Parthenon Diner-Old Saybrook — Restaurant in Old Saybrook

Service & food was very good! Didn't wait long to be seated even though Pantheon Diner was busy. Got coffee in an old timey cup & saucer instead of a mug. That was a surprise. Must have been right at 8 ounces because I usually take 3 creamers & 3 sweeteners but only two of each fit. As a coffee drinker it matters but that's ok cause refill is a coming. Um, coffee is not strong. A bit on the watered down side to me but could be just me. Price a little more than expected ($$) but New England, I'm learning, is like that. (Moved from Vegas so if you've been, you know full breakfasts or buffets can be VERY inexpensive). I ordered their 3 egg cheese omelet which included home potatoes & toast. I asked for gluten free toast which was very good. Potatoes were oh so tasty! I love spuds & broke my keto diet to eat them,...I'm bad. NOW, the omelet. Needed 1: something else other than onion, perhaps bell pepper, or seasoning? Or option thereof. and 2: the cheese, I believe was (gag) 'American' cheese OR (not so gag) less quality Monterey Jack cheese. The cheese was flavorless and looked like melted white plastic goo. It was still palatable because eggs were tasty but the cheese didn't enhance the flavor at all and probably could have been left out. Another quirk was my husband ask for sourdough bread toast instead of their regular toast. 75 cents extra for sourdough toast?? Other places either don't charge extra or that much! Seriously? Seemed odd to us especially since my hubby barely could taste it was sourdough. Almost wonder what the other toast is. Darn, I forgot to ask him if they charged that for my gluten free.

But the home potatoes made it! So good even my hubby said we'd go back for the potatoes lol The servers were very nice and attentive. The food didn't take long to arrive at all. I like the old timey ambience in diners. They feel like the world use to feel like. Warm, familiar, safe with something good coming your way. Go to Pantheon, just ask about the cheese & toast options first, lol. Written by Steve's wife,...

Our first basket of rolls we're hard and stale. Waitress said they were crusty rolls and they'd been that way all day. I tapped my fork on one, lightly, to show her it was beyond 'crusty'. She looked at me dubiously, but then kindly brought 2 new rolls, which were proper crusty, but edible, whole wheat rolls, which she had warmed. I ordered a special; Steak tips marinated in a Maple Bourbon sauce; a complete dinner. The meat was char grilled and the marinade was delicious. However, I'd requested well done, our waitress requested well done and they were red inside. Besides the fact that they were not tips at all! It looked like butterflied flank steak. It was tough, stringy and very difficult to chew. I had to cut it into extremely small pieces in order to eat some of it. I enjoyed my baked potato and perfectly seasoned mixed vegetables. The chicken tubitini soup before the meal was homemade and very delicious! The tubitini still had their shape and some bight to them; a pleasant surprise. My dessert, also included with the special, was another sad disappointment. My husband ordered the coconut cream, which wasn't a traditional one, but looked great. A big, tall, creamy piece of pie with what appeared to be homemade crust. I'd ordered the strawberry pie, something you don't find too often. My pie was a small, flat, store bought slice filled with a strawberry flavored gummy goop, with narry a strawberry in it. There were several pieces of rhubarb in it though; good thing I like rhubarb in strawberry pie and am not allergic to it! My husband's rigatoni Bolognese was passable. Let's just say he wasn't thrilled with it. If it wasn't so late and we weren't so tired, we would have complained. The ladies room was very clean. The waitress warned up to USA little more, each time she brought something to the table. We believe in being nice to people; smiling, putting them at ease. You never know what kind of day...

Had breakfast there with my mom this morning. One of the worst waiters I've ever had and this is coming from someone that was a waiter off and on for 30 years. He was a Spanish looking man 30 to 40 something. He started by coming to the table, I thought he was a bus boy by his demeanor, never said hello or introduced himsel, a bit abrupt. Took our water and coffee order when he brought it back he only brought 1 water eventhough I specifically said 1 coffee 2 waters and he then scoffs and runs off like he's been put out because I reminded him I also wanted a water. He brings back the water and runs off again as if he's slammed eventhough he only had 4 tables and they're already served. When he comes back to take our order he actually said " ok what do you want? " and he said it rudely even. The food didn't take too long and looked and tasted ok but my steak was under cooked and the waiter never returned to ask if everything was OK or if we needed anything. A waiter should always check back within 3 minutes after the food is delivered. I waited for like 12 minutes before I got up to find my waiter and asked him to bring me some A1 steak sauce. I actually gave him an ok tip inspite of it all but I'll think twice before coming here again. There is no excuse for service this bad. The food was ok, nothing special. The waiter needs...