Crazy that this is my first review of this place-- oops! I live right down the street from this place and it never fails I love that they are open late on the weekends. Everything from their wings to their basic breakfast is sooo good and it never takes too long to come out. I had the BLT yesterday - it comes with fries. It was soooo good! and the amount of bacon inside was perfect. You also have an option of white or wheat toast. Overall, I really good diner with good customer service. read more

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Typically, they have very good food, but yesterday, while I was in between appointments, we stopped in for lunch. At first the service was good, but it seem to cool. We both ordered our burgers (different types) medium well. When they arrived, they were well done! My wife asked for hers without cheese...and it arrived with cheese and the fruit did not look pleasing. While they fixed it, the new burger was very well done and arrived in about a minute after it was sent back. Had it not been for our time limitations, we would have sent both of them back. We did speak with a manager. Again, typically the food is good, but not this time. Hopefully it will be better next time we go. read more

The lobster bisque was very good, but the service was lacking. Not enough servers for the amount of tables.

Monte Cristo lovers, unite! I can tell you from experience that their battered and deep fried turkey cheese and ham sandwich that's dusted with powdered sugar and served with raspberry jam is EPIC. My bf had never heard of one before and he ended up abandoning his meal to fight me for mine. I don't blame him. Best Monte Cristo I've ever eaten. But their menu is huge! There were so many choices. The decor is fun and nostalgic, and their back patio is divine (yeah, they have a giant back patio.) Service was great, no complaints from me. Will be back! read more

So very happy to have Studio Diner back in action after the pandemic closure. The menu remains fabulous, extensive and varied, breakfast and lunch, with dinner in the plans for, hopefully, a near future date. If you can't find something to eat here, you are not hungry. The staff is efficient and friendly, the prices are reasonable, the tastes are delightful. This is the kind of place which merits a once a week visit. We think we will split the club sandwich platter and add a side or two. We remember the onion rings being exceptional. read more

It's a very nice restaurant excellent food and great service. However it's not the place it used to be. After COVID they've changed the menu completely I went wanting their fish and chips it's no longer on the menu . Or are the items that made it famous on Diners Drive-Ins and dives. Honestly it's too far for me to go for a standard restaurant menu. Given the current economy and fuel prices. But the pasta dish I had was very delicious. And filling portion size. read more

In San Diego for a few days, I was looking through the local information magazine in my hotel room and saw Studio Diner. My son is a huge fan of Guy Fieri and Food Network so that got us interested. Further digging got this New England girl excited when I saw whole belly Ipswich clams on the menu. We raced over and didn't hesitate to order. The clams were perfect, just like I get in Boston or at the Cape. The service was quick and really friendly as well. Glad we found this great diner. read more

Studio Diner - Ipswich whole belly clams with New England clam chowder. - American Near Me - San Diego, California

A real diner feel with food you would expect from a diner. Late night. Fish and chips, burgers, macaroni and cheese, chocolate shakes were some of the things we ordered. The food was very good. The main reason you should come here. The service is made up of young teenage girls and a older lady overseeing them. Sweet as pie but the girls seemed to be new to the business. Ordering to getting refills were long waits. So patience is a must because the service was slow. The server also forgot to give my credit card back. Didn't realize it until I got home. Sad face. Overall, not a bad time. Would of enjoyed it more if the service was better and I had my credit card. The food is good. The fish and chips are exceptional. Willing to come back on the food alone. read more

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What a hidden gem. We had the pork chops meal and the hot turkey sandwich. Both were amazing. The portions are huge. This is a fun place for summer amazing comfort food! If Novalee is your server, that's an added bonus! read more

It was nice to return to this iconic place for lunch. Unfortunately, there was a grease trap smell as soon as I entered. That didn't stop me Lol. I ordered, "The boob" chicken breast sandwich. Cooked just the way I liked it. The staff was super friendly. I'll be back soon smelly or not. read more

Studio Diner - The "boob" chicken sandwich - American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Breakfasts have been gradually getting worse and worse. What used to be a place you can go to get a nice breakfast has turned into a place that serves cold and undercooked food. The people that serve there are nice, but the kitchen has severely dropped in quality. This used to be my weekly go-to breakfast spot, but no more. read more

I've known about Studio Diner for years but never came in to eat till I started working in Kearny Mesa. Been here a few times for breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything I've had is good. It's typical diner food; menu consists of pancakes, biscuits & gravy, sandwiches, fish & chips, salads, etc. Servers are always very nice and attentive. One morning, I came in for an early breakfast and there was only one waitress working the entire diner. But the girl handled the customers like a champ! Anyways, I guess this used to be 24 hours but hours have changed. Solid diner in San Diego and it definitely beats Denny's or Coco's any day. read more

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Let's begin with the waitress being super rude at any time my kids make some type of noise. She'll make this face expression as if she was irritated. Our attempt to address the problem was to tell her we could get another waitress, but she ignored us and tell us, It's just so loud and we told her we understand. Despite addressing the problem, she still seemed rude to us anyway. She misread our orders, and even said gratuity would be added automatically based on our party's size. Plain and simple she needs to get fired or retrained on her customer service because her customer service was out of the question that day, and this comes from family that works at restaurants. The food was good it just sucks that some employees make a place look bad. The reason I gave this review is because I rarely write bad reviews for places, and when I do, it's because people need to know what they might encounter. Here's a little heads up. I hope you don't get Amber as a waitress. read more

Studio Diner - Studio diner - American Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food amazing service and I don't know if it was the owner or Head Chef. But he came out and talked to every table to make sure their food and service was up yo Par.. my wife and I need to come back and have their dinner (as it's coming back next week) and YES!! More breakfast.. their menu is great.. they have amazing choices for everyone to choose what ever it is they are in the mood for.. coming back!! I suggest you give these guys a try.. read more

Studio Diner - American Near Me - San Diego, California

Studio Diner is better than ever! I think new ownership took over a few years ago and some of the recipes seemed to change. But I've been here several times the past couple of months and the service and food has been fantastic every time. Double Feature is back too! Yay! This place is back on the top of my list!! read more

Everything tasted like a deep fried twinkie. The cheese sticks, the fries, the onion rings, and even the (overwhelmingly deep fried) Monte Cristo sandwich. Everything tasted like the day old, bland and over-fried food you eat at a carnival. Even the cole slaw (miraculously not deep fried) had seen better days. We guessed it was possibly from yesterday. A lot of regulars seem to like this spot, but I have to wonder what they're ordering. Certainly not my terrible sandwich - which I couldn't finish even half of. And I NEVER leave a monte cristo unfinished. There's a first for everything, I guess. Every mouthful of it was lots of ham and dough - so, so much bland dough and so little cheese. I almost thought they forgot it at first. And the fries (also deeply fried and very plain) did not bring any excitement to the plate. Cute place, friendly service. Some of the worst food I've had in this town. read more

The food was outstanding. The decorations all around the diner were so darn cute. I wish I could give them five stars but our server was soooo rude. She was very nice in the beginning but when the two other of our party joined she started to catch an attitude with us. I'm not sure if she was overwhelmed or what but she hardly came to our table and we've heard before that the place can be racist but we didn't wanna believe it. It seems to be true. Very disappointing read more

I LOVE STUDIO DINER! Ever since college I usually come here super late at night when nothing else is open. It's way better than Denny's. My absolute favorite thing on their menu is the mac & cheese ~$8.95!! It's nice and CREAMY! I love their mac & cheese better than the Cheesecake Factory Fried Mac! I ordered it last night and added bacon! It's super filling for me and I never have room for dessert after. I've also ordered their eggs benedict before. Eggs benedict in general is my favorite breakfast food, They serve theirs here with a HUGE slab of Canadian bacon. It was a bit too much for me. I wouldn't suggest ordering it unless you're a serious meat lover. I want to try their lava cake next time, I'll try to make room! Also, they serve Maine Lobster Rolls here for $21.95!!!! It's more expensive than other places but maybe I'll give it a try one day. I've never been here during the day time so I don't know what wait time or parking is like but whenever I come here at night 10pm or later there's always parking and we're seated immediately. read more

Studio Diner - Mac and Cheese with Bacon!!! - American Near Me - San Diego, California

I have not been to Studio Diner in over a year. I wanted a late night dinner tonight and decided to give it a chance and I was not disappointed. I had the chicken pot pie which came with mashed potatoes, garlic string beans and corn. The pot pie was a bit peppery but non the less still delicious filled with white meat chicken, peas and carrots. My hubby had the Samson steak sandwich which was moist and tender sliced beef with spinach and a side of mac and cheese. It was a good late night meal. In addition, it is a BOGO with the Passport Card. read more

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We've been here quite a few times but this is my first time telling them. It is a gem as true diners do not exist in San Diego anymore. You get the hipster style overpriced breakfast joints. Parking can be challenging as there's limited parking in the lot and out front on the street. I've been here during the weekend and the weekdays o my for breakfast. I have yet to try their lunch or dessert. We had the chicken fried steak with eggs over easy, hash browns and wheat toast. We also tried the pancake and it is fluffy and tasty, we also ordered the kosher donut- bagels and lox. It comes with slices of cucumbers and tomatoes, I think they forgot about the capers and the cream cheese was limited. My kids enjoy coming here to look at the monster Statues in the patio- a prop from some movie as well as the pancakes. The service was great, we sat near the bar and the servers constantly made eye contact to check if we Needed anything during our meal We will be back soon!! read more

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This is the second time I have been here and both times there was a little disappointment with one of the dishes. The first time I came i ordered fish and chips. The fish was too oily to eat. This time we ordered the hot pastrami sandwich and the meatloaf special. The hot pastrami sandwich was just ok. The meatloaf was not a traditional meatloaf. They were meatloaf-like patties that were covered in sauce. The meatloaf and sauce lacked flavor. The menu is pretty extensive so I won't say that I won't come back as some of their other dishes might be good. Based on the number of people at the diner there must be some really good dishes to come back for. read more

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Studio Diner is a place I've been meaning to try for years. My first attempt was thwarted by the evacuations surrounding the San Diego Firestorms. The second was try was thwarted by an absolute lack of parking in the area. However, no parking is usually a good sign, right? Must be so good that patrons are willing to hoof it for a sidewalk-free few blocks down Ruffin Rd. in order to get the taste of the golden age of Hollywood right here in San Diego. Last night, I was lucky. I was fresh from a post-IKEA victory - the kind where I made it in and out of in 20 minutes - after finding exactly what I wanted. Oh yes, Studio Diner was going to happen this night. Happen it did. Parking was bad, but closer than my last attempt. We were still relegated to the street, but only a short walk down Ruffin. The exterior of the building had lost a bit of its luster as Stu Segal studios no longer provides clients as it had during the salad days of "Renegade" and "Silk Stalkings." However, the fake Art Deco was still real enough to suspend disbelief and leave hope that what waited inside was the kind of fare which could be had at the awesome commissaries of working studios like Paramount or Warners up in Los Angeles. Inside, the music was the first sign that I was about to be disabused of any nostalgia. It was loud and not of any era representing the increasingly greater state of disrepair and neglected fake Art Deco/Hollywood/concrete-tilt-up Kearney Mesa illusion. It was just loud EDM and occasional covers of sogns that need not be covered. Our booth was freshly wiped-down, clean, but dingy. The server was warm and friendly, and drinks were quick to arrive. Finally a good sign. This is when things went from "depressing but not disastrous" to "potentially dangerous." The corner booth next to us was seated with 10 teens (all likely below the age of majority) who were yelling profanities, racial slurs, and locker-room nonsense at each other - granted, I was obnoxious at that age as well - but never that loud, and never near the waitstaff or other patrons of our all-night haunts. Worse, the kids changed seats every few seconds, pushed and shoved each other, and let it all kind of spill into our personal space. The staff did exactly nothing to address this. The manager on duty was present plenty of times to hear things like "hey f@g**t, a$$h0le, c*n7, etc," yelled across the restaurant, but took no action, even when asked to intervene, his response was "yeah, they sure are loud." I'm not a prude. I love stringing profanity together just as much as any other warm-blooded American (if not more). And if this were a dive bar I'd have been laughing. But it's a diner, and I'm there to enjoy my company and my meal. Also, if this *were* a dive bar, they would not be there at all. So... time continues passing as it is wont to do and the staff and management made it clear that they did not care at all (I'm not sure they even have a limit to what is not acceptable). Our meals are in front of us, and I wanted to eat and have dinner conversation in peace. Welcome to something I've never done before, ever ... (And hope to never have to do again): I stood, turned toward the alpha-male of the idiot-teen-pack, and asked him if he would like to quiet down now, or have trouble talking for the rest of his life, because if he didn't become polite, he was about to become disabled by me, via an about-to-happen violent episode. (I should note I would never resort to violence, ever, but he didn't know that, and I am a pretty good actor). Still, I was feeling threatened, my companion was feeling both threatened and offended, and it was clear we were not the only ones. What followed was a quiet meal. The tough-guy was - like most bullies - a coward at heart. They paid up and left, no longer feeling like calling other patrons fa**ots and such. When I asked management why they felt like it was okay to accommodate little bigots as clients, he had no answer. No apology to me or my companion, and I guess no reason to have a job other than to collect pay. Oh ... food. The apps were not bad. The mains were mixed. I had a Jewish-style pastrami which, for some reason, was served on a hoagie roll. The meat was a bit fatty, even for pastrami, but good. My companion had a "gourmet" grilled cheese, which somehow just meant "bacon" in addition to a standard American cheese on sourdough grilled sandwich. And d@mn, Pepsi again. There's zero chance I will be back, zero chance I will recommend. Even if the diner were cleaned and repaired, it's obvious that the people running the place have no concern that its patrons might be offended by racism, homophobia, sexism, or any other of a dozen other ways packs of roving sociopathic kids might offend a "family" diner full of adults. There's a sign over the door that reads "No autographs, please." Despite this, I signed my bill, then vowed to myself I would never sign anything else there agai read more

Hmmm.....I came for breakfast, but I ended up ordering a patty melt medium on rye with grilled onions, swill cheese, and thousand island dressing. The melt originally cost $9.50, but I upgraded to onions rings, so the price came to $10.95. Yes, ouch. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G6oOrrwtfm92viGOAl1WLw?select=uRU0U73HBmcr2cm-8Yohiw#Zq-zQV4lHd5R6Yxdu54DvA) When the melt arrived, it came piping hot and slightly over medium, almost the way I ordered it. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G6oOrrwtfm92viGOAl1WLw?select=uRU0U73HBmcr2cm-8Yohiw#XPt14Jy8nVE6VeP8Yw9CJQ) The melt was very good. The meat had a nice char-re and crispy exterior and had a good beef flavor. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G6oOrrwtfm92viGOAl1WLw?select=uRU0U73HBmcr2cm-8Yohiw#uRU0U73HBmcr2cm-8Yohiw) The Swiss was nicely melted and the thousand island dressing creamy. The onions were great and added a nice sweetness to the whole thing. My favorite part was the rye bread. It was grilled and remained crunchy. It had a very good rye flavor. Good bread and good patty melt. The onion rings were very good and not greasy. I like that they had whole onions in them. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G6oOrrwtfm92viGOAl1WLw?select=uRU0U73HBmcr2cm-8Yohiw#_Y0aJYjdh4HFUWy4yrOnOA After I finished my meal, I was ready to give this place 4 stars, but the service slowly declined. First, after I finished my water, I never received a refill. Secondly, It took them a long time to pick up my check and they were not very busy, and lastly, no one ever came over to ask me how my meal was. I could only twiddle my thumbs for so long. That was to bad because I really enjoyed the patty melt, so I have to settle for 3.5 stars. Is it called a Patty Melt because they melt cheese over a beef patty? Or is it named after a girl named Patty? read more

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Delicious food. I wish they had fish and chips at dinner time. They only have it at lunchtime.

Great food, great service at all time of the day. New management but it seems okay. The food is good and they are attentive. They are making sure you are okay. I tried their new chicken and waffles and seems like it's not a popular item. They were amazed I did. They were good. Nothing out of the extraordinary but good. I do recommend this place. read more

Came in a group of four and only waited about 10 minutes for a booth around 2:30 pm on a Saturday. It was bustling but our server came around often to make sure everything was okay. My brother who loves country fried steak asked him how it was at the diner because his experiences have always been hit or miss. Being one of the most popular breakfast items, my brother decided to get it. He said it was the best country fried steak he's ever had. I tried it and it was really great. Good tenderness with all the crisp. I ordered lobster bisque and it was a huge bowl with a great amount of lobster bits. Which also, no one ever really gives you. I really appreciated those bits. We also had sliders with fries and they were basic patty, bun and grilled onions. It was sensational. So basic but flavorful. With ketchup and fries it was astounding. Overall great experience. read more

Studio Diner - 2 Eggs & Country Fried Steak - American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great fish tacos, soups, chicken fingers. Wraps are typically featured but the chicken caesar wrap isn't great. Lots to choose from. Service is excellent. We go here about once a week. read more

No one living San Diego county should be able to call themselves a true foodie if they so claim without coming here at some point. No other diner like it or restaurant establishment comes close to what they have here in terms of food, vibe, decor, service and reputation. This was my very first and much overdue visit on a Saturday night after a 7 day work travel/training in VA. I had got home hit a big workout session and wad dying for a good splurge meal. I had this place on my mind for weeks and said, this is it, I'm going tonight! I arrived at 815pm and found the place pretty busy but not crazy busy. Being a solo diner I bypassed the small wait and sat at the bar. I already knew of the famous monte cristo sandwich they served here from a past episode of DDD on the travel channel and that is what brought me in to be honest. Having never before had a monte cristo it was time to lose that virginity. However I then saw plated in the ticket window an amazing looking huge turkey sandwich. I did not care what it was I needed that in my belly. I asked and found it was "The Bad Movie" That said it quickly became a two plate order kind of night. Oh and any place that has sweet fries as a side item options scores big with me by the way. Before I could even finish checking in on Yelp they had my two plates of food in front of me which had to be under 5 minutes from my order being placed I swear! They know how to properly staff a kitchen and keep food pumping out quick even when busy let me say that! The sandwich I saw was "The Bad Movie" and it was every single bit as good as it looked. Sourdough bread is my favorite sandwich bread ever so that was better yet. I added bacon to mine (why not?) piled on the coleslaw side item for added flavor and my god, amazingness! Once that was devoured I went to plate 2, the monte cristo! It was more than I could handle in the end as after 3 of the 4 cristo sections were gone and the crispy delicious sweet fries were downed, I could not finish my last 1/4. My eyes said do it, my stomach said "no mas". The cristo however was pure bliss and how I ever missed having one is just culinary sacrilege! Its like a deluxe ham and turkey grilled cheese covered in elephant ear type dough. The strawberry jam they give you to dip in works wonders to contrast the sandwich as well. The sandwich melts in your mouth on every bite and spills flavor and soft, warm texture with every bite. Beyond the amazing food, the service was impeccable, enthusiastic, friendly, energetic and tentative, informed and on point. My server/waitress Toni was way cool and I hope I get her again next time. During my meal I watch a giant slice of carrot cake come out for some lucky diner which as you all know is my all time fav dessert period. I also saw the famous fish and chips come out a few times from the kitchen. I will be back again soon just to try those items as well. read more

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I can't recommend this place. The overpriced food was not good. Hash browns tasted scorched because they were cooked on a grill that was much too hot. The Mihammy sandwich was disappointing because the scrambled eggs were way over cooked... brown crispy splotches over both sides... disappointed in the taste. The ham was not any better than sliced ham lunch meat. The sourdough bread was good. My sister ordered French Toast and liked it, especially because it was brioche bread. However, the servers did not bring syrup Before or with the plate. She asked for syrup, but her Grrnch Toast was cooling off because she had to wait. Bacon was not cooked enough, some slices I would call "raw". read more

Soooo disappointed, we've been coming to Studio Diner since its earliest days. Monte Cristo sandwich looked and tasted horrid and Boob sandwich was inedible. One bite and NOPE! Hope we can work ourselves up to a second chance but..... read more

Worst. Prepared. Food! Check out the "not recommended review" to see a list of disappointed reviews. We ordered a medium flat iron steak, but came out well done and dry. The asparagus was raw and was substituted for green beans which came out way overdone. We also ordered Samson Steak sandwich and that was also another flop. For the price of that 6 inch sandwich, I was very disappointed. Even if it was offered for $5, I think subway would satisfy me more. I am so confused because this place was featured on Food Network. There are so many great reviews and in fact, the reason we ordered what we ordered were because of the other Yelpers' pictures. Other people posted pictures of their grilled asparagus, with gravy on their mashed potatoes and all that. The plate that we got had these huge, old (dried out ends) asparagus that were raw. I mean, how can any cook even let that out their window? Like I can at least understand they don't know how to tell the temperature of a medium vs well done, but to not know the difference between grilled and raw asparagus?! Really?! Husband wanted to return his steak but he figured if they can't even get the veggies right, there's no way they can get the steak right. Was our line cook about to quit and wanted to screw over the customers? I just don't understand how other reviewers had these amazing experience and great food photos while ours were so terrible. I want to come back and try again, hoping to maybe hit a jackpot, but my husband was so disappointed, he doesn't want to come back again. We did enjoy sampler platter. I mean, everything in it was just dumped in the deep fryer, what else could go wrong, right? Lol. The only sunshine with this experience is that our waitress was really nice and kind. Tink was great and was apologetic. She did give the steak plate for free, as she can see it was actually barely touched. We left the Studio Diner extremely disappointed. read more

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Here is the insider scoop from your favorite value shopper. This restaurant is good for your standard American style breakfast lunch or dinner. My most recent trip was a breakfast. The true value here is the create your own omelette for $8.95. This omelette will come with four of the toppings or fillings of your choice and hashbrowns and toast. It is quite large and filling I recommend getting it with chorizo bacon jalapeños and avocado. The coffee they serve in the morning here is quite delicious I must say. There is just a certain something to it that I really enjoyed and I will have multiple cups. The kids meals are not great for six dollars for a pancake for my son I thought that that was a little too expensive I would expect it should be around the $4.50 not the seven dollar range that it is. I have the passport diners discount card which I already mentioned in previous reviews. I really recommend this card to anybody that can get their hands on it or use it here for take-out dinners take out lunches or takeout breakfast is and it saves $$ , Buy one get one free read more

Great old time atmosphere and even better food. Never been disappointed with anything I chose from the menu

Food is alright, server was super nice and helpful though, and sat us quickly. Does have the diners drive-ins and dives atmosphere.

So disappointed in the "service". Arrived 15 minutes after opening and waited over twenty minutes for my two year old and I. No order was taken. No water given. Ended up having to get up and leave because my daughter was hungry. Would not return. read more

Minion meal not minion-y at all. Pancakes are chewy and yummy. Porky omelet satisfied my tummy. It was good but wouldn't want to come back.

1. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week 2. You're sitting inside a giant trailer, like the kind you would see on 1950's movie set.....or like a giant RV 3. Humongous ice cream sundaes. My dining companion and I watched them scoop endless ice cream at the dessert station during our entire visit 4. This is a greasy spoon, better-than-Denny's kinda diner, so I'm surprised it seemed to be the only place around for miles that served champagne by the glass and mimosas. A HUGE plus. 5. Service was decent but not too attentive 6. People say the food is not so good hear, but I actually really enjoyed the sliders, four mini cheeseburgers with grilled onions. The meat was slightly juicy, the grilled bun had crispy edges, they tasted fresh and not fast-foody, and they were perfect for sharing. read more

Studio Diner - Freixenet champagne, Crew Sliders with sweet potato fries - American Near Me - San Diego, California

I took my Dad to dinner and was both pleased and displeased. Our server was kind, friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. The cheese curds are delicious!!! We got our food quickly and for the most part it was good....but the portions are ridiculously large!! The menu said that my dinner came with Yukon gold mashed potatoes...they are clearly instant potatoes. Not the Studio Diner I remember from a few years ago. read more

Thanksgiving eve late night snack! This was salvation for 3 am eats! Thought this place was closed, but it was open, 24/7 says the waiter! I was not super hungry, but was so glad to see something was open for our group to grub! I got the chili which was super yummy at first, but after a few big bites my mouth was watering literally... it was so salty, I kept salivating! I split a pastrami sandwich with my friend. The pastrami was very tasty. My other friend got the fish and chips, and this was hilarious! Because it was literally a whole fish, not fish pieces... a fish, head, bones and all, straight battered and fried! The breading was bland, but it was funny to see 6 people digging in and wanting to taste this fish! Good times. The taste of the food could be better, but definitely entertaining! read more

A classic diner with "old Hollywood" décor in Kearny Mesa, Studio Diner is one of San Diego's better-known stops for breakfast and comfort food, located on the parking lot of a former large television and movie studio. You may have seen Guy Fieri gushing about this place on his television show, "Drivers, Diners, and Dives." As much as I want to, I can't hold the dreadful taste of Guy Fieri against this restaurant. When I visited, I ordered Studio Diner's "Corn Beef Hash and Eggs." Since so much corned beef hash in diners across the country is unfortunately emptied from a can onto a hot griddle, I caught myself asking "Studio Diner" if their corned beef hash is freshly made, which is NOT the question I ought to have asked, since corned beef hash is not even supposed to be fresh. It's a salt-cured food product that was originally conceived when fresh meat was rationed during the World Wars of the 20th century. In its ideal form, it consists of diced corned beef, diced potatoes, chopped onions, salt, pepper, and paprika, the whole of which is vigorously mixed with a small amount of béchamel or cream that binds it all together. (I disdain when, for Instagram reasons, upmarket places don't attempt to bind the ingredients together, and it's less a hash and more of a plate with a bunch of loose "stuff.") Here, at Studio Diner, the corned beef hash is made in-house from cured corn beef and does not come from a can. I like corned beef hash for what it is at Studio Diner: pan-crusted, tightly-bound, and featuring a slightly briny, slightly sour taste, somewhat cut by the starchy, tiny cubed potatoes. I also had a side pancake at Studio Diner, which was molded to look like a film reel. This distinctive look elevates a simple pancake into something that looks more fun to eat. Flavor-wise it was a good pancake, perhaps doughier than most. Unfortunately, despite its excellence with corned beef hash and craftsy pancakes, Studio Diner is yet another San Diego restaurant that does not properly prepare sunny side-up eggs, with egg white fluid not completely set on my eggs. While the amount of raw egg white I was served here was not as egregious as previously-reviewed "Harry's Coffee Shop" or "Troy's Family Restaurant," the unpleasant slick on top of my yolks (see accompanying photo) is simple to avoid, it's just one additional very easy step that takes seconds. To me, knowing how to make perfect eggs every time is "table stakes" if you are a diner. This is Breakfast 101, if you will, so it is surprising that a place like Studio Diner has put so much effort into the details around its other dishes but does not train its cooks how to finish their sunny side-up eggs. Nonetheless, due to Studio Diner likely serving the best corned beef hash in the city, I'll probably be back next time I get a craving for corned beef hash. Food-Décor-Service: 3.4/3.5/2.9 read more