It's impossible not to like this homey diner (which was once featured on You Gotta Eat Here). The staff is really friendly and they have affordable classic dishes along with rotating daily specials. Plus, over a dozen kind of homemade pie, ranging from classic (apple) to eclectic (bubble gum???). I got the fish and chips which were not battered unlike most places, so I felt like it was much healthier. We also tried the lobster and crab mac and cheese which was absolutely delicious! Possibly the best I've tried, and I've tried...a lot. The sweetness of the crab really brought the dish to the next level and it was a generous portion too. And of course we saved room for some pie. Our Strawberry Raspberry Rhubarb pie (which you can get with a scoop of ice cream) was a great way to end the meal, both sweet and tangy. The ice cream was especially good. You gotta eat here! (Sorry I couldn't help myself.) read more

The food was excellent. No deep fried food was offered which was perfect with our group. Portions were worth the money. They have great daily specials. The wife cooks and the husband does everything else at the front. He had everyone feeling welcomed and he had all of us laughing so hard at times with his humour read more

Tuesday April 23 -Soup and taco Tuesday Pineapple Curry soup was fantastic along with a delicious Cobb Salad read more

Harbour Diner - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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@theharbourdiner FANTASTIC EVENING I had oysters , lobster and crab Alfredo and @melissabardy had 4 cheese tortellini and both dishes were absolutely delicious . But the really great thing was the atmosphere, it was dinner at your family's house. Everyone were complete strangers yet they all laughed together, ate together, drank together and had a completely relaxing positive time. Justin and his wife made everyone feel like a brother or sister and that is an atmosphere that is irreplaceable. Delicious food , great laughs, great night thank you Harbour Diner read more

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Great and amazing food Highly recommend the California and eggs Benedict. And really good ice coffee!! read more

Harbour Diner - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Adorable little diner. Clean. Food was excellent!! Nice decore and atmosphere. Service was good and very friendly. Definitely worth a stop!! read more

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Food portions were extremely generous, most people took food home. Could have been a little more flavourful, but decent. The diner is proud of sourcing most of their food locally, which is nice. Service is very friendly, the owners are very nice. Only downside is the whole political thing going on, with the anti-government, anti-mask, freedom fighter thing. Kind of off putting. Supporting local is important, but it's hard when they have all these stickers posted everywhere. Worth a look if you are in the area, but not really on my list for a return visit. read more

Hamilton's hidden gem. An amazing culinary delight. Don't miss out on this treasure trove of delicacy.

Amazing Food, amazing service! They were very kind to my family of 8. Just a tiny place but so welcoming and quaint. Would def recommend! read more

First - they have great Food - so that's why you eat there. AND they are are a restaurant that stands up for what is right!! Support this restaurant and others like it, who DO NOT DISCRIMINATE!! read more

this place is clean and cute with some of the best bennys. the owners are lovey and the service is on point. if you like hot sauce- there's a cabinet filled to choose from. didn't get to the pies but saw them flying out to door by regulars. will be back tothis hidden gem read more

Probably one of my favourite brunch places in Hamilton. Not the fanciest of restaurants and is further in the north end, but their brunch is amazinggg! Staff are super friendly and a very homely ambience. Food wise they have a set menu as well as a daily special menu that changes so you always have something new to try. Personally my favourite here are their bennys. Their lobster and shrimp benny is by far my favourite here. Their hash is also quite well received. I tried their special benny of the day for $17, the spicy crab BATA benny (bacon, arugula,tomato, avocado) and it just MELTED in my mouth. Came with a side of home fries and some sliced fruits. The portion was quite filling as well. This place is definitely worth your while! read more

Harbour Diner - Spicy Crab BATA benny - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Showed up on Sunday at 11am. I had no reservation (it didn't look like the type of place that required one, but that's on us). They seated us at a shared table immediately. After about 10 minutes we were brought some tap water and 2 glasses (room temperature, no ice....but I don't mind tap water....cold). about 10 minutes later someone finally arrived to take our order. I was torn between a featured special of Jalapeno Poppers eggs Benedict, or Prime rib hash. The waitress recomended the "Jalapeno Popper Benny" since it was a special, and they are known for their eggs Benedict. I went with her recomendation. My partner ordered the Lobster and shrimp eggs Benedict which came on a croissant. It was about another 40 minute wait for our meals. (the table of four, that was seated next to us...25 minutes after we arrived, had thier order taken withing 5 minutes, and meals servered within 10 minutes). My eggs Benedict came with the eggs hard, not runny, served on a dry english muffin, with about a teaspoon of hollandaise and two slices of overcooked bacon (I guess that this version uses bacon rather than ham, not a deal breaker as long as it is cooked right). If there were jalapeno poppers as part of the meal, I could niether see nor taste them. The arugula was fresh. My partner's seafood eggs Benidict, came on a dry english muffin (it turns out that they were out of croissants), also with the overcooked bacon (not mentioned in the discription....who would want lobster and shrimp with bacon?). When the waitress showed up to ask about our meal, I mentioned that I was not happy, but I didn't fuss. My partner remained quiet, because that is his nature. I speak up when I have to pay for something sub-standard. When she left the table, he admitted that his was probably the worst eggs Benidict that he has ever had too. When my partner asked for another cola (after the waitress asked if she could top up our beverages), we had to wait 15 minutes to get it (after reminding her). She continued to seat new guests and take orders before finally returning with the drink. If you just want a trendy, hipster type diner, and don't mind paying good money, for poor food and service, then go for it. We won't be back. read more

Wanted to support local but unfortunately I can't recommend this place. We all had eggs Benedict's that were too runny and the hollandaise sauce had too much vinegar. That was the first time I experienced that. The lobster and shrimp in my eggs Benny was either from a bottle or something since it was tart. The home fries were undercooked and raw in some spots. We all left it on our plate. For a 3 person $75 Breakfast it was a real pass. read more

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I have to say this is the best place in town to get breakfast and be prepared to wait in line, but they do provide coffee and a heat lamp to stand under in cold weather. Don't forget to check out Chef Chris's other restaurant called Chucks on lock street. Everything burgers and poutine Update dec 2017. Chucks closed up and harbour diner has new owners. I have not been back to check it out with the new owners so don't depend on my review when Chris owned it but I am sure it's good. read more

Harbour Diner - Mom, Dad and Ryan. Out for breakfast. - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

We've been coming to Harbour Dinner for a few years now. They never disappoint and today was no exception. Had the Prime Rib Hash and it was fantastic! If you have a chance, you must try them! read more

Harbour Diner - Prime Rib Hash! - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

The staff are incredible here! It's always a pleasant time to eat here and they have recently renovated to make it look so much better inside. There HD BLT is go to ! Must try it! Highly recommend. read more

I was iffy about writing a review of this place, because I haven't eaten here. So this review will not be about the food because I never got a chance to try it. The reason I didn't get to eat the food was because of the less than desirable service. I arrived to the Harbour Diner around 7pm with my son (9 years old) eager to try this place because it came recommended from a close friend. The place is small and tight but based on what I could see, there were two tables available. So you could guess that I was less then impressed when the staff refused to seat us. My son and I were cold (it was winter), hungry and eater to try their cuisine and the waitress told me that the tables were reserved and that we would have to come back later, like two hours later at 9pm. I was less than impressed with their attitude, especially considering that I was there with a child. This cozy joint can barely seat 25 and they're taking reservations? The fact that they asked me to come back at 9pm was insulting since I was with a child who usually went to bed before then. We left and didn't return, and based on how badly we were treated... I likely won't go back anytime soon if ever. read more

Tasty food and amazing pies however I was a bit disappointed with their breakfast menu. I guess I just expected more. But the sandwiches here are fantastic! The buffalo chicken and shrimp and lobster sandwich I've had and both are delicious! And the pie! Probably my favourite place in Hamilton to get pies. Hmmmm. Do recommend, even if it's just to try the pie read more

Harbour Diner - Shrimp and lobster sandwich and the buffalo chicken sandwich in the background - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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This restaurant was an excellent find. Came here for Sunday brunch. And was quite surprised at the quality of the food. My girlfriend got the special of the day - Mexican skillet. Massive amount of food. Potatoes, peppers, mushrooms, sausage, onions, avocado, salsa, sour cream, black beans, eggs, etc. Etc. Really good. I got their standard eggs Benny. Was ok. Not that memorable. Was a cozy little restaurant. Doesn't look fancy but their reputation speaks for itself. We got lucky and didn't have to wait very long but there was a constant wait at the door. read more

I frequent this place as often as my budget allows! Simply one of the best breakfast places in town! Their "The Harbor" breakfast is $4 and is "2 eggs, bacon, sausage or country ham, home fries and toast". damn good deal, they need a bigger place! You had best get their early to get a seat or be prepared to wait. North Ends best semi-kept secret! read more

Harbour Diner - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

I don't normally write reviews, but I saw the average rating of Harbour Diner and felt like I had to give my two cents and off-set a few of the mediocre reviews. Disclaimer: I've only been here for dinner, so I can't say anything about brunch. Every time I've eaten here it's been a fantastic experience. The lobster Mac and Cheese is amazing, as is the service. Only trouble is getting a table in the first place: it's a popular spot and seating is very limited. I usually call ahead to get an idea about the wait. Anyway, go and try it out for yourself and I don't think you'll be disappointed! read more

RIBBIT's Restaurant Score Card (from -4 to +10) Taste: Ok 0 Service: Server prompt and friendly and food arrived on time 1 Ambiance: Noise or background sound or music 1 Price: Ok 0 Access: TOTAL: 2 Found out about this place from Google Review...12 people gave five stars so had to try. We had Cajun eggs Benedict, Hawaiian French toast, and Seafood soup. Think the main taste theme here is undertone. The subtle coconut taste of the French toast, barely detectable Cajun spice, and almost non-existing salty flavour of the soup - the soup was take out and I added onion salt and paprika to make the taste come out. Like other reviewers, the coffee was good but wouldn't rate it as an out of this world experience. The total bill came out to be $49 incl. tips. Hamilton seriously lacks a breakfast scene and after a while Cora, Apple Annie, and Egg and I can get tired and taste all the same. So in that sense this place is worthwhile but must say still does not compare to good old Eggstacy (gone many years ago) or Johnny G's in Toronto. Here is the full score card - RABBIT Restaurant Score Card (from -4 to +10) Taste: Very good 2 Ok 0 Not good -2 Service: Server came back and checked 1 Server prompt and friendly and food arrived on time 1 Ambiance: Decor 1 Noise or background sound or music 1 Price: Good 1 Ok 0 Pricey -1 Access: Not crowded 1 Parking 1 Accessibility 1 read more

The Harbour Diner is awesome! I went here with some co-workers for dinner and the food is great (I had the marinated roma tomato and mozzarella sandwich, my 4 co-workers all opted for the crab and lobster macaroni), the service is good and the atmosphere is friendly. If you plan on going to The Harbour Diner, you'll definitely need to book a reservation. The place is quite small, but cozy. And after being on TV, it's often quite busy! The parking is a little difficult since there isn't a lot, but the experience at the diner is well worth the roadside parking. I would definitely recommend The Harbour Diner to anyone looking to try something new. The prices are great and the staff are awesome. When you get your leftovers to go, they are packed into tin foil shaped like animals. My expectations were definitely met and exceeded and I will absolutely be returning. read more

Service was lacking - food was cold - coffee was warm and bitter. Service staff didn't even ask what was wrong with the food after I stood up literally 1 minute after the food arrived at the table and was left untouched. What a disaster - do yourself a favour and eat dog food, it would taste better than the food this place serves and is far more cheaper and probably tastes better read more

Unbelievable eatery. My wife and I were driving from Philly to Toronto and wanted to stop for lunch. We like getting off the beaten path so picked the Harbor Diner in Hamilton out of an ad in a travel mag we got from the Canada visitor center. Anyway I have a gluten allergy and was pleasant surprised at the waitress's knowledge of the ingredients. One of the items was a fish and chips. I used to love fish and chips before my diagnosis so I made a comment about that special. The server said that this is the chef's interpretation and a healthy take on the British classic. It was unbreaded fish and roast potato wedges. As you can guess from my 5 star rating the food was excellent. My wife had a very rich seafood soup with fantastic ingredients. In the midst of an 8 hours drive this was a welcome oasis. read more

Had been told that this was a must go to place, especially with kids for breakfast. in fact we told the waitress as we arrived this, we ere the first in that morning. Two more groups arrived after us. I can only guess the waitress was having a bad day because firstly she spilled my sons drink, did not apologise and then brought him a few napkins to clean up himself! When the food did arrive (after the other two tables had got theirs) my daughter only had one egg, the waitress noticed, but then ALL their breakfasts with eggs have two eggs so who can't count - the chicken or the chef? The food was at best mediocre. Bacon and sausage tasted awful, pancakes were dry and overall the vote was I made a much better breakfast. Will struggle to even want to give them a second chance. Disappointed to say the least. read more

I went with some family members to grab breakfast and was very happy with the food and service! It looks like a great place to chill with a group! read more

Good not great. Decent breakfast but not a lot of seating. Do I enjoy being sweated while I am eating. Not so much. Good to try but meh -- so many other choices where people aren't standing on me for my table. read more

Everything is absolutely amazing and portion sizes that won't leave you hungry when you leave. The price will not leave your pockets empty. Try any of the specials they are always amazing. Oh and the pies and carrot cake are must even if you need to take some to go. read more

Harbour Diner - The "Manhattan" was delicious. - Diners Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

It used to be great. New owners but with the same menu and seemingly the same recipes so cant complain about the food. Service has gone downhill. It took about 45minutes to get breakfast and it wasn't even busy. And they blare club music so you can't hear each other speak. Used to be a nice ma and pa place but now it's obnoxiously trying to be hip. read more

First time here.. Had the sausage hash. The meal took some time to arrive but when it did it was wonderful, I would recommend this space for a casual meal with good friends. It has a very homey welcoming vibe. Will come again. read more

Overpriced and understaffed doesn't begin to explain the poor experience my family and I had at the Harbour Diner. The entire surface of the table we were seated at was so sticky I literally had to pry up my menu. I quickly learned that I couldn't even set a napkin down as it would be perpetually stuck throughout the entirety of my meal. The food was sub par and I found the do-it-yourself waffles at the hotel breakfasts more palatable. I couldn't use the ketchup bottle, syrup dispenser, or even the salt and pepper shakers to dress my bland plates as they were all coated in disgusting amounts of sticky, gritty, hairy messes. The cleanliness of the entire restaurant could use some major TLC as the curtain rods and kitschy wall decor was dusty. The restroom was so bad I actually walked right back out and drove out of my way to use a fast food restaurant bathroom that had a more sterile atmosphere than my table. The only explanation I could surmise for the popularity of the place is that it's the only restaurant in the surrounding area and tourists driving through such as myself are left with no other option, but one thing is for sure, my family and I will not be returning nor recommending the Harbour Diner. read more

AWESOME place with VERY TASTEY food!! I had the meatloaf and my husband had the seafood mac'n'cheese. Both dishes were amazing, freshly prepared, and yes it took a bit for the food to come to the table because it wasn't pre-made!! I definately appreciate the fact that my meal was made from scratch when I ordered it. Portions were large enough that we didn't need to order a plate for our daughter,she had some of both our meals!! We were all stuffed. Very small place and you cant be sure to get a table if you walk in, since it aired on 'You gotta eat here' the place has been packed every time I have driven by. Make a reservation. You won't be disappointed, unless you are a stuffy, prissy jerk lol read more

My wife treated me to this restaurant today. The harbour dinner. We had breakfast. I can't remember what I order but it was the special for the morning. I took a picture of it. See attached photo. The food was great and the service was 5 star. The prices were very reasonable as well as the portions. I wasn't able to finish my meal. So I took a doggie bag home. read more

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Watched a re-run of You Gotta Eat Here and decided to try the Harbour Diner. What a pleasant surprise. Very quaint and the staff is wonderful. Looking around at the mix of furnishings brings me back to my grandmother's kitchen (wonderful memories). The meatloaf was fantastic and wow what a serving size! They say there's always room for homemade pie but with the sizable portions of the main course unfortunately there was no room for pie, this time! Will have to drop in just for pie and tea. read more

This is not the restaurant seen in "You Gotta Eat Here". The owners sold this restaurant 3 years ago and the new owner is obviously not capable of providing quality food. The meatloaf was undercooked and tasteless. The lobster mac and cheese was oily and greasy with very little (and probably canned) seafood. The pie was cold hard and stale. The restaurant itself is filthy and rundown. read more

The food was delicious. They had some of the best home fries I have ever had. There were so many options it was so hard to choose all of them sounded delicious. From the pineapple waffle special to salmon egg Benedict OHHHH IT WAS HEAVENNN. read more

I hadn't been here in a while, but was pleasantly surprised when I came last week. My wife had the roasted vegetable panini and I had the turkey dinner. The food has come up a notch from the last time I was there. The panini was excellent, although a bit challenging to eat. The turkey dinner was as expected with a few twists that made it well above expectations ie balsamic added to the mashed potatoes and nicely done vegetables. With dessert and tea it was good value. I will definitely be back. read more

Dinner at The Harbour fell short. The Turkey dinner ($14), seemed like microwaved leftovers smothered in coagulated (yes) gravy. Definitely not fresh (maybe the peas?). My husband who has a hearty appetite couldn't eat 2/3. I had the Killer Seafood Soup @ $9. It was tomato broth-like, very light on the vegetables, light on the seafood (small piece of whitefish, 1 scallop and 1 prawn with 4 mussels all well done). Broth was spicy, and the saving grace of this dish. OK maybe for a light lunch. The accompanying garlic bread was delicious. I'm not sure why it was called Killer Seafood Soup except that I might have died from hunger were it not for the Garlic Bread. We had high hopes for The raspberry peach pie from a relations related bakery in Dundas. However it was dry, not juicy fresh, almost the texture of a jam tart, which could suggest it was a couple of days old or that the cooking techniques run in the family. We had high hopes for The Harbour Grill considering the review from TVs "You Gotta Eat Here" . Our neighboring table group (5 people) fish and chips looked sad...the fish looked bordering grey (no breading) and poorly presented, but the meatloaf looked very interesting and impressively presented. Not sure how it tasted, but we didnt hear ANY comments on the food. Maybe it was a bad day????? On a Thursday Evg? Must mention though that the waiter was very at tentative and friendly. I hate to judge a restaurant by one visit but won't be rushing back to spend hard earned cash. read more