The Diner Shoreditch

Very unsatisfied with our, me and 4 collegues, experience at The Diner. What was supposed to be a quick lunch, turned into a 2 hour hassle. We had to wait for our food for an hour and when we finally got the food, we were told by our waiter that some of the things we had ordered they were out of and were given the menu again. After one hour of waiting ! The power kept going out on/off, which wasn't the restaurants fault yet quite annoying when at the same time a dishwasher dicided to overflow, leaving people sliding and slipping. The restaurant just generally seemed quite messy. When we got our bill the items that we couldn't get, because the restaurant was out, was on there. It took half an hour for the waiter to get to our table and take the payment after we asked to get the items and service charge off. Of course the card machines were down, and we were asked to go out and get cash. All in all not a good idea for lunch, we won't be coming back at this Diner. The staff wasn't very friendly either. The only good thing was the very tasty california burgers.

The Diner was quite simply the biggest let down I have had in London. My American fiance and I were both in need of some proper pancakes and a genuine American breakfast. Despite the menu and promise of new york style diner experience, this was not the place. The pancakes were thick, doughy and dry, overcooked and badly prepares and the portion of syrup was frankly insulting. 6 pounds for 3 pancakes and a couple of scrambled eggs does not represent good value for money. The 2.50 freshly squeezed orange juice was tart and on the small side (bulked up by a whole glass full of ice). The service was really disappointing and according to other reviews, we are not the first to notice. The staff were more interested in chatting to the cooks than actually going around waiting tables. We waited a full 10 minutes just to have our drinks delivered and waited about 15 minutes for our plates to be cleared. Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to withold our tip because they had helpfully already included service on the bill. All in all, we left 20 pounds worse off (far too much for a mediocre breakfast) and looked at eachother and said simply, “never again”. I urge you to avoid this place like the plague.

The Diner in Shoreditch is a place for cheap American eats and ‘Shoreditch life’ spotting. Food is dependably well cooked and the menu of burgers, dogs, tex-mex and breakfasts fairly extensive and includes a deliciously authentic cheesecake. Service can be haphazard and slow but what with the themed decor and the waiting staff being as eclectically dressed as the clientele, there are always some interesting sights to be seen whilst waiting.