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    Don's Diner

    3.1 (97 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Don's Diner Takeout or Delivery

    Don's Diner Photos

    DON'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Don's Diner

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    a plate of food on a table
    Latoya G.

    Small diner with a large parking area in the back, which was good. Came here for a business meeting..wasn't really that hungry, but when someone else is paying... Very nice and personable staff greets you on the way in and out. Our waitress took a bit of time to wait on us, but she was sweet and apologetic, and I think she was the only one working, so... Ordered a tea (which I didn't drink because the water was lukewarm at best), grits and an omelette with spinach, tomato, and feta. The grits were very creamy, but needed a ton of butter and seasoning, as did the omelette... It was a decent experience, but there are too many options for me to return again.

    Molded cake
    Maya W.

    Eat at your own risk!!! My uncle stopped in yesterday and included cake in his order. Among 3 of the slices 1 was was covered in mold. I don't know about you but, this is completely unacceptable for me. We ended up tossing all the cakes because we didn't want to risk it. If you dare too, my best advise is to check all your food before leaving.

    The front counter and entry way of Don's Diner in Irvington, NJ
    Dash N.

    This place has always been on my list to dine. Yes, the service is a hit or miss. However, if you get a good server who takes pride in his/her hospitality and putting their guest first; you are in for a treat. This Diamond in the rough is earning back my business since post pandemic. If in the area, give them a try. It's a cozy spot that welcomes all and the place is pretty simple, not flashy. They also have an all you can eat self-serve buffet Friday -Sunday. You can call them directly for more details.

    Strawberry cheesecake
    Shareen H.

    I have been to Don's Diner several times before the pandemic and always enjoyed the food. I go on the weekend for the take out buffet. Post pandemic you were able to serve yourself. Now they have workers that prepare the plates for you. I like that idea and they have mask on. I took a star away because I feel like they should have gloves on as well. Their fingers have to touch the inside of the plate to pick it up. All the food was hot and looked delicious. I am thankful that I knew exactly what I wanted and didn't go hungry because you can fill your plate pretty quickly. The servers did exactly as I requested not wanting large pieces or potions. Great service. My daughter didn't like her oxtails and said the sweet potato's are under cooked. Everything else was good. All was good on my plate except the Turkey wing was super dry. I added a slice of strawberry cheesecake. Total bill....$42.00. That's really pricy for a togo plate but it's $10.15 per pound. I do have specific things I love to eat from Don's Diner so will return in the future but will not try anything new I haven't had before.

    Kevin W.

    This place is no joke if you're dying for some serious soul food action. I was kind of in the area and I read about the epic soul food buffet so I gave it a whirl on a Sunday afternoon. In aggregate the food was pretty darn tasty, although I did feel dizzy after eating what felt like an uncanny amount of sodium and grease. My favorite buffet items were the wings, fried fish, baby back ribs, string beans and another type of cajun spiced fish that escapes me. The banana pudding was also killer. You know it's good when I ate to the point I wanted to literally fall asleep on my chair (which I nearly did) and ended up passing out when I got home from a food coma. I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, though I also came in right around the time when many were coming after church so the whole vibe was a bit more formal than I anticipated. However, the folks here were super friendly and very helpful with recommendations. I had a great time overall. It's also nice they have a fairly big parking lot, though it definitely gets super packed there so be warned. Overall it's a solid place for soul food but you'll likely end up passing out like me after the meal.

    Great burger! The sauce on the burger was awesome. We all did the specials. An interesting twist on sauerkraut.
    Dean L.

    Went for Brunch Sunday, missed our appetizer, but the owner was extremely apologetic. Picked up the cost of our beverages. The Benedict was awesome. Lori had the truffled eggs and they were the bomb. I would highly recommend that dish. A little slow with coffee and drinks but a must visit.

    Tossed salad with: LFox lettuce Olives Cherry tomatoes Cucumbers Radish Green peppers Carrots Onions

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    13 years ago

    This diner has a great selection of food and very friendly staff. The food is also pretty inexpensive.

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

    I've been going to Don's Diner since 95 that should tell you how the food taste. Come one come all and enjoy this good food with us.

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    8 years ago

    Decent place for late night food. Cashier was friendly. Food was pretty much what I expected. Overall good experience.

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Soul food buffet was cold and not very tasteful. I've tried the takeout for sandwiches and burgers, those were all good.

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    Page 2 of 3

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    Ask the Community - Don's Diner

    Is the buffet any day or particular days?

    Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

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    Mark Twain Diner Restaurant - Forgot lol

    Mark Twain Diner Restaurant

    3.2(312 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    The staff here was so friendly. Parking is easily accessible as they have a lot. The waitress did…read moreoffer some suggestions when we asked her what she would order as we were super indecisive. The food was great, fresh and tasty. It wasn't too busy when we went and the place was very clean and spacious. I can't wait to go back!

    I was always curious about this place whenever I dropped off my son at Kean University. He tried…read morethis spot and said it wasn't bad. I finally got the chance to try this spot. Too bad, it wasn't a good experience. The place isn't special. It's just your typical old diner. Some people like that charm, so people don't. St least, the place was clean and large enough to accommodate a group of over twenty people. The staff was friendly and did their best to serve such a large group. Unfortunately, the food was subpar. It wasn't my worst experience at a diner, but it wasn't good. My soup came in a hot bowl, but the actual dish was lukewarm. Others had it cold. That and the pasta salad were very, very bland. My chicken salad sandwich, on the other hand, was just salty. I really didn't like it. I finished it because I was that hungry. I left with a bad feeling having been full with food that just wasn't good. I wonder why my son likes this place. He said the stuff he orders were ok. He did say the their tiramisu was horrible. Maybe I ordered the wrong things. Maybe they just couldn't handle a large group at once. I dunno. Unless I am really hungry in the area and there is no other place open to eat I won't be coming back.

    Photos
    Mark Twain Diner Restaurant
    Mark Twain Diner Restaurant
    Mark Twain Diner Restaurant - Outside

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    Outside

    Spot Diner - French Toast

    Spot Diner

    4.1(13 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    I love visiting Maplewood and I've eaten at a few places along this main street but I've walked by…read moreSpot Diner a ton of times without stopping in. This weekend I decided to finally check it out. Spot Diner is located in the middle of a block, sandwiched between other store fronts. A blue awning is set over glass windows in the front. The doorway is a bit awkward, but when you get in you'll see plenty of booths and regular tables to sit at. Even better, you can sit at a counter to the left, one of my favorite features of any diner. I wound up sitting at a booth and it was at an odd time (around 4PM) so it was not crowded. The waitress was there very quickly and she was very nice. The host was cool too. No issues at all with service. The interior of Spot Diner has clearly been renovated in recent time. You can tell at one time it probably looked more like a classic diner but since then the interior has been painted blue and grey (giving off a Greek restaurant vibe) and there are some nice paintings hanging on the walls. I was really there just for a snack so I wound up ordering French Toast (which was still available at this hour). It came out quickly and it was good! One of the challenges with French Toast at any restaurant cooking it thoroughly while not drying it out. Fortunately they did a great job here The outer edge had a nice bit to it while the middle was chewy and cooked properly. Butter and syrup were of course provided on the side. I enjoyed my visit to Spot and I hope to come back for a full, proper breakfast one day!

    This little cozy "spot" has fulfilled, satisfied and accommodated us every single time!!…read more I may have written a review but not sure my most recent experience- the most eventful yet. I like and enjoy Maplewood, its people , culture and food - as well as its beautiful tree- lined streets , parks and coffee shops. On this particular day, I had the honor of Elizabeth Summer companionship (my beloved morkie). We walked and had coffee and walked some more but then got caught in a thunder- lightening storm! Shane on me for not looking up the weather. Thankfully, I was graciously welcomed into "spot" and when I asked if my furry friend was too, they didn't hesitate. I'll be honest, everything we've ordered has been to our liking / sadly- not this day. It's ok though - they didn't want to charge me buy I did ask for an additional order and made sure I tipped the very sweet young man attending me.. "us"! I will gladly continue to visit the spot - I have enjoyed every other meal - oh and their cream of turkey- fills my"chicken-soup with rice" craving with turkey soul! Enjoy!! Buen provecho!!!

    Photos
    Spot Diner - Main seating area

    Main seating area

    Spot Diner - Summer salad

    Summer salad

    Spot Diner - Counter

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    Counter

    Artie's

    Artie's

    4.4(974 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Delicious food, bright and relaxed atmosphere, and great service all around. Artie's is a fantastic…read morefamily-friendly restaurant that not only specializes in wood-fired pizzas but also baked goods like breads and pastries. I always love trying something off their seasonal pizza menu; during my most recent visit, I loved their maple bacon pizza, which had the perfect balance of sweet and savory. They don't accept reservations, so expect it to be pretty busy, especially during the weekends. Note that they also only have a limited cold food menu during the off hour between lunch and dinner.

    Still easily my favorite pizza in NJ, no contest. Since moving to the new location, Artie's is…read morebetter than ever!! The restaurant itself is spacious and has an inviting atmosphere. Love going in the warmer weather when they open up the doors and have the bar serving on the patio. And let's face it, if you know anything about Arite's you know that there will always be a wait on the weekends. Having the bar and the patio makes waiting a breeze! The food is seriously better than ever. I actually think the pizza is even better at this new spot than the previous location. The sleeper favorite for me is the maple bacon pizza. Takes the white pie to another level and has become a go to for me. Always, I repeat always, order the meatballs and save the sauce for your pizza crust. The farmers salad is always a must for me as well. No one does a salad like Artie's. Give this place a shot because trust me, you won't be disappointed.

    Photos
    Artie's - Almond croissant

    Almond croissant

    Artie's - Caciocavallo with Jalapeños

    Caciocavallo with Jalapeños

    Artie's - Manhattan

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    Manhattan

    Don's Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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