On the Fly Diner — Restaurant in Town of Salina

Restaurant Review: On the Fly

Tucked unassumingly in Syracuse, On the Fly is anything but ordinary. It’s the kind of spot that surprises you—where the food hits with flavor and soul, and the vibe hums with personality. From the moment you walk in and catch a glimpse of the robot crocodile mural, you know you're not just here to eat—you’re in for an experience.

Let’s start with the food—a true showcase of the chef’s meticulous attention to detail. The Eggs Benedict on grit cakes is an inspired twist, swapping the usual biscuit for a hearty Southern base that sings with texture and flavor. The scratch-made hollandaise is silky and bright, and the perfectly poached eggs spill golden yolk like a well-rehearsed performance. Thick sliced bacon was perfectly crisp. This Benny was an experience to eat.

My husband went for the chicken sandwich, and it's one of the best we've tasted anywhere. The chicken is freshly breaded and extra crispy, the bun is pillowy and sourced from a nearby bakery, and the sandwich is stacked high with house-made sauce, pickled vegetables, and crisp cabbage that bring a beautiful crunch and tang. It’s a flavor bomb in all the right ways. The extra crisp fries also received extra special attention with a touch of parsley. You ca also ask for cajun seasoning for an extra kick. Large portion just in case you'll need to share. I stole a few.

The collard greens deserve their own paragraph. Southern-style but not overcooked, they retained a pleasant bite and deep, smoky flavor—some of the best I’ve had north of the Mason-Dixon.

A side of scratch-made tomato jam added a tangy, sweet savory accent that elevated every bite. Why do plain tomatoes when you can take a simple ingredient and take it to new heights?!!. This is with every thing on the menu.

Visually, the plates are stunning. Colors pop, textures contrast, and you can tell this chef doesn’t just cook—they compose. Quality ingredients shine through in every dish, and the hot, fresh coffee and stellar service round out the experience.

And then there’s the ambience: a hip, rocker vibe that reflects the chef’s personality. It’s fun, edgy, unpretentious, and deeply inviting. Be sure to check out the 1st bathroom.. even this was a pleasant surprise. Clean and You'll find some 80s nostalgia. When a diner across the room exclaimed, “Hot damn, that’s good!”, we couldn’t help but nod in agreement. We drove an hour and a half to eat here. We will be back! On the Fly is a rare gem—a place where culinary artistry meets heartfelt hospitality. It’s not hard to imagine this chef earning a James Beard nomination or landing a well-deserved feature on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Until then, do yourself a favor: grab a seat, order anything, and...

I usually don't leave a review, but my experience at this diner has been outstanding. Grayson is a creative and well-trained chef who has studied at the culinary institute. Everything on the menu was homemade from the biscuits to the fruit preserve with high-quality ingredients. The prices were extremely reasonable and comparable with the surrounding diners; honestly, the amount of food and the quality of it is mind-blowing price-wise. On top of that, Grayson likes to surprise customers with free-tasting samples with which he more fully explores his culinary creativity. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of our dishes because we were too excited to “dig in”. They opened recently and they are a family-owned business, the service was impeccable, and John and Tracy were lovely. We felt very lucky to discover such a special place and we will be back ( is worth the 1 hour and a half drive there ). Check out their website and Instagram account because they have amazing all-you-can-eat special days during which they serve fixed meals like pulled pork and much...

We stopped on our way home back to Rochester and were hoping we picked a good spot to stop for brunch. To say the food was good is an understatement. I ordered the biscuits and gravy which came with 2 eggs and a side of breakfast potatoes. I lived many years in the south so I know my biscuits and gravy and there are very few places in the north that can make it correctly. Everything about the biscuits and gravy, the eggs, and the breakfast potatoes were so delicious. The potatoes weren’t the typical breakfast potatoes either. They had such a great crisp and were cooked just right. The eggs were perfect too. My boyfriend ordered the fried chicken sandwich which I had to try a bite of. Wow! It had coleslaw, pickle, Gouda, thick cut bacon, and a special sauce. It tasted just as amazing as it looked. You can tell there wasn’t just some cook slinging hash back there. This was a chef that really has honed his craft. If we weren’t an hour and a half away, we’d be there every weekend. Fabulous chef and fabulous waitress.. best food in...