The Diner is a popular breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant near Universal Studios. It is known for its New York style comfort food and creative breakfast and brunch dishes. It is a family owned restaurant founded by New York natives who noticed a gap in Central Florida for high quality, authentic New York style diner food. The original location opened on Universal Boulevard in the Lake Cay area, near Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. The restaurant quickly became popular with both locals and vacationers looking for an alternative to the standard hotel breakfast buffet. Following the success of the Universal Boulevard location, the owners expanded to additional Central Florida locations, including Lake Buena Vista and Dr. Phillips. The Diner has gained attention for its creative twists on classic comfort food. One of its signature dishes is the Bennyffle a combination of Eggs Benedict served over a waffle. The menu also features specialty cereal pancakes, including Fruity Pebbles and Oreo Crunch, along with classics such as chicken and waffles. In July 2026, the Universal Boulevard location even became the center of a viral national news story after a family of seven including children reportedly walked out on a $298.47 breakfast bill. The story highlighted how hard family businesses work and how an incident like this can affect them. I recently met up with a group of friends at The Diner for brunch. The Diner can get crowded, and they do not take reservations. I am grateful that one of my friends arrived very early to wait for a table for our group. The diner offers a selection of coffee drinks as well as alcoholic beverages, making it a festive spot for brunch. Since I had a long day ahead, I stuck with coffee and ordered the signature chicken and waffles. The combination was delicious. The crispy, savory fried chicken was the perfect partner to the soft, buttery waffles, while the warm, sweet maple syrup contrasted to the salty chicken. It was a very large portion and I really enjoyed my meal. The service was excellent, and the staff were very accommodating when we needed several separate checks. I loved my visit to The Diner, and the experience was made even better by sharing brunch with a great group of friends. Good food, friendly service, and even better company made for a memorable morning. read more

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(July 28) Where do you go to meet up with a group of Yelpers who are all about food?! Well, that was my dilemma! After searching yelp for a breakfast/lunch place, The Diner seemed to hit the mark. They do not take reservations and your entire party must be present when your table is ready. I arrived early and put my name on the list so by the time everyone arrived, our table was ready! Heather was our server and she was amazing. She made our experience here easy & stress free. The 6 of us were able to chat, catch up, eat and drink in a timely manner. We were not rushed which is always a plus. I ordered the Belgium waffle with a scrambled egg & an ice mocha latte. Perfect amount of food for me. Ariel ordered the fried chicken and waffles which was huge. A few ordered the chicken Caesar wrap which looked very good. I would definitely go back the next time i am in town. *Prices are moderate *Plenty of parking in the lot ~ and that's all I have to say about that... read more

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If you love a GOOD brunch, you will LOVE this business. We couldn't decide what we wanted so we tried a few things. We got the pancake flight in flavors Boston cream, cinnamon roll and Biscoff. We ordered the chicken and waffles and the stuffed strawberry French toast. That pancake flight was absolutely delicious. The best one with cinnamon roll then the Biscoff and then the Boston cream they were fluffy. The flavors were infused excellent and it wasn't too sweet. You absolutely needed no syrup at all. The chicken and waffle was very good. The chicken was well seasoned and fried to perfection. I added hot honey to mine. That way I can further that sweet and savory flavor. The strawberry stuffed French toast tasted like delicious strawberries. The cinnamon and nutmeg was infused throughout the French toast. Literally an amazing meal. The only thing that I feel I would've skipped out on was the eggs because they didn't taste like real eggs but everything else delicious. read more

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At this diner, it was less about the food and more about the company. We had a pretty impressive lineup of Yelpers: Ronnald M., Te See B., Dawne F. and her boyfriend Todd A., Ariel W. and KIMBERLEY K! Definitely a fun group and honestly, the perfect place to get everyone together. Now, I'm going to be honest. I don't think the food was really up to par. Nothing was terrible, but nothing had me thinking, "Wow, I need to come back here for this." The mimosas, however, were doing their job quite nicely. Then again, once you've had enough mimosas, does the food really matter that much? At that point, it's all about the conversation, the laughs and the people you're sitting around the table with. And on that front, this brunch delivered. read more

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This local favorite serves up delicious comfort food with a hint of nostalgia in a charming and inviting atmosphere. The menu is a masterclass in classic American cuisine, with mouth-watering dishes like juicy burgers, fluffy waffles, crispy fried chicken, creamy mac and cheese and more. I started off Brunch as any good one should...BOOZY. I sipped on the Passionfruit Guava Mimosa, while catching up with the crew. I ordered the Eggs Benny and upgraded by adding the Lox-perfectly poached eggs, smoked salmon, creamy house Hollandaise sauce all over a toasted English Muffin. Heather, our server, was warm and friendly. Portions are generous. And the decor is cozy. Thank you Te-see B., Ariel W., Ronnald M., and Kimberley K., for a fabulous afternoon. read more

@ The Diner - Passion fruit & Guava Mimosas with Te-See B., Ronnald M., Ariel W., & Kimberley K. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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I ordered a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream- a must for me at any diner. The hot chocolate was classic and they were generous with the whipped cream. I ordered a BLT with cheese, they forgot the cheese on the BLT, but added extra cheese to the macaroni and cheese. It was loud in there, so I didn't care too much about the mix up. There was also this absolutely delicious sauce on the sandwich, maybe a garlic aioli?? I'm not sure, but it was great! The BLT was huge and the bacon was not too crispy, not too soft- just right. The macaroni and cheese side was extra cheesy and very yummy. My friends asked for water, and they only brought out 2; we were a party of 5. We asked for water for the rest of us; later during the meal they asked if the water was good- which was a little weird. The food was good over all. read more

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Food- fantastic Bottomless Mimosas- fantastic Service-leaves a lot to be desired. We ordered the tex mex omelette and loaded biscuits. Flavor AMAZING. There was a bit too much pico on the omelette for my taste, only because the juice made the omelette a bit soggy, but the flavor was there! I would order again and ask for a smaller amt of pico. I added ham to it and loved the way they cut it. Loaded biscuits were wonderful! Couple beside me had the Boston cream pancakes and BOY! They looked so yummy, they devoured them! Great portion size to price ratio.... But..... staff moves like they have nowhere to be, gets called off to other tasks often, and they don't really interact much. We had to chase down a server for refills. Kind, yes, but not attentive. read more

Took a redeye flight over from California and were hungry after we landed. Looked for a place with solid portions and good value, and we hit the jackpot! The breakfast burritos were sizable and incredibly tasty, as were the chicken & waffles. The chicken was a little dry but still tasty. Great value and wonderful service. Would come again read more

This is a pretty new cafe. The food was great and the service was very attentive. It is very clean and inviting. I ordered their chicken and biscuits with sausage gravy. I had my gravy on the side so that I could control the amount I ate. Plus, I wanted to be able to taste the chicken and not just gravy. The chicken was very crispy, but very juicy and flavorful. The biscuit was fluffy and good. They put a piece of chicken on a half of a biscuit so you don't get a full biscuit with your chicken. You do get 4 good pieces of chicken though. read more

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You know the place is good when you have to wait 30 min to an hour to be seated. I took my husband out for brunch the day before Father's Day and the restaurant was packed but so worthy! He loved it so much that is our brunch spot now! read more

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Incredible brunch at @ The Diner visiting a friend. The standard waits are 45-60 minutes and the place is packed but you get a link to see how long you have been waiting, how long the people ahead of you have each been waiting and you can watch the progress. It was SO worth it and we loved everything. The hollandaise was amazing. The service was super friendly, there are SO many options and we even grabbed an extra red velvet waffle to go. read more

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Heading back from a cruise, we wanted a breakfast for the road, and discovered this diner. On a Saturday at 9, it was packed! I love diners and the menu and the style were perfect. Our server was adorable and helpful. She quickly brought our drinks and took our order. We didn't wait long at all for our order. The menu is extensive, with pancakes being their specialty. Not being a sweet breakfast person, I settled on a bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich. I got to choose how my egg was cooked so I did over easy. There were red potatoes served on the side. Everything looked great, but I had thought the bagel would be toasted, so that was a little disappointing. The sandwich was good, but toasting would have made it excellent. Overall,service was excellent, nice menu and good food. read more

@ The Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This is the best kept secret for out of towners , Right near the Convention Center and Condos, in Publix parking lot!! Fantastic Food as shown in Pics. Fantastic Service!!! And Great atmosphere!! Simply said!!! Go NOW!!!!! You'll love it. Good ole American Breakfast joint!! read more

@ The Diner - 3 eggs ,side of Fruit, sourdough Toast, chicken sausage, & avocado on the siiiiide. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Visited @ The Diner for a quick Orlando trip and I had an incredibly pleasant experience. The service and food were both equally impressive. I ordered the Papa's Burrito w/ egg, cheese, and avocado. I asked for extra fluffy scrambled eggs and they delivered perfection as the eggs were light and moist. This dish also comes with a side of potatoes. Additionally, my friend and I split a singular Boston Cream pancake and it was heavenly layered with vanilla custard, Nutella, whipped cream, and powdered sugar; perfect if you have a sweet tooth and/or are craving something good! I also got an iced vanilla latte on the side that really hit the spot. I would definitely recommend this spot if you're in Orlando, esp loading up before going to Disney. read more

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I come to Orlando once a year, and this was by far the worst breakfast experience I've had here. It took 30 minutes for our food to arrive, yet the check was brought to us only 12 minutes after the food was served. When I asked for a napkin, the man at the bar handed it to me with an annoyed expression. Overall, the food was just okay, but the service was poor. read more

First of all, there is nothing better than breakfast food. Second, there is nothing better than designing your OWN breakfast combo. We went months ago and still think about it. The staff was helpful, the service was quick, and the Diner is a return-to destination! read more

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Atmosphere - The restaurant is located in a strip mall with lots of parking. There are not many breakfast choices in that area, so it was very busy with quite a few people waiting for a table. As a result, the tables are very close together and the place is very noisy. Service - Despite how busy it was the service was great. Food - I ordered a combo of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and a pancake. Everything was served hot and was very good. Value - my wife ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel. Our total bill (including coffee) was around $40 (including a 20% gratuity), which I consider high for such basic meals. Thus, a 4 star rating, not 5 read more

@ The Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This breakfast restaurant is one of the best breakfast restaurants around. The food, atmosphere, and service is amazing!. In regards to the food, we got the bennyffle, cinnamon swirl pancake, macadamia nut pancake, and the butter beer latte. The food was fantastic! The service and atmosphere was wonderful. This just added to the experience. next line, I would definitely come here again when I visit Orlando. read more

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Very busy when entering but wonderful atmosphere. Nice snap on the smoked breakfast sausage, eggs were fluffy, and house potatoes were soft and flavorful. Highly recommend trying. read more

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Cute place. Very clean and well maintained. There was ample seating available as we walked in pretty early and got a table within five minutes of our arrival. Service was quick, courteous and efficient. We had the Vanilla cappuccino, regular American coffee, two eggs combo and an Avocado Tomato toast. The food was good and the portions were quite filling. It's a little on the pricey side compared to regular breakfast places but the food also isn't entirely average diner fare either. A fancier take on diner breakfast and nicely done. We'll be returning. read more

We stopped by on our way home from a weekend getaway. We wanted to end our trip on a good note, so we decided to stop at @ The diner! This was our first visit to this particular location. The place is very clean and well decorated. It's an open floor with a view to the kitchen! We arrived and were sat in less than 15 minutes with a party of 4. Our waiter was great and took great care of us, even when the placed became extremely busy around 10ish. You can't go wrong with anything you order from their menu and at times, chosing what to order is the biggest challenge. I highly recommend this stop! read more

@ The Diner - Sweet & Salty - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Found this place on a whim. Great service, delicious food, good prices, big portions. We ordered the chicken breakfast waffle taco and chicken and waffles. Everything was very well seasoned. Chicken for the chicken and waffles was crispy and juicy. Waffle taco was packed with eggs and toppings. Definitely check out @ The Diner if you're staying in or near Seaworld and International Drive. read more

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This was my first stop for breakfast after taking a red eye flight into MCO Airport. It was located in the Lake Cay Commons at Universal Blvd and Destination Pkwy. The staff here was nice and friendly. After I was seated, I ordered coffee and their grilled ribeye & eggs with potatoes and rye toast. Although the steak was sliced quite thin, it was well seasoned and delicious. This was a nice spot for breakfast. I will probably have to come here again on future visits to the Orlando area. read more

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Coming from NJ I was initially reluctant to try a place named called Diner, but this is more of a nice brunch spot. Food was great, especially the waffles. Ordered street tacos, which consisted of pork carnitos with a waffle as the taco shell. Was a great combo. In particular the cilantro based sauce was delicious. Was a fairly solid portion. Tried some of the chicken and waffles too, which was legit. Can tell why its popular. read more

@ The Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Very very yummy! How nice to find a yummy restaurant with a plethora of GF options which are also just as yummy! The restaurant is cozy with aromas which are sure to make you hungry and the meal didn't disappoint. Our waitress was very nice and knowledgeable. We will definitely be back when in town. read more

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My girlfriend finds the best spots. This was one of those! Fantastic service... I love sugar.... i got my sugar fix.. great breakfast. And my lady loved her custom mimosas! Good job @the diner read more

We tried this place for brunch and were seated right away. Service was quick too. Ambiance is nice. We ordered their Tex mex and veggie omelettes. They come with toast and side of potatoes or French fries. The food was great and portions were big too. We also tried their pumpkin pecan banana pancakes. It was delicious! See photos of the food below. I would come back here. Food and service were great. read more

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We loved this place. The service is great and the food is so delicious and hearty. Did I mention they have bottomless mimosas? Loved this spot! read more

@ The Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Disappointed at the coffee... What I was meeting a coworker here for breakfast chats on a friday morning. I had a ice latte with Oat Milk because they were not able to make the latte with non-dairy hot since the machine does the work.. kind of disappointed that it was those combo machines. For the food, I got the avocado toast and I was able to substitute the toast for a waffle! It sounds crazy but it was one of those days where I wanted waffles but also avocados. I am super happy that they were able to do this (you may not want to try it). There was a lot of avocado, guac and slices to be exact. Environment End plaza unit, so there is plenty parking in the parking lot. The inside reminds me of any other breakfast place. There are chairs and some booths. Niceness of the staff The staff was very patient as they took in my crazy request. I am really happy that they made it happen for me. I was satisfied. Dollar Everything is relatively decently priced. To sub the toast for the waffle it was around $4 Yes It was okay. I may be missing the star menu item, I won't go again if the opportunity arrises but nothing too exciting. read more

@ The Diner - 2025.03.28 - Acovado tomato guac toast (sub the toast for waffle) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This is definitely a try if you're in the area. I had the chicken and waffles and they were awesome and a ton of food, didn't even finish. The pancakes look unreal so I'll be trying those next time! Our service was pretty good and everyone was very friendly. read more

This place exceeded my expectations. Every dish was prepared with care, and you could really taste the quality of the ingredients. Service was prompt and professional, making the whole experience enjoyable. Highly recommended if you're in the area. read more

Another great Orlando find!! This cute restaurant is serving up some big flavor! The eggs Benedict I had was freaking delicious I had nothing left once I was done. My boyfriend was in breakfast heaven lol. Our server was great she was super attentive and also made me a special mimosa mix that was so nice! If you love a good breakfast run here! read more

Very good food overall. Service here was good as well and loved the style of the restaurant inside. read more

@ The Diner - Chicken and waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Don't be fooled by the tourist-strip-mall location, this place is LEGIT! Despite the simple name evoking hearty slop, this place has much more of an eclectic, newer-school take on breakfast classics. (something I love in a breakfast joint) I'd say this is much more "cool brunch spot" than "greasy spoon". I sat at the bar and ordered the huevos rancheros. It was a fantastic and unique take on the dish. I augmented with some delicious house-made hot sauce. (such a turnoff when they just have those common vingery, tabasco-y hot sauces at breakfast spots) Service was ultra friendly, they even gave me a coffee to go when I left! read more

My goodness, as good as advertised! So many great breakfast reviews for this restaurant and so many options. This is THE place! Impressed from the moment I walked in the door. I was greeted and seated at the bar and looking forward to a fast breakfast. I had the Eggs Benedict which was more like a work of art than a breakfast entree. Delicious and fresh avocado, tasty bacon and fabulous eggs on a toasted muffin with wonderful hollandaise sauce. The coffee was delicious and the service from Maria T was FABULOSO! This is the way breakfast should be. The atmosphere is so relaxing! Rather than the HDTV's show the news, weather or sports they had them tuned to scenes undersea fish and other fishy creatures. It was so soothing and relaxing and really set the mood! read more

@ The Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Convenient location. Good amount of comfortable space and seating. Wait staff was very professional and cordial. Menu options were plenty. Price reasonable. Food quality not great, but good! Great option after all read more

Amazing Breakfast Spot! We stopped in at @The Diner on Universal Boulevard in Orlando and were seriously impressed. We ordered the Western Omelet, Cheese Omelet, an Iced Caramel Latte, and a side order of pancakes -- everything was delicious! Both omelets were cooked perfectly and came with crispy, well-seasoned house potatoes and toast. The pancakes were fluffy and flavorful, and the Iced Caramel Latte was a sweet and refreshing pick-me-up. The atmosphere was cozy, the service was friendly, and the food came out quickly. Whether you're a local or just visiting the area, we highly recommend checking this place out for breakfast or brunch! read more

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My wife and I travel often for ministry and joy. We are frequent "go out to eat" folks and know good food, good service and good prices when we see them. The Diner is all three of these in the same area with many others who have so-so food, sketchy service, and super high prices. We had Maria who served us at the counter and she was authentically friendly & welcoming, super accurate on our preferences, and impressively fast in bringing out the entrees. The food - good & plenty. We will definitely be back here to eat again as we are staying near Sea World and International Boulevard. Don't let this be a "hidden gem" to you! read more

This place was worth the 45 minute wait. Service was great, the ambiance very nice and the food to die for read more

@ The Diner - Waffle chicken street taco - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This was our family's second time eating here and it was just amazing! We were a party of 9 and we're seated immediately on a Monday morning. Everyone loved the food they ordered! Our waitress was very kind, attentive and helpful. The noise level inside was low and we were able to hold conversations comfortably. We will definitely be back when in Orlando! read more

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