Come for the Matzo, Stay for the Eye Candy (and the Sweet Chef!) So, I took my grandma out for dinner because she had a massive craving for matzo ball soup. We ordered, but a few minutes later, our waiter came out looking like he had to deliver bad news. He apologized and said the chef refused to serve the current batch because it "wasn't up to his standards." Before we could even process being denied our soup, the chef himself walked out to our table. First of all? The man is dangerously handsome. Second of all? He was incredibly sweet. He politely offered us tomato soup instead, but then saw the heartbreak in my grandma's eyes. He told us, "Look, if you really want the matzo ball soup and can give me 15 minutes, I will go to the back and whip up a brand new, fresh batch just for your grandma." Naturally, we waited. Since he knew we were sharing, this absolute legend threw an extra matzo ball into the bowl so we could each have two. Talk about elite customer service! It really made us realize how much the people here care about the quality of their food. They won't serve you subpar dishes just to flip a table. My grandma was on cloud nine. She officially declared it the absolute best matzo ball soup she has ever had in her life (sorry, family recipe, you've been replaced by a handsome chef). read more

This visit wasn't as glamorous and awesome as the first visit. We decided to come here during Father's Day weekend to enjoy a meal together as a family. The place was packed and there were so many people in and out of the Lafayette hotel, as usual. This was a late night dinner so I believe we arrived around 8:30 PM. We were seated right away, which we were really happy about. Every time we come the host that sees us is very nice and customer service oriented. Our server was very nice. We ordered the deviled eggs for the table to share. We also ordered Patty Melts and shakes. I ordered onion rings for my side to my Patty Melt and everyone else got the side of fries. The deviled eggs is a super Duper tiny appetizer. The highlight is that it comes with salmon roll on top which are delicious. Our food came out and I will say that it just tasted OK this time. The patties in the patty melt were undercooked (they looked gray colored not brown) and didn't have as much flavor as they normally do. My onion rings were decent, but they just weren't fried correctly because a lot of them were stuck together. The shakes were the highlight of the meal as they tasted delicious and we enjoyed them. Customer service is always great. It's just that, on this night, the food wasn't as tasty as it was the first time. We hope that the food gets back to the great taste that it used to have soon. read more

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I was honestly a little nervous coming here after seeing some mixed reviews, but I'm SO glad I went because everything was really good. The food was delicious across the board. The cinnamon bun is HUGE -- definitely shareable -- and absolutely worth getting. The biscuit and gravy were so comforting and flavorful, and my breakfast plate with the buckwheat pancakes had such a nice, slightly different flavor that I actually loved. Nothing to complain about at all -- everything hit. But what really stood out was the staff. Our waiter was so sweet and made the whole experience even better. Great service always makes such a difference, and they really delivered here. Overall, such a great breakfast spot. I would definitely come back again! read more

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Beginner's Diner is a retro-styled diner with a modern twist. The establishment offers comforting food, friendly service, and unique ambiance; all adding to a nice experience out. Their menu is filled with classic diner foods, but might be a tad different than what you'd expect. I got the BISCUITS AND GRAVY, and though it was good it was different than the usual. Instead of biscuits, it was more of a monkey bread and the meat in the gravy had more of a smokey taste (it could also use extra gravy over all). Their BLOODY MARY was good, not a huge standout but overall had a classic Bloody Mary taste. I'd like to return for another breakfast item, or perhaps a late night bite. read more

Beginner's Diner - Bloody Mary - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

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I ate twice at Beginner's Diner during my one night stay at the Lafayette Hotel back in December. It's open 24 hours and so convenient, especially since the hotel doesn't offer room service. I had a late lunch after I landed in San Diego while waiting for my room to be ready. I sat at the bar and ordered a mushroom hash. It was delicious and exactly what I needed at the time. My teammates and I went back to Lafayette Hotel to celebrate after a big, successful event. We didn't have much to eat at the event and were pretty hungry so we hit up Beginner's Diner. We shared a French toast and I opted for a tuna melt with side of fries for my entree. Both were filling and hit the spot! The diner has a great vibe and service was excellent both times! read more

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I don't know what anyone here writing bad reviews is talking about but not only has the service been stellar but the disco cut fries are to DIE for, 1000000/10 recommend plus the atmosphere is so cute who WOULDNT wanna come here read more

Cute old diner inside of the Lafayette Hotel. Diner Menu offered a good variety. We went for dinner so ended up trying the pot roast, chicken fried steak, and patty melt. Their fries and onion rings were also fried to a golden crisp. Service was great. I love that they wear the traditional diner uniforms. Overall great vibes read more

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Beginners Diner is located inside the Lafayette Hotel. I've heard such amazing things about the ambiance of the place and had to check it out. The first thing I will note is that on Fridays & Saturdays the street parking will be very difficult. There is valet as an option, for those who don't want valet you will need to park street in the neighborhoods behind the hotel. Upon walking in, we were greated by the hostess who sat us down and we ordered a good amount of appetizers, sides, entrees, and drinks. To our disappointment, the food honestly wasn't that great considering the price of each item. The best item I think we ordered was the Caesar Salad - probably one of the best dressings ive had. The egg on my chicken sandwich was a little rubbery in texture and the chicken was good but very dry. Chicken skewers were very good but the rest of the food was nothing special. I think this place is really good for the ambiance - if you're planning on wanting a diner feel I would recommend coming here for the milkshakes but not for an entire meal. Another thing that added to my 2 star review was at the end of the dinner my friend noticed she stepped on something squishy at the bottom of the table. We looked under the booth and there was a single slice of bread just sitting there. I added a picture but what my friend pointed out was that toast is a breakfast menu item. We were there at 6:30pm and their breakfast menu stopped being served at 3pm. With that being said - the booth floor had not been cleaned since then. Overall I would not come back again. I was a little disappointed due to the quality of the food and lack of cleanliness of the restaurant. However, the Lafayette Hotel is beautiful read more

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The food here is pretty decent. I like that it's another 24hr diner option in San Diego. The service is usually always good.

Beginner's Diner, located in the infamous The Lafayette Hotel inEl Cajon is open 24-hours and hits all the marks you'd expect for a retro diner from the 1940's, while adding some upscale twists to their menu such as their steak and eggs served with a Wagyu filet and boozy milkshakes. We recommend going around the holidays which is extra special since the property is completely transformed into a winter wonderland ! I was looking forward to trying their French Dip (also made with Waygu), but they were out of it so I opted for their version of a smash-burger. It was okay, but not what you'd expect from a smash-burger since the two patties were on the thicker side and the bread was sourdough toast (not my favorite for a burger). Although they don't have a kids menu, our server was able to provide some suggestions on some options that would be good for kids (both on and off the menu). The bathroom was even gorgeous so I couldn't resist a picture Follow @allthingsfoodinsandiego for more must try San Diego restaurants, date night ideas, food experiences, kid friendly spots, with a sprinkling of home-cooking! read more

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Came to Beginner's Diner on a Tuesday at 12:30pm and were shocked to see an hour+ long wait to sit at the counter. The hubby and I ordered coffee, buckwheat pancakes, a cinnamon roll, and the breakfast sando to share. The breakfast sandwich was great, piping hot, salty from the cheese, fatty from the homemade breakfast sausage, and nice with the eggs inside. The cinnamon roll was our next favorite because it wasn't overly sweet, rich from the cream cheese frosting, and very naughty. Last was the buckwheat pancakes which were very dense but tasted good since they were very thing and were cut with the fresh berries. Breakfast is only served from midnight to 3pm which is why we went for lunch, just in case we wanted sweet and savory without having to order a shake. As always, the service is great and the Lafayette is a beautiful hotel with solid options for food and drinks. read more

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You know when you have the insane desire for a super solid, totally fire breakie? Like.... The one you think you remember from lifetimes past? But every time you follow a solid Yelp review your stomach ends up hurting and the food is just super mid? As if "super greasy and average" became the new "hit food?" Well- NOT this place. This place is "forget your words, mind blowing, borderline orgasmic" kind of fantastic. It's a worth its wait kind of diner. All nestled in the most fantastic hotel in SD. Go. Don't think. Just..,, go. You will never feel like you're in a cooler place than when you are here. read more

Beginner's Diner - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

We were staying at The Lafayette Hotel and wanted to grab dinner downstairs at Beginner's Diner. Was hoping they offered breakfast options all day but they only offer it from 12am-3pm. We wanted to try the Reuben but they were out. Noticed a few other people trying to order it as well, but to no avail. We ended up ordering the dinner portion Chicken Fried Steak w/ creamed spinach ($32) and the dinner Pot Roast w/ sautéed corn ($34). Both were solid options, nothing to write home about, and on the smaller side. We also got a Chocolate Hazelnut Boozy Milkshake ($18). This was delicious and got me buzzed. Service was friendly. Cool diner interior with so many eye-catching details. Bathrooms are located outside of the diner, across the bar, and at the hallway near the pool. Will definitely need to try the Reuben sandwich next time though! And also the breakfast options. read more

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The Lafayette was so packed this time of the year because of the amazing decorating, so we found a spot at the bar in this joint u til we could scope out a table in the lounge. Started out with a craft cocktail for my Bride and a private labeled IPA for me. Opted to split the pimento cheese, and liked everything! Ambiance is retro diner, service was at the counter, and prices were high but this is clearly a tourist trap! read more

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24/7 diner open inside the Lafayette hotel. Super busy when I went, with hour waits even at 11 pm and past midnight. They always overestimate the time though, so don't let it scare you away. Took one star away for how hard it is to get in and get a table, but I can't really blame them--Lafayette is a zoo during Christmas time. For a 24/7 diner the food is really solid. Good american diner food, albeit a little expensive. The fries are super good and my favorite is the boozy eggnog milkshake. I loveee eggnog and the booze makes it the perfect sweetness. The other milkshakes on their own are much too rich and couldn't finish them. read more

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I came here to try their famous pie before checking out. I had hoped there would be an easy way to order to-go but it didn't seem like the vibe. We waited to be seated for a bit and we were not greeted right away. When we did get seated, I noticed that the booths were dirty with crumbs and other questionable trash. The space between the booth and table was small and uncomfortable to get in/out due to that and a wooden upright edge that scraped against our butts. I tried the lemon meringue pie. It was a pretty large slice and gave me a sugar rush- just as expected! The meringue was toasted well and the crust was light. I had a bite of the cherry pie and had to spit it out. It tasted like cherry medicine. We waited a long time to get the check and to have our orders taken. Not my cup of tea but alas... maybe it is for others. read more

Beginner's Diner - Lemon meringue - sugary and delicious - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

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I grew up in San Diego, so I have visited the hotel many times over the years but have not seen it since this recent remodel. I think that they did a wonderful job with the redesign of the hotel and Beginners Diner as well. They also did a fantastic job with the Christmas decorations this year and really made an awesome space that you want to spend many hours in. We stopped in as a party of four on Sunday morning and were able to be seated after a 10 min wait. We had to sit outside, but it was really a nice location because it had great views of the pool and there was a nice breeze. Even in late December the weather in the morning is great in beautiful SD. Our server was very friendly and everything that we ordered came out very fast. The hotel offers valet otherwise it will be street parking. We were able to find a space directly across the street so it was a short walk. The menu is not very large, but it has a lot of great options on it. For my breakfast, I chose the Bacon Avocado Benedict and honestly loved it. I really appreciated how they crumbled the bacon which I thought was a unique touch and the smashed avocado was also a good combo instead of just avocado slices. The hollandaise was made fresh and my egg was perfectly poached so overall it was honestly really good. Pricing was fair and the whole experience was really nice so I would definitely recommend to any local or tourist and I plan to be back again in the near future. read more

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Came here to eat after getting some drinks in the lobby. We found a seat outside. This place as a whole was decorated so well for the holidays. Service was a little slow during the middle of the day, but there were a lot of people here. The food was mediocre, but we did not come specifically for the food. I don't know if I would be back for the food, but the ambiance was second to none. read more

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Retro 50's diner that takes you back in time. Their grilled cheese is shaped as a heart which is a cute touch. The ice cream shakes are missing a crucial flavor option: oreo! I tried the banana cream pie. The pudding is good. It tasted like a seasonally enhanced pie with cinnamon. Unexpected touch! read more

Beginner's Diner - Banana cream pie - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

Inside the Lafayette Hotel you will find a delightful retro-looking diner that serves wonderful boozy shakes and other diner foods. There's normally a wait on the weekends so go on the weekdays if you can. We sat at the counter and the staff were all efficient and friendly. I plan to come back and try the food but it's definitely worth going for the shakes alone! read more

Beginner's Diner - Peppermint boozy shake- forgot the exact name - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

Excellent service and good. I had no idea there was a 24 hour diner like this in San Diego. It's amazing in here. Novalee gave the best service and actually took the time to know other parts of the property and history . Steak was medium rare and eggs over easy. Exactly what I wanted. The nostalgic decorum is the best along with the music. Clean bathrooms throughout! Definitely will come back read more

Beginner's Diner - Steak and eggs - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

I am pleasantly surprised how good this diner is!!! We got the Reuben & the double patty burger-- both of them were soo good! The burger was flavorful and cooked to my liking, and the fries were pretty good too. We stopped in around 10pm on a Friday, and it was pretty busy in there. We were able to find the last two seats at the bar and we were served really quickly after ordering. If you haven't been to the Lafayette hotel, put it at the top of your list!! With the diner being open 24 hours, if you ever need a late night snack in north park.. this is your spot! So cute. read more

Beginner's Diner - Reuben - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

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Retro vibes for days. Shiny chrome finishes, checkered floors, and a long food counter lined with classic diner stools. It's the kind of place that makes you want to slide into one of their cozy booths, sip a milkshake (or a cocktail), and feast on classic American cuisine. THE FOOD. - Reuben Sandwich. The marble rye was perfectly toasted -- crisp edges with a soft center. The cheese melted beautifully, though the portion of meat could've been a bit more generous. The flavors hit a great balance of savory and tangy. Curly fries on the side were perfectly crispy. THE DRINK. - Bloody Mary. Not a huge fan as the tomato base seemed a little watery and the spice was too mild. THE PARKING. Parking is a bit tricky. There's street parking nearby, but it fills up fast. Valet is an option too. THE VERDICT. Had a nice time at this restaurant. I liked the Reuben sandwich but I'd probably opt for another drink. read more

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Great ambience! Takes you back to what would seem the be the 1950's but with a flair? Staff was amazing, the wait for a table for 7 was quick and the food was good! Food servings were large so be prepared for that! The food has a twist to it, like for instance their meatloaf uses ground wagyu beef, not just regular ground beef. They have breakfast food available at certain times, lunch/dinner foods also and some items are available 24 hours. The best part about this dinner is that they have access to a full bar. Their milkshakes are to die for, are large and can also have some liquor mixed in. Will come back in the future because it's nice to have a 24 hr place to go to. read more

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When looking for a late-night quick bite, I stumbled upon Beginner's Diner on yelp. Walking to the restaurant through the Lafayette Hotel was an experience within itself as the hotel is so beautifully decorated. Once you get inside the diner, you feel transported to the 50s! It was so cool. We sat at the counter, and there seemed to be one server and one chef in the kitchen. Regardless, service was amazing. We got onion rings, french fries, a chocolate hazelnut shake, and a slice of chess pie. The onion rings and fries were very salty. I really only enjoyed the fries dipped into the shake, which had little chunks of chocolate! The fries also came with a ranch, dill-forward dipping sauce that I kinda wanted to drink. It was so yummy. Lastly, the chess pie was meh. I've never had, or even heard of, chess pie before so we decided to order it after googling. My verdict: I tried it, but probably would never get again. Next time I come to Beginner's Diner, which I likely will after a night out, I want to try some actual breakfast items off the menu. read more

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Excellent service! Once you enter the front steps, you will need to pass thru the lounge area and head off to the left to find the diner- cute with old fashioned stools around a counter, cozy booths, serving up classics like strawberry milkshakes, club sandwiches and burgers which we loved! The deviled eggs were perfect- tangy and full of flavor. We also enjoyed a giant platter of disco fries- basically fries coated in white gravy, served with a side of brown gravy- a poor man's version of poutine. We dipped our clubs and burgers in the brown gravy for extra oomph! The bacon in the club sandwiches was extra thick and crunchy too. Loved the convenience of parking on the curb out front. Great place to entertain our guests who had a late night flight in from snowy Denver, Colorado, and were starving! read more

Have you been to Beginner's Diner yet? Seriously, you must! Its amazing atmosphere, round the clock service, and mindfully crafted affordable menu will turn you into a fiend! For your late night cravings, Dustin and Joey are your tireless source of great food and prompt service. The night menu consists of all time breakfast favorites and fresh made sandwich plates, and is in effect 11pm-6am. Joey will pour you a cup of coffee and keep it full. If you are looking to cool off instead, ask for one of his thick and creamy milkshakes. Each one comes with a free smile for you to wear out. And the tacos, where do I even begin?! Dustin is a certified taco-logist who doesn't operate below "extraordinary". You are gonna want to place an additional to-go order, so the morning-you doesn't resent the middle of the night-you for getting all the perks. Yes, everything is that delish! read more

Beginner's Diner - Tacos are a middle of the night MUST for me - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

All we wanted to do was go get late night diner food at a place that isn't a franchise. Didn't know we had to be subjected by the most fisted normie ridden location to do that. I'm not sure about other days but since it's night time during the holiday season, the only way to enter was through the front, where they allegedly security check you and check your ID. You have to navigate then all the way towards the back and the diner is on the left side. But you know what the real kicker is, 80% of their tables/seating inside the diner was empty or only needed to be cleaned up, but there was still a 2 hour wait list. Wait list is on Open Table and ONLY the SERVER at the LOCATION can add you onto it. It's not accessible through the app itself. There's not other reservation system on Yelp or elsewhere. This place PHYSICALLY traps you here in order to spend more money inside the rest of the hotel until your time is called up. Extremely inefficient for people who aren't normies looking to pay for a super expensive drink or hook up. Inside it has the look of a vintage diner, but the day after, we went to the Corvette Diner and the theming was SO MUCH BETTER than at least the diner here does. Sadly, not 24/7 though. ALSO, another FYI, more than HALF of the pictures on this Yelp page isn't even for the diner, it's other businesses located inside the hotel or the hotel itself, so don't sadly be duped like we were. read more

we shared a yummy strawberry milkshake here after our night exploring the Lafayette hotel and dancing the night away at Lou Lou's Jazz Bar/Club. service was amazing and workers are so sweet! the diner was packed. i also loved the breakie sando, it was so yummy to have in the morning. loveeeeed this diner, i would definitely come back when i'm in the area read more

Beginner's Diner - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

This classic - movie like diner will never disappoint after a night out, catching up, girls day, or fun spot to eat! Came here around 3pm, first of all the hotel itself is iconic. The diner is another icon too! The ambiance is so chill and relaxing. The service is also very nice and quick! I got a Hazelnut Boozy Milkshake delicious!!! As well as the Chicken Sandwich with their amazing French fries. Omg. Such tasty food that will keep you filled up. My boyfriend loved his fries he said "these are the best fries over ever had". Thank you for an amazing meal Beginner's Diner! Please give kudos to the kitchen read more

Beginner's Diner - Counter seating and booths - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

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BEGINNER'S DINER @ NORTH PARK Street parking is available and free, but it gets really packed, especially on weekends. We came on a weekday and it wasn't too bad, though we still had about a 10-minute walk. I'd recommend parking in the surrounding neighborhoods if you can. I've always wanted to try this spot since I'm a big fan of diners. My boyfriend and I came without a reservation, and unfortunately, the menu on the Lafayette Hotel website wasn't up to date, which was frustrating. When we arrived, the wait was about two hours. We were okay with it and went down to Lou's Lou's while waiting. Once we got the text, we were seated right away. It took about 15 minutes before a staff member noticed us, and we started with their iconic $10 milkshakes. I think the one annoying part about the space two is that they talk about how it's open 24 hours except you can't order anything on the menu. They have like a set time for all of the items so it was kind of a bummer to not be able to get breakfast food when it was literally 7 PM I died most centers. You can get anything at any time. I ordered the peppermint milkshake and my boyfriend got the eggnog. Unfortunately, both were a disappointment. The peppermint milkshake tasted mostly like vanilla, and when I mentioned it to the server, I was brought a cup of straight peppermint syrup to pour in myself. I asked if it could be mixed or remade instead, and they did remake it, but it still wasn't good. Knowing it's basically vanilla ice cream with syrup made it feel not worth the price. I'd honestly rather get a Chick-fil-A peppermint milkshake for half the cost. The eggnog milkshake was very sweet and also tasted like syrup. For food, we started with the chili, which was actually really good. If you like beans, I'd definitely recommend it. For my entrée, I got the patty melt, which reminded me of a cheeseburger on sourdough bread. I upgraded to the cheesy fries with gravy, while my boyfriend got the pastrami sandwich with curly fries. The food was decent, but nothing amazing. The curly fries were overcooked and pretty hard, and the loaded cheesy fries weren't my favorite, the American cheese just didn't work for me. I did like the pastrami meat, though; it was salty and flavorful. Overall, I wouldn't personally come back. After reading other Yelp reviews, it seems like a lot of people feel the same way. That said, if you're already visiting the Lafayette Hotel, this might be a convenient spot to check out. Otherwise, I think this place really needs a better menu, improved service, and more flavorful food. read more

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The service here takes a really long time, and if you show up later in the day chances are they are out of most things on the menu. The diner is gorgeous though so it's worth going just to explore it and the hotel it's in! read more

Just took a quick trip in for a snack aka French fries after having a few drinks! Definitely a whole vibe in there. I love their house made ranch! I'm looking forward to trying some other things on their menu next time. Great service as well! read more

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Quality of food was poor. Steak well done and dry vs medium rare. Potatoe undercooked. I do not recommend this restaurant. Go to the Mexical restaurant in the front of the hotel. read more

Walking into Beginners Diner I felt like I was transported into the 1940s. It is located in the Lafayette hotel and open 24 hours. I walked in on a Monday night with my friend and we were able to seat at the bar as all the tables were taken or reserved. However the bar wasn't packed at all. The food was good but not amazing. I was pretty satisfied with my meal. I got the pastrami sandwich with fries. The fries were actually cooked very well. Nice and crispy but not too oily. The prices are a bit on the expensive side but it's expected because of how popular this hotel is. I would definitely come again and try their milkshakes as they looked really good! Service was kind and attentive. read more

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Food is a little more expensive. Service is pretty good . Ambience is50s diner cool . read more

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Wow such an enjoyable experience at Beginners Diner in the Lafayette Hotel! First - Gluten free Bread i was Overjoyed! I've never had a patty melt before and i melted in my seat from how good it was! My friend ordered a delicious breakfast and our waitress was accommodating, kind and helpful in directing us to some delicious food options. We got there early as we knew there would be a wait - we were quoted about 2 hours and ended up being about 1.5hrs so we took photos, grabbed a beverage at the hotel bar, and made the most of the wait, it felt like it went by quickly. The hotel was pure holiday magic, i highly recommend visiting during the holidays (we loved going during the daytime too) for the beautiful decor! read more

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Food is great, but pricey. Worth it in my opinion, since it's such a cool spot and there's a few free games at the bowling alley (billiards, skee ball, hoops, shuffleboard). Really pretty/trendy. Service is great. read more

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Super dope 50's diner! I absolutely love the decor here. Takes you back in time, but with modern diner food. The Pastrami Benedict is to die for. Perfect blend of salty meat, egg, and hollandaise. Also the avocado toast was amazing. Our waitress was efficient. It's busy here, but worth the wait. Good times! read more

Beginner's Diner - Pastrami Benedict - Diners Near Me - San Diego, California

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The Lafayette Hotel is amazing since they did the retrofit it's clean modern and very very hip. A lot of folks were there. The diner delightful visual of seeing an old style diner recreate a neat clean a little too loud eatery.They should consider installing some noise control in there. Very minor issue The food was delightful. My wife had the cheese sandwich and onion rings she loved it. I had the French dip really good. The rolls were fresh and crisp. The dipping sauce was good and I had the curly fries they were perfect. Service our server was Mikey, very polite, attentive, and knew what he was doing. Well priced. They are open 24 hours a day and a true visual treat with good food read more

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