Okay, so my review may be a tad biased. As you walk in, you are transported back in time to an old school greasy diner and everything about is 100% that vibe. Our server, Sam, was an absolute delight. She truly made our experience a memorable one...so sweet, so kind and so personable. The food: delicious. The gravy was so tasty and the steak was nicely fried with a crispy coating and great flavor. Tender enough to cut with a fork. The fresh hashbrowns are so buttery and crispy, yet fluffy inside. Simple menu, simple concept, exceptional service and experience. I came here with my Sister-in-Law, but definitely coming back with my husband. read more

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The food was disappointing. Well overpriced. I had Chicken fried steak, eggs, and hash browns. It looked nothing like the photo that shows here in Yelp for that meal and I had to ask for additional country sausage gravy. It's supposed to come on it and I paid $6 for that additional gravy. The saddest part of this is I'm a retired chef and I have never dealt with anything this disappointing for breakfast faire. read more

I really like this place. The staff are always friendly. Always great service. The food is always good. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Art on the wall - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

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We went for Sunday breakfast, we sat at the bar and got served right away, we got our food right away, and our waitress was very attentive. The pancake and french toast were delicious read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Pancakes and French toast - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

Been coming here for decades and really enjoy the hometown atmosphere. Regardless of who comes in you can end up having someone to chat with. The food is good and the various homemade soups I really look forward to. Prices are a better than some places considering all of the increases in taxes and cost this state. Past comments on discrimination are sort of funny and not accurate considering our observations and knowing the mix of people that come in. Just a comfortable neighborhood place to go with good food and not crazy prices. read more

Great food, looks like a popular locals hangout, and service is wicked fast! I had the He-Man with ham and hash browns and basted eggs. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

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Been a customer for 40 years. This place is what it is. Over the re ent months the food quality has steadily gone done and down. The prices keep going up and up. The food has consistently taste old and starting to turn particularly breakfast meats and beef. I have gotten sick several times in recent times. It is the grill not being clean well and old oil in the fryer. Yesterday I had breakfast after a long break. The eggs had metallic tasted as did the ham. It was the chemicals used to clean the grill. The ham looked suspicious. I ate a few bites before it became apparent that the ham had turned. I got food poisoning from this place and spent the last 24 hours throwing up. Most of this at work. I feel badly but this place needs to get it's act together together. The high price it costs to eat out the customer should not be getting sick eating here. read more

Super cute dated blast from the past. Service was amazing ladies are super kind and helpful. Food was great, and large portions. read more

Would not recommend this place. Was discriminated against, my fathers order came out wrong and the food was sub par. Will never be going back to this run down place read more

In the area for work and needing a place for coffee, breakfast, and to catch up on emails. This was perfect! Nice and quiet. Friendliest staff. Amber was awesome! And the food hit the spot. Recommend the Denver omelet with cheese! read more

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Love this coffee shop of yesteryear, great food great service. Goo's smooth coffee and breakfast is always good.

A very cozy, clean and cute traditional American diner located in Auburn! I was here right before Christmas so it was super busy but our food came out super fast and service was excellent. 5/5 The food was pretty good. I just wish my hash-brow were a little bit crispier then it will be perfect. Besides that I definitely will come back here whenever I crave for American food. Hopefully they will continue to be voted best in Auburn in 2023! Looking forward to come bạck! read more

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It may look like a average cafe but the breakfast at this establishment is fantastic. Whether it is an omelet, eggs benedict, waffles or pancakes the taste is fantastic. But if you want something special, go for the chicken fried steak, which in my opinion is perfection. Crunchy exterior, buttery smooth steak covered with country gravy and over easy eggs, is just this side of heaven. This is the kind of food your grandparents love to feed you, in the old days! c read more

This is one of our go-to places for breakfast and lunch. Nothing fancy, just good food in a local, small place. Anyone saying the food is bad, is expecting way too much from a mom and pop place. I've never had a bad meal there in 25 years! read more

An adorable local breakfast spot that has unbeatable customer service. They are the sweetest people and just reek of positivity and community. This has become one of our go to breakfast spots. The food is consistently yummy, comes out hot and fresh. And their brewed coffee is constantly made fresh. My usual order is the chicken fried steak and eggs. The gravy is thick and peppery. And the hash browns are a crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They have a good sized parking lot too read more

Best breakfast spot I've been to and very welcoming, we came from Seattle to try it and will gladly be back. Chicken fried steak is delicious . Nice crew read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Chicken fried steak - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

The staff was good and place was clean. But wow. I ordered steak and hash browns, coffee, and waffle. My daughter got eggs Benedict and hott chocolate. My steak came out grey and no flavor at allllllll, hash browns and eggs were terrible also the coffee was not good. My daughter couldn't even take 2 bites from her food, eggs Benedict had as they say a special cheesy sauce, terrible as well. The kind waitress noticed my daughter's plate was not touched so she said she would refund the plate. Price for this with refunded plate was almost $50. Uhhhh I still feel sick thinking about eating here. Never again. read more

Food was incredibly delicious! Portions are huge. Staff is absolutely wonderful. My husband ordered a waffle with his meal and it was perfect. I had a BLT, the best I've ever had!!!! read more

What can I say that hasn't already been said in all the great reviews? I've been wanting to visit the Starting Gate for quite some time. After getting my truck repaired down the street, I finally stopped in. As soon as I walked in, it brought me back to the time when searching for the best breakfast places in Kent and Auburn. I sat at the counter and my server was super friendly. I'm a country-fried steak and eggs guy, so I ordered that. Now I'm not sure if it is the go-to breakfast to judge and review a restaurant, but I think so. It did not disappoint and not sure what brought the flavor out. The steak was tender and gravy had a fantastic flavor. Everything was cooked to perfection. The Starting Gate did have their regulars, but NOT in an imitating way. I can go back and be one of those regulars right away !! I might even try something different. read more

Great food and service. This will become a regular breakfast spot for me. Even with all the regulars, you'll feel right at home.

Auburn has very limited breakfast and brunch options so.... (Can someone please build a really cool brunch place? This town needs one BADLY!) But I digress... The food was ok, service was good, prices were a bit high for what we ordered but mostly the vibe was all off. At the "starting gate" restaurant we expected a race track theme. I know this sounds very odd to review a restaurant based on the decor but there are two pictures of racehorses by the bathrooms and the rest of the decor is hodgepodge dusty 1980's Goodwill castoffs. There is so much potential here! Good breakfast, nothing special, could be sooooo much better! read more

When you find an "unclaimed" business with 80 reviews averaging 4-stars, you can bet it's a long established local favorite. The Starting Gate has been around for decades, at least four decades. The gal sitting next to us said she's been coming here for 35 years! This was Sherrie and my first time here. We both ordered the Chicken Fried Steak, over-easy with hash browns and sourdough toast. It was absolutely delicious and more than we could eat. Answering a previous Elite's review - the hash browns are not as crispy as the usual restaurant-supply's because Starting Gate shreds their own on site, from fresh whole russets. The softer interior flavor is noticeably better! The coffee is $2.75 but I have to admit, they fill your cup 3-4 times and ask twice more. This small town diner is the it-place for an older generation... you know... nice, friendly customers served by nice friendly waitresses? You can't leave this place, unhappy! ...unless you had to park a block away to begin with. 5-Stars for being everything they say they are ! read more

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Food was so mediocre it wasn't even funny. Had an omelette one if not the worst ever. The food at this place just sucks. 2nd time eating at this dump. Won't be back read more

Great people and classic dinner food. Bottomless coffee, good pancakes. Nothing fancy. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Que Pulp Fiction soundtrack. - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

The Starting Gate Restaurant is literally a National Landmark as it's been in Auburn, Washington for a very, very long time!~ One of the first restaurants ever I do believe?!~ Don't quote me, but pretty sure it's one of the firsts or close to it! ) It's located right off Auburn Way by the Veteran's Memorial Park- Easy location! It's the best food ever especially for breakfasts or lunch and the portions are really good size!~ You pretty much can't go wrong with/anything on the men....although, the prices have increased lately on some items such as eggs, or extra sauces or gravies- you definitely will get charged for it... My husband's fav is the He-Man. My fav is the Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs, or the Taco Salad, or the house special which is a Daily Special they have once a day~ and it's always something pretty fantastic!! My bestie loves the Eggs Benedict ~(Which I've decided to try myself today) ~ Excited! Atmosphere ~ It's is easy going usually although can be a bit noisy at times.. but it's still comfortable. Good lighting. The food is served pretty quickly as they always seem to have a decent chef working here!~ I LOVE THE OLD SCHOOL BOOTHS AND BAR STOOLS w/BAR TOO!! It's in an excellent location if you're in Auburn but don't wait too late! It closes at 7:00PM on Sunday's!~ The cons: The only thing that could use improvement is the server or waitress. You will either get a really nice one, or a bossy, in a hurry mouthy type one. It's hit or miss. They use to have a very nice, long term waitress awhile back, but has since moved on.. We do miss her. (I've experienced both kinds of waitresses & in-between.)~ Today, we are ordering our food to go, (to avoid a (in-a-hurry-type-waitress) and chose eating at home which we rarely do... (It's been a busy week and we still need to go grocery shopping!~ so good excuse to order in!! hah! A couple other cons: PS. Today was a little inconvenient as their phones weren't working correctly. They couldn't take any calls so I sent my other half down to order & bring home. 2.) Parking is rather limited, but manageable & rarely does it get too full and if it does, it's usually on the weekends. Hope this review with help you discover the Starting Gate Restaurant here in Auburn, Washington (King County) (unincorporated)~ Enjoy! S.L. :-) read more

I was in Auburn and wanted to eat breakfast after an appointment, so I found this restaurant on Yelp. This place reminds of a great home town diner. It was quite busy but we were able to get seated pretty quickly. Service was super friendly and quick considering how busy they were. Our server was fantastic she was very sweet and greeted everyone that came in the door with a warm welcome and a great smile. I'd definitely eat here again if I'm in the area. read more

TLDR/ Food: Decent, Price: excessive for breakfast, Service: Good This place was fair to middling as far as food goes. The area we sat at smelled of bleach, which did mean it was clean but also meant my whole meal was tinged with the scent of bleach. I ordered sunny side up eggs and regretted it, as the whites were less cooked than I would have hoped. The rest of my He-Man Meal was good. The ham steak was a generous portion, though the ham was low quality. The French Toast was eggy-delicious and made with Texas Toast. My husband had no complaints about his omelet and said the bacon was the perfect amount of crisp. However, the hash browns were decidedly less crisp than one would expect, and whose innards were mostly lukewarm potato mush. The service was friendly and warm. It felt very much like my Mom was cooking breakfast in the kitchen and bringing it to me. The small town diner feel is really what you are paying for. Honestly, if you want a place to feel like the staff care about you, it seems like this place is for you. Overall, for breakfast, you could certainly do worse, but I would wager you could also do better. As far as supporting a local institution and eating a decent breakfast this place is a sure thing. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Our table - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

Classic diner serving up great grub with that classic diner experience. It totally channeled the Gilmore Girl vibes I was seeking. read more

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Staff is sweet. Restaurant is clean with a classic layout. Foods great. Just a classic American diner experience. Me and the wife will be back. read more

Where have you been all my life? Ok I should say the 18 years I've lived around here. Actually I live in Kent. But I've searched all over King and Pierce looking for breakfast locations. We've been to so many, and we've only liked a few. The others we won't be back. But being an Elite Gold Badge Yelper I search hard, and read reviews. If there are a few bad reviews, I'll give the establishment a try anyway. Well, after searching on an icy/snowy winter day, finally Starting Gate popped up! I wonder why it never popped up during my search until last month? So one day on a cold snowy icy day, I woke my husband up and said I'm hungry let's check out this place I found. I normally get out of bed around noon, especially in cold winter days. But we got up at 6am, I called to make sure they were open because most places were not. When we arrived it looked like an old school diner. I also wondered why I never saw this place since I've been driving by the last 18 years we've lived around here. We walked in and it's like we were in a movie...the locals all stopped what they were doing and just stared(lol). We thought is it because we are new faces? Whatever it was, it's like I heard western music coming on for the soundtrack of our movie. But the old timers greeted us with open arms, and the servers were old school friendly. The menu wasn't fancy, the place was old, but clean, there were veterans that seem like regulars(I try to always thank them for their service). Now the food...it's not fancy but boy was it good. Simple and good. I try to post photos of everything we order. So believe when I say everything we've order was good, and fresh. The eggs are tasty fresh, and cooked the way I like. Basted! The bacon not salty at all. Sausage cooked the way I like. So far I've loved the French toast, pancakes, even the waffles. But we both really like the hash browns. We normally don't like hash browns, but these taste like they just were freshly grated, and comes out not mushy on the inside, and so crispy on the outside. We were also so shocked at how affordable the food was. We are used to spending a lot more, and for good food we will. So since our first time, we've been back at least four more times in less than a month. I guess we are becoming regulars. The last time we were there we had lunch. Oh my the gravy they use was actually tasty! I would totally use that gravy on top of a loco moco! And I ordered their special for the day. A BLT with homemade chicken noodle soup. You can smell the soup and it sure was hitting the spot. The blt was perfect, the toast was perfectly toasted. I'm getting hungry writing this out. My long awaited review. Con for us, pro for them...parking lot is small, and in a busy day it's jammed packed, and tables are full also. Only happened to us once because it was during the holidays. Most of the time we go when people are at work, and the retired are there. read more

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I have been going to starting gate for a large portion of my life. It's not an everyday place for me, but only because I live so far away. Still, almost 30 years after I first went here, I will occasionally drive from Olympia just to get a deluxe with cheese, fries, and a side of ranch, that has been my order since the 90's and will be till the day I die, or they close their doors. I also would love to point out, this is the kind of place where the waitresses are going to chat with you, so is the people in the booth next to you... It's got that small town feel, with excellent food you just can't miss. read more

This place has been on my radar for years, however do to circumstances, I have avoided them. I'm nervous of any Yelp business that is "Unclaimed"that tells me ownership either doesn't care, or isn't smart enough to know that their business has a potential thriving social presence. My other concerns is the lack of website. For $15 a month, you have the ability to share pricing pictures, hours of operation and even the history of your business. I don't think anyone with a commercial, specifically retail business should be without a functioning website. Ok, menu looked OK and by OK, I wasn't in love with some of the offerings, and they said no substitutions, but they allowed additions. There was an omelet with ham, peppers, onion, tomato, cheese and I believe mushroom. I wanted that, but bacon instead of Ham and no mushroom. Well, what I got was less for more. For the same price, I got the bacon and cheese omelet then paid $3 for tomato and onion and it was scarce. I would have been better off with bacon and eggs, the portions would have been larger. Here is the worst part, when the omelet came it was ham, I looked at the ticket and it said ham, but the guy next to me said, hey, you ordered bacon, that looks like ham. Then this happened. https://youtu.be/4VdMdboymT8?si=2-4PhIyHU8ecZeyR This video shows what played out in front of me. At least 4 employees read the ticket, read ham, but my server insisted it was BAC for bacon. And for 5 minutes, it was discussed like a presidential debate. A new omelet was made and when it came, both it and the hash browns were much smaller than the original plate. So after making mistakes on my order and delaying the food for 10 minutes, I got served a child's plate but it all came to more than $20. At $13.50, I could have lived with it, but they should have either made the plate bigger and said, we aren't charging you for the additions, The food wasn't bad, but it was mediocre. It was not worth the money or the drive and I'd never return here, because despite no one having bad malice, I could have gone to 13 Coins or a host of Hotels and had a much better omelet or experience for less money. A place like this is built for regulars and despite the positive reviews, the biggest reason I never came here before is the lack of solid reviews. Maybe it's just time to expect less from South King County. I should have went to Lil Jon's.Still the best all around breakfast in the county for quality, consistency and price. read more

Typical diner ambience- upon entering tables weren't cleaned yet. The water cup tasted soap. The OJ that was large did not seem large. The sausage tasted old and seemed off; the hashbrowns were mushy; really can't go wrong with pancakes but it was typical. Prices were ok but seemed a lot for 3 people. Service was ok, voice carried and she kept touching her eyes. Would I go back? No. But the omelet wasn't bad and people were friendly enough. read more

Food here is always excellent. Service is always top notch. I had the chicken fried steak and it was yummy. They always make sure your coffee is full and they are always inviting. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - Chicken fried steak - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

Food is so so good. So flavorful and big potions! The Reuben was out of this world. Their homemade potato salad is the only potato salad that I would say is better than my grandmas. Service is so friendly and thoughtful. Clean place, clean restrooms. So good! read more

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Great old fashioned diner that delivered big time on breakfast for my daughter and I. Our waitress was super charming and considerate/timely for a super busy diner. read more

Eggs and sausage were strange. Sausage links were square. The scrambled eggs were like fried eggs cut in strips. The pancakes and french toast were tasty. Staff was friendly and attentive. read more

For us old folks, it's like going back to a traditional diner. Its not a huge place and most of the time its crowded. There are booths and seats at the counter so unless you go on a weekend you'll get some sort of seat. The menu is pretty traditional for a typical diner, large portions more food than you can eat. They do have half sizes for bacon and eggs but apparently not for the three egg omelette. We both had scrambled eggs which came with four, yes four, slices of bacon and a huge portion of yummy hash browns and choice of toast. The servers were a kick and have obviously been there for years. Service was prompt and once we ordered the food came quickly. When we couldn't finish the bacon, containers were quickly provided. The prices certainly are great. I had ice tea which the server never let get even half and eggs and bacon and even with tip it was under $20. Don't get such a good deal very often. Plan on going back for lunch read more

Boyfriend got the chicken fried steak and I got a deluxe burger. The waitress was really nice and our food came out quick. The chicken fried steak he said was really good and the eggs were perfect (ordered over medium). My burger was great but messy (in a good way). It's a very cute establishment and is very homey. We will be back in the future. I gave four stars due to styrofoam containers :/. We will make sure to eat inside next time. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant - a red counter in a restaurant - Diners Near Me - Auburn, Washington

Good quality home cooked breakfast taste. Always great service, and I love the old school cafe feel.