Half of me says not to write this review because I don't want to expose my secret place. The other half says that my love for it should be shared with others. So here goes. If you ever find yourself way out near Stanley (probably because you're visiting Luray or Shenandoah National Park), and you have a hankerin' for quick, cheap, yummy down home country cookin', you have to stop in here. Be advised, there will be regulars here who have been coming in for oh, say the last 50 years of their life, and they may look at you strangely because you obviously "ain't from around here." But these folks are friendly so fear not. I have been eating at this diner my whole life, and on visits home I started taking my out-of-towner boyfriend to eat here. Nowadays he pretty much requests that we stop in every single time we're in town. Getting to the point.....the food here is what you might expect at a country diner....hearty and filling. Their menu always has an insert with the "vegetables" of the day, a list which can often include such things as macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, and rice pudding (because of COURSE those are veggies). My elder kinfolk swear by the breakfast plates in the morning and country fried steak for lunch or dinner. And don't leave before scarfing a slice of cherry or chocolate pie. They only accept cash, but a typical dinner should pretty much never cost you more than $10, including a drink. Can't beat that! read more

For the sake of argument, imagine this is your first time to America. I'm going to channel some Jay McInerney here, to get you in the scene. You're driving down these country routes like 340 - or whatever it is - in and out of the Shenandoah range and its low-hanging fog. You're used to a the crowded cul-de-sac that is Western Europe or the Middle East and have come Stateside to find sprawling land and picturesque farmhouses, dilapidated but functional. Cows in pasture, horses by the river. And here you are cruising in your rental car, maybe still adjusting to the "wrong side" of the road, and you find yourself parked in the lot of Hawksbill Diner. This is America, Americana at its best. Old men enter wearing three-piece suits; women in church clothes and floppy hats, despite it being a Tuesday; a farmhand in stained overalls. The waitress - because there's really only one for the restaurant - is eager and patient, a hard worker as most are in this part of the country. And the food, it's down-home Southern cooking. It's a question of expectations, though. I agree with Stephen S.'s analysis of the less positive responses to the diner. Why would someone order the seafood platter? No idea. I ordered the double cheeseburger (for $3.50, mind you) and an order of curly fries. I'm sure the grease is a reused batch, I'm sure the burger was cooked on a hot grill with bits and pieces of other entrees burnt to the surface. It's a roadside diner, in all its wonderful cliche and delicious predictability. The club sandwich came with turkey breast and ham shaved thick, the bacon far from crispy, which isn't a criticism in my opinion. The chicken and dumplings, the daily special, seemed to be popular among the locals, who upon entering asked questions like "Who's cooking today?" Apparently, their orders depended on the chef. For those passing through the Shenandoah, perhaps staying in nearby Luray or Stanley or Culpeper, this is a stop worth making! Luray has its own charm and a few restaurants; the same for Culpeper. However, none of these places have quite the same atmosphere as the Hawksbill Diner. Order the whole menu and you'll still only spend $10/person, less than a cocktail in my current Philadelphia home. Take the country roads and you'll stumble upon gems like this one. read more

Hawksbill Diner - That ol' Southern charm. - Diners Near Me - Stanley, Virginia

Simple country-style at its best! During our Shenandoah family adventure recently, we stopped for lunch at a good old fashioned country diner... excellent food, service and ambience - not to mention clean and nifty! I had an old standard of Liver & Onions, mash potatoes and a side of pickled beats - terrific. Seven of us ate full meals for just under $65! Don't look for 5 stars here, it's something better - real folk, real food, real talk and a real relaxing country feel. Enjoyed everything about Hawksbill... We'll be back... the area's got a few reputable wineries we look forward to visit. When you're in the area, we highly recommend this local gem - - we're coming back here next time we're in the area! read more

Hawksbill Diner - Liver & Onions, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, and a side of Beets - Diners Near Me - Stanley, Virginia

Great little diner if you are looking for classic American food!!! I had five of my friends joined me for a bite at this diner. Everyone I was with was part of the clean plate club. We all loved the food it was amazing. Not to mention the massive burger I got. They sure know how to give a person a lot of bacon. If you're ever in the area this is great place to eat for a great price!! read more

Hawksbill Diner - Double bacon cheese burger! - Diners Near Me - Stanley, Virginia

A Super Good Ole American Diner with a Great Menu, Daily Specials, Home Cooked Meals... A Must Stop for their sumptuous Breakfast Specials. Nothin's finer than "The Hawksbill Diner" when in Luray read more

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Yelp, your reviews did not disappoint! This was just a fantastic breakfast! We drove to Luray caverns for the day and decided to grab breakfast before trekking through the cavern. I'll admit, I was skeptical. The people, all of them, could not have been more welcoming or friendly. The combos on the menu are just great and the food is even better. Everything is fresh and they take so much pride in their business. Oh, that sausage!!! It is true they only take cash but the prices are very reasonable. Make sure you are generous with tipping your waitress. We watched in amazement at how quickly they worked, how kind they were and how they interacted with locals-taking the time to address everyone by name and asking about families. They deserve every penny. It's nothing fancy but just a feel-good place with a great breakfast. That's enough to have made our day! We will be back! read more

It's an iconic restaurant for Page County!! Great classic diner food! A great breakfast! I Absolutely love the hominy, fried potatoes and sausage gravy. For lunch you can't beat the curly fries, Pea salad and club sandwich. If it's Dinner you want you must get the country fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy it's out of this world! I also love supporting local businesses and this one has been around a long time! If you want to touch of local southern food this is your place! read more

Cute little diner after our trip to luray! Service was prompt and prices were exceptional! The reason I'm giving 3 stars is because they only take CASH. It was very inconvenient. read more

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Wow. Could not disagree more with the first reviewer. I wanted to love this rustic American diner that serves up $5.00 entrees, but I absolutely hated it. I love American diners, but Hawksbill is aweful. Our seafood platter consisted of fried calamari, fried shrimp, fried fish, and fried oysters. Everything tasted of the same deep fried overused oil. We couldn't finish it. My country fried steak was incredibly salty, though did come with some decent macaroni and cheese. Needless to say, we will never return. Stanely and Luray have a number of other options that I trust will be better. read more

Hawksbill Diner - Diners Near Me - Stanley, Virginia

My wit and I were in Luray looking for a breakfast place and none seemed to be open so we found this diner. It is a little drive into nowhere but it is well worth the drive. The staff were so friendly and accommodating. Our server, Chasity, was one of the best I have had in a long time. The food came out in a very timely fashion and was cooked to perfection. I really wanted scrabble with my breakfast but it wasn't on the menu. I asked my server and she said "YES we have scrabble"! If you are anywhere near this diner, give it a try! read more

Not going to lie, I was bit cranky this morning due to rain and limited breakfast options in the area/unexpected closures due to maintenance. We found this place and the food was great. But really the waitress was the most pleasant, kind, efficient woman ever. Her hospitality knocked me right out of my mood. Great breakfast place! read more

Just all around great. The diner decor is retro, and perfect, our waitress was really friendly and nice, and the food was top notch. Yes, diner food, but really well done. I had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and onion rings. My wife had the fried pork chop, because we heard it was good. A pork chop isn't something we'd normally ever get, but it was really good. The chicken was crunchy/crispy, still moist, and flavorful. Mashed potatoes were good, and the onion rings were great. And even with pie and ice cream, the total bill was less than you'd pay read more

We went to Hawksbill diner for breakfast in a Saturday. It was crowded, but we got seats at the bar. This was a total small town diner experience. The servers are super friendly, and our coffee mugs were always full. The food was delicious. We are going back again before leaving Luray to go back to the hustle and bustle of big city life. Love this little diner! read more

Yesterday was my birthday and four days ago was my daughters one year birthday. We drove down to Shenandoah for a couple hrs to play a little and then have a nice little dinner. I searched Yelp and found Hawksbill. A cozy little diner, warm atmosphere and nice staff/customers; something I'm not too used to in the Baltimore area. I ordered the ribeye, mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribeye was great and was tender enough for Lilly to eat small bites with only six teeth. I had decided from the moment I sat down that I wanted to pay it forward by picking up someone else's bill, and had decided on a nice little family that bowed their heads to say grace. My wish was soon crushed when I was packing up to leave and observed a sign by the register. It read "No credit/debit cards. Cash only or local checks." I don't ever carry cash and explained my situation to the cashier and offered to leave my license so I could run to the ATM. A gentleman, who had been seated next to me, approached and told the cashier he was picking up my tab. Wow! This little diner is a must do while you're visiting Shenandoah. I will be back, WITH CASH, to do what I originally wanted to do! read more

Here is a real American classic with simple regional specialties served in an unpretentious setting. My wife had the country steak with white gravy and I the chuck wagon steak with brown gravy. Both were tender and flavorful.The mashed potatoes and green beans were good. I was not happy with the red beet pickled egg but that is because I am from Central Pennsylvania and know how they should be made. Service was pleasant and efficient. The menu has a lot of simple basic food as served in diners through the 1960s. Not like the sterile gussied up cuisine served in modern fake diners. Stop here if you are traveling along US 340 and would like to eat like Americans used to eat. read more

They have the best breakfast in the entire world. I love this place so much! I get excited when I get a day off so I can go eat here. Very good prices and amazing food. The service is also very good. It's always the same ladies working and they do an amazing job. Matter of fact I'm about to go there now. read more

My husband and I wanted to have a southern breakfast, but we arrived after 11am, so we settled for lunch instead. I had the crab cakes and they were great. My husband had the fried shrimps and loved them. Chastity was the hostess as well as our server. She was friendly, efficient and quick as lightning. We did get to try their breakfast on our last day there, and were not disappointed!!! We love their sausage gravy and biscuits along with the sausage omelettes. We'll definitely come here again when we're in town. FYI, they close at 2pm. read more

A wonderful country diner with attentive, enthusiastic, and friendly service. A reasonably priced breakfast hit the mark. My granddaughter's kid's meal came with a homemade sausage patty, one egg cooked exactly as requested, and a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake. My wife and I eggs were cooked as requested. As we usually do at breakfast, I ordered the grits snd my wife ordered the pan fried potatoes.... We then share and we both enjoyed both. We also ordered a single biscuit with sausage gravy which plentiful and good--for me it needed a bit of additional pepper. The coffee was hit and top offs and refills were prompt. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. read more

My son and I ate our first meal of the New Year here. I had the special; pan-fried pork cutlet with pepper-cream gravy, greens with vinegar, and pea and boiled egg salad. Washed down with a Dr. Pepper. Chief had the fried chicken with stewed apples and rye toast. The atmosphere and the service are spot-on. The food was very good but not stellar. But I'll be back! read more

Hawksbill Diner - Pan-fried pork cutlet with pepper-cream gravy, greens with vinegar, and pea and boiled egg salad. - Diners Near Me - Stanley, Virginia

An old-time diner filled with locals. The wait staff is very warm and welcoming!! The prices are great and the food is excellent. The specials are well worth the money especially with 1 sides and a roll. On my first visit, I had the pork cutlet with mashed potatoes and Watergate salad (Jello with nuts and mini- marshmallows). The white sauce over the pork and potatoes was plentiful albeit without much seasoning. The salad was cool and refreshing as a quasi-dessert. The second visit was a hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and buttered corn. Again very plentiful and tasty - nothing gourmet but good old diner food. Both meals including an iced tea was under $9! Cash only but there are signs at the front door as a warning. Whenever I'm in Stanley, this is a MUST STOP!! read more

Came here yesterday for dinner with our neighbor and her grandchildren. Have been here many times, and decided to give it a review. Food is always good. Like many of these reviews mention.......seafood may not be their specialty. But then it is a roadside diner. Hamburger steak with onions is very good. Service is always good and very friendly. Kids enjoyed the meal and the jukebox. The inerior is nothing to write home about. It is your typical "diner" decor, however, it adds to the personality of the place and it wouldnt be the same place if i got "redone". Although a bit aged, it is always kept very clean and tidy. I come her every couple of months or so and have never left dissatisfied. When in town, head south on 340 and enjoy a little true Americana!! read more

I took my extended Charlotte family to experience Americana rather than Uptown. Hawksbill was a hit again. If you love a diner, love Hawksbill. Like another local reviewer, part of me wants to keep it secret and sacred. But all should enjoy this lost slice of America. I am lucky to have lived here all my life and lived this life each day. Visitors, enjoy it and take this spirit with you. As well as a belly full of country fried steak. Enjoy!!! read more

We went way out of our way based on so many stellar Yelp reviews, and were so, so sorry. Staff was friendly, food was cheap - otherwise, eewww! The food was barely passable, and nothing near "good." The hamburgers were overcooked and chewy. The french fries resembled McDonald's - but tasted worse (and I hate McDonald's). The "fish and chips" were a dozen little balls of fish - mostly breading - and the chicken nuggets looked like they'd been frozen solid for months. They were more gray than brown. The cole slaw looks like cottage cheese. Is it even made with cabbage? Even the generic "fancy" ketchup was terrible. Far worse was the filth. The walls are covered in things that haven't been dusted in years. The air conditioning vents were so covered in crap, I couldn't tell they were open except for the gushing freeze on my legs. And the bathroom - just YUK. There is some ancient air cleaner thing high on the wall, caked in some kind of red grease. The garbage can is overflowing, and the sink doesn't even sit against the wall. The modern, motion-sensored paper towel dispenser - WAY out of place in this hole - spits its towels straight into the dirty sink. Between the food and the filth, I can't imagine why anyone would choose to eat here. We will never, ever be back. read more

Such a cute little diner. Lots of locals. Great service and food. We went twice in our weekend stay and both times were great.

Nice small diner near Luray Caverns. Great service with tasty food. You'll definitely get your money's worth from this place; I only spent $13 between my girlfriend and me. Would recommend to anyone looking for a bite after spending time exploring the area. read more

We had lunch one day (meatloaf and a rueben) both were very good, uncomplicated dishes. This morning we went back for breakfast (2 omelettes, toast, fried potatoes and 1 side of scrapple, OJ & a hot tea). We ate at the counter and the service was great as was the food. Our breakfast came to $16 we gave her $20. Great down to earth good food. read more

This place is neat to experience. It's the only diner in the entire town of Stanley. The menu is pretty basic as far as a diner. You'll get your burger, and chicken strips but nothing fancy. The wait staff was really great and super personable. Please note, they only take cash but had an ATM if you needed it. read more

This place is great! We drove down for a wedding and didn't want to eat at any of the chain restaurants off the highway, so we were very happy to find the Hawksbill Diner when we finally got to Stanley. I could have easily driven by the place if we hadn't been looking for it. It's definitely popular with the locals, but they're just as warm and friendly as the staff. We both had the hand-cut Rib-eye steak special. I prefer a thicker-cut steak, but you couldn't beat it for the price, especially with a baked potato, salad and veggie included. It was cooked exactly as I ordered it so no complaints here! Everything the folks around us were eating looked great as well. It's too bad we didn't have room for dessert! Others that attended the wedding the next day were also raving about the great prices and service at the Hawksbill Diner. BE ADVISED: They do not take credit cards! I didn't notice the sign until after we ordered. Fortunately, the prices were low enough that I had enough cash, but there is a bank right up the street if you need to hit the ATM. My only disappoint was that I wasn't able to go back for breakfast or lunch! read more

Saw the diner along the way to our weekend getaway and decided to stop for breakfast on Sunday. Wow, the food and the warm, friendly service. It was perfect! Biscuits and sausage gravy was awesome! For GF and I, the great food, fantastic service and welcoming atmosphere was the perfect start to a perfect day read more

The prices have become outrageous! This used to be one of the best places to eat, in our small community. The food is average, at best. I will say the service has always been wonderful. Many customers are greeted by first name, "the regulars." read more

Great atmosphere and wonderful service. We searched for a good breakfast place near Luray and this was worth the 15 minute drive! Cute diner. CASH or CHECK only. Very nice staff and food was great. We were seated quickly on a Friday morning and enjoyed watched "regulars" come and go. read more

We passed this little joint on the way to a nearby BnB in Stanley and thought, hey let's give this place a try. What's funny is the quality of food that came out. I ordered burger steak with gravy and onions and my girlfriend ordered the fried chicken. First of all, that fried chicken was ON POINT. It came out piping out and crispy, well-seasoned, and overall just delicious. My dish, on the other hand, was a pair of lukewarm, overcooked beef burger patties that had been covered in a copious amount of onions and gravy. Thank god for that, because there's no way the patties could have been edible without the gravy. The sides are nothing fancy. We chose canned green beans (meh) and a potato salad (tasty). I do recommend this place at least once though, because it's memorable. It's divey, local, and unpretentious. It's ludicrous how everything is dirt cheap! read more

Delicious. Friendly service. Good price. Me and my boyfriend both got the pork fritter and it was SO good. Will definitely eat here again if we are in the area. read more

You absolutely cannot go wrong with breakfast from the hawksbill diner. The portions are just right, the prices can't be beat. This place is consistently good, no-frills, just down-home country cooking and to top it off the service is great. read more

They had very friendly service and the food was decent. I got the chicken tenders with mashed potatoes and green beans on the side. I could tell the green beans were taken straight from a can so they weren't exceptional when it came to taste but the chicken and mashed potatoes were yummy. Giving it three stars because their chairs were sort of uncomfortable to sit in and I feel like the ambience could have been a bit better. The food was just average but no complaints about it really. Portions were just right! read more

Hawksbill Diner is iconic in Stanley and the greater Page County area. I've been coming here for 12, almost 13 years, and have never been disappointed. The wait staff (Chastity in particular) and management (Debbie, her husband, and their mother) have essentially watched me grow up! Everyone is very friendly- unless you have a bad, uppity attitude, you will fit right in with the locals (who make up most of the patrons here) and enjoy yourself immensely! The food is nothing overly fancy, but it's tasty and you can order a significant amount for a small price. The atmosphere is very lowkey; you dine amongst farmers, labourers, church folks, and families of all shapes and sizes. Once again, this is not the place for people with a bourgeoisie attitude, if you know what I mean. Keep in mind that they only take cash here, so make sure to stop at an ATM beforehand. read more

The food is good and the service was okay but we did bring any cash. BRING CASH. Looked a little run down but over all a nice experience.

Found this diner while in town for my daughters graduation. Breakfast was awesome. You can't beat the prices. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. read more

An awesome local diner! Really good, inexpensive, simple homemade food. They only accept cash - no cards. I will always come here when I'm in the area, I love the food and atmosphere! I also love that it's named after the local creek that happens to run through my family's farm! read more

I'm not going to tackle a review of my diner-style breakfast at the Hawksbill other than to say that the eggs, bacon, etc. breakfast was exactly what I needed and exactly what I expected from this local greasy spoon. Probably a four-star but I'm giving five simply to average out what I see as an unfair attempt on the part of "Elite" reviewer Zachary H to blame the Hawksbill for his own mistake. Let's say you're an Elite reviewer, which I assume, without any research, means that you've reviewed a lot of businesses -- many of those being establishments where food is eaten. So here you are, an experienced eater who has taken on the responsibility for reviewing eating places for others and you find your eliteness out in the mountains of Virginia, an approximately 4 hours' drive and 200 miles from the ocean without accounting for crushing traffic. Why on Earth would you order the seafood platter!? Fried Calamari! Fried Oysters! How can that possibly seem like a good idea? If nothing else, the Hawksbill should be giving HIM one-star for poor judgment. There's a good chance I was there at the same time fellow-reviewer Brian was there this past weekend and he's spot on (he shied away from the frontal attack on Zachary H. for a more "there's some things you just don't order (i.e., seafood)" strategy), but the gist is this: When you look at a menu, you have to know some things are good ideas and some are not. When you're at a more-or-less ramshackle, cash and in-county checks only diner in the middle of rural Virginia, biscuits and gravy are a good idea, Oysters are not. Country ham is a good idea, calamari is not. I suppose he tried to redeem himself with the country-fried steak order (a generally good choice), but by the time you get to that in his review, he's just lost all credibility. Go to the Hawksbill with good judgment and you will not be disappointed. read more