Love this place. Great food and atmosphere. Quick and friendly service. This is my granddaughter's favorite place.

Needed a break during a long drive on I-90 and stumbled upon this old silver diner. Had never heard of the Empire Diner or Herkimer NY for that matter, but it is a real find and I would highly recommend. In an otherwise somewhat deserted downtown, this place was full and busy. The food was terrific, one of the better and surprising meals on our trip where we dined at far more expensive places. Everything was well-executed including an irish benedict and very flavorful and perfectly cooked hash browns that in most places are obligatory and tasteless. Staff was friendly and unusually professional for a small diner in a small town, the throwback license plate decor worked and there was easy parking right in front. If you are driving to or from Syracuse or Buffalo, avoid the rest stops and take the short detour to Crazy Ottos. read more

The sign said that this diner had been voted "The Best Diner" in the Empire State. After eating breakfast here (love places that also serve breakfast every day), I completely agree with this rating. Crazy Ottos' menu offers something for everyone. I had the best Eggs Benedict I have ever had. My husband's hash was homemade and delicious. Maybe, best of all --the friendly and attentive staff. Our waitress, Melissa, was a gem. read more

This place is awesome. Great fresh food with super friendly staff. Yum. The burgers taste juicy and flavorful. Everyone at our table loved our food. We came here after a day of mining at the ace of diamonds mine. We were all so hungry and the service was so fast. I'm so glad we stopped here. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

Always wanted to try this classic when in area - positive reviews weren't lying. Cozy, old school diner atmosphere amplified by current additions (posters, license plates, etc.). Full of locals and tourists. Very pleasant wait staff, full menu of typical offerings with house specialties. Easily accommodated special requests, checked back often. Corned beef hash, our measure of kitchen attitude, was great. Recommend for better than competent food, with dining made more enjoyable by warm attention and leisurely pace. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

april 30, 2023-outstanding food. all of 7 in our party agreed, with all diff menu items server, amanda, was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful. a real reason to go back. amanda even offered separate checks, if we wantrd. denny's will not give separate checks for partys of four or more. their long term loss ambiance is great read more

Over priced food and not at all worth what you pay. Their are inexperienced cooks and the quality of the food shows

Recently I visited family and we ate here, I enjoyed it so much I made us eat there the next day and bought a shirt as my souvenir! Loved their chicken salad San-which with sweet potato fries! They serve their meals with a small cup of dessert and we enjoyed that little surprise too! Great serve, fun atmosphere and practiced good COVID19 protocols. Will be back when I can, but I'm so sad my family moved away from thee so it'll be a while before I can get back! read more

Great food and awesome waitress(Sierra). Made my day a whole lot better. Especially when I spilled my drink all over the table and she got me a new drink with a lid on it. I thought that was funny and Awesome at the same time. So thank u for that and this dinner has great atmosphere read more

The food... Just No. Not good even for a grease-hole . I'm not sure who is writing these reviews but they are SO WRONG! Our original server had to go to lunch 1/2 way through our meal (she was great, Heather maybe) forced by someone, the other server forgot about us. When asked for the check, the supervisor (we assume) stated, "that's not my table" and turned her back.... At best, ran by high school kids and the adults that try to hang out with them. We heard way to many conversations from the staff about fights and SITUATIONS not to be discussed at work. I have been trying to eat here for a long time and I will NOT return. read more

I've been here twice over the span of a year, and this place is absolutely amazing. Without a doubt, this is my favorite diner of all time. They boast how they have some of the best burgers in the region and they aren't lying; these burgers are fantastic. I also had the pleasure of trying the meatloaf and some breakfast items. All I can say is that you cannot go wrong with this place. We were treated well by the staff during our visits, especially by Danny. They also have a small selection of books and merchandise on your way out. Ultimately, this old-school diner is a place worth visiting. PS, 10% off when you check in on the Yelp app. Go here today! read more

We stopped here on a cold Saturday afternoon for lunch while we were passing through town. The service was quick and friendly, and the food was hot, delicious, and reasonably priced. I definitely recommend their burgers, and the potato salad and homemade chips added that special touch to our main entrees. It was exactly what I hoped for in a diner. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - A burger and a pork schnitzel sandwich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

See all

We stayed at Herkimer KOA and went to breakfast at Crazy Otto's every morning of our stay. Amazing service, food and atmosphere. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Prime Rib and eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

Been visiting family here for a long time now and never had the time to eat here. Due to Covid we had some extra time and had breakfast here. The omelettes were huge and delicious, the kids pancakes were bigger than huge and perfect. Tried the coconut French toast and was not disappointed, also had the breakfast links special which was eggs, house made sausage links, hash browns and toast. You get a lot of food for the money. Abby was our server and she was awesome as well. Very friendly and attentive. We dined inside It was very clean and compliant with all of the regulations nowadays. A definite must try. read more

Wonderful, kitschy atmosphere, attentive and friendly service. We had Melissa as our waitress at the counter- she made the best chocolate malted I've had in 15 years! Burger was yummy and generous. Great find- we will definitely return. Even got their merch t-shirt! read more

The food is sooooo good. Very friendly, environment clean. Been going here for years. My parent's favorite place to visit.

We drive 50 miles to come here for breakfast. The homemade corned beef hash is one of the best and I am very fussy about it. read more

Excellent service. Great food. I can't wait to come back. I heard the portions were huge so I ordered off the children's menu. It was perfect amount of food. My daughter got an enormous hamburger and onion rings. She loved both. It came with a tiny container of bread pudding which was unexpected but tasty. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

See all

No better breakfast anywhere, and no nicer staff anywhere. Those hash browns!!! and that sausage patty!!!! THIS is why breakfast is a meal somebody else should make for you: because it's SO GOOD! read more

Visiting family in Herkimer, NY and yelped where a foodie like myself should visit and Crazy Otto's came up as the place to be. As soon as my group of 5 arrived "The Wizard" greeted us as we walked up to the diner, took our name and said it would be about 7 minutes!!!! So friendly and love the preciseness. I told them how popular they are on yelp and they were happy to hear of it. They clearly take pride in their business. I ordered the corned beef hash as recommended by my fellow foodies with scrambled eggs and the biscuits with gravy. I can honestly say that they have the best hash and biscuits with gravy I've ever had!!! Portions are huge so I had to get a "to go" box. As we left they were so gracious and thanked us for coming and made sure we enjoyed our food!!! A must stop for anyone in the area!!!! Seriously ...the gravy ... AMAZING!!!! Thank you CrazyOtto!!! read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Corned beef hash, eggs, hash browns, and the AMAZING biscuits with gravy! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

See all

Today they accommodated our Boy Scout Troop of 31 boys and leaders with minimal notice and a full court press of employees. Nicest people around, fast service, we really like this place. Typical New York Diner experience except the portions are ridiculous, absolutely huge. The SOS is odd in the they use ham instead of sausage. Great atmosphere, really nice people work there. Beware the portions. I don't know where they get their impression of how much people eat but it's crazy, also prices more than reasonable. read more

Monday's lunch special! Philly Cheesesteak, was an very nice experience, the meat was sliced so thin and perfectly melted with the cheese. The food and attendants was awesome. Any time in Herkimer NY don't hesitate in stop there and try something special. read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

I can't believe I'm from Upstate NY and this is the first time I have ever been here! This is by far the best service and breakfast I have ever had! They made the bacon chewy per my request and I have never had a restaurant get it so perfect before. Also, one of the eggs I ordered broke (I ordered sunny side up) and they asked if I wanted a new one. I told them no, it was ok, and the cook made a new one anyways! You get a ton of food for a good price and Melissa, our server, was so friendly and amazing! If you're in the area, you definitely need to stop here! read more

We tried this little joint passing through on our way back to Syracuse. It is a classic dinner with all the decor and food you would expect. Nothing super fancy but great prices and solid food. Highlight was the cannolis (not on the menu but part of special they day we went) read more

The food here is really good and I mean REALLY GOOD and for that I give it MORE than 5 stars if I could. However, I need to explain my 1-star rating: Back in 2011, I was very disappointed as to how my friend and I were treated. I lived in the surrounding area at the time and had a friend visiting from overseas. I wanted him to experience the wonderful food this place serves - a little taste of Americana! We waited for close to 40 minutes for the waitress to take our orders although there were hardly any customers. Our waitress kept taking orders from the few customers entering but totally ignored us and wouldn't say a thing when walking past us. Fortunately, one of the other waitresses saw what was going on and came over to help us. Both my friend and I are Asian (the only ones in the entire dining area at the time) and I can't help but think this is the reason why we were ignored. Needless to say, it has left a bad taste in my mouth and although I know this isn't a reflection of the establishment itself, I was so very disappointed to be treated this way. I have not returned to this place since then even when in the area visiting friends. Hopefully this was an isolated incident. read more

Perfect go to in Herkimer. Nice vibe, fun atmosphere, fresh and varietal. Everybody can fine something and their prices are great!

This diner is what I like to call a home run. It's right off the tollway, which is very convenient. From the classic diner sign out front to the interior walls covered in vintage license plates, tv, movie, and music memorabilia - Crazy Ottos Empire Diner is unforgettable. There is always something to look at. Signed photographs, a painting of Abe Lincoln outback, even a traffic light hangs on the wall. The food was amazing - huge menu with something for everyone. Chicken and waffles were amazing and my mother had the biggest omelet I've ever seen. Our waitress, Melissa, made us feel like we'd known her our whole lives! We ate here as we were driving out to college, and Melissa brought over the owner who talked with us and even gave us a 20% off as a good luck present. Everyone in Ottos goes above and beyond. If you get the chance, Ottos is definitely worth seeing! read more

We have never had bad food from Crazy Otto's! Before COVID happened, we would come here every weekend for breakfast. We've continued this with the help of delivering services now. The staff are always polite and upbeat. The biscuits and gravy are to die for! We also love the stuffed riggies. Every time we go there, the owner is there to great you with a smile. My favorite part (besides the food) is the decor. It's cute and makes me think of when I went there as a kid with my parents. We always have a great time here and would highly recommend to anyone! read more

Awesome classic diner with delicious dishes. The corned beef hash and the bacon avocado cheddar omelette were best ever! read more

Crazy Ottos Empire Diner - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Herkimer, New York

See all

Exactly what you'd expect from a 5 star diner! Small, quaint, well decorated, and of course amazing food! Place was filled with extremely happy locals who were very welcoming to my wife and I as newcomers. Will definitely be back!! read more

Homemade chips were yummy! This place had great servers, but a little pricey. Was nostalgic and cool inside!

What a super cool eatery!!! This place rocks! Food is yummy, atmosphere is iconic and staff is super friendly. Worth the stop.

Our #1 eating place. The food is great tasting and large portioned, the atmosphere is quite pleasant, the decor is eye catching, the service is excellent and the owners are very involved and generous in the community. My favorites are the split pea soup (I toss some home made croutons in it, mmm), the mushroom/Swiss burger, any of the breakfast choices but my all time favorite is the Crazy Chicken dinner. OH, and the coffee is almost as good as my own, LOL. Now I'm hungry. read more

This place has so much character it is unreal. Their sandwiches are really big, good and the service is excellent. I think I may have gotten wings, or fish, I forget, but my friends got the Philly sandwich and the meatloaf sandwich, and they made better choices for sure. Worth a road trip in my book. read more

Excellent all the way around! Food was delicious and service spectacular. Great spot! Will remember this place next year when we are in town again. read more

Omg! Perfect diner experience. Food is plentiful. Full omelet has 6 eggs! Biscuit and gravy was excellent. We were driving through the area and found this place because of Yelp. Very very glad we did. read more

Just the name says it all. The inside of the place is quite crazy...movie posters, license plates from various states, flags of different nations. It all adds up to great atmosphere. The food is great. Schnitzel sandwich on a pretzel roll was terrific. Besides, they hold the record for making the worlds biggest omelet..using 42,000 eggs. Definitely worth getting off the NY Thruway for. read more

Overall - not great. We were staying at the motel by the highway and opted for this place over Denny's for a taste of upstate NY breakfast. We got waffles, French toast, and an egg breakfast for the three of us. No maple syrup. No fruit. All mediocre. Would be fine if it were cheap diner food, but breakfast for three amounted to more than $60. Not worth it. read more

The Yelp App saved the day! On a long road trip, we were tired of chain restaurants and wanted to find something different, but not too far off the highway. So I searched "nearby" and decided we had to try this Crazy Otto's Empire Diner. It was one of the best meals on our whole trip! In a quaint little town in Herkimer, NY, and set in an old railroad car, the diner is plastered with old license plates and other memorabilia. The owners and staff could tell we obviously weren't from around there and they simply made a huge fuss over us, from telling tales of its history to bragging about their specialities. Our waitress offered to bring me some magic sauce for my sweet potato fries and I couldn't even figure out what it was, but it was magical! The owner was a tad concerned that my bf's patty melt was slightly overdone (which it wasn't, even) and took 20% off of bill and brought us a free house-special canoli. I was super impressed with the service and the food and was totally grateful for the assistance of the Yelp App. read more

I've been to this diner a few times and everyone it's been a great experience. The wait staff is great the food awsome made to order hamburgers great prime rib. I had the mushroom burger and it was cooked to perfection. read more