Wilson’s Diner — Restaurant in Waltham

I had my first Wilson's breakfast when I was about three years old. Twenty-odd years later, I still find myself ambling in most Saturday mornings, and it still brings much of the same joy I remember from childhood. You walk into a place that feels like something out of a museum, and then someone puts a heaping pile of eggs and potatoes in front of you. What could possibly be better?

When I first started going, it was the late 1990s and Arthur was the man behind the grill. He was a gregarious Greek man who called everyone "big boy" and always had a lollipop waiting for you at the end of your meal. He also launched a short-lived campaign to make the menu healthier, leading to one of the funniest signs I've ever seen in a restaurant, which simply read "SPINACH NOW AVAILABLE" (it didn't last). As far as I'm concerned, no one can ever replicate the atmosphere he cultivated, but the new ownership has done a good job of retaining nearly everything else. The two egg special still tastes exactly the same as it did in 2000 (honestly, it probably tastes the same as it did in 1950), the pancakes are fluffy and massive, and the coffee flows freely. It is as classic a train car diner as you'll ever find. If you're a fan of greasy spoons and/or David Lynch movies, look no further than...

Absolutely terrible. Asked if the hash was homemade... was told yes but it was from a can. Ordered one scrambled egg on the side and it fully soaked one large napkin with oil. The potatoes had hard, burned chunks and soft undercooked pieces so however you like your potatoes, you'll be sorting it out at the table. The pancakes were rubbery. The sunny side up eggs were undercooked with the clear, gelatinous whites still present in both gooey, failed attempts. The chocolate milk was sour. Ordered two, my girlfriend told the waiter, and his response was "ok, I'll take it off the bill." He wasn't surprised or concerned and only picked up her glass, leaving mine at the table and on the bill. So unbelievably unacceptable, I can't believe I was taken in by this cute diner that looked very right from the outside. Also, they don't even serve shakes. Oh yeah... if you arrive at a busy time, there is no where to wait inside except right at someone's table and directly in the way of the servers. From the other perspective, if you do get a table at a busy time, someone else will be standing at your table and might look frustrated and uncomfortable being an unwilling and uninvited member of your...

Food was pretty good, standard diner fare. I had one of my favorites, a toasted turkey club. The white bread was good and perfectly toasted. Lettuce and tomato were fine, crisp and fresh. Turkey looked great, so did the bacon. The fries, however, were well done perfection! The service was great; friendly and attentive. Again, attention was paid to my severe food allergies. Always appreciate that. I'm going to balance that out by saying that the chicken noodle soup was just okay. It was lukewarm and, while it was chicken broth based, contained no actual chicken. Well, not in my cup o' soup. Lots of soft noodles, maybe a slice of carrot, but no chicken. Also, the bathroom is weird. Not handicap friendly. It's outside, around the corner, and teeny. It's like a very clean gas station bathroom. This is definitely a function of the redesign they did to turn this diner from a regular sized train car to this more moderately sized restaurant. The food I saw going out to the other customers looked great, and I heard the servers discussing other food allergies. Prices are fair. CASH ONLY. Free parking lot to the left of the diner. Would return to try...