Finally had a chance to try out this diner. The service was excellent! The young lady who served us was super friendly and helpful with menu suggestions. We came on a Friday night close to closing, so it wasn't terribly busy. The place was clean, bright, and fairly spacious. The menu offered classic diner type options. The breakfast burger was excellent. It was juicy and flavorful. The corned beef Benny was also really good. You get three poached eggs on two toasted English muffins along with the corned beef. Home-style fries were also quite good. The French onion soup was tasty and not too salty. Not five star restaurant standards but pretty good considering this is a local diner. The Reuben sandwich was also tasty and juicy. The hamburger steak was the only dish that didn't live up to the hype. The burger steak itself was overcooked and dry. The gravy that accompanied it was on the saltier side and the mashed potatoes tasted bland. I suppose you could just mix the gravy with the mashed potatoes to try and balance out the flavors. Aside from the one dish that wasn't that great, everything else was enjoyable. We will definitely come back and try some of their other dishes. read more

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We went there for our 46 anniversary dinner as my partner wanted the liver and onions (no pic), with mashed potatoes. I had the banquet burger, fully loaded and it was great! cooked to perfection and very flavourful. I had the home fries because I'm not a fan of coated French fries. Our waitress was perfect and honest. Ask for Shie, as in Cheyenne. A beautiful old decor and and convenient parking. Check it out. read more

The Donlands Diner - Banquet burger with home fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

A true Diner experience. Loved my breakfasts here while working in the area. Shout out to Sharon for the honest service. Wish there were more joints like this. read more

The Donlands Diner - Morning special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

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Do you crave comfort food? If so, this is the place to be. It was so busy! The tables inside are spaced as well as on the covered patio. I was worried the traffic would be too loud to enjoy it, but the noise was not an issue. Even though there were less tables, they still ran out of cups and I had to wait a little longer for my coffee. All good. I had a sexy stack of pancakes and it hit the spot. Prices are great, service is good. The people working there were working their butts off to clear tables, get people seated and do all the things, so be patient...it's worth the wait! read more

Finally got around to checking out this place for breakfast this morning. Was almost empty, got seated right away. The decor is strictly 50's diner with the red booths etc, right down to the too loud 50's music. Hubby and I both ordered the same thing. Over easy eggs, rye toast with home fries and a side of baked beans instead of the meat. And coffee of course. I truly believe if you're running a diner, your first priority should be damn good coffee. This was hot water with a touch of coffee. So disappointed. I know this is a strange complaint, but by eggs were dry. Not fried in any oil. Hubby liked that. Not me. Give me a greasy over easy egg every time. So disappointed in the 'baked beans'. Straight out of a can. Nothing baked about these beans. What was annoying was the fact we were changed almost 4 bucks each for a small bowl of beans when I could buy 3 cans of the same beans for less. My husband, halfway through his meal said "this is really bland". He was right. Every thing was just bland. Service was great. May be back to try lunch some time but will pass on breakfast. read more

My wife and I were there for breakfast as she found this place for something local to try and we were not disappointed at all. Ambience and decor is amazing just like the old " sock hop" days. Service was wonderful friendly ( thanks to all the ladies especially Shy , if we have that correct hopefully. My wife ordered the eggs benedict with the eggs medium-hard they came as she ordered and I had the scrambler dish which came out sizzling in the pan just as it should be.Amazing home fries just as they should be made with real potatoes. As one show said " Ya Gotta Eat There" We will be back Colin and Alexx Crooke read more

Best truly all day breakfast in town! 7am to 9 pm every day. Unlike other franchise joints that close at 3 pm. read more

The Donlands Diner - 3 Eggs and peameal bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

Excellent Comfort food liver, bacon and onions (liver wasn't cooked properly but they fixed that) , good mashed potatoes and gravy and fresh cooked vegetables, she made a good (not excellent} Caesar. Beautiful 1940/50 restaurant, good service will be going back ongoing. read more

Great diner and food. Generous portions and reasonable prices, plus the service is friendly and attentive.

Donlands did not disappoint! We got the classic breakfast and a milkshake. World class milkshake in an authentic diner !!!! Our server, Sue, was amazing. Super friendly and quick, fresh coffee, she even took a "milkshake" photo for us. 5 stars for sure. Great atmosphere great service great food!!! Thank you Sue read more

Had their breakfast special for $7. Hard to find a great deal like that. Had the ham and eggs . The portion was big and I was full. I'll be going back for sure read more

SCAM ALERT!!!! i come to the donlands diner as a plan b or when i want brek before 7:30. i've been here maybe 20-30 times over the last 10 years or so and only just recently figured out they are running a scam at breakfast. before 10:00 there is a breakfast special - 2 eggs, 4 pieces of sausage, toast, potatoes AND coffee. $6.99 with tax = $7.90. here's the trap - the waitress asks if you want the 3 egg breakfast. everything is the same except your breakfast is now $8.99 [$2 for the one egg] and now inexplicably the COFFEE IS NOT INCLUDED. so get one extra egg and now pay $2 for the egg and $2.00 for the coffee. plus 30% more for tax and tip..... add one egg and your breakfast goes from under $8 to almost $13!!! and get this: one egg a la carte from the menu is $1.29! this is awful and i feel ripped off for the times i went with the extra egg which was most of the time. and shame on the waitresses for not giving a heads up. letting people get ripped for a bigger tip. shame. read more

This is an old fashion diner, and it's been in the neighborhood for over 20 years. Everything is cooked to order, so the fries are always warm and crisp. Their breakfasts and burgers are particularly popular, but they make a great Salisbury and Parmigiana too. I highly recommend their Western and the veal sandwich. I am definitely a fan of this place. I come here all the time because it's close to one of my offices for work. It's like Cheers, Where Everybody Knows Your Name. One of the waitresses has been there for 22 years, and she remembers all the regulars and what they like to eat. I've seen one regular who has never even placed an order, he sits down and of she goes to get his favourite food. read more

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Literally some of the best food I've ever had. Especially if you're into breakfast food then this is the place to be. I recommend the hash for sure. And the home fries are to die for. read more

Went today for lunch. $37. Eggs Bene and hot turkey sandwich. I wanted to love it. But just couldn't 1. Ask for eggs poached soft arrived hard. 2. Asked for well done potatoes. Under cooked. 3. Hot Turkey dry with a concoction of frozen vegg sautéed in butter/margarine over salted. Cold mash and cold gravy. 4. Food 3/10. 5. Waitress did her job not overly friendly but efficient FYI. Hot turkey is served with 2 slices of bread and peas always. FYI #2. Eggs Bene is always served with oozing yolks unless requested otherwise. FYI #3. Wasn't busy 2 tables. How do u get this sooo wrong. Coke in bottle was good. And tea was good too ! Won't be back read more

Been dropping in to the Donlands on and off for years Wouldn't say it's exceptional but i would say it's consistent and offers some good choices from a varied menu. Pretty well anything you chose at this diner will hit the spot. The owners are always pleasant and the service is always top notch. This retro diner doesn't pretend to be retro since it's been that way since the 60s. Now that they scored a new Coke machine and added 80s Cokes in glass bottles it just adds to the charm. I had the lamb dinner that came with soup and desert, coffee for about $15 added a Coke and walked out stuffed and satisfied for less than $20 The lamb melted in your mouth, the homemade chicken noodle soup warmed you up and the Coconut cream pie left me a happy camper. If you want feel good home food this is the place for you read more

The Donlands Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

I received a lot of recommendations to check this place out. The menu offers a variety which is great. I was here for a late breakfast craving breakfast food. The menu was great but the food I found to be really bland. The server we had was nice, but forgetful. The atmosphere was awesome! It really had an old school diner feel. Great location for a photo shoot, not so much for a tasty meal. read more

3.5 greasy spoons of goodness. If you don't live in the east end, nor have any friends here, then you can stop reading now 'cause it's good, but not good enough to make the trek. The staff saved our collective lives on New Years Day as we were all out of Clamato and a little "tired" to be dealing with eggs and appliances. The food was perfectly greasy spoon: greasy, cheap, plentiful and with real breakfast potatoes and not some frozen crap or left over fries from some other person's plate or whatever else some awful places have served me in the past. The service was great, especially considering our state and the amount of equally hangry and hangry-over customers waiting for salvation. It's way off the beaten path, but soooo worth it if you're in the area. read more

3.5 stars. Hard to find anything wrong with this place. We all had good, standard breakfasts served by an attentive waitress who looks like she's been there a while. The weak link was the standard, boring "Wonder" brown toast. If most diner coffee is a 5/10, this was a 6. The stand-out was the chunky, real home fries, fried with love on the griddle.* *not frozen "tots", not deep fried, not fried to a mush. Chunky and recognizable as potatoes. Nice! read more

I moved out of the area a while ago but yesterday the food memory of their amazing hangover cure, the Bacon Cheeseburger, came floating into my brain.... I probably wouldn't have gone in had it not been recommended by a friend. From the street it's dark and smallish, but opens up at the back. It's appropriately outdated - it IS a diner after all - and the type of place that gives you a bottle of Everfresh juice with a glass and straw. Back to the burger: It's big, simple and delicious. Golden brown chunky fries and a Caesar round out the experience nicely. I'm seriously considering making the trek up soon. And by soon, I mean tonight. read more

Great diner for diner basics. Omelettes, bacon, pancakes and coffee. All good. All served promptly and hot. A little $$ but worth it for no fuss, good ok diner food. read more

My new favourite breakfast spot. Been about 10-15 times. If you make it in before 10 am breakfast is only $6.99 and although the price is cheap the food isn't and that includes coffee with refills. Quality and presentation is a high priority. Mind you, I have only ever had breakfast here. The staff are good too, at first they seem a little unfriendly but if you engage, they warm up very quick. They are under staffed, thanks to Kathleen Wynne and her minimum wage debacle. They just can't afford the staff like most places so be patient and kind. I really like this place! read more

My boyfriend and I frequent this place regularly . We love this place. Great service. Lovely food and just an over all great atmosphere. They have done some renovations , so the current pictures online don't do it any justice. They have a nice big picture of Marilyn Monroe who I'm a sucker for and other cute vintagey things. read more

Great place that gives you BIG portions. I have been here a few times for breakie and I can never finish it lol from the photos it looks like I have to try dinner here soon. read more

We've been coming to the resturant for years. Now that it's under new management it is even better then it was years ago! The food is fresh and delicious, especially the hot hamburger dinner.. delicious!! And their breakfast is to die for. Most importantly the place is spotless.. it glitters! I love Sharon the waitress she knows everyone's order and takes the time to chat with each and every customer. I love the family feel to this amazing resturant. Do yourself a favour and go have a fresh delicious meal at this place. We travel from Markham to eat our favourite meal here.. mmm hot hamburger! read more

Great place for breakfast! Solid meals with home-made taste. East York needs this great little place. Coffee is great! I will be back... Often. read more

Really the only place I go for breakfast. The servers are exceptionally pleasant and have been there for a long time so their menu suggestions are always helpful. The food is really good quality at a super cheap price, and the menu offers a wide variety of dining options but breakfast is what Donlands is most famous for. You can't go wrong with one of their breakfast combos. They serve breakfast all day too, super bonus. I love the look of the place! Wish more restaurants had an authentic old school vibe. My family and I are regulars at this diner. Definitely try it out if you're a morning foodie!! read more

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This place has amazing food from all day breakfast options, unique burgers to steak meals! My personal favourites would be their milkshakes and their burgers. I went with a big group and we all loved our food and the atmosphere was just perfect. I would definitely recommend this diner if you want some great food and service! read more

The Donlands Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

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Best chicken fingers of my life. Definitely coming back again. Super tasty and cool atmosphere! read more

The Donlands Diner - Best chicken fingers ever - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - East York, Ontario

Amazing food! Great service and a very beautiful place to enjoy breakfast! I would definitely come back here again with my family!

Foods not good and the place doesn't look clean. Terrible experience. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

I visited Donlands with a small group last week for breakfast. The diner itself looks new and is very clean. The portions were quite generous and our sever was very friendly. The food was ok. The potatoes that came with the meals were undercooked and could have been seasoned a little better. The poutine gravy could have also used a little more flavour. But overall it was a pleasant place to eat and there is potential for this place to be something special in the neighborhood. I'd go back to try some of the other things on the menu given the chance. read more

Used to be great, daughter and I had many hockey morning breakfasts there. Newly renovated, they've raised the prices - significantly - and the food quality, at least on my first try, was way down from before. Had the all-day breakfast, basic bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast. Coffee now extra $2. Bacon was pre-cooked and re-grilled. Hashbrowns likewise, except they were neither re-grilled (cold in middle, not crispy), and way over cooked. The eggs were fresh. Unfortunate that a hipster-esque retro-reno (bad enough on its own) led them to think they could raise the prices. Maybe if the food remained top notch this would fly. I liked the quaintness and authenticity of the old place, a good cleaning, painting and some refurb of the furniture would have been a better investment IMO. Will try again, maybe they're just getting up to speed, and deserve a second chance. read more

Fantastic food. I'm a huge fan of Donlands' breakfasts. Fast service - food was served 5 minutes after I ordered it, and it was fresh. I really like their western sandwiches there. read more

The Donlands Restaurant (affectionately known as the diner by the locals) was good ole home cooking. The service was very slow (and a bit cranky) and the milkshake I was brought was actually only a nestle quik strawberry mix (let's just say not so good). read more

We were really hoping to like this spot, but was disappointed in the food. For a greasy spoon spot, it wasn't cheap either. With tax and tip for 3 people, it came to $55.. Not worth it for bacon, eggs and coffee etc. Eggs were good, potatoes were decent, bacon was dry and surprisingly the sausages were not enjoyed. On top of that, our order was delivered incorrectly, and our bill included extra items by error. On a plus, the service was friendly. read more

I love these family owned greasy spoons. Egg Salad Sandwich and Fries. Toasted Westerns. OMG I am in my car going there now.

Ate here yesterday for brunch with my husband. Haven't been there in a few years and decided to try it out again. We were both disappointed when we walked in and seen the same miserable server was still working there. Tall woman with glasses that never smiles and makes you feel like you're inconveniencing her. Our food was alright. It was hot but nothing special. The home fries were just sliced potatoes that were a little hard to cut through and very few of. When we went to pay with debit they said cash only and that the debit would be there on Monday. Would've been nice if we were told that prior to ordering so I didn't have to stand there while my husband ran to 7-11 to use the ATM. I would've just ate somewhere else as I wanted to leave once I seen the server anyways. read more

The place has great food but sometimes the only owners stop bringing some of the condiments that we need for instance they have fajitas but they don't have any sour cream or walk amole aunt tent to put very little portions when you're taking out staff is amazing I recommend this place as long as you don't want a lot of things with your fixings that they might not have. read more

Amazing food with a old school vibe! Love having breakfast here after a night of partying!