The people we interacted with at Joe's made for a delightful lunch. We learned so much about the local area from both the wait staff and other diners. A very friendly group during our visit. Breakfast is served during all open hours. Lunch items include salads and sandwiches among other things. Indoor counter or table seating. Outdoor seating available on the sidewalk in front. I went with blueberry pancakes and asked for real maple syrup which they have available. Very nice pancakes and plenty of syrup was provided. My SO went with a steak and cheese with all the fillings and a side of tots. The tots are super crispy and taste faintly of clam (fried clams are on the menu), just fyi. They offer coffees, teas, soft drinks and mimosas (I think I remember that on the menu). I had a fresh brewed, unsweetened ice tea w/lemon. Hit the spot on a hot day. We enjoyed ourselves very much at Joe's. It's a nice neighborhood spot for a casual breakfast or lunch. read more

See all

Both times I got a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel and it was on point. Don't bother with Dunkin Donuts. Find parking. The place has historical significance due to the Norman Rockwell painting it was featured in. The owner is a great lady who served this tired guy a really good breakfast sandwich. read more

Joe's Diner - Norman Rockwell -- The Runaway - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

This was fun! An old-style American diner with an interesting history. Norman Rockwell's 'The Runaway' was inspired by the diner and a copy hangs behind the counter. Simple fare, well prepared and fast with reasonable pricing. Nothing fancy. Service is happy and swift which is a good thing because there are not a lot of seats. Breakfast was great and typical diner options Just as you'd expect such fare to be. We always take a few of their muffins with us when we leave, for later. But they will butter and grill them for you for immediate consumption and that is a rare find today! read more

Quick, delicious and priced perfectly. Dinner food perfection. Joe's is a staple. Such a great place for locals to enjoy and visit with each other. read more

Joe's Diner - Inside Bar seats - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

This is about as old-timey diner as you can get. It was a very busy little place. We were able to sit right down. We had our 3 very young kids with us and they were great with them, giving crayons and kids menus they could draw on. The prices were great and the portions reflected the price which I appreciated. For instance, the kids Mac and Cheese was $3. THANK YOU JOES DINER! It was very clearly Kraft Mac and cheese, which I was fine with. Other Resturant's charge $8 for the same thing, so I was please with at Joe's. The servers are all nice and seemed to talk to everyone and want to know them. There was a sign that said something like gather and allow friends to become family, i could totally feel that atmosphere. We were all happy with our food. It was fine diner food, nothing crazy. read more

Joe's Diner - Fried Pickle burger - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

Great diner food (and I love diners!). Great service and a nice experience a restaurant that feels like another time. Very friendly servers. read more

Good diner food. Nostalgic for being the location for a famous drawing. I would go again for breakfast. Very tight dining.

After going to the Norman Rockwell Museum we figured it was only fitting to dine here and sit at the counter as the cop and the runaway did. Super casual atmosphere. You kind of feel like you're going back in time but there definitely have been some updates to this place over the years. The menu prices don't seem to have changed much which is great! ALL burgers are $9. We were told they are made fresh to order and not frozen patties. The burger didn't disappoint. I had a tuna salad sandwich on white bread. Classic sandwich, no complaints. Sandwich, burger and can of soda cost $18. read more

See all

Great little diner with a welcoming old time feel. I was craving French toast and someone at Oak and Spruce Resort told me about this place so I thought I would check it out. Love the decor. There is a Norman Rockwell painting of "the runaway" as well as a copy of the Saturday evening post cover that it was originally on. It is a police officer and a young boy sitting at the counter at a diner. I have nothing but good things to say. No Frills just good food, fast friendly service at a great price. read more

See all

My whole family loves Joe's Diner! We go all the time! Besides the food being great, the service is out of this world! You feel at home the minute you walk through those doors. read more

Great service, very good food and very well priced. A real old fashioned diner! Small space, not fancy, but clean and welcoming. Lots of locals; not touristy at all read more

This place is one of the few lunch spots open on Tuesdays in town. We were seated outdoors right away. The indoor space is small but there are 3 to 4 tables out on the sidewalk. I had a basic egg ham and cheese sandwich on toasted white bread, and my friend had an egg white omelette with cheese and peppers with a side of toast and home fries. The taste of my sandwich was good and my friend's portion was a good size, but she didn't like the taste of the green peppers - described it as "off". My coffee tasted better than most diner coffees, but something was off about the creamer - it tasted like evaporated milk. The prices were more than reasonable, but the service is slow and the food is so-so. If you're in the Lenox area, most places are closed on Tuesday's, so is an option. read more

See all

We ate breakfast at a table on the sidewalk. The food was VERY good. We both shared a stack of pancakes and an omelet. Servers were very attentive! We would definitely go there again! Neat history to this place! read more

My daughter and I stopped here for lunch on our way to Boston April 7th 2024. This establishment is small and intimate. The line to wait for a seat was literally going out the door. We spied two seats at a table where a young couple were having their meal. Our server was friendly and came over to take our order. I ordered the chicken quesadilla which was tasty and satisfied my growling stomach. My daughter had the French toast which she said was very good. Our waitress was attentive and brought back a refill of my juice. We will be stopping at this diner again on our way to Boston in August. Yum! Simple and tasty diner food served by a friendly and attentive waitress read more

Very busy in the mornings, it is pretty cramped inside but the service wasn't terrible. Portions are definitely smaller compared to other diners but the prices are good. We enjoyed our food. Raisin bread as an option is always a treat :) Also its CASH ONLY just fyi! read more

Joe's Diner - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

Convenient place to stop for a simple breakfast or lunch breakfast while in or passing through the area. The owner and staff were friendly and talkative which was nice. read more

See all

Delicious! Friendly! Affordable! It was busy when we arrived and we had to wait about 15-20 minutes. read more

Great local diner with friendly/welcoming staff and fantastic food. The pictures on the wall give it a homey feel. My husband ordered the steak and eggs and stated that it was the best he had in a long time. My son and I got breakfast sandwiches which were delicious. The shredded hash browns and home fries were well seasoned and cooked perfectly. We had a great breakfast and wish we lived closer as it would be our go to diner. I highly recommended Joe's read more

Passing through on vacation joe's Dinner is amazing gives old school dinner vibes! The food was delicious and the service was excellent! Price was very low for a family of 4! Make sure you have cash with you or you will have to use ATM in the dinner. read more

Joe's Diner - Meat lovers omelette with toast and home fries - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

My brand-new husband and I were traveling to Niagara Falls to get married and we decided to make a pit stop at Joe's Diner. The service was very friendly, and the food was very tasty. Our waitress that day showed us so much kindness which I know set the stage for what truly was a perfect wedding weekend. Thank you, Joe's Diner! We will be back to enjoy another meal soon. read more

It was the history of this place and the desire for a classic diner breakfast that brought us here "establishment owes its fame to Norman Rockwell, who, in 1958, chose it as the inspiration for "The Runaway," one of his most enduring images" And Joe's did not let us down. They have several eggs Benedict versions on the menu; our guest had the classic one and very much enjoyed. There were eggs toast and home fries all around. It is small & that day the outdoor seating was closed; there is no mask wearing but the most vulnerable among us sat in the corner at the counter. Considering this area and the older age group that frequents the spot have high vaccination rates, we were not as worried, and remain well thankfully. It is a busy place; the waitresses work hard so it's not in and out, and don't worry about the replies seeming curt; they are just taking care of business! So interesting to observe the regulars and the waitresses serving up 'the usual;' gent next to us had two of the same item one after the other! It did seem like more locals were there then visitors or is it just that once you walk in you become part of the painting! read more

Simple menu, no big frills (only American cheese). Get breakfast or lunch at a reasonable price. Food was good. Service was good. read more

Joe's Diner - a man sitting in the window of a diner - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

We stopped at Joe's Diner for breakfast; the restaurant has a historical relationship with the artist Nirman Rockwell. He painted an iconic image here titled, The Runaway," and he loved to paint around the Berkshires. The staff was friendly accommodating, and the breakfast was yummy. I ordered the American Cheese Omelet, and the white cheese they used was tasty. The blueberry pancakes were pleasant, and there were a lot of blueberries. The pricing was extremely reasonable. Joe's Diner takes care of their local patrons very well. I enjoyed myself. read more

See all

I guarantee you've seen this image a zillion times. Remember that Norman Rockwell painting of a young boy sitting next to a police officer at a lunch counter? The painting is titled "The Runaway" and it appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on September 20, 1958. Well today, I had lunch at the small diner in Lee, MA that was the setting for that painting. How awesome is that! We loved everything about Joe's -from the old school 1950's vibe, to the sassy server with the heart of gold, to that Norman Rockwell slice of history, to the time warp dirt cheap pricing. When's the last time you saw two omelets and two coffees priced for under fifteen bucks? Well, you will here. By the way, when's the last time you saw a pay phone at a restaurant booth. You'll see that here too. I ordered a "Hearty Omelet" that cost $5.99. For that I got two slices of toast, a nice scoop of home fries, and a great omelet with cheese, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and choice of breakfast meat. Coffee was a measly buck and a quarter. The pricing structure here will have you dancing in the aisles, because it's so reasonable. Want some examples? OK, Buster - you asked for it. Two eggs and toast for $3.50, a hamburger for $3.25, and my all-time favorite -a Wednesday dinner special of TWO spaghetti and meat sauce dinners (with salad and garlic bread) for just $6.95. Talk about a cheap date! That's cheaper than two Happy Meals. So drop your high falutin' standards, drop your pretensions, and go check out one of the very coolest places I have ever seen. read more

See all

My kind of small time diner complete with bar stools. Custom line of burgers and dogs but here for the corned beef hash. It is homemade. Large omelet was good. Low prices so well worth a visit . Service was great. Enjoyed the waitress singing to the oldies and country music playing low in the background Heard a customer asking for something. Reply- anything you want to do. Bill was $20.35. Cash only read more

When I was in Lee 5 months ago, wanted to stop in, but they are closed on Mondays, so I'm in Lee today, on a Tuesday , swung by with a friend and my dog, we are staying at the black swan, a local hotel, and we went to get take out at joes, we did contemplate eating outside Joe's but as you can see it looks like they have the chairs locked with chains. So I stayed in the car with my dog and my friend went in to order. I got a blue cheese burger, fries and onion rings and my friend ordered a bacon burger. My friend said although the inside is very small, he felt a small town feel where everyone knows each other, and very friendly. We took the food back to the black swan hotel to eat. Here is a pic of my blue cheese burger, fries and a few of the onion rings, I guess my friend ate a few of my onion rings when I went to take my dog for a walk around the hotel property.... But my blue cheeseburger was absolutely to die for, the onion rings kept their crunch, they were not soggy , the fries were ok, a bit soft, but that's expected, since we ordered the food at 1pm and didn't eat it until after 330pm. Next time I'm in Lee, I'll go inside and my friend can stay in the car with the dog, I was looking forward for months to check out the inside of Joe's, a bit disappointed that the outside seating was not available as the weather was perfect, but possibly they only unchain the chairs on weekends. Overall 5 star, read more

Joe's Diner - Chairs chained up at bottom. I couldn't go in because I stayed in car with my dog. Friend went in to order. - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

Amazing small town vibes with excellent service and food. I was able to eat completely gluten free, as they have the most DELICIOUS gluten free bread. The charm, the food and the prices were immaculate. Will be visiting again! read more

We pulled off in Lee, Massachusetts, to get some gas and find a drive thru on our way back to NY. I found this place and it was only a mile off the highway in the middle of nowhere. Score! I honestly couldn't believe the prices. I think my vegetable omelet was $4.50? And it came with home fries and toast. Seriously, how do they stay in business with prices that low? The food was nothing fancy. My husband enjoyed a loaded hot dog and fries. My omelet was exactly what I expected. Nothing more and nothing less. Simplicity that only a very old diner can serve up. The waitress offered to take the "Norman Rockwell" standard picture (you have to!) and our food came out super fast. We found the place, ordered, and were back on the road in 18 min. That's WAY better than McDonalds. read more

Joe's Diner - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

Breakfast here while at The Black Swan Hotel. Came for the Norman Rockwell painting setting of The Runaway. Food was good and well priced. Waitresses were great. read more

Joe's Dinner is another of our favorite places to visit while in Lee; besides being famous because it is show cased as the backdrop in Norman Rockwell's "The Runaway;" they serve down to earth, affordable food with an aptitude!!! And I mean it! Their attention is prompt and courteous but it is really all business... We have enjoyed Joe's for breakfast and lunch and have never been disappointed. Their portions are generous and affordable. They have a large variety of hamburgers and they are great! For great food and friendly old fashioned atmosphere, Joe's Dinner is the place! read more

Joe's Diner - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

Joe's is a classic small town diner with good solid diner food, interesting locals and sassy waitresses. I lived I New England many years ago and was happy to come back to the beautiful Berkshires for a visit. Joe's did not disappoint, it's the same great place and hasn't changed a bit! read more

It's a diner. Simple as that. A classic diner that feels like you walked into the 1950s - authentically, not a pastiche. It looks and feels pretty much the way it probably did when Norman Rockwell painted it. The locals eating and chatting there might also date from the 1950s. The staff are friendly and chatty too and service is fast. We went for dinner and came back for breakfast. It's quite small - 10 stools at the counter, 24 seats at tables - so you might have to wait at busy times. The menu is relatively short and the food is straightforward: breakfast all day, classic diner fare such as Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, spaghetti dinner, breaded chicken, and so on. Prices are very reasonable. Note that they only take cash, but there is an ATM inside in case you get caught without. read more

*** Please note that I would actually give this place 3.5 stars if that was an option. We came here for breakfast on Sunday morning on 4th of July weekend. This is clearly a local favorite with a very long history, which is why we wanted to try it before leaving to return home. We had high (but metered) hopes, but left slightly disappointed. Highlights: I ordered the short stack of pancakes and bacon. Both were cooked very well and yummy. Service overall was quick and prompt. Margaret checked in on us to see how we were doing. It was evident that many people who were there came in on a regular basis. Margaret even ran out to a family's car because they had forgotten their high chair. We also ordered a strawberry milkshake that was delicious. The ice cream tasted home made. I forgot how good New England ice cream usually is. Slight Issues: My BF ordered the cheese omelet, which was overdone. The coffee was really, really weak. The syrup was pancake and not maple syrup. (C'mon, we are in New England... give me the real stuff). Lastly, the decor is in need of a serious overhaul. It isn't that it is not hip/chic; it is that it looks tired, worn and tattered. No, it isn't charming. I would nominate this place for American Diner Revival. At the very least, they should get a new floor and floor mats. And real maple syrup. I do wish I had tried the pie. read more

Joe's Diner - Weak coffee but cute mug - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

This is a greasy spoon with a lot of history. It's a beloved landmark marked by regulars who eat at the counter nursing their mugs of coffee. The local spot has a quaint charm that makes old school diners a destination. The food was good and served quickly. It's basic fare that is hearty, well cooked, and cheap. You can't beat the prices. I'd recommend this as a fun breakfast stop for anyone in the Berkshire area who wants an authentic small town experience. read more

See all

The best, cheapest breakfast and diner food. About 5 tables and a long counter with attatched bar stools ( I think that swivel). Eggs, burgers and if you are lucky, the corned beef....any way, in a sandwhich, hero, plated. With grilled swiss. And I don't even realy like corned beef. The more people who know about Joe's, the longer I have to wait for a coveted seat. So don't come to this ever perfect hole in the wall if you don't think that you'll love it, because that'll leave more space for those of us who do. And it's not a 4 star dinig experience....it's a counter diner where the people grill and fling food all day, sometimes it's crazy hot, lots of flies. Go else where for codling service...there is a Friendly's just up the block. read more

What a great place! Omelets were delicious. Super friendly staff and exceptionally clean.Not your typical greasy spoon diner. If you're in the Berkshires this is a place you have to try. read more

I have never eaten at Joe's always heard that they were great. However I stop by to grab take out. AND NOONE HAD MASKS ON! This as a near by town shuts all indoor dining down! And the food was horrible burnt and bacon looked like out of box pre cooked. the eggs looked microwaved no flavor potatoes cold and hard. Will never go back! They did say I could come get my money back but not sure I want to go back in when no one wearing masks. read more

Joe's Diner - American Near Me - Lee, Massachusetts

See all

Service was great but corn beef hash was horrible!!! I got very nauseous and sick that it ruined my day I had to go back to hotel and sleep it off read more

We were visiting the Berkshire's for the first time, and stopped in this little gem for breakfast. I felt like we were in the breakfast version of the show Cheers, everyone knew each other, I loved it! The food was cooked perfectly, and the price couldn't be beat. Also, coffee was excellent. My husband and I loved it, and if we come back this way again will definitely stop in. read more

Good food and very fair prices. Breakfast was delicious and we received a good amount of