Elm Diner — Restaurant in West Haven

Grew up LOVING Elm Diner (1990s). I think the service and food, and not my expectations of a diner, have changed. They were once a standard by which I could judge service, but those days are evidently over.

It was not crowded: 8pm on a Friday night. The waitress forgot one of the three beverages (we were not a big group). I'd requested, with a hoarse voice with hands at my throat, tea with honey and lemon. In the interest of audibly, my husband repeated it and confirmed with the waitress. I wouldn't have cared so much about the missing honey and lemon if there had been any sweetener at all at the table.

I would have normally gotten French toast but my last visit, which I then wrote off as atypical, included French toast with a raw (not soggy but RAW) center that the surly waitress grumbled about taking back to the cook. I went a different route this time. (1) My spanikopita wasn't inedible at all, but is better at the diner we would have frequented if we'd been in Branford. (2) The expected grilled onions one one party's burger were raw. I also heard (vegetarian so I didn't myself taste the burger) that the barbecue sauce wasn't very good. (3) The eggplant dinner the third person ordered was, however, not just served as ordered but was also quite yummy.

The music - an oldies station playing music including Bobby Vinton's - brought back memories of happier days with my parents' favorites; and that, I DID enjoy.

Elm Diner would have probably gotten 3, not 2, stars last night if I hadn't known that they used to be capable of ever...

The last time I visited The Elm Diner I was with my friend from work, Eunice and it was lunchtime and her treat. I was impressed by the size and cut of the food which was very generous and the fact that it was cooked fully through because i have been out to eat in the past and bit into like chicken or something which was not cooked fully through. So, the good thing about The Elm Diner is that I don't have to constantly check the food as I'm eating. I used to work in West Haven and my job used to lunch there so I know it's a great place to eat and going to and from work I've never once seen it empty. When I would go inside I'd be seated by the staff immediately and they were patient when waiting on me and my friends. You can call your order in and they do pick up and take out. Me and Eunice both were able to find specials on their menu both under $10.00 and I don't like to spend alot when I go out so of course I'll recommend this business and of...

This is probably the second or third time I've been there except for 20 or 30 years ago. The food is quite nice I had some sort of steak. They have a special that comes with dessert salad full dinner and I believe a drink for a very reasonable price. The food is fresh and I could not believe this spinach worst actually the fresh sauteed with garlic and oil. It was baby spinach so it tasted absolutely delicious. The squash was also meet fresh. Obviously they had to cook a 4 hours but it was today's vegetable. The people were very friendly the waitress was extremely friendly and a very nice woman. Overall it was a pretty nice experience. I went there for five both times or maybe even the third time but it wasn't over busy and wasn't slow. You can get in and out with a reasonable price in a pretty damn good meal. I highly recommend it. For a small place is...