As I have a significant number of family members in this area, it always feels like coming home, especially at Frances Diner in Hazard, Kentucky. It is actual Appalachian comfort food delivered with genuine, small-town hospitality. This place is a classic, dependable Southern diner--hearty, welcoming, and satisfyingly delicious. The strength of Frances Diner lies entirely in its commitment to simple, traditional Southern fare. The daily specials are the main event, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma's house. On my visit, the fried pork chops were expertly seasoned, featuring a tender interior and a crisp, savory coating. The roast beef, smothered in rich gravy, and the fried chicken are notable staples that consistently draw praise. Crucially, the sides are spectacular and feature an impressive variety that rotates daily, moving beyond standard fare to include dishes like fresh green beans, fried cabbage, and homemade macaroni and cheese. These sides are clearly prepared with attention, not just as afterthoughts. For breakfast, the biscuits and gravy remain a standout, maintaining a delightful taste over the years. The only minor deduction is that consistency can occasionally vary slightly when the diner is packed, but the quality always remains high for this style of cooking. The service at Frances Diner epitomizes Southern hospitality. The staff, many of whom are long-time regulars themselves, are incredibly friendly and attentive, treating patrons more like family than customers. Servers navigate the often-busy floor with practiced efficiency, taking orders quickly and offering personalized suggestions. My server was quick to refill coffee and check in without hovering. The only reason this isn't a perfect five stars is that, during peak lunch and dinner hours--which happen often due to the diner's popularity--the kitchen and serving staff can become visibly hectic, leading to slightly longer waits for checks or additional requests. However, the team's genuine warmth and care more than make up for any minor delay. During peak lunch and dinner hours, which often occur The atmosphere at Frances Diner is definitely old-school, local, and welcoming. It has the quintessential, cozy feel of a family-run establishment, complete with a décor that evokes a strong sense of community and nostalgia, featuring memorabilia and local photographs. It's clean and well-maintained and fosters a comforting environment where both regulars and travelers feel at home. The space is functional and focuses on community gathering rather than modern aesthetics. It can be loud and a bit chaotic when busy, but this only adds to its small-town charm--it's the sound of people enjoying good food together. While the dining area is not sleek or modern, it perfectly fits the vibe of a beloved local diner serving classic comfort food. Frances Diner is a must-visit institution in Hazard. It's an honest, high-quality purveyor of Appalachian comfort food that delivers excellent value and genuine hospitality. If you're looking for innovative cuisine, this isn't it. If you're looking for a hearty, traditional meal that tastes like home, served by friendly faces, this four-star gem is exactly where you should pull up a chair. read more

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We came in on Saturday for lunch and both had a 1/2lb cheeseburger with fries. This was the best burger I've had in years! The bun was buttered and toasted. The burger was griddled and juicy. Yummmm!!! The fries were crinkle cut and piping hot. Delicious!!! Service was great as well! 10/10! read more

Great food, great service, great prices. Frances' has always been an A+ restaurant since it opened 50 or 60 years ago. I liked the old location better but the new one is closer to where I live. read more

Outstanding service !! Historic restaurant decor !! The food was great n had great selection on the menu !' I will go back !'

Stopped in on the way through Hazard on a Sunday. Service was great! Had the bacon cheeseburger and onion rings and fried banana peppers. Food came out quick and was fresh and delicious! Will definitely stop back in if I'm over this way! read more

Frances's Diner - Fried banana peppers - Diners Near Me - Hazard, Kentucky

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A good ol' small town diner. Servers are super sweet (Brenda is the best!) Food is kind of like what your grandma used to make. Me and my hubby go there all the time. read more

Passing through town and saw this gem across the street when we stopped at Shell. Nice, clean diner with what appeared to be a good size regulars crowd. The menu was big and it all sounded great. We opted for sandwiches as we were traveling on motorcycles and needed to keep it small. I had grilled bologna and cheese and my husband had tuna. Both were well prepared and tasty! read more

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Loving the feel of this place. I do believe Mrs. Frances is working in the kitchen which to me just adds to the overall experience. Getting me the country ham breakfast with grits and an order of pancake. Everything was going so well until I found a hair 3/4's of the way through my meal. I was dissatisfied before that with the small amount of food for the price but that was nothing when I saw the hair. read more

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Great service. Comfort food. Sweet find with nice mural on building. Recommend breakfast.

I placed a order inside and it took about 40 minutes for my food to be done. Corn nuggets and broccoli bites were good, chicken nuggets a little tough. Doesn't give too many broccoli bites for the price. It was alright. read more

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okay, so first of all, i just want to say the customer service is good, so this is nothing against the service there; the food on the other hand? absolutely horrible. i will never eat here again, not even at gunpoint. i would truly rather take a bullet to the head than eat here. the steak is gross, it tastes boiled, you can hardly cut it, it's like rubber, and there is no flavor other than it tasting akin to hotdog water. and, also, who in the world serves jalapeno poppers with mexican salsa???? i mean, even the a1 sauce tasted bad--how does one make store bought a1 sauce taste bad? i am truly baffled. i found a hair in my pop, too. read more

France's Diner is too good to be true. Kind of like how Ralph Fiennes' performance as Lord Voldemort. Holy cow was that good. I recommend the cheeseburger btw. Great service too. read more

The food is just like my Granny used to make, and that's a major compliment. Good fresh green beans (if available) fried chicken , ribs and cabbage and many more to choose from. It's laid back and a bit hectic but they stay busy from all the people who know they have good old fashioned southern cooking. The place has memorabilia from this area and its nice to look at pictures from days passed. It recently changed locations, but I enjoy this one as its closer to me now and my family likes to eat out together sometimes. It's no more pricey that others like it and I think you get more for your money. Service is friendly and fast as they can be when full of hungry people. read more

This is a nice clean family ran diner. They are quick to get your order in. The menus is small which is great, because restaurants with several menus pages are frozen foods. They have daily specials! They didn't charge us for sharing our order! I highly recommend France's Dinner if ever in the area! read more

Frances's Diner - Thursday's specials!!! - Diners Near Me - Hazard, Kentucky

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Very rude customer service waitress seems mad at the world plus they over charge you and expect you to tip them more then what you actually want read more

This is the best Diner in Hazard. Great food! Many choices! And also cute for date night. There's a juke box and a couple pin ball games and a claw machine and also a set of pool tables. Service is great. Food is amazing. Love this place. read more

Food was pretty good food not over priced or anything. The waitress was a hateful pissed at the world kinda person. My daughter asked for a menu so she could bring it back to the table for us to look at deserts, and was told she didn't need one and she rattled off the deserts. Decided I wasn't giving them them anymore of my money. Went to pay and stood there for 8 minutes waiting on them to come take my money. Get new employees that aint pissed at the world and this would be a great place read more

Good home style cooking and friendly staff to wait on your party. Prices are very reasonable. Will be returning anytime I'm in the area.

Lunch and dinner menu is really good. Usually I get great service when I eat there. Breakfast biscuits are not good at all. The rest of their breakfast is good. read more

Probably the best choice in Hazard for home-cookin'. The menu is a mix of Southern homestyle favorites and diner (or "dairy bar", as we say here) standards, so your opinion probably depends a lot on what you order. The best entrees are the specials that don't appear every day like the salmon patties, fried chicken, and ribs and potatoes. The mustard greens and fried potatoes are my favorites side dishes, or the fresh green beans when they have them in the summertime. read more

Good food I love eating here it's a family restaurant very friendly staff and if you want home cooking I would definitely recommend this place I go here on a regular basics and she has the best hot fudge cake I've ever had read more

Pretty cheap & pretty tasty most of the time. A large menu selection, daily specials, tons of sides. If you don't like cigarette smoke, don't go. If you're expecting the best sandwich you've ever had, don't go. If you want a laid back atmosphere and a good sandwich/food for a decent price - GO! When I've gone it's usually moderately busy and the wait is around 10min or so for a group of around four. Also, if you like pie - GO! :) read more

Food is always great and has some awesome daily specials!! You can't go wrong with everything on the menu..

This place is ok. The food is ok. The people are nice. But it takes forever to get your food. The pool tables are just for kids to play with and that sucks. I went to play pool but the balls are missing and the sticks suck read more

This restaurant is a treasure. I could see them peeling potatoes to make mashed potatoes...talk about home-cooked food! I've also taken home a whole pie for my family. read more

Nightmare lived. Hair in cheeseburger, trying not to vomit. Recommend not getting anything that they have to handle a lot... Stick with fried foods.... Ugh, always so gross finding a hair mixed into your meat. Barf. read more

Simple, delicious country diner fare! It's nothing super exciting. The fried pork chops are very good.

3 stars for hanging tough! I stopped in for a greasy brunch to start my day, and that is what I got. The service wasn't very friendly, and the atmosphere wasn't either. However, if you want a diner meal in the middle of Appalachia- this is for you. There's something to be said for a quiet local spot that doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. The food was really good and very cheap, and that's that! I got the tenderloin with biscuits and gravy and it more than hit the spot. Sometimes quiet is good, like when your heads pounding from the night before, and in those times we are lucky that places like this exist. Give it a try- who knows, you might even get a smile with that! read more

Okay atmosphere, I like the pool tables and jukebox but the food is definitely not home cooked. I've only been there twice, both times were not my choice as I was with a group of people and they chose there to eat there. One time, I ordered the biscuits and gravy - it was THICKER than pudding and totally disgusted me. I walked across the road and got McDonald's and ate it with my friends. The second I went, I just ordered a drink and a slick of "slik chocolate pie" ...and it was the exact same thing that you could have went to a local grocery store and bought from the freezer section. Not my idea of "home-cooked" More of a hangout than a restaurant. read more

Wonderful home cooked food, I would highly suggest going on Thursday for the turkey and dressing, but don't forget the green beans, they are just like grandma's! read more

Hey folks, I lived in Hazard, KY for about 9 months before I moved back to St. Louis. Every chance I got, I went to Frances Diner because it was like eating the food my grandmother and my mother cooked. When I pulled an all nighter at the hospital, I would call and have food delivered. I don't know if they still do that. This was back in 2001. I quit smoking years ago and other people smoking does not bother me. I was happier living in Hazard, KY than I have ever been in my life and the thing I miss most about the place is Frances's Diner. read more

I live 7 minutes away and it takes about an hour to deliver. But overall it is worth the wait and the food is amazing. If you are looking for a time waster this is the place for you. read more