Oh. Em. G. This place is AMAZING!!! I cannot express how fantastic the food is here and how excited I am to go back and try other dishes!!! We've had our fair share of great diner experiences from all around, but we cannot compare how delicious and fresh the food was. We've heard the great reviews but had no idea... no. idea. Dined here on Easter Sunday, but we were sat quickly because the bar was open, which was the best place to watch all the other fantastic dishes be made (and helps to plan your next visit!) Fiance ordered Chicken and Waffles with the strawberry compote; and I had the Spicy Chicken Benedict. omg..... First off, the BEST fried chicken ever! I'm from the south AND I've lived in Chicago, where chicken and waffles is a staple meal, and this was the juiciest and well-seasoned chicken we've ever had. The waffles were nice and crisp albeit fluffy; and the strawberry compote butter... so good. My meal was absolutely savory and sooooo good. Same fried chicken on biscuits, covered with a perfectly poached egg and covered in a delicious spicy Benedict sauce... omg, so good! The only thing that was okay was the creamy grits. Cannot wait to go back, and will definitely try either the Monte Cristo or Apple Ya Halla! ... or the chicken fried steak (NY strip not cubed).... or the Huevos Ranchero... or... Charleston Shrimp and grits.... So many choices!!! Oh btw, bring your eating pants... they serve a MASSIVE amount of food. We actually finished our left overs for dinner. Ugh so good.... I'm still fangirling if you can't tell. read more

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The food was good and the service was decent. I would recommend especially if you like breakfast/brunch.

Metro Diner has always been known as a JAX favorite, but it's made its way to Gainesville. There was so much hype about this place so I had to try it. The location is pretty good. There is a lot of parking and it is located on 34th St between Archer and University. Upon entering, we were greeted by the friendly hostess and welcomed with the delightful smells of a decadent brunch! Our server was really exuberant. He seemed very happy to be working that day and was very helpful. He was a fan of the food, which is always a good thing. He was knowledgeable and had good insight on what to order since it was our first time. I chose the San Fran Benedict which was on the lighter side of their many options. It consisted of your classic eggs Benedict, with avocado and tomato as well. It was perfectly seasoned and quite delicious. We also tried the chicken and waffle. It came with a dollop of Strawberry Cream Cheese which was a bit odd. Overall, it was a good dish. Everything was super crispy, however there was a weird after taste with the chicken. I can't pinpoint what it was, but it had a unique taste to it. Overall, the food and service were really good. We did not have to wait long at all for a table. It was a great place to indulge and I'm excited to see it grow in the next few years. read more

Metro Diner - Chicken and waffles! Both were really crispy. - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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ALWAYS PACKED. Just get ready to wait, grab a cup of coffee and a seat on the bench and cool your heels. Metro Diner is exactly what it sounds like. It's crammed, crowded and a slightly more posh greasy spoon diner on 34th and 20th. Their food is very generously portion, their service is quick and everything is reasonably priced. It's not the kind of brunch place you want to hang out at and soak in the Sunday-ness of it all, but rather to wolf down something that will cure your hangover and move on. Not an upscale experience, but it sure doesn't pretend to be. The service is always friendly and quick, and with a menu that big I'm surprised at how accommodating the kitchen is with special requests. They always have interesting specials, so be sure to ask for those or read the big board at the back of the dining room to make sure you don't miss out! I've sampled the gambit - from the monstrous huevos rancheros (delicious) to the waffles (also delicious) to the salads (abysmal, seriously, skip anything "healthy" on this menu and just get something bad for you for the love of god). It's a solid menu with something for everyone, even your annoying friend who's still on avocado toast. read more

After a long hiatus from Yelp, I'm back and ready to talk breakfast. I don't normally eat breakfast but when I do I want to go all out. Hence: fried chicken Benedict with hollandaise. Metro diner has a huge menu, serving breakfast all day. Get there early on the weekends or else the line will be crazy. Def a go to for breakfast when in the UF area. read more

Metro Diner - Fried chicken eggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The food is good but is sooo awful noisy you can't enjoy the food.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Huge potions! Excellent wait staff!! I had the 3 egg breakfast with pancakes! They are huge!! A definite must for breakfast. read more

Metro Diner - Pancake! - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Can't believe they been open 5 weeks. Hadn't had chicken and waffles this good in a long time. Ya know how waffles never hold their heat?? Well with the strawberry butter whipped to taste light and airy like ice cream you'd never notice. The chicken was crispy but not greasy. Only thing I'd say is it's a little dark, which I think comes from not changing the grease regularly (which can leave a over smoky taste) I also had cheese grits that had a cheddar she'll bake on top (like French onion soup) they were creamy and Delish. Carol my awesome waitress mixed up a syrup and hot sauce concoction that went really well on the chicken. Manager stopped by and asked how my meal was too. Great food - excellent service. I wil read more

Metro Diner - Chicken and waffles. Strawberry butter. - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I waited until all the new grand opening fanfare died down before trying. Love the diner layout. We arrived around 11:30a for lunch. Luckily one person in our party arrived a little earlier and got a table for us, else there would have been a 30 minute wait, which I'm told is low. The menu is huge, offering something for everyone. Their prices are very good given the portions you receive (which other write about and I can confirm). After starring at the menu for 15 minutes trying to pick what I wanted. I opted for the fried chicken platter. Not the chicken and waffles. But the fried chicken with mash potatoes and vegetables. I've had a lot of fried chicken in my life. Some of the best being back in Mississippi. I can honestly say this is the BEST fried chicken I've EVER had. It was that good.The potatoes real and fresh. The vegetables were grilled and cooked perfectly. The dish was so big I was told 'good luck' by the servers. But, I was so hungry that day I devoured the entire plate. While I've only had the fried chicken, if their other dishes are as good as this one they deserve 5 stars. Of course I will be back and will order something different and see if their 5 star rating holds. Until then, I highly recommend and they are worth the wait. read more

When I entered Metro Diner, the restaurant was very crowded, mainly because I came during a high traffic hour. After requesting a table, a worker took the time to welcome me to the restaurant, and gave me recommendations on is popular to order. The worker was not even the host. Honestly I am not sure what his role in the restaurant was, but all I know is that the customer service at this place is phenomenal ! I ordered a vortex burger. This glorious meal comprises grilled bacon tomato cheese sandwiches as the bun, with all the condiments you would want inside. The burger is pretty hefty, so I wouldn't mind splitting it with a friend. It was really scrumptious, and I would recommend this place to any of my friends. read more

Metro Diner - Vortex Burger. Really delicious. I would recommend splitting it with a friend. - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I've had great experiences at Metro Diner in Jacksonville so every time I go to the location in Gainesville, my Jacksonville experience is the stick to which I gauge how the Gainesville location is doing. I am happy to say Gainesville is doing just as well. I've never had bad service here. The servers are always super nice, super helpful, and super attentive. Food is always pretty good. Today might have been a little off with my poached eggs being a bit overdone but no biggie. Overall excellent food and excellent environment. A welcome addition to the Gainesville breakfast food scene! read more

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Great diner to eat in. My Airbnb host suggested this place, and I'm very grateful she did. Big portions, wonderful staff, and clean environment. The guys on the line are a well oiled machine- it wasn't busy when I went- but you can tell it wouldn't be a problem. My server was amazing and the (I'm guessing) MOD was very hands on too. Bopping from host stand to line etc. I hope to make it back someday. It was a Great experience- read more

Metro Diner - One of the specials this morning. No way i could eat the whole thing... - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Love! Love! Love! The service was absolutely phenomenal! Everyone in there is so friendly, even waiters who were not assigned to my table came to check on me. It's a friendly, fun environment. I tried their famous waffle and chicken. Just as previous reviews have stated, it is excellent. They give you so much food! You will definitely need a to go box. Also, the peach tea was good. read more

Metro Diner - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Got the meatloaf dinner thinking this place haf reputation for homemade food.. More like stouffers straight from the freezer case. It's edible being i purchased a bogo otherwise i would have driven back for a refund. The vegetables were good. read more

Great food! I got the Vortex burger (a burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches) with onion rings while in a gluttonous mood, so be warned that it's a lot of food but delicious if you're down for the challenge. My burger was cooked to the medium I asked for which is a rare thing nowadays. Definitely hit the spot for dinner and lunch the next day too. Hubs got the meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes which is also a Metro Diner special. Meatloaf was pretty good; more loafy than meaty but still good. He says he could have had more brown gravy than what's given but it was enough to get by. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and ideal for a diner. The staff was very knowledgeable about the menu, attentive and friendly. They're actually the reason for the fifth star because we stumbled upon them shortly before closing. We all know that customer service goes down the drain the closer to closing time but they served us and the rest of the busy dining room as if they didn't notice the time. We'll definitely be back for their breakfast!! read more

Metro Diner - Vortex burger and onion rings - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Absolutely positive surprise this place ! While visiting our daughter at UF she took us to this place and even so it appears to look more like a little hole in the wall the food was absolutely amazing ! We will definitely be back ! I had the western omlet with a side order of sour cream which was absolutely delicious . The omlet was a very very generous portion. My daughter had a breakfast sandwich which also was very delicious . Husband bis quits and gravy was perfection and so were my grits not drenched in butter ! Just .... Perfect . The pricing is absolutely acceptable and the staff was on point even so it was packed our food arrived in a timely manner and wait staff was super attentive ! We went there on a Sunday around noon and had to wait about 25 min which was absolutely well worth the wait ! I can only highly recommend this restaurant . read more

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Lots of food great price a bit loud due to the fact it's one big open floor plan Omelette was over flowing with stuff and great flavor read more

Metro Diner - I had the southern omelet it had great taste and plenty of food great place - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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So I waited to write this review until after today's visit. I have now been here three times and have been underwhelmed each time. The first time I went was with a friend for dinner a couple of weeks ago. She likes it enough that she has the shirt for the 10% discount and has gone enough times for that to be worthwhile. She ordered the Crab Cake sandwich and asked for it on white rather than the brioche bun. However, the bread she received looked, and she said tasted like it was sour dough bread - or stale white bread. And she's not a fan of sour dough bread so it dampened her enthusiasm for this dish. She asked the waitress, who said no, they get fresh bread daily made for them and they don't even have sour dough bread. Except they do, as it states on their menu (see Special Turk-E). I ordered the Metro pot Roast. It's served in it's own juices, so the juice is not very flavorful. There were very few vegetables. The mashed potatoes were tasty and the roast was tender. Unfortunately, it was not anywhere near hot...lukewarm at best. Meh. Second time I went with a couple of friends of mine who LOVVVVVE this place. Yep, they're in the t-shirt club too. Cool. We went for brunch. I had already decided I was going to get the Yo Hala on the Square, which is a stuffed french toast made from challah bread with a fruit compote on top. Sounds good. On this day one of the breakfast specials was a Peach version. It came out and I could barely even find the bread. It was way overwhelmed with the cream cheese. There was supposed to be banana stuffed in there, but I never tasted any. The peach "compote" was very thick and lacked peaches - think pie filling. Once again, this meal was less than lukewarm. A huge serving, though, and I did try it at home warmed up and it was better, but still way too much pie filling and cream cheese to call it good. Oh, and I ordered a side of bacon, crispy....it was tasty but limp. Southern Pecan coffee that morning was tasty and strong! Friends were surprised, and said maybe it was because a specific cook they usually see on Sundays was not there. Hmm. They had country fried steak, mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy, and the 12" pancake challenge. They were happy with their meals. I tried the biscuits and gravy (ok, kind of bland, I like more pepper in my gravy), and the CFS which was also ok, though I'm generally not a fan of CFS. The mashed potatoes, again, good. Went back today with the same friends. This time, I planned to order the Huevos Rancheros because I LOVVVVE Heuvos Rancheros and thought this would be a good make-or-break item. And my friend said she'd had it and it was really good. We sat at the bar this time, and the lead cook seemed like he was having a bad day, lots of yelling. My friend mentioned at one point she's never heard so much yelling. Hazelnut coffee today...on point. Huevos Rancheros is served on a bed of triangle shaped tortillas and is visually appealing. Black bean salsa, sausage, cheese, etc., with eggs to your liking on top. The salsa and the meal in general had a nice flavor, but nothing special and not particularly spicy despite the couple of jalepenos I did spot. The eggs were cooked correctly - surprising how many places CANNOT cook sunny side up for some reason - however, once again, the meal was cold. All of it. Sausage pieces - cold. Not just the salsa and sour cream that you'd expect to be cold. And that cook was there today, but he wasn't lead...that shouldn't matter. My friends' meals were also cold. So three times, three underwhelming and cold meals. I'll go back, partly because my friends love it and I like to have brunch with them. Otherwise, I'd choose another place for brunch. read more

Metro Diner - Cold huevos rancheros - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This place is great! My fried chicken eggs Benedict was fantastic and the rest of the table enjoyed their food very much as well. Service was quick and friendly even though it was extremely busy. We will certainly be back if we ever come back through Gainesville! read more

Good food especially for breakfast. Reasonable prices. My daughter introduced me to this restaurant in Jacksonville's west side a few years ago. I took my best friend to the one in Bradenton a couple years later and enjoyed that location, too. read more

Good food and good service! I've always wanted to try this place ever since I've heard about their famous chicken and waffles at their Jacksonville location. How lucky was I that they finally opened one in Gainesville! I ate here on a Saturday morning after a night out craving some brunch (even though it was at 2 PM) and they did not disappoint. They had an all day breakfast menu but I only came for two things only: chicken and waffles. I also ordered one of their specials of the day which was mango iced tea which went great with the fried chicken. The waffles came with strawberry butter - something I wish I knew existed before I ate here. The portions were definitely worth the price. I couldn't even finish it so lucky me got to have leftovers for dinner/breakfast the next day. Our waitress was super sweet and personable. Always checking up on us and even gave us a little background story on mixing hot sauce and syrup. The food came out pretty fast too especially knowing there was a huge party sitting right next to us. I would definitely come here again for the excellent service and excellent food. read more

Metro Diner - famous chicken and waffles with strawberry butter - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This was our 2nd time going and was highly dissatisfied.i was hyped up for the shrimp and grits but was highly let down. I can make shrimp and grits better then that. I highly doubt I will come back unless the kitchen staff step up there game. Food on the heating table wasn't covered, cutting boards and flattop not clean while cooking. You have to clean as you go and the manager didn't help matters at all. They seriously need an experienced manager running that place. read more

Metro Diner - I love this dish, it was amazing and the chicken melted in my mouth. - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I was walking around Gainesville one afternoon and was hungry, so I decided to try a bar/grill. Since it was about a thousand degrees and humid that day because it's Florida, I gave up about a quarter of a mile from the bar and stopped at the Metro Diner instead because after walking ten minutes in that heat all I wanted was food and water. It was pretty crowded when I arrived, but I was seated quickly and a waitress immediately came over for my drink order. She explained the specials and I decided to order one - the chorizo burger. I don't have burgers often (except for Five Guys because I love their burgers), but this burger was delicious. It arrived in minutes and was huge but it was so good I ate almost all of it. I had pasta salad as a side, and that was really good also. I didn't feel rushed at all, but I was in and out of there very fast. They were the perfect stop for a really good but quick meal. read more

Metro Diner - Chorizo burger - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Fast and friendly service! Our breakfast was delicious! Excellent hash browns and grits. Gluten free bread available. Outside seating available. read more

I still love this place. The pastrami is better than what I used to order from NY. The pot roast is memorable, the burgers big and flavorful. The huevos Rancheros were great and enough to share. I enjoy the wait staff and see the same faces every time. If you love good, homemade food, look no further. Hope they open in Tallahassee soon! read more

My daughter loves this diner so we had to try it out. We ordered hot turkey plate, breakfast burrito, and San Francisco Benedict. We all enjoyed our meals. You are able to order anything off the menu all day long. The atmosphere is loud so not easy to hold a conversation inside. Service was great and we were very impressed with management. They support and take care of their staff by jumping in where needed. Managers greet customers in a very friendly way. The outside patio looks very inviting. read more

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We specifically tracked down this Metro Diner franchise as an I-75 lunch option. It met with our expectations for the brand and my Shrimp & Grits were a generous portion and very satisfying. My wife had the chicken and waffles with a side of fruit and enjoyed her meal. Service was friendly and attentive and we had no trouble getting refills or paying our bill. read more

Absolutely loved it here! If you're looking for a traditional diner with a ton of breakfast option this place is fast and perfect!

Delicious and PLENTIFUL!!! Great service! The chicken & waffles were on point, and the strawberry butter is so unique. Love this place!

Best chicken and waffles in town. No one else compares and can top this dish. I highly recommend

Don't miss this spot. Terrific service and amazing food! Lunch and breakfast won't disappoint you: quantity and variety. My go to place to take friends. read more

Busy place... not bad waiting for seat. Just asked if i could try a sample of the special to see if i was going to like it and order. Denied! Manager said they can't do that. But minutes before the waitress thought i said something else and she brought a sample of that but she returned it to the kitchen. Not very accommodating. Guess I'll order something small and light. Good luck. read more

One of the best breakfast spots I've ever been to. Be ready to wait at least 30 minutes. It's worth the wait!!! Service is impeccable. read more

Metro Diner - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The service is amazing. My waiter was named BJ and he was on top of his game. My drink never got low, the food was prepared quickly exactly as ordered, and the other staff really went out of their way to make the experience excellent. The venue was very nice and clean. The food itself was wonderful. My omelette was fluffy and looked like it was made by an artist, not a line cook. My date's over easy eggs (they use real eggs, not powder) were great. She loved them and she can be a very picky eater. The price point is really good. It's slightly more than Bagels Unlimited (it's ~$9 for a 3 egg omelette at both places, which includes a side at both restaurants but Bagels Unlimited throws in a bagel on top of that) but not by much and well worth it IMO. All in all, this place is great and worth trying out; will be coming back for sure! read more

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I was in the mood for diner food today and this place hit the spot. I order their fried chicken and waffles and it was delicious. One of the best fried chicken I've had. The waffles were a little soggy, but the raspberry butter on top made up for it. DELICIOUS! Would recommend and go again. read more

Metro Diner - Chicken and waffles - Diners Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We are new to the area and looking for a good all day breakfast. The service was actually great but everything else was only so-so. Not super clean, not social distancing well. Food was ok but home fries left an aftertaste of the grill. I doubt we will be back. read more

I really, really wanted to love this place. I had the Yo Hala, and it was pretty good. I think the berry sauce overwhelmed the challah bread and cream cheese filling. We also had the biscuits and gravy- biscuits, eggs and hash browns, amazing. Gravy? Clumpy, needed seasoning, and tasted a little old. Tuscan omelette my stepdaughter ordered was great. The service was excellent, so friendly and quick. We really appreciated that. I wish we were not just passing through so we could try it again. read more

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Yummy and filling breakfast!! Great place to bring family & friends if they're new to town. They offer a wide variety at great prices and it's delicious. I've been here many times and I always recommend!(: read more

Went here for brunch the other day and loved that they would text you when your table was ready! I ordered the Bissell Breakfast which comes with eggs, bacon, toast, hashbrowns or grits, and pancakes for about $10. Service and food were excellent as usual. I recommend the following from metro: the meatloaf. It is amazing and love the sides it is paired with! The pound cake French toast is amazing and there is nothing quite like it! I've also had the steak salad and it was quite filling. This place also has amazing home style dishes. The wait is worth it! read more

I recently ate here due to a review given by one of my favorite Yelp Elites. She was by far correct in all she had to say. Not only is this place a join to eat at the food is amazing. I arrived to be greeted by a friendly staff. Once seated my husband and I order some coffee. I must say it was one of the best I chad had. As a Latina, I am picky about my coffee. We placed our order. Our wait was not at all long and when the food arrived the portions were huge. So much so I took half mine home for dinner. I must say this place is definitely worth your tie and food is some of the best I have eaten and as someone who travels I know food. read more