Garden State Diner

The bagel with BEC was delicious!!! The Cuban with coleslaw also delicious!!! The fruit parfait I would skip and it’s way overpriced. The Nutella shake was good too. The service was below par, once they take your order you never see your waitress again:( They also add on a 3% employee retention to your tab not sure if it’s NJ thing or not. Overall I would eat again but get it to go.

!!! DO NOT EAT HERE !!! THERE WAS GLASS IN MY FOOD AND I HAD TO VISIT THE ER. I visited this restaurant on 9/23/25 to get some food before my flight back home. In my coleslaw, there was a piece of glass that I only found because I bit down on it while I was eating. My server didnt come back after my order because they were busy and this other server talked to me instead. She treated me horribly and never once apologized. When I asked for a manager, she told me the manager wasn't there and that I'm fine because the glass is on the plate and I should leave. She also threw away the glass. I felt like I was trying to be reasonable and just wanted to go home, but after that I got mad and I started to feel a lot of pain in my stomach. I own a restaurant myself so I could not believe these workers could be so careless with people's food. I asked several times for a receipt but was refused. I asked for help getting medical assistance and they said they didn't know and brushed me off. I eventually dialed 911 to call the police to get a receipt and an ambulance to take me to the ER because I didn't know if I ate any glass. If something happens on the plane I wouldn't be able to get help. What was supposed to be a simple meal turned into me missing my flight when I have a busy day tomorrow and a hospital visit. This was my worst experience at both an airport and a restaurant.

Garden State Diner Review While waiting for my plane to arrive, I decided to stop in and grab a bite to eat. The food was really good—I ordered the Jersey Morning, which comes with a Kaiser roll and Taylor ham (aka pork roll), along with coffee and orange juice. However, the service left something to be desired. There were plenty of staff on the floor, but they didn’t seem very focused on the customers. Maybe it was just an off day. I wasn’t in a rush, but I noticed several people waiting so long to be seated that they ended up leaving.

My Philly cheese steak sandwich + beer battered onion rings were genuinely delicious. Both had a bit of sweetness to them, and it just really hit the spot. Staff could be faster and more attentive. I was there at an off-peak time when the dining room fluctuated between 1/3-1/2 full and it still took way too long to be seated and a first approach just to take a drink order. The pricing is very similar to other food-court style places in the airport, but better food and real seating provided. Having said that, the booth seats are an ergonomic nightmare that was made especially brutal after a long flight.

I'm honestly impressed at how little the staff care at this place. My server didn't give me a menu when I sat down. When she came back around to get my order, I asked for a menu and she laughed and tossed one on the table. I was served raw pork sausage in my sandwich and couldn't get her attention to have it corrected. I asked for a milkshake when I finished my meal and she said no milkshakes while a cook 5 feet behind her was making a milkshake for another customer then said "oh he shouldn't be doing that, we already cleaned the machines" (2 hours before closing time). She tried to give me someone else's meal after I had finished mine and had all my dirty dishes on the table. I pointed at the only other customer, she gave it to him, and then he said he ordered pancakes and not fried chicken. In the 30 minutes I was there, I watched them close all but 4 tables and start turning people away... at 8:30pm. One guy got tired of waiting for his check and just got up and walked away and she didn't even notice. At least it was cheap and the whole affair was very entertaining to witness and be a part of 😅. Oh, and between my raw pork and the other reviews about poor attention to food safety, I figured I'd use my layover to make a report to the Newark health inspection office... except that part of the health dept website is broken and there isn't even an email address listed. I'm starting to understand why everyone dunks on this city and airport. This place is a Twilight Zone of the dumb and bad 🤣

Great food and reasonable prices for a an Airport restaurant. Awesome Monte-Christo sandwich -- huge, think French toast and substantial filling. Nice blackened Chicken Caesar salad. Not overly fancy, but still a great option. The bakery case looks like it has some superb muffins, croissants, bagels, cake slices, and salads to go. Far better looking than most quick-grab airport options.

The food was tasty and the service was excellent. I’m picky when it comes to coleslaw but this was creamy, sweet/tangy, and the right texture. The restaurant was calm and I read a book as I waited. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars for good is because my chicken was extra crispy and a lil I received service with a smile.

For an airport, I was pleased that garden state diner serves reasonably well made dishes, though you do pay a bit of airport tax with the prices. The omelette and eggs were good—average american diner vibes, and the pancakes were nicely done, they had a bit of a fried dough feel. The fruit salad was very fresh and perfectly ripe, better than expected. The pork sausages they use could be improved. Overall a decent place to eat, and it seems better than everything else in the terminal. Might normally give this a 3 stars but in an airport where your options are slim, this is a great pick

The bagel with BEC was delicious!!! The Cuban with coleslaw also delicious!!! The fruit parfait I would skip and it's way overpriced. The Nutella shake was good too. The service was below par, once they take your order you never see your waitress again:( They also add on a 3% employee retention to your tab not sure if it's NJ thing or not. Overall I would eat again but get it to go.

On the scale of normal food options, it's not great, but for an airport option, Garden State Diner is pretty good. Grabbed an early dinner on a Sunday and the place was fairly empty, though it looked like only the tables against the walls had any outlets. Food is expensive as hell as expected with what is effectively a side salad with no protein dropping you $20. I did appreciate that no one rushed us and the food is classic diner; nothing life changing, but sometimes getting exactly what you expect is just what you want. Just got a bunch of food to share and everything is exactly what you would expect. Berry waffle was sweet, light, and paired great with the whipped cream. Greek salad was pretty small for a serving size and lettuce was a little sad, but passable. Fries were also just fine, could be amped up more on the salt and crunch. Now, the rockstar at the table was definitely the Banana & Honey shake. This is made with real banana and tons of honey. Super sweet, but it was actually a great shake, definitely restaurant quality! TLDR: Banana & Honey Shake is a winner, everything else is fine. Pricing is exactly what you'd expect for an airport.

Wow! Nostalgic "Happy Day" vibes!! From the decor, Doo wop music , Counter seating And of course milk shakes! Loved the desserts stated "Dish of ice cream" Our Server Eric was friendly, attentive and checked in on us! Thank you Eric! Hubby and I ordered the frequent flyer breakfast sandwich! Hubby ordered coffee , Complimentary refills. I loved my cafe latte! Steady stream of take out orders and dine in customers. Awesome way to start our getaway!

The coffee was awesome and the toasted bagel was on point. The gal at the register was friendly and kind which made it THAT much better. Sometimes going out of your Starbucks comfort zone does pay off

Restaurant located in the Newark airport. Opens 5am for those who are there for 7am international flights! Good decent. Prices reasonable. Nice service. There is also a to-go kiosk.

I stumbled upon the Garden State Diner and decided to stop in for lunch before making my connecting flight back to GRR. I was seated right away and my server was very polite. It was bustling and busy when I was there. I ordered the BLT with fries and it came out quickly. The lettuce and tomato were fresh, and the bacon was crispy. The fries were better than I was expecting - not my personal favorite style (the thicker diner style fries) but they were hot and fresh too. Overall a decent version of a classic diner plate. My total including tip was just over $20, which I thought was pretty reasonable for an airport restaurant. It took a little bit to get my check, but I wasn't in a hurry. You can also get an order to go.

3.5 stars for food; 5 stars for service, cleanliness, and their amazing Banana and Honey Shake! If you're like my hubby who likes to get to the airport at least 3.5 hrs before our flight, then you have plenty of time to walk around or eat. There were 3 in our party. Hubby and Sis thought their burgers were average, I had the Hungry Traveler breakfast, also average tasting pancakes (somewhat overcooked), 2 eggs, bacon & sausage. Service was good for a busy lunch crowd. I believe Ivette took our order and was nice. She gives a lot of thumbs up when checking on us. There is an older salt n pepper haired host/waiter and a young head-shaven w/a black beard guy who really stood out as friendly and hard-working. No one was slacking off, it's just that those two guys were very welcoming, apologized for the wait or thanked customers for their patience and seemed to like their job.

Looking for a place to eat and this was near our gate. Didn't bother to check Yelp as we saw many patrons, although wish I did as I would've since had second thoughts after the meal. This place is pretty average, and with the expensive prices... below average. Ambiance does give you a bustling diner feel. Service was on the slower end and had to get servers attention more water. Wish they asked when our flight was as we cut it pretty close to boarding time. Also, could not substitute side salad for fries. Frequent Flyer Breakfast Sandwich - 2.5/5 - No frills and made just how it was described. Skimpy on the bacon. Would've been better if it came with atleast one side. Pepper Jack Turkey Melt - 2/5 - Looked generous with the cheese but soon after one bite the sandwich was just OK. Turkey had a fresh taste, pepper jack was extremely mild in both spice and taste. Once I started to eat, the sandwich felt very dry. Needed ranch, ketchup, and hot sauce (lol). Coleslaw was smothered in mayo. Chili Cheese Fries - 3.5/5 - Filled up a whole plate and became a highlight of the meal with lots of cheese and decent chili. Fries were lightly crisp and starchy but went well with the heartiness of the chili.

So we had a late night transit through Newark and I found this diner on yelp , it was open and had a relatively better rating , so we decided to stop over for a quick bite. It was a proper diner. Tables were clean but close to each other. I got the Caesar Salad and the house soup. Both tasted decent, I also got a cup of hot water and brewed my own tea bag. It was a good idea to stop over, the food came quickly even though this place was packed. I think this is the only decent food option available at this airport. It was very close to my gate as well so it worked out perfectly.

Extremely low efficiency and poor service. Waste of time and money because until my boarding time began, I didn't receive the order at all, and I waited for 20 mins. During my waiting time I sit on the seats inside the restaurant, the waitress asked me to go outside because they're almost closed? So why I cannot just sit there and wait for my order? If you guy gonna close just don't accept my order right? So I sat on the seat of the first table near the cashier (still waiting for my order), and the waiter didn't let me sit there again (the surface of the table was dirty with unclear leftover debris btw) It seems that both the waiter and the cashier girl hate me or just hate the job idk. But what made me angry was when I saw I was enforced to pay 18% tips to them, even though I only wanted to give them a shxt...

just ordered an iced vanilla latte to go. took about 10 minutes and it's delicious! lots of people sitting down to eat, if i had time i might've, very cute there

Ehh - so I was trying to quickly grab some food before boarding my noon flight. Didn't really see a lot of options, but I knew I really only had 10 minutes or so before boarding and didn't have the energy to bring the food with me on board. I saw this and thought I could grab a bagel with cream cheese. Of course, as it's an airport spot, there's no other cream cheese except plain. And of course, they give you the smallest container possible. Barely had enough to fit the cream cheese on both sides (and def not enough if eating it as a sandwich), but again it's an airport bagel. I presume the non-breakfast options are better, but I don't often take advantage of those choices because I hardly fly out in the early afternoon. Pretty mediocre choice, but at least I got some food in my system before boarding.

Server changed tip amount to $ 13.00 for instead $ 3.00. Server or Management added number 1 in front of tip amount 3.00 made 13.00 and added number 1 in front of total amount 8.25 made 18.25. Stop by again Manager took all info to give credit but it's been one week NO credit issued. Left message on answer machine but no one reply back. Not sure if this is normal practice ?? Beware of this place.

This is a three, but this is basically an airport four. Garden State Diner is sort of an outlier, they're not one of the pricey and largely subpar OTG restaurants throughout Newark's Terminal C. It's a pretty good experience. My BLT was tasty, Coke was a Coke, and I was in and out within 30 minutes. Price wise, for an airport, I was also in and out for $25 which didn't seem bad either. Service met the basic needs, though I never got a refill. The playlist is all doo-wop so hope that's your jam. Would return on my next Newark connection.

Cute retro diner in Terminal C at Newark Airport. Service is great. Everyone wss so friendly. Food was delicious. Great way to start the vacation coffee made fresh!

This is a cute, retro diner by gate C109. The sandwiches and old fashioned shakes are their specialty. I got the Cuban sandwich and it was a perfect balance of salty ham, soft pork, and crunchy pickle. The onion rings were thickly battered and crispy. Above all, the service was top notch. The lady who look my order seemed genuinely happy to be there, and it was 6AM! I didn't even feel like I was eating at the airport.

This quick service coffee shop was right by my gate, and their coffee tasted better than the chains in this terminal. They also have a lot of baked goods to pair with your coffee!

FANTASTIC!! This is the best restaurant/cafe l've found in Terminal C, Delicious food and drink options at a fair price. I especially love that they have so many bagel and sandwich options. The music playing is really nice and Retro while you eat. Mercedes and staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. We would have attached a photo but it was so good that we forgot to snap one before it was all gone! We will be coming back on our next trip and recommending Garden state diner.

Great meal. Fantastic coleslaw!!! Tomi was a fantastic server. Fried chicken ok. 2 small thighs. Fries were good. Huge porition of fries and coleslaw. I'd come back for the slaw. Thanks Tomi.

Decided to eat here during a layover on a recent trip, knowing that I would be arriving at my final destination after most restaurants are closed. I was seated promptly and placed my order. My server recommended the Philly cheesesteak, so I decided to give it a try. I also ordered the coleslaw and sweet potato fries. The sandwich was surprisingly dry, not seasoned very well and just overall not great. The sweet potato fries were burned. Not a fan of the coleslaw, strange flavor profile. The only reason I'm giving it two stars instead of one is because the server was excellent.

Very reasonably priced for the airport. Cheaper or on par with local diners. Cute 50s style decor. 50s music, lot of Frank Sinatra. Food came out super fast. My toast was burnt so I couldn't eat part of it. Cheese was just melted on top of the eggs, not scrambled in. The sausage is like real breakfast sausage (I was expecting more of a frozen kind). Cholula hot sauce was a nice plus. Staff was fast even when they were busy.

I LOVE IT when a restaurant gets it right...and Garden State Diner got it right! The vibe is old skool diner complete with malt machines & vintage straws and 50's music. You almost forget you're in the airport. First of all, they have great coffee - and I'm kind of a coffee snob and I do t say that lightly. It comes out with real cream the way they used to serve it - nice and thick! A great "layover pick-me-up". Now for the food - you gotta love the great east coast meat! I got the "New York Style" Pastrami Reuben ($20) which was hot pastrami, fresh kraut, melted Swiss and Russian dressing on grilled marbled rye with a side of homemade creole slaw and it was fantastic!! My girlfriend got the Monte Cristo ($18.50) which is a brioche French toast breakfast sandwich with Virginia ham, roasted Turkey, melted Swiss, powdered sugar and warm maple syrup for dipping and it was one of the best I've ever had - another home run. And the final feather in my cap was a slice of the Original New York Cheesecake ($7.50) which was about as authentic and delicious as it gets. (I originally wanted to try the Red Velvet Cheesecake but they were out of it...maybe next time!) So put it in your book: Newark Airport - Terminal C across from gate C108 (and the restrooms, fountains & bottle fill station) If you want a great meal and great change of atmosphere for an hour, don't miss The Garden State Diner!!

Good potential with some misses that are holding this restaurant back. That said, it is still a better option than a lot of other restaurants in terminal C. Our server was a very kind young lady who did a great job. The Cuban was almost really good, but it was like they were running low on some ingredients because there was just an extremely small slice of pickle and just a little bit of mustard in one spot. If they actually loaded it up like it should be, it would have topped most other Cubans I've had. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual for a dinner. I wouldn't eat here if I was in a rush, but it was a great time killer in the best way.

I feel like the Cuban would have been good if they hadn't run out of pickles and if the sauce was spread out evening on the bun. It was frustrating that they sold us a Cuban without informing us that they didn't have pickles. It was basically a ham sandwich. The service was extremely slow, but since it's at the airport and we had plenty of time, it didn't really matter. The fries were very good and a nice portion. It's in the airport, so it's loud and you are sitting close to the other customers.

I'm very disappointed in the service here, granted it's just an airport diner I don't think I'm crazy for expecting basic service. Unfortunately, that is not what I received. It only took a couple of minutes to be seated and once I was seated I waited nearly 30 minutes for someone to come by and take my order. The servers did look busy so at first I gave them the benefit of the doubt. However, once I saw that people who were seated after me we're having their orders taken I knew I was being ignored. I had to walk up to the counter and ask for my order to be taken. After my food came out I had to flag someone down for utensils as well. Even though a guy was going around and putting them on the table. He passed me twice and I was staring at him, as he was staring at my table. So he saw I had no utensils and then he passed me by. Lastly when it was time to pay after sitting and twiddling my thumbs for 20 minutes, I had to flag down my waitress so I could finally pay and leave. Mind you she was very present, she was out on the floor and asking guest how their meal was, but that grace was not extended to me. It was a very bizarre experience. I'm pretty sure I could have just walked out and left without paying and they wouldn't have had a clue. They should be happy I'm a child of God. At least she gave me my discount when I checked out. The food was standard. It's not something I'm dying to eat again, but it was good. It gets the job done. Maybe I came on a bad day so eventually I can see myself trying this place again; hopefully they can provide much better service next time.

pancakes were insanely good. best diner / place to eat in terminal C. will be coming back here next time

Awful food and awful service. Chicken and waffles were atrocious. Waffles wet and chicken was rubber. Wait staff didn't wait on anyone proactively and had to be chased down to order and pay despite there being just a handful of customers. Hate wasting a meal in NYC...

I guess when most Americans think of diners, they think of the 50's. I'm not exactly sure why that is. When I think of GSD, I think of the 90's. That's what decade their vegan burger is from. Basically, it's a Gardenburger. Also, they serve non-vegan mayo on the side and don't tell you. The burger was fine, I guess, but I assumed that it wouldn't be representing decades-old food science. I also don't know why it was served on bread rather than a roll. If you're not vegan, don't let me dissuade you. I saw a United pilot eating here. He was probably satisfied. As for me, I'll look elsewhere the next time I am in EWR. Unless they add vegan disco fries to the menu! How about vegan pork roll? Yeah, I won't be back.

This place was yummy! Every place in the airport is pricey, so the prices weren't shocking. But the food was at least good! And the servings were big.

Slow service, wrong order delivered, 30 minutes for a Greek salad with the driest chicken I've ever had. Overpriced. Don't bother.

Airport food is always a gamble, but this was pretty decent for what is available. After wandering around C terminal I felt this was going to be the best experience for a sit down lunch. Wait staff was moderately attentive and checked on me a few times . I had to ask for replacement drinks... but didn't have to track down my server. The chicken was well seasoned and tasty. Taters were hot and filling. Overall... a better option in a not so great place for being stuck.

Don't eat here. The food is bad and I'm pretty sure it gave me food poisoning. Choose a different option in terminal c

Every time I fly out of Terminal C at Newark Liberty, i must stop here. the food is great and the service is awesome. They're located in the middle near gate 109. Amust try, you wont go wrong

I'm so glad i visited Garden State Diner , I was looking for something to eat during a long layover at the Newark airport and ended up here on a whim. Everyone working was very kind and accommodating, food was delicious and exactly what I needed. Fair warning the shakes are HUGE and absolutely shareable... don't make the same mistake I did. The diner setting made it feel like i wasn't eating in the airport. I wish I would have asked for the name of my server to include but unfortunately I did not.

Went for Dinner Food - 5/5. Jersey morning sandwich was loaded with pork rolls that had great sear on them. The sear brought out the salty, savory flavors of the pork roll which was balanced out by the buttery brioche. Home fries had good texture and were seasoned well but it lacked the peppers and onions as stated in the menu. Service - 3/5. Staff was friendly but the food came out slow. I gave myself ample time to dine but found myself feeling a bit rushed due to how long it took for my food to arrive. Value - 3/5. Even with putting into consideration that prices will reflect being at an airport, it is on the expensive side. None of the breakfast sandwiches have an option to make it into a full meal, even though omelets and platters have that option for a similar price. Everything being a la carte just adds to the cost. Parking - N/A

Surprisingly ok-- with some caveats. Got the denver omelette which was actually ok, and had a good mixture of meat and green pepper. Style was pretty unique, overall quality and flavor was respectable for airport food, which often times might just be reheated pre-prepped food, etc. Also tried the meat lovers omelet, but two of them were almost identical in flavor, just with less flavor b/c of lack of green peppers.

Surprisingly good food that's not overpriced at an airport. My food order came very quickly. The coffee came late midway into my plate but it was very hot and good. Ambiance and seating is true to the theme and clean. They were a bit understaffed but my server Christian was hard at work. Someone give him a raise!

The food an ambiance are standard diner fare but in the airport. The service was good. The food pairing options were not great. I ordered the blackened chicken and it comes with mash potatoes and coleslaw served open on the plate. I have nothing against food touching but coleslaw and mashed potatoes and brown gravy should be in some container or serving bowl. They had no shakes or malts because their ice cream machine was broken.. okay McDonalds. Not bad if you are near the gate or have a ton of time like I did.

Diners have quick service and reliable coffee refills. This was slow and the server didn't seem to remember I was there, or perhaps customers were simply a nuisance to him. Food was not good - omelette was dry, no hash browns or breakfast potatoes available. The saving grace was the college football on TV.

Nothing expecting to have a breakfast from airport dinner, yet it was surprisingly good! The waiter took our order quickly, and served us. The food was very hot and not overly salted which i was very happy about it. ! We will be back when we need a quick bite!

It's pretty good for an airport restaurant. I like the breakfast there. Service is just ok. I like the food but it's expensive but it's the airport so I expect that.

Easily the best breakfast I've ever had at an airport. Over medium eggs were perfect and pancakes were delish. Oh - and REAL cream available for coffee!

I've never wanted to eat at an airport. Sometimes you just don't have a choice, though. Turns out, this place has an incredible Mediterranean Turkey Burger. I wanted to try something different and was completely floored with how well it all fit together. The tzatziki sauce and cucumber with crisp red onion? I want another. I tried looking for another location but I guess this is it? Pretty sad about it. The service was quick and ultra friendly (especially for an airport spot) and the decor and ambiance was definitely "Jersey Diner" but in a good way. Wish I had more reasons to fly to Newark.

This is the best place to get food your gonna get at terminal c for a reasonable price. Trust me, I walked all around the terminal looking for a decent sandwich‼. I was very grateful to have came across here - the staff was attentive and made sure I received my meal in a timely manner.

I had the corned beef hash platter and it was pretty bad. The texture was like a paste and had a bitter taste probably from msg. The potatoes had a wet soggy texture. The multi grain toast was dry. Did not come with butter or jam. The over-easy eggs were over cooked but edible. Staff was friendly but slow to respond even though it was not busy. Maybe other items on the menu are better.

This review is for the counter service side of the restaurant. There is a sit down service available as well. It is located near gate C112 at Newark Airport. The customer service wasn't great (though I did not have high expectations), and the sandwich was expensive for the poor quality. My $19 pepper jack turkey melt was not fully cut through, hard (not crunchy, but seriously hard and inedible), and pretty bland. The fries it came with were not bad. Dining options are not great at the airport, but I was full after eating, which was the main objective.

My mom and I ate here while waiting for our flight and Garden State didn't disappoint. The young waitress was absolutely top notch; super nice, always a smile, and assisted with anything you needed. (I don't remember her name!) The sandwich I had was super good. And the fries were delicious. The prices were surprisingly reasonable for it being in an airport. I would definitely come back for some grub if I transit through here again.

Just skip it. I ordered a turkey club with fries. Everything was lukewarm. Tomatoes on the sandwich were not fresh and tasted powdery. Turkey was slimy. Overall quality was not good.

We had a super long layover at the Newark Airport so we decided to get dinner. We looked at a list of the dining options on Eater and cross referenced with Yelp. The Garden State Diner looked like our best option for Terminal C. The old school diner vibes are cool. The patty melt was super good, very buttery crunchy bread. I got the chicken parm sandwich which was a bummer. Way too basic and not enough sauce. The milkshakes looked dope but we didn't try. Service was good and the food came out pretty quickly. About as good as can be expected in an airport.