Arlene and Tom's Restaurant

A true diner! Food was reasonably priced and came out fast. Everything tasted fresh and homemade. Came around 9:16 am on a Sunday and got a table right away. Good vibes and kind staff. I loved that I was able to order just one slice of French toast for a few bucks. The perfect little bit of sweet with my savory eggs and potatoe pancake. You can also order just one pancake. More places need to offer this. The baked goods at the counter are delicious! We all got a cookie. It was so good. Soft and homemade just like being at grandmas.

Had the (arguably) largest burger of my life today at Arlene and Tom's. I had no idea a $9 burger would be this massive - and delicious. Cooked perfectly, 10/10 would recommend. Unfortunately the fries were borderline burnt from the fryer 😮‍💨 Staff was slow to provide menus but good-natured and nice otherwise. Slow kitchen times during our Sunday visit but overall a very good spot to check out!

After a day driving around the scenic Hudson Valley, we decided to find a local eatery. Arlene and Tom's came up in a search and was very close by. We decide to give it a try. It is a very local eatery which has been in existence for 50 years; and does not disappoint. Their sign says Home of the Meanyburger. So you have to order what a place is known for. Its one of the best burgers I have had. Also had an order of fries which were non greasy and had a very nice crisp. Perfect! Other orders were Fish and Chips, Ham on Rye with lettuce and tomato, and a Chicken Salad sandwich. Beverages were Boylan sodas. If you have never had Boylans, give it a try. Excellent, and it complimented lunch. Service was great at a comfortable price point. We did not get any dessert but the menu listed pies. I suspect they are very good and probably home made. We did, however, grabbed a few of the collasal chocolate chip cookies and an oatmeal raised cookie that were on the counter service area. All in all, it's a keeper place. There is a reason it's been around for fify years. Consistent purveyors of fine vittles. If you are in the Port Jervis area, you must stop here for lunch.

Back in the area & still giving this place my same rating. Accommodated our party of 10 with our call ahead & service was amazing! I wish I could rate Arlene & Tom's a 10, because that's what they really deserve. If they were closer to where we live, I think we'd be there almost every weekend. The cinnamon bin French toast was my absolute favorite, and I'll be back just for that one. The service was beyond amazing, everything was always fresh. Definitely go try this place!

First time stopping at this diner. Stopped at a busy time on a Saturday morning. No tables available but sat at counter. Only 2 waitresses and one cook working. They did a great job for be short staffed. Breakfast was great. No other place gives you 8 pieces of thick perfectly cooked bacon with your eggs. Will be stopping here regularly now.

Visited Tom and Arlene’s often for breakfast while we were in town. Food was always fresh, hot and delicious. Service was fast and friendly. The diner was established in 1973 and has been open since. Really nice couple runs the joint. Always very friendly and fun to chat with. We miss you guys! Great place to stop off and have a bite.

Very nice little restaurant/diner about 10-15 minutes from Hawk's Nest. They have everything from shrimp poppers to perogies, but come here for the burgers which are incredible. Choice of fries too; wavey, steak and sweet potato. Reasonable prices and food was quick!

Arlene and Tom’s is a cute diner. Our server was super nice and attentive. We ordered omelets for breakfast and they were delicious! Would definitely recommend eating here.

Arlene & Toms is a must stop if you're in the Port Jervis area. You feel at home the second you walk in the door and are greeted with smiles and warmth. We stop every time we are having our car serviced next door at Phil's Ford. No matter what you order here you will not be disappointed. Personally their breakfast menu is my favorite. If you order coffee your cup will never be empty, one of mg favorites is that your cup will be refilled at every chance you get. So no need to worry about asking for refills. Portions are perfectly sized.

We typically try to frequent local diners, so we stopped here for lunch as we were driving through the area. It was simple, clean and the patrons all seemed to be regulars, so that's usually a very good sign. Hubby ordered the breakfast and said it was very good. I asked the server what they were known for, and she suggested the Meany burger. It's a massive burger, but I thought it lacked seasoning, so I was a little disappointed. If we were to stop again, I would just try something different. We did not try any of the desserts. Prices were good and staff were nice.

I'm so glad my family took a chance on Arlene and Tom's today! Classic, no-frills American diner food served by kind people in a honey atmosphere. My pancakes were packed with chocolate chips, and the salted butter on top really brought out the rich chocolate flavor.My dad and sister were excited to see Taylor ham on the menu. If I wasn't so full from my brunch, I definitely would've tried a cupcake or crumb bun from the bakery case. The best part about Arlene and Tom's is how affordable it is! For a family of four who all ordered meals and sides, it was only $37.20. You really don't see a deal like that anymore!

A true diner! Food was reasonably priced and came out fast. Everything tasted fresh and homemade. Came around 9:16 am on a Sunday and got a table right away. Good vibes and kind staff. I loved that I was able to order just one slice of French toast for a few bucks. The perfect little bit of sweet with my savory eggs and potatoe pancake. You can also order just one pancake. More places need to offer this. The baked goods at the counter are delicious! We all got a cookie. It was so good. Soft and homemade just like being at grandmas. The only thing I will say is the quesadilla was very small and not really enough food for a full grown adult. It was two small triangular cuts of a tortilla with some potatoes.

Great breakfast always fresh love their potatoes and jam. The service is excellent too!

Nice breakfast potatoes and omelettes priced fairly. Service was a little slow when we went and it wasn't crowded but the one waitress was pleasant. We asked " what was in the veggie omelet". We're told "Zucchini, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. Yuck, I didn't have it but my guess is frozen vegetables.

This is definitely a 5 star diner. Husband & I were traveling back home from our grandson's HS graduation in Warwick, Ny to upstate NY on 6/29/25 and stopped here for breakfast. Fantastic, very delicious food, large portions, and very very reasonable prices. Service was good and people were very friendly. We will definitely stop in again when we are in the area!! Thank you Arlene's & Tom diner for a great experience.

First the positive, nice people. The time it takes to get your food when the place is NOT crowded takes forever. This has happened once before with SLOW service but I wanted to give it another chance. The food is ok not great. My home fries were very dried out, spicy and the bell peppers were raw. If the service is slow with only two tables, I can't imagine it when there are more tables occupied. Not returning.

You've done it again! Another delicious meal and a great start to my day. As soon as I opened my container, the smell of eggs, corned beef hash and home fries made my mouth water. I loved the nice crisp layer that was put on the hash and the soft, scrambled eggs. Sometimes I ordered scrambled eggs and they're over cooked but these eggs were perfect. They were so soft and yummy. I must say that I wouldn't mind some more home fries. They're just so good! I did wish that there was ketchup and black pepper in the bag but it wasn't a deal breaker. My fiancé was raving about his biscuits and gravy. I just kept hearing him say how delicious they were with every bite! He finished every single bit of it! You really do get a good plate of food and it always feels comforting and home cooked. I'm happy to see this place is doing well considering everything that's happened because we will be coming back.

The food is fantastic! The service is amazing! This was our best find on a ten day road trip. So good that we stopped by twice. Once going, and returned going home.

I always stop at Arlene and Tom's when I ride. my motorcycle up to Port Jervis. The Meany Burger and the pastrami sandwich are to die for. The prices are very reasonable as well.

Roast beef not cooked to order three times. Last time the owners wife came out and said they can't cook it any further. She was very rude! I don't go to places where I have to pay for attitude. We stopped going here for a couple years because of the attitude. It's gonna b even longer this time. She is chasing customers away with that kind of service and disrespect.

We aren't from this area and we were only passing through. We looked for a breakfast spot not too far off the highway. What a great find this is! Our waitress was so friendly and attentive to us the whole time, got us coffee right away and kept refilling it as needed! It's your typical classic breakfast spot and we sat at the breakfast bar. Food came out quick and was hot and delicious. Home fries were especially good. It was exactly what we were looking for and would recommend for breakfast to anyone going by!

Almost passed on this one ... so glad we didn't! Stopped here on the way back from a Facebook Marketplace pick up and decided on the Meany Burger. I'm not sure why it's called that, but I highly recommend it! Both my niece and I thought we should try it since Arlene and Tom's is The Home if the Meany Burger - we saw this on the sign outside. It was delicious! The restaurant was clean, service was great. We'll be back!

well...even though it wasn't busy we waited quite a bit just for menus. Then we had to wait to order..you have to pay extra for everything extra for burgers so my sister and I got the special burger. Maybe ten minutes before we got our drinks. Finally I get the burger, cut it in half and start to eat. A few bites in...all I have is onion. The bun was bigger than the meannie burger. One half of the burger had bacon and tomato the other a huge slice of onion I will post a pic. We ordered steak fries but got crinkle....the cheese wasn't even melted. Not great.

Quantity over quality is the name of the game. Super greasy meany burger will fill you up and also weigh you down. The taste is extraordinarily plain. The atmosphere is very grandma's house and the food is surprisingly expensive. $9 for jalepeño poppers? $4 for a small order of fries?

Absolutely no complaints. My folks have been coming here for years, so on a recent trip they were excited to introduce me to this place. It's a small homey mom & pop restaurant. They serve diner-like comfort food. On the night we visited there weren't many specials on the menu. What's very cool is they have black and white photos hanging on the walls showing old time Port Jervis. The town seems to have a fascinating past as an old transportation hub. Some people mention high prices. They might be a little high by local standards but we're from the expensive northeast coast so we're used to everything being slightly expensive :-( My "meanie" burger and all the food of my dining companions was excellent. Dessert was fine too (the owner claimed his mom currently makes all the desserts). Like I said, I have no complaints. I'd likely stop in again if I'm ever passing through the area again.

Nice place to stop. Service was good but a bit long to get our food out to the table. But it worth it. Great burger. Fresh toppings and the fries were hot. This is a nice place to stop and relax.

The waitress we had was spectacular, very nice lady. I ordered the fisherman's platter which was HUGE. Huge. I ended up giving half my meal to my boyfriend to eat. It was alright. Not a lot of flavor sadly is all. I wasn't huge with the mashed potatoes I got with it, a bit too watered down for my liking. Also, not a fan of the gravy they used. I could smell it for hours after I left on me. My boyfriend loved his huge burger though. Prices didn't seem outrageous to us at all but we're from right outside NYC. So, to us, these prices are amazing for all the food you get.

Meh. Was forced to go with my dad. Burgers are okay and reasonably priced particularly if you get nothing on them. If you want to add fries it's $3.75. I think they're out of their minds. Place is very dated, I'm sure it's a hit with the old people though. Waitress was very nice. Burgers were a bit overcooked too

Just finished breakfast . I've been here several times but I wanted to just shut down this quick review. First of all Tom is so nice I'm assuming it's Tom the owner. Wonderful welcoming. The food is always excellent. It all seems homemade plentiful. I just had a simple bacon egg and cheddar sandwich that was stuffed and really really good. One of my favorite things here is the Blue cheese dressing. Just a nice good place to eat.

Good food, but painfully slow service. With only about half a dozen patrons, why did it take nearly 40 minutes for us to get a small cup of soup, chicken salad and a BLT??? Oh, wait! Maybe THAT'S why it was nearly empty during the height of lunch hour. Pity. Food was tasty.

Great breakfast spot. Family stripe place. Had Eggs and Taylor pork roll delicious!

I've eaten at this place several times and I've never been happy with most of the food I've chosen. Everything is usually very greasy. The coleslaw that comes with sandwiches is the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten. Their french fries are very good. Nice and hot, salty, warm and soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Service is pretty slow although very nice. Don't go in the female bathroom as if you are like me and claustrophobic - you will feel like an elf on the shelf on the toilet. This last visit my friend got the turkey burger that she said was very good but I got a Reuben sandwich which was fried to Hell. The meat was pretty good and had a lot of flavor though I will say that. I only ate half the sandwich and left the other half because the thought of eating the rest of it just made me nauseous cuz it was so greasy and lacked flavor as a whole. I normally don't return to this place but I have returned because it's convenient in the heart of town. Port Jervis gets very congested during morning and evening commutes and this is just right there and when you're starving you just need to eat.

So let me start off with the good. They have great breakfast sandwiches. Probably a dollar more than they should be, but I won't complain. They have great corn muffins. Now to the middle of the lineup. Biscuits and sausage with gravy. This was almost there. It was just a bit too much on the pepper side. Now, for the ugly. First, that was actually what we ordered and it took the better part of 40 minutes. 40 minutes for homemade biscuits I can hear you saying. No, 40 minutes for frozen biscuits. When you go to a small town and go to a diner that boasts of it's homemade baked goods, one would expect real biscuits. Lastly, they have corned beef hash on the menu. It comes out of a can. That is just a sad state of affairs. All of that being said, I will not go back. I do think it is overpriced and too much reliance on frozen and caned product.

The man who welcomed me was so welcoming and kind! My waitress was just as kind. This place immediately made me feel like home. Highly recommend going, great food as well!

First off, here's what you need to know about Arlene & Tom's: EVERYTHING is homemade. They even have homemade bread that you can request your sandwiches be made with, if it's available. So when you read the other reviews where people complain about the prices at Arlene & Tom's, they're missing that it's all fresh and all made in-house. It's not all from a box like it might be at a cheap diner on the highway. The daily specials are always great, as are the fresh, homemade layer cakes. Seriously some of the best American cakes you'll ever eat. And the variety changes every day.

Our go to restaurant since we moved to the area 3 years ago. Clean, food is fresh (probably locally produced) and very well cooked and the prices are very reasonable. The people are very nice, too. Oh! And there's good parking for the restaurant.

I really like to see businesses doing well. But unfortunately this place should be embarrassed by the food they serve. My potato chips were stale. My daughters French toast was just white bread In the middle. My husband's biscuits and gravy were horrible. Freezer burnt biscuits looked shriveled up. His gravy had chunks of sausage links so big you would choke. Not at all good quality. Very disappointing.

Low ceilings - building is older(ish) with decor to match - but spotless. Specials were hand written on an Manila 8.5x11 piece of paper. Clearly caters to an older crowd based on specials list. Prompt service, but it took a while to get our food. We were the only people in the place that needed food and took ~30min. Good unsweetened tea. Fresh salad greens - though croutons were store bought. Huge burger, correctly cooked and meat consistently was good. Fresh cut CRISPY bacon, cooked great. Steak fries a bit too well done for my liking, but perfectly edible. More of a preference thing than a "oh this is too overdone and now sucks". Despite the time it took to get our food, overall a good experience and would happily eat here again.

Swinging through port Jervis and not yet having breakfast with my son we stopped here. Definitely a throw back spot that needs an update but if not it's all good . The bathroom needs major renovation. The spot itself is cosy , the server is a mother like figure she could do no wrong she gets a plus 10 .. I ordered 2 eggs over light with coffee and oj my son ordered chocolate chip pancakes. His pancakes where on point . My eggs were over cooked but still ok because the coffee was very good ... this place is a throw back that needs to work in executing the process .. 3 stars because the server is great ! She deserves a raise

Been through here once. Name fits perfectly. I don't know Arlene or Tom, but I feel like I've eaten at their home. That is to say that the ambiance is strictly in keeping with the home-style ways of the menu. I'm pressing forty years of age and the homey kitsch of this place is so comforting, so assuring, that it struck me. I really appreciated it. Had the "Meanie", which is a signature burger for the establishment. Filled me up good. Very satisfying. Tasted like a burger made in a cast iron pan. Which, again, sent memories of the old days back to the surface. Finished off with a big piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk! Arlene and Tom, whoever you are, change nothing! Keep this place as it is! You're nailing something you may not have even tried to nail.

The service is outstanding, friendly and prompt. The food is good, diner quality fare. Unfortunately the prices are very high when compared with similar diners in the area who also offer the same menu and quality.

Love!!! Excellent burgers! This quaint and kitschy place is Everything I adore in a diner. Food: Burger was perfectly cooked with a proper sear on the outside to hold in all the juices and nice and pink in the middle. For only $6 I got mine with bacon, two slices of cheese and sautéed mushrooms. One star off for Fries which are lackluster and cost an extra $3.50...crinkle cut pre frozen... But you know, fries are yummy regardless. I liked that they came unsalted and I could add my own amount. Decor: cute unintentionally kitchy decor reminds me of the 1950s ideal of "country" like dark wood mixed in with chrome. Makes no sense and make me smile! Town: this is located on a scenic street that follows a river. A local who relocated here from NYC gave me the dish. This is a gay friendly town with a live and let live attitude, unless you are causing real trouble. ( the military collectables shop across the street was closed but was highly recommended )

Country type atmosphere, generous potions, Friendly staff, have the Combo Bkfast! Parking is a bit tricky when leaving. You need to back out to the main road... Use caution!

My husband and I had breakfast for the first time here. Place is cozy and waitress was friendly. Service was a little slow but we weren't in a hurry. Eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes were delicious. I recommend this place for a leisurely breakfast.

My experience was good the times I went there. Had lunches, dinners and breakfasts there. I'll say, try it as you may enjoy it. The burger was good. The wings were too saucy and that is just my personal preference; as I do not like messy wings. The flavor was ok and the hot wings were not that hott to me. Try this gem.

Love this place good stopping off point if you are in the area.A real throw back to the mom and pop eatery. Burgers are homemade no Frozen stuff here.

I just happened on this delightful restaurant last Saturday -- and I enjoyed everything about it -- food, service, ambiance, etc... It is very unpretentious -- and gives you the feeling of eating in your own home. I had both breakfast and lunch here. I hope it NEVER changes because it recalls happier days before the onslaught of all these fast-food, assembly-line eateries that have invaded our lives nowadays.

Cute little set-up, very quaint. It will make you feel very tall is you are vertically challenged. Prices are very high for the portion size but the food is pretty good. Staff is always pleasant and kind. Not sure if I'd go back as I have been there 3 times over 3 years and nothing seems to get better. Pirces get higher yet portions stay the same. Not much in the immediate area right of 84 so it's more for the convenience that I do stop in on my trips from CT to PA. If you are a local though and know of where to find food, I'd recommend going elsewhere.

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised when we decided to stop here to eat. The server was extremely nice! The food was very good, and you can tell it's all homemade. It was very homely. Also, the prices (especially on seafood) were very affordable. If I am ever driving past Port Jervis again, I will make certain to stop here.

Terrible experience, decent food. Save yourself the headache and avoid this place. The Buffalo wings weren't bad, but expensive considering that there were 8 that didn't have the greatest texture. The waitress was semi rude and frankly, quite annoying. The bathroom seat had poo on it. My burger came out well done and over priced, the French fries were from a bag. However my sisters chef salad looked good.

Stopped here for early morning breakfast during a roadtrip. Very "Grandma's" kitchen with a comfortable, homey feel. They offered a typical breakfast menu - eggs, pancakes, french toast, homefries, oatmeal, cereal, coffee, a selection of juices, etc. Oatmeal was good, fruit was fresh, homefries were soft and cooked on the inside with just enough crnch on the outside. The apple cinnamon pancakes were tasty but extremely heavy (6 hours later I can still feel them sticking to my ribs). The staff and patrons were extremely friendly!

Great place to stop for lunch. We go here when riding and like the clean simple atmosphere with quality diner food.

Great place for burgers. I used to come here alot with my family when I was young. I still try to stop here for lunch when I travel route 84. The "meanyburger" is great and my wife loves the BLTs. The place is totally country kitch but service is friendly and burgers are freshly made and not frozen. Sides and everything are ala carte however. Great place for lunch if you're traveling thru the area.

Excellent find just off I 84 in Port Jervis. Clean and inviting, friendly staff nice setting, and delicious breakfast with 4 bacon strips!

I really enjoy the breakfast here. After a good late night, there is nothing better than a cold beer and some biscuits and gravy. I have never had anything but the breakfast, but no complaints at all.

I'm starting to think everything in this town is just sweeter. Ordered a coffee and cheeseburger. Definitely the best cheeseburger I've had in a long time. Coffee was good too. Diner was cozy and had a nostalgic feel to it. Would definitely stop by again if ever in area.

A little pricey for a few cheese sticks, don't ya think? Homemade food. Pretty decent. A little expensive for what it actually is.