Empire Diner

Pricey for a diner but i guess it’s not your typical diner since it’s run by Amanda Freitag
they have a bar for those who are waiting to be seated but try to get a RSVP to make it easier because even out on 10^th ave this place is poppin’
–meat loaf sandwich: comes served with chips. a juicy and tasty sandwich! my only gripe is that the bread was DRENCHED in butter so the sandwich was really heavy, GOOD THING we shared it. portions ended up being perfect
–daily pie special: LUCKILY they had a chocolate ganache topped with mocha cream & crème fraîche pie when we came, yum! perfect for our pi day festivities on 3÷14÷15
wouldn’t make it a regular stop for brunch, seemed to have the run of the mill menu but pricier, although not bad!

Cute place, came recommended because
Of the prestige of the owner. Fish was undercooked, entrees arrived before finishing starters. Wasn’t a bad experience but won’t hurry back!

I made a reservation for 2 on OpenTable for Sunday @ 11:30 and was seated immediately, upstairs. I live down the block and didn’t realize they had an upstairs. However, it’s not the same diner scene upstairs and it was FREEZING, so I would suggest sitting downstairs. Staff was friendly, however, there’s about 3 or 4 tables upstairs so you don’t see a waiter/​waitress as you would downstairs to wave down and get extra napkins, water, etc.
We ordered brunch cocktails which were $ 13! I could have ordered a whole other entrée for that price! And they weren’t anything great. I order the Jane St and my boyfriend ordered the seasonal apple spice drink.
For food, we ordered the Parmesan tater tots to start. I ordered the skirt steak and eggs and my boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles. Don’t get me wrong, my meal was good, BUT, since the room upstairs was FREEZING, our food got cold, real quick.
Our bill came to $ 90…for brunch… the driving factor was definitely the expensive drinks.
There are definitely better brunch spots that for $ 90 I could get unlimited brunch cocktails.

My sister and I had lunch here midweek. The meal was good but the highlight was the adult milkshake! Holy good god was that milk shake to die for. I wish that we didn’t order so much food because it was hard to finish this delicious, thick shake. I love the old style diner décor, although the dining space is pretty tight so it does get crowded very quickly. We sat at the bar which is what I would recommend since the tables are quite close together and don’t allow for any ability to have a private convo.

It’s not really a diner even though it has diner in it’s name.
I live in the neighborhood, and it’s my favorite place. If I didn’t live in the neighborhood, I’d make a point of visiting. Often. The staff is the friendliest, most welcoming around. They always make you feel like they are happy to see you. Todd is one of my favorite people on the planet. The bartenders know how to make a drink, any drink. Great wine list, something for everyone. You never get tired of it because the menu changes. Not so much, that you can never have something twice, but often enough that you don’t feel like you are eating the same thing over and over. The menu. I don’t care who you are, you will find something you love. The food is delicious and the service is amazing. I love the meatballs — the sauce is really, really good. The salmon is always fresh and perfectly cooked. The sweet potato fries are amazing — crispy and not greasy. If you want a burger, the Empire’s is hard to beat. If you want to eat light, they have several salads that you can order with your choice of protein, which always hits the spot. Skirt steak is always good. Oh and, if you feel like having pancakes for dinner, you can. Milkshakes change daily. Stop in for coffee and dessert. The parfait is crazy good, as is Brooklyn Blackout Cake. They also serve a delicious breakfast, and brunch on weekends. Whenever you go, you can’t go wrong.

I’ve come here twice: once for brunch and once for late-​night eats. The brunch was ok, the dinner (lobster roll) was very good. The fries were just a tad over-​seasoned, but crisp and flavorful nonetheless. The lobster roll itself wasn’t overly mayo-​based. Great balance with the lobster and bread.
Prices are ok (not cheap). It’s a nice spot to go by every so often if you’re near Chelsea Market/​High Line.

Eh… overhyped, very overpriced.
The breakfast food (specifically the waffles and the omelet) were average to sub-​par, and at $ 15 — $ 20 each, they should have been outstanding. The turkey burger was tiny, and utterly flavorless. It came with a dressing-​less salad and there was some mesclun tossed on top of the burger as an afterthought. The English muffin as a bun was also strange. My short rib dip was good, as was the Reuben — definitely high-​quality meat, which was nice. Still, it’s not a sandwich I’ll remember, despite what the server assured me.
Speaking of the server, the service was a tad off. He was a bit unfriendly/​pretentious, and also brought out one of our dishes a good 10 minutes after everyone else’s.
Overall: Don’t pay for standard fare. Go elsewhere.

Food: 4
Ambiance: 4
Service: 4
I had been meaning to check out this casual hot spot for a while, and I’m glad I finally did. It’s just a diner, and yet, late at night, it’s kind of romantic indoors, where it’s very dimly lit and quiet. There’s seating at the bar, plenty of booths, plus some tables available. (There’s also outdoor seating.)
I love that they serve breakfast all day. I had their delicious Buttermilk Pancakes w/​berries & syrup — yum!
Two single-​stall BRs are located on the left, near the private-​ish dining room.

A terrible experience for brunch. They have a lot of weird «rules» that they were sure to tell us when seating us.
There were six of us and the tables outside only accommodate 4 or 2. Not a big deal. We put the kids at their own table. When the server came up he made a point of telling us that the kids table would be «separate and their food would come out maybe at a different time». No big deal, right?
Once we ordered he made a move like he was done, but hadn’t taken the kids table order. When I started to order for the kids table (they’re too young to handle this themselves) he seemed annoyed. Like he didn’t want to take another table’s order. I’m not sure how he thought he was going to get an order — let alone payment — out of a six and an eight year old.
After ordering it was mostly pleasant. One of the salads came with a barely full ramekin of dressing. When we asked for more the guy who brought the food told us it would be an extra charge. The next person we asked brought it without a second thought and didn’t upcharge us.
I ordered the nicoise salad and it was pretty well done. Fresh vegetables and the tuna was cooked pretty well.
There also seemed to be about 6 – 8 different people serving our table. The guy who took our order we never saw again.
All in all a confusing and underwhelming experience.

We went here tonight with some family and friends. I’d never been to this restaurant before so I didn’t really have any expectations. Overall I’d say that the most important thing to note was that it is wildly overpriced for what you’re getting which is «upscale» diner food that isn’t actually upscale.
Secondly both my husband and I left here with a major stomach ache. Something was funky and unfortunately still is funky. We both feel totally terrible.
I would not recommend this place at all. Skip it.

You’ve seen this spot in a buncha movies and on those travel shows that focus on NY.
You have.
Understandably, tourists that come to this «Diner», bitch and moan about the prices… hey, fattie, this isn’t The Waffle House and you ain’t in ‘Bama no mo’.
Anyway, the old-​school classic exterior doesn’t mirror the modern cuisine/​cocktail concoctions they provide.
The «Honey Dude» cocktail. You gotta hit that.
As for the entertainment factor, the gay waiters be mad funny. Fuckin actor/​waiters be redic.

Pricey for a diner but i guess it comes with the name attached to this. Celebrity Chef Amanda Freitag owns and cooks at this spot. Came here for lunch and had the Empire burger. A juicy burger with their custom blend. A good burger but not a standout as i’ve had better. Service was good and their bar selection is well done too. Mixed a great bloody mary. Fries were fried up crispy and tasty. Sat at the diner bar which seems to be the place to be. Good service and even the chef came out to converse with her patrons. A good dessert selection as the take home cookie assortment was delish and the apple pie i had with ice cream was flakey, a good crust, and wonderful apple filling. It’s a good spot if in the area but not a place i’d go out of my way to eat due to it’s price point.

Empire Diner serves elevated diner food in a fun, nostalgic atmosphere. The food is solid although it seems, at times, perhaps a little inconsistent. Furthermore, the staff are all very nice, but I wish they would be a bit more attentive. That being said, both times I’ve dined here I enjoyed my meal. I should note that I’ve only come in for brunch/​lunch and can’t speak to the success of their dinner options.
Obviously, when you go to Empire Diner you expect the kitschy atmosphere, but I quite like it. I find the oldies music combined with the retro space charming. The entire staff was lovely, from the host to the server to the bartender, though as I mentioned above a little inattentive at times; having to ask the waiter/​waitress to refill my water is a pet peeve of mine.
My first time at Empire I ordered the Happy Waitress (poached eggs and Taylor Ham) and it was excellent. Also, I’m from New Jersey so I absolutely LOVE that Taylor Ham is on the menu (and actually called «Taylor Ham» — don’t you dare refer to is as a pork roll around me). The yolk was perfectly runny, however when my roommate ordered the Happy Waitress today his eggs were overcooked and not runny at all. This is the reason for my comment above regarding inconsistency.
This time I had the Patty Melt and it was tasty. The beef was juicy but not greasy and I love the caramelized onions and the toasted rye bread. A little acidity might have made the sandwich even more enjoyable (perhaps a tiny smear of Sir Kensington’s or something of the sort?), but it’s a good sandwich.
I’m curious how Empire Diner performs on some of its dinner dishes, but it certainly gets my nod of approval for brunch.

I expected a lot more from Empire Diner. It is in fact diner food, but just at a higher price point.
My friend and I shared:
Feta Sticks-​served with a honey and date purée-​I was impressed by how melted the feta was and the sweet honey/​date was a great compliment to the salty cheese)
Truffle orzo mac and cheese-​Not a very strong truffle flavor but the broccoli was a nice addition
Burger-​Basic burger but I loved the sauce (it reminded me of McDonald’s sauce, in a good way)
Blackout cake-​For a sweet tooth like mine, I need a sweet dessert and this cake was not sweet. The side of whipped cream had no sweetness either.
Our waitress was very friendly, so no complaints there.
Everything was okay, but nothing worth running back for.

Had a great time here. I had been meaning to try this place, having just moved to Chelsea recently, and all the feedback I heard about Empire Diner seemed pretty solid. In all, elevated diner food seemed right up my alley.
We ordered the pork on pork and the steak and potatoes, as well as the chili brussel sprouts and the shishito pepper poppers, all washed down with a few glasses of beer. The chili brussel sprouts were just the right texture, spiciness, and acidity, and the shishito peppers were fried just right. The steak and potatoes was pretty standard, but executed very well. The pork on pork, with black eyed peas, was unlike any pork dish I’ve had. Both sides of the pork chop had been seared to a very deep crisp, but somehow I never got any burnt tastes in the meat. The meat in itself was still very juicy, which was the most surprising to me. Our waitress was pretty swamped at the time, so we were waiting for drink refills for a while, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the experience or anything. She was very friendly, and explained the specials pretty well.
Prices are on the higher side, especially for alcohol (cocktails $ 13 and beer $ 8), but overall, it seemed like I was getting a pretty good value on everything, since you know you’re getting quality execution. Make sure to get a reservation on OpenTable, and it’ll save you having to wait. The place was bustling for a while, even just a few minutes before closing, so seats were definitely in high demand.
It’s a bit far west for most people, but definitely worth the trip. Also, the desserts they had looked pretty good, but I’ll have to save that for the return trip. I’ll definitely be back.

A great place for breakfast, but make sure you’re actually hungry! I thought I was starving but I still couldn’t finish the mountain of pancakes I ordered, even though they were delicious!
Also delicious was the EPIC chocolate milkshake. In fact, so were the homemade apple and cinnamon pop tarts. I’m just reminiscing about the food now and looking at the photos, and I’m salivating. It was SO GOOD!
The service was good, and the cost was fairly expensive, but overall I thought it was totally worth it.

IN SHORT: Saved from closure by celebrity chef Amanda Freitag just over a year ago, Empire Diner has emerged victorious, still in the same dining car with chrome finishes that it occupied in 1946.
THE STORY: While still a cozy, romantic little space tucked away in Chelsea, the menu at Empire Diner has seen some novel changes, promising both the dirty diner eats we’ve come to expect, and some elevated options that pleasantly surprise, like the side of broccoli with a citrusy and nutty Parmesan lemon dressing. The Grilled Cheese is another stronghold on the menu, with both cheddar and fontina cheese topped with slices of roasted tomato.
Diner dishes with more nuance include the Matzoh Ball Soup with root vegetables, poached chicken, and melted bone barrow and the Oyster Pan Roast with pork belly, poached oysters, potatoes, and pumpernickel bread. With this selection of plates, a chef and service with heart, a sparkling interior like home, and a history to stand behind it, Empire Diner has everything it needs now to last another glorious lifetime.

This place is amazing and lately it is hit or miss. It’s incredibly affordable for the quality of the food.
My faves are the chopped antipasti salad — literally antipasti in a tangy vinaigrette with so many chunks of meat you wonder what part of it is salad.
Orzo Mac and cheese — creamy, silky cheese sauce with al dente orzo. A huge portion. The last couple of time I had it, needed salt.
Crispy lemon chicken comes with a pressed cracklinesque sheet of chicken skin on top.
The pork chop with beans last time was forgettable. Mostly because it was dry.
The desserts are incredible especially the Sundae.
The cocktails are consistent, delicious and classic while being innovative.
The menu is very affordable. I just hope they are able to maintain the standard that made them so special to start.

I had a fantastic breakfast at the diner a few days ago. The waiter, Jay, was so personable and nice and sweet it made the experience above at 10. The food was amazing the portions were gigantic and the waiter express that they are trying to expand their breakfast menu.
I had an an English muffin breakfast sandwich packed with eggs cheese and tomatoes. It was delicious and was accompanied by fingerling potatoes with that were season with salt and pepper and delicious.
The service was outstanding and I look forward to going back again. The place was cute and comfy and definitely a recommendation for all to go to.
PS, I want to go back and try something I saw on the walk called a chocolate mother load cake or something similar to that name it sounded amazing.

Almost eighty years ago, Empire Diner made its debut, but more recently, it was reopened, revamped, and about damn time I went. So, I was off to Chelsea for brunch to check it out.
As a genuine boxcar diner, it made me a bit nostalgic of the late Relish Diner in Williamsburg, one of my old favorite spots (RIP). Inside, the aesthetic is clean, crisp and modern, but still pays homage to the old school diner vibe.
Everything on the menu sounded amazing, but I had to start with the Bruleed Grapefruit (toasted brioche and cinnamon cream cheese). I’ve had a grapefruit brulee before, but this one was a bit different. Both delicious, but this one had a bit of a different play on it, incorporating the brioche and cinnamon cream cheese. I really loved this, the different flavors and textures compliment each other so wonderfully. The tartness of the grapefruit is offset from the crisp, sweetness of the sugar, the savory, buttery brioche, which is pretty unreal, and the creaminess of the cinnamon cream cheese.
Then, for my entrée I had to go for the Buttermilk Pancakes (fluffy pancakes, maple syrup, blueberry compote). Man alive, these were some incredible pancakes. They were light, pillowy, but still rich in flavor, and the blueberry compote was totally clutch. You can taste the simple freshness and flavor of the blueberries, unlike some of these overly sugared, artificially flavored versions at your run-​of-​the-​mill diner. Pour some maple syrup on this bad boy, and you’ve got a slam dunk, right into my stomach.