Let me preface this review by saying I haven't been back to Lake Effect Diner since 2016!The aesthetic of the diner is extremely nostalgic, from the decor to the booths and the counter. I've came here for breakfast and dinner in the past and have had mixed experiences. Last night we revisited Lake Effect for a classic breakfast for dinner since they serve breakfast all day. We were seated promptly by a kind waitress who brought us over waters, menus and their specials. At first glance, I noticed that the menu options have gone up in price since my last visit and extra charges have been added to different items. I appreciate they'll sub egg whites! We both ordered the Stack from Scratch pancakes - plain and chocolate strawberry. It was a little pricey for three pancakes (Regular - $9, chocolate strawberry - $12). We waited quite a bit for our food, but were able to catch up and order a strawberry milkshake. The milkshake came in a plastic Pepsi glass and had real strawberry chunks in it - super cool- after all it's a staple diner item. It was good, great consistency! When our pancakes arrived to our table, we got regular table syrup. The syrup was definitely watered down or had something added to it (I've bought Dollar Tree syrup with a thicker consistency). Our pancakes looked delicious! We snapped a few pics and had a few bites. As someone who is sensitive to other foods- I noticed immediately that my pancakes tasted like onion/meat potentially from the grill not being cleaned after past use. The pancakes are more of a bitter taste, potentially made with sour cream, and were buttery greasy. It was hard to eat the whole stack. I felt a little sick after eating them and only got through maybe half the stack before feeling nauseous. Later that night I did end up getting sick (did not eat anything else) from the pancakes. In the past, I've ordered their wraps and chicken wings which are yummy and subpar. This is the first time I've ordered a disappointing breakfast. read more

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I wrote a review before on the first time I was here, since then I have been back about 8 or 9 times and have always had great food, so I'm not sure what these negative reviews are about? Perhaps some jealous near by restaurants! I came in here this morning with my Partner, who has never been here before. I once again ordered the ham and eggs and scarfed it down so fast! Delish! My Partner had the French toast and love it too. As I was finishing up, I heard the cook say to one of the waitress something about "The other order with the French toast" My ears perked up for a moment and then I said, there's a dozen people in here, I'm sure other people are having French toast too. No soon did I think that when the waitress appeared at our table with a plate- and I do mean PLATE of ham saying- They just sliced more ham back there and the cook felt your portion of ham was rather light so he wants you to have this. I was literally stunned, so was my boyfriend. I was shocked and said to the waitress - are you kidding me? I am stuffed beyond belief! Without missing a beat she said No Problem I'll wrap it up and you take it home. I am 62 years old I have NEVER had a restaurant do this in my life! I just opened the box now at lunch time and made myself a huge ham sandwich! I tell you I'd give this place 100 stars if I could! They definitely have my vote and my heart! THANK YOU! read more

Lake Effect Diner looks awesome from the outside, pretty cool on the inside, and is a place I've wanted to go for at least the last 2 years. I made my first ever stop to this diner over the weekend and it was pretty darn disappointing. The place wasn't too packed when we got here and the staff was pretty friendly throughout our stay. I was pretty excited to try the vegan meatloaf and mashed potatoes and boy oh boy did it not live up to the hype I set in my own head. The meatloaf itself (although not great) was tolerable.....what was my problem then? Well, I'm the description for the meatloaf it states "tangy tomato brown sugar glaze". Now, that sounds pretty good right? What they actually meant to say was it was covered in ketchup, because that's the only thing it tasted like. The taste of ketchup slathered on top of the meatloaf was so overwhelming that it absolutely ruined the meal and instead I just ate half of my girlfriend turkey club sandwich (which was pretty good actually). I'm not saying everything at Lake Effect Diner would of disappoint me the way the vegan meatloaf did, but it is what it is. I will come back in the future to give something else on the menu a shot but it certainly won't be what I ordered this time, and unless you like food covered in ketchup, I suggest you do the same. read more

Lake Effect Diner - No......just no. - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Such a great place! Sergio and his staff were amazing! I can't wait to come back here. This is a Buffalo staple. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Beef on Weck Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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We were in Buffalo, NY and were looking for a diner for a quick bite to eat before getting on the road back to the Hudson Valley. We stopped in here based on the first couple of reviews we read. We should have read further. When we walked in, we were told there was a half hour wait for a booth or counter seat. We asked why the four counter seats on the left side were empty and were told the patrons for those seats are waiting in their cars (why are they in their cars and not in the seats?) We waited outside for a half hour and got a call to come in for our table. It took us all of one minute to get in and the waitress we encountered first said that she called my wife's phone and received no answer. When my wife said that she just spoke to someone, the story changed and we were told she called two people at once and the other couple were standing by the register. The waitress said it would be another ten minutes if we wanted to wait at the counter so we waited another ten minutes. Strike One against this place. My wife asked for iced tea with Splenda, but was told all they had was sugar and a pink saccharine substitute (what eating establishment has only sugar and pink sweeteners; EVERY other place I have ever been to has at least yellow or blue, if not both). My wife then asked for iced coffee. She was told there was only enough for a small glass and my wife said that was okay. Less than five minutes later, the waitress came back and said that the coffee was given to someone else. No apology, just an explanation: 'We are short staffed and it is Sunday'. Strike Two. We put in our order (scrambled eggs and turkey sausage with a bagel; Greek Omelette with French toast) We were then seated at a booth and waited more than 45 minutes before our food arrived. My scrambled eggs were loose, the turkey sausage was overdone and tasted 'off' and the home-fries were greasy. My wife's 'Greek' omelet (which didn't really look like it) was over cooked and dry with a miserly amount of feta cheese sprinkled on top. The 'French' toast looked more like French bread cut into slices, browned on both ends, sprinkled with powdered sugar with a scoop of butter on one slice and a scoop of something unknown on the other (margarine? sour cream?) Neither slice was cooked in the middle and it tasted like underdone toast.  When my wife complained to our server, she said 'We are short staffed and it is Sunday'. She offered to redo my wife's order, but I said we don't have another 45 minutes to wait. Her response was 'We are short staffed and it is Sunday' and again said all she could do was remake my wife's order. Strike Three and we are out. As we were leaving, my wife asked the waitress we encountered upon entry how hard is it to make iced coffee? Ice and coffee.  The waitress said we were very rude.  No, the service at Lake Effect Diner was rude.  The attitude of the staff was rude.  The food was rude. And it was not an inexpensive meal. They keep trumpeting that Guy Fieri stopped in here for 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives', but I have to agree with another reviewer: they must have hired a chef specifically for Guy's visit and then let him go afterwards. I have every intention of warning off our Buffalo family and friends from this 'diner'. read more

I ordered food here and it took forever to come out. "Lag Effect Diner." But their Ham w/Redeye Gravy is so good, it makes me feel like a really sexy, show-offy gym rat. "Lunk Effect Diner." However, after eating here I kept walking under ladders and breaking mirrors. "Luck Effect Diner." I also noticed the Colts kept losing after I ate here. Which was awesome. However some creepy guy followed me home after I ate here. "Lurk Effect Diner." And I've heard that all males should learn how to eat here, and most females tend to really enjoy it. "Lick Effect Diner." Get: Ham w/ Redeye Gravy, Garlic Mash, Griddled Mac N Cheese, and a Milkshake. (all very expensive, you've been warned) What else: Missy might be next door so there's that. Ooh. What else: Owned by Tucker Curtin, also owns "The Steer", something WNYers should learn to do. I tend not to like "trendy" diners with "innovative" menus and (sorry) usually young chefs usually don't do it for me. Not sure why. Middle Aged and Older chefs and owners tend to really impress me more (though not always). Well this place totally breaks my stereotypes. It's a fancier diner (not by looks, but by menu, quality and innovation) than any other Buffalo diner, but it's also unspeakably delicious. And the owners are young, a young couple actually... but they've done an amazing job and they really know what they are doing. In fact if you order what I recommended above, it's one of Buffalo's best dishes. The prices are kind of up there, but that's understandable since the food is much better than "standard diner fare", and it's in the City of Buffalo, in the fancy part of Main Street by the University of Buffalo South Campus. It's open pretty late... I liked it much better when it was open 24 hours back in the day, but that's okay. Times are hard and it's depressing that Denny's gets to be open 24 7 but this place doesn't. I tried the Smoked Ham with Red Eye Gravy because it's famous and all made in-house (and of course D D & D told me to try this dish, haha!). It was absolutely delicious. It now costs more than 15 dollars (ughh) which is ridiculous, even though the portion is huge, but it really is so worth it people. Every bite was delicious, I mean *off-the-charts* delicious, like, one of the best diner meals you'll ever eat, that good... and the garlic mashed potatoes were unique and original... and some of the best I've had. Full marks go to the milkshakes. This place is famous for its shakes and a lot of people come in just for shakes. I tried the coffee and I didn't like it, but the chocolate shake is fantastic, and one of the tastiest ones in town. I need to go back and get another one soon because I miss the deliciousness of this shake. You can go on Tuesday (I think?) for 2-for-1 milkshakes, which you will need because they are also *very* overpriced, maybe $6 for a shake, or more. But so good. Delectable and yummy. Buffalo does great shakes anyway, and none moreso than this one. In other news, I've been told that I speak (and write) in boring monotone. Maybe I should try and sort it out by eating at the "Lack Affect Diner." So to summarize. Horrifically overpriced. But the ham w/redeye gravy and the choc shake are 2 of the best things anywhere in WNY, so it's worth making the splurge to see if you love them as much as I do. A lot of people are disappointed by this diner, and I think it's because they're rating based on the service (which is often awful, but sometimes great), or the cleanliness (ok), or ordering the wrong things (shakes other than chocolate might be iffy, dishes other than the one I said, I can't attest to). Ricki Lake once announced that this was her favourite "silver box car diner" in the USA. Immediately, daytime TV fanatics and addicts from places like Salina, Kansas and Winslow, Arizona and Covington, Kentucky, began flocking to this diner. The owners decided this was due to the "Ricki Lake Effect", and so they named it as an homage to her. I've always thought Ricki Lake was kind of cute. Please don't tell anyone I said that. It's like saying Oprah is cute. Or Maury. Ugh ugh ugh. Speaking of which, I have this friend who is a porn star, and she taped herself doing it with Jerry Springer in a Chicago hotel room. I'm not even kidding. But this has nothing to do with this review. At all. And none of you want to hear about that. Food is much more important than my adult entertainment friends. So on with the show. But seriously. Horrrrrrrrible prices. Ew ew ew. Nevertheless, it's perhaps the best diner in the city. Buffalo Joe's is cheaper, friendlier, better all round, and a lot of the Greek places are better at doing Greek and Souvlaki... but is there a better dish than the Ham here? I can't imagine it. No wonder Ricki Lake loves this place so damn f***ing much. But if it were 50% cheaper, I'd come here 10 times more often, and they'd make 5 times as much money off me. Now I have to go draw the Curtins before I Tucker into my lunch. read more

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This is a breakfast wonderland. The staff was super friendly. It certainly gave a nostalgic twist on a diner and lived up to my expectations with the food! Don't forget to order the fresh OJ because it's soooo good and cuz why not? read more

Lake Effect Diner - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

French Toast, Fresh Squeezed OJ and Milkshakes.... Oh My! This is the type of place you go to and don't make any plans afterwards; having the itis upon leaving is pretty standard. You can get breakfast, lunch and dinner any time any day. Want a burger at 8 am no problem! They play an array of music MJ, Brittney, Rap, Alternative and house music. There is also a small TV behind the counter if you want to catch the morning news. I love coming here for breakfast. They have their own twist on the 222. The 3-3-3 is 3 eggs, meat of your choice, and 3 pancakes or toast ($9.00). My favorite part about this place so far is the fact that everything is homemade. The orange juice is freshly squeezed, the butter is maple flavored and made in house and so is the jam (try the grape jelly!!). I've also had a chicken souvlaki so far and it was pretty good. Plenty of feta cheese and chicken. If you order your eggs scrambled they'll make them omelette style (not complaining over here). I left happy and full and had leftovers to take home. I highly suggest camping outside if your expecting to get a table 2.5 seconds after arriving. There's usually a line out the door when I pull up, like through the hallway and down the stoop. With that being said as soon as I step out of the car I always put on my battle face so I can snag my spot at the counter to avoid a long wait time like a pro should. But hey if you absolutely need a table be prepared to wait... read more

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We got to this place and we were told it was about a 35 minute wait, no problem so we put our names in. An hour later I checked in and they said it would probably be another 35 minutes. I understand it's Saturday morning and during covid and limited seating but I still don't think this was ok to do to someone. If you are running that far behind you need to let people know. Or if it was that long from the beginning you need to be honest and people can make their decision based on more accurate information. It was also upsetting because there were multiple tables where people had recently eaten that were left sitting with dirty dishes and the check for 20 minutes that could have been cleared off for the next group to move the line along. I'm pregnant, I am not going to wait in my car for two hours for you to maybe someday have a table ready. Unbelievable. read more

Ok so if I could give a separated review I would Food: 5/5 stars! I took a bite of everyone's food and it was soo good!! The only reason I would deduct stars is because the building is very warm due to its design and not shades on any of the windows. I would highly suggest they get some sort of shades for the windows so the patrons aren't sitting in direct sunlight roasting while eating. The bathroom soap is very very liquidy like it was watered down yet it was cooler in the bathroom compared to the rest of the building. Very mixed review I know but the food was GREAT LOL Pictured below! Menu BLT Kids Mickey Mouse Pancake cheeseburger corn beef sandwhich read more

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Great tasty food at reasonable prices. Nice parking lot and comfortable indoor seating.

Dislike...there are so many amazing places to eat in WNY and this is not one of them. I ordered breakfast and is just was not good. Cheap syrup and the place felt dirty. Please close and leave Lake Effect Ice Cream alone...they are amazing! You not so much. read more

I've heard of great food in Buffalo and had been to a few spots. I was excited to try this place because diner food is (usually) always good, especially when you're hungover. I got the veggs benedict and oh my goodness was it delicious! the vegan hollandaise was on point. the bacon was delicious and flavorful. the tofu scramble was also amazing. I was overall impressed with the quality and taste of the food. I tried to order the chocolate almond milk, but the server informed me that the chocolate sauce isn't vegan. Suggestion: Majority chocolate sauces are vegan so get it together Lake Effect! Besides that, great food and service. Comfortable atmosphere. I'll definitely be returning to try other vegan options in the future. read more

Lake Effect Diner - veggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Love this place! It was quite busy when we came for brunch but we were able to get seated after about 20 minutes and all covid protocol was being followed. I ordered the Eggs Chesapeake and it was amazing! The crab cakes we moist and flavorful, the hollandaise was citrusy and delightful and the has browns were crispy! Can't wait to go again and try other menu items! read more

I came in for breakfast early on a Sunday. What a refreshingly cool diner on Main Street, with a huge variety of options to pick from. Vegans and carnivores alike, can enjoy picking from option of their menu. I started out with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Fresh doesn't even begin to describe how crisp, this perfect class of nectar was. I asked the nice waitress how many oranges it took to make this one glass, and she replied a whopping 9 Florida oranges! I wanted aa mimosa, but it was before 10am when I arrived, however, this orange juice sufficed and the mimosa was a distant memory. I decided on their Crab Cake Benedict. After a brief wait, out came this stacked tower of deliciousness that was paired with some golden hash browns. I first dove into the perfectly diced hash browns, and my-o-my what a time. Perfectly seasoned as well as a generous portion, these were a hit. With some of the hollandaise pouring onto some of the potatoes (not mad at it), I couldn't help myself any longer. On top of two thick yet light pieces of French bread was two nicely crisp crab cakes, under a perfectly poached egg and topped with the right amount of hollandaise. I tried some of the crab cake and it was very tasty! ...but ...paired with that hollandaise, let me tell you! With little filler in the crab cakes, you get the full flavor. This is a great choice for breakfast, brunch or lunch. I thought about getting some vegan bacon on the side, but I couldn't finish what I already had...next time for sure. While packing up what was left I put a little of their homemade hot sauce on the plate and tried it with a potato, and I wish I'd had it from the start! I'll most certainly be back (after 10am for mimosas). read more

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I've never actually understood the attraction to this place and haven't been here in a long long time. I was convinced to come here recently with someone who has actually mentioned it a few times and we've always gone somewhere else. It's got plenty of parking. There are it looks like six or eight booths and plenty of seating at the bar. We had pancakes and hash. The homemade strawberry jam was absolutely fantastic. The rest of the meal was fine. Didn't love the maple syrup. It was over $25 for 2 without coffee. Seemed high. 95/R-a-D Challenge read more

I'm really sad to have to knock off stars on this update. The reason is not because of the food (still as delish as ever!), it's the service. There has been a nosedive in the quality of service over the last couple of visits (we typically go once or twice a month). The second to last visit, food took longer than usual to come out. I didn't mind; they do get quite busy on Saturday mornings/afternoons which is very normal. However, I asked for a serving of their homemade orange marmalade for my toast, and it never arrived. I chalked it up to them just having an off day. This past Saturday, however, was a real bummer. Our waitress was surly and abrupt. We had to ask for silverware while placing our order, and that seemed to annoy her. We ordered the poutine to start, along with our breakfast dishes (house cured hash and biscuits & gravy). The food took at least 30 minutes to arrive. And although they knew the poutine was ordered as a starter, it all arrived at once. We asked for a couple small plates for the poutine, along with a refill on coffee. They returned with two large size plates and no refill at all. Our waitress was nowhere to be seen, and our coffee cups remained empty, despite us trying to get a refill. Finally, we just ate and gave up on the refill, knowing it wasn't going to happen. A real shame, considering a cup of coffee is almost 4 dollars. The waitress showed up at the very end, asking repeatedly if we wanted the check; she was clearly trying to rush us out. Even though we were going to ask for the check anyway, this was just the straw that broke the camel's back. If they offer take-out, I'm happy to order to-go, but my days of sitting down here are done. I know they get super busy (a testament to their awesome food), but perhaps the owners should consider using reservations for peak times, expanding the size of the place, and/or adding more staff. If you do go, go later in the afternoon and avoid the breakfast rush altogether. Hopefully, you'll get better service that way. read more

Amazing food, amazing service, amazing atmosphere. Genuine hardy recipes unlike anywhere else. Their French toast is so good, it's genuinely 10/10. Our server Jailyn was incredible and servicing 50 people by himself at an efficient rate with amazing customer service. It was full inside so he graciously made room outside for our family by putting tables together by himself, then when there were too many wasps outside he was super flexible and actually made room inside once it emptied out. read more

Lake Effect Diner - a view of the interior of a restaurant - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Awesome food and awesome music! Would recommend It's too bad others don't like that it's too foodie, but their chocolate strawberry pancakes are AMAZING! The person who served us is also a Beatles fan, I think that's awesome! So yes, great location in my hometown that I would definitely recommend! read more

Lake Effect Diner - My Beatles doll and the chocolate strawberry pancakes - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

On our way out of buffalo to catch a flight we were looking for some vegan or plant based choices and stumbled across lake effect diner. There vegan choices do not disappoint. Breakfast lunch and dinner served all day. And options on all, and most made in house like the vegan bacon. I had the beyond burger added vegan bacon with fries. The not meatloaf and the vegan breakfast plate sounded delish but sometimes you're just in the mood for a burger. Burger was cooked perfect, bun was good, bacon was much better than most, only down fall is they put a little too much bacon on so made it hard to bite through. Def recommendation for those in buffalo or passing through that are looking for a cool place that is throw back and modern with their menu. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I had never been here before and my son (22) had his choice of where to dine out last night. He chose Lake Effect. The decor invokes that feel-good 50's era vibe with a touch of modern edge. Parking was abundant, situated between Lake Effect and the neighboring restaurant. However, we dined at off-peak hours. I believe it was somewhere between 8-930pm. The two wait staff ladies were very nice and the dark-haired one who waited on us was charming and funny. The crowd was young and hip, not loud or obnoxious... seemed to be mainly college students looking for a quick bite during post-dinner hours. Food and drinks were delivered very quickly! I ordered a Bloody Mary and a Beef on Weck. No disappointment here! The food was tasty, the drink was good though very small for its price. All of our plates were clean prior to leaving and we honestly weren't very hungry going in (wanted to spend one last hour with my son before heading back to PA) but those handcut fries were just as addictive as the sandwich! Bathrooms were clean (though the paper towel machine was a bit stuck) and you can read a little bit about the history of the diner as it is hanging on the wall between the two privies. My only real complaint is the prices are a little unexpected. My daughter ordered a milkshake that cost $7.00. I can't tell you whether or not it was worth it as I didn't taste it but the other two shared it and said that it would be an awesome $5.00 shake but not sure it was worth $7.00. The bill was around $57 before tip for 3 entrees, one pop, a shake, and a Bloody Mary. Then again, the aesthetic and care used in preparing the dishes reflect that this isn't your run of the mill greasy spoon. Overall, I am very happy with my experience and will return to try more of their dishes as they have an excellent selection of menu items! I didn't look over the menu too much however. When I return home, I tend to choose dishes that I know won't be on the menu in any other city or town. I miss you, Buffalo! read more

Lake Effect Diner - Beef on Weck- delicious! - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Being a Buffalo staple, I finally decided to try this place. I went around 9 a.m. on a Saturday and we were seated right away, but by 10 a.m. the place was pretty packed with a line so I would recommend going early due to the restaurant being so small. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and my boyfriend got the Meat Lovers omelette. The food was pretty good, but nothing I was amazed by. I did notice there were several vegan options which can be harder to find at a traditional diner. Overall, I loved the aesthetic with the retro vibe, and the food was good, but what gives this review 3 stars is the price. For 2 breakfast entrees and 2 cups of coffee the price was $40. One of the things I love about classic diners is the delicious homemade food for low prices, and this place just slightly missed the mark on both. read more

Lake Effect Diner is a classic restaurant in Buffalo. It has an old timey interior of a 50s diner. It's cute, cozy, and make your dining experience fun! Surprisingly, this place has vegan food! There aren't many options, with breakfast including two and dinner including three, but they're still yummy. I strongly recommend the veggs Benedict. It's super yummy and a filling portion. The VLT is good too. Lake Effect makes their own vegan bacon and it's delicious. Both meals I mentioned have vegan bacon included. I would've asked if they had vegan milkshakes but the waitress gave us the check before we could ask, so we just decided to go somewhere else for dessert. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Veggs Benedict. - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This s a must see in Buffalo as it is a relocated and refurbished diner and neat to see. We stopped for breakfast. I got the Italiano omelette which was so so I had added broccoli and spinach but there really wasn't a lot of flavor. My husband got the corn beef hash which is homemade and which he also said did not have a lot of flavor with two eggs and toast. The waiter, which there was only one serving everyone, came over and asked if we would like jelly and my husband said yes grape please and he never came back with it. The coffee was $3.50 a cup which is ridiculous! With all the great breakfast places to eat in Buffalo I will pass on this one just glad we went one time to see because it was on my bucket list LOL. I also had a lake affect gift card and gave it to him along with my charge card when he came back with the check I was shocked to see it was not taken off the bill I went up to him and asked him and he made a face and said what gift card that has nothing to do with us we are totally different place. I replied well, you could have said something to me and I would have understood. He was actually pretty rude. read more

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I've been to Lake Effect Diner twice now and both times my meal has been amazing (I got the same thing). The service was really slow the first visit and it seems like they would benefit from having an additional server on the floor. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner all day and a specials menu that changes. They have a huge smoker out back where they smoke their own meat. On the opposite end of the spectrum they have quite a few vegan options. I enjoyed the Veggs Benedict (vegan) and it's been amazing each time. The portion is huge even for me so I had to get the rest boxed. Added bonus is the homemade pepper sauce they bring with the food, it's delicious! My friend enjoyed the turkey hash which came with three eggs and toast (huge portion). 4 Stars because of the slow service. Although very friendly and warm, I know other tables were disappointed with wait times. It does seem like the kitchen can keep up, just not enough servers. read more

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Great place for a nice breakfast. The seating is very limited so be aware if going at typically busy times - there will probably be a long wait. All the food I've gotten there was phenomenal, the 4 stars is due to the long wait times for food. I've waited 40-50 minutes for my food before. But once the food is out, you forget about the wait because the food is delicious. Fairly expensive but for a good amount of food. Good place to have your parents buy you food when they're in town. read more

I've long heard that Lake Effect featured a few vegan items on their menu. I've wanted to try the vegan eggs benedict, or "veggs benedict" as they are named. I finally had a chance to stop in for brunch. Perhaps unwisely, I chose a holiday--Veterans Day--to do so. We arrived around 11:30 and the place was packed. We lined up behind a few parties waiting for their tables, and stood for about 15 minutes--not an unreasonable amount of time. The staff was friendly and appeared to be hustling to keep up. Our server, who may have been the manager, asked for our order promptly, but we requested a few more minutes. Sadly, it was about 15 minutes before he returned. Once we placed the order, it was a good 20 minutes before our food arrived. The food itself was great--well presented and plentiful. The flavor of the vegan benedict sauce was very good, if just a bit too mustardy. The vegan bacon was crisp and flavorful. The home fries were very good, even before I added what I think was homemade hot sauce. It was as good as I'd heard it was. The server apologized once or twice for the delays. He explained that a dishwasher had not shown up and he was pulling extra-duty at the sink. Thankfully, we weren't in a rush, but overall our brunch took almost two hours. I'll defiantly visit again to try some of their other vegan options, just not on a holiday. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Vegan "veggs" benedict. - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Horrible customer service. Outrageous prices for a diner that serves mediocre food. I went with a friend of mine before work because it was close by and a coworker told me good things about it. Apparently my coworker must hate me to send me to this trash pail. I ordered something like a burger that is hard to screw up. First of all it took FOREVER and they weren't even busy. When they came out they were over cooked and I ordered medium rare it was beyond well done. I told the manager (who was also my server). No discount, no offer to remake it after he looked at it and said it was clearly overcooked. "I'll let the cooks know," was my response. Who the hell cares if the cooks know that they messed up?--that does me no good. To top it off it was almost 40 dollars for 2 lousy hamburgers and 1 cup of coffee. I don't expect that my food is going to perfect every time but I do expect if it isn't right for them to make at least some effort to make it right. I would also think they would put something on the plate that is better than something that should be in a dumpster. I guarantee you could find better food in a wegmans dumpster. This place should be out of business. read more

I used to be a huge fan, even though I always thought it was pricy. Last couple of visits changed that. Last time hardly anyone there our simple order of breakfast and a burger took forever and our server clearly thought he was above being a server. Nothing special about the food. Best dish is The Fried provolone wedges, but $9 for 5 or 6 small wedges??? Amy's Place is nearby, better, cheaper and, always glad to see me read more

Lake Effect Diner wasn't our first choice for lunch on July 4th, but it was open when most places in the neighborhood were closed, so my husband and I decided to give it a try. It took a while for the staff to acknowledge and seat us. Several servers made eye contact with us, but then looked away. They were in the middle of serving other customers, but a "Be with you in a moment" would have been nice. Finally, one server came and asked if we were already being helped, and then hurried to clean a table for us. I ordered the vegan VLT (a vegan version of a BLT), and my husband the chicken finger platter with honey mustard. Since I had watched the staff serve up freshly squeezed orange juice as we had waited for a table, I got a small orange juice as well. Our waters and drinks came quickly, but then the food took a while to arrive from the kitchen. I suspect there may have been some bottleneck in the kitchen, because another table that had been seated well before us ended up getting their dishes around the same time as us, and a third table that had been seated at least fifteen minutes after us also got their food around the same time. The menu describes the vegan bacon as "house vegan apple wood smoked bacon," but it tasted a lot like the MorningStar Farms veggie bacon strips you can buy at grocery stores. The sandwich was pretty dry, even with the tomato and vegan mayo. I appreciate that the diner has vegan/vegetarian-friendly options, but have had tastier sandwiches. I liked the salt and pepper seasoned fries. We were hungry, so we cleaned our plates, but overall, everything was just all right. If I had gone to UB and lived in University Heights in my younger years, I'd probably be fond of Lake Effect Diner, but now I'm older and grumpier. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Vegan VLT in the front, and honey mustard chicken fingers in the back - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

If your looking for a fun and delicious throwback to old school diners in train cars- this is your spot. Always clean, friendly and attentive service, and huge portions. The menu is a toast to WNY local favorites and classic diner dishes. What separates it from other diners are certain menu items only found here. Although they are home to a great eggs Benedict, I got the classic Stuffed Potato pancakes and wasn't disappointed. 4/5 Eggs with ham and veggies cooked into 2 large potato pancakes. A must try! read more

Lake Effect Diner - Classic Stuffed Potato Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

We are practically regulars here - eating every other week - especially when we have visitors from out of town. How disappointing though that we've seen a steady decline in service. I think this is because the place remains popular and they're just not set-up in the kitchen to handle full capacity. This time, we went for weekend brunch and lined up patiently literally out the door. I gave my name to the hostess for the wait list and we sat outside waiting to be called. There was some light drizzle, but I had told my guests how wonderful the food was here, and that it was worth the quoted 25 minute wait. After 25 minutes, we were still waiting. So I went back inside to see where we were on the list. Just as I stood there, another party walks in, puts their name down, and a host (owner?) immediately seats them! I pointed out that we were well ahead of the other party - the host was apologetic, but we had to wait longer for a table to open up. When we finally sat down, it took another 30 minutes for us to get our food. Remember, Lake Effect is a diner - and diner's are the inventors of fast food. So why the line-up? Why the long wait for food? We're now looking for other breakfast places, but hoping that Lake Effect turns it around soon! read more

I ordered the eggs Benedict that came with cured ham and seasoned potatoes. The cured ham was too thick and over powered the dish.The hollonadaise sauce was tasty and I enjoyed the well toasted bread. There was a generous helping of potatoes. All in all the dish is not worth $16. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Eggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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*Late Post*. Grabbed breakfast here on Sunday... let me just say the food ended up being good and I really enjoyed the fresh squeezed orange juice, our server was ok although I would have liked her to be a little more attentive in the being, I felt it wasn't until I had a problem she payed more attention (she did Comp my o.j). This restaurant has had lines Out The Door ....But Not this Day !! So I feel like it was No reason to wait almost 45 minutes for a breakfast!!! Nothing altered or special just 2 breakfast meals off their menu, we were on the verge of leaving when our food finally came out unexceptionable as far as I'm concerned we haven't been here in a few years and we probably won't be back for a few more. read more

This is hands down the best diner in Buffalo. Lake Effect is a small place but very popular on weekends for breakfast. Sometimes you are forced to wait 30+ minutes for a table on the weekends but the wait time is definitely worth it. If you come here, you MUST order the pancakes. Trust me they'll change your life for the good, LOL. Lake Effect has mastered their homemade pancake recipe. The pancakes are buttery, fluffy, milky, soft goodness. I have yet to find another diner that has pancakes even comparable to Lake Effects, even diners in NYC. The pancakes, isn't all that's great about this place. Their milkshakes are really good as well, I usually have the Oreo and strawberry one. The potato pancakes are also delicious. Basically, nothing on their menu would disappoint you. I haven't visited the diner since last spring thus I don't know when it happened but I did notice that they raised their prices. However, even with the price I would not hesitate to keep on coming back to this diner every time I visit buffalo. read more

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Came here for breakfast around 8:45 A.M. on a Saturday. It has a very old school diner feel which I liked. It's very small with only a few booths and counter to sit at. On this particular day there were only a few people there and it was not very busy. Upon entry, a man that looked like a manager took us to our table and he didn't come back for a while to take our drink order. I got a small orange juice. It was delicious and it was so much better than the orange juice at the supermarket. It was fun to watch the machine squeeze the oranges. Next I ordered the quiche with a side of fresh fruit. The quiche was very good and the fruit included strawberries, bananas, oranges, and blueberries. It took a while for our waiter to come around with the check. I'm giving this place 3 stars because I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but the service was slow and the prices were high. Our waiter (the man that looked like a manager) seemed like a nice guy and did the best he could. He was taking care of all of the tables and the waitresses were just standing around. I didn't see a single waitress crack a smile. I would consider Lake Effect Diner to be pricy for breakfast in Buffalo. Almost all of the meals are $10 or more. After tax and tip I walked away spending more than I usually do on breakfast. I think you're really buying into the concept of the old school diner. I would consider coming back here to try one of their milkshakes, but probably not for breakfast food. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Quiche with a side of fresh fruit ($11 as of 12/9/17) - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

What can be so great about a diner? That's what I kept saying anytime someone raved about this restaurant. Now I know. First bite of my blueberry pancakes and the breakfast angels sang! OMG, is this place good. Although there were several people waiting ahead of us, it did not take long to be seated. Coffee - excellent. Eggs Benedict - excellent. Pastrami scramble - out of this world. Pancakes - best I've ever tasted. Kicking myself for not dining here earlier. Can't wait to go back - eat in or take out. Update: If you want to be invisible, come here by yourself, have them stick you in a corner and then never come back to you for your order. Then, miraculously reappear and have the manager stare at you as you leave after giving up on getting service. Smh read more

Had a wonderful meal after braving the 7 degree weather and snow, I tried the bagel and lox and Z had himself ham breakfast with red eye gravy. The service was very fast all and our food was fresh and we liked it very much. Attentive waitstaff are always a plus. read more

Lake Effect Diner - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

July 16, 2018 - 6 PM for dinner 4 Adults and a teenager Atmosphere - 4 stars Food - 5 stars Service - 5 stars Background - I love Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, a TV show on the Food Network. We are in Buffalo visiting family and this was the closest one that we had not visited yet. Atmosphere - A classic diner. A long counter and probably about ten booths. So the place fills up fast. Since there were 5 people in our party they only have two larger booths, both full, so we took a four person booth with and extra chair at the end instead of sitting at the counter. Food Drinks - I was surprised to see beer on the menu. I started with the Fly Bison Rusty Chain and finished with a second beer, Southern Tier IPA. Dinner - I do not remember what Guy ate hear but my app said Smoked Ham with Red Eye Gravy and a few other things. So I went with the Smoked Ham. Since I had not seen the show I was expected a slab of ham. Instead thinly sliced medallions of ham. Salty smokey pieces of meat. I want to just pick them up and dip them in the pork au jus which was a little sweet. The two played off each other nicely. To top it off you get two sides. I picked the onion rings, my pick, and mac and cheese which the waitress recommended. The mac and cheese came on its own plate, and not a small plate either. This could be a light meal by itself. To make this mac and cheese stand out it had layer of freshly melted cheese. Another Triple D restaurant is the Squeeze Inn in Sacramento CA. They make this cheese shirt for you burger, which they are famous for. A crusty cheese layer on top of the burger which goes beyond the bun and that reminded me of the cheese crust on the mac and cheese tonight. Service - She did recommend that mac and cheese, bonus points. Future - Yes. read more

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Found this on Yelp coming back from Canada. A bit of a wait for a Sunday morning , but for a small place they sure know business. The owner was even helping out & served us our brunch! Highly recommend if you're ever the area read more

Lake Effect Diner - Eggs Benedict with home fries& home made bread - Diners Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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