The Lamplighter is sort of three places in one. There is the diner/coffee shop side, the main dining room/lounge and the banquet room. They each have their own distinctive and unique decor and menu options. I have been here for breakfast, for events in the banquet room and for dinner and have enjoyed all of my experiences. My favorite experience here has been for the murder mystery dinners. For $45, you get a buffet dinner (that comes with soft drinks, the meal and dessert) and a funny musical comedy show. You can't beat that deal! When you enter for these events, you go to your assigned table. The characters are mingling and you can get drinks. The one thing I'll say is they needed more bartenders or a more efficient way to handle the drinks because the line was consistently long. Maybe having one person for things like pop and one for bar items could be helpful. The buffet is different depending on the time of year (and potentially theme of the mystery). They always have a salad table with pretty basic salad ingredients, but also celery, carrots and olives. The entrees included chicken, fish, veggies and my favorite, the carved ham and roast beef. For banquet food, it was tasty and enjoyable. The banquet room itself is pretty standard "generic banquet room" decor. Nothing special, but the chairs are actually comfortable (which isn't always the case). The lounge and main restaurant area. Well, if you want to feel like you've used a time machine and gone back a few decades, take a step in there. It is definitively retro but still somehow doesn't feel stale or old. They often host their wine dinners in this area. There are a variety of seating options and a more upscale menu than the other side of the restaurant. The menu is fairly limited and a bit old school "fancy" but if you know that going in you shouldn't be disappointed. We had the filet and the chicken marsala. Were the they best we've ever had taste or presentation wise? No, but they were enjoyable the the portions were good. As was the service. It wouldn't be a spot I'd come to regularly for dinner, but I'd definitely eat in the dinner area again. The diner/breakfast side was more fast paced and old school diner, almost cafeteria vibe. Food items are pretty cheap considering today's food prices, especially for breakfast items. I like that with all the traditional and old school options they also have avocado toast. I've had their pancakes (which were huge, but not all that thick) and their omelet. Pretty standard diner fare. Nothing was food I was eager to come back and have again, but it was all perfectly tasty. So, come with an open mind. And remember that this place is essentially three different experiences. Just make sure you are prepared for which one you are hoping to enjoy. read more

The Lamplighter is an old school staple of Murrysville. I had a Daddy-Daughter dance her several years ago. This last trip involved drinks and live music. The service was really good. We did not eat on this visit. There are several different areas. There is a diner like dining room, a stage with tables for live music, and a couple of banquet type areas that can house events like weddings. read more

The Lamplighter - Outside - American Near Me - Delmont, Pennsylvania

First rate breakfast. Generous portions at very reasonable prices. Food is well prepared.

The food was fresh, hot, and delicious but the dessert selection took the prize! The service was very good and total diner look.

Older classic atmosphere of a place with "okay" food but good service and a good selection of wine. I've come here for a few wine dinners , some of which I enjoyed but some I questioned how valuable the price per person was comparable to the food. I have also sat at the their bar and enjoyed a few martinis with friends. May not be the most up to date atmosphere but like I said it's classic and the Tinis were delicious ! read more

See all

The Lamplighter has the old school diner vibe with that old school diner home cooking! Everything at this diner is delicious! The service can be hit or miss depending on how busy it can get, but the prices are right and the food us so good! I always make sure that I stop for their pumpkin pancakes in the fall and their gingerbread pancakes in the winter. My go-to toppings for my pancakes include bananas and cinnamon chips! Yum! You won't be disappointed going to The Lamplighter if you're looking for inexpensive prices and good food! read more

The Lamplighter - Their pancakes are as big as your plate! I always get bananas and cinnamon chips in mine. Don't forget to get their homemade bread! - American Near Me - Delmont, Pennsylvania

Just returned from a group Christmas dinner. The food was fine and our server worked hard to make sure everyone was taken care of, but what should have been a good memory went askew when it came time for the bill. Everything but drinks was paid for in advance. I decided to have a ginger ale and received a bill for $3.17. I put a $50 to the bill and awaited my change. The server finally returns and hands me $46. I must have looked at it strangely since she asked if it was correct. I told her no-I was planning on leaving her the change plus $1 but it appeared that the change was missing. So instead of me leaving her a modest tip on a $3 charge, someone there assumed they were entitled to the $.83 and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. If you go count your change. read more

Such a good staff! All hustling and attentive! The food was fantastic! Great portions and good prices. Loved the chocolate meringue pie! The restaurant itself was like stepping back in time. Gave a bit of peace in this world of chaos! Older place, but clean. Fantastic service, food, and prices! read more

The hostess is a bitch I've been there a few times she has an attitude and the food really isn't very good. Will not ever go there again even if I'm starving. read more

Please read all-First the meat carver was the only one who cared (turkey,prime rib) I gave him a $5tip Now wife and I went there for Thanksgiving Buffett 50% of the food was good the rest bland. The service was just what you would expect when the tip is in the bill a bitch was with my Filipina wife here for first Thanksgiving asked waitress to take a picture said she was busy (I as an American was sooo embarrassed)Ambiance-the chairs where unbelievable my wife 32yrs weighs 78lbs when she sat in the chair she said it felt like she was sitting on the floor we had to sit on the wooden chair frame-I have been going there since I was in diaper's in 62 never again read more

how do you have thanksgiving buffet with no turkey and rolls ! Most of the other items were also empty - no fruit - guess we were seated in the wrong room read more

Went there a while back for a buffet it was good. Not amazing, but the food was good. Service is a little slow, but all in all not a bad place. If you're looking for a buffet. read more

I ended up stopping here for a late breakfast after morning in Pittsburgh for doctors appointments. It was my first visit, although I'd heard nothing but good things! My husband and I were seated promptly. The waitstaff was very kind and ver efficient. I ordered the egg and avocado toast. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm a complete snob when it comes to avocado... I love the stuff. But this avocado toast was very tasty. My ONLY complaint is that I wish the avocado had been mashed as opposed to just put on the toast in slices. Nevertheless, it was tasty, and affordably priced. Can't wait to return for another delicious meal at the Lamplighter soon! read more

Had the veal liver and onions. Same meal I had last week. The reason I went back today and ordered the same thing was because the meal last week was stupendous. Todays meal was not good, veal was way overcooked, I ordered medium. Baked potatoe was dried out. I told my wife I'll bet Daniel isn't cooking tonight. I asked the waitress. No he wasn't cooking. My advice before you go to call ahead to be sure Dan is cooking. Coconut custard pie excellent and moderately priced. read more

The food is not cooked properly. Service is slow and they don't come and checked on your food. It even took forever to receive our check.

My husband has been wanted to come here for years and I always said no because it's just not my kind of place. His birthday was last week, so I'd thought I'd surprise him and take him here for a nice dinner. I looked online and they had menus for a coffee shop and a dinner menu. We walked in and only saw the diner to the right but the hostess said two? To us and promptly walked away to the diner. I was a little confused but sat down and opened the menu to find a diner menu. The hostess was long gone, so I go back to the front to see if there was a more formal dining area or a different menu. As I was trying to ask the hostess, she just grabs a different menu, hands it to me and walks away again. I sit back down and see the menu was just for wine. My husband and I are still confused and trying to figure out if there's a different place we should be but no one is taking the time to answer my questions. Eventually our waitress comes over and I try once again to explain we were looking for a more formal place and not a diner to eat at where she said you guys have the wine menu. I will go grab you the dinner menu. And runs away before I was even done talking. The couple next to us chuckles and says yes there's a different dining room. The waitress comes back, hands us the dinner menu and asks what we want for drinks in one breath. My husband I guess was just going to roll with it and ordered a beer. I ordered a water. As I look at the menu she handed to me, I realize this was the dinner menu I saw on the website. My husband just wanted to stay, but I really didn't want to pay for an expensive steak and eat it in a diner setting on my husband's birthday when I wanted a nice meal. The waitress came back and asked what we wanted to eat and I said that I think we're just going to do drinks because we were looking for a nice formal meal. She rolled her eyes and said ..okaaaay... and walked away. My husband drank his beer and we waited a little while for her to bring the check which she never did. Eventually I grabbed a $20 bill and took it up to the register handed it to her and said have a good night. She got a little more polite and explained to me that they have another dining room but it's not open because they don't have the staff for it and if you want to dine there, you have to call ahead 48 hours ahead of time. We told her no problem and to have a good night and we left. I understand staffing issues and that the dining room was closed, that wouldn't have been a problem. My issue was that I tried to ask multiple staff members about it and no one took the time to talk to me or even listen to what I was saying so I just walked back-and-forth multiple times looking like an idiot. If they don't have the main dining room open, they should list it on social media or their website. There's no indication anywhere or on their sign that it's closed. They should also rename their coffee shop to a diner. It's not just open for breakfast. What a confusing place, no desire to go back. read more

Delicious "home cooked" comfort food. Wide variety of tasty desserts, too.

I had called and booked my staff Christmas party in September. I paid in full for a holiday theme murder mystery dinner they were hosting December 6th. This past week I received a call from one of the managers canceling my reservation. Her reason was due to another party calling in and them being a "long time client" that has booked with them for decades and was late in booking for the date I had already reserved. The only options I was given was to be refunded or choose another date. Needless to say I didn't want to spend a dime with them considering how unprofessional and inconsiderate they were now leaving me scrambling last minute for a place to have a fun evening for my staff of 20 people. I will never return to the lamplighter. read more

Food was fine. I had the fried chicken livers. Over cooked and small at least my my standards for down south. Service was good. Definitely a locals place. read more

They were very busy, but it was worth the wait. I normally don't order waffles, but had heard theirs were delicious. I was thrilled to find these were the best waffles I'd ever had. Their batter is from scratch. If you're going to cheat on your diet, this is the place to do it! read more

Just had breakfast there on 8/03/24. My brother and I ordered the steak and eggs. Toast was burnt. Home fries were not fully cooked. The eggs and home fries had no seasoning (salt and pepper) I am not sure about the steak due to not getting to eat it. We ordered our steaks medium and they came out well done. We showed the waitress the steaks she took them back and brought out two steaks that were raw and barely seared on the outside. At this point we were done sending them back and offered to pay for the rest of our meal. the waitress took the raw steaks back to the "Chef"/Owner. He brought them back out and slammed them on the table and started cursing and yelling at us. Claiming that the steaks were perfect and we were morons. I thought he was going to hit me and was trying to provoke a fight. It was at this point I refused to pay for anything and informed him exactly how terrible the food was. He told us not to come back. We assured him that we definitely would not go back to a place that had an owner displaying such aggressive behavior and total disrespect for us and all the other customers that were present. read more

Love wine pairing events! The information was interesting and the food was excellent!

My aunt and I went to the Lamplighter for a mystery dinner. It was so much fun and the food was surprisingly good! The dinner was served buffet style with several options chicken, beef, ham, seafood, pasta, vegetables and salad. Chocolate cake was amazing! We plan to go back read more

September 22, 2019 50th Anniversary party in the grand ballroom. Everything was perfect.Debbie met with us and guided us to a great menu and bar choice. She was accessible anytime we needed an answer. The service staff was professional and yet approachable and friendly. The venue was clean and set up like we had planned. The food was amazing!!! Fresh and top notch! So many compliments! Location worked great coming from either direction. Great bang for your buck!! Thank you to all who helped make our day worry free and special!! read more

The Lamplighter - Pre party - American Near Me - Delmont, Pennsylvania

Passing through and stopped for breakfast. Just a couple eggs and toast. Coffee was very good and the homemade rye was delicious. Always like to avoid the chains and support these local establishments. Not many left. My server was very nice and the food came fast. read more

This review is based on my recent discovery of their monthly, four course wine tasting, and food pairings. They are always so much fun to look forward to since the tastings of the evening are usually centered around the current month's season and flavors. My friend and I have become regular attendees, and we have met many new friends who enjoy the evening as much as we do. Its starting to feel as though this could be the beginnings of a newly formed wine club. This event is certainly a great way to try out some fantastic dishes and newly discovered wine samplings. The staff is very focused on making this event a very special night for all, and they certainly have succeeded in doing so. There is also live music during the meal which only adds to the already festive environment. Not bad for a Tuesday night out! Space is limited so reservations are highly recommended. read more

See all

My mom and I stopped in for dinner during Restaurant Week. We got there around 5:30 PM. We were quickly greeted and seated as soon as we walked in. The decor of the restaurant is dated, but I honestly kind of like the retro feel it has. The space is large- they have an area that more "diner style", they have a formal restaurant area, and a space for large events like weddings or birthdays. We were seated in the formal area. There were other parties there, but overall it wasn't too crowded. Our waitress was lovely and very attentive. The food was served quickly and the portions were filling. The Lamplighter has been around for a while, and I can see why! I will definitely be back. read more

See all

Went for Easter brunch last year, and the food was very disappointing. However, the food there in their banquet space for a wedding this january was delicious! read more

The Lamplighter has always evaded me. I was never sure how to approach this place. Each drive by it gave me this feeling that I would not be able to step foot in here unless I was in a certain mindset. You see, The Lamplighter looks like it is right out of the 1950s-1960s. For real. The outside makes it look like this is a building that has not changed the interior since it was built. To me, it kind of gives off a Stephen King vibe where something eerie may happen inside. It's got the old swag to it, to the point that they even have one of those old neon lounge signs that alternates between lounge and dining room on the side of the building. I feel as if I may be going down a rabbit hole here so I need to get back to the topic at hand. For time saving, quick breakdown for the inside. There is a swanky part to this that they hold everything from weddings, themed dining experiences, banquets, and mystery dinner theater. Then there is the side that they call the Coffee Shop, break it down here for you, it's nothing more than a diner in disguise, that's why when this review it complete I am adding it to my diner list. The Coffee Shop is a decent sized eating area. Plenty of table/booth seating around the area and a counter to dine at. It's got this old time feel to it with all the hustle the server staff are partaking in. These workers definitely got the diner flare down too, some have that raspy voice, some seem to have that gum chewing technique down. Really adds to the experience. It draws you in, and let me tell you, put me at ease when I finally did make myself stop here for some food. I did not feel out of place as I thought I would have. Onto the food. Since I was on my way to work I decided to get myself a meal and an appetizer to go. Work has been a constant for me and feeding myself has also been a constant as well. No way around it. Before I go into my order let me give you a current breakdown on their menu. Due to the pandemic they have a special menu going right now that offers Grab 'n Go dinners and cocktails. This menu is specifically for 4-7 p.m. daily and the offering changes nightly, as well as the menu changes weekly. If you do decided to do the Grab 'n Go menu they will only take cash or check for payment, you will also have to go to a separate door for pickup other than the main entrance. They have a menu just for breakfast and then a combined Lunch/Dinner menu. I looked over the menu quite extensively before I came here to get my food. I wanted to make sure that I was certain on the items I wanted and did not waste anytime. For my appetizer I went with the Chicken Tenders. You get four decent sized planks that are breaded and kind of remind you of other restaurants you can stop at. You also get your choice of dipping sauce to go with this. Nothing to really write home about on this. It is exactly what I thought I would have gotten when it came to an appetizer portion of chicken tenders. For my entree I went with what they have labelled as Hot Sandwich Supreme. With this you get to choose between roasted turkey, homemade meatloaf, or pan roasted beef. Whichever you opt for is placed between two pieces of "fresh bread" as the menu says, but let's put this out there, it's store bought bread, nothing fresh about it. I chose the homemade meatloaf as I always do when I go into a diner. I went with mashed potatoes as my side, you can opt for French fries as well, and I had everything topped with gravy. I also asked for a House Tossed Salad which you can add to any meal for a charge. The salad was a simple salad with tomato, onion, cucumber, and I want to say spinach. Ranch was a way to go. It was small, but a nice addition to the meal. The homemade meatloaf was out of this world. It was a thick slice of meatloaf, spice combination on point, and heavy on the stomach. As I described the bread before, it would have been better if it really were freshly made in house, but since it was store bought, it turned soggy rather quickly and was kind of an afterthought to the meatloaf/gravy combination. Although I am a big meatloaf fan, the star of this dish in my opinion were the mashed potatoes. Some of the best I have had recently. They do mashed potatoes differently than most places, skins are left on, big lumps throughout, and the best part, no matter how much gravy you had on a bite the butter shown through. Each and every bite. Amazing meal for real. read more

I have never experienced a coffee shop quite this old school before. Nothing has changed here for 50 years, and if that sounds appealing to you, then hurry to the Lamplighter. It's more museum than breakfast place. Our food was good, but prepared the old fashioned Howard Johnson way. If you are into progressive dining you won't be happy here: nostalgia rules. Stepping in the door, we were offered 2 choices: order from the menu to the right, buffet to the left. We chose the menu side and were treated to my grandfather's breakfast. Consistently good food, but stuck in time. read more

See all

Went here for a wedding this evening. The atmosphere is a bit dated but eclectic and charming. The building itself is huge and it was a bit confusing there weren't any signs providing guests with direction. The outdoor gazebo is actually behind the hotel in a upper lot. The reception room has two entrances on either side and the center area is their public section. The food was fine and staff were all friendly enough. The bartender was great with our drink requests. Biggest issue was really the lack of signage which I do feel the restaurant should provide ceremony / reception signage that's generic for if the couple doesn't have any. While this doesn't vibe for me as far a venue it is charming for those with a eclectic vintage feel. Wedding was great bride was gorgeous and everyone looked lovely was great seeing everyone and sharing the couples special day. read more

The Lamplighter - Outdoor wedding gazebo - American Near Me - Delmont, Pennsylvania

See all

The pancakes are huge and delicious. Wait staff is very attentive, frequently filling up the coffee cup. And the price is right! read more

After a long night on Gobbler's Knob as we watched the Groundhog call for an early spring, we made the trek back towards home and wanted a brunch a long the way. We decided on the Lamplighter because it was on the way home, the reviews were decent it seems and how could you mess up a breakfast buffet/brunch? Well, let me tell you, Lamplighter TOTALLY did. Arriving around 10:30am, we were greeted by a host that said "Go that way if you want the buffet, this way for off menu"- Looking back we should have been given a third option of "just turn around and run away from this place!" We sat and were given pretty burnt coffee, and the creamer container they left for us had barely enough for one cup. Not a deal breaker there, but definitely an omen... Upon walking into the little buffet room we were pretty underwhelmed with the selection. And what was there we were often asking "Is that bread pudding or???" The quiche looked okay, but getting back to the table, just about everything tasted spoiled or "off". Took forever for someone to come back to the table to ask if we needed more coffee and ask for more creamer. Generally service was lackluster, either very poorly trained staff or they just didn't want to be working. Only saving grace for the breakfast was the Omelette station chef, who seemed happy to make omelletes any way you'd like, and really overstuffed omelletes which I wasn't complaining there. I tipped his jar $10 just for him. We sat and waited for a waitress or anyone to come by and check on us, and when they finally did I asked the waitress if we get a check from her or pay up front and she said "Oh you just pay as you're leaving." -- So we made for the door... .but then at the counter, the host lady said we should have been given a slip, and when I told her they told us just to come out and pay, she said "Oh, they must be getting lazy back there." No kidding? This place is a hot mess. Lamplighter seems perfect for old people who don't mind bland food or can't taste that something has that "off" spoiled flavor. If you're looking for a GOOD breakfast, drive a little further down the 22 to Dick's Diner, I wish we would have, but we were tired from the Groundhog Day celebration. At least we'll have an early spring! read more

I've been visiting the western PA area for almost 30-years now and have driven by the restaurant more times than I can count. We dropped in yesterday for the first time and discovered we had been missing a special place for quite some time... You can choose to eat in the formal dining room or their diner service and we choose the fancier side. Beautifully furnished with high backed chairs, linens, and fancy drinking glasses. The place was visually appealing. Our food choices consisted of prime rib for me and a seafood plate of huge scallops and shrimp for the wife. Both dishes we superb. Along with the meal there was a veggie bar (a huge plus for me) and plenty of bread to keep us entertained. Service was good, the server wasn't as attentive as I would have liked but then again we were not left for wanting anything. Overall this was a pleasant surprise and we will be back for more maybe even during this latest trip. read more

My family and I went in for Thanksgiving lunch and the service was really amazing. It lost one star because I think some of the food items were bland. I'll start with the service, they were very organized and prepared for all the thanksgiving guests and our waitress was so sweet. They didnt have soup on the thanksgiving buffet so I asked if there was any way to get a cup for my grandparents they ALWAYS start their meals with soup and my grandpa is 92 so I try to give him his best life. She said no problem and she came back with two choices. I really appreciated that! Later at the end of the meal she took our family photo and told us something funny that made us all laugh wonderfully. The food was good just not the best. They had fresh prime rib sliced to order right there. The turkey was not dry, the gravy was good. The options were satisfying. I loved all the fresh cheese out on the appetizer bar, it was a nice assortment of fancy block/wheel cheeses. I did not love the stuffing or the potatoes and those are my favorite thanksgiving sides!! They were bland and the potatoes tasted like the dehydrated box kind I ate in college. I will of course give them another try on a non-holiday and order off their menu! read more

Updated review: Even though the Lamplighter hasn't updated their interior, I needed to revise my 3 year old review. Husband and I stopped in for their breakfast/ brunch buffet this Sunday morning and we weren't disappointed. I admit that I still wish it wasn't so dark inside, but the food and service were spot on, which is what really matters. The fresh made-to-order omelet with a side of ham is my better half's pick every time. I tend to go for the crepes, breakfast casserole and fresh fruit. The price charged is more than reasonable. The only hiccup was a slight wait for drink refills. I admit husband and I had stopped coming here for awhile due to poor service in the coffee shop, but from the line of people waiting to be seated in there, there must be a sign of improvement, too. Ok, Lamplighter, you're back in rotation. read more

Good food, friendly service, great breakfasts also pretty environment to have meal in prices are friendly read more

We come to the Lamplighter usually to see The Musical Murder Mystery Show that gets played here during the year. We usually have a very good experience here when we come to this event. This was the first time that we came to the Cafe on a Saturday morning around 11am. We were looking for a quick breakfast to get us started for the day and this looked like a good place to stop. When you walk in it looks like a good old diner. I liked the feel of a diner and you just go and seat ourselves. We sat down and then our waitress came by to give us some coffee and our breakfast menus were already on the table. The menu had basic breakfast food but it all was for a very good price. My wife ordered an omelet and I was deciding between French toast and their Belgian waffle. I usually get French toast when we get breakfast so I wanted to try a waffle this morning. You could add fruit to it but I decided just to have it plain with some syrup. Our food came out within ten minutes and my waffle looked plain but that's how I wanted it. I ordered a side of scrambles eggs too. My wife liked her omelet. She said the fillings were good and it was stuffed in there good. I liked m waffle too. It wasn't anything special but that's all that I wanted. The eggs were just ok. I kind of wish I did get the French toast but I'll get that next time that we come here. So this is a nice little diner that we will probably try again. Like I said it's nothing too special but it's breakfast for a very good price. read more

The Lamplighter - Belgian waffle with syrup - American Near Me - Delmont, Pennsylvania

See all

We had my grandmothers 90th birthday bash at lamplighter. We rented the whole place. It was a real excellent experience. We were going to have her 100th birthday bash their but she only made it to 99. read more

The worst pancakes ever. I got pancakes with chocolate chips and they were the WORST thing I ever tasted they were either old or cheap I had to use Half a bottle of syrup on them they made me sick I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND read more