The Blue Highway Cafe

Wanted to stop in for breakfast but my appointments went long and wound up coming in during the…read morelunch hour. But since we had breakfast on our minds we decided to go for it. The Shanty sure is a lot of food, with three large pancakes. Was very nice. Seated right away and served quickly. I guess because we had beaten the lunch rush.

Excellent breakfast spot, the food, and service are on point - I had the kitchen sink, which is…read moreenough for two meals. I remember going here as a kid when it was a little brown shack and you had to wait in a long line to get in, great memories..

Cornbread

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Shoreline Diner & Vegetarian Enclave

3.3(320 reviews)

11.1 mi

I ordered a takeout pastrami Reuben and onion rings, and it was one of the worst meals I've had in…read morea long time. The pastrami Reuben cost $20 and was salty, soggy, and completely unappetizing. The sauerkraut was wilted and tasted like it was on the verge of going bad. The onion rings were another disappointment. For $8, I received only a few rings. The batter was coarse, and they were so greasy and oily that they were difficult to eat. This was overpriced, terrible food from start to finish. I live in this town and like supporting local businesses, but after this experience, I will never go back.

Great food with tons of healthy selections! Staff is so nice! Feels clean. Lots of booths.read more

Delicious vegan French toast

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The tempeh Reuben awed my husband - so so tasty.

Herman's Diner

4.0(77 reviews)

15.4 mi

Stopped here after leaving Foxwoods and heading back to New York. Everything was painfully average…read more The biscuits and gravy were fine, but nowhere near the best I've ever had. Everything to do with the biscuits and gravy were microwaved, biscuits from the fridge and the gravy. Omelets were also just average. Friendly staff though. This place is tiny so be prepared to squeeze your way in.

Always a friendly home atmosphere. Pleasant family that runs the diner…read more. Other customers are also friendly. I recommend Hermans Diner. The food is down home cooking .

Interior seating and short order cooks line

$5 for all this! (There's a 2nd egg under all that toast)

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Herman's Diner

AJ's Family Restaurant

3.9(28 reviews)

4.4 mi

I was in here today around 3:pm to pick up my order and the employees were saying a derogatory…read morestatement about my weight. The owner too! Until he saw me. In other words they don't want your business if you're overweight! I will never be back!

AJ's is a local gem nestled in the center of a plaza right off the main road in Higganum. For those…read moreof you traveling back from the beach in the summer, it's a winner. For me, I wanted to visit a new town in CT and pick a place to eat. I'm glad I chose AJ's. When you walk in the main section is set up for takeout with a plexiglass view behind the counter where the pizza is made. To the right is the main seating area if you are choosing to dine in. The seating is casual and has a home like an American diner vibe. If you are looking for good Italian at good price, AJ's is your place. Their menu contains all your standard Italian dishes for dine in and takeout as well as pizza and grinders. The menu is a two-sided page, and there is a separate special sheet given as well. Although I love me some standard Italian dishes, after reading some reviews, I knew that was either going for their grinders or taking a chance on their specials. Welp folks, special it was. They had 3 that week, and I chose to try their Chicken Andouille. This dish consisted of a creamy sauce with chicken, Andouille sausage, capers, and squash mixed into penne pasta. Wow. Delicious. The spicy kick to the sausage gave it a creamy heat, and I loved the nice touch of capers and crunchiness of the squash. The squash was cooked but not overcooked (sometimes it can get mushy, but not the case here). When we went today, the inside was quiet. Just a few tables had people. That's okay with me. It allows me to relax a bit as I eat and enjoy the food. The server was great. She was all smiles and bringing us everything in a timely fashion. If you are driving through Higganum and need a place to grab a lunch or dinner at a reasonable price, check out AJs. You won't regret it.

Chicken Florentine

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Nick's Place

3.9(59 reviews)

11.0 mi

Worst quality breakfast I ever had for $22. The potatoes were from yesterday and totally…read moredisgusting. The bacon was terrible. The toast which I had to pay two dollars extra for tasted stale, even though it was toasted. The butter was some form of canola oil, not real butter. The entire breakfast taste like a cheap trash diner at an expensive top end price. The coffee was $3.60 and was a tiny cup of stale crap. Literally one of the worst overpriced breakfast I've ever had in my life. The waitress was very cute and super friendly so I gave her a five dollar tip even though I was super pissed at how crappy the food was. Have a little pride and what you serve people. Do better! Disgusting.

While up in CT for some appts, we looked for a local diner for lunch. We found a great one…read more Nick's is in a shopping plaza right near where we had the appts. Actually, we traveled 10 minutes north to get there. And all of us were glad we did. My wife had the chicken quesadilla. She said it was perfectly seasoned and cooked with a lot of chicken. My younger son had the pasta with butter and a meatball. He typically won't eat meatballs, but he said it was very good. My older son had a delicious cheeseburger and I had the steak and cheese sandwich. All of the dishes were very good and you will definitely not go home hungry as the portions are very generous. The bill came and it was extremely reasonable. Hats off to Nick! We will come again the next time we are in the area. In the meantime, if you ar in Madison, CT, go to Nick's.

"Fruit salad"

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Front of the store.

Athenian Diner Restaurant

3.1(172 reviews)

10.6 mi

This has been our go to place since my kids moved to Middletown, but tonight (August 12, 2026) we…read morewere disappointed. Our server lacked communication and she did not seem to want to be there. We ordered two portions of chicken wings, but only one came out. I was delighted because they tasted old and reheated. I ordered a bacon burger medium rare, but it came out well done. The roll was dry and stale. The burger was advertised as 6 oz., but there is no way it was that size. It lacked quality and taste. My wife ordered the Chicken alla Greco without peppers and onions, but of course, the server forgot to mention this detail and the chef had to make it again, so it came out after the rest of the meals. In the future, we will pass on the Athenian.

A very typical diner in all respects, however, according to my dining companion the steak from the…read moresteak and eggs was overcooked, under seasoned and really fatty. My omelette with turkey sausage was okay. The breakfast potatoes were all Undercooked and under seasoned. The service was great and it was generally clean inside. However, I would not go rushing back.

Pic from seat in diner

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Strawberry Cake

Parthenon Diner - Old Saybrook

3.0(132 reviews)

13.2 mi

Skip the meal, maybe do dessert here instead. Desserts looked good but we didn't try any…read more Server messed up my meal, I ordered French fries and got home fries instead. I asked for my prime rib ($30 meal) medium rare....it was medium well done. Very tough, chewy, and a lot of gristle/fat. As you can see from what was left on the plate (inedible). The mixed veggies maybe were frozen then microwaved or just extremely overcooked. They were mushy, watery, not good. The fries once I got them were good/crisp. Would have had a cocktail (sign outside says cocktails and there are bottles of alcohol but we were told they don't serve alcohol (kinda confusing). Not sure what's up with that. I recommend skip this place or maybe try a dessert.

Many options, friendly staff and good size portions. Unique items on the menu as well. I got the…read morepierogies. Very filling and tasty.

Inside the restaurant

Roasted Turkey dinner (photo is missing the green beans)

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Olympos Diner

3.9(131 reviews)

12.5 mi

Service is fast and good. The coffee is fresh and delicious. I got a veggie omelette it was good…read more The home fries are more potatoes that crispy. The food was delicious. It's a diner with bar seating and booth seating.

The blackboard proudly offered "home made corn beef hash by Aaron." Aaron, you make a fine hash…read more Poached eggs were perfect as well and the price was right. The service was especially lovely. This was the perfect stop off on a long drive.

Corned beef hash and eggs

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The Agave Diner

4.9(68 reviews)

26.7 mi

I've been meaning to try this place for sometime now. The pictures of their food, and their reviews…read moreenticed me and I surely wasn't disappointed. The place is small and is shaped like an old school diner, located in the corner of an intersection I've passed many times but never noticed the diner. The atmosphere was family friendly, clean, and fun to be in. The staff, which is family, were so sweet and attentive and right there when you needed them. I ordered their churro French toast and chilaquiles. The French toast is everything the hype around it is, and the chilaquiles, my first time trying them ever, were out of this world. The chips were covered in sauce but somehow still crispy, despite how long it took me to get through the dish. I got their freshly squeezed juice of the day which was beet based and I loved it. There is no doubt I'll be going back here, great food and great experience, thank you Agave !

Amazing food and great service. Although small the staff works hard to accommodate everyone by…read moreprovide attentive service that doesn't make you feel rushed. Regardless the food is worth the short wait if there is one. Highly recommend.

Entrance

Burger

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Watermelon agua Fresca

Copper Skillet

4.3(71 reviews)

5.6 mi

Great service the best eggs anywhere hands-down great specials great prices lovely peopleread more

Very busy on Sunday morning. Service was excellent. Food was good!…read moreEnjoyed the time with my Grandchildren! Will be back.

Western omelette, no toast, home fries

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Breakfast

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Neal G.

0

1

0

11 years ago

I enjoyed the great food and the fast friendly service.The specials are delicious and it's a great place to have breakfast or lunch.Stop by and check it out you won't be disappointed. read more

Todd H.

0

1

0

11 years ago

Love it!!!

The Blue Highway Cafe - diners - Updated October 2026

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We have been Jack's regulars for ~ 3 years. The place is always packed and the breakfast options…read moreare always good. The staff treats you like family. They are planning on opening another venue down in Tylerville in a couple of months. They indicated that the menu will have different options than the current restaurant. We can't wait!

Carmela's on the Extension

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Worst quality breakfast I ever had for $22. The potatoes were from yesterday and totally…read moredisgusting. The bacon was terrible. The toast which I had to pay two dollars extra for tasted stale, even though it was toasted. The butter was some form of canola oil, not real butter. The entire breakfast taste like a cheap trash diner at an expensive top end price. The coffee was $3.60 and was a tiny cup of stale crap. Literally one of the worst overpriced breakfast I've ever had in my life. The waitress was very cute and super friendly so I gave her a five dollar tip even though I was super pissed at how crappy the food was. Have a little pride and what you serve people. Do better! Disgusting.

While up in CT for some appts, we looked for a local diner for lunch. We found a great one…read more Nick's is in a shopping plaza right near where we had the appts. Actually, we traveled 10 minutes north to get there. And all of us were glad we did. My wife had the chicken quesadilla. She said it was perfectly seasoned and cooked with a lot of chicken. My younger son had the pasta with butter and a meatball. He typically won't eat meatballs, but he said it was very good. My older son had a delicious cheeseburger and I had the steak and cheese sandwich. All of the dishes were very good and you will definitely not go home hungry as the portions are very generous. The bill came and it was extremely reasonable. Hats off to Nick! We will come again the next time we are in the area. In the meantime, if you ar in Madison, CT, go to Nick's.

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