Golden Diner Reviews

Showed up at 9:15 and there was a line already forming. Dropped off placeholders to wait in line. 45 minutes later, line around the block. Crazy busy.

We came here for mid-week brunch on our last day in the city and thought it was a really great meal at a good price and with excellent service.

Food was delicious. Small restaurant, but they have a good amount of heated outdoor seating so we did not have to wait. I ordered the egg sandwich with sausage. Came out looking and tasting great!

my family and I wanted meet for lunch so I decided it had to be an American diner as we had just arrived from Singapore. Golden Diner was such a pleasant experience in both the service and the food. Staff was attentive but not overtly. Food was creative, fusing Asian with Americana in just the right dose.. It was a bit of a trek finding it but it was worth it..

Sunday brunch in China town. Pancakes outrageous. Chicken katsu club delicious. Will go back for sure to maybe try breakfast burrito, burger or Ruben quesadilla.

I was initial attracted to Golden Diner because of the pictures of the egg sando and the chicken katsu sandwich. And yes, I ended up trekking over and visited just for those two dishes. And yes, they were as good as I had pictured.

This is definitely a hidden gem because it’s not where you would normally find a great restaurant and it’s not so much one because it’s more a diner but semantics, the food is amazing here! Golden ale is awesome, I can drink that like water. I originally wanted to try the burger as I heard raved reviews though most ppl got the club sandwich so have to try that next time. I decided to get the fried wings instead and they came sizzling hot, so hot you can’t eat until a few mins later. I think they would be better if they were bigger but wings are small because of chickens these days. Locals come here all the time and they all get either club sandwich or burger so will come back. When I came out, it’s like a different world because this place is next to some sketchy building with graffiti and almost under the Manhattan Bridge where homeless ppl reside. It’s not really a dinner place because I would not come here at night but for lunch as long you walk in the westward or northward direction from the restaurant, it should be ok since those areas are still part of busy sections of Chinatown.

Restaurant Golden Diner NY is a simple establishment located next to Manhattan Bridge in the Lower East Side. The restaurant is small with 10 tables for 2 and 8 seats at the bar. The open kitchen and bar provides a no-nonsense character. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Service is friendly. We came on a weekday evening and the place was packed, a good sign. We went for a tuna sandwich with fries & pickles and a glass of beer. The food was disappointing. The fries were OK but the sandwich was poor and the sandwich bread was burned black. The beer was fine. The Golden Diner is not more than average. For dining you have nearby better options.

Nice staff and great food. This place gets busy so be prepared to wait a little while when NYC is at its busiest. We will definitely go back next time we’re in the area.

Didn't get a 5 because of the wait and the seating. Pancakes are amazing. I was told before I went how good they are. Got to try them!

I'm not on social media but it was hard to miss all the articles and Insta clips of Golden Diner's famous honey butter pancakes. I was in the neighborhood so I gave it the old college try to see if I could snag a table. I was put on the waiting list but only waited for a little more than half a hour. Not bad! The diner is much smaller than I though, which explains the wait list and long wait time. Almost everyone ordered the pancakes, some people were just there to eat pancakes. I wanted to make the most of my wait time so I also ordered the chicken katsu sandwich. First, staff is polite and attentive. Second, you can order one or two pancakes plus compote for an additional fee. I chose one pancake and it was hot and filling, but the honey butter was too much. Too sweet, too thick, too syrupy. I would have like to try it plain, if there was an option for that. Third, the chicken katsu was massive, especially after filling up on a pancake. It was a triple decker sliced in fourths. The fried chicken was crispy, the bacon, red cabbage slaw and sauce was just the right touch. I wished the bread was heartier, rye bread instead of generic plain white bread. I got a green tea coffee cake to go and it was light and refreshing with good green tea flavor, the ideal dessert after a hearty meal.

You must reserve your table in advanced, or show up, but be ready to wait 1.5 hrs for your table. But, it is worthy!!! The food is amazing! Whatever you order is fresh and tasty. Of course, their honey pancakes are to die for, and they are also their staple signature.

I’m not a follower of trends, but when Jaeki Cho of Righteous Eats speaks, I generally believe him. So when he featured Golden Diner, I headed over to see what the hype was about. I had the burger. Jaeki is right, it’s slept on! This is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had! And I’m a foodie snob. I requested medium, and it wad perfect. Charred on the outside and juicy, moist, and pink on the inside. Burger includes a scallion infused bun, made from scratch in China town and spicy, flavorful gochujang sauce and special pickles. It was spectacular. The fries were crispy and hot, but overshadowed by the burger. The cost extra. But honestly, I don’t think fries are necessary with this burger. It’s a star on its own. I also had the punch, a Korean inspired sangria. Deep, tasty, not too sweet. I’m not a sweet person, but I couldn’t pass up the Thai tea tres leches, which was moist and delicious. This spot also has amazing looking fluffy pancakes, an Asian inspired chicken club (chicken katsu club), as well as other sandwiches, salads, a reportedly out of this world bacon, egg, and cheese. The inside is small and cramped, so be prepared. I chose to sit outside under a heater. It was initially a little cold, but it warmed up and the small chill was worth all that extra space. Service was kind and helpful. You can make reservations on Resy, but not sure it makes any difference. Loved this place and will go back again. Heart of Chinatown on the lower east side.

American style diner in china town, it was behind our hotel and we tried it for a quick dinner. We took a breakfast burrito and it was good, they prepared it in front of us as we were sitting at the counter, good quality ingredients but quite heavy final product, if they eat it for breakfast they are fine all day. Casual setting and friendly staff.

During a recent visit to Manhattan, our daughter, who has resided in East Village for the past five years, took my wife and me to Dragon Diner for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Although we arrived just as the restaurant was opening; there were only a few seats left inside so we were able to get a great table outside. Within no time; all of the tables on the outside were completely filled and a line began to form for the next vacant table. My wife had tea; while both my daughter and I had black drip coffee. For breakfast, my wife ordered the omelette with hash browns while my daughter and I both shared a breakfast burrito and pancakes. All of the food was absolutely delicious. It is no wonder this place is very popular and we were quite pleased to have experienced this restaurant on our NY trip.

Korean wings were pretty good especially for someone not a fan of wings. Little on the pricey side for what it is but all in all good.

A desert flower of stupendous food in the Sahara that is Chinatown. Though Chinatown certainly isn't known for its dearth of eateries by any means, this level of technique and cuisine is definitely lacking. It's American enough to be comfort diner food, but delivers unexpected and refreshing twists that reflect the chef's Asian heritage and flair. Been going every week since it opened and food has always been fresh and delectable. It feels like a local neighborhood second-home kind of spot that would be a tourist's dream to stumble upon.

i was not overly enthused about reservations for pancakes at 1:00 p.m., but they were likely the best I have ever had. Thick and fluffy and the buttery syrup stuff with some very well prepped berries. And the cold brew was on time also. Would certainly go back and really appreicate a breakfast here.

This place lives up to the hype. I definitely recommend making a rsvp a month in advance if you’re traveling to nyc. The service is great the food is good. I order everything that I wanted to try and nothing disappointed. The hot stacks was so delicious and I don’t even like pancakes. It tasted like cake. I would definitely go back.

We randomly came across this Diner as we were walking back from a boat tour and i needed a drink. We sat outside and the staff were attentive and chatty. We had House Fries which were delicious and Vegan Toasted Cheese which my sister enjoyed. Wasnt overly expensive and a nice location

I loved their eclectic menu and the food was so so tasty! However, the wait times were quite long and the chairs were very uncomfortable, too. If you decide to sit outside, beware of the noise since it's right by the Manhattan Bridge...

My wife and I loved the Golden Diner. It was worth the wait on a Saturday afternoon. We sat at the bar and got excellent service both from the waitstaff and the head chef, who was attentive and friendly. Indeed, watching the cooking was mesmerizing and inspiring, a good reason to sit at the bar. Really, really worth it and highly recommended.

Reviews are great but our experience was underwhelming. Food was only average and definitely not worth the 45 minute wait to get a table.

We felt lucky to stumble on this little diner. Superb breakfast sandwich and coffee. Clean and tidy. Very friendly staff. Recommend.

My friend and I went for brunch at this diner in the Chinatown area. We really enjoyed the good quality food and enjoyed seeing the preparation as we sat at the counter. Service was very good and the atmosphere.

We were fortunate to arrive before 11 am, before the line formed outside, and were seated immediately. We chose the counter area and got a great view of the kitchen and conversation with the cooks who were proud of their creations. The chicken katsu sandwich was our hands-down favorite, with the pancakes and egg sando also hitting the mark. Highly recommended.

The best pancakes i have ever had and I’ve tested a lot. The pancakes were superb, you won’t regret ordering these….. Prices were very good….

123 madison street . Golden Diner is very small but the also have outside sitting. We have the honey pancakes, korean wings, vegan nachos and fries japanese lemonade and their punch. The food is excellent.. and the service was great even though it was busy

This is actually my second attempt coming but first time dining. So the first time that we attempted to come, we used the Yelp waitlist feature. When we got there, we were told the waitlist was inaccurate and that there were 8 people in front of us. We could visibly see open seats but they wouldn't seat us. There's no reservations at this place and no one physically there before us, so why would you not seat us? They really need to get the seating situation in order because it's totally unorganized. That said, this time we arrived 10 minutes before they opened. Once the door was open, it was literally a free for all as everyone just walked in and sat where they wanted. Again, the seating procedure needs work. By 10:05 there were already people waiting for a table. We ordered the burger, the chicken katsu club, and the biscuits and gravy. The burger was too rare for my girlfriend but perfect and delicious to be. The katsu club was also delicious. The biscuits and gravy were not traditional and a bit heavy, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. Overall, all the food was delicious. Oh, I also had the horchata which was also quite good. The only bad comment I have is their seating process but I'll be back again.

YES, this place is as good as they're saying!!! I stopped by on a late afternoon as I was in the neighborhood and was VERY happy that I did. I ordered the egg & hashbrown sammy that everyone is raving about and it is that good! DELICIOUS!!! I added avo & sausage to mine. So big I needed a knife & fork to eat it. The diner is super cute & cozy, very retro chic. The waitress was lovely & friendly. I would definitely go back to try more of their dishes. I HIGHLY recommend it!!!!!

We took advantage of Halloween being on a Friday to snag a spot at Golden Diner. I already tried the delicious mini pancakes at Golden HOF, but was excited to try the original at the diner. We were also big fans of the chicken sandwich, tuna melt and mushroom quesadilla. The pancakes were the true star of the show, however. Portion sizes were substantial and we were able to take some of the yummy pancakes home!

Best brunch in New York. This hidden gem located in Chinatown, dwt Manhattan features a well made brunch. We went here for a sunday brunch, they do not take reservations for weekend brunches. There was a long line outside which we decided to stand in just around 9:30 (they open at 10am). When they opened they organised a queuing system so that you can spend time doing something else while waiting for your table (it’s a quite small place that does not fit many companies). We waited about one and a half hour for a table of two. When it was our turn we had the pancakes and the breakfast burrito as well as two mimonas. The service is friendly and quick. The food is amazing, however do not overestimate how much you can eat because you will be full! The prices were super reasonable for a place in nyc. I definitely recommend coming here early for a weekend brunch or just book your table during the week. You won’t regret it.

I had breakfast there, the breakfast sandwich I would go back for next time I am in NYC. Staff were wonderful.

I was surprised at how good all their dishes were. We came with a group of 4 so we were able to order family style to try all the different breakfast and lunch dishes. Their breakfast burrito is one of the best, maybe THE best, I have had in NYC. And their vegetarian hero is fantastic- all the flavors you love in a soft sesame baguette. They have their version of avocado toast but they bring in flavors from all over and it's just wow. I normally don't care for avocado toast because most places make it super bland but this one is exceptional. Their baked goods were also out of this world. I can't wait for their menu to expand.