The New Bridgeview Diner — Restaurant in New York

We visited some family in the area and they suggested Bridgeview Diner, which was a few blocks away from their place. We didn't really have high expectations but to be honest we were pleasantly surprised.

Our server was very kind and accommodating, especially considering we had our one year old with us. At one point she gave him some straws and a set of crayons to play with which helped calm him down a bit. She also made sure we were taken care of and frequently checked on us.

To start us off they offered a basket of various breads, crackers, and a trio of beets, chickpeas, and coleslaw as appetizers, which was very welcome. At first glance, the menu will definitely be intimidating, for anyone who has ever dined at a Cheesecake Factory this menu will likely sprout memories of the anxiety of trying to figure out what to order from the amount of choices on the menu. There are literally pages and pages of things to try, including an all-day breakfast menu!

We ended up ordering off of the dinner special, which allowed us to order a soup, a salad, an entree, a drink, and dessert for one low price. The Manhattan clam chowder was very good, it was seasoned just right and had a generous amount of clam meat. The chicken francaise was a surprise hit, it's a chicken fillet breaded and fried and served on top of a bed of rice with a butter and wine sauce. It tasted wonderful and it was very filling. The fried chicken was also surprisingly delicious, perfectly cooked and very crispy and tasty breading that had a slight sweetness. Unbelievably enough, it echoed hints of KFC's original chicken in terms of taste, I think it would really give them a run for its money. The meatloaf was decent, although it could have used a touch more salt. The calves liver isn't for everyone but for calves liver fans, this will not disappoint, it had the right amount of seasoning and was cooked perfectly tender. For dessert, the red velvet and chocolate cakes were great, but the lemon meringue pie was on a different level. The meringue was perfectly airy and perfectly complimented the lemon curd, each bite was very divine.

Overall, the service, food, and atmosphere really made a great first impression. You'll be disappointed not trying this place for yourself if you avoided it based on the number of stars on Yelp and Google, not sure if it's because of a change in management but we certainly had a great, memorable experience here on 12/29/2017. We wouldn't hesitate visiting again when we are in the area for next time.

PROTIP: don't let its rating fool you, it is truly a diamond in the rough. Also, free parking for customers in the back!

PROS: all-day breakfast?! Service goes above and beyond, fried chicken is amazing, very nice pre-meal spread, lemon meringue pie gets 5/5 stars by itself!

CONS: initial intimidation from the amount of...

I gave them 4 stars based on my experience at other diners. I judge diners a little differently to a regular restaurant and I am not sure why. I know the local ones do not compare to the ones you see on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive ins, and dives.

I usually do not go to diners although I know that they have a new manager named John working there. John was the manager at another restaurant in Bay Ridge, and it was always great when he was working! John is very personable and treats his customers like family. I know he is committed to making the experience as good as it can be.

I was told there are new owners so I figured I would give them a try. My experience is that you go to a diner for eggs, burgers, wraps, or their desserts. I read a lot of reviews for the past year or so and it sounded like many of the entrees were bland. I hope he will be able to address those reviews with the new owners and make the necessary changes.

The restaurant is big, has plenty of parking spaces in the back, which is a commodity in Bay Ridge, was clean, the staff was polite and well dressed. One thing you can count on is a menu that is like a novel. You can also count on large portions. Prices are fair for most items.

John explained they are open to modifying your order so if there is something you are allergic to or want to substitute that should not be a problem. John had the place running well, even when they became crowded on a Saturday night, I could see everything running like clockwork. Water glasses were filled, extra napkins were provided, and the waiters were very attentive.

We started off with some waffle fries. They were very tasty, and they give you a large portion. We had the western omelet which came with home fries and toast. We also had the grilled chicken wrap and had turkey bacon. Everything we ordered was made from scratch and was tasty. For dessert we had sugar free apple pie with vanilla ice cream. We also had the rice pudding which was very good as well.

I would recommend them if you are a diner person and I am sure if you ask for John, he will make sure you have a...

Terrible experience today. i come here all the time with my family as we live very close. today my babysitter wanted to treat the kids to a special meal so i recommended they come to this diner. Her English is not good so she asked that i write down their order for her to show them. she went with my 3 and 1 year old and was seated at a table. a waitress came and she showed her the order i wrote on her phone. after this an hour goes by and no food ever came. she called me to speak with them as they apparently were not understanding her. at this point my one year old is crying from hunger. the waitress came on the phone and told me they thought my babysitter was waiting for someone and she didnt order any food. i don't understand how this happened since she showed them the order as soon as they sat down. how can they let a woman with 2 young children sit for an hour without any service??? no one even questioned if she was being helped? i am so sad and disappointed that they were treated so poorly. misunderstandings happen but to neglect service to someone due to a language barrier in this way and leave young children sitting hungry is unacceptable.

-This happened 5 pm yesterday 10/3. I still feel so upset that what was supposed to be a special meal turned into my family just sitting there ignored by staff and leaving hungry. My husband ended up coming there and got the food to go which took another 20 minutes of waiting around. I was not there so im not sure how this happened but i don't understand how people can sit at a restaurant for an entire hour without someone realizing they were not being served. The explanation i received was that they thought my babysitter was waiting for someone. even if that was the case, how can you let a customer sit that long without checking back if they want to order ?? and the fact that she was there by herself with a toddler and a baby makes this more unacceptable that they sat hungry. bringing children to eat can be chaotic and i always thought this diner knew how to treat them but...