I've noticed the description for ambiance of many establishments in Brooklyn as "hipster". I didn't know hipster was an ambiance, but here we are. It is in the schema of hipsterism that Diner is listed without any such reference - irony being the ultimate hipsterism. The architect of hipster ambiance had an eureka moment and Diner is the zenith and the mecca of hipster affected effortless dining. A contrived rickety shack under the BQE/Williasmburg Bridge. I would take this over the wannabe SATC experience any day of the week though: Friday night is a date night. Apparently all of hipsterville had the same idea, because the room was filled with bearded dudes and their stringy haired, pouty and grimacey-faced lady friends. We shared a table with another couple who would soon provide the evening's entertainment. A lovely lady server greeted us with the evening's options, which she scribbled on the paper covering the table (paper so your average faux artist hipster can waste no time in art creation even during dinner, so accommodating.). It's not fair to call it scribble, because her penmanship was so good. Our neighbors did not like any of the wines on offer, whereby the manager even offered to dash next door to pick up a bottle for her. No. Her exacting attitude doesn't end there. Wait. Appetizers came. We got the squid salad, which was delicious. Little did we (that would be us plus the man half of the other side of the table) know, tragedy would hit shortly after. On our end, we faced a mediocre cut of steak and anticlimactic burger. But in view of our neighbor's disposition, I can't complain. As soon as the appetizer plates were cleared, the girl dashed off without looking back. Girl was out so quick he couldn't speak to her breeze. Dejected, sullen, and dismayed, there aren't enough words in the English language to describe how the guy must've been feeling. Meanwhile, homeboy just sat there until the entrees came, and you better believe he drowned his sorrows in both dishes when they did. I wish he had, but he packed them up to go. Two entrees! To go! On a Friday night. Ladies, if you hate your man, this is the way to go for a break up. Order all courses and abandon immediately, but only do this with mediocre food unless you hate yourself. No chance for cancellation. A lesson in remorse: when you feel it, it's too late. The next couple who joined us looked like they took a break from World of Warcraft to stuff their face, so their interaction was, as expected, snoozefest. Not the most informative review, but there are so many, I went for the funzies route. Go, be entertained. read more

Apparently Marlow & Sons and Diner are owned by the same person. We decided to stop into M and S for a quick cocktail before hitting up Diner for dinner. After dismissing multiple items off the menu that were oh-so-very tempting, we decided to split the burger and the rotisserie 1/2 chicken for our main courses. We started with a kale salad which was incredible! In an attempt to not be overly gluttonous, I had to dismiss the potato leek soup which sounded and smelled intoxicating as well. Tjhe burger was not as juicy and rare as I'm used to/how I normally like it, but it was a good burger! The french fries were cripsy and more memorable than the burger and the soggy bun it was served on. On the other hand, the chicken was superb! Comparably awesome to my beloved chicken at Zuni Cafe (located in San Francisco), it was satisfyingly tasty and came served with sauteed bok choy, squash confit garlic and herbs, and a sherry pan sauce. Yum. Our server was hipsta-dorable and answered all our questions thoroughly. We didn't even get and / or need a menu - she explained each dish while writing it down for us right on our table! I definitely would recommend Diner to anyone and can't wait to go back! read more

This spot is ideal for down-to-earth duets, or 2-3 low-key pals; but feels suitable for pretty much anyone who isn't lame. Don't dine with the lame, but if you must, certainly don't dine with them at Diner. They don't deserve it, and they won't appreciate it. Because: shanty-chic Diner is the best restaurant in Williamsburg. It feels both local and extraordinary- a roadside brick cottage lazing in the industrial junklot under the Williamsburg Bridge, with dynamic and delicious daily menus, and slim, sugar-voiced servers who probably regularly make Craigslist's Missed Connections column. Diner may seem a bit small-town, but the food is cooked and garnished in accordance with NYC standards. It's good and tasty and fanciful and just a little bit fancy. It's cheap - a multi-course dinner runs in the $15 - $30 range / head. Diner's signature quirk is that the menu changes daily, and is scrawled at every table change in casually perfect penmanship on the paper tablecloths. The romantic in me admires the style (a love letter, to my stomach!); the eater in me adores the simplicity. Five to six simple options: soup, salad, fish, meat. Dessert. This is the way neighborhood restaurants ought to be - simple, but with a strong brand, and inaccessible or invisible to those that don't know and love the neighborhood. read more

We used to call this place 4 star diner since when it opened we heard that the owner used worked as a chef in 4 star restaurant/hotels and that's why the foods are so good. We never checked the fact but foods are indeed exellent and the idea of being out of of no where like right under the Williamsburg bridge definitely added some uniqueness. This place has been around about 10 yrs.The interior of feeling like inside of a Tin can and the retro deco is pretty cool. I like the marblish walls in the side room. My visits have not been that frequent as many in the past, these days but, whenever I have visitors from out of area/town, I take them there. Some who lives in the area do not know about it sometimes so... Quite a pleasant surprise for some. There could be some wait during brunch time on weekends. Highly recommended... read more

Diner is kinda like Radiohead. I know i SHOULD like it. It's apparently really cool. It's been popular forever. But any time i go there these days, i'm just kinda... underwhelmed. read more

Went to Diner last night because I somehow remembered it as a cozy and delicious neighborhood bistro (I lived in Wburg in 2000 long before hipsters invaded like ants to a deserted picnic.) Alas, we were led to a rocking table outside where one of our two chairs was also doubling as a door stop. The warm, unmistakable smell of rotting carcass permeated the breezy night air. Our waitress approached and in hungry expectation, we awaited the menu presentation. Instead, she informed us there would be no antiquated written list for us to hold in our hands. While jotting down words on our paper table cloth with a pen, she rambled a list of culinary vocabulary as if reading from a Cordon Bleu text book. When she was finished, we looked down to see a mouthwatering description of choices that read exactly as such: Starter, Salad, Blue Fish, Fish, Hen, Meat, Big Meat, Pork. We asked for GASP! a printed menu because our lesser brains couldn't remember anything she recited aside from, "Tonight we have some food." But clearly we are consumerist morons because she scolded us and pronounced, "Our menu changes daily and it would be a total waste of paper to print out menus everyday." Somewhere, in the annals of my memory, I seemed to recall seeing this phrase on sheets of deconstructed trees at another eating establishment: Menu Changes Daily. But I've traveled a lot and eaten at a lot of places so who knows, I could be totally making that up. Embarrassed that our short term memory loss prevented us from deciding between Meat and Big Meat, we made a mad dash for Marlow and Sons, which happened to be right next door. The odor of decomposing corpse immediately vanished. I marveled at the chef's DAILY selections on the printed menu that was placed directly into my hands. And after a delicious meal of local Blue Fish with Cannellini Beans with Croutons and a Brick Chicken with Green Beans, we were offered a giant bag of complimentary pastries to take with us. In fact, as I write this, I'm nibbling these buttery delights and reminiscing about our delicious dinner at Marlow and Sons. My memory of Diner is now fading, going, going, gone... read more

I want to cry writing this review, because alas, this was my favorite go-to restaurant when I lived in Brooklyn, and I miss it so, so much. I don't know what it is about this place. Despite the sometimes unfriendly Hipster waitstaff, and the almost unbearable Hipster clientele that make up 95% of the Diner scene, I simply could not get enough of this place. At 6'3", 240 pounds, I'd manage to bend my body in half and squeeze my giant frame through the tiny door of this original, barely-refurbished 1927 diner, week after week, just for the privilege of eating their amazing food. (How's that for an intro to a 5-star restaurant?) Vapid Hipsters aside, I know EXACTLY what it is about this place: The food. There's no real menu at Diner, save for the burger and steaks which are always available. You learn the menu at Diner when your server sits down with you and writes it out on the parchment-like paper that serves as a tablecloth. The menu can change almost daily, though the theme of ingredients used will typically last through a month or so. Pay attention -- for the whole writing-on-the-table thing is a useless gimmick. For example, as the server describes to you the most amazing salad with 20 ingredients grown fresh from their local farm, all they write on the table is "SALAD." Not too helpful when you need to recall the 11 or 12 extremely verbose items they just finished reading to you. The food at Diner is simply amazing. When I moved to Brooklyn, I ate, like 4 or 5 different things, and generally refused to try anything new. I never believed I would try so many new foods until I came to Diner. Diner was my breakthrough. Every single thing I ever got talked into trying here (hello, rabbit?) I ended up not just liking, but LOVING. Diner's food is so fresh and so well prepared that I will pretty much try anything they serve up here. But when it's all said and done, what's the most standout, special thing Diner serves? The burger. Raised from cows on their own farm, and ground to order, Diner makes a burger that must have crack in it, because its amazingness defies reality. I have never, ever had a burger this good. No matter how you order it, it will come out rare-to-barely medium rare. Meaning, it will still be twitching and bleeding when it arrives on your plate. And that's the crack, I think. I used to eat burgers medium-to-medium well, but Diner converted me and showed me what I was missing out on. Perhaps I'm a vampire, I dunno. But you haven't lived until you've eaten a burger from Diner. The fries are amazing too. As is the homemade mayo. DO NOT PUT KETSCHUP ON YOUR BURGER OR FRIES HERE. It's mayo or nothing. Oh, how I miss you Diner. You're like that ex-girlfriend I wish I could bang again. read more

Sorry, but after eating a LOT of great brunch places, I think this place is overrated! Although I was kind of expecting a lot, I don't think this place is worth the hype even the smallest bit! I ordered the soup of the day, which was some parmesan clear broth soup with some herbs (the herbs turned out to be huge chunks of a leaf... I forgot the name of it.) The greens were REALLY bitter and the soup was very salty. I was sick, so I really wanted something warm, but it was too oily! Then I got the omelette with goat cheese and herbs. Again, there were those same chunks of bitter greens and it was OOZING with goat cheese. Normally I love cheese, but it was just too much. The goat cheese completely dominated the taste of the omelette. I felt like I was just eating a huge plate of goat cheese. It came with a salad that was also very bitter. I didn't like any of the leaves in them, they were too exotic or something! My sister and a friend got the burger, and they accidentally gave the wrong burger (one cooked medium, the other med rare) and we realized halfway through so it was too late. The burgers were SALTY! At first we thought it was the onions that was making it salty, but it was the actual meat itself. The fries were good, although heavily salted. Afterwards, all we wanted was something SWEET to even out the bitter/salty foods! AND it was pretty dang expensive. $7 soup plus $15ish omlette..... Yeah it was sort of cool that it was inside of a train car, but other than that I'd rather go to a Dennys to get a delicious and balanced tasting meal! Overrated!!! read more

There is really good burger which I truly recommend. Other things were a bit disappointing but the burger made up for it in the end. read more

I've been avoiding writing a review for Diner despite the fact that it is absolutely my favorite restaurant in NY, if not the world. I've been avoiding writing it because frankly, I don't sound objective when I talk about Diner. When you're a foodie, you want to try new things. Unfortunately, whenever I try new things in the same vein as Diner (New Brooklyn), I sit there picking at my food, thinking: I wish I were at Diner. And I think that's the best compliment I can give to this place. I won't stop trying new things, but I won't stop going here entirely too often, either. read more

I absolutely love this place. It's a little different from traditional restaurants where you get seated with a menu. Here, they approach the table with a pen ready to write down the menu of the day on the table. The menu changes daily, so the servers verbally give you the list of what the restaurant is serving that day. The downside is that if you are watching your wallet, you won't know how much each dish costs unless you ask the server. The place is very cozy, possibly a good date place since it's really dark and quaint inside. Moving on to the FOOD review.. everything was very flavorful! Pretty much sums up my experience. Nothing was short of salt, that's for sure, but in a good way. There were a lot of flavor in every dish. I really enjoyed this grilled red cabbage salad. It had a woodsy, fire-grilled, charred taste to the salad, which was very interesting. Over-all, great food and friendly servers. read more

A lot of people seem to love this place, but I was very underwhelmed. The food was ok, but nothing more. For the 13 bucks for the frittata I had, I was thinking they might throw in some potatoes or salad greens or a half slice of a strawberry or something. Or a coffee or a croissant, anything....because that's what I'd expect at a quality NYC diner. "Diner" is anything but, just a typical Williamsburg hipster moneytrap. Go somewhere else! read more

Diner - This is too expensive for these items. - Diners Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I've been coming to Diner since 1999- I know, I'm old- and it's one of those places that has definitely kept it's cool over the years. The owners just know how to make a place good as evidenced by their Diner, Marlow, Bonita empire in Williamsburg. I used to call Diner the "pear pancakes place" because they made these amazing pancakes with whole slices of pear and fresh cinnamon butter. Most recently for brunch I had zucchini fritters with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. They stuck in my head so palpably that I recreated the dish while I was home for Christmas. Other brunch pluses: solid, spicy bloody mary's and strong ass coffee. Diner is equally good in the evening hours. I don't eat much meat but I'm pretty sure if I had one of those cheeseburgers I would become a full blown carnivore again. Specials are always good- I came here last week on a date and had goat cheese and beet crostini, carrot ginger soup and almost all of his french fries. We sat perched at the bar, people watching, drinking beers and listening to the Breeders. It pretty much doesn't get better than that for me. read more

***3.5 stars**** After personally spending what seems to be an ENTIRE day (too much) in Wlliamsburg....everybody (meaning LOCALS only) seemed to steer us and recommended Diner for dinner. Naturally the Locals couldn't be wrong. Naturally Yelp's starking 4 star review couldn't be wrong either...AND the fact that there is NO menu ...and it's set the same day exactly at 6pm? Sounded too good to be true and anticipated much of the suspense of what seems to be organically grown food. are they killing chickens back there? Apparently, they source most of their ingredients from Marlow & Sons... the butcher shop just a few doors down. Which, by the way, the owner owns. Huh, makes sense in the grand scheme of things. The Diner.... looked like a sub par trailer park... authentic in look, felt ultra cozy. Very chill...very williamsburg. No complaints. Our waiter memorized the menu and wrote down on the table what the daily offerings are. Apparently the burger was a staple. The burgers were ordered as well as the fish soup, which was their version of a shellfish and fish bouillabaise. One burger ... ordered medium, was on the medium rarer side. that had to be redone. the waiter offered no apologies whatsoever....and dude, we know it's not your fault...but you basically REPRESENT diner. and for that... we were left scratching our heads like WTF. the burger while good was wayyyyyy too salty. My poor gf, by the time she got her food, I was practically done with mine. My bouillabaise was smoky, light, flavorful filled with mussels, a bit of clams and white fish and chick peas that i could have lived without... By the time all was said and done... my friend actually built up nerves to ask for the manager...and rightly so. She let James know of her experiences...and he apologized profusely. We thought an apology was the least he could do and we appreciated it. Additionally, he had promise to write an apology letter enclosed with a gift card. This is amazing customer service right there.. So will we be back? Absolutely....and I hope I can update this review to be higher than 3.5 stars. read more

Came to this place cuz it was rated 4stars on yelp.. but it was the most disappointing brunch ive ever had in nyc. They change their menu daily so the waitress comes up to give a verbal menu. And initially I thought it was interesting but then I saw how quickly it became a fault. They were serving "steak n eggs" with beef heart and beef liver which sounded so irresitably original. But I thought it would be steak with a side of heart n liver so u have some meat to fall back on. And prior to my ordering, I had asked the waitress if there was an actual flank of some sort to which she replied yes. Miscommunication error. I was starving... and for my liver eaters.. youd understand when I say there's only so much liver u can eat before it gets overbearing. That side of eggs was a big relief. Of the other things I had.. the all-liked grassfed burger was really not so pleasing. It's nicely ground n my boyfriend had it ordered medium. I usually like my meat medium rare n I couldnt even bring myself to sink my teeth in without telling them to recook it. So after attempt #2, we had a medium rare burger that was tasteless. Luckily they do have a very nice light mayo that u can smother it in. Side of fries.. good when salted, but after a couple, u can taste that the oil they fried it in was a bit stale. The second best thing on the table was a trout. They give you two good sized pieces that's seared with the skin on so it's nice n crisp. Fish was nicely cooked n came with brussel sprouts which were also good. Best thing on the table were the side of chips that came with a chicken burger. I didnt get to try the chicken burger. But the chips were freshly fried n seasoned so that theyre just the right bit of spicy. N im surprised that it didnt have that same stale oil taste that the fries had. Gave it an additional star cuz the service was good however disappointing the food. And the outdoor seating area was really nice on a warm afternoon. Two stars was alot for what I thought of this place. Never again. read more

My first NYC review! After seeing this on "No Reservations" I was pumped to try this place. Let me preface by saying, I want to give it a 5, but just can't. Reasons for deserving a 5-: 1. Love, love the decor, totally awesome old diner with a very Brooklyn vibe to it (if I even know what that means yet). You won me on ambience alone. 2. Service was also fantastic, our server was very nice, friendly and attentive but not annoying, perfect. 3. Nice menu- everything sounds good and interesting, I'd like to try more. The mussels were tasty as was my husband's zucchini salad. Reasons I can't give it a 5: 1. My 'would be' amazing grilled watermelon salad had seeds in it. Why? I kept chewing on black watermelon seeds, totally ruined it for me. It was so good, but FULL of seeds so I couldn't eat it. 2. Also, I kind of liked that the menu is short and written on your table, but I want to know the prices. Sorry, I'd love to order whatever sounds delish, but I also want to know what I'm getting in to. Weird. 3. Salt. Too much of it. Most places have problems underseasoning, but the burger we had was like a salt lick, so were the fries (but that was ok). Easy on the salt. I'll be back, liked the vibe a lot and will try the steak with the bone marrow butter next time. read more

I've been to Diner a few times now and each time it lives up to it's hype. It's cool, in a very Williamsburg almost-too-cool-for-you kind of way. The play on a diner with edge, if you will. The food is fantastic. Nothing you order will disappoint. Most recently, I was there and had the BEST CAKE OF MY LIFE. Notice the caps, take it in, because I take cake seriously. This Olive Oil cake rocked my world and did things for me that I didn't know cake could do. John from Diner was so sweet and gave me his email to get this recipe! Alas, maybe I typed it in wrong, but the email bounced. John, if you are at all paying attention to Yelp reviews, please let me know how I can recreate this magic cake! read more

Diner makes me happy because: 1) the food is fucking delicious. 2) they recite the whole menu to you and write it as they go on the table. 3) I like dining in a twinkie shaped room! read more

I've become a semi-regular at Diner, at first primarily because I love eating outside in good weather with my dog, and Diner is exactly right for doing that. Apart from the perfect outdoor dog-friendly eating area, the menu is always always always amazing. I have not ever had a bad bite of food or a less than impressive glass of wine or cocktail. If you want the same thing again and again (with the exception of their epic, perfect burger), this isn't the right place for you - the best thing is how the menu changes with whatever good ingredients they get. Casual, delicious, high-end dining experience for a completely reasonable price. read more

The prices are on par with a $$$$ restaurant not a $$ restaurant. *Service was slow. *No prices and no menus. *The waitress went hard on the sell for us to share a steak and when we found out the price later were shocked remember this place is rated $$. I know the difference between, good and amazing and for 120 dollars the steak should have been amazing but was reminiscent of something you'd get at a low end cut rate chain . The meal was lackluster but for a couple hundred dollars it should have been amazing! read more

Why go to Diner when the best restaurant in New York is NEXT DOOR??Please just go to Marlow and Sons. That said, I will go back to try the burger. read more

I.... don't.... like..... hipsters. There! I said it. It can't be taken back! That being said it's Williamsburg so obviously it's a mecca for the hipster crowd and Diner is no exception. It helps that every single time I've come here for a meal, I've bumped into Josh Hartnett and who doesn't love that kind of eye candy.I believe he lives across the street from this place (is he going to sue me for writing that down here?) Okay, back to Diner. This place is like the hipster-y throw back of a 50's diner, a little run down looking and I'm pretty sure the whole place is somewhat lopsided but there is no denying this place has character. The wait staff is attentive when they're not too busy being fabulous and mingling with the regulars (sadly I am not) and they read out the day's menu to you while simultaneously writing on the big white sheet of paper that serves as your tablecloth. Since the menu changes almost daily, there's not a lot of point in telling which specific dishes except maybe that the hamburger is outstanding, juicy and delicious and everything a hamburger should be, and that there was with beet salad that I tried once that I can't seem to get out of my head. Beets! Who would've thunk it! I suggest that if you're strolling around the neighbourhood, you should mosey on over and grab a bite here. Unpretentious food at only slightly pretentious prices but that's Williamsburg for you. read more

This restaurant is small and hip, clean and loud. I loved my experience. The scone was our 'appetizer', fresh whipped cream, almost perfect. The Butter beans with a poached egg were perfectly cooked, served in a salty broth. The bacon was fantastic. The coffee is strong, but doesn't need milk. There was a short wait, about 35 minutes, but it was totally worth it. The menu changes all the time and nothing is boring. read more

I really want to like this place, but my recent visit did not prove that either. Instead I became sure about my review. The intentions are good. The Diner-style joint is really cozy, the food decent - but the service is just a pain. Really, really terrible. Not a smile, not even a small-talk. The three waitresses did not say anything to me. Not welcome, not goodbye, nothing in between - Nothing. It is quite a talent actually. Big applause. They do not like their job. Fair enough, I suggest they find another one. The food is important and their burger is decent. Do no get the hype though. I miss something to blow me away. The bun is a little worthless, while the beef and cheese is good. They do need some kind of sauce. Everything becomes bread-meat which can be good if the meat is extraordinary - it just isn't. The fries are good though, while I really love their homemade sauces like mayo and ketchup. Dear Diner. I had hoped for a long relationship. I even gave you a second chance, yet you proved something else. I will not visit you again, so sorry. read more

If there was ever a way to give a sixth star.... Diner would be amongst the first places to pop into my head... At Diner, you never know what to expect... but in an awesome way. That's because they make the menu fresh every day based on what's seasonal and what strikes their creative fancy. Which earns them huge stars for originality, creativity, and work ethic. Well, come on.. get at it, what did you have??? Being summer, the lady and I started with the peach and cucumber soup... A beautifully chilled and pureed soup tricked out with some super quality yogurt, scallions, and radishes. Absolutely one of the best treats of the summer. Super tasty and refreshing. Next.... the house made fettuccine with eggplant, squash, onions, and garlic. Light and tender, the pasta was amazing and the quality was so fresh you could taste the egg in the pasta. Vegetables were tender and savory. Garlic was wonderfully roasted. Top it off with shaved reggiano... A wonderful summer dish that made me remember my pastafarian roots. The piece du resistance of the day = green bean salad with bacon slab. Being a baconsaurus, this immediately struck my fancy as a must have dish. Beans were lightly roasted and tossed with breadcrumbs, garlic, oil, and shallots, beans, basil, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Light salt. Throw on two of the most amazingly smoked hunks of bacon ever that were, so tender they fell apart just by staring at them, and you have one of the best dishes consumed. The beef heart carpaccio and bone marrow was the reserve dish that I never got around to that day, but I'm hoping it will happen another time to try. A bit out of my adventure comfort that day. But I'll be back for sure for something out of the ordinary here! They also seem to have a standard burger on their menu that I'm sure is out of this world. Dessert.... O yeah Dessert. Peach and blueberry pie!!! And I mean a personal little pie with fresh whipped cream. Incredibly flaky buttery crust hit the spot soooooooo nicely. Raspberry and plum crumb!!! Represented the pinnacle of freshness and summer fruits and berries. Served with a nice sour yogurt... Orgasmically fresh, and the crumbs were nicely spiced with nutmeg and Cinnamon. All this talk about food is making me thirsty.... Well they have some nice seasonal beers on bottle and tap to quench that thirst. They also do up some very nice sounding cocktails that are guaranteed to pack a punch! O yeah, I forgot that there are servers and ambiance here. Well, being in an old diner, and not doing much to the decor really sets the feel of this place. Counter (pretty much a bar now) and booths appear to have never been touched by the hand of time (though they do have a more modern seating area in the back). Nice and dim lighting sets the mood to the oldies and alternative over the PA. Outdoor is available on the nice days, but I dig the vibe here. The service is equally wonderful as the setting. Uber friendly staff sits next to you and goes over the menu for the day and writes it down on the table setting. Additionally, they give you ample time to mill over the options before returning to take care of your order. Bottles of tap on the table take care of not having to ask over and over for palate cleanser. The staff genuinely seems as excited for the food as you are. Lovely experience indeed. Diner is definitely the place to go for a true treat!!! And if any place deserves an above the top rating... This is It... EAT UPS!!!! read more

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I don't talk about this burger, I mythologize it. When I come across New Yorkers who are on similar quests for the best burger, I draw them in with an arm, to speak lowly, gravely, as the responsibility of relating the wonderfulness of the Diner burger is a task one must not take lightly. If you have heard of Diner, and you love burgers, you must go. My eyes glaze when I tell family in southern California (home of In 'n' Out) the ecstasy of the first burger bite, topped with pickled onions, homemade mustard and mayo, served with the most fantastic fries. The wait for a table, more often than not, is long. Sometimes the wait is so long the only way to reconcile the drop of your blood sugar levels with the never-ending purgatory-like suffering of waiting is to hate the culture Diner is set in. This culture, regardless of our collective gazing, is on anti-hipster mode, and Diner being set in Williamsburg, and popular in Williamsburg, and "Williamsburg" so culturally controversial, it's a slippery, snarky slope of angst. But then the waiting ends. The burger comes, and that first bite is bit, chewed and savored. A fry follows, and maybe a sip of beer. It is all so perfect and delicious. All is well. All is very, very well. read more

I picked up Bon Appetit at the airport in an attempt to be a little more knowledgeable about food and to kill time at the Miami airport.. (the book stores there are awful once you are behind airport security). Back to the point... BA had a feature on how Williamsburg has some of the best restaurants in the entire country. One of the places, that got rave reviews was Diner. So that's how my friends and I got word of the place and ended up there this past Friday. It's a quaint little diner and was packed... we waited what turned out to be 2 hours for a table... ugh... Anyway, I'll go back on a different time/day next time, but it was worth the wait to try it on a Friday night. The majority of the menu changes daily so that the ingredients are fresh. The food was excellent... I had the basic salad with dandelion greens, bacon and egg. I also had the fettuccine with egg yolk mixed in. Both were great. My friends had the goat cheese salad (goat cheese was stellar) and the fresh ramps (veggies similar to onions that apparently are only in season for a short time.) I also discovered a new beer that I now love: the only pale ale that they have-- bottled Cream City Pale Ale. It was the best pale ale I've had in a long time. Not too sweet. http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/cream_city_pale_ale.html While Diner is crowded, it hasn't fallen victim to being descended upon by hoards of crowds like a lot of once great NY restaurants often do. read more

Went for a late lunch with DH and grandma and had a nice time - music was a little loud, but that's fine. Their target audience is early 20s hipsters - I'm almost 30 and decidedly un-hip. All 3 of us went for the burgers were great. Definitely not the best burger I've ever had in my life, but you could taste the high quality of the beef used to make it. Minus 1 star for a very limited menu. We sat down and were like,uh, there are 5 things to chose from: pancakes, burger, omelet, eggs or salad. Thankfully our nice waitress had 5 specials to tell us about, but none were appealing so it was a tad disappointing. Would definitely return for dinner - hopefully that menu is more extensive/interesting. read more

Solid brunch spot. what it comes out of the kitchen is not exactly what your waiter writes and describes for you on your butcher paper table cover but nevertheless is delicious. It can get very busy but service is fast and with an arrogant attitude. well expected in hipster land read more

There is a reason why newspapers require food editors to eat someplace 3 times before writing a review. Do not want one bad experience to cloud judgement. Only been here once but it was one of my brothers favorites so judge it is good as he was picky. I only can rate on my experience. Place looks like what it is called with booths and small counter. This is not one of those jersey size diners. This being Williamsburg this is not your blue plate special type of place. I guess you would call it a gastro diner. Place was busy but bring by self got a seat at counter. Then I waited. Ordered just an entree as none of the appetizers spoke to me. Judge change menu regularly as came on long continuous paper. After finishing my second drink started asking where was my food. I had lost track of time. Person next me waited an hour and finally left as needed to be somewhere. When food finally arrived it was okay but after that long a wait expect it to taste like made from scratch while I was seated. My drink was okay and have decent selection of beers. Waiter was nice enough to comp one of my two drinks due to wait. I would rather have 30 minutes of my life back. read more

I finally made it over here today with my friend for lupper. You know, late lunch, early supper. So, maybe because of the time we were there the menu was very limited. The server did write the specials down for us on our paper table covering which is a great idea for those of us with short- term memories or A.D.D. We both had the chicken sandwich with blue cheese, which may sound boring but it was not at all. It was sooooooo good! And the service is great, very relaxed, didn't mind that we sat and guffawed for ages. I live close. I'll be back. Even if I didn't live close, I'd be back. read more

I've only been here once, for a late lunch. The menu is limited, but they add to it with lots of specials. I, for one, would rather have a small menu of good stuff than a big, mediocre stereotypical diner menu anyways. That said, I had the burger and fries. They were really really really good. The mayo was HOME-MADE! So the burgers are great at least. The service was also really friendly and quick. read more

Really good food, I've been here for brunch and for dinner, both amazing. I like the personal attention from the staff, and the changing menu, I never get bored with the same meal. On the downside the meals are really expensive, even brunch, long the bargain meal of the week is pricey. It's worth going to, but be prepared to spend some cash. read more

I wish I could give it a higher rating, but it was too mixed to do so. Unlike others who have reviewed it, I never heard of the place. I tried to drop into Peter Luger's but could not get in edgewise, and had to look around. I pulled out my iPhone, hit Yelp, and found this place a couple of blocks away with great reviews. The place is as funky as they get. An old trailer type diner that must have been early 20th century. A lot of atmosphere, but it was so unlevel that it was hard to stay on the hard wooden seats. Wait staff was friendly and helpful, but seemed focused on something other than service. People - apparently friends of the folks working there - kept shuffling in and out of the kitchen, making me wonder about what was going on in there. Meanwhile, we ordered a kale salad and a flatbread appetizer. The salad was OUTSTANDING. Kale with goat cheese and dried cranberries. Unbelievable. The flatbread was remarkable. Then we waited for something that must have been close to an hour. When we got a little more persistent, our food suddenly appeared - steak, chicken and pasta dishes - and most of it was cold. Apparently the waiter had simply forgotten to check, and with all the people in and out of the kitchen, it just got pushed aside. They reheated the steaks and brought a fresh pasta; it was not that good, certainly nothing exceptional. The waiter readily knocked the entrees off the bill and gave a couple of complimentary desserts, bringing the bills for four people down from around $200 to about half that. All said, if the food had been consistent and the service better, it would certainly have rated three or possibley four Yelp stars, but to be fair, we had a disappointing dinner, made bearable only by the discount and the laughs. read more

Anthony Bourdain was here in an episode of No Reservations and he liked it!! That's what she said! ...I needed to see for myself :) I was initially not impressed with the wait when I first saw this place in the middle of a bunch of warehouses after a long trek from the train station. The place looked like a car taken from an old train.....a really old run-down train though. So the 45 minute wait for bunch was worth it.....Only after we found out that there was more to the regular menu! Our waitress came over and dictated 4 daily specials of the day that was way better than anything on the actual menu. We finally decided on getting the chicken sandwich with egg whites and a pear aioli, the burger, and a chocolate scone. The chicken sandwich was fantastic! OMG I loved the fries...I loved how they were super crunchy which was almost like the texture of potato chips. There was this amazing red wine vinegar pickled onion on the burger, which took the burger to the next level! Wow! That was genius! Then there was the scone....they spread nutella and creme fresh in the middle of this scrumptious piece of baked good. I couldn't ask for a better company for brunch and the next time I return, I'm definitely getting dinner....I heard the steak smothered with a bone marrow sauce was something to look forward to! ....au revoir @_@ read more

I walked past this place one night and turned around to go back in. From the outside it looks like an upstate diner, one that looks like a mobile home. Even walking in, it felt like it too. Obviously grungy upstate is the appeal with good food. The menu is handwritten which I didn't get until 10 minutes later the bartender came over with the menu, which looked like it was written on receipt paper. I had to get to a fitness class so of course I ordered the burger with a salad. The burger was really, really good and that salad was amazing. I don't even know what was in that salad. It originally came with fries but they didn't charge me extra for the salad. Awesome! However, the burger came a little more rare than I wanted it for a medium but still delicious. Also liked the huge sesame bun it came on. read more

Mmmmm, fried egg sandwich. Mmmmm beautiful bartender. Yay Diner! Ok so the beautiful bartender is one of Best Friends in the Whole World so I may be a bit biased, but my fried egg sandwich really was so good I am still wondering how I will get one sent to SF in time for brunch this weekend. Also they have kick ass drinks. And a beautiful girl that makes them! read more

Already crowded despite coming less than a half hour after opening, Diner has a wonderful, cozy feel to it that I really adore; what's especially personable is the waitress writing down the specials on the table"cloth" while kneeling down as if you were a crying child desperate for food. While the enjoyable music plays up above, food is brought out promptly and is truly delicious. Turning our attention to the tablecloth rather than the menu, my friend and I had ricotta pancakes with blackberry preserves and an omelet stuffed with goat cheese, basil, and summer squash. The pancakes were delightfully tender and creamy..so much so that a knife becomes obsolete in the cutting process. The omelet was rich but not too heavy, and the spicy potatoes and salad that accompanied it were equally as tasty. With an ever-changing menu and a sprightly spirit, this place is worth coming back to several more times. read more

You know why hipsters are so skinny? It's cause they eat Diner sized portions. OK,OK I kid, I couldn't help it. Came here cause my friend lives in the neighborhood and the reviews here seem to be great. Even though it was less than a hour after opening, outside seating area was already full (which was a shame cause it was a beautiful day), as was most of the inside. We had to settle for eating at the bar area, which was not a bad thing. The menu is literally a long strip of paper with crudely handwritten menu for the day. Unique, I guess. Our waiter/bartender took our order of poached eggs and a spinach/chicken (or tuna, couldn't remember to be honest) salad and two orange juices (should have gotten the bloody mary's, they looked awesome). Food took almost 20 minutes to arrive, which would have been acceptable given the busy atmosphere, but that attitude took a complete 180 when saw it. The first thing that popped into both our minds was, 'Is this it?'. My friend and I had a feeling this would be the case as we were waiting for our food and glancing at what other people had ordered. We saw the person next to us eating pancakes, which looked amazing and would have made a great side dish. But as small a portion as it was, it was considered a $13 dish. No thanks. Here's the thing, the food was pretty good. Well the spinach salad was OK, not bad. My poached eggs over toast was actually pretty tasty. Both had a mishmash of fancy sounding ingredients which I guess added to it's overall pleasant taste. But everything is completely overpriced for the portion size. Either make it a couple of bucks cheaper (and have an appetizer section) or double the portions (or add more sides to the dish). Our total with tax and tip was $50. That's two dishes and two drinks. Completely and utterly over over priced. The orange juice alone was $10 (one small $4, one large $6). Granted it was very fresh (not store bought, for the price is better not have been). Look, things will not change. This place has a long list of regular customers and people who swear by it. Which is completely fine as it is a very unique establishment in a very young and hip neighborhood. As we both were not fully satiated by the meal, we headed over to Fette Sau and downed some ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS barbecue. read more

If Portlandia were about a restaurant, it would be about Diner. Nuclear-level hipster without a hint of irony. The menu is "verbal", properly pronounced "ver-bul". Dimly-lit and blaringly-loud. We decided to split our large party of eight into two booths of four rather than be crammed into a booth for four with a table for two stuck at the end as originally seated. We still couldn't hear each other talk. The food certainly is the show here, with a very short menu of a few well-knit dishes. The porgy pan seared and served "head to tail" would have been more delicious even to the person who ordered it had he not thought it was "porky" rather than a fish, but it was well done, as was the coppa (actually pork -- a chop off the bone) and the duck two ways, a smoked breast with a dab of confit to accompany it. The burger are amazing. You have to giggle if you have any sense of irony, though, in a place in which that feeling has no place. The tiles are falling off the walls, the low ceilinged original diner decor conspicuously and consciously unrenovated. The toilet seat, not part of the dinner per se, slid right off the bowl when alighted upon. And the prices are bizarre. The NYTimes noted that they were skyrocketing in 2009. That ship hasn't started to come back to earth yet. Food is great (if you order what you think you're ordering.) Hipster vibe you'll have to take at face value. Careful when you sit down on the can. And don't be afraid to use the light on your phone to see what you are poking your fork into. read more