I just love this place. Comfortable atmosphere, good coffee, friendly staff...delicious food. So happy that A-1 is my neighborhood diner!

Awesome old diner. Food is great. Staff is real friendly.

It's a diner like you would expect. Fun menu items and classic atmoshpere. Our server was very friendly and helped us decide what to order. I had a bacon, carmelized and gruyere grilled cheese that came with chips and a pickle. My friend had a meatloaf sandwich that was on rye bread and topped with gravy served with chips and a pickle also. It's funky setting was a delight to see. The menu options were extensive. I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area. read more

A1 Diner - Grilled gruyere, bacon and caramelized onions on delicious wheat bread. - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

This has been on my bucket list for a while, so I was glad to finally come in. A classic diner with a classic menu, the staff was pleasant, it was in an adorable old train car, and the food was all good. My only regret was I didn't save room for desert. I had a reuban, which was great, the boyfriend had a turkey club which I liked even better. A+ read more

What a cool place! The food is wonderful, the folks are friendly and it's on a bridge, check it out!

In Gardiner, Maine looking for great food in an amazing, old diner. Make this a must do stop.

Quintessential old school diner precariously perched on a bridge above the Cobboseecontee Stream. Typical diner menu with pizzaz. Had a reuben for lunch with a side of onion rings that was enormous. Others had tasy Canadian BLTs with fries. All tasty and worth bracing the cramped quarters. The homemade deserts are also worth a sample. read more

I drive to Gardiner occasionally for work and always make sure I have time for lunch at the A1 Diner. The asparagus Mac & Cheese is amazing and I can never seem to get out the door without having a slice of the peanut butter pie... No matter how hard I try. Atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming even in the dead of winter. read more

Great food ,fair prices, and very personable staff . I had the fisherman's platter. Thought the portion was a Lil small yet was big on flavor . You can't beat freshness . Only complaint was not enough domestic beer choices . Area is flooded with microbrews and ipa's . Just not my taste . Other than that Great food and a interesting menu my girlfriend had the scallop BLT. Said it was excellent . And the whole belly clams and fresh haddock in the fisherman's platter were heavenly read more

My husband I enjoy going here for dinner! The service is great and the food is fabulous. We haven't had a meal we were unhappy with.

If you just want to have the 50's diner experience, this is the place for you. If you want decent food, go somewhere else. We searched this diner out because of the show Diner's drive-ins and dives. This one must have been one of the dives. I had the mango chutney pork chops, the chutney was tastey but the pork tasted like gasoline. The rest of the dinner was just ok. read more

Should be under Restaurants, not bars. Historic diner with exceptional menu. Worth the trip. Go early, small and very popular.

The diner is good. The community market on the corner is worth missing. Clueless employees, don't go if you have to be anywhere

This little diner sure isn't what it used to be. The prices have always been a little steep, for diner food, although they do offer some pretty neat and different things that you wouldn't find at most diners. The service was lackluster and meh. I've had worse, but I've also had better. Doesn't seem like a very happy crew; those that ARE happy probably haven't been there long. Maybe it's not a nice place to work, behind those kitchen doors? Who knows? One of their best things, in years past, was also the simplest: those great homemade biscuits. Whoever's making them now is not doing them justice. Disappointing overall. If I go back, it won't be my first choice, which is sad, because this place could be soooooooooooo much better than it has become. read more

I have special dietary needs, and except for Sundays they always have a choice of 4 different soups. They often have a soft brunch item on Sundays too. Their Chili Con Carne has a delicious beefy flavor. read more

Looking for something a bit different for dinner? Try this place. The food is consistently delicious and INTERESTING, the waitstaff are always pleasant and the ambiance is terrific. I love little gems like this place. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed! read more

Love the history and atmosphere of this restaurant. The staff was extremely friendly and loved the interesting breakfast choices. Everything was fresh and tasted delicious. read more

A true diner experience. It's not often you find healthy "diner" options and let me tell you A1 Diner out does themselves! A great location, wonderful staff and a delicious menu make this place a true breakfast treat. You can't go wrong stopping here when passing through Gardiner. read more

Gourmet diner food? You bet. Sunday brunch is always a treat and the FOH staff are tremendously pleasant and helpful. Iraqi lamb and eggs in sleepy little Gardiner...who knew? A customer for life right here! read more

Went for dinner on Saturday, January 10th Parked out front. We've been before and generally we have to park on the other side of the road. The restaurant is decked out like a small 1950s diner. There are 5 4-person (just) booths. Ignore the laminated menus on the tables and ORDER OFF THE SPECIALS BOARD! Being so small there's a single server but being so small it doesn't affect the service. We didn't have to wait long for our appetizers but the entrees came before we'd finished our appetizers. Him: Hungarian mushroom soup, Creole rice and beans, no dessert. I thought the soup was ok. At least it was hot this time. I've had soup served just warm there a couple of times. (And yet I'm happy to go back...) I don't really like creamy (as in milk) soups and sauces. Maybe it was that. My wife loves the soup but didn't have it this time. The Creole rice and beans are fantastic and I'm not even a bean lover. Her: Sweet potato fries with chipotle mayonnaise, Bayou pork dirty rice, chocolate peanut butter pie. She likes sweet potato fries but it's the chipotle mayonnaise that makes them special. The Bayou pork dirty rice was delicious but unexpectedly spicy. Maybe a little too spicy. The chocolate peanut butter pie: divine. read more

The A1 Diner in Gardiner has been a local favorite of our family for the 20+ years we have lived in Maine. It is one of the few bright spots in the Augusta area which is sadly enough dominated by chain restaurants. From the first time we entered the classic 1940's era diner we loved it. The atmosphere is nostalgic and soft jazz plays all day. The kids love to sit at the counter on the vintage stools and order off the printed diner menu which has great renditions of classic diner fare, including everything from liver & onions, meatloaf, mac and cheese, hamburgers, onion rings and hand cut fries to Asian noodles with black beans & tofu. We usually order off the special boards above the counter where the selections are things you would not expect to find in a diner in a small town in Maine. We love the Greek salad with calamari, the exceptional crabcakes, the Oaklands Farm hamburger made with grass fed beef raised in Gardiner, lamb tagine, wild mushroom ragout on polenta,and chicken sausage gumbo to name a few. A small wine list is available and a great beer selection from micro brews to fine Belgium ales. The desserts are not to be missed and all are made by the cooks in the diner kitchen. Try the chocolate cake or the gingerbread with zabiglione. The Sunday brunch is also a favorite with the regular breakfast menu available plus a special menu of 8 -10 outstanding selections. read more

A1 Diner - Vintage! - Diners Near Me - Gardiner, Maine

Hey Ted! Are you OK? This place is NOT on a bridge; it's on stilts as it's built on a steep hill. To get to the bathroom, one has to walk a gangplank of sorts & hope the stilts hold - all part of the charm of this place. We went out of our way on 95 to try this diner & were not disappointed. The food is locally grown as far as they are able, & just delicious. I tried the fried sweet potatoes instead of regular french fries. YUM. They had Kobe beef as I recall and everything was ample and tasty. We were also entertained by the waitor. I even loved the background oldies music. read more

Authentic old diner.........set next to a bridge. It's right out my back door and I had no idea. Have met wonderful people here, this is our 4th trip over from Rockland. It's a little over an hour, but so worth the trip!!! Only place I know where you can get incredible pancakes, a few hours later you can come back and order 'almost gourmet'. America is a beautiful Country!!!! Staff are so friendly it makes you feel right at home!!! Definitely will return! Try the brownie dessert, it's worth a trip all on it's own!!! I forgot to mention the biscuits. My grandmother is the only one that could ever make a biscuit that was edible, but these are pure heaven.........try them, don't leave without it!! read more

Amazing food, great atmosphere and fair prices but don't understand why the server was so unpleasant. She was pretty distracted with her conversations with coworkers and made us uncomfortable about asking for things. We cannot understand why she went into the service industry... if she does not want to serve people. This used to be our favorite spot but we have had her twice now and sadly will not be returning anytime soon. read more

Best burger and onion rings iv ever eaten anywhere in the state of maine and city of Gardiner,maine,thankyou for the wonderful food and service! read more

Amazing!! The only problem is deciding which special to order! I had the lamb and goat cheese burger and my mind was blown. The staff is the friendliest group of people and the restaurant still has its original features from the mid 1900's. I recommend this to everyone that visits Maine. read more

The A1 Diner is that rare thing - a genuine, original diner cart that serves fantastic food. With a fascinating history (detailed in the cookery book for sale, a copy of which I bought on my way out), the A1 Diner is founded on the principal of serving good, hearty food (with a variety of daily specials). I had the turkey burger and fries and it really was one of the very best turkey burgers I've ever had - beautifully seasoned, the patty had chopped up herbs and breadcrumbs combined with succulent turkey and it was honestly a pleasure to eat. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and piping hot - the way all fries should be. I also had a cookie to go and it warm, soft, and had generous amounts of gooey chocolate chips inside. Fab. To top it all off, we were a party of nine people - almost all with different drink and food orders - and we were served in good time. Our waitress was friendly, funny, offered suggestions and was quick with topping up coffee. I couldn't have asked for more - no visit to Maine should be completed without dropping in. read more

Food was good. Somewhat unique but we liked it. On recommendation here we tried the banana pancakes. Very good. The toast was delivered without butter? It was kind of cool when we tried to butter it. The waiter never really paid attention. We went early on Sunday and it wasn't busy. We asked for walnuts on the side with the pancake, they came with the walnuts on top per the menu and we were sharing. He said sure but never delivered. We had to chase him for cream for the coffee and we frustrated him and he let It be known. I reiterate, the place was not busy, I left a good tip. I left my glasses on the table and was parked right. Across the street. He had NO INTEREST in yelling, hey you forgot your glasses. Food 4. Service 2/3 read more

Have eaten at A1 several times in past few years. I want to like the place but it has become Wicked expensive for Diner dinner. The service is usually slow. Will not go back read more

What a pleasant surprise! It was like going back in time to the 50 s! The decor was authentic and the place was spotless. The soups were right out of grandmas kitchen,the biscuits were right out of the oven, and the salad was as fresh as can be. The brownie dessert was obviously homemade. At the end I left a large tip since the service was friendly and informative. As I was walking away, thinking I was going to have to add this place to my list of must do again in my travel notebook, I heard the friendly waiter calling to me and running up the street waving my forgotten credit card in his hand. Definitely going back to this very special experience. read more

This is my favorite restaurant of all time. The ambiance is cozy and the waitstaff are attentive. Every meal I've had there has been excellent. I love the breakfast protein bowl made with salsa verde, quinoa, and black beans. My partner raves about the "Asian street sandwich"--who would guess that a little diner in Central Maine serves banh mi? read more

Really superb food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One of Maine's five best diners. Well worth the visit if you're anywhere in the area.

Building is dirty employees look dirty and the food is garbage someone needs to redo this place...

Did the Sunday brunch with one of my children two weeks ago. I loved the lemon blueberry French toast and she enjoyed her eggs, bacon, toast but was hoping for a bagel. read more

Cool little spot hanging off the side of a bridge w a nice wine list and a creative menu Great ideas but need slightly better execution behind the line. Wait staff could pick up the pace a little too. But if you have time and are feeling adventurous, it's not to shabby! read more

I've been coming here since I was around 6 years old now getting close to 50, I have to say the food is awesome very inventive and fresh.

Absolutely love the food, service and atmosphere. And the Diner is a beautiful old school diner without the greasy spoon. You will not be disappointed. read more

A cozy diner with a classic look. Presumably, it's built into an old rail car jacked into the air. You'll have to go back outside to use the restroom, which serves you right for not observing some basic rules of etiquette. This is not the kind of place where you can claim a booth and linger for hours-- seating is often at a premium and business is brisk. They serve some morning cocktails and have a selection of good craft beers. They've won some well-deserved accolades over the years. They have what you would call a standard breakfast/lunch menu, but what's surprising is the amount of thought they put into their more unique options. I had a "protein bowl", which consisted of steamed spinach, quinoa, poached eggs, and salsa verde- it was tasty, filling, and not coma-inducing. My guest ordered something wild that involved whipped cod- a limited edition dish that was delicious. Our server was friendly and checked on us regularly, providing multiple coffee refills. read more

I always have gone to A1 Diner with my family when I come home. My visit this weekend was no different. I ordered the Amsterdam Omelet but instead received a plain American Omelet (and no home fries). After I inquired about my home fries I noticed that my omelet was not what I ordered. After bringing it up to the waitress, Holly (who seemed like she noticed prior to me mentioning it) she informed me that because I ate so much of the omelet I was given that I had to pay for it ALONG with the new omelet. Confused about having to pay for THEIR mistake I told Holly politely to go ahead and cancel my order. This obviously upset her as she yelled to the kitchen to cancel the omelet and that she was sorry that they just "wasted" that food. She said this at such a loud volume that everyone in the diner heard and this made my family feel EXTREMELY uncomfortable so we left. I confronted Holly on how wrong it felt that I had to pay for something that I had no control over and she continued to be extremely rude to both me and my family. I will be contacting the owner and neither my family or I will return to A1 Diner, especially if Holly continues to work there. Edit: Since this incident I have contacted the owner and was he apologized for the inconvenience and mistake. He was extremely professional and sympathetic and assured me that this incident will no longer happen again. This is a huge relief as I have always loved A1 Diner and was upset at the fact that I could no longer go there. THANK YOU for clearing up this issue in a timely manner. read more

Lunch was great today. Service was excellent and food was as good as it gets! DG who was there yesterday should give it another try.... something must have been off yesterday! read more