FueledByLOLZ

Cinnaminson Diner

Recently, I went to the Cinnaminson Diner in Cinnaminson. The diner just reopened, and I wanted to try it. I have been twice now and had positive experiences both times. The first time I arrived around 6 pm on a Friday night, and it wasn’t too crowded. Since it’s located in a shopping center, there is plenty of parking.

Atmosphere: B
The Cinnaminson Diner is clean and open. It’s not a giant metallic building, but it’s clean and modern. Inside there are plenty of booths and tables.

One atmosphere point I found interesting, was this crack in the window. Was it caused by hail? A bullet hole? The world will never know…

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh. Other than wishing I had more, I have no complaints.

Service: B
While the restaurant was busy, the service was still rather slow. The waitress came over a few times, but we were left without beverage refills a few times.

Food: A
The Cinnaminson diner has everything a typical diner has. One of their newer specials is lobster ravioli. My dad ordered it the first time I went, and after seeing it, I thought it looked excellent and ordered for myself the second time. It was one of the biggest and most filling portions I’ve had in a while. Embarrassingly enough, I forgot to take a photo the second time I went!

I don’t order a lot of pasta when going out to eat and haven’t had lobster ravioli in years. I don’t have any complaints it was good.

The first time I ordered the Greek Salad which was just as good. It was a large portion was fresh ingredients. Instead of pita bread, they gave garlic bread which was unique.

Cost: $
For my coffee and lobster ravioli, the cost was $13. It was a good deal and I left full.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I enjoyed the Cinnaminson Diner both times. It’s a typical diner with nothing too crazy or unusual but it’s a good stop and one of the better ones along Route 130. I feel like I need to go back based on my lack of photos. 😉

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: B
Service: B
Food: A
Cost: $10-15
Overall: B

Closeby Diners: Jersey Diner, Route 130, Continental

Questions for you:
Do you like lobster?
What is your favorite type of pasta?
I like either ravioli or lasagna

Crystal Lake Diner (Revisited)

Many moons ago, the Crystal Lake Diner was one of the first diners I reviewed (Not to be confused with another favorite in Toms River: The New Crystal Diner).

When we originally went, were living in central Jersey at the time and taking a day trip to the Haddonfield area. Oddly enough the following year, we ended up moving about a quarter of a mile from the Crystal Lake Diner. We have since moved again but we aren’t the only ones who have gone through changes in the last few years.

We never went to the Crystal Lake Diner while living so close because shortly after we originally went, there was a massive fire which left it closed for about 2 years.

When they reopened several months ago, I knew eventually I had to go back.

Atmosphere: A
To be honest, I don’t remember a whole lot from the previous visit a few years ago. Now, the interior is brand new. It’s modern, clean and had plenty of space. We were immediately greeted with a dessert case including red velvet cake.

Crystal Lake Diner Haddon Township — Image via NJ Pen

Coffee: A
The Crystal Lake Diner brewed Lacas coffee which is a personal favorite of mine. It’s a local blend and it’s hard to mess it up. The waitress brought plenty of refills with plenty of whipped cream. I couldn’t ask for better coffee.

Service: A
The waitress was one of the best I’ve had in a while. Even though it was a busy Saturday night, she was always attentive to our table. She made sure we had plenty of refills the entire time. She was also extremely friendly.

Food: B
I do remember the menu at the Crystal Lake Diner is similar to their previous menu. It’s typical of a diner and they have several specials but nothing too unique. If you’re looking for a stereotypical diner menu, the Crystal Lake Diner is ideal.

Our dinner came with a homemade bread basket which came with cinnamon rolls, cheesy bread and corn muffins. Each were great but my favorite was the cheesy bread.

I decided to order the lobster ravioli. It came out in a nice marinara sauce. The ravilis themselves had plenty of lobster stuffed in without being overpowering. I would have preferred something else to come along side the ravilis or just more of them. I was actually surprised the portion size was not bigger.

Dessert: B

The lobster ravioli came with a pudding dessert so I chose the bread pudding. The waitress asked if I wanted whipped cream and how could I refuse?

The bread pudding with good and it was obvious they made it in house (and it didn’t just come from a tube). It was one of the better bread puddings I had, especially for coming with the meal.

Price: $
For my lobster ravioli and coffee the price was $15 which wasn’t bad for the amount of food I got. Especially considering it came with dessert!

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I enjoyed the Crystal Lake Diner both times I’ve been. I will definitely be back and it’s nice to see it reopen after the fire. The service was by far one of the best I’ve had in awhile.

Summary:
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Coffee: A
Food: B
Dessert: B
Cost: $8-15
Overall: B

Closeby Diners: Metro Diner, Black horse Diner, Legacy Diner

Questions for you:
Have you ever been to a restaurant after it reopened?
What is your favorite type of pudding?

Coach House Diner (North Bergen)

Recently I was at the Coach House Diner and Restaurant in North Bergen. Before leaving, I googled diners closeby, and the Coach House was only three miles away. I was driving around I arrived around 4 pm, and it took me over 20 minutes to drive 3 miles! I should have run.

Atmosphere: A
The Coach House plays the theme of a Coach House well. The outside looks like an old Coach House in the metro of North Bergen. It definitely sticks out.

The inside is dimly lit with stained glass windows. It’s large, and there are plenty of windows. It’s always good to the diner that went with it’s theme.

Service: C
The service at the Coach House was extremely slow. When I arrived, there were no more than 5 parties in the entire restaurant, but I still waited 5 minutes to be seated. The server came over a few times, but the food took a lot longer to come out than it should have.

Coffee: C
The coffee was okay. It was boring but at least it was warm, and there were no coffee beans inside. It was nothing unique or special to write about.

Food: B
The Coach House Diner has a lot more dinner and pub fare than actual diner fare. While you can get breakfast all day, the Coach House focuses more on dinner options such as steak, seafood, and burgers.

I ordered the Coach House Grilled Salad as an appetizer. When it came out, I was surprised to find no actual greens for the “salad.” It was a few ingredients separated on a plate. There was chicken, grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and broccoli. On the uncooked side, there were onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives.

There were far too many uncooked onions that most of them were left uneaten. It was an odd combination of either everything needed to be cooked or a raw salad. I enjoyed the grilled vegetables much more. It lacked bread which could have made it ten times better. The appetizer wasn’t bad but could have used a few upgrades.

For my entree, I ordered the guacamole burger. It felt as if they dumped packaged guacamole onto a burger, added a few toppings and called it a day. It wasn’t a bad burger, but it felt as though they didn’t try at all. The French fries were good but nothing usual. My actual entree was underwhelming.

Cost: $$
For the appetizer, coffee, and burger the cost was $24. It wasn’t a bad price considering the appetizer was essentially another meal.

Overall thoughts/Would I come back?
The Coach House wasn’t a bad stop. My meal was fine, but there are other diners around I prefer.

Summary:
Atmosphere: A
Service: C
Coffee: B
Food: B
Cost: $10-20
Overall: C

Closeby Diners I’ve Been: Tenafly Diner, Brownstone Diner (one of my favorites)

Questions for you:
Do you like onions?
Where is the best guacamole you’ve had?

Huck Finn Diner (Union)

A couple of weeks ago, the owner of the website, New Jersey Isn’t Boring, and I went to the Huck Finn Diner in Union. I thought I had been already but turns out I was thinking of the Tom Sawyer Diner or Mark Twain Diner. As you can see, there are a lot of literary diners around Union.

Long time readers know, but Cyd and I try and hang out at least once a month. She reviews diners as well as everything else in New Jersey so she is the pro…If you ever find yourself in New Jersey check out her website and you won’t have any trouble finding something to do.

We arrived on a dreary weekday, and the diner wasn’t terribly crowded. While I’ve wanted to go out to various diners as well as seeing friends, I also want to eat healthy during my lead up to the Atlantic City Half Marathon. Even though I didn’t run well, at least I ate healthy…I guess.

Atmosphere: B
There isn’t anything too unique or unusual about the Huck Finn Diner. It’s clean, and there is both a salad bar as well as full bar. It would be interesting if they added a Huck Finn painting or centered more of the atmosphere around the book. The building itself was clean, open and had plenty of seating so I can’t complain about that.

Service: B
The waitress was kind and refilled our beverages, but it did take awhile. We waited a few times for drink refills. The food itself took about 15 minutes to come out which wasn’t bad.

Coffee: A
The coffee was from Lacas and was piping hot. My only complaint was needing a bigger mug! Other than that, it was great.

Food: A
The menu at the Huck Finn Diner is huge, and they have everything you want or need in a diner. Plus they have plenty of specials as well.

I was hungry, so I decided to order the split pea soup. It came with a bowl of croutons to add to my soup at my leisure.

For my entree, I ordered the Huck Finn salad which came with arugula, blue cheese, apples and walnuts topped with balsamic dressing. They used red delicious apples which are my favorite apple. Like any salad, I prefer to add protein so I also added salmon. My salad itself was great, and I have no complaints. The salmon portion was one of the biggest of any diners I’ve been too. The salmon and salad were both extremely fresh.

Cost: $$
For my soup, salad, salmon and coffee the cost was $21. It was on the pricier side but worth it.

Overall thoughts/Would I come back?
I enjoyed the Huck Finn Diner and would definitely come back. It’s one of my favorites in the area.

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

Closeby Diners I’ve Reviewed: Mark Twain, Kenilworth

Questions for you:

What is your favorite salad base?

Do you prefer salad bars or ordering a salad?

Tenafly Classic Diner

Recently, I found myself in Northern New Jersey. I was hungry and have heard nothing but positive things about the Tenafly diner so I decided to stop.

It finally worked out that I was able to stop by. When I arrived around 5 pm on a weekday, it wasn’t too crowded, but by 6 pm, it was packed and there was a wait.

Atmosphere: A
The atmosphere of the Tenafly Diner is a picture perfect diner. The outside is a big, shiny metallic building and the inside has plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar.

Coffee: A
The Tenafly Diner brews Lacas coffee which has been a common theme of diners I’ve been too. Lacas Coffee is a located in Pennsauken, NJ. I always enjoy the coffee, and it’s hard to make it badly. Tenafly Diners coffee was great, and I have nothing but positive things to say. Unforatenly, I forgot to take a photo! I know, crazy!

Service: C
The service at Tenafly Diner was kind of strange. Midway through our meal, the server changed. There must have been miscommunication because it took a long time for the milkshake to come out and then all of the food came out together. Both servers were friendly, and I don’t have anything negative to say about them, it was just awkward.

Food: A
The Tenafly Diner has all of the classic diner entrees plus more. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but their meats are from the “Montana Meat Company”, so I decided to order a burger and fries.

Being indecisive, I decided I wanted seafood as well and ordered fish tacos as an appetizer. Honestly, it was enough for an entire meal. The tacos themselves were stuffed with avocado and cod. They were delicious. It was by far one of my favorite diner appetizers!

The burger came topped with cheese and onion ring. It was one of the biggest and most messy burgers to date. It was next to impossible to eat, and I felt like it was flying off onto other people’s plates. The French fries were topped with gravy and melted cheddar cheese. I joked it was probably one of the most unhealthy ways to eat fries, but they were good. By the time I got to the fries, I was so full, though.

Dessert: B
At the start of the meal, I ordered a brownie milkshake. Interestingly enough, the milkshake didn’t come with one of my favorite toppings: a cherry. That being said, it was a good milkshake. I like super sweet hard ice cream milkshakes, and that is exactly what it was.

Cost: $$
For the burger, appetizer, coffee and milkshake it was $30. The quality of food was there, and it was definitely worth it. In fact, it was a lot of food for that price.

Overall thoughts/Would I come Back?
I really liked the Tenafly Diner, and I would go back whenever I was in the area.

Summary:
Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Service: C
Food: A
Dessert: B
Cost: $15-20
Overall: A

Questions for you:
Do you like fish tacos?
What is your favorite type of milkshake?

Four Seasons Diner (Toms River)

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Four Seasons Diner in Toms River. This isn’t to be confused with the All Seasons Diner.

The owner of the website, New Jersey Isn’t Boring, and I met for lunch. Incase you’re interested we’ve been to several diners together including:
Park Nine
Daphne’s
Sherbans
Fountainbleau
Jersey Diner
Freeway Diner (Now closed)
Broad Sreet Diner (Her 100th review)!

Holy moly, we’ve definitely been to a lot of diners together. One of her goals and jobs is to review all of the diners in the state, so it’s always great to get her perspective as well as learn about fun New Jersey activities going on! You can see her review here.

Atmosphere: B
The Four Seasons Diner actually used to be an old Wawa. If you look carefully, you can tell but if you just walked by you would never guess. Inside the Four Seasons Diner looks like a typical restaurant, not a diner. It’s not bad, but it’s not an old metallic building. It’s a clean restaurant, but it doesn’t scream diner.

Service: C
The diner wasn’t crowded, but we waited for a while to be sat. If it were busy, it wouldn’t have a big deal, but we just waited. We went long periods without seeing out waitress. She was nice. However, she left our table for long periods of time.

Coffee: B
The coffee was good. There was nothing unique or special about it, but there was nothing bad either.

Food: B
The Four Seasons Diner had every time of diner food you can imagine. Toms River is right along the shore, and they have plenty of seafood options! I’ve heard their red pancakes were good, so that is what I chose to order. The pancakes were extremely thick and came with a cream cheese frosting. Of any red velvet pancakes I’ve had, these were definitely the best.

My date ordered the pizza special which was interesting. It was more of a flatbread than pizza which was disappointing considering they have a brick oven.

Cost: $$
For my pancakes and coffee the cost was $12. Not bad!

Overall Thoughts/Would I come back?
Even though the service wasn’t the best, I enjoyed the Four Seasons Diner and there were a lot of specials I was interested in trying. I would love to come back next time I’m in town!

Overall:
Atmosphere: C
Service: B
Coffee: B
Food: B
Cost: $8-12
Overall: B

Nearby diners I’ve tried: New Crystal Diner (I need to get to more shore diners)

Questions for you:
What’s your favorite type of pancake?
Have you ever had Wawa?

Scenic 90s Cafe (Pensacola)

While in Pensacola, my husband I decided to stop at the Scenic 90s cafe. When we moved from Texas to New Jersey, we actually had lunch there previously. Even though it was about 3 years ago, I remembered I really enjoyed it.

Atmosphere: A
The atmosphere of the Scenic 90s Cafe is everything you can picture in a diner. The outside is retro and shiny. It looks like an old rail car. The inside has plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar. You couldn’t ask for a more picture-perfect diner.

Coffee: A
The coffee was one of the best I’ve had in awhile. The waitress refilled it often, it was piping hot, and it tasted great. I couldn’t have asked for better coffee.

Service: A
The waitress was very pleasant. She refilled our drinks quickly, and our food came out quickly too. I was shocked because even though it was a Saturday at lunch time, our food came out within 15 minutes. You can’t beat that!

Food: B
The Scenic 90s Cafe has a smaller diner menu. They have several omelet and breakfast options and a few different diner staples such as sandwiches and fried fish. Their menu is one single trifold versus 10-20 pages like many diners in NJ.

I chose the Cajun Omelet with a biscuit and fresh fruit. The omelet had Crawfish tails, Andouille, onions, peppers, and Cajun seasoning. It was spicy, and I enjoyed it. The fruit cup was fresh, and it was obvious it didn’t come out of a can.

Cost: $
For my coffee and omelet, it was $13. Most items on the menu are inexpensive and they have several specials as well.

Overall thoughts/Would I come back?
I enjoyed the Scenic 90s Cafe, and I would definitely go back. The diner itself is very stereotypical and has everything you need in a diner. The Scenic 90s Cafe is a great stop in Pensacola, and I highly recommend it.

Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Coffee: A
Food: B
Cost: $8-12
Overall: A

Other Diners I’ve Ordered Eggs/Omelets at: Amys Omelet House, Angelos Diner (Pitman, NJ)

Questions for you:
Do you like Cajun food?
Have you ever been to Florida?

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: