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    Jay's Diner

    3.1 (306 reviews)
    InexpensiveAmerican, Diners
    Closed • 6:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Jay's Diner Photos

    Business Info

    JAY'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Jay's Diner

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    Menu
    Jen R.

    I've given this place a few more chances. The first time went smooth. The attitude of the servers, the way the food was tossed on the table and the fact the fries were cold granted they gave us more. The pita was hard... food is maybe a 3 but.... That's all I got better diners around

    Entrance.
    Tj A.

    This place is an institution, and the staff are absolutely perfect at their jobs. Old school diners with old school food and great service are so rare & Jay's is keeping the past alive. You won't regret your visit here.

    J S.

    This place has obviously seen better days. We are new to the Rochester area and love diners. Decided to go here instead of the Highland Park diner, which is closed for the holidays. I ordered a simple breakfast: 2 eggs, has browns, and pancakes. The eggs were ok, but the "hash browns" were obviously store bought and deep fried, in grease that tasted like it hadn't been changed since 1977. The pancakes were dry and gritty, with a vegetable oil based butter substitute to put on the pancakes. The syrup came out of a plastic bottle that's mainly used for ketchup and mustard. The atmosphere is definitely low key, with regulars that seem "interesting". As I sat eating my meal, a kitchen worker came out and cackled at me as he walked past, adding to the strange atmosphere. I might be a diner snob, but the experience here was a huge disappointment. It's kind of hard to mess up a basic breakfast. I kept thinking of what Gordon Ramsey would say about this place. Not going back unless he comes here to fix it up. One positive: my waitress (Nicole) was great.

    Greek Salad
    Kelly K.

    A friend and went here for dinner last night. I hadn't been to Jay's in years. The service is the only thing I could honestly compliment. We were seated and Rutheve was our server. She was great. I ordered a Greek salad with steak done medium rare. I could barely chew the "steak" it was thin and leathery like rawhide. The server even noticed and offered to replace it with chicken. One bite and anyone could tell that was some random frozen piece of something. The Naan bread was okay and I found it odd that we were asked if we wanted free refills on our drinks... and then told they were in fact, not free. The ambiance is your typical diner style place, but it didn't appear clean and I'm not so sure I would return for a dinner service.

    Four eggs with cheese, scrambled with sausage and hash browns
    Madeline W.

    I have been to Jay's Diner a few times in the past. We were greeted and seated quickly. Our waitress was very nice and took our order immediately. My husband ordered four eggs, had browns and sausage, and I had the pecan waffle. The food was hot when delivered, but my husband said his eggs were scrambled hard, but he ate them anyway. My pecan waffle was nice and light and loaded with pecans. I was somewhat disappointed in the coffee as it was very watered down, barely any coffee taste! Just a side note. ..the restrooms were not very clean, and the waitresses were spraying cleaning solutions on surrounding tables while customers were eating! ‍ Can I suggest they spray the cloth in the back and then wipe down the tables?

    Veggie Omelette with Hash Brown and side of bacon with whole wheat toast
    Yajaira R.

    Such a great dinner! The last time I came here I was in college and it brought back all of those fun memories. They seated our group quickly and the staff was super friendly and fast with their service !! I ordered the Veggie Omelette with Hash Brown, and a side of bacon with whole wheat toast. This was delicious and I ate it all. Carrot cake - was super moist and tasty. I had them warm up the cake and it was sooo good.

    Hot Meatloaf Sandwich
    pantea T.

    This is a very old American diner with a very nostalgic interior design, which I love And most of the time it's actually pretty crowded specially for breakfast .However, the service is actually good The food portion is good, but unfortunately, most of the time it's very greasy so you can't really enjoy the taste but the vibe of the place is awesome so I went there a couple of times In general, I feel like if you're American, you would really enjoy this place .

    Inside
    Tim S.

    Like a typical NJ diner in Rochester NY. Busy, loud, scratch made food. Parking lot full and all tables packed. Sarah was dress like a witch for the holiday season and used her broomstick to service her patrons. The kid bussing tables was into his job; covered in food and shirt soaked with water and juice.

    a pancake and a cup of coffee

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    6 months ago

    Friendly service. Good food and opens at 6AM! Very well maintained and decor is traditional and well maintained. We'll be back

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    3 months ago

    It's been a number of years since I've ordered Jay's diner's clamp Chowder. Double the price, half the clans. Very​ diappointing.​

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    4 months ago

    10/10 or 5/5, good food, great service, clean diner, and if you get lucky you'll have a cute waitress

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful, old school diner. Good fun feel and decent menu options. I would come back

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Very cool diner close to RIT. Took my son there for lunch. Service and food were great. We plan to go back again for sure.

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    5 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Jay's Diner

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    We came here twice on a 4 day visit, and would probably return if/when we come back to Rochester…read more It's a pretty standard diner, good breakfast, fast service, and non-stop coffee refills. There is someone just circling constantly with a pot. This is a cash only establishment, so be advised. There is an ATM. We did go at slightly off peak times, since we weren't working those days, but at those times, the restaurant seems to be a favorite of retired men, which is a good sign for a diner! They have a set menu and a specials board that I think changes daily. There's 2 full pages of breakfast, and at least 2 pages of lunch, plus the board. I'm sure you'll find something you like. I had the same thing both visits - a cheese omelet with hashbrowns and wheat toast. It was really cheesy, and I liked that it was a 2 egg omelet rather than 3, for me it was just the right size. We also split a piece of the rotating coffee cake, cinnamon walnut that day, and it was good - not too sweet, plenty of cinnamon. The guy had their 2-2-2 combo and was happy with that choice. For both of us, breakfast ran about $35, for 2 entrees and coffee, plus the cake.

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    My daughter is having surgery and we found this diner to get a bite, and wait. What a pleasant…read moresurprise this place was! The food was fabulous, the homefries were perfect, and our waitress, Erica, was amazing. The prices were very reasonable too. I definitely recommend this diner, it's walking distance from the hospital and close enough to feel comfortable that you're not too far from your loved one. One of the best diner experiences I've had.

    I stopped by Mr. Hope Diner for breakfast, mainly because it's one of the few places open at 6:00…read morea.m. If you're looking for an early breakfast, it's definitely a convenient option. I ordered the eggs, grits, and steak. The eggs and grits were good, but the steak was disappointing. It lacked seasoning and flavor, so I ended up adding A1 sauce just to make it enjoyable. The staff was wonderful very friendly, attentive, and quick to check on us, which made the experience much better. One area that could use improvement is the restroom, as it wasn't very clean during my visit. I also found the environment to be a little too loud for so early in the morning. I was hoping for a quieter, more relaxing breakfast. Overall, I'd come back if I needed breakfast that early, but if I have other options later in the morning, this probably wouldn't be my first choice. The great service is definitely the highlight here.

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    I finally checked out this diner and had a great experience. It clearly has a loyal group of…read moreregulars, and the staff was very friendly. The inside is light and bright, with tables, booths, and counter seating. Another plus is the convenient parking both in the back and on the street. A definite plus! They offer all the diner favorites. I had the ham and eggs with toast and home fries. Everything was tasty, though I wish the home fries had been a little hotter, and the dish needed a bit of salt. The hollandaise sauce tasted fresh, and the coffee was quite good. My friend ordered the Eggs in a Basket, which came with eggs, cheese, bacon, hollandaise sauce, and home fries, and she said it was tasty. I'm sure this place gets quite busy on other days since it's down the street from Highland Park Diner, but when we visited on a Tuesday morning it was pretty chill. . Give it a try, I'll definitely be back.

    South Wedge Diner is a my favorite type of Roc City gem - it has a parking lot! There is plentiful…read moreseating and a counter. I like their menu because they have interesting breakfast items like raspberry almond French toast and a pizza omelet in addition to more traditional items. The raspberry almond French toast came with a little container of raspberry sauce and the toast was filled with almonds. It was really good, I would get this again. There was enough left over to take some home for lunch. I got a side of grits which were good and not runny. The coffee was just okay and very hot. The staff is friendly, prices are reasonable. Bathrooms are down a flight of stairs. Great place for breakfast!

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    Sirloin steak salad. First time trying......fresh,crisp and tastey

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    Jay's Diner - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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