Let me start by saying the owners are some of the sweetest people in the world. That said this place is not fenders' anymore. It is a new place using the same name. I have visited multiple times under the new management, and the food has gotten worse and worse with every single visit. From the world's toughest chicken to the world's driest rolls and waffles, the chicken was so over cooked it was snapping and squeaking on my teeth, no moisture left, the meat had steamed in it's own breading and was calling off and the breading was burnt on both the chicken and waffles (breast) and on the chicken tenders. The sweet owner listened to my feedback and brought me new chicken. But to be honest I was so grossed out, I was no longer hungry from the texture of that chicken. So I packed it and took it home. The next day I tried to eat the chicken and once again the smell of the chicken which tasted and smelled like old grease and the texture and mouthfeel was the same, and the cook of the chicken was worse than the first. I could only throw it away... I'm sorry to say, I have lost faith in this business and the feedback I'm getting from others warned me this would happen. I'm going to have to give my dollars elsewhere on what was formally my favorite restaurant. I used to home almost every week, and now I feel like I'm watching it shut down. If I get the courage up to try the food again... I will update the review, but the 50 dollar order I placed wasn't even edible, and I was charged full price for it. For an order that took 40 mins to reach the table, and I was one of 5 tables seated in the place. Side note, the home fry's were good which was the only thing I was able to stand on the entire plate. read more

Excellent!! Fun 50s Diner environment. Memorabilia displayed everywhere. Food is delicious. Staff is very friendly and happy. New remodel of the side street underway to add outdoor seating and parking. read more

I would love to try this however me and my husband have tried to eat here multiple times once it was closed second time it was closed for an event however no one was inside and they don't serve breakfast until 11 which is not convenient seeing as most people eat breakfast at breakfast time not lunch time.. big daddy's for the win! read more

What a little gem this place is! Great food great great atmosphere great owners.. we are going back again tomorrow night!

My husband and I decided to visit Fenders Diner since we had not been there since the new owners took over. I wish we had not, this was the worst food I have gotten anywhere I have been. I ordered the lasagna, and it was like eating mush, I have never eaten lasagna like this before, it was awful. My husband got the meatloaf and he could not eat it. The okra was the only item that was adible. The owner never came over after I told the manager how bad it was. I told her that we would pay for it even though we couldn't eat it , but we thought she needed to know. Since it did not concern them, we will not return. read more

Went to the new fenders last night. many people in our area complain if the price but I don't mind paying for food. Walked and met by a sweet young lady and was seated promptly. I counted 10 people eating when we where seated at 647. got a phone call so that's my time time stamp. Waitress came explained the menu brought our drinks and 47 minutes later no food, no offer of a refill, no checking if we needed anything. got up and walked out. won't be back read more

Great early lunch. Loved the fifties theme. But the food was the highlight. We had the hamburger special and the chicken fried steak sandwich. Both were excellent and service was prompt. read more

Got take out tonight.. waited an hour and food was horrible. New menu limited and overpriced. Fenders was a local favorite but I am sad to say after patronage since it opened in the 90s we won't go back. New owners need to revisit prices for this area and quality of food.. horrible fried chicken over cooked and greasy..green beans with no taste and salty mashed potatoes.. very sad a local favorite no more... read more

Was so excited to try this place but was upset once I only got a sandwich that consisted of 90% honey soaked bun and chicken for $11 with no side item offered with the price read more

I hesitated to post a review, only because this place is so special that it's like giving up my secret fishing hole or Grandma's cake recipe. We have been eating here regularly for about six months and we pretty much always get the special dinner. $7.99 for an entree with two sides and a roll or cornbread muffin. So far I've tried the pot roast with potatoes and carrots-melt in your mouth tender; the chicken and dumplings-delish!!!!; and the country fried steak with white gravy-cut with a fork tender! My husband gets the fried chicken breast which is boneless and tender and juicy. We have ordered an appetizer a couple of times-onion rings once, fried mushrooms once. Both were delicious and the portions were enormous. Really too much for two or three people. Sides are all good. I tried the squash casserole today and the manager told me it was one of the most popular thing they serve. It was savory and not soupy at all. Not too cheesy either. The manager also told me that they strive to make everything taste the same each time you come in and I agree. If you want good country cooking please eat at Fenders (just make sure to save me a seat!) read more

I took my wife and grand daughter to Fenders today and it was such a throwback to the 50's. Music plays outside and inside your eyes are treated to memorabilia from the 50's. I had a Philly cheese steak with fries and a Pib. the wife had grilled chicken with tomato and green beans and my grand daughter had chicken tenders, mashed potatoes and cinnamon apples with drink. we all enjoyed our meal very well and the service was awesome!! I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. It is a true hidden treasure in the heart of downtown Cornelia, Ga.!! read more

Classic and authentic diner in downtown Cornelia. I trust this place enough that I'd order anything on the menu and by think twice about it

In town for business and found this gem! Awesome diner with real homemade cooking! I had the Monday special, meatloaf; just like moms. Couldn't resist ordering the coconut cake for desert; fresh and moist. Friendly staff, very clean restaurant and great prices! read more

Great step back in time... Old Old School Dinner. Emphasis on Dinner. Fat burgers, grease fries, and other country cooking. Everybody love their food except me. I was dumb enough to order the special Rib-Eye Steak. They shouldn't do steaks or maybe I was unlucky because it was late. Mid-rare was literally liked like a 'return' that somebody else didn't want that was heated to Well-Done! Everybody's happy so I just eat my sides and tried other's food. A generous 4 out of 5 this time. read more

I don't think people can get any nicer than the folks in Cornelia, GA. Small town diner, with 50's decor, most likely because its been there since the 50's:) I had my typical 3 eggs over easy, home fries and ham, dry wheat toast. Everything was great minus the ham. The ham seemed like it may have been cooked 3 or 4 times, kinda tough n chewy. Service was friendly and quick! I'd come back! read more

We were driving through and decided to stop here - persuaded by Yelp reviews. A star for the atmosphere and a star for our waitress, but other than that there is nothing notable. The food is bland and there is no breakfast. There is limited menu options and everything we ordered was not satisfying. read more

Came here after visiting Toccoa Falls with 5 friends. It was pretty empty on a Saturday afternoon so we were quickly seated. The food was pretty good, the service was okay. I ordered the chicken melt with grilled onions, mushrooms and Swiss with cheese fries. The food was brought out quickly. The diner itself is a cute atmosphere and I would come back again. read more

See all

A Classic Southern-style Diner, with exceptional decor. It wins four stars on that alone! But the food is great as well. Solid Diner fare from the 50s and 60s ... Blueplate Specials ... 4 corner meals ... burgers, shakes, floats ... it really is worth a visit. read more

Fender's is consistantly a good place to eat. If you love southern home cooked food, this is the place to go. The boneless fried chicken is divine. read more

See all

We come here every time we head up to my mom's house in the mtns. It never disappoints. The patty melt is to die for as are all the sides. The kiddos love their milkshakes and the coconut cake is not to be missed! read more

1st off, I cannot believe that I haven't done a review on this restaurant since I've been visiting here for almost 11 years and it is my son's favorite around these here hills. Fender's is a 50's style diner with a terrific atmosphere......50's all the way. There are 2 dining areas, one a bright 50's diner ice cream parlor style in mostly pink, black, and white, and the other a darker version in teal blue, black, and white. The place is loaded with memorabilia and autographed pictures of movie stars and music bands from back in the day. The servers are very cordial and right down to business except when closing time arrives, 2:00pm for lunch, they tend to disappear leaving the guests for longer periods of time while doing their closing chores. This makes it hard on a customer when a decent lunch there can easily take 45 minutes to an hour, all food is made to order, and a lot of folks come in around 1:00 to 1:30 for lunch. Just a tip for Fender's. The food is what you would imagine to find at a 50's diner including daily specials including a meat, veggies (2 or 3) and a bread. Other choices blend in the 50's meal with more modern choices including fried pickles, delicious, and even a tortilla shell taco salad, yummy. My favorite is always the Reuben, good and greasy as a terrific Reuben must be. They also serve wonderful milkshakes, one of my son's favorite besides the Philly, and dessert orders which are quite big and always a good choice for the end of a meal. In my opinion, it would be nice if Fender's would stay open during the afternoon between lunch and dinner as at the least an ice cream shop. It would be a great place for kids to go after school for an old fashioned treat and a safe place to gather as there aren't a whole lot of things for teens to do around here except get themselves into trouble if not busy working or being involved in sports. This would be a big plus. read more

Fender's is a neat non-chain place with fun atmosphere and good food. Our server, Shanterra, was awful. She was rude and had zero interest in being helpful, or even the slightest bit pleasant. The guy manning the cash register stepped up and took care of us. I would have only given one star had he not intervened. read more

A legit diner! They really know how to fry food to a PERFECT crisp here. Obviously, you don't visit this place to eat healthy - but as a vegetarian in the south - I did not starve. read more

Good food, good price, and good service. This is a go to place for the locals. My wife and I go here for big group dinners for here cheer squads. Even if we walk in 2p deep it is still fast, hot , and friendly. The service here is pretty good and the pace the food comes out and is fresh in taste is a huge plus. Come here for lunch and you have time to walk back if you work close. read more

This is a really cute little place. As other reviewers mentioned, it has a 50s theme tho the music was from contemporary to oldies, which was a little incongruent but not the end of the world. I ordered the fried green tomatoes which were excellent. Best I've ever had. Then I had the patty melt with fries. The patty melt came with caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms with Swiss. The burger patty was a thick, good quality, no nonsense burger - pretty good. It was served on a Texas toast style thick cut white bread...I thought patty mets were served on rye? But, that was ok. The burger would have been excellent had they salted it a bit during cooking. I'm not a heavy salter and very rarely add salt after cooking, but the burger and the fries came tasting like they had not been salted at all during or after cooking, leaving the food tasting bland and flavorless. It was mush better after a sprinkle of salt was added. Great for those of you watching your sodium intake. The coconut cake was shared for dessert and was very tasty. The service was excellent, friendly and fast. We had fun! read more

Awesome!! Food and service. We had the squash casserole, green beans and Chicken livers and it was all really good. We've eaten here many times and I think we've tried most everything on the menu between us. Everything is Really good! I just found out they are now open for breakfast, we can hardly wait until we can get back to try that. We drive about 1 1/2 hours to eat here. yes it's that good. read more

Some friends and I hit this place up on our way back from hiking in the mountains, and it really hit the spot. We got chocolate malts, which were great. Whoever runs the fryer really knows what they were doing, because our fried green tomatoes and sweet potato fries were nice and crispy without being greasy. Really good! read more

Came in after the lunch crowd to this highly recommended by locals restaurant. Also recommended were the vegetables so not wanting to dissapoint the locals I had chicken tenders, cream corn, mashed potatoes and corn muffins. The chicken tenders seem to be done in house fresh with a very light breading which I like. The cream corn was fine however not fresh as one might expect in August with fresh corn everywhere. The mashed potatoes were without flavor or seasoning. Corn muffin perfect. The restaurant features fresh made desserts of which I would have liked to try but room would not allow. All in all a good place to pick up a good balanced meal and stay away from those chain joints supporting small business owners keeping things going on in ole downtown Cornelia. Cant believe no train came by. read more

A cute little gem of a diner hidden here. It's decorated in the fifty's style, roomy and bright, but I would assume always crowded and loud. We had the fried pickles as an appetizer, and they were yummy. Not greasy, and the ranch dressing is super good. I had the chicken livers with mashed potatoes and okra. The mashed pots were served with brown gravy and not cream gravy, which was one thing I didn't like, but it was still good. I loved the livers, nice and crispy, seasoned well. The okra was also crisp and not greasy. All the food from my party was great, including the malts and shakes made right there by hand. Awesome service, fresh, hearty food, fabulous desserts makes this a must try if you are nearby. read more

Average food, I got the club and it was ok. I wouldn't go here again or recommend it, was just got it on the way home because it was convenient for us. Staff was very friendly though read more

Great home style food. The staff is always friendly, the food is delicious and it's not a chain restaurant. Locally owned and you are made to feel like a part of their family. This place is reasonably priced, clean and lots of menu choices. read more

Perfect diner food that was such better than stopping at a chain Resturant. Fried green tomatoes were outstanding and you half to try the sweet potato fries with the 'sauce'. If you are looking for an authentic diner experience with friendly staff this is the place to go! read more

I fell for the hype. Just took a job in the area picked this place based on reviews. First time and last time. Had the special, fried Chicken Breast, okra, squash casserole and tea. Total bill 12.75. Chicken was good and fresh. Okra was tough old and cold and the squash casserole was over cooked, dry tasteless and cold. My server who looked sad and disgusted with life asked me how it was. I told her, she smirked and handed me my bill. The bright and smiling cashier asked me how it was, I told her. She said I'm sorry as she rung up my tab and asked how much did I want to tip. Ridiculous. I tipped because I knew it was my last time ever going to this crap hole. It was only 1:30 ish and the lunch crowd was there. Zero excuse for cold food. read more

Nice little dinner. Friendly people. Good breakfast, lunch and supper. Takes you back in time. Kid friendly. They even have a little ride for kids. read more

Great Southern cooking. The mac and cheese and fried chicken livers were to die for! Will definitely be back.

I've gone to Fenders for as long as I can remember. Going just about every week is not uncommon. Especially Tuesday and Friday nights for the roast beef special. The history of the building is interesting as well with a nice plaque on the front window of what was there before Fenders read more

EVERY time we go we ALWAYS have excellent service! The food is always so good! I take my family often and I bring my elderly residents in to enjoy some good food! Very friendly staff! read more

Fenders is the best diner in town! Always good hospitality, amazing food... The fried chicken is mouth watering, the squash casserole and coleslaw is just as if it was home made! Couldn't possibly be any better!!!!! read more

poor management. hamburgers that taste like a hot dog and would not take it off my bill. the waitress was wonderful. it was the management that would not lift a finger to make anything better. they charged me $5 for 10 french fries because that is all i ate that was worthwhile. worst place and i will never eat there again. the owners and management are the worst and do not care about their patrons that eat there. oh maybe their regulars. do not go if you are just passing through. if they are like that what about the rest of the town. read more

This place actually has some of the best comfort food in town. They do have good burgers, but their cabbage casserole tastes like something your grandma would take to revival dinner. read more