Studio Diner

One of the few classic diners in San Diego. For some reason I had never visited here even though I grew up in San Diego, but now that I live in Los Angeles, I’m a huge fan of diners and actively seek them out. Was visiting family for Christmas break so had to check out Studio Diner, even though it is not close to where we live. I was really happy that I made the trip because the food was great and so was the service. It’s a true retro 1950s rock ‘n’ roll themed diner and was designed just as you would hope and expect. Inside feels like a gulf stream and it really transports you back to a different time. They have two parking lots (one small and one large) with free parking or there are also some spaces right on the street in front which is where we parked. Everything that we ordered came out extremely fast and pricing is very fair. For my first visit, I wanted to try a diner classic so I chose the Chicken Fried Steak and was very impressed with it. It was not overly fried and still had a lot of flavor. The eggs were cooked perfectly to my order and it was just an overall great breakfast. They also were quick with the coffee refills, and the portion sizes are very generous. I would definitely recommend to any fan of diners or anyone in San Diego searching for a great breakfast, brunch, or lunch or dinner option.

Classic San Diego diner. They offer an expansive menu, comfortable seating and fair prices. Studio Diner rules. I like the French Dip If you want a fun read look up the Studio it’s attached to.

The vibes here are amazing. It's an old school type of diner, I believe from the 1940s. The food is decent, but the milkshake was AMAZING, probably the best shake I've ever tried. The hash browns tasted a little bland which was unfortunate. Service is great. There's not much parking here so you might need to park elsewhere if it's really packed.

*****Late post, I went on 8.14** First.... the atmosphere! The building itself is super neat. I drove by here a couple of days prior to the day I went. I was super intrigued, so I asked my husband to go to breakfast here. The inside is very retro, like what an 80s baby considers being retro. lol! Love the production light by each booth. Some of them looked like they were from different decades. The bar top was a nice touch. I wish I could have seen the other side. Food: I will say this.... it exceeded my expectations! I had the biscuits and gravy.... and it was the best biscuits and gravy I have had here in SD. .... so far. And I try them at any breakfast place or diner I have been to. I had that with the home fries.... and based on the taste and texture , they cut and cook their potaotes fresh every day. And, the proportions are hefty. My husband has an omelet. I tried them as well, delish! It was so juicy and flavorful. Service was good. Our server was nice, but he could have been a bit more attentive. I will say this, the owner/manager was watching the front and they weren't as welcoming but still said hello. Might want to work on the greeting a bit. Especially because this is definitely the kind of place I would eat breakfast at all the time! Just a few more things I want to note: they have a good size menu, happy hour, and daily specials... like kids eat free Wednesdays. And they have a decent bar menu. They have outdoor seating as well. I will definitely be back!

We visited early on a September Sunday. We were one of two parties, so seating and parking were easy. It is in more of a business/industrial park area, perhaps week days are busier. There is an on-site parking lot, but limited spots. We ordered the Porky's Omlette, Reel Pancakes, and Eggs Benedict. It was a lot of food for two people. It was very tasty and fresh. Our waitress was kind and attentive Their back patio has some movie memorabilia,movd it is also throughout the inside.

Disappointed I had high hopes for this place, especially since it was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Unfortunately, from the moment we walked in, something felt off. The waitress seemed hesitant to bring a drink before everyone was seated, which was odd. The other employees didn’t seem enthusiastic either. It’s a shame because the decor is really nice and the place was clean. The food, however, was just okay. The meatloaf melt was mostly tasteless, and the cheese sticks were cold. The tuna melt definitely wasn’t made with the best tuna. On a positive note, the onion rings were good. Maybe we just came at a bad time, but overall, I was expecting more from a diner with such a reputation.

The inside is a classic dinner with accents of studio lights and props. The food was a good portion and tasted good. Really reasonably priced for the amount you get. The staff were nice and great. Extra parking in the lot next door.

My husband brought me here for breakfast. I love the vibe here, so cool and so classic. The foods here are very American style breakfast! We enjoyed our order. I love my chicken noodle soup. There are a lot of people on a Wednesday morning, it surprised me. It’s a cool place, you should come to try.

One of the few classic diners in San Diego. For some reason I had never visited here even though I grew up in San Diego, but now that I live in Los Angeles, I’m a huge fan of diners and actively seek them out. Was visiting family for Christmas break so had to check out Studio Diner, even though it is not close to where we live. I was really happy that I made the trip because the food was great and so was the service. It’s a true retro 1950s rock ‘n’ roll themed diner and was designed just as you would hope and expect. Inside feels like a gulf stream and it really transports you back to a different time. They have two parking lots (one small and one large) with free parking or there are also some spaces right on the street in front which is where we parked. Everything that we ordered came out extremely fast and pricing is very fair. For my first visit, I wanted to try a diner classic so I chose the Chicken Fried Steak and was very impressed with it. It was not overly fried and still had a lot of flavor. The eggs were cooked perfectly to my order and it was just an overall great breakfast. They also were quick with the coffee refills, and the portion sizes are very generous. I would definitely recommend to any fan of diners or anyone in San Diego searching for a great breakfast, brunch, or lunch or dinner option.

Classic San Diego diner. They offer an expansive menu, comfortable seating and fair prices. Studio Diner rules. I like the French Dip If you want a fun read look up the Studio it’s attached to.

The vibes here are amazing. It's an old school type of diner, I believe from the 1940s. The food is decent, but the milkshake was AMAZING, probably the best shake I've ever tried. The hash browns tasted a little bland which was unfortunate. Service is great. There's not much parking here so you might need to park elsewhere if it's really packed.

*****Late post, I went on 8.14** First.... the atmosphere! The building itself is super neat. I drove by here a couple of days prior to the day I went. I was super intrigued, so I asked my husband to go to breakfast here. The inside is very retro, like what an 80s baby considers being retro. lol! Love the production light by each booth. Some of them looked like they were from different decades. The bar top was a nice touch. I wish I could have seen the other side. Food: I will say this.... it exceeded my expectations! I had the biscuits and gravy.... and it was the best biscuits and gravy I have had here in SD. .... so far. And I try them at any breakfast place or diner I have been to. I had that with the home fries.... and based on the taste and texture , they cut and cook their potaotes fresh every day. And, the proportions are hefty. My husband has an omelet. I tried them as well, delish! It was so juicy and flavorful. Service was good. Our server was nice, but he could have been a bit more attentive. I will say this, the owner/manager was watching the front and they weren't as welcoming but still said hello. Might want to work on the greeting a bit. Especially because this is definitely the kind of place I would eat breakfast at all the time! Just a few more things I want to note: they have a good size menu, happy hour, and daily specials... like kids eat free Wednesdays. And they have a decent bar menu. They have outdoor seating as well. I will definitely be back!

We visited early on a September Sunday. We were one of two parties, so seating and parking were easy. It is in more of a business/industrial park area, perhaps week days are busier. There is an on-site parking lot, but limited spots. We ordered the Porky's Omlette, Reel Pancakes, and Eggs Benedict. It was a lot of food for two people. It was very tasty and fresh. Our waitress was kind and attentive Their back patio has some movie memorabilia,movd it is also throughout the inside.

Disappointed I had high hopes for this place, especially since it was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Unfortunately, from the moment we walked in, something felt off. The waitress seemed hesitant to bring a drink before everyone was seated, which was odd. The other employees didn’t seem enthusiastic either. It’s a shame because the decor is really nice and the place was clean. The food, however, was just okay. The meatloaf melt was mostly tasteless, and the cheese sticks were cold. The tuna melt definitely wasn’t made with the best tuna. On a positive note, the onion rings were good. Maybe we just came at a bad time, but overall, I was expecting more from a diner with such a reputation.

The inside is a classic dinner with accents of studio lights and props. The food was a good portion and tasted good. Really reasonably priced for the amount you get. The staff were nice and great. Extra parking in the lot next door.

My husband brought me here for breakfast. I love the vibe here, so cool and so classic. The foods here are very American style breakfast! We enjoyed our order. I love my chicken noodle soup. There are a lot of people on a Wednesday morning, it surprised me. It’s a cool place, you should come to try.

This place is so fun and the food is great! The staff is so engaging and nice. They are very attentive and keep me coming back. San Diego is full of bad service, honestly. Studio Diner is a welcome exception. They're all laughs and personality. I and my family are going to keep coming back! The food is always good, no question, but it's the service from the crew that makes this place great. I see couples, young and old, and familes come in again and again. Im a happy, proud regular and I love the environment they've created. They treat everyone like a friend and make sure they accommodate everything they can to make the dining experience perfect. Thank you Novalee Allison, Eric, Amy, Cat, Jay, Andrea, Petra, and the entire crew. This place is great because of YOU!

I am surprised that Studio Diner doesn't have more stars! I LOVE this place. I don't go often, but when I go it's with a large group and yet, we all walk away happy and full. The Great - The service. I've never gone in a small group. With a large group we've always received stellar service and food. I am unsure if by coincidence but we always have a server named Jay. She said she's there often. ha ha The Good - The Food. I have tried a few things and have yet to find something that was not to my liking. The Bad - NA The Ugly - NA

Not what it used to be, Biscuits and gravy were cold. Country potatoes were basically boiled potatoes diced up and served with peppers. Guess I was in the wrong country. Oh well, I gave it a try,

Sunday, 12-22-2024: We came to visit our son today and stopped at this diner before going to the commissary at 32nd St. It was nicely decorated for the Christmas season inside and out. The sweet hostess greeted us warmly and seated us straight away. Our busy server immediately came over to introduce herself. Our son ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, I opted for half a tuna sandwich on wheat toast and hubby got the sliders. Their portions are huge and you always come away full! Our server was a rock star! We enjoyed our meals as always!

One of the few classic diners in San Diego. For some reason I had never visited here even though I grew up in San Diego, but now that I live in Los Angeles, I'm a huge fan of diners and actively seek them out. Was visiting family for Christmas break so had to check out Studio Diner, even though it is not close to where we live. I was really happy that I made the trip because the food was great and so was the service. It's a true retro 1950s rock 'n' roll themed diner and was designed just as you would hope and expect. Inside feels like a gulf stream and it really transports you back to a different time. They have two parking lots (one small and one large) with free parking or there are also some spaces right on the street in front which is where we parked. Everything that we ordered came out extremely fast and pricing is very fair. For my first visit, I wanted to try a diner classic so I chose the Chicken Fried Steak and was very impressed with it. It was not overly fried and still had a lot of flavor. The eggs were cooked perfectly to my order and it was just an overall great breakfast. They also were quick with the coffee refills, and the portion sizes are very generous. I would definitely recommend to any fan of diners or anyone in San Diego searching for a great breakfast, brunch, or lunch or dinner option.

My preemie grandson was born at a hospital nearby and my husband and I came here every day! It was so good! I hate that I live an hour away but when I visit my son, this place is definitely on my to do list lol

passed by this place while on the way to an event. After our event, we were hungry and decided to try this place. Im from jersey where Diners are everywhere and i miss that. Seeing the word "diner" gave me nostalgia. Typically, diner menus have a wide range of offerings for all day breakfast lunch dinner etc. while the menu here isn't as vast as those in jersey, studio diner had a lot to offer and everything sounded delicious. We got the club sandwich and the ny strip. Club sandwich - huge portion and came with a mountain of fries. I barely ate a quarter of the sandwich because of how big it was. It was delicious. Steak was good along with the mushroom sauce that it came With. Service was great and friendly. Parking lot is small so you may have to park on the street. Didnt use the restroom so Not sure if they have baby change table there. Would definitely go again!

Love it here! My boyfriend and I had dinner here last night and had a great time! Unfortunately, the parking lot has a very limited number of spots. Once you're inside, everything is great! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. I had the chicken & waffles and a chocolate milkshake. My boyfriend and I also split tots. Everything was delicious! I loved that the diner played music from various Halloween movies. It was so fun! We already agreed we're going to come back here again sometime!

I'm not a big breakfast person, but I came here with my kid to enjoy some time together over a casual breakfast. This place has that old-school diner vibe, like something you'd find in a Harley Davidson-themed spot. It's super casual--nothing fancy or extraordinary. I went for a simple, basic meal: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and beans. It was just ordinary--nothing special, just a quick, no-frills meal. They don't offer anything fancy like mochas or cappuccinos, just regular coffee. It's a good place if you're looking for something basic and easy, but don't expect anything remarkable

My dog was being groomed nearby and I was looking for a place to have breakfast. I decided to check out Yelp and came across this place which is just a few miles from the groomer. It is located directly next door to Stu Segall Studios/Stu Segall Productions that used to produce Silk Stalkings and Renegade years ago. I pulled into the small parking lot (there is also street parking) and found a space close to the front door. When I walked in, I was pleasantly greeted and then seated at a table nearby. I placed an order for a "Porky's omelet" and in less than ten minutes, the food came out. It was by far one of the best omelets that I have ever had! If you like bacon, ham, and sausage, this is the one for you. The rye toast came out great and had just the right amount of butter on it. If you are looking for a place to eat in the Kearny Mesa area, this place is definitely worth trying. Look forward to returning for lunch or dinner one of these days!

Sorry about the semi-eaten meal picture but my wife and I "attacked" before I could grab my phone. This place has been a favorite of ours since it first appeared on Triple D. We asked for "well done" hashed browns and bacon. We consider both to be perfect in this pic. The Zorba omelette was fresh, light, flavorful and arrived piping hot. Service was attentive. The entire meal was fabulous.

Wanna take a step back in time? If so, then stop by Studio Diner. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu items all day every day. Have a burger, fries, and milkshake while you enjoy old classics. I ordered the Boob Sandwich and my boyfriend ordered the San Diego Burger. We ordered a Cobb Salad for my daughter to-go. The food was good and portions were big. I was only able to finish half of my sandwich and some extra crispy fries. I had a sip of their strawberry milkshake...good stuff! What's nice is they have extras in a cold cup. Service was quick and pleasant.

DOG FRIENDLY patio so a plus for us. Especially since we just came from adopting a dog from the San Diego Humane Society-El Cajon Campus, who we named Cashew. We had the best experiences the 1st couple times here, but the last time we met friends here, it wasn't great...just ok. This time it was hit & miss too, sadly. Nice clean inside and patio. Always great & friendly service. Good mimosas. I got the Eggs Benedict and it was great. My wife got eggs & bacon with the Monte Cristo and the Cristo was so overcooked, it was even hard to cut into (kind of surprised the waitress would even bring it instead of telling the kitchen to do a re-do). It was terrible! But we were starving so she didn't want to wait to get another one cooked. The raspberry jam that comes with it is so good!

Fantastic food with good service. The atmosphere is amazing Fun place to eat Enjoyed everything

Diner food Customers sounds get loud Friendly service Restrooms Small parking lot Next to old San Diego studios Old school photos all over the walls Feels like your in a metal bus Quick service American food Vegetarian options Breakfast, brunch, and dinner Hardy food Flash to the past

Went here spur of the moment because there was a nearby appointment my husband had. I didn't know that San Diego really used to have a film studio, it was really cool to learn that. The restaurant sticks to that theme and has different film posters and other things like props all around decorating the place. It was a really rainy windy day and for some reason the place was freezing cold... I run hot so if it was cold for me then you know it was cold... That said the waitress we had noticed and turned on the heater or asked for it to be turned up because she was also freezing. I got corned beef with over-easy eggs (which were perfectly cooked) cheesy hashbrowns and a pancake that I dug into before I took a pick. I got weirdly roasted on Reddit for how I cut my pancake but everyone agreed on R/FoodSanDiego that Studio Diner has amazing service and eats. My husband got chili fries and a big bbq burger. He liked it even though we were surprised by the intensely chunky chili. This place apparently gets mad busy so be prepared, we went in the middle of the afternoon on a rainy Saturday, I think luck was on our side for that fluke to happen.

Drove here specifically because I saw they offered Monte Cristo sandwiches. I've been craving one since last summer at Disneyland & now I have no idea which one I love more! I'm just thankful to have a great one without buying a theme park ticket now. Diners always feel so nostalgic, but this one has such a unique theme that's actually done well & not cheesy. I love the marquee outside, the studio lighting, movie posters, & the server outfits are cute. And can we talk about great service! The host was ready to seat us when we walked through the door. Our server (I believe her name was Novalee) had a great balance of attention for us, noticed small details well, & offered our drinks to-go. Let's talk about more food: The French fries with ranch were both so perfect. Great crisp, great flavor. The Monte Cristo was the perfect texture, quite hearty, & just simply delicious! The strawberry jam was great & plentiful for every bite. I tried my boyfriend's country fried steak (a dish I've never been interested in having) & it was very good. I guess I've been missing out. Great experience! This place should be 5 stars.

Came here for a holiday leadership lunch, and I concur with everyone that it's just ok. I've been here about 5 years ago for another leadership breakfast, and I don't remember being impressed even back then. Pros: Cute retro vibe, definitely has the 50s diner feel to it. Breakfast is served all day. Some old movie posters and props throughout. Funny names for some of the menu items. Cons: Ordered the chicken sandwich, and it was just okay. The chicken was dry and barely seasoned. I think I ate the fries more, and it reminded me of the seasoned frozen fries you can get at the grocery store :(. My coworker got the fried clams and fries. They were strips of breading with a taste of clam but didn't see any clam. We wondered, how are the fried clams in strips? That's a headscratcher right there. My boss ordered the hamburger salad, which was the last thing to arrive. It basically is a hamburger patty, chopped up, and thrown on top of a mound of iceberg lettuce. It didn't look too appetizing to me, unfortunately. We were disappointed but we enjoyed each other's company nonetheless. Agreed that there's no need to make your way out here to check it out.

What a great place! How we did not know about this awesome eatery despite living here for 25 years is beyond me. Our bad! The setting is a cool 50s diner with a movie studio theme. The hostess is very nice and our server, Allison, was super friendly and gave us the backstory of the restaurant and neighboring film studio - as well as some menu tips (the menu is big!). We originally saw this place on Guy Fieri's show and the food looked awesome - and it is actually awesome! We had a burger and the ribeye steak sandwich and both were perfect. It's obvious the meals are prepared with care and are cooked and plated very well. The portions are generous and the sides are delicious! So if you want a fun date or family night experience with top notch food and ambiance, head to Studio Diner soon. We'll be back even sooner. Thanks folks!

Fish and chips was awesome! Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Tartar sauce is delicious! Want to come back and try the clam chowder (it's not available until after 11:30)

I think this is a cute place with good but overpriced food. The restaurant is next to an old movie lot with lots of memorabilia inside, thus earning its name "Studio" Diner. I enjoyed my Mihammy Vice and at the advice of the server, added some avocado. However, I was not impressed by the $4 upcharge for 4 small slices of sad avocado. My husband's biscuits and gravy were good, but I thought the hash browns were below average. Service was friendly so no complaints there. All in all this is a decent breakfast joint but not a standout.

3.5 stars... We are trying new places every week now, and my wife found this joint... Pulled up to a polished chrome building with a tiny parking lot, but easily found street parking and slid right into a booth. Such a varied menu, but the turkey sandwich caught my eye, and surprisingly close to Thanksgiving I couldn't let it go... juicy turkey topped with gravy on top of a toasted Texas bread... I'm not sure the potatoes were the real deal, but everything else was... beans were buttered garlic, stuffing was legit, and while the portion of cranberries was a bit small for my liking the flavor and texture was just right. An old type place like this is sure to have a good sundae, so we wrapped up the meal with the hot fudge...which quickly disappeared! Ambiance is roadside airstream, service was prompt and helpful, and prices were slightly above expectation.

The chicken strips were horrible both the chicken and coating. They tasted like a frozen dinner. Chicken strips should be crunchy and the chicken should be plump not thin & flat. The owners need to go to any chicken restaurant & learn how to make them properly.

Came here after looking for a brunch spot to eat at. First off, the decor was amazing inside. It is very much a studio decorated diner. Service was fast, no complaints there. The food portions were massive. But, pertinent to its name, the food came out extremely greasy. It is a diner after all. A great place to come for a themed breakfast.

Unique old fashion diner in Kearny Mesa serving traditional American diner food. Their portions are HUGE and they have creative flares on some traditional dishes. I ordered the Count of Monte Cristo thinking that it would be a traditional club sandwich with turkey and ham, but I end up with one of the most "'Murica'" dishes ever. Imagine your traditional club sandwich but triple breaded and deep fried where you get this massive doughy heart attack fried sandwich gnocchi of a sandwich . The oil drips out of every bite and let's just say after taking off the fried breading, my heart did not thank me for the gluttonous meal afterwards. Their clam chowder bowl is so big, it's like plate-bowl than a traditional bowl. It was delicious though with every bite filled with clams. The service was fantastic and their house coffee comes in GIANT mugs. Ambiance wise, it feels like you are in a 1970s trailer truck. It's definitely a unique dining experience. Now that I know what to expect at this diner, I do look forward to coming back and try their other menu items.

Swung by in the morning after my lady finished her shift. It's been awhile since I visited the Studio Diner and I wanted her to checkout someplace different that serves breakfast and lunch menu items. Parking sucks here. There's a tiny parking lot with like 8 small spaces, including 3-4 parallel spots, depending on the length of cars and the space between each. There's a few more parallel spaces to be had along the street as well. IMO, all of the parking options will not comfortably fit wider vehicles. I'm sure no one really cared about parking back in the day since the original main customers used to park inside the studio lot. I hear back when Stu Seagull Productions was in full effect, filming shows like Renegade and Pensacola Wings of War, this joint was hopping; with cast and crew piling into booths here at all hours. Now a days the diner remains open as an homage to those times, with director's chairs from those shows and other memorabilia adorning the walls. It still has that old school Americana diner feel to it, both inside and out. Here what we ordered: - Country fried steak: This is a regular breakfast order of mine that gives me a common baseline to compare other breakfast-y restaurants. This version was decent. Came with my choice of potatoes (hash browns) eggs (scrambled), buttered toast (sourdough) and gravy, the country fried steak was battered and cooked well but noticeably smaller than other breakfast joints. - Corned beef hash: Served with a choice of potatoes (sweet potato fries) eggs (sunny side up), buttered toast (sourdough). My girl likes her hash crispy and felt the one served here is a bit too mushy. I agreed they were mushier, but that is MY preference. She can ask the cook to make them crispier next visit. No up-charge for sweet potato fries, which is nice. My girl also wanted these to be crispier, but I like them as they were served. Will just ask for crispy sweet potato fries next time. - Pulled poke sliders: Pulled pork slider came topped with tangy BBQ sauce that my girl didn't care for; will ask for sauce on the side next time. Chose more sweet potato fries instead of regular fries (again no up-charge--yay). We ordered this to-go and it was all packed together in a single sturdy container. Needless to say I enjoyed this later on my own. This is still a solid diner for a meal with a retro vibe.

I love this place! the service (Allison, Amy, NovaLee, Eric, Gio) the food (corned beef hash and open face turkey are to die for), the vibe! it's my go to spot on the weekend. every weekend. I love that the staff here feels like family.

My husband brought me here for breakfast. I love the vibe here, so cool and so classic. The foods here are very American style breakfast! We enjoyed our order. I love my chicken noodle soup. There are a lot of people on a Wednesday morning, it surprised me. It's a cool place, you should come to try.

Diner food is one of my favorite places for some comfort food. I had recently seen studio diner on my way home and made a mental note to check this place out. We came around 7 on a Saturday and the place was packed! Lucky us there was only a 15 minute wait for our table. The inside is a total retro diner vibe. Very cute and fun. I wanted comfort food and that's exactly what we got. I was debating on the monte cristo and the Elvis sandwich, but our waitress Cat sold me on the monte. The monte cristo is perfectly fried and stuffed with turkey and ham in the middle. Sounds simple, I know. But the raspberry preserves they give you to add into this take it to a whole new level. I'm not sure what they put in these raspberry preserves, but I would buy it in a jar if I could! It's that good. Everything everyone else had ordered was equally as good. My only complaint was the timing of the food being brought out. We had ordered an appetizer and after receiving the app, 2 mins later they brought our entrees. We didn't even have room on the table. Our waitress Cat was really sweet and gave us a lot of her recommendations, which all lived up to the hype. I would definitely come back to Studio Diner.

A pretty cool idea here that draws many for comfort style food and tasty breakfasts. There can/will be a long wait on weekends of course, especially if you want to sit inside. Kids seem to love the place and they have a decent menu for them too. There is a lot of stuff to order, and it would take many trips and plenty of dough to find out the best items. I still want to try the Samson's steak sandwich, so I'll be back for that. So far I have tried a few different things, and one item I really liked is gone off the menu. This was the mahi mahi platter with veggies. Also, the biscuits and gravy are probably the best I've had! Besides this, I thought the brekkie was pretty average, the pancakes were slightly undercooked. Pastrami roll was tasty but could use more meat. The fish and chips were flaky and not oily, and I remember digging the clam chowder when I tried it a few years back. Would like to try more things. Still may come back for the whole belly clams as they are flown in 3 times a week. I get a clam craving every now and then.. I've stopped in here a handful of times, mostly for to-go orders. They have always been ready when I arrive. Very friendly people that don't seem stressed work here. That really helps and is noticeable. Guy Fieri was here a couple times, and I've heard other good and bad actors have stopped in. Also, there was an ownership change within the last year or so, and I played hell trying to get my credit back from Groupon.. But now all is good and I won't hold it against them, as I do plan to return!

Amazing service as soon as we walked in. Great vibes and the food was amazing. We got two orders of the Chicken and Waffles..... My kids love this place. We dropped an entire cup of water and they came immediately so gracious to clean it up. Sorry! You all rock!

I'd been here before and it was good. Not so much this time. The French onion soup tasted like watered down beef broth. My wife had the meat loaf melt and it was not good either. Manuel was great at serving us. Breakfast looked good, that might be the only reason we'd ever go back.

Immediately not inviting! Before you can get inside there are multiple signs saying no outside drinks and a 2 hour table limit. Almost no vegetarian options or plant based meat alternatives, (even Burger King offers an Impossible whopper) join the new century. Food was meh . Super expensive for the portions and flavorless to be honest. We tried there since it had such good reviews, but I left feeling very disappointed. I had the Eggs Florentine, besides pancakes and waffles it was the only vegetarian option. When you are vegetarian, some places like this, the only option is carbs, carbs and more carbs. I am not a breadatarian. Or I could have ordered an omlete with meat, paid for meat and told them to not add the meat. I didn't want pancakes or waffles, so I ordered the Eggs Florentine. Literally, if i had never ordered it in my life, it would have made me wonder why anyone would even have it on the menu. Store brand-ish room temperature, not heated English muffin, topped with a not ripe (pale orangeish) slice of tomato, possibly a half of a teaspoon of sautéed spinach on one, the other only had parsley? Sprinkles on top. The eggs were cooked ok, but no salt or pepper, possibly microwaved? Ahhh....the the hollandaise. Absolutely the worst hollandaise I have ever had. Not sure if it was canned or made from powder? I get it, hollandaise is not easy, but that is why I order it when I go somewhere with a professional chef! It tasted like Alfredo? Cheese? Gravy? Couldn't quite place it. My friend tasted it after my reaction to my fist bite, it was so not what I was expecting. And she agreed. possibly it was a cheese gravy that needed salt. Color of hollandaise but obviously an imposter. Tasted faintly like Mac and Cheese. The "giant" Belgian waffles was one normal sized round waffle, only a tad larger than my waffle iron at home, for $12. Whipped cream or strawberry slurry was an additional $2.50. Pancakes looked good, 2 pretty large, not big or giant, pancakes for $9. I didn't order coffee since it was $4 for just a regular coffee mug of coffee. My friend ordered coffee and it was basic. No wonder they need a sign saying no outside drinks! Needless to say, it wasn't like anything I saw posted online. Won't be back for more gravy mac and cheese hollandaise

Good times at Studio Diner in San Diego. Once you enter, you take a step back in time. The food here is comfort food, or stick to your ribs. The diner is retro and offering a nice menu of everything from breakfast that you would expect to turkey dinners. I have visited 3 times and the service is always welcoming, and friendly, the diner itself is always spotless. I've tried three different entrees here: Breakfast, Sandwich for Lunch, and the Turkey dinner. Everything is fresh, and prepared when you order. They have a nice variety of desserts from sundaes, cakes and pies. All very good. The prices here range from $-$$ depending on what you order. Check the website for menu updates.

The definition of feel good comfort food. We opened the door to walk in and were immediately met with a welcoming hostess--menus in hand. We were then shown to our table and our server started us with waters and gave us some time to place our orders. Service is just as amazing as the food, which I will tell you about now. I got a country fried steak and my girlfriend got the montecristo. The country fried steak, fried to perfection and delivered such a satisfying texture and crunch. I was closing my eyes and dreaming of being in country fried steak land while thoroughly enjoying every bite of my food. The montecristo was great as well, boasting a sweet and savory flavor that goes delightfully with the jam it comes with for dipping. Don't get me started on those fries, either. It's like they're masters of crunch and bite in this establishment with how good the crispy texture on those fries was. We also got ice teas (which are refillable) and the server gave us extra ice teas to go, which goes to show how good the service is here. Not only does this restaurant have that cozy diner vibe, there's also personality. From the exterior of the diner to the lighting above the tables and wall art, this diner delivers a wonderfully comforting and stylish eating experience.

I loooove coming here, service is quick and they're nice. The place is cute, they have both inside and outside seating. I normally get the chicken Caesar wrap, and sliders, but they have a lot of other good food items.

The food was good, I would say the service was excellent and efficient. The restaurant overall gave a movie studio atmosphere that was pretty much what you'd expect. The server who attended us was friendly and polite. I do recommend you try it out at least once.

This place is busting as early as 7am! There was only one server but she did a great job attending to the customers. The food was great and reasonable price. The restaurant is typical diner-feel, traditional, welcoming. Parking may be limited if come a bit later. The menu selection is great!

My family and I went to Studio Diner for dinner tonight. We've been eating here for years and although it hasn't physically changed, other aspects have: the prices, the menu, and business hours. We were seated quickly as it wasn't busy, even for a Friday. Jay was our server and was pleasant enough. Our food arrived fairly quickly. We ordered the kid's chicken tender meal with fruit, a 3,2,1 breakfast, a patty melt, a Mexico burger, and meatloaf dinner. The meatloaf dinner left much to be desired. Two small slices and they were pretty dry. The slices had a little bit of BBQ sauce and the meatloaf must've been reheated. Mashed potatoes seemed like they were probably boxed potatoes since they were watery and flavorless with a tablespoon of brown gravy on them. Green beans had a light buttery, garlicky flavor which wasn't terrible. The Mexico burger had LOTS of avocado which is a plus! The fries were definitely delicious and fresh! Everything else was average. Not much to report on those items. Overall, a decent visit. Will we come back again? Probably, but mostly for the nostalgia.

The BEST pancakes EVER! My fiancé and i come here all the time. Whats funny is that i have been wanting to try their burgers but every time i come, i always get pancakes because they are THAT good. The service is also excellent, every single time! Also, their outside patio is dog friendly!

Travel back to the 1940's at this classic spot located in San Diego. The vibes here are so rad and the staff is amazing as well. Shoutout to Jay for giving us time to look over the menu since it was our first time here! This restaurant is located on a former television studio lot, and they were features of diners, drive in, and dives! We ordered the classic San Diegan burger and The Boob which both were delicious. We also got the chili cheese fries as an appetizer and will get those over and over again! Yummm For dessert we ordered a banana split, it was a bummer that the whip cream was sliding off, although the presentation wasn't that appealing the taste made up for it. Come check out studio diner for your American classics!

1. The environment is great, always dog friendly on the patio 2. The desserts are are great! Banana split is my favorite and the apple pie is really good too 3. The pork chop and the haddock on the special dinner menu are my favorites! Those 2 taste amazing. We got it on a Wednesday night, not sure if it's every night 4. Other food might be tricky, I didn't love the omelettes and sandwiches but you may learn what you love to order after several tries. The hash browns can be good sometimes but bad sometimes too. But overall I do like the standard breakfast with sausage, egg, toast and hash browns as a combo! 5. Service is great! Very nice and friendly waiters and waitresses! Overall all we like the place lots because it's walkable from our home. There are some dishes we love for sure. It seems like the food improved this year and we hope they get better and better!

It's with a heavy heart that I am writing this review...but there are things that need to be said/addressed. First of all, the prices have all been jacked up, yet the quality has gone WAY downhill (at least for their breakfast items). My corned beef hash was so sad and disappointing. Now don't get me wrong, I actually like canned corned beef, which is why I was disappointed at the shrunken serving (it use to be about 2/3 larger than what they give you now). How cheap is canned corned beef?! Seriously! Oh, and when I asked if it was canned or homemade (not saying which I preferred because I wanted honesty) the waitress told me that she believed they made it in house....really?! Really?! Uh, no! My eggs did look beautiful, but were room temperature. English muffin was cold. To top it all off, my side of sausage links were cold and raw. The waitress apologized and brought out a new hot order of sausage (over cooked & chewy), but that didn't remedy this lackluster meal. And the sheer fact that they have the audacity to charge $16 for their corned beef hash & eggs is pure greed. This is the second time I've had a lackluster, skimpy breakfast here within the past few months, which is why I was motivated to finally write a review. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. Burn me three times, shame on both of us. If you want a good breakfast do NOT come here! There are SO many great family breakfast spots in San Diego that deserve your business and don't rip you off, i.e. Antique Row Cafe, Perry's, Maggie's Cafe (just to name a few). Good luck out there!

I stopped by here with my son and husband on a late morning. Our server was really lovely and we were seated immediately. Food was good, not amazing. I really loved the interior and the decor. All around the vibe was great, but food was a little dry. I got an order of sliders and my husband ordered a hamburger. I would definitely come back just because its cute, not for the food alone!

This is still a good diner experience, but food selection and quality have not returned to pre-COVID levels. The menu is considerably smaller and less creative. Service is very good. Some of the movie set decorations are still here.

I'm not sure why the bad reviews about this place hope this will give some good guidance into a better open mind to this place. This is a long-time favorite, and still is. Great Great place for lunch and dinner and desserts! Breakfast I can't say but not for us. Unfortunately, half star got knocked off here. The pancakes and eggs are pretty blah. (What my babies wanted to eat for dinner...lol...sadly they didn't even eat it bc it wasn't up to standard. Sorry. ) the pancakes are pretty sweet and rubbery. Eggs mushy, and that's all I have to say. Dinner/lunch menu huge difference! Wow! The burger, cooked to perfection, loaded with a blast of juicy flavor. My mom shared with my kiddos, and all I have to say... it was devoured. Monte Cristo! Wow , wow, wow, the perfect amount of each ham cheese fried to perfection dusted with powdered sugar... and the raspberry compote...it is not jelly from a jar. Just yum! The salmon ceaser salad was cooked tenderly and with clear juices. The dressing was a nice touch with the anchovy sauce and not too heavy. Salad was fresh and crisp. There are too many croutons, imo but it's always nice to have an extra crunch. The banana split! Enough for all of us to share, and we're pigs! Fully loaded and overflowing with sweets. Go wild! The waitresses were attentive and polite. Fast bringing everything out. The other half star I knocked off was the seating hostess. Friendly greeting, however, did not like the fact I had to get and carry the booster chairs back to the table and additionally ask for crayons and paper. Not to be picky, or maybe I was Hangry... but coming in 8 ppl including 2 children I would expect some experience in seating folks with ease and not have to ask. But again that's me being picky. Customer service in restaurants always starts at the door entrance. Parking is small, there's another lot to park in... use that one! Music was great, the restaurant was nice and cool. Bathrooms clean. It's great pricing, too, for good eats! It is very much recommended for lunch or dinner and dessert!

Haven't been here since after Covid. Definitely has a different feel to it. More like a "corporate" restaurant company feel not like a "mom &pop" ambiance. Some favorite food items are gone. It is not the Triple D restaurant that Guy Fieri showcased. It is more on par with what corporate restaurant chains did to ruin local favorites like the Broken Yolk, and others. This is on par with breakfast eateries like Snooze and Denny's. Service was not natural feeling; our waitress had a rehearsed (company designed) greeting and she was less than attentive. Our waitress looked like she got triple or quadruple seated on the patio shortly after she took our order. Only checked once with us on our wanting more coffee. Shortly after our food arrived and before we even had time to take a bite, she came by to ask how everything was My toast was served without offering me any jam which I mentioned. Then we never saw her again until she dropped off our check. Fortunately another waitress nearby was able to assist us with our requests for jam, a coffee refill, getting us a to-go container, and my asking for the check. As for the food, heavy handed on the white pepper in the chicken fried steak gravy. Breakfast burrito only had a spicy salsa and no pico de gallo available. Minor details, but typical of our experience in general. Previous owners would not have let things like that occur. Also, I just hate plastic laminated corporate menus almost as much as I hate ally plastic laminated corporate designed promotional flees, etc on the table! Arghh! I miss the old Studio Diner I once frequented often with family and friends. No need to return here again when I can go to better places in this neck of the woods like Fay's Diner & Cafe or Hoorah Breakfast Cafe for a good American breakfast.

We visited San Diego for my son's 11th birthday and he was dying to visit a Guy Fieri Diners, Drive-ins and Dives reviewed place and so we stopped into Studio Diner. While parking was tough to come by the ambiance was genuine to the 50s theme of the old fashion diner. We came for breakfast and we came hungry. What I loved: Count of Monte Cristo AMAZINGLY AWESOME!! I freaking came back a second day in a row just for it! Great vibes of the 50s diner. French toast, Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce, hash and omelet were excellent. My son loved his BBQ Wings. What I didn't love: Hey, Guy picked a good place and quite honestly the only thing I could really complain about was the very limited parking. Fortunately, we ate both times late in the morning which made it easier to get a spot. I loved Studio Diner and can't even begin to describe and crazy awesome the Count of Monte Cristo is. I was so full after eating them but man it was well worth it. Like I said, I came back two days in a row just for these puppies!

Not bad. Not great for the price. Reallly cool exterior. The chowder and the burger were decent.