Charlie’s Diner

Nice little greasy spoon. My omelette (western) was a decent size & cooked perfectly. Wife’s pancakes & bacon were just right. Very polite staff which isn’t always the case for old school diners. We’re definitely coming back to try the French toast (it’s huge & looks delish) & home made hash.
If you’re looking for a fancy place drive on by. If you like old school greasy spoons with hearty comfort food/​breakfast this is the place.

Like the guy says. Quintessential NE diner. My wife and I like coming here for weekend brunch. If you’re new to Merrimack Valley, the chicken Barb is a treat. Service is always friendly. The customers add enough character to make it charming.

I’ve been coming here since I was 11. The food will never fail to amaze me. This is the ideal breakfast as well as lunch spot. Everything homemade and family run. You know it is real from the first bite.

I eat here about once a week. The food is fresh and homemade (including the corned beef hash). The staff is friendly and accommodating. Generally, I can get a seat at the countertop or a booth. I highly recommend and find it amusing that people wait in line up the street in Andover when they can have the same food or better about two miles away without the parking problems.

I’ve had breakfast here 5 times. It’s small, but great service, food is always cooked exceedingly well. It’s your quintessential New England breakfast diner, bring your accent, the people are tough, but I LOVE IT!!!

For about a year my partner and I have been searching for the perfect breakfast spot. Although we’ve found some good places, none have pleased like Charlie’s Diner. If you’re looking for a classic diner experience then look no further. This is the place to be.
The restaurant is housed in an old Worcester diner car and everything looks authentic and original. It’s small but clean and comfortable. The waitress who seated us was friendly and efficient.
My waffle was delicious, eggy and light. My partner is the pickiest man I know when it comes to omelettes. So I knew we’d found a winner when he took the first bite and pronounced it delicious. He cleaned his plate and said it was excellent. I know we will be back to Charlie’s in the future. Highly recommended.

Great all American diner
old Worcester car, great food, great service. Diner, diner, diner. if you are looking for diner… this is as good as any!

We drove past Charlie’s about 2 weeks ago and I knew then that we were going to eat there. So, when a trip to Lawrence took us by the diner I yelled, LUNCH! He spun the car around (OK, around the block) and before I knew it we were there.
Charlie’s nearly typifies the classic American greasy spoon diner, only this one is minus the grease. It’s family owned and run and I swear they were all there, either behind the counter or in front of it.
Walking in you are immediately taken back. Nostalgia reigns here, realized by the classic dining car. You’re surrounded by wood. I mean seriously, the stuff is everywhere, including the ceiling. Finished plywood and urethane tables, tile flooring, and lunch counter stools that look like the originals.
The server was super friendly. Initially we had to sit at the counter but decided that we wanted the newly open table. She was very accommodating and helped us in the move. The coffee never stopped and neither did her smile. Her attitude seemed genuine and believe me, I can spot a phony a mile away.
Now when it comes to the food you have to understand that it is what it is. Plain, simply presented and pretty good, I must say. It’s not pretty but it’s not meant to be. Very welcoming and we’ll certainly be coming back when the time is right. In Lawrence and hungry around lunch time. Looking forward to that!

Had breakfast at Charlie’s Diner today. Food was excellent! Ordered eggs (scrambled), bacon (perfectly crispy), home fries, which had just the right amount of crunch to it and white toast. Coffee was ultra fresh.
Waitress was extremely friendly and personable. Chef did an excellent job! Order was perfect.
Charlie’s is a warm and friendly home-​town diner.

Love the old diner NY style feel to the place. Eggs Mykonos omelette was amazing the way they cook the omelet loosely and deliciously. Service was pleasant. I really enjoyed the close family bib you get in the place and the service of the waitresses that I think are mostly family. All around 5 star!

Great bfast place… nice diner. Charlie friendly cooking up a good egg sandwich. Lots of booths and long bar, comfy stools – old time diner.

The breakfasts here are delicious. They use fresh, local ingredients and prepare it the way I like it. The menu has good variety, and they are willing to make something that’s not on the menu if you ask. I gave it a try awhile back, and just kept going back. The only place around that I like better for breakfast is the Shawsheen Luncheonette.

AWWESOMMMEEEE to have rediscovered Charlie’s (Al’s) Diner in Lawrence today… Old world charm in this tiny place. EXTREMELY friendly people, one of the father/​son owners manning the grill while chatting like old friends with patrons at the bar behind him. The ‘limited’ menu (limited as ALL diners are), meant little since without ANY hesitation the waitress accepted and chef made our custom order choc. chip mouse ear pancakes for the kids as well as a corned beef hash omelette for the wife (none of which was on the menu)… Food, 5 star, service 5 star, ‘diner vibe’ 5 star… If you like diner eating, this place is an EXCELLENT choice!

Found this diner Sunday morning while puttin’ around on my Harley. Great looking diner in nice shape on the outside .Had breakfast, nothing special just a veggie omelet toast and home fries. The coffee was very good. My omelet came out over done but wasn’t too bad. Service was decent and the coffee cup never ran dry. The men’s room was totally disgusting. I don’t think it has seen a mop in quite a while. That alone makes my rating at only 2 stars…

Charlie’s Diner (formerly Al’s Diner) is housed in an old fashioned 1934 Worcester lunch car open 7 days a week, serving breakfast and lunch.
This classic diner is pretty small with a long lunch counter with stools and 5 wood booths along the front windows. The open grill & serving area behind the counter is very tight with workers squeezing by each other, but there is also an attached back area. The floors are small tile and the walls and ceiling are wood finished. The place is decorated with old classic pictures and antiques. The radio was tuned into 93.7 Mike-​FM.
The breakfast menu offers eggs, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches, breads, muffins. pancakes, waffles, French toast, and breakfast sides. The lunch menu offerings include sandwiches, salad platters, soups, burgers, gyros, comfort dishes, and desserts. Fresh ground New England Coffee ($ 1.50) is brewed here. The prices are reasonable (items priced under $ 10) and the portions are good.
I stopped in here recently for Sunday breakfast and sat up at the lunch counter. I started out with some hot coffee which was really good, just right. I opted for the Western Omelette ($ 6.75) with Swiss cheese (add $ 0.60 for cheese in all omelettes) served with homefries and toast. The omelette was pretty decent, the kind with the ham, green peppers, & onions mixed with the egg and folded over Swiss cheese in a halfmoon shape. The home fries were great, which were grilled & browned scalloped potatoes.
The service was friendly and very attentive. The owner was checking up on everyone (lots of regulars) and working with the staff. I was offered constant refills on coffee throughout breakfast, even after my check was dropped off. I had close to 4 cups of coffee, so I was pretty wired for the rest of the day.
HOURS: Mon-​Fri: 6AM-​3PM; Sat: 6AM-​2PM; Sun: 7AM-​1PM