We came in on a Friday morning as a group of 5. It was around 10:30 and the place was almost full…read more We could see how popular this place is. It continued to fill during our stay. The wait staff have been working here for years. We were promptly seated, given our menus, and water and beverages served right away. The menu is fulsome but not overly extensive - to my daughter's chagrin, no eggs Benedict on offer. It's your typical diner fare with eggs/omelettes, pancakes, waffles, French toast, biscuits with sausage gravy, and sandwiches. There is a separate lunch menu that begins at 11:00a.m. which we did not look at. Breakfast continues to be served all day. I went with a French toast slam, with sunny side eggs, order of wheat toast, and link sausages. The choices of bread included rye and possibly sour dough. Some of the breads are upgrades with an additional small charge. The French toast comes with a side of cream cheese. It was nicely cooked and distinctly cinnamony. My eggs were just barely fully cooked and not slimy. The sausage was typical. My daughter had a Philly cheesesteak which included green pepper and was really nice and hot, although the steak didn't taste as robust as she'd hoped. My husband went with a typical breakfast plate. He enjoyed most of it, but left most of the home fries. The decor is country style as opposed to 50's style chrome and leather. You can choose from booths or tables. There are plenty of amusing signs to read, like, if you don't like the coffee, leave (not verbatim, I can't remember the correct wording). There's only one bathroom for one person at a time for each gender, so the wait can be awhile. It is very roomy and clean. The prices are super reasonable and the staff are fantastic. For 5 full breakfasts and refillable coffees all around, it came out to just over $62. I can see why this place is so popular. I'm betting we'll be returning next time we come down for another visit.

Food A+ Service A+…read moreAmbiance A Ok, first time visit on a late Saturday morning. Parking was plenty with a handicap entrance ramp in the back. First impression: typical diner look, a little rundown, but honestly makes you feel very comfortable. Very home-like feeling. Then came the service, then came the food. Not much to say about both other than outstanding. We had the waffles, cheese and mushroom omelette with hashbrowns and plenty of toast and bottomless coffee. Portions were huge, you won't go home hungry. Our coffee cup was never empty and we were checked on routinely to make sure everything's OK. Floor manager and the service folks were exemplary and very polite and friendly. Four stars out of a possible five but not because of the food or service When we go back for another visit, and we certainly will, if we have the same experience, I'll upgrade this to a solid five. Real nice bunch of folks at the R Diner and the food is even better. We'll be back

Outstanding locally owner operated diner. Food and portions are excellent. Small out of the way…read moreplace that's the worst kept secret.

Great food and good staff all way wonderful and more than enough to eat. I have never had a bad…read moremeal here

Do NOT pass on this diner! Place is busy but wait time went by quick. They texted us when our…read moretable was ready. Cool eel named Elmo lives there when you are waiting to be seated. Menu is filled with options which made it hard to pick what to order which is an awesome "problem" to have, we all ordered breakfast and were not disappointed! I decided on the pancake/french toast flight and picked three flavors. I chose Cannoli French Toast, Reese's Pieces pancakes, and the loaded pancakes for a savory item. Cannoli was my favorite but they were all good, loaded even has an egg on top however you like it!Portion size is huge and everything tasted great!!!! They had a good challenge listed on the menu but none of us were up to the challenge! Service is amazing, and they even have a waitress warming up coffee, which I highly appreciate at places. The diner is busy but it was not too loud to hear your party and everything ran so smooth. All the servers were nice and seemed happy to work there! Menu price was shown using your card, they had a cash discount available if using cash which is a nice option! I wish I took pictures or everyone else's food but didn't. The drink options seemed amazing with make your own flights or their specials. The next time I am in the Syracuse area I will be going here to try more! Don't be afraid of the busy parking lot or wait time, it's worth it!! Also reading about the name and reason for this diner made me feel all the feels for the owners recovery, how can you NOT support a place like this??!! We will be back and can't wait to try more off their menu.

I alway think that diner food is diner food and usually good. This is no exception. Good friendly…read moreservice and spacious. I would recommend the food here but the prices are way too high... e.g. 2 stack of French toast 2nd chance 10.40 Stella's (more or less opposite) 6.99

We love going to Carl's for a wide variety of reasons. I would say it is one of my favorite…read morequintessential local spots. The regulars are the regulars which is so nice to see because it reminds me of going out to breakfast with my dad & my papa growing up. It's a small place in a great way that you hear the buzz of conversations, your coffee gets topped off on the regular, you can hear them making the meals in the kitchen. We've gone for many a meal but this last one I had took the cake. It was homemade chicken biscuits & gravy that I devoured as soon as they set my plate down. We've had many a breakfast & lunch there that we've had a variety of great things- kielbasa breakfast, breakfast sandwiches, club sandwiches, hotdogs, the list goes on. My boyfriend also likes to get a slice of pie every now & again because they're all homemade. You have to make sure you get there early or order the pie first sometimes though because once it's gone it's gone. A great place that's worth the wait if there is one. Also every day is better if you get Maryanne as a server. Absolutely fantastic person.

If you are in East Syracuse you need to stop in to Carl's. I…read moream in Syracuse once or twice a year and I make sure I stop in for breakfast or lunch. They only accept cash, no credit cards. The service is always spectacular and friendly. I have never had a bad meal there. Their soup is homemade and everyone of their variety is delicious, I love their mushroom soup. Be sure to leave room for a slice of pie, always a delicious addition to a meal.

Bud had oatmeal and I a blueberry muffin. We both had tall…read morepj's and coffee. Our favorite seats are always open! Great service great company and you can't buy that anywhere..

Such a cute hole in the wall! It's got an everyone's a regular, make yourself at home feel. The…read morestaff really made the experience, laughing with us and helping us decide what we want. The food was good. Large but not enormous portions. Juicy burgers, cheesy Philly steaks, crispy fries... A solid diner.

We were really blown away by this diner. I'm not one for diners myself, but this place is a little…read moremore creative with menu options and it's not just the most standard run of the mill mediocre menu options which is what most other little diners seem to offer. The pancakes were phenomenal. I had the garden salad with chicken and it was so tasty! My friend raved about her omelette. We were impressed and will gladly return here. I loved the bright colors inside and the waiter was very friendly.

Looking for a nice place to eat before hitting the highway. This was the perfect choice, clean,…read morebright, well staffed with a very nice selection of classic breakfast and lunch dishes. Has a nice retro feel. Portion sizes were very generous, in fact I couldn't finish! Would come back again next time I'm in the area.

Very good food, quick service and a delicious lavender mimosa! We will be back again.read more

originally planned on going to rise and shine cafe across the street, but upon arrival we were told…read moreit'd be an hour plus wait. so we looked around and said screw it why not moms. now i didn't know that moms what cash only until stepping into the front door. the shop is small and quaint but its homey. there is an atm; however, when i went to use it i was only allowed to take out $20 and nearly everything on the menu if you're going with a friend is more than $20. i do like that there's no tax on it, all of the prices are whole numbers. the sandwiches were okay. i think i got something called the spicy? eggs were fluffy but i forfeited mine because i hate eggs. the bread is fluffy yet dense as shit. basically it's like if wendy's breakfast was a corner shop

I was recently nearby taking a course and needed to find a place for my lunch break. I came across…read morethis "diner" and took a chance. Well, I couldn't have been happier that I did. The owners were wonderful! I introduced myself and asked to know about the history of the restaurant and how it came about. After that, I went right into the menu. Cajun food in upstate?!?! Yes, please!!!! I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with hush puppies. DANG! Beyond good and the sandwich was huge. Had more than enough for dinner later that day. I will definitely be returning to On The Fly to enjoy their incredible food and to support this awesome mother and son establishment and so should you.

Every bite was amazing. It was our first time here and all you could hear from our table was the…read moresound of happiness. Every item on our plate was from scratch. Help us keep this family run business in operation.