Busy Bee Restaurant & Diner

I had lunch with a friend at this traditional style diner in Brookline. My friend ordered pancakes, which came out within 10 minutes of ordering them. He said they were decent. I ordered a turkey club with fries. The problem was my sandwich didn't arrive until 15 minutes after the pancakes! My friend had already finished eating! My sandwich was okay, but it shouldn't take 25 minutes for it to come out, especially since it wasn't that busy. The onion rings we ordered were also just alright. I can't recommend this place although the server was friendly.

Super adorable place with incredible service! We came on a Monday afternoon, so there were probably four or so other people there. The service was super quick to bring out waters and our orders. We got a bagel and an order of french toast. The french toast in my opinion was a bit too egg-y and bland for me, so I will not recommend that. We did have to go back inside to ask for the check after a while which I'm sure is just the diner's attitude of having us sit around for as long as we wanted.

Purchased a breakfast sandwich for me, my daughter and husband. The sandwiches were amazing. It’s a little pricey for a sandwich especially on wheat bread but it was just so perfect this morning as we were out and about.

My son and I were visiting Boston. And with all the great food options on offer, we truly enjoyed this place. Good, old school diner food in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. Were I a local, I would most certainly be a regular here. Thanks for a great visit.

Was in the area and found this gem. Breakfast was amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly. My server was in a great mood. She got my order perfect. Some small talk. It was definitely the atmosphere that wanted their guest to enjoy everything. Thank you for a great breakfast.

Busy Bee is the quintessential breakfast diner that brings a small-town vibe to the city. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and courteous, and the other restaurant staff were eager to help with any needs we may have had. My girlfriend and I each had a coffee, which the staff frequently refilled; we never had less than 3/4 of a mug full during our meal. We also each had a scrambled egg with bacon, which comes with home fries and toast, and it was everything we could have hoped for. The food at Busy Bee was so good I would call it underpriced. We went around 8am, and there were very many seats open in the restaurant. There were a couple small families, and a couple of regulars with breakfast and a paper. I am not sure if it would have been busier later in the morning, but I would happily wait in line to eat there again. Busy Bee is absolutely going to be in regular rotation for us now!

Melissa is awesome and I always get the same thing! Chocolate chip pancakes with crispy double bacon. It’s a good place to sit down and people watch especially the staff banter which makes it feel like a diner you’d see in a movie or something more old school.

It is a small classic dinner. Service is very fast and food is good. We took an omelette with some veggies and a plan pancake, it was good. The portions are big.

A snack or a meal! I've been coming to this place now for over 30 years and absolutely love it! In an area where genuine diners are hard to come by, Busy Bee is the real deal!

Really cute diner in Brookline! Went on a weekday morning and it was very easy to get a table but still plenty of people and regulars that it wasn't dead. The food was good but I was expecting slightly larger portions. The plates felt a little empty. Quick service and very friendly with reasonable prices. Would definitely go again.

We had a blast! This is a place that has been around for ever. The decor is a flashback to the past and the environment is the same...we appreciated the family working aurora immensely. I had a breakfast meal (fried eggs, hash browns and sausage), my wife had a tuna sandwich and salad. Both were great. The 'yelling' of the orders from front to the cooks, banter between the staff and the hustle-bustle was not only entertaining, but made us feel like we were in a hometown family diner.

The place had normal cafe coffee, accommodating staff but got confused between Spanish and Western omelette. Wasn't a huge deal I was on the fence between the two so I let it ride. The prices are good for the area and the food came out fast. I don't see the hype other than the staff and don't see myself returning.

Food here was really good, solid 5/5. Service was very quick and friendly and matched expectations. Really great breakfast food with an outdoor seating area. Only thing that knocks it down half a star are the prices - a bit expensive in terms of simple breakfast foods. Still, would definitely come back for the food. 4.5/5

I finally came here with my family after passing it gazillion times and never chose to come in. It looked very old from outside and not entirely inviting to be honest. But on one day while it was raining and everybody was at Tatte bakery, we decided to give this place a go and was very pleasantly surprised. It's basically greasy diner that has existed since 1967. It's family-owned business passed down through generations. They were very friendly. This is certainly a neighborhood historical Gem. The breakfast was good. It's a pretty no nonsense place for eggs and sausages and toast. The decor wasn't something to brag about since everything was 1950s faded and old. But it was clean and the service was fast and quick and friendly. I really thought the young server was cute I think his name was Joe...loved talking to him.

This diner was fabulous! Their food and service were great. It definitely is very small and there is a bit of a wait but it's understandable. The service and food both were fast and efficient. It's great!

Friendly...beyond! Choices...everything! Fries....delicious! Did I mention this place is like real family and real friendly!

This place has a classic diner look and feel! We sat outside but I definitely look forward to visiting again to enjoy the timeless teal booths and barstools on the inside. The service was delightfully to the point. Our waitress spent no time on friendly small talk and somehow it had a very charming New England effect. For food, we ordered the vegetable omelette with a side of sausage and a plain bagel with cream cheese. We shared it all and enjoyed everything! The omelette veggies were fresh and really flavorful. It came with hash browns that had those awesome chewy-crunchy bits. The bagel and sausages were standard and satisfying. I can see why this place gets a lot of local regulars. It seems like one of those places with a reliable home-cooked vibe. Would recommend!

Mediocre in almost every way. I ordered a cheese omelette with bacon in it (it was fine), which came with home fries (burnt). I ordered a side of beef hash which looked quite burnt as well but tastes ok. For a drink I ordered iced coffee which was pretty weak. I didn't send my food back because I could tell it wasn't going to come back any different. The waitress was lovely but the restaurant in general didn't give off the cleanest look. Busy Bee has been opened since 1968 (I asked) and I don't really get how. Aside from the mediocre food, the family that owns the restaurant is constantly yelling at each other in the background. Not what you wanna hear when you're eating. I think this place is currently surviving off of its nostalgia, because I can't see a reason to come back.

Absolutely love this old school diner. Super friendly servers. Was probably the quickest food I've ever ordered. Literally, ordered breakfast and it was in front of me in 2 minutes

The customer service here is AMAZING! I ordered takeout, and the staff made sure I had everything I needed. I really appreciate the warm welcome :)

We've eaten here a couple of times already. It's become one of our must stop places whenever we are in the Boston area. We've had the breakfast (pancakes are delicious) as well as the beef stew and the meatloaf. Everything there has been delicious. It's a small family run business that has a very homey feel. You feel welcome to eat and stay and talk. The staff are amazing. Friendly, genuine and quick. The food tastes exactly like you would want from a really delicious diner. The portions are big and you will leave full with even leftovers. The chocolate chip pancakes have the perfect amount of chocolate, the bacon is cooked to the right crispness and the bread is soft and especially good with butter. The beef stew perfect on a chilly morning. The meat tender and flavorful. The vegetables hearty but melted when you put them in your mouth. The meal loaf was a generous serving. The gravy on top even better on the potatoes and when bread was dipped in. Everything is tasty and seasoned perfectly and cooked exceptionally well.

We stumbled across this place for breakfast and I'm so glad we did! Moe and Danielle were so accommodating and the food was amazing! From chocolate chip pancakes and French toast for the kids to steak and grilled cheese with bacon for Dad and I, it was an unforgettable experience for all, complete with adahable Boston accents from some of the servahs! All our love!

This place is excellent. Simple, tasty breakfast food, a nice outdoor seating area, and fantastic service. Our server, Melissa, went above and beyond and was very charismatic.

4/10 My friends like this restaurant because it is a rare authentic diner in Boston. The food is cheap, but not very good. I have trouble rating highly when the food is worse than an average person would cook at home. They did not have fruit when i was there, which they admitted was because they did not feel like buying any. The place also does not have a working AC, so I would avoid going on a hot day.

Delicious! This classic local breakfast spot offered speedy and welcoming service. The standout was definitely the banana chocolate chip pancake!

Good place to get breakfast food for a cheap price. It's nice to sit outside when the weather permits because the inside looked kinda dirty. Kinda slow to get food too but not the worst waiting time. Service was good. I'd say the potatos were really good and their bacon was crispy. I appreciate that they had egg white omelettes.

Stumbled onto this little gem!! The food was delicious with our server Melissa giving us her spot-on recommendations. This was the last place we ate at before heading back home and boy are we glad we did. Thank you Melissa for giving us such an enjoyable breakfast with your charming conversation!

Food was great and service even better. We stopped here for breakfast and our server, Melissa, was so helpful and charming! Made our yummy breakfast even more enjoyable. We WILL be coming back and hope we will be seeing Melissa again!

The egg breakfast was outstanding and so was the French toast. The people that work there were also very cool. Next time in Boston I will definitely eat breakfast there. Loved this place!

Our favorite local diner since moving to the neighborhood. They are so friendly and welcoming, quick service, and the food is always great. Our favorites are the chocolate chip pancakes and their deluxe burger is great too. Classic American diner, cozy feel with fun teal booths.

Best Diner in the area. We stop here every time we're in the area and we're never disappointed. Waitress is as consistently amazing as the food... but with a touch of sass

This is the definitive greasy spoon. Small local diner, food is cheap, staff is friendly and committed to customers and the food is good. Classic diner fare, nothing fancy - like a walk through time. I had a tuna club on rye, friend had a chicken salad club with fries. I was surprised and relieved to find an old school place with regulars and family atmosphere. Think The Bear, with a much slower pace. We'll come back next time we're in town again.

I've read and heard about this place but haven't had a chance to visit it. Today was the day my cousin and I went. It wasn't crowded, meaning no lines; we went on a Wednesday around 10:30 in the morning. Only two booths were available, but more seats were available at the counter. We sat in a cubicle; this place was not fancy, a regular diner, but clean. My cousin had the veggie omelet with bacon, it also came with home fries with a garlicky taste, and we enjoyed them. I got the plain pancakes with sausages, the portions were generous, and the pancakes were delicious. You hardly have to put butter on them. Our waitress was great and amiable, and the atmosphere was friendly; it was quiet, as busy as they were. I look forward to visiting again, maybe for lunch or dinner. Give it a try; I don't think you'll be disappointed.

We were in town for a Special Olympics event and got some breakfast- food was delicious! We got veggie omelette scrambled eggs blueberry pancakes & home fries!! Service was great and food was served quickly.. we need to be back in the area again this month, might have to have a redo.

We were in search of a diner breakfast and came across Busy Bee. It was a good bit of a walk from our hotel but our rumbling tummies were up for the adventure. This is a no frills diner that is full of locals. The place is friendly and our server was great! Our breakfast was exactly what we wanted. I ordered eggs and a pancake. The pancake was amazing!! They put in a little something extra in the batter because it had a great flavor. And it was cooked perfectly! It is cash only so be sure to bring some with you! Definitely worth a stop on for a quick breakfast.

Classic diner never disappoints. You can tell that the cook and server here love what they do (they are affectionate towards customers and serve food that warms the soul). Love their omelets and tried the lunch sandwich option today. Buttered toasts and plenty of layers. Delivery and pickup options. Also a few outdoor seatings with umbrellas. Cash only

Important thing- CASH ONLY I love the food It was simple and delicious The waitress was nice and hilarious. I highly recommend this diner to have a simple breakfast.

Quite possibly the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. I have never felt more like a "Karen" for expecting really pretty minimal quality than I did here. The vegetables in my veggie omelette were raw. The decaf coffee was obviously instant. The surly waitress kept getting things wrong in our order. And to top it all off, in order to get to the restrooms, you have to walk through the kitchen which I would think is some kind of a health code violation, no? And the bathroom is down in the basement which is really kind of creepy and the toilet didn't work well. It's just not really very well kept. I wish I had better things to say, but this was really a singularly unpleasant experience.

Busy Bee provided an authentic Boston diner feel but other than that there is not much positive to say. The home fries were not particularly homely, they were rather bland in fact, and the bacon, egg, and cheese left something to be desired. It's also incredibly hard to enjoy a meal with the staff arguing in the background and complaining about their medical issues.

I love this small Brookline breakfast spot! Family run, busy bee is a great place to come for a quick delicious breakfast (or lunch). The food here is great and the prices are unbeatable. Cash only, but you won't need much of it. I often get an omelette or two eggs over easy, with potatoes, toast, and bacon, which is always great and comes with coffee. Come here for a classic small diner feel

This is a cute and quaint spot found on Beacon street in Brookline, MA. If you're looking for great food, amazing and fast service, and great prices this casual breakfast joint is a must stop! If Danielle is your waitress she will go above and beyond to ensure the most pleasant and enjoyable visit. Next time you're in town check out the Busy Bee!

Busy Bee has a very fast-paced diner vibe. I would go back because the food was really good, but I won't be coming back for this one reason: The sanitary standards they held we're far below average. Absolutely disgusting. My girlfriend and I went here for brunch and two things we noticed when being served; 1. the cups smelled like someone else used them without deep washing them first and 2. the silverware was even worse than the cups. We wiped our knives with the napkins and saw some sorts of gray shavings as if they were stashed away for a decade and never cleaned. Small details like these are what brings customers in or drives them away. It's even worse to know how easily avoidable this was. If I dont have trust in the way they keep their silverware and restaurant clean, then I can not trust the way they treat the food when being ready to serve.

This place is quaint and I'll probably be back. It has a classic American diner look, complete with booths in dated colors and random Elvis posters. However, the food is standard fare, the staff is understaffed, and to go to the bathroom you have to walk through the kitchen and down the stairs into the basement. Like I said, quaint, and I liked it, but I can't bring myself to rate this above 3 stars.

This spot serves pretty good breakfast at a low cost for Boston prices. The food was not exceptional by any means, but still tasty. Service was quick and super polite. The outside seating is nice and I love the old school charm of the inside. I'd recommend this place for college students wanting to get a solid meal for a good price. Note: I had the Western Omelet and my friend had the blueberry pancakes.

I loved the vibe of Busy Bee, but there were some service snafus and some foods that were so-so. I came in with my BF for Sunday brunch (so ordinarily a busy time.) We were seated within 10 minutes, which was awesome! I ordered the Chico chip pancakes with sausage and my BF ordered French toast. However, after ordering it took us 40 minutes to receive the food. There was a huge delay in the kitchen which was stressing out our server, causing her to forget bringing out some of our drinks and refilling our coffee. My side of sausage came out 10 minutes before my entree so it was cold by the time I had my meal. Overall, my pancakes were delicious but my BF did not love his French toast -- he said it was too eggy and bland. We probably will not return due to the service issues.

I was feeling hungry, so I walked in here with a friend and there was a table open so we sat down. This is definitely a small home owned diner, nothing too extravagant. Since it was a holiday, the menu was very limited so we ordered the hot roast beef sandwich (recommended by the waitress) and regular pancakes with bacon. The roast beef sandwich came with mashed potatoes and green beans. The roast beef was served between two slices of white bread that became very soggy from the roast beef juices. The food was very bland, so adding a tad bit of salt helped. The green beans reminded me of cafeteria school lunch, very pale in color. It's a busy diner, with nice service, but the food isn't as great as I had hoped for.

I can't believe Busy Bee is not already rated higher! Walking into Busy Bee is like taking a step straight into the 70s. It's beauty lies in its genuineness. It's not one of those places that's trying to impress or putting a lot of effort into an image, it just authentically exists as a classic small town diner. I visited for brunch on a recent trip to Boston. Not only was everything super affordable, but the food was great. I ordered the Spanish omelette, which came with home fries and bread. The omelette was basic but so satisfying- good portion, loaded with cheddar cheese, and a spicy creole sauce. The home fries were plentiful, moist, and well-seasoned. Also split a grilled blueberry muffin with a friend. Amazing, highly recommend!! Though the diner is busy and no fuss, the staff was friendly, personable, and helpful. The whole place has a really strong community and family feel. All in all, Busy Bee totally met my standards as a classic, small town American diner. Great food. Quick service. Nice people. Affordable. Will definitely return on my next trip.

I live in Boston and have driven by this place a million times, but when I had an appointment in the area, decided to stop in for lunch. Had a turkey club and it was great. Everything was made fresh to order and was good quality. I only gave them 4 stars because they are closed Sundays and late night.

Picked this place in hope of a quick, homestyle breakfast with friends. We were seated quickly, however the service was not great. We ordered soon after sitting, then waited 45 minutes for two plates of eggs and an omelette. Food was pretty good, pretty typical for a diner style breakfast. In all, 3/5 for good food, but lost some points due to the slow service.

Probably the best hidden gem in Brookline. It feels like this place haven't changed in years and it's marvelous. They have a great menu of classic American dishes prepared right and an outstanding rotating daily menu of hardy dinners and lunches. I absolutely love the Friday special- fried clams and scallops. They are super fresh and fried to perfection served with homemade tarter sauce. I usually get a combo plate. Other stand outs are the breakfast and hot turkey diner sandwich. Honestly, I need to explore more of the classics on the menu. It's cash only which is ok. Try and get Donna as your waitress too, she always makes the meal even better!

I brought my hard to please elderly Mom here for Saturday brunch. Everything was quickly served and well made. I had a simple grilled cheese but it was perfect. Donna was our very sweet waitress and she gave us tapioca pudding on the house. Wonderful diner ambience, will return.

Such a good classic diner. My boyfriend and I stopped in after our flight here and it's cozy and yummy. Their home fries are seasoned well and their food is reasonably priced. Support this place!

Busy Bee is a classic, no frills diner. My boyfriend and I came for breakfast one morning and sat at the counter, where we witnessed plenty of local customers filtering in and out, which added to the Boston charm. I understand why this place has so many loyal customers, the food was great! It's a very standard breakfast menu, but they do the classics well. I got blueberry pancakes which were perfectly sweet, crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. My boyfriend got over easy eggs with corn beef hash and home fries. Everything was well cooked and seasoned and really hit the spot. The prices are affordable, though you should note that it is cash only. The service was a bit slow, but it was a busy weekend morning and I didn't mind the time to people watch. We will definitely be back!

CASH ONLY, ATM on site. Really good location and one of the only cheap, quick, traditional diners in the area. Good price point, super authentic local flair from the waitresses, cooks, etc. but the food is just run-of-the-mill. I ordered a breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs and they put scrambled eggs in between two un-toasted pieces of white Wonder bread. It wasn't...bad...but it wasn't a breakfast sandwich by the traditional sense of the word. Can get a little crowded and there is no organized queue for waiting. Don't be afraid to elbow past people waiting to claim seats at the counter. I learned the hard way after losing spots when someone did that to me.

Stopped here this morning before a flight and adored this little diner. Got the veggie omelet that was packed with fresh vegetables, perfectly sized, and absolutely delicious. They had my favorite brand of green tea which made me happy and our server was friendly and prompt take our order. Great spot if you need a quick quality breakfast or lunch.

Great service, food, and diner ambience. Local hangout for college students, including university police.

This is such a cute little diner. I came here with a few friends for a quick brunch before they closed. The food came out pretty fast and was exactly how we ordered it. The portions were absolutely amazing and well priced. The service was pretty good, but I did not enjoy hearing employees bicker and argue in the back and behind the counter. I did not enjoy that it was cash only, but thankfully I had cash on hand. I would probably return because the food was that good.

I went there cause I knew it I've been there before and everything was alright they were nice and the service was quick. Today everything was awful! This woman called Donna was rude from the beginning to the end . It was like I was begging her to bring my coffee. And the place wasn't even busy!! The person who was seat next to me got all his order first and he got there 15 minutes after me .. he was finishing his breakfast already when I had to remind this lady about the coffee which I saw she was serving to other people At the end I cancelled my order, can't believe it took over 45 minutes for scrambled eggs and a toast I felt like I was not welcomed Would definitely go back for sure