Lester D's Reel Diner — Restaurant in St. Catharines

Edit: Update after five years. The review has gone down a star as I have noticed the food quality decreasing a little in recent times. The portions are as fantastic as ever, but more consistently the burgers I praised have come out a bit more overcooked and dry. Not to the point I would not order, but enough so that I could not maintain my five star rating from before in good conscious. A major issue, in my opinion, is the fries. I am very passionate about what makes a good fry, and unfortunately the fries here are an epitome of inconsistency. Every time I order they are always different, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But I cannot say I have had really good ones from here in a few years. A good system for them needs to be found and rigorously trained to the chefs, as I no longer feel as comfortable ordering the chili fries I enjoyed (though I do occasionally), as I can never anticipate what the fries will be like, or if they'll be worth it. Despite the issues however, the atmosphere of Lester D's Reel Diner is as exquisite as ever, even in the post Covid environment, and again I have had nothing but enjoyable interactions with the staff there with quick and pleasant service both in restaurant and for takeaway. It would still rank as one of my favourite places to visit, even if the food would not be praised as highly. My previous review is below, for posterity.

My favourite restaurant in the city. The Staff are amazingly friendly people who have a real passion for their work, and it reflects in the movie-theatre style of the restaurant, which extends beyond the in-store movies, posters, fun-fact boards to the menu, with all of the items being named after movies, or movie quotes. Speaking of, the food is incredible, especially the burgers, which are not only delicious, but you get so much, there's no way you will not be filled by the end, if you can even reach the end of it. And that's just for the regular sized ones. I've only managed to complete both the burger and fries twice out of more than a dozen visits. If you are someone who can manage to finish the fries though, I'd reccomend getting the Chilli Palmer fries, they are absolutely delicious. They also have All-You-Can-Eat fish on Tuesdays and Fridays, which I have heard are very good (Although I dislike fish personally) and All-Day-Breakfasts, which includes exotic things such as Banana bread french toast, and their absolutely...

It is not often that you find a real gem, like Lester D’s. My wife and I have been to this establishment many times over the last 2 months and it never fails to meet our expectations. Keep in mind this establishment is a Diner, however it is not your typical run of the mill diner. This mornings breakfast trip, to what is becoming a regular stop, for my wife and I, once again lived up to our expectations. I had Banana Bread French toast served with Ham and a bowl of fresh fruit, my wife enjoyed a Breakfast Clubhouse Sandwich served with home fries and a side of sausage. The Banana Bread French toast was awesome and, the fresh fruit was nice touch, much better than the prepackaged or frozen mixed fruit that is often used in other establishments. My wife enjoyed the Clubhouse, they did not skimp on the bacon. If your into movies and memorabilia, this is the place for you. There are always movies playing on the 2 large screen TVs, all of the dishes on the menu have movie related names, so be sure to read them carefully. The staff has always been friendly, keeping in mind that this place can get quite busy. They no longer provide plastic straws with their beverages, this is also a nice touch, and environmentally conscious. I was also pleased to see the “we honour or fallen hero’s” sticker in the window, a topic that is near and dear to my heart. The bill for this mornings visit came to about 39.50 before tip. That included 2 cups of coffee with 2...

My partner and I decided to bike from St.Catherines Go Station to Niagara Falls. This spot was conveniently located, along the bicycle route, on the main (Hartzel) road. When we arrived, the parking space was full. We looked around to see if there was a bicycle post, to lock our bikes. Unfortunately, it was not the case. Across the street, is a stip mall and they usually have bike locking post. Luckily, near the front entrance, on the left side of Food Basics, there was. When we stepped inside the diner, we were greeted with movie posters throughout. The film Willow was also playing on the screen nearest to the entrance. We were expecting it to be full, judging by the number of vehicles parked outside, but we had quite a few choices, for our seating. We chose a booth. They name their menu items, with clever references to film titles, with a twist. They allow you to modify items on the menu, to fit your preference. Server was polite, courteous and upbeat. They truly embrace all things films. I felt like I was going through various eras, as I went to the washroom. Nostalgia kicked in full motion and I began to remember where and when, I had watched the films I would see, all around me. Our server informed us they had trivia nights and other activities and programs on offer, pre pandemic. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I look forward to...