01/11/09

nice casual environment for average food

by sia21

well it is great because it is 24 hours on the weekends, which is nice. it is a relaxed casual environment where i think anyone would feel welcome. maybe it was my shoes, but the floor was so greasy i felt like i was walking on ice! the booth was really small and crowded even with only two people in it. the service left a little to be desired but not horrible. the food was ok. about denny's quality. the atmosphere was cooler than dennys though :)

• Pros: calm, cool environment
• Cons: service and cleanliness left a little to be desired

07/16/08

Consistently....BAD

by Rcellista

The food is nothing special. Might as well go to IHOP or Denny's.

The wait staff consists of "people with attitude" so all you get is crappy service with a crappy attitude.

The only reason to go here is for the fancy decorations.

• Pros: It's open 24 hours on weekends and late during the week.
• Cons: Everything else!

06/28/08

South City Diner is crashing and burning!

by amthax

I have been a loyal customer for many years, but my last 2 visits have made me very unhappy. Both the service and the food are really suffering. For example, it took 30 minutes to get our meatloaf sandwiches. They were cold and dry, the mashed potatoes were so-so and the gravy was slopped all over the plate like a toddler did it. Our food was dropped off by someone other than our waitress. We asked this person for some silverware and she said OK--never returned. We then asked a waiter servicing the table next to us if he could give us silverware. Without even looking at us he said "I wish I could help you" and walked away. We sat for at least 5 more minutes with no silverware and our crappy lunch getting crappier. I got up and got us silverware out of a bin next to the cash register. We never got refills on our drinks, the waitress only came back to drop off the bill, and when she took the bill with our credit card it took forever for her to come back! I really regret going there.

Save your money or go to Denny's if you want mediocre food and yucky waiters.

• Pros: Nice atmosphere, large menu to chose from, close to shopping
• Cons: Jerky wait staff, slow service, mediocre food

04/23/08

Cool place, horrible food.

by wolfinstl

Many of my friends drag me to this place for late night food or Saturday/Sunday morning breakfast. In the 15+ times I have eaten here, I have only been happy with my order once. Yes, once. Now, I'm not a picky person and frankly have only returned food to a kitchen at two places 1) the Parkmoore which is no longer in business, and 2) City Diner.

Examples of how they have made me unhappy include (but are not limited to).

Cold chicken fried steak. Not cold as in sitting out too long, cold as it pulled from the freezer and not cooked through.

Cold coffee as if it had been sitting in a cup somewhere for 30 minutes prior to it reaching my table.

Eggs ordered over hard and received runny.

Potatoes not fully cooked, just browned.

Undercooked hamburger pink and runny.

Now I am not the only person I know who has had issues with their food, just the one of my group that has difficulty here ALL THE TIME. Seriously, it's become a running joke in my group to see what is going to be wrong with my order. Again, I've only sent food back a few times in my life, and even though I always have problems here, I don't always send the food back for correction (with the exception of undercooked meat, that always gets sent back).

• Pros: Cool place, nice wait staff, full menu, can bring dogs on patio
• Cons: Order is not always right, food can be undercooked.

07/13/07

Decent

by amayne

It was decent. The staff was average. The food was average.

I was completely expecting something more...Exciting.

The outdoor seats are very limited, they are right along the sidewalk and many people walk past you while you are eating, which is not very comfortable.

Grand is more notorious for it's other restaurants.

08/13/06

Better than a diner

by rwagner57

Service must have improved. We ate at City Diner at least four times a week in mid-2006. Service was above average every time except once. There is a wait for breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning; no wait other times. A metered parking lot is on the east side of Grand, half a block south.

One sign of quality is that they grind their own coffee beans and make salsa from scratch. The excellent mashed potatoes, hash browns and cottage fries seem made from scratch also. My favorite dish is the polenta appetizer, which comes with a delicious sun-dried tomato sauce. Other favorites are vegetarian eggs benedict and blueberry pancakes. They sell a lot of milkshakes. My wife likes the cole slaw because it has a vinegar dressing with no mayonnaise. The only things mediocre are side dishes they don't make from scratch.

• Pros: Food, atmosphere, waitstaff hairstyles
• Cons: none

Oldies but goodies are served up in heaping portions in this classic diner full of kitsch.

by Contributor

The Scene
Hear Little Richard, Jan and Dean and Ricky Nelson singing in the background. Vinyl booths sit atop linoleum floors. Albums line the walls. Marilyn Monroe winks from the walls. A lunch counter beckons on-the-go diners to sit on its swivel stools. The regular crowd of neighborhood folk--young and old--engage in casual chatter.

The Food
Expect tasty diner food alongside more upper-crust fare. The extensive menu includes meat loaf and mashed potatoes, Maryland crab cakes and daily blue-plate specials. Make Mom happy and order the liver and onions, or order something unexpected like the New Zealand mussels. The Hearty Southsider includes two eggs, biscuits and gravy, potatoes and Italian sausage. Jalapeno poppers satisfy post-bar munchies.

01/12/06

great breakfast place

by mrsbunnboy

My husband and I go here twice a month for breakfast/lunch on Sundays. The menu has many different options and you are taken back to a different time. Cool place and great food. The breakfast potatos rock!

• Pros: good food

12/20/04

Anticipation

by socky65

On past 2 visits, found the service lacking. Server on first visit was amiable, server on second visit was barely average. In both instances a large group was crammed into a small setting. All orders were placed on one bill, instead of being asked (and even told) that seperate checks were needed. Portions on one order were small given cost of the meal, and portions on two other orders were cold, on the second visit. In both instances the wait for food was terrible! If you have plans to attend concert/theater, etc, expect an hour wait for food. I did like the ambience! and prices were good.

• Pros: Fair prices, Ambience, Location
• Cons: , Service/waiter, Service of food

11/26/02

Get Real

by kciredord

The was a nondescript restaurant. Greasyspoon quality food. I was definitely not impressed.