The Dot has been on my radar for a long time. Finally took the time to go for lunch with an old friend. A divey like diner just off route 5 with ample parking in a rutted lot. It's not much to look at but with friendly service and good food, who cares. Not a big fan of high tops and stools but not complaining. I had a hot roast beef on white bread with poutine fries and a loganberry. The beef was kinda shredded from being over cooked but there was a lot of it and dripping in that diner brown gravy. The poutine was excellent with lots of cheese curds melting under that gravy. My friend had a fried shrimp plate with cocktail and fries and enjoyed it while still having some of take home. I had to laugh at the restroom which is kinda behind the kitchen line so, you walk through the sink and storage area. The place seems to be stuck in perpetual disarray which is just fine. What you see is what you get and today, everything is just fine! read more

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Cute little place with 60+ years of history. Worth the stop if you're in the area for the first time. Also, my first time trying beef on weck and not my favorite. The roasted beef was dry and lacking in flavor while the buns have salt and caraway seeds that made the entire sandwich way too salty. The caraway seeds also gives it a strong flavor. The highlight for me was the fries and gravy. Fries were original but I did like their gravy that was not too salty and leans on the savory side rather than sweet. The wait time was about 40 minutes so they have a lot of people getting takeouts. If u do come back next time, it would be to try some of their other items that might be more popular. read more

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I had an excellent experience 2 years ago and gave the African American girl a $5 tip because she knew how to cook things right! Yesterday, I went there and the 3 female employees were very immature, and the cooking was not good. I had fried baloney and onion rings. The fried onions in the baloney were very stringy, Stingey amount of baloney and the onion rings were burnt. These girls were annoyingly loud. Not like it used to be at Pok-A-Dot! read more

Rodeo burger crazy good, beef on wick ok. Gravy really good. Pepsi addicted boyfriend said the Pepsi was "always like the first sip" read more

Pok-A-Dot - Beef on wick gravy plate, rodeo burger, pickle chips and fried mushrooms with 2 pickle sauces - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

My friend and I were out Batavia area, and decided we wanted to find a grease spoon, as she called it AKA diner. The diner had an old school 50s vibe eiththe polka dots and stools, take out section and dine in. Service was so so...food was delicious ordered their signature roast beef sandwich. My friend ordered there double cheeseburger meal with fries and drink. Overall decent local place read more

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It is a dive dinner. Enough said, service was great and the beef n weck is not to be missed. The horseradish cleared my nose out. 5 stars, do insist on people going read more

Lovely nostalgic spot that my 80 year old Mother frequented as a little kiddo in the 50s Thinly sliced roast beef and tasty crinkle fries I tried for my first visit. Good portions and the friendliest staff ever! be back to try the famous egg sandwich next read more

Pok-A-Dot - Roast beef platter with gravy on the side. - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

Food has been hit and miss. The beef on weck that we ordered was dry as a bone. No au jus. It was hard to swallow. I ordered fries but didn't get them. Wasn't charged for them so I guess maybe she didn't hear me and my order was to go so I didn't notice it till I got home. But we go there frequently but it's a crap shoot as to what you get. read more

While visiting family in the area, we decided to grab a quick lunch at the Pok-A-Dot diner since we were craving a good beef on weck. It said on the window that they've been famous for them for over 70 years, so we were definitely drawn in. Compared to others I've had, I found this one to be a bit dry, and it didn't completely win me over. My fiancé had a hot dog that was pretty burnt. Good cheese curds though. Seating was definitely limited and it was hard to even find a table for three. I don't see us rushing back on future visits. read more

Pok-A-Dot - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

If you are driving through Batavia this "kitschy" diner is a must stop just for the fun on saying you've been to the "Pok-a-Dot." To those hoping for a tuxedoed wait staff or candle lit table service perhaps you should have looked at the fun-themed exterior. I asked on my recent visit how long the Pok-A-Dot had been serving food and no one seemed to have an answer, so my guess is 'forever.' You'll be served by the same folks who will be making your meal. They might not notice you immediately but once you engage them in conversation, they are there to answer questions with a smile! The menu offers up some Western New York classics like 'Beef on Weck,' which I recommend and a wide assortment of breakfast and lunch option. My latest stop was for breakfast and when you can smell the bacon and hear it sizzling you know you are going to enjoy your meal. I took my review down a notch because I agree with another reviewer who did not particularly appreciate the boxes of supplies in the dining area. Perhaps there is no room behind the counter, but those stored items do take away from the ambiance of the high tops and full glass walls of the diner. In our high paced world travelers might be in a rush to drive past the Pok-A-Dot but believe me if you have a reason to be in Batavia plan to enjoy a breakfast or lunch looking out the windows from your high top! read more

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We've been meaning to stop here for years, finally made it a couple of months ago. Busy place, but personal and friendly service. Great fries! Clean restroom. I don't recommend the white hot. It was some brand x. For the location, the white hot needed to be Zweigle's ... or at least Wegman's. Everything else was very good. read more

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Still the best Beef on Weck that I've had anywhere! I always make sure to stop here for one whenever I am in the area! read more

Pok-A-Dot - Beef on Weck - still the best I've ever had anywhere! - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

Simple comfort food served with smiles. Excellent food and good people. A great spot for a quick bite to eat.

Just had the greatest birthday celebration with our daughter and servers Hailee and Nicole. We had such a good time and the food is terrific!! read more

Been coming here for 50 years, sure the cigarette machine is gone, but the grilled cheese and onion rings are still great, you can't beat the prices either. Come support one of the legends of Batavia! read more

Pok-A-Dot - Grill - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

Oh. My. Gawd. On point. Frosted mugs, outrageously tasty food, great old school place with friendly staff and quick service, definitely a new favorite. Had the Roast beef sandwich and fries, mouth watering doesn't even begin to cover it. read more

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Don't use the bathroom or you will be cutting roast beef! Poor! Beef on wreck is good Hole in the wall place Bathroom dirty, they have breakfast all day. Please pay attention to reviews! read more

WOW, this place is definitely not like it use to be. Went there today with my mom for lunch and the waitress was the worst, least attentive person I have ever met in a diner atmosphere. Had to ask for silverware and she made us feel like we were putting her out. Soda was not even filled to the top but she was in a big hurry to give us the check. No tip - as a reflection of the service and quality. Beef on weck did not even have any weck on the roll! What a shame, looks better on the outside then how your treated in the inside. read more

This was my second time at Pok-A-Dot, but the first was a while ago & I still felt like a newbie. This small town diner is quaint & seems to fit right into its surroundings in Batavia. But you sure do feel like an outsider when you go in. Nobody greeted us, and I feel like it was obvious we maybe hadn't ever been there before because it seemed a lot like Cheers in everyone in there knew everyone else. Except us, of course. The menu is on the wall behind the grill, but there is no obvious place to put in your order. About two minutes after we took a seat at a table, the woman at the grill asked us what we would like to drink. There was no acknowledgement, but she did go up to the fountain machine & fill a glass, then set it on the counter. I grabbed it & set it on the table, waiting for the other two drinks we ordered. A woman came in from the outside and sat at the counter where the drink I took had been sitting. Turns out, I took her drink. The lady behind the grill said, "Oh! I was going to bring your drinks out to you!" It just didn't appear that was how things were done there. Anyway, she finally got our drinks & we grabbed them from her at the counter, and then she took our orders. The food was okay. Not amazing. Not bad. Just okay. I feel like the diner atmosphere is what makes this place, or could make this place. I was not thrilled with how confusing it seems to be to order & to pay. And then, the diner itself could be vastly improved if they would give it some fresh paint & move some stacked boxes to the back room. I'm not sure how this place has stayed open so long (my 80-year-old mother used to eat here as a teenager), except maybe Batavians have a thing for nostalgia. read more

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Excellent beef on weck! Fries hot and crispy! Drove from Rochester and was worth the drive! Beef is so tender and flavorful, just delicious! Will be back again for sure! read more

Pok-A-Dot - Beef on weck and crispy fries - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

The food was great and service just as good. Great little place will go again next time in the area.

First opened in 1953, this famous little greasy spoon diner has more than withstood the test of time. Its black building adorned with brightly colored "dots" has been a recognizable landmark on the corner of Ellicott Street & Liberty Street for 65 years. POK-A-DOT is super easy to find ... just follow your nose ... you may be able to SMELL it before you actually SEE it. POK-A-DOT's exhaust system continually pumps out the mouth-watering aromas of its grilled and deep fried comfort foods. My mouth is watering as I am writing this POK-A-DOT review! My beloved Pok-A-Dot sort of reminds me of a food stand at a carnival. There is no other place quite like it. I always sit at the counter and order my "usual" : Beef-on-Weck (YUM!), Onion Rings (YUM!), and a Root Beer (the only kind of beer I drink! Haha.) I have tried Beef-on-Wecks at other local establishments, and, although they are quite good at Miss Batavia and at Settler's, Pok-A-Dot's Beef-on-Weck continues to reign supreme. I believe it is due to their perfectly salted and seeded Kummelweck bun which they brush lightly with butter and place briefly on their grill for a slight toasting. Then they add a pretty generous helping of roast beef which had been soaking in Pok-a-Dot's secret family recipe of au jus. (Oh boy, now I am really salivating!) Must. Go. To. Pok. A. Dot. Now. Dirty floors, "regulars" who stare at you as you enter, and no-nonsense service without a smile are just a few of the charms of this local dive. No "waitresses" here, per se. Your order-taker is also your cook and your cashier, and, if you're lucky, she will handle your food with the same hand as she handles money. It's all part of the POK-A-DOT "experience." read more

Pok-A-Dot - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

We were driving along on our way to the Finger Lakes when I heard my partner yell out, "Beef on Weck!" He proceeded to veer to the left and make a sharp left. In seconds, we were perched on stools and ready to order. Our waitress helped us decide what to order. We had a hot beef sandwich plate with fries and covered in gravy, and a beef on weck with horseradish. I love that when you get food here, it's steaming hot. It was delicious! The weck was covered in caraway seeds. Such a great roll! I liked that this was an open kitchen so you could see your food being made. What a treat! read more

A Batavia tradition boasting " Best beef on wick sandwiches ". This place probably has not changed in 50 years! I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. The interior was probably last cleaned 50 years ago....our beef sandwich was fatty. The fries with gravy was good and the prices cheap. read more

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Awful experience. From the moment I ordered and throughout the pick up of my food, the women at counter were rude. I asked for my roll to be put on the top of the roast beef just because I had a long ride home and didn't want it to get soggy. That was a problem, they wanted to charge me extra. Like what???? Why would you charge me extra for that?? Just snotty old women- definitely won't be back. read more

This place has been there a long time. Ordered simple beef on weck and onion rings. IT was good. friendly service, quick to order and get your food. Not the best I"ve ever had, but I wll go again. read more

This was a great little place, just what you want. Beware of large portions! Lotsa window space. Order the Italian "omelet".

Nostalgia and family business loyalty reign nearly 70 years. Great food. Must stop every time in Batavia. Only problem is now they only have hightop tables and stools for seating. These are not friendly or usable for elderly, handicapped or mobility impaired customers. read more

Don't listen to the good reviews on here. They must be from a different time, when it was a decent diner. The food and service was terrible. My french toast was basically just eggs and the beef on weck was cold, with a dry bun but somehow soggy on top. They microwaved two cheese slices on top of hashbrowns and I wish we could've stuck with our gut and gone somewhere else. read more

Great value with a simple menu that covers all the bases. My husband couldn't even finish his Beef on Weck and fries ! I wanted to save room and take home a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb pie so I just got the fries and gravy. The brown gravy was delicious and reminded me of my grandmas. Our daughter ordered the mozzarella sticks that were perfect with plenty of sauce for dipping. read more

Pok-A-Dot - Fries and gravy - American Near Me - Batavia, New York

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My dad is a disabled wheelchair bound veteran. We called ahead to see if the were wheelchair accessible. It is ... But only if the people sitting by the door care to get up and move their chairs. They said they were famous for their roast beef so I said, " sign me up" I got that and a side of fries and gravy. The fries were light crisp and the gravy tasty. The beef was passable but didn't have a whole lot of flavor. Middling at best. My daughter ordered a hot dog and wouldn't eat it because it tasted funny. Now, I love dives. Little hole in the wall places with great food ... So I'm not putting on airs when I say this ... THE PLACE IS A DUMP !!! I LITERALLY had a pile of dirt under my chair. The sign said they'd been open for 62 years... Couldn't someone have found a mop in that time. It was scurvy ( see pics). The grill looked like one you would find in a state park on the fifth of July ... Covered in old grease that no one even thought about. And it's CASH ONLY, SO BE PREPARED. I won't be going back. read more

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I went there for a weekend brunch recently, and while the restaurant is cute on the outside, I'd reconsider choosing my meals based on aesthetic after my experience. Upon entering and ordering, I began to realize that the staff did not take professionalism and sanitation very seriously. They may have forgotten that you can see well into the kitchen at what they're doing as they were spilling fries across surfaces to return them to CUSTOMERS plates or even going as far as to eat them themselves, YIKES!! Along with this, the one-gloved woman who was preparing food, appeared to have a rather leaky nose which she thought her arm to be the most accessible tissue I guess?? She then proceeded to handle raw bacon and other meats... arm unwiped and glove unchanged... for the entire half hour I was there. Lastly, the fryer oil.... I don't believe this has been changed since the opening of this fine establishment. Health inspector please help! read more

I got the beef on weck it was more like beef leather and I was disappointed your better buying the stuff for it

Interesting layout where person takes order and then goes and cooks it behind counter ,staff are friendly but overwhelmed The breakfasts looked okay .. We had the house special Beef on Weck ..ugh Beef was just okay , bun was soft and soggy and horseradish had clearly see several tables This place not worth a drive What is really troubling in how DIRTY everything is .. How can BOH allow such a dirty place to stay open ? This one is past its hey day I'd pass .. read more

showed showed up to get it to go order a double cheeseburger with fries and soda and a bowl of mac salad got in my vehicle driving down the road open my bag to eat my food everything's in there but the fries when I order a special I expect to get what comes with the special in review of my receipt to make sure I ordered correctly the order was correct then the cash tender was $15 they stated I paid with a $20 I don't know who you got working there not a very good place anymore maybe room for 10 people to sit if you're lucky no seats at the bar anymore beef on WIC isn't what it used to be nor the max salad been going there for years used to be a really great place don't know what happened to the service or food and they don't open till 9:00 a.m. anymore no more early morning breakfast not happy with the place anymore read more

My personal favorite little place to go for delicious hot food like, burgers, dogs and sandwiches. Yummy desserts, as well. Love their beef on wicks. They are so moist, tender and full of flavor. I recommend their French fries and gravy as a side. Food comes out fairly quick. All employees in my experiences have been very friendly. read more

The Dot. I generally like, whole in a wall joints. It's been there for year and years and it shows, but still delivers. News paper clippings hanging here and there telling tales of its history. T-shits and postcards for the loyalists of this establishment that has stood the test of time. The long time owner in his 90's was there too, so the food (and his smoking) has not killed him yet. This is the kind of place, like the Saturday Night Live skit, "cheeseburger, chip, Pepsi." Easy parking is around back, behind the building. The menu has other options, including breakfast. But when I had asked my guide for the definitive selection and he said, "get the roast beef." They go through a roast a day on days like these in winter and twice that in a summer's day. I sat at the counter over the grill and watched as they toasted the buns. Then they piled on a juicy mass of roast beef that nearly melted the bottom of the weck roll away. Of course I quickly mowed down on the road side classic with a dose of healthy horseradish and I can see how it all came to be. I wouldn't recommend a special trip, but if you're in the neighborhood. (good food, great value) read more

I'm not from here and we picked pok-a-dot because it was easy to find (pok-a-dots all over it) and there was outside seating. There was nothing special about the food but it was very good and fresh. The ladies that work here are very friendly and the service was fast. The place has that old time summer dinner feel to it. Loved it. read more

Absolutely horrible experience. Ordered ahead. 2 double cheeseburgers with everything, 2 beef on week, 4 fries, 2 root beers, 2 diet colas. Received 2 double hamburgers with nothing but chopped onions. No cheese, ketchup, mustard or anything else. Burgers were dry and overcooked. Beef on wecks and fries were fine. Received 2 root beers and nothing else. Told the girl at the counter diet class were missing. She added another root beer. Never got 4th drink. Will never return. Save your money and go somewhere else where you get what you order and not get ripped off being charged for things not received. read more

The staff was great. Food was delicious and decent priced. You really feel like you're taken back in time when you go here.