. (A waitress was actually complaining about this to a customer when we first entered the diner!) In the time it took me to gather enough annoyance to depart with exclamated frustration, three other groups of unfortunate standbys had already preceeded me with their own disgruntled exit. read more

Great little diner with standard diner food. If I could give it three and a half stars I would. Slightly better than most diners and even has that old time diner look to it. The thing I like about diners in New Jersey is that you can always get Taylor ham. It's a Jersey thing. The Taylor ham here was pretty decent and I got a tailor-made wrap. I got three eggs scrambled, extra Taylor ham, with fried onions and peppers. Usually when I put in that type of order that is not on the menu, they tend to screw up either the extra eggs or the extra ham. This place got it right. That's the sign of a good diner when they can take whatever order you put in and roll with it. Jersey is known for its good diners and this place is no exception. read more

Fuggedabouit.... wonderful example of a Jersey Diner. Food is delicious, servings are more than enough and service is outstanding... #honeyinmyoatmeal. #Jersey read more

Colonial Diner - Jersey Taylor Ham and Eggs.... I'm in Jersey heaven!!! - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

This is one of the worst diner experiences I've had. Went last week during a lull period and there was plenty of booths available but the hostess was busy chatting and ignored the growing line at the door. The food wasn't any better. The potatoes were charred on the edges and completely undercooked in the middle. The corned beef hash was wet and sloppy. Overall it was bland and tasteless. And then there is the hygiene issue,no one wore gloves. Our server who had long manicured nails took orders, made toasts, and served everyone with her bare hands. read more

My husband loved his French toast+bacon! My eggs Benedict was okay. It was a little dry for my taste (needed more sauce) but eggs were cooked perfectly. Crispy home fries; good coffee and free refills! Parking is easy and our waitress was pleasant and attentive! Would definitely go back. read more

Colonial Diner - Eggs Benedict wit home fries - Diners Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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