Joyland American Family Diner — Restaurant in Great Yarmouth

Honestly the worst service I’ve experienced. We went in with a group of 10. After catching the girls attention she spoke to us and told us they’d have no room - we compromised and went either ends of the restaurant in groups of 5. The waitress was extremely socially awkward and rude - she made us feel very uncomfortable and any questions we asked she sounded unconfident and unknowledgeable. She eventually came to take our drinks order. After being spoken to once again, very badly; her manners were extremely rude, we had to ask another waitress for our drinks which we had ordered around 15-20minutes ago. She then came back with a notepad asking to retake our order, eventually we received our drinks and then our food shortly after. The waitress served us with gloves on her hand which she had been cleaning up floors, tables, other cooking surfaces and emptying bins - very unprofessional and unhygienic. I ordered a burger which was very dry - she also messed the order up on this - I asked what was in the burger prior and she told me to look at a menu as she wasn’t sure (the menu didn’t tell me either) so I asked if it was just lettuce and tomatoes included in which she answered “yes”, I asked for this without tomatoes and when I received the burger it had nothing in it at all. I asked for a bowl of salad as they’d left it out of the burger and they gave me a bowl of lettuce. I asked the waitress and she said no sauces or any other salad was in the burger. Another member of the group ordered the same with everything in it and they had onions, mayonnaise , tomato, lettuce and cucumber etc. The burger was extremely dry so I made my own burger with only lettuce and mayo which still wasn’t nice. Overall the service is disgusting, no passion, no manners and horrific hygiene standards. Some of the others enjoyed their food so I’d say food is ok if the order isn’t messed up!! The only reason this has been given the rating it has is because of the milkshake which I’ve now had twice. Milkshakes are amazing though, so I would recommend for a milkshake only!!

The waitresses need...

Shame about the new dumb manager led rule. Been coming here for several years now but this time I think will probably be the last. Quality of food varies depending on who they have in kitchen. This time was pretty good but my fish goujons were way overcooked and hard and the salad was dripping in water. No one else in the group though had anything negative to say. The big issue here confused us majorly. We sat and started to order the starting course and were told that they didn't do starters anymore. Fine. We will just order some share platters for the first course. We then started ordering the main course....and we're told that all of the food would come at once. Sorry? We want the first course and then our mains. No, can't do it.I can ask the kitchen if they will. They went to ask if we could have 2 courses and the answer was NO. The restaurant was pretty empty. Never in my life have I heard a restaurant say anything of the sort. I am guessing it is some new manager who is making some stupid rule thinking they are smart. As a long term customer I am afraid that I won't be returning. I guess they want the fast turn over, out for the day tourists but with the prices and surrounded by other good options, I think it may be a mistake. The quiet restaurant on a bank holiday weekend at dinner time might be a clue here, and then I read the recent reviews. It amazes me when businesses these days decide to choose who their customers will and won't be. Interesting business model. We ate the food paid and left, almost too afraid to ask for any dessert in case there was some new rule on that too. This for my nephews 16th birthday (which they were aware of but did NOTHING). We found good options for dessert elsewhere. The staff are ok but clearly don't enjoy working there. The poor waitress seemed rather scared when telling us about the new No Starter rule. Don't go is you want to be made welcome or have a starter, god...

This is a tricky one for me to review, I visited with my ex partner for a bite to eat for dinner during our holiday and first impression is it appears quite a nice petitt diner on the seafront.. Staff serving are friendly enough and helpful allowing us to browse over the menu not taking too much time in service or hassling to take an order. Just got it right on that front.

I was taken back slightly however by the sheer standards of how things are cooked. Everything appears to more or less be thrown into batter and deep fried. I ordered a seafood platter aware that the cod came battered but wasn't aware I would be served anchovies in batter with heads and eyes still attached and exposed.. Nothing quite puts one off a meal (even as a peskatarian) as your dinner watching you maybe thinking oh god help me... Yes I know it's dead but I wouldn't have expected a burger to have the cows head attached so be kinda nice to remove the fish heads before battering... Maybe advertise the seafood platter as a battered seafood platter as a traditional platter is not caked in batter for quick max profits, max turn around of customers..

My ex partner being from Canada and having grown up on American dining in its finest stated that the portion size is great, the way it's cooked isn't so great, the hotdog is edible but deemed a cheap brand for what's cooked and as an American diner fried onions should be fully fried not part fried.. Otherwise that's just an onion...

Milkshakes are very nice and great to see the banana milkshake resembling as though it's arrived from Chenobyl fresh from the explosion... So strong in flavour too...

Overall a good experience, but pretty average for dining experiences.. I wouldn't recommend the seafood platter as it's not supposed to be deep fried and...