The City Diner
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nuthin special. service was great we ordered 2 # 2 breakfasts. food was marginal nothing remarkable at all the cinnamon rolls are from sam's club so...not sure about that be nice if they were homemade or they had some greasy home cooked fried potatoes or something to stand out. prices are kinda high for a diner also. there is a LOT of new housing goin up all around so the wait was already a good 15min and will likely go up on busy mornings.
Always a busy spot! Good food, great prices and an easy stop before you start your day in the river market.
It's cheap food but very greasy. The service is quick and kind. The seats are old and cracking but the small diner vibe was perfect.
I stopped here for breakfast to start my day because it was close to my hotel. It's a generic diner in a great location with some parking. The menu is normal except for the the Bob special. The decor is kitch with generic tables and chairs. The place is nothing fancy but it works. My service was off because I was forgotten about. Service was lacking but the food was great so no stars were harmed on this visit. Ok listen up people, the Bob special is very unique because it's a big biscuit topped with country fried steak, hash browns, scrambled eggs smothered in country gravy. OMG the Bob special looked amazing piping hot to my table. This was absolutely delicious by the way. The hash browns were golden crisp, the country fried steak was golden crispy and three times thicker than the crap in my city. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and the abundance of thick creamy country gravy like a volcano erupted on this mountain of food was so good. Overall this was a great choice for a breakfast spot and on my trips, I spend hours researching the area for the best possible restaurants and this one hit it out of the park, great job.
Visited for breakfast on a Friday morning; sometimes, you're hungry for just some basic diner food. Upon entering, a server on the other side of the room told us to find any open table that's clean. When we got seated, our server was there right away ready to take our drink orders. I ordered the breakfast tacos, and my friend ordered the biscuits and gravy. The food was delivered quickly, and portions are fair for the price. The biscuits and gravy were bland and there wasn't much sausage in the gravy. The breakfast tacos were fine. If you're looking for a creative brunch menu, or the best biscuits and gravy, this is not the place for you. I think some effort could be put into a few menu items to make them better, but when compared to local no-frills diners, I think City Diner provides a satisfactory experience.
Basic old-school diner with an emphasis on breakfast. Yesterday was only my 3rd or so visit, which is odd since I used to live in the neighborhood. I was craving Biscuits and Gravy and ended up stopping here. The biscuits were very standard and cold and topped and although the gravy was hot and creamy, it lacked any substantial amount of meat crumbles. My side plate of hash browns were crispy. Service was efficient and pleasant but not very engaging. I love that these type of places exist and they serve a purpose, basic greasy food with a quick turn-around.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or so your mom always told ya. Well if you are searching for an all American breakfast that checks all the boxes with a big dose of nostalgia then look no further than the classic City Diner. Located on the fringes of the City Market in River Market proper this quintessential diner is only open until 2pm so come hungry early. The menu features all kinds of normal diner staples that are all reasonably priced and over portioned, in true diner fashion you are not going to leave hungry. The last time I stopped into City Diner I was craving a gooey egg, a crispy hash brown and a savory piece of sausage and my breakfast delivered all of those. I opted for the Italian breakfast sausage option which was new to me but had a lot more spice than the regular sausage patty. It also had a more irregular shape which was fun. My over easy eggs had a runny yolk that made me smile, especially once they were the object of desire for my rye toast to dunk itself into. Also it is to be said that everything here on this visit was seasoned immaculately, nothing over salted which is rare for diners on occasion. Overall, I came with a certain picture of a diner breakfast plate in mind and what I was served was exactly that and nothing more. No bells and whistles here but overall good eats so, if you're not expecting frills but you are expecting flavor then hop on into the City Diner.
Went to city diner to have brunch and walk through vintage market days in city market across the street. The location of the diner is perfect for a weekend brunch and city market combo! The food is very good and it's a cute small diner the kind of place you would see an old man in suspenders at the breakfast bar! The menu isn't large but very good food and good service!
The first time here. I was looking for a diner in the downtown area to meet a friend for breakfast. Of course, I turned to Yelp! City Diner appears to have been here a bit. I'm not sure how long, but it seems like a long time. The place is clean and cool tables in the back room. Loved the stool diner top but didn't have 2 chairs together when we walked in. Very quick service and a lengthy menu when we got there mid day, so all options were open, but we stuck with the breakfast menu. Pro tip: if you sit next to the windows. You need to be prepared to see a bumper or two wizz past you. Wow kinda thought a car was coming thru the glass a time or two, but you get used to it. LOL My buddy got the classic it had 2 or 3 eggs, English muffin hash browns, and bacon. All looked good. The bacon was surprising it was think and crispy, not greasy floppy like most restaurant bacon. I opted for the suggested country fried steak meal. Also, came with 2 eggs, hash browns, and English muffin. They had cholula available: score!!! Steak was thick and tasty, not too much breading. Hash browns were perfect little crunchy, not soggy nor burnt. Good coffee, good food food service and food conversation equals a great day. Thanks, City Diner. we will be back.
Didn't know what to ordered but I saw the biscuit and gravy and that looked amazing! Probably gonna try that next time. Everything taste good and yummy though! Servers were nice !
I discovered this small diner in KC, slightly removed from downtown. Nothing fancy, yet a pleasant community diner where the servers warmly greet you the second you walk through the door. Service was great, as was the food. The menu has many choices. What stood out to me was the atmosphere. Table talk was peacefully spoken. An elderly man walks in with his cane and is directed to his favorite table, as the waitress asks, "The usual?" Background music softly playing "Let It Be" - Beatles. Peaceful and pleasant experience... Step back in time with this little gem!
We've been wanting to come here since we moved to Kansas City three years ago. Today was the day. We had a little staycation downtown and skipped the hotel breakfast to come here. The City Diner is outstanding! They definitely have their locals and regular customers, but we're also welcoming to us as first timers. Our waitress was jovial and courteous, and answered all of our silly questions. My wife had a half order of biscuits and gravy. I had a double cheeseburger, which was enormous. Those patties are no joke. I would get a single next time. Thankfully, it did not come with fries or tots as that would've been entirely too much food. I could hardly finish it, and I was ravenous. We want to come back and try other things here. It will not take a long time before we return. My wife loved her biscuits and gravy, and she is from the south. The biscuits were pillowy, soft and flaky. We have found our divvy diner that we love. The City Diner opened in 1937. One taste of their food and you'll know why they've been around almost 90 years. read more
2 months ago
I heard The City Diner had Golden Boy pies so I wanted to check it out. My husband, kids, and I stopped in while wandering around the City Market. It is a quaint little diner and all you'd expect from a diner. The service was really fast and the food wasn't out of this world, but it was good. After trying the biscuits and gravy and French Toast, I completely forgot about the pie!! read more
9 months ago
Stopped in while walking around City Market. Dinner vibe....great menu! Service was quick and attentive... Food was good and portions were huge! read more
1 month ago
nuthin special. service was great we ordered 2 # 2 breakfasts. food was marginal nothing remarkable at all the cinnamon rolls are from sam's club so...not sure about that be nice if they were homemade or they had some greasy home cooked fried potatoes or something to stand out. prices are kinda high for a diner also. there is a LOT of new housing goin up all around so the wait was already a good 15min and will likely go up on busy mornings. read more
3 months ago
2 months ago
1 year ago
3 months ago
2 years ago
It's cheap food but very greasy. The service is quick and kind. The seats are old and cracking but the small diner vibe was perfect. read more
I stopped here for breakfast to start my day because it was close to my hotel. It's a generic diner in a great location with some parking. The menu is normal except for the the Bob special. The decor is kitch with generic tables and chairs. The place is nothing fancy but it works. My service was off because I was forgotten about. Service was lacking but the food was great so no stars were harmed on this visit. Ok listen up people, the Bob special is very unique because it's a big biscuit topped with country fried steak, hash browns, scrambled eggs smothered in country gravy. OMG the Bob special looked amazing piping hot to my table. This was absolutely delicious by the way. The hash browns were golden crisp, the country fried steak was golden crispy and three times thicker than the crap in my city. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and the abundance of thick creamy country gravy like a volcano erupted on this mountain of food was so good. Overall this was a great choice for a breakfast spot and on my trips, I spend hours researching the area for the best possible restaurants and this one hit it out of the park, great job. read more
2 years ago
Visited for breakfast on a Friday morning; sometimes, you're hungry for just some basic diner food. Upon entering, a server on the other side of the room told us to find any open table that's clean. When we got seated, our server was there right away ready to take our drink orders. I ordered the breakfast tacos, and my friend ordered the biscuits and gravy. The food was delivered quickly, and portions are fair for the price. The biscuits and gravy were bland and there wasn't much sausage in the gravy. The breakfast tacos were fine. If you're looking for a creative brunch menu, or the best biscuits and gravy, this is not the place for you. I think some effort could be put into a few menu items to make them better, but when compared to local no-frills diners, I think City Diner provides a satisfactory experience. read more
3 years ago
Basic old-school diner with an emphasis on breakfast. Yesterday was only my 3rd or so visit, which is odd since I used to live in the neighborhood. I was craving Biscuits and Gravy and ended up stopping here. The biscuits were very standard and cold and topped and although the gravy was hot and creamy, it lacked any substantial amount of meat crumbles. My side plate of hash browns were crispy. Service was efficient and pleasant but not very engaging. I love that these type of places exist and they serve a purpose, basic greasy food with a quick turn-around. read more
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or so your mom always told ya. Well if you are searching for an all American breakfast that checks all the boxes with a big dose of nostalgia then look no further than the classic City Diner. Located on the fringes of the City Market in River Market proper this quintessential diner is only open until 2pm so come hungry early. The menu features all kinds of normal diner staples that are all reasonably priced and over portioned, in true diner fashion you are not going to leave hungry. The last time I stopped into City Diner I was craving a gooey egg, a crispy hash brown and a savory piece of sausage and my breakfast delivered all of those. I opted for the Italian breakfast sausage option which was new to me but had a lot more spice than the regular sausage patty. It also had a more irregular shape which was fun. My over easy eggs had a runny yolk that made me smile, especially once they were the object of desire for my rye toast to dunk itself into. Also it is to be said that everything here on this visit was seasoned immaculately, nothing over salted which is rare for diners on occasion. Overall, I came with a certain picture of a diner breakfast plate in mind and what I was served was exactly that and nothing more. No bells and whistles here but overall good eats so, if you're not expecting frills but you are expecting flavor then hop on into the City Diner. read more
2 years ago
Went to city diner to have brunch and walk through vintage market days in city market across the street. The location of the diner is perfect for a weekend brunch and city market combo! The food is very good and it's a cute small diner the kind of place you would see an old man in suspenders at the breakfast bar! The menu isn't large but very good food and good service! read more
The first time here. I was looking for a diner in the downtown area to meet a friend for breakfast. Of course, I turned to Yelp! City Diner appears to have been here a bit. I'm not sure how long, but it seems like a long time. The place is clean and cool tables in the back room. Loved the stool diner top but didn't have 2 chairs together when we walked in. Very quick service and a lengthy menu when we got there mid day, so all options were open, but we stuck with the breakfast menu. Pro tip: if you sit next to the windows. You need to be prepared to see a bumper or two wizz past you. Wow kinda thought a car was coming thru the glass a time or two, but you get used to it. LOL My buddy got the classic it had 2 or 3 eggs, English muffin hash browns, and bacon. All looked good. The bacon was surprising it was think and crispy, not greasy floppy like most restaurant bacon. I opted for the suggested country fried steak meal. Also, came with 2 eggs, hash browns, and English muffin. They had cholula available: score!!! Steak was thick and tasty, not too much breading. Hash browns were perfect little crunchy, not soggy nor burnt. Good coffee, good food food service and food conversation equals a great day. Thanks, City Diner. we will be back. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
I discovered this small diner in KC, slightly removed from downtown. Nothing fancy, yet a pleasant community diner where the servers warmly greet you the second you walk through the door. Service was great, as was the food. The menu has many choices. What stood out to me was the atmosphere. Table talk was peacefully spoken. An elderly man walks in with his cane and is directed to his favorite table, as the waitress asks, "The usual?" Background music softly playing "Let It Be" - Beatles. Peaceful and pleasant experience... Step back in time with this little gem! read more
This is your typical greasy spoon. Not bad, but definitely not on the healthy side. The servers were extremely kind and fast. They greeted everyone coming in, refilled water and coffee constantly. I ordered eggs and hash browns and was not disappointed. My husband ordered a biscuit and gravy dish but was slightly disappointed how everything was saturated in gravy. He didn't realize that they would stack the eggs, hash browns and biscuits together and then cover it all. The interior is a mixture of old school diner and garage sale. Overall not too shabby! read more
2 years ago
Traditional full menu breakfast. Eggs any way, breakfast meats, potatoes, grits, pancakes, etc. My go to for breakfast in KC. Reliably good. read more
2 years ago
Service was fantastic! My server was joyful and spoke to everyone like they were a friend. The food was excellent! I had a bacon omelette. Great corner diner with old feel aesthetics. Definitely stop in and get some breakfast! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Nice and attentive servers. Food came out quickly from the kitchen and tasted great! The diner is very cute and clean read more
Not to be confused with the Sh**ty Diner, which is much less yummy than this place. I love family-owned diners, and this is a good one. Some of their dishes are much better than others but overall the standard is high, and the food is home cooking and local and delicious. Definitely somewhere I'd recommend you coming, if you want a diner, although there are a few other diners in Kansas City I love even more. It's definitely a very good City for diners. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Poor, poor, pitiful me! This morning I had to take my car into the shop and have four new brakes put on it. Now going to the shop and having my brakes replaced always makes me hungry so when all was said and done and the tab paid, I hopped in my car and headed towards the old market. For you see, as I was sitting there waiting for them to finish the car, having nothing better to do, I started looking for restaurants in the area. An lo and behold what pops up other than The City Diner. I must have driven by that place 1000 times this since I moved to the Kansas City area in 1984. But until today I had never stopped in. So I stroll in up to their counter, grab a stool, sit my carcass down, and I ordered up a meat lovers omelet with hash browns and a biscuit. I added a little side of gravy to make the hash browns look better and taste better and there was enough left over for the omelet too. Everything came out hot and delicious and I had no problem enjoying a late but delicious breakfast. Well done City Diner! Well done indeed! read more
The diner was a small corner diner with great food. I saw signs mentioning they were under staffed. The cinnamon roll was better than Cinnabon! It was so delish. We are from out of state. If we came back I would definitely come get that again! read more
6 years ago
Great classic diner breakfast! Adorable inside, love seeing people sitting at the counter on Saturday morning, big windows have a lovely view of the iconic smokestacks in the Rivermarket. I had the BLT and it was incredible! Thick ultra crispy bacon slices pilled on lightly toasted white bread. I asked for extra tomato just because I love them, and our waitress brought them out with no problem. Everyone at my table was super please with the food. I had a few tater tots, and they were so hot crispy! I will definitely get those next time. Super friendly service and reasonable prices just what that you'd expect at a cute hometown diner! I'll definitely be coming back! read more
A traditional city diner with a lot of history. The prices are reasonable diner prices and the service is what you would expect. Two ladies doing it all themselves and they don't seem that excited about it. The food arrived pretty quickly and it did the job for us. The omelette was large and the egg wrap was a perfect side. The hash browns were cooked perfectly and were my favorite part. The speakers were playing music from one of the waitresses phones, which got annoying whenever she received a text or phone call and we'd hear the ringtone. The speakers were also cutting in and out and made it annoying to listen to music. Overall, I'll be back because it's a convenient breakfast spot close to the downtown airport. read more
3 years ago
Perfect diner breakfast! Very wholesome. We're all KC Nice here so a couple diners approached and visited. It was charmingly unpretentious. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Classic food and inexpensive breakfast. Sooooooo much food that will for sure fill you up. The staff will make sure to get you in and out like any classic diner would. Definite place to check out if you're around the river market in KC and like breakfast! read more
I have always loved going to this comfortable cafe in the City Market for breakfast. It makes me feel like I'm at home and transports me from downtown to a small town where everyone knows me each time. I always go for the Chicken Fried Steak every time. One underrated aspect of the menu are the bread and potato choices and that there's no upcharge for switching options up. The steak is served with your choice of eggs, potatoes, and toast. I usually choose the crispy country fried potatoes and English muffin as my options. And this sausage gravy is exactly what a white gravy should be - creamy and peppery with great sausage flavor. And did I mention the service is always A+? read more
3 years ago
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More info about The City Diner
301 Grand Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64106
Rivermarket, Greater Downtown
Directions
(816) 471-5121
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The City Diner - diners - Updated August 2026
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