Central Diner & Grille

Not what you typically think when you hear the word diner. Clean and classy looking, this place has a diner type menu (lots of choices and lots of comfort food). The desserts are amazing to look at in the glass cases. The service both times I have come has been here has been very good. The food has been very good as well-​large portions, hot, and great tasting. Make sure you check out the specials. The lasagna is awesome. But if you want the Shepherd’s Pie, come early, they run out fast. Overall, I highly recommend this place.

Bookmarked this place and had the opportunity to stop on this evening for the first time. Service was excellent and fast! Portions were HUGE! My
Gyro felt like it weighed 5 lbs and has the thickest gyro meat I’ve ever had! Almond torte cake was also delicious! So many choices — glad we tried out this place — we will be back!

Me and my husband love to go out for breakfast, and my mom kept telling me «you have to try Central Diner for breakfast.» So we did this morning. I envisioned it as some home in the wall, divey place with great food. Not at all! I mean the great food part, yes, hole in the wall place, no. It was super hopping this morning. The breakfasts were very good and all of the staff we encountered were so nice and friendly. We want to try it for lunch or dinner now because the rest of their menu looks awesome.

We stopped in on a whim, and immediately the atmosphere was friendly, the cooks and runners were vocal and it was fun to watch. The place was packed and it still only took 10 minutes for a table. I ordered the Chicken Athena and it was delicious and on point. The coffee is great as well, goes great with the yummy desserts. Do yourself a favor and save room! Also kudos to the wait staff, our waitress was super nice. The other diners were also very friendly when they heard it was our first time. It won’t be our last.

I kept hearing good things about this dining spot and looked forward to experiencing it. It is a glorified diner featuring a full menu of home made tasting dishes, soups, sandwiches and desserts.

The selections are fantastic and the portions are huge. They have daily features which include comfort foods to the max! Stuffed peppers, meatloaf, beef tips and rice are just a few of the offerings.
Breakfast is served all day and the menu looked amazing.
I was very pleased with their homemade goodness and plan to visit again soon.
They also offer wine and spirits.
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This has become one of my «go-​to» restaurants in Pittsburgh for feel good make you so happy type of eating. The Greek salad with gyro meat is off the charts. One of the best ever when paired up with the house dressing. The meat is cooked to perfection and the salad portion is easily enough for two settings. The selection of cake and baklava is also perfection at it’s finest. I’ve ordered the gyro sandwich and gyro plate — also worth noting are exceptionally good!
I am always pleased with the level of service at Central Diner — people seem to genuinely enjoy working at the restaurant which translates to a great experience for the customer.

Great food at good prices!
I don’t know how we missed Central Diner on previous stays in the area but I’m glad we found it tonight.
The waitress recommend the featured chicken section of the menu so I ordered the chicken cordon bleu and my wife went with chicken napolitano — both were outstanding! The salads were nice and the broccoli sides were steamed just right.

Had great breakfast after our stay at the red roof motel nearby. nice staff, i think it’s owned and operated by one family and so everything is fast, clean and good. the meatlovers omelette is great, the greek-​style breakfast too!
big servings for a really good price. luv it!

This place reminds me of the classic New York diner from back home. A huge menu with any food you can imagine. Breakfast for dinner? Italian? American bar/​grill? Greek? They have it all. I had the «Big Fat Greek Omelete» and I thought it was absolutely terrific. Good service, nice, comfortable décor– this would be my go to place in Pitt. Good find!

I’ve eaten here a few times. Never had an experience with bad service, the portions are seriously giant.
It can get really loud in here at peak dining times but that also means it’s a good spot if you’re looking for a place out with a young family.
Brunch and dinner just can’t be beat for the price.

I came here on a Wednesday for lunch due to a recommendation by a friend. He said it was a good spot for food and family owned which is why he liked it. Upon entering the establishment there was a chalkboard full of specials which we only had a few seconds to look at since we were promptly seated. The restaurant was packed full and rather noisy but that gave it even more of a family feel IMO.
The menu was pretty big for a diner and was packed full of good choices. When I went to wash my hands after being seated I walked past everyone’s table glancing at all the food since it was my first time there. Every single dish I walked past looked amazing! When I returned to my seat I decided on going with the one special I remembered, the shepherds pie. I have never had a shepherds pie (I know I know…) so after googling it I dove in head first.
My meal came with a cup of soup, I chose chicken noodle. It was very good but the vegetable beef is what I should have gone for. When my shepherds pie arrived I started chowing down. It was pretty good but not amazing, but considering it was my first shepherds pie it could have been the best shepherds pie in the world and I wouldn’t know. I felt that if the broccoli was replaced with peas it would have been better. Anyways… the shepherds pie is the only thing that kept this place from getting 5 stars. I will surely be returning to try other items since the other food looked so amazing, everything was home made and the prices were very reasonable. Oh yea, and when I was leaving I saw 20 different cakes in the display case that were over a foot tall! I will return for the cake alone!
I am looking forward to returning and hopefully updating my review to 5 stars once I eat something I am more familiar with!

Fiancé took me here this weekend for dinner as he found this gem during the work week a few days back and couldn’t wait for me to try it. He was right. IT WAS FANTASTIC.
The service here is absolutely untouchable. I don’t think I have had the level of customer service that they are providing here in QUITE a long time. It was a Saturday night — so it was very busy. Lobby was packed to the brim — always a good sign for me, as you KNOW its that good if people are lining up out the door. We only waited about 15 minutes for our table. The manager of this place is VERY involved. The hostess accidentally called our name for our table before it was ready. We had to wait again. Meanwhile, I watched the manager give orders around him to the various waiters and busboys –which by the way — were HUSTLING and working their butts off at this place. It was pretty refreshing to see. He led us personally to our table as the hostess has slipped the first go round. I was impressed.
Our waiter was fantastic. Very accommodating, polite, friendly. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. After talking to him after we had finished our meal he told us it was his first week working there. I was SO impressed. We would have never known. Whatever the owner is doing here — he is doing it RIGHT. His staff is well trained and treat people like real people, not like inconveniences.
We had the buffalo wings as an appetizer. OH MY GOD. Probably one of the best plates of wings I have had in a really long time. They were smoking hot, freshly cooked — no frozen chicken drumsticks here. They were breaded with cornflakes and SO crispy without being overly breaded. The sauce they were tossed in was just the right amount of spice but was full of flavor. You can tell it was homemade sauce, not a bottle of Franks red-​hot with some butter melted into it. We didn’t even talk or look up at each other until the platter was empty. SO good.
Fiancé had the monte cristo for an entrée and I had the gyro sandwich. Both dishes came with homemade coleslaw, pickles and french fries. Fries were hot and crispy — not cold and soggy. The coleslaw was freshly made and on the sweeter side (a little too sweet for my taste, but still delicious!). The monte cristo was served on homemade challah bread french toast and had REAL roasted turkey and giant chunks of freshly carved salty ham. SO GOOD. The gyro sandwich I had was the best I have ever had. Ever. Ever. It had so much meat packed into the pita that I couldn’t even finish it. The meat was fresh and flavorful and the tzatziki sauce was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I could tell it was freshly made that day, in house. I asked for extra, it was so good!
We will definitely be back again and again and again. Worth the drive no matter where you live in the city!

Have visited twice in the last couple of weeks.
First visit was for lunch and sat at the counter. It was rather noisy but not to bad since I was by myself. My waitress gave me good service but did not say anything and was busy. The manager/​owner did stop for a quick, «How is everything». My Greek chicken panini was dried out tasteless chicken, a surprise since this place seems to get such good reviews. The fries and cole slaw that came with are what you would expect.
We decided to give it a try for breakfast. We were expecting a wait and the hostess said 10 to 12 minutes. We were surprised by her estimate. Well 45 minutes later we were called and seated.
The place is so noisy we had a hard time talking/​hearing each other. Our waitress leaned way over the table to talk with us. Did I mention it is way to noisy/​load. Our waitress was good and provided refills.
I had the blueberry pancakes. The fresh blueberries were good, the pancakes were large but just OK not sure how to describe but just OK, not as good as a couple of other little diners we usually go to. Also, a little more expensive. Others had the french toast and bacon and were happy with their meal. I did get a couple pieces of their bacon because they received so many pieces — and the bacon was really good, thick and cooked perfectly.
Portions are large. Service is good. Food is OK, but nothing exceptional.
Did I mention Very Noisy!

Great place to take anyone with A big enough appetite. My friends and I decided to stop here after a movie. I had never been to the diner so I figured hey At least they have a vast menu and they serve breakfast all day.
We were seated right away in a booth which was very comfortable and large. Our waiter Aaron was a great at his job and was really accommodating especially for my friend who’s very picky about what she eats. He was able to make me a virgin mint julep which tasted great!
I ordered the Greek eggs Benedict with a Greek side salad. The dressing on the salad is definitely the best that I’ve ever tasted. When my eggs Benedict came out the chunks of Gyro meat that were on them were humongous. Of course I couldn’t eat it all because the English muffin was twice as big as what I’m used too. The Gyro meat was very flavorful and juicy the eggs were cooked perfectly and the hollandaise sauce just added that perfect creamy touch to the top. My husband ordered the veal Parmesan which was actually pretty decent. The marinara sauce they use is made in house and has small chunks of tomato in there so you know it’s fresh.
Our friends ordered a chef salad along with an omelette both of which were very filling. The salad alone came in this large bowl that was big enough for about four people to eat.
After dinner we ordered a slice of one of their various cakes, it was mango and raspberry filled. I wasn’t too thrilled about the cake, the bread was kind of dense and maybe on the dry side. I think next time I might skip dessert or try their rice pudding instead.
All in all this is a great place to take your family or friends when you’re not sure what to eat. The menu is large enough to accommodate anyone’s tastebuds from from Italian to Greek to American they pretty much have it all.

Now this was a birthday breakfast/​brunch outing. We were in Robinson to get our car looked at and the man found this place on Unilocal.The reviews looked good so we took the plunge. We got seated quickly and they even accommodated my foot (it is in a walking boot). I really appreciated them seeing that and realizing that sitting me close and not making me walk around would be really nice.
The waitress was exceptional. Seriously. We wanted OJ but wanted to split it, she got us two glasses, Chris didn’t like the sides, she made an accommodation since she saw his hesitation. It was awesome. She came around to check on us and chat, but wasn’t overbearing and in the way. I loved her.
I ordered the Greek Eggs Benedict with the side of home fries. I ordered the home fries extra crispy. This sometimes is where the restaurants fail. You say crispy and they think, «eh, she can’t really mean that.» Oh but I do. The home fries came out perfect. The reason that they do not get four stars and only three is because of the meat on the Greek Eggs Benedict. I saw them put the new spit of «meat» on while I was sitting there. I knew at that time that the meat on my food would be the leftover crunchies or just dry, and I was right. Some pieces were good, others were super old tasting (crunchy and dry). The meal would have been perfect, but that meat was a no go.
They were saved from the dreaded two stars by the fact that they gave me a free piece of cake for my birthday that looks amazing and is huge. I would like to do 3.5 stars but that is not allowed.

We were in Robinson randomly last week and i decided to knock off one of my bookmarked spots. I was excited to finally try Central Diner out! dont let the word diner fool you. this spot has a great menu with more than just your normal diner fare.
Our server was Kevin and he did a great job as our server.
For dinner, i ordered the turkey breast entrée. It came with thick turkey breast, stuffing, cranberry sauce, side of potato & choice of soup or salad ($ 13) I couldn’t finish all and enjoyed more later that night. It was a nice mix on a thanksgiving feast– the stuffing was made with apples and raisins. a little sweet treat.
Central Diner had a list of specials that day that all sounded tasty– stuffed pepper, fish dinner, stuffed cabbage & a few others. Bobby went with the stuffed cabbage which was served over mashed potatoes and said it was tasty.
Bookmark this spot & try it out your next visit to robinson. We had a great time and left very satisfied. Also, they had cute patio seating, cocktails & wine.

Woah quite surprised with this mega diner!
Coolest thing was the inside– it was extremely cold I remember, but other Than that looked mad modern– probably the nicest diner I’ve been to!
Menu was extremely diverse, they seemed to have a Mediterranean influence in the menu, which was good because I love em Mediterranean spices!
I got the Mediterranean chicken, man was it plentiful! Lots of chicken– I thought it may have been a little well done– but nonetheless the dish was pretty magnificent and grand– came with a side of steamed broccoli to be healthy.
I wanted some cake, which they had a TON of but cut myself off at this point because I wasn’t sure if I can walk.
Service was pretty good, little pricey but you get your money’s worth.
Will return.

As I’ve reviewed more restaurants, I’ve found that my standards have become increasingly exacting, and that I award fewer 5 star reviews. Despite this, Central Diner and Grille impressed me sufficiently that I feel justified in awarding this rating. It’s hands down the best diner I’ve ever been to, by far.
As a city dweller, I rarely make it all the way out to Robinson. When a Unilocal event at a nearby business led me and CM there this weekend, I suggested that we check it out for dinner beforehand. I described it to him as an upscale diner, but this doesn’t really do it justice – it’s more of a casual dining-​type place that happens to offer breakfast foods all day long, and to be open late. Also true to the diner name, it offers a variety of desserts, as well as Greek foods, given that the owners, like the owners of many East Coast diners, are Greek. However, its staple foods are classic American dishes, and they have enough of a variety to satisfy many different tastes.
In light of the specialization in Greek food, I decided to order the Chicken Athena ($ 16.95), a Greek-​influenced chicken dish, and CM decided to order a gyro ($ 8.95). In addition to its eponymous dish, my meal came with a choice of soup or salad and side dish, as well as bread. In keeping with the Greek theme, I decided to try the soup of the day, avgolemono, a Greek lemon-​chicken soup. I’d never tried this soup before, but it was very flavorful, and had a nice thickness. The bread was a step up from what you’d expect at a casual dining establishment – it was fresh and had a nice body. For my side dish, I went with the mashed potatoes, which were pretty standard. As for the Chicken Athena, the first thing that was immediately apparent was its size – it was served on a platter larger than the placemat in front of me, and consisted of two large breasts topped with half a bag of spinach, as well as a generous helping of tomatoes and feta. Wow! The taste was on point, too – the freshness of the ingredients was quite evident. I ate half of it and took the other half home, which I ate for dinner the next day. CM’s gyro was also massive, and came with a generous helping of fries, which were of the lightly battered variety. He really enjoyed it, saying that it was almost as good as the one he’d had at the PGH Greek Food Fest, which is high praise. His only minor criticism was that he wished it came with more tzatziki sauce, since he enjoyed its flavor so much that he wanted more! (We probably could have asked for extra, but it didn’t occur to us.)
Although the food was quite good, what earns Central a full 5 stars from me is its atmosphere and service. In PGH – at least, in the city, al fresco dining is hard to come by, and Central has as many outdoor tables as they do indoor ones. Since the weather was nice, we were able to take advantage of it, and it was awesome. As a diner, Central is a family friendly restaurant, and several families with kids opted for the outdoor seating, which gave the kids an opportunity to blow off some steam. Nevertheless, between the nice weather, the music, and the patio furniture, the atmosphere was comparable to some of the better restaurants I’ve been to in PGH. The service was also impressive – our waitress came back to our table to offer me gravy for my mashed potatoes after overhearing me mention that I’d like some to CM, and the owner stopped by to ask me how everything was, and even offered to fill my water glass after we’d asked for the check. It was clear that this is an extremely well-​run, customer-​focused restaurant.
CM and I enjoyed our time at Central so much that we returned after attending our event to enjoy dessert and after-​dinner drinks on the porch while watching the sun set. I ordered the death-​by-​chocolate cake ($ 4.95), and he ordered a hot chocolate with whipped cream ($ 1.85). Although the waitress described the cake as all chocolate, this wasn’t quite true, since the cake itself was yellow – it had chocolate icing and was drizzled with chocolate syrup. Nevertheless, it was quite tasty, and the icing was high quality (CM compared it to his grandmother’s). CM enjoyed his hot chocolate so much that he used a spoon to sip it to make it last longer.
Overall, we were extremely pleased with our meal (s) at Central. I’d love to return sometime for breakfast, which I’m sure is just as good as – if not better than – dinner, or for another dessert. I’m positive Central would be a huge hit with my parents, who are picky eaters, or with children. If you happen to be in Robinson and are tired of mediocre chain restaurant dining, or are on the hunt for a great diner, be sure to check this place out – you won’t be disappointed!

This place is legit!
I had a rib platter with fries and my wife had the biggest piece of lasagna you have ever seen!
The ribs were fall on my bone tender, and the lasagna tasted so good it completely flooded my basement! It looks like they have some awesome desserts, if you can save enough room! I know we couldn’t.

This place is awesome. They have a variety of food ranging from sandwiches to Italian and Greek dishes. We ate here twice over the weekend. since this seemed to be the best place around.
One thing we learned from our first visit was that their portions are huge !!! so next time we just ordered one meal and it was enough for the two of us. Their desserts are amazing too. They have 4 layer cakes which are gigantic. and must be shared :)
The service is quick and those guys work really fast. I sat in front of the kitchen on the bar. and I was impressed how co-​ordinated the cooks were, and how quickly they fixed orders in case a customer changed their mind or there was a mistake.
This place is great for groups, and with a wide variety of food, I am sure everyone can find something they would enjoy.