Back In Time Diner — Restaurant in Muskogee

Our server was sweet and service was prompt. We ordered breakfast, bacon was over cooked but everything else was good. The problem wasn't the food besides the bacon. The problem was the owner's response to my question about his ketchup.

When I requested ketchup from the waitress, she brought it to me she said "I know it looks like BBQ sauce but it's ketchup I promise". I squirted some onto a napkin and tasted it and it tasted sour and rotten. She was a bit busy so it took a minute for her to get back to us and I asked if she had packets because there was something not right about the ketchup, when she said no I told her that I thought that maybe it was outdated because it taste bad. She went over to the owner who was seated in the dining area and spoke to him. He then decided to have a conversation with a customer he was sitting with about how he had this ketchup for four years....?... I took a picture of what i had squirted onto the napkin and sent it to my daughter captioned "ketchup?? I dont think so!" We continued to eat, again the food wasnt the problem, it was good and I decided i would just do without ketchup... I was done with the issue... But then the owner decided to go up to the counter and have a LOUD conversation about me and my question and the fact that I had taken a picture of this ketchup. Iwalked up to the counter and asked to speak to him. Quietly, so not to cause a disturbance , I told him that it was unprofessional to talk about customers infront of other customers and that he needed to smell that ketchup because it was bad. I wasn't trying to do anything other than make him aware of a situation and possibly save the next person from my experience with that ketchup. He got loud and told me that there was nothing wrong with his ketchup, that he'd been using it for 4 years and how the doctor down the street loved it. I said im sorry but theres something wrong with it.. He then went and got a new bottle and brought it out and said "see same volor" so I asked him to open it. He did and it smelled exactly like the other bottle! I then told the waitress who was standing there to taste the ketchup and she refused, said shes not eating ketchup out of a bottle. The owner and an older woman then tasted it and said there was nothing wrong with it. WRONG!! After doing a little bit of research at the table(BEFORE CONFRONTING HIM) I found that Ketchup will change color with oxidation but that it could also be caused by being exposed to bacteria, and the change of color and the rancid smell leads me to believe that that is what it was. Either way had he not been rude about it I wouldnt have...

The young lady that served us this morning did an exceptional job. Very friendly, welcoming, helpful and attentive. Service like we had this morning, along with a perfect breakfast makes for a happy weekend start.

I had the “Traditional Breakfast”: two eggs sunny side up, two strips of bacon crisp end to end, flawless crisp hash browns, a biscuit and gravy. The biscuit had received additional attention from the cook. It was split, buttered then toasted. A nice touch. The gravy was from a mix. No one makes gravy anymore. My wife ended up with a kid’s meal: one egg, one bacon, and one pancake. The cook is outstanding at the craft, an artist and a person that obviously loves what they do. The pancake on my wife’s plate turned out to be in the shape of Minnie Mouse with a pancake bow. Along with that was a pancake flower. That brightened her day and the pancakes were perfect! Check the pictures.

Back in Time Diner is a cozy, clean comfortable, 50’s 60’s themed diner. It is decorated with Coca Cola, road signs, pictures of era music icons and other paraphernalia. Ads for the local businesses are laminated under the clear plastic table tops. Most of the businesses have been closed for years and long forgotten. I always enjoy searching the advertisements for odd ball companies or funny names while I wait.

Little mom and pop restaurants like Back in Time Diner are a rare haven. A place where you can truly enjoy a meal and the atmosphere. The folks that work there make you feel good. You quickly forget about everything on the other side of that front door you just walked through. Excellent! Another one of my top picks for a small-town Oklahoma diner!

Something you might not know. Muskogee is the home of the Griffin Food Company, makers of the “World Famous,” Griffin’s Syrup, proudly MIO. It’s what’s on the pancakes and waffles there. It’s ONLY what’s on the pancakes and waffles there. It is illegal to bring any other brand of syrup in to the city of Muskogee. If you are caught with more than an ounce of some other brand of syrup you will be charged with both possession and intent to distribute. Don’t test the law. The police dogs here are trained to...

Just happened to be in the neighborhood and saw the sign "Back in Time" restaurant. Hours are 6am to 2pm closed Sundays. Walked in and really felt the ambiance. Checkered floor, red chairs, boothes, cabinets, and Betty Boop statue along with pictures and other items that take you "back in time." The waitress was quick to acknowledge our arrival. The food was served reasonably quick as we drank hot coffee as we waited. The food was delicious, portions large and seasoned well. We ordered pancakes and biscuits with white gravy, sprinkled with tasty ham and sausage and cheese, and served with hash browns. The omlette was made to order with ham and cheese and hash browns. Spent around $40 for three adults, including drinks and tip. My 95 year old Mom loved the...