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    The Shiny Diner

    3.6 (383 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order The Shiny Diner Takeout or Delivery

    The Shiny Diner Photos

    THE SHINY DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Chocolate 'CakesChocolate
    Carlo W.

    Visited with my family of 4. Fortunately, my other 3 children were missing, because they do not have a table large enough for 7. It was after church so the wait time took 20-25 minutes. This was our first visit, but was a positive experience. The decor is 50's style diner. The menu is huge with lots of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. I was a little turned off by the waitress reaction to my request for fried chicken or chicken fried chicken so I went with the omelette. The food is solid. The milkshakes are extraordinary. They get an extra star for giving the extra milkshake in the tin. After tax and tip, the tab came to $120. We'd return.

    Pot roast
    J W.

    Food is a hit or miss depending what you get , the service was okay last time I went , they suggested to not get the country fried steak .. so I got pot roast instead and it still was very tasteless. VERY. I'm a plain Jane and this was needing salt which said a lot. I'll stick to their breakfast. Will say the okra was amazing fried okra and fresh. Mashed Potatoes were ok.

    Blueberry 'Cakes
    Amanda K.

    I loved my meal and server here! The vibes are always great- classic diner vibes. My server was so fun and was joking with us the whole time. We went for breakfast and all the food was great. I would love to come back for a late night bite with a milkshake.

    Texas toast, tuna salad, Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes
    Rebecca M.

    The Shiny Diner is an ok place to eat. The building is very shiny as is the interior. There are bar stools in the front as you walk in and tables and booths on both sides. I didn't have change on me for the juke box at the table. The menu has both breakfast and lunch/dinner options. The menu is very large so there are options for everyone's tastes and preferences. Milkshakes and desserts seem to be popular here. My service was good here and got my tea refilled and one to go. All the staff were friendly with me. This was not the case with another customer. They gave away his table; slammed his drink down when he asked for a refill. I'm not sure what might have happened before I arrived but I thought that was unacceptable for him to be treated that way and he was not disrespectful to the staff. I went with the blue plate special and got the tuna salad; mac n cheese; mashed potatoes and Texas toast. The portion was good. The mac n cheese was warm and good, the mashed potatoes were cold but the gravy was warm. The tuna was good and the Texas toast was my favorite part of the meal. I'm not sure I'd get dinner here again but would try the breakfast menu and really wanted a shake and slice of pie but didn't try those this visit.

    The handmade chips are soooooo yummy!
    Jessica F.

    The Shiny Diner is always fun as long as you like kitschy 50s type things. I hadn't been in a couple years and a friend had suggested it. The look inside is still the same reminiscent of the old diners which I love. Our server Emily was fast, honest & friendly. The chicken salad sandwich was a bit plainer than I remember but onion rings & their home made chips were super delicious. This place is always a great family friendly restaurant.

    Shelby L.

    Usually come for breakfast and always has been a good experience, however today was not a great one. Staff was friendly, that was the best part. 23 waited a long time to get seated but I was ok I knew it could be busy, so no stars removed for this. However once seated, it took the server a long time to get back to us to take our order and then we had to wait over 30 minutes to get the order. Not sure why when others were getting served so quickly around us. If I didn't have a 5 year old with me I would have tolerated it more likely, but even after asking for boxes to take leftovers home, we had to wait and wait. I do like this place because it reminds me of diners back home, but probably wouldn't go back for anything other than breakfast. My grandsons hot dog was overcooked and roll was hard. He wouldn't eat it. My chicken sandwich was tenders, not a piece of chicken and it was hard to eat as a sandwich. Just not my day there yesterday. Will keep going but probably just for brunch.

    Big IMP omelette
    Steve H.

    Always looking for a good breakfast place and thought I'd try this place. It's truly a shiny diver with all the polished stainless steel old time counter, booths including a juke box The menu is large and i chose the Big IMP omelette with home fries and wheat toast. I asked for crispy potatoes and they were great. The eggs were done well and the omelette was full of meat.

    Sweet tea, grits, opened faced chicken fried steak w mashed potatoes and a Belgium waffle
    Brittany F.

    Wow!! What a hidden GEM! If you're looking for a true mom and pop southern experience, look no further. This is hands down the best southern food I've had yet in the last decade I've been here! It's quiet and homey. Our waitress was on it, running the whole place to herself. Foods was 10/10. Amazing sweet tea! We couldn't decide on breakfast or lunch because there were too many good options so we got both! Best Ruben my boyfriend has ever had- and he's a Ruben connoisseur. If you're looking for homemade comfort food like your gram used to make- this is it.

    Chicken and Waffles
    Yousif A.

    I've been coming here for decades and usually the food is much better, however this morning was just sad. Granted, my wife's breakfast was better than my plate, but I saw chicken and waffles on the menu and figured I'd give it a shot. As the photo shows, this seemed very elementary school cafeteria like. I stomached one of the tenders and a quarter of the waffle. All seemed like it was frozen just a few moments before being warmed up for me. I was very disappointed. Also, this AM they were strict as could be per "no substitutions." My wife asked for just one slice of toast instead of two, because she didn't want to waste any and we got a "I'm not sure, we'll see" response. Yes, they brought out two. She did enjoy her eggs and pancake, and I've enjoyed their patty melt and chips in the past, but this "chicken and waffles" shouldn't even be on the menu.

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    2 years ago

    10-10 highly recommend! This place is awesome! The food is great, the staff is great! They went above and beyond for our party of 13!

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    9 months ago

    best chicken and waffles i've ever had - yumyum yumyum. the inside was very cozy and felt like an authentic diner!

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    1 year ago

    Great food and large portions. The severs are friendly and everything is fresh. Can't go wrong with eggs

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    2 years ago

    Always great diner food in a fun retro environment. I personally love their home made curly chips.

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    2 years ago

    Exactly what I expected. Good food fast and reasonably priced. Just like a 50s diner.

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    Page 2 of 10

    The Shiny Diner Reviews in Other Languages

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    Metro Diner

    Metro Diner

    4.3
    (961 reviews)
    10.0 mi
    $$

    My wife and I had lunch here today and everything about it was excellent: service, food…read morerecommendations, ordering, speedy food service, food quality and quantity, price (by 2026 standards) etc. I had the bbq bacon cheeseburger with fries and my wife had the shrimp and grits. Both were excellent. We will dine here again.

    The Metro Diner is always busy, so I did expect a little bit of a wait. I was told 20-25 minutes…read moreand waited that long outside. Then, I moved inside to see what the delay was, and the host tried to seat me at the counter. Really? I'd been waiting 30 minutes, and you won't seat me at the empty table. So I declined and said I'd wait for my table. I never got a notice on my phone either, so what was the point of that system if you need to be inside the small waiting area to be called? I could see the open table, but I was not seated for another ten minutes. They didn't want me at the big table. Then it was interesting to watch all the staff walk by and ask who had my table. How do they not know which tables each person has? Someone eventually came by, asked if I'd been helped, and took my drink and food orders, since I'd been waiting quite a while. I ordered a half-and-half tea. I'm not sure she knew what that was, as she kept saying "unsweet". The first tea was half-and-half, but the refill was unsweetened. I went with the chicken pot pie, as that is what caught my eye. I expected a delicious dish, but what I received was disappointing. The ratio of the chicken, gravy and veggies was way off. I'd say there was enough low-quality processed chicken for three to four people, a little gravy and even less veggies. I had a bowl of processed chicken cubes with a splash of sauce, not what I had in mind. I usually skip the pastry part, but I ate that as I needed something other than chicken. I left some of the chicken in the dish. The waitress didn't even offer me a to-go box. It was that bad that I wouldn't eat it anyway. My check was brought out soon after I got my food. I don't understand the rush, but bringing the check early won't get me out any faster and lowers your tip. This was just a really bad experience, and I don't see myself returning. I have liked the food in the past.

    Photos
    Metro Diner
    Metro Diner
    Metro Diner

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    Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant

    Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant

    4.3
    (729 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    $$

    A solid southern breakfast spot. Be prepared to wait in line on the weekends, but it's worth the…read morewait. Will go again and again.

    A cute breakfast place in Downtown Raleigh that gets very busy! I came immediately after landing at…read morethe airport to get brunch on a weekday around noon. The place was crowded but there was no wait. I got seated immediately at a table near a column in the middle of the restaurant and Christy came over and asked if I wanted anything to drink. She brought me iced water and gave me time to look at the menu. I wanted to try so many things and I was too optimistic about ordering 3 things and finishing them myself. Good thing I only ordered 2 things! An order of fried catfish with home fries and one egg. And a biscuit with sausage gravy. The fried catfish was salted and well fried. It tasted delicious for my first bite! The home fries were basically cut potatoes, but they weren't very fried or flavored. I wished I ordered the side of apple sauce instead. The biscuit and sausage was good, but a bit too much for one person after eating a separate order already. Definitely bring more people so you can try more things. Also, I wished I had asked for sausage gravy on the side so I can try the biscuit on its own first as well. Furthermore, I would have more time to eat the catfish so I wasn't worried about the biscuit getting soggy. Christy came to check up on me every now and then. The place was buzzing with people and decorations so I didn't feel so alone. When it was time to pay, Christy brought me the check for me to pay at the cash register. Both Christy and the cashier were so friendly! The restaurant does have a women's and a mens restroom if needed.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Brunswick stew with grilled bologna and cheese sandwich
    Brunswick stew with grilled bologna and cheese sandwich
    Outside

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    Outside
    Poole's

    Poole's

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$$

    My oh my, this may be one of my new favorite restaurants in Raleigh! All of the food was excellent!…read more When you arrive there is parking available on the street or in the paid lot next to the restaurant. Walking in you'll feel like you've walked into a retro-chic, high energy, and upscale diner. Even the waiting area was nice to sit in as we waited for our table. For drinks I ordered the Hurricane (Rum, Pasionfruit, Grenadine, Orange, Lime), Scorpion (Amaro Nonino, Montenegro, Sweet Vermouth, Hot Honey, Mint), the 1806 (Orange Infused Bourbon, Brulee'd Orange Syrup, Bitters), and an espresso martini. I'd say it was a tie for favorite drink between the Hurricane and the 1806. Both were well balanced and tasted great. The scorpion was a bit spicy for my liking and the espresso martini was good just wasn't as good as the hurricane/the 1806. For appetizers we ordered the Maine Lobster Doughnuts, Heirloom Tomato Pie (with Tennessee Buttermilk Cheddar & Sherry-Sherry Vinaigrette), and the Watermelon Vinaigrette (with Avocado, Goat Lady Dairy Chevre, & White Balsamic Vinaigrette). The Maine Lobster Doughnuts and Watermelon Vinaigrette were excellent. The watermelon was sliced, goat cheese wasn't too strong and had the perfect blend of flavors. The Maine Lobster Doughnuts were also perfectly cooked and were so good. The Heirloom Tomato Pie was okay, just had a really strong mustard after taste which wasn't my favorite. For my entree I ordered the 10 oz Hanger Steak (Creamed Greens, Oil-Cured Olive Butter, & Red Wine Shallot Jus) which was cooked perfectly was so good. Even the baguette and butter were excellent!! Lastly for dessert we split the Peach Shortcake (Vanilla Bean Mascarpone and Cinnamon Crunch Biscuit). It tasted like a croissant and peach biscuit and was excellent. If you are in downtown Raleigh definitely check out Poole's.

    As a vegetarian, I was happy to find enough options at Poole's Diner to put together a full meal…read more The pimento cheese had good flavor, and the fried saltines were everything you'd want fried saltines to be. Just a heads-up: the pimento cheese is served cold. I was expecting it to be warm, but I probably should have asked. The heirloom tomato pie was good, not great. Think chicken pot pie, but filled with tomatoes and cheese. The flavors were pretty straightforward, but the crust was really good. The ricotta gnocchi was a hit. The gnocchi was very soft and pillowy, and it came in an almost pesto-like broth. I'm a huge pesto fan, so I really enjoyed the combination. The sweet corn with oyster mushrooms was also good, but there was a lot of sherry cream. The corn was practically swimming in it, and the mushrooms became so soft that they mostly tasted like the cream. Surprisingly, the sautéed broccolini may have been my favorite dish. It had a smoky grilled char while still keeping the firmness you want from broccolini. Simple, but really well done. We finished with the soft-serve sundae with braised blueberries, coconut graham crumble, and coconut cream. The blueberries were a little sweeter than I normally prefer, but the soft serve was delicious, the crumble added a nice texture, and the coconut cream was a subtle touch. Overall, it was a very good meal. Not every dish was a standout, but the gnocchi, broccolini, and sundae were the clear highlights.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    10 oz Hangar Steak
    10 oz Hangar Steak
    Chicken liver moose

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    Chicken liver moose
    Tucker Street Diner

    Tucker Street Diner

    3.2
    (25 reviews)
    5.8 mi

    A Classic Diner Experience in Downtown Raleigh…read more Anyone who follows me knows two things I love very much: breakfast and diners (along with other short-order restaurants). I definitely found a gem in Glenwood South that immediately reminded me of the classic diners I grew up with in New Jersey. For readers unfamiliar with Jersey diners: think a no-nonsense, sit-down restaurant serving breakfast all day, great coffee, generous portions, and a menu built around eggs, griddle items, comfort food, and attentive table service. Tucker Street Diner delivers that same spirit--just set in the fashionable Glenwood South neighborhood rather than along a highway. Tucker Street Diner is located within the Smoky Hollow mixed-use development in the Glenwood South area of downtown Raleigh. Smoky Hollow is a large, modern complex featuring retail, restaurants, Class-A office space, structured parking, and residential units. The diner occupies ground-level retail space in the office building at 421 North Harrington Street, right at the corner of the pedestrian promenade along Tucker Street. The restaurant is designed as a modern American diner with nostalgic retro touches--checkerboard floors and glossy booths--blended with contemporary comfort and urban flair. It clearly evokes classic diner aesthetics while catering to a diverse downtown crowd. The menu focuses on classic American diner fare: all-day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, specialty comfort food, and blue-plate specials. Breakfast options include pancakes, eggs, bacon, burritos, and creative dishes such as breakfast burritos and open-face sandwiches with gravy. Desserts, milkshakes, and coffee/espresso drinks are also available. I visited early on a Friday morning during New Year's week. I was greeted warmly and quickly served a solid, classic diner cup of coffee (likely a medium roast). Even with limited office activity that morning, the diner still had a steady flow of customers. I ordered the chicken-fried steak with two sunny-side-up eggs, home fries, and rye toast. The steak was nicely breaded, and the white gravy--served on a separate plate--was rich and flavorful. The eggs were perfectly cooked. The home fries were cubed potatoes (different from the shredded style often found up north) and were very good. Large slices of buttered rye toast, topped with both grape and strawberry jelly, rounded out what was a very satisfying breakfast. Portions were generous for the price, and the overall value felt right for a downtown, full-service diner--especially given the quality of the food and the attentiveness of the service. The classic diner theme and attention to cleanliness extended even to the gender-neutral restrooms, one of which is accessible. The accessible restroom was occupied at the time, so I used the other; it was clean, pleasantly scented, and well stocked. In short, Tucker Street Diner feels like a Jersey diner dropped into a Southern downtown--comfort food, eggs, and gravy instead of biscuits--with a welcoming atmosphere and reliable execution. I left full, satisfied, and already planning a return visit.

    This is definitely a cute diner spot with classic menu options. I got the diner jewel and I loved…read morethe pancakes, but everything else was just average. I will say the service was great though. Half of my food didn't come out when everyone else's did and even though it took about 2 minutes to get it, they still took all of it off my bill. That's how you do customer service! I'll definitely be back again if I'm in the area and try some different options!

    Photos
    Tucker Street Diner
    Lemonade
    Lemonade
    Tucker Street Diner

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    NoRa Cafe

    NoRa Cafe

    4.5
    (207 reviews)
    10.1 mi
    $$

    Just wanted to take the time to clap for the staff here…read more I've only been here twice now. But both times the service was SO fast. I came here on a week day and it was packed but the kitchen seemed steady. Their service is very stream lined with pagers for food orders. There is a lot of seating but it also seems to be a place where a good chunk of people come to work. They have a library inside as well and the books at the time were all $3 ea. Today I came and it's a Sunday. As expected they were SLAMMED. Line to the door of people waiting and line to the door of people ordering. I still got my coffee in less than 5 min. People waiting on food were getting theirs in similar time. The staff was killing it! They have a large selection of baked goods (lots of laminated dough), fast casual breakfast & lunch, and a huge coffee menu. They also have gluten free options for food and about a dozen gf/df baked goods. They said they have separate prep space and changed gloves for gluten free food but it's a shared oven. I didn't have any issues though. To who ever is managing your kitchen and staff, you're doing a great job. To the staff, hats off Highly recommend this place for a light breakfast and good coffee, or just a good place to hang out on your laptop.

    Needed a latte for my drive home, I got the chocolate turtle decaf latte and it was delicious. It…read morepaired chocolate, pecan and caramel to make the perfect road trip drink. The space was packed on a beautiful Friday morning. A lot of people working and connecting over coffee. The library space was super cute too! I snapped a photo and sent it to a colleague for a potential event venue in the future!

    Photos
    Iced vanilla oat latte and rosemary olive English muffins with bacon and pimento cheese - lifewithhanny
    Iced vanilla oat latte and rosemary olive English muffins with bacon and pimento cheese - lifewithhanny
    S'mores latte + Michaels English muffins breakfast sandwich - lifewithhanny
    S'mores latte + Michaels English muffins breakfast sandwich - lifewithhanny
    "Chicken Salad Sandwich"

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    "Chicken Salad Sandwich"

    The Shiny Diner - diners - Updated August 2026

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