Red Bank Diner [Red Bank, NJ]

Even with good food, sometimes service can be the difference between a 3 and a 4. My mom and I were looking for a place to have lunch after a busy day closing our house for sale last week. Mentally, we were exhausted. It was an odd time of day, just after two in the afternoon. I hadn’t eaten anything yet. I was starving and in the mood for breakfast. The massive menu was pretty typical of any Jersey Diner—not that I am complaining. I noticed a section of stuffed French Toast and decided that is what I was going to get.

Without any emotion whatsoever, the waitress took our order. I got the banana stuffed French Toast while my mom got the one with Nutella. About fifteen minutes later, our meals hit the table. They were impressive and delicious looking. Two thick slices of Challah bread with grilled to a slight crisp, stuffed with bananas, and topped with whipped cream and wet walnuts. Add some butter and syrup to that and the result was a dangerous, succulently sweet, dessert-like breakfast meal. My mom enjoyed hers as well.

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Upon setting the plates down, that was the last time the waitress came over. She literally put on a jacket and walked out of the restaurant through the back. Wanting a refill on coffee, I stared around looking for someone. There were two people behind the counter and another doing book-work by the register. Finally, another waitress pleasantly came over with a refill. She was nicer than our main waitress who emerged some time later with a notebook. I think she was taking inventory. After we finished, we sat there for 20 minutes. No one came over with a check or to ask how it was. Mind you, we were now the only table in the restaurant at this point.

You can read the thrilling finale to this review here. :slight_smile:

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that’s a shame- b/c I really am shocked at the lack of good diners in this area. On suggestions from this board, I finally got the family to make the switch from the not very good American diner to the All Seasons, which. I consider the best in the immediate area by many of us, but still missing that great spot similar to the one I had back before we moved here. (Andrews on Hylan Blvd in Staten Island for any of you who find yourselves out that way- highly recommend.)

RB diner is kind of average with iffy service. It’s too bad, because RB could use something like this since Broadway shut down.

Suggest you try Broad street diner in Keyport.

I also have to wonder if Applebee’s, Chili’s and their ilk aren’t having an impact.

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I find the All Seasons in Eatontown to be a pretty dam good diner.

While I can’t speak to anything else at All Season’s, the one time I ran in there to grab an egg sandwich (!) to go, it was s$6-8. INSANE. When I questioned it at the register, the woman said “it comes with fries.” Which I didn’t want/need/request. She shrugged, I paid because I was in a rush, and I haven’t even thought about the place since then.

I’ve only been to the Americana (?) on 35 in Shrewsbury, but it was very good and would likely be a go-to for me if it was closer.

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Americana is good. Friendly service, adequate food, fair prices. Too far for me as well to be a regular.

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Agree- def best in area and much better than Americana in my mind.

I don’t want to knock the Americana because without the All Seasons in the area I would be singing their praises.