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    The Gem Diner

    3.8 (171 reviews)
    ModerateDiners
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order The Gem Diner Takeout or Delivery

    The Gem Diner Photos

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    THE GEM DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Gem Diner

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    A1 Burger w/ Chips
    Nabil K.

    Service was Fast, Food tasted good and Portions were large, prices were fair. I got the A1 Burger with fries. The patty was actual ground beef piled with mushrooms, Swiss, A1, and bacon on a Kaiser Role. My GF got 2 eggs, Home fries, home made toast, and 1 pancake and it was so much she couldn't finish it! Only downside is they are only open 6 to 3 5 out of the 6 days they are open.

    BLT Sandwich
    Kristine S.

    We come here often when we are out in Syracuse and it never disappoints. Reasonably priced, awesome food and service what is not to like. Great place for lunch, breakfast, or Brunch. The Gem is a Syracuse landmark and is a must visit if you are out in Syracuse. Definitely a quaintessential diner if you are into diner scene.

    Two 2 Eggs, Home Fries and Toast over easy with rye toast
    Li C.

    When my dad was younger, his dad owned part of this diner, so I always heard stories about them eating there. We were seating fairly quickly upon arriving and given adequate time to order. It felt like a true classic diner, with families all around and workers who had formed relationships with the usual customers. The place was very busy, so it did take a while for us to order, but our waitress did come by to apologize for the wait and let us know it would be out soon. We both ordered 2 eggs, rye toast, and home fries. My boyfriend got bacon as well on the side. I ordered my eggs overeasy, testing if they would come as true overeasy eggs or slightly uncooked, because I have unfortunately had that experience at other diners. My eggs came out PERFECTLY, I was so excited. Everything tasted perfect and it was a great breakfast to have before our drive home. I understand why my family spent so much time here and im proud to have a connection to it.

    Setting off this vintage diner with this old school car.
    Brian P.

    Great service and full diner menu. We had breakfast with pancakes, French toast and their take on a good frittata. The coffee was flowing something I always look for in good service and even asked if I wanted to have another cup after I paid the check. The food came quickly. The place was clean. We like the local hometown feel. We would definitely come back again.

    Breakfast
    Steve L.

    Nice friendly little place. Decent enough breakfast. Friendly cheerful if somewhat forgetful staff. Got a nice greeting on entering and quick if not perfect service. Good place.

    Steak, home fries, eggs and toast
    Joanne R.

    Went for lunch this week with my husband. I've been here many times because this diner is an institution in Syracuse which opened in 1950. I've never had a bad meal here and the service is always good. I had steak, eggs, home fries and toast. My husband had the hot Italian sausage, eggs and toast. The portions were generous and tasty. The only knock I have is that I liked the way they used to do the home fries with onion and cut up potatoes on the grill, now they are frozen ones that are deep fried. They are closed on Mondays but open 6:00am- 3:00pm every other day except Friday until 8:00pm. I haven't had the friday fish fry so I want to try that sometime.

    Cheeseburger Breakfast Burger cut in half
    Elijah K.

    Came in for a quick hearty meal and the waitress was super nice. I got the Cheeseburger Breakfast Burger...which was AMAZING. It got a little messy but if burgers aren't messy than they're not good. My friend had a fish dinner and we were both surprised how big the piece of fish was. I had a little bite & was kind of jealous I didn't get the same thing. The crunch and flavors were there and it comes with a few sides which were also very good. Overall, Serving sizes are generous! You won't leave hungry! The atmosphere of whole place is very retro & inviting. Feels like you time traveled as soon as you step into the diner. Love this place! Will definitely be coming back to try out other items on their menu.

    Full size Original Frittata and Italian Toast
    Jennifer S.

    I have not been to this diner in about 16 years. Not sure why, just never think about it. A friend suggested it for breakfast this morning after going to the regional market, so we went. First, I was blown away with how much bigger it is. Last time I was there is was just the one small section. It's huge now which made getting in a breeze. It was busy but turnover was quick so we only waited a couple minutes. In our time there we had interactions with several staff. All were friendly and joking around like we've been friends for years. It was the kind of banter I enjoy and haven't encountered in a restaurant in quite some time. We had some laughs and it felt comfortable and familiar. Coffee was delicious. Not sure the brand they use but it was tasty and strong enough without being over the top. I ordered a frittata. I was going to get the half portion but for just $2 more I decided to go full so I could bring some home to my son. I ordered the original which had pepperoni, sausage, onion, peppers, home fries, and egg. I feel like maybe I'm missing an ingredient there. Can't remember. I also added provolone cheese. For toast I got Italian. The cheese was all in one spot and sort of semi hardened melted cheese. So I picked it all out. But other than that, it was the best tasting frittata I've ever had. The pepperoni added a little bit of heat. Everything was seasoned really well including the home fries. It was smaller than some of the other diners. It seemed like it was similar to a half size in other places. At least that's how it appeared. But it really made up for it in flavor. I will definitely order it again....without cheese. Overall I was really impressed and will plan on going again.

    Salad to start

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Place is very clean and inviting for a diner. Staff were friendly and attentive. Breakfast was on point, nice cup of coffee. Will be back

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great good, great service! Price is very reasonable. Great vibes! Definitely on the list to return to.

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    3 years ago

    This is an extremely well ran operation with great food and kind service. Cheers to you and we will be back !

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Awesome and classic diner food that satisfies cravings. Didn't have to wait long for coffee refills or food, can't go wrong here!

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    Ask the Community - The Gem Diner

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    Mother's Cupboard - Mexican Omelet

    Mother's Cupboard

    4.5(457 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $

    This place is the epitome of a hole in the wild diner. But with this, you get some phenomenal…read moreservice and food. Their menu says world, famous, and I believe it. I came in, sat at the bar. Everyone there was super friendly and very helpful. I enjoyed watching the cooks cook on the griddle. The omelettes and pancakes were absolutely huge! I ordered the SOS with Home fries. It was super tasty. This is a super great place to go get some l breakfast or lunch in Syracuse.

    Mother's Cupboard is another staple I always have to visit when I come back to Syracuse. It reminds…read moreme so much of a homemade breakfast. They cook the food right in front of you on the griddle behind the counter, which adds to that comforting, family style feel. It truly feels like a neighborhood spot. You see a lot of the same faces every time you come in, the service is always quick, and the food comes out fast, hot, and consistently good. I have never had a bad experience here. I love the loaded potato omelette and I always try different French toast or pancakes with whatever toppings they have available. They usually have specials going on and I really enjoy switching it up each time. Just a heads up that this is a cash only place, so make sure you bring cash with you. They do not have an ATM inside, but there is a bank around the corner if you need to take money out. I absolutely adore this place and it is definitely one of my top breakfast spots every time I come back to town.

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    Counter top view

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    Redwood Diner - Breakfast special number one

    Redwood Diner

    4.4(50 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $

    My husband and I were in Syracuse for "Wicked" and we stayed overnight. We come to Syracuse quite a…read morebit and, as of about 40 minutes ago, we hadn't found a favorite breakfast place. When my husband read a ridiculous one star review, we knew we had to stop in. We both agree, we have now found our favorite breakfast place! First, the food....I ordered the #2 breakfast (2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 sausage and 2 bacon. The pancakes would be more than a meal by themselves. Thank goodness my husband wanted one of them. They were huge and fluffy and delicious! I ordered my eggs scrambled and they too were light, fluffy and cooked for the perfect amount of time. The bacon was delicious and the sausage was nicely browned and tasty. My husband ordered hash, eggs and toast. I tried a bite of his hash and WOW! We both think it had to be made in house. Second, the atmosphere....this is a classic, old school diner. We sat at the counter and enjoyed watching the masterful cooking on the flat top. Lastly, the staff was super friendly and attentive. Even though this was our first visit, the friendliness of our server made us feel like regulars. We can't wait to go back and next time I'm definitely going to try the brioche French toast I spied cooking on our way out!

    I am leaving one star for the wonderful waitress who somehow managed to serve everyone in the…read moreentire restaurant single-handedly and with a smile. Unfortunately, I found that despite some good reviews, this place is subpar. I paid $35 for two breakfasts. I was served a dish with two eggs, two thin slices of toast, I don't know how they slice the toast that thin, a huge plate of greasy home fries, and bacon that was so greasy it was inedible. The floors were filthy and I can't imagine they have been washed in months. This is a small space and tables are crammed everywhere making it difficult for the waitress to move around. My husband said the men's room was simply disgusting. The flies on the window next to us eagerly looked at our plates, waiting to pounce at the first opportunity. Not a positive experience.

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    The Redwood Diner

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    Rise N Shine Diner - Hot chocolate

    Rise N Shine Diner

    3.8(361 reviews)
    2.9 mi
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    Be ready to take food home with you and get at least 2 more meals out of it!!! Beautiful…read morepresentation (mine was served in a tin can and flipped over onto my plate. I had the pierogis/ eggs/bacon special served in a tin can) It was enough for 2 and was delicious! I also had the French toast latte served with a FT stick right on top. Decadent ! Service was speedy, efficient and friendly. If you go plan on going early or putting yourself on the wait list much before you head out the door! It's def worth the wait!!

    Our visit to Rise & Shine Diner was, unfortunately, one of the worst dining experiences we've had…read morein a long time. Even though the restaurant only had two large parties and wasn't particularly busy, we still waited 35 minutes to be seated. That alone didn't make sense, but things only went downhill from there. It was my daughter's birthday, and we were hoping for a fun brunch. Our server started off friendly, but that changed quickly. We ordered our drinks and food at the same time--a chai tea for me, a specialty alcoholic milkshake for my daughter, and no drink for her boyfriend, plus three entrées and a poutine. The drinks took 50 minutes to arrive. The food took over an hour and a half. During all this, the server seemed to avoid our table entirely. When my daughter's boyfriend finally managed to get her attention--very politely, even mentioning that he himself is a server--he simply asked if she had an estimate on our food. She stood there with her hand on her hip and told us the kitchen was backed up, with "three orders ahead of yours," as if that explained everything. We then asked if the poutine, our appetizer, was at least ready. She said they had to make fresh potatoes for it but that she would "rush it." Eventually, she came back with the poutine, plopped it down on the table, and walked away without a single word. No "here you go," no "do you need anything," and--most importantly--no plates. I ended up getting up and asking the hostess for plates so we could actually eat the appetizer. For a place that markets itself as a "fancy diner" with "Instagram-worthy" dishes, the service and execution were nowhere near acceptable. If you're going to lean into trendy presentation and premium pricing, you need the staff to support it. Hire more people. Train them. Do something--because this was unacceptable from start to finish. We won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for a smooth, enjoyable dining experience. **EDIT** I would like to include the fact of the over priced, over salted, food items don't seem to cover the cost to upgrade your cracked booths so that people's bums are hurt from sitting on them. Needs to be updated and correct staffing issues so that food will be "adequate" for the price. Go anywhere on Westcott than here.

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    Rise N Shine Diner - Benny flight with the pastrami smoke salmon, smoked brisket, and Westcott California.

    Benny flight with the pastrami smoke salmon, smoked brisket, and Westcott California.

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    Oh My Darling - Salmon Benedict

    Oh My Darling

    3.8(399 reviews)
    1.3 mi
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    This is one of our go to places whenever I visit my daughter in Syracuse... never disappoints!…read moreThe menu has unique plays on some standards... always delicious and the cocktails are inspired & interesting... you'll probably need a rezzy ENJOY!

    I stopped by with a group of 6 on a Friday afternoon. When me and my friend stopped by there was no…read moreone at front so we stood around awkwardly for a bit before someone came over to bring us to our table. Walking through the restaurant was nice as the space was very large and the decor indoor was cozy and whimsical. Our server was nice throughout the meal. However, I did get a water glass that had marks on it that looked like someone just drank out of it and a crumb on the rim. I asked them if they could get me a clean cup and they ended up bringing the same one as the same mark and crumb were still there. For food, our table ordered a few items to share. We got: -CAULIFLOWER WINGS: The chutney/salsa on top of the fried cauliflower was nice and gave the item a little sour kick. However, the cauliflower itself was not cooked fully so not as soft as I wanted it to be. -SYRACUSE POUTINE: The appearance of the poutine was not the best. However, the gravy it came with was very flavorful and tasty. The potatoes themselves were not fried and were in wedge form but went well with the gravy. The small globs of melted cheese on top were a nice complement. -CAJUN SLIDERS: The slider compliments/sauce went well together but the sliders themselves had grill marks on it which gave a bitter bite to those parts of the slider. Additionally, the fried shrimp inside of the slider still had the tail on and so it was a bit of a surprise to bite into a full tail while eating a slider. All in all, a cute spot to see people but food had some hit or miss components.

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    The Gem Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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