Skylark Diner — Restaurant in Town of Vestal

Growing up in Vestal, Skylark was an icon of my childhood. After moving away and after the pandemic hit, I hadn't been for years, but while visiting home over the summer I went back with a friend, and aside from no longer being open 24/7 (which is a bummer, but they're still open later than I think every other diner in the area), they're just as I remember. The menu is classic diner fare with all day breakfast. The food is mostly unremarkable but satisfying, and if you're craving really stereotypical American diner grub it will fully hit the spot. The omelettes are the thing on the menu that I keep going back to, and the potato pancake side (small fried potato patties, almost like hashbrowns, but denser and with herbs) is one thing here that stands out to me as pretty unique. Ask for the garlic parm sauce to go with. Another recommendation would be to ask for the blueberry muffin grilled, or any muffin, really. I'm a fan of all of the baked goods. The portions are very filling and it's good value for your money. The vibe is what really makes the place. I wouldn't call it a "must-visit" based on food alone, but the overall experience is wonderful. The front of the restaurant is a real retro diner, the back doesn't have that train car look but is still old-school in design (and has some bigger tables for large groups). You will see people of all ages hanging around and the general atmosphere always feels very positive to me. In all my years of coming here I've had exactly one experience with a waitress who was less than pleasant; every other time I can remember, everyone has been so sweet and if you come back they will remember you. I was surprised and touched when I went this summer after not coming for 4-ish years and the waitress remembered me and my old...

This is exactly what a diner should be.

It's an old school metal diner, straight out of the 50s. The decor is definitely old school without feeling dated, or old. Everything is in great shape, and just feels "right".

The food is always good, and exactly what diner food should be. Some diners try too hard, and have a menu full of random junk. Skylark keeps it perfect, with lots of choices, without getting too far away from good diner food. No, its not a 5 star bistro with small tapas plates and organic quinoa burgers. It's a diner, with amazing diner food. Real food. The cheeseburgers are strangely addicting, the breakfast that's served 24 hours a day is always hot, and delicious, and the desserts are amazing. I just had a piece of pumpkin cheesecake that changed my life.

Every time I come here, I always end up asking myself why I ever eat anywhere else. The prices are more than reasonable, the food is consistently good, and the ambiance is awesome. Whether you're leaving the bar at 3am and need some grub, or taking the family after church in a Sunday, this place never...

I arrived sharply at 7 AM and 1 other person was there. Within a half hour the place was more than 1/2 full. As I was enjoying my breakfast, something dawned on me. There was a familiarity to this environment inside this little diner. The last time I was at the Skylark was 1984 -- and that was it. What was happening inside this little diner was a microcosm of how life used to be back in the 70's and 80's. The waitresses knew most all of the people by name and were asking about how they were doing. The customers were quietly talking to each other and enjoying a breakfast together. No cell phones, no technology anywhere to be found (nope, they don't have WiFi there, appropriately). Just people talking to people and everyone getting along. Later on, a small family comes in and it is minutes before they are quietly laughing and having a great time. If you are someone who was born around the year 2000 and want to know what life was like back before technology, just stop in to the Skylark one morning and observe how wonderful...