My friend and I were looking for some good breakfast and this spot was close by our hotels. We came in around 10 am and the place was busy but not over packed. We were told to sit where we wanted so we chose a spot near the window. Plenty of parking. We were both in town for the Erie marathon and needed to carb load. I had the blueberry pancakes, and we split a special of peach crepes. I also wanted some smash browns. The food came out quickly. We also had some of the coffee which was delish! My pancakes were the perfect amount of soft and fluffy. The crepes stole the show. It was almost fitting as a dessert! The smash browns were good but quite a large portion! My friend also got an omelette and said it was good. The prices were good, the server was great. It was relatively quiet inside despite being busy, everyone was enjoying their food!! read more

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Gem City Diner is such a cozy, feel-good breakfast spot. The service is super friendly, and the menu has a great mix of classic dishes and fun, creative combos. I tried the Western omelet and the Gem city omelet which had blackberry jam, burnt ham and brie omelet, and wow, I didn't know I needed that in my life. Our server also recommended the special waffle with marmalade and champagne whipped cream, which quickly became my favorite (minus the champagne part ). Had a great time here and will definitely be back soon. read more

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Place is small, cute, and has wonderful service. Definitely a place the locals go. It's clean, friendly and a true 5 star gem In the heart of the city. I got the eggs Benedict, they were pretty good. The star of the show is definitely the "smash browns" perfectly grilled almost burnt but with perfect flavor and crunch. read more

Gem City Dinor - Smashbrowns!!!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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I was the first of three in my party to arrive. The woman seating customers told me that it's their policy to seat people when the entire party arrives and took my name. There were several empty tables and was not crowded in the least. I said to the woman seating customers that, that was a stupid policy. I went to sit down in their small waiting space, and I asked the woman who came up with that policy. She said the boss. She asked a couple of times if I wanted to talk to the boss. I didn't really see the need, but since she asked several times it seems as if she wanted me to, so I said, "sure." A few minutes later the boss came out from the kitchen. She asked if I had a "problem with the policy." I said "No, but I think it's ridiculous." She then said, "What is the policy at your restaurant?" I looked at her rather confused. She said, "you can go to any other restaurant." I said, "you have a right to your policy, I just think it's ridiculous." She said, "You can go to another restaurant." I stood up at that point and the boss told the woman seating customers, "YOU CAN TAKE HER NAME OF THE LIST." I left and waited in the parking lot for the rest my party to arrive. We decided to go to Avanti's. We got there and were told to sit anywhere we wanted. We had a great experience at Avanti's. read more

Came in at 12:35 on a Sunday and was told we close at 1 and if your third person isn't here soon we won't be able to serve you Left and will never be back read more

You will not leave feeling empty that for sure. Polite staff Quick service. Good food. And have money left in my wallet. read more

The best service, food, and coffee!! A L W A Y S ask for the specials! They are so fun! read more

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Perfect spot for traditional breakfast fare! They have a huge counter to serve multiple dinners in addition to booth/table seating. We were quickly welcomed and offered drinks, and the food was delivered amazingly fast given the volume of diners on a summer weekend morning. Service was spot-on throughout the meal, with our server returning frequently for refills and to inquire if we were enjoying everything. It seemed to get progressively more crowded, and there was a large wait by the time we left. Highly recommend, but get there early! read more

Breakfast is always delightful but it is now elevated by the beautiful local art. Enjoy avocado toast, Florentine omelet, or pancakes. There are specials offered on the weekend! Always good. friendly service. Lots of parking. read more

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It's a nice dinner. It was very clean. Servers were great. Food on the other hand wasn't great. I had a western omelette and could force myself to finish it. First time I would say I had a bad omelette. Wife said hers was just OK. My daughter barely ate any of hers. The price was outrageous as well. 4 breakfasts was about $100 before tip. Much better places for breakfasts in Erie. read more

Friendly down-home service with excellent food. Omelettes are large and filling. Nice, clean dining area with a large bar area. Great local spot for breakfast or lunch. read more

Great food/service/cool vibe. Great coffee, biggg portions. Nice selection of omelets with non traditional ingredients.

It was our first trip to Gem City Dinor and it was phenomenal! The food was hot and delicious. The service was exceptional - our waitress provided information and recommendations with a smile. It was a cute little diner with privacy from other tables - although it was packed and people were waiting, we never noticed anyone else once we were seated. 5Stars!!! read more

Gem City Dinor - Before we went to breakfast, we had a quick tour of Gannon University! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Gem City Dinor: Erie's Breakfast Super Bowl Champion! If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then Gem City Dinor is basically a life coach making sure you start your day right. This isn't just the best breakfast in Erie--it's a borderline religious experience. You'll walk in hungry and walk out full, caffeinated, and questioning if you should start a fan club for their French Toast. Let's talk about the atmosphere. It's warm, welcoming, and decorated with local art that makes you feel like you're eating inside an art gallery--except here, the only masterpiece you're focused on is the food in front of you. The servers? They have a sixth sense when it comes to coffee refills. You'll never see the bottom of your mug, no matter how hard you try. And the food? A touchdown every time. Their pancakes are the size of the steering wheel in my Subaru. The French toast? Pure magic. And then there's my wife's favorite, the cheeseburger omelet, which is basically breakfast and lunch in one glorious, cheese burger filled bite. Why choose between two meals when you can have both at the same time? But wait--there's more. Their weekend specials are always top-tier. Today's omelet special? A meatball omelet with house-made red sauce and shaved Parmesan. That's right--meatballs for breakfast. I know they are not the creator of the meatball omelet, but theirs rivals any other served in Erie county. And let's not forget the coffee. They get their beans from Millcreek Coffee, right across the street, and let me tell you--it's the kind of coffee that makes you reconsider every bad cup you've ever had. You won't find a better cup of coffee in Erie unless you're willing to do some highly illegal things. Yes, they get busy on weekends, and if you are not there early, you will have a wait, but that's just proof that everyone in Millcreek already knows--Gem City Dinor is the undisputed breakfast champion. Come hungry, bring stretchy pants, and prepare for the best breakfast of your life read more

Gem City Dinor - Meatball omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

There's only one word to describe Gen City Dinor, AWESOME! Great service from really pleasant waitresses. Menu had lots of choices. Food came quickly and was excellent. Ingredients tasted very fresh. Multigrain toast was good, omelet was perfect. OJ was also food. Inside felt like a diner should. Open, airy and not too shiny. There was a cake pedestal in front of me with four chocolate banana muffins that were as big a popovers. They looked really great. I would have eaten one, but don't eat chocolate. I did by two for friends back at the hotel. They raved and split one between the two if them, saving the second one for desert. Friends for life. One work of caution, some of Gem City's menus on Yelp are seriously outdated. Cost are now typical with omelets at ~$12-14. I've posted today's June 4, 2025 read more

Gem City Dinor - Lunch Menu as of June 2025 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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Serving breakfast all day. Lunch options available. Service was beyond amazing. Food was excellent with large portions. read more

Gem City Dinor - Eggs Benedict special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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Stopped into Gem City Dinor to catch up with a friend, and it was just what we needed. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting--like stepping into a local favorite where everyone feels welcome. I had a cup of coffee and the avocado toast, and both hit the spot. Service was fantastic--friendly, attentive, and never rushed, which made it easy to relax and really enjoy the conversation. There's something about a neighborhood diner done right, and Gem City Dinor nails it. Definitely recommend for a casual breakfast or brunch with great vibes, good food, and even better company. I'll be back! read more

When we pulled up into the parking lot, it seemed crowded because of the all the cars but there were defiantly tables available. The outside seating was so charming, I am so glad we chose to sit outside. Then menu was short and sweet which is a good sign since everything was fresh. I ordered the spinach and artichoke eggs benedict. My tastebuds sang with each bite. What a great breakfast!!!! It was served with fried thick cut potatoes. It was so filling, I couldn't finish it all, but it was so delicious. Our server was friendly and fast. We will be definitely patronizing this establishment again the next time we are in the area. Thanks Gem City Dinor! read more

We came in and immediately got seated. They have some of the nicest staff for any restaurant I've been to. It was also really clean in there. The waitress immediately asked what we wanted to drink. Our drinks got to us less than a minute later. The lemonade was great. Then we ordered. We both got the number 3. Our food came within the next 7 minutes. The bacon was amazing, the eggs were great (scrambled), and the sausage great to start, but my taste buds got tired of it. The pancakes were ginormous. Biggest I've ever seen. I got them with blueberries. They were good. The music was nice too. Great spot for breakfast! read more

Gem City Dinor - Number 3 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

The food and the service were excellent! But they made our day when they played the Polish National Anthem at 9:00am on Sunday morning! Highly recommend! read more

Friendly, welcoming neighborhood felt as soon as one is greeted at the door. The wait/staff were readily willing to top me off from under the table at the back even after having gotten plowed so desperately hard by myself and five others at the same time. read more

Gem City Dinor - B/M/F - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Consistent every time we go. Same great service, food and prices. Atmosphere is welcoming and I love to be seated at different tables to see what salt and pepper shakers I run into. Every table has a different set. read more

My sisters said we HAD to try Gem City Dinor. We now see why. My husband said it was phenomenal! We came for breakfast. My sister and I had the Gem City omelette. It was amazing! We also shared the polenta and walnut caprese salad. So good! My husband had the 2 eggs with bacon and toast. He was completely wowed (my New Jersey diner afficienado). The coffee was delicious and our server Sherrie was so charming! Definitely make this a stop if you're in Erie. read more

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Another amazing experience at our favorite Dinor in Erie, PA. My daughter had the special a Cajun styled corn beef hash with shrimp and andouille sausage. She loved it, I had my usual their delicious avocado toast on their homemade rye bread with pesto and fresh tomatoes. I get mine without the eggs. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Large portions, great service and an overall outstanding experience. Enjoy! read more

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I was so excited to come home and try Gem City after hearing multiple great review from friend and family, it's a cute little diner with simple breakfast items. The service was amazing! Coffee was never empty and our waitress was very attentive despite the busy crowd. We went around 9am and got a table right away, the wait definitely gets much longer after 10AM. Our food came out quick and was hot, I ordered the #6, 1 pancake, 1 bacon, 1 sausage, 1 egg. A friend also ordered the veggie omelet, which was a large portion including smashed breakfast potatoes and toast. I will definitely be back! read more

Gem City Dinor - #6, 1 pancake, 1 bacon, 1 sausage, 1 egg! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Very disappointing. They're just trying to be Avanti's, but it's not nearly as good. Food does not come as described on the menu, and the service was slow. read more

Great local diner with delicious food, local coffee and portions big enough to share. Everyone was friendly and attentive including our server Sherry who was amazing so stop by if you're in the area. read more

Such a modern quaint solid diner with personable wait staff. Artistic vibes and hipness. Visiting family in the hospital this was what was opened. Very impressed relaxed haven that had us healed. Was a ten minute drive away read more

Very friendly, welcoming, and energetic atmosphere. The food is delicious, plentiful, and a definite cut above your standard diner. Definitely worth the wait on a weekend morning. read more

What a delight! Excellent eggs Benedict and Florentine omelet. Really delicious coffee and they gave to go cups too. Super friendly staff, warm atmosphere. Highly recommend! read more

First time, very clean establishment, interesting deco. Waitress very friendly checked in on how food was and if we needed anything. Food came out hot, smashed home fries different but delicious (potatoes) portion size and prices were good, read more

Gem City Dinor - egg, thinly sliced fried pork chop w/country gravy, smashed potato, warm fresh smashed apple choice toast (rye) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Great little local business. I'm gonna miss Rich. Always fast and excellent manual items. Large portions. Their signature coffee is excellent. read more

Stumbled upon a great breakfast experience! The Corned Beef is not to be missed if it's available. My better half thoroughly enjoyed her Eggs Benedict as well. Locally roasted coffee rounded things out nicely. Looking forward to our next breakfast when we are in the area. read more

Long wait. Still 5 Stars. Four, or five, employees served us while we were there. All of them were fantastic. We were told that there was a bit of a wait and she was close on the time. read more

Great all across the board! What a wonderful little "Gem" Keep up the great job, Erie is lucky to have this little dinor. read more

Stopped in on Sunday morning, before hitting the road home. Yelp reviews sold us on making our visit. Place was packed, people inside/outside waiting. Took about 20-25 minutes for a table for 6, only 5 ate today. But I personally do order 2 meals regularly, can try dishes that sound interesting, can alway take leftovers home, don't judge me... Tables ARE spaced apart, your not on-top of each other...which was a positive & selling point for us to visit, as other reviewers had said. In addition to positive food reviews. Our server Kiley, was friendly, personable & knowledgeable of menu items. We ordered right away after she explained the specials & then we waited... People that we were waiting outside with us & we were seated together (3 people) had eaten & left before we were even served. There were 2 other tables that came in after us & had eaten & left before we received any food. We had 2 cups of coffee & juice/waters & still waiting... When server was asked, she said smaller orders are done first & since we had a bigger party this is the norm here. 1st time here, so only have this visit to go on. My internal clock was just about to get up & leave when our food started coming out. Ordered corned beef hash w/eggs up & dry rye toast. Toast had butter that hadn't melted & eggs were over cooked & cold (none to minimal yolk). Had them re-fire 1 egg & it was cooked to order, need yolk to run down on hash. My hash was okay, nothing special, borderline over cooked. Wouldn't order again, for $16, hard pass. 2 others in our group ordered hash, one 1/2 order ($11) & 1 full, both were burnt/over cooked. Thinking the cook had a "bad day", as 1/2 order of hash's pancake was over cooked as well. Pancake was the size of a manhole cover, as big as the plate...couldn't eat it though, she couldn't cut into it with a fork & was very disappointed in her meal didn't eat. Another had 2 eggs & ham, the ham was good she said. On a positive note, I also ordered the traditional Eggs Benedict ($16), my original choice. But Kiley, spoke so highly of the scratch made corned beef hash, that 3 of us had to try it. (I do order it anywhere it's homemade & not canned) They forgot my Benedict order when all the food was delivered to table, had to remind server it was missing. Came out fresh, piping hot & was delicious... by far the best dish on the table. Would definitely recommend that dish. Had the homemade blackberry jam & was good too. Probably won't be back to this area or to this establishment. But if this is your destination, Eggs Benedict is way to go & Hopefully the cook has a better day on your visit... All the servers & table bussers were friendly Thanks & stay safe!! read more

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Lots of diners (or "dinors") in Erie - hard to pick one, but we were helped by a recommendation from J.B. - one of the owners over at the Local Eat and Pour. We weren't disappointed. Easy to find, plenty of parking, friendly service and great food. After commenting to our server that "I wish I could make coffee this good at home," she told me that I probably could. They get their coffee (Indonesian "Bali Blue Moon") from a local coffee roaster right across the street (North Edge Craft Coffee). That ended up being our next stop! If you're in Erie and looking for a friendly place to have a good breakfast (and great coffee), be sure to try the Gem City Dinor! read more

Gem City Dinor - Inside the "dinor" - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Food was good, once it arrived. My omelette was tasty, but not cooked all the way through. Smash home fries were nice and crispy. Our long wait for the food might be due to one of us having a gluten sensitivity. Our server was attentive and sympathetic to our long wait. Ambiance was diner-friendly. read more

Friendly on steroids family oriented breakfast spot. Gave a four because furniture needs an upgrade the bench I sat on was shaky and outdated. Lighter colors would living the place up a little read more

Wow! This is not your run of the mill diner. I had the gem city omelette with Wisconsin Brie, Ham, and jam. A strange combination that was outstanding! I'm addition it came with a delicious piece of marble rye. Service was very friendly and timely and pricing was very fair as well. I would love to come back. read more

Gem City Dinor - Gem city omelette with marble rye and potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania