Modern Diner

Great place for brunch! Looks can be deceiving. Came here with a large group for a sendoff brunch for a friend. We called ahead a week or so to let them know and they were happy to accommodate us. Portions are great and price is even better. I had the bacon and cheese omelet with breakfast potatoes, toast and a mimosa. Everything was delicious.

What’s not to love about this authentic 1930s diner with an amazing number of specials to choose from, quality made-​from-​scratch dishes, all at a great price. Homemade linguica hash was fantastic. Grits were light, buttery and cooked just right. Pancakes and custard French toast with fruit were also top notch. This one’s in the rotation now.

Fantastic diner food with fancy twists. Rather pricey, but it tastes like it’s worth it.

Went here for the first time. Loved it. Service was great and the food was great too. Mimosas were a very nice touch too! Great prices for what you got. Can’t wait to go back!

Best breakfast in the Pawtucket area
When we got there the line was long but moved fast! The service was great
I got an eggs Benedict that was to die for! My boyfriend got an omelette and he said it was the best one he tasted
It’s reasonably priced and busy I would recommend this place to anyone

This quirky lil diner housed in an old train car delivers a seriously delicious brunch! The vinyl booth seats may be stiff, but the food and clientele are hearty. In fact, before my food was even served, I witnessed a kindly Jewish grandma offer a twenty to cover the next table’s meal when they realized they didn’t have enough cash (side note: this place is cash only!); in turn, they left all the change as tip. So you see, this is the type of food that puts everyone in a giving mood.
Modern Diner’s menu offers the usual diner fare, but the specials posted on their wall are the real gems. My boyfriend and I shared their renowned custard French toast and the lobster Mozambique grits. The custard French toast consists of plump triangles of French toast sitting in a shallow pool of light, eggy custard, topped with a medley of fruit and candied pecans. It’s as good as it sounds — the custard + French toast combination is ingenious, as the custard really brings out the egginess of the toast and lends it extra moisture. However, I would have liked the French toast to be softer and the pecans crunchier. The lobster Mozambique grits was, in both of our opinions, the better dish of the two. The grits are rich and savory but not heavy, and the marinated lobster chunks are plentiful and chock-​full of flavor. Definitely one of the best brunch dishes I’ve ever had! The order also comes with toast, eggs, and hash, making it a very filling meal.
Beyond the food, our waiter was friendly and attentive, and the prices are very reasonable. We came on Friday at 11am and were seated right away, though a line developed soon after. I would definitely recommend Modern Diner! It’s a great haunt for both brunching and people watching.

Everything was great, stuffed blueberry French toast, super great. Our server was friendly. A+

The best breakfast in New England. Do not order off the menu! The specials are unbelievable. I really enjoy all the different types of benedict they always have.

Really good simple breakfast. Ordered over medium eggs with bacon and home fries. The eggs were more over easy but that’s okay. It was still good, bacon was crispy and the home fries are soft and good!
The two things that dropped it from 4 stars is that they are cash only and don’t say so before hand, thankfully we had cash. And that the eggs came out runnier than over medium. Aside from that, good and simple.

Great breakfast spot. They have a lot of specials and I’m a sucker for homemade corned beef hash. My kids love the waffles and the sausage. Good iced coffee, which I always find lacking at breakfast places.

Grits! A rarity here in the North, but they’ve got them and they are delicious! Classic diner feel, with interesting food options. They have the typical diner fare, but a lot of their stuff has a twist (Custard French Toast, Lobster Benedict). Our waiter was awesome, very attentive. I’ll be back!

Awesome Awesome Awesome. I’ve known about this place for a long time and one Saturday morning I was up pretty early and just said F it I’m going.
As stated in other reviews if you get there before 10am on the weekend you’re pretty good, I had got there a little before 10 and we were seated right away. The place was busy but they had open tables. But by the time we left maybe 1045ishhh there was a wait and people waiting to get in.
TIP #1 check the specials board first. They usually have something on there that you will order and there is no telling when it’ll be back from what I heard the server tell another customer who didn’t check it first
TIP #2 CASH CASH CASH, they do not accept credit cards though they do have an ATM on site if needed
onto the food I got the linguica hash benedict. Yes wipe the drool off your face cause it was good and absolutely wonderful. Two toasted english muffins with a huge helping of linguica hash perfectly poached eggs and of course hollandaise sauce. I’m telling you that hash is life.
I also got a Chocolate Banana Bread french toast which was on the specials board and you guessed it also very good. It was sitting in a custard sauce with a banana reduction glaze. I mean you put banana bread and french toast together instant win.

Every time I come I think I love it a little more.
Everyone is so friendly– from the waitstaff to the people eating here to those waiting in line.
It must be because the food is so good. So far, I’ve had/​tried the hash benedict, the linguica hash benedict, the chourico special, the custard french toast, and the pesto grits. All have been pretty incredible so far, with my vote going for one of the Benedicts, if I had to choose. They’re probably the best I’ve had in Providence and they come with home fries cooked crisp to perfection. If you’re coming with a friend or a large crowd, I’d recommend splitting a sweeter dish– custard french toast exceeded expectations but may have been a bit overwhelming for a standalone breakfast dish. Pesto is made in house and is generously incorporated into the grits, which also come with eggs, toast, and home fries. Huge portions, always with some to take home.
Some things to try in the future include the oatmeal brûlée, the stuffed french toast, the Italian eggs, the maple rum french toast, and … who am I kidding, the entire menu. I’m the kind of person who usually orders the same thing once I’ve found a favorite so the indecision that comes with each Modern Diner trip speaks to the consistency and quality of all of their offerings. Coffee is good and more importantly, constantly refilled. Wasn’t a huge fan of the flavored coffee though. Cash only, with an ATM near the front. The wait goes quickly, even though it may not seem so.
Interior is super old-​school and really cool. Settle in and enjoy the food and the company. You won’t be disappointed.

Luckily the day I went I happened to have cash on me as they do not accept credit cards. There is an ATM onsite but who wants to pay those fees?
My friend loved her bloody mary. I debated between that or a coffee frappé. I went with the frappé. I love frappes and get them whenever I can and I was shocked that this one was not great. It was blah at best and lacked flavor which surprised me. I had a great egg white omelet with a muffin on the side. I am very picky about my muffins and really enjoyed it. My friend had beautiful fresh fruit crepes. Both meals were huge and we both took enough leftovers home for a 2^nd meal.
We finished our meal, paid and we were chatting. It was 2pm on the dot which is closing time. They made it very clear that they were closing and we should pack up and go. I was turned off.
I would go back but do not feel I need to rush there.

*CASH ONLY* Parking is a little tight but this was Wednesday morning so no squeezing in today. My wife and I walked in and surprisingly busy for a Wednesday. Once we sat down, the waiter greeted us with a pleasant attitude. I ordered some eggs, bacon, and home fries while my wife asked for scrambled eggs instead of the menu’s omelette with asparagus and cheese and home fries. It was cooked to our liking especially the home fries. The real ticket item is the custard french toast which was named the best in America and let me tell you, it was delightful! This diner does not except cards so be prepared to bring cash but no worries if you forget to bring cash they have an ATM inside the diner. Just a heads up, it does get busy fast on the weekends.

Modern Diner jus got UnilocalED! Its a diner thats actually looks like part of a train or something. We waited a couple of minutes while before we were seated. The waitress seemed nice .
I ordered the french toast with a mixture of fruits, patty sausages, over easy egg, and grits. The other plate was an steak omelette with toast.
It was pretty good. The grits were a little different from how i usually make it at home but overall the breakfast was alright.

Just an authentic Rhode Island diner which is now on the National Registry of Historic Places. The food is old-​school bacon, eggs, and home fries with toast! I hear the burgers are great, but I’ve only done breakfast. The owner and staff are wonderful, friendly people!

Simple menu, affordable prices, and perhaps the nicest waitstaff around. I can’t wait to go back!
Pro: You’re eating inside an old train car!
Con: Seating can be uncomfortable, but the food makes it worth the mild discomfort.

Old train car. Wildly creative menu. Service with a smile. Easy parking. It’s everything you could every want out of a greasy spoon diner — with mega bonus points for the history (train car is one of two known surviving Sterling Streamliner cars) and the kickass menu.
I love everything about Modern Diner.
But back to the menu. There’s the standard menu — and THE WALL. The wall of 30+ amazingly creative specials. Some have been there for years like the hash Benedict and some I saw this morning for the first time ever, like the gouda, jalepeno bacon, and apple omelet and the Lobster Mozambique grits. I went with the omelet — it was outstanding.
When it comes to diners, Modern is hard to beat. Also, for every review that compared this place to Providence’s farm to table circuit… go home — you’re drunk. Modern Diner is a DINER — it has never tried to be Julian’s or Nick’s and nor should it.
Amazing just the way it is.

It might not look like much from the outside, but this tiny diner has yet to disappoint. Every time I’ve eaten at the Modern I’ve tried something new and I have yet to find something I haven’t liked. They have a multitude of specials that they’re unable to cram onto their short and concise menu of breakfast classics, so make sure you check the descriptions on the wall, or the white insert in the menu. I highly recommend the Italian or Portuguese egg specials. I mean, who can say no to a toasted Portuguese muffin, chorizo, roasted red peppers, eggs and cheese? Not this girl!
They also serve Downeast Coffee (right from
Pawtucket) — which I absolutely love. Make sure you ask what the flavored coffee of the day is. If it’s Yankee Doodle or Snowball, be prepared to not put your cup down.
Unfortunately this gem is only open from 6am to 2pm everyday and on the weekends the line is usually out the door, so make sure you get there early or try to grab breakfast during the week.