Fred's Diner is a sparkling diamond of a place that so many locals I mentioned it to were still unaware of. That's mostly due to location. It's less than a 10 minute drive from downtown Akron but it's off the beaten path. All locals (except me) in here. When I went (10AM Friday) the place was almost full, and I was dining alone, so I sat at the counter, happily next to the kitchen. To look at the kitchen was like looking inside a bee hive, bustling with activity but barely a sound. I could just make out what was being calmly stated "2 Silver Dollar, Salmon, Country Fried, 2 Over Easy..." It was fun to watch, but what was important was the output. It took just over 6 minutes from the time I order until it was sitting in front of me, and everything was perfect! The waitresses were so efficient. I saw my order hit the window and in about 12 seconds it was delivered. They were so customer focused, they were (jokingly) fighting over refilling my tea. When I was done and paid for I waited outside for Uber to pick me up (3 min). I looked back on what I'd just experienced, and snapped a picture of the two parking lots of cars for Fred's Diner. I counted and there were 32 cars at Fred's. OK maybe 10 were staff so 22 cars for customers, let's say on average there were 2 customers per car (remember I walked here so no car for me). By my calculation, Fred's was feeding 44 people every 30 minutes or so. No wonder they're only open 4 days a week and only for breakfast - lunch. I calculate they might serve 3200 meals in those 4 days, and then take 3 days off to get ready for the next week. I love this place. Wish I lived here so I could come more often. read more

Fred's Diner - AMAZING service! Such a small diner and so many customers (32 cars parked outside). - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

My daughter and I both had off today, so we decided to hit up Fred's for breakfast. I had a craving for steak and eggs and she went with the corned beef hash. Both plates were very good. I particularly appreciate that they use real potatoes for their hashbrowns, not the frozen/freeze dried crap most places serve up these days. The service was great, coffee was strong, and our bellies are fullllll. read more

Fred's Diner - Corned beef hash - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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Eggs were good, sausage was tough, toast and hash browns satisfactory. They were busy early on Friday morning when we stopped for breakfast. This place is an institution and always enjoyable. Service was good and ambience ok. read more

Fred's Diner - Eggs, sausage, hash browns and toast - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

I love going to Fred's dinner for their pot roast and/or meatloaf. Yummy! Tastes just like home made with real mashed potatoes!Looking forward to going for breakfast as everything looks so good! You certainly do not go for the decor, but it is clean, has friendly atmosphere, attentive service, and is bustling on the weekends. read more

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I stopped in on a Saturday morning, and saw that the special for the day was Steak and Eggs, which is my go to breakfast, and it was delightful. The diner itself is very cute and the staff was friendly. It was a little busy, but we were able to sit down pretty quickly. The steak was prepared just as I requested it and it was tender and they even did egg whites for me because I am not a fan of the yolk. It was fairly priced as well, so I will definitely be back. read more

Fred's Diner - Sirloin Steak, Egg whites and Sour Dough Toast - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Great spot....maybe the perfect diner I'm thinking. Good food, good service, clean bathrooms. Fred and his daughter manage a tight ship. We got to meet them both. Extensive menu. We chose breakfast and glad we did. Open 6-3 Friday to Monday. read more

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There is so much to love (bacon) about this cute little (bacon) diner. The staff (bacon) is so friendly, and prices (bacon) are reasonable and the menu (bacon) has a lot of (bacon) variety. Did I mention they serve bacon? Best bacon I have ever tasted. I don't know what they do to it but it's smoky and sweet and perfectly cooked. Definitely worth the trip. read more

Liver onions were phenomenal. Most there daily specials are hands down amazing! Definitely be returning! read more

Fred's Diner - Liver and Onions!!! Hard to beat! - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

The food was great. Just went in super early on a Sunday morning pre-7am for some eggs and toast and it was good. The place inside is a bit run-down, although I think that's part of the charm. Honestly I felt like I was sitting at a table in my great-grandmother's house from 40 years ago. Service was polite and ordering something else to go was fine, they had it ready to go when I was ready to go. read more

nothing frozen. plentiful and good all the time. service is excellent. consistent. We will go back

Great experience, excellent food. Service was fast and friendly and the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Would definitely come back again.

This is the second time I've been here but it has been a few years. I still don't get the 4 1/2 stars. When I got out of the car I was hit with the stench of rotten sauerkraut. Inside looks like it's never been updated along with the food . I ordered the steak and eggs and ask for an english muffin instead of toast for which I was charged extra. I ask for some tomato slices instead of the fried potatoes....they charged $1.75 for three slices of tomatoes...oh , and the musty smell was pretty repulsive needless to say this was my last time ever in the this place. I have never said this about any place I've been but this place is just down right nasty....still trying to figure out what type of supposed meat their sausage was. read more

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Nothing like this, it's amazing food, fast service! Don't be afraid of a wait it goes fast!

Always a favorite whenever I return to Akron. An old school dinner with friendly staff and simple food. Well made and priced reasonably, I can see why it remains popular after all these years. Definitely not a dealbreaker for all that they offer and do well but they do not have grits on the menu. read more

I made my first trip to this Akron staple last weekend, and it was a perfect diner experience. One thing I loved the most about Fred's (other than the quintessential diner decor that reminded me of my grandparents' living room) is that you could order classic combos or all the great breakfast items a la carte. I like to get a little bit of everything. So, this is perfect. We tried the breakfast sandwich and pancakes. The pancake was a giant, delicious cake. But, the real star was the sandwich. They did something that I really hadn't seen before which was put a folded omelette on the bagel. It was perfect! I'd highly recommend going for breakfast...also, super affordable. (Note: I've also heard that the chicken and dumplings are the best, but we only tried breakfast.) read more

Fred's Diner - Breakfast sandwich (bacon, egg, cheese bagel) - highly recommend with some hot sauce - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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We have eaten there twice the last week during or visit to Akron. If you like to consume bacon by the pound, Fred's is your place. The pancakes are great, and the prices cannot be beat. If you arrive before 9:00, the coffee is included in the price of the meal. otherwise, it is $1.00. Fred's is open Fri, Sat., Sun, and Mon. The place is small so you may have a bit of a wait. The service was great and the food is very good and reasonably priced. Don't let the appearance scare you away. This is an outstanding place for breakfast. read more

Very unassuming from the road but don't drive by! You'll step back in time a bit complete with a rotary landline on the counter that was continually in use with to go orders. Small busy place but if you have to wait it's well worth it. The servers were incredibly nice and the food was outstanding and very large portions. I love a good breakfast and this delivered beyond my expectations! Can't wait to go back! read more

Yum. I don't write many 5 star reviews but this place is yummy. When you drive up, u will not be impressed. Looks like a run down building. Well it kinda is lol. But open that door and let the smells suck you in. Steaks grilling, home fries frying. You forget really fast about the exterior. Kinda small. Probably has maybe 16 booths and counter seating. Parking is easy in a lot across the street. Breakfast all day. Lunch items after 11. Closes at 3pm. I got a breakfast sandwich with home fries. My sweetheart got the chicken fried steak breakfast. That steak was so tender n juicy you didn't even need a knife to cut it. Crispy home fries. Delicious We both did our best to devour everything. He won. Mine is in the fridge. So good we went back another time during our 3 night stay in Akron area. I suspect they do every bit of a great job with the lunch items. Prices under $10. Can't lose here read more

Fred's Diner - Sausage croissant - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

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Fred's is Akron's version of an old New Jersey diner. Reliable breakfast? Check. Crowded/busy? Check. Full coffee cup? Check. Salty, bordering on rude waitstaff? Check. BTR's (Bias Towards Regulars)? Check. Fantastic, old school ambiance complete with the requisite photos of Diners? Check. Contortionist skills necessary for use of the (spanking clean) restroom? Check. Hits: home fries, waffles and bacon. The bacon is very thick and piled high and worth every penny. Misses: Omelettes are made with American "cheese" (there are over 1,800 types of cheeses in the world. And American is the worst.) and weak coffee (though plentiful, as mentioned), So, a locally owned and operated "good food, fast" place that's reasonably priced, quirky in a mostly fun way with plenty o' free parking that doesn't yaks itself too seriously (the waitresses do though (ORDER BY NUMBER PLEASE!) read more

Food was delicious. It s a simple diner with amazing food and efficient service. Affordable too.

An amazing little place that has been around for years. Never disappoints. So many delicious options to choose from. Country fried steak is phenomenal. Grilled cheese and tomato soup rocks. Breakfast is always cooked the way you like it. Experienced staff really takes care of you! Clean and tidy environment. Best breakfast and lunch options around! read more

Fred's Diner - Freds Diner - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Great value Clean Very Very nice staff Good food at a good price I like the atmosphere in the back read more

Fred's Diner - Back room - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

The best lil, yes I said Best...lil hometown, homegrown, small town, from scratch Diner! From the street, I would never have stopped. Yea there were cute lil flower baskets attached to give it a comfy feel, but it looked like a shack where no one from the outside is welcomed. FAR FROM THAT!!! First thing that caught my eye was the rotary phone with no call waiting, original floral wallpaper faded with time, chipped paint that needs freshening and carpet that needs sweeping... and NO ONE cares because the service is friendly, prompt and welcoming, the food is served HOTTT and steamy, and the portions are for the famished! I ordered the #11, I think. Grilled kielbasa with a juicy bite and crispy outside, the hash browns that tasted like Grandma used to make and the eggs fried to my exact request with melted cheddar cheese and tiny litle diced Onions perched on top! The bacon was a plate of I don't know how slices and I have never seen it cooked like this. They must've tossed the meat to cook on it's own because it all curled and was crispy! Oh and if you walk in and think there's no seating, thru a narrow hall, there is an extension of seating in the rear. No doubt this is Not a best kept secret, because we parked in front and there were a few folks dining , but when we left... it was packed and the cars were all over the grassy lot next door! Delightful, old school experience! Yum, y'all...I will be back again and again. read more

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Bacon...awesome. Service was great. This is a joint that is open Monday, Sunday, Saturday, and Friday. Closes at 3 pm. Not too loud, but kinda loud. Cozy. Turn around is quick. Patrons waiting in line. I ordered one egg, hash browns, rye toast, bacon.. Every thing was perfect. Liver and onions was the special. Many orders from the customers. I LOVE liver and onions, however the onions appeared more raw than I like. So passed. My friend I ate with, said the meatloaf special is gone in 15 minutes! Didn't t,ry, wasn't the special. When it is a feature, you couldn't order until exactly 11 am. But it must be so tasty that it sells out within minutes. read more

The best place to have breakfast or lunch. Nice folks, nice portions. Screw these 1 star reviews. read more

Fred's Diner - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Love this old school diner! Food is fresh and always delicious! Prices are great and servings are large! Service is always quick and friendly. read more

We love Fred's! It's the best diner we've found yet here in Ohio! The mushroom Swiss burger is amazing, their bacon and pancakes are delicious and so is the chicken dumpling soup! We also LOVE their onion rings! Very friendly staff, excellent food. read more

Fred's Diner - The Freddy Burger - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Nice "old school" breakfast & lunch joint. Local retirees abound! Slinging home cookin' in record time.

Classic diner, tiny, lines out the door, waitstaff maneuvering like acrobats behind the counter, impressive hustle, reasonable prices and great food. Thought there weren't any more places like this, so glad to be wrong! read more

The BEST breakfast in Akron. Love the vintage Mt Dew machine and the jukebox in the rear dining room. Food is excellent and a great value!

Food was prepared exactly as asked and came to my table super fast. It was pretty crowded for a weekday morning - an indication that the staff are doing everything right. They are. Sausage had good flavor but most impressive was their perfectly cooked bacon. What to say about the ambiance? It's like being transported back in time to the late 70's. Don't get me wrong - I loved it. What really completed the package was their old-school desktop telephone that had the obnoxious ringer. It really added to the authenticity. The only thing missing was the thick smell of cigarette smoke and ashtrays. One thing I should add is that as old as everything looked, it was all very clean. The bathroom was clean too. I'd definitely come back. read more

Good old fashion diner! Great food, great customer service. Food was delicious and prepared in perfect timing! Highly recommend for an elite breakfast! read more

We visited for the first time, seeking a new diner, on a Sunday morning for breakfast. It was busy. We sat in the small back room because the front was full. After ordering, our food came out in just minutes. My wife loved her omelette and I loved my standard breakfast, number 2, which was eggs, bacon and hash browns plus choice of toast. I couldn't believe the big pile of perfectly crispy bacon. We already wanted to return before we even left. My wife wanted a Fred's Diner t-shirt but they were out of optional sizes. Our bill was less than usual. It will be worth the 45 minute drive next time. read more

Fast service, good food and inexpensive. Love this place. Order bacon and you get 7 strips. Small place but many pickup orders so go in to check tables. Good attention to tables by servers keep the coffee flowing and tables cleared. What small diners used to be like. Happy to support local businesses providing great service and food. read more

Food is always good home style cooking. The service is great, very patient employees. Setting like county style home kitchen. read more

Good food, quick service. Not fancy. Can be a bit cozy when busy. Prices reasonable. Only had breakfasts so far, want to try the sandwiches, liver&onions, other stuff. Hint: Don't blink, going down Home, or you'll miss it. read more

Atmosphere: No joke, I was afraid to try this place. It is literally a 3 minute walk from my house and we pass it all the time and I even remember saying to my fiancé "I will never try that place". But I have been getting so many suggestions from the Cuyahoga and Akron foodie group I am a part of for "Fred's Diner". I threw it in the GPS and it said 2 minutes. Well, I'll be damned, it's THE place. It looks VERY run down on the outside and the sign very old and barely readable but hey, if so many people love it, I need to try it. As soon as we walked in the door, HUGE difference. Nice little quaint, old fashioned diner-looking. Super cute. Food: my fiancé was craving a burger so she got the "big max" burger. She said it was like a Big Mac but with no middle bun and WAY better. She said the fries were good too. I have been craving a crispy chicken sandwich forever. They have them but none that were just like a crispy chicken club (ya know, crispy chicken, bacon, lettuce, Swiss and Mayo. Also tomato if you like it but I don't) so I just got the hickory without the tomatoes and bbq and Mayo instead. I was unaware the chicken sandwiches were double Pattie's. I did NOT like that. I can see some people being like "oh hell yeah" but no. These were thick chicken Pattie's. There is know fitting that in your mouth and it just gets messy. It's just unnecessary and too much. I would like the the single patty and with Swiss this time. But don't get me wrong it was DELICIOUS. Just too much and would have much rather had a single patty so my sandwich didn't get all messy and such. I also would not recommend the onion rings. But that is just my opinion because I hate breaded onion rings. I just assumed they were battered but they were panko crusted. But Kayla the said the fries were on point. The waitress we had was very nice and I'm sure we will be seeing more of them since we 100% will be back to try EVERYTHING on that menu. I think this will be our new lunch spot! read more

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Nice neighborhood breakfast and lunch place. Lots of regulars. Gets filled up fast. Menu is basic but all the favorites are there. Note up front if you like bacon they have tons of it. Order eggs and bacon and you don't just get 3 little strips. You get a pile. It's awesome! BLT has more bacon then bread. Service is fast and efficient. Staff is nice and the food is good, prices great. I have nothing bad to say. No dinner maybe... just bfast and lunch. Will go here as much as possible. read more

Their food is really good and taste home made. But at times it is so very crowded in there.

We loved this little spot! Me & my bf stopped in on a very, very busy Sunday & got lucky with 2 diner-bar stool spots opened up as we walked in. So we got seated so quick & was JAM PACKED! The food was INCREDIBLE. Best breakfast I've had in a very long time, I had zero complaints. Staff was attentive, funny & had all worked there for years so there was a comfortable, close feeling as well as fast, great service & these ladies know what they're doing. Fred really cooks most of it all & serves it up, old fashioned with a bell and all. And it's reasonably priced for A LOT of food! We loved it & were very happy! Delayed review but had to write! read more

Fred's Diner - Diners Near Me - Akron, Ohio