Rock and Roll Diner (Oceano)

The Rock and Roll Diner is my first diner in over a year. Moving to California has put a squash on the diner scene. There are some, but no state will ever be as good as New Jersey. Anyway, I was excited to find a small diner up the Central Coast. Little did I know what I found. Outside, a large sign said: voted the best restaurant on the Central Coast. Neat!

Rock and Roll Diner Atmosphere: A

If you are looking for the most authentic diner in California, it might be the Rock and Roll Diner. It’s located in a vast train car on the side of the road. You won’t find a more authentic diner than that. The inside has plenty of memorabilia with not an inch of wall uncovered. There are probably 20-30 booths in total and plenty of seating. The retro booths and tables just scream blast from the past. I could see it getting crowded on weekends for breakfast and lunch.

Coffee: X

There was no coffee for me this time as I was on my way up north and didn’t want to stop too much.

Rock and Roll Diner Food: A

The Rock and Roll Diner menu has everything you expect and wants in a diner. I stopped around lunchtime and was in the mood for pancakes. The Rock and Roll Diner lunch and dinner menu also has several options, and it was hard to stick to breakfast. That’s what I came in for.

Some of the Rock and Roll Diner menu items that stuck out to me were:

• Biscuits n’ Gravy Combo: Two buttermilk biscuits topped with our homemade country sausage gravy, two eggs any style, and two bacon strips
• Seafood Omelet: Bay shrimp, krab, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, & jack cheese topped with fresh avocado
• Old West Cinnamon Rolls

You can see the entire Rock and Roll Diner menu here.

I decided on the large stack of pancakes plus an old West cinnamon roll (with frosting). I always think pancakes are risky because they will either be amazing or thin and gross. And in the 400 US diners I’ve been to, I’ve had many variations of both. These pancakes were good. They were not the biggest pancakes I’ve had, but they were enough to be filling.

The cinnamon roll was super tasty and dense. It was more of a loaf than a roll, but otherwise good. I’m a huge fan of the cinnamon roll so if you stop by you have to get one, with the frosting!

Service: A

My food was ready quickly, and the hostess was friendly. Honestly, what more do you need in a diner?

Cost: $$$

My pancakes and cinnamon rolls were $19, which was more expensive than I anticipated, but the food was good, and I have no complaints.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to the Rock and Roll Diner?

Yes, I enjoyed the food and the vibes, and it’s a short stop away from Pismo Beach. In all, I am a big fan, and I hope to get back again soon.  The Rock and Roll lunch and dinner menu looks just as good so I would love to get back during that time.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: X
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $12-$25
Overall: A

You can see 400+ diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
Have you been to the Rock and Roll Diner?
What is your favorite old train car diner?