The Madison Diner
305 Madison Ave N, Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110
The Madison Diner Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Bainbridge Island for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bainbridge Island for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bainbridge Island for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
305 Madison Ave N
Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110 - Phone (206) 842-5786
- Website https://www.themadisondiner.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast, Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Ann K.
Cute, fun and unique place to go for a meal. Prices are fair and we were greeted and seated immediately upon entering. I ordered the biscuits & gravy, it came with eggs and hash browns. It was very good. I have to say the hash browns at the Madison Diner may just be the perfect hash browns, they were crispy and delicious with no taste of grease at all. My companion ordered the Reuben (as usual) and said it was really good. I tried a few of the fries that came with the sandwich and they were great, best fries in quiet some time. We already have plans to return!
(4)Shane L.
3-star because they are sold out every kind of dessert. Yes, a diner is out of pies, cakes and ice cream, etc... However, the service is very friendly and the food we ordered is delicious!!
(3)Laura T.
I've been coming here for years. Never had a bad meal. They have the best waffles I've ever had, and, believe it or not, my over easy eggs have never, EVER been overcooked. It's like wizardry...I don't know how they do it. Excellent shredded hash browns, always cooked crispy on the outside and hot and delicious inside. Again, don't know how they do it. Mine never come out like this at home. It's worth coming just for the hash browns. Even my sister, who always has something wrong with her food, really, she has a curse upon her and it means that something will always be wrong with her order. She isn't picky, she's just cursed. But not here. Even her food is always perfect. Wonderful biscuits, too, which you can choose instead of toast, and you should. They're amazing. There always seems to be a short wait for a table (cuz it's that good) or a long one on the weekends. Staff is decent, but you can see they try really hard and I appreciate it. It's the cooks I give thanks to. Breakfast is hard and they have it nailed down flat! Love it.
(4)Dan H.
I came to this diner years ago when it was called the Big Star Diner. My mother had seen it on a Food Network show and wanted to come to Bainbridge specifically to go to this diner. We did just that. Fast forward 8 years. My mom is no longer with us, but I knew I wanted to get back here to see if the food was as consistent as it was back in 2007. I found out that the Big Star became the Madison Diner. That was the first difference. The diner is still the same. Reminds me of diners that I grew up going to in NJ. This is a good thing. Ended up ordering a burger which was mediocre at best. I asked for medium rare and it came out more medium well. The shake was really good though. Fresh strawberries added to vanilla ice cream and topped with a mound of whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry. Oh man that was fantastic. One of the better shakes I have had in a long time. Services was very friendly as well. I felt taken care of while I spent my hour or so people watching and relaxing with my book.
(3)Jenn N.
The nachos were good. They slightly toast the chips. It's a pile of cheesy crunchiness, sprinkled with tomato and topped with fresh sour cream and guac. Its something similar to an epic late night snack you would make at home. Well, I would. I'm known for killer late night meals. After 2 days in the rain, it was comfort food at it's finest. My daughter & husband shared the Madison monster. We definitely recommend sharing this hunk of beef, surrounded by thick slices of bacon & soft, cornmeal coated buns. The fries were hot & crispy. They said the burger could have used more seasoning. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We really enjoyed watching the hummingbirds zip around the outside of the diner. There are plants & feeders near the windows that attract them. The diner has an old school feel with new school comfort. I highly recommend taking the beautiful ferry ride over from Seattle, to shop around the island & enjoy a hearty home cooked kinda meal at Madison diner. As successful as our lunch was here, I know their breakfast has to be good!
(4)L P.
Although the reviews were mixed, we thought we'd check out The Madison Diner. We are new to BI so we are exploring. We went for breakfast and just loved it! The service was prompt and attentive and the food was terrific (hot, fresh, tasty). They have a nice menu with lots of variety from healthy to traditional breakfast fare. The ambiance is cute, lots of light, clean and reasonably quiet. We will definitely head back for breakfast again soon. Really nice little find!
(4)Charlotte M.
The hours are actually 7am-9pm! Good, solid diner food and great service. I had a loaded baked potato and my sister had the two egg breakfast. The shakes are yummy! Always a big line on weekday mornings. Easy parking as it's slightly out of town.
(4)Annie P.
Although the food was pretty good i didnt like the fact that the silverware was dirty and the serving portion of the biscuit and gravy is just enormous!! Be super hooongryyy if u want to dine here !
(3)kevin w.
Did I tell you how much I love the Diner? They know just how to make my day. Egg whites, tomato spinach dry toast and a side of smile. Just how I like it. Oh, and extra hot good coffee. Cheers you guys. Great job. And Thanks.
(5)ToddLaurie B.
This place is really hit and miss. We've been 8-10 times over last few years and food and service are either ok or bad--not ever great. Seems like there is usually a mistake with the order, things are burnt/not cooked correctly and many times they are out of something and substitute something else without asking. Case in point--I ordered a cream cheese, cranberry, turkey and sprout sandwich a couple years ago. They were out of cranberry and sprouts but rather than tell me this before hand, I got a turkey and minimal cream cheese sandwich--with spinach leaves. When I asked about the cranberry, they referred me to the packaged jams on the table and said to help myself. Seriously? Service is embarrassing. I regularly see staff conversing with each other and ignoring guests. The patrons even talk about this with each other in the restaurant! Management--are you reading these reviews and can you educate your staff? We return because it's kid friendly and convenient but I can't give more than 2 stars.
(2)Bruce J.
Uncharacteristic bad service today. They were busy, so they had a waiting list. They seated someone ahead of us despite us being on the list ahead of them. When we finally got seated (30 minutes after arrival), they offered us free coffee. And then ignored us for another 15 minutes. We left after another table's (that arrived after us) order was taken ahead of ours. VERY FRUSTRATING!
(1)Juled P.
Honestly can say it was the worst experience I've had there over the years I've been dining there. I had the Cobb salad & the DRESSING was like water! I quickly learned today that you can wilt your salad and actually ruin it w/such a dressing. Not only did the blue cheese dressing seem more like a vinaigrette, it didn't have one single chunk of actual blue cheese in it! I'd of taken it 2 go but it wouldn't have made the 3 block journey home! New owners again? In addition, I challenge you to show me the ketchup bottles you fill the HEINZ bottles w/the faded labels on your tables & I thought the owner of the former Island Grill was gone forever. Shame on you!
(1)Amber R.
While visiting Seattle, my girlfriend and friends and I decided to take a day trip to Bainbridge Island. When we got here, we decided to wander around and find a cozy, quick, quaint place to eat. The Madison diner looked homey and said they had comfort food. We decided to give it a try. Upon walking in we were greeted and asked to wait as the host cleared a table for us. She cleaned it and sat us, we waited for our server to take our drink order and acknowledge us- about 20 minutes. She took our drink order by saying, "are you ready to order?" And took our food and drink order at the same time. We waited, and waited, and waited some more for our food. About 30 minutes went by, the table behind us (sat at the same time) got their food and was paying and the waitress came to tell us they had "lost our order". 25 more minutes later we got our food. The waitress seemed stand off ish about the whole thing and didn't even offer up an apology, or to send her manager over. I had the salmon hash, with a biscuit, both which were great. My girlfriend had the hot beef open faced sand which which was 12.99, a little hefty in my book for what she got, but also tasted great. We ordered 2 different shakes, and both Flavors tasted the same. The waitress came back to fill our water and check in on us once, however, we were all done eating at that point in time because we were all so hungry from waiting. All we wanted to do was eat and get out of there. By this point you would think the waitress might have paid a little more attention to our table knowing we had been there over an hour, and seeing that we had all finished our food when she checked back, but instead she was outside talking to someone in a green truck. We asked another person for our bill, and promptly left, without leaving a tip. On the way out she said goodbye and thank you for stopping in, as she was walking back into the restaurant. Now, I am a Midwesterner and a server myself, so I feel like I am a pretty polite person. It takes a lot for me not to leave a tip. I know loosing an order is not always your fault, but to not apologize and not involve your manager was what the last straw was for me. We paid $35 ourselves (totally not worth it for what we got) and had over an hour and a half of our sight seeing and exploring taken away and wasted on a crappy restaurant. Is this what they call "island time"??? I surely hope not.
(1)Aaron B.
Average. Came here on a really hot day - the doors were open indicating no AC. It was too darn hot to enjoy the food. Kids meals looked great! Had mac and cheese -- average. Service was fine.
(3)Joe C.
I had the Fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes. It came with 3 pieces; leg, thigh, and breast. The thigh and leg were cooked good, however, the breast was under cooked, it was ice cold inside, but the meat was still white, not pink, so I'm not sure if the chicken pieces were fresh or just frozen before they dropped them in the deep fryer. We also had a longer wait than normal wait for our meal. Since I was still hungry, I also had some french fries. The fries were cooked, but you could tell they were frozen and out of the bag. Don't worry about eating at Madison Diner while in Brainbridge, there are other places allot better. Brainbridge is a really nice town to visit, reminded me of the towns on Cape Cod!!
(2)Kris R.
Solid five stars for a diner. If it's 50's diner food you are craving, this is as good as any. Plus 5 stars for setting...eating in a train car! Great look and great story about how it ended up on Bainbridge and got built out. Cool place for kids and kid friendly with coloring pages and good menu, especially breakfast. Egg and omelette dishes are choice, especially the chorizo scramble and breakfast burrito. Crispy old school hashbrowns are delish. Great selection of malts and shakes. If you want to get happy, and make the people with you smile, take them here.
(5)Lena A.
Stopped in for a quick lunch that wasn't too expensive and this place hit the spot. I got a delicious vegetarian on gluten-free bread (for no extra charge!) and sweet potato fries. If I ever come back to Bainbridge, I will definitely come back!
(5)Steven F.
We ordered the cheese fries cause they were out of hamburgers. Go figure. The new owner used all Sysco food service stuff, nothing is fresh and you could do better at a fast food joint. Go somewhere else. It is sad cause this place was featured on TV, sold and now sucks.
(1)Jim H.
Breakfast omelets were great and staff were very friendly. A nice walk through town from the ferry. Would stop in again any time.
(5)Angela D.
Oh my gosh, so good! Portions are big enough for 2. I had biscuits and gravy, husband had a Belgian waffle, just yum. The diner was clean and had fun music playing. Staff was very attentive without hovering. This was a great find and we will defiantly be returning!
(5)Doug N.
Good Food, Good Prices, Fantastic Ambiance. For just a minute life was simple. This will be a regular stop when I'm in the area
(5)Taylor C.
I was very confused by the severely mixed reviews this diner has until I found out it has changed hands a number of times over the years. Well don't worry because since I've been here it seems to be in good hands! I moved here July 6th and the Madison Diner was the first place I went the morning after driving from Connecticut to Bainbridge Island on a 6 day journey. It's a legitmate dining car, so authenticity isn't an issue. It's also one of the cleanest dining cars I've been in which is always a good feeling. Everything I've had there was pretty good- I usually try to have the specials because they're pretty well-considered and well- put together. Food always come out pretty quickly. I like their breakfast selections but the toasted club is fantastic and the chicken that comes with the chicken and waffles is really delicious. The service is always friendly and pretty timely, the waitresses are always good for pleasant conversation if it's not too busy. The only real issue I have with this place is that it, like everywhere on the island, closes too early. It's a diner it should be 24/7!
(5)Andrea H.
When I arrived, there were very few people here, but the dinner crowd picked up on Wednesday evening around 5:30pm. I was invited to seat myself, and I took a booth even though I was eating alone. My waitress delivered a menu right away, but took a little long to return to the table to bring my drink and take my order. I was delighted to see Coca Cola products on the menu. I even received one refill during my dinner. Sadly, I was disappointed in the Eggs Benedict. Even though the initial presentation was good, my eggs were hard boiled instead of poached. The taste was decent, and I was hungry, so I wolfed it down. The hashbrowns were a little greasy for my liking, but the hollandaise sauce helped mask the greasy flavor. I was surprised at how thin the Canadian bacon was too. It was thinner than a slice of salami. My English muffin was old. I really had to work at it with my knife to cut it. I paid in cash and put down $20 hoping my waitress would bring me several one dollar bills in change, but she brought me a $5 bill. I'm not sure if she meant to do that or not. Regardless, I stopped by the register on my way out to get ones and gave her four of them. The diner is classic. I liked the ambiance and the oldies playing in the background. The booth cushion was in need of replacement. I could definitely feel the spring and there wasn't much support. Also, I could feel every move of the patrons in the booth behind me, as their seat was attached to mine. Might be fun to take a child here or visit for a milkshake, but otherwise I probably wouldn't return.
(2)Craig B.
Friendly staff and great dinner atmosphere but the food is boring, even for a dinner. Not bad just not really worth eating. Not a bad place to kill time but lot better food options in the area.
(2)Rick B.
Good NW breakfast. I had the cornmeal pancake combo. Fluffy pancakes and what seemed like homemade patty sausage. Two eggs of course. Great atmosphere in the restored 40's diner. Menu has some of the history of the diner from the forty's until it's move to BI. Reasonable prices, though the special seemed a bit pricey. But when the manager was taking pictures of the Italian Benidict with polenta rounds, eggs, ham, spinach, and pesto. I changed my mind and thought that such cleverness should be worth more. Waitress (after all it is a diner) was friendly and didn't keep us waiting for our food.
(4)Mark F.
Terrible Value ..Small portion at overpriced $$. My sausage patty was two bites... At this rate, they too will close within the year!
(1)Carrie F.
I' m preplexed. I ordered the chili, which came in a large bowl, with a nice garnish of sour cream, green onions, and black olives. I wasn't hungry, but was hosting two friends that were, so I elected to take my chili home to eat later. When the waiter returned with the take out container, about one half of my uneaten bowl full of chili was gone. The container was too small for the full bowl I'd just paid for. I'd not eaten a single bite. Ironically, my two friends also ordered chili, and eaten their fill...yet all three identical take home containers heald the same amount of chili. I am more bemused than anything, but I don't think this issue was handled in industry standard. I didn't say anything to the staff as I'd recommended this restaurant, and I was embarrassed. Once back home, I would have liked to have the chili for a full dinner.
(1)Michael U.
This was my 3rd time going here for breakfast. The food is standard american breakfast fare with big portions. My friend also confirmed that you can get any flavor of milkshake at 8:30 in the morning as well. When I'm on Bainbridge, I'll always get breakfast here or at Streamliner Diner. Good stuff!
(5)William M.
Used to be a favorite-went every month or so. About 6-7 months ago, finally had enough soggy, stale food and quit going. Service had deteriorated as well. Went in today to give them another shot. Waited & waited for water, menus, etc. waitress finally came and took beverage order. Then never came back. We saw two waitresses working one table, not even a glance our way. After 10 minutes, we left. Never to return.
(1)Patti M.
First meal here was great. Breakfast served all day so I got my Mediterranean omelet and hubs had a hot pastrami. The new owner is our server and dedicated to making the place go. Didn't bat an eye at my request for salsa on my hash browns- which were nicely crisped. Hubs says his sandwich couldn't have been any better if he'd made it himself and he does- often. Great service, very reasonable prices. Comfort food!
(4)Jorgen J.
This is my go-to diner when we're in the mood for breakfast, but on the weekends be prepared to get their early. Seating is limited and this place is pretty popular, if you show up between 9:30 and 1pm, be prepared to wait 15-20 minutes at a minimum for a table (sometimes shorter if you're willing to sit at the counter). They have 2 of the best servers in the county, but they also have 1 or 2 that are extremely slow. Overall service is great but we've had a couple times (maybe 1 in 10) where we were pretty annoyed by the service. The food is good, solid quality, it's nothing super fancy, but if you're expecting good quality diner fare then you'll definitely be satisfied.
(5)Tyson J.
Place is great and very family friendly. I had the open faced hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy, it was delicious. We will visit this place again soon.
(4)Mike P.
Went to Bainbridge to try this diner. Absolutely incredible an absolute treat. Service was awesome and it took you back to the 50's. Food is stellar, had the chicken and waffles and was the best as I've had as in the south. Do yourself a favor and give this place a shot.
(5)Misty A.
Where to start the building its self was cool liked the classic 50's music. The hostess was polite when she was there but they for the most part absent. The food was over cooked. The bacon was dust the chorizo was burnt as was the toast. The omelette which was supposed to have cheese in it had none. The price was way to much I could of went to a much higher caliber restaurant and spent the same amount and been much happier. Not to mention that the food made my husband ill.
(2)A B.
We had a great breakfast here today. Lots of gluten free options and they were careful to make sure that celiac hubby's food was really GF. Recommend!
(4)Matthew M.
Ate there a few times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I must say for the price, quality, and service you can't go wrong. Would recommend their Reuben sandwich for a great lunch.
(4)Billy G.
Sabrina is fantastic. A Broncos fan with an open wound though, so take it easy on her. Corned Beef Hash was great. Had a mixture of their two types of pancakes this morning. I don't like rising early on a weekend morning but this place is creating a new side to me
(5)Kelly J.
Mediocre. In the land of fresh seafood the fish and chips is from a frozen source & the french fries tasted like everything else that had been fried that day. Meh. Also, in an empty restaurant we waited nearly 20minutes for our check. After several attempts to get either of the two waitresses on hand attention. EDIT (2.5hours later): Both my husband & I currently have food poisoning. We ate TWO different things, so...gross.
(1)Lyssa D.
The diner has a long history. It's a Dining Car, in the true since of the word. Originally built by the Fodero Dining Car Co, it first opened as a diner in 1948 in Pennsylvania. The dining car was sold in 1963, and sort of bounced to New Jersey, where it sat, lonely and unused, through a series of owners who did nothing with it. Then in 1996 Al Packard of Bainbridge Island bought it, and broke it down and shipped it over to BI from NJ. The diner has been through a series of owners since then, but the newest one seems to have it down. So, as you can tell, I'm primed to love this place. We sat at the bar and ordered breakfast. If you sit at the bar in the middle, you can watch the cook make your sunny side up. The coffee is good, and the service is friendly. I had regular coffee refills, and seriously, the place is wicked cute, and I felt a little like I've been transported back in time, in a good way. So, let me tell you about the food. We came in for breakfast, so that's all I'm reviewing. It's a really good breakfast diner food. I don't think it's fair to compare it to fine dining, it's a diner and they do Classic American Diner food really well. The bacon was crispy, the eggs were just what I ordered, hash browns were crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. The chorizo is good by WA standards, but I'm used to way hotter and more flavorful chorizo. The Corned Beef Hash is a big 'do over'. Actually, tomorrow morning when I heat up the left overs at home and scramble a couple of eggs. I will be trying lunch or dinner here at some point. But, as a breakfast place, it's great! Plus, it's haunted! Perfect!!
(4)Toby W.
The food was medicocre once we finally got served after waiting over a half hour after ordering. Our waitress was a total bitch who probably delayed our order because we had the gall to ask about the specials She did not remember the extea cheese I ordered for my Greek salad which was also missing two ingredients (onion and cucumber), and my husbands Reuben wsd cold and tough.
(2)K R.
Best menu offerings I've ever seen! Hidden jewel! Love this quaint diner. This will be a definite stop on our way to the ferry from now on.
(5)Raquel S.
Burger was okay. We also had a Rachel, horrible!! Swimming in dressing. The service was non existent. Three waitresses behind the counter playing with there condiments. Tried to ask the waitress for a new sandwich. Ignored by her twice. Too bad cuz the place is really cool.
(3)Tammy Y.
The dining car is really cool to see but the food we ordered was mediocre. The malts were good but were a small size for the price paid. The cheese burgers were dry and over cooked. The ketchup tasted metallic. Fun to see the diner but would not recommend for a meal.
(2)Shelly B.
This place is fine. Nothing memorable about it other than its a cute 50's diner car. Ordered a burger that was mediocre. Kids meals were fine. Again, not really destination dining, but it worked for 2 hungry kids meandering through bainbridge. Service was fast and friendly.
(3)Lois D.
Love the old time diner decor. Food was good comfort style food. Price was very reasonable for the amount of food. Apple pie was delicious! Good thing we don't live here, would become a bad habit.
(5)Scott S.
This restaurant has changed owners a few times and has been okay to pretty good in the past, but the latest owner seems to have worked out all the kinks and has the best of everything you might want in a local breakfast restaurant. The servers are cute both in personality and the costumes lending a bit of local flavor to the small town quaint atmosphere that we like living on Bainbridge Island. The menu is outstanding, the portions are very "American" meaning large and filling. Presentation is amazing. I always enjoy waling past the tables and seeing what others have ordered. Every dish is a feast and tempting just on the way it is presented in the plate when served. Parking can be a bit of a challenge during the busiest hours, but we have always managed to find something nearby. There may be a bit of a wait weekend mornings but it is well worth the wait if you have the time. To their credit, they serve breakfast all day every day. We also like the dinner menu, but it is breakfast we come for. This is their sweet spot in the dining experience. My wife and I are frequent customers and we always bring out of town guests here for breakfast and proudly proclaim it as our favorite diner on Bainbridge.
(5)Jim A.
In our week on Bainbridge Island we ate breakfast at the Madison Diner six times and every meal was outstanding. The service was outstanding as well. Highly recommend it.
(5)Justin S.
I love this place. I was on vacation/holiday last summer staying on Bainbridge and my host recommended we start our days with breakfast from the Madison Diner. I became a fan the moment I walked through the door. How cool is it to see a circa 1940-1950s diner? Answer - real cool! But of course, how was the food, that's the real question, right? The food was absolutely outstanding. After the first morning we ate there, we ended up eating there each morning of our stay. I ended up ordering the chorizo scramble, the Mediterranean scramble, the Blue Plate scramble, and a few others. What was very impressive to me was the flavor pairing they did and hit the perfect choreography of flavor on each one. The explosion of flavor in the Mediterranean scramble was just spectacular. No need for salt & pepper or ketchup, but it's there if you want it. My favorite ended up being the chorizo scramble. If you enjoy watching short order cooks ply their trade, you are in for a treat here. You can sit at the bar and watch the magic before your eyes. I noticed several regular coming in and the cooks already had their "usual" order in their head, which almost none of them were on the menu. Another impressive thing that stood out was the cleanliness of the diner. This place was just spotless. The silverware was clean and not spotty. The bathrooms were military spec clean. The waitresses were johnny-on-the-spot with refills on my coffee before I could get below half mark on the cup. After coming in a couple days in a row, we ended up chatting with the owner and getting to know the waitresses and cooks. What super people, just so down to earth and nice. They gave us recommendations for things to see, highways to avoid, etc. I was really bummed out when we had to leave. I cannot wait to go back. You can bet that if I'm not staying on Bainbridge, I will take the ferry to have breakfast. I'm giving them 4 stars, since I didn't try any of their lunch or dinner menu offerings. But I'm sure they'd be great.
(4)Andrew P.
Incredibly slow. We walked in and waited a while to be acknowledged. Finally, I asked if we should seat ourselves and was then seated. The place wasn't busy at this point. We sat and waited and a few other groups sat down too. Eventually the waitress got around to serving the other groups, but despite my attempts to flag her down we remained steadfastly ignored. We got up to leave, which summoned our passive aggressive and unapologetic server, and since I was fairly starving by then we just ordered. Update: my main beef was that they didn't seem to care, but the waitress kindly comped the whole meal afterwards. I stand by my assertion that you shouldn't come here if you're in a rush, but the crap service problem is pretty much gone. Original review resumes below. Should have left. The cooks were working hard but for whatever reason it took another 30 minutes or so for us to hear our food being called out for starting. During this time, the server tried to bring us two separate meals that we hadn't ordered. At every juncture of this experience I found myself wishing that the last time I'd considered getting up and going, I had. The food was good, but don't come here if you're already hungry or in a hurry.
(4)Jack F.
I come here pretty often. Service is good and same with the atmosphere. It really feels like a diner, especially since it was a train car before and they play a lot of 50's music. The food is good but not amazing. Don't order anything you usually wouldn't find at a diner. I usually get one of their hot sandwiches like the reuben.
(4)Brian H.
This place had changed a few owners, but the current owners have it dialed in. Super good food, shockingly good, especially for the price. I got chicken and waffles and this was the best fried chicken I have ever had. It was crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside and the waffle with aolie sauce was so good! We also had the Ruben which was hot and fresh all the way through. Lots of gluten free options. Definitely recommend for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
(5)Jacob B.
Strong branding, good customer service, and delicious food makes this place a must to try while on Bainbridge Island. I had the Madison Monster and it's totally worth it, even if it is slightly messy to eat. I would have given it 5 stars if the customer service was a tad more responsive to my emptied water glass which wasn't checked till my meal was already finished. Also, the bathroom is pretty clean but there's a unique smell to it that isn't too pleasant. But for American style food, this place is terrific! I highly recommend it.
(4)Samantha M.
We went over to Bainbridge Island for the day, and the meal at Madison Diner was one of the highlights. A great gluten free menu, delicious food..... We got one of the monster burgers.... it really is monster. I've never seen a bigger burger in my life! Not only that but the atmosphere is fantastic. In an old school diner trolley it's the perfect setting. It can be hard to get a table though, but when you do it's worth it!
(5)Patricia W.
I thought the place would have been better given all the good reviews. I went tonight. There were 5 of us. Most liked their food. The breading on the fish and chips was not liked. I had to wait for my meal, while everyone else was eating. My waitress, I thought had gone to go get it, but was talking with another table for quite some time before I asked another waitress to please get my food. My kids ordered peppermint shakes to go, we got vanilla. Had to ask for new ones. Purchased 2 chorizo burgers (a bit spicy, but overall liked), the fish and chips (did not care for the breading), I ordered an omelet ( I am not sure which one, it had bacon, chorizo, sausage, ham and cheese). The egg was cold from sitting out. Also ordered was a Wafflwich, the egg was also cold in that one too. The overall food was ok, but due to the service, I will not return. There are too many restaurants with good service and good food to waste my time there.
(2)Bert A.
Great service from our waitress. The food was good and the 60's diner atmosphere was spot on of course since it is an original dining call from Willow Grove out side Philadelphia.
(4)Brian L.
This diner always seems busy and there is always a wait. But, the diner food does not disappoint. I'm not crazy about the pancake or waffle type of breakfast generally. I think my friend said that hers was pretty spongy or tasteless. My eggs were pretty simplistic, no frills no thrills. But sometimes diner food just hits the spot.
(3)Amy M.
Always excellent food and superb service. Their pancakes are the best I know of. Keep my coffee refilled.
(5)Jaymi M.
Visited this diner after discovering it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives from the Food Network. The wait was much longer than we ate our meal. I ordered a corned beed hash and it was just okay. Nothing special about it. Would I come back for more? No. Small parking lot, small restaurant. My husband ordered a shake to go with his meal and it never showed up. At least it wasn't charged on the bill.
(3)Sara S.
Stopped here for lunch while visiting the Island for the day, with my two kids. We got a burger, chicken strips and a cob salad we all enjoyed our meals. Basic diner food and prices very reasonable for the area we thought. Waitresses were attentive and didn't rush you. We'd go back again.
(4)Wab M.
Awesome! This place has changed ownership several times over the last few years, but the current ownership has done the best job by far. The booths have been fixed and are finally comfortable. The waitresses are very friendly and competent. The menu is quite broad, and there's something for everyone. The shakes are the best on the island. The food isn't always consistently great, but it is a diner after all. Wait times can be long if they're crowded, but you've got WiFi and TV to keep you entertained while you wait. I've never had a terrible meal here.
(5)Kim S.
Awesome food (large and varied menu), cool Art Deco atmosphere with period tunes and a prompt, friendly staff. Best chicken fried steak with gravy outside of the Midwest. It was the perfect comfort food, breakfast-for-dinner sit at the grill/counter meal -- replete with hash browns, scrambled eggs (I added tabasco...yum!) and subbed in sliced fresh tomatoes rather than a biscuit. Perfect to soothe a transplanted Hoosier food hankering. No room left for one of their fantastic old fashion soda fountain chocolate malts, but highly recommend just stopping in for one of those, if you can.
(5)S B.
When it comes to restaurants that have been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, I find the quality to be anything but consistent. I've had some fantastic, some awful, and some okay but nothing special. Madison Diner falls into the third category. I feel like this is a place that people come to for the atmosphere moreso than the food. I ordered the salmon hash, thinking the salmon would be fresh, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. Fish was also a bit dry. Everything else was done just fine though. I'm sure they've got some good items on the menu, I just struck out today. So if you go, avoid the fish.
(3)Bot N.
Food is excellant service not so much, dont sit outside if given the option AND you intend to eat
(4)Elizabeth M.
We went here because it was a diner car with solid reviews and I thought my fiancé would like the novelty. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table at breakfast (reasonable) and the best place to wait seems to be outside. The ambiance can be spotty if you have a child behind you rocking your back rest (I did), but at the same time this is a great place to bring a kid. The food is classic diner fare, some a bit modernized, but boy is it done right! The hash browns were those classic shredded diner cakes, but the texture and browning was perfect. The eggs were done right. The chicken fried steak was very good, and they biscuits were soft and pre-buttered. The waffles were they best I've had in a long, long time. And the prices were great. In all, a great diner experience and very satisfying breakfast.
(4)James N.
So we returned for a dinner later one evening on the way home from Seattle. It was so much better this time! I had the fried chicken and waffles..my first time having this dish anywhere. Also had a side of mac n cheese. It was great. If I hadn't been in uniform I would have had a beer to round out the experience. We will be looking to return whenever we don't feel like cooking dinner, as its also one of the only places our 9 year old daughter will suggest.
(4)Kellie H.
Ordered cheeseburger w/ a side salad after eating most of the salad I found a moth in the lettuce. My daughters child burger was brought to us undercooked and mushy! The service was horrible and slow.. The diner was only half full and it took us a long time to get our undercooked, mushy cheeseburgers and moth ridden salad.
(1)Samantha S.
The friendliest diner staff I've ever had, good wireless access and generous refills on the tasty coffee, and OH MY GOODNESS if the sweet potato pancakes are on special, you'd be a fool not to try them! Best pancakes I've had all year. Thanks for the hospitality, Madison Diner! Highly recommended.
(5)A H.
Great food although only tried breakfast items so far. It's usually busy so expect some waiting times. Furniture could use some upgrading. Alwyas have had friendly staff.
(4)Christina W.
We were brought in by the appearance of the building. The building is adorable, very small, not a lot of seating, but we were in quick. As soon as you walk in, the smell keeps you. If there wasn't seating, once you smell the inside, you will wait for a seat. The service was good. It's small, so naturally not a lot of staff. Our food came out quickly, and was delicious. Only 3 stars today, because I've only been there one time. I will definitely go back!
(3)Angela C.
The food was delicious, but the service wasn't very good. We had to ask for menus, the waitstaff never checked on us once we had our food, and we had to ask for our check 3 times.
(4)Trina H.
Massive disappointment. My husband and I have lived in the Seattle area for 3 years now and had yet to take the ferries anywhere. We decided to take our daughter for an exploration trip and go to Bainbridge Island. I am a Food Network fan and have often used it as an excuse to go to the various restaurants that are featured. I found the Madison and it looked promising. I had the Salmon Hash, My husband the Madison Monster, and my daughter the mickey pancake. ALL of them were overcooked. The pancake was dark brown with edges in black, the burger was so dry my husband drowned it in ketchup as well as myself with the Salmon Hash. So far Food Network has not led us to a bad meal but this was by far the worse!
(1)Louise M.
The diner that has gone through several owners, it looks like its settled down now. The food is very good, tasting home made and yummy...special recommendations: old school milk shakes, so thick hard to use a straw, home made soups like momma and the daily specials. I want to share special stars for the people that run the place, all the waitresses and cooks are lovely., gracious people. My family's illness has us using that take out order a lot, and they couldn't be nicer, even when i leave the credit card behind.
(5)T D.
I found this place on Yelp, and decided to check it out. I ordered the Homemade Chili and Biscuit, it was delisicous! The place is a little trailer diner and decent. The meal was suppose to come with corn bread but they didn't have corn bread available, so I choose the biscuit instead. Overall, I was happy with my meal :)
(4)Manda B.
My favorite thing about this diner is the atmosphere. The food isn't really wow-worthy, but it's still good. I like that you can order breakfast any time of the day there, cause sometimes nothing really beats breakfast for dinner. The place is rather small, so it's not ideal for groups but the booths will sit a family of four pretty easily. There's additional seating at the bar area, too. I would suggest not sitting at the two-person table on the left side because it's directly next to the kitchen. The place is kind of close-quartered to begin with, so if you don't wanna smell what's going on in the kitchen then sit on the opposite side (near the bathrooms - lol). The waitresses are sweet and the food has been consistently tasty. Try the milkshakes!
(4)C Z.
Service is great. Food is awesome. I love this place for Sunday Breakfast. They are also open for Lunch and Dinner. I have not tired them for this but for Breakfast AWESOME!!!!!!
(5)John S.
Delicious!! The Salmon Hash is amazing (super garlicky, so plan accordingly, lol).
(5)Ranee S.
This was my second visit to Big Star Diner. A few years ago we tried to visit only to find that the cooks had walked out. 2nd visit I was a bit hesitant, I mean, if the cooks are going to walk out, why do I want to go? But my friend wanted to give it a try. And thank goodness we did. Turns out the restaurant is under new ownership and after almost 3 years in the Seattle area, I have finally found a restaurant with decent Mexican food. The green chile was fantastic! I wanted more and more of it. My friend got the chili cheese loaded baked potato that was delicious as well. Not your standard diner fare, but good nonetheless. The decor was a bit dated and could use some sprucing, but our server was wonderful. My drink was never empty, which is the sign of a great server in my book. There was also a table of little girls next to ours that fell in love with our server, she was very personable.
(3)Volta V.
We ate breakfast here for the first time on a Wednesday morning. Service was prompt and efficient. The menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner offered a reasonable selection. Not the 100+ options of some busier classic diners, but a good selection none the less. My partner is vegetarian, and appreciated the numerous non-meat choices, all easily identified with a "green leaf" on the menu. The mix of patrons at 8 AM was a cross-section of people, clearly mostly regulars, but all were friendly. A casual chat with another patron indicated that it can become crowded on weekends; with limited seating I can understand why. We will be back.
(4)Jack S.
The new owners have done wonders to this place! It's sure fun to have an old 1940-style diner on Bainbridge. Great food and good service. The chocolate malt was awesome as was the "senior burger". Although it's primarily a breakfast an d lunch place they are open Thursday thru Saturday until 8pm with a dinner menu, also. It's booth and counter seating so a group over 4 is probably going to have to break up. They also offer free WiFi.
(4)Angelina Z.
Utter disbelief that anyone would give this place more than 1 star. This must be the difference between people who have properly working taste buds and those that don't. I came here solely on the rave reviews Guy Fieri gave this place ( Not the first time I've been let down by a "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives feature) . I ordered the Salmon hash that was not only featured on the show but highly recommended on Foodnetwork.com . Salmon is synonymous with Washington state and what they served was pure chum meat! Dried to the core and lacking flavor. It's was mixed with what tasted like previously frozen greasy soft hash ( the waitress confirmed my suspicion that the potatoes including fries are not homemade). My husband ordered the same and couldn't get past the dry jerkey like state of the salmon chum meat. My husbands friend ordered the fish and chips and had to rush to the restroom about 20 minutes later to vomit. His fries were soft and greasy, not fresh and crispy, the breaking on the fish left much to be desired. Those wanting to visit based on some hyped up mythos the Food Network created around this place best beware!
(1)Dyer O.
Madison is a place where everyone knows your name. Come to Madison for the hometown, neighborly feel. Stay for the great food. The basics: menu is diverse and caters to a variety of diets, such as vegetarian or steak lover. The specials, however, are always such a treat that I never get a chance to go back to the menu. The prices are very reasonable. The wait staff has always been amazing, especially Erica, who you can tell works very hard for you and even on the toughest days, still manages a smile. And the owners, Cindy and Brian, are up front, hard working, and a charming part of the atmosphere. This is the one bastion of casual on Bainbridge Island that is laid back and easy going. If you find a restaurant on the island, chances are that they making the effort to be upscale, pricey, and in many cases touristy to hold up to a boutiquey ideal. Madison can service the tourists with pleasure, but it doesn't do so by sacrificing anything for the locals and regulars, or its neighborhood ambiance. If you take away one thing from this review, it's the feel of the Madison Diner -- a true home-style, neighborly, laid back feel. The one downside -- and I feel guilty saying this because I have so much love for the place -- in recent time the servers have started wearing kitschy attire. Establishments forcing cheesy, kitschy uniforms is one pet peeve I have. I usually don't patronize businesses with this practice, but the Madison makes up for it with everything else they have going on. They still get five stars from me. I wish, hope and pray that they will eventually stay open for late hours. Currently they stay open until 8 p.m. some nights. If they keep their doors open until midnight, they'd find a crowd of late-night islanders who are under served on the island.
(5)Esteban V.
The menu had a variety of great choices. My burger was awesome and the service was exactly what I wanted from a diner experience.
(4)mike m.
So here's the deal; in the restaurant business you typically have one chance to make or lose a customer. If you have something on your menu that is mediocre while the rest of the menu is good or better, then dump the mediocre item, or improve it -- do this and your business will thrive. With that said, I am going to complain about the fish and chips as others here have done. The fish itself was just okay, the batter on the other hand was horrible. It was bland and gave the appearance of still being frozen. It looked as if it had been shipped in from some deep freezer from some far away place...years ago. It had the texture of cardboard and not even Ketchup could save this batter. The fries were okay, but when the fish is that bad, not even the best tasting fries are going to save the meal. Slaw was typical. Considering some of the other reviews, it sounds like there must be some items on the menu worth trying, but I doubt I will take the risk. Customer lost.
(1)Ruth D.
The worst! terrible burnt food, dried veggies a burger smothered in oregano/sage? and we had to wait for our food- and it was only 5 pm, one other person in the diner? Then they put 25% tip on my debit card without my permission- "oh that's our systen it will drop off", after I called. So I have to monitor this per my bank, per the owner? Stay away! Another Bainbridge rip-off!
(1)Melissa D.
This place has changed owners--and names--more times than I can remember in the last couple of years, but the food we had there last weekend was PERFECT. The new owners expanded the menu and brought it back to being a true diner. (The last owner had a ton of Mexican dishes and diner foods often had Mexican flair.) I wanted a Rueben with turkey instead of corned beef and they were happy to comply. It was really well cooked, with crisp bread, juicy meat, melted cheese and lots of sauerkraut and 1000 Island dressing. The french fries on the side were absolute perfection. Crisp, clean and just the right amount of salt. I love to dip fries in Ranch dressing and I am pretty sure they made the Ranch from scratch. Wonderful! I hope this place can keep up the good work. I would hate to loose such a gem!
(5)Kiel H.
Horrible service. The helper literally threw menus at us and walked away. The server came over and I requested someone else works our table she got a huge attitude and said look at me in the eye you'll be dealing with me. Never go here. Didn't even bother to order since service was so bad.
(1)Ken R.
I love diners like this. Traditional atmosphere and menu to match a diner's tradition. Big juicy burgers, good french fries, and good shakes. Enjoyed my visit to this diner while staying in Seattle. Walked onto a ferry in Seattle, short ferry ride to Bainbridge, 3/4 mile walk from the ferry to The Madison Diner for some hearty diner food. Enjoyed the day and food. Nice owner and friendly people at the diner. Enjoy!
(4)Dana R.
This is a 3.5 star review (my meal was 4 star, my husband's 3 star and service 2.5 stars). So glad this venue has new owners who are using scratch-made and fresh ingredients. The entire menu (breakfast and lunch), which is extensive, is served all day long (7 am to 3 pm). Too bad they're not open for dinner or take-out in the evening ... I had the house-made corned beef hash with a delicious buttery and fluffy house-made biscuit with house-made raspberry freezer jam (you have to ask for it - they have small packets of Smuckers, etc. on the tables). The corned beef is thinly sliced and not too clovey for me -- there's a nice hint of apple cider vinegar. The beef is fried up on the flat grill with onions, green peppers, shredded potatoes, and cheddar cheese. Comes with 2 eggs your way - I ordered them fried over-medium ... they came just as I asked for them. The portion size is ridiculously large -- it could feed 3 people (I took more than 1/2 home) -- I don't rate for portion size, but if I did, I'd knock a star off because nearly everyone in the joint could stand to lose a few (or more) pounds and portion sizes like this don't help and it's often times a waste of food. My husband ordered the grilled meatloaf sandwich with fries and was pleased with the fries - well seasoned and crispy. The meatloaf, itself, was too dry and lacked seasoning -- certainly doesn't compare well to my mom's meatloaf! I do wish they had strawberry freezer jam. The Streamliner Diner on the island does have a great strawberry freezer jam and good biscuits but the remainder of their food isn't as good at Madison Diner in my view). I'm curious enough to try the burgers ... I am still in search of a decent burger on Bainbridge Island (Doc's Marina Grill and The Harbour Public House don't cut it in my book). Although, given the lack of dinner service and our travel schedule, it may not happen anytime soon ... The service was friendly but inattentive after we placed our initial order. It was packed so it took about 25 minutes or so for our food to be ready (I'm not reducing the rating for this). However, we had to ask to have our food delivered -- we saw it sitting for about 5 minutes after the cook put it up for delivery as multiple servers walked by, looked at the dishes sitting there, and went to other tables (they were busy). Another couple sitting at the bar (literally next to where the food is put out for delivery) had to ask the cook behind the counter to have their food delivered after watching it sit there without a server in sight; the cook obliged, apologized and came around the counter to deliver their meal. We also had to ask for our bill and to have my meal boxed up. The server dropped a box at the table for me to scrap my meal into -- it would have been nice for her to have done that for me (even if at the table). No one came to ask us how our meal was -- and, as such, my husband didn't get the chance to order an iced tea to have with his meal.
(3)Laura G.
This was our second time at Madison Diner. First visit, I gave it 3 stars bc of the very long wait for our food. That was not an issue this time. Had the chicken and waffles which were very tasty although I didn't care for the aioli sauce and felt the chicken was better without it. Husband had the daily special, shepards pie, and enjoyed it. Only recommendation would be for them to have more than one type of pie available. Other than that, food, server, and atmosphere were all worthy of four stars. Will go again.
(4)Michelle B.
I had been to this diner a few years ago and never returned. We heard it was under new management, and tried it today, and wow, what an improvement! So far, it's one of the few places we've found on Bainbridge that serves just plain buttermilk pancakes. It's not super fancy, the food is very much diner style, and that's what makes it delicious. I had pancakes, eggs, and hashbrowns. The pancakes were thick and perfectly cooked, the hashbrowns were nice and crispy, it was good diner style food. They have a good selection of Mexican style breakfasts as well that looked really good (including a pork tamale with eggs that I really want to try next time I'm there). The food really gets 4 stars (good, but standard diner fare, a nice change from the otherwise fancy breakfasts on the island), but the service brought it up to 5 stars. Our waitress (Erika) was amazingly perky, and just really nice and helpful. She took our order promptly, kept the coffee coming, and brought the food out as soon as it came off the grill. We will definitely go back again. I'm just really happy to find a place that serves great pancakes, since it's my husband's favorite food.
(5)Kyle M.
New owner has done wonders for this diner. The service and food quality has increased exceptionally well. It's all booth or counter seating, so it doesn't really support large groups. The establishment is very clean and the lot provides plenty of parking. Highly recommend this place for the food quality and level of service the staff provide. Oh, and they provide free Wifi.
(4)Elaichee V.
Mediocre good on a good day, on a bad day the fish and chips came out with the fish cold inside and the chips old and far from crisp. We asked for a simple substitution but the server got it wrong. The other time we ate here the brunch was passable, but barely. I expect more from a good diner.
(2)Melissa D.
I've been here a few times and am never disappointed with the experience. It's typical diner food (which is a plus, as far as I'm concerned) served fast and reasonably priced. Always delicious. Service is dependable. Atmosphere is fun. Can come with family to spend a leisurely dinner or have a quick lunch on a workday.
(4)Rainsford W.
Food taste was ok, inside was hard to breathe with heavy oil smell. It is also pricy for what it has to offer.
(2)Tiffany L.
From lipstick on your glass to grease squirting from your scrambled eggs onto your soggy biscuits, the Madison Diner was almost a total bust. The upside...friendly, attentive wait staff.
(1)Eddie R.
Just went there for a late breakfast today. M had sausage and gravy on buttermilk biscuits, Colton had Belgium waffle with strawberries, and I had their homemade chorizo and egg scramble with hashbrowns and buttermilk biscuits. The food was awesome and we all shared a blackberry shake - yummy.
(4)Brittany P.
Yum!! I enjoyed my visit to the Madison Diner. We stopped in after a day of shopping in Seattle and I'm so glad we did. We were greeted promptly, the area was clean and the food superb. The menu was pretty extensive and had both breakfast and lunch. I had the chicken fried steak and eggs and there was enough food to feed two people. The gravy was to die for and the steak cooked perfectly. Good old fashioned comfort food in a fun atmosphere. I will definitely be back and soon!
(5)Don L.
After reading their history on the back of the menu, I started to think that it was a miracle that this restaurant is still open. It seemed like a lot of ownership change. With that said, I'm glad that it's still opened! The food here was surprisingly delicious! I had the corned beef mash and also tasted their reuben. It was all very good. The strawberry shake was also very yummy. One of the best tasting shakes I've had! To the restaurant owners, I'd suggest having some music playing and/or having your TV on to make the place feel more lively. Also, I'd suggest having something/anything spelled out on the sign above the grill. The other sign has info about your milkshakes (which is why I ordered one). It's subtle advertising, but works! This is #28 on my quest to eat all the Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives in America (or at least in So Cal...and possibly Maryland and Washington).
(4)Jill E.
Haven't eaten here for years since we've moved from the area but since we were around thought we'd give it a try. used to make wonderful burgers with to die for onion rings, but alas since it changed hands it's just ok and no longer wonderful. I had a BLT, hard to ruin that but the fries that came with it were cold. My friend ordered a cup of the soup of the day which came as a huge bowl that was so spicy she could hardly eat it. whatever they were doing under the old ownership, they need to go back to that.
(3)Tinky R.
Yum! A "must do" when on the island!!!!
(5)Allison K.
Wow! What a find! The diner itself is completely restored from an abandoned diner which originally was situated in PA then in NJ! (We are from the East Coast, so we love a good diner!) It has that really classic look inside, is clean, the staff is very friendly, the menu is well done and the food is great. Exactly what you'd expect, and then some - wholesome, tasty, and not uber-healthy! They even serve dinner three nights a week. We will definitely be back. The cornmeal pancakes were great, as were the buttermilk (I asked for a sample on my short stack so I could try BOTH!). The whole family, grandparents included, were raving. All the best to them!
(5)Michelle D.
YUM! Fantastic breakfast and yummy lunch choices. (haven't had dinner there yet) must try the turkey melt, it's amazing! Omletts are great too. If you haven't been here in a while, be sure to check it out! But, don't be surprised if you have to wait on a sat or sun morning, it can get crazy! So great to have a good diner in town!
(4)emily p.
After reading all of the other reviews posted, I was a little confused about weather this place still existed. But after calling them and paying it a visit, I can say that it is open but may have changed ownership or name, because the sign outside doesn't say Big Star but the one inside did. My cousins and I decided to take a road trip and decided to drive out there because it had been on Diners Drives-Ins and Dives with Guy Fierri. I ordered the Mushroom Burger and for my side I got Mac n Cheese. It was a standard burger; it wasn't great but it wasn't bad and the Mac n Cheese was the same story. My cousin ordered the Heartburn burger which sounded like one of those things that was destined to be so bad it was actually great. It had chilies, avocado, re fried beans, and a ton of other stuff on top! But unfortunately it was more of a train wreck than a burger. It was so messy that half of the thing ended up on his plate, not between the bun. The food here isn't bad, but its not something to remember either. But if this is indeed the place that Guy Fierri visited for his show, I seriously question his credibility and what he considers to be "good" food. I could list off five restaurants that were infinitely more memorable than this place.
(2)Alvin N.
I was Craving Breakfast on the Island, so I checked out the Big Star Diner. Your in a Old School Diner Car, which gives it an Extra Star* for a Cool Retro Factor !! The Service that I got was Fast and Friendly. I Ordered the Salmon Hash, which consisted of 2 poached eggs on top, tasty potatoes & a fillet of Salmon all mixed together, & Toast on the Side with Strawberry Jam. Mixing that all together called for an enjoyed meal. So Expect diner-like food with some unexpected twists. Big Star Diner Specializing in American Diner, Breakfast. & Shakes too.
(4)Scott S.
Not a fan of diner food but this was really flavorful! I will actually be going back.
(5)Rebecca W.
My husband and I are big on breakfast, and we have had better. Three things that matter to us; Food portion, Food Quality, and Service. The food portion was amazing, and I give that 5/5 stars. The quality was meh, 3/5. Of the four people at my table to get toast, all four had burned edges. The burnt toast smell started when we got in, continued while we sat, happened to our toast, and remained until we left. Service, 1/5. 3 of the 4 at our table ordered coffee, and the server came with two cups to start. One asked for cream, and it never came. We asked for straws, and those did not get delivered either. We didn't see our server but a few times, and decided to ask for the bill instead of having it brought to us. We have to go 30min out of our way to get to this diner, so I am not sure if we will make the drive for sub par service again.
(2)N. Q.
Rating is for the food, not the service. Waitress and cooks were friendly. Food was mediocre. Had the chicken fried steak. It was crispy and hot. The gravy was another story. Although it was warm, the gravy had started to coagulate so it was a lumpy mess. Looked really unappetizing. Should've been stirred and warmed a bit longer.
(2)Molly M.
My husband and I saw the formally Big star diner on "diners, drive-ins, and dives" over 4 years ago. they raved about the cornmeal pancakes. and the awesome breakfasts. I am a cornmeal and polenta fanatic. It has been all I could talk about every single day off for 4 years. "this weekend I'm going to drive all the way from Seattle to get my pancakes!" well it's been a long time coming but I finally made it. this last weekend my husband and I decided to make the trip from where we live now in Tacoma. it took us about an hour and a half to get there. upon walking in place was cute and looked pretty clean. it was cool to see the old dining car and it was a beautiful sunny day. nothing could ruin this meal for me! I was so excited. we grabbed a table by the window and an open door to the patio. we got our menus and quickly realized that the cornmeal pancakes weren't on the menu. I asked the server who was very nice and she informed me that they had run out and that they weren't making any more for the day. WHAT!!!!??? I was so sad. I really just wanted to leave at that point. nothing else sounded good. after we started looking over the menu we realized that a bunch of stuff was crossed off in black sharpie which is never a good sign. we decided to split a 2 egg breakfast and a REGULAR pancake. I had read other yelp review and hear about their fluffy goodness. the food took a while to come to the table and when it did the server apologized and said that the egg yolks kept breaking. :( I know from food experience that when an egg yolk break its because the eggs are old. duh! so I was skeptical. I decided not to eat any of the egg breakfast and stuck to my measly pancake which was flat and not fluffy. I took a bight and it was was Very greasy. not good butter greasy but it seriously tasted like old vegetable oil. you couldn't taste anything else but the grease. I was also disappointed at the syrup. it was gross fake maple and butter flavored. I started acting like a child and started smashing my pancake, when I did you could literally see the oil rise from the pancake and seep down the side. I was done. I was grossed out and sad that I had waited so long to the cornmeal pancake that I had glorified and dreamed about. what and utter let down. THANKS A LOT GUY FIERI! to top it all of it took forever to get the check and the bill came to 28 bucks for 2 people and the worst B fast I have ever had! oh and the 1 star is for service. the waitress was really nice but kinda aloof
(1)Jaimee B.
We went there thinking it would be really good and the food was pretty nasty. We should have turned and walked out when we seen the place was empty. Gut bomb food
(2)n a.
Finally returned here after all the changes in ownership....NOW it is really GREAT! Had a perfect diner breakfast. Highly recommend to all!!
(5)Tommy T.
Just hit the diner for the first time. Great greasy, charbroiled diner food. 3 kids who had pancakes, cheese burgers. Not much to expect in downtown bainbridge so I would give it 3.5 stars. Good service for a good price
(3)Craig T.
On my second visit I ordered the owner's favorite lunch - the club sandwich. I have a big appetite, but i could not finish this huge place of first-rate sandwich and crispy fries.
(5)Maria H.
The last review said that they have closed and should have re-opened this January, is that so? Well, I too have watched Guy's review on his Food Network TV show "Diners, Drive-In's and Dives," and was hoping to go there this weekend for the Chinese New Year Lunar celebration in Bainbridge. I'll go check this place out and maybe write back. Has anyone gone there more recently? If so, let us know dude!! (just based on the tv review by Guy, I'll give this place 3 stars)
(3)Christine H.
1st time in here as we are new to the area. My husband loved his burger and onion rings and their chocolate malt is easily the best we have ever had. I tried huervos rancheros and they were marvelous. The only downside is they close at 3 pm. Best place we've eaten on Bainbridge so far.
(4)Ruth D.
Best burger! Then surprise a real malt- the old fashioned kind! So nice to experience a good burger with all the works! Looking forward to trying their Ruben!
(4)RN W.
We came for lunch earlier in the week looking for a reasonably priced burger. The cheeseburger was very good and the fries were thin and hot. In addition our service was nice, we waited a bit for the table but the owner repeatedly visited with us and let us know our business was appreciated.
(4)Adam d.
ok, so this place is now officially mediocre. I'm not sure it was just a lucky day when I had my previously-mentioned "light and fluffy cornmeal pancakes", but I've been back twice for breakfast (both on rainy mornings, come to think of it) and there was no light and no fluff and no joy to be had. The eggs were too done, the bacon was too done and not done enough -- neither nicely fatty nor nicely crispy -- sad sad sad sad sad sad sad. so why the 3 stars? because their other food is decent, and I don't want to let my obsession with pancakes (of which I make a killer sample, courtesy of what we call "the anal cookbook" aka The Best Recipe from the scientists at Cook's Illustrated: we try everything so you won't have to) stand in the way of fair judgement. Their sandwiches: good; their salmon hash: good; their omelettes and huevos rancheros: good; their service: well, it ain't rhoda or flo from mel's diner. If you're looking for good diner food that won't make you sick, with reasonable prices, this is it. But I don't recommend the pancakes. In case I wasn't clear before.
(3)Renee R.
Our Family has been here 3 times in one month. We love it. Great service, delicious food, and always worth making time for a sweet treat. Next time we are ordering the waffles. I am from the south where generous amounts of good comfort food served in a casual and friendly environment is valued highly. If you have kids, make a time for a sit down meal together here.
(5)MissMaryAnn D.
"you want ketchup with that?" Nice, solid diner food, although they can be a little off when busy. In the past, service has been forgetful and a little snippy, and the eggs scrambled beyond recognition. I have enjoyed their sandwiches: very grown up grilled cheese, as well as a very nice fresh turkey with cranberry sauce, and they have a decent grilled salmon fillet, which is a standby for me. After reading Alvin's review, I had salmon hash on the brain, and I thought I'd give them another try. I had to corral huzbeau away from his latest home-improvement project (no hunny, you can't wear your tool belt to the restaurant), and he was glad I did when he tucked into his fluffy and tasty corn meal hotcakes. Really nice - he had them with scrambled eggs and some nice crispy bacon. Big Star is generous with the real maple syrup - not those little one ounce thimble things, but a proper syrup pitcher. In the words of the allegedly late, great Elvis Presley: Thank you. Thank you very much. Apparently, I had not had the salmon hash before because it is on the morning menu - I don't do morning, so that explains it. They kindly made it for me anyway (Thank You. Thank you very much), and it was tasty good, with eggs poached the way I like. It came with sourdough toast - some of which found its way to that syrup pitcher. I love a nice, late Sunday breakfast , and this is a good place to get it. (And psst - I swear that was Elvis at the counter). p.s. Don;t believe everything you see on TV - honestly, I suppose you believe everything you read in People Magazine too.
(3)Ernie H.
Yup, we went back here in late August 2008 and Big Star is no more. It is some kind of BBQ joint now. We opted to head down the street a few blocks to "Doc's Marina Grill" (see my review, above) on recommendation of a few of the locals. It was great!! Beautiful view of the marina, comfortable inside and friendly staff. Check it out!
(1)dave m.
Very cool ambiance, and really nice staff. I got the Reuben, and it was excellent. Girlfriend got the biscuits and gravy with eggs, and it was one of the best I have ever had
(4)