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    Ocala's Downtown Diner

    4.4 (238 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Ocala's Downtown Diner Photos

    Business Info

    OCALA'S DOWNTOWN DINER ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Ocala's Downtown Diner

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    Guy and Elaine at the Ocala downtown diner
    Guy H.

    Corina was our server and what a joy it was to be served by her. She is warm and friendly and I think a PERFECT example of how to treat people. This was our first visit but it won't be our last...you just gained two new regulars. Corina made us feel like we were family. She was very helpful and yet not intrusive at all. She zipped around watching everyone and made certain everyone received a smile and a kind word. We walked in a bit apprehensive...we walked out thrilled....and did I mention that my waffle platter was awesome as was my wife's 3 egg omelette....you have to give this place a go...just do it! And thank you again Corina for making our day and for being so professional..... Guy and Elaine of Ocala Florida

    Service from the server was great but whoever was in charge or the owner is not a good person. I just wanted two hot dogs. I was told it was $5 for an extra hot dog. They bring me out one bun with two hot dogs on it (don't really see how that got confused but whatever) and I asked for a bun and got one, but after looking at my bill they charged me $3 for the bun. I wouldn't have even left this review if whoever was in charge would've came out and talked to me but they hid in the back the whole time the sweet server was trying to explain. They even told her to charge me extra for it. Do with this info what you will, but this tells me all I need to know about who's ever in charge of that place!

    Half of a Sweet GA Burger
    Robert B.

    Great, friendly service! Great small time diner atmosphere! Lots of options for vegans, gluten free folk, and meat eaters. My wife and I came with or meat eating son and in laws. Everyone found something delicious and creative! I had the slaw burger with a beyond burger and a gluten free bun. The waitress pointed out that the gluten free bun had dairy in it, which we don't mind, as I am vegan for health mostly. My wife had the GA burger which was delusions, and my son had the chili cheese fries without cheese and chili on the side. No problem with all of these special requests!

    Menu
    Andrea H.

    You know you're in the right place when you walk inside almost every table is taken and everyone looks at you and knows you're not local. Staff was so friendly. We were seated immediately and the smell of freshly made pancakes and waffles was overwhelming. Coffee was excellent and breakfast was even better. Thick Belgian Waffles with eggs, bacon and topped with blueberries. So good, I wasn't leaving anything on the plate. Classic diner with plenty of choices. Also offers a large selection of vegan and gluten free.

    Juicy Lucy delicious
    Jay G.

    Great service the place was packed Lisa was a great server . Coffee delicious Juicy Lucy done just right Also paid $9 to pay it forward to our hero's

    Wall decor
    Noel E.

    Was told by my chiropractor across the street that the food is Very Good! She was right on, what we call a Hidden Gem, coffee was nice and hot and fresh and service on point!

    Juicy Lucy Burger
    Anne L.

    It was pouring rain when I ran into the Ocala Downtown Diner at 1:55 pm on a Sunday afternoon. I quickly realized that they close at 2 pm on Sunday and when I apologized to the waitress and told her I would leave, she assured me that it was no problem and I believed her to be sincere. I even offered to take my order to go but she told me to relax and enjoy. Enjoy I did.... I got an unusual burger called the Juicy Lucy. This burger was cooked to order and topped with Sauerkraut, Pickles, Juicy Sauce & Swiss Cheese ...it was really good! While my burger and fries were very good I have to say that the staff there was exceptional. They were all busy trying to clean and close up but they could not have been nicer or more welcoming. Good food, good ambiance, good service/staff = 5 stars for me.

    Counter.
    Peter B.

    It's certainly not fancy, but the food is great, the service is fantastic and the prices are reasonable. My wife found this place on Yelp, saw the high ratings and so we went for it. I'm glad we did. Our breakfast was delicious. Next we are in Ocala, we will eat here again.

    Hearty breakfast with pancakes.
    David J.

    Very old-time diner style, very friendly staff. Going for something a little different, we drove into downtown to give the Ocala's Downtown Diner a try. We both had the hearty breakfast: eggs, potatoes, toast, choice of meat and one had pancakes, one had biscuit/gravy. Not bad at all. Very quick service at 10 am. Not too crowded. II can see where parking could get tricky if it was slammed, but there were a few customers who walked up, so maybe not so bad.

    Outside
    Yelah J.

    Loved the vibe of this diner! My boyfriend is vegan and gluten free. Finding restaurants that he can have options other than French fries is a challenging task. "Vegan or not. This is your spot". Service was great. Food came out fast. I got chicken Philly steak. My boyfriend got vegan gluten free breakfast burrito. My 14 year old son got cheeseburger, Fries, eggs, bacon, French toast. Everyone thought everything was delicious! Will be back again!

    Cheese on eggs

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    18 days ago

    Amazingly wonderful service, so friendly and warm and sincere! Amazingly fresh tasting food cooked perfectly. Such a great surprise!

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    It was so good we all got cheese steaks and let me tell you if you where from upstate jersey or York or even Pa you'll feel right at home.

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    8 months ago

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    28 days ago

    Lunch was great! Service and atmosphere was awesome! Very Retro! Enjoyed it very much.

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    11 months ago

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    5 months ago

    We were passing through town and decided to give this place a try. The staff was friendly and the food was tasty. Great diner!

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

    Love supporting locally owned businesses. They had a great small town vibe. Fast service. Great food!

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    1 year ago

    Stumbled onto this little gem in Downtown Ocala. Staff were amazing and the food was delicious. Good variety for all types of diets.

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    1 year ago

    Great for good Ol' southern breakfast. Can't beat it. Always a good place on a Saturday morning.

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Amazing food amazing ppl omg the food delicious too bad we don't have anything like this in Houston nothing comes close

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    Page 1 of 6

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    District Bar and Kitchen

    District Bar and Kitchen

    4.4
    (180 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Stopped by District Bar and Kitchen for a late lunch/early dinner on a beautiful spring day…read more The temperature outside was pleasant and so my dining companion and I opted for lunch on their patio. We were on their bottom floor patio (which was lovely) but I did spy that they have a rooftop patio as well (what's not to love?!?). Everything from the food to the cocktails to the service was exemplary. For my cocktail I got their Old Colonel's Smoking Gun which was their twist on an old fashioned and was delightful. For my entree, I got their salmon entree. It's glazed and comes with a size of their crispy brussels and cheesy grits. The brussels were delish and their cheesy grits rank among some of the best I've had with sharp cheddar giving them the perfect flavor kick. The atmosphere was so pleasant. It's definitely the sort of spot you'll feel tempted to linger. Get to it!

    So much looked good on the menu it was hard to choose. Also all the food that was coming out looked…read moredelicious! Got the pepperoni pizza. It was nice and fluffy, crispy on the edges. Would definitely get another flavor to try next time. Got the honey chicken sandwich. It was big and flavorful. Not spicy. The fries are yummy. The burger had nothing special on it and tasted like there was no seasoning - only downside. Want to try their grits and fried green tomatoes next time!

    Photos
    Downstairs Bar
    Downstairs Bar
    The Farmers Market Detroit Pizza
    The Farmers Market Detroit Pizza
    Old Colonel's smoking gun

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    Old Colonel's smoking gun
    MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes

    MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes

    3.8
    (23 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Planed to stop for a quick burger and saw several-- I passed some interesting shops with 4 or more…read morestars but tried Mooyah because I had a good burger from a MOOYAH in another state a few years ago. Here's how it went. I wanted to love my paleo burger .. but my burger was very dry. I had it lettuce wrapped which they were quite generous with- a ton of lettuce and two thin patties with blah blah blah , but it was dry and they put the mustard on the burger that I asked for on the side. Bacon was not flavorful.. Both types of French fries (sweet potato and regular) were good--just the right crisp on the outside and soft o the inside. (I always ask for extra crispy because I strongly abhor soggy fries. The other burger was a regular barbecue beef burger and the one patty was not a lot. It is hard to spend almost 40 bucks not including tip for two burgers and fries . When I do I want it to be delicious and not have to fill up on fries The place was clean... out of forks.. not very inviting or warm. So if you want to drop in an uninviting place to grab an expensive burger -dry and bland burger. This is your place. I'm a little grumpier than usual because raising the prices should not include lower standards . With top-- 15 percent because they hand you a cup and bring your burger out... and you bus your own table... it was over 40 with the tip. For two burgers and fries. Tired of overpaying for regular food.

    Soooo disappointed! Been looking forward to trying this it's a never again! I know it's a burger…read moreplace but I am a hot dog person! This hot dog was well grilled... and that all good I can say about lunch. I got it as a combo, first they brought fries, asked for chips( got the chips and they were soggy and some wet. The roll was stale and way too thick for the dog... the chosen toppings, grilled onions and mushrooms were an up charge and not worth the $. This place is right off the Square and empty at lunch time! Says a lot Back to dollar dogs at Circle K

    Photos
    Drink Station
    Drink Station
    MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes
    Dining Room

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    Dining Room
    Jaws Jumbo Burgers

    Jaws Jumbo Burgers

    4.5
    (96 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    A hidden gem and a real burger! Went for the first time a few days ago with a neighbor. We…read morethought we'd try it. The owners are a delight and all the Jaws & shark stuff make the place fun. It's in an older strip mall and been there for awhile. Everything is very clean. There were no sticky spots on our table. Both of us ordered just went with their standard burger to try that. I can't eat a double, let alone triple burger. The patties are all thick & well cooked. The owner, Yolanda, explained the grind meat for their burgers daily, so it's fresh. Then the hand form the patties. All this is evident when you take your first bite of that thick patty. You taste the beef! I chose all the fix'ins and cheddar cheese on mine. I want to make note of the tomatoes on the burger: they had great flavor! So often when you go out the tomatoes on a sandwich/burger are disappointing, not at JAWS! The fries were crisp and tasty. I couldn't pass up the milkshake: I got a chocolate malt and oh it was thick and delicious and HUGE! Could easily be shared, but I didn't LOL! Go wrap your Jaws around one of their burgers or another item off the menu. Locally owned!

    As we were coming back into SWFL from vacation we stopped in Ocala for a burger craving to be…read morefilled; Jaws Jumbo Burger was our pick and let me tell you why: 1) Local owned by Burger Master Darryl and his lovely wife Yolanda. 2) Fresh ground beef; daily. 3) Real food cooked in beef tallow, NO seed oil 4) Shark theme First thing we noticed was that it was clean inside this large burger joint and it doesn't smell like old restaurant grease! Yolanda was waiting at the order desk with a smile, greeting and a back story of their journey to Florida. She also went over the menu and was very precise in explaining specials, popular items, etc. Our group of four ordered 2 single patty burgers and 2 double patty burgers; all with fries and a drink. Please note, this is a CASH ONLY facility. If you don't have cash on hand, they do have an ATM on the property. As we found a seat and waited for our fresh made burgers, there is a GIANT screen TV playing great white shark documentaries to pass the time...Remeber, it's real food being cooked to order Also, I would encourage you to check out all the shark paraphernalia that adorns the walls. Burgers hot, fries crisp and drinks ice cold...we all dug in. Let me tell you, the 2 patty burger is fork and knife worthy! Juicy meat, soft bun and toppings crisp. Our table was silent for a good 2-3 minutes before anyone came up for air ... excellent burger for sure! Please be aware; you will be fully satisfied upon leaving and I guarantee you'll be back! I know Jaws Jumbo Burger will be our mid Florida stop as we come and go in/out of the state.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Kids slider and double patty burger
    Kids slider and double patty burger
    Jaws Jumbo Burgers

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    Brooklyn's Backyard

    Brooklyn's Backyard

    4.3
    (534 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    We showed up tonight to celebrate my birthday (today), my hubby's (Monday) and our daughter in…read morelaw's (this past Thursday). Couldn't think of a better place to eat, drink and be merry at! Tonight was "trivia night", which, while we didn't play, we did enjoy trying to guess the answers. Our grand daughter's face was a big "O" of amazement when realizing the upper tables were enjoying roasting their marshmallows at their table...when she was told they were making s'mores...she went nuts! She's so excited to get tableside s'mores! My wings were even better than they were last time since there was an addition of seasonings sprinkled on them along with the dill pickles, but unfortunately, our cheeseburger pizza suffered from not having enough mustard and ketchup base to it, the tomatoes were enormous chunks and so were red onions. It made it very difficult to eat without things falling all over your clothing since they were such huge chunks on top of the tiny pieces of pizza. My husband got the steak bomb sub, son got a pepperoni Stromboli, daughter in law got the Sharon's Brie burger, grand daughter the child's cheeseburger and fries. Our apps were the garlic knots, mild wings (10) and fried cheese curds with sriracha ranch dipping sauce. Everything was okay, except that it took forever for everything to come out, compared to our first visit. Even our s'mores seemed to take forever. The quickest part of the whole visit was the bill . The fella that waited on us the first time was on point. Not saying that the young lady waiting on us was rude or anything, but I think she was trying to do too many things at once and some things just fell by the wayside. Last visit we came in on a Saturday as well, but perhaps some people are just better at multitasking? I don't know. This time, our bill was over $200 with tip, but we still brought home food again. Not a lot compared to the last time, only 2 little pickle wings (I still can't get enough of those darn things!) and maybe 4 slices of pizza. My husband's loaded tots weren't to his liking, so there's something even for the dog tomorrow We may stay away for awhile and see if they manage to work out some kinks. If anything, the best rule is consistency. If the food preparation is not consistent every time you go to eat there, there's a problem. There should be NO deviation just because someone else is cooking it. All recipes should be the same. Twice we've ordered the same items and they've been different. I still recommend this place for great vibes, cocktails, food and the tableside s'mores. There's just nowhere else like it!

    I was in the area with a friend and his daughter. We visited Silver Springs and were ready for…read morelunch. His daughter said she wanted a burger and we found this spot. There are a few tables outside, right by the door. There are signs that make it clear they are non smoking tables. We decided to eat inside, were seated right away and our server came quickly. She told us what some of the popular burgers were and we made our selections based on that. I had the Jamaican burger cooked medium. This burger was cooked perfectly, had good flavor, was topped with a sweet and spicy jerk sauce. It was everything that I expected. My friend had the Brie burger and his daughter had the smash burger and they both said those burgers were very good as well. Our server was attentive to our needs throughout our meal. I would definitely go back again.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Interior
    Interior
    Interior

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    Interior
    Ralph's Burger and Sandwich Shop

    Ralph's Burger and Sandwich Shop

    4.2
    (26 reviews)
    7.6 mi

    Was out in Ocala visiting my in laws and touring some new homes!! Great burger and priced were good…read moretoo!!

    Great burger, though greasy. Had the Ralph's with no changes to it…read more Before I go further, the one nice thing the girl at the counter did was say my order would be brought to me, and it was. I walk with a cane & I had brought my dog. I rather doubt I'll be back. I'd rather go any of the other WEC restaurants where the staff is gracious to the level of Disney gracious. Staff were not at all on par with the rest of WEC, well at least not the blond young woman that waited on me. She did smile upon arrival, but their tone was condescending and obviously an old, plump lady didn't fit her idea of who to be nice to. I ordered quickly, as I came to just try the place out and figured the Ralph's burger was the way to go. I felt all the staff sort of walked around her and gave her a wide berth and frankly all looked nervous. Is there a tyrant there? Layout: is odd! Condiments are on the far right end of the counter, yet the utensils and beverages are on the opposite wall. The girl who took my order said nothing about that. I was surprised to get a burger with no condiments on it. I ordered coffee and they give you a cup and it's self-service, which is perfectly fine, but the tea and coffee were not labeled or if they are, then it's up over 5 feet, I tipped 18%, not my usual 20%*, as it's counter service. I assume that's divided up, as the staff cleaning tables were quick & efficient, as well as pleasant. Maybe blond girl was having a bad day, but if that's the case - don't share it. I was there on June 4th, 2026. Since this is not a chain fast food restaurant and they apparently don't put condiments on the burgers, I think having them on the table would be better. Worst service in Ocala all due to one girl.

    Photos
    Ralph's Burger and Sandwich Shop
    Ralph's Burger and Sandwich Shop
    Ralph's Burger and Sandwich Shop

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    Ocala's Downtown Diner - diners - Updated July 2026

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