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Elm Diner

3.8 (108 reviews)
ModerateDiners, Burgers, American
Open • 6:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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Elm Diner Photos

ELM DINER ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Elm Diner

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Reviews With Photos

Susan R.

2.5 stars New to West Haven and wanted to try their pancakes and support a local restaurant. The place was very clean. Several signs on door. Bathroom for customers only. No oets. Please don't touch blinds. It was a little overkill. My server was excellent and breakfast came out quickly. The plates were a bit old and faded. Eggs cooked nicely. Bacon was limp and undercooked which made it taste fatty. My coffee and oj were good. The pancakes looked beautiful but were so disappointing. They were thick and very vanilla tasting not buttermilk. And they were served with a very cheap pancake syrup. Definitely not my first choice to return.

Sasha L.

The first time I ever stepped into Elm Diner was right after my sorority initiation in April 2022. Little did I know that visit would mark the beginning of a beautiful chapter. I didn't make it back until around December 2023, then not again until early fall 2024, and I've been kicking myself ever since for waiting so long between visits. From that moment on, Elm became my go to spot..my little safe haven whenever I needed comfort, good food, or just a familiar, welcoming atmosphere. In fact, I've gone so often since then that I now proudly consider myself a regular. Now, with graduation just days away, I'm filled with gratitude...and more than a little sadness knowing my visits will be far less frequent. But if life takes me to grad school in either upstate New York or back to Connecticut, Elm will absolutely be one of my first stops. The staff here? Beyond wonderful. I don't even know their names (yet), but every interaction has made me feel like part of their family. There's a warmth and familiarity to this place that's impossible to fake making it more than just a diner. And don't even get me started on the menu..it never disappoints. From egg avocado sandwiches to late night mashed potatoes, everything hits the spot. It's the kind of place you can rely on, over and over again. To the team at Elm: An endless thank you for unknowingly being such a main part of my college experience. You've fed my stomach very well and my soul. I'll miss you more than I can put into words. I'll be back one day and I promise, I'll finally learn your names. (And yes... I'm sobbing as I write this. Totally not planned.)

French Toast
Gigi S.

For Valentine's Day, me and my partner decided to go to Elm Diner to give it a try. We are native to this area but never have been there surprisingly. This is located in a plaza just incase you are wondering. As I walked in, I was greeted by a very nice woman that I believe is named Nicole. She was very nice, kind and energetic. The type of woman whose job can only be done by her because she does it so well. She quickly got us started with water and came back in a speedy time to take our order. We ordered about 5 grilled cheeses, a 2 stack Nutella French toast and a side of fries. She told us that the fry portions are pretty big so we decided to go with the one. She was right, because by the end of my meal I was stuffed. The food was overall great quality. When you go to a diner, you expect that DINER TASTE. That DINER FEEL. Everything you want. Grilled cheese was amazing. Good amount of cheese and great butter taste. We did ask for a side of ranch and it was a little thick, but still good nonetheless. I usually am not a fan of crinkle cut fries, but the fries here were very good. In comparison to other diners, they were good but not a full 10/10. The way the diner looks is straight from early 2000's. Table was clean, bathrooms were cleaner. I love the vibes. I had a good experience and I will be back!

Salad with Dressing
Selenia M.

I have driven by this place more times than I can count. But DoorDash decided to send me a lovely promo code so I opted for this restaurant from a specific list of eateries. Always one for an amazing seafood dish I saw that they had baked stuffed shrimp. It came with a side salad, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. I believe there was also the option to get white rice along with other vegetables. But mashed potatoes and corn go hand-in-hand. I ordered online and the food was ready upon my arrival. The interaction was very brief being that I paid online. But overall it was pleasant. The diner was spacious and very clean. There was also ample parking in a lot. The shrimp are OK. The taste was good, the stuffing was a lot of breading with small salad shrimp incorporated into it. It had a good flavor but it wasn't a seafood stuffing. The mashed potatoes were OK, the gravy was pretty good. After eating the bread stuffed shrimp and several forkfuls of the mashed potatoes I was not able to touch the salad nor the corn. All in all it was a decent experience and I wouldn't mind going again to try something else. They appear to have a nice breakfast selection.

Chocolate chip pancakes

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

Great place to eat at had breakfast here last year in May 2019 had some hash browns eggs and bacon

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

So many great diners in West Haven, this one isnt worth your time food was very very underwhelming.

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16 years ago

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19 years ago

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10 years ago

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5 years ago

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13 years ago

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

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13 years ago

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11 years ago

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6 years ago

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8 years ago

I want to thank you, Elm Diner, for my Thanksgiving Day meal today. It was delicious from start to finish. And now...perhaps a pleasant nap.

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10 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

Very attentive, pleasant, and friendly. Food was good and delivered quickly to our table. First time at this diner and I will visit again.

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12 years ago

I don't like or will not eat at a place that does not give free refills. I ate here once, got charged for a refill, have not been back.

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

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11 years ago

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14 years ago

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10 years ago

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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10 years ago

Friendly place. Large portions and good value. Huge menu with lots of choices. If you like the diner experience definite recommend.

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9 years ago

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15 years ago

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10 years ago

I really enjoyed this diner I had a good time with my daughter-in-law she frequents there a lot I will be going back

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11 years ago

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9 years ago

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12 years ago

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Georgie's Diner - Corned Beef Reuben with fresh fries

Georgie's Diner

4.1(426 reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

This place is BANGIN!…read more Everything, food, service, atmosphere. We will be back. It is definitely worth go out of your way to eat here

We spent the weekend in New Haven area primarily to sample the pizza. After 2 days of pizza we just…read morewanted to have a good Sunday breakfast as we left to head home. This place is clearly a local favorite as the small parking lot was full, but we lucked out as someone was pulling out as we arrived. The service was top notch! We were greeted by a friendly young woman who seated us right away in a 2 person booth. The place is your classic stainless steel exterior and the inside was packed with happy patrons. The people in the booth next to us said they rarely dine out but they frequent Georgie's for their food. We were served by 3 different young women who were super friendly and professional. Before we got our food I was thinking I would come back for the service alone. Now the food. I ordered Georgie's omelette with home fries. 5/5. Excellent omelette and though the home fries were just potatoes they were cooked with some crunchy bits that simply elevated them. Laura got the eggs Benedict and she loved it. 5/5. We also ordered the buckwheat pancakes with blueberries and bananas. These were the best pancakes I've ever eaten 5/5! On top of it they serve organic food and locally sourced ingredients. The diversity of their staff was another added feature. This place is special!!! Laura and I agreed that it was the best meal we ate during our New Haven weekend. I would go on a 1.5 hour road trip for this place. Top notch!

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Georgie's Diner - Cute booths!

Cute booths!

Georgie's Diner - A delicious turkey club with home fries-also delicious!

A delicious turkey club with home fries-also delicious!

Georgie's Diner - Ambiance

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Ambiance

Bella's Cafe

Bella's Cafe

4.0(939 reviews)
3.4 mi
•$$

What a fun spot for breakfast or brunch ! Bella's Café has a lively, energetic vibe while still…read morefeeling incredibly comfortable and welcoming. There are two dining rooms, some outdoor seating as well as counter service. We were lucky enough to grab seats at the counter, and honestly, I think that was the best place to sit! We got to watch the bartenders making all the creative beverages. Every time a dish went by, I found myself thinking, "Oh, that looks great!" And seeing what the people sitting next to us were ordering only made us want to come back and try even more of the menu! The staff was wonderful, and a special shout-out to our wait/bartender, Michael, who made the experience even more enjoyable. The menu offers a fantastic variety of egg dishes and elevated breakfast options. How about shrimp and grits with a biscuit with eggs on top or homemade beef hash? They even had a catfish rancheros . The cocktail menu caught our attention, too. They have great drink specials, which we couldn't resist trying! I love when a restaurant puts a little extra effort into presentation, and Bella's Café delivered. The Bloody Mary was delicious, complete with a spicy rim, while the cider sangria was served with a cinnamon-sugar rim that made it feel like Fall in a glass! Now, let's talk about the food! We ordered the Bananas Foster French Toast, which came in a generous portion and was full of flavor. I also tried the Sweet Potato Pancakes topped with cinnamon cream cheese butter cream, and salted pecan caramel sauce. These pancakes were incredible! Both dishes were absolutely delicious, and the portions were so huge that we couldn't finish everything. We also ordered a side of breakfast sausage to round out the meal. Plump fat links that were juicy and porky. If you don't eat pork, they have several other options of sausage with chicken. Between the comfortable atmosphere, engaging counter seating, friendly service, creative cocktails, and delicious food, Bella Ga Café made a fantastic impression on us. There were so many tempting dishes coming out of that kitchen that we already have a list of things we'd like to try on our next visit!

The food was where our two stars came from. The bacon was delish, as were the potatoes and their…read morefluffy pancakes as well. However, from here the experience declined. The biggest setback for us was the service. Our server wasn't very attentive and spent the entire time conversing with every other couple (and we were the only gay people there so it felt discriminatory dare we say?). He didn't check on us, didn't offer us drinks and didn't talk to us at all, but everyone else was getting a laugh and a chuckle out of him. There were also very very minor microaggressions we noticed but they were so micro, we didn't really feel as though we could say anything. The place is very cute though, it has a nice cutesie vibe. Unfortunately, we likely won't be back. Our general ratings: Food- 8.3 Service- 2.5 Comeback ability- 1.5

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Bella's Cafe - Still empty.

Still empty.

Bella's Cafe - Fancy hot chocolate

Fancy hot chocolate

Bella's Cafe - Interior

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Interior

Elm Diner - diners - Updated October 2026

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