Nelda's Diner — Restaurant in Tehachapi

As a General Manager of a Restaurant I have way more respect and tolerance in restaurants than most because I walk in those same shoes. However, that was $48.75 down the drain. All these positive reviews must be locals wanting to help this place. Upon entering we had to pass a an employee smoking right at the front door. She also ended up to be our server. The place is a bit rundown torn seats and dirty sticky menus but we are hungry and choices of places to eat are few. It’s a DINER so I order Chicken Fried Steak. Yum Right?!? Where else do you get CFS but at a diner? Not this one!!! It was literally inedible. I’m not picky and I’m very polite. I tried to just eat it but I could not. The food presented to me was not made today or probably even yesterday. This disaster arrived smothered in gravy that had formed a film that you could literally pick up. Upon taste the flour was still raw and not cooked out. Under this mess was mashed potatoes that were grey and bubbling. (Spoiling) I’m sure I’ve got diarrhea in my future. The CFS was cooked days ahead and obviously microwaved. The “breading” was cardboard and the meat was shrunken and shriveled inside. I’m not a complainer but no one could eat this meal. Our server never came to check on us, not 1 drink refill was offered.The manager came by and asked us how we liked our meal but left before we could tell him mine was not ok. I think he saw my plate and ran knowing it was not right. Then our server finally returned as I’m having the remaining fries (which were good) from my sons plate. They all had burgers which were edible if you didn’t put the brown wilted lettuce on them. She asks me if I want a box. I give her a sad face and say “no thank you” obviously opening up for her to finally check on us. Nope she just walks away. Then comes back and says that I get dessert with my meal. I tell her “no thank you” again this time saying “as you can see I did not eat my dinner because it was not edible.” Her response was “oh sorry” drops the check and walks away. I’m on vacation. I’m not going to chase people down and tell them how to run a business. We just paid our bill and decided to write a review to warn anyone else on vacation to steer clear. It would take a change in ownership to fix this place. When I told a local about the experience they said “I’m so sorry, I could have warned you that...

Nelda's Diner by Lake Isabella delivers a classic diner experience with generous portions, quality comfort food, and attentive service. The combination of well-executed breakfast and lunch options, along with exceptional value (particularly for families) makes this a standout stop worth seeking out.

[Food & Menu] The scramble here is really good, the whole family enjoyed splitting it. The cheeseburger was also good, delivering that satisfying diner-style burger experience you'd hope for. What immediately stands out across all dishes are the huge portions. You definitely get your money's worth here and might even consider sharing depending on your appetite.

[Drinks & Beverages] The coffee deserves special mention for being smooth and well-balanced without excessive acidity. It's the kind of quality coffee that makes you want to linger a bit longer in your booth, providing that perfect diner coffee experience that's becoming harder to find.

[Service] The service was very good throughout our visit. The team demonstrated the kind of attentiveness and efficiency you'd expect from a well-run diner, ensuring our experience was pleasant from start to finish.

[Value] The pricing here is impressive, especially considering the generous portion sizes. The kids meal stood out as the best value of our entire trip, offering substantial food at a price point that makes family dining affordable and enjoyable. Very rare from everything we had seen this trip!

[Location/Convenience] Located by Lake Isabella, this diner provides a welcome dining option in an area where quality restaurants can be harder to find. It's the kind of local gem that makes a road trip or visit to the area more memorable.

Should you visit Nelda's Diner, I hope you enjoy the generous portions and quality comfort food as...

Not a place I can eat. The service was nearly nonexistent. We didn't visit in the busiest of times, but that may not matter. It is a small town, but I didn't feel like I was in a welcoming place. It has some home cooking elements, but if you are observing health code or cleanliness, you may find yourself at a loss regarding your appetite. The smell of smoke was prevalent enough to cover over many other things as well. I didn't see anyone openly smoking inside, but that might as well have been a technicality based on the smell.

The food was exceedingly bland. If bland is good, then come here for mashed potato with potato chunks. It was clearly home made and fresh. Feel free to add salt or pepper (which may be the only spices existing here). I tried the country fried steak along with brown and white gravy. In the end, there is nothing about the restaurant that would encourage a 2nd visit. The meat was almost all dark meat, and there were several bites that were purely fat. The food tasted synthetic, but that may be the food most easily obtained in such a remote location. I like chicken, but the fried portion of this patty tasted better than the meat, and that says something.

Once the order was placed, we waited around 45 minutes for the food to arrive. After that, there was almost no interaction with service. There was one question at the end of the meal if we found everything alright. There was a consensus of unsettled stomachs after...