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Jakes Diner - Downtown

4.1 (42 reviews)
Open • 7:00 am - 8:00 pm

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JAKES DINER - DOWNTOWN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Kim G.

I was looking for a quick bite to eat and this was the perfect location. Parking downtown can be tricky and I wound up paying $6 to park in the lot beside Jake's. Our waitress was super friendly and nice. She gave great recommendations and very attentive. I ordered a sausage biscuit with egg. It was ok. The hot chips were really good. The restaurant is very spacious.

Samantha R.

The food was OK, typical diner experience. Our server was amazing, she talked with us brought us our food checked on us several times. Inside was OK, it was clean and organized.

Breakfast or lunch????
Mitchel S.

It was a combination of my last chance to go to a restaurant before this huge snowstorm was about to hit and seeing the many pleas from the local businesses to encourage us to eat downtown since business was on the decline due to the weather. the economy and the post- covid blues. It was also a chance to catch up with Ron and Victoria who I have not had a chance to see for a while. They recommended Jake's Diner downtown, a couple of blocks down from Victoria's studio. Sounded like a plan to me, so I hopped in my car and headed to meet them down on South Elm Street. I am glad we went because there were not many people in the restaurant at all and by the time we left after lunch we were the only ones. I know they appreciated the business, We were promptly seated and the waitress was very helpful and provided excellent service Ron went with breakfast and had eggs and waffles and bacon and Victoria went with a lunch themed hamburger and onion rings. I decided to go Victoria's route and ordered a a hamburger with blue cheese and an order of fries with a diet Coke. Everything came promptly and was tasty. I must say, considering how expensive things are today, I found their prices to be pretty moderate. Plenty of refills on coffee and diet Coke without even having to ask. I liked that! The food was good, the company was wonderful and it's nice to have a breakfast/lunch spot like that downtown. I hope I caught Jake's Diner at an odd time and a pre storm panic because they certainly deserve patrons and to stay alive in downtown Greensboro. They offered us a nice meal at a good price. I even found parking right around the corner! Check them out!!

Turkey club
Josh E.

Food was great for a diner. Solid, but wasn't special. Service was good. It looked like a diner inside, so ambiance was normal. Server charged us for an extra tea by accident. For a diner the food was solid, but the total bill including tip was over $50 for omelet, sandwich, coke, coffee.

Early morning stop
Demetrius A.

I was in the area pretty early running errands and hadn't been inside this location yet and decided to stop. I have dined at the Wendover location but this one is closer. This space has a bar area and of course a dining area for couples and groups as well. Once you enter there is a sign that encourages you to seat yourself. It only took a moment for a staff member to greet me at the bar once I selected a seat. I placed an order to-go and enjoyed the Christmas decorations and vibes throughout. I enjoyed sitting at the bar, dangling my feet and taking in the place. I also greeted a few diners enjoying their meals. There were even fire place sounds playing in the background, which put me in the holiday spirit! It was a nice and calm morning. The stools at the bar seemed to give enough space to enjoy a meal without being crowded. From what I could see, they do offer a limited selection of alcoholic beverages. I ordered a breakfast of grits, scrambled eggs, turkey sausage and a biscuit. Within a few minutes, I was given my items and set to go. I don't live far and the meal was still warm when I got home and the packaging was organized. They added napkins and plastic silverware in the bag, as well as butter. The grits didn't have any salt or extras so I added my own along with butter and that did the trick. I appreciate the consistency of the grits and the eggs were scrambled nicely. Happy that they had the option for turkey sausage. It was tasty. I'd say this was a quick and budget friendly breakfast choice.

Billie E.

I have no clue why I am the only person sitting here eating breakfast, but I am. Prices are awesome, menu is varied, my waitress is efficient and friendly and the kitchen had my breakfast out in under 5 minutes. I don't know what it's like if it's ever busy, but 5 minutes is pretty quick. So if you're ever poking around on South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, give this place some love!!

Pancake
Christa F.

Jake's never disappoints! My breakfast is always cooked the way I like, comes out hot and fresh, & the staff are always very friendly. I'm always fortunate to find a parking spot nearby and it's large enough to find seating inside no matter how busy they are. Coffee always flows and the place is kept clean. Price is decent by comparison of other breakfast spots nearby where the portions don't match the cost so this will remain one of my preferred options.

Menu, Dec 2024
Erik S.

The downtown location of Jake's Diner is the latest iteration of this area-wide basic diner chain. It moved into a spot that has never really had much in it, maybe a lawyer's office or similar. Generally, it's a place you could easily miss just driving by. But they do serve the kind of food you'd expect to find in your typical American diner, breakfast all-day, simple sandwiches, burgers, etc. When the downtown location opened, I assumed they would be open late to serve some of the late night munchies crowd, but that is not the case. They are open until 8pm, even on Friday or Saturday night. We came in because we needed a downtown breakfast place, and Chez Genese across the street had a long wait, which is typical for them. This is definitely very different quality food, but we knew that, we didn't expect something amazing. We were sat right away, which was great, however our service throughout was not good. The waitress seemed overwhelmed, but the restaurant was staffed appropriately. We saw her wasting a lot of time talking, and even when she would walk by us, did not often look our way. At one point, I helped myself to my own tea refill. The food we got was basic. It all needed some kind of seasoning, and I don't think it's unfair to say that most of it was pre-prepared other than eggs and pancakes. It would be nice if there were some kind of signature item that could distinguish itself, but I don't think that's the goal here. It's simply a place to get fed. All told, there are much better options around. If we didn't need the convenience of it being downtown, we probably would go elsewhere.

Brandy B.

This was our first time to the downtown location. Typical diner feel - no bells and whistles - serving basic breakfast staples. Not sure if it's what we ordered this time but we thought the food was better here than at the one on battleground. We got omelets - the Philly steak and veggie ". We also got an order of french toast - delicious! Our service was exceptional and breakfast hit the spot. My only real gripe is there is no fresh fruit.

Breakfast plate- with bacon and a home fries substitute
Marie P.

Inexpensive and tasty diner food. Jake's is a chain and this location is new to Greensboro. I think it fills a huge need because the late night bar crowd needs easy access to affordable food nearby. A downside is that the parking is extremely limited and it is paid parking. We went at 2pm on a Saturday and it was pretty dead. Service was quick and friendly. I opted for a breakfast plate with eggs, bacon, a biscuit, and home fries. The home fries were a substitution. They layout substitution surcharges very clearly on the menu. The bacon was good quality and the biscuit was flaky. The cooked my eggs perfectly, but the egg quality seemed pretty average (not farm fresh or particularly tasty). The home fries were nice! Overall, I liked my meal here. Having a Greensboro Jake's location is a welcome addition to the downtown scene in my book!

Tomato soup and homemade chicken noodle soup
Leah W.

Jake's Dinner downtown was such an unexpected surprise! We were looking for a 1:30 pm late lunch and so many of our favorite brunch restaurants were closing at 2pm. We saw Jake's diner was open and gave it a try. I haven't been to any Jake's location in 10 yrs. We were so impressed by the decor! This location was super hip and updated! Not a diner vibe at all until we got to the menu. It is the classic diner menu with everything from eggs to sandwiches. My friend got the homemade chicken noodle soup and I got the tomato soup to start. The server was incredible! She was not only helpful, but she was fun, funny, and checked on us the perfect amount. She gave her honest opinions when asked about the items on the menu. She said it's all delicious! The price was very affordable! Everything was delicious. I absolutely will be back!

Nikita P.

I got the chance to try out the new Jake's downtown location a couple weeks ago. My mom and I stopped in for a quick breakfast before running some errands. I would first like to say this location is so nice! The decor and facilities are all very neat and clean. The food was the typical breakfast diner fare. A bit greasy but overall good. The service was good and the waitresses all seem to be busy yet attentive. There was no wait the day we went in which was a major plus for us. Parking in the area can be a bit tricky but there is a pay to park area right beside the restaurant that is pretty reasonable for a couple hours. We would definitely visit this location again. They also have a lot of space in rooms right off the dining area that look to accommodate groups. So that would be great for a group breakfast.

Bar
Matthew K.

Katie at the bar did a fabulous job at taking care of me. I got the breakfast platter and it did not disappoint. The gravy and the biscuit was awesome. They have mimosas and all sorts of desserts like homemade cheesecake. The bacon came out crispy just like I ordered and the friendly service was amazing. This is a family owned "chain" with multiple locations in Greensboro. The parking downtown can be challenging but if you're from here you'll figure it out. Parallel parking on the street was the way for me. The interior is clean with high vaulted ceilings and extremely welcoming. The bar has 2 big screen TVs with one channel on the news while the other had sports. Coffee hot, eggs over easy, grits were bomb and everything was wonderful. I highly recommend you go here if you're in the vicinity. Cheers

Grilled Buffalo chicken wrap

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

One of our favorite food spots after floating on the Dan River! Sammi is awesome

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Blue Plate Special is usually a solid choice for lunch. Breakfast is okay, but not great.

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2 years ago

Awful undercooked cheap food. Slow service. Not worth it. Came alone at 1 pm and got my food at 1:37 pm. First and last time I come.

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Scrambled Southern Diner - Chicken Little with Hash Browns Delicious I couldn't eat it all but couldn't leave it behind. Heated up perfectly in the air fryer.

Scrambled Southern Diner

4.3(1.4k reviews)
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I love a good breakfast spot, and Scrambled Southern Diner is one of my favorites. We went early,…read moreknowing they get busy, which can lead to parking issues or a wait. The coffee was hot and constantly refilled, the portions were generous, and the service was friendly in a laid-back environment. I have a hard time resisting traditional eggs Benedict, so that is what I ordered. My partner had the pork loin with eggs and a side of grits. Neither of us was disappointed. This is exactly the kind of breakfast place I enjoy -- good food, generous portions, and a welcoming atmosphere.

TikTok led us to this cute brunch spot in Greensboro, NC!! The decor was modern but simplistic,…read morevery comfy! The waiter was very polite and friendly, he made sure we had what we needed and answered any questions we had about the menu and food choices. The food was delicious! My niece and cousin had the pancake, they were the size of the plate and quite tasty! My other niece had the crab cake sandwich, she said it was good but the fruit was plated on the same plate so it was warm which was not appealing to her so she didn't eat it. I had the French toast platter with the fried chicken. The French toast was pretty good but the bread used was pretty flat but it was tasty and the chicken was overcooked, there was some black spots from being fried too long. The hit at our table was the cheesy grits, very cheesy and flavorful. We'd definitely go back to try other things on the very extensive menu!!

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Scrambled Southern Diner - *WAFFLE, PANCAKE or FRENCH TOAST PLATTER delicious!

*WAFFLE, PANCAKE or FRENCH TOAST PLATTER delicious!

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Jakes Diner - Chef Salad w/ Turkey

Jakes Diner

3.3(60 reviews)
3.8 mi
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Solid diner food, and great service. The staff is always kind. I love their new rewards program…read morethey rolled out in the last few months. It's really easy to earn points for discounts. Shout out to Carol!

I normally don't give 3s. Even a bad experience can get four if the service is on point. In this…read morecase it wasn't. Sorry, Jasmine. I watched you cater to 3 other tables and pretty much ignore us. To be fair, I've eaten at Jake's on Wendover a few times. I knew the type of food. It's always been excellent. We arrive. The white lady with the high pony tail says "sit anywhere that's clean. Cool. Didn't get her name. I will call her P. All the small booths on the perimeter were full. We take the large booth in the back corner. The tables in the center were six tops. That booth wasn't clean clean. 50-11 crumbs in the chair. I wipe them off. We wait. No menus brought. One of the expediters walks by. Didn't even stop . A four top arrives. P is at their table in 2.5 seconds with menus and cutlery. Well dayum. Why don't we have anything? We see our waitress waiting on the table next to us. She takes the orders of the two older gentlemen making small talk even. No worries. What she did next should have told me how this whole experience was going to go. She brought the menus from their table to our table. Ummmmm, I don't know what cruds they could have had. Then asked what we wanted to drink. Ma'am! We just got menus. She returns with our water. Asks if we are ready to order. Ma'am' we just got these menus. We place our orders. I ask her name. Like you rolled up on us and didn't even introduce yourself. Jasmine takes our order. Food comes out faster than expected. Great! That's where it begins to go downhill. Jasmine never brought cutlery to our table. We had to ask and wait longer than I think it should have taken. Mind you I saw how P was working her table. Jasmine checked on the gentlemen several times. A family sat at a table on the other side of them. She was speedy with their service. More on that later. The gentlemen leave. Mind you Jasmine hasn't come back to our table at all. Wait once after we got all our food. That's how we go cutlery. I've drank my glass of Diet Pepsi. Would be nice to get a refill. She comes back with a wet rag to wipe off the table where the gentleman sat THEN asks if we need anything. I ask for a Diet Pepsi refill. Bae is in the bathroom and I let her know that he wasn't satisfied with his meal. She just looked like "oh, okay". No server should ever want to hear this. We did not ask for a manager. Meanwhile across the restaurant P has already served and turned that four top. Recall they were sat after us. As I continued to look around other tables were getting soda refills. AND I saw piping hot food delivered. Bae's eggs weren't piping hot. I mean "steam" was coming off these other plates. Bae came back to the table as I was telling Jasmine he wasn't happy with his food. We went there for French toast. He ate one piece. Half his eggs and half his potatoes. He asked for the check. This is after I'd asked for my refill. So I asked again. Jasmine brings out all the food for that family's table. She even brings. An extra plate. Looks over and must have remembered our requests. In the time she went to get an extra plate I could have had a soda refill which I really wanted to drink my soda in the restaurant as I finished my meal. She instead brings it in a to go cup. Fine but had she been more attentive I would have had a refill at the table. Enough about the mid level service. In case you're wondering Bae did tip her 15%. His food did not arrive piping hot. I didn't get a refill. We had to ask for cutlery and watch everyone else around us get better service even those in our section. No, the restaurant wasn't packed but patrons steadily flowed in. We shouldn't have been there for as long as we were. The food? Not terrible except the meat to bread ratio in the patty melt (see photo). Thin party. It was very tasty. I enjoy a good patty melt don't expect the meat to be that thin. The grits? Ouch! Not a lick of salt in the cooking liquid. If you do have salt in the water, please double it. Once I added salt they tasted fine. Bae didn't complain about the coffee so I will say that was fine. Bae says we're not going back to this location. Which is disappointing since it's a short drive and one of few places that serves regular degular French toast. I knew Jake's on Wendover and Downtown would be packed due to GHOE. The Battleground location was busy and getting overflow from the place up the street from them where we went first so we didn't stop there. As we were leaving Jasmine was already talking to the new patrons at the table where those gentleman were sitting. They hadn't been there two minutes whereas we easily waited five minutes before being acknowledged. I'm not saying don't go to Jake's. By all means give them a shot. They have been a Greensboro staple for decades! Our experience this time was less than 4 stars. That's all.

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Jakes Diner - Saturday Brunch

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Jakes Diner - Kids eat free on Wednesdays!! 12/07/2025

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The Breakfast Spot - Waffle Slider Plate Side of Potatoes

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4.0(78 reviews)
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We gave The Breakfast Spot another try after some friends encouraged us to revisit, and I'm glad we…read moredid! We ordered our food to go, but the atmosphere inside was nice when we stopped in to pick it up. Our previous frustration wasn't necessarily bad food--it was inconsistency. We'd experienced unanswered calls, calls answered without anyone speaking, and trips there only to find nobody there. That had kept us from returning for a while. This time, my son loved his waffle sliders and gave them a 10/10. My shrimp and grits were also a 10/10! They were flavorful and easily the highlight of my meal. My husband enjoyed his three-piece wings and bacon, egg and cheese biscuit. The biscuit earned an 8/10, although he wished there was more filling to balance the amount of bread. I ordered a strawberry shortcake waffle but received a strawberry waffle with strawberries and strawberry syrup instead. That was disappointing, and I passed it to another family member, who enjoyed it. We landed on a 7.5/10 for that one, factoring in the order mix-up. Overall, this was a much better experience and gave us a reason to return. I hope the consistency continues because those shrimp and grits and waffle sliders were worth another visit!

Food was great came out hot and fast , customer service was on point, ambiance is just right…read moreplaying nice R&B music . Love this spot it's always a 10/10

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Pryme - Cauliflower

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4.5(79 reviews)
0.4 mi•Downtown

09.2026 This was my…read morefirst time here; it did not disappoint! Such a friendly and inviting ambiance as soon as you step in. A beautiful atmosphere that you can relax and converse in. The server, Edith, was quite helpful in assisting me in choosing a dish. I was very sad that the lobster dip was out of stock but the lobster flatbread was delish From the ribeye to the brussel sprouts all was cooked to perfection! However, I will say don't think this is some cheap place because it is not! The food is worth the price! I highly recommend!

I think I have a new local favorite! Last night I went to Pryme and they have a forever customer…read more The food was amazing! The service was great! The ambiance was beautiful! I had two drinks, the Wakanda & the Sweet Tart! 10/10 For appetizer we got the fried oysters which was also seasoned to perfection and I loved the remoulade sauce. For dinner I got the snapper which came with a salsa, a coleslaw and jasmine rice & the remoulade sauce. Everything was delicious. 20/10. Even though the salsa looked a little questionable it was delicious. The food was seasoned very well. We had Rita as our server and she was very patient with us as well as super informative of some of her favorite items. We were celebrating a birthday so the host was very kind and took photos of us. I had an amazing time and I'm looking forward to trying Brunch and Happy Hour!

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Some of the decor

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Jakes Diner - Downtown - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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