Star Diner

CLOSED
The Star Diner closed unexpectedly within the last week. We were weekly patrons for breakfast and we’re very tired of the come and go of places Downriver!

Huge breakfasts, small prices, good quality, good service. My husband and I make this an every weekend stop. They serve lunch, but breakfast is the star. Even my husband, who isn’t a breakfast guy in general, always opts for eggs of some sort when we make our weekly visit.
They’ve recently made some changes, I’m guessing to save some money, and it shows. The bread isn’t as good, they’ve switched to that generic diner jelly that you see everywhere, and changed up the menu a bit. They’re negative changes, in my opinion, but I still get a really good meal at a really decent price every time I stop in, so i’s not so much a complaint as an observation.
The hash browns are really tasty, and I love the eggs benedict. The granola pancake is fantastic. The servers are great. Friendly, fast, and patient enough to deal with my husband. This little diner is a winner in my book.

I moved to Ferndale last June, from Allen Park. The Star Diner is one of the few downriver eateries I miss.
Their breakfast is amazing. Large portions, fresh ingredients (they make their own whipped cream!), and fresh coffee is what sells it for me. I’ve never been able to finish my breakfast there. My favorite is the strawberry french toast — seriously delicious.
I’m not as impressed with their lunch/​dinner menu. It was just ok, from what I recall. But their breakfast is worth making the trip down the Southfield Freeway.
And…for the record: the attire of the waitresses isn’t my concern, as long as they’re friendly and efficient, and keep my coffee cup filled. Which they do.

This is officially our new breakfast place. In fact, I have decided that, when friends come to town, this is where I want to take them. The food is good, the portions are big, the servers are attentive, and the whole staff is very friendly.
The home fries are fantastic! Also, the Gourmet Omelette isn’t on the menu (printing error) but they do make it, and it’s delicious. Artichokes, red peppers, 3 cheeses (the swiss really makes it)…and, if you’re not vegetarian, adding bacon is the way to go.
All in all, this is a really good, clean, friendly neighborhood diner with good food… and, really, what else do you need on a Sunday morning?

Where trailer park, forty year old career waitresses and hooter’s uniforms all meet together in this Ohio diner franchise.
The food is average diner fare. The large plates and scantly clad waitresses should not throw you off however. If you are a guy, you might like the place with the skimpy outfits.
Nothing fancy, nothing exceptional in food ! Anyone can drizzle fake maple syrup and sprinkle powder sugar on something and serve it to you. It’s not like you are at the circus and their waving a wand here.
Average at best !! Go Blue !

Diner food, at slightly higher diner prices. I guess it’s ok.
Came here with a co-​worker during lunch my first week on the job. I’d read about this place and the pics of the food looked enticing, so I figured why not.
AMBIANCE– nothing fancy here. Looks like most coney islands you’d see on the east side, though I will say the place was much cleaner than most coney islands I had seen.
SERVICE– when people say this place is like a «Hooters» they aren’t joking. Servers here are clad in similar provocative wear as a hooters, though not as overt. My co-​worker was quite pleased with the «talent» working there. I was more concerned with the food. Our server was friendly though (probably helped that my co-​worker was on his best behavior).
MENU– it’s a diner with diner fare. Not much more to elaborate on than that. Breakfast menu had a nice selection, lunch and dinner were nothing mind blowing.
FOOD– I ended up going with an omlette while my co-​worker went with French Toast. Considering the portions of the sandwiches and other items I had seen, I was expecting a mountain of food. Expectations were slightly met. The portion was certainly healthy, but I guess I had expected a bit more. Overall, it was tasty, but then again, breakfast is a pretty hard to mess up (though it does happen).
OVERALL– good not great. I’ve got more diners that are closer to me than this place, so I’d sooner go there. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at this place, but my single friend may beg to differ.
Celebrity Rating– Casey Affleck

I know the reviews about star diner are very good and there is some truth to what people are saying. I enjoyed my visit but I just was not as excited as some have written. The place is great and clean and the service is fast and crisp and everyone is welcoming.
The menu is overwhelming and I kind of felt that it could possibly take away from quality of the food. The dishes that were presented were large and what seem to be their signature. The omelets were good, hash browns hot and toast just as large as everything else.
Just like the name this place is truly a diner! The portions are big the service is fast and there’s always that line standing out the door. This place is great for breakfast and when you’re ready to do some major eating if that what satisfies your hunger. I would defiantly try this place if your around the surrounding area but just don’t expect the world after all it’s just a diner!

Well, after going there quite a few times, getting my Star card double punched, and getting nothing but 4 star ratings, they slipped. They started serving dinner on Nov 17, so not sure if they estimate the stock correctly or not — I’m going with not.
Usually with lunch, at 11am, were in and out within 45 minutes. This time however, we were closer to an hour 20… Unreal and not good when you only have an hour lunch.
I ordered the Star special and my friend ordered the Buffalo chicken Sandwich. After waiting about ½ hour after ordering, our waitress came up and said they are waiting for buns for the chicken sandwich. WHAT??? Buns??? You serve a ton of different sandwiches and you were out of buns??? Whatever!
15 minute later, our meal came out, his sandwich nice hot and fresh with a non-​existant tiny bun and my special, cold… Cold breakfast! DAMN!
Anyway, totally uncalled for and although I love the place, I had to review it.
Believe it or not, it was one of my sole reasons for going on this rainy Monday!

Went for dinner and it was excellent. Small but appropriate menu. Most items under 8 bucks and HUGE. I hope they decide to stick with dinner. Open until 8 p.m.

Hungover this past Friday morning from the previous evening at an area bar, my friend, her husband and I decided to go to breakfast. We got in the car and he says, «Hooter’s breakfast!» I didn’t really know what he meant and kind of groaned… I wasn’t in the mood for another Hooter’s experience being hungover and all — that day I’d rather have stuck sharp things in my eyeballs than sit and listen to a Hooter’s girl yak my ear off for 20 minutes. Besides that, I didn’t know Hooter’s even SERVED breakfast. I also didn’t recall a Hooters being close to their house in Allen Park and wasn’t feeling up to a long trek. Head pounding, needed something greasy, stat.
Well, the less than 5-​minute drive took us to Star Diner… and when we went in, I saw what he meant by «Hooter’s breakfast!» The girls dress in tight black tops and little short shorts and have their hair and makeup done nicely. It’s like a downriver translation of Hooter’s girls. The girls all wore nylons but PLEASE, ladies, wear the ones without the control top thighs showing, that just looked weird with the short shorts, and a couple of the girls were wearing that kind of hose, LOL… like people who wear nylons with peep-​toe sandals or better yet, the ones that have reinforced toes. {{shudder}}
However, the waitresses were very friendly and attentive, and not in that ultra-​fake Hooter’s kind of way.
Breakfast was really good with large portions and pretty reasonable prices. I think they also have a discount card program (spend $X over time and get $X off your bill) because my friend’s husband was proud to whip out his «Hooter’s breakfast» card.
I had a ham & cheese omelette with home fries, friend had poached eggs over spinach and her husband had a club sandwich I think. Everything was good and I liked the big thick toast.
I’d go back. Rock on, «Hooter’s breakfast!»

Finally, someplace to go for breakfast downriver that isn’t 100% food service crap!
Let’s face it, downriver is all about cheap breakfast with massive portions. Most people around here seem to walk around with that mentality; those people would not like Star Diner. This place has great breakfast, fresh, filling and most of all, delicious! I had the corned beef hash (with a poached egg perched atop) with home fries and rye toast. The home fries were killer, crunchy and crisp on top and soft and buttery underneath. The corned beef hash was also excellent.
The menu had lots of great sounding options and I fully intend on coming back to this joint quite a bit! The service was friendly, though I’m wondering if those short skirts were part of some schtick, if so, I’m not sure that’s really necessary.
Go, now!

This might be the best breakfast place in downriver. Great portions sizes and the food is really good! Way better then IHOP or Denny’s.
Last time, I got the pancakes with strawberries and I can tell the whip cream was home made. It wasn’s cool whip. It was really good and of course I couldn’t finish.
I have been there about 4 times and every time it has been great meals. The only gripe I might have is with the bacon. It’s cut too thick. It was more like a jerky then crispy bacon. The flavor was good though.
I also like the Star Diner club card that you can use to rack up points for meal discounts.
Pros — Big Portions, Fresh made food (not frozen reheated), Good Service
Cons — Only open for breakfast & lunch, Bacon is too thick. Construction on Southfield is annoying but not the restaurant’s fault.

I feel like a star… Breakfast anyone???
I am not a big breakfast fan. I do have the occasional breakfast. I have now found a great place with a great breakfast, good atmosphere, good coffee and great place to meet up with friends.
Great selections. Thought I would go with the Star Special
3 eggs any style, choice of our own
specially thick-​cut bacon, sausage
patties, extra lean smoked ham
steak or sausage links, home fries,
«BIG» toast and preserves.
Good choice for my limited breakfast taste. Good thick cut bacon and cooked nice and crispy. Thick texas toast to sop up the eggs. The best part, not very greasy at all. The home fries were fantastic. I would come here for breakfast just for the home fries, WITH onions.
The waitress was outstanding. Fast friendly service. Chatty little thing (but I like that). Never let our coffee cups go below half full, or is it half empty?
This restaurant is in the old Denny’s building. It has been completely remodeled into a nice red and black coloring scheme. Great atmosphere. Sure beats the old Denny’s hands down.
My next meet up with friends, The Bananas Foster French Toast that Craig M. suggests.

I ate here twice — once with my fiancé and once with my future mother-​in-​law. The food was fine… nothing special. The service was hit or miss. I had one experience with adequate service. The other experience, however, was marred by an inattentive server. «Inattentive» is probably being too kind… she totally ignored us, going so far as to lean against the back of my fiancé’s chair and chit-​chat with friends while we tried (unsuccessfully) to remind her that we’d asked for our check a half-​hour before.
As has been mentioned previously, the waitresses’ uniforms are completely ridiculous. They consist of extremely short spandex-​type shorts and tight t-​shirts. I’m not a prude, by any means… however, I was able to discern bits of my waitress’s anatomy through her «uniform» that I wouldn’t have felt comfortable explaining to my son… just FYI, I guess.
I don’t think I’ll be back… the next time I want good «close-​to-​home» breakfast or an affordable, enjoyable lunch I’ll just head down to Tina’s Place.

I wanted to dislike this place once I realized it was a chain from… gulp… Ohio. But I can’t say anything bad about it. The food was good, reasonably priced, and plentiful. The restaurant was clean and well kept. The service was so good that I am left with the impression that they can’t keep it up forever. And while many other reviewers are aghast by the servers’ dress, these people must have eaten at a Hooters because this place is not really that bad.
Update: As of Nov 2010 the Star is now offering dinner six nights a week.

Good food, attentive service.
They close at 2pm, so it’s strictly breakfast and lunch, but their menu says they’ll do large groups after that, too.
Edit: They’re now open until 8pm.

I mentioned this place to James and he nodded sagely and explained he has indeed been to one of these in Toledo. Needless to say I was annoyed because I hate when he knows places I don’t.
I figure Rodger and Craig have good taste so of course I have to come here. My problem was the hours, which for someone on my latest sleep and work schedules are limited. Life can be a challenge on the off shift but I digress.
Cheap prices for the size of the food in here, good selection. Basics but super quality.
I had the gourmet veggie omelet and it was super yummy and freaking huge. The buttery home fries are sinfully delish. My friend had the granola pancakes and was in bliss. I liked the bite I had but I probably would have gone for the strawberry cakes instead myself. She also said the coffee here was good and she is very picky about coffee.
Service was friendly and good, the men in the place seemed very happy as they apparently like to hire very pretty and quite shapely girls. It does nada for me but I bet James likes it. I am bringing my dad for lunch and I am betting he doesn’t mind a bit either. At any rate they do their jobs really well.
I wish it were a tad closer and the hours were longer but for what it is it is top notch.

Stopped here with 4 other from work for our last lunch of the year.
Once again, the food was fantastic. Tried the Mexican Omelet this time. Chorizo, cheese, salsa, guacamole… yum… I think I’m stuck on the rye toast. Although both white and wheat look great I like the taste of the jam on the rye.
Others had the Meat Omelet, Breakfast Burrito, the Special breakfast and the Bananas Foster French Toast. We all waked away satisfied and stuffed.
For a nice cozy diner… it don’t get any better.

I’ve been here 3 or 4 times in the last month and still haven’t progressed off the breakfast menu.
Today’s meal tickled my sweet tooth… Bananas Foster French Toast and only one word will do… Deeeeeelicious!
Seriously folks, take a look at the picture I uploaded. There will be no skimping on ingredients or freshness here at the Star.

No debate. The best breakfast in the Downriver Area. It is also a candidate for best breakfast in Detroit. I had a 4 Egg Spinach, Mushroom and Swiss omlette that was divine. The coffee was full bodied and fresh. However, the home fries sealed the deal. The spuds were the best I have had in Detroit. Period. Cooked to perfection with a high butter content, they were as good as the Palace Grill and Valois in Chicago. I am heading back in the next few days to survey the meat selection.
I was gazing at a neighboring table who ordered a Chicken Sandwich and Onion Rings and I saw bliss in their eyes.
Service– Never an empty cup, and wow, the ahem, the servers are a sight for sore eyes. Great classic rock playing in the background.
This family of diners started in Toledo and is moving into the Detroit area. Good move Star Diner!
5 stars all the way!