Early Bird Diner
| Address: | 1644 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407, USA |
| Phone: | +1 843-277-2353 |
| Site: | earlybirddiner.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 7AM–10:30PM 7AM–10:30PM 7AM–10:30PM 7AM–10:30PM 8AM–3PM 8AM–3PM 10AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
MO
Moises Vasquez
I had the chicken n waffles and the waffles were great, no hint of cinnamon like other people have said, but still great. "Then why the one star?" Well, theres a reason why Im writing this review at 2am when I ate at this place around 8:45pm. Please bear with me, I know its a long review. First I was appealed to this place because it seemed like the small, quaint "hole in the wall" diner. My wife and I just wanted to eat alone together somewhere quiet. Well, that image was just a facade for a restaurant run by amateurs. As time passed on, I slowly realized that the decor and overall design of the place was "last minute" and cheap. I had to go use the restroom and when I lifted the toilet seat- I literally lifted the toilet seat. I dont know why I bothered, it was filthy to begin with. It looked like it had been unpinned for a while. The pins and other parts to fasten it to the toilet were nowhere to be found(there is just one unisex restroom so good luck, ladies). We had a very nice server, but it seemed like there was a "only one refill per customer policy" in effect. The plates are large so I was fooled at first to think they gave me a good portion of food, but that again was just an illusion. The plate is concave and the outer rim of it is an inch wide, so for 10 bucks it doesnt seem worth it... I had sweet tea and it tasted unusually flat so I then ordered some water and it tasted awfully metallic. The waffles really did taste fantastic- it was sweet and very satisfying. Ill give them that much, but my pecan-fried chicken was burnt. It was just a little burnt so I just scraped those parts off. By the time we finished eating, our stomachs started to churn a little. To us, this isnt normal as weve both eaten quite a variety of foods in foreign countries. We decided to ignore it and move on. Well, unfortunately I couldnt. Ive been awake since because of the upset stomach I have now. I definitely do not recommend this place to anyone else because of the dining experience, the food quality, the value, and the health risks. This is just another Waffle House with an up-charge and a different name.
ME
Meow Za
I LOVE this place! The FOOD is amazing. However, when I visited last, I had the worst service Ive ever had at the Early Bird! I was totally bummed. I had a server Ive never had before - a male that has a large mustache. I almost ate my entire meal before I was asked if I needed a drink refill---which my cup had sat empty for 15 minutes! And, they werent even busy; there were 3 tables with customers in the ENTIRE restaurant. My server acted like I was bothering him by being there. When I finally got the check I sat and waited for my card to be run. I waited so long I finally went to the cash register and had to wait even longer---my server stood there and finished some sort of paper work before even acknowledging I was there! My server was completely awful! Also, while I was eating my meal I could hear the servers complaining about customers! A girl was complaining that a woman had paid her in all single dollar bills, and my server with the mustache was making fun of a customer that didnt understand a food item that was on the menu! I cant help but think that the kitchen must be terribly dirty if this is the way the staff feels about the restaurant. Unfortunately, after this terrible experience I will not be going back to the Early Bird, even though the food is amazing. There are too many other good restaurants in Charleston to go to that have great food and GREAT SERVICE! The managers/owners need to train their servers on how to act and treat customers!
KE
Keith Cassinger
Meh. That word accurately describes this restaurant...the food was just okay. We had breakfast...I had "the mess and my wife had the cheese and bacon omelette. The omelette was standard faire but a bit dry . The mess was unique but also dry. Both portions were amazingly small...keep that in mind, if you want food order a LOT. My wife and are are not large people either. $8 for each was waaay overpriced. But to their credit they did accommodate a slight change in our order. We asked the waitress (who looked overworked by 10am) for straws 3 times before we got them. She was reasonably pleasant but forgetful and not very attentive. Oh yes, you seat yourself, and if you come in from the back door and dont see the sign only visible to the front door patrons you will feel lost and embarrassed. The decor reminds me of the small cafes in downtown Manhattan in the 70s. No privacy (not a big deal) and tacky. I actually liked the decor, but Gordon Ramsay would HATE it. Simple country folk come here...it worked for that. The parking was dismal as is the restaurant down the road Boxcar Bettys. It may take 20 cars at most and it has tight turns...no campers here folks! Overall it was below average like I stated earlier. But the tiny portions, bad parking, dry food and subpar service will keep us from coming back. Too bad, I am a local here for 15 years and had high hopes for the always packed diner.
AL
Albert Fortunato
This place sucks.Not worth waiting on line for! We were there this past Sunday, they make you wait on an orderly line that wraps around the building. Then once they open the doors they do not regulate the people coming in, its a free for all to get a table. So we waited on that line outside for about 40 minutes only to have 2 groups behind us rush ahead of us and grab last 2 tables as we went thru the doors with the manager standing right there. So then the manager proceeded to advise us it will be at least another 45 minute wait due to no tables available. What is the sense of having a single orderly line around the building if they let people cut ahead of you once the doors open? You may as well cut the front of the line and rush the doors as they open. Its not worth waiting on the line unless they get some common sense and take a second to regulate the seating of each party as they enter to ensure you get a table based on your place in line. Otherwise your place in line means nothing at all once the doors open. The worst part is the manger just stands there and watches this happen. So just beware if you are going with an elderly person, handicapped or a slower moving person they do not accommodate these people based on your place in line. Just not worth waiting. There are several other brunch places in Charleston that have an orderly entry based on your place in line.
JO
joseph antonio
It was the end of the day, I had spent the day busting my hump for little pay, in a career that seemed to no longer give me a sense of fulfillment. I hadnt been on a date with a woman that was remotely interesting in years. My ears were ringing constantly and my back hurts.I could feel something dark and cold growing inside me, like the onset of d.t. s from my heroin days.I was thinking that maybe I should set fire to my house and drive away to a new city and return to a life of crime. I decided to have something to eat and think about my condition.I chose the chicken and waffles. As I tried my first tastes of chicken and waffles I began to notice that I was feeling different, better even. Something about the art on the walls, or the attractive not in my face staff. Just brought me comfort. Then suddenly I felt as if a great colorful bird had flown into the room filling my guts with feelings of hope and love. A warm light seemed to shine up from my plate of food. I could feel my body lift and feel light as the ether, my pain was relieved. The darkness had been washed away and with it my morbid thoughts.The ringing in my ears began to sound like a chorus of heavenly voices. I was save my friends, saved by the simple honesty of people trying the best they can. Hey, its a cash only business, that means, bring some cash with you.
