The Tick Tock Diner is a classic and iconic eating establishment on Allwood Road and Route 3 in West Clifton. Open 24/7, the number is (973) 777-0511. The web address is www.ticktockdiner.com I met a friend for breakfast on Friday morning and I had the healthy mushroom omelette with home fried potatoes and coffee, and orange juice. All were fine and the service was excellent. I have passed this place millions of times and this was the first time I ate there and the food is fine. The interior is clean with plenty of tables and they bake on premises. I would definitely go back for breakfast, lunch or even dinner as they have a loyal following and the place is centrally located to meet friends or family. I have been in New Jersey for about two weeks and will return home this weekend. If I get the opportunity I will return. The Tick Tock is NJ classic. RECOMMEND. read more

A lot of buzz for the nostalgia, but, frankly, Tick Tock is every diner in NJ --- but with a shockingly MUCH smaller menu. Recently, we finally made a trip out to Tick Tock Diner since we had heard so much buzz about it over the years and the fact that they were always ranked amongst the "best" diners in the state - depending on which outlet you viewed. On every list I looked at, it was always either Tops or Tick Tock at the very top (say that 10 times fast!). However, after we visited, it was VERRRY, VERRRRY clear to us which one deserved to be at the top. We dropped in on a random spring Saturday at around 11:20 AM and, not to anyone's surprise, it was pretttttyy busy inside, but we were able to snag a booth seat immediately. In fact, I don't think it ever reached full capacity that morning, but it was definitely close to it. On the outside, the diner has every bit that classic diner look you've seen in the movies - tons of silver, shiny metal with shades of red and blue and a big sign with its name for the optically challenged. On the inside, I don't know what to really make of it, but it looks like a schizophrenic partially renovated restaurant blended with a classic diner full of booths. It's clear that the diner was expanded at some point in its lifetime because of the drastic differences between the 2 dining areas. Anyway, ONTO THE MENU. If you've frequented diners, you've probably come to know and love how gargantuan the menus typically are with a little bit of everything for everyone. They don't miss ANYTHING. And, yes, the menu here is more diverse than most restaurants, but it seriously was uncharacteristically more condensed than most diners. It was a grand total of 2 pages - the front and back of a single paper. To their credit, they also had a brunch menu too, but it was nothing extraordinary. After mulling it over, I decided to just keep it super simple - Two Eggs Over Medium with Home Fries and Corned Beef Hash. My wife ordered the Roasted Pear Salad with Shrimp and we got the kids a Kids Mac and Cheese with Fries. FIrst, my Two Eggs Over Medium with Home Fries and Corned Beef Hash was pretty much what it was. It was solid and hit the spot. Couldn't complain much about it. As for my wife's Pear Salad, it only came with FOUR shrimp. FOUR for $8 more. Talk about feeling robbed. To say that she was disappointed was an understatement. On top of it, the salad was pedestrian according to her. For the Kids Mac and Cheese, I had a few bites of it and it was OK. The one great thing about it was that it came out piping hot and was gooey. The fries were verrry, verrry sad though and clearly the frozen type. Service was up and down throughout our meal. Our waiter was friendly and came by to check on us, but he couldn't accommodate cooking my home fries longer, which I love to do because it makes it extra crispy. We just never felt any love from the waitstaff and even though our waiter was relatively friendly, we also felt a bit ignored in the corner. On a side note, the parking lot was massive, so there was plenty of parking spots. Also, the restaurant's interior is very big, hence why we didn't have to wait for a table. To be honest, I'm not sure what the fuss is about and how Tick Tock even cracks the top 10 diners in the state. Everything was quite ordinary and NOTHING like what we think is the best diner in the state, Tops. The fact that there is so much hype around Tick Tock kind of diminishes the experience of eating here because of the expectations. If Tick Tock was just talked about like any other diner, the experience would probably exceed expectations. read more

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It was another Diner Saturday for us before we picked up the kid from his sleepover. I've been here 100 years ago, but needed a memory refresher. Very clean inside and everyone was very efficient. We were seated quickly and our server came by almost immediately. I went with the Mick Jagger. How could I not? Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese on a roll with a side of disco fries. I also got a side of corned beef hash as I usually do since I love that stuff. TEC was as solid as solid can get. Perfectly layered, which makes all the difference in the world. Sandwich was phenomenal. The disco fries were equally as good and Paired well with the Mick Jagger theme. Only negative was the Corned Beef hash was average at best and was $11. WHAAAAAAAT????? I've had the freshest corned beef hash you can have and I could then justify that, but that was a little rough. Overall, solid experience and a must try. read more

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Probably the worst diner food I've ever had in life. I don't know how you mess up breakfast. The servers were lazy and seemed uninterested. Not to mention the prices were very high, $13 a shot of Bailey's!!? Ridiculously overpriced. Welp I hope they get it together because I'll never be back. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Great go to sport for a quick meal. It's a diner everything is good! I've been coming here for years. They're always prompt and the food always hits the spot. read more

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Upon arrival, thw hostess seemed annoyed she had 2 seat us. Once seated, it literally took about 8 minutes before anyone came over. Once the waitress took our drink order (1 cup of hot tea & 1 strawberry THICK shake) we received 1 cup of coffee and 1 glass of strawberry milk which was not THICK !!! Waitress was annoyed she had to swap out coffee for a hot tea, but I really ordered a cup of hot tea !! We ordered bkfast .. 1st order: feta & spinach omlette / well done bacon / no home fries / multi grain toast dry w. side of butter - came out fine .. no issue. 2nd order: a breakfast burger w. burger - Medium. Welllll ... we received a hockey puck burger so way over cooked & beyond well done it was almost charred and canadian bacon in lieu of taylor ham ... and yes ... i know the difference. Homefries were barely seasoned w. salt & pepper .. no flavor at all!! So ... to say the least we arent sure why Guy Fieri & Triple D gave this place a good rating but.he may want 2 revisit that remark again... Will we recommend this diner or ever return ... that would no. I wish them well and pray for all future diners they improve ... but from us ... no thanks !! read more

Good, old-fashioned diners are getting harder and harder to find in New Jersey. Case in point: Tick Tock. Some of the layout is a bit old-school, but the appearance has been modernized with the revenue streaming off the commuter highway. Anyway, my friends decided to sit at the counter, so up I went for a meal. Pros: Prompt service, plenty of seating (parking was packed but no wait) Cons: "Eat Heavy" theme carries through the foods... My friend's special "El Padrino" breaded chicken sandwich came super-heavy on the breading and relatively modest on flavor. Would think a special sandwich would be nice and zesty, but the sauce added only a touch of spice. His wife's breakfast sandwich got a thumbs up. My meal was OK, the potato pancakes were rather over-fried is all. Solid Benedictine meal but - a theme for the menu overall - you are paying the price for being on a commuter road compared to the portion size. The menu has some fancy items on it, more than it has old standbys (and forget the 12 pages we love to scroll through), nothing Greek, etc... just not what I'd like in a diner. On food (2) and ambiance (4) alone, the service could have kept this at 3 stars. Two points that have me leaning in favor of a deduction: * Guy started to take my plate when I looked done - but hadn't yet had a chance to sop up the sauce. Good service means you ask before you take. At least he had the courtesy to let go when I requested, and then the second time did ask before taking it, so not really a deduction here. * Our waitress asked if we wanted dessert at the end of our meal. We all shook our heads no. She then said "Come on..." and talked my friends into bringing home dessert. We had all been talking about trying to lose weight, so this isn't cool. Offer dessert, and if we say no, we say no. Most places are okay with this. Tick Tock isn't. And so for that, you get that 3rd star knocked off. Moral of the story: customers first. Think about the quality of presentation for all three of ambiance, food, and service. Ask us humble Yelp Elites what we think, and then deliver. Adieu. read more

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I have driven by Tick Tock Diner many times and decided to stop in for dinner. I sat at the counter and was able to watch football while I ate. I ordered an unsweetened iced tea and the cranberry apple turkey burger. Everything about this burger worked. The turkey grilled turkey burger was complemented with a cranberry mayo, cheddar cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and cooked sliced apples. Genius! Service was great. The servers were welcoming and kind. I felt as though I was in an upscale diner. I will return to try breakfast soon. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Apple Cranberry Turkey Birger - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Although the inside of the diner has changed nothing else has! Food is always fresh and hot! Coffee got better! And the service is impeccable. I've gone there for for lunch and dinner, but breakfast is by far my favorite. The servers are awesome. Constantly stopping by to see if you need anything. if you're in the area you need to stop in. read more

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Nice staff, ample parking, a lot on the menu. I got the steak and eggs. There was an odd flavor to the steak, and it was edible but not entirely satisfying. My husband wanted to order a dijon chicken sandwich, but was informed that the chef who makes it comes in at 12 (we got there around 11am). Apparently, a lot of the specials start at 12 when said chef comes in. That seems odd to me; shouldn't every one in the cafe know how to make the meals so it can be available to everyone? Why the ONE chef? No trust in your crew? My husband and I enjoyed their disco fries for sure. They were the stars. But again. I enjoyed the staff, they were lovely. Be mindful, they accept credit cards but you do get a charge for using it. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Starting off the week right. - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Jesus. What a place. Server is burnt out. She not rude but not friendly. She just wants her shift to end. Ordered waffle. ZERO star. It smelled and tasted like it came straight from a waffle mix box. How fkn hard is it to make your own waffle mix from scratch ??? And you want to charge $12. Get the ef outta here. And cheap fructose corn syrup ? Double get eff outta here. Ordered eggs med w French fries. Turkey bacon. It some how was good. they don't make real diner home fries. They use the bagged shredded garbage. Big let down. Iced tea was cheap. At least it came w a yuge lemon wedge. Soup was descent. Could have been much hotter. Service I couldn't believe. I received a refill without asking. This is a first in my NJ endeavor. Small menu. Place was clean plenty of parking. Over all. Extremely over rated. On side note. No one ever ask how my food was. Quite peculiar. read more

Tick Tock Diner - straight from box mix waffle. Horrible - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Went on a weekday for lunch with the family. Haven't been in years. Food was just ok. Got an egg white omelette and my family ordered a cheeseburger which was dry, and the fries looked very oily, pasta was ok and my husband got an omelette which was just ok. Once entering the girl seating us wasn't friendly and looked like she didn't want to be there. Service was just ok. Waiter brought drinks with sticky cups and was a hair on my cup also! Overall we won't be back. For the high price we paid, service, unfriendliness upon entering etc..I think we'll go elsewhere. read more

Amazing service, good food coffee is amazing ! First time coming here and for two people we spent about $70 which is not bad for the amount of food we got ! read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

The Jonas Brothers told us to come here (on Waze) so we were just following directions. Didn't check reviews till we sat down and ordered, so here goes. Atmosphere: spacious, clean, seating available during dinner rush. Surprisingly empty for a weekday at 5:30pm. Our server was helpful and pleasant, meals were diner-y but good. They had no idea they were "famous". Being off a NJ highway, traffic will always be tricky but if you're passing through and needing a bite to eat, give it a go here. read more

Tick Tock Diner - We're on a mission from the Jonas Brothers. - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

So I'm torn between giving this diner a 3 or 4 stars and would probably say it is a 3.5 IMO. Nothing particularly bad about the place but also nothing really special. Theres a couple of pros and cons that jump out at me. Place is big with lots of seating and got a remodel recently so it's very modern looking and clean while still having an old school diner feel. The plates are newer and modern but only two out of the six plates at our table were new and the others were old classic diner plates that were all scratched up, should try to keep it consistent. They have a full bar which I'm not sure is a plus or minus because although that is a neat touch, I'm not sure how many people want to go to a diner and get a beer with their pancakes. Service is just okay, polite staff but takes a while for them to come over to take your order and food to come out. Also side note that they add gratuity for a party of five or more which I've never been fond of but if that's their choice then I don't tip beyond the gratuity they added. Food is good, don't get me wrong but nothing special and a lot more expensive than your average diner. Also not that big of a menu for a diner which normally has so much to choose from. Definitely worth a try to form your own opinion about the place if you're in the area but wouldn't drive from far just to go there. read more

Tick Tock Diner - The Mick Jagger - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

I have been eating at the Tick Tock for decades. It's a classic NJ diner ... full stop. Chrome? Yeah. Neon? Yup. Sharp wait staff? Oh yeah. Classic diner food? To the max! It's currently my favorite diner. I have a friend who needed me to take him back and forth for post op visits after recent surgery ... driving was not approved by his medics. We made a breakfast or lunch stop here after every hospital check in. The breakfast eggs were perfectly cooked with well seasoned home fries. My waffle was great too (I would have loved real maple syrup...my only gripe. Lunch? French dip (me) cheese burger, (my friend) ...generous sizes and perfectly fried fries ... and I'm fussy. Live in NJ? Passing through on your way east or west? This classic is a must-see must-enjoy experience. Lots of parking, easy to find, and priced to please. Recommended. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Came home to visit and had to make a stop here to have my go to disco fries. I tried the candied bacon which was really yummy and crispy. The service was a 10/10 as usual. Feels like home whenever I'm there and I can't wait to go back. read more

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Absolutely unacceptable. I ordered the Thai salad and was shocked to find a huge, sharp piece of plastic hidden in it. Thankfully, my partner spotted it before I took a bite; otherwise, this could have ended in a very serious injury and a trip to the ER. It's horrifying to think something so dangerous could be in a meal. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Thai salad - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Pricey but a great diner! Desserts are huge and wonderful! Food was always good. I loved their MSc and cheese bites.

So many bad reviews! I had a pretty good experience here. Came in for a quick breakfast with my mom and it was just what we needed. She got the French toast and I got the chorizo hash eggs Benedict. Both were delicious. Huge fluffy and decadent pieces of French toast, which we drenched in syrup. The eggs Benny were great too. Perfectly runny eggs over delicious chorizo and potatoes which were seasoned perfectly. I opted for French fries instead of more hashbrowns and those were fresh and crispy. Our server was great and the food came out so quickly. They also completely revamped the place since the last time I was there. It's gorgeous inside. Give it a shot if you're in the area! read more

Tick Tock Diner - Chorizo hash eggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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First time there! Saw it on DDD a few years ago so it was on my list of places to try. It did not disappoint! Service was great, it's so large inside and its right off rt 3. Disco Fries are a must try! Will definitely be back! read more

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This diner is legendary having been here for years and busy all the time. They cleaned the place up too with all the normal diner items. The only thing they didn't have a buffalo chicken wrap. Weird. The mac and cheese/rice balls were lovely to start. They call them something else and I don't remember what was in them but they were good. Breakfast is always on point too. Service is ok but who cares its a diner. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Used to be great. Not sure what changed. They took the best menu item off which was 2 Greek spinach pies with fries and salad. Anyway it's a diner and when it's 2 am it's fine. Unfortunately diners aren't what they used to be. read more

Have been to the Tick Tock Diner numerous times. They are located right next to Trader Joe's so we grab breakfast and fill up our tummies and then head over to shop at Trader Joe's. It was raining and pouring outside, as we walked in we were greeted and hostess sat us in a booth. Waiter came over asked what we like to drink. Coffee came in a tin cup with their log stamped on the cup. The tin cup reminds me of a Moscow Mule but it's a wee bit early in the morning to start drinking. Coffee was good and hot. Waiter came over to make sure we got refills. Order Eggs Benedict which came out pretty quick. Used the fork to separate the egg and egg yolk goes all over hash browns. Very good! Friend ordered egg white omelette with a side bacon. Pleased with meal as well. One thing to note. Tick Tock Diner will charge you a fee if you are using a credit. So bring cash if you do not want to pay the fee. Will be back again the next time in the neighborhood. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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First time here I've heard a lot of talk about this place. Food The staff was very professional and friendly. The food, for the most part was good. The burgers were a little undercooked, but all in all it was good diner food. read more

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The families that own this diner are notorious for their feuds and murders and guess there's a lot of mouths to feed as the prices have become astronomical The place used to be packed but no one wants to spend 16.00 for a two egg platter with meat. Even a plain waffle is 12.00. Food is ok but an omelet was very brown and if I remember correctly eggs are not supposed to be brown when served There are plenty of diners with better food and more reasonable prices in this area read more

I have been here a couple times. Each time I have come the service has been TERRIBLE!!! The food is okay nothing to brag about. The first time I thought maybe the serve was having a bad day, I get it. I'm a server it happens, but I got the same server each time and every time he has been miserable, doesn't come and check on the table, eavh time I have to go up to the hostess and ask for a box and a check. I only come here after I bring my daughter to the urgent care so it's convenient, but not anymore. This server literally sucks. How he still has a job is beyond me. There's 2 servers there that look exactly the same. Older, bald, a little on the heavy side, the one is nice I can tell by watching him with his tables, but the other one that I literally always get, is just horrible. Like I stated, I'm a server, so I know what it takes. This guy puts zero effort in his job. read more

Came for breakfast to Tick Tock. Diner is beautiful. Appeared to be new chairs and lighting very bright and vibrant for an old diner. I had a simple two egg breakfast with bacon and home fries. Bacon was cooked perfectly nice and crispy but the "home fries" I did NOT like. Instead of being cut potatoes with peppers and onions that I know and love , they were shredded and crispy with no flavor or taste! A disappointment when I was so ready for actual potatoes not hash browns! Lol Our server Taylor was the sweetest!! She really was so pleasant and kind! I will def try again, next time maybe din read more

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Don't let these negative reviews fool you. This dinner is got new jersey's reputation for great comfort food. Try the rib grilled cheese sandwich, or the open face beef. The waitress is true Jerseyan, so don't bring your privileged side here. Bring your appetite, then have cocktail to boot. read more

This large diner style restaurant was super busy at 11am. They have a decent amount of food options, classic diner food. Service was excellent, food came out really quickly despite being busy. The pancakes were good, soft but not mushy. They were huge, and they came in threes so if you're with other people you can definitely share. The loaded breakfast fries were good, you can choose how you want your eggs done. Overall I would say this meal was salty, it didn't need additional salt because it had bacon and sausage but it seems like a lot of salt was added. I also think if the cheese was in curds it would be a lot better. This place is very pricy especially for the breakfast menu. There are a lot of other breakfast places that are better and are reasonably priced. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Loaded Breakfast Fries - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Always very reliable food and service. It's a goto diner for us. They are especially good with groups. We routinely go with 10-15 people and are always treated well. The only downside those mugs!!! Me and everyone in my party HATE these mugs!!! It feels like we are in jail. They don't keep the coffee warm and they aren't comfortable to hold. Clearly picked by someone who doesn't drink coffee. read more

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I visited this diner on Dec. 28th,2024. The service was great at the place. We got our seats very fast and food came out hot and prepared well. As we finished our meal I decided to get red velvet cheesecake to go. When I got home I proceeded to eat some of the cake and noticed that the caked had mold inside and on the top of the cake. This was a stock and I was very disappointed that no one of the servers were able to see that there was mold on and inside the cake. The next day I called and spoke with the manager and all their were able to offer was a refund for the one slice of cake. I think that we should have been refunded the entire order, due to the lack of carelessness. I will continue contact with the manger and I hope this matter can be resolved peacefully! read more

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Mediocrity at its best. Tough to find a good diner. Had eggs with home fries and toast . Truly nothing special and perhaps approaching adequate. This place lost its luster from its hey day. read more

I haven't gone to this place for years. Finally, I decided to visit here for brunch. The place was renovated which looked nice and new. The food here was average and nothing wowed me. The service was not bad. read more

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The place was clean, the waiter was nice and polite but very over priced I got a short rib sandwich you would think for $18 plus it would be on a nice bun nope it was on bread. You would also think you would get chunks of short ribs nope it was shredded. The taste was like bbque flavor not exactly the flavor of beef that I wanted. When you think of short ribs you think savory beef flavor not some bbque flavor, the fries were over cooked. First and last. read more

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Came here for a breakfast meal. With my family, I ordered the buttermilk pancakes, with bacon and scrambled eggs on the side. The food was phenomenal. The service was also amazing, and the food came out very quick compared to some other restaurants I've been to. The mood was laid back, and the inside was very welcoming and nice. The outside looks like a diner you would see in a movie. Overall, amazing place. Eat here if you live in Northern NJ, I promise you won't be disappointed! read more

TLDR: go elsewhere. Anywhere else Came here around 6:30 and it was not busy. Best 10 people in the whole place. Sat at the bar. It took me 5 min before I got a glass of water and another 25 min before someone took my order. The person who greeted me said the waiter will be there shortly to take my order it was 30 min from the point I sat down to my order being taken. The gentlemen next to me came after and he received his food before my order was taken. So I sat to see how long it would take. Took 10 min for my food to come out. Food was okay at best. 2 egg platter. Home fries were dry and unseasoned. Eggs were way to runny for over easy. The whites were runny. Toasts were the only saving grace. Not my first time here but it is most definitely the last time. Will be recommending others to go down the road to Allwood diner read more

Tick Tock Diner - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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A classic location, surprisingly this is the first time I've actually eaten here. My daughter and I stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner after a morning of shopping! Clean, neat and overall classic New Jersey diner setting. We were welcomed and seated right away. Plenty of seating options. It was moderately busy. Staff was attentive. Jimmy our server was lovely and took our order promptly and helped me with an additional to-go order. The food was abundant, quick, hot and delicious as you'd expect from a classic diner like this. We shared disco fries. I ordered a grilled Reuben sandwich w/sweet potato fries. I wish for the price it also included coleslaw and a pickle but those were extra. My daughter had the spaghetti marinara from the kids menu. I missed that these were served with fries. Wish i had seen would have subbed a veggie. Overall we took 3 take home bags with us - we had so much food and full bellies! Glad we finally got to try this iconic NJ location we'll be back again I'm sure! read more

Tick Tock Diner - Reuben - subbed sweet potato fries this time. (Background is my daughters platter of spaghetti marinara from the kids menu!) - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Excellent food and service!!! Beautiful building outside and inside!!! It's right on Route 3. Friendly atmosphere. read more

Tick Tock Diner - Tick Talk Diner! - Diners Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

We've always wanted to come here and try the diner out as we like diner food. It wasn't busy the time we arrived so there was no wait to be seated and there is plenty of space for guests. The waiter was not really present in checking on us or refilling our beverages. The food was okay, but it could've been better. I got the Fettuccini Alfredo Pasta with Grilled Chicken. You usually can't go wrong with this at any diner. But here it was watery when it should be at least a little creamy. read more