I had been reading about Chef Darrell's diner for several years and finally had the opportunity to eat there last week for Breakfast. I had the Protein Bowl, which was soooo good. My friend had the breakfast quesadilla and thought it was awesome as well. Chef Darrell came over and spoke with us for a few minutes and allowed us to take his photo. Such a wonderful diner and chef and the staff was just as nice. Will definitely stop here again when I'm up north. read more

Chef DARRELL'S it's a must stop when in the Adarondacks. just happened to stop for lunch when Darrell had corn beef &cabbage on the menu. It was one of the best corn beef dinner I've ever had so so tender. You can't go wrong when ordering , as everything Darrell cooks is delicious ... and I love it when he comes out and chats. We have a trip planned in a few weeks and have Darrell's on our list for lunch. Wait till you see his pies ! ! You locals are so lucky to have him. read more

We stopped in for lunch after visiting the Adirondack Museum. The outside is an old fashioned dinner car. We were seated immediately but had to use a booth for 4 for the five of us. We got menus and the young people in the table next to us offered to let us have a small table because they could slide over. The menu had a nice selection of wraps sandwiches, burgers and all day breakfast. We had chicken and Steak wraps and a cheeseburger and grilled chicken. The wraps came with fries or onion rings. We ended up with an extra of onion rings for no charge. The steak wrap was large burrito size and had a punch of flavor with mushroom cheese, and garlic. The rest of the table enjoyed their meals and shared the extra onion rings. I was a great meal and experience. Picture is from the museum. read more

Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner - Great views of Adirondacks - American Near Me - Blue Mountain Lake, New York

This is the best diner ever! Always delicious food! I tried the chicken and waffles this time and the chicken was hand breaded white breast meat. The pancakes, home fries and corned beef hash are all homemade. The eggs Benedict and poached eggs are fantastic. I wish I lived closer so I could eat lunch and breakfast here often! read more

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When we arrived, the hostess informed us that there would be a 40 minute wait for food, but offered to take our drink orders. We waited almost 2.5 hours and weren't served our drinks! We ate our food with no drinks and when we tried to get our waitress's attention, she looked away. After we finished eating, we got the check and the drinks we weren't served were listed. We had to ask her to remove them, but she first denied it and had to "check" our table. Overpriced food made by a chef screaming at his workers. Dry pancakes that I couldn't even finish. Never coming back again. read more

Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner - Chocolate chip pancakes - American Near Me - Blue Mountain Lake, New York

I was happy to see that Chef Darrell's was open on Sunday afternoon as I was on my own looking for a late lunch in the Adirondacks. At 4:30 pm, it was busy. I ordered a hot turkey sandwich because I was cold and wanted comfort food. I was not disappointed! Large chunks of real turkey were covered with savory gravy, with a side of fries. It was delicious. Service was friendly . Everything that was coming out of the kitchen looked and smelled delicious! read more

Had breakfast at Chef Darrell's on our way to The Wild Center. I had the Breakfast Quesadilla and it was delicious - and a large serving - took half with me... Everyone in my group enjoyed their meal - Western Omelets, Pancakes, Omelet Special + 1 GF entree. .. and Chef Darrell came over to chat and welcome us. Our server was great and kept the coffee cups full. Excellent breakfast and would recommend for any meal. We were staying over an hour away or we would have returned the next day for the BBQ & Blues Event! read more

Is it a trip to the Adirondacks without a visit to this iconic treasure nestled in Blue Mountain Lake? No. I don't think it is. Chef Darrell is an artist, and each visit is a culinary delight that never fails to leave us full & happy. If you are ever in the ADK region, you've got to check this gem of a diner out! Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or even just stopping by to satisfy a sweet-toothed hankering for dessert, you can't go wrong with this chef's incredible menu. read more

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A fun spot, marred by an absolute plague of yellowjackets and flies that were swarming around us and on the glass pretty constantly. Service was a bit desultory, but such is the lot of summer places in the hinterlands -- there are never as much staff as are required for the influx of summer people. The insect problem was a two star deduction but we gave them back a bonus star for the delicious food, once it finally came out. Temper your expectations, and avoid the bugs. Definitely a unique spot in the region. read more

We have enjoyed Chef Darrell's cuisine and hospitality since opening. A visit to the Diner several times during the summer season is a mandatory part of our Adirondack experience. He offers the best food in the park in our opinion at very reasonable prices. Chef Darrell is a gem and his restaurant iconic!! read more

Delicious food! Not just a traditional diner. We enjoyed the Braised Beef and pasta Pomodoro with excellent homemade sauce with fresh tomatoes spinach roasted peppers and mushrooms, plus the Chef graciously added shrimp to my pasta dish. Excellent!! read more

We went there for breakfast, and enjoyed it quite a lot. Nice people, good food and large portions.

My family is wondering how this place has a 4 star rating. Dirty water cups, undercooked French fries, missing vegetables with chicken wings. Didn't bother telling the waitress because she barely spoke English. My husband asked her the price of a special and she had to write it down. This was probably also the reason his "Arnold Palmer" tastes like fruit punch. If this all wasn't bad enough, they charge for takeout containers read more

Service was quick, but food was not served warm and Eggs Benedict had too much sauce on it. Very little amount of home fries and potatoes were not crisp or warm either. Surprisingly the bathroom was very warm and toasty compared to the dining area which was quite cold, and had kept my jacket and beanie on. Was a bit disappointed in overall experience and would not come back. read more

Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner - Diner bar area - American Near Me - Blue Mountain Lake, New York

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Every time I hike in this area, this diner is a must visit !! the food is great-- the service is great-- as near perfect as you can get! Chef Darrell is a very nice and cordial host and even took a picture with me! My highest recommendation! read more

Great service and great food! Got the Reuben sandwich and panini with soup. Ambiance is very calm and Darrell came out to greet everyone dining. Very nice man, prior military and we talked for quite a while. I encourage everyone to stop by if you're given the opportunity! Food is fresh and sourced with high quality ingredients. Reuben was fantastic with large pieces of corned beef and thick sliced bread. Will definitely be back! Feel free to check out the arcade as well! read more

My favorite place in the Adirondack park! Chef Darrell is one of the most hardworking, most personable people I've ever met and he strives to give you the best experience possible. This place is always booming so please just be patient with them. Food never disappoints. A must stop! read more

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The food and service was unbelievable! Came a little early after watching the sunrise and Darrell and staff were more than happy to open the doors early and feed us. The eggs Benedict and pancakes were delicious and we took dessert to go! Super cute inside! read more

Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner - American Near Me - Blue Mountain Lake, New York

Based on the good reviews we decided to try this place for dinner. Boy were we sorry. The food was awful. The meatloaf had an odd texture, no taste and was topped with a gelatinous gravy. The dessert, billed as a blueberry apple crumble, was stewed apples swimming in liquid with no blueberries or crumble topping but enough cinnamon to make you gag. Even the service was awful. Slow, forgetful, confused and not helped by the fact that our waitress spoke very little english. Definitely do not recommend. read more

I came in for a diner with my cousin and our experience was wonderful. Atmosphere was 10/10, hospitality was 10/10, and the food, let's just say coming back from a camping trip. This food might rival your own mothers Chef was very polite and present, as well as his waitress. read more

Chef Darrell is an amazing chef and always a welcoming host! Daily specials are Sure to please and portions are hearty - you won't leave hungry ! Support this establishment year round -a BML treasure! And chef Darrell, thank you for your service read more

A couple things here, great service, great food, and veteran owned. One of the cleanest eateries we have been in. The mushroom and cheese omelette cooked perfectly, amazing color and texture along with great flavor and presentation. I'm old school, you also eat with your eyes. The home fries were delicious, not frozen, deep fried, or nuked. A buttery texture, with a fresh bite. The ice cream was also great BUT This sausage gravy is awesome! This stuff pops in your mouth with flavor... OOOFA. Whatever you order, get the sausage gravy on it. If you order ice cream, get the sausage gravy on it, waffles, get sausage gravy on them... you get the picture. This gravy has a great flavor profile!!! This was a great dining experience!!! Thank you Chef and Semper Paratus!! read more

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We arrived hopeful for a well cooked breakfast. We found Cindy barking orders to the two servers who would soon feel under staffed given the holiday weekend. Cindy was notably not nice and already experiencing stress. The coffee was lukewarm, the child's breakfast came with one piece of bacon and the $4.50 side of bacon came with three pieces. The scrambled eggs were not cooked well and the home potato's were tasteless. The saving grace was our server, Alex who was personable and pleasant, connecting well with all of her tables. Chef Darrell did not arrive until our departure, maybe it's better when he's running the show? Would not recommend. read more

I give CDMD a solid 5 stars. We pulled in a little before opening but the door swung open and a friendly man said "come on we'll open a little early for you". I spotted the breakfast specials and didn't even need a menu. I had a spinach, mushroom, cheese omelet that was perfectly cooked and delicious. The homefries that came with it may have been the best home fries I've ever had. Im 73 and have had hundreds of diner breakfasts I honestly do not think I have ever had a better. My group of 5 were all delighted with their meals. We topped the meal off by all sharing the hot frosted cinnamon roll. It was delicious! If you are traveling through the Adirondacks and getting hungry do yourself a big favor. Eat at chef Darrell's. read more

Food was good service was weak. Waitress did not appear to speak much English and kitchen seemed overwhelmed.

Cute little diner. Blueberry pancakes, biscuits and gravy were delicious. Only drawback was our seating in the corner felt tight like there shouldn't be a table and chairs there, especially since we were hemmed in by a different party that you had to ask them to move so you could get past. Oh, and I thought it was odd they only had bottled water which you obviously had to pay for. Overall we were satisfied. read more

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We stopped here for lunch today, food and service were superb. The chef owner Darrel came to visit us at our table, great guy and has passion for Food!! We all enjoyed our meals and the homemade desserts were delicious. Its a old train car diner, very clean and up to date. Outside seating and he serves ice cream as well. We recommend and will go back. read more

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Arrived for our first visit to Darrell's starving and looking forward to our breakfast. When we entered, the place was full except for the counter so we sat there. We were not acknowledged for an about ten minutes and while we were looking around we saw that one table appeared to have their food and the other six tables had their menus and no food. We watched one woman in the kitchen cooking a single piece of meat and one pancake at a time. The waitress walked past us several times without acknowledgment or to ask us for our drink order. She finally came over and we asked how long she thought it would take to get our food. She said it would be twenty minutes. We knew it would take a very long time to make fifteen meals one egg and pancake at a time so we chose to leave hungry. I think Darrell needs to hire more staff and/or flip eggs and pancakes himself. read more

Great food, great location, great service! Stopped in for lunch on our way through Blue Mountain Lake on a beautiful day. We enjoyed a delicious lunch on the patio. The menu had a great selection but not so many choice to become overwhelming. Kids loved that they served breakfast items all day. The waitresses and Darrell himself were all very friendly. Definitely recommend! read more

Can't say enough great things about this place. Food is outstanding! So many options and sooo many gluten free options! Owner and chef came over to ask who needed the gluten free options and said he "want afraid of it" lol! Checked on us to see how everything was and came over to chat with us after we finished eating. Even took the time to take a picture with me! They have outdoor seating and a nice patio. We will definitely be back again! Loved it! Thank you Chef Darrell! read more

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The sign is hard to see and we drove by, but make sure you turn around to check out this excellent restaurant. My husband had the Cubano steak special and it was delicious. I had the black and blue burger. Excellent as well as the service. read more

We frequent the Adirondacks and have never been into Chef Darrell's diner but after coming today- we will never miss an opportunity to stop! The food is fantastic and really hit the spot after a long hike. The inside has such a retro vibe that is clean, fun, and different! I also appreciate how visible and involved Chef Darrell was. When he didn't have some ingredients, he came out to the table, apologized to me and offered to make something different that fit within my dietary restrictions. When he brought out the food, it was by far, the most amazing gluten free food I've had in this area hands down. He then walked around and checked on tables to make sure everything was to their liking. Coffee was nice and strong and the latte was good! The waitress was very kind and patient, but seemed new and to be learning so it was as a bit slower service. I wanted to add a picture of the food, but I ate it all too quickly!:) I couldn't recommend this place enough- it's a mistake if you are in the area and don't go! read more

Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner - Coffee bar - American Near Me - Blue Mountain Lake, New York

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me and my family went back in september 2024, and we LOVED the fried mozzarella wedges. amazing food, absolutely stop by when you get the chance! read more

This was one of the worst meals we've paid for in a long time. My husband had an open hot roast beef sandwich that was made with black burnt toast in between 2 slices of roast beef covered in brown tasteless gravy. I had one of the specials which was NY strip steak covered in Gorgonzola ordered medium rare. It came well done without the Gorgonzola. When I told the waitress she brought a Iittle plastic container with the cheese. The sides were mixed vegetables with the ends all brown and the mashed potatoes were off tasting and an odd color. The waitress had never come back to check on us until she brought us the bill. read more

On my drive from Potsdam to Western Massachusetts, in January on a Sunday, I was grateful they were open. I ordered the fish and chips for lunch. It was delicious. Fish tasted fresh, fries were good. Nothing was oily. Loved the batter they are using, which said was GF. Chef Darrel was checking on the customers, and very involved in making sure that the staff are cleaning tables. Also loved the music playing, where the chef was also singing along. And Shelby my waitress was awesome!!! Will stop again for shooo! read more

Fantastic food, great diner, attentive service. I was so happy to find such a great place open after the busy season was over.

Stopped at Chef Darrell's for an early dinner. It's a great stop. The food definitely has that homemade flavor. My husband got the 1/2 sandwich and soup. He selected the Turkey sandwich. The turkey was off the bone turkey breast, not deli meat. He said it was very good. We both got the Turkey vegetable soup. It was fresh and delicious. My soup was the side to the Short Rib special that also came with mashed potatoes and a delicious beef gravy and fresh mixed vegetables. I am usually not a mixed vegetable fan because most times I find them soggy but these were perfect. They were soft but yet crispy with a nice snap. Darrell was in the front of the house and was very cordial and shared a little bit of his vision for the restaurant including the outdoor seating and arcades. The place has the old diner vibe and worth a stop. The only downside was there were no prices on the specials and I was a little surprised of the short rib special price but there was a lot of food and very good so I didn't mine too much. read more

Great place with a great chef! Food was top notch and a cozy, friendly vibe. Chef Darrell doin' it proper...

I WAS SO IMPRESSED!! Glad to have found this gem for the food, the service and the ambiance of a real diner! A friend and I chose the meatloaf dinner and were not disappointed. It was so flavorful and moist (better than this 72 y/o has made). The mashed potatoes were real and the veggies were done to perfection! Darrell greeted us and is just the nicest guy who has quite the impressive curriculum vitae. Hope to revisit next year to explore other choices on his menu! read more

enjoying the small old fashion diner culture & the breakfast bar subculture. Sharing ketchup hot sauce and creamers. The server was a nurse and has been here only one week! You'd never know. Except she's awesome under pressure. No stress worry or panic in this person!! And of course Chef Darrell's food is the best in town see you next year friends read more

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