Standard Diner

Reviews 4

CO

Connor Miles

There were a large number of things wrong with our visit. I went to the Standard Diner in a party of 6 on a Thursday evening. Our waiter was polite and pretty good at his job, but when we got our food a different employee brought it out. She proceeded to place plates in front of people without knowing who ordered what and managed to get each plate incorrect. To make matters worse while she was giving us the food we were re-arranging the plates to get them to the correct people and she didnt even bother to stop and ask who had what after it was clear she didnt know. One of the ladies in our party ordered a medium steak and received an incredibly bloody, rare piece of meat that was pure red throughout. When she asked for a more well done steak our waiter happily obliged without complaint, but it was clear that it was just microwaved. The burger I ordered was the black, blue, and fried. The burger comes with blue cheese, bacon, a fried egg, and a side of steak sauce. The bacon was under cooked, rubbery, and chewy. I also did not receive the side of steak sauce. Interestingly enough I did receive mushrooms on my burger, something I neither asked for nor was mentioned on the menu. I asked for the steak sauce as well as malt vinegar to accompany my delicious truffle fries which again, our waiter happily obliged us with. However, the malt vinegar bottle was missing the plastic piece that allows you to shake it over your fries in small amounts. The fries themselves, normally delicious, were an odd mix of some overdone and some still raw. From my experience this happens when you place too many fries in a basket and those on top do not cook. In order to compensate the cook will attempt to leave them in the oil longer to cook those on top which only serves to burn those on the bottom and not quite finish those on top. To make up for the lack of quality of the food it seems the restaurant has taken to serving heaping portions that no one in their right mind would be willing to finish in one sitting. My burger must have been a half pound of meat on huge bun. While normally I wouldnt complain about portion sizes, there were no smaller alternatives for burgers. If you wanted one you were going to get a huge one. By the time youve finished the main dish the side dish is already cold in a restaurant kept just above freezing on a rainy day by the still active AC. Our waiter did the best he could given the circumstances, but it is clear that the management and the kitchen are not what they used to be. This is unfortunate as this has been a restaurant that I take visiting family members to quite frequently over the years due to its diverse selection with local options for those willing to try green chile as well as other options for the less adventurous.

CU

Curious Bear101

Our friend Kell took my housemate Gaelia and I to eat lunch at Standard Diner in Albuquerque today. The facade of the building is composed of unremarkable lines that call little attention to its origins as a 1938 Texaco gas station. The humble exterior contrasts notably the moment one enters the establishment and is greeted by a friendly staff and a comfortable decor that at once is interesting and welcoming as a visit to the home of a favored friend who delights in collecting American curio as well as posting thought provoking chalkboard reflections upon the walls. The food items ordered by the three of us met only accolades as we each consumed with gusto from one the seven selections of burger sandwiches on the menu. I ordered the Frisco Burger with bacon and avocado. The central flavor of the sandwich is marked with a zesty but not overpowering tomato based sauce with pepper accents. The bacon had the tender consistency of butcher sliced portions smoked over a Cajun grill. The avocado portion was surprisingly generous...perhaps an entire half of an avocado was served and it contributed greatly to the large size of the sandwich. The accompanying salad deserved a separate distinction unto itself. Consisting of a large portion of tasty greens I speculated they were most likely obtained from a gourmet truck garden. I enjoyed the flavors of peppery Arugula, spiky bittersweet Mizuna, Purslane, and Oak Leaf lettuce. Accompanying the salad were diced tomatoes marinated in a subtle mixture of rosemary, parsley, peppercorn, onion and garlic. My goodness, the salad tasted so good I ended up taking much of the burger sandwich home! Our male server was a paragon of friendly service. Without being intrusive he mixed both humor and patience in his attentions. The restaurant is sure to draw continued patronage from servers such as him. Finally, no review would be complete without expressing gratitude to our benefactor and host, Kell, whose intelligent conversation and generous funding made for a memorable experience.

TA

tampa bay

This place was fantastic, food was great and excellent service. Its that simple. I was not familiar with the area and just happened to find this place thanks to my maps app. The place looked interesting thanks to the pics others had posted so we thought wed try it. It was very busy as we arrived right at the height of lunch hour. We were greeted with a friendly smile as soon as we entered the door and seated within a few minutes. Our waitress was very cheerful and had extensive knowledge of the menu, so all of our questions were answered very well. She even picked out some of our items for us. Everything that she chose complimented the rest of our meal and what can I say but the food was wonderful. The taste, temperature, and presentation were perfect. It wasnt until after lunch when we noticed that the restaurant had been on a popular television show. Im not sure how to put this but it was nice that this was the last thing that we learned about the place. The reason that was nice is that this wasnt the only thing you heard or saw throughout the restaurant. Some restaurants that have been on this show have used this as the highlight of the establishment while other areas of the restaurant became lacking. The opposite is true of the Standard Diner. The staff and owner of the Standard Diner continue to provide great food, wonderful service and take pride in the restaurant and being on the show was a bonus not the focus. Well done Standard Diner. I do not live in Albuquerque, but my family and I are considering another seven hour drive to visit your city and eat at your diner.

CH

Christopher Warren

Stopped because of a transportation delay and because of a review stating someone else said they had the "best biscuits and gravy ever "..... Im a sucker for biscuits and gravy however I must have caught them on an off day.. Since I had just checked out of my hotel and found out my transportation was delayed, I stopped to grab a bite. When I first arrived the server (Caroline) quickly looked me up and down and when I asked if I could sit at a table that was open on the outside patio, she quickly informed me that tables were for paying customers only....I assumed I must look like I dont have the means to pay....(fail).. Although the meal was adequate....I asked for over easy eggs and they were a little too over easy for my liking. The service was fast however it was provided by several different people. In my opinion Caroline could have been a bit more attentive......was not impressed with the service...the atmosphere was nice...food was ok....coffee was excellent..(a refill would have been nice)... Overall I think if I had been dressed differently the service may have been better...because of that, I probably wont eat here again....Should never assume when youre in the hospitality industry...