Chit Chat Diner — Restaurant in Lodi

I unfortunately just had an extremely unprofessional and also stressful experience here. A waitress (Shawn or Shawna) was oddly short and very impatient with me for no reason. Everytime she came to the table her imaptience and snottiness escalated more and more. She became more and more sarcastic and condescending until she became blatantly disrespectful. I did not respond to it until it became too much. At the point that she became outright disrespectful and aggressive, I stopped her and asked her to get a manager. She begrudgingly, loudly and angrily went and told the manager that I wanted to speak to him. Of course she had no clue why I wanted to speak to him because in her mind none of her disrespect and escalating aggression was an issue to her because she has completely normalized it. The manager took his sweet time to come and the entire time that I explained to him what was happening, he stood there with a straight expressionless face. I explained to him that one of the issues with the waitress was that she told me that the orange juice was fresh squeezed. When I tasted it I knew right away that it was not. When I asked her about it she said that the brand name of the orange juice is called "Fresh Squeezed." The manager confirmed that the orange juice is not fresh squeezed and I told him I did not want it and he took it offf the bill. There are several other examples of her berating responses to almost any question that I had and I will not get into those examples here because they're too many to list. I told the manager that I did not want her to continue serving me and I wanted a different waiter. As I explained it to him the waitress Shawn stood there and looked at me with the most disgusting face you could ever imagine. It is very clear that she is either completely unaware of how atrocious her attitude is towards people, or she has never experienced enough consequence for how she treats people. Well, not everyone is going to tolerate this. The manager walked away and I heard the waitress talking loudly throughout the entire restaurant complaining about the situation. Then she was fixing all the tables behind, in front, and to the immediate left side of my table, all in very close proximity to where I was sitting with my friend. She was aggressively moving things around and moving and slamming silverware on the tables. She walked back to the manager and complained to him again about me (because of course the problem is everyone else and not her), and then she stormed back from talking to them once again passing my table fast and angry as she yelled "NO CAP!" This woman is a ticking time bomb and needs anger management. Her goal was to intimidate me and my friend in whatever way she could but of course she could not speak directly to me nor be directly aggressive, but you could clearly see that this is what she wanted to do and it was eating away at her that I adressed the issue. She wanted to make it as uncomfortable and awkward for me to sit at that table and eat. She has absolutely no self-control and I am quite positive that this is a ongoing theme in her life. We were given another waiter who was extremely kind and polite. When we finished our meal we paid for the bill at the counter and the manager was there and he did not speak to us, he made no apology and barely made eye contact with me until I said politely good night to him. It was clear that he had no concept as to how to ease the situation and cared nothing to have ediquette or tact neither at the beginning nor end of the situation. It makes perfect sense that the waitress would feel completely confident to behave so unhinged the way she did when the manager is equally as uncaring, unprofessional and has no leadership or people skills. This aggression and drama should never ever happen in any place of business. I will not return...

UPDATE - Jul 6, 2024 To say this establishment is yummy is an understatement. Chit Chit Diner located in Hackensack always has great meals, and the service is always top notch! As a regular customer for years, my partner and I decided tonight for dinner on takeout by calling them. We opted for a Classics Cheese Steak sandwich (thinly sliced steak, fried onions, and American cheese on a hamburger roll with French fries) and Churrasco salad (baby greens, avocados, and Asiago cheese tossed with chimichurri vinaigrette and topped with sliced skirt steak and yucca sticks), for which staff informed me of a 15-minute wait. I was greeted upon arrival by the staff where the food was ready for pickup. The food was packaged in nice harlequin designer boxes. The food was not only plentiful but also remained tasty and fresh, making it a satisfying dining experience. ————————- New Jersey is known as the diner capital of the world. Located off Essex Street in Hackensack, this establishment is one of the handful of 24-hour diners left in the Garden State. With its unique harlequin decor, Chit Chat remains a chic, upscale diner that we frequent often with friends and family. Today my partner, our visitors from out of town and I came for brunch. Greeted by the staff at the host station, we were able to get a table quickly. The menu was extensive, and we took our time looking but did not feel rushed. Their menu includes a lot of things one may not find on a regular menu. Their brunch menu includes items like Raspberry & Brie Stuffed French Toast, Santorini Benedict, Pancake Tacos with a choice of a complimentary mimosa, bloody Mary, or Bellini after noon on Sundays. We decided on Gouda & Fig French Toast, Whacadmia Waffle, Fresh Berry Stuffed French with a side of turkey bacon, and Chorizo Hash Brown & Eggs. The food came out in a very timely fashion and was beautifully and tastefully prepared. The service we received from Bridgette was phenomenal, as she was so attentive, friendly, and helpful. The pricing was comparable to the area. Always a favorite, and we can highly...

Good Diner Vibes, but Skip the Soup

I stopped by Chit Chat Diner on a Sunday early afternoon, fully expecting a long wait — but to my surprise, I was seated within 10 minutes. Big win! The staff was friendly, and the diner itself was clean and inviting — off to a solid start.

Since I wanted to sample a variety of items, I ordered a bit of everything:

🥣 French Onion Soup — This was the biggest letdown and the main reason I can’t give a 5-star review. The portion was small, the flavor was bland, and the cheese? Practically nonexistent. I’m all about that gooey, melted cheese that spills over the sides of the crock — sadly, this was not it.

🥩 Philly Cheesesteak — Now we’re talking! The roll was fresh, the beef was flavorful without being greasy, and the portion was generous. It came with crispy fries that were cooked to perfection — golden and crunchy.

🥗 Cobb Salad — A pleasant surprise! Great portion, fresh ingredients, and everything tasted super crisp. I’d definitely order this again.

🍔 Cheeseburger — Cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. It was topped with lettuce, tomato, and onions, served on a brioche bun… but here’s the kicker — the bun looked like it had been through rough times at the bottom of the bag. Thankfully, the generous side of crispy fries made up for the bun’s sad appearance.

Favorite item? Hands down, the Philly Cheesesteak.

Despite the soup fail and the smooshed bun, I’ll definitely be back. The food overall was tasty, and the friendly service sealed the deal. Just… skip the soup unless you’re craving...