Andover Diner And Family Restaurant

Very rarely do I give a place a five-star review but this place deserved it. The service was good. The food was good. It had a nice atmosphere. It was clean. It was an overall great experience. I'm glad that me and my girlfriend went out of our way and found this place and had a great breakfast there. The owner talked to us for a little while and was very nice. So like I said very rarely do I give a five-star review but this place deserved it

I should have just walked out after coming in on a Sunday afternoon to a completely empty diner in New Jersey. But against my better judgment I wanted to stay and try to the diner food in my new town. I was extremely let down. I’ll preface by saying I worked in food service for many years; both front and back of house. I spent a few days contemplating whether I should write this, whether it’s worth it. Because ultimately I’d love this business to straighten out with some harsh truths and thrive. My kids ordered Mac and Cheese, which I thought was foolproof, but I was wrong. It was cold. Mind you, it was not “waited too long in the back” cold, but “stick your finger in the middle and it’s refrigerator cold”. I know the difference between room temperature and food that hasn’t been microwaved properly. I’m a dad after all. They denied not making it fresh, but not a single ingredient on my BLT tasted fresh either. The bacon was dry and tough like it was pre-cooked. And the tomato didn’t taste great either. I’m willing to chalk that up to my imagination given the other circumstances happening around me. Don’t even get me started on my wife’s salad with sliced strawberries that looked old: I can’t tell you if they were past prime before or after they were sliced, but if I were to guess I’d say pre-sliced at least a day or more prior to being put on the lettuce. I go out to eat and expect to pay for freshly cooked food, not this. Again, I hope this establishment takes my criticism as a wake up, because no diner, dead on a Sunday afternoon, is going to make it long-term. It’s never too late to make a change. Good luck.