I've been wanting to try this for breakfast for a long time. A couple of Saturdays ago my sister and I were driving past it and we turned around. I'm so glad that we did. We walked in and it was a homey atmosphere and we were greeted immediately. Several tables were full but we had no problem finding an open table. I love Eggs Benedict but not many places make them well. I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were. The home fries were grilled and not deep fried just like I like them. A very tasty breakfast. They had homemade pie by one of the waitresses so we both tried a piece. I'm a pie snob so it didn't matchup to mine. The crust tasted like made of lard (I like butter) and the cream filling tasted like from a box. Not the worst coconut cream pie I've had but I would pass on it next time. I would definitely come back when in the area for breakfast or lunch. read more

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Great dine in Jamesville. Great food, excellent service. Restaurant is clean and nicely decorated, staff is very friendly and welcoming. Service was fast and accurate. Highly recommend Rustons for a great breakfast, will return shortly for lunch. Will update. read more

Ruston's Diner - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

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Arrived at 10:30 and didn't have too much of a wait for 3 people. You can tell the people that come here are regulars from the way staff treat their customers even to new comers like me! Perfectly cooked eggs that stayed runny throughout my whole meal. The toast was one of our favorites but the pancake!! Delicious. And don't forget to grab a lollipop on the way out. read more

Ruston's Diner - Bacon, sourdough toast, homefries with onions, and over medium eggs - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

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Excellent food here. Staff is incredibly friendly. It can take a bit of time to get your food, so maybe don't come here if you're in a rush, but good food takes time to make and it's well worth it. And everyone is so nice to everyone. They have their regulars who they adore but are friendly to everyone. Much awesome. read more

Amazing food, great service, and overall friendly ambiance. Highly recommend going here.

This little diner was good. Little pricey for portion size but the food is great. The eggs Benedict was great and tasted good. Home fries are extra but were also good, I also tried the kielbasa which is pretty much hot dog style and was good. Service amazing. read more

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Went on a Sunday and was seated very quickly but the wait time to put in our orders, get our food, and pay was long. The food was very good and the atmosphere was great and the staff is extremely friendly. I docked 1 star off because of the timeliness just in case people were thinking of getting a quick bite before heading to their next destination. Would recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy diner but I would warn them about the timeliness. read more

Ruston's Diner - Special. 3 eggs, toast, ham steak. Extra side of home fries - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

Rustons dinner is the best dinner in the syracuse area by far. Servers are pleasant and the food is fantastic. Rustons is the only dinner in the area that knows how to make crispy, flavorful homefries read more

In the dictionary, next to the word "diner" is a picture of Ruston's! You're only a stranger here once! The waitresses are friendly and always there for a coffee refill. The food, whether it's breakfast or lunch, is great....never had a bad meal! And make sure you check out the daily pies... Deb makes them and they're delicious (chocolate cream is my favorite) read more

Would give 10 stars if I could... WOW! Talk about a source of joy in the city of Syracuse. Love the company, food, coffee, service, vibe, waitresses and everything. Spread my ashes here. read more

Ruston's Diner - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

The food was ok, it's wasn't horrible but it wasn't great either. The service was rude and completely unorganized we watched people come in after us get waited on well before we did. The first waitress that finally did say something to us gave us a brief "hi" and walked away. After several minutes our waitress finally showed up. She took our complete order and then proceeded to do several other tasks and wait on others before bringing our drinks. When we did get our drinks it was from another waitress. By the time we did get our food the people at the counter who came in after us were almost done with their food by the time we got ours. When it came time to pay the bill I had to get the attention of the waitress to take my card to pay which was another 10 minutes. It even stood up to try to get her attention and there was still nothing. I did notice the owner responds to all reviews but seems to have a bit of an attitude towards negative feedback, I would encourage the owner to look at this pattern of feedback and make a chance in how the waitress split up their tables and pay attention to the guests. There was way too much attention to people at the counter and almost nothing for people at the tables. read more

these are the best pancakes in syracuse, possibly anywhere. the staff is so personable and just great at what they do. the people here work together so well and it makes rustons such a comfortable and enjoyable place to eat. not to mention the food is amazing. im a picky pancake eater and these pancakes are seriously perfect. the gorgeous dollop of butter on top of them and the fluffiness is just to die for. their homefries are also so good. if you havent been yet, you absolutely must stop by ruston's for a perfect breakfast diner experience. and if that didnt sell you, their food is really affordable, great food, great portion sizes all for a great price. I got coffee, short stack of chocolate chip pancakes, side of bacon and homefries all for about $15. read more

Ruston's Diner - chocolate chip pancakes - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

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The only thing I can say that hasn't already been said is about one of the indicators to me that a diner is great quality - when they use real Canadian bacon in recipes like eggs Benedict that call for it Other restaurants throw a slab of ham on the stove and hope you won't mind a difference, but there is a difference; places that use ham are just being cheap read more

Amazing food! If you leave there hungry that's your fault! We always end up taking o poop art if our breakfast home with us. Prices are great for portion size and quality. The wait staff are seasoned pro's and keep the coffee flowing. read more

This is a great local diner. Our son recommended this when we were visiting him in Jamesville. The eggs Benedict did not disappoint. The servers were all over the coffee, and we never went below half full in our mugs. Without a doubt, you should eat here. read more

Huge portions great people would eat here again for sure, great service too....not to mention they open early

What a disappointment. We live in Clay, so we don't generally eat on this side of town, but some friends said that this is their favorite diner. Wow, to say the service was inattentive is generous. Waited and waited and waited to get menus, though servers walked by many times without even acknowledging us. Food wasn't bad, but nothing special. Had to ask for more coffee too. Definitely not planning to go back and wouldn't recommend them. read more

Typical diner style , and food, which is very good, and the help is super friendly. Fast service, or order to go. Specials daily. Try the Friday haddock sandwich or dinner, with French fries or Mac and cheese. read more

I'm a local and have been eating at Ruston's since we moved here almost 15 years ago. The service is quick, it's not impossible to find a seat and the staff is really friendly. Don't be fooled by the outside, this place opens up to a big back room with lots of seating. The bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel is really great, not sure if it's a menu item or they just make it for us but try it. Also, if you're one of those people who likes tomato sauce with your eggs, you can get it here. I never see that anywhere and it's definitely a nice touch. read more

Everyone Needs the go to breakfast place ! We have Ruston our waitress know's what we drink. Service is always great and we always enjoy the food. If someone ask me to name one meal service and that's the only one we could go to, Breakfast that's it ! I don't have photos will get them this week, ask for Debbie to wait on you. That's it till later ! read more

Love this diner! Classic diner menu with lots of options. The grilled muffins are so simple but delicious! I usually get the Hot Mama omelet which is just the right amount of spice but, super tasty. The waffles are always huge and fluffy and the Eggs Benedict is great as well. read more

Had lunch a Ruston's today. Always good. Had the fish sandwich, perfect size for lunch , not too small but not huge . Service is always friendly and quick. Under rated diner in town. Also the burger the guy next to me had looked perfect , I almost (but didn't) question my order, just need to come back. read more

Pizza omelet may have been one of the best breakfasts I've ever had. Atmosphere is great. Highly recommended read more

Ruston's Diner - pizza omelet - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

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Amazing food, reasonable prices, pleasant staff, and very socially distanced dining during covid-19. Very sanitary. I've been here twice and enjoyed every moment. Highly recommended! Emphasis on how good the food is (some of the best pancakes I have ever had). read more

First class diner tucked away on Rockcut Rd. All the usual goodies plus some really good specials. This is going into my top 3 diners.

Been here countless times and I always forget to snap a picture because I'm too excited to start my meal. They have the best bacon hands down. Love the build your own omelette and I obviously always get it with bacon. My boyfriend is always requesting to go here. Prices are reasonable and staff is always friendly. The decor is a bit odd and there were some flies in the restaurant this weekend which is why I deducted a star. read more

First, I could be biased. My great uncle Mike (Ruston) owned/ran this place a long time ago. It is a classic upstate NY diner. Very hard to find if you are not looking for it. Blink an eye and you would miss it. Not too far off the Jamesville exit off 481. Worth the couple minute drive. Now about the food (it is always about the food) I can only speak about breakfast (I have not had lunch there yet). A large variety of items all well made. I am a "wrap guy" and they will accommodate special requests with a smile (3 eggs double bacon and sausage and pepper jack cheese). Delicious. Prices are very reasonable. And most importantly the coffee is amazing. read more

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When the pandemic started shutting everything down, my boss decided he would buy everyone lunch every Friday until it was over. We're a small essential business, so we are still working. Today we ordered to go and it did not disappoint. I had the fish sandwich with fries. The fish was HUGE. I had to take it out of the bun, it was just too much for me to eat it all. My coworker just said she loved the chowder. When everything opens up I'm looking forward to surprising my hubby and bringing him here. read more

Heard a lot about the portions at this place for the price. I wasn't impressed. I ordered a side of italian sausage, a side of homefries, french toast, and iced coffee. I asked if there was iced coffee and she said she could make some. By making some, she poured regular HOT coffee over a cup of ice. By the time it got to me, it was watery and disgusting. I asked for water as a replacement and the waitress said she could make another one but I knew it would be the same since they didn't have chilled coffee. I was charged for TWO coffees. The italian sausage was decent. Homefries were undercooked and tasted bland. French toast was disappointing and DRIPPING in butter. Overall, I found it expensive for such an average diner. I really wanted to love the place. read more

Ruston's Diner - french toast. soaked in butter, average tasting. - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

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FANTASTIC breakfast. Love the portions. Always a filled cup of coffee. The waitresses are pleasant and a pleasure to talk with. Atmosphere is family friendly. Waiting to do dinner when the weather changes. read more

BEST BREAKFAST SPOT EVER!! I stumbled on this place when I was a grad student at Syracuse, after some nights out on the town. This is by far the best breakfast spot that I've ever been to, bar NONE. My go-to here is two eggs sunny side up with hash browns (ask for peppers and onions with them), with THICK CUT buttered italian toast and Gianelli Italian Sausage. (local Syracuse sausage). Amazing. The coffee is delicious, and the service makes sure your cup stays full. If you're feeling adventurous, get the "Fretta," a garbage plate (for my Rochester Folks) "melange" of scrambled eggs, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, cheese and potatoes all mixed together. If it sounds disgusting, you couldn't be more wrong. This is Ruston's specialty breakfast. This is an extreme townie/local joint, and it's not uncommon to see "regulars" at the bar by the grill, eagerly awaiting their food. At the time of editing this review, I'm excited to report that I've achieved "regular" status. I can't recommend Ruston's highly enough. You'll get a HUGE plate of delicious breakfast food with coffee for under $10. A hidden gem. read more

Hands down best staff, best service and best diner in the area. I come here before work and on the weekends. Oh did I mention their Friday fried fish is the best I've had? Great Diner! read more

Ruston's Diner - Staff is great! - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

So good! Everything is delicious and the service is amazing. It's like something out of a movie - everyone seems to know each other and there's a homey, hospitable sort of feel. There's always someone ready to top off your coffee or take your empty plates (and they will be empty! it's too good to leave anything behind!). My favorite breakfast place by far. Everything on the lunch menu looks good too, but so far I haven't been able to tear myself away from breakfast to try it! read more

Ruston's has the BEST pancakes in Syracuse! Friendly atmosphere, hometown feeling. The best breakfast spot around! I've been to breakfast all over Syracuse and always say "not as good as Ruston's". read more

Food was awesome the environment was good there was not many windows but I seemed to have a lovely view. read more

Ruston's Diner - Beautiful view from my chair. - Diners Near Me - Jamesville, New York

I'm a regular. 2-3 per week. If you don't know how good this place is, you would never stop. Don't judge food or service by restaurant exterior or appearance. You will know how good it is by crowds. Mary Beth is the best server. Food is served hot and fresh. Coffee is good. Great pancakes n french toast. Soup made on premises daily. Large menu with variety of choices. Breakfast n lunch daily with a great Friday Fish fry. Fresh fish, clams and other seafood. Try it you will love it! read more

Food was pretty good, service was EXTREMELY slow, server moved extremely slow. When asking for refills and extra silverware, the waitress turned her backs to us and addressed us with her back to us. Never brought the silverware. Asked our kid if it was okay if they charged us for an extra drink and didn't look at us when taking the order. Had to ask hostess for the waitress to come take our payment despite her walking by 4 times after our table was already cleared (about 15 minutes). Overall great food but service was poor. read more

Why have we stayed away from here is a mystery to me. Sunday breakfast here always seemed to be busy (which is always a good sign). We stopped here and there was an open table and while we were moving towards it we were asked "coffee"? Absolutely we answered. Specials on the board and a standard fare menu with a few differences. I had 2 eggs, hash, pumpernickel (don't see that offered often) and homefries with onions. Husband had sausage benedict. There was enough homefries to split. The onions in the homefries were grilled and caramelized which were plentiful. The hash (not homemade) had a great crust on it and also generous portion. I have no idea why we have not patronized this place in a while but that ends today. Indeed we will be back. Breakfast with coffee for 2 was $20. There was a line when we were leaving..... I understand why. Good stuff read more

Stopped in to try Ruston's because we had a coupon that was due to expire. 10am on Sunday is probably not the best time to try out a new place but we gave it a shot. We ended up sitting at the counter as the place was packed. Our waitress came right away and we had coffee in front of us within a few minutes. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with the hollandaise on the side - I like the sauce but only a little bit so I always order it this way. My husband got an omelet that was on special. After a few minutes, we saw our food come up in the window with my eggs smothered in sauce! Drenched! I decided not to send them back as I was starved and we were a bit short on time. The eggs were really good but by the time I got done, my English muffin was soggy from all the sauce. Food was really good and worth the visit but next time, I'll order something else or be more insistent that I get what I ordered! read more

Don't let the aesthetic fool you, this place is great. Traditional hometown diner. Great selection at an awesome price. Worth the trip EVERYTIME. read more