Hard to express how a mediocre meal will ruin your night. We ordered two meals and a dessert. I had the "french Dip" which was supposed to have roast beef, but instead had two "steakums" and my wife had the "crispy fried chicken sandwich" which turned out to be more fried bread crumbs than chicken on a roll. To top it off we chose cheesecake with strawberries, The "cheesecake" was hard and really yellowish in color, with strawberries on the plate. We were afraid to take more than one mouthful. It gives me pain to write this but I would say if you are in East Brunswick and looking for a diner, skip this one and keep driving you will be better off. It was a waste of time and money. read more

It's been a while since I had stoped in. Had a great lunch. Service people were on top of everything. Had yankee pot roast, have to say it was plentiful and tastey. No rush to get out the door. Thanks for a great job, good, service read more

Came to the diner last Saturday at the suggestion of a member of our traveling party. My complements to our efficient, attentive and pleasant server, Jennifer, who confidently answered all of our questions with a smile, who somehow memorized each lunch order from our table of four, and returned to the table with our food without forgetting who had ordered what. A true professional. We'll be back and when we do, we'll be sure to ask for her. Oh, and my caprese chicken wrap was wonderful as was the price. read more

A nice diner with great breakfast food. Went there with my family and grandchildren. Very clean , excellent service. You will love their link breakfast sausage. read more

Love the Colonial! Food always the best! Been coming here for over 40 years and today met my mom with my dog and was able to sit outside on their patio! Very dog friendly! Best service ever - thank you Jenna! We will be back! read more

Colonial Diner - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

Pretty standard NJ diner. Not the worst place you could go at 1 am but nothing to write home about, It's convenient located right off route 18. We stopped by because it was late and few other palces were open. The prices are reasonable and the menu is more on the limited side for a diner but it is still extensive. There is a limited salad bar which is a pleasant perk. My husband ordered the fettuccine alfredo with shrimp and I ordered the California turkey wrap. Both dishes were okay, not great. My fries were exceptionally crispy and delightful so that's a plus. Overall, it's an okay diner, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly and the food comes out quickly. read more

Colonial Diner - California wrap - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

I've been going here for years, but prices have skyrocketed and quality has diminished. Very unfortunate

We had a great meal BUT.... Kids meals come with a cookie. Waiter came over and asked chocolate chip or sugar. Responded chocolate chip. The bill came and we were charged $4.00 a cookie. That's not a major issue. That's a miscommunication. When it was brought to the hostesses attention, she made a huge deal about it. Refused to remove them from bill. Blamed it on us. Eventually she went to the her manager and he handed her $8.00 Not only did they lose $8.00 they lost us as customers. That's the way the cookie crumbles. Customer service goes a long way. read more

This was a good local spot. The food came out very quickly, and the staff was attentive and friendly. I would definitely go here again. I got the hangover burger and I recommend that as well. read more

the foot and service are excellent. Large portions and the staff are fantastic.. as far as the ambiance goes it is a Diner after all but very clean and spacious we are two couples who meet there at least once a month. read more

The Colonial Diner has a very consistent level of food quality. If you like Jersey Diners you will like The Colonial. Generous portions done well. The wait staff is cordial and efficient. The diner is clean. read more

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I went for a nice date with my friend. The diner itself looked really comfy and stylish with cool chandelier lights. I was surprised to see how many people were there on a Thursday afternoon. The staff were really nice as they greeted us and sat us down quickly. They were very accommodating and gave us more than enough time to decide what we wanted. I ordered a juicy big California burger as it looked so appetizing on the menu. Once I got it it looked exactly as pictured and even bigger than I thought. The fries were so crisp and hot, absolutely delicious. I wasn't able to finish the burger but every bite was delicious especially with the bacon and avocado. In total with my friend's two cups of tea and my burger and soda it was only about twenty six dollars so not bad at all. Money well spent for sure, I want to go again for the good service and to try their breakfast and desserts. read more

Colonial Diner - California Burger - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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Top tier service, lovely dining space, & food is always phenomenal. A regular stop, fresh squeezed OJ & chorizo omelette are a must. Support local! read more

I live in the area and always drove by this diner. I noticed that was recently updated. So we decided to try it out. The inside was very nicely done. We ordered our meals and this when everything turned. First the waitress took for ever to come to our table. We requested our beverages but didn't get straws. We requested straws and the waitress made a funny remark. We requested the straws three times but it was obvious it was not happening. We ordered our meals. My friend's meal was supposed to get veggies but never received them. Our soup tasted like it was from a can and the potatoes were powdered. The coleslaw was so watery, it was tasteless. The waitress never refilled our coffee, never came back to see if we needed anything I do not recommend going here read more

I was in the East Brunswick neighborhood to attend a wedding. Looking for a brunch place to eat we looked on Yelp and found Colonial Diner close to our hotel and saw the good ratings. Ratings were accurate and we were not disappointed. Service is great and food was very good. I had the California Avocado Toast. Was prepared with mash avocado and 2 eggs I asked to be made over easy. Eggs were prepared exactly over easy and I enjoyed sopping up the egg yolk with my toast and avocado. We liked it so much we went back the next day and I got the Lox,cream cheese and bagel sandwich. Bagel nicely toasted and lox very fresh. I am from Los Angeles and So. Cal does not have diners like on the East Coast. Diners in New Jersey are much more than eggs, pancakes, toast and bacon. Diners on the East have much more variety than the West. We in Los Angeles have only Denny's or Norm's. You New Jersey-ites are very lucky ! read more

After many years we tried this place again. The servers are friendly. The food is still unacceptable. Very few vegetarian choices, which is strange for a general restaurant in this area. No more veggie burgers or eggplant parm. Two VERY overpriced simple pasta dishes, and two still overpriced salads that were obviously not meant to have any flavor unless you added chicken or shrimp for extra cost. Although it wasn't on the menu, I was able to get a baked potato on the side, which was the highlight of the meal. In the end we walked out $40 poorer for having had a sort-of meal. The clientele was very... uniform. I guess that's what they are going for now. The most "exotic" thing in the whole place, vegetarian or not, was the Greek salad. If I find myself there again I'll go for an omelette or grilled cheese. read more

If it weren't for the hard working wait staff, this restaurant would go under. The food is yummy but it needs to have someone serve it. And it is served with a smile and immense friendliness. read more

Food was terrible! The beef on my plate was actually a piece of leather. Actually, leather would have been more tender. To add insult to injury the bill was over 100.00 for 2 ppl! Insane prices for disgusting food. read more

When home for the holidays or in the New York/New Jersey Metro Area I make it a point to make several stops at the classic and iconic COLONIAL Diner. A family-run operation that is clean, friendly and loyal to their customers, I had the Beef Goulash along with the Chicken Pasta Soup and the Chocolate Layer Cake and Ice Cream for $28.00! The COLONIAL also has the best Ice Tea I have ever had! They are famous for the burgers, TAYLOR HAM, and other favorites like the Steak & Eggs! When I lived in North Arlington I ate there probably three to five times a week and I make it a point to get my COLONIAL fix at least three to five times! The COLONIAL has stood the test of time and longevity and the food is the same as it was 30 years ago! A MUST STOP FOR ANY DINER LOVER! Highly Recommend. read more

I love this Diner. Spiro runs a good ship. Clean loyal, experienced no drama no silliness they don't get the orders. Wrong food is fresh and delicious. His workers have been with him for years. Try it you'll like it. read more

This diner tries to be a bit more "upscale" than traditional diner fare. That can be a pro or con depending on what you're in the mood for. But that is no excuse for charging $4.00 for a "small milk"..... even if it does come in a stemmed glass. read more

This diner is offering takeout as well as outdoor dining under a tent taking up some of their parking lot. I believe there's about 25 tables being served. The wait line is marked for social distancing. Tables and chairs are sanitized after each use and the staff wear masks and gloves, although I do not know if gloves are changed regularly. Our party of two went for brunch and their brunch menu was printed on the placemats so there would be no sharing of actual menus needing to be sanitized. I thought this was a great idea. The food and service was as good as being inside. The coffee and the omelettes we ordered were delicious. We had a western omelette and a Brooklyn omelette. Both were stuffed and fluffy, accompanied with potatoes and toast. Worth the trip to keep this local diner in business. read more

Colonial Diner - Pre-printed menu on placemat - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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Chicken Pot What??? Picture speaks for itself. More like chicken pot soup. $16.00 for this. Chicken was shredded and not much of it. Ridiculously small portion. read more

Colonial Diner - Chicken Pot What?? - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

I stopped by in the evening to grab some dinner with my friends. It was pretty empty when we walked in and stayed that way the whole time we were there. There was plenty of seating so we requested a booth. Our waiter was super friendly and quick with taking our orders. I ordered the Sky High French Toast which came with 3 thick slices of toast whipped cream, cream cheese, raspberry sauce, walnuts, bananas & strawberries. There was definitely a lot of flavors going on but it was very sweet and delicious. Overall, it just seemed like the average diner and nothing really stood out to me, but I would recommend checking it out! read more

Never go here!!! I ordered a ham and cheese omelet. When I received it and started eating, I found a bug inside. I called the waitress, and she was apologetic. She took the plate away, and the owner came back with the same plate of food and was very argumentative. He said that this is not the type of place he runs. I asked what he was saying? As he responded, they do not serve bugs. Showing him the proof that was still in his hand and pointing out that the bug was cooked into the omelet, he said "oh" and walked away. Again, he was very argumentative although he was wrong. Very bad experience with the owner/manager. read more

Haven't been here since it's hey days in East Brunswick when it was a real diner with a huge menu and all the food was truly hand made. These days the menu is pretty limited compared to other NJ diners. Noticed an unusual smell as soon as I walked in not related to food aroma. Got an omelet and it came out really weird - very high and fluffed up like it was pumped with air or made with whipped powdered eggs or something. Not tasty. The breakfast potatoes were hash browns that were either from frozen or instant (do they make instant hash browns?). Another lingering victim of Covid? Waitress was fine. Wouldn't go back. read more

My forever go-to diner in East Brunswick. True to classic NJ diner style, Colonial Diner has probably the largest and most diverse menu I've ever come across. From all things breakfast to heaping nachos to pasta & salad this place has got it all! My favorites are the breakfast sampler (pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast, what else do you need in life) and the chipotle chicken wrap. Both orders warrant a side of fries because, yes, they're THAT good. Super spacious inside, where they're following all social distancing guidelines, and they've set up a giant tent outside if it isn't too cold. BYOB is allowed, no judgment if you're having chocolate chip pancakes and red wine for dinner! Service can be a bit slow, but they're really friendly and who's in a rush these days anyway. read more

Family friendly dinner spot. Crispy fries alone are worth a return trip. Kids hot dog meal consists of a large cut frank on a freshly served bun, kids drink and a large side of fries. Generous portions of thick deli cuts on the reuben and roast beef sandwiches make adults happy. read more

an east brunswick staple! can never go wrong at the colonial :) always hits the spot, and such quick service even on busy weekend mornings. read more

Colonial Diner - Phoenix Wrap with sweet potato fries - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

It's really a shame that East Brunswick does not have a decent diner and unfortunately for the Colonial this is now the worst diner of all of them all in town. This used to be our goto diner but it pales in comparison to diners in other towns. read more

Diner and bathrooms are very clean. Our server, Jianna, was friendly and refilled drinks without being asked. She was great in general. Balsamic chicken and spinach sandwich: we ordered this with no onions. A 4/5 sandwich overall. The bread was too thick for the sandwich (would be better as a roll or a wrap, which I'm sure they would have done had we asked). The fries were magnificent. They were perfectly executed diner fries. Some of the best diner fries we've had. Balsamic grilled chicken wrap: this wrap was good. Chicken was cooked appropriately; not dry at all. read more

Colonial Diner - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

I came with my friends on a Thursday, around 7pm. Service was great. The floors were a little sticky against my shoes. Food: I got spinach cheese artichoke dip because they're my favorite, it came with multi colored chips. The chips all tasted the same, no matter the color but that didn't bother me. The dip wasn't great, it wasn't a consistent kind of dip. It was like it's microwaved. The top part of the dip was melted on, and the middle bottom layer was less thick( like liquidly) The consistency of the spread wasn't there. We had to use a knife to have the spread on the chip, it was still liquidy. I'm use to the dip sticking onto the chip at a moderate amount, or scooping them like tostitos cups. I saw no artichoke hearts in it! It's a shame, since the dip is my go to for restaurants. Western burger, the burger was good for me. Better tasting than the artichoke dip. Dessert: My friend got the cheesecake, since I saw their website raved it's the best cheesecake ever. I admit it isn't bad, it was a good creaminess to it. read more

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I always get great service. I've been to this dinner and the home fries are tasty, the eggs are COOKED to perfection, the toast was cold (that's why you get a 4 star). HUGE part of my meal is the butter melting and the jelly combo! The coffee was tasty (4 cups later). I will say you can't substitute and change the omelets, but the options need to change...They NEED me to come in and assist with the options of omelets. I think they should add the following.... cheddar (never do better), bacon, yellow onion, and peppers: delicious. I ordered this and it was out of this world GOOD. if you come here you need to try the chocolate cake cheesecake WOAH. Out of this world delicious. I really enjoyed the people watching and the atmosphere. I thought this was a 24 hour diner, but it was actually closing at 12pm that evening (Saturday). We can't perfect timing. We stayed a few hours and hung out, talked, and just had a great time. Go Mario, he was our server and he was amazing. read more

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Not sure how I never reviewed this place but it's my go to diner in East Brunswick. I grew up and now work in town and have been coming here for 15+ years. I've gotten people in my office to start coming here as well and everyone likes it. My go to is the Phoenix Wrap, "blackened" chicken, black bean corn salsa, avocado, chipotle ranch dressing for $9. It's always good, just not really blackened chicken, it's grilled. I went in tonight and I don't know if there was someone new in the kitchen but the wrap was a little skimpy compared to most other times. My mom got a turkey club which is her go to and she says it's always good. I usually come here on Mother's Day (their busiest day of the year) but they were superrrr slow this past year. We talked to the manager/maybe owner who is a really nice guy and he took one meal off and gave us 25% off because my brother in law had to leave after 1 hr 15 mins to coach a soccer game and he still hadn't gotten his food. I get they were busy but this is a little too slow, but he handled it great so no issues, I'll probably still try them out again next year. Overall, my favorite diner in EB. read more

I come here every once in awhile whenever the fiance is craving for diner food since this is the closest one in the area. SERVICE - Decent. During our last visit the waitress was friendly and attentive. We were seated right away but the seats were covered with crumbs... DECOR - Typical diner look. Nothing special. FOOD - Average at best. No wow factor. [EGGS BENEDICT] - $9 - Served with hash brown that was kinda dry. Meh. [GRILLED CHICKEN SANDWICH W/ PROVOLONE & AVOCADO] - $10.25 - Looks good but it was dry. It needed some kind of dressing in there besides the cheese. [ORANGE JUICE] - $5.50 (Large) - Freshly squeezed, very refreshing, didn't taste like there was any added sugar (hopefully!) read more

Colonial Diner - Eggs Benedict - $9 - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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Worst Ribeye stake I ever had. I asked for medium well. Came out as chewy as a boot, pale as if boiled and tasted like rubber.

Very nice, clean diner and our waiter was sweet. They close early for a diner, so check times if you are thinking of a late night stop. Great greek salad, not skimpy in the feta or olives and honestly the best piece of grilling chicken I have had a diner in recent years. Not overcooked and dried out like others. S said salad bar was great as was burger. We will be back! read more

Colonial Diner - New American Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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Went in on for brunch on a Sunday and ordered mozzarella sticks and a Belgian Waffle. The mozzarella sticks were genuinely the worst I've ever had. They tasted like some combination of bad fish and dish water. The marinara sauce ALMOST made them tolerable, but I heavily regretted not sending them back. The waffle was okay but the syrup had the consistency of water. The only pleasant part of this experience was the staff, they were very kind despite the diner being extremely busy. read more

Colonial Diner has a well run system of servers and kitchen to deliver your order hot and tasty. As with most diners their basics off the menu, eggs any style, pancakes, meats etc are winners. Matzo ball soup in chicken piece broth, very nice. Pastrami and corned beef also a nice lean portion with crispy hot fries are on target. Deserts could use a few more selections but if you like cakes, they have all of them. Servers, everyone we have had is accommodating and makes a pleasurable dining experience. read more

The best quality food and service. My favorite place to get a quick and inexpensive meal.