We love Welcome Diner, and have been here many times. It is definitely not fancy, but it is exactly…read morewhat it should be. It feels very hipster and very retro and it just has so much personality. There is a lot of outdoor seating in what is essentially a front yard. There are tables and string lights and lots of trees and there are even a couple of playground horses. When you walk in there is a hostess desk kind of pieced together with different pieces of furniture and above it is a turning disco ball. Could there be anything better? There are booths all the way around, and there are no tables - - but you can sit at the long counter and watch your food being made. That really is the best place to sit because it is so interesting to watch them. It's amazing to me that they can keep all those balls in the air and still make all this food so delicious. There is a small bar off to one side. Make sure you go to the bathroom. The bathroom is nothing special, just a room full of graffiti and stickers, but if you look up you'll see the ceiling covered with little pinatas and a little donkey in the hallway. The menu is just what you would think for a diner menu. You can order breakfast or some sandwiches, burgers, Mac and cheese, and there is a selection of dinner entrees. Sitting at the counter we saw a plate with a steak being prepared and it looked absolutely fantastic. We were not really very hungry, and just wanted a quick small bite. Have you got that Welcome Burger, and I got the Sasha. Hubby said his Burger was good, although it was quite small. The Sasha has smoked pork and they put the pork on the grill and it becomes a crispy kind of Patty of shredded pork, then they put the crispy shredded pork patty on a noble bun with coleslaw and a fantastic horseradish sauce. My sandwich was a 10 out of 10 for sure! I kind of feel like in Phoenix there are some areas that you can go to or not, but welcome diner is a place that everybody should go to at least once. I really want to go back for breakfast which is kind of shocking because I'm not a breakfast person.

I have never felt as unwelcome at a restaurant as I did during our visit to Welcome Diner…read more I arrived with three friends and two dogs, encouraged by the dog-friendly patio. Before we could sit down, a waitress abruptly warned us that rain was expected in three minutes, that the dining room had no available seating, and that pets were not allowed inside. We decided to take our chances, retrieved our own menus, and sat outside. More than 10 minutes passed without anyone acknowledging us, despite staff serving other customers. My friend even tapped on the ordering window and was ignored. When the same waitress finally returned, I asked for a Bloody Mary, and she appeared noticeably disappointed that we had decided to stay. Her response was an incredulous, "You're staying???" We explained that we were willing to take our chances with the weather, at which point she informed me that they were out of Bloody Mary mix. I then requested waters. Another 10 minutes passed before she dropped off the waters without taking our order. After another 10 minutes without service, we left, having spent approximately 30 minutes feeling ignored and unwelcome. We found a much better experience across the street, where we enjoyed attentive service, delicious food, and a welcoming dog-friendly patio. I understand that weather, seating limitations, and restaurant policies may be beyond a server's control. How guests are treated is not. For a restaurant called Welcome Diner, the irony was especially disappointing.

We had been at the Hermosa since Wednesday, we were served a beautiful dinner and Friday evening,…read morewe were fortunate to have reservations at the Wine Cellar!!! Come Saturday evening, we thought our son would fly in early enough, on his way back from North Carolina, to take him to Lon's restaurant at the resort. Unfortunately, due to delays he was not able to make it to the resort until after ten. By that time, most restaurants are closed for the evening!!! After a quick search, apart from the traditional 24/7s, we spotted the 5 & Diner, and it was close enough to get there within ten minutes! When we drove up, we were mildly surprised, a little retro, a restaurant we are not used to...upon entering the establishment, the staff was prompt, friendly, and we were seated in a nice booth right away. Our server, Danielle A was extremely helpful with the menu items, wonderfully cheerful, prompt on our orders, and could not have been more attentive!!! The food was well prepared, hot, very flavorful, and timely!!! We were extremely surprised and found this restaurant checked all of the boxes...not to mention surprisingly reasonable!!! By the way, the air conditioner was set at a perfect temperature for the triple digits of Phoenix!!! We would go back again!!! Humbly and respectfully, FLK

Talk about taking a trip back in time! LOL!…read more Welcome to 5 & Diner, where you walk through the doors and suddenly find yourself transported back to the good old 1950s! I absolutely loved the retro atmosphere! The red and silver booths, black-and-white checkerboard floors, and even the old-fashioned jukebox at the table give this place that classic American diner feel. Although, unfortunately, our jukebox wasn't working. Darn it! It wasn't particularly busy when we arrived, so we were seated pretty quickly, which was nice. Now, let's talk about the food! I ordered the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich with fries. The sandwich looked pretty darn good when it arrived, with chicken, melted cheese, and bacon. Unfortunately, the chicken itself could've used a little more seasoning. It wasn't terrible, just missing that extra flavor I was hoping for. But those FRIES! Holy moly! They were freaking awesome! Definitely my favorite part of the meal. Sometimes a good plate of fries is all you need to make things better! LOL! The service was another positive. Our server was very attentive and made sure we were taken care of throughout our visit. I always appreciate that! Now, one thing I do have to mention is the cleanliness. The restaurant could definitely use a little extra scrubbing and attention in certain areas. I understand this is an older-style diner, and that nostalgic charm is part of its appeal, but a little extra cleaning would go a long way. Overall, this is your classic American diner experience. Nothing overly fancy, just comfort food, friendly service, and a fun atmosphere that takes you back several decades. Would I return? Sure! I'd probably try something different on the menu next time, but those fries are definitely worth ordering again. And hopefully, that jukebox will be working so I can complete my little trip back in time! LOL!

Joe's Diner was amazing! Such a great old-school diner atmosphere with friendly service and…read moreseriously good food. Breakfast was delicious -- perfectly cooked eggs, crispy toast, and everything came out hot and fresh. We loved the classic, welcoming feel of the place. It's the kind of local spot that reminds you why diners are so special -- comfortable, unpretentious, and just really good food. We'll definitely be back. Highly recommend Joe's Diner if you're looking for a great breakfast in Phoenix!

Great diner. Food was excellent. I had the fried fish specials. Generous portions…read more Service was attentive and friendly. Cannot suggest improvements. Ambiance is genuine diner. Comfortable and not at DLL pretentious. I would definitely come back and I would recommend it.

I really enjoyed my experience here. I ordered the Hot & Juicy Burger, and it was honestly one of…read morethe best burgers I've had in a while. The jalapeño that came with it was the perfect touch and paired so well with the burger. The hand cut fries were fresh and delicious too. I also loved the 50s diner vibes, it gave the place a really fun, nostalgic atmosphere. On top of the great food, the service was excellent and made the whole experience even better. I'll definitely be back!

The 50s diner theme was super cute!! Even the staff were dressed adorably in their 50s style…read moredresses. The customer service was very accommodating and super friendly. The food portions were large and came out hot and delicious. ( My ice latte was delicious also! Yum! ) The owner is a total Earth Angel! She owns a cat rescue that is next-door. Completely separate from the restaurant, but you're able to go through and look at all of the rescues she has up for adoption. The world could use more people like her! Can't recommend this place enough.

If you have never heard of MacAlpine's, this is your chance to read on! Opened in 1929, it was…read moreoriginally called "Birch's Pharmacy" and true to most pharmacies back then, it had a soda fountain. Fast forward nine years to 1938, and Fred MacAlpine purchased it, renaming it for his namesake, and operating it as a full-service pharmacy and soda fountain until 1991. It was then purchased by a couple who still own it today and have kept it in as much of its original condition as possible, including the soda fountain, the counter, and the malt machine. When you park and walk to the front of the yellow building, you can't help but feel joy. The storefront windows, the antiques, all of it make you wonder just how far back in time you're going to travel. Once you've stepped foot inside and onto the checkered floor, you can't help but smile at the counter, all of the antiques from decades past, and the wait staff who wears 1950s uniforms. We slid into our wood booth with the tiny jukebox on the wall and immediately got to reviewing the extensive menu. Everything... and I mean EVERYTHING... looked good. Bonus: They have gluten-free bread! My husband chose the cheeseburger and I chose the turkey BLT (on gluten-free bread) - both were delicious! We then opted to share a mint chocolate chip milkshake that was created on the original 1940s machine - something that completed the experience. When we were done, we were fortunate enough to chat with Monica Heizenrader, co-owner of MacAlpine's wth her daughter. She is a very kind woman who is very passionate about keeping the history of this diner alive, even taking to selling antiques (in the other rooms of the building) to help support the upkeep. However, with rising costs and some family challenges, it's getting tough. She was proud to have kept this going as long as she and her family have and even mentioned some of the more notable people that have stepped into the diner over the decades, including Barry Goldwater (a regular), Joan Ganz Cooney (one of the creators of Sesame Street), Frank Lloyd Wright, Aunt Maud, Marshall Good, Wayne Newton (who was discovered by a talent scout there), and more! If you're not able to visit Phoenix and this beautiful place any time soon, consider making a donation to keep it open - the link can be found on their website.

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. In my early childhood, my dad would take us often to a soda fountain…read morein Las Vegas where I grew up drinking ice cream sodas and phosphates. You can still have sodas anywhere, but phosphates? Those things are really hard to track down now due to the dash of acid phosphate they add to the carbonated water and flavored syrup. MacAlpine's is the only place around that I know still serves them. From their menu it looks like you can get your drink in close to a hundred different flavors. Very nice - but cherry is always my go to. My mom chose Black Cherry which seems like a small distinction but her choice was better. We split the Turkey Bacon Croissant sandwich. I'd say the sandwich was just average, however service was excellent with different people continuously checking on us. The interior here is very dark/cozy and filled with antiques, taking you back to another era. There's a small antique shop you can step through to on the other side if you feel like browsing after you eat. We were too full to enjoy dessert but they have so many great options: shakes, malts, sundaes, homemade pie. I really need to get down here more and their special offerings.

Always the best!! Great food and fantastic service. We go often and have never been disappointed. I…read morelove seeing the owner there, too! Shows me, he's invested and truly cares for our community! Plus, the ambiance of the restaurant makes you feel like you're at home!

Original Breakfast House "Fall Menu"is a delightful change of pace…read more Weekly I'm eating my way through the choices . Today I savored the Lobster omelet with its chunks of lobster surrounded by fluffy eggs, creamy havarti cheese & topped with a flavorful Rancho sauce. Best staff ever

Mel's Diner transports you back to the time of poodle skirts, juke boxes, and thick, ceramic diner…read moremugs with the perfect diner coffee (if you know, you know). All of the food and service was wonderful, but I really feel the stand out was the fluffy pancakes! This is definitely a must stop if you're looking for the classic diner breakfast.

Well, my friend told me about Mel's diner and I've always wanted to go to it since I did watch it…read moreon TV years ago. So we finally got there today. Places a little wore down, still has the authentic look to it. Talk to one of the gentleman and he's been there for 30 years along with his family just passing it down from father son! Service was very good. Coffee was good. I had the chicken fried steak which was delicious. Definitely would try that again. My buddy had the everything omelette which he loved. Give it a try. I think he'll enjoy it. I did.

Classic hamburger diner, Detroit style. The burgers are great, I really like the smashburgers with…read morenice crispy edges and tasty caramelized onions on a steamed bun. Very yummy. The 1/2 lb burgers are huge and you get a ton of taters tots on the side. The secret here, though, are the chicken sliders! The chicken and swiss cheese slider is absolutely phenomenal, it's exactly what I crave. I wanted the pizza slider also, but they were out of pepperoni. I would definitely get the sliders again, along with a burger. 2 burgers and 4 sliders with one soda for 2 adults + 1 kid was about $50, which is pretty expensive BUT we did not leave hungry (very important!). So the one caveat is that the place is small and if they get busy you are going to have to wait a while for your food. We waited 45 minutes at our table! There is one cook and one server, the vibe is VERY mom 'n pop, and they work their butts off but it can result in very slow service. Also thought it was weird that every kid at other tables got a coloring kit, but ours didn't. Also never got a soda refill. Chalk it up to so busy the waitress didn't notice. Not even gonna dock a star for that, this place deserves all its success.

Great burgers and shake The service was great and they…read moreaccommodate requests like splitting the shake AZ burger was my favorite

Absolutely loved this place! The service was spectacular from start to finish. Everyone was…read morefriendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcome. The dining room has a comfortable, home-like feel that makes you want to sit back, relax, and enjoy your meal. And the food was phenomenal! Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The steak and eggs definitely hit the spot. Great food, great atmosphere, and even better service. I'll absolutely be back!

Sweet cream pancakes! Delicious! Great service. They seated me right away. The prices were…read morereasonable. The bacon was amazing!