Roosevelt’s Diner & Bar

Roosevelt’s Diner & Bar is conveniently located right at Outram MRT. There’s also an open-​air car park that is coupon-​based just opposite the café, so there’s ample parking options should you choose to drive down. This place seems to be catered more towards the expats, for a chill out bar experience but they also have a weekend brunch menu that can suit the needs of any family.
1. Pan Seared Hokkaido Scallops ($ 24)
For appetizers, we were recommended to try their scallops, at $ 8 a pop, I did expect it to be at least decent. The pan seared scallops were served on yuzu mustard ricotta with seaweed brown butter and toasted hazelnuts. The menu mentioned it was topped with tobiko, but we saw no trace of it. The scallops tasted alright, but nothing to wow about, except the price.
2. Squid Ink Fish and Chips ($ 26)
An interesting version of the fish and chips that I’ve not tried before. The exterior of the fish was crisp and had a nice bite, with the addition of the squid ink, it was able to absorb some moisture, leaving the desirable crusty appearance and texture. It was certainly a great surprise for me as I really enjoyed the fish. The chips were slightly limp and soggy, but still acceptable.
3. Chicken Confit With Truffle Potato Foam ($ 26)
The chicken skin was thin and crispy. Missing was the layer of fat in between the skin and the melt that had melted away during the cooking process. The chicken melt was tender, juicy and flavourful. Paried with the truffle potato foam, this main dish was the winner for the night. The truffle potato foam had a distinct truffle aroma that wasn’t too overpowering, along with the smooth truffle lingering taste that made this dish so addictive. I found myself, digging in, spoon after spoonful of truffle mash!
4. BBQ Baby Back Ribs ($ 26)
This was served with a bourbon BBQ sauce and was their signature dish. The portion and price was reasonable and I watched a family of 4 next to us, enjoy this as a family sharing dish.
5. Secret Compressed Watermelon waffle
Instead of picking a dessert off the menu, owner, Ying recommended us to try one of her newest invention. I was honoured to be her guinea pig.
A unique waffle with Strawberry, compressed Watermelon with mint and choya, Balsamic Vinegar Honey and Rose bud ricotta.
The compressed watermelon with mint and choya was so juicy and sweet, bursting with flavours. The balsamic honey and rose bud ricotta were all interesting ingredients which sounded like an overdose of ingredient combination. But nope, it all worked out, together. The waffle itself was crispy with a butter fragrance.
Overall, decent food with a nice, cosy and chill-​out ambience. Great for the boys night out, or family gatherings during the day.

Definitely more classy than a classic American diner. Both in terms of the food and the place!
We heard they recently had a revamp of their menu. The new menu is definitely a move from a traditional diner menu.
Squid ink fish and chips — looked like a black mess of crisp but it is really tasty! The fish is thick and fresh and the batter amazingly crispy and oil free. Can’t really tell if the squid ink added any flavor to the dish apart from the color but it is a fish and chips dish that I’ll happily order. The thick cut fries are also very well done.
Braised beef cheeks pappardelle pasta — the flavor of the Chianti really comes through in this. You taste the wine and the beef is braised till it’s very soft.
Chicken confit — definitely a first for me. Done like the classic French dish duck confit, the meat is moist inside and crispy outside.
Great service from the staff — which adds the additional half star to a 4. Did I mention that they use Aesop in their bathroom? Definitely not your average diner.
We were there for dinner but the brunch menu looks really interesting! There are interesting salad bowls (think quinoa and bulgogi beef bowls) and also their signature savory waffles. For those who are unaware, they’re the sister restaurant of Montana at POMO. If you’re a waffle fan, I’m sure you’ve heard of Montana.

Service is good and it has a nice laid back ambience. Coffee is distinctly average (tried long black and mocha) but a good place to chill on a lazy weekend. Will probably be back to try the food.

Checked in on New Year’s Eve for brunch. Lovely little chill out Joint, easy parking, jazz music in the background, wooden tables and flooring, impeccable service. Waffles are the standout here — crispy, fluffy and done just right. Combined it with the southern fried chicken with maple syrup… Hit the spot!

My third visit here in the last 12 months. Was pleasantly surprised during this visit with its weekday set lunch package. Choise a salad, a pasta/​sandwich and a beverage from its menu and all for $ 12!!! Great deal. I had the seafood spaghetti and it was a delicious dish with fresh prawns, fish chucks and mussels.

Roosevelt’s Diner & Bar is a smallish, stylish American Diner conveniently located adjacent to the Dorsett residences upstairs from the Outram MRT. After 5+ visits, I can say that service here is consistently above average. Other casual restaurants should take note. Here, the servers are friendly, prompt, attentive, and professional. When you are seated, they bring you complimentary lemon infused cold water FOR FREE. WTF??!
Today, two of us came at noon for lunch. I had the Teddy’s bacon cheeseburger ($ 20). Served with shoestring fries, the large beef patty was cooked on a very hot grill, seared with a crispy crust on the outside and cooked perfectly on the inside. The fresh bun and toppings complimented the burger perfectly. One of the best burgers I have had in Singapore — it was remarkably good! The fries were hot and crisp. My friend had the salted caramel waffle with ice cream ($ 12). Made fresh to order, the waffle was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The salted caramel ice cream was a high quality brand. I had a bite and it was delicious. You could order this as a dessert for the table.
We’ve never had a bad experience here. All of our previous visits have been for Sunday morning breakfast, and this is the first time I have visited for lunch. The Teddy’s Big Breakfast ($ 23), a huge platter of food, is so delicious and filling you’ll eat every bite and be able to skip lunch.
The Good: The consistently excellent Service and Food!
The Bad: Really nothing bad. (In Singapore, the land of restaurants operated by apathetic amateurs) that’s saying a lot.
The Verdict: Two big thumbs up. There’s a full bar menu with wine and spirits. I’m looking forward to going for dinner sometime. They take reservations, but we have never had trouble getting seated. There’s a couple of large tables for big groups. Definitely make a reservation if your party is larger than 4.

Stylish American style diner with snappy service and affordable prices.
This was a great choice for a friendly team dinner with options galore for vegetarians and carnivores alike. The burgers and fried chicken were hits at our table, but my favorite bite was the candied bacon on my burger.
For dessert, two apple crumbles were happily devoured and the salted caramel milkshake was nice, if just a little too sweet.
We were delighted to find that drinks were on 1 for 1 special. Unfortunately, when all the wine and beer made it through our systems, we were dismayed to find only one bathroom in the whole diner.
PARTING THOUGHT: next time I’m trying the truffle scrambled egg waffle!

The service is good. I guess it says a lot about the service in Singapore when you find a wait staff who will actually serve you iced water without being prompted and think it is good. For a place with just 3 – 4 staff on a fairly crowded Saturday late morning, the servers are quite observant and quick to get you seated, get you a glass of iced water (perfect for a hot day) while you look at the menu, take your order and serve them without missing a beat.
I went there twice in a day. First round was just to get morning coffee. Flat white was decent with a creamy but light aftertaste. I would like it more if the sugar cubes came with a tong or spoon. I could not decide if I should use my fingers or the spoon which came with my coffee.
I came back again in the late afternoon for waffles. The mac and cheese and burgers looked good too. I had the smoked salmon waffle with maple greek yogurt and side salad. It was surprisingly good — light crisp on the waffle which was fluffy soft inside. The combination of smoked salmon and maple greek yogurt worked very well. Salty, sweet and tart. The syrup was served on the side if needed. Now I have another go to place for waffles.
My friend had the salted caramel nuts waffle which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was good but nothing unusual about it.
I will like to go back again to try the proper food in future. May be a good place to go on weekend in the late afternoon when it was almost empty.

Not good at all and its nothing like an American dinner. I have been there a few times but it seems like everything is prepackaged food they heat up in the microwave. Nothing is fresh and they use really cheap processed ingredients. The burgers taste like they use pre-​made frozen patties and the same for the chicken cutlets. The prices they charge are way too much for pre-​made frozen food I can buy at the market and nuke on my own. I stopped going and will never return. Its a shame, its almost next door.

pretty good brunch place — with enough classics and twists to be interesting in its class — and rather conveniently located next to the mrt, which is a lovely characteristic that must not be overlooked (in a market full of eating establishments that pride themselves on inaccessibility).
the breakfast menu is small. more than half of it is populated by drinks (which explains the bar in its name), and the food side is a mix of egg dishes, sandwiches, burgers and a mélange of snacks. it looks a menu as any other — but at least what comes out of the kitchen is a mix of average and better.
cereal looks pretty gourmet at least — unlike some post-​looking types I’ve had before — with crunchy, toasted, fruited granola sitting atop proper greek yogurt.
the eggs roosevelt was a pretty interesting take on the traditional poached egg with hollandaise, with a base of smashed new potatoes and sliced chorizo. interesting idea — but I think a little dry.
we couldn’t miss up on the most diner-​style part of the menu: the burgers and sandwiches. the lemongrass prawn burger was a nice asian take, with a prawn patty and loads of mayo and sauce between the bun — no diet food here.
the pork belly cubano sounded fantastic — but imperfect from being sandwiched between too-​thick, too-​sturdy bread.
the side of calamari was undeniably moreish though, with a crispy golden batter around squid rings. decently seasoned too, and a reasonable portion (though still pretty expensive at eleven dollars).
we finished with waffles and a berry compote. not particularly good waffles — though at least browned sufficiently — but definitely edible.
the food makes not for a compelling MUST-​GO, but it’s a good enough stop if you’re constantly on the brunch holy grail as I am (this isn’t it, though). worth a visit, if only to see the space and enjoy the comfort of a convenient brunch spot.

Been here already 3 times and I really like the place. From eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs to chicken sandwich, everything was tasty.
Food was always good to excellent and service was really friendly. I really enjoy having breakfast in this beautiful café with the friendly staff.
The Staff seems sometimes a bit busy and sometimes you have to remind them that you’re still waiting for the flat white (which is excellent).
I will definitely come again and try the burger!

Came here with parents and small kids in tow so I reserved a table beforehand to avoid disappointment.
For starters, we ordered the Jalapeño Mac & Cheese to share. You can definitely taste the spice of the mac & cheese and it’s pretty good. Hubby preferred if they had used Cheddar instead.
For the mains, we ordered:
Southern Fried Chicken — I must say that the seasoning can be pretty spicy for the kids (mine complained a bit) but for us hardy adults, no problem. The skin is fried till crispy and the meat is still quite juicy. It’s served with their homemade mash, which is very good, and a side of corn and salad. The dressing of the corn and salad doesn’t rock my boat because I don’t fancy sour stuff much and I assume others may like that.
BBQ Chicken — Generous half spring chicken that is marinated with their BBQ sauce. No bad tasting and meat is juicy too. Served with shoe-​string fries and corn and salad.
Baby Back Ribs — the same BBQ sauce is used to season the ribs. It’s nice and meat falls off the bone when eaten. It’s good, better than some more established makan places.
Teddy’s 100% US Beef Burger — a tall burger with their homemade pattie and bacon strips as the main stars. It’s pretty good.
Penne Bolognese — daughter wanted pasta and we tried their bolognese which was very good. Again, you can tell they made their own sauce and that’s quite a bit of pride there.
Milkshake Salted Caramel — It’s not super sweet so that’s great! I can’t really taste the salted caramel so that’s a small shame.
I like how they attempt to make their food fresh by really making the marinade and sauce from scratch. We’ll would be back again to check out the rest of their menu and drink a little this time.

Not good. Prices are fair. Service us poor. Food is under-​cooked and over-​oiled.
Won’t repeat.