We went to Miners Diner for lunch while visiting Julian. It's been awhile since I've been here, but I'm always delighted by the decor (old kids toys, vintage signs, etc). My husband and I ordered a ruben with chili cheese fries and a tri-tip sandwich with fries. The star of the day was actually the chili cheese fries, which was surprising! My husband pointed out that they do serve chili as well, which I will probably get the next time I'm in town. The sandwiches were also very good, though the Ruben could have used a tad more sauerkraut to balance the flavors. The fries on their own are double fried or battered (or something along those lines) and have an incredible crunchy texture! We came on what I would consider a moderately busy day for Julian, I've seen Miner's Diner packed to the brim before. Our server, Kaylin or Kaitlin (I'm sorry about the spelling!) was amazing. It's obvious she's been a server in a busy restaurant for sometime, as she was on top of EVERYTHING. It was like she had the timing down to a science--and not for just our table,--but her whole section. Refill? She was ready. Done with food? Check ready to go + to go boxes. She was doing that with the other tables simultaneously. Impressive, honestly. Overall, this is a nice spot to stop by if it isn't packed to the gills. Food is standard Diner fare, but does add the the mining town vibe Julian has. We didn't get any this time but I also suggest the shakes or sodas. We got one called Tigers Blood in the past and it was very yummy! read more

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Classic restaurant in the heart of downtown Julian that gives off classic diner vibes. The service was a bit slow even when the restaurant was not particularly busy. The burger was good but the fries came out ice cold. read more

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So we were in Julian for the day and wanted an espresso.. and we found this place advertised espresso.. we popped in and sat at the bar waiting to be acknowledged finally the young lady acknowledged us and we ordered 2 double espresso only to catch attitude we don't offer espresso here.. yes you do per the advertisement above your door.. no there is nothing above the door that says espresso.. are you sure because I can see it here.. no we don't.. go to moms across the street they have espresso.. and that's where we went.. double espresso..cookies and a welcome hello and smile.. .. dont plan on heading back to Miner's .. attitude.. being called a liar.. and false advertising.. not my type of place. read more

Miner's Diner - Right above the door ..espresso and gift cards... - American Near Me - Julian, California

Have you truly experienced Julian if you haven't been to Miner's Diner? Whether you start your day here with a classic breakfast or pop in during your explorations for an afternoon malt, I can assure you, you won't be disappointed. Everyone is always very friendly, and there are endless antiques to ogle while you enjoy your meal or snack, which really make up the entirety of the ambiance here. Don't forgot to pop down to the candy mine while you're there! read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

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This place is usually okay for lunch, but we came here for breakfast as it was one of two restaurants in the main area open early other than for pie. I think I'll stick to lunch here, the breakfast was pretty sad. The servers were nice and it was impressive that the lady who brought over our plates was able to carry 5 plates in one go with these super long nails. Our orders came out a little wrong, but they were kind enough just to bring out whatever was missing. Ambiance is very small town Americana, with a toy train going through the back upper wall, reminiscent of Mr Rogers Land of Make Believe. The vibe is chill, but don't expect an exciting breakfast. read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

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We passed by Julian to an apple pie, however, the actual apple piece stores were already closed by the time we got there. We stumbled upon this restaurant and ask them if they had an apple pie and they did. This review is based on just their apple pie. I was so happy when I ate their apple pie because it was so good and we immediately ordered their whole apple pie to go as a gift for someone. Their stuff all friendly and the place is very cozy. I will go back again when I visit Julian read more

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Went to Julian for a day trip and was instantly transported into my childhood. We saw the sign for this diner and soda bar from across the way and added it to our itinerary for the day. I knew it would be good when I walked in and saw the train going around the top of the restaurant. We sat at the bar and ordered an oldschool root beer float. It was everything and more. The bartender was a local and told us all about the town. Service was quick, and the ambiance was exactly what we were looking for. There was a really cool candy cave down the stairs with a bunch of old candy brands we hadn't seen in years-- totally nostalgic. Great spot for kids or just a quick diner! read more

Miner's Diner - Ice Cream Float - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Upon entering, the hostess was absolutely sweet and attentive. A small party formed in front of us, unsure of what to do so she politely gave them their time to decide while acting quickly to help us get seated. She mentions a spot by the window, and I'm ecstatic (I love a good view.) The hostess even complimented my rings. Overall, great first impression! After spending a minute on the menu, our server arrives, no smile and not even a hi. She starts with a, "have you decided what to order?" We came in an hour before closing, I'm reasonable here. I know what it's like to be at the end of your shift so I wasn't really expecting much here. I responded with, "[I think we need another minute.]" She immediately leaves and doesn't ask about drinks. Strange, every restaurant I've been to always offers water at the start, but hey, there's a first for everything. It takes a good while to get noticed by our server again. By the time it got to ordering, no small talk from her, just straight to the point and all was very cold. You could tell she didn't want to be there or didn't want to attend us. I try not to assume things, but noticing how nice she was to other tables except us was off putting to say the least :( Another server came by with our shakes and was incredibly sweet! She explained everything then left on a good note of complimenting my outfit :') once we received our food, there was a noticeable difference in portions. I received a good amount of fries while my boyfriend barely received much. To make things worse, some of his fries were frozen :( the burger ordered was delicious though so we didn't want to make any issue of an already unfortunate situation. I will say this though, the food was very overpriced for what it was. Expect to pay $5-$7 more than necessary. When it came to payment, I needed a box and the server immediately comes by to drop the check, never once asking how the food was or if we needed anything more. I found her disassociating in the corner, simply avoiding too. The experience was pretty awkward honestly. Not to mention the food took a while to come out. The place was clean and some workers did an incredible job hence the 3 stars, but if you're Mexican, be cautious of the server with long black hair pulled into a ponytail and dark makeup. Safe to say, good for a one time experience, but I don't feel comfortable coming back. read more

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Ruben and French dip sandwiches were delicious. Perfect serving. The onion rings were a little heavy on the batter but crispy and flavorful. The fries were perfectly cooked. The service was great, quick and friendly. read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

Old school diner vibes, pretty simple - in a good way! Our waitress was super friendly. It's tight in there so the place fills up fast. It was easier to seat a party of two than a larger group. But people aren't there to lounge so tables seemed to turn over timely. Not gonna lie, it was hard seeing people who ordered after get their food first. But again, it was packed on a weekend. Nothing fancy going on here, burgers, sandwiches - the usual. I did enjoy the phosphate sodas that you can choose the flavor of. Orange and vanilla was pretty tasty! The California BLT comes with avocado and cream cheese. Putting the cream cheese on the side worked, I tried it and ate it with most of my sandwich. Don't think I needed it it every bite though. Coleslaw was really good! Loved the old toys they have displayed, even picked up some jax for my mom. That's her childhood claim to fame. The train that goes around up-top is fun too! Lots of historical items and pictures. It's an old place that's holding it down. Glad I checked it out. read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

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We came for an ice cream on a very hot day. Very cute and rustic on the iznside. Ice cream was delicious. Zz There is a candy mine below the restaurant that kids will love. There are inside and outside bathrooms, inline with the rustic vibe of the store. read more

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Cool little diner that fits the whole gold mining history in Julian. They've got a simulated "mine" downstairs that makes noises, maybe a tiny bit "cheesy" (I adore cheesy elements) but definitely fun to check out especially the little ones. There's a tiny choo-choo train that goes around above you, and a big rustic wooden bear by the cashier area that pretty much screams "tourist photo." Didn't get a chance to try the food yet, but the whole old mining vibe makes it a fun stop if you're venture out there and are walking around the town. read more

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I can't believe I forgot to post my review! Glad people are liking the photos I posted. It totally reminded to post my review. First as we were walking by we saw the huge truck delivering vats of thrifty ice cream. So that's why we walked in. We all love thriftys and we no longer have any where we live. We loved all the sundaes and shakes we ordered. Service was great we loved our gal helping us at the counter. Only reason I didn't give five star was because a couple of the gals watched a young man cleaning with a dirty rag, and wiping some of the glasses with the rag. They were watching closely making sure our server didn't use the same glasses for Our sundaes. But it was okay because we all asked to have ours in to go cups. The place has that old timey feel to it. Like a 50s soda shop. Not sure we will be back because we all like in different stars and did a girls getaway. But it sure was a cute town. Not sure how the food was like since we only had the ice cream. But make sure to check out this place if you're visiting Julian. read more

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For Mother's Day, we went to Julian for some apple pie but wanted to get some breakfast prior. I first wanted to start off by saying that the inside of the restaurant was absolutely adorable and loved the true "miners" theme that they had going on. Above they had some toy trains moving around, I thought that was the coolest thing. The service was okay, I forgot her name but our server was quite attentive and helpful. However, for the most part for how busy it was it seemed lacking. Especially, they stated that they had this "transitional period" where they need 15-20 min from breakfast to prepare to start serving lunch. A family of 8, with multiple Mother's had left because they weren't going to get served. To me personally, the food flavoring was unfortunately was quite bland. In specifics, the gravy was watered down and you can tell it was just warmed up from a can and served. Overall, I don't think I will be back to get their breakfast. read more

Miner's Diner - Chicken Fried Steak - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Great restaurant for all ages. So much decorations, best vintage soda and ice cream shop. We went for lunch and the Food is great. Mainly diner food with burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, great fries and onion rings. Great kids menu. For a tourist area the food was very reasonably priced. Wait staff was so friendly and helpful! read more

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Came here during the busiest time of the year! Definitely anticipate an over hour wait but totally worth it! I loved every bite of the tri tip dip sandwich. It was absolutely perfect. Service was kind and attentive. I will continue to return. Ambiance was so casual and great for groups/parties. read more

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This was a great find! We knew we were hungry and this place didn't disappoint! My daughter started with the phosphate cola. I didn't really notice a difference to regular, except less carbonation. But on to the burgers!! My daughter got the Memphis burger which is a pulled pork with a kick of sweet heat. That sweet heat complimented that burger well! I got the slaughterhouse and I loved it! I mostly tasted the chopped bacon. The fries were nice and crispy, but the onion rings were spot on! The whole restaurant was decorated with old toys and memorabilia. They even had a candy cave downstairs that you can purchase the candy per pound! Look up while you take in your surroundings, there's a train running through the whole restaurant! read more

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The Miner's Diner is a typical diner experience times 100!!! And it has a little something to appease everyone in your dinner party (or breakie or lunch). From the massive portions dished out, to the mini train set (and other toys), buzzing around the dining area, eating at the Miners Diner in Julian, CA is much more than just grabbing a bite to eat. This is an entertainment experience for all! The menu consists of typical diner fare from huge, juicy burgers that you can create to your liking with all the fixins, to standard fare such as roast beef. They also have a vegetarian side with the assortment of massive salads. Leave room for dessert because the MD has a huge selection of different ice cream flavors with which you can create a banana split, a sundae or just a single scoop cone! But that's not all on the "sweets" menu. When everyone has finished eating, or if you are waiting for your home cooked meal, and the little ones are getting restless....let them he up and "discover" the on site "mine shaft" that descends all the deep and dark cavern....just kidding. It is fully lit and only 3-4 steps down into a room full of candy. What's cool is the nostalgia of the candy choices. I'm 53 and a lot of the selection boasts candy I haven't seen since I was 8 years old! They even had candy cigarettes! Which I had no idea was even legal or allowable??? But they are and along with jawbreakers, ABBAzabba and many others, you'll find something to your liking. Probably the pop rocks! Ya you remember those!!! read more

Miner's Diner - Pastrami sandwich with chili cheese fries! Oh yea....its about to go down! - American Near Me - Julian, California

THIS WAS AMAZING. The fries were amazing and the chili fries is so flavorful. I came here with my boyfriend and it was such a great day to stop by Julian! I highly recommend this diner place if you're looking for something easy and delicious! The line did circle around and it took about 45 minutes to get seated, worth the wait! Parking can be a hassle but it's free if you choose street parking. Highly recommend stopping by, I got Miner's Burger and my boyfriend got the Memphis Burger! read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Miner's Diner is an essential stop while visiting the charming town of Julian ! First off it's one of the oldest diner's and it's ALWAYS poppin' . We really wanted to dine here for breakfast as it was 930am when we arrived, but unfortunately the wait time was about an hour and they stop serving breakfast at 1030am . We checked-in with the sweet hostess and we shopped for about 45 minutes until they texted us to say our table was ready . We were sat at a cute booth and our waitress took our orders right away . Here's what we ate ! SLAUGHTERHOUSE BURGER: This burger was hugeee and SOOO JUICY . We loved the mushrooms and caramelized onions . Bun was fresh and fluffy ! FRENCH DIP: Favorite bite . Beef was tender, but could've been more plentiful . So flavorful and the au ju dip was a solid !! HIGHLY RECCOMEND ! PASTRAMI SANDWICH: I had high hopes for this one, but the presentation was not it for me . It also was a bit on the saltier side . As an asian girlie, I almost wanted to eat the meat with rice lol KID'S GRILLED CHEESE: Basic and bougie, my son loved it ! Fries and onion rings were delicious . I liked that they tasted fresh and crisp . Don't forget to order a root beer and milkshake --theyre a classic ! Overall, we had a great lunch and would def come back for their breakfast . The decor is fun and the vibes are inviting . Also, if you didn't know, there's a secret candy mine where you can explore and purchase old school candies !! read more

Miner's Diner - Food Instagram (@angiela.eats) - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Had breakfast here on Christmas Eve. Employees are welcoming and friendly. Service was fantastic. Our meals arrived quickly and our server Michelle was attentive and helpful. I had the Denver omelet with home fries; and my husband had their chicken fried steak with eggs, hash browns and toast. Pricing was reasonable and the food was good. Loved the Christmas decor and festive atmosphere, including the train, vintage items and soda fountain/bar area. They also feature a candy cave and sell various retro toys and games. read more

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Great place and love the candy cave shop. The food is good, but not amazing. It has a fun vibe for kids.

Miners diner is a really cool spot with cool features on the inside like diner style tables, walls, and nic-nacs. I ordered the Memphis burger and my girlfriend ordered the miners burgers. I got chili cheese fries which was amazing and my girlfriend got cheese fries with chili on the side. Fries were fried perfectly with a great crunch. Super good. And the burger was also very tasty, although overcooked a bit. They didn't ask how we liked our burgers cooked but great overall. Service was a little wait, it took about 20 minutes for us to get our food. Parking, like all of Julian, is street parking. There are three bathrooms, 1 inside and 2 outside that sometimes have a long line. There is also a nice miners candy section inside (not pictured) that was a cool little find Overall a good place to go for lunch here in Julian! read more

Miner's Diner - Miners burger (back) and Memphis burger (front) - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Lovely little diner in the heart of Julian across town hall, the food was tasty, but I was a little disappointed that their lunch menu was so small. I understand it's just a diner so I can't be too disappointed. The cool part was that they have so many flavors for shakes, and the decor of the place was just lovely. Our server had a good attitude, food came out in a timely manner. If you're coming with a big family, though you will most likely sit separately. We came in as a group of seven and had to sit in two different booths just a heads up! read more

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Great place with ton of character and very friendly staff and is close to Julian Pie Co. We bought a mug as a souvenir - $12. read more

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I wanted to share feedback about my recent visit. We were asked to sign in with our phone number and told the wait would be ~20 minutes. We arrived about 35 minutes later, but it appears our name was never entered into the system. After being seated, we waited nearly 45-50 minutes for our food, during which it felt like our order may have been missed or delayed without communication. When the food arrived, the omelet was unfortunately undercooked and more like partially fried eggs than a properly prepared omelet. The server was very kind and attentive, and I genuinely appreciate their effort, but the overall experience was very disappointing due to the wait and kitchen execution. I hope this feedback helps improve the process and consistency going forward. read more

This place is fine. Luckily when we got here, we narrowly beat the lunch rush and were seated quickly. I love the old school toys that were hanging around the booths. They were available for purchase as I saw price tags in the back of the packaging. Food was decent albeit it came SLOW. My husband ordered a patty melt and I got a tri tip sandwich. I thought his sandwich was ok but I really loved my sandwich! The portions were smaller than I expected but I think I prefer that! I'd rather finish my food and feel satisfied than have a huge meal that I'd need to take home for leftovers. We both agreed that our fries tasted really good. Pricing was ok, too, especially for a tourist trap town. We paid less than $50 for both of us with tip, which is reasonable compared to what we pay in San Diego. read more

Everything tastes better at high altitude (4500ft.,) and you can't beat the home town service in a building from the 1800s. And then an old fashioned soda fountain too. It's an experience to be treasured!!! read more

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Food was okay to pretty good. Nothing to rave about though. Don't bother to go Downstairs to the "candy store", just typical candy you'd find at a gas station. Major complaint though would be the service. Not very friendly at all or efficient. Not the worst but certainly not the best, I'd skip it. read more

Honestly, my advice is to eat before you come to Julian. It's fine if you're stopping by for pie or candy from a local shop, but for basic food, the prices here are completely out of proportion. I'm talking very basic food--hamburgers, kids' corn dogs, chicken nuggets--that don't even measure up to an In-N-Out burger. $17 for a hamburger and $9 for a basic milkshake is wild. We spent about $140 on food that honestly tasted like a 6/10 and could've been bought at the grocery store for $30. The bathroom situation was chaotic, they didn't offer extra napkins or plates, and while our waitress was cool, the overall experience just didn't justify the cost. If you're coming to Julian, eat beforehand or maybe just grab a beer or dessert while you're there. Places like this feel more like tourist traps now, and if you grew up in San Diego, it's kind of just... whatever at this point. read more

Service was friendly, but the wait was very long--about an hour. I was excited to try the bison burger, but it wasn't juicy and didn't taste fresh. Unfortunately, it just didn't meet expectations. read more

Miner's Diner - Bison Burger - American Near Me - Julian, California

Drove up for breakfast after hearing about all the business closures. Went to enter and some millennial tells us "uh, yeah, we aren't taking any more people"! 10:00 am on a Saturday. They need to go out of business. I won't be back. read more

I'm only rating their breakfast on this review. It was weak. Cheap ingredients and whatever you do don't order sourdough toast because all they do is butter a piece of sourdough bread and put it on the grill. Breakfast toast is not supposed to be on a flat top. There's really only two places in town for breakfast and they're usually packed and you have to wait in line. The other restaurant isn't much better. If you're going up early, I suggest having breakfast somewhere before you make the trip up because you'll be sorely disappointed . This place would have to step up three or four levels just to be compared to a Denny's ....... In downtown Los Angeles...... across from the jail....... By Skid Row. read more

Food & drink: good diner food, solid menu, great diner fries. The hot cider is sweet but great. Breakfast stops at 10:30 sharp. Service: very quick and friendly service. Ambiance: matches the rest of the town. Felt like we were in the gold rush. read more

Very nice! We stopped by for breakfast on a busy Saturday and were still seated and served quickly. The food was simple, but perfectly prepared and delicious! Nice atmosphere and cool server also. Highly recommended! read more

I've only been to the candy store inside, but the restaurant and candy store are very clean. Staff is super friendly. So quant and vintage inside! There's a large variety of old school candy inside that are super hard to find anywhere else! So nostalgic. read more

Miner's Diner - American Near Me - Julian, California

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Low quality breakfast. Frozen hash, brown patties, overcooked deep-fried home fries. Pancake pancakes that need a steak I have to cut through. read more

The food was okay. Real basic stuff, nothing special. Same flavors I could've gotten at home. Wait time for food was not bad. The service... absolutely horrendous. The FOH needs to get trained on being attentive because we sat down, a server said "hi" to us and walked away, no "I'll be right with you."... we waited 10 mins and then got up to get someone to take our order. They came over and took our order, one of them she got wrong and didn't apologize, used the excuse of "sometimes they just do whatever they want back in the kitchen." And it's like what??? Okay?? What are you even getting paid for? The atmosphere was the only thing making this place worth it.. but the food and service? Not worth it. read more

Service is horrible. We waited on a waitlist and came when we were supposed to stood and waited that the sign that said that you need to wait to be seated then a guy came in after us and seated himself I asked if that was the policy she said no then our booth was giving away and then she told me she could put me on the wait list again so we left and will not be returning. She was rude and not helpful. After waiting over 20 minutes this is not the way we should be treated read more

Quoted a half hour wait on a Saturday morning... better than the 90-min wait at the Cafe down the street, but it really took about 45. We were finally ushered in to sit at the counter, but despite the fact that at least three or four people were behind the bar, service was extremely slow to nonexistent. Our coffees were never topped up. The three men next to us (seated at the counter at the same time) got napkins and utensils, but we didn't. Our servers changed over in the middle of our meal, but our new servers never checked on us. My partner's toast was either made on the grill or doused in olive oil spray because it was soaked through with oil, inedible. We didn't have anyone to tell, though, because no one ever asked how anything was. Probably breakfast isn't prime time for the soda fountain aspect, but I did get a root beer to go and saw them make it with syrup. We should probably have tried to come for dessert instead, we'll definitely skip breakfast here in the future. Really disappointing, honestly. If you want a real old-fashioned soda fountain experience, try Franklin Fountain (Philadelphia, PA) or Palo Alto Creamery (Palo Alto, CA). read more