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    City Diner

    3.9 (224 reviews)
    Closed 6:30 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    City Diner Photos

    Business Info

    CITY DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - City Diner

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    Gregory F.

    The expectation was to find a dependable spot for breakfast with my dad after a crazy weekend - and this fit the bill. The Philly Omelette was a heart find on the menu that had some brilliantly caramelized onions to top it all off, and the pancakes were reliably fluffy and delicious. A little grungy on the inside but sometimes that's exactly what you want out of a diner - it felt oddly like home. Service was a bit slower for us, but was fine for the pace of morning we were having :)

    Nov 2025 Menu

    The French Toast are the best!‍‍‍ The service upon walking in is ALWAYS awesome, feels like you walking into your kitchen at home on a holiday morning. The ambiance is wonderful whether you do take out or sit in.

    Pancakes
    Evan C.

    This is a quick stop in Virginia and I want to take "City Diner" to New York! Everything was perfect, well except for the Washington Commander decorations. They have a small parking lot that we took advantage of and made our way to the diner. It has a old school vibe to it and I hope they never change. Yellow is the theme and they have classic wooden booths around. They have plenty of condiments on the table as well. The staff are extremely friendly and have a good time here. They sat us and came over for service right away. After a quick wait the food came. I wasn't expecting so much; however, our waitress did warn us. Everything that we had was delicious, even the grits (strongly recommended). I was completely convinced this place, is the original diner in America. I recommend, stopping by, if you're in Virginia.....and extremely hungry, trust me, it's a lot of food.

    Amy D.

    Visiting from out of town and felt like family the minute we walked through the door! Susie and Major could not have been more friendly. Now...the food...the BEST blueberry pancakes we've ever eaten. We tried several things... all flavorful and cooked to perfection! Such a cute interior...a real diner!

    Business Doc on wall at diner.

    I have never been treated so badly. My wife and I arrived to the diner and let the hostess know that our daughter and granddaughter were on their way and would be there shortly and asked if we could get a table! She told us no! She said we have to wait until the entire party was there before she would seat us. Most of the table spaces were open, but we were told no. We wanted to sit and get some coffee and tea while we waited. I'm 70 and my wife is 65. They made us go stand by the cold door and said they would seat us when the rest of our party arrived and not before. I will never forget this place and I am telling everyone that this is not a friendly place. Because my wife wanted to sit at the table and wait the hostess got embarrassingly loud and told everyone in the restaurant that we were not going to be seated nor served and that we were not welcome to eat there, and that we needed to leave. What this really showed us and means is that that people of color are not welcome in this establishment. Please, stay away from this place.

    Lindsey F.

    Busy busy dinner on Broad street in Richmond that actually has a parking lot so worries about street parking. Be prepared to wait unless you want to sit at the bar like we did you will most likely be seated almost immediately. We noticed they had very fast to go service as well. We ordered steak and eggs and a ham scramble. Steak was seasons with Montreal steak seasoning which is normally totally fine but it was totally covered and just a bit too salty. We also split a Belgium waffle that really hit the spot. Pricing was more than fair and we would definitely go back.

    Two western omelette.
    Steph P.

    They had generous portions! Fast service (we were here at 9:30 am on a Thursday). Staff was friendly and seemed to know a lot of patrons. They also have a small sparking area, which is a plus. My boyfriend and I felt welcome :)

    Reuben and fries

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    2 years ago

    Quick service and great diner food. Reminds me of the diners from New Jersey. Definitely worth trying.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - City Diner

    Do they still have the Salt Herring on the menu? If they do, is it still "butterflied" and fried, or just the fillets?

    Would you be able to tell me who your maple sausage link provider is? I moved to texas and miss it. I know in the past I had asked and been told it was from out of state. But I didn't commit the manufacturer to memory.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Buna Kurs

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    Nothing else like this spot in Richmond. Talk about a unique breakfast spot - my taste buds went…read morefor an amazing ride with this one. If you're like me - and wanting to try a bit of everything - the Breakfast Combo is the way to go. The Egg Silsi is like a perfectly mild Shakshuka, and the Kinche and FirFir along with made for a wonderful infusion of flavors, textures, and savory spices that were unlike anything I have ever had for breakfast before. Everything went beautifully with the spongey goodness of the Injera. Ethiopian flavors are just so... cool. I don't know how else to describe it but this just hit different. Plus, a reliable cup of home-brewed coffee? Say less.

    I had breakfast at Buna Kurs last week when I was in Richmond for a few business meetings, and I…read moreLOVED it. And what's not to love? Customer service? Wonderful. Ambiance? Great. Coffee/tea options? Two thumbs up. Food? Outstanding. Seriously, I loved it from start to finish. I showed up on a Tuesday morning with my laptop and an empty stomach. There's lots of seating inside (with great natural light throughout, it's just such a warm, cozy space), and a few tables outside as well. I ordered the Keshir team (ginger, orange juice, and honey), which totally hit the spot. I could not resist the breakfast combo, which comes with egg silsi (scrambled eggs in tomato sauce with onion), kinche (bulgur cooked and tossed with yellow onion and clarified butter and topped with jalapenos), firfir (injera sauteed in a spicy tomato sauce), and injera. I SCRAPED the plate. Everything was delicious. Just thinking about it now, I wish there was a Buna Kurs in Baltimore, so I could eat this for breakfast once a week. One of the best breakfasts I've had this year. No joke. I love Ethiopian food, and I am so jealous that Richmond has an Ethiopian cafe. Ethiopian for breakfast?! A dream. It doesn't hurt that the service and ambiance are also great. Easy street parking to boot. A great place to work. The only thing that I'd recommend to them is that a few more outlets to charge laptops or phones would be nice - so that people can work from the cafe more easily! But otherwise, Buna Kurs is pretty much perfect in my view. Dream breakfast. Great cafe. Couldn't love it more.

    Photos
    Barista
    Barista
    Awaze Tibs
    Awaze Tibs
    Injera Fir Fir (some bites eaten lol)

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    Injera Fir Fir (some bites eaten lol)
    Tarrant's Cafe

    Tarrant's Cafe

    3.9
    (964 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Street parking on a Thursday around 8 o'clock was not as difficult as I thought it would be. There…read morewas one open space waiting for our arrival. Upon entering, I was reminded of a 1950s pharmacy by the humongous "Prescriptions" sign hanging above the bar, and the antique furniture, bar, and barstools splayed throughout Tarrant's. There was a solid crowd at the bar; it's clear there is a regular crowd that sits and hangs out here. We were promptly seated by a young blonde woman in the dining section (behind the bar). Our server, Nadia, was an enchanting brunette, training another young server, Sierra. She took our drink orders and gave us plenty of time to review the menu, checking in after a few minutes to see if we were ready. We finally decided, my partner ordered the 10" Bianca White (pizza), and I chose the Sailor Sandwich. Unfortunately, the sailor was not in the cards for me, and Nadia suggested the Reuben as they were similar. They brought out breadsticks while we waited, and the food arrived within 10-15 minutes. I was pleased with the atmosphere, the old-fashioned chandeliers, the large mirror, the floral paintings, and the rustic frames, all of which added to the restaurant's stated aesthetic. The pizza was hot and savory, while the Reuben had buttery toast, crispy corned beef, and a light smattering of sauerkraut (TBH, I didn't even notice the sauerkraut). For dessert, we indulged in the upside-down walnut apple pie, served with vanilla ice cream, all made from scratch, and beautifully delicate. Our time at Tarrant's Cafe seemed like a stroll into the past; the only indication of modernity was the ordering kiosk used by the staff. We truly enjoyed our time and had deeply meaningful conversations without enduring the hustle and bustle or the rowdy cacophony of an intense crowd.

    Downtown location is always reliable Friendly staff, good…read moreservice, consistent food. Homestyle, comfort food. Full bar Street or public pay lot parking My rating rationale +1 Service +1 Food~Taste/flavor/quality +1 Presentation + .5 Atmosphere/vibe +1 Value

    Photos
    Tarrant's ambiance and atmosphere
    Tarrant's ambiance and atmosphere
    Tarrant's Cafe
    Wednesday evening

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    Wednesday evening
    Lulu's

    Lulu's

    3.9
    (1.1k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    I was meeting a couple friends for brunch, and so we didn't all get there at the same time. The…read morehost was kind enough to still seat me at a table good for 3 while I wait for my friends even though they actually had quite a full house. So I really appreciated that. Our waiter was also actually quite patient (there was a bit of a wait until my friends got there; I'm sorry!). They had a dj the morning I was there, and I really liked the vibe. Their menu have more than enough options for brunch and drinks. I hope they extend their menu for more lunch items than brunch/breakfast items though! Once everyone was there, we finally ordered! I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with the side of Lulu's house potatoes and a pomegranate mule. The pomegranate mule was quite strong, and I enjoyed it so much I ordered another one. LOL. The bacon cheeseburger was exactly as I requested. I have no notes. Overall, wonderful experience and would definitely recommend.

    Food: -Try their style of potatoes! It is very flavorful…read moreand uses onions and peppers -I would consider this my #1 breakfast food location and has a unique way of making staple breakfast items -French Toast was extremely satisfying. They offer a cinnamon butter, strawberry topping, and syrup that prompts an array of tastes. -The pecan cream cheese icing that was with the red velvet waffle was amazing! Service: Josh was our server and did NOT miss a beat. He took our order by memory, everything came out perfect, kept my party's glasses full, and did everything with genuine joy. Ambiance: It is a laid back, relaxed, dine in experience. They provide outside seating, normal dining, and bar seats. The decorations are an independent/modern/expressive look that is not "down your throat". I felt comfortable to sit and chat at my leisure

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    French Toast Bacon
    French Toast Bacon
    Bloody Mary

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    Bloody Mary

    City Diner - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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