So either Management has been reading the reviews or new hires are in the spot because aside from…read moresome visual changes that could be made and upgraded here, I had an overall good experience. My waitress was on point from the moment I entered the restaurant. Greeted me, sat me down and before I could even sit down, she was already asking what I wanted to drink. Shortly thereafter, she not only came to take my order, she asked if I wanted a refill on my drink and it was only half empty at the time. That to me, makes a huge difference. Just so you all know, this is a CASH ONLY establishment for there is a sign on the shattered glass door when you walk inside. Let us talk about the food. I had a delicious Turkey and Cheese. omelette that was flooded with cheese. I tossed some salt and pepper on that bad boy and went to work without punching the clock! Tore that thing up and the eggs weren't overcooked and all dried out. Even the crispy grilled potatoes weren't over cooked! Just a fresh potato bite with great chew. The Bacon had a nice low sodium flare with a decent amount of crispiness. Very little fat at all and not crazy greasy. My Belgium Waffle was soft and the batter was sweet, which made for a nice overall bite with their third party syrup but this leaves us to why I arrived and why they received only 4 stars vs 5. I was here to review their pancakes. I did not like the taste. The batter had this flavor as if oil was poured straight into the batter. It was very off-putting and though they had a decent amount of fluff to them, it was not enough to carry these pancakes to the finish line. Hell, I was done with them before I even began! My waitress was amazing and I left her a tip that matched my bill for she earned it!!

Service was pleasant, food was not. Tip off should have been the incredibly strong bleach odor and…read morefilthy fish tank.

They did their big one with the poutine yet again. I ordered it at 9 AM and they said their fryers…read morewouldn't be on till 10, but they graciously made an exception for us. Really appreciated the waitress for that. Had another great poutine breakfast.

Came here to try out the Quebecois items and to have breakfast. The restaurant is really open for…read moreearly morning to early afternoon dining, and we arrived closer towards closing. Upon entering, we found the wait staff chatting with each other at the seats or serving the handful of customers in the dining room. Decor was heavily coffee influenced-- from the wallpaper to the wall art, it's obvious a cup of joe plays a role here. We ordered a smattering of breakfast dishes and of course, two of the poutine dishes. Overall the food was just ok, not memorable. The pancakes had a nice texture but were largely flavorless; maple syrup helped somewhat but that ended up being the only flavor. Eggs were serviceable, potatoes were fine. The poutine was okay. I've had much better in Canada. Theirs felt like a beef based gravy out on top of French fries, with pockets of cheese curds, which were the better part of the meal. The Quebecois poutine was better, with added ham & veggies to add some complexity. The downside of our visit came as we approached their closing hour of 2pm. The crew started cleaning up and vacuuming around us as we were still eating before close. I had a single cup of coffee, and when I asked for a refill, the waitress apologized and said they poured it out because it was getting close to closing time. Ironic, considering the amount of pro-coffee memorabilia around the restaurant. We hadn't even hit closing but pouring out the coffee while a table was still eating didn't cross anyone's mind. (Nor cleaning around us, passively encouraging us to leave.) The coffee wasn't removed from the bill in recognition that maybe they made a mistake. Overall.. eh. I was hoping for more, but it is what it is. I'm sure it's fine for the regulars, but this wasn't worth the long trip for what I was hoping was a callback to Quebec faire, in Connecticut.

This American-Mexican diner was such a great find! We chose to sit in the outdoor seating area, and…read moreit was the perfect day to enjoy a meal outside. The atmosphere was relaxing, clean, and family-friendly. One thing that immediately stood out was the menu. It's about 10 pages long, with an incredible variety of options. Whether you're in the mood for breakfast, lunch, American classics, or Mexican favorites, there's truly something for everyone. The presentation is beautiful. The drinks are garnished with fresh flowers and slices of lemon or cucumber, making them feel extra special. Even the food is served with colorful touches like a slice of orange and a strawberry on a skewer, showing they really pay attention to the details. My kids enjoyed an orange juice and an apple juice. I ordered the mango dragonfruit lemonade, and it was refreshing, flavorful, and the perfect drink for a warm day. For my meal, I had the avocado toast topped with an egg and crispy bacon. It was fresh, filling, and absolutely delicious. The boys loved their meals too. One had the chocolate chip pancakes, which were fluffy and loaded with chocolate chips, while the other had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich served with crispy home fries. They also offer a great selection of specialty waffles and pancakes, giving us plenty of reasons to come back and try something new. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the service was outstanding. Every staff member we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout our visit. Between the delicious food, beautiful presentation, generous portions, reasonable prices, and excellent service, this is definitely a place we'll be returning to. I highly recommend checking it out!

Family friendly place. Food is always delicious with bilingual staff. There is likely a wait but…read moreit's worth it. I love coming here!

I haven't been here in a couple weeks! I have a rare chance to grab a drink and some food on the…read moreway hone tonight from bowling. The restaurant is located on 389 Main St. in East Hartford. Their kitchen is built fresh, from scratch, and all homemade. Their appetizers, pasta, entrees and desserts combine old-world traditional Italian flavor with a modern flair for presentation, and the freshest ingredients around. Menu staples like calamari, chicken milanese, fettucine carbonara and ravioli are paired with unique recipes like pappardelle with sausage and tenderloin steaks. They have staffed our kitchen with a dream team of local chefs that ensure our quality does not waiver and our kitchen is always OPEN! You just can't go wrong. For my drink, I'm having the Prickly and Sparkly made with Quince Fruit Spirit, fruitful Prickly Pear, lemon juice and Prosecco. This is very original. I have no idea what this will taste like! It's nicely garnished and chilled. I love the unique taste. It's like a sweet Cosmo with Prosecco. It's real good! For my appetizer, I'm having a cup of chili. I can't each much chili so just a little will do me fine! I like the crackers for a little filler. I like the sour cream topping with a little chives garnish. It's nice and hot too. This is good! They have open mike here tonight! This place is famous for live music! These guys are good! I could stay here all night! For my next item, I'm having a Side House Salad made with a spring mix, basil (I love basil), julienned (sliced) carrots, cucumbers with a red wine vinaigrette. This is delicious! These veggies are good! Huge portion size too! I love their dressing! For my last drink of the night, I am having the Hot Pickle-Rita made with Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila, Triple Sec, pickle juice, agave syrup and lime juice. Pickle juice?! Now that's original. I've never had that in a cocktail. Wow! I love the pickle garnish and the Tajin rim. This drink is great! It's not overwhelmed by the pickle taste. I love the taste! The bartender (Liz) is awesome! She certainly knows how to make a drink let me tell you that! For my entree, I'm having the Chicken Aka Vodka made with grilled chicken breast served with traditional vodka sauce, peas, sun-dried potatoes and rigatoni topped with a crispy prosciutto and Parmesan (light for me). You can also get this gluten-free. Carmines tries to accommodate everyone! For me? EXTRA EXTRA spicy! Let's see how this goes. This is a MASSIVE dish! I mean o! It's piping hot too! It's very tasty! The grilled chicken is sliced up into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Very light Parmesan (as requested). It's not "hot" (as in spicy), but they can only work with they have! It's a great dish and worth every dime! What a great meal here!

Random selection in my travels off Rt 84. Food was delicious and I happily stumbled on live music…read more Mixed crowd Cappuccino gelato truffle, JD tips over pasta and 1/2 Caesar salad

When arriving at Ken's corner, I didn't realize it's the plaza across from Ben and Jerry's. The…read moreparking can be tricky since there's other businesses there. Luckily I was able to find parking and there was a line waiting to go into Ken's corner. I didn't mind the wait since I really wanted to eat here. I'm glad I did, it was moving, and they got people in and out of the restaurant . The workers are pleasant and very helpful when deciding what to order off the menu. As I mention it was my first time there, we ordered the coconut French toast and shared the surf & turf egg Benedict. Everything was worth the wait and tasted amazing. I'm already planning my next visit to try something else on the menu. Food came out presentable and hot. Glad I came here because it's prob one of the best breakfast spots in the area.

Considering other breakfast options on this side of CT this is why Kens get a 5*…read more.. Kens is a small breakfast place in glastonbury, and there always seems to be a line out the door (for a good reason). Once inside tho, the waitresses and busboys are always super friendly. I love that the waitresses always stop by for a quick chat when they see you. The eggs benedict is super amazing here. Actually everything is but thats my fav. French toast super amazing too, especially when they have the egg nog French toast on special. They always have two flavored coffee options which i love. And the home fries are always well seasoned and crispy on the outside and oft in the middle. The only downside really to kens is the wait which sometimes goes out the door. They don't take reservations and they don't have a sign in, so it kinda sucks for someone like me with Rheumatoid arthritis because I cant stand for very long, so we cant go on the weekends. But we went twice during the week this week and the wait was very short. So if you want a great breakfast at a decent price, nice wait staff, and you're near glastonbury, Kens is a place to check out for sure!

Toby's is a Peruvian restaurant in East Hartford. I went here to try their Bread Pudding. This is a…read moresmall restaurant, it looks to be pretty new. They have some cute holiday decor, and on each table they have a bottle of wine. The waitress who came to serve me appeared very limited in English. I told her I'd like a slice of the Bread Pudding, and I pointed to it in the menu. She told me "no" as she pointed back to it using her pen. Ok. That's disappointing. I noticed they make fresh juice from strawberries, mango and other fruits. I told her I'd like the strawberry juice. Again she pointed to it and said "no". Why did I come here, everything is "no"? I told her I'll have the mango juice. She finally said "ok". She asked me if I want my juice with aqua or with leche. I told her aqua. Wouldn't it be a smoothie if it was with milk? I also wondered what kind of response I'd get if I asked for the flan. "No" is the answer to that! Shortly after, I heard the blender running. My juice was delivered to me. It came in a large beer mug, and was filled to the brim. This was so tasty and truly mango! I finished my juice and waited forever for the bill. It wasn't that busy there were two other patrons. I asked for the bill, both of the waitresses passed by me at least ten times before I finally got the bill. While the juice was very tasty, they had nothing else that I was interested in, while all of these things are in the menu. The checkout process was very slow. I will not be stopping by Toby's again.

Didn't know what to expect walking in - never knew there was a restaurant in this plaza!…read more It was much bigger inside than I expected - lots of room for dining inside! I was expecting more of a take out vibe, but that was not the case. I ordered the butifarra sandwich (I think they only have sandwiches on the weekend? Not sure). I honestly wasn't sure what I was ordering, but when I got it I believe it was similar to shaved pork loin. I honestly wish I got asada for meat because I am not the biggest pork fan, but everything else on the sandwich made it come together! They gave me a green sauce that she told me to put on the sandwich and she wasn't wrong!! It was DELICIOUS, I wish i had 5 more cups of it! The Portuguese roll was also so soft and fresh. It was great. The staff was all very friendly! There was an older man there who greeted me and waved me over once my food was done (didn't take longer than 10 minutes from ordering to me going out the door). Was it Toby?! Maybe! I can't wait to come back and try the Lomo and Ceviche!

My favorite place for a hot dog or a burger! Don't miss out! A family owned restaurant that's been…read morearound for years!

This spot goes way back in my family as a favorite spot of my father's. At one visit about 20 years…read moreago, they gave him a logo'd sweatshirt. I had always loved the chili dog here and had a craving. Having just closed my Dad's estate, I figured perfect timing to stop here for lunch. Something changed. Maybe the way the dog was cooked? It lacked flavor so it was just eating chili on meat. The fries were nothing special either, they are just the coated Sysco food standard restaurant stuff. Service was fast and with a smile. But to pay a premium for fast food these days it better be good. Nostalgia will probably bring me back but I am in no rush.

Diner seems old school but this Diner is anything but old school! It's a great atmosphere with very…read morebright lighting but subtle. Soon as you walk in your eyes feast on a case of deserts that will make anyone drool! We ordered lunch meals and no disappointment! We had wings too but no picture we gobbled them up to quickly. We plan to make this a regular stop when in this area, by the way the wait staff is super friendly as well. We sat for a bit but a staff member, Nikki, noticed and took our order and expedited our food

You've eaten at diners, but this one has a positive upbeat energy - which is not typical for diners…read more- and is hard to articulate. I think it's a combination of the staff on the floor, the lighting, the cleanness and decor. While I often get any of the breakfast items, my go to is the spanakopita. If I was to change anything, it would be to offer beer on draft instead of just bottles, and offer darker beers (my personal preference), but they are a diner and not a pub

Gluten free heaven!!!! Gluten free pancakes, French toast, Toast, potatoes, the triple breakfast…read moregives you leftovers :) So glad I found this spot!!

Great portions. Tried the Poached Oscar... the lobster was what you would expect from a joint like…read morethis but overall it was good. Spuds left something to be desired but the service was excellent and fast. Casual and clean restaurant, overall I would return.

I haven't been to Makris in a few years. My wife and I came through on a Sunday morning recently…read more The decor is still charming, with a very classic appearance that pulls you back in time. The food is good. We both had omelettes and they were solid. I will knock a star off for the latkes we shared, which were very greasy. I'd avoid those. Solid "diner coffee" and, as I remembered, friendly and attentive staff. I'm a strong coffee drinker, and my cup was never empty!

Having time to kill, and finding myself dismayed at the number of breakfast spots closed on Monday,…read moreI found myself at a place I've long considered trying: the Makris Diner. I arrived just after 7:00 AM, finding only a few other customers. Taking my seat at the counter, and noticing the "best of 2025" certificate, coffee was immediately served; and, my order was promptly taken. My choice was the big breakfast two, which would prove to be well named. Well within ten minutes, I was served three eggs, properly prepared, over easy, four very mild, frankly nearly tasteless, breakfast sausage links, a good portion of browned, but as far as I could tell, unseasoned, hashbrowns that were on the dry side (yes, ketchup was required) and finally, two slices of thick French toast, generously splattered with powdered sugar (quite tasty, I must say). In short, this meal read like a stock chart on a volatile day; peaks and valleys. The cup of coffee was acceptable, doing nothing to add or detract from the meal. At just over, twenty two bucks, before tip, the portion couldn't be faulted; but, the quality could have been better. The Makris has been there as long as I can remember; but in all my life, this is only my second visit. The first was a late night stop for a cup of coffee way back when teenagers actually ventured outside to engage in social activities; and, today, it looked much as it did back then. It was clean, comforatable and very much appealing to my sense of nostalgia. So too, I believe, that could be said of the other patrons, all of whom I expected to refer to my 58 year old self as "kid" if the need to speak to me had arisen.