This was my first time visiting Second Chance Diner. It is located where the old Friendly's used to be in Camillus. I met a friend early Saturday morning and it was already packed. My friend had input a reservation and wait time was about 15-20minutes until we were seated. The waitress was kind and certainly busy. I ordered the southern and the sausage gravy was jam packed with flavor. I am still dreaming about. The portions are a decent size that could really feed two. Certainly worth the time and wait! read more

The ambience was wonderful, a nice black and white mixed with dark brown made the room have a very alive feeling. The service was lovely, me and my mother we're told a 20-25 and we only ended up waiting 4 minutes, our sever was a kind young lady she had us seated quickly, though leaving was a bit slow but I am taking into account that it is a Sunday during the time of this review. But that said, there was only a couple of minor things that were subpa was that my mother's food was a bit cold however it was juicy and she ate it all anyway, and that our soda's were a bit weak in flavor because of a lack of syrup. however, I ordered a coffee instead and it was the perfect temperature and my food was hot and correct besides the sausage being links instead of pattys. Otherwise I believe on a regular morning during the week I would have given a 5 star, but It was a rather pleasant experience. read more

Very attentive & friendly service. Plenty of food and prepared perfectly. Nice, friendly, casual atmosphere.

This diner was cute, and the food was mostly good. I ordered the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and they were delicious. The cinnamon sugar was a bit caramelized and crispy which I loved. I also had the pork sausage which was good but a little salty. My husband had the Brisket Benedict, and he said the brisket was also salty. The service was excellent as the waitress attended us often but not too often which is perfect. read more

Second Chance Diner - Brisket Benedict and Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Pork Sausage on the side. - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Super cute diner, large menu and good service. Their menu includes lots of gluten free options, which is very rare for breakfast/lunch spots. I had the chocolate covered strawberry French toast with gluten free bread, it was super tasty and a good size. There was a wait, they take names and text you when the table is ready. Overall great experience here, will be back! read more

Second Chance Diner - CHOC COVERED STRAWBERRY FRENCH - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I had breakfast with my father this Sunday morning at your Camillus location and took half of my omelet and home fries to go. Unfortunately, I realized just five minutes after leaving that I had forgotten my takeout box. I called the restaurant immediately, only to be told that it had already been thrown away. This was incredibly disappointing. A to-go box and bag clearly indicate that the customer intends to keep their food, which they've paid for, to enjoy later. Discarding it so quickly seems wasteful and inconsiderate. It would be a much better practice to hold forgotten food for a reasonable amount of time in case the customer returns or calls shortly afterward--as I did. I hope this feedback is taken seriously to improve your customer service moving forward. read more

Great food and great service! Got the French toast, bacon, and vanilla iced coffee. All three were great, especially the bacon. I would say it's some of the best diner bacon I've had! Not too crispy and burnt but not undercooked either. A great brunch spot to enjoy with friends! read more

Awesome, more retro diner out in Camillus. There is usually a wait but you can join the list online and it goes fast. Staff are super sweet. I got the boozy iced coffee flight and a mimosa. Both were perfect! One of the only places that does iced coffee flights. I didn't eat but my friends did and said their meals were very good. They both had food to take home as the portions are large. read more

Second Chance Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Food and service were outstanding! Sara(h) behind the bar was amazing. We ate breakfast at the bar and she went above and beyond. Only thing that needs help is the parking. Entirely not their fault. read more

First I'll say the food was good & so was the service But the prices are a bit high No free refills on drinks My grandson got hamburger for $14 and change The fires were extra!! Come on Anyways For to kids & 2 adults for breakfast (Yeah I know my grandson had a lunch meal) The bill with tip came to $95!! I'm sorry but that's a bit much for around here We won't be going back read more

Got to have a terrific breakfast at the Second Chance Diner's new location in the former IHOP/Good Buddy's in Camillus this morning with m'Bestie. We were seated right away and got a window booth we requested, even though they were busy (you can dine outside, too). Our server was Becca, who remembered us, as we did her from our last visit at their former location up the street about a month ago. She took expert care of us. I had the much touted, home-made Corned Beef Bennies/Benedict, which were absolutely delicious, and my friend said her Ham, Mushroom & Cheddar Omelette was even better than the last one she had at the old location. Congrats to the new & improved & much more spacious Second Chance Diner & your wonderful crew - we will definitely be back again & again very soon! read more

Seven of us went to your diner today, mid morning, mid week and I was very disappointed. To start off we were met with a not at all friendly gentleman to seat us. Next we were greeted with a not very friendly waitress. She immediately told us we could not have separate checks. We insisted we wanted them but she said it is the policy to have one check. I wish we would have left right then but we stuck it out. We had mixed opinions on the quality of the food we ordered, mine was mediocre . The quantity was fine. We had to call and ask the waitress for a coffee warm up and to refill our water glasses. When we received our bill I understand why the restaurant insisted on one bill and also why the servers were not very attentive to us as there was a 20% tip required added to our bill. My guess is they do not have to give us very good service as they already knew they were going to get the 20 % that was mandated. This will be my last time dining at your place. Your restaurant cannot even hold a candle to Stella's. Discussing how we felt about the experience is that it is so much better to eat and converse in a place that makes a feeling of welcome. read more

This is a great breakfast spot. I've been here a few times. I love their food, and I love stopping by for breakfast. There usually is a wait, but it's definitely worth it. Their portions are large and you'll definitely have enough food, no matter what you order. I love their coffee, OJ, omelettes and hash browns. Their food is always hot and fresh. I can't wait to stop back in again soon. read more

My husband and I stopped here after a quick overnight in Syracuse. All I can say is perfection for a diner. The service was friendly and quick. The menu was huge, but even with a menu as large as it was the food was excellent. The Fritta was flavorful and HUGE. My only complaint is it's not closer to where I live. read more

Second Chance Diner - FRITTA HALF order - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Pancake Balls, y'all. Are my new favorite breakfast treat. aka Pancake Bites (as it is called on the menu) are "deep fried balls of pancake batter dusted in cinnamon and sugar" and they are AMAZING. and of course the warm maple syrup just adds to it. Had I not ordered a meal for myself I def could have finished all of these. Alas, I did and maybe I shouldn't have. I ordered the Stuffed French Toast and overall it was good. But I wanted more. I wanted thinner layers of ham instead a ham steak. I wanted more melty cheese... maybe a cheese sauce? French toast is made for soaking up whatever is drizzled over it... and there was nothing else to soak up besides the syrup. Other things of note: The diner itself, a former Friendly's restaurant, looks nothing like it's former self and that's a plus! Charming décor, better layout with tables and booths for all shapes and sizes. Second Chance feels like a family place. Everyone we encountered was super nice, especially to our toddler... who opted to sing the ABC's as loud as possible halfway through the meal. The gals at the hostess stand laughed, one even came over and complimented him. And our waitress was a peach, truly, and super sweet. and also reallllly good at the upsell. She suggested we try the loaded home fries...but failed to mention it's an additional $4. Yes, it's written on the menu... but not everyone is going to see that. Would have been nice to have been reminder of that charge before finalizing the order and receiving the check. It's a little thing but no one wants a surprise at the end of their meal... especially a more expensive one. It's all good though, the positives outweigh the negatives at Second Chance and as their name suggests I would absolutely give this diner a second chance next time we're in town. read more

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This is a nice little dingie place. Table wasn't clean when I sat but eff it. The flights of food is a brilliant idea. So..... the eggs Benedict's flight was amazing All cooked perfect with great taste. Service was also friendly, prompt, and fast. The home fries were deep fried and flavorless. read more

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Breakfast was delicious! Oatmeal with pecans and apples and cranberries. So good! Sourdough toast was perfect and coffee was amazing!

Amazing in every way!! Went there for a sweet 16 birthday celebration. Everything we ordered was just right and the prices are reasonable too. So many items to choose from. read more

Second Chance Diner - Sweet 16 - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I've heard great things about Second Chance Diner from my friend so decided to meet up with her for breakfast while I was in town. We knew it was going to be busy because of the holidays so we tried to call ahead but wasn't able to get anyone. The place was definitely busy when we arrived but luckily didn't have to wait long for a table. The hostess didn't really show us to the table, but rather quickly walked towards the back of the room. There's just something about the holidays and the blistering cold that makes ordering a hot cocoa so comforting. The hot cocoa came with a tower of whipped and was good. For some reason, my friend and I felt like we weren't just hungry...we were HUNGRY! haha So we decided to both other steaks. Hers was the steak and eggs while I decided to try the country fried steak and eggs. Portions were big. The eggs were made to order but nothing special about it. The potatoes here were excellent though, crispy on the outside, just the way I like it! My country friend steak needed more sauce and the breading was a bit heavy. The steak itself was meh...it had a very strong beef flavor that didn't really sit well with me. I kind of wish I had ordered just the regular steak instead! Service and food were just ok here. Prices were similar to other places but portions are big. Might give this a second taste but would order something else since I did see pancakes that looked amazing on the way out. read more

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Favorite place to go! Cannot wait for the upgrade! Servers are nice and hosts get you in quick! Love the app!

Always great food!!! Staff always working hard and super friendly. Love this place. Sausage benny is my favorite read more

They are not prepared to handle crowds. Hostesses were completely unorganized. Service very slow. 10 minute turnaround was a joke. The side show they had in the parking lot was off putting. Didn't need a tattoo or permanent jewelry before breakfast. Fortunately it's hard to mess up eggs for breakfast but they were extremely runny in the omelette read more

I love a great diner with unexpected breakfast items, and this place for the bill! I ordered the banana, caramel, and pecan pancakes, and they were amazing. The pancakes are light and fluffy, and they were generously filled with pecans and bananas on top. My husband got the Reuben, which was also very tasty and full of perfectly shaved corned beef. The service was great and it was not busy as it was a weekday around 11am. We will definitely be back! read more

Second Chance Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Amazing food drinks and service again 10/10. This restaurant cares about every detail read more

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I drive by Second Chance a lot and finally had an opportunity to grab breakfast with my better half. I remember when the restaurant use to be Friendly's and love the updates they made inside, more modern and open. The bar area is cute. We stopped by on a weekday around 11am and the place was fairly busy but not packed. We were seated right away by a nice host and then we waited for a long time for our much less than enthusiastic server to visit us. Post-pandemic, I tend to be much more forgiving when it comes to service because of shortages and such but we waited about 35 minutes just to order. If the server wasn't so aloof, it could have minimized that negative. The food was decent. I really liked my veggie fretta, they cut up the ingredients a bit finer here which was a nice change. The marble rye was delicious. My spouse ordered the 3x3x3 with a side of sausage. He liked his food. When I had a bite of his plain scrambled eggs they tasted like they were premixed to me. It would be ideal if they had fresh cut home fries instead of the fried kind. Coffee was average. Unfortunately the service was so slow and inattentive that it significantly detracted from our experience. There are many great breakfast options around that are super efficient and friendly, we will eventually make our way back but we won't be in a hurry. read more

Second Chance Diner - Veggie Fretta with Marble Rye Toast - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

From the service to the food & the atmosphere, this diner is a 10 out of 10! There is something on the menu for everyone, the staff is attentive & friendly, and everything was absolutely delicious. Pictured is the classic mimosa with two blueberry pancakes - fabulous! Cant wait to come back & support this local business. read more

Second Chance Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Loved it. Returned the very next week with my family to try more items from their menu I wanted to try.

Went to second chance for breakfast and got the chicken and waffles and the mimosa flight. We had a 15 minute wait, but we went at 10am on a Sunday so that's to be expected. The menu was extensive and they had some fun Halloween specials. The chicken and waffles was delicious and filling. I'll definitely be back to try more read more

Second Chance Diner - Chicken and Waffle - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Re: service & policy. Stopped in for the first time with my son and I this morning - on this cold and rainy day. We were meeting two others and we happen to arrive first. (total of 4). The other two were 5 minutes behind us. I was told that all four people had to be there before they would seat us! For a diner- really?Si we were Standing there for a min. and I just asked if we could sit in one of the open booths as I could see a couple open. (it looks like we would be sitting in a booth or table for 4 anyhow)! The hostess / waitress (I'm sure just doing whats she's is told , told me no and we also couldn't stand there and wait, we had to wait out in the unheated entryway. As we were waiting less then 5 min several people came in and while I held the door open for them out other two were arriving. I suggested that we just moved on down the road to Stella's where we were happily seated without all four of us present at the same time! The fact is we were not a large group! it was 4 people and we would've been seated at the same table or booth anyhow whether it was 2 or 4! Wouldn't consider choosing this for a breakfest stop if you plan on meeting people there! It's bad policy. Which will keep me from stopping there. read more

Not the first time I was here but loved breakfast last time so wanted to try it again. Had the waffle and fried chicken before so decided to try the Ham Betty this time. The eggs were done perfectly, sauce was tasty and the home fries were crispy but not greasy. All together a a great breakfast. read more

Second Chance Diner - Ham Benny and home fries - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I love this diner. It's simple breakfast/brunch diner food but they've got some interesting menu items and they cook everything really well. Their bacon is perfect. The service is always super fast and friendly (but down to business, which I like). They haven't messed up anything I've gotten yet and I tend to customize more than your average person. Sometimes the wait can be long but I just make it a point to go at their least busy hours. read more

So the food was really good. I got the pancake flight and all 3 were amazing! But there was a 40 minute wait to sit followed by and even longer wait to get our food. I saw a coffee flight advertised on Facebook and it wasn't shown anywhere on the menu. I had to ask the waitress about it and she just seemed in a hurry and short with her answer. She was not very attentive. read more

Second Chance Diner - Pancake flight. Fruity Pebble's, Cinnamon Roll and Reese's. - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Very good food and drinks I substituted mushrooms and onions for spinach still very good ! Steaks and eggs for breakfast will always be a win in my books ! read more

Second Chance Diner - The Western Omelettes - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Eddie DePalma, a recovering addict, is the owner is recently opened Second Chance Diner, who says the name and idea came to him in a dream after going through a dark time in his life. He's put a mix of traditional diner food with some state fair influences into the menu. Breakfast includes a breakfast Philly - a Philly cheese steak topped with eggs. There's also a wafflewich and cinnamon-bun sandwich: the sweet carbs serve as bread around eggs, meat and cheese. Customers can get Trix (or other cereals) mixed into their pancakes. My wife and I recently visited Second Chance because the wife had a serious craving for dinner food. It was about 11 in the morning. It's a very small dinner, only maybe 10 tables/booths in total, and while most of the tables we sat, we were able to sit immediately when we walked in. We looked over the menu and the wife ordered some blueberry pancakes, corned beef hash and eggs, while I opted for one of their specials, a buffalo chicken wing stuff grilled cheese and home fries. Our food was brought relatively quickly and was okay. It wasn't anything that blew us out if the water. While diner food is supposed to be very simple, I usually hope to find food that is higher quality or cooked better than I could do at home, and we didn't find that to be the case. My wife said her food was fine but not necessarily anything amazing, and my sandwich tasted like normal every day buffalo wing dip that I've made at home myself. Service was friendly and prices were reasonable. My biggest gripe with the place, outside of the food, was their bug issue. I get that it's stink bug season, but they were literally everywhere. It's a very small dinner and you can basically see every side of the restaurant no matter where you're sitting, and with us being sat in a corner booth, we saw the blinds just full of stink bugs and dead ones all over the window sills. It was pretty obvious they were everywhere, and the fact that no one had taken care of it was pretty off putting. All in all, we didn't find it to be anything special and probably wouldn't go back. read more

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Really hard to find good breakfast places out here in upstate NY, but this place was pretty good. I ordered the Poutine Breakfast Fries and my guest ordered, chicken and waffles , Southern Combo, and the Grilled Reuben. The poutine breakfast fries came with brown gravy, fries (breakfast potatoes), cheese curds, two eggs (ordered mine scrambled), and chives. They were actually pretty good, except the gravy could've been slightly less salty. Other than that, the dish was good. The chicken and waffles came as a sandwich and were drizzled with honey. The waffles were light and airy with a delicious waffle flavor. The chicken was crunchy and moist. Really tasty with the honey. The Southern Combo was biscuit and gravy with two eggs (your style), and breakfast potatoes. This dish was overall good but much different than any other biscuit and gravy that I've tried. The gravy was pretty thick, like the consistency of soften sour cream. I actually think they may have used sour cream, but it still had the sausage gravy flavor, with lots of chucks of sausage. Lastly the Grilled Reuben, I did not try. But my guest said he did enjoy it and it did look tasty. It came with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island on a rye. One of the downsides to our experience was that after we were seated and ordered our food, we waited a half an hour for it to finally come out, but overall, it was a good experience. read more

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In Syracuse at six in the morning, no where to be, and we were hungry so we found Second Chance and thought we'd give it a first chance. Boy, was it worth it. Frankly this was our first in restaurant experience in nearly a year, and we are so glad it was here. Food was great, we had the Bacon Benny and the Greek Omelette. If you are not certain what those are, i guess you will need to go for a visit. Staff were all properly masked, everything was clean and tables well spaced - it felt very safe - it provided us with a reminder of how wonderful it is to have someone else make and serve you breakfast while you sit and relax! read more

My favorite thing about this place is their mimosa tower! It makes for an eventful brunch :) The atmosphere is very welcoming and you'll feel right at home. Their food is also delicious! I had a chicken cesar wrap which was great. The server was very nice and attentive. I would recommend this place for sure! 8.5/10 read more

What diner does not serve a real dairy creamer or half & half for their coffee?? Yup, it's this one, the Second Chance Diner. Only creamer on the table was Coffee Mate & if you're expecting a real dairy creamer, then Coffee Mate is not it. When I asked for a real dairy creamer or half & half, the waitress didn't even know for sure if they had it in the back. Her only option when she came back to the table, was to offer me milk. Certainly milk is not a substitute for cream in my coffee especially at a diner & it's only acceptable when milk is the last thing in the house & you forgot to buy cream or half & half at the grocery store. I also ordered a toasted bagel-and it had been toasted once, but a while ago as it was cold. All in all, very disappointing, especially for a Fathers Day breakfast - after all, how can you ruin coffee & a bagel? Well, see above, that's how. read more

Second Chance Diner - Coffee with Coffee Mate - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Covid-all wearing masks, option for outdoor and indoor dining. My friend and I were looking for a Sunday brunch spot that favored food variety, sweet tooth options, large portions. Ordered: fruit pebble infused waffle with strawberry topping and whipped cream and poutine appetizer This waffle makes you feel like a kid eating cereal watching Saturday morning cartoons. The waffle size is the whole plate. I think next time I'd ask for an additional side of strawberry sauce since I don't usually care for whipped cream and didn't use any syrup on this. The whipped cream was worth to trying once and if you're a usual fan of it then this doesn't disappoint. The poutine is under "appetizers" however the portion is almost an entree size. Everything was perfectly portioned. The fries were crunch the gravy and cheese hot and melted. Very shareable. Overall: There wasn't a terrible wait for indoor seating. Of course right now they can only be at 50% capacity. Outdoor seating is immediate. We chose indoor for the experience and it was a little chilly. This menu has a ton of options. We want to go back to essentially try everything on the pancake waffle French toast page!!! We didn't get to try any milkshakes this time but they had options more than your standard vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. read more

Second Chance Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

We stopped here to celebrate the end of the fall semester. We ordered the sausage benny and their chicken and waffles. Both were good sized portions, tasty and it did not take long for our food to come out. For drinks we got a hot chocolate and an Oreo shake. Again, delicious - a small thing on my part is I don't particularly enjoy whipped cream and they put quite a bit on these drinks. The servers were friendly and everyone followed distancing protocols. I would come again! read more

Second Chance Diner - Sausage Benny & Chicken and Waffles - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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