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The State Diner

3.3 (178 reviews)
Closed • 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

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THE STATE DINER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - The State Diner

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Mediterranean Omelette
Alana K.

I went here with my friends for brunch on a Sunday morning. We arrived at about 11:30am, and there was a 30 minute wait. We waited outside the front door and the hostess came out to call our name when a table was ready. The weather was good, but I probably wouldn't stick around if we'd had to wait out in the cold. I had the Mediterranean omelette, which had gyro meat, feta, onions, and tomatoes. It was served with toast and home fries. It was good and a substantial portion. Typical diner fare, in my book. The service was better than I expected; the hosts and waitstaff were all very nice. Would give it 3.5 stars if possible.

Alexandra B.

We arrived 9:30ish on a Saturday morning and luckily were seated right away. Our server was great. Breakfast was very good. As I looked over the bill, I was surprised to see that we spent $10 on two glasses of apple juice. Seems a bit steep to me but maybe there was a bad crop across the Apple industry lol. The diner booths had jump seats which I never saw before which added to the old charm.

State Street Diner.
Carol T.

State Street Diner. A cool old diner on State street, offers egg breakfast and coffee at 8am Mon- Friday along with other diner menu items. Less costly than some other local places and makes you feel like you are still in the 1960s.

Greek Salad

This place has a retro diner vibe. You can definitely get a solid burger or sandwich from here. They seemed to be pretty busy around lunch time. A couple orders at our table were slightly off, but they were happy to remake the dish due to an allergen. The service was excellent overall. I would recommend getting something with a Greek twist since the original owners were Greek.

Billy T.

Came here for lunch and was surprised to get pretty authentic diner vibes in the middle of Ithaca, New York. I'd say my experience was alright, but nothing special. I got the biscuits and sausage gravy, which came out to ten dollars. As a whole, prices here are pretty high on average and something that definitely hold this place back from being somewhere that is above average and a place I'd come back to. My food was average. Service was fast and effective, on the other hand. My server was super prompt in getting our orders in and food came quickly. Water was refilled quickly, so I can't hold anything back there. Overall, this place is pretty mid - food is alright, prices are a bit high. Probably won't be back but you won't die if you eat here. If you want a diner experience, you can get it here but it's not some wonderful one.

Don W.

An unplanned lunch stop in Ithaca found us in close proximity to The State Diner. As soon as we walked in off the street smiles spread across our faces. From the outside, it looked conventional. Another urban storefront restaurant. Once inside we found ourselves standing in a diner right out of the 40s or 50s. The sign directed us to find any seat and the fold down seats at the tables aling the front windows were convenient and comfortable. We were immediately greeted by our waitstaff who brought menus and drinks in a flash. Our sandwiches came quickly. We had a triple deck turkey club and a Reuben sandwich. My turkey was made with a generous heap of turkey, freshly cut from a breast, beautifuly crisp bacon, American cheese, fresh lettuce, and mayo, on toasted white bread. My companion enjoyed a delicious Reuben made in the standard fashion, and was very generous in size. She said it was delicious. The service was excellent and attentive The atmosphere was a treat, and everything including the restroom was fastidiously clean. I highly recommend The State Diner. They serve all day breakfast, and the lunch menu has something for everyone, including vegans and those who prefer gluten free fare. I apologize for my exterior pic not being good enough to post, but as you drive past you will not miss the bright red building.

Hash browns
LaDreena W.

We were looking for a place that was still serving breakfast and came here because there were limited options and my husband said he'd had a good meal here before. I had a veggie omelette that was good; the potatoes they came with it were awful: oily, overcooked and flavorless. My kids had pancakes and when I tasted theirs I thought it was a box mix. My husband enjoyed his Greek burger and chili fries but commented that the pita was cold. There was an old knife underneath the seat that hadn't picked up before we were seated, so it made me question the overall cleanliness. The final straw was that the staff got into an argument and were yelling and cursing; then our server walked out. As in left, mid shift, and did not return.

Blueberry Pancakes
Michelle L.

Food was okay. Service was pretty good though- our food came out fast and our waitress was very friendly! Ambiance was cool too... very retro- long counter and a handful of booths. We ordered the blueberry pancakes and 2 eggs any style. I got my eggs poached with an English muffin and the home fries. Usually I don't like potatoes, but my favorite item was the home fries! Very crispy and well seasoned! I think there were onions mixed in with the potatoes! My English muffin was buttered generously and the eggs were cooked well. However the pancakes tasted burnt and were quite dry. I liked the presentation though- they were arranged in a Mickey Mouse style with a face carved in. Flavor wise they were lacking. I could hardly tell they were blueberry flavored and the small hint of blueberry that came through tasted artificial. My biggest complaint is that they were overcooked- not totally burnt- but almost. I would maybe come back, but wouldn't order the pancakes again.

Side of bacon
J'Anne C.

Everything you'd expect and more from this charming diner. Our server Lisa was delightful and friendly. Our food was amazing, the service was attentive and speedy. Can't wait to go back next time we're in Ithaca!

Eggs and Hash
Sharon N.

Sweet and casual - has what you'd expect in a good diner: quick service, good food and large portions. The menu selection isn't huge and it would be nice if they offered more sides to get a single pancake, etc. Anyways: FOOD! I had gotten the Mediterranean omelette with gyro meat, I had spinach added and it was delicious! My boyfriend had the eggs and hash which he gobbled up before I was a third into mine so I assume he enjoyed it. Atmosphere is very casual, no frills, a classic diner feel. If that is what you're going for then come here!

The coffee is flavorless
Roma M.

Mixed review for this place, because while the servers are really friendly and welcoming, the coffee is baaaaaaaaad (flavorless). For me, a good diner needs decent coffee. This one doesn't have it. But there are some good things about this place. First is the flip up seating in the booths (kind of like stadium seating); I've never seen that before. Next is the Florentine omelet, which is good.

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

Great food great service. Me and my wife enjoyed it very much and our kid loved the waffles. I recommend this place to any new customers

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8 months ago

The food was classic diner fare and the service was impeccable. Really, what more could you ask for from a diner!

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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10 months ago

Excellent diner food. Great atmosphere. Superb service. A definite stop if you're visiting Ithaca NY.

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

the interior is like a real American cafe, the food was delicious. I liked everything very much

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Solid diner in the Ithaca area. Better than Sunset grill in my opinion. Burger, shake, & waffles were okay.

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Angelhearts Donuts - Chik'n bakon biscuit

Angelhearts Donuts

(74 reviews)

$$

Wow! It's so good to see such a cute vegan diner! This place is adorable!!!! Me and my partner went…read moreout for brunch and decided to try this diner and we are astounded! The staff are super friendly! We sat down and got our orders in super quick! Me and my partner split a milkshake and it definitely has to be the best milkshake i have had in so long. Our wraps came out soon after and they were amazing! It was super crunchy and all of the flavors played off each other so well and each bite was heavenly!!! I love this place and i will definitely come back next time I'm in the area!

This is what I would consider a hidden gem in Ithaca because I've driven by it a hundred times and…read moredidn't even know it. My friends and I came here for 2 reasons. 1. I'm lactose intolerant and 2. 1 of us is vegetarian. This place checks all the boxes and we both can order without having to worry about anything. They also have wheat free options which is another plus. I got the breakfast wrap and it was probably one of the best wraps I've ever had. Definitely stepped out of my comfort zone trying it because I've only had the cheese on it but none of the other ingredients. I also got the strawberry mango smoothie with oat milk and it was the perfect match to my wrap. My friends had already eaten here and were raving about how good the cheese fries were and how I could actually eat them and they really were so good! Over all it was such a great experience and I love the diner vibes. The parking is a little iffy because it's in the same area of Dominos so it's a little limited but there's a parking garage around the corner and street parking is always an option. I have a new favorite place to eat where I can order and enjoy what I'm eating in peace.

MIX Kitchen & Bar - Weekend in Cancun!

MIX Kitchen & Bar

(489 reviews)

$$

I've had brunch, lunch, and dinner at MIX, and all with varying levels of enjoyment. My recent…read morebrunch experience included ordering a Where the West Begins omelette, which includes "Braised short rib, butternut squash, red onion jam, spinach, smoked gouda". I wasn't sure how to feel about butternut squash with everything else (I'm not necessarily a huge squash fan - but I'm trying to learn to enjoy it), but the omelette was decent... it's the other side on my plate that looked less than appetizing. The biscuit was still covered in flour (and who wants to bite down on a clump of flour?), the cheddar hashbrown casserole lacked in flavor, and the brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal just... wasn't doin' it for me. Other recent experiences have been similar... there's usually one item on the plate that's flavorful or imventive (sometimes a main dish, sometimes a side), and the other parts of the plate are lacking. In reality, I think MIX is suffering a bit from rising food costs and inconsistency in their service and offerings. They've also changed the style of their menu from the original tapas-style to now being more typical entree options. Again... they've lost some of their innovative, experimental approach. In terms of ambiance, it really depends. I've been here for a work event and, because of the number of people, it was SO LOUD... they had also done a buffet offering for the event. As you can imagine, the food from the buffet was lacking, but that's often what happens when you're more mass producing your food (and it's left in a chafing dish, trying to be kept warm). On the other hand, I've been here for a dinner on a random night and was able to enjoy one of their Thai noodle bowls (and split some other apps with friends). The reality is that experiences at MIX are... well... a mix. Whether service, menu offerings, etc., I've found MIX's recent inconsistencies to be a disappointment. Will probably only visit in the future if it's suggested by others.

we made a resy for 5 for a wednesday night dinner, not crowded at all and our server was the most…read moredarling lady. she checked on us many times and would call us "love" after she would take our orders or give us more water. it was very nice and homey. we came here initially because in the past it's been a tapas place and we were looking forward to sharing small plates. unfortunately they changed their menu so they mostly do individual entrees now with a plethora of options from spaghetti to steak to burgers to thai noodles (lots of options) thai mussel bowl - 3/5 mussels a little ocean-y fishy tasting and the thai sauce a little liquidy brazilian cheesy bread gluten free 4/5 - yum appetizers delicious crunchy with cheese inside. the red dipping sauce was just tomato sauce a little strange but not bad osco bucco 3/5 - a little salty but a solid pork shoulder. the gnocci was also fried which was interesting italian sub with house salad 4/5 - good solid sub, i could only finish half and ate my entire side salad which had nice breaded croutons (not the dense thick ones) red clam linguine 4/5 - not bad, only about 4 clams but some more inside the pasta penne alla vodka 3.5/5 - a solid pasta nothing special

Ithaca Bakery - bagels

Ithaca Bakery

(519 reviews)

$$

I had a good experience here for the most part! I went twice during my trip. I enjoyed the gluten…read morefree toast and bagels and got an egg and cheese one day, and a scallion cream cheese and cucumber the next. The coffee is also delicious and didn't even need a flavor added. The man taking our orders the first day was also incredibly kind and you could tell he just enjoyed his job, or at least was happy to be there. There's also a mini shop here basically. There's fresh bread and prepackaged meals here like Shepards pie and fruits and veggies. There also was plenty of cute merch and I left with two designs. Two things that I didn't like. Ordering was a bit chaotic. There are labeled areas that show where to order what, but if it's your first time in it can feel overwhelming and you might be wandering a bit figuring it out. I wish it could all be ordered at one spot, not like it's a food hall. I understand that this probably does work the best for them though and is most likely pretty easy for ordering if you're a local. Lastly, I had an issue with a woman working the second day. They have a big menu and I was looking at it above her head while ordering. She was fine while I was talking, but stopped me when I went to walk away. She said "You know, you really need to face people while you're talking to them." What! So awkward and weird. That's the main reason I took one star off because it caused me not to go back again. Very rude and felt like a mini lecture for no reason.

We're not local but we've visted before and really enjoyed the stop. Being in the area, frequenting…read morethe State Theatre, and listening to good music we needed morning refreshments and immediately thought "Baked in Ithaca". This visit we got coffee, breakfast sandwiches and various baked goods. The restaurant was busy and hopping with activity on a Sunday morning around 9AM. The parking lot was full but there was street parking around the business. There was also plenty of seating for us to find some room to eat in comfort. You order food at one counter but you pay at the other counter? All food is delivered to the "pay" counter. Service was fast, even with the crowd, the breakfast sandwiches were delicious, the coffee was dark (which we love) and the baked goods didn't last long. We got a cinnamon coffee cake and a loaf of bread that were huge hits. "Baked in Ithaca" - what a slogan!

The Rook - Upscale Comfort Food.

The Rook

(181 reviews)

$$

Unique mac and cheese and good gnocchi!…read more I am debating giving the rook 3 or 4 stars... I was not a fan of the salmon mousse... far too salty and I wish it was paired with crisped bread or at least something other than Ritz crackers. I did, however, enjoy the presentation and taste of the macaroni au gratin. The square shape is very unique and I liked the cheese sauce. The lamb w gnocchi was also quite good. Pillowy and soft. The lamb was cooked well. Overall, I would maybe return. I enjoyed the macaroni au gratin as well as the lamb w gnocchi!

Loved the Rook's design choices, filled with anthropomorphic art and light yet refined ambiance…read more It wasn't too crowded when we arrived and we were seated immediately. Staff was pleasant and quick. The menu is dominated by drink options (cocktails and wines), and happy hour is 4-5pm, which is perfect for an aperitif. The fried chicken is by far their speciality, with the macaroni coming in as a distant second. But while both were delicious, I'd say the best value and taste goes surprisingly to the simple summer salad, which was crisp, sweet, tangy, and refreshing. It's only $10 for a hefty portion of food and I'd order that again anytime (and that's coming from a guy who'd never normally order a salad). My only criticisms are that the Rook doesn't have many entree choices (which may be a good thing for indecisive diners), and that it's very slightly pricey. Otherwise, it's an easy recommend for me.

The State Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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