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Southwest Diner

4.5 (1.2k reviews)
Open • 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Waitlist - Southwest Diner

Live Current wait: 16 - 31 mins

Southwest Diner Photos

Business Info

SOUTHWEST DINER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Classy
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Southwest Diner

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Reviews With Photos

Inside
Travis P.

If you're craving an old-timey, classic diner then Southwest Diner has to be at the top of your list. The outside is very unassuming; I'd driven by this place sooooo many times and never even noticed that it was a diner! It looks just like many old-timey STL buildings which just adds to the charm. Once you walk in, it's like teleporting to the past. It isn't fancy, but it is packed (and rightfully so). It was just myself when I went, so I was able to be immediately sat at the bar which was a nice surprise considering it was packed on a holiday (Labor Day) morning. The server was very nice and attended to whatever I needed efficiently despite juggling a lotta different folks. For the food & drinks, I started off with a nice cold brew. I didn't love the taste, as it was almost tea-esque, but to be fair I don't drink a lot of cold brew so maybe that's just how it is. I decided to get some Sopapillas as an appetizer as I'd heard they were good and they definitely did not disappoint. They arrived very quickly, were hot out of the fryer, and tasted amazing! They were pillowy soft and just sweet enough while not being overbearing. I added a little honey on top and it was like I was in heaven. There were 5 in the order and I had to stop myself after quickly devouring 3 within 2 minutes. That's how good they were. Onto my entree, I went with the Breakfast Burrito with homemade sausage. I am a big breakfast burrito guy, and a pretty tough critic, but I've gotta say that this was one of the best breakfast burritos I've had in recent years for sure. There was just enough cheese to add flavor and make it the perfect texture without being too much. The sausage had an incredible flavor that complemented the egg, home fries, and chiles perfectly. After devouring half of the burrito in under 90 seconds, I once again had to restrain myself and opted to take my leftover home before I made some really good but bad decisions (aka eating wayyyy too much). Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here. The vibes & food were immaculate despite the location and decor feeling very unassuming. I'd be excited to come back and try some of their other popular dishes, and I'll be sure to bring along some friends to share the experience next time!

Omelette with potatoes
Gabrielle J.

Unpretentious, cozy and always a great time. The staff here are always great, even during a rush. I love coming here for a good Sunday brunch; and always leave pleased. They are accommodating to my gluten allergy and I've never left disappointed. The potatoes are always super tasty and filling; and even their iced coffee is great with a pinch of sugar and... hear me out... a squeeze of lemon! I'm telling you, if you're an iced coffee fan, you gotta try it once. Always worth a visit!

Queso
Whitney S.

Holy Breakfast Burrito! Southwest diner is an institution in STL and for good reason. The food is delicious, the service is great, and the vibe is laidback! Be sure to get the breakfast burrito. It's SO good!

Syrup served in old Coca Cola bottles
Teresa D.

Such a fun place! Diner meets eclectic. The food is very diner-esk and it is very good. I had the Eggs, bacon, and biscuit (biscuit is house made and very savory). My friend had the eggs bacon and pandcakes....loved the pancakes..they are a cornmeal pancake - we loved it As you can see from the pictures there is a diner counter, but the decor is eclectic Our server was attentive and helpful. PS - they have sopapillas, I did not try them, but I will be back to try them.

Biscuits & Gravy with Two Eggs Sunny Side Up

To start off, I'm not a St.Louis native, but my girlfriend is and the first time she showed me around we stopped in here for breakfast. I've had B's & G's before back in Chicago, but none of them ever really stood out. From the first bite of the chunky flavorful sausage gravy, to the last bit of the fluffy biscuit that I was wiping off my face, the Biscuits and Gravy at Southwest diner are at the top of the list. I'm pretty sure the server was impressed at how quickly I cleared my plate that morning. Anytime we come visit friends and family, I make it a point to stop here at some point. The service is great, it's a super low-key diner with the perfect ambiance and price point right off the highway. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not come here.

Tacos
Maddie W.

On a Saturday afternoon, I came by for a late lunch. I added my name to the waitlist in advance and I'm glad I did - it seems like the Saturday lunch rush lasts a while! Everyone in my party enjoyed their meals (I had the tacos). I do think they may have been understaffed in the front and back of the house on our visit as service was particularly slow, but all is forgiven when the food is so good! :)

Sopapilla
Mindy P.

If your friends suggest it, just say yes. If you need a great diner/greasy spoon, make the plan. I was not expecting to like this place as much as I did. We were not able to make a reservation, which is fine, our wait was short. The space is small which is sad for the rest of STL, because they can only help so many people in one day. Service was very attentive, food was a great combo of breakfast with southwest flavors. Hopefully will be able to come back for lunch very soon!

Rocket to Bacon Land
Byron C.

I've been meaning to eat southwestern-themed breakfast food since I saw the legendary "chorizo and eggs" scene from the movie Midnight Run. The opportunity finally presented itself when a member of my old man's bicycle group suggested this place for a Friday afternoon lunch. I was more than happy to step away from my responsibilities for an hour or two, and the only thing that would have made it better is if I'd been able to disappoint a group of people standing in line, like at the DMV. I'd been as far south on McCausland as a shopping center near the intersection with Manchester, for a drug test for a job, which I'll have you know I passed with flying colors. Consulting Google Maps on the way to the restaurant, I was surprised to see that it's on (er, kinda on) Southwest Avenue. Does it serve diner fare with a southwestern flair due to its address, or is that a mere matter of coincidence? According to a guy I know, who knows several people who work there (don't be jealous), it's the latter. Certainly, you wouldn't put a restaurant here for the ambience. This looks like the kind of place where you'd ditch a stolen car after using the backseat for a fried chicken dinner that somehow involved ketchup (why?) and an assignation with a lady of the evening. If you live nearby, I guess it's not off the beaten path, but who lives here? The menu is a veritable plethora of riches. You could have breakfast food, or you could have lunch food, even if you couldn't bring yourself to roll out of bed until after 10:30 AM. It's downright anxiety inducing! I toyed with the idea of a torta or a burger, and I also saw that they had milkshakes. I ended up going with breakfast food, because I love breakfast food and I don't get it as often. Specifically, I went with something called the Rocket to Bacon Land. It's a bacon and goat cheese omelet with arugula and caramelized onions, served with home fries and your choice of bread. I could have gone with various kinds of toast or a sopapilla. I went with a biscuit. It was amazing! It looked like something your mom would make with Bisquick when she's feeling especially lazy, but it tasted great. It may have been better than the biscuits at Popeyes--which is pretty much the highest compliment you can pay a food item. The omelet was also pretty good. I appreciated the generous helping of eggs, which must have run them, thanks to a certain individual who shall not be named. It was definitely an egg-forward preparation. The arugula didn't seem to add much, as I suspected, and I don't know that the bacon or onions were present in sufficient quantities as to be truly dominant. The goat cheese was definitely a choice. It was warm and soft (ahem), but not melty the way you'd expect cheese in an omelet to be. I liked it, but I don't know if I liked it as much as a regular ol' Denver omelet. I'm a close-minded individual. I buy vanilla ice cream for the taste. Would I feel the same way, to varying degrees, about everything else on the menu? There's only one way to find out.

Lindsey P.

The decoration of the restaurant is very cute. We went while they were busy, so things seemed a little tight in the space, but it was perfectly fine. We ended up sitting at the counter on stools and I thought it was really fun and cute with the older red style cushions. I got the Grits on Fire, and it's really funny to describe this, but when I took my first bite, I was a little disappointed. It had a nice flavor and a bright spiciness to it but was lacking a depth of flavor. It was so close to being amazing! My husband suggested adding salt, and it changed the dish completely. It became something incredible, but I did have to tweak the dish. My husband got a burrito, although I forget which one. It was good, but didn't reach "great." This place was really nice, but not quite what I'm looking for personally. It's way better than an average restaurant, though. I would suggest people try it.

Breakfast burrito (Christmas style - red and green sauce), torta with chorizo, and grits on fire
Sarah M.

Finally made it to Southwest Diner on a chilly day recently! Due to the weather, it was not busy at all on a late morning Saturday but they were still open! Our server was really nice and attentive. We got the grits, a burrito, and torta. All were super good - big fan of the fries that came with the torta! The homemade chorizo was amazing. This is definitely worth the hype!!

Art on patio
Shauncei G.

Came here as it was recommended by a couple of friends. To me the food was pretty mediocre, I had the breakfast burrito with green chili. I was expecting more of a chili rather than actual green chilis ontop. It was fine but lacked flavor in general. And the portion was pretty small, tho it was inexpensive for the portion size. I LOVED the artwork on the patio, and I loved that they offered patio seating. It didn't take too long to get sat even tho they were busy. But our service was pretty slow, I also had the coffee which I didn't care for but I did drink the cup, our waiter never got us a refill on our coffee at all either. The pancakes were truly the best part of the entire experience, very unique and not too sweet which I love! I also had a bite of my husbands heuvos rancheros, the portion was also very small, and it was just okay not great but not bad either.

Build Your Own Burrito
Alli N.

A must-try Southwest-meets-St. Louis gem! Every bite here is bursting with that bold Southwest flair -- perfectly spiced, comforting, and absolutely delicious. The food looks as good as it tastes -- from crispy tater-tot bites topped with queso fresco and green onions, to the hearty plates piled high with eggs, gravy, and golden potatoes, to that incredible smothered breakfast burrito that's pure flavor heaven. The service is just as awesome -- friendly, attentive, and quick even when the place is buzzing. And the vibe? Totally unmatched. It's bright, eclectic, and full of energy, with the coolest outdoor setup featuring a converted school bus bar for drinks. It's the perfect place to kick back with brunch, a cocktail, or both. Whether you're a local or just passing through, Southwest Diner is one of those places that leaves you full, happy, and already planning your next visit.

J David H.

A highlight of my recent trip to Saint Louis was a brunch outing at the Southwest Diner with my son. Located in the Ellendale community outside of Maplewood. Ellendale began to thrive with the addition of electric street cars in 1896. The Southwest diner is in an early 1900's brick building. It was several businesses in its past, but most well known as a grocery. Parking is off street and free. Southwest offers a covered outside patio for additional space with frequent waits especially on weekends. The dining room vibe is spectacular and will deceive customers into believing it has operated for many decades. In reality, Southwest has only existed since 2012 and was formerly a breakfast taco stand at Tower Grove Farmers Market. A sharp eye of their retro tables and chairs may reveal the former identity as 1950's Jack in the box. A cool looking bar compliments their space. They also have interior group dining that seats eight. Table service was top notch, the coffee delicious and a classic diner menu with a flare of New Mexican cuisine superb. The owner Johnathan was on hand too. We both wanted eggs which is a specialty, so for me the "Rocket to Bacon Land" omelette with three eggs goat cheese, arugula, caramelized onions and bacon. Side of potatoes. My son opted more basic with a three egg omelette, sausage and fried potatoes. Our waitress Kate suggested a side order of French Toast to split instead of toast which proved an excellent choice. She also included a biscuit to try that was yum. Put Southwest Diner on your list for a visit in Saint Louis. For families the prices are affordable as well. Jump on their waitlist for a smoother experience on weekends when they get clobbered. Can't wait to return.

Coffee!!

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Reviews are largely positive. People praise the creative, flavorful food, friendly attentive service, and the lively eclectic atmosphere.

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1 month ago

Southwest Diner never disappoints! The food is terrific and the service is always friendly and efficient.

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6 months ago

Delish! We got the sopapillas. Yum. Good coffee. Kind waitress. Great patio. We love this place!

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Breakfast pork tamales with red and green chile sauce Christmas style. Cool coffee mugs !

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Southwest Diner Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Southwest Diner

Is the patio dog friendly?

Yes! 🙂

What types of menu items are gluten-free and does Southwest Diner accommodate those with Celiac disease?

This place is pretty carb forward but maybe an omelette and sub the toast for a salad?

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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I like this place a lot! I hope it finds success here. We were sat very quickly, they have indoor…read moreand outdoor seating. The staff was very kind and attentive. The menu was vast and they had a large drink menu and full bar. We got a margarita pitcher, peach flavored, which was very good. We got tacos, a chicken quesadilla, and fajitas. All were excellent, we will definitely be coming back!

I have been here twice but this is about my most recent visit (08/2026). I am not the margarita…read moreimbibing guy I used to be, so I'm not the best authority on that part. My friend and I stopped here for a last minute drinks and dinner. We each had the house special, I think it was called the Cadillac margarita with salted rim, iced not frozen, and we got the jumbo. OMG I couldn't even finish the jumbo. It was very strong and big, had to take it home to try and finish it. A wait staff dropped off chips and salsa and the chips were just not that good. I asked my friend what she thought and she said the same thing I did. The salsa did help but if I opened my own Mexican place I would serve the best chips I could find. I know they're free but many places offer some kind of free snack (Helen's has popcorn, some places still offer salted peanuts...) and I think it should make one think the chips are good the food will be better. As I was drinking I wanted some food and we got two chicken burritos, they were large and very good!! They were 2 for $14 if that gives an idea on cost. While I live just a few minutes from here, I haven't seen enough in 2 visits to say I'll keep coming here for Mexican, there are many other places in South St Louis to try. Oh and I swear the bar "stools" are big enough for two people. I probably look comical on one as my friend and I may have been able to fit into one stool.

Photos
Chilanguita Mexican Kitchen - Seating with beautiful artwork

Seating with beautiful artwork

Chilanguita Mexican Kitchen - Mixed fajitas

Mixed fajitas

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Dining room

Southwest Diner - diners - Updated October 2026

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