Calgary's breakfast diner market is very competitive. We have enjoyed Diner Deluxe over the years. The food and portion size are typically very good. They seem to be moving towards a more traditional hash brown and eggs menu. However, the pricing is higher than most traditional diners. The bright, higher energy atmosphere can be fun. If you are looking for a retro diner experience with good coffee and good food this is the place. Expect a little longer wait for seating and food service. Wait staff have all been great and as attentive as possible in a busy environment. read more

I have nothing bad to say about this restaurant. Finally, a place that dares to be different. Service was great, food is fantastic and atmosphere is quirky and fun! read more

Ok i FINALLY found this place, i have drove by it countless times and used my GPS to find it and STILL almost missed it.... im glade i did find it, teh Grilled cheese was great, eth 3 cheeses teh bread ( dont remember what kind) but it was darn good, teh fries were good, could have been a little crisper.. and if they can get Mexican coke ( retro with REAL sugar not HFCS) from Costco in the US to serve, that would be even better and "retro" read more

Ate breakfast on a Sunday morning here. We got some good recommendations and decided to finally try Diner Deluxe. Ambiance: Loud-ish music, lots of energy, not too crowded, typical Sunday morning rush of customers. Food: Ordered the Pancakes and an Omelette. The omelette was delicious. It was not greasy like most places and was stuffed with lots of veggies (they did not skimp out!). The potatoes with it were excellent and salty with interesting squash added. It was a solid omelette dish. The Pancakes were quite terrible unfortunately. I'm not sure why but they were extremely sour (like eating sourdough toast). We asked the server to check to see if the batter was bad or something and she quickly and kindly inquired and said the chef was going to make new batter (maybe the buttermilk was sour?). We could not eat the pancakes so she took them off our bill and asked us if we wanted anything else instead. Service: Excellent service, which is rare in Calgary. Friendly, attentive, on-the-ball waitress! Price to Quality Ratio: Not very good. The omelette was not extraordinary, but the price was. For the same amount of money, I could find a higher quality meal elsewhere. A restaurant is always worth a try. We only tried two dishes, maybe there are better things on the menu! read more

This is where it all began for my hubby 14 years ago? (And at a fine dining resto)....started off as a dishwasher while attending cooking school, worked his way up to be offered his own kitchen to run but turned it down and to go back to school. *a long time ago* In an effort to impress, while I was waiting for his shift to end, the cook (my boyfriend) served me "Montreal Smoked Meat." This homesick twenty something stared at the fried meat and just about cried. Since then, the menu is a little more accurate. Just a warning though, MTL smoked meat is not fried! *Current* We ate dinner here weekly (years after he left for school and new owners took over). The food was consistently really good. I especially liked the veggie burger. *tips* - Try a weekday for breakfast/brunch/lunch unless you are ok to wait (expect line-ups). - If you are noise-sensitive, avoid weekend brunch or bring ear plugs! - Super cute place for a weekday breakfast/lunch/dinner or dessert date! read more

Diner Deluxe is quite possibly the best diner in the world. Everything I've had there has been great. Definitely don't pass this place up. Oh and make sure you get the breakfast poutine. It's to live for. read more

We've been to Diner Deluxe about a dozen times. The food is always great, but the servers are always very busy. Sure Diner Deluxe is worth many 5 start reviews but as a restaurant the serving staff should concentrate on giving their guests a friendly experience. We found that because they were so busy, little things would be forgotten and when they came by our table it always felt rushed. read more

Diner Deluxe - Eggs Benny with veggies - Diners Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I stand between 'A-OK' and 'Yay-I'm a Fan' for DD. Don't get me wrong, DD isn't bad, but I definitely did not think that it was a five-star fantastic breakfast/brunch/lunch joint. -Pancakes were ok -Poached egg was ok but I did end up getting served some odd pieces of foreign food matter with my poached egg ??? I was not impressed... -Scrambled egg was dry, River cafe has fantastic scrambled eggs. -Hash browns are better at 1886 cafe. -Drip coffee was good. I do have to mention that our server was friendly. Also, I did end up waiting half an hour outside but the receptionist did take down our names and it was sunny out so I did not mind the wait. read more

I have been here twice (for brunch) since I moved to Calgary a few weeks ago. This place doesn't disappoint. The place is ecclectic and the food even more so. The first time I went I had the grilled cheese and southwest soup- that was fantastic! Second time I got the breakfast poutine skillet- it was delicious but too much for me to finish- it is very rich but worth it. I haven't been for lunch or dinner, but highly recommend breakfast/brunch. And it doesn't hurt that this place was also featured on YGEH. read more

You can always tell a place by how busy they are. This place was super busy, but they got is right in. Our server greeted us right away. Awesome breakfast place. Visiting from Phoenix, AZ. The hash browns poutine style was delicious. Would definitely eat here again. And the server Lexi was great. read more

Great brunch place! Like the strawberry ice tea a lot!! The staff are nice but prepare for at least 30 minutes wait. read more

See all

Great brunch spot! We had been warned that there would be an hour wait, so planning around that we went earlier to put our name on the list and left for a short time and returned just in time. Keep in mind that if you aren't there when they call your name you loose your spot. There is so many great menu options that it made it hard to pick only one choice. I tried the pulled pork skillet and was so gladI did. It was SO DELICIOUS and definitely made the wait worth while! Add this spot to your must try list and I will definitely be going back next time I'm in town. read more

Diner Deluxe - Pulled pork skillet with eggs and toast on side. - Diners Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

See all

Excellent! Went for the first time today and had a very good experience. The service was amazing, the food and coffee were delicious, the atmospheere was chill. I went at 1 on a Friday and had no lineup. Would definitely recommend this spot for breakfast or brunch. read more

We definitely loved this spot. Great, healthy, fresh food, nice, strong coffee and incredible service. We didn't wait to be seated, and our server was at our table right away and constantly to check on what we needed and how everything was. The decor is great, a classic diner with some future ideas and a ton of satisfied and happy customers. Job well done, we will definitely go back. read more

Queue the yum... Breakfast here is pretty much the bomb, as long as you don't mind waiting. The food is really great - unique take on french toast, and big portion sizes will delight anyone who's hungry for their first meal of the day. I love the retro feel, and the kitchy look of the place. It's unique and different from the standard breakfast fare. read more

Everything is good here. Great retro atmosphere. The vanilla milkshakes are fantastic! read more

Mixed feelings about this place. The two friends I ate there with had hot & delicious meals but... My $16 sausage & tomato eggs benny was luke warm at best and therefore kinda gross. My hash browns were so cold it was like they were in the fridge or something. Weird right? I asked for new ones and they came hot but half of them were uncooked. Still hard/ raw in the middle. I ordered an extra side of hollandaise sauce and it was served cold. When I asked about it the waitress said that's how they serve it. It didn't taste very good to begin with, but even worse because it was cold (like fresh out of the refrigerator cold). Unfortunately, I can't recommend eating here. It's pricey for brunch and the food just wasn't worth it. Won't be trying it again. read more

The food was not amazing! I felt like it should have been amazing and it wasn't . The service was also not amazing, We were there before 3 other people yet those people all got their food before we did. We wil not come back or be recommending this place. read more

(The review begins after spending a half hour trying to find parking in the area.) The food was the only decent thing about this place, but not decent enough to make up for how lousy everything else is. We waited in an extraordinarily long line to get seated. It was so crowded I needed to shuffle my chair out of the way constantly in order to avoid being shoved or elbowed by other patrons going to the bathroom or the servers (and not once did I receive an "excuse me" or a "sorry" when I was jostled by a server.) Not to mention its so crammed in there its next to impossible to hold a conversation without having to shout. Finally the food arrived... Well, most of it anyways. One of my party didn't receive his food until about 15-20 minutes after the rest of us. And the moment we appear to be done eating the staff gave us the bums rush. Maybe if they cut back on the amount of tables so the place would be something approaching comfortable, I'd really enjoy this place. As it stands, Diner Deluxe is an awful experience. They just don't have the infrastructure needed to handle the amount of people they cram in there. read more

I love the hipster vibe to the old school diner look. The fact that they have pacman is awesome! Serving staff is nice, helpful, and corteous. Food came out promptly. I had the Canadian bacon and tomato eggs benny, it was great! My boyfriend has celiac and they fact that they have gluten free English muffins is a hard find! The cafe mocha was also amazing! The only downsides were the 20 min wait, and the noise level inside (I wouldn't recommend eating in if you are hung over; take it to go!). I would highly recommend it. It definitely attacks a younger, more "hip" social dynamic. read more

I have been going here for years and love it. Great food and atmosphere. Very 50's diner but the food is modern. They make their own jams as well which is great on their multi grain bread. Things are cooked with care. Service is usually pretty slow as the place is always packed, which is another issue. You really feel crammed in, but such is the life of a great breakfast joint. If the owner is reading this, please bring back the Spolumbo Apple Sausage frittata! It's been years and every time I go back I hope to see it magically appear on the menu haha. It was amazing. read more

Just got off my flight from Montreal and got introduced to this place by my daughter and her roommate. No exaggeration the best brunch I've ever had ... and I've had a few. The pulled pork skillet (with poached eggs) was truly an experience - a great experience. Had a taste of pancake .... fluffy, filling to die for - I can't believe I just said that I'm sounding like my daughter. Outstanding service from Ms. cedar, we talked tats, Montreal and her Calgary style "Baygels". You've got to go here! read more

All in all this place is good, but we normally go if the wait at OEB is too long. The food is inventive but sometimes I want breakfast not cuisine... for example I'll take regular butter over a maple pumpkin spread with my pancakes. The food is good, atmosphere is fun and the service is friendly. The portions are HUGE though so be careful not to have eyes bigger than your stomach! read more

This place is absolutely amazing, after seeing it on you gotta eat here I had to try it! It was super busy every time I've gone on weekdays so can only imagine what it's like on the weekend. The eggs Benny was amazing and getting hollandaise on the home fries mmmm! read more

Diner Deluxe - Diners Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

See all

Can I choose six stars? This place rocks. There are two scenes at this place...the packed high energy breakfast crowd (best breakfast you'll ever have btw) and the lights dimmed, come and chill out for awhile dinner. Every night of the week has a different special, and within that theme the choices change from week to week. I decided to take my hard to please dining companion ( aka Mom) on Taco Tuesday. We had an AMAZING chicken burrito with some sort of chocolate sauce...it was subtle and genius...the chicken just melted in your mouth. Sides were great too. I'm so impressed that I meet my husband there for dinner the next night. I'm in scrubs after work but feel more than comfortable in this laid back environment. The same hip and friendly waitress from the night before is there again. She's obviously having fun, serving food she knows is awesome. My husband has 'the best pulled pork sandwich of his life'. I hate pork but try some and yes it's friggin great. I kept it light that evening with yam fries and a salad. The portions are still huge and there are small touches, like house made dip for the fries. No sauce from a plastic vat here! I'm so interested in the yellow hot sauce on our table that I have to try some. It's sweet and flavorful and then my mouth is on fire. Try it if hot is your thing. Overall, the best casual dining experience I've had in Alberta. read more

I have no idea who would put up with this place on a weekend. I live near by with roommates, and they really like coming here so I follow along for the good food, but we usually go on the weekdays. This is my first and last brunch day. Our first problem was the hostess, who is also the manager. She was slow, very quiet, rude and was NOT there for the first 10 minutes of waiting! She was in the back, and a staff member had to go into the back to get her. I have no idea what she was thinking, but guessing by her empathy towards our waiting time and her empty drink cup, she decided she wanted to go on a break. The servers were visibly frustrated with her, and she doesn't tie her hair back! She was bringing out food with huge red hair and it wasn't tied back! It may sound nit picky, but that's just gross. Someone get her some hair elastics! Odd thing I've discovered about this place: It runs slower with the manager present. Maybe it's her vibe, but she is not a good manager. This place usually runs like a machine that is very quick without her there, which is very odd to me as the presence of a manager usually makes workers improve their performance, not make it worse. I have been there many times with her there and with her not there, and she slows the place down a lot. I'll assume she can keep her job like most other managers do, she can do the behind the scenes work. Maybe it's time the owners reconsider her? Our waitress was this cute tattooed girl, and she was obviously tired but was doing her best to keep her tables happy. She did a good job at getting our drinks out quickly and she was pretty knowledgeable on the food for our few questions. Our food was brought out by this hilarious chick with a mohawk and face piercings. She cracked a joke or two while putting down our food, and it put us in a good mood to start eating. We were starting to get a bit bitter at the wait. Our food was okay. It's been better there. I got the potato pancake, but it wasn't cooked as well as it usually was. It was not worth the wait like it can be. We didn't have to send anything back, but we all agreed it wasn't as good this time. The food is usually fantastic and I always look forward to having it, but on Sunday it just disappointed me. I also think this place needs a bit more variety on their menu, it can be hard for a picky eater to get something here. I hope when me and my friends return we can have better luck, but I'll be avoiding days when the manager is there and I'll only be going on weekdays. read more

Diner Deluxe is one of those places that I enjoy every time I go, and then realize I don't go often enough. Tonight was one of those nights...While driving around Bridgeland trying to find a place to settle in while it was cold and snowy outside, we discovered Monday nights is a bad night for food in Bridgeland - everything was closed. Weird. So we ventured "up the hill" to visit DD as we haven't been in a number of months. I am extremely glad we did - cause it was awesome! It was pretty quiet, but about 10 tables busy. We got seated right away by the cutest waitress in history (I'll come back to her), and quickly had our drink orders taken. I ordered a Grandville Island Beer monthly choice (which to my surprise was the Hefeweizen - my favorite), and my fellow diner had a raspberry milkshake, made from real ice cream that was so amazing my legs started to shake. Ok seriously, it was pretty amazing. I had the Buffalo burger with broccoli/potato soup which was really good. The burger had an amazing "relish" with outstanding caramelized onions and gooey cheese. The soup was homemade and fresh/tasty without being ridiculously thick and over creamy. Across the table was a Gouda French toast stuffed with ham (the bread was fluffy, the cheese gooey and the ham salty - perfect combo). So supper was clearly a delicious success. Back to our waitress friend Chelsea B who made the night. Chelsea was likely the cutest person I have ever met. We thought she was similar to Barbie (the Mattel Barbie, in an adorable way). Orders were taken fast, drinks refilled, checkups done and every time she was adorably smiling, super attentive and looked like she loved serving people - a rarity sometimes when going out to eat. I have given the overall experience 4 stars, but I give Chelsea 6 stars. As some take home notes: Their weekly specials (Mondays is pasta) looked intriguing. They have a taco night, a beer and burger night and a roast night. They also have a southern cooking night which I want to come back for. I didn't have it tonight (because I get it every time), but their Mac and Cheese is the best thing on the go. I've had it 20 times at least and every time I saw it getting served tonight, I wanted to stand up and grab it away to devour it myself. Highly recommended. Diner Deluxe is a bit retro meets a bit hipster, but the food is great, atmosphere is relaxed and casual and the prices are pretty cheap for what you get. Get the Mac and Cheese. read more

I went to this restaurant on the recommendation of a friend. I was not disappointed. It is a true diner layout and feel and was incredibly busy. The servers were friendly and very quick, and before we were sat, they brought over an orange juice to drink while we waited for seats to open up. The great service continued after we were sat. I had a craving for some breakfast food so I settled on the chorizo and spinach eggs benedict. About 10 minutes later, the chefs in the open kitchen had our food up. Very impressive considering how busy it already was. The benedict itself was hot and fresh with the sausage and spinach stretched across the English muffin with beautifully poached eggs and a mellow and tasty hollandaise poured on top. On the side were homestyle chunks of hash browned potatoes with green onion and seasoning. The whole thing was delicious and very satisfying for my hunger demon. I will definitely return to this jewel on Edmonton Trail. read more

Came here with a big group on a Sunday for brunch. It was sooo busy that we were advised to split up the group to 2 tables. It was fine. I will have to say the staff are really friendly and upbeat. The only real downside was our server. She took extra extra long to take our food order. I really think she was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of customers at one time. The food came out fresh and hot and was really quite tasty!! :D They offer free range eggs, almond milk lattes/cappuccinos, Phil & Sebastians roast coffee. I had a latte & it was strong and full bodied. It was a nice tasting roast. I had an omlette and it was gigantic!! i could barely finish half of it. The hash browns were very good. Nothing was overly greasy at all. I realy like their multigrain toast and their special blend jam. They offer other unique drinks as well. I also had a Cora's lemonade strawberry iced tea. Very sour as Cora's lemonade is a concentrated lemonade mix. The decor is of a 70's diner and the furniture reflects that. They are kid friendly and offer high chairs. I would definitely like to come back. The waiting area isn't huge and on a nice day waiting outside is kind of nice! read more

I haven't been to too many food joints in Calgary since I moved up here but I've been to Diner Deluxe twice and both times I've had a pretty great experience. IF you are going during the week, the best time to arrive for breakfast is right around 8 am to beat the crowds. Not sure about the weekends as I'm generally into avoiding crowds since the crazies tend to come out in full force and a seemingly simple weekend breakfast experience can be tainted by overwhelming wait times, unprepared staff, and food that is just shoveled onto a plate without any love or attention to quality. The atmosphere is chill, the server (Tommy Guns- according to the receipt) didn't miss a beat with our table and he was the only guy serving the place, food is great (I had the stuffed french toast, which was excellent - Rosemary Apple Flax Sourdough stuffed with Sylvan Star Gouda, Canadian Bacon) I don't remember if there was sweet potatoes in the potatoes the last time, but it stood out and comforted my taste buds. The decor is a retro-y, vintage-y, diner-y feel. I dig the chrome edges on everything and unique wall art. It really makes you want to go back in the DeLorean with Doc to a time when your local diner knew your name, your order and always had the best food, coffee, and pie (except for your moms) I would recommend this place, but get there early! Avoid the converse wearing hipsters rolling out of bed after a friday night of staying up late drinking sweet microbrews to modest mouse and get your breakfast before they piss on the sweet experience of Diner Deluxe! read more

This was a super cool place- I'd highly recommend for brunch! Very original dishes, generous portion sizes. Our server was personable, friendly, and patient as we tried to decide what we wanted. Coffee was flowing. Decorated like an old school diner. We loved it for our first meal in Calgary! read more

Absolute divinity. Very fair prices for generous portions (as compared to somewhere like the Beltliner) and the breakfast poutine is the best part. read more

This was one of my top 3 brunch locations. I loved the real potatoes and yams served with my egg dish. I actually enjoyed the bakery/cafe/pizza served next door. I would buy there chocolate bread and take it home and make french toast with it. read more

Loved the food, ambiance, and friendly staff. Was surprised that there was hardly any wait on a Saturday morning. I had the classic breakfast at about 9am and it kept me full for lunch too. read more

This is one of the best breakfast spots in Calgary. For my money I will take there pancakes with blueberry compote any day of the week. Also, the fact that they serve breakfast all day is a major plus! The retro decor makes this a fun place to visit. I took a recent out of town guest and they loved it. Definitely one to recommend to all your friends. read more

My first experience here was terrible; the food wasn't good and our server was so rude that my Dad, who never complains about anything, even commented on how such a miserable person got a job dealing with people. My Dad was back in town this week and we figured that it had been a few years so we'd give it a shot again... bad mistake! We ordered the hash brown poutine with double smoked bacon and what arrived was super soggy, over cooked potatoes with what I think was supposed to be bacon but it looked and tasted like undercooked ham with massive pieces of raw fat attached. We ended up picking all the bacon out since it was so undercooked and pretty much just hunks of fat and the waitress didn't even comment when we told her it was inedible. My Dad ended up having an omelette and it was so over cooked that the whole thing inside and out was dark brown. I'm celiac and was ecstatic that they offered eggs benedict with a gluten-free biscuit and was completely floored that what I got was a dried out, gluten-free hamburger bun. I told the waitress they must have made a mistake and she said "oh, we just call it a biscuit." Huh??? I can't stand gluten-free buns as it is so I put them to side but when I cut into the eggs, which I ordered medium, they were so under cooked that the whites were still runny on the inside.... nothing better than snotty eggs on a dried out hamburger bun to wet the appetite. I guess we should have learned our lesson the first time and just headed straight to Blue Star or OEB.... sorry Dad! read more

Looked up this little gem on TripAdvisor.com, and decided to check it out earlier this evening. The place is pretty inconspicuous with only a neon sign out front to indicate its presence, making it an easy miss if you're not on the lookout. . Kitschy is a word that springs to mind here. The interior has a retro 50's vibe, typical of a any diner from that era. I had the veal meatloaf with dijon mashed potatoes, red pepper jelly and pan gravy. It was enjoyable, and for $17 dollars, should have been. I did find the prices a little steep for a 'diner,' but appreciated the quality ingredients that were sourced. I plan on coming back here to sample some of the other menu fare. 3.5 stars out of 5. read more

BEST BREAKFAST IN TOWN! I've been to Diner Deluxe a few times and it never disappoints me. The atmosphere is wonderful, the people are friendly and the food is amazing!! It has that '50's diner feel to it and the food is more 'home-made' than you find at a lot of places. It reasonably priced too so it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg. If you go and there's a wait.... wait, it'll be worth it I promise. I think this is going become a regular 'goto place' for me. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to try Diner Deluxe from the suggestion of "where to eat in canada" tv show. It was REALLY GOOD! The breakfast was huge, and it was all very fresh. The wait was long as the place isn't that big, but the service made up for it. The only complaint I would have was that the tables are a bit close together and it was really cold while we were eating, bit it IS Canada, so it's bound to be a little cold in the middle of winter. read more

I had heard great things about Diner Deluxe and could not wait to give it a try for Sunday brunch. I am not a usual brunch-goer and kind of dreaded the line up but I would not change a thing about having to put my name on a list and waiting about 40 minutes on this beautiful, busy Sunday at 1pm. There is a bakery connected right next door - I LOVE bakeries so that kept me busy as did the complimentary coffee at the door. There were samples of the fresh bread that warmed my soul. YUM! Of course we bought some on the spot (Apple Rosemary Sourdough) as well as a scone, banana bread etc. LOL! So, we were finally seated in what looked like it could be your grandma's kitchen. Loud, warm, homey and welcoming with aluminum tables and mismatched mugs! CLEAN despite the crowd! The service could not have been friendlier. Patience was our waitress' virtue as we had not been there before and had a couple of questions. NOT a place for you if you have a hangover headache, as it is PACKED and the tables are close together but fortunately I felt pretty good this day! More to do with the fact that those days are over for me!!! I went simple with 2 fried egg whites and fabulous multigrain toast that tasted homemade - and the preserves! WOW! Also made in-house and not for sale normally I was told. I really liked the smaller sized hash browns mixed with green onion, seasoned and cooked to perfection. My friend had eggs benedict which she gave a 9 out of 10 (she was not over the moon for the hollandaise sauce but she likes her own that she makes so that could have something to do with it....) The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is that we had to wait over an hour for our food. We had a ball talking the afternoon away but we were starving!!!! I got take-out for my husband which was a chicken sandwich with avocado, potato wedges and pickles. He adored it and thought the chicken breast was ample and worth every penny! I KNOW I will be back to this establishment (not to mention the bakery) - and I cannot wait! read more