Bob's Diner in Roxborough is a classic streetcar-design diner of another era, but it still offers traditional comfort food, hot coffee and community. Just what we wanted on this blustery Saturday morning. The diner is ensconced within a lot bordered by the Leverington Cemetery and the non-denominational Epic Church. I had been to Bob's a few times and it was nothing special save for the friendly staff. But someone in the Inky's food crew noted its charm and put it in "76" for the paper's 2025 end-of-year list of recommended Philly eateries. So I decided another visit would see why. Bob's is funky in its own way but on this early Saturday morn Bob's charm and character surfaced immediately with our entry into this friendly, worn but clean dining space. I felt we were greeted with just the right amount of neighborly welcome--sort of like a communal joie de vivre. We joined a sizable crowd inside but were seated immediately in one of the street-side booths. Functional, movable tables and chairs make up the other space with lots of natural light coming from the many windows. Old stools ran the length of the original half-oval counter with the short order grill inside a quarter oval. We could see the kitchen behind the swinging doors but mostly we paid attention to the man at the grill. It is not a big one; manned by a grill guy handling some large orders and doing it like he'd worked it for ever. Of course, it is Jim Evans, the OWNER! It is certainly not the menu that drew this crowd today because there is nothing that stands out on their standard breakfast menu save, perhaps, the chipped beef pretzel described as famous and homemade. Probably is but we eschewed it for their popular Two Egg Eyeopener. Our choice was right on. Lovely twin eggs over medium, classic home fries & onions and good ole corn beef hash with bottomless coffee while rye toast sopped up leftover bits. YEAH! Our goodbyes were as heartily received as our welcomes. It was worth the trip and I'd do it again--in any weather. read more

Bob's Diner - Jim Evans, owner, at grill - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This diner is known for its chipped beef. Not that I'd order it, but I thought my husband -- thirty years in the military -- might want it. Nope! Bob's has an old time-y feel, which I like. But not enough to bring me back. Despite the diner's popularity breakfast was mediocre, starting with coffee. Weak! Their omelets are intentionally puffy. (I hate puffy.) The cook cracks the eggs into a milkshake machine to achieve the consistency. Home fries are eh. Our waitress asked if I wanted mine with onions. Sure! Why did she ask? No onions. Just boring potatoes left too long on the flattop. To be fair, my eggs over-easy were pretty good. I got a platter that also came with free (weak) coffee and bacon. Not interested in toast -- though one of the choices is cinnamon raisin -- T and I shared a short stack of pancakes. A tad undercooked, yet good. But the syrup dispenser was so sticky, in need of a thorough cleaning. Cash only. I think there's an ATM on the premises, but sorry Bob. Not impressed. One and done. read more

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This is your quintessential old school diner. It's small, loud, greasy, and also has great food and fast service! Cheap too! And cash only but they do have an ATM on site! I can't believe it's taken me this long to finally go in, but I was running errands up on Ridge and figured that would be the perfect time to pop in there! Definitely small and cramped especially with people standing inside and blocking the door while waiting. I was solo so I just snagged a seat at the counter right away. All the great breakfast options you would expect from this kind of diner! I wasn't SUPER hungry so didn't want a big breakfast platter. Ended up getting the cream chipped beef OVER A GRILLED SOFT PHILLY PRETZEL!!! Uhhhh yes, on. a. pretzel! It was so freaking good! The contrast of the pretzel rather than the usual toast or hash browns/home fries was great. Definitely hit the spot! This isn't any kind of fancy food or restaurant, but just good down home cooking! Service was very fast! They still do the old school ticket receipts and I didn't have cash on me so hit the ATM (which is back by the bathrooms) and then paid up front! Great meal for only around $13 (I also got an OJ). Definitely plan on going back sooner and not waiting years to get there lol. read more

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Got a western omelette with a side of bacon and sausage from here. What could go wrong right? A lot apparently. For starters this place is archaic as HELL. They only accept cash. ATM on site but it's out of service so I've gotta go across the street to get cash. Only thing I liked about this place was the waitress with curly hair who was really pleasant. The food was terrible. I opened up my container and the eggs were swimming in grease and you can tell they cooked on a dirty pan because there were black grill specs all in the eggs. This place seriously needs to be inspected. Almost all of the employees are over the age of 70 . read more

Large portions i ordered the omelette and it kept me full all day. Even took half of it home to eat the next day

The service was excellent and I enjoyed every second of being here. Would highly recommend if you want that old time feeling with amazing vibes all around. read more

Food sits out on counter too long before being given to customer, gets cold, and too many people walking past it or standing over it talking or coughing read more

Just tried Bob's Diner for the first time this morning, and we will definitely make this a regular weekend breakfast place! The entire staff were friendly and gracious. It's my birthday, and the line cook (and owner?) announced my birthday to the entire diner and sang to me before having me blow out his lighter. :) Definitely did not expect that in a Philly diner. The food was fantastic! I always judge a place against what it's trying to achieve, and Bob's delivers. No, this is not high dining, but for what it is, it is fantastic! The scrambled eggs were lovely, the fried potatoes and onions had just the right amount of crunch, the bacon was perfectly cooked, and the coffee was a smooth breakfast blend that didn't overpower the palate. The toast had a generous amount of butter on it, and the pancakes were nice and fluffy. Great atmosphere and food. We'll be regulars! read more

Took the family (11) in this morning for breakfast and the service was exceptional. The staff was so welcoming, coffee cups and water glasses were always full, and the food was good! read more

Bobs diner was awesome! Great relaxed vibes food came out fast ! Our waitress was extremely kind the service was 10/10 the value was amazing for 2025 3 of us ate for under 35 bucks! We will be back! read more

Amazing greasy spoon diner. Good food for good prices. Cash only so be sure to bring some or they have an ATM in the back. read more

Bob's Diner - Bobs diner exterior - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Location, history of old school diner is awesome. Where else can you enjoy breakfast and overlook the quaint graveyard behind it. Good food, good company! read more

Very local dive. I've been here probably half a dozen times. Bring cash. The good: food is quick and decent. If you go during the week, it's never too busy. The servers are attentive but will also leave you mostly to yourself, which is nice. Plenty of street parking (really, don't bother with those spots up front). The not so good: none of the food is mind blowing. The bill they hand you miraculously never matches the total they ring you up for. It's somehow $5-7 more, which on a like $25 tab is significant. Depending on your server, there are no substitutions. They also handle a lot of ready to eat food with their bare hands. Do with this what you will. Compared to most other breakfast spots in the city, it is was more affordable, but there are no frills here. read more

Fantastic service, lovely staff, parking, open early - my only qualm is prices (but I blame that on the economy). Would definitely return following a post-hike in Wissahickon. read more

I met the owner's brother randomly one day and he mentioned this place. Ever since then it was on my bucket list - my husband and I tried it out for a low key breakfast date and it did not disappoint. inside, this place is larger than it looks from the outside but has a cozy, old school feel, you look around and you can tell some of the people there are loyal regulars. It feels like a hug on a cold day in there. This no frills place has some good eggs, fluffy pancakes and super friendly staff always waiting to give you coffee refills (the coffee is just ok, for all you coffee snobs out there). this might also be the place to go for a greasy hangover cure. Sit in a booth or sit at the bar/kitchen and have a chat with staff. I bet you'll leave this local favorite in a good mood. read more

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I took my daughter to Bob's Diner. It's advertised as affordable five-star dining, so how could I pass that up? It's located on Ridge, next to a cemetery; which actually makes it kinda peaceful, not creepy. I adore a cute theme and the diner car is fun. It's cozy but not cramped, with plenty of space at the counter. The staff was friendly, though I have to mark down the service since the hostess ignored my daughter and I for two full minutes to pack mugs into a cardboard box while we waited to pay. The prices were reasonable for the portion size, but I wasn't impressed by the pancakes. The bacon was crispy and tasty, the eggs cooked well, and the coffee was average for a diner. Our meal came out to about $25, which was a little high for the quality. The joint is cash only, with an ATM in the back. read more

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What a great Diner! If you want good food, a warm atmosphere and really friendly service and this is the place. And they apparently have been able to maintain this level of food and service for 70 years. One of the rare treats for me, is when I ask for over easy eggs they don't come back to the table crispy burned on the bottom. This Diner serves over easy eggs the way they should be. Go there, you won't fail to have a great breakfast. Nothing fancy just good. read more

Local dive. Cash only! Food is mediocre at best. Coffee tastes bitter as if equipment is never cleaned. Negative smell on grilled food. Would not go back. read more

Always a classic. The egg and pepper sandwich was expertly crafted. Parker on the street and wasn't robbed.

Great food, great service in a little space but I will take that any day. We've passed by this place a lot and never stopped here until now and I'm sorry we didn't beforehand. This is a very quaint and tasty joint - do not pass it up. I do have to say you need cash to pay. Things are not very expensive unless you want I guess the steak and eggs. We got a pork roll and cheese and and a bacon egg and hash brown platter with wheat toast and coffee. Additionally we got a pancake - holy pancake - we thought it was going to be a little one - it is HUGE. We will definitely go here again - do not sleep on this joint. I grew up in Jersey and this just reminds me of a small diner. The service is on par for amazingness. The waitress just was so good. read more

Bob's Diner - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great food and excellent friendly service. We were visiting Philadelphia and would definitely revisit Bob's Diner when we return. Highly recommend, enjoy... read more

Wow. Boy was that a treat! Great food, better people. They do it right at Bobs. Bob muffin is a must try! Don't say you're from Philly if you've haven't been to Bobs. read more

Bob's Diner - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amazing diner! Service was great and quick. Food was delicious and portions were great. We were here towards the end of their day and they ended up gifting us the leftover rolls! They get fresh rolls everyday! Definitely will be back. read more

Very cozy and kickback down home dinner. Fresh, Generous portions and friendly staff read more

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*I am editing this because I mentioned another user's reviews, whom I actually really respect, but they were not pleased. I apologize for the misunderstanding and would not ever insult another persons taste. I don't know if it's always this loud or if it's superbowl Sunday but it was deafening when we first walked in. That kinda made it feel fun though. Though I am not interested in sports. It felt like an episode of Cheers. I couldn't empty my coffee cup. They were on that. There was no wait. Seated immediately and food was maybe 10 minutes before we had it. I got the two eggs eye opener. That's a diner staple. I got it with Turkey sausage though which I wouldn't do again. Tasted like they used a lot rosemary seasoning and I'm not into that. I got the home fries crispy which transplanted to burn the ones on top. They added uncooked onions. I think they used setting 6 to toast the toast. Though that may all sound critical, I was happy with my breakfast. I miss being in a band and going to all night diners after we played. My wife got shit on a shingle over a soft pretzel. I Don't know if Bob invented this but it's brilliant. And my favorite part? It's so much cheaper than anywhere else around. I mean no where is like pre-COVID where breakfast was $3-$5 bucks but I doubt life will ever go back there. Would I suggest it if you're traveling? Naw. If you live here though I could see going here if you're feeling lazy and don't want to drop a lot of coin. read more

This place needs no rating. It is THE diner. When you think of a northeastern diner, this should be the place that immediately comes into your mind. This place needs no recommendation, it just is and you should go here if you want to breakfast. read more

Yummy, quality food with very reasonable prices. The ambiance gives a diner feel and seating is up to you, I.e., if you see an open booth, you sit there. If you don't see one, you'll just have to wait or sit at the counter. The staff are friendly and work as a team, so someone might bring you coffee and someone else will bring your food. They're cash only, but have an ATM inside. This place is a favorite of mine read more

The service is always great and the blonde waitress with curly hair is always so nice! The pancakes are never good though so I get the omelets which are pretty good. My family loves this place so I come here a lot and the diner feel is a take it or leave it sort of vibe. It's the only place I'll eat at for breakfast and enjoy though (aside from duck donuts ) so I do enjoy it here from time to time. (I don't have photos right now but I can add more later.) read more

bobs is a regular diner with typical diner food. duh. i recommend the pancakes, grilled muffins or one of them quick platters. for lunch i like the grilled cheese with tomato. service is quick and they are always asking if you want a refill on coffee. ambiance is great of course, you got your classic lunch car diner, right next to the graveyard. i recommend sitting to the left so you can see the graveyard. (its seat yourself and cash only btw). my only qualms are the prices for the soft drinks. i wouldn't recommend anything other than water or coffee. the drinks are 4$ each and no free refills. something about philly syrup tax. idk. ALSO MR BOB PLS GET MALT. i wont order a milkshake unless theres a malt option. thank youuuuu read more

The service was pretty great for a diner. We waited about 15 minutes for a table to be free and someone came to the table about a minute later with waters. When you eat at a diner, you have to have coffee so I got a cup. It was good. Either the cup had not been thoroughly cleaned or it had leftover taste of washing liquid. I couldn't put my finger on it but it definitely had an aftertaste. Not the coffee; let me be clear. It was still breakfast time so I ordered grits, corned beef hash and homefries. The grits were made to perfection. Lumpy which is the way I like em. The homefries were prepared with onions. Could've used a little seasoning. The meal was good. Cash is only accepted so bring some with you. read more

Bob's Diner - the front of the restaurant - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I have driven past Bob's Diner for many years but never actually went inside until today. It's a seat yourself place and there was no wait. Bob's is an old school original style diner that seems to be run by family. It had great friendly and vibes. I couldn't help myself and got the Bob's Burger and fries while my bf got 3 pancakes and bacon. The burger was monstrous with two huge patties and I got lettuce, tomato and onions. It was so good and filling. The fries were hot the crispy just how I like it. The pancakes were big fluffy and super yummy. The staff and service was the best part. Everyone was so friendly! Please take a note that the diner is CASH ONlY! read more

Bob's Diner - first time here and it's so cute and old school - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Thoroughly enjoyed Bob's! Quintessential Diner atmosphere with exceptional service and good food. Enjoyed the Chipped Beef on a Grilled Soft Pretzel and a couple over medium eggs and home fries, great start of the day. read more

Bob's Diner - Bob's Diner - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Benn an awful long time since I could be considered a regular here. It was nice being back, not much has changed...save the personnel and the plexi-glass shields. My breakfast was excellent, I got the "Two egg eye opener" with scrapple, something about a diner... people seem friendlier, food tastes better, not sure what it is maybe it's because this diner cer was made in 1947 with so many things being disposable, it's just a piece of the past that remains! read more

Bob's Diner - Two Egg Eye-Opener - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The service sucked, was waiting easily 10 minutes, got no waiters at our table meanwhile people who had just walked in were seated and served. Did not feel welcome. read more

A classic diner that serves breakfast all day! I enjoyed the home fries with onion, and the French toast was chef's kiss. The staff is friendly and this place is definitely a great comfort food restaurant to hit. Open early from 7 am - 2 pm for breakfast. Keep in mind it is cash only though! read more

Bob's Diner - Home fries with onion - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I've driven by this diner for 20+ years and always wanted to stop in. Stopped in today with my son ... It didn't live up to the expectations. It's hard times these days and inflation is a bitch ... places are struggling, I get it. This place could just use some major updating is all. the cushioning in our booth was completely shot. Felt like we were sitting on sharp springs. Add in the appearance of dirt and grime. It didn't feel too pleasant to be dining in there. I kinda wanted to leave. I dig the cemetery next door and the coziness of the diner though. Also, it doesn't get much more fresh, the food comes directly off the grill (which is literally a few feet away from any booth. The quality of their food isn't good. Both of our plates were covered in a puddle of oil. (I wanted to throw my eggs a life preserver. (Bastards were drowning in it) I look up from my plate and see my son's face shining in grease ... he looked like radioactive man. About 30 napkins later and greased up fingers/face, we called it quits. We left 1/4 of our meals since we were both getting a little grossed out and didn't want to be sick later. In retrospect, we probably shouldn't eaten as much as we did. So yea, I will continue driving by this place. Now I know. Why not use less cooking oil? Seriously. Hell, use avocado cooking spray or something lite. Their breakfast could be amazing. Server was great and she was very quick with the coffee refills. I love that. Take the good with the bad. Maybe it was an off day. Peace out read more

Great Diner. Been going since the early 80s. Never had a bad meal. Creamed Chipped is perfection and love the Waffles. Definitely enjoyable.

My go to place for breakfast. Awesome service by wonderful people. Great old school sit down breakfast. Love this place. read more

I'm originally from jersey and we know our diners and Bob's is a legit diner, not new but rustic inside, the food was just regular, not bad but not great either, just right. The service was straight to the point the only issue I had is home fries are not included with your breakfast platter rather you need to order it separately. As a joke I was telling my friend that the diner is directly between a church and cemetery and if you order the wrong item you might end up in cemetery lol read more

Bob's Diner - Egg white omelet with tomato, onion and cheese, turkey sausage. - Diners Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Stopped in because it looked like a classic diner and expected a simple, good diner breakfast. Boy, was I wrong! Nothing was good - eggs, porkroll, homefries, toast - all subpar. Never again. Places like this deserve to go under. How do you do breakfast so bad? read more