I chose Diamond Grille as a fancy birthday dinner for my mom and I. We had a party of four on a Thursday night. We made a reservation that wasn't necessary, since the place was not busy. I cannot speak to a weekend night, but I would imagine that if you want to avoid crowds and long waits, then avoid the weekends! The decor is exactly what I expected, not only from the description on the website, but also because I peek in the windows every time I walk downtown. Yes, the decor is old or outdated or vintage or classic. If you want brand new and fancy, then why are you going to a restaurant that has been in business since the 30s and under the same ownership since the 40s? You can tell from the location and the outside that this place is super old school. No, the circa 1960s, hand painted wallpaper is not the most clean or wrinkle free...because it is over 50 years old! But it is charming and beautiful. Loved the fixtures, loved the wallpaper, loved the carpet, loved every part of the decor, which was exactly as I expected. The menu was just exactly what is advertised online on their website. It is a no frills steak house. Our table had the french onion soup with cheese, the iceberg wedge salad with the house made thousand island dressing, the tossed house salad with the house dressing and crumbled blue, filet mignon with baked potato (and one with a side of onions), and the long bone with home fries. Every steak was cooked perfectly to order. Every entree came with the sides exactly as ordered. Every steak was a great size, even big enough for leftovers for one member of our party. The service was quick and friendly. We even received bonus ice cream sundaes for the two birthday girls. Just exactly perfect. Yes, the soda is in a can with a cup of ice. Yes, the waitress uniforms are dated. Yes, the interior is old. No, the menu does not have a lot of bells and whistles. Everything is simple and well prepared, efficient, and friendly. There wasn't anything too fancy, but it was all done well. As for the price... If you think you can get a better steak at Outback, why are you even going to this type of restaurant? If you think that something is "overpriced," maybe you should stick to budget restaurants. The filet mignon is cheaper than Ken Stewart's and they have more cuts of steak than Ken Stewart's. They are also less expensive than any steak house in Cleveland. So honestly, what do you think you're getting? If you can't afford the price, there are certainly newer box chains with modern decor available, why not just go there? The Diamond Grille hasn't maintained its reputation for over 50 years because broke ass motherf*ckers can't see the value in a great steakhouse. This place is too rich for my blood on the regular, but I would not hesitate to return for a special occasion. I'm so glad I finally gave in and visited this restaurant I had heard so much about and peeked into so many times. It is iconic and it was just exactly what I expected it to be. read more

I'm not even sure where to start with this place. This is a good ole boys club. It must be how they've received these rave reviews. The bread is good and the home fries are good and that's where it ends. We had the stuffed peppers and they were absolutely nothing to write home about. The steak is what you pay for and it is not even near good. It's an unseasoned hot mess to be honest. If you literally want a $44 steak with parsley on it that is underdone then this place will be your favorite. And don't forget that they serve $44 steaks and will only take cash or check...checks! Hahaha what's the best way to get ripped off in the restaurant biz? I'm pretty sure it's accepting checks...but you won't take credit/debit. Seems ridiculous. Luigi's, in Akron, does this but at least there food is decent for the price and they have an ATM. The server was nice enough but the guy that I'm assuming is the owner is an a$$. I'm pretty sure they only like regulars at this place and everyone else is just a bum. Good luck wasting your money here. And for real get your servers out of the 80's gear. It's atrocious. I felt like I was being served by a secretary from 70's that walks during her 30 minute lunch break. read more

Amazing place and a great atmosphere. Luved the wine selections and ofcourse the steaks were excellent to say the least. Enjoyed the nice ambience. Special thanks to Mona and Lynette for making it a great experience. Would highly recommend this place. Thx DR MD read more

It has been over 10 years since I have been here and the decor is still the same and the food is still good. My filet was very tender and delicious. Next time I am in town, I'll be back for more! read more

I wanted to able to write a 5 star review but I can't. DG has a long history in Akron for its steaks, unchanging decor and cash only policy. Generations of families have dined there but I think that's it's only appeal. It's a pleasant recollection tucked away to remind you of days gone by. The service was diner like, no wine or cocktail list was offered. A quick Hi! What can I get ya???! We asked for a drinks menu and had lovely cocktails, a sidecar and old fashioned both were prepared well but were promptly rushed to order appetizers, I had shrimp my husband had stuffed peppers both were good. Our plates were cleared and entree orders taken and the steaks came out lickity split! We had to ask for silverware and for the wine list to chose a wine for our entree. The onion rings my husband ordered smelled and tasted like dirty grease from a dive bar? Honestly. He couldn't eat them and he'll eat nearly any onion ring. The mushrooms I ordered were straight from a can. The famed willey fries were nothing more than stale shoestring fries that had stuck together forming what looked like a popsicle stick raft and tasting like one too. The impression is that it's resting on it's laurels, very old laurels with grease traps in desperate need of cleaning and staff in need of training. We still left an 18% tip but it wasn't earned. We most definitely won't be back. Do better Diamond Grill. read more

Was told that this has the beat steaks in the country, not quite but very good. Nice old atmosphere, thinking old blues and Dean Martin would walk through the door. I have to say hands down the best onions rings I have ever had! Over all very nice. read more

meh. i get the old school charm and ambiance. and i get the big, fat rare steak preceded by oysters rockefeller and a manhattan. i get all of that but it is just not my cup of tea. maybe if i was a rich old woman with a worn out palate i would love the joint. it is very old school inside. old decor and the smell of smoke from days gone by still clings to the walls. they don't accept credit cards - just cash or local checks and if you're a big wig they'll send you a bill through the mail. luckily i didn't pay for this meal myself - it was a work event - because it is very pricey. overpriced in my opinion. i started out with a salad with the house dressing. it was way overdressed and pretty soggy. just lettuce, two tiny grape tomatoes, a single cucumber slice and a single slice of red onion. not too impressive. i ordered the filet mignon (when in rome...). it was a big, fat, well cooked medium rare steak. no real complaints. it melted in my mouth and was pretty tasty. the sides though - not impressed. i could not believe they did not have creamed spinach on the menu! what kind of old school steak house doesn't have creamed spinach? i opted for the rice pilaf and a clumpy bowl of under seasoned rice accompanied my steak. very, very meh. i understand it's an akron institution and i guess i'm glad i experienced it for myself. i won't be back though. i can cook one helluva steak myself at home for a fraction of the cost. and if i do feel like dining out i think there are many other (better) options. places with bigger menus and much more reasonable prices. read more

Not a great dinner. Very expensive for ok food ($470 for 5 people) our server was not having a good night she was not very friendly at all, we had to ask for everything from water to bread the lobster was chewy and my sons steak was practically raw - he asked for medium - they need to tell you in advance when making a reservation that they only take cash - seriously? Yes! read more

This is still my favorite restaurant, bar none. From soup to nuts, all is above par. I gave up meat and pasta for lent this year. First place I went was Diamond Grille:) read more

Wow. I love the Diamond Grill, but last night we took my wife's parents and the dress code was seriously lacking. Now, I'm not a dressy guy, but this place is old school. I was wearing a blue blazer and a diner 2 tables away had on a wife-beater and a bandana. Seriously. Last time I take someone here from out of town. P.S. No credit cards - just cash/check. read more

Was at the Diamond Grille tonight with a party of five. Hadn't been there in ten years as I used to eat there on the company tab, and it's now a bit over my retiree budget. Glad to say nothing had changed. Fillet, porterhouse, and scallops were loved by us all. Hash brown potatoes and creamy blue cheese dressing along with the bread were hits too. Our server was knowledgable and friendly. Everything happened at the time when it should. Tuesday night and the place was packed. Reservations are best. Owner remember my name I used to make them and greeted me on the way out. Nice touch from decades of experience. read more

Was very excited to try this classic downtown Akron restaurant and was sadly disappointed. The ambiance is great and I enjoyed the experience but the food fell short. I asked for my filet medium and it was definitely overcooked, more like medium well. So I did not enjoy the burnt char taste. My sister's halibut was also dry and chewy. The salad and home fries were excellent but definitely not worth the $200 bill my family racked up. Go to Lanning's in bath for much better food and experience. read more

My family has lived in Akron most of their lives. We came in for a visit on a Monday evening and my father insisted we dine at Diamond Grill. He hasnt been in this restaurant for 20 years. Our entire experience was very disappointing! First was the parking lot, not clearly marked where to pull in, all mud, and we parked on the side, walked to the front of the building and all the doors were closed and dark. We had to walk through the mud to get to the back of the restaurant. We were sat in a small table, not very comfortable as they continued to add more people to the room. We moved our table ourselves twice to accommodate the other tables coming in. The server was polite but over worked. Too many tables for one person. My father ordered scallops, which were good, but only warm, cerainly not hot. My mother ordered fried shrimp and they were good. I order the filet mignon, cooked medium. It came out rare. I requested steak sauce which didnt come out. We also requested more bread and butter which the server was so busy she didnt it bring it until we requested it again. Our water glasses were empty two different times. When the server finally came to our table I stated our dissapointments, she took my steak away, only to finally bring my steak sauce. The manager finally came to our table, listen to our complaints, said sorry and walked away. He never returned. When the bill came the server offered us a dessert to share which we refused. The bill had no discount, and nothing was removed. Our bill was $115.00 for mediocre service. We will never visit this establishment again! read more

Two of us enjoyed our steaks served by Kersten. She was knowledgeable and easily helped us with our selections. She brought everything together for a nicely paced evening. Was also able to have made a drink not on menu that was one of the best we've had. Our wedge salads were eye appealing and plentiful . Our steaks were NOT DISAPPOINTING too. Everything you be heard is true. Don t forget to try the shrimp cocktail! read more

The atmosphere reminds me of an old school smokey jazz club; it's cozy, clean and beautiful. However, the lights were so dim that I practically had to face plant into my menu just so I could read it. Yet there wasn't much to read, just one really small page that offered more sides than actual dishes (and there was no dessert). The entire staff was incredibly friendly but I'm not sure what's up with the chef. I don't eat fish or steak so option wise this picky eater was disappointed. I decided to try their chicken soup with rice, there was so much onion that whomever made it might as well have took an entire onions and poured no more than 10 tablespoons of broth on it. There was an enormous amount of overpowering green peppers as well. After I picked all the annoying onions out I was left with less than 1/2 a cup of soup :( I was also annoyed that they chill their butter, is it just me or is it practically impossible to spread chilled butter pads on bread?!? The only thing I enjoyed was the service & my hot tea. read more

One of akron's best kept secrets! First thing.....bring cash! No cards taken. Best steak in akron. Oysters amazing. Grets drinks. Sort of a small restsurant so if going on a fri or sat night, get a reservation. Wish i could give them a sixth star! read more

Classic Akron restaurant with lots of charm and history. Atmosphere is very cool -- love the French mural and art deco light fixtures. Food is excellent! We had raw oysters, filet mignon, and scallops. Everything was perfect! , read more

Great food, excellent service, very quiet and high end spot. Filet was good, but not amazing.

Definitely old school... dimly lit, gold curtains draped on the walls, booths that do not match the prices. Ordered the long bone (ribeye) and it was a very large cut... porterhouse size. Medium-medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. Cut was not as tender as I expected, nor as tasty. Certainly not sinewy, just middle of the road tender. Side of rice pillaf was very good, onion rings were ok at best. All in all, for as much good rep as the DG has, I was not overwhelmed. Maybe it was just the cut I had, but it isn't a place I would take guest to impress to. read more

Was here with a friend for dinner for my birthday. The wedge salad was good. But the steaks we had was not very good. We both ordered a medium rare Boston strip. It took 45 min for the steaks to come out. When they came out, the steaks were over cooked; med-medium well. Barely any pink. Was very dry and tough. Was even tough to cut, let alone chew. I've had better cooked steaks at Applebee's. The waitress was nice and very accommodating, though. The owner, or who I think was the owner, stopped at every table around us to check in and see how they were doing, but didn't stop to check on us. Not sure why but that bothered us. I would be willing to try this place again but probably won't. At least for a while. read more

Celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Diamond Grille yesterday. Had another great meal. This time I tried the port chops for the first time (I usually get the large strip steak). They were excellent. Very large with great flavor. My wife got the filet again which was cooked perfectly and extremely tender. One of the things I like about the Diamond Grille is that you get a side and a salad included with your meal. Somewhat unique for this quality of a steakhouse. If you take only one thing away from this review, it is that I will be going back. read more

This was my first time at the Diamond and I'd read and heard mixed reviews so I wasn't sure what to expect. The building is super old school. I started with an old fashioned that was great, then had a slice if the thick cut bacon which was excellent. I ordered the large cut of Boston Strip, which the waitress explained was the same as NY strip. The steaks come with a salad and side making the value superb (anyone who says this place is expensive is a cheapskate). The steak was top notch. It was seasoned perfectly, cooked as ordered, a well marbled tender cut, and the broiler rendered the fat almost crispy. I have been fortunate to have eaten many of the best steaks all across the country and the Diamond exceeded my expectations. It was a memorable steak and I will be back. read more

Nostalgia must play a large part in choosing the Diamond Grille for dinner because you probably wouldn't go there otherwise. The place needs a good scrubbing, new furniture, paint, and please get rid of the old but pervasive cigaret smell. The steaks were really good. The accompaniments not. We sat in the bar area - not sure why because there were plenty of empty tables further back. Seating was very uncomfortable. One kind of interesting note is that some bar patrons look like they've been coming in there since time began. We had not realized that the place was cash only, so when it came time to pay the waitress said they would mail us our bill! The bill took 2 months to arrive, even after we called them after about 6 weeks and reminded them that we hadn't received it yet. So that was a kind of sweet-sour note. The place never did fill up, even on a Friday night. read more

From Cleveland, Went there for a special occasion on a Monday night. Please don't go there on a Monday night or perhaps any night. It was awful. 2 in my party ordered the long bone rib eye. It was almost raw. Sent it back. Came back not raw but tough as shoe leather. Sent it back again and replaced it with a strip steak. Tasteless and Mediocre at best at a whopping $38. This is supposed to be steakhouse? At no point did the owner, who basically sat on his ass on a bar stool, come to the table and apologize or offer a desert, let alone take off the poor entrees from the bill. The waitress was embarrassed and told us Mondays are a problem because the chef is off and the food is left over from the prior week. And this is suppose to be an Akron landmark. I'd rather go to an outback or longhorn. The only good thing was the dinner salad and the shrimp cocktail. That accounts for the one star read more

had a Christmas party of 16 at this restaurant this past weekend. Food was mediocre at best. I've had a better Filet at Texas Roadhouse. waitress was very nice, worked very hard, and when we just finished our meal, even before we could have had an after dinner drink the manager came and told us they needed the table for another party and we would have to leave. although she said we could go stand in the bar area(no seats available). Never have I been treated like this in a place I just dropped enough money to buy dinner and drinks for 16 people. the only heads up we had on this ahead of time was we need to be there by 6:00 PM sharp so we could be seated, as there were many reservations. Had we known it was a limited time to have the table we would have went elsewhere. just like next year. read more

This is a wonderful restaurant not only for special occasions and dinner but also for lunch. My husband had a super delicious burger And scrumptious onion rings! I had a beautifully, pan seared cod with delightful little potatoes and a blue cheese crumble salad. Why go to a chain restaurant that charges $15.00 for a prepackaged microwaved lunch when you can have a wonderful made to order lunch with excellent drinks! read more

What once was the best steak place in Akron, my recent visit was mediocre. The steak was half the size it normally is and the sides were so so. I will say they still make the best homemade thousand island dressing. read more

I went there for lunch today and the former owner threw me out- after ordering because he said the guy I was having lunch had stiffed him for a $15.00 beer tab three years ago. Yes - that is right the former owner cancelled the order of a regular patron over a 3 year old beer tab to an establishment he has not owned since 2013! God awful! read more

Hadn't been there in years, but went last night just to get out of Canton to fly under the radar. Very, very good, and pricey. An older crowd, lots of regulars. Service was horrendously slow, but attentive. It is very old school, and I think the staff has probably been there for years. Very hard working servers with pride in their work. Our Boston strips were huge, and cooked exactly the way we requested.-I took half of mine home. Our meals were delicious, but paying well over $30 for a steak still boggles my mind. If you are looking for funky and trendy, the Diamond Grille is not for you-but if you like kickin' it old school and want a good steak, try it! It's amazing to me that they still don't take credit cards, in this day and age. My husband says they will send you a bill, if you can provide them with a business card. That's trust. All in all, a very relaxing evening out with my husband on a snowy evening. read more

I went to this establishment one time a few years ago with my mother we weren't hungry we just stopped in to get a drink at the bar we sat down and waited about 5 minutes before the bartender even acknowledged us even though there was only one other person at the bar when I asked for a shot of Martel liquor the bartender looked at me with an on ensuring face and said " are you sure that is $ 6.50" now I hate to say this but I felt the only reason I was asked this was because I am Black maybe it was that ....or maybe he was just an ass hole either way that was my first and last time in that establishment read more

We've been coming here for 30 years and while the decor hasn't changed, the quality and service is not what it used to be. Tonight half of our orders were wong. They served us someone elses side dish then proceeded to take it from our table and brought it to another table - isn't that some kind of code violation? Two of our steaks were over cooked and the excuse was the grille was not hot enough to char the steaks so they kept them on longer. Our guests finished their steaks before ours were served. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, I took a bite of their famous willie fries and almost chipped a tooth on a rock in the potatoes, of course our waitress could not explain how that happened and quickly removed them and the rock from our table. As we were finishing up our steaks, she came by to let us know our willie fries should be ready soon and then was was surprised that we did not want them. At that point I asked to talk with the manager. When he finally came over, he was not aware of the rock in the potatoes and also said he didn't know how that could happen - then he asked us how the steaks were. At that point I didnt want to mention how the fried peppers were raw. The best part was the waitress telling us she didn't charge us for the willie fries when she gave us our bill - that was the highlight of our experience however; the decor hasn't changed in 30 years! read more

The steak was ok prices are way to high. Interior was dirty and old. Listen to the owner scream and yell at his staff the entire time we were there read more

We have made the trip from Pepper Pike in the past and always had excellent meals. Unfortunately our most recent meal was not good. The bread basket assortment should have been a tipoff. In the past they offered pretzel sticks and great homemade bread. Instead we got generic supermarket type sliced breads. Our Prime Porterhouse steak was far from prime. The lobster tail was small for the price and only half cooked. The pan fried pike was very good and the hash browns were great. The wait staff as usual were excellent. It's just too far a distance to drive for anything other than a great meal. read more

Forget the steaks. They serve the best perch meal ever and get the "willy fries" and house salad. You may never order a steak again! Bill W. Columbus, Oh. read more

I visited the restaurant half a dozen times last 20 years for lunch. Great steaks, unpretentious and business card to get billed mailed to you...awesome read more

I have been a long time customer fuzzy diamond drill and always have a great experience and I have taken work clients there and gone there with friends and family the food is always fantastic and the service is great the atmosphere is nice and has been the same for years I would recommend this restaurant to my friends and family and is taking people there myself try it out you'll find it to be great food read more

I feel pity for anyone who hasn't had the chance to experience enjoying a meal here. The crushed red velvet booths, old aged wood, and brass around the bar dates interior. Something that a lot of people don't get to see anymore. Simple old school appetizers and perfectly cooked steaks make this place one of a dying breed. And remember Cash or Personal Check ONLY! read more

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Diamond grille was fabulous! We were greeted by a friendly hostess who led us into the warm and cozy dining room. We were waited on immediately and the waitress was helpful and attentive. The wine list was varied. The food was outstanding! Salads were full with tasty homemade dressing. The array of breads were yummy! I dined on scallops with rice pilaf--the best anywhere. So much food, I had to take some home. The food was great the next day. If you like old fashioned dining while never being rushed, this is the place for you. Bring your wallet for a wonderful dining treat. You won't be disappointed! read more

My meal was prepared perfectly and the table service was impeccable, as always. Regulars know and love the older decor, and I do too. I recommend the Willie Fries as a table side...spicy, but good. New owner has added fresh vegetables, and seems to be continuing and enhancing good management of the restaurant. It's a great dining experience and a landmark restaurant for Akron. read more

One of Akron's best. Excellent steaks and fresh sea food. They do not take credit cards.