Lived in Pittsburgh my whole life and never been to Ritters until now. It was cleaner than I expected! Actually, in general it was better than I expected all around. It's charming and so "old" style it kinda slaps you in the face. Has a large breakfast and dinner menu with just about everything you can think of on it. I ordered the hot cakes with home fries. Funny thing is, the woman in the booth next to me ordered the same thing but her hot cakes were the buckwheat hot cakes. Our waitress confused our orders and I ended up getting hers and eating most of it before asking why they had such a healthy taste to them. They were good! The home fries were extremely plain but nothing a little salt, pepper and ketchup can't fix. I'd definitely come again! read more

My husband and I went for an early Saturday morning breakfast today. They were not many people there which was just fine. We do realize this place gets pretty crowded quickly. I ordered a basic breakfast of scrambled eggs which came with home fries and toast. When it arrived it was Stone Cold and I mean everything was cold the home fries were ice cold the toast was burnt it somehow cold with butter glopped on it. The eggs were tapping at best. On our waitress return the item to the kitchen you could hear the gentleman in the back yelling things that should not be heard in an establishment. I do understand this may be the Mystique of a diner but was totally unappropriate and everyone could hear. Shaming your guest is never acceptable. When the meal returned guess what it was still cold. The only redeeming quality of this visit was our waitress it was kind caring and very apologetic for something that was not her fault. This establishment has been around for years and was a great place to go back in the day. However the last few visits have been horrible. Needless to say we will not be returning read more

Could not bite through the chicken in the chicken parm sandwich. I've had their breakfast before but this was disappointing read more

Ritter's Diner - Inedible Chicken Parmesan Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If I could give this zero stars or negative stars, I would. I walked in with my two adult sons (we are African-American) and my older son's girlfriend (who is white). The diner didn't have many people in it at the time. I noticed we waited a bit before anyone acknowledged we were there. One guy who worked behind the counter looked as if he was going to get us seated turned to ask someone else to do it. In the meantime all the patrons were staring at us. Finally, a woman comes to seat us saying we have a "nice table for you in the back (of the restaurant)". There were plenty of tables for 4 in the front of the restaurant! I turned to my group and said we are out of here. It was a very unpleasant experience and we all felt the same slight of being ushered to a back corner of a restaurant that was barely crowded. I would never go there again. I'll note that we drove in from NJ, so we are not from the area. That restaurant was horrible! read more

Ritter's Diner represents something that's hard to find in Pittsburgh: a classic American diner. The Pittsburgh area is full of Eat'n'Park chains, but is not abundant in my home state's (New Jersey) staple. Don't get me wrong, there are delicious diner options in Pittsburgh, but nothing with the 24 hour Greek-American influence like in New Jersey. The menu isn't as expansive as what you'll find in the Garden State, but has familiar options. Greasy and glorious, there are few better food options when you're drunk. Ritter's is cash only and always open. The food isn't anything extra ordinary, but it's consistent, cozy and reminds me of childhood. I can't tell you how many times I've sat in those booths for brunch or for a late night out. Ritter's isn't going to blow you away, but it is going to give you the unique American diner experience, right between Shadyside and Friendship. read more

Love the homemade food. The server is being doing this more than 40 yrs. She is excellent and efficient. Always ask me to refill my coffee when is 1/2 cup. The place is pack yet she gave not only me but her other customers the service we deserve. It's so nice ! Definitely coming back. read more

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Must be OK, I went twice :D it's a pretty standard diner and the food was good. Visited for lunch and breakfast, They do a good business so you might wait for a table depending on the time of day. Burgers were very good, Reuben and meat loaf sandwich were OK. Breakfast was good but to be honest I've never been at a diner with bad breakfast. If I find one I'll be sure to roast it on yelp! If your right next to it and hungry stop and dine. read more

This diner has been on a "we should stop there one day" list for 20 years. Finally did this evening and am very pleased to have done so. Pretty well maintained and cleaned 50's diner complete with working juke boxes at some of the tables. Servers were pleasant but not overly attentive, but I prefer that. I just love a good hot sandwich, Turkey, meatloaf, roast beef, and ordered the turkey. It was exactly what I hope for in a good solid old school diner hot sandwich. Nice slices of Turkey with a classic gravy and homestyle mashed potatoes. Also had the coleslaw which was pretty great with another classic presentation and a sweet vinegary dressing. Had to go for the fresh baked pies, apple bu suggestion. Really good apple pie! This was a pleasant and relaxing dinner experience. Will defiantly be returning soon. read more

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I have been to Ritter's Diner since the late 1960's. It is one of my favorite breakfast places no matter what time of the day!

I have loved this place for years brings back so many good memories from my childhood. I love the Greek lemon soup, spinach pie and the patty melt. The services isn't stellar but it's a real hometown gem. Homemade Greek Lemon Soup read more

Ritter's Diner - Spinach pie - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ritter's is an excellent diner. Check it out if you want Greek and/or comfort food for cheap. Do not bring your foodie friends here. Bring your Aunt Mathilda who likes iceberg lettuce. The grilled chicken is surprisingly delicious on said iceberg salad. Table service is good, but you pay at the front cashier. Remember: cash only (there's a little atm if you forget). read more

I stopped into Ritter's for breakfast this past Sat. morning at 11am. Despite living two blocks away and having driven by many times, I'd never dropped in until now. Given that I needed an inexpensive and convenient place to meet someone who also lives nearby, I figured it was as good of an opportunity as any to try it out, so I suggested it and we met for Sat. breakfast. Fortunately, my friend arrived 15 min. before I did and was able to secure a table, since Ritter's gets quite crowded on Sat. mornings. Also fortunately, the interior is quite large, which is necessary given its popularity at peak hours. Once I was seated, our server promptly took our orders, which was appreciated. However, it took almost half an hour for the kitchen to get them out, which seemed long, given the amount of time that my friend had already waited, and that I've received prompter order fulfillment at other diners, such as the Dor Stop. Once it finally emerged, the food itself was pretty standard quality diner food--nothing to write home about. Given that it was Halloween morning, I ordered the pumpkin pancake special ($5.99) with a side of bacon ($2.50). I could definitely detect pumpkin in the pancake batter, which was nice, but I've been spoiled by the Dor Stop's pumpkin pancakes (which are available year round, BTW), and these didn't hold a candle to them. The bacon was also disappointingly chewy, to the point that I didn't even finish part of my last strip. My friend ordered the chicken sandwich, which seemed of similar mediocre quality, though I didn't try it. Overall, Ritter's met my standards for diner food, but didn't exceed them, and failed to meet them in some respects (chewy bacon--argh!). One thing Ritter's has going for it is that the prices are quite reasonable; however, come prepared as only cash is accepted. I realize that a lot of their business comes from inebriated customers late at night, so if that describes your situation, it probably hits the spot. If you're willing to travel and are looking for a good weekend morning breakfast, though, I recommend the Dor Stop in Dormont or Central Diner and Grill in Robinson, both of which illustrate that diner food can be better than mediocre--in fact, it can be great! read more

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Note #1: Lemme hear a big CASH ONLY! An ATM can be found inside for your convenience. Note #2: Ritters is a 24/7/365 restaurant that offers its entire menu from breakfast to lunch to dinner all day and all night every single day. And man, did we have a blast with this! Keep readin', pilgrim... I am not a lush of any kind, and this past Friday morning, I unsuspectingly fell madly in love with Ritters Diner. We had thought of going to Ritters during the graveyard shift one weekend, but being that the establishment reportedly attracts Pittsburgh's young, intoxicated, and obnoxious during that time and that I have little patience for such humanoids, that plan was nixed. However, on a frosted, lightless payday Friday morn, Kay was waiting on a background check before she could start her new job, and I needed sustenance before work. When we both awoke earlier than expected, Ritters immediately came to mind, and suddenly, it was Bloomfield or bust! I enjoy a wholesome, solid, mountain-man breakfast sans bells, whistles, and rainbow jimmies as much as any other blue-collar bloke, but when burgers and fried chicken can be had at 6:30 AM, omelets and pancakes become too drab and obvious. Besides, I'm also an Aquarian, and when put into boxes, we tend to think our way out of 'em. And the Pittsburgh City Paper said that Sousa's main gentrification vehicle Salt of the Earth "blurs distinctions." Heh. Enter the beast known as The Pitts-burger. Centered 'round a thick, bleeding medium-rare patty, this Goliath of ground beef included BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and a fried egg. One of THE essential burgers encountered during my dining lifetime, it dripped, oozed, kissed, stung, and occupied that roaring void in my stomach like few have. The bun was toasted and was not without a hint of butter. The Pitts-burger may strangle your heart, but it will do it so, so softly. The french fries were burning majestic scepters of yellow, mashed potato chip glory. Kay's fried chicken smacked of honey, crackling when our teeth punctured the homemade batter to reveal sultry poultry inside. Our lovingly irreverent and streetwise server told us that Ritters sells more clucker parts than the nearby KFC does, and I want to believe her. The Colonel's mass-produced swill deserves to be outclassed. Our desserts were Chocolate Cream Pie and Strawberry Shortcake. The Chocolate Cream Pie should be renamed the Chocolate Dream Pie for its velvety, otherworldly pudding filling, it's flagrantly flaky crust, and its sweetness-cutting whipped cream garnish. The Strawberry Shortcake was akin to slices of golden shortbread mortared together by preserves and topped with a gilded white buttercream. To us, there was nothing dingy about Ritters. Jukeboxes lined the perimeter of the dining room and abstract sculptures of labyrinthine iron jutted from sides of the booths. Burly, middle-aged men in work clothes patronized the diner instead of immature partygoers. Some are making Ritters out to be a "last chance" sort of place that they seem to want to like less than they do, giving out backhanded kudos to it as if it were a dirty old strip club that amused them and nothing more. When I looked around Ritters and relished its classic, economical cuisine, I saw, tasted, and felt nothing but timelessness, integrity, and an affectionate mindfulness of quality. I don't know how many years Ritters Diner has been in operation, but I do know that I'd hate to see it uprooted by renewal and replaced with something that is exploitative of indigenous food such as Thai fusion or whatever else the privileged have co-opted this week. Forgo the East End's glitter and skitter o'er to Ritters for some food that will leave ya the opposite of...bitter. read more

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Updating this because it's been a while since I visited & guess what?! Ritter's is still just as good (*surprise surprise... note the sarcasm). Our group of 4 was seated right away on a cold Saturday morning around 11:30 am. I ordered pancakes, egg whites and bacon. I was given a huge portion of three fluffy pancakes, a large portion of eggs & three pieces of bacon. The bacon was actually a little disappointing- it tasted as if they bought the cheapest kind, or maybe it was just a bad batch? Everything else was delicious. I saved one of the pancakes for breakfast the next day & it was just as good. The egg whites were perfect and were super filling. My boyfriend loved his french toast, home fries and sausage. The home fries were delicious. I love that you can listen to music on the jukeboxes while you enjoy a delicious breakfast! read more

Fast service, classic diner food Be aware that it is cash only, but they do have an ATM in house Parking can be a bit of A challenge, small lot with an extra area next to the post office Will gladly visit again read more

Now I know I'm about to come across sounding like some man-from-Mars or a guy who eats nothing but cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, but what I mean to sound like is a guy who just got hit in the face with a wave of nostalgia and appreciation for a tragically dying thing: the traditional diner. Conjure up in your mind the image of a perfect diner: Booth seating. Open late or better, 24 hours. Breakfast served all day. An eclectic mix of patrons. Waitresses that call you "darlin'" or "sweetie". Bottomless coffee. A certain fragrance mix of fry oil and cleaning product. Cheap prices and fast service. And there you have Ritters. As I sat and enjoyed my eggs, bacon, toast and coffee, I saw all of these elements uniting in near diner perfection. Add to all of that a stream of customers all of whom the staff seemed to know by name and greeted with smiles, hugs and good-natured ribbing. The only thing missing that would make this place the pinnacle of diner-ness: the rotating pie case. I can't speak to the dinner fare but come on, if you're not ordering basic breakfast at a diner, you're missing out on one of the great comfort food traditions in these here United States. Get a mess of eggs and breakfast meats, some toast with too-much butter and a coffee, pay $10 for it all (pay up front! no new-fangled credit cards accepted! wow!), and sit back and enjoy this wonderful slice of life. Pie optional. read more

Ritter's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ritter's has been on my list for a long time and finally i was in the area at breakfast time. It is a very cozy diner bustling with activity and a cacophony of plates, flatware, and coffee cups clanging about. I had French toast and two over easy eggs and while very basic they hit the spot without over stuffing me. We had a treat this morning in that the mayor, county exec, and the Boston mayor were here for breakfast - along with TV news crews from kdka and wpxi. read more

Ritter's Diner - The Pittsburgh mayor - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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It's a dive joint. Old and outdated. Lost its 50's charm forever. Had better tasting coffee in a mess hall. Servers are unique though. read more

it's diner food, if you expect anything else you'll be disappointed. service would have been better if the hostess would do ANYTHING . 2 waitresses running like chicken with tjeee heads cut off, hostess does absolutely NOTHING! service would have been faster. prices reasonable, food on the lower end pf the quantity scale for even dinner food. read more

Where do you go if you've got a major hankering for a good omelet but it's 3am? Where do you go if you have no idea of what you want but need to have a bunch of yummy options? Some would say E&P but wrong answer. You need a no frills diner that's going to give you what you want and give it to you real good! The answer...Ritter's! The service and food is consistently good and there's just about something for everyone. I've sampled a bunch of different items like breakfast foods, chili to fried green tomatoes, hot turkey sammy and the steak & cheese sammy, just to name a few. No complaints. I like the fact that they have the little jukeboxes at the table with a variety of older music to pick from. I just played Gypsy the other night and no one was disturbed by me bobbing my head and attempting to sing along with my girl Stevie. Lastly, if you're looking for ambience....this ain't the place. If you're looking for a meal that will satisfy at a really good price point with some friendly service by folks who will chat it up with you if you engage them.....then this is your place! Oh yeah, bring cash, nothing else is accepted. read more

Ritter's Diner - Fried green tomatoes, chili cheese fries. Perfect shareables! - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We were seated immediately and our order was taken within minutes. The food took forever though. And it left a little to be desired. You would think with such an extensive menu they would have more toast options, and maybe even more than just watered down fruit (from a can; not fresh). Only toast options are white, wheat, rye. Most diners have the Italian toast like Mancinis or Breadworks. I got the Corinthian omlette which wasn't bad, but wasn't good either. The coffee was good at least. My wife got poached eggs, the toast (from a bag), and the canned fruit. She tried a buckwheat pancake to taste because it was "different." But it tasted pretty bland. read more

I always feel like a 3-star review looks like something was wrong. Nothing was wrong. This place was in walking distance of my hotel, and it's a diner (where I can access the full menu even at 7am). I grabbed a gyro and fries for breakfast. Quick service, good portions, and cheap prices. It's exactly what you would expect from an old diner. If I stayed in the area again I would definitely head back for breakfast again. Solid diner. Worth the visit if you are close. I just wouldn't go out of my way to get here, but again, if working or living in walking distance then this place can cover all of your meals. read more

ordered roast beef , it was cold. food on the floor. not going back. not the shadow of what used to be.

Ritter's is a long time pittsburgh favorite and I can see why! My husband and I went to breakfast on a Sunday and we were there around 11:30-12 pm and it was still packed with people!! We waited about 10 mins to be seated and once we were at our table we were greeted by a nice server who seemed very busy. She brought us coffees and water and shortly came back to take our order. Once we ordered she did let us know it would be about 30 mins before we got our food. Well, it was about an hour before we got our food. We weren't in a rush, but if you are I wouldn't recommend this spot. The restaurant was crazy busy and probably had limited servers and the kitchen seemed backed up but we were there for what seemed like forever!!! Once we had our food it was delicious but we ate in about 20 mins then waited another 15 mins for our check! The long wait for food kind of overshadowed how good the food actually was. I recommend ritters for a good classic diner breakfast but be prepared to spend half your day there!! read more

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Such a cute diner in the Burgh! They are open 24 hrs Thursday-Sunday and open late nights other days of the week. I came here late at night with some friends to get Root Beer Floats and it was a wonderful experience. We were seated right away, we had generous helpings of ice cream and root beer, and there was a juke box at our booth to bring back all the nostalgia of childhood!! Overall, a great place for late night diner food and juke box fun!! read more

Classic American diner with classic diner vibes, including mini juke boxes at each booth! my boyfriend and I went for breakfast one weekend and thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I ordered the classic breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, white toast, and sausage links. The sausage links were thick and meaty and the hash browns were crispy and cooked to perfection. My boyfriend ordered a bagel breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon and American cheese. We split a plate of French toast as well. We left feeling satisfied and full. Would go back to eat again for breakfast or lunch! read more

Ritter's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The service at Ritter's is always very attentive. The food is solid and reliable albeit very plain. Pretty clean given the traffic they get. Breakfast food is always good. Wish they were more like a NJ Greek diner with better entrees and more Greek food. read more

A hidden gem located in the heart of Pittsburgh. Ritter's has the ambience of a small mom and pop diner and their food is delicious. Their fried chicken is an absolute delight and for the price, is an absolute steal. Pittsburgh is lucky to have such a fine establishment. In fact, someone previously mentioned their parents went on a date here almost 30 years ago--and they are still together. What a true testament to the magic of Ritter's. read more

Iconic diner so I've been told and the proof for me today was the fact that the parking lot was packed and there were at least 10 of us standing outside in line waiting IN THE RAIN for our turn at breakfast! That says something either about the diner or about us (nevermind). The line went fast and we had friendly and efficient service from our server, typical diner fare and what I expected. It filled my stomach and I was happy. I ordered french toast, bacon and orange juice -- nothing fancy. Note that they do not take credit cards. read more

Stopped into Ritters this afternoon with family for lunch. I've been there a number of times, and recognize it has its niche as a Pgh institution...but wow...service, people. The service today sat so far below the threshold for quirky, distinctive personality or anything...it was simply dismal. The waitress was absent mostly, served an outdated milk to my grandson, we had to wait forever for drinks or refills, our food...and the food was passably okay, at best. Ritters may be a Pgh institution, but this is the sort of experience that leads to "darn shame what happened", "used to be great" and "we don't go there anymore". read more

if you're looking for a classic 24 hour diner for your late night fix, this is the place to be and to go back again and again. it's nostalgic, the food is decent, and the staff are pretty much like in any diner - sometimes a little slow, but hands off and get your food out fast. they're the type of place you crave at midnight with your friends or go when you want a casual breakfast. it's no frills, filling, and cheap. not the finest dining, but you probably aren't looking for that. all in all, it's a place I have been and will keep returning to, but mostly because of the vibe and occasional hankerings for diner food. fair warnings: cash only, and if you do go on a weekend morning, the wait may be long and it may be crowded. parking is decent though! also if you order a muffin as a side, it's an English muffin, not the fluffy baked good. don't make our mistake. read more

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Just had a late breakfast this morning at Ritter's - and as they say - It is what it is!" I went in expecting diner food and funky vibes and they delivered! Four of us all had different items - buckwheat pancakes were great, different omelets were fine and one of the party had the corned beef hash - which was a slight disappointment as it is more 'prepared' than big chunks. I had a meat lovers omelet that was packed and the best part of the breakfast were the potatoes. I was the only one at the table that had them and I was protecting my plate the entire time from wandering forks! Service was very good - everyone was pleasant and I would definitely go again for its value and breakfast choices. read more

I have been to Ritter's more than a handful of times but my last visit was atrocious. Took almost 10 minutes to get drinks, and we never saw our waitress again until we received our two omelets 45 minutes later! The owner did not give a f*** when I said something. It was busy, and I was told there were only two cooks working, and I really wanted to say, "then why seat people if you don't have the staff??" I think from now on I will stick with Pamela's Diner... read more

Usually I only like to leave good reviews but I just have a few complaints. At first the service was pretty bad, the host continued small talk and I had to ask if it was self seating. Then, the waitress was in a horrible mood and very hostile. Our food initially looked good but the bottom of my eggs were black (not burnt) and the omelette was burnt along with both of our toasts. Pie was mediocre. Waitresses were sassy to other tables as I listened. Overall not very happy with experience and was excited to try it out :(. read more

A good, traditional diner with with good diner food. Unbelievably bad service and bad attitudes from a majority of the staff. Be prepared to spend 1.5-2 hours here, at least 1:15 of that while seated. Once we ordered, it took close to an hour for our food to come out read more

Another Pittsburgh institution. Definitely a go-to place on the weekend. Wee hours of the morning after a night at the club when you need cheese fries, pierogis or a giant omelette to get you to sleep. It's like taking a step back in time with the table side jukeboxes in every booth, decor and staff attire. I can only imagine what the staff have had to put up with over the years. So many drunks, so little time. Lol. This greasy spoon diner is a classic; again great for late night munchies with friends as well as meal time with family. read more

Had a great breakfast with our cousins here a couple of weeks ago at the end of a Pittsburgh trip. My gyro omelette and my wife's feta omelette were both very good, Breakfast turned into brunch, and we even ran into the early lunch crowd, but our server never rushed us, kept our coffee mugs full, and was very friendly. read more

A few people recommended this diner, and they said it's well known to Pittsburghers. I don't have anything bad to say about the place, but that's not to say I absolutely loved the place. It's your average diner that serves the classics (e.g., omelettes, pancakes, etc.) and it's cash only (atm inside). The food was good, but nothing special. I got a chocolate milkshake (yes, at 7am), which was tasty. The waitress gave me extra because it took a little longer to make. I recommend this place if you want some diner food that has a variety of comfort foods. Just don't expect to be blown away. P.S. There's parking onsite, but it's very cramped. read more

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My girlfriend and I waited for 90 minutes after our order was taken to find out that the waitress had forgotten to place our order. Very rude staff and poor service all around. Strongly recommend against going here. There's a reason Pamela's is so much more popular. read more

Found this place for a late night breakfast and it was delicious. It is a retro diner and they don't take credit cards. Service and food were excellent and a great value! read more

Ritter's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania