Sunrise Diner

My boyfriend and I love breakfast. We’d been trying to find a new place to go since we moved here. Although it was a cute restaurant, we were not impressed. Our food was luke warm when we got it. The bacon was hard and chewy. The hash browns were even icky and slimy. How do you mess up bacon and hash browns? We were very disappointed.
Way over priced for the quality. I would’ve rather had mcdonalds breakfast…

If you go into this ‘joint’, you will not be disappointed! The negative ratings are not warranted if you understand it’s an old-​fashioned diner type restaurant. We were in town for a wedding. This place was around the corner from our hotel and was awesome!!! The prices are ridiculously cheap… If you get there before 9 AM, they’re even cheaper!
Rhea the Manager took our order and was a pro. Extremely delightful. Eat here with confidence that you’ll get a fresh, priced right meal!

This place has been around for some time. They have good prices and good food. The place itself is pretty small and you will get to know the people sitting next to you. Portion sizes are good. If you are looking for a good local place for breakfast, this is it.

OMG, where to start. You probably could just go read all the one star reviews, taking the worst bits from each. But, I’ll save you the effort. Got the menus and drinks fairly promptly, gave our orders, one lunch, fried chicken, one breakfast, Western omelet, and proceeded to wait. And after we waited, we waited some more. And some more waiting. When we got tired of waiting, we waited again. We kidded about starting a pool. A dollar a square, to guess when our food would finally appear. We watched others complain about the waiting. Watched others ask when their food was coming. Watched the wait staff walk by, carefully avoiding eye contact. But, no food. And no «I’m sorry we’re having a problem.». Well we ultimately did get our order, but since my «Western» omelet was undercooked runny, and stuffed with what one reviewer called «whatever was leftover in the kitchen», we asked for to-​go boxes and decided to pay up and leave. Fortunately, I had cash, since I was informed there would be a $ 1.75 charge for using plastic at their credit card machine that they call an ATM. All in all, an interesting experience, but not one I plan to repeat. Oh, and BTW, microwaving that «omelet», and I use the word loosely, did not make it edible. It went right in the trash.

This place «hits the spot.» It’s not going to blow your mind or start any revelations, but if you want an American diner, you’ve found it. If you use a card, they charge you a service fee. I’m pretty sure they had a sign on the door that said that.

In town from Texas and found this gem. It has a cute old fashion feel and décor. Breakfast was delicious and the servings were giant. If I lived here I’d defiantly come again.

LOVE THIS PLACE! I haven’t been here in a while but my boyfriend and I stopped in today for a late breakfast. The staff here is the friendliest staff I have ever encountered. They LOVE their job, and it’s obvious. The vibe is a family vibe, and that is why I will continue to come here. Leaving very happy and we can’t wait to return. (Probably next Sunday for their fried chicken!)

Best breakfast in town, the pancakes and biscuits and gravy are amazing! They also offer two daily lunch specials with a trip to their soup & salad bar included! Cash only, ATM inside with service fee $ 1.75. Love this place!

I had always talked about wanting to try this place, and then it closed for not being able to pay taxes. Thankfully they were able to open back up not long after. I decided to try and make this my weekend go-​to for breakfast. No one wants to see a local business struggle.
Today was my third time going. I rarely carry cash, which I feel is the norm for most people today. When I went to pay, they told me I had to use their «mini-​ATM» (a credit card machine), and pay a $ 1.85 charge for doing so. So basically you want me to pay your credit card fee? Sorry sunrise, but if you’re hurting for money, you should be taking it any way you can get it. That was a major turnoff to me, and I’ll now go have breakfast somewhere that will take my credit card without charging me.
Also, it was snowing (about an inch on the ground), and on my way out they were putting up a sign to close due to weather. The diner is in downtown Lafayette, a walking area. If you have customers that are able to get there no matter the weather, and you were just closed due to lack of funds, why would you not stay open with one waitress and a cook to get the money that you can?
The food isn’t bad, and I would’ve came back if I didn’t have to deal with the credit card machine hassle. I’ll go elsewhere now.

So slow. We’ve been waiting 45 minutes and still haven’t been served our breakfast yet. When I asked the waitress, she said our order was next. Decent food but definitely not worth that long of a wait. People walked out because it was taking too long. We had a pole right in the middle of our table, which was kind of weird. We joked the whole time that they need a visit from Chef Ramsey for a restaurant makeover!

11:45am: My cohorts and I have arrived at the holding cell, and have been given promises of tasty breakfast delicacies. Our cell has not yet been sanitized from the last occupants, and contains a fascinating plant species that holds a great of affection for humans. However, our new home also contains a large bar separating our cell mates, so it would seem that social interaction is discouraged in this facility.
noon: We have become acquainted with our warden: an amiable, tattooed woman who smiled politely and brought us caffeinated beverages of a reasonable measure. We have submitted a request for sustenance. I opted for the pancakes and eggs. I initially intended to order toast, but the warden gave a wry grin and hinted that the English muffins were far superior. Anxious to maintain a good relationship with her, I agreed and ordered the English muffins. My companions ordered similar variations of the rations that I requested, comprising of potatoes, eggs, pancakes, and pork products.
12:30pm: Suspicious that psychological experimentation may be occurring with us as a subject, we continue to wait for our first shipment of rations. We have resorted to an electronic form of divertissement known as «Charades.» Neighboring cells seem somewhat bothered by our social activity, but this was more likely a result of their similar malnourishment.
12:45pm: Now famished, some members now consider our foliage companions as a viable food source. Energy levels and morale have fallen dramatically, as the caffeinated beverage shipments have become scarce. We have received no information from our warden regarding the status of our edible provisions.
1:00pm: We are pleased to have received a partial shipment of rations for one-​half of our group. These pancakes were nearly delectable, but failed to curb the hunger of the entire party. We have not received any word of future shipments, and some members no longer hold any hope of more rations. Truly a morose morning-​turned-​afternoon.
1:30pm: A great deal of time has passed since our last shipment of rations, and in our weakened state, some members have whispered plots of cannibalism.
1:40pm: A large convoy of rations has arrived at our cell. These late but welcome rations fail to impress as much as their pancake precursors. I believe I have eaten a similar English muffin during my days as a free man. «Wonder» was the name if I recall correctly. Nothing about the rest of the rations offended the taste buds of any of my compatriots.
1:50pm: After good behavior, our party has been presented exit tickets. We will quickly gobble up the remaining rations and make our escape while the opportunity presents itself.
2:00pm: We have encountered a complication with the exit process regarding fund transfer. All members entered the facility without cash, assuming exit tickets could be paid using electronic money exchange cards. However, doing so required a $ 1.75 bribe to the warden for each party member. This was deemed a small price to pay for unconditional freedom, and so we were released from confinement.
And we left a really small tip.

They are getting one star not because of the food but because every other aspect besides the food was a complete failure. The atmosphere is a dive but I particularly enjoy breakfast places where the food is the focus.
When we arrived a found a table that had not been cleared and we sat there with it like that for about 15 minutes. Once it finally got cleared it took over an hour to get our food. The food was not the best I have had but it was good. Then the manager can a screamed across the who section at the waitress. Over all the food was good but everything else was a complete failure. This would be the perfect place for restaurant impossible.

This is as average as a typical common diner can get.
Exactly three stars — Nothing to blow me away, but nothing to make me cringe. This is a diner you would go to for a common meal. Imagine a place you can take grandma, grandpa, and have average breakfast all day. The place is very small, but almost all booths for seating –which I do like — and only few tables which is nice and common at many diners. The prices were lower like most diners are. Generally most diners are exactly ordinary to me and this was no exception. It still beats a chain like IHOP/Denny’s to me as far as being a «Mom & Pap» small business shop. I find my hidden gems from adventuring out avoiding chains as much as possible. Chains have regulations, but single shop businesses have endless possibility to be exceeding all limitations, or spoil every opportunity. Reading Unilocal reviews (and providing my own experiences fairly) is how we can find the hidden gems & avoid the nightmares!
Sunrise diner was open New Year’s Day morning. We walked around a corner out of the cold breeze and got immediately into a booth. There was a single waitress serving the lady there already, us, and the couple arriving after us. We had celebrated a NYE in Masquerade Ball attire and both of the other guests there complimented our attire & and politely (non-​intrusively) asked if we had a fun night. The guests I would assume are mostly townies, regulars, locals, and the Sunday church crowds. The tiny place did have a decent lay out as we were satisfied with our booth and glass wind barrier kept the opening door breeze from hitting us. The single waitress was patient and nice. She checked on us without delay, asked if we needed a minute, came back in appropriate timing, and then extended our time to not rush us. They were not busy, and she was not rushing or delaying our service. It wasn’t out of the ballpark customer service, but certainly for an early morning after a holiday night it was absolutely average diner service kindness.
Our food was exactly as I would make it at home. Toast, Eggs, Potatoes/​Hashbrowns, & Biscuits and Gravy (anyone that reads my reviews and photos knows this is a huge important breakfast food for me when dining out for breakfast and being a piggy!) The food was all exactly average. The biscuits and gravy from the critic here were only OKAY. They needed more sausage, but at least had sausage. My bacon was ordered to be not crispy, and they served it well that way. We got everything we asked for, and didn’t have to cook it ourselves, so an average diner made the average food that I didn’t have to make myself at home that morning. The pricing was correct. Diner food is generally average and the pricing is cheap for dining out, but more expensive than making it yourself at home. Overall it was like $ 10-​$ 12 for two people to eat some shared and some of our own food and be plenty full. That is cheap for a morning breakfast out. The pricing, food, ambiance, service, and quality were as average as I could describe ordinary to be. I can’t say anything bad. It was fine. However, I can’t think of one thing that blew me away either. This is a perfect example of a common diner. TV shows, movies, places you have visited… It’s safe, it’s fine, it won’t be bad, I just don’t see anything amazing here either. If you want or are in need of a local common place, based on my ONE experience I would say visit and expect everything exactly ordinary. (Also, credit card usage fee, so try to have some cash on hand!). If you want a diner to blow you away, visit the SouthSide Diner in Lafayette (I stamp my word of 5 stars & feel free to read my review — multiple visits that I have a 5 star experience every time). I only would visit this diner instead based on the holiday convenience hours, or if I was downtown Lafayette and not heading to the south side anytime soon. Lafayette is small though, it’s worth the drive if you are craving diner breakfast! This place is all that is exactly OKAY. Ordinary, common, average, familiar, regular… some people like that. I try not to dine with meritocracy, but can at least thank them for being open New Year’s Day morning.

This place is not good. Not the worst maybe, but close. Not a hole-​in-​the-​wall or local favorite, just an unenthusiastic excuse for a diner. I’ve always had bad service and bad experiences here. Other people are lucky they haven’t.
Sunrise Diner? More like Sunrise Don’t Even Bother

Lunch/​dinner options are average but breakfast is fantastic. Biscuits & gravy are my personal favorite, best I’ve had in town. Service is great, all of the waitresses are wonderful. Interesting décor in the first dining area with tons of vintage cameras lining the walls as well as lots of old photos of Lafayette. Owner is fantastic as well. Overall just a really good, cheap greasy spoon for breakfast.

I am from Chicago and have been to TONS of diners/​breakfast spots — but this one takes the cake!
It has the most authentic crappy diner feel, but also some of the best damn breakfast food I’ve ever had. The service was also excellent — they really made you feel like you were at home.
(Better than Triple X — trust me!)

If you’re in to standard diner fare, this place has exactly what you want/​need. What sets this place apart is the Kaden’s Special (which is of course, standard diner fare, but it has a cool name) and it’s splendid hours. It’s a great place to go after a late night if you’re late night has left you in a state where you’re craving some good food and a wind-​down, or if you’re up early to run errands and want some coffee and a good breakfast before you embark on your next adventure.
I’m from Lafayette, and I love this place. Nothing makes me feel more comfortable than a two-​egg breakfast and a cup of coffee.
Also, important to note, the hashbrowns are exceptional here. They’re nice and buttery. No need to smother and cover them, as they would offer, but it’s all up to you :)

When I used to live in Lafayette I went to this Restaurant a lot. They serve great breakfast. The portions of the food were heaping. Also it was at a price that won’t break the bank. The waitresses were very prompt and polite. If you have never been than it is totally worth checking out!

We had an AGS Mini Conference in Lafayette, IN and I picked this place pff Unilocal and I think it was an EXCELLENT choice. There were 5 of us and it was also our meet up place, People from Chigao, people from Fort Wayne.
Firstly it is a fun place, There is a nice vibe, everyone seems friendly. They seem happy.
Maybe it is living in Chicago but the food here is great and ridiculously inexpensive. For under $ 10 I had… (Drum roll lease) 2 eggs, an Enfglsh muffin, a chicken fried steak, bisquits and gravy and I had a choie of hash browns or corned beef hash… who picks hash browns???
As I say, 5 of us. Everyone enjoyed breakfast. The mushroom and cheese omellette a friend had was full of excellent mushrooms adn the right amount of cheese.
Anyway, I woulod eat here as a regular if it was local… apparently the pancakes are also excellent… I had the bisquits and gravy not pancakes.

So, you’re in Lafayette and you want to go to a diner? I understand, I’ve felt that way as well. You look at your options, and of course you think of the Triple XXX over by campus. You’ve been there, done that, had the root beer.
Instead, this time, why not head over to the sunrise. You will have your coffee refilled, get a real seat, easy classic dive diner food, and still be in town to go walkabout through the antique stores and farmers market. This actually feels like a community diner, and that’s all you need.