It has been a number of years since I visited Duncan's Dairy bar. Menu is much like any neighborhood diner so I had high hopes. Met a friend at the dairy bar for our monthly chat. Had decided on a ham club and was totally surprised. It was a more than respectable sandwich stuffed with what seemed like a home cooked ham and plenty of it. It was also stuffed with plenty of bacon as well. A perfectly tasty porky goodness Sammy. The downside is that it was freezing cold. We both agreed some heat would have made it a more pleasant lunch. Service was great with plenty of parking, but adding some heat would have improved the meal. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Ham club - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

Your average diner breakfast menu with above average quality. They have a lot of homemade items which really set them apart and keep you coming back for more. I love the French toast made with their homemade bread. The corned beef hash is great too if you like the canned style but want something superior. I really want to try their homemade donuts but they always sell out before I get there. I did hear a waitress say you could call ahead to reserve them so I will have to look into that next time. The only downside is dealing with traffic on Hoosick St. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - French toast with sausage and eggs - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

Duncan's: A Quick and Convenient Breakfast Spot If you're looking for an early morning breakfast spot, Duncan's is a good choice. It's quick, convenient, and has a decent-sized parking lot--though it tends to fill up fast in the mornings. And if the weather's bad, be prepared for some mud. Duncan's is primarily a breakfast place, and it gets busy early. They do serve lunch, but if you're planning a late visit, arrive at least 30 minutes before closing because they start winding down well before the official closing time. They used to serve dinner, but after a disappointing experience there a few years ago, I wasn't surprised to see that they've since dropped it from the menu. Inside, the atmosphere is old-school and usually comfortably crowded. The takeout counter might seem a little chaotic at first, but the staff runs it efficiently. Table service is decent, too. Just remember--it's cash only. Now, the food. Prices are very reasonable, and most of what I've had is decent, not great. My biggest complaint? The home fries. They're plain, lacking in flavor--not bad, exactly, but definitely underwhelming. Since home fries are a breakfast staple for me, this is a real downside. Overall, I like Duncan's for its convenience, vibe, and affordability. But I don't go there often, because for me, good home fries make the meal--and theirs just don't cut it. read more

I like an "old fashioned" diner like I grew up with. I am not there for spiffy. The floors may not be even but the staff are nice. Especially if you get to know them. I love their pies and breakfasts. They do not skimp on the omelets. Do not go if you need a bland, sterile environment. It's a bit out of the way for me but I try to get there every now and then. Enjoy! read more

It was pretty dark and not a good vibe. Food was not very good and they only take cash.

Love Duncan's. Highly recommend. I ordered a build your own omelette and it was massive! Our server Margaret was so friendly and helpful! We will be back for sure read more

Ask any local where are the best diners in the area and I'm sure Duncan's will be on the list. It seems like it's a staple in the area and definitely has a home town vibe. When you first walk in there's a long bar style table that you can sit and eat, there's also a small dining area with checkered tablecloths. I think the thing they are most known for are the donuts and the cinnamon rolls. Which I can see why, the glazed donuts are amazing! If you order there they will even grill it for you! To me the glaze has a citrus flavor, but so so good. Toast does not seem homemade to me. Good sized portions. Always had great service, nothing really to complain about. This is a solid diner style place, nothing fancy but good solid food. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Omelette home fries and toast - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

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We were in town for a night and wanted a diner-type place for breakfast and thought this would be a good place to stop. It is an old school kind of joint popular with locals, all wood paneling and whatnot. I definitely felt like we stood out being out-of-towners. They offer standard breakfast fare. We both got omelettes which were fine. Their display case of baked goods and treats looked so fantastic that I ordered a cinnamon roll to go. It was pretty good but nothing spectacular. It's cash only and their ATM charges quite a surcharge fee so plan ahead. read more

I was in the area with my wife and decided to stop by here to see what it was all about. A friend recommended it, and I didn't really know what to expect. Starting with the exterior, which had lots of doors but apparently only one is for customer entrances. Walking inside, I found myself in a narrow aisle around a bar/grill area with some tables in the back. Some might call the interior "cute" or "loved", but I would call it "worn" and "tired". After ordering some pie to go, I changed my mind and decided to eat in. The raspberry pie was good but not great. It was $6 for a full quarter-pie wedge, and it was better than the stuff you can get in the supermarket but not as good as the "homestyle" pies you find in country stores. The crust was good but dry, and the filling wasn't runny or gelled... just very thick. I ordered a side of french fries which were of the appearance of hand-cut. However, arrived only warm and very limp, without much flavor. A generous application of ketchup and some salt didn't revive them, and my wife guessed that they had been sitting around for a while. I couldn't argue with that. I also got a nice bit of syrup on my hands from touching the salt shaker... yuck. I guess that's the fault of a customer who used it before me, and not on the restaurant. My wife ordered a burger, which came with a bag of chips and a small cup of coleslaw. The burger was clearly a frozen burger patty, and it showed no indication that it had touched a grill or flattop. It looked like it had been microwaved from frozen, (and having friends in college who did just that, I know of what I speak). It was small, and fit perfectly on the cheap burger bun it came on. The food was pretty inexpensive ($4 and some change for burger/chips/coleslaw meal) but you definitely got what you paid for. Maybe I would come back for ice cream (they had Perry's, which my wife likes) but only if I was in the area. A cute wooden train is out back for the kids. read more

Had breakfast with my son there recently. Great food and fantastic service. Large portions of homemade goodness to satisfy your soul.

Finally! This is a timely review, because you only have until tomorrow to make it to Duncan's... or wait until 2019. I'm going to be counting down until February 28, in the hopes that I'll finally be able to try one of their glazed donuts. Today, on my maiden voyage, I fell in love with the place. At a few minutes before nine in the morning, I was lucky to snag the last parking space. And when I walked in, I was fortunate to be able to snag a seat at the counter overlooking the flattop grill. There is no way you can watch this kitchen in action and not fall in love. Mostly, I was transfixed by the omelette station. And having watched the cook bang out over a dozen of these things, I want to come back with a posse and order one. While they aren't meant to feed a family of four, they could easily do so. And even though they are cooked on the flattop instead of a proper omelette pan, these aren't your typical rolled diner omelets. It's more like they are stacked. Which I realize doesn't make much sense, but it's a mesmerizing process to watch. The spinach one looked particularly appealing. On the flip side, you can also go small, and I appreciate that more than words can say. This morning I was able to get breakfast on a very human scale. It was a half order of the homemade corned beef hash, one poached egg, an order of Duncan's homemade toast, and a cup of coffee. The corned beef was delicious, but the onions still had a bit of a crunch, and I would have loved a little more crust on the whole thing. But those are small nits. The poached egg was perfect. More importantly I was able to finish--and enjoy--the whole thing without feeling gross. Watching the fellow on the poached egg station was inspiring. As was the other guy who manned a smaller flattop dedicated to scrambled and fried eggs. While I typically avoid diner scrambled eggs, having seen these, I might be tempted to give them a shot. Home fries were cooking down in a large cast iron skillet of their own. And the kitchen counters were just crammed with house made baked goods. There are tables tucked around the corner, for a proper sit down breakfast. But I may just find myself looking for excuses next year to head up Hoosick Road and pop in for a donut and a cup of coffee at the counter. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - That's steam coming off the perfect poached egg. That's how hot it was delivered to the table, atop a half order of homemade CBH w/ toast. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

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A friend of mine and I stopped in for a Friday Fishfry this past week. It was delicious and fresh, and it was a good-sized portion. It was clear that Duncan's is a local favorite, one of those places that you could miss if you weren't paying attention. Pay attention, great place. read more

Food Not as Good as the past.smaller portions and a-little pricey for an Order of Fries $5.00 .Will stop in again because they are close to home but not as often as I use to. read more

The waitress was nice. The rest was stay away. If grease is what you want to eat then this place is for you. Our 6 yr old daughter asked for a waffle. We were told they stop making waffles at noon, it was 12:04. My husband got the fish sandwich and asked for tarter sauce, they gave him a container of red/pink congealed gross stuff. We needed to use the restrooms before we left wow is all I have to say and not in a good way. Only except cash too. I would definitely NOT go here. read more

Excellent breakfast. Got a mushroom and cheese omelette with double mushrooms and a side of potatoes. Very tasty and enough for breakfast the next day. If you forget your cash, there's an ATM. read more

If you're looking for an old school diner feel this is your place!! It's cozy and has a small town feel. The walls are decorated with antiques and the diner counter is huge! We chose a table as we had 2 small children with us. The glazed donut of course caught my husband's eye. It was AMAZING! We one grilled and one regular. I honestly don't know which way I prefer it. The grilled one was obviously crunchier with a light buttery flavor. So yummy! I had the Hangover, which is a bacon, egg & cheese between 2 pancakes & a side of hash browns. It was all delicious. I love the sweet flavor the pancakes had. I am not the biggest fan of hash browns to begin with, but these had so much flavor and crunch they were hard to resist. I highly recommend trying Duncan's out for a family breakfast or a coffee and a donut at the counter! read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

I'm shocked by how bad this place has become since I was last here, before Covid hit. Greasy, gray hamburgers with "fried" onions that were like VERY long strings that were impossible to chew, so I kept feeling like I was choking on them. I think they were microwaved, frozen burgers, but if that is true, I don't understand why our order took so long to get to us. Thickly coated & greasy onion rings with very little onion inside. Limp, greasy, cold fries. The waitress was CLEARLY unhappy in her job. This place has an undeserved good reputation. We should've gone to Jacks...at least you know what to expect. Truly terrible food that made us all feel ill. They do not seem to actually cook anything here...microwaved food doesn't count as cooking. One last point...dreary, dirty interior. Yuck! read more

I've had bread, rolls, bakery items and cakes from Duncan's. All FANTASTIC with a nostalgia that brings my back to my grandmother's kitchen. I ate there last weekend for the first time and must say, don't judge a book by its cover. The place is homey and quaint, more or less clean, although a bit rough, but I honestly think not adds to the ambience. The food was delicious, the bread makes for a beautiful grilled sandwich and the portions are perfect. The fries appear to be hand cut, which is a good and rare find these days. The chocolate cake was mammoth. I was able to enjoy some there and take the rest home for the following evening. Delicious. And, really, a sense and dark chocolate cake that actually tasted of chocolate--quite a delightful find. The service from the waitstaff wasn't unfriendly, I would call it nondescript. The check was unceremoniously dumped before the food even arrived, but I'm okay with that. The bill needed to be recalculated once we asked for dessert, that's fine. The man who appeared to be either the GM or owner was nice. I'll certainly return. read more

This place is ALWAYS busy. We tried going once at 8:30 and there wasn't even a place to park. The 2nd time we tried, we went at 7:30 and there was plenty of parking so GET THERE EARLY! Food was delicious-I ordered scrambled eggs (which I never do) and they were so fluffy. I can't rate this place a 5 because my entire outfit smelled like it was deep fried. I had to wash everything I was wearing when I got home because the smell just never left. read more

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Good place good food.. Depends on your waitress at the time as to what kind of service you will receive.. The younger waitresses are not pleasant or take the time at the table..drop and go.. read more

What a sweet find this was on our road trip! We were the second customers as they open at 4 am. We had a great time talking with the owner and the baker, they were so kind. Best breakfast with the most amazing cinnamon toast! We had the pleasure of watching them cook the oodles of goodies in the am to get ready for the day! I highly recommend this place! If we ever head this direction again for vacation it is a must! read more

Duncan's is not much to look at and there's little signage to see from the road, but everybody in town highly recommends the place. Inside you'll see a very long counter that wraps around the servers and food prep area, which is fun to watch. The dining area has checkered curtains, knick knacks and old milk bottles on display; this is what Cracker Barrel must have set out to imitate, only to become country schmaltz. This is a can't miss if you're looking for a great breakfast spot featuring big portions of delicious home cooked food. I especially like their freshly baked goods such as breads, muffins and cinnamon rolls. Be sure to bring cash, though, because they don't accept credit cards. read more

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Opens early enough so I can go before work. Great food at a good price with homemade bread and donuts.

Best home made food Ever I've eaten at Duncan's since I was small and it's always Excellent Especially for breakfast read more

Great food and equally horrible service. I stopped in for breakfast and sat down at the counter. 4 or 5 different employees made eye contact but didn't say a word or approach me . While i sat there an employee was at the counter about two feet away and he actually turned around and started talking to another employee. After about 2 more minutes of being ignored I got up and left. I went to the diner across the street, was immediately greeted and asked if i wanted coffee and a menu. Turns out their prices are lower too! That's my last trip to Duncan's ever. read more

The corn beef hash is homemade and very tasty. Good service. Food portions are large. Counter space is plentiful along with with down seating. Prices not bad at all. Overall, a good experience I recommend. read more

I got the ham western omelette with rye toast and hash browns. Service was fast and pleasant. Coffee was great. I sat at the bar and there was plenty of room. Breakfast for two was under $25. Highly recommend and will be back! Thank you! read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Ham, western omelette with rye toast and hash browns - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

We ordered 3 turkey potpie's for take out today. ( Tuesday special) Our first time getting food from here ever. They were great! We will be returning here again! read more

Great breakfast just before a hike! Went in and had the wrong name but we all laughed about it and the food was ready and hot, nice people. -"Kevin" read more

First time, but not the last! Wonderful food, HUGE portions and fun, friendly service. Come in, grab a table or a seat at the counter, and make yourself at home! read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Turkey Club. Absolutely fabulous. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

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We walk in after our overnight shift and it's just full of sweet homey vibes. This place is super cute and they have a large selection read more

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Greasy! While every other place has stepped up the cleaning due to COVID concerns, this place looks like they haven't changed a blessed thing. Ever. It was highly recommended by some local folk and as I was hoping for a good old fashioned country breakfast, I got heartburn, greasy smelling clothes and probably a virus instead. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Duncans is an unassuming little building that I drove past for years without realizing what I was missing. The interior isn't much to look at, but they make up for it with the food. Large portions, the corned beef hash is made in house, the toast is from bread made in house and the omelettes are huge! Service has always been good and the place is busy any day of the week. Again, don't let the looks of the building fool you, the food is what you come for and you won't be disappointed. (Also note-they only accept cash, no credit/debit cards but they do have an ATM in the building if you need.) read more

Perfect local spot- thee best doughnuts and bakery items!! They always give a ton of food

I guess I caught our waitress on a bad day. Not a friendly woman at all. I ordered a corn beef hash omelet with Swiss cheese. Side of Rye. My daughter the ham and cheese omelet with raisin toast and a side of home fries. Mine lacked corn beef . Actually searching for it. Lacked the flavor of it too. My biggest beef was no refill on the coffee. When she served us our food we were on empty. She said I'll be right over with the coffee. Well we finished with no refill! We finally got her attention but it was after we finished. read more

I would not be surprised to find out this place made it on to some sort of "20 Dive Diners you must visit before you die " list. It's old, easy to pass, hardly has a parking lot, always has trucks outside, and doesn't take credit or debit (CASH ONLY), but the food is solid and it oozes with history. Most people look like they've been coming to this place for decades. The pancakes were huge, fluffy, and melt in your mouth. The eggs were always cooked to order - my over medium request actually resulted in over medium eggs every time I've been there. The bacon had a good balance of chewiness and crispness to it and was generous for the pricing. The food is not bursting with obscene amounts of flavor. For example, the blueberry muffins were dry, scant on the blueberries, and pretty average size. However, this place delivers solid diner style food - greasy, starchy, and sweet - without fuss or fanfare at reasonable prices. The baskets of condiments on the tables include squirt bottles of ketchup, individual servings of Smuckers jams, a Tupperware of coffee mate creamers, and salt and pepper shakers. Everything seems a little covered in the atmosphere (grease, memories, and touches of syrup), but it adds to the old-time charm of the place. I've been a few times and still don't understand the seating. Do I seat myself? Do I let them know I'm here and then take a seat? There isn't really a host or hostess that I can tell, but no one on the waitstaff seemed put out when I asked them where to sit or told them how many people we were expecting read more

Duncan's from the outside looks to be a hole in the wall. I have to tell you this is a gem among any diners in the area. The food is cooked to order with local ingredients. The eggs are from right here, the dairy products are local. We are regulars so it's kinda odd for us to write a review of someplace I've been coming to for over 45 years. I grew up at this diner and hope someday my daughter works behind the counter serving. It's just such a local staple. Pancakes! Eggs! Egg McDuncan! The grilled cheese! Soups, fish on fridays! The list goes on and on. Hope to see you at the counter for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! read more

I went here for the first time for breakfast, and it was a really mixed experience. The first thing I'd like to mention is that the homemade corned beef hash was fantastic. It wasn't too salty, and it was a good-sized portion. I had it with poached eggs and cinnamon raisin bread and would for sure want to eat it again. The service, however, left a lot to be desired. Apparently you're supposed to seat yourself. I didn't know this, since I hadn't been before, and I came in through the side entrance where there were no signs telling us what to do. My friend and I stood waiting against the wall for someone to seat us. Someone behind the counter at any point probably could have told us that we could just sit where we like, but it took another patron to finally tell us, "hey, there's plenty of empty tables over there..." So we sat down and waited. The issue with seating ourselves was that still no one from the waitstaff had acknowledged us. Three other tables came in after us and were eventually presented with menus and cutlery, and asked for their drink orders. I couldn't catch anyone's eye to come to our table, so at one point just got up and grabbed my own set of menus. (It was a tossup between that and leaving.) Finally one of the waitresses came over and someone else brought us cutlery. We'd probably been there about 15-20 mins at that point. And even once we got service, I couldn't get past that most of the servers were surly teenagers who couldn't even fake a smile or being polite. Like I was personally responsible for forcing them to get a job where they had to be awake on a Sunday at 11am. This wasn't a one-off person having a bad day, and the place was not crazy busy, it was just the overall vibe of 3 separate people we had to interact with. Like I said, the food was good and it did come pretty quickly once we actually got service. But based on my overall experience, I don't think I'll be returning. read more

Here we go with another attempt at a fine review. So the bride and I had to take a trip to VT and decided to stop on our way. Well, I wasn't disappointed. This is the kind of place where an honest lunch counter meal is served, and more(we'll get to that later) First the bride ordered a grilled cheese with bacon and tomato. I know this is nothing special about this but,apparently the bread was home made and very good. I ordered a turkey club. Again nothing super special yet it was very good and satisfying. Both of our sandwiches came with a bag of chips( leave that crap for the gas stations, I want fries. ) they also came with some of the best coleslaw around. The bride also ordered a side of macaroni salad, also very good. Now to the "later" part. Holy freeking doughnuts batman. These things are made on sight , deliciouss and huge! (Note* these should be eaten the same day as purchased)Apparently they have a bakery on sight! Who knew ??? Service was good, prices are fair if not on the cheap side. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - These are very,very good - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York

Can't knock this place. They're open extra early, they've been around for three generations, and make lots of stuff from scratch. Very friendly atmosphere, and family run, which is getting rarer and rarer to find. The food I had was all satisfying. Homemade corned beef hash and not that canned crap you get everywhere, fresh muffins (try the corn muffins), and the pancakes I had were perfect and fluffy. Plus you got the owner right there to talk to, John, who was telling me about how it was his grandparents' place and then his parents. Yes Duncan is a good little diner to know about. read more

Duncan's Dairy Bar - Blueberry pancakes - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Troy, New York