Disclaimer: from a vegetarian's POV... this place sucks for vegetarians, and it's pretty dismal if you're vegan. you got three or so options, and even the veggie burger patty has dairy in it. if you ask for mushrooms with the burger, they'll give you grilled canned mushrooms. and if you tell them, they'll say it's not canned. right. just fresh slimy uniformly cut canned-food tasking mushrooms. yuck! but the saving grace, of sorts, was the hummus plate. it came with warm pita, carrots, and celery, and a big wopping bowl of hummus. but, i could always get that at home for half the price. i did see a lot of people there enjoying their food though, so perhaps the experience is a lot better for meat eaters... :/ read more

Really special diner. Great food, friendly super-efficient staff, lovely place. They really care about the quality of the food and the experience and it shows. read more

It's a pokestop for us Pokemon Go players, but no wifi and abysmal Verizon coverage. So maybe plan on actually talking to the folks you're eating with. Good food. Good service. Good prices. read more

This was my first dining experience in NC! Everyone was soo nice to us at this rest... maybe it was just the endearing southern accent but they really were nice. I was there with my fam and they sat all 6 of us right away on a friday morn at 11. I got my go-to greek omlette and it was excellent altho there could have been a tad more feta and not the low sodium kind like what seemed was on there and the other bugga boo is there were kalamata olives in it but there were only a few in the middle of it and not spread out.. The spinich was super fresh too and not very wilty...you could tell it want frozen and had just been sauteed for my omlette! i loved the 3 diff kinds of hot sauce they brought over. Also the waiter recommended for toast that came with my meal--to go for the sunflower bread. I had never heard of it but was grain/nutty and delish! I would love to go back! I had to try my fam member grits and biscuits and those were the bomb and so was that gravy!! OH and yes my mom got the salmon cakes that were SO delish too-id def get those next time and theyre unusual too. I shlda branched out from the Greek but i love thos olives and feta! read more

Big fan of Elmo's for nearly any meal. Great diner breakfast food - which is difficult to find in Durham. Quick and cheap lunch and dinner options. They also have a few beers on tap that they serve in a chilled mug. This place is great for weekend mornings or an in-and-out meal on a weekday evening. There can be quite a wait on weekend mornings. But, as long as you know to expect that, it's not a big deal. Often times they'll serve free coffee while you wait. read more

We love this place. The weekend lines are really long, but weekday mornings and evenings, you can usually be seated right away. Service is usually fast and friendly and when our server has gotten in the weeds, others have helped him/her out by refilling drinks, taking orders, etc. It's nice to go to a place where people take care of each other. The pancakes are delicious and milkshakes never a disappointment. Just a fun, casual place to go when you want some easy comfort food. read more

My family and I decided to try Elmo's on our family vacation to Raleigh, and we couldn't have made a better choice! I had the sweet potato pancakes, which were the best I have ever had. My wife had the pecan waffle, and my father had the vegetarian omelette, which they both gushed over. The service was good, as was the atmosphere. I highly recommend! read more

I'm giving three stars to be fair. I've gone to this restaurant weekly for the last couple months for the chefs salad. I like it. It's quick and easy. I always get GREAT service. Yesterday, I made my weekly trek over for the salad. THIS time, I remembered to ask the server to have the lettuce cut up a bit more. I've been MEANING to ask this for weeks. The lettuce chunks (romaine) are so large that you need a knife to cut every piece. The server asked the manager for me... and told me the owner said no. I even saw the owner (I googled to make sure) peek her head around the corner to watch her tell me 'no'. Listen, Elmo's is a busy diner. It has been for years. I go there (quite often in the summer when 9th street is less packed with students) because it's quick, has decent food, and a lot of parking. What I'd like to know is why you had time to watch your server tell me no... but didn't have the time to just do a couple extra tears on the lettuce before you put it in the bowl? I'm a professional that eats out in downtown Durham daily. There are a lot of options - within 100 yards - to get a salad. Why would you want to push me away from yours? Some constructive criticism - chop up the lettuce a bit more so your customers don't need to cut it at the table. read more

Not a bad spot for a bite. It's got your classic "diner" feel inside with standard diner items on the menu. I was pleased to see they had a turkey burger on the menu and also a lot of good vegetarian options, which is usually hard to find at a diner. The service was really friendly and our food came out promptly. Prices are very reasonable based on the amount of food you get too. The food didn't blow me away but it wasn't bad either. Elmo's gets an A-OK from me! read more

We stopped here on our way home from Virginia Beach to South Carolina for lunch. We had been to the Carrboro location a couple of years ago and loved it. This is the original location in Durham. The parking lot is small and we had to park down the street at a public lot ($2/hour). The walk to the diner was quick and we only waited about 5 minutes for a table. We were at the front of the diner next to the street. Great table location. Our server was quick and efficient. I ordered the stuffed French toast with cinnamon apples which also came with 2 eggs and a choice of meat for $9! The portion was just right. The French toast was like a bread pudding and came topped with baked cinnamon apples and whipped cream. It was delicious and not too sweet. My husband and older son had the hamburgers with fries which they both said yummy. My younger son had the kids ham sandwich and fries. Our food came out fast and our server was appropriately attentive. Prices are more than reasonable. Definitely our favorite restaurant in the area! read more

Elmo's Diner - Interior of Elmo's Diner. - Diners Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This was my first time at Elmo's, and I see why everyone raves about it. The atmosphere is fun, and the menu fairly creative. (It reminds me of my old haunts in Austin.) The servers were the best -- friendly and prompt. The food came amazingly quickly and super hot! Eggs were done to perfection, the turkey sausage good but a tad salty, but the stuffed apple cinnamon french toast was a disappointment. The apples were yummy, but the toast was more of a soggy mess. Won't be getting that again.... However, the puffy, flaky biscuit my friend had looked to die for. Prices are reasonable, food good, and atmosphere excellent. I'll be back. read more

Another good experience , brunch at Elmo's with the kids. Parking can be a problem at peak times.... read more

Elmos is yummy, and just like the Chapel Hill one. You can get lots of breakfast food varieties, or if you're in the mood for dinner, you can get that too. I like that they have parking as well, something that's always welcome to find around 9th Street. read more

Big portions. Cheap diner food. It's a fun place to hang out with friends. I've come here a few times for brunch and dinner. Nothing was absolutely remarkable, and nothing was absolutely horrible. Good food to fill you up for a while. Great location too. read more

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I have to say that I was happily surprised. The restaurant was crowded and parking was hard to find in the small lot, but the staff was really nice, we were seated quickly and the food was cooked well. Nice breakfast spot next time I'm in town I will be stopping by. read more

Elmo's Diner - Pancakes and eggs with bacon and grits - Diners Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Exactly what I was hoping for. Good ol classic diner food. Great breakfast specials! The staff was all super friendly. There's even a small parking lot if you come at a good time you can find a space. My scrambled eggs weren't runny and the bacon was delicious. read more

Good menu, on a wait at 1030am on a Tuesday; always busy. Expect a wait but worth it. Parking is a challenge due to the popular diner. Friendly staff, fast service. read more

Elmo's Diner - Diners Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I would say that if you show up for brunch, you should be prepared to wait a while. Honestly, though, you can be prepared to wait either way. Elmo's is always hopping, and with good reason. On a regular day, you can order any of the standards that come with a greasy spoon diner only with less of the grease. It's always good, cheapish, and fairly quick once you actually get seated. Since I'm too lazy to make my own omelets, I tend to enjoy theirs served with some gravy and a biscuit. Perfectly acceptable food. For brunch, though, Elmo's is a pretty frequent Sunday afternoon destination. Their version of huevos rancheros, while not especially authentic, are quite good and you can't really go wrong ordering up the shrimp and grits. You don't have to wait very long, even during the super-crowded brunch, if you have only two folks in your party and say you'd be willing to sit up at the bar. Plus, at the bar you really can enjoy watching the flurry of activity both at the kitchen door and at the host stand. read more

I don't see what all the hype about this place is. I went for dinner twice and had mediocre food. I got the quiche which seemed like it was previously frozen and the bbq which was underwhelming. The service was friendly and they catered to a big group, but I go to restaurants 90% for the food and 10% for the rest. It's got a lot of room and has an old-school diner appeal. There is always a wait, so maybe I just haven't ordered any of the good menu items... read more

I went with a couple friends and ordered a sandwich and they had eggs. I clearly ordered the wrong thing. I see now all these reviews are for eggs, omelettes and the like. My turkey sandwich was dry on barely toasted doughy bread with no flavor to any of it. Not enough turkey and hardly a shred of lettuce, pale underripe tomatoes, the whole thing was bad. Oh there was one good item; the coleslaw side was very good - I would only come back for eggs although there are plenty of other places without long lines and with less sullen service. read more

I'd rate Elmo's a solid 3.5 stars for the overall experience, with an added half a star for the superb service, and low prices. Our reason for going is a quest we're on to try all the diners in Raleigh, and Durham. Luckily, Elmo's has a sizeable parking lot, so you don't have to search for street parking. We were seated on the street side, which I think seems more cafe-ish than the inner seating, which screams diner. Loved it. Our server was a young gentleman who was very attentive, and our drinks were kept filled. In fact, as I took in the place, I was impressed with the customer service given to everyone. Kudos on retaining awesome employees. The food was better than average. My mom loved the turkey burger, and I enjoyed the BBQ chicken, but I've had better. You get a nice brick sized hunk of cornbread with it, so that's a bonus, and the prices for these meals were very reasonable. Food came quick, and hot. The menu was great, as it seems to cater to everyone. We'll be back to try breakfast, and whenever we're in the area this will be our go to. That's high praise considering a few other places we've been to. read more

People really need to raise their standards. This place is a dinner just like the next albeit broader menu options. I had the Greek grilled cheese - sans chicken (feta, lettuce, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce) and I did not leave this "must try" place satisfied. May I suggest adding warm hummous to the sandwich? It would've added some much needed "umph." To me, this is just an eating establishment where you go to put food in your face, not for any sort of experience (as I was led to believe). I'd rather go to Dame's! read more

Very good restaurant with ample parking in the lot and on street. The establishment was busy when we arrived, but we were seated quickly and the staff were pleasant as well as efficient. There's lots on the menu to choose from, and I was starving. I ordered the chilaquiles with a side of bacon and some oatmeal. Perfect combo with good proportions and the prices are fair. Coffee was good, just wish they had espresso drinks. A tasty and comfortable place to kick it and eat. read more

I LOVE Elmo's! Okay, it's typical breakfast food, nothing special. Yet, I'm giving it 5 stars because it's good breakfast food. You're basically getting what you asked for, and people who like "simple" stuff will absolutely love this place. For example, I'm content with just getting an omelet. It's diner food (but high quality). There's a reason there is always a wait. Yes, the waits can be very long if you catch them at the wrong time. You're able to walk around and shop a little while you wait, but there isn't much. I've seen it as short as 5 minutes and as long as 45 minutes. Final note: oddly enough, I have found this Elmo's to be better than in Carrboro. I have no idea why this is nor any explanation for this. I'm also a former UNC graduate student, so I'm not showing any bias either. Parking is okay, but it's easier in Carrboro. Service is fine. read more

Slightly disappointed with dinner tonight. I've eaten at Elmo's several times and have always enjoyed the food. However, tonight, it was not great. I decided on breakfast. My over medium eggs were over well. Fully cooked yolk (gross) and the whites were like rubber. The bacon was cooked perfectly. I also ordered a waffle. Gag. It was chewy, had no flavor, and served with ice cold syrup. The upside of Elmo's was the server. Cutie pie Xander. read more

Elmo's is lovely for brunch and well worth the 20 minute wait during busy times (weekends between 10-1 especially). The scrambled eggs florentine is one of my favorites! Family friendly and lots of vegetarian options. Lunch and dinner are good, but overshadowed by brunch! read more

Yummy food at delicious prices. I've always come here for Sunday brunch, so I can't really comment on the lunch menu. Brunch however is delicious, with tasty mimosas. I recommend the cinnamon apple french toast. read more

I've never been a big dumplings kind of guy but these are the best dumplings I've ever had. So good! I also like their burgers, breakfast platters, french fries, grilled chicken salad, grilled chicken breast, etc. etc. The turkey dinner is good but not great; chicken barbecue plate not so good. All of the sides are good to great except the green beans- molasses bacon is apparently not as good as I thought it would be. My dad loved them, though. I always take visitors to Elmo's and you should check it out a time or two or three. read more

Great food, even better pricing. The waitress was extremely kind and made sure our glasses were filled the whole time. The food was great. The omlette had all fresh veggies inside. I would definitely come back next time im in the area. read more

First restaurant I ate at upon moving to Durham and I was pleasantly surprised. I had the turkey and gravy dinner and I am very picky about my mashed potatoes and gravy and they did it perfectly. My turkey wasn't dry it was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed my server. read more

Standard diner, breakfast all-day fare. Usually end up here for family brunch/breakfast when I'm in town visiting. Generally a 15-20 minute wait for a table - in a waiting area with not much room to wait. Food is hit or miss - sometimes good (chilaquiles!), sometimes meh (corned beef hash). My sis-in-law LOVES their pumpkin pancakes, but they're only available seasonally. Sweet tea is good. Service is always warm and friendly. Quick to take orders and food arrives in good time. Servers also are very good about checking on refills of coffee and other drinks at the table. Niece and nephew love that they get coloring pages to color while waiting for food to arrive at the table. They enjoy turning the pages in as we leave to have them pinned up on the display wall near the front door. Unfortunately, after this last trip we're likely going to find some place to else to breakfast as a family. My corn beef hash was exceptionally unremarkable. Next to no flavor, next to no corned beef. It was really just potato home fries with some cubes of pastrami diced into it. Even hot sauce couldn't fix it. They do a great soft scramble though - I've never had bad/dry/overcooked eggs here. Brother had the biscuits and gravy. You could tell when it came out that the gravy was on the wallpaper pasty side and the biscuits turned out to be pretty hard. Both my brother and sis-in-law mentioned that it seems like some changes have been made in the cook staff recently and quality at Elmo's has been on the decline. read more

Great experience!! Staff is extremely friendly, and food is absolutely delicious. The square meals are a great amount. Did a birthday surprise there and the staff and manager were all very nice and patient. Extremely satisfied and will go there often!! read more

Had a great time trying a Durham staple. Lots of people waiting on Sunday morning but it was upbeat and enjoyable. Coffee and water are out for anyone to enjoy while waiting. Students, young families, older generations - casual but efficient. Many breakfast staples on the menu along with fun dishes, such as shrimp and grits, salmon cakes, and Chilaquiles topped with eggs. Ready to go back!! read more

What a zero place. it's neither fish nor fowl. Is it a "real diner"? or a "hip, ironic diner"? Apparently neither. It doesn't have the efficiency, self-confidence, reliabilityt or retro fun of a real diner, and it certainly doesn't have the quirkiness, quality food or inventiveness of a faux upscale diner. It's nothing. Nothing is very good, or very interesting, or the least bit campy. Food is marginal. Both Elmos are duds. Period. read more

Good place for some classic comfort food, and a staple for freshmen and other Duke students, as it's located just off East Campus. I haven't had the breakfast food here that often (although it's available at any time of day, of course), but I usually got the chicken dumplings with broccoli casserole and cinnamon apples on the side. Nothing absolutely spectacular, but the prices are great and the food goes down well because it's exactly what you're expecting. I noticed that the dishes sometimes were a little bit cooler than what I wanted, but in general the service was warm and friendly. Serving sizes are quite generous, and the menu has a ton of options. An overall terrific place to go if you're looking for a casual sit-down experience. Plus, the window seats (on the raised area to the right of the entrance) are great. Pros: Yummy food, good service, coloring pages and crayons always provided fun for us easily amused students Cons: Usually pretty busy, a short wait is almost certain around mealtimes read more

I had food poison from them! Also the coffee cup was not clean. Elmo's is the only food I got today so I'm pretty sure it's their food that had been contaminated. I called and it seems like they don't want to be responsible for that. The manager said "I'll let someone know about it." That's not the right attitude when a customer informs you that she's got a food poison out of your food. Basically I'm very upset about their quality of food. I'm pretty sure the food is contaminated. read more

I love Elmo's Diner either in Durham or Carrboro and have been eating breakfast and lunch there for years! Service is always friendly, coffee is great, and they give you alot of food for the $$. Whenever we have friends in from out of town we take them to Elmo's for brunch. California friends always order the sausage gravy with biscuits! LOL The place is always busy with a high energy vibe. Gotta love Elmo's. It's a Durham/Carrboro fixture. read more

This place is a MUST should you find yourself hungry in Durham NC. Easy parking, old school atmosphere, And just plain good food. read more

I had been taking my mother to the Elmo's in Carrboro for years, so when I moved to Durham I wanted to try this one. (I understand they are not affiliated, I would love to know the story behind that, it sounds like the makings of Great Southern Literature.) Elmo's is GREAT for breakfast, which is why there is often a wait of a half-hour or more for breakfast. I came here for dinner with a friend, and had the chicken and dumplings, because if I'm at a southern diner, I'm going to get southern food, amirite? It is really hard to be virtuous here, because you get two sides with this AND cornbread, which means that I had to resist the siren song of mac 'n' cheese and got the steamed broccoli and coleslaw. So...the chicken and dumplings is great, albeit a bit too salty. (I know this is the south, but come ON, people! This seems to be an issue everywhere I go here.) The broccoli was nicely steamed and still bright green, and the zany purple coleslaw (made with red cabbage?) was sweet, delicious, and not too mayonnaise-y. And yeah, I ate the cornbread. All of it. My friend had a burger that looked like a hockey puck. With so many good burgeries around (including Burger Bach right across the street), that was an unfortunate choice. But having spent most of my life in New Jersey, I could have told her that diners just don't have good hamburgers. Shame on me. My only beef (ha!) with this Elmo's is that the parking situation is heinous. It is inadequate in the top lot, and the lot down a steep hill isn't any better. So go at off times. read more

Not amazing and not terrible. Your classic diner spot. A little pricey for what it is.