Hawksbill Diner

Clean quick service food was breakfast basics but well cooked and Hot! My coffee cup was never below half full, prices decent!

We passed this little joint on the way to a nearby BnB in Stanley and thought, hey let’s give this place a try.
What’s funny is the quality of food that came out. I ordered burger steak with gravy and onions and my girlfriend ordered the fried chicken. First of all, that fried chicken was ON POINT. It came out piping out and crispy, well-​seasoned, and overall just delicious. My dish, on the other hand, was a pair of lukewarm, overcooked beef burger patties that had been covered in a copious amount of onions and gravy. Thank god for that, because there’s no way the patties could have been edible without the gravy.
The sides are nothing fancy. We chose canned green beans (meh) and a potato salad (tasty).
I do recommend this place at least once though, because it’s memorable. It’s divey, local, and unpretentious. It’s ludicrous how everything is dirt cheap!

Double cheeseburger was perfectly done, home fries were kinda plain but otherwise okay. Prices were awesome! Note — they only take cash or local checks.

I just dined here after spending a weekend at Luray. We choose this place over several others and it was phenomenal! THIS IS A DIVE… Nothing fancy but the home-​cooked food was great! We ordered everything from breakfast to dinner… it was all delicious

We went way out of our way based on so many stellar Unilocal reviews, and were so, so sorry. Staff was friendly, food was cheap — otherwise, eewww!
The food was barely passable, and nothing near «good.» The hamburgers were overcooked and chewy. The french fries resembled McDonald’s — but tasted worse (and I hate McDonald’s). The «fish and chips» were a dozen little balls of fish — mostly breading — and the chicken nuggets looked like they’d been frozen solid for months. They were more gray than brown. The cole slaw looks like cottage cheese. Is it even made with cabbage? Even the generic «fancy» ketchup was terrible.
Far worse was the filth. The walls are covered in things that haven’t been dusted in years. The air conditioning vents were so covered in crap, I couldn’t tell they were open except for the gushing freeze on my legs. And the bathroom — just YUK. There is some ancient air cleaner thing high on the wall, caked in some kind of red grease. The garbage can is overflowing, and the sink doesn’t even sit against the wall. The modern, motion-​sensored paper towel dispenser — WAY out of place in this hole — spits its towels straight into the dirty sink.
Between the food and the filth, I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to eat here. We will never, ever be back.

This place has all the things I look for. Pleasant and very attentive staff. My coffee never got cold or empty. I went for breakfast, which was great make sure whatever you get you have sausage with it. The place is down home and nice, now I say this with bias BC my grandmother took me here years ago and I make it down at least twice a year and we always stop in for eats. Also finally the price is right.

Friendly staff. It has a folksy atmosphere and seems to have the endorsement of the local crowd. It is worth the short drive from Luray to get some good food. As some other reviews mentioned, you need to bring cash.

Every time I’ve been here the service and the food have been fantastic. The price isn’t bad either. Very warm and friendly atmosphere. It’s small, but really good. Like the other reviewers say– they only take cash, so make sure you have it when you come.

It’s the only game in town… haute cuisine it’s not… but edible

Yesterday was my birthday and four days ago was my daughters one year birthday. We drove down to Shenandoah for a couple hrs to play a little and then have a nice little dinner. I searched Unilocal and found Hawksbill.
A cozy little diner, warm atmosphere and nice staff/​customers; something I’m not too used to in the Baltimore area.
I ordered the ribeye, mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The ribeye was great and was tender enough for Lilly to eat small bites with only six teeth.
I had decided from the moment I sat down that I wanted to pay it forward by picking up someone else’s bill, and had decided on a nice little family that bowed their heads to say grace. My wish was soon crushed when I was packing up to leave and observed a sign by the register. It read «No credit/​debit cards. Cash only or local checks.» I don’t ever carry cash and explained my situation to the cashier and offered to leave my license so I could run to the ATM. A gentleman, who had been seated next to me, approached and told the cashier he was picking up my tab. Wow!
This little diner is a must do while you’re visiting Shenandoah. I will be back, WITH CASH, to do what I originally wanted to do!

My son and I ate our first meal of the New Year here. I had the special; pan-​fried pork cutlet with pepper-​cream gravy, greens with vinegar, and pea and boiled egg salad. Washed down with a Dr. Pepper. Chief had the fried chicken with stewed apples and rye toast. The atmosphere and the service are spot-​on. The food was very good but not stellar. But I’ll be back!

Food was really good. The portions were better than expected and the prices even better. The crab cakes are made by the owner and they were nicely sized. The pea salad was also good.

The food was delicious. The waitstaff was very friendly and personable. It was very affordable as well.

Actually I think it’s 4 stars. (but because of the douchbag who complained I’m giving it one extra star to off set his ridiculously stupid review) This is a straight up great roadside diner. Nothing fancy… but super nice people, and great, greasy breakfast! The corned beef hash was great!, the pancakes were yummy and fluffy. If you are in the area, I’d highly recommend this place!

Classic diner. Super nice staff ordered fried chicken and fried pork chops. They were delicious! Skipped the pie but it looked yummy.

Really old school place and a delicious one! The boy and I were in the area for a long weekend and had two breakfasts here. The staff were super friendly and remembered us when we came back the second day.
We had a little bit of everything from the breakfast menu cuz we’re hungry hippos. Highly recommend the homemade sausage patties and pancakes. The sausage patties were thick, fresh, perfectly seasoned and greasy — everything you’d want from an old school diner. They were easily some of the best sausage patties I’ve had. The pancakes were fluffy with varying sizes — the first day they were the size of a dinner plate and the second day slightly smaller. Coffee is decent for a diner in the middle of nowhere.
Prices were just like what you’d want to pay for a diner in the middle of nowhere — very reasonable. Even with the amount of food we had, we walked out of the restaurant each day having paid less than $ 15 for both people. What a delicious bargain by DC standards!

Cheap, great food, and friendly staff lol in the middle of no where

I took my extended Charlotte family to experience Americana rather than Uptown. Hawksbill was a hit again.
If you love a diner, love Hawksbill. Like another local reviewer, part of me wants to keep it secret and sacred. But all should enjoy this lost slice of America.
I am lucky to have lived here all my life and lived this life each day. Visitors, enjoy it and take this spirit with you.
As well as a belly full of country fried steak. Enjoy!!!

For the sake of argument, imagine this is your first time to America. I’m going to channel some Jay McInerney here, to get you in the scene. You’re driving down these country routes like 340 — or whatever it is — in and out of the Shenandoah range and its low-​hanging fog. You’re used to a the crowded cul-​de-​sac that is Western Europe or the Middle East and have come Stateside to find sprawling land and picturesque farmhouses, dilapidated but functional. Cows in pasture, horses by the river. And here you are cruising in your rental car, maybe still adjusting to the «wrong side» of the road, and you find yourself parked in the lot of Hawksbill Diner.
This is America, Americana at its best. Old men enter wearing three-​piece suits; women in church clothes and floppy hats, despite it being a Tuesday; a farmhand in stained overalls. The waitress — because there’s really only one for the restaurant — is eager and patient, a hard worker as most are in this part of the country. And the food, it’s down-​home Southern cooking. It’s a question of expectations, though. I agree with Stephen S.‘s analysis of the less positive responses to the diner. Why would someone order the seafood platter? No idea.
I ordered the double cheeseburger (for $ 3.50, mind you) and an order of curly fries. I’m sure the grease is a reused batch, I’m sure the burger was cooked on a hot grill with bits and pieces of other entrees burnt to the surface. It’s a roadside diner, in all its wonderful cliché and delicious predictability. The club sandwich came with turkey breast and ham shaved thick, the bacon far from crispy, which isn’t a criticism in my opinion. The chicken and dumplings, the daily special, seemed to be popular among the locals, who upon entering asked questions like «Who’s cooking today?» Apparently, their orders depended on the chef.
For those passing through the Shenandoah, perhaps staying in nearby Luray or Stanley or Culpeper, this is a stop worth making! Luray has its own charm and a few restaurants; the same for Culpeper. However, none of these places have quite the same atmosphere as the Hawksbill Diner. Order the whole menu and you’ll still only spend $ 10/​person, less than a cocktail in my current Philadelphia home. Take the country roads and you’ll stumble upon gems like this one.

Simple country-​style at its best! During our Shenandoah family adventure recently, we stopped for lunch at a good old fashioned country diner… excellent food, service and ambience — not to mention clean and nifty! I had an old standard of Liver & Onions, mash potatoes and a side of pickled beats — terrific. Seven of us ate full meals for just under $ 65! Don’t look for 5 stars here, it’s something better — real folk, real food, real talk and a real relaxing country feel. Enjoyed everything about Hawksbill… We’ll be back… the area’s got a few reputable wineries we look forward to visit. When you’re in the area, we highly recommend this local gem — — we’re coming back here next time we’re in the area!