Excellent breakfast spot, the food, and service are on point - I had the kitchen sink, which is enough for two meals. I remember going here as a kid when it was a little brown shack and you had to wait in a long line to get in, great memories.. read more

Wanted to stop in for breakfast but my appointments went long and wound up coming in during the lunch hour. But since we had breakfast on our minds we decided to go for it. The Shanty sure is a lot of food, with three large pancakes. Was very nice. Seated right away and served quickly. I guess because we had beaten the lunch rush. read more

See all

Will never go again ..... unorganized and rude!!! Husband and I went. We were told to wait outside which was fine. Man came in after us. Hostess came up and proceeded to to take him before us. We said we were first. He proceeded to argue with us. Husband and I left. Organization and kindness goes along way and the shack doesnt have it!!! read more

Had a delicious lasagna special. Comes with a Caesar Salad and garlicky bread. With a soda and a turkey melt sandwich with Russian Dressing and Hamburger veggies Barley soup which was delicious! read more

See all

Such a great family breakfast! I have always wanted to try The Shack as I've heard great things so stopping here on the morning ride home after an overnight at the casino was perfect for our family. Our sons basically wiped their pancake plates clean. We had a short wait on a Sunday around 10am, maybe all of 5-8 minutes. My husband had The Kitchen Sink and I had The Mess. Both were beyond filling and totally worth it, but there was no way we could finish them. Mine came with the grilled cornbread. That may be been quite up there in the top 3 cornbreads I've ever tasted. Be sure not to miss it. You can order it individually as well. Very friendly service, highly recommend. :) read more

The Shack - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

See all

The baked goods are where it's at here. My daughters and I stopped on a Monday for "breakfast all day" they had eggs and potatoes, and a bec, and a grilled blueberry muffin. I had the Thanksgiving plate and a grilled cornbread. The cornbread is life changing, and as my daughter said when the butter comes looking like ice cream you know it's about to be lit. Our server was super attentive. The meal was super reasonable in price. We had mozz sticks to start which were good but the sauce was meh. read more

See all

Amazing cornbread, amazing cornbread eat at the shack, amazing desserts, and pies. You have a good time ignored all the old people.

My wife relative said must try restaurant The Shack, they have three locations. They serve breakfast all day and full menu. There knowing dish is breakfast dish The Kitchens Sink, and the Mess. We ordered the Mess, it comes with home fries topped with scrambled eggs ham, peppers, tomatoes, mushroom, sausage onions, Monterey jack cheese, bacon, side of frsh bake corn bread with butter. The plate look like a mess with items on plate enough to serve two person, my wife ask for white gravy is made with sausage, didn't know at the end the gravy will be charged for, corn bread was very good, l ordered half chicken salad sandwich with soup and salad, chicken just mix with mayonnaise nothing special. read more

See all

If you are craving a nice bowl of oatmeal and a fruit smoothie, this is not the place for you. But if you are looking for an oversized breakfast contributing to America's obesity issues, you will not be disappointed. The "Mess" is a massive plate of home fries topped with eggs (3+?) and diced meats and vegetables that looks like one of those food challenges on TV. Our server said she has only once seen a customer finish this plate of food. Oh, and it comes with two squares of rich, buttery corn bread. Omelettes are served with a plentiful portion of home fries and accompanied with a choice of bread. Ingredients may be a bit unbalanced-for instance, my omelette had lots of mushrooms and spinach, but the sausage was barely detectable. Despite being busy, service was fairly prompt and certainly friendly. Prices are reasonable, especially considering many breakfasts include coffee or tea. read more

The Shack - Build-Your-Own Omelette (w/ cheese, spinach, mushrooms and sausage) - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

See all

Belgium Waffle was great! Fresh strawberries! Service was good, even for a busy Sunday morning!

Classic American foods, decent pricing. A great pick for when we want to go out to eat with the kids.

Support Small Businesses!!! I ordered the French Scramble. Pretty much a local favorite. 9/10 Service: was fast and waitress was super polite. 10/10 Ambiance: they have the old school classic diner feel. I loved it. 10/10 read more

The Shack - FRENCH SCRAMBLE - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

See all

Came in around 2, wasn't busy and was seated promptly. The place is clean and has a nostalgic vibe with older decor. Plea ty of seating, booths, tables and even a counter area. Food came out quick and was hot. The Philly steak wrap was great and just enough for me. D got a fajita quesadilla he said was delicious. We will be back to try other items! read more

The Shack - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

See all

Always great quality main staple food and exceptional service all at reasonable prices. Had the turkey dinner which was like Thanksgiving revisited! The fried fish was fresh and delicious with free seconds! read more

The Shack is a well known local favorite in East Lyme, Waterford, and Groton, Connecticut. Great breakfast and home cooked style meals. Unfortunately, they don't offer too many healthy options. But I have to say, there is always a waiting line on weekends which means they are a popular spot! read more

Went for breakfast in the Flanders location and ordered the "My Two" breakfast. I sat in a booth adjacent to the Kitchen. My order seemed to be taking a long time. I looked up and saw my eggs and pancakes sitting on the pickup shelf and waited for the server to pickup...and waited, and waited. The place was not that busy at 10:30 am so I had no idea what the issue was...well my eggs and pancakes got thrown down in front of me with barely a glance before the server turned her back on me and was gone....the eggs and pancakes were cold, the pancakes tasted like cardboard, there were no potatoes, and my coffee was empty....i had to ask for the check from another server; which I paid in full, but it was an overall poor experience. read more

Went here on Saturday, October 4th with my son, daughter, her husband and two year old daughter. It was quite busy and had to wait about 20 minutes as we arrived at 11. The wait staff was prompt, courteous, and child- friendly. And as busy as it was, the kitchen produced the food in only 15 minutes. Of course, they served the coffee right after we ordered which was very welcome. As opposed to many other breakfast spots, this coffee was piping hot...just the way coffee should be served! The portions were very generous, tasty and reasonably priced. They treated my granddaughter like a princess and she gobbled up her small side order of cut up banana, strawberry and Mellon along with a piece of finely chopped bacon slice. The Shack is one of the few morning spots where no issues could be found. Since this is a central spot to where we all live, it will likely be our go-to weekend breakfast place. read more

Located in an unassuming strip mall. It doesn't look much on the outside and the inside is kitchy but what matters is the food. The staff is very friendly. Happy to offer suggestions and left us wanting for nothing. This place was packed and there were people waiting for seats. They serve breakfast all day. We had a table of six and they had no problem putting a table together for us. I had The Mess which is essentially a big ole plate full of home fries topped with scrambled eggs, ham, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, sausage & onions. Then it is topped with Monterey Jack cheese put under the broiler to melt the cheese and then topped with two pieces of bacon. And if that's not enough food it also comes with a side of their grilled corn bread. It was a delicious mess and I'm ashamed to say I finished it.....of course I had a little help from my daughter's. My hubby snatched up and ate most of the corn bread. The girls did have their own meals but as you know with kids they always end up wanting some of yours. They had the $5.99 kids breakfast that came with your choice of drink. One went with chocolate chip pancakes w, sausage and the other went with blueberry ones with bacon. And of course they both didn't turn down the Whipped Cream the waitress offered. The hubby went with an Omelette filled with cheese and Spinach with homefries. His brother had the full breakfast with pancakes and our other friend had 2 eggs with pancakes and then ordered the loaded Homefries topped with cheese, bacon and scallions with a side of sour cream. They were so full from the pancakes they had to take the loaded Homefries home. Good thing she was on the other side of the table because those Loaded Homefries looked absolutely amazing and I couldn't believe she didn't even dig in for at least one bite. I would definitely say if I am in the area again this is definitely the place to go to fill your belly with tasty delicious breakfast goodness. They also serve lunch & dinner but that breakfast was so good I think I will try out some of the other breakfast items before moving on to the lunch/dinner menu. read more

See all

The Shack is a classic SE CT diner chain. None of the locations disappoint, including the one in Flanders. I had visited for a Tuesday brunch and even then it was bussling with locals who clearly come often enough. The staff were nice, attentive, and swift. After ordering, it did not take too long for the order to plop on our table. I had ordered The Mess which sounds just as intimidating as it was. But sure did it hit the spot. Everything was cooked to perfection. My favorite part was by far the griddled pancakes. I had the rest of the hash for 2 more meals after haha. One can definitely get their money's worth at this great local favorite! read more

See all

Generally the food is pretty good, but a tad on the pricey side. Likely to run you $20 for most breakfasts. I've enjoyed most plates. The omelettes are huge and will last you two days. However, they are skimpy with some ingredients. Just ordered a bacon breakfast wrap sandwich, which was supposed to also have tomato in it. There were trace amounts of tomato in it (virtually none, which the waitresses seemed to want to dispute), and the bacon was on the skimpy side. Stick with the omelette if you don't want to get shorted on the food. read more

We got the kitchen sink and the corn beef hash breakfast. The cornbread is a must, the gravy for the biscuit is creamy, no lumps, all in all perfect. The bacon is smoky, the potatoes are perfection - nice crust not burnt. Service is good, a wait in the mornings - we were there at 9:15 and had a 15 min wait read more

The Shack - Kitchen sink - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

When I think of a diner, I think of the shack. Breakfast any time, plates piled high with food. An endless stream of coffee. And let's not forget the pie. There's something for everyone on the menu. I enjoy their liver & onions -- medium rare with extra onions! read more

Food was excellent and you get a lot. Not a big fan of there coffee but I'm picky about my coffee. Had biscuits with gravy, homefries and sausage patty. Eggs cooked perfect, homefries were excellent, not fan of the sausage patty, next time I will get bacon. Price was consistent for the area which is higher than down South but that's the breaks. read more

The Shack is a great family-style spot with an amazing breakfast! It is a popular spot, but the kitchen is incredibly fast, so they do get them in and out pretty quick. The limiting factor ends up being how fast you eat and how much you can fit in! All of this is done in the nicest way possible. No one makes you feel like a burden or that you have over stayed your welcome. I have been here twice and both times got The Mess. It is a thing of delicious beauty. Under the eggs and cheese are perfectly cooked onions, peppers, and tomatoes. They have a slight crisp, not cooked to mush. Be warned. It comes out fast, but it is super hot! You cut into the mound and veggies pour out with some serious heat. I know it smells delicious. I know it is so tempting but try your hardest to resist until safe. One of the best parts about getting The Mess is the cornbread. It is griddled to perfection and complements the pile of breakfast so perfectly. This is currently my favorite breakfast dish. I really want to to try the Kitchen Sink as well at some point if I can resist the draw of that cornbread! Getting one of each for two people is just madness. Two of us split the Corned Beef Hash Wrap and The Mess and barely made it out alive. The Mess is definitely enough to share. If you are a breakfast enthusiast, I highly recommend a stop! read more

The Shack - Before and after of The Mess! I tried real hard! Delicious cornbread not pictured. - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Food was 5 stars wait staff was one star, so averaged out to 3 stars. We have been coming here for dinner for years and the food never disappoints. Yesterday we stopped in for lunch. I was too hungry to remember to take pictures of soup. I had the New England Clam chowder, which was full of clam pieces, with the right balance of potatoes and just the right thickness. My boyfriend had the cheesy baked potato soup, which was thick and had an even balanced flavor of cheese, Smokey bacon, and potatoes. For entrees my boyfriend had the chicken tenders, with mashed potatoes and gravy. The chicken is tender thin slices of chicken, coated with bread crumbs and seasonings. The mashed potatoes are tasty and topped with the chicken gravy are perfect. I had the clam strips with fries. The clam strips were dredged in a light flour batter and fried to perfection, no tarter sauce was needed as they tasted so fresh and wonderful just the way the were. Fries are fries, I normally get there onion rings and not fries but today I tried the fries, nothing to write home about. We have never had bed service in the evening. But this visit we had Lyndsey for a waitress, which was our least favorite experience here. We had to constantly ask for refills for drinks, when she brought our meals over she grabbed the soup bowls and my boyfriend wasn't even finished, but it was too late as she put my bowl directly into his. She was more concerned with cleaning and tidying empty tables than to ask us how our meal was or did we need anything. Mind you this was 3 pm and there weren't many people in there. Based on this visit I would advise going here for dinner and not lunch the wait staff at dinner time are very attentive, unlike the lunch time staff. read more

See all

I love the shack. The service didn't take too long for a table of 4 and the waiters are always friendly. The kitchen sink is probably one of my favorite dishes. It's super filling, looks really delicious, and incorporates a bunch of breakfast foods. The shack always has a welcoming atmosphere and I love to go there with my friends. read more

The Shack - Kitchen sink - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Food needs to be hot! Again I had to send my dinner back and this time when they brought it back it still was not hot. Since this is a repetitive problem I will be avoiding going there in the future. The service was ok no complaints with the waitress except she should be more observant in the quality of the food before she serves it and especially if she's received a complaint. read more

I got the French 2-2-2-2 which I think is going to be my go to here from now on. I have been coming here for years and would get various omelets, Benedict, or the Mess. They are great but are kind of heavy, The French 2222 was the perfect combination of classic breakfast items without going over board. Can't wait to get back here again. read more

The Shack - The French 2-2-2-2 - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Usually love their food...not impressed today. Side of bacon thrown into the bag to leave grease all over my car. read more

The Shack - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Been to this Shack many times foods always good, service is fast. But....... First this happened I let it slide waitress asked my friend from Nepal for id after paying with her debit but did not ask the couple behind us who paid the same way. This time the restaurant was steady but no line there either same friend! Waitress watches as I walk to the ladies room I see her go to the table assuming she's asking if we would like more coffee, when I got back my friend was visibly upset and said the waitress asked that we pay and leave stating there's a line. As we were next to the door and could see there was no line. I paid the bill no asking for my id, finished my coffee and left. No we had not been there for even an hour! Needless to say won't be going there again and no tip for that waitress! Yes I over tip normally too because I know it's a tough job! read more

Food is always delicious, and staff is always friendly.....no matter what you order, it'll be good and plenty!

Stopped in for lunch the other day by chance as I was driving through East Lyme. I have eaten a lot of chili in my life but this was the WORST chili I have ever had. It was like eating dry paste and it was $7.99 for a small cup. I ordered the turkey club sandwich which is a basic for any diner. The taste was okay but it was very dry and it was the smallest turkey club sandwich I have ever purchased. The side order I selected was onion rings. The basket of them was large but the breading was off on most of them, and they were greasy. Lunch (not including tip) was over $24. The waitress acted like she couldn't care that I was even there. This was one of the worst places I have eaten at, and I have eaten at a lot of places in my life. I will not eat there again. read more

Typical luncheonette menu, but a bit more extensive.. Food good, Service fast, facility is very clean. I'm a regular patron. read more

The breakfast is excellent. I have not eaten lunch there. The service is good. This restaurant is very busy on the weekends and there's a small wait time but the staff try to get you in quickly. read more

The Shack - Middle of floor seating for two overview of most of the restaurant. - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

See all

Went in for lunch. Bus boy was great seated us and got our drinks. And that was it. No one came to the table in 20 minutes. We got up and left a five for the drinks. Pay attention. It's not hard to notice three guys sitting in the middle of the restaurant. Waste of our lunch break. read more

The Shack never fails to deliver. When you arrive make sure you check out the specials board - you will not be dissatisfied. The main menu has all your breakfast standards and the coffee is excellent! Service is fast and attentive. Mega portion so don't over order. read more

The Shack - Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast - Diners Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Great breakfast spot! They have quite a diverse menu to include lunch items and pies. Enjoyed the comfort food and friendliness. read more

See all

Great homely atmosphere with an old time diner touch. They have quick friendly and efficient service . There is a large, varied menu with many old favorites. The food is well prepared with fresh ingredients. Servings are generous. Though I do not indulge, they are well known for their fresh pies. Their soups are like mother use to make. (Not my mother, she got everything out of a can.) This is casual dining at it's old fashioned best. read more

Great diner type restaurant...had breakfast Ate "The Mess"...meat, veggies, eggs, & potatoes all smothered with cheese & served with a side of their house made cornbread. Loved every bite & had so much take home. Will definitely be back!! read more

My Mother and I love the Shack. The service is attentive but gives plenty of time for the elders or visually impaired to take time to read the menu and order. The atmosphere is clean and decorative with with changing of the seasons. The food is good solid diner food and not greasy or overly sweet; the menu is extensive and I have never had a bad meal here. I highly recommend it. read more