The Diner

I’ll have to give it my five stars. I was enamored with the functionality of this little place. They pump out lines of people but don’t treat you like a number. They aren’t super friendly but they smile and greet and thank — they are just super busy.
For those of you back home in Hawaii that have eaten at places like Hanara’s or Liliha Bakery or any homey type of Dinner you’d love it here.
I got to sit right at the counter and watch the cooks the entire time. They don’t stop moving and the prep is unreal. It’s like looking at the inside of a clock for a good 30minutes and see how it’s working.
I ordered the blueberry pancakes– soft steamy, moist, delish!
Also got bacon– nice and crispy and they aren’t stingy.
Along with that I got eggs over easy– perfectly made no runny buggers
They clean up quick. They accept credit or debit cards.
Yes I visited the restroom. It’s small and in the back of the kitchen near the back door. No toilet seat loners but it’s clean, have hand towels and soap and lots of toilet paper. Even has a mirror.
There is street parking out front.
I ate way too much and didn’t even finish my pancakes. My meal with coffee was $ 10.22. Really got my monies worth. I could’ve easily shared this plate with someone and still leave satisfied.
Oh yeah I almost forgot… Breakfast is served all day
Awesome experience. Everyone should try it.

Classic diner food at it’s best! Good, friendly service, The eggarito is amazing but I always just hit up the standard 2 eggs over medium, home fries and link sausage. Delish!

This place is legendary. While eating the best chili I’ve ever had, in walks Coach Switzer and politely says hi to everyone before ordering his eggs. Felt special. Can’t go wrong here. Long live the Diner!

This place used to be alright, but something happened to their egos, their food, and their service after Guy Ferrera redesigned the place. It went to their heads. I’ll be sticking with Jimmie’s Egg for ½ the price. They offer twice the food and no lousy, «hipster,» bad tattooed, and bad attitude service. We actually left drove 2 miles to get a wallet, and came back before anyone checked on our table. I still wanted another cup of coffee. One of our party sat and patiently waited. As a fellow ex-​restaurant owner I told the chatty Katy, blue haired MOD (manager on duty, who happened to be the owner) that she should pay more attention to her customers than her friends and she ended up in tears (the entire time we were waiting for service she was flirting with another woman at the bar directly in front of us… Look you shouldn’t be Manager On Duty if you can’t handle a simply non confrontational critique. AND you definitely should not be owner operator if you cry when someone tells you your service has gone downhill, after we sent our food back twice (very explicitly explained food allergies from a concerned pregnant customer). Then get your dinner back up to par, swallow your pride, cut the tears and maybe you’ll be Normans fav little diner again.

Ticks all my boxes for stellar diner food:
(1) The clientele is a mix of retired men, some families, young kids just coming off the midnight shift, and they’re all chatting/​interacting with the staff. So, superb people-​watching abilities!
(2) Home fries sit at the corner of the grill, marinating so to speak. So of course they taste awesome.
(3) Plenty of excellent coffee
(4) Good bacon.
(5) Food is served in a flash.
(6) Friendly Staff that talk to each other while they’re working.
I had a cheesy egg/​onion/​pepper scrambler thing over the fries. Might try lunch there too eventually.

It’s good and fast paced. You may have to wait in line for a little bit if you come later in the morning or if it’s a weekend, but it goes quickly. The service is also quick. The food is like that of any diner I would say… cheesy, greasy and filling!

We went to the Diner for a Saturday breakfast. The place was packed but we were able to get a seat at the counter with minimal waiting. The server was very sweet if a bit frenzied
(understandably so!). The food was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. Overall, it’s a great little classic diner and a Norman institution.

What a great experience! We were there for brunch on Saturday and had wonderful food and great service! The husband got tamales breakfast, I got the eggrito and the kiddies shared 2×2×2. Blue berry pancakes, eggs and sausage patties. Tamales were excellent and I asked for chili on top of my hash browns. Yum!!! I tried the Kids blueberry pancakes and they were so good!
Great service too. Everyone was friendly and upbeat. We had a great waitress who was dressed in a bacon print suit. Love the old school vibes in there.

This is a total gem!!! The two times I’ve been to Norman I always stop by here and grab some breakfast. The customer service is amazing and they are fast!!!

Tasty breakfast diner that has friendly service with a smile. Feels like a small town diner that you’d expect to see the local farmers chatting away at but this joint has a mix of families, college kids, to retired people which makes it a great casual spot that everybody can fit in.
The food is great and served very quickly. The coffee is hot, fresh, and delicious (it’s Cain’s coffee which is locally roasted «MIO Made in Oklahoma» and can be purchased at local grocery stores.)
I ordered the blueberry pancakes (tons of fresh blueberries, not frozen!) with bacon (mouth-​watering-​ly delicious) scrambled eggs (kinda plain… needed seasoning).
Our waitress was really fun and friendly. I love great service.
Great/​reasonable prices.
Park in the street. It’s a popular place/​area so parking can be difficult.
You’ll probably have to wait in line for 8+ minutes or so to get a table when it’s not very busy. It’s a small building so do everyone a favor and quit asking how long for a table because it ain’t the Ritz and everyone’s trying to enjoy their meal! So prepare yourself to be patient and wait for that delicious diner food!

AMAZING breakfast! I had the blueberry pancakes and they were fresh and yummy! The biscuits and gravy… yum! Very soft fluffy biscuits. The hubby had the brisket hash and I sampled a couple of bites before he devoured it, very very good. Definitely made a good choice to stop before our 3hr drive back to Texas!

Brisket hash was amazing. Just passing thru and we will be back. The toast was amazing and service fantastic and fast!

Phenomenal food. The blueberry pancakes are heavenly. My only complaint is that it’s a very small space, so don’t be surprised if you get bumped a few times. Not a big enough deal to knock off a star, though. This place is delicious.

The eggarito was spicier than I imagined but tasted great. I recommend it with bacon.

Excellent food, both breakfast and lunch. I like the chicken fried steak and eggs, tamale breakfast or eggaritto for breakfast.
Lunch…burgers and sandwiches are all good. If you come on the weekend… be prepared to wait, but we’ll worth it.

Everything a diner should be. Old school and comfortable. Been coming for years and it’s always been good. Recently remodeled and the dining room has been cleaned up quite a bit. Must try dishes: Tamale breakfast, chicken fried steak and eggs, blueberry pancakes, chili and of course probably the best burger in town. Worth the wait when the line is out the door, which due to the small size of The Diner, is frequently.

Great food! Although the restaurant is small, they turn the tables quickly. Good place to bring friends and family.

This place is very good. I would go here every day for breakfast if i could. My fiancé tried the tamales and was very impressed by them. Its a busy place (like all good restaurants should be) but you get a seat very quickly.

Grand tradition but for a great reason. Food is tops for a 100+ year old hole in the wall. Flapjacks are some of the best in the world.

So happy to visit this landmark Oklahoma eatery. I had time to burn on my OKC project and I’ve already hit every TV Food Find in that town. What’s left? A jaunt to The small town of Norman and a lunch stop at The Diner.
I’m a New Jersey boy and we have epic diners ranging from tiny stainless and porcelain train car style all the way to massive 300+ seater with bars and bakeries. What’s lacking is that fast friendly down home feeling I got from the staff and patrons during my visit. Somebody even did the old «what exit» joke.
The waitress was as cute as a bucket of puppies and she was moving working and being great to everyone non stop. The other staff were busy bees too still friendly but focused. I like that, it shows dedication to the craft and to the establishment.
As for the food it was okay I mean this place will feed you but go for the experience.
I had some Championship chili and it has a nice heat to it. I tasted the hash and it was more like a stew but very tasty.
Go grab breakfast or lunch and see for yourself.
And it’s a Triple D alumni so make another one down for the FoodDude!

Best breakfast place in Norman if you want traditional delicious breakfast or diner food. Also very well priced, you get a lot of bang for your buck! It’s famous for a reason.

I have wanted to visit this place for a while. I heard about it on Diner’s, Drive-​ins, and Dives. Two weeks ago I went to University of Oklahoma with my son to check on a schedule for this semester. My daughter encouraged us to have breakfast at The Diner. I am so glad she suggested this place. My son had the infamous Eggarito and I had the Tamale Breakfast. The food was delicious! This place reminds me of the type of place my grandparents would take us in the late 60’s, early 70’s. I highly reccomend The Diner in Norman, you will not be disappointed!

I’ve been here twice and each time it was their coffee that I liked the most. Obviously it’s impossible not to hear about The Diner if you live in Norman, but quite honestly this place is just okay in my opinion.
Do they have decent food? Depends on what your expectations are. Is the service decent too? Depends on whether you come here on a Saturday or not. Are they overpriced? Yes (to me). Do we have better options for breakfast in Norman? Yes (to me).
I am by no means suggesting that this is not a breakfast place worth trying, but I do find many, many of the extremely positive reviews here slightly inaccurate, inconsistent with my experience. Perhaps there is something to this place, but so far I haven’t seen it. I might return and give it another shot, since they have such good coffee, though.

Ive been here a couple times and already I’m in love with the place.
My first time coming I had a breakfast quesadilla and it was utterly delicious. The hash browns that are served as a side were a nice golden brown and the service was great! I would 100% recommend this too anyone who likes food.

Decided to stop here on our way to Wichita. Picked it because of the reviews! We were excited to eat here since Guy did! It was kind of difficult trying to find parking. When we walked in, every seat was filled (good indicator of good food)! We didn’t have to wait too long and got the next available booth. The restauarant is very small! We asked our waitress what her favorite was and she said the Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich, which is what my mom got and she was very pleased. Overall, it was a good dining experience! I’d definitely come back if I was in Norman again and the prices aren’t bad at all!

This place was so worth the wait. They don’t bother with a sign in sheet… they trust their customers to figure out who is next. There is maybe a dozen booths and some stools at the counter. Sit at the counter and watch the cooks perform breakfast miracles. It was awe inspiring. The service was awesome, the eggarito was tasty. I preferred the hash browns over the home fries, but just because the eggarito was already spicy, and the extra spice on the home fries was overkill. Great local dive, without being douchey like some college town places. Liked it so much, I bought one of their mugs for my collection!

Decided to visit after seeing The Diner on Amanda Freytag’s new show. Place looks great after the redo, but the new laminate wall panels are already delaminating in places :(@FoodNetwork, you should come back and fix it. The service is good, the coffee good, and food is fresh and served piping hot. Everything was well seasoned and properly prepared. I did think the biscuits and gravy were meh, not bad but not interesting at all. The green ranchero sauce is quite good. Nice to see The Diner flourishing.

Pretty good food! And excellent service.
I just wish — diners in general — would learn to make coffee. Coffee tastes like water-​flavored coffee.

The diner is da bomb!!! I’ve been coming here for awhile now mostly because I’m addicted to the eggarito and huevos rancheros. The pancakes are also out of this world. I tend to like the crispy hash browns better than the home fries but both are awesome! If you like over easy eggs, they have made perfect eggs for me each and every time. No over cooked crispy ends, just perfect.
A couple stipulations I have: it’s a bit small and if you come in the afternoon, it will be crowded and you will wait in line.
This is because everybody else knows how awesome if is, and it closes at 2pm! As a side note: they require that your party is all present before being seated!!! So don’t think you will run ahead and get a table for your group. This is first complete party, first served!
Secondly, when lots of eggaritos are being fried up your eyes will BURN from the onions. This in turn will make you smell like the diner.
In summary: get here early to beat the crowds, come in a group of 4 ish and shower after because you will smell like diner food. and you will love and crave it weekly… so GO!

My first time actually eating in the Diner, I’ve gotten a burger and fries to go before. The burger was actually really good, thicker than a typical diner style burger (like sooner dairy) and a nice light bun. Anyway, this is not about that.
I ordered the frito chili pie with their award winning chili. My friend ordered breakfast, French toast eggs and biscuits and gravy.
Frito chili pie was deeeelish. The chili… It’s different but really good. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s not like chili from a can or your normal chili seasonings. It’s almost sweet and savory. Topped with cheese and chips, it was a hearty meal!
I stole bites of the biscuits and gravy, which weren’t anything special. Like cafeteria biscuits and gravy. A really doughy biscuit rather than flaky. The French toast was good. Then after 2 more bites the heavy does of nutmeg or even cloves hit me like a brick. Not good. Not a fan. It was just too heavy handed for my taste buds.
Always friendly service and go check out their new paint job and face lift!

What can I say? I seem to only come on here to review the things I love. Some say my standards aren’t super high, and that I think most things are pretty awesome. Judging from others reviews, I think we can safely say, I know what I’m talking about.
The Diner is everything I wanted it to be. Small, full of character, bustling staff, and… diner food. I’ve been in real no joke diners, and this place can hold it’s own. Is it fancy? No. What are you doing at a diner if you want fancy? Sit down, eat your food, and smell like the grill for the rest of the day. Like all the other not-​fancy people who know what’s up.
There’s pictures everywhere, and old booths, and the staff wear their own clothes with an apron thrown on over it. It smells like the grill has been seasoned by 100s of 1,000s of breakfasts & lunches cooked in meat fat, and egg juice, and all the other deliciousness you taste in the food. Everything comes on the white cafeteria-​style plates you know and love. And all of these things make this place comforting, and relaxing, and your whole day is better after being there.
I had a 2×2×2, with sausage patties, blueberry pancakes (small upcharge), and eggs over easy. I split home fries with my sister, who got the exact same thing as I. The blueberry pancakes are BURSTING with those little blue delicious guys. I mean, so many blueberries. And so delicious. The sausage patties were also delicious. My three uncles who live together on my grandparents farm in Northern MI would approve. The eggs were just right, and the home fries… the home fries were soooooooo mouthwatering yummy times. The seasoning, and the browning, and the, and the… you don’t need ketchup, and they are flavorful, and moist, and just go have some already. Oh! And not greasy. Key to a home fries success, if you ask me.
Prices, great. Excellent deal for all the quality food you get. Parking, street. It’s downtown Main Street in Norman. You know the drill. Atmosphere, come on. This place is going to make you feel like your grandpa has taken you to his favorite eatery, and everyone is friendly, and if you have to wait, then do it, because you won’t regret it.*
I write long reviews, but hopefully they make you want to go to the place ASAP. As I think you should. Because I am always right. And don’t forget to tip your waitress! And also don’t forget to drop a tip in the jar up front for the cooks!
Happy Breakfasting/​Brunching/​Lunching!
*My caveat about the waiting: I went on a Tuesday morning around 10ish. We sat immediately. But that filled the place. The flow seemed to match up pretty well with people leaving, and then someone coming shortly there after. I’ve never been on a weekend. I don’t know what that’s like. You will have to brave that alone. :)

I can’t get over how good their food is. I mean every time I come here it’s better than the time before.
Their tamales are bomb!!! I could honestly say they are the second best I’ve ever had. My friends mother takes first place but man these are really good. And grilled too?! Yes, dang good.
I tried the «home wrecker» twice but the second time it had cream cheese in it which I guess was what it should have had in it both times but I actually prefer it without the cream cheese. It’s basically their «Eggarito» with bacon inside (and the cream cheese).
The Mexi scramble is pretty good but minus any meat and there is something to be left to the imagination. With sausage it would be great but for those who prefer no meat it’s perfect.
Coffee is really good here and the staff are always on top of warm ups which is great. Overall my experience here hasn’t been anything less than 5stars.