Not a 5-star establishment.
But I wouldn't like it if it were trying to be in this area.
I don't want to set a false expectation with you that when you arrive, the stars will align for your dining pleasure. We chose this place because we hate Bob Evans and their generic, flavorless food. All the other places around us are scary or coating their food in grease.
The location is over-looked unless you are looking for it. The neighborhood is kinda out of the way unless you are a local to this area as an employee of the brewery, lab, or surrounding offices. It is located in a small strip shopping center housed on the corner next to other shops that are local to the community also partially behind a PNC turned Nail salon kiosk shop in front.
The clientele were few when we got there. Due to us being the youngest customers at the time of day we arrived this could be due, in part, to we arrived before the early dinner rush of the elderly who come here for the memories and the food.
The ambiance is supposed to be of 50's diner, but is more still clearly converted space from another business that preceded it. The music is 50's era, and they still set up the tables and simple booths in the space as any other small diner. When you walk in the grill is behind the counter on the left and we were told to sit anywhere we liked. We chose the window seat which, if it is a hot sunny day, I don't recommend if your or your dinning partner aren't into feeling like you are still out in the sun.
Our fault, though. We always sit near windows.
The food was delicious despite the look of this place.
The food isn't the best you'll ever have from a diner, but it will be the closest to homemade. My girlfriend, who is the pickiest of eaters, didn't even complain about the eggs. The first thing she noticed was that they made her eggs right. They serve breakfast all day and there is a dinner menu. We went with breakfast because I was craving pancakes after a medical fast. Pancakes aren't really my thing but , as the saying goes, "...the heart wants what the heart wants." This also goes for an empty stomach as well.
So, I got the French Toast.
When I asked our very pleasant and patient server, decked out in her "Fitz's Diner" branded tee, what she thought was more exciting, she considered it and recommended the French Toast. It was a good choice.
French Toast
Bacon
Home fries
Scrambled eggs
The French Toast was covered in a moderate dusting of powdered sugar and, I'll be honest, I can't describe much more of it besides it tasted GREAT! I was so hungry it didn't make it through rigorous scrutiny. The bacon and home fries, I did notice, was not covered in grease. Which was a delight to go to a place not covering their food in a layer of grease for flavor! Unlike some other big name restaurants in the area that believe grease is a flavor additive and menu item. The home fries were what I can only assume actual partially flattened sections of real potato cuttings- not frozen prepacked garbage like what you pay extra for and can buy from a store freezer.
I will add this:
Due to the age of the other customers, and this is not a criticism, I think the diner doesn't heavily season the food, if at all. So that may also be appealing to many, especially those who have experienced the grease and salt flavor assault at places that try to make homemade diner-style food. There is salt at the table but the food arrived pretty much in its natural cooked state. I liked having that choice of to add salt or not to my eggs and potato.
I will be back now that I know this place is here and close by.
For those who know the area, I will let you know it really looks like the businesses in this area are working hard to improve the area. Ten years ago there was a crappy bar over here that made you not want to park your car after dark. There is now a new Family Dollar, and the Dairy Queen is popular as ever on a hot day. But for sit down food this place will keep you coming back if the customers I saw coming in to order are any indication.
I like diners. When I travel, those are sometimes the best places to find. It's also good to find one close to home. read more