Updated Review: To be honest, the first time I went into Penny's with relatively low expectations given the volume of negative reviews associated with this casual diner. But after leaving dinner with a full stomach and a good experience, I said I'd give Penny's another shot in the future. At our first visit, my girlfriend and I were recent arrivals to Alpine still figuring out what eating establishments are open at the odd hours we seem to get hungry, so one of her local family members suggested we give Penny's a try. They stated it was under new management and that many of the past gripes highlighted in online reviews had been addressed. Tired of other basic late night choices in the city, like McDonald's or Sonic, we went for it. The first thing you notice is Penny's neat atmosphere, with its quintessential Americana diner feel. Booths and barstools line one side of the restaurant overlooking an open kitchen. The menu is very much what you'd expect, with burgers to breakfast items available at all hours. Service on that first visit seemed just fine at the time, with a single cook working the kitchen, a waitress at the tables, and a woman stationed at the cash register. It wasn't super busy, so no problem. However, during subsequent visits, even when the place didn't appear busy, the time from ordering to each person receiving their food has skyrocketed. Our last visit took two hours, and each member of our four-person party got their food one after another, despite ordering at the same time. By the time my food arrived (the last), the first diner in our group had long-finished eating, and the others were on their final bites (after having intentionally slowed their eating pace to be polite). The food itself is not anything super special or otherwise unique; it's comfort diner food served in moderate-to-decent portions at a normal price. I'd be happy to return to such eats whenever the mood strikes, if getting the food wasn't such a long drawn out process. Other reviewers complain about the cleanliness of the establishment, but we've seen nothing to gripe about on that front. Penny's isn't the height of fine dining in a sterile atmosphere, just like any other diner-like eatery of similar ilk. There is no discernible "chemical smell" others have mentioned, and we've seen no flies overrunning the place (even though our visits have coincided with the buggy summer months). Penny's is a simple diner with the benefit of being open 24/7 in a town where late-night options are otherwise nonexistent. Definitely beats going to the gas station convenience store for a 2 AM hot dog pulled off a roller machine... just be warned that a quick meal isn't necessarily going to be had on each visit. read more

Have been here a few times with my family and this place is one of the worst in Alpine. The food is overpriced and the portions are small. The overweight Hispanic cook with the glasses should be fired. Half the time he doesn't clean the grill and charred pieces of food end up in your order. Also, he doesn't seem to be able to read the tickets because something is usually wrong with the order. Maybe we'll go back again if they change the staff and improve their management. read more

We sat down here and waited 10 minutes for someone to even come and attempt to take our order. When the waitress came over she just stared at us for a while then said it would take just a hour or longer to get our food. After waiting for 10 minutes to even get service, we gladly got up and took our money and business to Magoos down the street where we got service in a matter of seconds after sitting down. Don't go here!! read more

So. We had been horseback riding, then hiking, then drinking, the hiking some more, and were exhausted when we got back to the hotel. I finally woke up from a nap, rolled over, and demanded that my husband feed me. The big question in this area is always "what's open?" Turns out, Penny's Diner is open! A reconstruction of a 50's diner, it's a cute place. It is also, oddly, the check in desk for the motel next door. The service was friendly, if not super fast, and the menu was precisely what you would expect for a diner. They didn't have many vegetarian options (a recurring problem in this area) but were kind enough to make me a grilled cheese with some tomato slices thrown in. My husband chowed down on a burger and said it hit the spot. This is a chain restaurant (according to the menu, and apparently only in small towns) so it's not necessarily a bastion of local charm and flavor, but when you need some food and nothing else is open but Pizza Hut and Sonic, it's a good option. read more

Classic diner look and feel. I love a place with a big griddle. I would like to come back and have breakfast sometime. read more

Penny's Diner - Diners Near Me - Alpine, Texas

I agree with the other reviews... we went in for dinner and the only thing vegetarian on the menu is salads. Guess what they're out of! We tried again in the morning - I had an ala carte waffle and veggie hashbrowns. They were fantastic! Much better than chain breakfast joints. Our waitress was so super busy. I felt bad for her... she NEVER quit moving. So yes, we had to wait a slight bit longer for food but our coffee was never empty and our waitress was always working. There is limited seating here so please, if you are alone, shimmy up to the counter instead of taking a whole booth to yourself. read more

If you want to eat your hot food COLD, this is the place! Took forever to get food & it wasn't so great (pancakes are very dry). Chose this place as it looked like something in a movie (aluminium airstream camper looking diner). read more

This place was an unexpected gem! Sounds like they have a whole new staff and menu and according to the older reviews, it is a complete 180. Food was good and super fast! The server (the woman with the purple hair) and cook (man with long hair) were both so friendly and helpful!! So glad we stopped for dinner- might be popping by tomorrow morning for breakfast too! :) read more

We used to love going here on our way out from Marfa and Big Bend, but the last time we went we got no service. There was one server working a packed restaurant, no one greeted us, and everytime I tried make eye contact with her, she just smirked and walked away read more

I NEVER write or post about a bad experience, but this place was so horrible, I had to. This place has the worst 'cook' on Earth! We were there this past Thursday evening.... horrific. My green salad was brown and old. The butter was FROZEN....the eggs were so hard, the fork would not cut an "over easy egg". The hash browns tasted like dirt. The cook was more concerned with talking to someone at the counter than she was about cooking. The place was not crowded.... only about three tables....but it took about 30 minutes to get the horrific food. The so called 'cook' needs to get a different career. Unbelievably BAD. Don't waste your time or money. read more

Where do I begin? First,​ let me start​ off with the good. The outside was gorgeous​! It looks like an old-school​ diner greasy spoon where one could expect to get great food quickly and at a somewhat reasonable price​. The water was cold and the cup it came in wasn't leaking. That's about it for the good part. We waited 40 minutes after we were seated to get our drinks ordered and another 30 minutes for our food to arrive. This would have been forgivable being that they were busy if the food made the wait worth dealing with. Alas though, it wasn't. I had a burger that was clearly taken out of a freezer somewhere and I truly believe the cook dedicated his life that night to free my burger and fries of any flavor. This dude was on a mission, and it was a mission he was very successful at. To display his dedication to the all-important​ goal of riding the world (as it pertained to my plate) of any trace of flavor or joy, he cooked the hell out of the meat. I mean I could have taken that burger and rubbed the paint off of my truck with it. It tasted like beef flavored sandpaper. He continued his war on flavor with my french fries that were potatoes held hostage to his assault on the joy that normally comes from eating french fries. My friend got the chicken sandwich and I wondered, would this sandwich escape​ the dreaded wrath of the flavor black hole? No,​ because this cook came out with a ferocious vengeance​. Nobody would enjoy their food on his watch by God​! His sandwich came out with part of the chicken being raw. Long story short, I think I would rather eat snake turd than dine here again. read more

I'm leaving four stars for the cook and only the cook!!! His food was delicious! He took care of our table and made sure we got coffee. Some random girl was sitting behind the counter on her phone. I have no idea what her purpose is other than acting like a prick. I had to get up and get our menus. I didn't even see her sitting behind the counter at first and the cook was busy so I didn't think much of it. When I noticed her on her cell phone sitting there, I asked for a water and coffee. She got up and stomped around like a 4 year child throwing a tantrum... it was super awkward. She brought ONE water to the table. Guess my boyfriend didn't want a drink.... then she put the coffee to brew.:. Only she didn't turn it on. I noticed but wanted to be polite as possible. Not sure why. This individual needs to be fired. She is literally a waste of a paycheck. I asked the cook for our coffee and he got right on it. He was super nice. Super friendly and did a great job on the food! When we were checking out the girl didn't acknowledge us. My boyfriend had to ask and she said, "oh, yeah let me tell him". Again, what's her purpose? So the cook was trying to cash us out and he was asking if she already input the order on the machine. She just looked at him and shook her head. All In all, the food was good. The cook was friendly! Some random woman was walking around in the back.... I have no clue what her role was. There was a person in the kitchen that kept... cackling. It was weird. I'm assuming people don't stop here for good service. The food was good. I only recommend this place solely on the cook and his delicious food! read more

We popped by in the morning after several days at Fort Davis and McDonald Observatory. The diner is clean and neat. It was a bit disconcerting to see the waitress and cook eat while they prepared our food (we were the only customers at the time). The cook had gloves on as he ate, wiped his mouth, and reached for our plates. The waitress was no too interested in service. The food was OK. We ordered breakfast... Think we will skip this venue next time. read more

Worst diner I've ever been to. There is zero chance they'll get your order right. Even when they write down your order right in front of you, their terrible cooks will ignore that and just make what they want. Also, none of the employees were wearing their masks properly if at all. If you're concerned about COVID or if you want someone to get your order correct, do not come to this place read more

Our new favorite place in West Texas. Stayed in Alpine to visit Marfa. Ate breakfast at Penny's. Great service, great food and last but no least, GREAT coffee (Decoty). I don't understand the bad reviews on Yelp. These reviews must be from people that hardly leave their neighborhood, let alone explore the remote areas in Texas. Great find and will be back when we visit the area again! read more

Don't waste your time. The cook is a asshole to customers and waitress. I only gave a star just so it let me submit the review.

I showed up at 2:50 AM an the hostess sais she would not seat me and she had no ability to serve me. Worst service ever.

Tried to go 2xs to dine in. First time cook wasn't there and told to come back later. 2nd and finale attempt, we walked In and a very rude and snarky young lady told us.. "we're at capacity you're going to have to leave!" and immediately turned around and walked off. I tried to ask her how long the wait should be and gave her benefit of doubt of her actions. She than returned.. " I said we're at capacity. Leave!" . I was so disgusted with her demeanor. my kids and I just wanted ice cream while we were visiting Alpine. will never go again. read more

My wife, daughter and I stopped by on our way to big bend for breakfast . The staff was very unprofessional and the restaurant was not very clean. I would not recommend this place. read more

I never considered incompetence an art form until I witnessed it so masterfully executed at this dreadful diner. As we were seated we told each other we applauded the efforts of our waiter, who was clearly hustling even though there were only three tables with customers in the place. We soon learned that he should have paced himself, however. He quickly ran of gas and the only thing he was serving was disappointment. They were out of more items than they actually had available. Some of the things unavailable included: ham, white bread, chicken fried steak, chili, onions, onion rings, ketchup, salt and pepper and syrup. Look, if you're out of ham, toast and syrup in a place that serves breakfast 24-7, you need to lock the dang door and make a quick grocery store run. We only learned that they were out of syrup after the pancakes two of my children ordered arrived at the table. The cook (our waiter had abandoned us by now) seemed aggravated when we asked for the bacon that came with their order. My wife ordered a ham and cheese omelette and was informed that they were out of ham AFTER it was cooked. The guy actually said, "I regret to inform you that we are out of ham." She settled for some bacon on the side. I never received the salad with my order and there was no salt and pepper for the flavorless mashed potatoes, but at this point I was ready to just cut my losses. Besides, I was far more concerned with the fact that our oldest child still had not gotten his food even though the rest of us were nearly done with our meals. After all, he only ordered a cinnamon roll. Our waiter was now staying on the other side of the restaurant, and every time I attempted to make eye contact with him he looked away. Eventually the cook came to our table and admitted that they were also out of cinnamon rolls. Since it was now too late to go anywhere else, we asked him to prepare bacon and eggs. That seemed to take an eternity, but I told them to just make it to go. Save yourself some trouble and just go to a face food place and tell them to surprise you with your order. This place is the worst. read more

Gross! I came in here to get lunch and had to cancel my order. Dirty... unsanitary... DON'T RISK IT! I watched cooks rub their hands through their hair and then touch both cooked and uncooked food. Then, the waitress leans over the counter and runs her fingers through her hair leaving hair fibers all over the place. And the walks away! After each incident,I had to mention to the waitress the health violations. The owner finally started getting on her employees. I didn't eat, but we'll see if my friends get sick. read more

Penny's Diner - Diners Near Me - Alpine, Texas

This is your dine experience. Quick, fast. This is opposite the holiday Inn we stayed. They are own 24 hours. Only downside is there is not much vegetarian option on the menu. I wish they had one veg sabdwich. read more

Penny's Diner - Good food, lot of options for late night hunger - Diners Near Me - Alpine, Texas

12 of us showed up around midnight after visiting the Marfa Lights Viewing center and we stayed nearby. This was the only sit down place open and even though there was a bit of a wait to get our food, Joshua the young man taking the order and cooking it was polite, friendly and very attentive. That made the difference between bad service and not minding the wait. We didn't mind it much since we did show up very late. I don't think they normally get large parties that often. The food was pretty good too. read more

Long story short... don't eat here. The place was a wreck.. smelled like sewage, multiple tables had not been cleaned, the menu's were so sticky.. all around gross... especially in a time like this. I will say that there was one guy working and he was friendly and seemed to be doing it all so against better judgment we stayed and ordered, ate our food, and waited around for 20 mins. After the 20 mins of waiting for our check (after not hearing or seeing our waiter once after he dropped the food off) we decided to leave what we owed on the table and go. Surprise surprise.. our waiter was sitting outside the hotel NEXT to this place of "business" chatting away with a friend. SO, If you like the smell of sewage, mediocre food, and terrible service... please go to this place. read more

This is an average diner in a small town. A lot of reviews complain about the wait but we did not any problems getting sestef. People need to remember this is a college town in the diner right next to busy hotel. I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich was good but put it on white bread not rye like I ordered. But still good. Large breakfast meal cooked cooked to order and good. My husband said the coffee was actually good. Daughter's cheeseburger cooked-to-order basic but good. Establishment is very clean and organized. Olivia was our waitress was very nice and attempted. Prices are reasonable so you won't worry about spending a lot. read more

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So I went here a couple days ago and it was pretty bad. The mushroom swiss burger that I ordered was dry, little flavor and burnt. The mushrooms on it had obviously just been scooped out of a can as they were perfectly stacked on top of each other. They might have other good stuff but damn that was gross. Avoid it for the burgers at the least. The service was okay, the server was pretty bored with everything but at least she was available. If you are in Alpine just go here as a last resort because it isn't worth it. You can definitely get a better hamburger at the Sonic or McDonalds in town, and this is coming from someone who doesn't like fast food. read more

We ate here last night. Slow, inattentive service (I only saw one person working the front, so maybe she was worn out). The one guy cooking was working his tail off. They were out of mashed potatoes, brown gravy, and onion rings. I wanted to make a grocery store run for them! The French fries (replacement for the mashed potatoes) were really good. I would probably give them another shot for breakfast. My chicken fried steak was OK, friend liked her mushroom Swiss burger. Cute diner decor and killer classic rock! read more

Slow service. What we ordered was not what we got. Too tired to complain. Dirty. Checkout process at the counter was S L O W. Not going back. read more

Food was passable. Service was adequate. Just don't set your expectations too high. Standard Sysco bag items. Not going to win any hygiene awards here... Place could use a major scrub down. read more

Walked in around 3 on a Tuesday afternoon. The 50's style dining car and the decor are adorable. We were hungry and excited to try the food. When we came in The employee by the door was looking at his computer and ignored us. There was one customer at the counter and a family in the corner at a table. We sat down at the counter and starting looking at the menu. The cook was working on a big order, but also completely ignored us. We waited about 15 minutes as our smiles turned to frowns. At one point The employee by the door walked over and we thought he might actually greet us but instead he put his coffee cup in the sink and went back to the door. We finally gave up and left. No one said a word to us. We don't mind waiting. All someone had to do was say "I'm working on a big order I'll be right with you" or "hello" even... anything! We will not be back read more

We were greeted by the cook behind the counter, and told to sit anywhere we would like. It turns out the cook was the only one working. We waited a long while just to get our drink order taken. When we said we would like shakes, the cook said he wasn't making shakes since he was the only one working. My wife and I ordered burgers. They were not bad. However, our daughter ordered a pancake. We watched as the cook cooked it on the same grill as the burgers, without cleaning the grill first. Her pancake tasted like a fluffy grease ball. Maybe it isn't always like this, but we won't be back. read more

Penny's was 10/10. Highly suggest when in Alpine for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Only one person was working but the food was worth the wait! read more

Greasy, fast, delicious, traditional diner fare, love it or hate it you know it's exactly what you need sometimes. Great little late night food join for West Texas Herpers! read more

If I could give no stars I would. We stopped in to get lunch and only been sitting a few moments and the woman said be with you In a few. When she did that she rolled her eyes and talked under her breath so we walked out. The cooks did both ace gloves on and the were picking up the meat with their hands it was disgusting. Keep on going do not stop at Penny's Diner. read more

Good food! Patty melt was spot on and service was friendly and thorough. Great little diner. Had breakfast the next morning and it was great! The kids who work here are sweet and do a good job. I'm disappointed that there aren't more good reviews for this place. It's clean and exactly what I'd expect from a small town diner. read more

Place was absolutely beautiful on the outside. I will say it's pretty awesome open 24 hours .Looks like a fun all diner walk back in time I'll chrome on the outside we were very excited .We went inside it was OK could've been much cleaner. Staff seemed very nice. We got our food it tasted fine but looked over at the cook and though we are going to throw.up his pants look like he had worn them for a few months without washing them and he kept wiping his hands on his pants and dirty shirt. At that point we ceased eating got a paid and left. Very sad this can be an amazing place , it has so much potential and just adorable. read more

We stopped by here while staying in Alpine for a couple of nights. The menu is small, the service dismal, and the food mediocre. The waitress was not friendly, dropped the check off with the food, and never came back thereafter. We ordered burgers, chicken fingers for the kiddo, and chicken fried steak for yours truly. The fries were undercooked, and remaining items barely "just ok." The only bright spots were the cleanliness of the diner and the young man manning the register. Save your money and go elsewhere. read more

I never knew there could be a diner worse than waffle house. Food is less than average and service is slow and not sympathetic. Adding that I've came here over months in between visits and no change. read more

Good skillet but kind of small in my opinion for $8.50. I was still hungry when I left. Waitness was nice and warmed our coffee several times but, food took 1hr from the time we ordered. Nobody seemed concerned that we had been waiting that long when I complained to waitress and cook. Apparently their computers were down so that was the culprit. I'd probably go back to give this place another try on a day when I'm not in any hurry...maybe I just caught their servers on an off day. read more

Went in for dinner one evening with friends. After we were seated and starting to order we were told the fryer wasn't working so nothing fried was available. We were offered chips only after we asked if there was anything to substitute. 25 minutes later our three burgers came out and one was completely wrong. Exasperated, we just told her to leave it and ate it. Had to ask for drink refills. Very unfriendly staff, mediocre food, and dirty walls and kitchen area make us just one time customers. read more