Old Lighthouse Diner

Absolutely 5 stars. We will always visit when in Bristol. The staff is friendly and efficient. They see to your every need. The suggestions made to my order made it seem they knew what I wanted before I did. The food was somehow even better than the sum of it’s parts. The opportunity for breakfast all day is a treat. After a few days of traveling-​food this was actually an improvement to our trip. Thank you, Old Lighthouse and staff.

Angelo is amazing. We were passing through and found this place on Unilocal,and decided to go for it. We were not let down. The food was great, and the hospitality was even better. As soon as we walked in we were greeted and shown a seat. We talked with everyone there and they were all interesting people. We left after many offers to give us coffee and water to go. True southern hospitality.

I work with the mentally disabled in Greeneville TN. While shopping at the Pinnacle one day we happened upon the diner. No one has ever treated us as good as these folks did. We all loved it and will definitely be back to eat again. Great food. Great service. Great people.

Very good food and amazing service! They were very, very nice. Thanks for making our day better

This family owned business is tried and true for the last 40 years. We were highly impressed their quality of ingredients, personal service, and pride in their food. You can tell that they are genuinely enthusiastic about what they put on a plate. We had the Denver omelette, bacon, pancakes, and breakfast sandwich. All were great choices. Everything on the menu looked great. The coffee was above average diner style. We will definitely be back.

Delicious food, personal service & the cleanest restaurant I’ve been to in the Bristol area!
Recently moved to the area & after driving by many times, my fiancé & I decided to stop in. We’re glad we did.
From the minute we walked in we were greeted & treated like regulars. Our waitress & waiter (a brother & sister team whose parents own the place) were great!
At 1 point I asked if we could switch tables because I was cold & we were sitting by an air vent. Not only did they help us move our stuff but the brother raised the temperature for me. Kudos for caring!
We went back again last week & once again the food was yummy! I know this is going to sound odd but we were actually looking for dirt, cob webs, grease, etc. The place is immaculate!
It was also very close to their closing time but people kept showing up & they greater every person with a smile.
I can’t recommend this place enough, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Awesome food great people always use Unilocal on trips never failed us yet loved the Philly cheese steaks and very clean bathrooms

Wow, service was excellent and the breakfast was great. Small hometown diner, a great find.

Amazing breakfast. We had homemade Bavarian bread French toast and corn beef hash omelette!
The service was outstanding. This is a family owned and operated diner. You won’t be disappointed with the diner atmosphere. If you are in the area, it’s worth checking out!

Loved it. Very friendly people making good, home cooked style food. And being in town to check out the Bristol Pirates, it was a plus to find the players and coaches eat there a good bit (it’s good AND affordable!), and they have a lot of team signed memorabilia.
Highly recommended if you’re in the area.

Totally enjoyed everything about this place. The food was very good and the service was friendly and genuinely helpful. So glad we took the time.

Well it was OK. Only. I suspect the breakfast is a better bet. Can you believe they charged for an extra lemon in my iced tea?! Stupid décor — reminded me of a male 14 year old’s room. A banner boasted a really tacky family portrait — who is proud of a huge family when there are 7 billion people in the world?! I don’t want to be too negative, the people working there were nice. But there is a clueless ambiance about the place, lacking authenticity, skidzo decorating, reheated canned food feel. Something is really missing.

What a great find! A true Family owned diner. Everyone is Super friendly. Fabulous fresh homecooked food. Eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, and my favorite. Home fries. We will make sure to stop again on our way back thru Bristol!

Great spot! Old Lighthouse Diner has everything you’d want in a diner experience: Great old-​school atmosphere of days gone by, great service that makes a passerby feel like a regular, and familiar food that is made very well. Thank you Old Lighthouse Diner!

Love a big breakfast? If your travels take you to I 81 near Bristol VA this place is well worth a short drive off of the interstate. Small and family operated, it will not disappoint. My «Breakfast Scramble» included potatoes, onions, bell pepper and tomatoes (hold the mushrooms), and the holy trinity of breakfast meats. Drop the extra buck and drench it all in sausage gravy for a special treat, the best I’ve had since we lived in Knoxville forty years ago. Our server Gabriel was a true Southern gentleman, offering to assist me to the parking lot after I ate almost all of it.

The best restaurant experience in a while. They don’t have to be fancy to make great food and share great time. Live once eat a great breakfast! :-)

Good biscuits and gravy but doesn’t have that home cooked feel that I love in a good diner.
Just ok.
Nothing actually wrong with it, but nothing that made me pleased to have eaten there either.

No … you mustn’t be a Blue Hill at Stone Barns (where the «tasting menu» starts at $ 108) to be a five star establishment. Yes … a simple diner can deserve five stars when it authentically fits its niche and combines quality ingredients with careful preparation and good service. Old Lighthouse meets all of these criteria, complete with «Only You» performed by The Platters on the jukebox.
We discovered this diner immediately following its Monday lunch hour surge. By 2 PM, the floor had been mopped and all of the stainless steel in the grill area was spotlessly clean. (The restrooms also were spotless.) This is a family run business, not a franchise, and the entire place exudes pride in ownership. (Although the current owners have been in business only a few years, the two short order cooks behind the grill have been working at the place for 20 years.)
We both ordered a patty melts with Swiss cheese. The burgers are hand-​formed from fresh Angus (never frozen) beef, and come in 4, 8 or (for the biggest appetites) 16 ounce increments. The 4 ounce burgers were plenty for us. Just like old-​style diners, the grill area is visible from the dining room. Add to the order fresh, hand-​cut fries, and you have an all-​American lunch. Complimented with homemade fudge cake (with four kinds of chocolate) and a scoop of ice-​cream for dessert, and we were sate and satisfied.
The owner is Angelo, and two of his eight children were working with him when we dined. The service was friendly and prompt. (Our only regret is that we didn’t explore the menu for a hand-​made chocolate milkshake … hopefully they serve those as well.)
Yes, it is only a diner … but a diner done right. We’ll be back on the return trip home.

update– I originally gave it 4 stars because I thought it’s a ‘good diner.’ But I have changed my mind after three visits in the 5 — day period. Food is not mind blowing but (hey, it’s a diner!) it is a darn good, solid diner.
We’ve come twice in the morning and once at noon. This place is BOOMING at lunch time! Each time we’ve visited, food has been consistently good and the kitchen keeps it up with busy orders fast, too. But I prefer coming at 7 or 8 where it’s quiet and you can have a nice chat or two with the cook (owner) or staff (his children). They are such pleasant people that you walk out not only with a full belly, you leave with a smile on your face. I think it’s very important to have that «human» experience at a family owned diner!
I am afraid that my fiancé and I are becoming regulars. :)

We spent the last week vacationing in western North Carolina, and on the last night, I realized we would be passing right through Bristol, Tennessee on our way back to New Jersey.
We found the Old Lighthouse on Unilocal… It was exactly what we were looking for… One last delicious southern breakfast.
Pork tenderloin and eggs over with grits and a biscuit, and the huge blueberry pancakes were both great.
The owners reminded me of everything I love about the south. They were incredibly friendly, and they fed me some really good food.
If you’re in town for the races this weekend, or just passing thru, definitely better than the chain offerings for some good breakfast.