Darto’s Restaurant

By far the best breakfast place in Bethlehem. I crave it!!! Great service excellent food, fast service. Just wonderful:)

If you’re looking to spend a decent amount to be wowed by unique food and service than Darto’s is NOT for you.
If you’re looking for down-​to-​earth Americana breakfast with no frizzle or glamour for about the amount it costs to park downtown for a few hours… then you found your place.
Darto’s is a quaint secret for locals but not a destination drive for the whole Lehigh Valley. Better than most diner food, I will be back when I’m in the area… and I might just leave my wallet at home and use loose change in my car.

I’m not sure what the big fuss is about this place. When I first moved to Bethlehem from Philly, EVERYONE in the Lehigh Valley mentioned Darto’s and how they had the best breakfast. So I finally checked it out and the appeal still remains a mystery. It was dark and dingy and had kind of a diner feel. I’m not a diner-​hater — I’m from New Jersey — I love them! But I will pass on this one in the future. The place was deserted when I went. I think there was one or two gentlemen at the bar. I had lunch and my girlfriend ordered breakfast. Everything was bland and tasteless. Absolutely nothing special about the food. I could make better food, and I am no chef. The service was no stand out, either. To be blunt, it was just crappy food for a good price.
I won’t be going back but apparently others enjoyed their food and service. I’m not sure what I’m missing !

Five stars because they are what they say they are. Small place, good and hot food, fast nice service, and big portions. No confusion that’s what you get every single time. Cheapest best bargain for breakfast in the continental United States.

I can’t say enough about how great this place is. My boyfriend has been going here since he was a kid and now we bring our daughter here. Open for Breakfast and Lunch and on Wednesday and Saturday they offer cream chipped beef. You better get there early on those days if you want some because once its out, its out till the next day they offer it. The food is great, the servers are great. Always have smiles on their faces. Its a very cozy atmosphere. The prices can’t be beat! It is soooo cheap, you have to wonder how they make any money. But they do! I recommend them to everyone! The best!!!

Excellent!!! Come to home away from home. Great service and the only thing better is the FOOD!

I was hesitant to write a review bc I just want to keep this place all to myself. It is my absolute, absolute favorite little place in the lehigh valley. My husband and I stumbled across this hidden gem about a year ago and have made it our Saturday morning tradition ever since. The food is amazing and makes you feel all warm inside, and so does the environment. They really make you feel like family here. One of my favorite aspects of Dartos is that you see the same faces there nearly every week, and everyone is addressed on a first name basis. It really has its regulars. My husband and I are originally from a very small country town so this has been an absolute delight as it reminds us so much of home. I’m honored to say that we have become regulars here and, when it’s time to order, we are simply asked, «the usual?» They are generous with their portion sizes and prices, and definitely enjoy cooking with butter (which is fine by me, «butter makes everything better!»). It really is a great place to go if you’re looking for some home-​style comfort food. Oh and one more thing, get the chocolate milk. It’s heavenly! And don’t just ask for a large, go with the extra large. You will not be disappointed!

Good food, significant portions, friendly service, bad coffee.
That just about describes what you need to know for breakfast service.
Just make sure you get your jolt of caffeine before you come here and you will be just fine.

Darto’s is the diner equivalent of a dive bar. That’s not a bad thing. You probably were drinking too much at a dive bar last night (like Joe’s Tavern
) and now you are craving some greasy spoon food to battle your intense hangover.
Darto’s is somewhat hidden and if you aren’t looking for it you probably won’t stumble upon it. I lived in Bethlehem for 4 years before even realizing it existed. It’s located across from the Bethlehem Hyatt hotel, so if you are staying there tonight you should definitely eat at Darto’s tomorrow.
Darto’s is definitely a no frills establishment that caters to a large demographic and though very blue-​collar I’ve seen politicians and business types stopping in for breakfast. The dark interior looks like it hasn’t been changed in a decade or more. You know just by looking around that Darto’s is a part of the community of Bethlehem with some historic chotchkies and pictures lining the walls. There is a small 6 – 8 seat counter and a number of tables for larger groups. The staff is attentive and polite. The coffee cups are smaller than most diners but they are refilled often without having to ask. They have one TV, visible from only 4 seats at the counter, usually with news on.
On to the food…
I’ve only eaten breakfast here, but this is real diner breakfast. Unlike that «other diner» on Broad street, Darto’s doesn’t try to be gourmet. This is butter drenched artery clogging breakfast food served up in what seem like just a matter of minutes.
My advice is skip the added cost of the omelet and home fries (and the stick of butter they are cooked in) and go for one of their breakfast rolls. My favorite one, the Darto roll, is sausage, egg and cheese on a kaiser roll. Actually, from what I can tell, two eggs, two pieces of sausage, two slices of cheese on a huge kaiser roll. I figure it’s also about 700 calories but if you are going to eat at Darto’s you better stop counting calories now. This is a breakfast that will keep you going until dinner. Oh, and It’s less than $ 3.00.
I highly recommend Darto’s for those who live in downtown Bethlehem that would normally stop by Wawa for a breakfast sizzli on their way to work. Call ahead before leaving home and your to-​go order will be ready in a matter of minutes. There a few parking options in front so literally you are in and out in a minute with your giant Darto roll in hand, ready to start your day.

The waitstaff are usually rushed, but always good. The food is tasty and consistent. The price is absolutely right. Think of it as «a breakfast dive» and you won’t be disappointed. This was my favorite breakfast place when I was five, and now it’s my daughter’s favorite breakfast place. (It’s probably still my favorite, too, truth be told.) Get there early to avoid lines. Oh, and if you go at lunch, skip the fries.

First, the food is decent. Nothing special. There are dozens of restaurants near Darto’s that offer similar quality meals. It’s located close to the bus station. So there is no need for me to describe the type of customers who frequent this place. I stopped in one day with my girlfriend for breakfast. We were the only ones sitting there at that time. There were 3 waitresses on duty. No one came to our table to offer us coffee and a menu. We sat there for 15 minutes waiting. The only reason why we waited so long is that we are in love and sat there holding hands and talking. The waitresses and cook/​owner are kind of miserable and have attitudes. We finally walked out. No one there seemed to care that we did. I will never return. Go to The Mayflower or Billy’s Diner instead. They make you feel special and serve you instantly. Plus they have great food.

My first visit here has been a long time coming. Almost everybody I talked to about this place said good things, with good reason. The food is really good, at a decent price. I ended up spending almost half what I normally would anywhere else for the massive farmer’s omelet. When I say it was massive, I do mean massive. On top of that, the atmosphere is snug and cozy. Darto’s has been open for about as long as I’ve been alive, and it looks like it, with modest improvements only as needed.
I only have one major complaint, and that is the service. It should not take more than 10 minutes to be waited on while sitting at the bar. The guy who sat down next to me several minutes after I got there got service before me. I’m not sure if it was me, but I felt like I was being given the cold shoulder the entire time I was there. While I enjoyed the food and the price, the service alone makes me hesitant to go back.

Darto’s ya know I love you BUT you have to do a better job of seating people.
I recently walked in here with my parents who have been anxious to try the famous Darto’s. Unfortunately there was no where to sit as no less than 4 sets of 2 people were sitting in all the 4 person booths while all the other 2 person booths were empty. We didn’t want to sit at the bar so we left.
This is just stupid! You lost customers bc of your lack of logistics. Please work on this!
UPDATE: Have gone in TWICE since this last review and had the same experience with out of town guests. We will NOT be going back again with guests. Maybe on our own.

so good… I’ve been living in this area for two years and never gave Darto’s a shot, totally my loss. To be honest, I thought it was a shady townie bar for a long time, and clearly I was wrong, it’s a little breakfast place, dimly lit, super cozy… portions are huge, food comes out quickly, and it’s super cheap. If you want to avoid the wait and hustle of Billy’s (which can be a little overwhelming some mornings), this place is a must.
The only weird thing is that I’m not sure it’s open on on Sunday’s…I tried to go in a little past 8am on Sunday and they were closed.

I was deciding whether or not to give this place two or three stars… so let’s say that it is 2.5 stars! Yeah, the food is cheap and comes with a GENEROUS helping of grease-​enough to keep the cardiologists in town very busy from all the clogged arteries. Everytime I eat there, my arteries are coughing and choking. How hard is it to make fries that aren’t sopping with grease? Having the right fryer oil temperature is the key. I can wring the grease out of them and use it to slick back my hair. wait, I am bald, so I can use it to put a nice sheen on my head.
I usually get a burger or the chili, which is OK, but they should char the burgers a bit more to bring out the flavor. The chili always seems to have an off taste to it-​maybe it is the year old hot sauce that I use (which is presented to me and seems like it is a year old) when I eat it.
Overall, the food is cheap, plentiful and, at times, tasty. Just make sure your health insurance premium is paid-​you might need it.

Sometimes I don’t want a fancy expensive breakfast at my local Bagel shop or Panera Bread or wherever… sometimes I want a good homestyle breakfast just like mom and dad used to make it. If good ol fashioned scrambled eggs on toast with hashbrowns is your idea of breakfast then Darto’s is the place for you.
Thier is nothing fancy about the place. And the doesn’t need to be. The food speaks for itself… Flavorful, plentyful, greasy deliciousness!
The prices… super cheap. I can eat and have a morning cup of coffee for under 5 $. Simply cannot be beat!
So for those that’ll skip the over-​priced gourmet breakfast sandwiches on artisan bagels, and just want a simple breakfast at a low price, Darto’s is the absolute Restaurant of choice…

Love Dartos. Best place for breakfast in downtown bethlehem and the prices cant be beat. the lunch specials are great as well during the week. its a very nice atmoshphere. its like the «Cheers» of breakfast spots.
my only negatives would be the coffee and the size. its small and if you go at the wrong time on a saturday your waiting in a line that extends outside. it’s good enough to wait in that line for a table.

To be honest, this restaurant is overrated if you take the reviews here at face value. Cheap as cheap comes? The prices sure are low, but they’re not any lower than the diners on Union Blvd. east of Airport Rd. And the food is good to be sure, but c’mon — if you’re raving about Dartos because of REAL potatoes in the home fries — I’ve been to plenty of places that use real potatoes.
But anyway to get down to the nitty gritty:
Pros: good prices, good portions, good food, good location.
Con: if you’re not careful, those good prices can quickly add up (as with anywhere else). The hours kinda suck — 7 til 2 in the afternoon? Boo…
I haven’t had a bad thing at Dartos yet. Their chili is an absolute bargain and is really good — only about $ 2.50 or so for a bowl. Their burgers will fill you up — though they’re made from fresh ground beef, they can stand to be charred for a more flavor.
But as I mentioned in the cons, it can all quickly add up, just like anywhere else. From the reviews I’ve read here, I expected to be full for only $ 5, but that’s not the case at all — I’ve spent closer to $ 8-​$ 9 each time I went. To be honest, I’m a big eater, so it’s probably not a fair comparison to smaller eaters.
So don’t get me wrong — Darto’s is great! It’s just not the amber-​of-​the-​gods great that many of these reviewers seem to be making it out to be — I’d say it’s on par with a good diner.

A GREAT breakfast nook that I love.
Darto’s is only open for breakfast and lunch, and the food comes out very quickly… and I basically want to say ditto about every other review before me (especially the one about keeping it quiet so those of us who love it don’t have to have more people showing up taking one of the few buit in booths). That being said however, try the potato, egg, onion and cheese sandwich or get anything with a slice of ham on it (it’s not skimpy).
I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars because things here can have a tendency to be a bit greasy and some of my friends aren’t fans like I am because of that. They would easily agree though how this place is light on the wallet, and heavy on the belly.
See you there soon!

It’s with mixed emotions that I write this review. Darto’s is definitely one of those hidden treasures you kinda wanna keep hidden. Not because there’s anything bad. Au contraire, it’s an old breakfast nook you really don’t want many people to know about purely for your own selfish motives.
I like everything here. It’s simple, hearty, quick and damn cheap. I have no idea how they can afford to charge so little for the amount of food you get, but I can’t complain and am certainly not about to either. Nothing in particular stands out here but it all works somehow; the food, service, atmosphere, prices — the whole shebang.
Lines form tremendously fast here, esp in the early mornings. Darto’s is not generally well known in the valley but it’s VERY well known among locals. Come early and get out fast is the ticket here.
Now forget you read this and go elsewhere. :-)