The breakfast was ok. Toast was perfect, omelette was small and looked like two egg patties. Potatoes were good. Service was fast

stopped in for breakfast this morning after work, was the first in. The food was very simple, but tasted very fresh and tasty. Had been here once in the past since I'm from the area and was not super pleased with it, but today things are different. The waitress and passing staff are very friendly and quick to greet with a smiling face. My opinion is changed and will definitely be back in the future. read more

OMG I went there for breakfast yesterday at 8:40 it was Presidents' Day and only the window seats were taken. 35 minutes and 7 cups of coffee later, my friend and I got our food which was cold to the touch and incorrect. I ordered sausage with my eggs but got sausage gravy and biscuits instead. The server Luca said she would heat it up (microwave) and that "We are so busy" but those customers weren't there 35 minutes ago when we placed our order....EPIC FAIL...in fairness I will try this place again on brunch and hope to GOD to edit this review but don't have high expectations for this diner...good luck read more

I've seen and read about Royal and I live in Old Town so on a Tuesday evening I gave it a shot. The dinner roll was cold and hard, why did they even bring it out? The fried oysters was a mess, fried beyond recognition and the roast beef au jus was dry. The waiter offered to bring out horseradish sauce and never bothered to even do that. This was the first time I could not make myself pay for something that I ordered which was the fried oysters. I could make everything that I ordered so I have some idea what it should look and taste like. Overall a lackluster dining experience. I don't understand the hype. The wait staff was nice but just not helpful. I've read that the breakfast is good but I won't be back when there are better alternatives. read more

Royal has a solid breakfast which is a nice alternative to IHOP and the like. If you're hungry, you may do OK with the $12.50 Sunday buffet, but for me the $4-$7 breakfast options seem to fill me up just fine. We don't have traditional diners like you see up north...this will do in a pinch. And like so much of Alexandria, this place is historic. It's been around since 1904. read more

Been here at least 6 or 7 times over the years I've lived in and visited Alexandria. It was one lunch and the rest were breakfast visits. Staying at the Sheraton across the street from the Royal, and the $11 breakfast buffet is a lot better than the $15 offering at the hotel. This is a pretty big place, but the wait on a weekend can be long, especially if there are 4 wedding parties staying at the Sheraton. I've always gotten good service and good food and drink at the Royal. Nothing spectacular, but filling, affordable and in a pleasant environment. It's also a relief from the IHOP/Denny's chain restaurants. Go local when in North Old Town and have breakfast, lunch or dinner here. I think breakfast is available all day, even. read more

A breakfast buffet was a bargain at $13.00 ! This past Sunday was my first visit to the Royal Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. What a great brunch place.A breakfast buffet was a bargain at $13.00 - great for large groups. They had a large variety of food to choose from an omelette and waffle station to cream chipped beef, biscuits, grits, fruit, bacon, sausage ... the list goes on and on. Not gourmet but definitely simple and tasty - diner food. I was joined by a friend visiting from Paris - she found the Royal "typical American diner" and she raved about the American coffee. The place was casual - lots of booths. Bonus- the have a parking lot. Enjoy. read more

This is an awesome place to eat, I went today for the Breakfast Buffet, the had wonderful selections ranging from, Omelets, which they make for you, biscuits and gravy, creamed chipped beef, fried apples, etc...the prices are wonderful, the wait staff is very attentive, but it gets crowded quickly! read more

Boy I love this place. For years I have the pleasure of coming to beautiful Alexandria and whenever possible I try to squeeze in a breakfast in the good old Royal. I love coming to a place where time seems to have come to a stand still ( in the best way of the word!). Where it looks as if the same guys come here for their breakfast for decades - despite the new developments being built up nearby. And even I come back to this gem and always get greeted by the nice smile of our great waitress for years. the place looks as if it is fallen out of the 50s and the menu is solid and very tasty. Even scrapple is on it! I always go for a Spanish Omelett or a egg white one (Which earns me some weird stares ;-) ), bottomless coffee and some nice cakes - and Bob is your uncle. read more

Thee most awesomest inexpensive brunch ever! Great waffles and omelettes. A good place to spend time with friends. I shall return soon

Sunday brunch was excellent. There was a waffle station and omelette station. Lots of good food We also ate here Friday night. The turkey dinner was great. The stuffing had something sweet in it. My hubby had the steak. Could have been better read more

This was a nice well served restaurant with booths all over although a little small for my six foot frame. The staff was very helpful and inviting. I was surprised they had grits although they did not have my wife's favorite corned beef hash I can wait have lunch or dinner with their extensive menu and buffet service on the weekends. A little pricey but worthwhile. read more

Place was super-average. We had the Sunday brunch and the food was all lukewarm. Mac and cheese was the Velveeta kind. The omelet was probably the best part. Plus some kind of roach-looking bug ran across the back of my husband's seat. Didn't see anything near the food but it doesn't make you feel real confident. I won't be back but my husband says that he would go back again. read more

This our go-to breakfast place, but I do not recommend the buffet - I'm just never very happy with it. If you order off the menu (saturdays only for breakfast, Sundays are buffet-only!), you will be ok though. The wait is always pretty crazy here, and there are no reservations, so if you're going sat or sun morning expect a 10-20 minute wait. They also accidentally take people out of order all the time which sucks, but you'll get used to it =). read more

Back in early September we were absolutely exhausted from moving in to our new place and decided we wanted some comfort food in a relaxed atmosphere. Ding ding! We stumbled upon this place and it fit the description of what we wanted perfectly. It has an old-time diner feel to it and when we were there it was extremely quiet with us and then a bunch of senior citizens. Very nice. For dinner they have a small salad bar set up which is very cheap and has plenty of simple but inviting options. Nothing fancy. Lettuce, tomatoes, crumbled egg and some shrivieled carrots is what I had for my salad. For dinner, I had a nice big plate of lasagna and boyfriend had a pasta alfredo dish with shrimp. He was underwhelmed with his dish. My lasagna hit the spot although admittedly I have had better lasagna elsewhere. But there was nothing bad about this lasagna at all. We started our meal with warm rolls and a stick a butter. I do hear that the breakfast buffet is money so would come back for that. But there is no TV in the main dining area and we usually try to coordinate brunch with football. But maybe in the spring! In all, I think this is a simple relaxing place, with hearty and good, not great, food. read more

A good, solid breakfast. They were open on Labor Day, so that made us happy. It was CROWDED. CRAZY crowded. And the staff seemed very overwhelmed, and thus short on the friendly service. The only option was a buffet, but that was fine. The buffet was decent. They have made-to-order omelettes, and that guy was worth coming just to see him work his magic. It was mesmerizing to watch him handle all the orders. They also make waffles to order, which were fine. The buffet had just enough items to be interesting, but not so many as to be overwhelming. The food was hot and fresh, but it was really, really busy, so it could have just been turnover creating the freshness factor. The biscuits were OK and not very flavorful. The sausage gravy was average, better than a hotel, but only just. The sausages were lower-quality and quite greasy. I thought the huge, cut-in-half donuts was a nice touch :) I probably won't be back, but it was an OK visit. read more

The entire staff is super friendly they welcome you in like you're at your house. Great customer service from our server. The food not to mention I honestly think it's the best diner around town especially so close to the waterfront if you're in car or even a walk wouldn't hurt! Heck you can even catch a bite before your flight . I love how they have the omelette station and you get to pick how you want it. read more

Great older neighborhood restaurant/diner with authentic small town feel. Service at the Royal is good - even cheerful and interesting if you are friendly and without attitude. This is not a corporate production where everything is pretty much prescripted and the servers and managers show exaggerated happiness and interest in you and your experience. Neither is it a place where there is a level of indifference due to its "cool" factor. The servers can become like friends you might meet on the street. For some, this is refreshing. Granted, the food at the Royal is not particularly spectacular nor is it very diverse. However, there are some pretty good dishes to enjoy here for a laid back uncomplicated meal which will not upset your stomach unless of course you eat too much. In my opinion, this is what a diner should do well. It's all about having the correct expectations, especially if you go to restaurants often. read more

I can't believe this is the same place that everyone is raving about. Came here for lunch around 1 pm on Memorial Day. We asked a server who was walking inside if they served breakfast all day and she said they did. When we walked in later w/ the rest of our friends, our different server gave us a weird look when we asked for the breakfast menu. Luckily she said she'd ask the cook and said it was ok. I know I'm gonna sound snobby but this whole place doesn't seem very clean. I'm sure this place has been around awhile and I know it's a diner and not some high-end steakhouse but it still felt... grungy. Got the buffalo wings to start off with which were just ok. It wasn't very warm. The appetizer sized plates they brought were ALL dirty!! The guy saw them as he was laying them down, took the plates away and then never brought new ones. My bf said his omelet was pretty good. My club sandwich was just a club sandwich- can't really knock down points for this. Prices were really fair I think. About an hour later, we were sitting around drinking the rest of our beverages when a male cook came over to take away the last plate on our table and grumbled about something but I managed to hear the word "closed". I was a bit confused when I got up b/c there were still 2 tables with people in it. On our way out, we realized they put up a sign saying they were closed. We had no idea they were closing early. It was 2:30 pm at this point. I wish I had been able to try the buffet b/c people are raving about it. I didn't really enjoy my experience. read more

I'm visiting from New Mexico and found this place walking around town. Good standard fare breakfast with generous portions. Service was great and I appreciated the fact that they kept parties apart out of respect for their customers during the pandemic. I appreciated my server, an elderly lady that kept my coffee hot and was attentive but not overbearing. Nice place with an Alexandria history. Great location. A nice place for walking to work off some of those pancake calories. read more

Royal Restaurant is one of my many Old Town Alexandria staples. I love this place for breakfast! I am not much of a buffet person, in general, but this place is great for breakfast buffet. The eggs/omelette/waffle station is a big hit for me. I love that I can design my own eggs, and they will be hot and fresh. The guys working the station are always friendly - leave them a buck or two! The only reason I give this place three stars is that I am not a fan of buffets, and besides the eggs, most of the food is typical buffet fare. read more

The location of Royal Restaurant is a convenient location. It's road side parking but every time I've gone, I didn't have too much of an issue finding a parking spot. My favorite thing about this restaurant is their unlimited brunch. They try their best to get all their customers seated, sometimes there's a wait but I haven't waited for too long, around 15-20 minutes. They have this great omelette station where I always take advantage of it. They cook my omelette to perfection. Every thing else is like a buffet. Tons of bacon, sausages, biscuits. Since it is more of a buffet style, the bacon wouldn't be as crisp as I would like since they tend to soak up a lot of condensation from the lid. They also have fruits which I don't find very often at brunch locations. Price wise, to me, it's not very expensive especially if you can eat a lot. You'll definitely eat your price's worth. I will definitely be back for more delicious brunch. read more

We loved this place! Coffee service was prime. Food was delicious and atmosphere was great.

There's a caveat to my review: it's for brunch. Love it! It's a buffet, which isn't usually my thing, but yuuummm. Belgian waffles made right in front of you. They're fluffy and wonderful with several fruit compotes to choose from -- or standard syrup. Omelettes are also made in front of you. I'm not usually an omelette person, but they looked so good, I had to get one. they also had great (and I don't usually like this, but) sausage, hash, and then standards like grits, country potatoes, bacon, etc. All for $11. If you order from the menu, it's also very economical. Will definitely make this a regular brunch stops -- just have to remember that it ends at 1:00 pm. read more

I ordered a burger for lunch from here (Bacon Cheddar) one day on a whim. I had walked by the place once and browsed the menu. The burgers caught my eye and I decided to try it. Ordered it medium. It really wasn't medium. The patty itself wasn't of a great quality (I presume it's frozen but I could be wrong). No real pinkness in the meat so it was well over done. The accompaniments were fresh ingredients and the fries were good as well. For the cost ($8), it gets 3 stars. Not great. Not terrible. Maybe I'll try something else next time. Or I'll get breakfast. read more

Overall, a decent meal. I had the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and sweet potato fries. The fries were good, but the breading on the chicken was a little bland. Honestly, it would've been closer to a four star for me had it not been for the weird ambiance. I don't know if it was because it was around closing time or if that's the way it is on a nightly basis, but there was no music and the place was completely silent. The owner (or possibly just a manager) was in the restaurant, and he was just kind of discomforting. (To be fair, I didn't have a conversation with the guy, he just gave me a weird vibe). I was really impressed with the waitress we had. She was very attentive and kind. I'm sure it's a better place for breakfast, I've heard they have a great buffet read more

We were visiting Old Town Alexandria due to the cherry blossom festival. We went to Royal restaurant for lunch. I read the great reviews about bunch and wanted to check it out. We were seated right away, once we arrived. The food was okay (nothing to brag about), the staff was very friendly and tentative. Overall, we had a pleasant dining experience. If you are in Old Town Alexandria and need a nice place to get a quick bite to eat. I would recommend you stop by. read more

Enjoyed a quick breakfast here this morning (Sunday). The only option was the buffet, which had made-to-order omelettes and waffles. There was also a hot bar featuring various fruit toppings for the waffles, pancakes, french toast, grits, potatoes, multiple breakfast meats, Greek honey puffs, donuts, a mixed fruit bowl (strawberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe), biscuits and gravy. Bottom line: a lot of options without being overwhelming. Service was great, coffee was strong, and the food was good. I don't think I'd give them the "best breakfast in town" banner they have out front, but it was a solid, fairly-priced breakfast option for Old Town. read more

We went to Royal Restaurant for Easter this year. My daughter was on crutches and needed extra space. Even though the Restaurant was extremely busy, they accommodated us and allowed us to take a 6-top even though we had only 4 people. Many other restaurants we've been to would have just said no. On top of that? The lunch buffet was amazing. Tender succulent lamb and roast beef, ham, chicken, and a fantastic omelette bar. Service was prompt but not pushy. I am a regular patron of Royal and have been since it was Royal Cafe. read more

Awesome diner in an awesome town. I had occasion to enjoy the breakfast buffet here earlier this spring and couldn't have been more pleased. I was on my way to Reagan National, had some time to kill, and stopped here for breakfast. I'm glad I did. The food is excellent, with a robust menu and an impressive breakfast buffet. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere of the place is very comfortable, not being too trendy or snooty, while still retaining enough class and diversity to stand out among the competition. My only regret: that I didn't discover this place when I still lived in Alexandria so I could have eaten here more often! read more

Meh. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, I have eaten breakfast all over the country and all over the world. I don't expect much, just a good breakfast. While staying in a nearby hotel I decided to try Royal restaurant. It was not Sunday so I can't speak for the buffet, but the Breakfast menu was sparse, unless you like waffles, pancakes or French toast. I ended up going for one of the few omelette selections, Western if I recall the name correctly, ham, cheese, onion, green peppers, came with grits or home fries, I got home fries, and toast. The food was 2.5 stars at best. The omelette, if it had cheese in it at all, it was that nasty processed cheese, I'll know later because that stuff gives me the runs. (Edit: yep, it would have been better with no "cheese" than that stuff) The home fries were just mushy chopped up potatoes. I skipped the toast. I found the portion to be small, but that was probably for the best. The coffee was OK, about a 3/5 for the coffee. Basically I wouldn't go back for breakfast, except "maybe", If there was nowhere else open, to try the Sunday breakfast buffet, to see if it is any better. tl;dr: The worst breakfast I have had in a long while, the coffee was OK. read more

Today was my first time here and the food (brunch) was delicious. The omelets made to order, the gravy full of flavor. The restaurant has a nice local feel. The only downside would be the Bloody Mary had a funky taste from the low quality vodka. read more

Great customer service great food make you feel at home owner turned the game on and was very polite felt like he really cared about his customers will return... visit this place food and service is very worth it read more

I haven't been to Royal for anything other than the Sunday breakfast buffet, so I can't speak for the menu items. However, I will say I was highly disappointed with the caliber of the breakfast buffet items. Ham, bacon, sausage was fine; pancakes were bland and relatively cold; biscuits were cold and stale. I can say the omelet and waffle stations were great and very quick. Service was good. Manager at the front who checked us out was not personable, didn't ask how my visit/the food was, and only mumbled "thanks" once payment was complete. A word of advice for those of you who will still visit Royal Restaurant for the Sunday breakfast buffet...do not take the table located directly across from the omelet station. People constantly bump into that table heading back and forth to their tables/the buffet. Amazing how inconsiderate and totally oblivious people can been. We had non stop dongs being drug across the corner of our table. I won't be back, and honestly think I could have gotten similar quality food and experience at Denny's or IHOP. read more

We had zero plans for Valentine's Day and saw Royal was offering a to-go meal for a fantastic price, appetizers, entrees, desserts, and rolls! We picked it up not really knowing what to expect, and we're shocked at how much food it came with. Our entrees were both fantastic, steak and crab cakes, and we still can't stop thinking about the chocolate mousse cake. I'm not familiar with Royal, but it does seem like it's been updated recently or they've made some better changes. It's definitely worth checking out for the price and quantity of food, with classic meals that more than satisfied us. read more

I've had plenty of okay weekday lunches here, but I won't be back anytime soon. Don't know if they have a new chef, but my usually reliable turkey club sandwich took way too long to come, and arrived with one (!) small slice of turkey in each quadrant. Also arrived with much fewer fries than usual. No reason to pay $10 for one slice of turkey when I can get a better sandwich at Harris Teeter across the street for $4. read more

The steak and cheese sub and the open-faced turkey sandwich were wonderful. I also got the salad bar, which was a bit odd; you were only allowed one visit and they were lacking cucumbers. We went in at about 1pm on a weekday. It seemed a bit dirty (the floor, not the tables) and the server was very awkward. Otherwise, it was a good experience. read more

Overall I would give it a C-. Poor service and average food make it a restaurant that we won't go back to We went for the Sunday brunch buffet. If you stick to the staples (eggs, bacon, sausage, etc) you'll be fine. I had biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were OK, but the gravy was lacking in flavor and had a gelatinous consistency. My wife got an omelette and the cook used so much oil that the omelette came out dripping in oil. Our server was often hard to find and we had to flag down another section's server to get our water refilled. One thing that was interesting is that the buffet will have leftovers from the previous night's dinner menu on it. read more

This place sucks. I keep trying it hoping maybe it's me, but no, it's not me. It's way overpriced and the coffee mugs are tiny. A $13.00 bill seems too high for pancakes and a cup of coffee, especially since the blueberry pancakes were extremely dry. read more

All though it isn't a lot of food the quality makes up for it, and the staff was very welcoming. read more

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