Martindale Chief Diner — Restaurant in Town of Claverack

I went to the diner for the first time since living in the area with a friend who hadn't been here since she was a kid. The first words out of her mouth were....Boy, this place hasn't changed at all. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I did notice signs up that said the restaurant would be closed a couple of days for repaving of the parking lot. The inside was neat and clean and it was not majorly busy at about 2pm in the afternoon. The menu was small but varied compared to many diners I have been to. I feel this is a good thing so they can focus on keeping food fresh and the same every time someone visits. I am a coffee drinker, all day....everyday. So I ordered a coffee to drink and my friend ordered a cola. The cola was delivered without a straw and there we no sweeteners (sugar or non-sugar substitutes) on the table or nearby. We had to wait for her to come back to take our order 4 to 5 minutes before I could make my coffee or she could drink her cola. She ordered a simple cheese burger and fries. I ordered the Pilgrim Wrap. It was turkey ( might have been sandwich meat but the quality was actually excellent. It tasted like you took a fresh turkey breast and sliced it on a meat slicer.) Then the sandwich had fresh made stuffing (not boxed like stove top) and a cranberry mayo). The stuffing was a little salty but otherwise it was amazing. My meal also had fries ( fresh, hot, crispy in the outside soft on the inside, however a little bland. I did have to add salt to them. The meal also came with a pickle spear and a little wedge of watermelon it was just a tease but it was very refreshing and appreciated. All the waitresses were very attentive as I was probably asked 10 times at least if I wanted more coffee or soda, anything else and how was everything. It was quick, short, sweet, and non-intrusive to our conversations. Just the way good service should be. They cleaned up and took used dish away promptly and brought our check as soon as we asked for it. It was about $30 for our meal and I left them $40 for a meal with service well delivered. I will definitely be back. This visit was an...

Outrageous (and not in a good way). My family and I stopped in for an on-the-road lunch traveling home from VT. Cute little diner. Was charmed by the retro, throw back theme and our server seamed upbeat and pleasant. Sadly, our meal took a disturbing turn for the worse when my turkey burger arrived not only missing two toppings I specifically ordered but sporting a long grey hair entangled in the lettuce. When I informed our server she quickly brought the plate back to the kitchen with a sympathetic grumble but failed to offer an apology. Shortly after, another staff member approached requesting that I show her the hair, claiming she couldn’t see it. I pulled the hair from the sandwich and she carried it to the kitchen in her hand with the plate in the other, calling back to me just as she approached the kitchen “so you want a recooked burger?” Shortly after another burger arrived and I was not entirely convinced it was not the same patty. As if all of that wasn’t bazaar enough, the bill arrived including a charge for the burger and still no acknowledgement or apology. HUGE never...

We’ve been to Martindale Chief many times, but after our recent visit, we sadly won’t be returning. When we arrived, a staff member (female with dark hair, glasses) shouted across the counter to ask how many were in our party. After telling her we were two, she said the only seating available was at the counter, and when we asked to wait for a table, she became visibly annoyed and literally huffed at us. We were stunned. As we started toward the counter, we noticed it was filthy with crumbs and other refuse. We saw her cleaning a table nearby and politely asked if we could sit there, but she furrowed her brow and said no, that it was only for “big families.” Mind you, no one was waiting behind us and it was a party of two that had just left that table. The interaction felt oddly rude and hostile, leaving us so uncomfortable that we decided to leave and eat elsewhere. Unfortunately, the lack of basic courtesy and outright hostility really soured us on a place we had once enjoyed. I can’t in good conscience recommend this...