Tom Sawyer Diner

Reviews 4

M.

M. Ali

On our way home from a late Sunday movie, kids got hungry so I decided to find out whats open in the Paramus area on a Sunday night. GPS popped up the Tom Sawyer diner so thats where we went. When we got there the place was typically slow for 9:30PM on a Sunday night. The server was incredibly polite and very nice. That is the only good thing I could say about the place. Food took forever to come out and we did not order anything fancy (pancakes for one of the kids & mac and cheese for the others). Here is the part that shocked us- They brought (2) orders of mozzarella sticks instead of just the one we ordered and the kids started to dig in. 5 minutes later, a fella from the kitchen came out and explained that the mozzarella sticks was for another table. We replied "ok, we didnt know your waiter just put it here and the kids started eating". He paused for a second and decided to continue by explaining that he needed it back and literally asked us to take 2 mozzarella sticks from the other basket to complete the needed order. I jokingly asked "really?" and he said yes. So I grabbed the (2) sticks with my own hands (a health code violation by the way) and put them in the basket and gave him the basket while visibly showing our surprise and disappointment. We all looked on as he took the basket back to the kitchen as if nothing was wrong. Did I mention health code violation? Strike one. Strike 2- After waiting longer than it needs to take to get the check, I went to the register and politely asked for the check so I can pay. I automatically gave the cashier my credit card, but before he was getting ready to swipe the card I noticed the bill was almost a $100. When I asked for a detail of the bill he got upset and printed out a copy of items that we never ordered. After pointing out that we never ordered half the items on the bill, he pressed a few buttons and out came a bill that was half the amount. Without even apologizing, he just replied "I thought you were sitting at the other table". I didnt want to leave a tip, but a left one only because I didnt not want the server to be penalized for the shady and poor management of his employer. I totally would not go here or recommend anyone else does. Food eaters eat at your own risk at this place!

PR

Priya Kat

This is my first restaurant review ever. I really felt like I should say something. I have been going to this diner for 6 years on a very regular basis and my fiancé has been going there for over at least 15 years even before it burnt down and was rebuilt. There are 2 brothers who own this place, one is very nice and the other complete opposite... a creep and then some. I went there recently and was directed to a table which was set in the way of waiters and I wouldnt be comfortable, I told the girl that I would wait till she has a table open and she asked me to wait by the bar area. I waited for few minutes and noticed that the girl was seating other people and tables were open, I walked to her and asked if she can seat me, she asked if the "other" person is here and I told her that I will be the one eating and he will join me for coffee only and that I was ready to order. She directed me to a booth. I sat down at a booth and was ready to order, the creep owner walks to me and asks me to go wait at the bar, I told him that I was ready to order and that the "other" person will join me only for coffee.....he still didnt let go and asked me to wait at the bar. I told him that it was not fair what he was doing and this is not the way to treat a customer. He did all of this knowing I am a frequent customer there. Its not that there was a line of people waiting there either, people were coming but there was no wait time and there were other tables available. Now I will never go back there EVER, I live around the area and will tell all our friends never to go back there. There are plenty of great diners around and we went to this one because of loyalty -- I guess the owner has no principals and do not care for loyal customers.

A

A Private User

Usually I dont get involved with ratings because I feel like people should try things for themselves and see what they like but in this case I have to speak up. I have been going to Tom Sawyer consistently for three years; I eat there at least 8 times a month. I will be honest and say that the prices are not the cheapest. But, remember this is not a McDonalds...this is a diner that prizes its self on using fresh ingredients and they deliver on that. For example, one thing I like about the marinara sauce is that is is clearly home-made and not any processed jar junk. Im not so sure why CJ is so surprised that if you order extra STEAK on a salad that you get charged more? That happens everywhere....EVERYWHERE...sooo idk about that one. And all the comments towards the waiters being unfriendly.... if you want somewhere where you get greeted and treated as fakely as possible don’t go here. But if you want genuine servers who get the job done as fast as they can (bc that’s the point of going to a diner, right) then definitely do not listen to these other people. Here are my favorite items: Marinara sticks, Steakhouse salad with ranch instead of blue cheese dressing ( clearly they do substitutions lol), Cream of Turkey soup, Spinach Artichoke Soup, Grilled Cheese, French Toast Napoleon, Waffles with Ice Cream, Roy Rogers Burger and Penne with Vodka sauce (best in the area seriously). Obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but also everyone has different judgments towards what value really is. To me, the value matches the price and I plan on being a customer there as long as it stays the way it has been going.

A

A Private User

This had to be the worst place Ive eaten in my whole life. I took my mother-in-law out for an hour from the rehab center at which she was recovering from hip surgery. She was excited to be out. We asked the hostess for a table, seeing as how it is easier for my mom in law to stand up and sit down from a regular chair. The hostess said okay, a table, follow me." She made us walk all the way to the end of the restaurant to a booth, that our family clearly did not fit in. When we were finally seated elsewhere, the waiter service was awful. Couldnt understand a word he said, he was rude, and upon taking our orders, he kept hastily saying next. My chicken fingers were tough and burnt. My fiancees burger came with many things on it that were not specified in the menu. Lastly, he asked for fries with cheese and gravy, didnt get them. We told the waitor, he took the plate from underneath our bowl of soup that we finished, and made my fiancee put his burger on it, and had to give him back the plate with the french fries so they could melt it on. The waitor was inattentive, rude and overall for all the money we spent, I walked away starving. I saved the food for my dog. I deal with customer service on a daily basis at my job. I like to think I know quality service when I see it. Dont expect it from here. No extra napkins, no ketchup, had to ask for everything just for the waitor to get annoyed.