Delicious, healthy food! Prices are fair, the only thing is that we are definitely not socially distanced:/

All the highest praise you'll read in reviews here and elsewhere are true. Great food, terrific staff, healthy options, pretty decent coffee, worth the occasional wait... All 100% accurate. However, one misguided management decision counters all the good and jeopardizes Shawsheen's up-to-now enduring reputation as Andover's (and the region's) best breakfast spot: They no longer offer hash browns as a side on the weekends. A longtime signature item on the menu, one for which spud aficionados for decades have traveled from afar, and perhaps THE menu item diners might rank the best they've ever tasted, now unavailable to diners who work weekdays. This is an unimaginably short-sighted decision and new ownership should know that this long-time regular is alarmed, saddened, and now seldom seen amidst the framed aphorisms that line the dining room walls. Imagine Fenway without the frank. Or peanut butter sans jelly. A lonely meatball absent spaghetti... Hoping other diners join the chorus and management comes to its senses. I'd love to return to my former Saturday routine. read more

Great Place People are nice and service is fast and friendly. Food was above average and wait times we're not too bad.

Service: friendly, family feel. Always treated with warmth and politeness here. Have never seen staff rude or short with folks, even when some of the patrons might inspire it. Food: Good, hot, plentiful. I love U Old Goat omelette with garlic and goat cheese and sundried tomatoes. Great home fries. Friends love their French toast, especially the stuffed French toast varieties they come up with, and they rotate cool new seasonal stuff in and out of the mix as well. Experience: plan to come earlier than you want to eat and wait. It's usually quite busy. Counter seats open faster if you're a one or two person party. Overall: Recommend! Fun local family-feeling place for brunch. I can't manage to order lunch here because I'm so fixated on their fabulous breakfast/brunch items. read more

The place always has a line out the door. One of the owners was nice enough to make my daughter a hamburger on a Sunday even though they don't typically server lunch food on the weekends. The restaurant is a "seat yourself" place and it typically has a line out the door on the weekends. It is your typical eggs and bacon breakfast joint. I thought the omelette that I ordered was very good at the time and my mother thought her eggs were very good at the time. About an hour or so later we both were not feeling great, I think the grease or something didn't sit well. Could it of been a one-time bad experience? Sure... The lines don't lie in this pricey area of MA where people can go anywhere for breakfast food. I would have to say that Matty's in Salem, NH is still my breakfast choice over this restaurant. read more

great place to stop on our drive along 495. fresh ingredients, healthy options, friendly service. highly recommend!

The Shawsheen Luncheonette serves your typical diner fare: breakfast items, sandwiches, specials. There is nothing here inventive or spectacular; however, the food is solid. Why only two stars? As others have mentioned, there is an abundance of signs, scolding signs, that I don't believe are necessary. If my boys want to stack the jellies at the table, who cares? There are other signs as well including those prohibiting strollers. It is a small diner so don't even bother going on a weekend. The parking is also difficult. Some of the other reviewers have attempted to shuffle these issues aside; but, they are important considerations to keep in mind. There are other diners that provide better accommodations without the prohibitions. read more

For two years this has been my go to spot. I tried others in the Andover area and while there are other places to get a decent breakfast the competition isn't close: Shawsheen Luncheonette is the best breakfast you can find anywhere around this area. Saturdays at 7am you can find me ordering one of their many hash offerings. Staff is great if you are a regular but I can see someone easily being frustrated if they are a new customer and if you are there at a busy time. YES, it is worth the wait: peak hours can mean 30 minute wait or more but you can't find better breakfast in a 30 mile radius. Coffee is nothing special so I don't know why some maniac was touting its merits but with so many great options and consistently great food you shouldn't care. Spicy pork hash, chicken hash are tops. The breakfast sandwich is excellent also but be warned: they do not have sausage PATTIES so if you get a sandwich with sausage you'll have to deal with butterflied links and it makes for some messy eating. PASS read more

By far the best breakfast and lunch menu in Andover! I've been going to the Shawsheen Luncheonette for about 8 years now and they never falter in quality, consistency, and service. It's home-cooked, bar none. You know you're at the right place when you see a line forming outside their door. The wait is worth it, trust me. read more

This is by far the very best breakfast place I know of in the Merrimack Valley. They have a regular menu and a more natural or organic menu. I order from the regular menu. Because it it excellent, I'm afraid that there is always a line. read more

I've seen reviews on other sites about the Shawsheen Luncheonette with various complaints about bringing children here, long wait, no parking, etc. So when I first came here, I was nervous. It's close to my house, and my old favorite breakfast place closed, so I wanted to like it. Luckily I did! And all the times I've been since, I have had none of the problems I've read about on the other review sites. Everyone is nice and pleasant, I've never waited longer than 10-15 minutes for a table, even on a weekend morning. I've walked here before, but whenever we drive, there's never been trouble finding a parking spot either in the lot or along the road next to it. The lot is small, but so is the restaurant. There are also a few street parking spots out front. There are regulars who have their spots saved at the counter for the time and days they always come. I love that about the Shawsheen. It's just a small, no-frills local luncheonette. And I can 100% say I have not experienced or witnessed any of the staff there being rude. The food is good, though not entirely healthy. I'm a big fan of the grilled blueberry muffin. Sandwiches for lunch are also good with plenty to choose from. Sundays they serve breakfast all day, and Fridays they are open for dinner. By the way, there are signs right on the door that state no strollers (undoubtedly due to lack of space) and no outside food (yes, even for children). There are also notes on the tables saying no playing with the jams. I personally don't think they're unreasonable. On another site I read people complaining about these rules. They're there for a reason, so if you're not okay with them, then don't even walk in the door in the first place if you're planning to disobey them. read more

The food was good, so if that's all you care about, then this place is fine. My friend and I felt like going for breakfast Wednesday morning. She came in with a stroller and they told us to seat ourselves. We found a small table and put the stroller next to it, and we were greeted with "Normally we ask people to keep their strollers outside. I need room to walk by." So we found a booth where we were able to situate the stroller so it wasn't in anybody's way. Then, the owner/manager (not sure who she was) came by and told us, once again, that strollers are normally left outside and the only reason she'll let us stay with the stroller is because it's not busy. So my friend responded that her baby needs the stroller, so we can leave and take our business elsewhere if necessary. So then she responded with, "You can stay. There's no reason for attitude." Anyway, that started a bitter morning. The food was good, and the prices were fine, but the service left a bitter taste in our mouths. Also, the mug that my coffee came in was rather small, and I had to ask for more coffee rather than be offered it. read more

Good food. Tight quarters. The booths are small and there is only one table for parties larger than 4. Good basics. Absolutely no bringing coffee in from other places and they have basic diner coffee. We even offered to pay for their coffee and just drink what we had. No dice. I would go back. Really yummy food. read more

This place has a giant sign harping themselves as the best breakfast place around. Well, there is not enough seating, and barely any parking. Its scrunched inside and they have weird hippy stuff on the walls. Maybe if you grew up in Andover or something and you know everybody who works there, its more exciting. The food is mediocre for breakfast and expensive. read more

This has quickly become one of my favorite breakfast places. Here are all the positive points about this place: 1. Always busy, quick turn around, never a long wait for a table. 2. Parking is never an issue. Park on the street out in front, or around in the small parking lot in the back. 3. ENORMOUS CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES. AND IN THE OFF CHANCE THEY ARE OUT OF CHOCOLATE CHIPS (like 2 weeks ago), THEY OFFER M&M PANCAKES! 4. Always friendly, personable staff. Love them all. 5. Crazy variety of omelets...everything from veggie, to mediterranean, to hot dog, to buffalo chicken, to lamb's tongue. Just kidding about the last one, in case you're still reading... 6. Cheap. Now...the negatives... For the love of God, ENOUGH ALREADY of the tie-dye uniforms!!! You are hurting my hungover brain looking at you!!!! That's about it for the negs. But it's quite enough. read more

I have never been here and not been able to find a parking spot or waited longer than 5 minutes for a seat. If you think parking and the wait is bad on a weekend morning then you should drive down the road to Cracker Barrel. Food is above average. Prices are about right, not a bargain but not expensive either. A three egg omelet with home fries and toast is between 7 and 9 bucks. The hippie decor is kind of weird but makes this place unique. This is the best breakfast spot I've found in the area. read more

What a great little place... friendly, food was great and I'd go back anytime!

First time here for breakfast today and certainly won't be the last. When my wife and I got there the line was long but moved along very quickly. After a much shorter wait than I anticipated we were seated. Young lady sat us another server got us our drinks and a third server took our order. Next thing you know we had our food. I had the Shawsheen omelette with home fries and white toast. The omelette consisted of sausage,bacon,peppers,tomatoes,mushrooms and onions. Probably the best omelette I have ever had in any restaurant/diner and this is coming from someone who lived in New Jersey where there are so many diners. The home fries were prepared just the way I like them, crispy and juicy not undercooked and dried out like so many other places. Looking forward to my next visit to Andover. I already know that I will be ordering the coffee roll French toast which looks amazing. read more

Easy to find, and not a terrible wait for a weekend brunch spot. It's first come first serve, and despite the wait, the servers don't rush you or make you feel like they need to turn the table faster. Excellent prices and a really cool (albeit tiny!) atmosphere. Clean bathrooms, too! Tip: wear your warmest coat if you plan on going during the winter months. Most likely you'll be waiting outside. read more

Been here a few times on various weekdays, so we never had to wait for a table. Even so, this place is always busy. Service is always friendly and fast! I always get some sort of breakfast and a coffee, but my dining partners have gotten lunch items as well, and loved everything they've tried. I really like it here, when I'm in the area I do try to stop in - the coffee is delicious as are all the dishes I've had. Parking can be tough since its at a busy intersection in Andover, but is worth it! read more

A town diner, which is impeccably clean and has amazing service. I'd recommend going early as the line can get quite long. Diner food, but elevated. They make all of the diner food you'd expect to see, plus more- and it has unexpected twists, check the specials menu they are popping something new on there from time to time. A fresh-toast cinnamon roll was on special this particular day, I didn't order it but it sounds sinful! The coffee was was fresh and they kept it coming, The food was pretty good. The portions were ginormous and flavorful. They had real deal maple syrup, which is a BIG plus. The only drawback was that the bacon wasn't as crisp and fresh as I'd like it to be. The menu here has something for everyone. Go when you're hungry and bring friends so you can try what they order too! read more

Shawsheen has great egg white omelet's and fresh - yes I said fresh - fruit. None of that canned syrupy stuff. This reason alone is why I keep going back. Price is reasonable too at about $12 a meal. Parking is scarce and there is always a wait. Prepare to battle to keep your place in line and get a booth! Another negative: Aside from their tie dye theme, they have this one table for two set up in the most POOR location. Your stuck in the middle of an already very crowded isle, directly next to, almost sharing, another booth full of people. I've been placed there twice and it is very awkward. We asked to be moved both times. read more

So I've been here quite a few times. So I figured, "hey, I'll review it." Anyways, this place is in the southern part of town, not far from the major highways. The place itself is in a mini-sort of plaza near a car dealership and Dunkin Donuts, and while the Dunkin Donuts serves as a good place for the impatient crowd to get their breakfast, having this place sharing a parking lot with a liquor store and a hair salon makes it slightly more difficult on certain days (saturdays and sundays). Don't worry however, there is a lot on the other side of the street if you don't mind a little walking. (Good tip for parking, if you see people standing outside or at the door, there is no parking available behind the building.) The place itself is a little small, but the booths are packed relatively densely but not terrible, so don't worry you won't be sharing your coffee with the guy next to you. There are traditional booths, tables with seats, and a bar where I typically enjoy sitting. Please, pick your pleasure and enjoy. Service is usually good, but with every place you just may get stuck with that bad apple employee. Food/drink wise... They have really good coffee. I enjoy strong coffee usually but this place has a really good medium-ish roast. In addition to coffee, they have the normal, water, orange juice, milk etc. For food, they also have the usual departments. Muffins, sausage, bacon, bagels, pancakes, toast, fruit dishes etc. To really sum it up, this place is your all-around luncheonette that doesn't take what they make to the extreme but do it well. Prices are fair to midland. Comparable prices from 2-4 diners to anywhere else in the area. Tips are welcome and expected :) S.O. read more

By far, this is my favorite breakfast spot whenever I'm home from college. The food is delicious, service is great, & the atmosphere is splendid. The chocolate pancakes are always cooked to perfect (fluffy and light), the omelette is made with just the right amount/type of cheese so that it's not overbearing, and the coffee is simply delicious. Whenever my mom and I visit Shawsheen Luncheonette, we share a single chocolate pancake and a create-your-own omelette (cheese, spinach, mushroom, tomato, onion, and sausage) that also comes with two extra sides (toast & hash browns for us). Plenty for two. What a cute, lovely place to catch up with family or friends when you're in the Andover area. Although there has ALWAYS been a wait and a line out the door every time I've visited, I would 100% recommend waiting because the food is worth it! read more

Shawsheen Luncheonette - Delicious chocolate pancake, create-your-own omelette, hash browns, toast, and bacon/egg/cheese sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

This place was excellent, unfortunately I visited it today and it has been closed forever it was really sad, my favorite breakfasts, not sure what was the reason, or what happened but this is a very sad true story. Thank you so much to the owners, the place was fantastic and amazing. read more

They probably don't need another good review but I so rarely find a place that hits all the marks, I wanted to give one anyway! This place is just great! I have been twice both on Sunday when it is very busy. One week I have Homemade Hash and eggs, very good! The other visit I had Eggs Benedict. Soooo good! They use ham steak and it is so much better than thin Canadian bacon. The coffee was good too. Usually when the food is good the place is laking in another area but not the Shawsheen Luncheonette! From the greeting at the door to the counter and table service, the staff was friendly and attentive. I can't say enough good things. If you sit at the counter you can see the cooks prepare food. Clean and efficient. The staff works like a well oiled machine. The only issue we had on the first visit was my friend ordered a bacon and cheese omelette and received a broccoli and cheese omelette. It was crazy load that day (St. Paddy's Day) so the server heard her incorrectly. Not a huge deal. Broccoli just doesn't hit the spot if you are craving bacon. We took it as a sign we should eat healthier.... LOL. I am not sure the last time I gave 5 stars! I highly recommend visiting here. If you do go on a weekend, go early to avoid the line. Maybe before 9:15. read more

The service and food awesome!!! You need to go there early because it's always packed. Their omelettes are great. The salads are my favorite. The place is small so feel a bit crowded. read more

I went there for breakfast during Passover. I told the waitress I couldn't have bread/toast with my eggs because it is Passover. I asked if I could have the potatoes instead. She said sure but it's an extra charge but we'll credit the price of the toast. My Husband thought this was acceptable. If he weren't there I would have gotten up and left. That says to me that they'll make accommodations when you tell them you have a need but they'll want you to pay for it. I'll take my business elsewhere thank you. read more

This is what a local, home town restaurant should be - friendly, inviting and great food served in generous proportions! Every time we come here we ask ourselves the same question - why don't we come her more often??? We had omelets - 'The Old Goat' with goat cheese and the Italian sausage with onions and Swiss cheese. The hash browns (and you have a choice of string or red potatoes!!!) and home made corned beef hash are out of this world. As we were finishing they had begun t serve lunch - and boy, did that look good, too!!! We'll be back soon...promise! read more

This place has some of the best breakfast and brunch selections in town! My only gripe with this place is that its tiny! one often has to wait to for seats to become available, and its a seat yourself kind of joint. As far as their food goes; I love their sweet potato pancakes! their chicken hash is also pretty damn tasty. They have such a great selection of food! Price wise, they are right on the money! not too expensive. If you are willing to wait in line for some amazing food...this place is worth just about every minute of that wait. Also, sweet potato pancakes! do it! read more

Probably my go-to breakfast place. I've been going here for a long time and have never been disappointed with their food. While the early to afternoon lines are long and sometimes go out the door the wait is well worth it. The atmosphere of Shawsheen Luncheonette is wonderful. All of the happy waitresses and people really make the place come alive! Highly recommend this place. 10/10 would come again! read more

As per usual, I got kind of lost while using my GPS while trying to find a Starbucks. Luckily, I ended up in a parking lot right across the street from Shawsheen Luncheonette. My fiance was part of a wedding, so I was alone for a few hours before the wedding started. I immediately felt comfortable sitting at the bar with people who appeared to be regulars. The amazingly friendly waitress asked me if I wanted coffee and a paper. These people knew how to deal with a lone diner! I ordered the salmon omelet special. It was ok... not great, but not bad. Typical diner food. There were a lot of specials and a lot of other interesting things on the menu. If I went back, I would definitely get something different. Unfortunately, we had brunch plans with the wedding party the day after the wedding, or I would have brought my fiance back here. Great place to stumble upon! read more

My last review wasn't too cool & I'm sorry about that! There are good days- and not so good ones, I'm sure in the restaurant world.. just like anything else. This restaurant is very convenient for me. Therefore, I decided to give The Shawsheen Luncheonette another shot, returning for breakfast on a weekday. MUCH BETTER! I always order the Johnny Cakes and scrambled eggs. My dining companion always orders an omelet - usually The Potato Head. And, this time around they did not disappoint. Both of our meals were excellent! The service was also great. Perhaps due to a weekday/time ( 9:00) when they are not as busy? So, now I'm back on track! which is a good thing : - ) read more

This place gets pretty hyped up. ALWAYS crowded on weekends. It's pretty good, but not as awesome as people make it out to be. They cook everything right and pretty fast. Breakfast ends up being about $10/person after you get a drink. Very limited parking and space inside. read more

The Shawsheen Luncheonette is one of those curious places that I see every single day but have never actually stopped in to eat. I sit at that traffic light on my way to work each morning, and sometimes I take a lazy look through the windows. It's always pretty busy looking and seems to be a local favorite. Finally I had a chance to drop by for lunch with my coworkers, and it was yummy! I actually thought it was going to be larger on the inside, but it was squishy, a bit disappointingly so. The place was hopping though, and that's always a good sign at lunch. Service was quick and friendly. It was pretty loud so it was difficult to hear anything. They had a lobster roll listed on the menu, and the price was really decent ($13) and it was fabulous - the roll split down the middle because it couldn't hold all the meat, and everything was fantastically fresh. I'm already daydreaming about when I can go back again, but as a special item I know it won't always be available! read more

When the are open, the food at the Shawsheen Luncheonette is great, but they are currently closed with no indication of when they intend to reopen. :-( read more

When you walk in, you notice right away the tie-dye decor everywhere including the waittress's shirts. I've driven by this place a million times on my way to 495, but I've never eaten here until now! Parking was definitely not easy because the restaurant is located at the intersection of 28 and 133, so there are a few street parking spots and we were lucky enough to grab one. Andrew had the chocolate chip pancakes. These things are huge! Nothing too out of the ordinary. as soon as this came out we slathered it in butter and syrup and inhaled it! Joe usually loves to salty then sweet, but I like to go back and forth so we ate half of the chocolate chip pancakes first. They were sweet and fluffy. I liked that the chocolate chip flavor was not overbearing in the dish, just the right balance between pancake and chocolate. For our salty dish, I was torn between the corn hash which is what they are known for and getting something with eggs.....In the end, eggs won. Corn hash is really a hit or miss for me, only one place has ever impressed me. So we went with the bacon and cheese omelette which was just OK. what really stood out was the hash brown! they were crispy and yummy. read more

Blueberry pancakes are frikin awesome!!nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gem! Love the options and how fresh the food is. Staff always friendly and efficient. One of my fav places in the Noston area

This is a excellent (but not cheap - its in Andover) breakfast spot. This time we had a chile cheese omelette (which did have home-made chili), excellent hash browns, and a really good, eggy waffle with raspberries and cream. The people next to us at the counter (always sit at the counter if they have one) had cinnamon roll French toast and French toast with bananas and nutella - both of which looked great, but may not so healthy. Service is good, the place is always really busy, and the noise level is high read more