There is nothing I don't love about the Gem Diner. When I was growing up, it was the Little Gem; now it's built up so much it can no longer be considered little. But the old original dining car is still the heart of it, and my dining companion & I were lucky enough to be seated there. As a kid (60+ years ago!), my Dad would bring me there on Saturdays for lunch. He'd lift me up onto a counter stool, then he'd order a hamburger "with a slice of raw onion as thick as the burger" & a cup of black coffee. I'd have a platter of French fries & a Coke. This time I was there for breakfast, and it didn't disappoint. We both ordered coffee, still served in heavy ceramic cups. We also both had the traditional breakfast - 2 eggs, hash browns, a breakfast meat (crisp bacon for me, sausage links for my cousin), and 2 slices of buttered toast ($14.95). Everything was delicious & all the staff were friendly & attentive. It's so nice when your great memories match your current experience. I definitely recommend this Gem! read more

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Good food and good service, if you're looking for breakfast while in Syracuse University area.

We always stop in on our way through Syracuse. Always a solid meal and a core group of staff working. Anthony took great care of us today and checked in without being intrusive. And he likes to crack some jokes once in a while too! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Building has plenty of parking, is accessible (ramp up to get in), has plenty of booths or tables for groups of all sizes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Of course there is a counter too (it is a diner!) They recently changed the Challenger Field mural to one supporting a local non-profit for cancer, the Baldwin Fund. I love the investment in local community! We will be back. read more

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Lots of parking spaces that fill up fast in the weekend: we arrived at 9am on a 9 degree Saturday and grabbed one of only two open spots. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Entering we received a welcoming blast of warm air in the breezeway.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Immediately greeted and quickly seated in a comfortable booth we ordered tall glass of OJ each and perused the menu of many breakfast, lunch, dinner, and side options. My eggs over easy jiggled perfectly on the plate with no run to the whites, English muffin nice toast and buttery as ordered, my favorite meat choice Canadian bacon with a quick flattop heat and char was just what I wanted. My co-diner had the Heavyweight with French Toast, 2 eggs over easy, bacon, home fries, and sourdough toast and did well since I helped by eating half the French toast which had good flavor and lightly dusted with confectioners sugar. Eggs cooked same as mine, bacon good crisp and toast he said was nice crisp outside soft middle. Home fries also had good crisp with soft potato surrounding and he said well seasoned where most places use none. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Warm and cosy people waiting by the time we left.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Hot spot with eggs spot on! We will return. read more

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

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. read more

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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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great place for lunch, breakfast, or Brunch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Gem is a Syracuse landmark and is a must visit if you are out in Syracuse. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Definitely a quaintessential diner if you are into diner scene.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The Gem Diner - BLT Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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This is a hidden gem that I never knew about. It's literally a three minute drive from my apartment and some of the best breakfast/lunch food I've had in Syracuse. My grandma, mom and I went on a random Tuesday around 2 o'clock. They both got breakfast and I got lunch. Grandma got French toast, mom got a basic breakfast meal, and I got a club sandwich with onion rings. All of the food came out hot and delicious. I was pleasantly surprised to be completely honest with you because I haven't had great breakfast food in Syracuse. All of the staff is super friendly, personable, and sweet. I also love the ambience at the place. It reminds me of an old-school Diner with the red bar stools, and old school photos of musician's like Elvis , Marilyn, etc. great ambiance and it's very clean! Def worth a stop if you're looking for breakfast or lunch. read more

The best thing this place has going for itself is that it's still open. There's too much to say about the food so I'll just say good luck great location for the restaurant. This diner has the making of an old school Diner. But lacks an authentic great food place sad because the potential is there for a really great restaurant. The owner needs to take a look at the taste of the finished dish. Just not hitting on any cylinders. The server was really great and very attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere was great and a lot of thought was put into the decor[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] mgmt if you're listening your food recipes need an overhaul. read more

mothers day brunch service and food were amazing. Delish. waitress was super busy but did not act like it. read more

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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It felt like a true classic diner, with families all around and workers who had formed relationships with the usual customers.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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. read more

The Gem Diner - Two 2 Eggs, Home Fries and Toast over easy with rye toast - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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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. read more

The Gem Diner - Setting off this vintage diner with this old school car. - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Just visited this last week. Polite staff, always friendly and good service. I got cinnamon swirl pancakes and they were great, nice mid sized diner and good environment. read more

Jam packed parking lot on a Saturday monring for 9:30 breakfast. Got a table for 4 right away though. Great server, very friendly and accomodating for one of our party who had specific directions on how he wanted things prepared. Everyone was happy with their orders. Corned beef hash was one of the best we've ever had. And make sure to get the hash browns instead of the home fries. You won't regret it. Just a great breakfast and a step back in time to the days of a busy diner. read more

This is a fairly classic diner setting - not too many seats and faster service during lunch than at other times of the day. A friend who regularly eats lunch here brought me by during a short visit and I've been back twice since for that patty melt on marble rye. The fries are nothing to write home or a Yelp review about but the crispy grill on that slightly salty marble rye make that patty melt worth a bit of spilled ink. I've had bites of other things my companions have ordered here and all of them have been really solid classic diner fare. Come in knowing what to expect and you won't be disappointed. read more

I had heard that this diner was notable and we stopped in for breakfast as we were passing through town. It has the 50s vibe that a lot of classic diners do. When we arrived it was pretty busy but they were able to seat us right away. I got a veggie omelette with toast and it was so large I couldn't finish it. It was a different style of omelette: it was packed with veggies and the filling and the eggs were very thin to make the thing overall bigger. I do like a thicker egg on the omelette but this style showcased all the veggies. A good option in Syracuse! read more

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. read more

The Gem Diner - Breakfast - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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. read more

The Gem Diner - Steak, home fries, eggs and toast - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This was a cute little old school diner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Which is the reason why I wanted to visit. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is nice and snugged in a low traffic area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I waitress was great. Timely. Active. Food was great for what I was in the mood for. I would definitely re-visit this place. read more

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. read more

The Gem Diner - Cheeseburger Breakfast Burger cut in half - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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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. read more

The Gem Diner - Full size Original Frittata and Italian Toast - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Awesome as usual!! Like to go on Fridays for the fried fish dinner. Breakfast is served all day if that's what you want. Big portions with fast and friendly service. read more

The Gem Diner - Salad to start - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Happy I tried this place. The service was super friendly and quick. The menu has all the classic breakfast options at reasonable prices. The place is decorated with a retro vibe. The eggs Benedict was tasty. Nice breakfast or brunch option! read more

You want breakfast on north side of Syracuse, go here. The best fresh, diner made breakfast in the area - fresh, tasty good. Excellent genuine wait service - as if the owner is serving you. Don't always find that is a packed full pace diner. Coffee is just your standard taste, but the food shadows it all - all enjoyable filling that tired hungry self making this place well worth it to the last bite. Loved my fresh cooked perfectly eggs, and enjoyed some of my husband's delicious fluffy pancakes. Hint hint, when choosing between Stella's, which is nearby and always jammed packed due also being well loved, hands down I'll pick The Gem as it's truly named right, it's a gem! read more

I have been going to Gem diner for almost every Saturday for over a year now and I do not see how it could any better. Exceptional service; Friendly, hard working efficient people. Food is exceptional especially for the $ price. I have often enjoyed the specials, especially the creative things they do with eggs benedict. Waitress makes great suggestions as well. Menu has a very good selection. I like eggs sunny side up which are always done perfectly i.e. yolk is perfect, never any shells! Sausage is always tasty/cooked to perfection, my kids love the burgers. Food comes quickly; even when super busy it is very reasonable. No matter how fast I drink they never let my coffee cup get empty! Also they will let you have a take out cup at no additional charge. The layout if bright and cheerful, retro decorations and photos are really cool. Always clean and tidy- they have a busboy(s) running around all the time keeping the place clean, taking away your empty plates promptly etc. Staff is great with kids, very patient and helpful. read more

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

Solid diner! Had breakfast & lunch here today due to a training across the street! Western omelet was done very well! Fresh and the cheese was nice and melty! Had lunch here as well and had the bbq chicken panini! Pretty good! Great service and would return! read more

The Gem Diner - Western omelette with home fries & toast! Good breakfast! - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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

First time here. Place has been re-done. Waitress knew the menu and it had a lot of items. Breakfast all day as well. Parking was no problem. I always ask what do you like. She recommended the chicken riggies, so I did. My grandkids were a little noisy but no one seemed to mind. My wife had the Reuben. It took a little time to get our meal but the place was very busy. Out come our meals. The portions were extremely generous and complemented the prices. Free refills on soda but not hot coco and juice. Except for the small wait this was a very good experience and the food was very good. I will come here again. read more

The Gem Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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The Gem Diner has a menu that boasts wonderful breakfast options along with some of the best burgers in the 315. At a recent visit I enjoyed the Hawaiian Burger with a large patty cooked just right with a pineapple slice onion and tangy BBQ sauce that added a depth of flavor that is sure to please. My wife and I were seated immediately and the service was quick and efficient. The classic ambiance of a 1950's diner with everything you'd expect from a bygone era with great food. read more

The Gem Diner - Hawaiian Burger with Onion Rings - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Food was okay for a diner, coffee is decent. Not really a diverse crowd. Food takes a while to come out. Food prices are reasonable but good service from staff. read more

Nice little diner that has an interesting menu. Many items to choose from. They also have several varieties of pancakes that other diners do not offer. Food was really good. read more

Stopped in on our last day visiting NY. We were able to call ahead so when we arrived we were quickly seated. The diner is small and has different sections. It was super busy but overall the staff were handling the crowd well. We were seated in a section of the diner that could really use fans as it was steaming hot. Our waitress was informative and accommodating. I ordered3 eggs, home fries, toast, bacon and a side of pancakes; The food was delicious. The home fries were crispy and well seasoned. The pancakes were buttery and filling. Even the coffee was tasty. The food is reasonably priced and overall I enjoyed my experience. I would recommend this restaurant as it is family friendly, the price is decent and the staff were nice. read more

I love everything about this place. From the large variety of food (insider tip, breakfast isn't the standout here) to the friendly, vibrant staff and cleanliness, I wish I had more time to spend in 'Cuse and hit up this place every one to two weeks. Not difficult to find, right off of 690, probably less than a minute off of the ramp...they have ample parking as the big sign greets you at the entrance. I have a soft spot in my heart for diners and this one excels at just about everything they do, from the entrees to the desserts. I'm not used to alcohol being served in a place like this coming from Massachusetts but kudos for NY state to allow a diner to serve beer from a keg! I tried the burger after it won local awards and then was hooked to come back a few more times. The burger was massive and perfectly cooked but I felt my waistline expanding as I was eating it so I tried a few other options during my next visits. My favorite of them all was the shrimp scampi and wish I had gotten it more than once. Who would think that a diner would do a dish like that so freaking well? I didn't but I'm glad I gave it a shot. Their pies were spectacular as well, even to gawk at in the case. The young but vibrant staff always made me feel welcomed, kept my drinks full at all times and were a pleasant bunch while sitting at the counter. No issues with anything at this place. Just do yourself a favor and remember they are open for dinner most nights and not just for some eggs on a lazy Sunday morning. read more

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The food was absolutely delicious. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. This was my first time eating at this diner and I was happy with my experience. Will definitely be returning! read more

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Service here is always good. Typical diner atmosphere, but that's not a bad thing. The food isn't bad but I would prefer more healthier options. The salads are limited as are vegan items. Overall very good though. read more

The service was great but the food was rather blah. I got the frittata and it did not thrill me. My husband did not like the Reuben he got at all. We will pass next time. read more

I got the steak and eggs here and it was cooked on the rarer side of medium rare which I had no problem with. Perfectly seasoned and paired well with my over easy eggs and home fries. I also got Texas Toast which was delicious. I really wish they offered iced coffee here but I understand why diners don't. Our waitress was very nice and refilled our water accordingly. She was patient with us ordering even though there was a rush. My friend got the "middle weight" which was 3 pancakes, home fries, eggs and bacon I believe. The pancakes were HUGE (size of a large dinner plate) but dry. He didn't finish his meal so if you're not absolutely starving, I'd stick with the lightweight. Home fries were very crispy and bacon was perfect. I will definitely be back. It made my whole morning to see how much this diner has improved! On a packed Saturday morning 11AM, we only waited 5-10 minutes. I loved how everyone worked as a team, no one seemed openly stressed out despite the rush. There was a lot of unannounced large groups and the workers took it in stride. I really love how they all help each other out. read more

The Gem Diner - Diners Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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The Gem Diner was fabulous. Lots of interesting and unique menu items like pineapple pancakes with coconut. Large portions and good coffee. Our waiter was exceptional. Will be going back soon! read more

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For living in the Syracuse area all my life today was my first time eating at The Gem. Everything about this place says laid back and easy going. It's the only diner I've ever been to that has beer on tap. I had their waffle and it was melt in your mouth good. The waitress was really nice, quick, and attentive, she was on top of everything throughout our breakfast. There's plenty of parking and seating. I really enjoyed my first time there and can't wait to go back. read more

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