City Diner

Reviews 3

ZA

Zac Zellers

Wanted to love this diner... live down the street... "Ooh, a 24-hour-diner by my house," i thought. Was picturing some cheap, fluorescently lit, dingy, dirty, booths-and-stools-kind-of-place with a greasy laminated menu and Franks Red Hot on every table. Instead what we got was a place designed like a hip bar/lounge at a midwestern airport terminal. Okay, fine, lets have a look at the menu. After sitting down for about 12 minutes, water finally appeared on our tables, in extremely tiny glasses filled with ice. Maybe two sips of water in there. Anyway, the menu matches the decor— it is trying so hard to seem classy, but most of us just want the regular greasy spoon stuff (cant i just have a normal Cobb salad instead of a ‘West Coast Cobb’? Can i have meatloaf without the firecracker spicy ketchup gravy? its midnight for gods sake; i dont really need to be impressed by these quirky twists on old favorites.) So, after ordering, we waited. For maybe 30 minutes. Restaurant is maybe one quarter capacity. There seem to be at least 5 people striding around the dining room, servers with iPads who seem so focused on their POSs that they arent seeing the tables full of diners with empty glasses in front of them. The uncommonly beautiful hostess is leaning near her podium, looking out at her coworkers and not doing anything. Waiting to cheerfully greet some new guests into this bleak manifestation of a transitioning neighborhood. She was really nice, but then so is the homeless guy who holds the door open for you at a McDonalds. My friend asked for more water, and 120 seconds later a server came by with a water pitcher that was nearly empty, and then apologized for not being able to fill her already tiny glass. Then our food arrived! Yay! I got corned beef hash that someone seasoned with an aggressive amount of oregano for some reason, but would have otherwise been perfectly serviceable. Was confused that the corned beef was mixed with the string hashbrowns and served on a plate with home fries, another type of hash browns. Wasnt sure how to articulate my frustration with that. $10.50! No Franks, only Cholula, which rules, so thumbs up. My friend, she got the fried chicken basket (which was served with ‘Creole Slaw’, which i guess is another name for just regular-ass cole slaw, $14.50) and disco fries which were actually delicious. The fried chicken was fine, but honey dipped, giving them a slightly cloying and unnecessary sweetness. ‘Shouldve gone to Popeyes,’ she said, and she was right— if only theyd been open this late. 2 stars, out of 5 atmosphere: in a space designed like a ‘hip’ chain hotel lobby in 2004, servers seem simultaneously frantic and idle. A lot of HD TV screens add a depressing glow to the place. sound: generic house music plays at an uncomfortable volume and guests can get rowdy as it is a 24-hour diner. recommended: french fries drinks and wine: cool craft brews on tap, embarrassing cocktail list from maybe the 1990s, generic wines price: $$ (moderate-to-high prices, for this style of food)

RH

Rhonda Smith

I didnt say I didnt like the place they deserve A big opportunities lets start from the door greet all people number one smile be courteous make sure that Im welcome into your restaurant and want to tell others to come in and eat I felt as if people thought I was in the wrong place anyway I wanted something to eat and I wanted to try out different food so I dont let that turn me away made it to the counter to order you had three young ladies at the counter two people training one person a big No-No but this is the kicker are you listening playing with your hair in front of a customer with food is prepared behind you will get me to tell people not to come my eyes never left the young lady she played with the hair she began to braid her hair and just kept feeling it the whole time no I did not complain because I had to get back to work. Of course I was watching my food the whole time I waited too long for a tuna fish sandwich to go I felt like I was invisible waiting on my food the training she did say something to me my food coming up shortly then that Id appreciate it I wanted to walk out new owner restaurants sometimes I be feeling some type of way if you say something thats negative about the establishment but Im not telling you this so you could be upset I support anybodys dream to own something you have to be a overseer make sure your customers from the time they walk in have a good experience just because customers are sitting doesnt mean they get the best care its the ones that come in and out we Are Not Invisible just say hello make me welcome and I surely would be back it was a small family restaurant diner I took a chance and said this is what Im getting my food might be bad Im happy to say my sandwich just fresh from the bread the lettuce and tomatoes and a tuna fish was just right I look over the cooks had more smiles conversation with each other about to order so to me you have the right team in the back just need to work on the front no hair plan in front Lids paper bags knives and forks hair flies turn it up do before you come in but keep your hands off your hair ladies it was just the one young lady and I wont tell you who it is everybody deserves a second chance oh sorry I did buy a muffin the muffin wasnt consistent a little dry crumbly blueberry it was good

HE

Hector Santiago

I will admit that this was my fault because i shouldve checked the bag in this take out order. But I ordered a CHEESESTEAK, FRIES AND ONION RINGS and this was what I got. I dont care how good a cheesecake is, this should never come out to $18.10. I shouldve known better when the cashier didnt give me my receipt. But hey they can run the video over the cashier (unless its allegedly was not working properly at the time). So I called City Diner when "Millie" answered the phone at 4:41pm on 5.7.17. She said that there were no managers or supervisors available to speak with me to discuss the cashier messing up my order. She told me to call back in 15 minutes. Of course either nothing will be done about this or one of the guys with rude attitudes who started working there within the last few months will play the role of manager. Like they would give a damm but this was my last visit there. So I called back in 15 minutes like I was told to by the cashier about my messed up order. I got clicked off the second call. The third call the first guy busting hos ass to not laugh out loud and kind of giggling. I cant prove who it was but I would bet that it was the same kid who was hired recently and walks around with a smug, Im better than you attitude. He handed the phone off to some other guy who didnt introduced himself as the manager like most businesses would do until I asked who he was. Dude sounded like one of my 8th graders bullshitting around during drama class. So instead of arguing with these 20 year olds, I politely said Ill be there tomorrow to speak with the real manager. Damm shame because this place has good food there but whatever.