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    Empire Diner

    3.7 (99 reviews)
    ModerateDiners, American
    Open 7:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Empire Diner Diners Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    EMPIRE DINER ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - Empire Diner

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    Reviews With Photos

    Allen N.

    Empire Diner inside Baldini's Casino is a great spot for a good meal. What really stood out was our server, who impressed us by taking and remembering our entire order without writing a single thing down--and everything came out just right. That kind of service really adds to the experience and makes this diner worth visiting.

    Diane S.

    My husband is obsessed with the awful waffle and he said it is good as ever. I loved the $10 steak deal with sides they even included shrimp. Service was fast on a Sunday, they take card and have waiters for drinks and parking is free. I liked the Halloween decor

    The awful awful
    Serena L.

    For those who have ever had the OG awful awful at the little nugget, the empire diner brought it back and it's pretty spot on. Do we need a pound of fries with our giant burger? No. But do we enjoy the pound of fries that comes with it? Absolutely. It's definitely a meal for two. Our server was friendly and our food came out quick. Don't judge the diner because it's at the Baldinis, it was definitely busy the whole time we were there.

    Senior Breakfast
    Lana O.

    Yay! Empire Diner still offers a Senior Menu. There are approximately 10 entries for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Today, I enjoyed the 1/4lb Beef Patty, Scrambled Eggs, Home Fries, and Sourdough Toast--a large portion for under $10.

    Awful awful
    Ben H.

    Not a bad place to eat. Prices are right and they have specials all the time. My review is for the awful awful. Burger is a little small, the top half of the bun completely fell apart after the first bite so that was disappointing. You do get a ton of fries like the original so that's a plus. The fries were really salty though, I mean really salty. I'm glad they went back to using plastic cups instead of paper cups they were using for a while. Service is usually good. Interior can use some updating but it's not bad.

    John G.

    Hard to find this diner being situated in a casino. It was worth the search. Cat, my server, was amazing. Excellent bus support as well by the Spanish gentleman.

    2/21/23 $12.99 New York Steak & Shrimp promo with fries
    Lee D.

    Quality/Quantity - We got the following today: Two orders of the NY steak with shrimp specials, one with fries and one with brown rice. Who do you think ordered the one with fries, LOL. I also got a small cup of chicken noodle soup for 99¢ more. It was hearty, but too salty for me. Fresh fish of the day = just okay. Senior fish and chips as my buddy is an even lighter eater than I am. Overall, all the food was okay. But the fried foods, fries and shrimp, were done very well! I would come back just for this. I was torn between ordering this versus the prime rib; the advertisement photo sold me. The food looks much better than it tasted. Atmosphere - Good space, looks larger than it really is with all the mirrors. Booth and table seating. Actually, the booths were fairly large, and could seat 6 comfortably. This place and casino advertise towards locals. Very local focused. Open 7 days a week. Plenty of casino parking. Service - Waiter was good, okay. The bus girl was awesome. She was proactive, checked up on us more often, friendly, etc. Price - $50 + generous tip due to the bus girl. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success. Great job with your deep fryer, but I suggest working on your other recipes...

    clubhouse sandwich
    Lexi V.

    The service was amazing, very friendly staff. Food came quickly. We also had the mozzarella sticks and they were AMAZING. My boyfriend loved the sandwich and the omelet was one of the best i've have. definitely will be back! :)

    Prime Rib
    Red B.

    While visiting Reno for Hot August nights, we happened upon Baldini's Casino. While playing a slot machine, my wife was awarded a free steak & shrimp dinner, so understand that this meal was comp'd. The food came out very fast. I had the sirloin steak & shrimp (free) dinner and my wife ordered prime rib. My steak was on the smallish size, however with the 4 shrimp, it was the perfect portion size. Everything tasted good and my steak was tender. My wife's prime rib was also tender and delicious. The only weird thing is the water had an unusual taste. It wasn't a soapy taste but I cant quite put my finger on what the taste was. It may have been iced tea remnants, I just can't say. We will go back again.

    Christian D.

    Finally got to try the famous Awful Awful burger after so long! The burger lives up to the hype--absolutely delicious. I'd highly recommend checking this place out. The service was great, and the atmosphere was cozy and inviting.

    Baldini's....not worth the effort to walk in...especially in a storm!
    Julie A.

    One star. I stood in line waiting for the hostess to seat a line of people. Hostess not to be found. The poor cashier could not help. She had a line to cash out. If you only have a short time to eat, waiting in line for a hostess is not a way to have lunch. So disappointing. The hostess/ manager should be fired! I asked to speak to a casino manager. Waited another 20 minutes. He did not show up. I just left. Wasted my lunch hour. Service was horrible. Julie A

    Pamela M.

    Danny and Reese are AMAZING!!! Super kind and welcoming, not to mention the Awful Awul burgers are back and just as good 10/10

    Awful awful burger.
    Aubrey J.

    My mom and I went here to try our first awful awful burger and it was amazing! It was a huge burger with a TON of fries. The flavor was outstanding! We definitely could have shared it. Our server was Danny and he was awesome!. Even the busser that was on shift was attentive to us and was very friendly. Great experience all around and we will definitely be back next time we're in the area.

    Tex mex eggrolls (very good, new item) & ribeye

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    5 years ago

    Only servers 21 and over. Drove over with the kids for dinner only to be turned away. It's not a bar for Peet's sake!

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    7 years ago

    The food is always great as is the service! We have become regulars! Edgar, Carlos, Pauline are the best!!!!

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    8 years ago

    One of the places to go for some cheap breakfast or hangover food! Service is usually great and very fast

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    Page 2 of 3

    Ask the Community - Empire Diner

    Los Altos Breakfast Lunch

    Los Altos Breakfast Lunch

    4.4(437 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    If Michael T. and Yelp ever host a Battle of the breakfast spots I need to be there. This would…read moreneed to be one of the places everyone should visit. Just this past weekend I had a chance to visit Los Altos and it did not disappoint. The ambiance felt vaguely familiar, similar to another breakfast spot closer in town, but regardless I was hungry. The wait was about 15 minutes for a party of two. We waited inside what appeared to be a busy Saturday morning with families coming in to get their fix. I'm feeling sweet and savory today. A Tres Leches French toast combo with bacon, scrambled eggs and country style potatoes. Fritzie W. loves her eggs benedict. Almost any flavor, any style, covered in a salsa de verde for her Los Altos bene. Man, the flavors. The French toast was delicious, the tres leches sauce, wasn't too sweet, but just enough to let you know it means business. So good. You can't go wrong with eggs, bacon and potatoes. Fritzie's let me try her Benedict it was really good, prepared right--flavorful, savory. Nothing prepared was overdone, the servings were satisfying and our waitress was kind and accommodating along with the manager that shift having visited our table briefly to see how we were enjoying our meal. Truly a satisfying experience. The price, affordable for two, under $40. You can't beat that. Granted Pyramid Way is a bit of a trek, if you're out this way, check them out. Tell them I sent you. They won't do anything special for you, but just remind them I'll be back lol.

    While driving through, I searched Yelp for breakfast spots and picked Los Altos…read more Plenty of parking and place had just opened for the day. Didn't know what to expect but we ordered a variety of breakfast dishes. Everything was satisfying, hit the spot and refueled us so we could continue on our travels.

    Photos
    Los Altos Breakfast Lunch - Dining area

    Dining area

    Los Altos Breakfast Lunch - Steak Nacho Fries

    Steak Nacho Fries

    Los Altos Breakfast Lunch - Ham & Cheese Omlette

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    Ham & Cheese Omlette

    Jack's Cafe - Sourdough toast

    Jack's Cafe

    3.9(398 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    I left another breakfast place after paying only for my beverages and headed straight to Jack's! It…read morehas been six minutes and my order has been taken, I have my beverage, and the waitress has been to my table twice already!! every table in here is full! So... customer service here is at an all-time high and I love it! I never received my breakfast order at the other place. I waited 39 more minutes and had to leave, I am hypoglycemic, and I really needed some food. I came to Jack's just so I can get some food in my stomach. It is not extremely loud here. The conversations can be heard, but they are very low key. This place is closer to my house too. I do love the food at the other place, and their menu. However, the service of that location is the worst I have ever seen here in Reno at any restaurant. Especially since I was made to feel like it was my fault that they had not asked me what I wanted for breakfast, after giving me coffee... I will definitely be back here at Jack's as often as possible! It's five minutes from my home and I don't have to drive as far as I did today to try to get something to eat and expect decent service! This is my second time here at Jack's, and I am blown away. I will not be traveling very far going forward.! I will stick to the other three locations of the franchised restaurant that I usually go to for a meal, but never again the one mentioned in the above comments! Jack's feels like a family, hometown, relaxing, and a customer service friendly place to come for a meal! I apologize for comparing the two, but I think it has to be said because I am blown away by how well I was taken care of here at Jacks, after an hour and a half, well... almost 2 hours after waiting at the other place! Jacks was s a Great place for Family and friends, and they made me feel welcomed unlike the other place I already mentioned! Please try Jacks for friendly service, attentive staff and a great place for great food and hospitality!! Has been 46 minutes, my food has been delivered. I have been offered dessert and containers to take my leftovers home, it's great to feel like a customer who is appreciated, valued, and cared for! To squeeze in, I won't be going back to your location, but the other three here in Reno area are amazing and really disappointing me but Jack's made it all better for me today as I made it through over 2 hours of needing something to eat, they took care of me here at Jack's and now my blood sugar levels are where whether they're supposed to be! Go dine out, where someone cares ! thank you so much Jacks!!

    I had the Denver omelet and was unfortunately disappointed. The bell pepper (which included green…read moreonly) was raw-- like not just underdone, raw, raw. The cheese wasn't fully melted (and there was a ton of it in addition to the generous amount on top). The omelet was very oily inside, and quality control wasn't there as I found 1.) a random cilantro leaf inside and 2.) a spot of some brown goop that I'm hoping was just pan fond from possibly using a pan that was previously used to cook something else (like fajitas possibly?).... My toast was also not up to par. The wheat bread was dry and a bit brittle and the toast wasn't warm. The butter (or butter substitute?) had not melted in and was just sitting on top like a paste. Our food came out at different times too so I'd recommend if you are there with a group not doing the typical wait-for-everyone's-food-to-arrive-before-eating type of thing. The service felt mixed. Several different people came by often enough (to check for coffee refills, etc.) but some were not warm and did not greet us with a smile. That didn't feel very welcoming. The ambiance isn't impressive. The outside signage doesn't look very good just thrown on top of some older beat up golden arches, but at least the inside looked like it was flipped. I did like that the tables felt spaced out enough that I didn't feel like a server could risk bumping into me with a tray like I have felt at some busier restaurants where the tables are more tight. And random, but I did notice some Hawaiian music was playing as we entered through the set of double doors (perhaps a nod to the previous restaurant?). Overall I might give Jacks a chance again as it seemed to be a standard breakfast place (and I liked that there was no wait for our party of 6 on a Friday morning during spring break) but I will not be ordering a omelet again.

    Photos
    Jack's Cafe - Restaurant dining area

    Restaurant dining area

    Jack's Cafe - Linguisa special

    Linguisa special

    Jack's Cafe - Restaurant entrance

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    Restaurant entrance

    Cafe Bellini - Philly Cheese Steak

    Cafe Bellini

    3.5(220 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    "Meh" is the word that best describes Cafe Bellini. Nothing terrible but nothing amazing either,…read morejust meh. However when you consider their prices, I think there are better options for simple cafe food in town. We went with a small group of friends so I was able to see and get feedback on a few dishes. Walking through the restaurant, another guest was having Prime Rib and I thought, hmm that's an option. The Prime Rib is served with either a soup or salad starter. I opted for the Chicken Verde Soup. In all fairness the soup was pretty good. It was creamy with a slight verde chili flavor, nothing overwhelming but definitely there. My only gripe was the soup was warm but not as hot as I prefer my soups. I ordered my Prime Rib medium rare. While beautifully plated, my Prime Rib arrived more medium than rare. As a result, the main portion of the serving was more dry than I would have preferred. I don't know if was the potatoes or the gravy but something in this side dish had WAY too much salt. What didn't have enough salt, was the corn side dish. Completely lacking in flavor. My wife ordered the Southern Fried Chicken platter. Wanting to share the plate with a friend, they ordered the dish as "dark meat only". The waitress confirmed they were able to accomodate the request before we finalized our order. What was delivered was a normal serving with a leg and thigh(dark meat) but also came with a breast and wing (white meat). When we challenged the server that our order was wrong, she was assertive in her insistence that our plate did infact have dark meat only. Errr, no, it did not. I realize that educating our youth is a national challenge but if you are in the restaurant service industry, you should understand the difference between white and dark meat on a chicken. Just saying. Another friend had the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Although she came hungry to the table, over half was left, citing that the sandwich was just too dry to eat. And no, she did not bring it home. Unfortunate. If you are looking for a simple cafe / diner experience in Reno, there are better options.

    In my opinion, the food doesn't quite match the aesthetic of the restaurant. The restaurant looks…read morevery elegant, but I find the food to be sub par. I've been here many times and tried different items on the menu, but it never quite meats my expectation. On Sunday we were here for Breakfast. I had the Three Eggs with Hashbrowns and Toast, from the Breakfast Specials Menu. Easy peasy right? Except I ordered the Hashbrowns Crispy and they came out chewy and my Toast came out hard. The prices have also gone up...$12.95 for a plate that has no meat and then not cooked right is a bit much. My only saving grace was the service. The Hostess up front was friendly, we were seated and got drinks promptly and our Server was friendly and efficient. Unfortunately, the food doesn't motivate me to come back any time soon.

    Photos
    Cafe Bellini - Restaurant interior

    Restaurant interior

    Cafe Bellini - Prime Rib

    Prime Rib

    Cafe Bellini - The appetizer, mozzarella Pattie's.

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    The appetizer, mozzarella Pattie's.

    Squeeze In - Manly Morris-it takes 2 plates...

    Squeeze In

    4.1(658 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    Squeezed in is a local gem. They have a few restaurants over the west coast but it's great having…read moreone in our backyard. The ambiance is pretty hipster looking and the naming of their food matches that. The service is always quick and efficient and the portions are huge! You won't go away hungry!

    So I reviewed this place before, about 7 years ago, but for whatever reason, Yelp! pulled my…read morereview, and my photos, claiming I was "affiliated with the business", like I work here, or I'm a shareholder. Well, they won't be pulling this review, unless they want to break federal law as my disclaimer at the end will explain. I love the decorations, and all of the different alien stuff, and just random decorum that actually works for this place. People can also sign their name and put stickers on the wall! Anyhow, I've been coming to these for years. The one in Carson City also. I've actually been interested in buying into one of these franchises, because everyone that I've been to have been super successful, but its a cool $¼M just to get started. They have a good diverse menu, and they have mimosas by the pitcher. Of all the times I've been to these, I've only had a subpar meal one time, and that was a few times ago when I ordered the chorizo Benedict. I think they were training a new cook, but the eggs were way overcooked, but they were happy to bring me better eggs. This particular visit, Tony was my server. He is excellent! I'm pretty sure that he's waited on us somewhere down the line, but super on top of things, super happy, just a really good dude, so ask to sit with him if you want top notch service! This visit, I ordered the traditional Benedict. I'm an eggs Benedict FIEND, and every time I come here I always say I'm going to order something different, but I generally don't. I do on occasion, but this bene I ordered yesterday was ON POINT! Large eggs, poached perfectly, perfect hash browns, creamy rich hollandaise sauce, and I even ordered a side of biscuits and gravy, which were perfect. Haley brought our food to us out of the kitchen, she was super nice and told us we could rely on her if we needed anything special! Squeeze in is always pretty much a guaranteed home run. Sometimes the wait times are crazy, which is a good thing, but you can always check in online. I checked in online before I left the house yesterday, had about an 8 minute drive, and was seated within 3 minutes of getting there. But other times, I've checked in 20 minutes before arrival, and still had to wait 10 or 20 minutes. Regardless, to me it's worth the wait. Thanks squeeze in, thanks Tony, thanks Haley, we'll be seeing you again soon! To Yelp: I don't work here. I don't own this place. I'm not a shareholder. I'm not affiliated with this business other than being a faithful paying customer. I wouldn't advise pulling this review. ***DISCLAIMER*** This pure, uncut, honest review is federally protected under Federal Law by way of Bill #EO14149. Removal or alteration of this review by Yelp and/or their affiliates without Expressed consent by it's author is strictly prohibited by FEDERAL law. VIolators will be prosecuted, and litigation imminent.

    Photos
    Squeeze In - Inside

    Inside

    Squeeze In - Queen French toast meal with bacon and scrambled eggs.

    Queen French toast meal with bacon and scrambled eggs.

    Squeeze In - Bloody Mary

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    Bloody Mary

    Gambi's - Fried Calamari

    Gambi's

    4.2(232 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Free parking

    Good quality food with a interesting vibe Food was good…read moreportion Service was great Not part of the casino if you get confused, I was.

    Came again to try some breakfast. Was NOT disappointed! The biscuits and gravy were REALLY good. I…read moream very reluctant to order biscuits and gravy when I go out somewhere because people tend to be extremely heavy-handed with the pepper so I personally asked for no pepper to be put on mine and then added pepper myself when it got to the table. The biscuits were super soft and moist. The gravy was a perfect consistency. A good amount of sausage without being overwhelming plus a thickness that sticks to the biscuit perfectly for a good mashing of the flavors. My son had Gambi's scramble. He said the eggs tasted weird but I had to point out that it has cream cheese which he did not notice so that is more of a him thing. Lol. I tried it personally I think it's a good mixing of flavors. The cream cheese texturing makes it a little weird if you are not expecting it. But good flavor. We both loved the potatoes that came with it had a little crisp one the outside and they we're NOT mushy on the inside. Still a slight firmness inside. Overall, very good. Server was amazing AGAIN. (different server than last time so this shows a consistancy of good servers) very happy, helpful, and positive mood. I'll be making another visit here for sure!

    Photos
    Gambi's - New bar

    New bar

    Gambi's - Bread basket with side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar

    Bread basket with side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar

    Gambi's - Gambi's Burger Lunch

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    Gambi's Burger Lunch

    Empire Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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