For context, I rate products and businesses on a simple scale: 5 stars means I love it, 4 stars means I like it, 3 stars is okay, 2 stars means I didn't like it, and 1 star means I hated it or think it's unsafe. I have been to Redwood Diner numerous times and I always enjoy it. The service is consistently fantastic, and that really stands out. The owners (Pete and Gloria) are very friendly, as are the waitresses, and you can tell they truly care about the people who come in. On several occasions, both owners and waitresses have stopped by the table to make sure everything was good and to chat for a bit. The conversations are always enjoyable and never feel forced. The waitresses know my order by heart which is impressive. You can tell the waitresses really care. They stop by numerous times to make sure you're all set and always offer to warm up and top off your coffee. The food is always good and the portions are generous, so you definitely leave satisfied. There is a really nice ambiance here. It feels comfortable and welcoming, not rushed or impersonal. They also decorate the windows for holidays, and there is a Christmas tree in the front breezeway that they decorate for different holidays throughout the year, which adds a fun and festive touch. Many times I have ended up chatting with other patrons seated near my table, which says a lot about the atmosphere. There are clearly several regulars, and when a place has a loyal customer base like that, they are doing something right. One of the things I appreciate most is that you can go with others, enjoy your food, and have a nice conversation without feeling pressure to leave quickly. That is getting harder to find these days. This place easily earns 5 stars from me. read more

See all

"How ya doin' over there, honey? Warm that up for ya?" When a total stranger mutters those words to you, you're probably at a diner. At least, I hope you are. As far as diners are concerned, Redwood Diner totally fits the mold. There's a nostalgic vibe to these places that is almost comforting in itself. The food, yup, got you covered there, too. There's the "meat and three" combo, if you count the salad as one of the vegetables. This comes with bread and soup, veg & starch as well as the previously mentioned salad. There's even a liver and onions option on the menu. I've never been a fan so I passed on that one. One of the other staples offered here that I can recommend are the hot dogs. Get them loaded with meat sauce, onions, and mustard. Although the prices have changed, the charm remains. read more

Redwood Diner - Gyro with fries. - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Decent alternative for those driving on I-90 who want other options other than just Burger King - a food chain that has a monopoly on all the rest stops from Albany to the Falls. Not too many specials but just enough variety and portion sizes. Their pulled pork was a good value in size & quality. Same for their gyros. read more

Redwood Diner - Pulled pork with slaw & fries. - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

We were trying to go someplace else for breakfast that was apparently now closed. We saw this and stopped in trusting that there were a lot of cars in the parking lot. We shouldn't have. I know it is a diner but this food was below average diner food. My husband had eggs with corned beef hash and potatoes. The hash tasted "out of a can" in his words and had none of the crispness that makes that type of hash palatable. His potatoes formed into one soft, mushy piece. No flavor either. My pancakes were gluey texture and most certainly came from an add water mix. My $11.00 Bellini cocktail was served in a water glass with a straw and tasted overly sweet out of a can juice. The coffee we had was watery and lukewarm too. The service was fine. Unremarkable but fine. I left some of my pancakes on the plate not wanting to fill up on this meal. We won't be back. read more

See all

Typical diner. Not bad. Not a huge selection. Not sure they have specials. Soup is very good read more

Had lunch with my family today, the Service was amazing and the food was great 9/10 definitely coming back when I move upstate.

Ask the owner a question about food that we received, apparently she did not like us asking a question because she told us to go to Panera bread. And we actually ordered some baked chicken with roasted potatoes and that isn't what we got read more

'Redwood Diner'. It sounds unassuming, even quaint. But the food and drinks here are really flavorful and the portions massive. This diner is great for families or travelers passing through, who might be on a 'travel budget'. Or, I also spotted some elderly, also budget-conscious. The menu and interior are bright, wide and the tables have tons of room. I brought some newspapers and relaxed. The waitress, the menu choices and sides and even the layout of forks/knives, plates and glasses were perfect. Upon ordering the Monte Cristo (below in pics) one of the employees quipped that it was their favorite too. And now I know why! It was delicious. The mashed potatoes were soft, and for once real potatoes. The Monte Cristo (as probably all sandwiches) was A+ quality. The bread was toasted. The meat was hot, tasty and heaped. It had just enough seasoning and was not salty. It was - in short - scrumptious. Had I had more appetite I would have ordered a dessert or starter along with some coffee. But it's all good: I'll just have to return and try something else. Wonderful menu. Clean diner. Friendly ambience. Waitresses are Pros. Review: 5+ read more

See all

My boyfriend and I got to the diner at 2:36 on a Sunday. They close at 3. We were told upon entering "is it for takeout, cause we close in 20 minutes" and were turned away. I used to wait tables myself, and I get how it is to take a table with 20 minutes on the clock... but you still take them. And guess what, more often than not, those were the tables that would tip me the best... they missed out on our business, a good tip, and unfortunately got a poor review. Would have loved to try their pie. read more

food is great but some of the staff is very rude. I went there Sunday and the old lady Gloria that works the front was very very rude! I went again yesterday with some friends and again there she was. Miserable and nasty as can be. I will not be going back there to be treated the way she treats her staff and customers. read more

I've been frequenting this diner for the past few weeks, thanks to the prices at Blue Ribbon skyrocketing. I wasn't sure what to expect, because this is an old diner that has been in Schenectady on Hamburg Street forever. What I found was a pleasant surprise. We checked it out for brunch one Sunday, and found that the menu was varied like most diners, they had some great specials, and the wait staff was very friendly. What makes or breaks a diner experience is the staff, a clean uncluttered environment, good prices, and obviously the food. This place gets a thumbs up for all of those factors. My chicken sandwich was really great, but more importantly the French fries that came with it were perfectly cooked diner fries. Something that a lot of places mess up by using starch coated french fries, bad seasonings, or poor cook temperature. I'm happy to report that there were none of those problems here. The next time I went back I had French toast, which was excellent, perfectly cooked bacon on the side, and eggs exactly how I wanted them. Simple and to the point, that's what good diners are known for and I'll be coming back for years to come. read more

Redwood Diner - Grilled chicken sandwich with Swiss and bacon - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

My family and I have been going to the Redwood for years and it's great every time. I love seeing familiar faces and the food is what you'd expect of a hometown diner. Good pricing and friendly staff. Went tonight for a nice solo dinner and ordered food to go, once I got home I realized it was made incorrectly so I went back and they were so apologetic. I was not upset just wanted it made how I asked, and they were so fast to rectify the issue which I appreciated. Human error is a thing and should be more understood by those taking the luxury of dining out. I always recommend this place to friends and family visiting from out of town! read more

I have been going to Redwood Diner for well over 40 years and our food has never disappointed me, their hotdogs are second to none in my opinion and always have to get them loaded with meat sauce, mustard, and bury the onions. I tried for the first time their breakfast burger, and it was the best burger I have ever had. in the area, it had an egg bacon and a very large at least half pound hamburger and it was mouthwatering delicious!!! read more

I've tried pretty much every hot dog in the Schenectady area (Broadway Lunch, First Prize Mike's, Newest Lunch) and these blow them all away. Even though I don't like full size quite as much as mini dogs these can hold their own against the greats (Famous Lunch, Hot Dog Charlie's, Gus'). They also have a good cream of chicken soup. Breakfast is typical of what you would get at any standard diner but if you go later in the day the breakfast menu is more limited so they probably won't be on my regular list for that but I would return to try more of the lunch menu. read more

Four stars for a diner meal based on ONE visit since the food we ordered and service were above average. We had the broiled seafood dinner for $15.95 which included a small soup, small salad, potato choice, and a vegetable. I had Pasta Fagiole for a small up charge. Too much salt! French Onion was also available for an up charge. Husband had the Broccoli Cheddar which he thought had good flavor. The haddock, shrimp, and a few scallops were cooked nicely and served over bed of white rice. The quality of the seafood made this special a very good value. A photo of the list of specials is posted. The waitress was pleasant and efficient. The meal was served in a timely manner. The entrees were served hot which was a plus. The paper advertisement placemats and paper napkins were typical diner fare. The booth was comfortable and quiet in spite of the fact there were many tables/booths with diners at 5:00 pm. The desserts which were displayed in a glass unit looked tempting, especially the Lemon Pie and Cheesecake. But we could not eat anything else. We may return to try out breakfast soon. We also want to try nearby Roosters. read more

See all

After much consideration, Redwood is my favorite Schenectady area diner. I am a native Schenectadian (represent) and while we have many diners in the area, none of them come close to the value, service and exceptional quality that you receive at Redwood. Semi-related to my review and skip this part at your leisure: On the day that we visited, we had attempted to stop at three separate diners while driving home from a road trip. I wish I was making this up but it was some kind of dystopian version of Goldilocks & the Three Bears. The first had questionable hygiene practices, the second was unexpectedly closed, and the third...the owner/cook stared at us with a panicked look as she stood over the grill with eggshells clasped in hand as if to say "Goddamnit, these are the last three eggs I'm scrambling today. Go on. Get." We got. We decided on the Redwood Diner upon returning to the area because although the diner gods were repeatedly smiting us that day, we aren't quitters. Upon our arrival, we got a sweet corner booth seat (nice) and a very friendly waitress. Full disclosure: I may have been delirious from starvation, but the cheerful staff swirling around Redwood like Disney princesses were a breath of fresh air against that day's overcast, drizzly skyline outside our window. For around $12, my dear friend and I chose two entrees from the Redwood's dinner specials. The stuffed cabbage sold out so I got stuffed peppers. My companion selected the lasagna. Our salads were fresh, the chicken pastine soup was just like grandma's, and again, our waitress was wonderful. When the mains arrived we were thrilled. My friend, who eats like a bird, finished her lasagna before I could ask her how it was. My peppers were absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection, even served with some Frank's Red Hot and complimentary melted cheese, but I was able to save enough for a leftover meal. What I like most about Redwood (besides the decor and staff) is their preparation of "home-cooked" entrees. They are never greasy, like what you find in many other diners. They taste healthful and balanced, and you can see this from the photos of our meals. A fresh and perfectly crafted three course meal for essentially $6, served by pleasant staff, in a historic locally owned diner, is invaluable in this day and time. We decided to get dessert. The chef had made peanut butter cup cheesecake and there was a beautiful chocolate cream pie in the dessert case. My friend and I Frankenstein'ed them into mismatched halves served as one on each of our plates and enjoyed. She kept repeating, "This is so good, I'm going to be craving this at some point or another soon." Again, my friend is something of a picky eater, so this was a heartfelt compliment from her to the chef. With all said and done, this was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had over the past few years. I've never been served a disappointing meal at Redwood, but this particular visit was much needed for the body and soul. I would recommend them to anyone uncertain of where to eat for dinner in the area or for those who don't mind a bit of a drive. I would also suggest you try their specials and desserts, as I've never been steered wrong with them. The atmosphere is always nice and the food is gorgeous. I can't wait for our next visit. read more

Redwood Diner - Lasagna dinner special. - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

Clean,friendly staff. The owner and wife very accommodating. Food is very good. The best french fries and hotdogs.

My wife daughter and myself had a quick bite here one night. The place was pretty full but we were sat right away. Service was attentive and she was moving quickly between all of her tables. The food was decent nothing earth shattering but everything was tasty. Price is reasonable and we enjoyed ourselves! read more

Best place ever the food is exactly perfect nothing could be better and service is great

Rude! We were finishing our coffee and the owner's wife asked us to leave because she needed the table. We had only been in our seats for 20 minutes and we did understand that it was busy so we got up to pay. As we were leaving she flipped her hand at us and scoffed! Both my husband and I have worked in the restaurant industry ( my husband was a restaurant manager for 20 years). Never have we seen such rude treatment of customers. read more

I had eggs Benedict, and crispy bacon. Husband had the waffle. My meal was fabulous. The waitstaff was wonderful and the hostess? Manager? Owner? Was super sweet, too. My eggs were perfectly poached, and everything was just right. We will seek this diner out when we are in the area again. read more

Redwood Diner - Outdoor seating, bacon, eggs Benedict, Belgian waffle. - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Just a good quality diner. Comfort and relaxed. Food, and service is usually above avg.

4 stars, as far as diners go. As my past reviews show - I really like diners. This is attributed to good sized, hearty portions of food that sticks to your ribs. Redwood Diner fits the bill nicely. Food and relative cleanliness is commendable. I've been here a few times and need to mention that ordering and time for food getting to you will depend on your waitress. Some are efficient, and another not so much. read more

Everything I wanted for breakfast! Huge fan of simple eggs pancakes and toast. My eggs came out perfect, literally the prettiest sunny side up eggs. Pancakes are huge and the key to happiness my toast came pre buttered Everyone has been so nice. Lots of space. Big wide booths. Very clean. The coffee was delicious. Feels like home cooked food when you're far away from home. read more

The Redwood Diner is a good classic family friendly restaurant located along Hamburg Street in Rotterdam, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with plenty of daily specials and good portions at reasonable prices. I can't recall exactly when I was at the Redwood last: I was just a young kid racing dirt bikes across town in the 1980s. I had dinner at the Redwood Diner on a recent Saturday evening. The atmosphere inside is welcoming , and very homey with tables, booths, counter seating near the kitchen, stained glass hanging lights, tile floors, seasonal decor (Valentine's Day), and red colored walls (exposed brick , wallpaper, and wood trim). Ms Pac Man arcade game and the latest issue of Metroland are in the entrance foyer. The clientele here are mostly regulars, older folks and families. The breakfast menu offers the typical items such as eggs, omelettes, pancakes (wheat cakes), French toast, cereals, and other sides. The regular menu offers comfort food (meatloaf, liver & onions, roast turkey dinner, & more), Italian specialties, steaks & chops, seafood, salads, sandwiches, grill items, and desserts. The children's menu ($7.65-$7.95) is named after the Seven Dwarfs including Bashful (fried sole), Doc (spaghetti), Sneezy (roast turkey), Happy (charbroiled chopped beef), and Grumpy (sliced roast beef), comes with drink and dessert. Good daily specials are also offered (many under $11) served with soup and salad such as lasagna, beef tips over rice, pot roast, and pamigiana dinners. The lasagna special ($8.95) is very popular and I heard they ran out of it by 5:30PM. Pepsi fountain drinks served, beer and wine available. I decided on the Linguine with White Clam Sauce Special ($9.75) which came with soup and salad. I tried out a cup of Manhattan Clam Chowder, which had a thick tomato based broth with lots of diced potatoes and very minced clams. The salad was a very basic plate of lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrot, cucumber, and onion & a cup of Dijon dressing. The Linguine with White Clam Sauce was pretty good, which had minced clams served over firm linguine with lots of butter, oil, garlic-clam broth. After I was finished, the waitress asked me if I wanted dessert, but I was full enough. I was told that rice or tapioca pudding was included with the Special, a nice surprise! I had the rice pudding topped with whipped cream which was cool and creamy. The service was very attentive and timely, as soon as I finished one course, the next one came out immediately with excellent timing, eh. Though the food here is not fancy, I do recommend the Redwood Diner for tasty homestyle cooked meals at reasonable prices. There is sure to be something here to please everyone's palette. Overall, 4.333 stars. On a side note, I was seen taking photos, and was asked why. Cover blown! I told the waitress I was taking pics of the food for a review on the internet and to look out for this review on yelp.com very soon. I try to be discreet on all reviews I do (no flash if possible), trying to be a "phantom gourmet" (a mystery food critic from Boston) which I AM NOT, but it wasn't happenin' tonight. I do need a smaller camera, hehe. The Redwood Diner has been officially YELPED! read more

See all

We stopped here for breakfast on a whim. Typical diner menu with lots of choices. I got breakfast-eggs over medium, cooked perfectly, hash, bacon (I love bacon well done but I'm glad I didn't ask for it extra crispy because it was super overcooked but I like it like that), and toast. It wasn't crowded when we got there but it started getting crowded while we were there which made me kind of uncomfortable. I don't feel like they were following capacity guidelines. I even asked to move to a different table because they seated people way too close for my comfort level. There were no dividers between any of the booths that were side-by-side and they sat people in the booth on the other side of ours. Our server obliged our request with a smile. She was very nice. The place was super clean and they were sanitizing between customers. We will go again but probably not on the weekend for breakfast during these Covid days. read more

See all

First of all I need to say I've been eating at this diner for over 25 years now and if at all possible they just keep getting better and better the owners have always been absolutely wonderful to us. I can remember 25 years ago when my first child was born we used to take her there and the owner , Gloria used to carry her around when we weren't done eating yet and she would start to fuss . So you can see why this place is so special to me . Fast forward now and it still holds my heart! Food is so very good. Best hot dogs and meat sauce around. It has been fully renovated within the past few years and looks marvelous. The owners are still there and they are still the best people you will ever find!! Thank you for providing Rotterdam with the best service and food for so many years. read more

See all

So awesome loved the food the grandma was so nice so good! Recommend the service was so good they were so nice and fast you should really go it's so much better than their competitor Tops! read more

My favorite diner in Schenectady. I love their hot turkey sandwiches! I grew up in Schenectady, and have to go here whenever I come back to visit family! Best ever chocolate cream pie!! read more

The food is great and the friendly atmosphere makes for an enjoyable experience. They have quick service, and wonderful staff.

Food was great, service was great, hostess didn't laugh at my joke, never saw the bottom of my mug, boyfriend pissed out of ass,we both would eat here again. read more

I ordered beef tips over rice. It was disgusting. Restaurant dirty too. I felt sorry for the waitress.

This is the best place for a turkey club. Their fries are just heavenly. The club sandwich is perfect. The service is always fast and always pleasant. read more

I stopped here with my daughter for lunch as we were passing through. I've always been a fan of diners and this one did not disappoint. The food was good and the service was fast and friendly. read more

Was here yesterday with the family. I had an egg sandwich with bacon and cheese. It was actually REALLY good. My Fiance had eggs with pastrami and raved about it. We had a great waitress who was very fast. Tons of parking. The only thing I can say negative about this place was there were cobwebs on the lights above our meal. There was also dust all over the place and I'd give it a two star rating for cleanliness. However, the food was too good for a negative review! read more

The lunch was excellent! The lady that sat us at the table was very pleasant. The waitress was very upbeat, and cordial. She took our order, and the food was out in no time. The atmosphere here was so nice, you didn't want to leave. Outstanding food as well! Will go back here again, and again. read more

Just had a Thanksgiving dinner with our dad. Cool-looking building - a sort of sqaished A-frame with vertical wood siding - with classic Diner inside. Food was great, waitress was nice and despite having to work a whole section by herself was reasonably prompt and attentive. We had the 'traditional' turkey dinners - $15 - which had loads of options that she was helpful in going through. We don't like vegetables all that much which was not a problem. While dad had the salad and soup, we went with fries for an appetizer - we hadn't thought to ask for them early til dad's salad came out but that wasn't a problem. They we nice and hot and tasty... Turkey was served on a bed of stuffing with standard mashed potatoes. Never was a stuffing fan but theirs was as easily accommodated in mah belly as the turkey. Potatoes were just like mom used to make - lumpy and a bit watery - sorry. Ate half and made the mistake of trying to spice up the other half with hot sauce. Nope... Oh, well... plenty of room for the Diner Apple Pie and whipped cream - which they warmed up for us. After the obligatory Homer Simpson drool it was... Om... nom... nom... Since dad was paying, we didn't see the total price - he had the same platter, but it probably worked out to maybe $40/45 + tip, so you won't be breaking the bank eating here so come on in and strap on a feedbag! On Hamburg street just before you get to Rollerama... read more

This place has a hometown feel and your typical breakfast joint menu. Truthfully breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out, and this place does not disappoint. I got a veggie omelette and a blueberry pancake. The omelette was super fluffy and had a bunch of different veggies in it. The blueberry pancake was most certainly homemade and it had a ton of what seemed to be fresh blueberries. It was so good! My only complaint is the home fries. I love either greasy griddle fried heart attack home fries or less greasy but well seasoned ones. These were on the lighter side but had seemingly no seasoning, these reminded me of hash browns more than home fries. If they were better seasoned or greasier and salty I could reasonably give this place a 5 star review. Overall, I would most certainly recommend this place! read more

Fairly standard diner food. Got the breakfast. Average food for average prices. Nothing to particularly rave about but it wasn't disappointing either. Really middle of the road. read more

Redwood Diner - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

THE CUSTOMER ISN'T ALWAYS RIGHT I have worked in the restaurant business many years. I started washing dishes when I was 13, was a bus boy, a waiter, a bartender, a banquet captain. I have worked in some of the finest restaurants in Saratoga, and also for some of the largest hotels in Florida. I have lived on Hamburg Street in Schenectady for the last 12 years & have been coming to this diner since we've lived here. We have spent many many Father Daughter days eating here. Today, was another. As we walked in we saw our neighbors sitting in the next booth. They invited us to join them and we did. As we were sitting there, another group of our neighbors came in as well. We ordered and were enjoying the morning catching up. I had just been raving about the cheesecake there which I was eating as a birthday treat . Then the bill came. I usually get the 8.95 breakfast special which is 2 eggs and pancakes with sausage & bacon. When I ordered, since I was on a new years diet, I simply asked for the eggs, bacon & sausage.. no pancakes, no home fries, no toast. In my mind I am getting the special minus the pancakes. Bill comes & I am charged 15 dollars for my eggs, bacon & sausage. Basically they charged me a la cart for everything. When I asked about the bill, the response from both the waitress and the owner was even more disturbing than being overcharged 6 dollars. The waitress began to tell ME what I ordered. She wasn't nice about it either, but rather indignant that she even had to explain it. I asked for the manager, but was then met by the owner who was even more indignant, didn't care to listen, and literally pushed my hand aside when I reached for the menu to show her what I was ordering. She told me that I should be more careful when ordering and that the waitress was a "seasoned" waitress.( if the waitress was so seasoned, why did she throw the check on the table before we were done ordering?) (I ordered the cheescake) I began to tell her that I had been coming in to the restaurant for a dozen years, and the owner couldn't show any less interest. I explained that I was would never come to this diner again and she responded, 'Sorry we lost your business"? ME; Really?? for 6 bucks this owner of a Diner, let a customer walk out not happy never to return for 6 bucks. Astonishing. You would think that this Diner would be doing everything possible to satisfy customers when a brand new (and better) breakfast restaurant opened right across the street. (Roosters). 6 bucks isn't a big deal. However, how they addressed this was deplorable, and I will not go back based on it. Good by and good luck. Billy LeRoux read more