Ridge Diner (Park Ridge)

Ridge Diner (Park Ridge, NJ)

Diner Number 200…

I’ve been waiting to reach this point for a couple of months now.  Once I reached about 175, I became increasingly excited to go with my 200^th.  Why like anything it’s just a number.  For 100, I ended up at the Silver Coin Diner in Hammonton.

We were traveling back from Connecticut and the Ridge Diner in Park Ridge, NJ, was right on the way.  A few people had mentioned it was a good diner, so I decided to stop.  Maybe it was just an off day, but nothing about my experience there was pleasant.

Ridge Diner Atmosphere: F
I arrived at the Ridge Diner during the lunch hour, and almost every table, booth, and seat was taken.  Being busy is fine, and I have no issues waiting.  There was one table in the far back, and I was immediately sat there.  The problem was, the tables were far too close to each other, and upon sitting down, a waiter said I would need to “scoot in” for the meal because he couldn’t pass.  I don’t sit exceptionally far from tables; in fact, I sit rather close to things.  In order to be close enough, my body was sitting against the table.  During the entire meal, I felt as though as I was sharing a conversation, a meal, and time, with three other parties.

Ridge Diner Coffee: B

The coffee at the Ridge Diner was decent.  It wasn’t good or bad, but the waitress didn’t bring until the meal when I asked.

Ridge Diner Food: F
The Ridge Diner menu is impressive.  They have everything from breakfast to lunch and dinner.  They have plenty of healthy options, including salads and sandwiches.  I was between the roast beef and breakfast but decided to order the steak and eggs.  I had a good experience at the previous diner, so I had high hopes.

The steak at the Ridge Diner was one of the most rubbery pieces I’ve had.  The meal was small, and it when it came out, it didn’t even look appetizing.  When I went to eat the steak, it tasted as if it had burned residue from other meals and was cooked dirty grill.  It didn’t taste good.  I tried to find the positive, but it just wasn’t a good meal.  The food took so long to come out; I didn’t have a lot of extra time to wait for a new meal.

Ridge Diner Service: D
The waitress was friendly, which saved the entire service.  She was so busy, and the food took far too long to come out.

Ridge Diner Cost: $
For my steak and eggs as well as coffee, it was $18, which was not worth it at all.  The steak at the Ridge Diner was the worst restaurant steak I’ve had, and the portion didn’t merit the price either.

Overall thoughts/Would I Come back to the Ridge Diner:
No.  It stinks to have a bad experience, but that is all about the journey.

Atmosphere: F
Coffee: B
Food: F
Service: D
Cost: $10-20
Overall: F

You can see all 200 Diner reviews here.

Questions for you:

Tell me about one of your worst dining experiences!

How do you like your steak cooked?