Empire Diner

For downtown NYC, the dishes were decently priced, however sadly they meals were bland and required a sizeable amount of salt & pepper to give it "something". For context, my wife ordered the Avocado Toast and I, the Salmon Pastrami dish. I'm Scottish, and my wife likes to joke that I don't know how to flavour my food, so you know it's bad when even I feel it's a bit bland. Maybe just an off day with the dishes, as the other reviews seem ok. I'd be willing to give it another try.

Great and atmospheric place with fancy vibes! The food was good and surprisingly less expensive than we expected!<br>We will definitely come back for dinner.

Empire Diner is a modern take on a classic NYC diner. The menu has a nice mix of comfort food staples and more updated dishes, so it works whether you want something familiar or a bit different.<br><br>Prices felt okay for the area, and most importantly, everything I had was genuinely delicious. Great spot for an easy, satisfying meal with that diner vibe, just a little more polished.

Super cute and modern diner with great service and food! No reservation needed.<br>Menu is slightly limited but still has much to offer, not the most affordable but consistent with other restaurants in the area.<br>Plus, great stop for anyone who loves Home Alone!

Food was good. But the waiter brought the check without us asking for it, right after we finished our food. The place wasn't even half full. I told him we still wanted dessert.

Came here a little over a week ago and it’s such a cute spot. The architecture from outside is inviting and the inside is upscale cozy. All the staff were extremely helpful and our waitress was great!<br><br>I had the steak and eggs (a go too for me when it comes to breakfast) and the ingredients are top notch for the same price you’d get in other diners in the city.<br><br>Highly highly recommend.

Food was really delicious! We loved how professional and polite the staff was.

This is a very unique experience, and I think it’s a great place to spend on classic dishes.<br><br>I do have a peanut allergy—fortunately it isn’t severe—but after ordering the hot chocolate, I ended up needing to take my allergy medication. I asked whether it contained peanuts, and the waiter said she wasn’t sure and mentioned that the marshmallows are sometimes made with peanut oil. That was obviously disappointing and be CAREFUL if you have a serious allergy.

Visited this place for a brunch. Nice, quiet and small area. Menu is extensive with plenty of awesome choices. We had Rye Pancakes, Buttermilk Waffles with a side of Roasted Potatoes. Food was delicious. Highly recommend this place.

I’ve seen Empire Diner for a long while now, but never have gone in until today. I normally don’t always give 5 star reviews, but the food was SO DELICIOUS! 😍 The staff were really friendly as well.<br><br>My date and I got a few things on our table and everything was done to its best. Go ahead and get that Mac & cheese as your brunch, lunch or dinner choice. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT 🤤 Its crispy exterior gives you a lovey bite with every fork full. The eggs Benedict was a delight with a side of potatoes that I NEED a bowl of!<br><br>I’ll be back for more bites, but you should visit too! Also, the atmosphere is so cozy ☺️

Stopped by on Thanksgiving when it wasn’t too busy. I didn’t have to wait, but they said only bar seating was available, so I took it. I came because I love their chicken & waffles. From sitting down to paying and leaving, the whole visit took about 30 minutes.<br><br>When I got the check, they told me a 20% tip was already added, and that I could leave more if I wanted. I usually tip 20% anyway, but I didn’t understand why it was automatically added, especially since the receipt said “large party,” and I was dining alone. Maybe it was because it was a holiday? Or because I’m Asian and they thought I might not tip? I’m not sure. I just paid and left.

Long on my list of diners, we finally were in the neighborhood for the U-Haul Art Exhibit and stopped in for dinner. It was delicious. We were warmly welcomed, seated quickly. Our waiter was attentive and the orders taken and delivered quickly. Absolutely delicious food. The desert, the Empire Sunday, was exceptionally decadent!

Very pleased with the service and the food!!! My husband and I absolutely loved the breakfast. The Rye pancakes and the waffle are 10/10!! The staff were so fun and friendly and the food came out quick. The Rose Margarita was insane. The drink was beautiful and really good. I had to go back and get another one because it was delicious. My husband and I will definitely be back when we visit NY again.

Random brunch walk-in with a 10 mins wait on Sat and this place is deceptively big. Sadly, big enough to have an impact on their service, which looked like a one time issue.<br><br>Joshua took our order and we placed our entire order which included the green ($9) pressed juice which was refreshing, a $14 avocado toast which was consistent with one should expect, and $20 crispy chicken sandwich which was okay.<br><br>Service was extremely slow unfortunately, and the place did not look like it was at capacity. The manager/owner however was personally visiting tables to apologize for the delay stating space issues in the kitchen.<br><br>Ambiance looked pretty refreshing on the ground floor, and noise levels on the average end. Friendly servers, competitively priced menu, but sadly both, food and service failed to impress us during our visit. Will give it another try!

An excellent upscale "diner" that is a must visit in NYC. Service was friendly as you get greeted coming through the door. Cocktails were fresh and inventive. Food was good but some flavor profiles could match better. The ingredients were fresh and appeared local. Well behaved family friendly. Prices are as expected. Parking limited. I'll stop by again for sure.