In a world so focused on optimizing and monetizing every possible thing, the humble American diner seems to be the last bastion of freedom against convenience culture. While I've gone from having a flip phone to a super computer in my pocket, the diners have remained the same: Menus big enough to be newspapers, the unmistakable smell of fresh coffee being poured into thick ceramic cups, plates banging behind the bar, history lining the walls, and some consistently 7.5/10 food. Nothing hits my nostalgia receptors quite like scooting my butt into a vinyl upholstered diner booth. It takes me back to a time when I didn't constantly need a rush of dopamine. When I could be in a place, and all of me was there. So when my big bro suggested Orion Diner & Grill to catch up, I couldn't have been more excited. My diner go to is always 2 eggs any style with bacon, so I had to pull the trigger on ol' faithful. It ran $19.00 and came with home fries and toast, which felt a bit expensive, but I'm tapped out on the 2 eggs any style prices these days. I may have to do some boots on the ground research for price comparisons. I'm not gonna lie, this wasn't my best diner experience as the service was transactional and the food was a bit uninspired, especially the bacon and home fries, but the vibes were immaculate. I just felt like I could breathe in here. I feel like I get a piece of myself back every time I enter into a diner. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more

See all

Went here this morning to meet an old friend for a late breakfast. I have walked by here for many years and used to see Jackie Mason eating there all the time. Very good food and service. Nothing special with the ambience. Location is key- plenty of diners are a bit nearby, but this one is perfect if near the corner of 2nd and 23rd. read more

Came here late one evening (or maybe really early morning for some?) and it was alright. The food isn't anything crazy but it's a reliable spot if you're hungry at 5am. Service was still upbeat and friendly despite the early hour. We got their sandwiches and burgers and thought that it was decent--nothing crazy. Overall, reliable 24/7 diner. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Pro: huge menu and food came out quickly. Classic NYC diner. Reasonably priced Con: service was subpar read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Pancake and Matzo Ball Soup - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Bacon tasted old Home fries ok Hearty chicken Caesar wrap Really hot coffee, even with delivery Good eggs read more

Me and one of my seniors come here after her appointments and recently we celebrated her 77th birthday with out friend Paul. They both had the turkey one on rye and he had the triple decker. Both sandwhiches are made from fresh turkey. I had the waffle with greek yogurt and fresh fruit. This was amazing. The staff here is alway friendly and helpful. The prices are right. The food is always On Point. read more

I have been searching the city for a truly good diner, and I think I can finally cool down on the search. The staff were all so friendly and personable. They truly wanted to make sure we were having a great meal. The decor was exactly like the diners I went to as a kid, which was a huge plus. The food was delicious. I ordered the turkey triple decker and it absolutely hit the spot. We also got a Mexican chicken sandwich, which had a nice kick with the jalapeños. Absolutely will come back! Thanks for a great meal! read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Turkey Orion Club Triple Decker - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

1 plain bagel toasted with butter, and a small coffee cost $7.65. The bagel was like rubber, they didn't put any butter, and the coffee taste like water. This was 2 trips in one for me to that place, first, and last!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SMH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Tucked away during peak lunch hour, Orion Diner feels like a time capsule of New York dining culture--a space where nostalgia and utility collide. The painted sky ceiling stretches above exposed brick walls, creating an ambitious yet oddly comforting attempt at atmospheric dining. Leather booths, worn to a comfortable sheen, cradle a cross-section of city life bundled in winter wear, their animated conversations blending into a soundtrack of clinking plates and hurried footsteps. The decor leans delightfully into its theme: a pastoral mural anchors one wall, while blue-tinted pendant lights cast a cool glow over formica tables. A Christmas tree stands in one corner, whimsically adorned with a rebellious red ribbon, while Santa ornaments line a display shelf like silent sentries, each tagged with handwritten notes--a charming analog system in a digital age. The crowd is quintessential New York. A man in a red jacket leafs through what might be the day's paper, others scroll on their phones, heads tucked under puffy coats and beanies. Servers weave through the chaos with practiced ease, navigating the narrow aisles as though choreographed. It's the kind of place where the ceiling reaches for the cosmos, but the vibe stays firmly, reassuringly grounded. The stone-faced walls hint at someone keeping tabs on modern design trends, but the overall feeling is borough-born comfort--a throwback to when diners were community anchors, not Instagram fodder. Orion's charm lies in its simplicity, and nowhere is this better displayed than in its food. While the plant-based bacon isn't house-made (and we'll leave that discussion for another day), the scrambled eggs are a masterclass in short-order cooking. They arrive as a butter-yellow cloud, their texture hitting that sweet spot between gossamer and substantial. Each bite dissolves with an almost custardy lightness while retaining just enough structure to catch the cascade of hot sauce and fresh-cracked pepper. In a city where $28 "farm-to-table" egg dishes have become commonplace, these eggs prove that technique, not price point, is what matters. Then there's the Swiss char-broiled burger--a study in diner fundamentals done right. The patty emerges with a textbook char, draped in cheese that melts with textural precision. It's served with the classic trinity: shredded lettuce that still carries its crunch, a pickle spear that snaps rather than surrenders, and coleslaw that knows its supporting role. The sesame-flecked bun, toasted just enough to develop character without losing its soul, completes what might be one of Manhattan's more honest burgers. In an era where restaurants compete with increasingly baroque creations, Orion reminds us that sometimes the most satisfying meals are the ones that resist reinvention, focusing instead on getting the classics exactly right. With its butter-yellow scrambled eggs and charbroiled burger as anchors, Orion Diner delivers the kind of meal that feels less like dining out and more like coming home. Then comes the cheesecake. Orion Diner's take on New York-style cheesecake is a lesson in restraint and execution. Its creamy, dense filling strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy--a flavor that lingers without overwhelming. The crust, sturdy but not heavy, crumbles delicately under the fork, offering a satisfying textural contrast. Topped with a bright strawberry glaze that teeters between fresh compote and syrupy nostalgia, the dessert evokes a simpler time when cheesecake wasn't a luxury but a staple of any respectable diner. Each bite melts slowly, a final, indulgent punctuation to a meal steeped in comfort and tradition. Server Mike Voumvoyrakis, the heart and soul of Orion Diner, infuses the space with his boundless enthusiasm and charm. With a Greek accent as thick as his personality, he navigates the diner like a maestro, ensuring every customer feels cared for. When a table is vacated, Mike is there in an instant, meticulously cleaning it before welcoming the next guests with a warm smile and a touch of humor. His presence is magnetic as he checks on customers with genuine interest, his thick accent adding a delightful authenticity to his conversations. Mike Voumvoyrakis embodies the spirit of Orion Diner, making every visit feel like a return to a familiar and welcoming place. read more

See all

I've been coming in for some years now, and I usually come here in the morning or midday and have no complaints. Today I came in around 5pm. I got a waiter that I never received service from, who seemed to be on some type of narcotic. He had a hard time listening, even when I spoke to him in Spanish (his 1st language). He couldn't add up the check correctly even though I explained it to him twice. Bill was 51.50, added the wrong amount for a cherry pie slice (8.50 instead of 7) and somehow it totaled $85! It was eventually corrected, and I asked if he packed the correct pie, which he said it was. It was a blueberry slice instead of the cherry slice. The burger was well done instead of medium, and my partners tuna melt was completely cold, cheese wasn't melted, it was just barely sweating. It was a disappointing visit. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Spinach soup - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Staff is so friendly, even when handling the late night crowds. Food is hot, fresh, and fast. Perfect for an end of the night bite or a late morning breakfast. read more

A real diner!!! There aren't many left these days! I just wanted a chicken salad sandwich and that's what I got. The French fries and coleslaw were phenomenal. My waiters were both professional and service was seamless. I got a brand new muffin for dessert, but I could only eat half. It's huge. The perfect New York experience. Highly recommend read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Mural - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Iconic diner. Always consistent and fast, and the staff always takes great care of us. Can't miss with any of the breakfast items, but I often get the spartan wrap with French onion soup. Open 24/7 if you need a late night spot or don't want to pay for an overpriced bagel. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Never been here but writing on my experience with their failed marketing. Marketed taste testing for their new chicken sandwich for Jan 2-3 with specific timeslots but then caveat until supplies last. So obviously that's going to urge everyone to go earlier. That's wasn't the issue. Then the two day event became a one day event where anyone could just show up to finally out were placed on the waitlist. None of this was really necessary. It's like watching a bad marketing train derail. With this derailment I don't have any interest in actually going to the their food. read more

Old school diners deserve some love. They are vanishing or being reimagined as something more upscale. They've been supplanted by fast casual restaurants. Orion is a throwback. This is a classic diner. The hostess was lovely. My waiter was attentive, generously refilling my coffee cup whenever he passed by. There was an air of calm in this diner. The people watching was great. There were people like me who were grabbing something to eat for lunch. There was also a large cadre of regulars, many of them older bachelors who didn't feel like cooking or maybe weren't good cooks. It seemed as if some of these people were there for the social interaction,, which you can't get at a fast casual restaurant. The coffee was solid and my bacon and cheese omelette was on point. I had a pleasant time warpy trip back to an earlier epoch of Manhattan. read more

I forgot my debit card but they chased me down on a bike to return it to me. Even though I bummed there for 3 hours. An absolutely heroic staff i owe them my life honestly... read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Prodigal card returned to its father - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Came by here for lunch with a friend of mine and we were pleasantly surprised not only was the waiter, a funny man, but he made wonderful suggestions of what to eat. We follow them and guess what he was right spot on again another wonderful place that nobody's egging you to leave stay as long as you like nobody bothers you. The waiter comes by with water. It's just a treat to feel welcomed and not just another person that pays the bills the ambience is definitely diner style. I noticed a few other places in the city have really improved the interiors, but then everything nowadays cost money and you may deal with whatever you have not complaining. I was comfortable but then of course it's winter time and there's a window seat. It's totally fun. The food comes right away. If you take a seat towards the kitchen, you can see them making everything right there all the pots and pans clicking in clanging and moving like a wonderful concert come by say hi and leave with a smile on your face thank you everybody read more

The quinssential neighborhood Diner. Getting harder and harder to find these days. Good food and excellent service. Specially when Izzy or Lily are there. Nothing fancy but easy to converse when with friends and neighbors. read more

We'd had an excellent dinner at a restaurant downtown and about 3/4 way home, we decided to stop for a little dessert. We agreed to go into the first diner we found, and we found the Orion! When you want an old-school kinda dessert, and you grew up in the NY-NJ area, a diner is a great place for that! We have our favorites - he, apple crumb cake; for me, lemon meringue pie. And it's been an age since we last did this. Happy to report that cravings were satisfied! He said his apple crumb cake was perfect. It certainly was a huge piece. I didn't think, at first glance, that the lemon meringue pie would be good; when I see an extra high layer of meringue, I expect that it'll be cloyingly sweet, but it wasn't. It was airy and lighter than it looked, sweet but not more than it needed to be, a perfect foil for the lemon (though for me that lemon layer could've been a bit tarter). We had a decaf coffee and a decaf tea - perfectly satisfying dessert. Prices are high everywhere these days but nearly $8. for each slice I thought was a bit much; possibly I'm just out of touch. At any rate, it hit the spot for us! read more

I've been going to this diner for 2 years now. It's been my go-to for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food wise, they are not only fantastic but also quick. They make delicious foods with my personal favorites being omelet styled eggs, pancakes and chicken cutlets. In terms of the staff, the people of Orion Diner and Grill are incredible, such wonderful people. They work very hard and it shows. They really connect with their customers and make an effort to create a good environment. Speaking of which, the decor is beautiful. It's vibrant and well cleaned while making customers feel welcome once they enter. I absolutely love this place and you haven't visited, do yourself a favor and do so, you'll be glad you did! read more

Don't most diners have a side of mac & cheese on their menus? And at a low price? Apparently not at Orion. Two weeks age after the first follow up at the dentist I was famished and decided to stop here to have the softest food imaginable. It was not featured on the menu and the server asked the kitchen who gave it to me. I let it cool down so I could eat it. The flavor was okay but not as tasty as I had hoped. The shock came when I saw the bill $16.35. I nearly fainted and complained. I won't be going there again.? read more

See all

Ran out of options for food and ran across this place. Owners are extremely friendly and accommodating!

the establishment looks and feels very nice, waiters were friendly and nice. food and drinks were not good at all. I asked for a burger well done and got my burger really pink inside the did not comp or remake the burger. will not go again! read more

It's a diner, open 24/7, have been going there since 96, when we're in the city. Never disappointed. It's an old 'Greek' style diner.

I live close by to Orion. When they replaced Cosmos Diner I had the burger, which was weak. But I have to say that Orion redeemed themselves. Their Hot Open Turkey Sandwich--a diner staple--is very good. They always seem to be busy. Orion's staff is superb and attentive. Special thanks to Jose...a true pro. They even let customers linger and relax, giving Orion a real neighborhood feel. They also deliver quickly. read more

I always have a great experience here! Very friendly staff and good food. The mozzarella sticks are by far my favorite in the city! A tad bit greasy but they're the perfect thickness & chessy-ness, I highly recommend everyone tries them! Overall a cute small everyday diner. My boyfriend loves the chicken & waffles, another great dish here as well! Love coming here read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Reading reviews it seems like this place is bipolar. We had great experience. Party of 7, greeted and seated quickly at the counter as there wasn't table open big enough for us. All good. Just grabbing quick bite. Most of us had breakfast food. My daughter had penne ala vodka which was amazing. My Greek omelette was missing the feta (really????) but all good because they fixed it. Pancakes were so fluffy and huge. Service was fast & friendly. Everything you expect from a good diner. We left quickly, happy and full. Seems like when you read other reviews, the problem here is consistency. We were in area for The Friends Experience. It met our needs, quite well. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Dining room - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

This tuna melt #KILLEDME. It took me around the moon and back. And I'm STILL NOT THE SAME!!! I owe so much to this Greek crew. The cheddar. The tuna. The rye. All of it. No one could remake it and NO ONE COULD OUT DO IT read more

Orion Diner & Grill - This tuna melt killed me-- in a good way! Such amazing service and love from this crew. Will be back again! - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Orion Diner and Grill stands out as my favorite diner in all of New York. I've visited numerous times, and every dish I've tried has been fantastic, complemented by outstanding service. If you decide to go, make sure to indulge in their pancakes; they are incredibly fluffy and practically melt in your mouth. Honestly, they are the best pancakes I've ever tasted. read more

The service was slow You can tell the staff running slow and a bit impatient The food is not that impressive as you can tell from the onion soup. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Used to love this place however they have slipped to the point that I am not ordering from them . Have not ordered in about 4 months but decided to give them a try again . We ordered the roasted chicken , which on the menu states that it comes with stuffing . There was no stuffing delivered with the chicken. I also ordered the stir fry which turned out to be rice with soy sauce and the left over vegetables of the day , mostly peppers and zucchini . Do they not have a recipe for stir fry ? The matzoh ball soup had no taste and even with the addition of salt it had no taste . They used to send rolls or bread sticks but have stopped doing that as well Clearly there is a lack of supervision or lack of pride in the work as this this is not the first time that we have been disappointed but it will be the last . I think that someone needs to wake up and pay attention to what is going in the evening at this diner, the prices went up and the quality decreased to the point that i will not be going back read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Stir fry of nothing but the days leftover vegetables Mostly peppers and squash . Yuch - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

The food was amazing and everything came out so fast! The service was amazing, all staff were friendly and time efficient. I love that Orion Diner & Grill is open 24 hours as well! One of the best chocolate milkshakes I have ever had!! With a wide variety of things on the menu, I absolutely recommend this restaurant!! read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

I came into the restaurant after my night class to have breakfast for dinner (omelette, turkey bacon, & home fries) & it hit the spot! The waiter was very kind & it didn't take long at all to get my food. Will definitely be returning here! read more

Many years ago, I got delivery from here for an eggplant sandwich and it was terrible, but many restaurants in Manhattan don't really understand what ripe eggplant is, so OK, I forgive. Today I found myself very close to Orion and I thought I would give it another try. I am so glad that I did. I went here for lunch today, and it was perfect. I got a California omelet, and it was great. Their home fries were also unique and really good, almost like hash browns. Even the side of rye toast was very high quality, buttered with sweet butter. The coffee was also real old school NYC. The service was impeccable, and my waitress was very attentive. This is a very comfortable Greek Diner and a very relaxing ambiance. I also noted that there were many regular daily lunch customers. Very nice place for breakfast/lunch. read more

despite some negative experiences in reviews, we visited. My new husband was a denizen in the 80s when he lived in New York, and in good ways, the place seems untouched by time. going off our waitresses recommendation, I had their 2nd Ave. salad, which, as you can see, was loaded with freshly grilled chicken breast, cooked to perfection. my husband had their moussaka, which, for the diner style was quite satisfying. The place feels lived in, a nice sense of history, but tidy and vibrant. Recommended, and I'm sure we will return. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - check out the chicken, still warm from the grill. - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

Very thankful for Orion on this freezing cold Christmas Day- they're essentially the only restaurant open in the neighborhood. Came for lunch. Their holiday special menu looks amazing, but we really wanted burgers. I got the Louisiana burger deluxe, medium rare but it came out medium - sort of expected given it's a diner, but I think it'd be better if they just didn't bother asking how we like it done since asking gets expectations up. The fries were honestly sub-par, not crispy at all, very oily, and tasted somewhat sour; but that's not grounds to dock any stars, since they ARE open on Christmas Day. Place was packed with locals. Service was quick and efficient. Coffee was weak, but again, not something to dock a star over. read more

Orion Diner & Grill - Holiday special menu 2022 - Diners Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The entire experience was exactly what we were looking for. Awesome diner vibes, food was great, servers were friendly. When we walked in we had a large booth we knew it was gonna be a good meal. read more

See all

It doesn't get more New York than grabbing a cheese burger deluxe at 2 in the morning. The Orion has been around for a long long time. I remember coming here but in the days when NYC still had plenty of clubs. It was always opened 24 hrs and the food was always fresh. I'm happy to report that is still the case. The burgers were great. The portions large. The only let down was the cheese fries. They should do better than just slapping 2 slices of American onto your hot fries. All in all, it is still a great late night NYC eats. read more

See all

The reviews are pretty mixed so I didn't really know what to expect when we came here. The staff here was very friendly and great about accommodating all of the changes and substitutions we asked for while we were ordering our food. We were a group of 5 and surprisingly everyone was happy with their food. I got a chicken wrap with curly fries, their portions are very generous and I was unable to finish all of the curly fries. We were there for hours catching up and the staff never rushed us which was nice. I noticed that there are a lot of older people dining alone here so it's really good that the staff doesn't rush you and were very friendly. This is a great spot for comfort food at any time. read more

See all

Okay as it goes, the food is so-so, with the employees being much better breakfast is the best you can do here