Two Dads’ Diner

Unfortunately Two Dad’s is closed. Really sucks because I really enjoyed this place.

Avoid. The ceiling tile above our table had black mold growing on it and the food walked the line between mediocre and bad. Horrendous french fries!
Ordered a salad with Greek Dressing. The dressing tasted of oil and nothing more.
Chicken Paprikash: It was ok. I had never had it before so can’t compare it to anything, but it was not very flavorful.
Blackened Chicken Sandwich: Eh. The hunk of chicken was really thick and the seasoning had a slightly off taste to it.
French Fries: This is the cardinal sin. When you can’t even make french fries right you need to shutter your doors and put in a little practice. The fries arrive looking delicious and dark like the fresh cut fries you’d get at a carnival. Then things went south fast. They were shockingly soft and soggy with oil. Some tasted like they weren’t even fully cooked. We all know how addictive fries are and they have to be really bad for you to not eat them.
This place is gross, both the food and the restaurant itself. There are so many options nearby, don’t even bother with Two Dad’s Diner.

This place is ran by a bunch of girls. Two Dads and all of their children run it and it’s kind of cool to watch because you can see them all bickering about one another. We had the Dirty Sanchez (I know) and the Trash Can, and they were both awesome. We couldn’t eat it all, and we usually do. Found it on Unilocal and was a nice surprise.

We were at Two Dads for the first time around noon yesterday for brunch, and I got the eggs florentine, my partner got the irishman. The food was really good. I appreciated the grilled tomatoes and fresh hollandaise on the eggs florentine, which was the best «vegetarian» eggs benedict I’ve had in ages, but the homefries were my favorite part of the meal.
The place was packed and they have an interesting system for seating people. I’ll admit the front of the house service was a bit slow: we waited for someone to acknowledge us, we waited to be seated, we waited for someone to take our drink order, and we waited in line forever to pay when we were finished. But we received our drinks and meals quickly and the food is great diner food at a good price. We’ll go back for lunch.

I super do not like giving out one star and I definitely struggled with this decision for a moment, but remembered coming here when it first opened and having a so-​so experience. In light of that I’m giving two stars, but I will not eat here again.
The place is dark and dingy and looks dirty. Half the light bulbs are burnt out, but I’m not sure if replacing them would make it look better or just make the dirt easier to see.
Thinking about the food makes me want to throw up. I had several pieces of egg shell in my omelet and it just had a funny taste. I’m not sure what was going on with the fruit, but that didn’t taste right either. I won’t tell you what symptoms I had for two days after this meal cuz it wasn’t pretty.

The environment was pretty bleak to me, didn’t get that warm fuzzy feeling lol. It was super hard to get water and at least one napkin from the waitress in a pretty empty restaurant around 1:15 p.m. I was looking around to find some kind of napkin dispenser so I can help myself but didn’t. Looked over the menu for a few minutes, decided to order some kind of asian quesadilla which was pretty good. The only part that had lighting was the front where the bar stools are located but the «back» part where the booths are it was pretty dark… no lights at all. I kind of gotten the feeling (environment) that it was from a horror movie… like Freddy Krueger was going to pop out or some pyscho cook with a chainsaw was going to chase me around the diner. It definitely gave a spooky vibe to it.

It took ten minutes for our server to come over. When she did take our order it took a half an hour for three sandwiches. The sandwiches tasted good but my soup had a fly in it and the service was terrible.

It is a little simple Lakewood run restaurant and it really is TWO DAD’s. these guys are pretty good cooks. I have only eaten breakfast here, but «The DIrty Sanchez» is really great.
A chorizo based sausage gravy, served over sliced style hash browns, eggs cooked to order, topped with fresh cheddar and scallions!
Big thumbs up on the YUM –O– Meter!
Very reasonable prices, local people keeping their business where they live.
It is a Diner, not a high end restaurant. a little dark, but it’s ok. I would prefer it lighten up. It is the old Highlander restaurant.
Courteous staff, real people.
Great for this little town.

You know me. I don’t normally talk smack about a local joint unless it’s filled with douchey hambones. But everything about Two Dad’s was a let down besides the actual taste of the food. That was good. And, obviously, there is Dr. Pepper (automatic star).
Besides the very front, the rest of the diner is dark and feels like a truck stop. I know lots of places have drop ceilings, but it was the first thing I noticed about this place… dull carpet and drop ceilings.

I ventured to Two Dads’ Diner for brunch on a Sunday. There was no wait, but I am sure it is because of the time I went. The place inside is nothing to look at but its a simply a clean classic diner.
The menu has many options and you can go back multiply times and get something new. The food game out fast and fresh. I ordered the Garbage Can which is sausage gravy over eggs and hash browns, it was good and filling.
The service was acceptable. You can tell that it is a family owned place with many young faces running around. I got the feeling that the waitress did want to be working but as long as I am not waiting a long time for something I need and they are doing their job, I do not really care. I am not a person who buts much weight on the service.
Overall this place is an amazing bargain! Four of us ate and the bill was in the low 20s. A simple diner with cheap great eats! I would recommend this place for someone looking for a fast and cheap eat.

Mom and I tried this place for the first time this morning. Very solid diner food with a friendly, attentive waitress is how to describe the breakfast experience. Prices are great. I ordered the veggie omelet and a side of bacon and fruit, whereas mom had eggs, pancakes, and sausage. The only complaint was regarding the hashbrowns-​they were not properly seasoned nor were they crispy. I plan on trying TDD for lunch and dinner-​they serve those offerings after 11:30am on weekdays.

I kind of miss the old Highlander that occupied this building for many years. That was a real «hot spot» for the old people that live in the many retirement buildings in the immediate area. Highlander was always packed with old people smacking around their dentures. I don’t think this has really won them over yet. The prices are extremely cheap. The service was excellent. There are so many options for cheap breakfast and lunch that pop into my brain on the weekends. My friends both ordered pastas, which I thought was kind of a weird thing to order at a diner on a Saturday afternoon and they both agreed that they were just ok. I will definitely try to keep this place in mind.

Checked this place out this morning for breakfast. Good solid diner food. Nothing really surprising or innovative. Just good eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc. Homefries could have been seasoned better — were basically just cooked white potatoes.
Almost went 3 stars on this one because of the potatoes and the fact that the ‘fresh sqeezed OJ’ was definitely Sunny Delight or something that tasted exactly like Sunny — D. I HATE Sunny Delight so that was a bit of a downer.
The service was outstanding, however, and the place had a really good neighborhood diner feel to it. So 4-​stars it is. Also had some interesting menu items that we’ll have to check out for lunch or dinner sometime.
We’ll likely be back.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY COUNT THE DADS. No, seriously. I’ve been here on multiple occasions, and there is almost always one Dad on duty, and usually both. You can identify them by matching them up with the murals of themselves on the walls. It’s like spotting Waldo.
Truth in advertising. All Dads, all the time. After going to Wendys a hundred times and never seeing a single Wendy, this is a breath of fresh air. (Don’t even get me started on Five Guys. Huh. Usually three guys and a couple of chicks. LIARS.)
…what? Food?
Oh yeah.
Two Dads is a diner, and you have to judge it on diner terms. This is the kind of place you go for some comfort food after a long day, where you know what you’re getting. Judged by these standards, it’s a leg up.
First off, they usually have some gourmet raviolis, which is a nice touch. (It’s the same ravioli, I think, that they sell at the West Side Market, which I often buy in huge stacks for my freezer.) Second, the menu’s a little more ambitious than the usual diner fare, with oddballs like chicken paprikash and sweet potato fries.
When they’re on, they’re ABSOLUTELY on. The chicken paprikash was one of the best I’d ever had — creamy, hot, flavorful, the spaetzel perfectly done. I devoured that sucker and asked for more. And when I went back…
…well, that’s the reason they don’t get five stars. The next time I went back, the paprikash had bones in it and was a little clotted. Not terrible, but certainly not the glory of my last week’s visit. And my friends, who had their own favorite meals, discovered that on some days the food could not be beat, and on other days, it could.
So it’s a little uneven, and I’m not sure why. Doesn’t seem to be crowd-​controlled, or chef-​based. Maybe the ingredients? I have no idea. In any case, it’s usually worth your while, but some days it’s like the best diner food you could hope for, and other days it’s just pretty good.
Hence, a slightly-​misleading four stars. On a great day, it’s five stars easy for the price. On an off day, it’s a walk to three stars. Average is four — still well worth your time.
Plus, you know, you can see ACTUAL DADS. IN THE WILD. Isn’t that worth your time?

Nice friendly place
A little too greasy for my taste
Food came out in a haste
Fish fry’s batter was too thick
After eating it felt kinda sick
And I’m not taking the mick
Sweet potatoe fries were great
I almost cleaned my plate
But salad was brown mate!
Carrot cake was a delight
Order two I might
For later in the night
Sorry in advance :)

Extremely friendly staff. Had breakfast which was a typical greasy spoon breakfast. Only complaint is that our server wasn’t very good. She rarely came back to our table to see if we needed refills or anything else. I was glad I drank my OJ very slowly because our waitress never came back to check on us until after our meal was completely gone.

As a new resident of Lakewood, I am trying to learn my way around and find all the hot spots for amazing cuisine. Of course when you ask anyone where to get some good food in Lakewood, they instantly suggest Melt. Hey it was on Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dives. And who doesn’t love cheese?
Well tonight that is where my wife and I decided we would go. It’s in walking distance of our home so we figured we might get in on a Thursday night around 7. Wrong-​O! Did I mention it’s impossible to get a table at Melt in under 90 minutes? Well we took one look inside, heard our tummies rumbling and headed headed back the way we came. On the way there we passed a quaint little place called Two Dads Diner. We decided to stop in and give it a go, and boy were we glad we did.
As we walked in the diner (formerly the Hylander) the gentleman at the counter exclaimed: «There must have been a line at Melt.» To which we awkwardly mumbled. «I saw you walk past the first time,» he continued.
The waitress assured us that we would have a better meal here and raved about the fresh local ingredients.
Everywhere we go, the wife and I always try the fried mozzarella. It’s a telltale sign of what’s to come. We were not disappointed. They were delicious, a zesty breading, a sweet sauce and freshly shaved Parmesan and parsley on top. Very nice.
Next came the main courses. A Buffalo Chicken Sandwich for me and Grilled Cheese and Tomato for the lady. Mine with sweet potato fries and she with regular fries.
The Buffalo Chicken was about as juicy as chicken can be. A nice crunchy outer breading covered in a tangy but not overly hot Buffalo sauce. The flavors really popped and made me want another one as soon as I was done, if I wasn’t already stuffed from the huge chicken breast. All in all I was very happy with the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff, which went out of their way to make us feel at home and keep our drinks filled to the rim. The prices were right too!
On the way out they twisted our arm (not really) into getting some dessert to go, a piece of Coconut Cream Pie and Cassata Cake. Also fresh and delicious. I will certainly be back for another round, next time I have my eyes on the City Chicken. Yum-​O

I walk into this place by myself, around two in the afternoon on a Thursday. I think, «Ok, a diner. So am I in the mood for a burger or a sandwich?» My thoughts were interrupted by a red haired man behind a counter. «Hello, what can I do for you?» he asks.
«Hi, just one, please.»
«Do you just want to sit at the counter?»
«Oh, sure.»
I sit down. He asks what I want to drink. I hesitate. Once I realize it’s too early for a beer, I just order water. I realize I’m the only patron in the place. I think to myself, «Things could get awkward here.» I try to start up a conversation so I don’t seem like a creep-​o. Luckily I brought my ipod touch incase things took a turn for the worse. I mention that my boyfriend and I had been wanting to go to this place for a while, and since I’m moving to DC soon I thought I’d try it before it was too late. A waitress told me she just moved from DC. Bingo-​I found my hook. We chatted a bit about DC and what not, I asked her what I should order. She tells me she’s a vegetarian and always orders the portobello sandwich with sweet potato fries. Sounds like a winner to me. She puts my order in, says goodbye since her shift is over, and I turn to my plan B to read some news.
My food comes out, piping hot and looking good. I first try the sweet potato fries. Good. I take a bite out of my sandwich. Perfect. The mushroom was marinated in a vinaigrette dressing, there was a roasted red pepper mayo that added to the flavors and wasn’t THE flavor, and I could actually fit it all in my mouth without it falling apart. I looked over the rest of the menu and it’s very diverse, with chicken paprikash and a gyro, asian inspired dishes, and calamari. This place seems like a winner.
I asked for a box for my leftovers, paid my bill, and walked out, with every intention to return for breakfast that weekend. More to come, folks.

Nom nom yum yum are not chinese words but they are the words that came out of my mouth when I sunk my teeth into the crispy on the outside succulent on the inside City Chicken. It’s not chicken on a skewer mind you, it’s city chicken (pork). Their mashed potatoes, which comes with the City Chicken dinner, is divine. Everything else on the plate is good.
The Asian salad (see my mug shot and you’ll understand) is very elegantly done. The salad dressing is not too sweet (unlike a place who’s name rhymes with dirty-​knees) and the peanuts throws you for a nice flavor loop.
Last item to review but first to be consumed was the Fried Calamri. It had an interesting vegetable entourage to go with your «fruite de mare» Jalapenos, diced tomatoes… gosh, it was so good I can’t remember what I ate in that dish. So you’ll have to try it yourself.
One of the «Dads» was there (John) and he was very genuine about how much his customers enjoy their dining experience. And it trickled down very well to the service staff.

We happened to spot this place while driving down Detroit, both with empty stomachs. Boy, am I glad we took a chance. The name was the first thing that drew me in, and with a small crowd inside, I figured it had to be at least decent.
What an understatement!
We shared the Southwest egg rolls as an appetizer, and they alone are worth a comeback trip. These babies blow your typical Applebees/Chili’s right out of the water. ZESTY!
I had the chicken-​dumpling soup, and The Biff sandwich. Both were great. I’m not typically a fan of chicken-​dumpling, it just seems so overdone. and yet again, the spice was perfect and lively in this.
My man had the Fish’n’Chips (comes with slaw and home fries). The batter was just right– crunchy, but very very thin; didn’t detract from the flavor of the fish itself. Just the way it’s SUPPOSED to be. :)
If I have one tiny complaint, it’s the cole slaw. Needs some serious livening up, though I feel bad complaining at all.
There was also a VERY attractive dessert case, but we were too stuffed to try any of the amazing layer cakes.
It is hard to put this diner in the right price range– by all means, if you’re looking for a cheap lunch, stop by. The entrees themselves don’t go over $ 9, and my meal was only $ 6, but I couldn’t justify under «$$ per person» with drinks included.
All in all, for a place that’s only been around since Dec 11 2009, this «diner» has more than earned a spot in my heart forever.