Ruthies Diner

The quality of food has significantly deteriorated in the last few years. When I first started to eat here about ten years ago, everything was very good. Nothing fancy, just wholesome American fare at very reasonable prices. Quality was good. That's changed. The prices aren't much different from 4-5 years ago but the quality definitely isn't as good. Brown lettuce on sandwiches is common. Fries are often served cold. Home fries and hash browns are often burned. Burgers taste like the patties are past their use by date. Gravy is almost certainly from a can these days, and not a new one at that. Hash is definitely from a can these days. To be fair, the coffee is good and hot. And the servers are always friendly and prompt. Unfortunately, that's not enough to have my wife and I return. Very sad what Ruthie's had become.

Stopped here for lunch on our way throigh the area the other day and had a great meal for a good price. My dad particularly enjoyed the Big R sandwich while mom topped off the meal with a slice of blackberry pie. If we're ever in the area again I would definitely stop here again for lunch.

This is one of the last REAL diners left, you can get a whole steak on a hoagie bun and add whatever they've got in the kitchen on it. Delicious food-insanely great prices! I've only had great service here so I don't understand some of the other reviews. It is CASH ONLY! I have nothing but respect for this wonderful place. I hope it's around forever. Thank you,

I love local restaurants. But this visit was complete let down. There is 1. Charge for water 2. 2.00 charge for a extra plate if sharing 3. 75c charge for marinara even if you buy provolone sticks 4. 2.25 for a can of pop/soda 5 cash only be prepared If you think of a charge they are going to charge for it. The waitress was not very kind. The crowd was not busy so not sure why this was. The food was good and the prices are good if you can get over the hidden charges they don’t tell you about If you have a family this might not be the best stop but worth a shot

Stopped in today with my fiancé and mother in law while driving through town on vacation. They were packed but got us seated very quickly. Breakfast was amazing and the prices were great! Nice friendly staff. 10/10 would recommend the breakfast!

Always great food and perfectly cooked bacon! It's a cash only, affordable place to stop for a meal. The staff is always polite.

Nice "old style" restaurant. All dishes are really cheap and tasty. The service is very friendly. The roasted beef was extremely tasty, only the artificial sauce spoiled the taste. Would love to come back

Absolutely a fantastic lunch. Friendly & kind waiter, extremely prompt & attentive. Food was prompt to the table. Everything was very good. Specials are on board. Price is great. CASH ONLY.

Quick diner stop while out for a Sunday ride. Fast and friendly atmosphere. Cash only. Whether breakfast or lunch...easy food at reasonable prices. Apple dumplings are not to be missed

The atmosphere is really homie it is kinda stuck in the 80's a bit. But that's ok because the service is great and the food is awesome my favourite is the liver and onions with mashed potatoes it's a generous portion too! I know not everyone's cup of tea lol the wait staff are so nice smiling and chatting to you. It's cozy and cool!

Nice local diner. No frills atmosphere. Friendly and fairly efficient service. Good portions and food is decent at reasonable prices. Kid friendly. Cash only. Not a bad choice in area.

Great bowl of chili on a cold afternoon with a diner full of real people. Wish I lived nearby.

My favorite place to eat in Ligonier! Born and raised here and it has always been my favorite. Great breakfast food but really anything here is great. Highly recommend.

We still visit at least once a year with my parents. One isn't going here for the healthiest meal, but you WILL be treated to some "stick-to-your-ribs" kind of food. Three of our party ordered the chicken fried steak dinner with sausage gravy and mashed potatoes. A choice of salad or vegetable is also included. My son got the fish and chips basket, my mother ordered the turkey dinner and I opted for the hot beef sandwich. Wow- I will always order the hot beef. It was old school and comforting. Coupled with a sweet tea- and I just felt like I had a food hug. I look forward to our next visit- and I plan to go for breakfast during my next visit to my parents' hometown.

Great traditional breakfast place. Nice staff and quick service. Always worth a stop. Bring cash.

My husband and I stopped there for lunch today. Service, food and prices were great. Hugh portions. Prices the lowest that we have seen in a long time. We will definitley be back. It was well worth the drive down the mountain.

I love the meatloaf, best coffee in town. Tim, thank you for making Ruthie's the best place in town!

This is a place to enjoy good breakfast food and observe the local personalities. Wait staff are prompt and polite.

What a cute little place! We stopped after a hike at linn run park. The food is tasty, portions plentiful and pricing really affordable. My entire family ate dinner, one appetizer and three desserts for around $40. The two things to note are that it is cash only (that do have an ATM) and all drinks are bottled or canned (so no ice water).

When I return to the area, I travel Route 30 on my way to Latrobe and pass Ruthie's Diner every time. So I was visiting family recently ( August 26th to be exact) and we wanted to giver Ruthie's Diner a try. I'll start with the positives: Parking was ample. Access from Route 30 East bound is easy, access from Route 30 West bound requires a U-turn, but still easy. Wait time: We arrived late in the morning, after 9am and there was no wait. Next I'll move on to the where there could be some improvement: Staff: The staff was less than enthusiastic. They weren't rude, but they weren't very friendly either. This was an observation of the entire staff we experienced, not just our server. Cleanliness: It was ok. We didn't see any egregious violations, but it wasn't exactly what I would call entirely clean. It was acceptable. Interior/dining area: Needs improvement for sure. It is dated (and not is a retro, "cool" kind of way). It looked and felt old, like no investment has been made toward upkeep. Food: It was ok. Portions were average. Taste was average. Price was average. Things about Ruthie's Diner that are unacceptable in 2022: As the menu was presented to us at the time of our visit, coffee was listed as NO REFILL. I see the picture on their Facebook page (from Feb 2021) says "2 cup limit without meal", the menu we were presented said "no refill" next to coffee. Same goes for their soft drinks. NO REFILLS Payment accepted: CASH ONLY, again, unacceptable for a successful business (no matter where it is located). No Refills and Cash Only automatically puts me in mind of a struggling business and definitely leaves a bad impression. So, final analysis: With so many other local breakfast options between Ligonier and Latrobe, nothing about Ruthie's Diner stands out. We will pass on Ruthie's Diner.

Yum! Just your basic, old-school diner menu, executed really well. You walk in from the giant parking lot and immediately see some booths and counter service. More tables are found in the next room over toward your right. The tables are mostly those wooden/pressboard collapsible ones you see in churches and stuff. Anyway, we grabbed a table and our waitress came over, greeted us, and got us coffee and juice. My nephew commented on the fact that, like several other places we visited in this part of PA, there were placemats with local advertisers on them. I don't think he's ever seen them before! But I digress. When presented with the opportunity to have sausage gravy and biscuits, I take it. The small is one biscuit, the large is two. Need you guess what I ordered? Other orders at the table included pancakes, French toast, a breakfast sandwich, and a blueberry muffin. Lemme just tell you - it was all fabulous! My mom loved her pancakes, my niece devoured her French toast, the breakfast sandwich was ginormous, and we all took turns stealing bites of my nephew's blueberry muffin. But the sausage gravy was the best! Every bite was so yummy! How to describe it? Creamy, salty, sausage-y? I don't know, but it was awesome. We were all pretty thrilled with our breakfast - definitely a spot to stop at if you're in/passing thru Ligonier.

Warning: before you go it's cash only and their ATM is down so be prepared. It's exactly what I expected. It's your local greasy spoon with pretty good food and big portions. The inside is big with plenty of seating. The service was fast and very professional.

Best Breakfast Food around town. Plus it won't be hard on your wallet! Fast and friendly service. As you enter the restaurant, you'll feel like you're back in the 60's.

Don't expect any frills here. Definitely a locals hang-out. Given that there are not many choices in the area, they maintain a steady flow of business. Location is the main thing this place has going for it. Quality of food is hit or miss. It's almost impossible to know when your order will be in the hit category. Breakfast is probably a safe bet. Service is fast and efficient. They have a horrifyingly jolting buzzer that goes off each time an order is ready. Irritating to say the least. Place overall is pretty worn-out. There is a sign on the ladies restroom alerting you that the door doesn't always lock. Not that complicated to fix. I could almost give them a pass if they at least served a good cup of coffee. Cash only.

My girlfriends and I went to Ruthies before heading back home after our girls trip. We couldn't stop saying how amazing the food was as we were stuffing our faces lol. The food, service and hospitality were all great! All 5 of us got the breakfast special and added either sausage gravy (which I would drink if I wasn't in a public setting lmao) or a pancake! Portions were HUGE but so so sooo good! They definitely did not skimp out on quality or quality & the prices were surprising in this economy lol. $6.50 for 2 slices of toast (4 pieces total) 4 sausage links, 2 eggs, and about a cup of home fries, $2.50 for a cup of sausage gravy -- couldn't beat it! We were all glad we didn't stop somewhere with a fancier brunch!

excellent home cooked meals very good prices for low incomes very nice sweet and kind employees best diner in westmoreland county pa located in ligonear pa not too far from ft ligonear

Great food and reasonable prices. It's our new Tuesday and Sunday spot as it's my days off. They are seriously amazing here. Highly recommend this place!!

Amazing diner. Nothing fancy, just great food. Will definitely make it a point to visit next time we are in the area.

A great find in Ligonier. A piece of old hometown nostalgia. Great food and big portions. Super friendly staff.

My wife and I and another couple stopped by here on a Sunday morning for breakfast. Being a cash only restaurant I had to use the ATM inside which has a $3 surcharge. The inside is exactly what you'd expect in a breakfast style diner. The decor is a little outdated, prices are super cheap, food is homely, and staff are very personable. My wife and I each ordered eggs toast and home fries and I had an extra cup of coffee. The meal came at a very reasonable price and was filling. Home fries seem to be a good test of how good a breakfast place is, and these were definitely above average. It wasn't until we were leaving that I noticed some specials hand written on a board behind a table. They sounded great to try and I wish I would have seen them before we ordered. Would definitely like to try them next time. Overall a good place for breakfast at a reasonable price. Remember cash only!

I've stopped here periodically over the years as I traveled route 30, and I always like the place. But I think I won't go back after my recent visit. On the one hand the food was disappointing. I have the hot roast beef sandwich, and the beef was a thick slice of dry and meat, not the thin sliced tender beef you want. But also, my server was (1) basically ignoring me and (2) wearing an offensive, aggressively anti-Biden tshirt. Obviously, everyone has a right to their own politics, but once you start putting offensive stuff in everyone's face who you are serving you are bound to lose some customers. I won't tell them they can't wear what they want, but I also probably won't do back. It's a shame that a skewed and aggressive politics has made it hard to just be friendly and welcoming to your neighbors. Oh well..

Awesome local diner... because they don't allow cards you really can't beat the prices here. The breakfast is amazing... can't go wrong with the French Toast or pancakes here!

This ain't no diner. We wanted breakfast at 5pm. Yes, we eat brunch (brinner) at all hours of the day due to our work schedule and because we are otherwise night people. So we mistakenly ordered the breakfast sandwich that was listed as being on a croissant. The croissant was served cold, and had no butter on it. It was closer to a partially baked bun rather than a croissant. So after being served whatever sort of unidentifiable bread this was, we ordered sides of butter, but rather than butter, got something called "spread". I don't know what chemistry experiment "spread" is, but it was nothing but a small packets of carcinogens. Yuck. Totally inedible. Rule #1: If a place that bills itself as a diner does not use actual butter in its cooking, then it is definitely NOT a diner. And the cheese on our breakfast sandwiches was just some white American cheese laid on the overcooked egg. Not melted cheese. In short, these were the most pathetic breakfast sandwiches we have ever had. I would say Ruthies is a definite "Pass". If that is how they serve what should be fairly straightforward breakfast sandwiches, I shudder to think how any other food items might be served. Daily edification definition: Diner: A 24-hour eatery that MUST include a full bar and multiple food options. Also, to be considered a traditional diner in the U.S., the menu should include some Greek entrees.

The food was not too bad, considering, but don't expect to get refills on your drinks without paying extra. Customer service is sorely lacking. Went in the front door and stood and Stood and STOOD while the waitresses continued their conversation not five feet away. Finally had to ask the bus-girl where we should sit. Our waiter was quick and attentive for the most part ( no complaints there), but the noisy locals next to us and the lack of attention to everything else will stop us from returning.

Great pancakes and eggs. Great French toast and croissant breakfast sandwiches. But the star of breakfast is the sausage gravy with biscuits. OMG the gravy is spiced perfectly and the biscuits were flaky and tender. The veggie omelette was packed with fresh veggies and our group thoroughly enjoyed all our meals. The servers were friendly, the breakfasts were tasty and reasonable. We will be back!

Soup is excellent. (I've tried many) employees are all very kind and tentative. Love the home town feel of the place.

Good hometown food for a great price. A must stop if your in the area. There is a reason why this place can get packed, especially for breakfast. Its cash only, but there is an ATM on site. Place can get quite busy, and when it is the staff gets a little less friendly, more business like, but they are just trying to get everyone served. Traditional diner where your coffee cup is never empty, the portions are big, and the prices are more than fair. Honestly need to give them a try. We always went before heading to Idlewild for a good, cheap way to fill up before the park!!

Ruthie's was great! It is classic comfort food, without the hokey "diner" look. Good food, generous portions, fast service and easy on the wallet. It's kinda dingy, the bathrooms are awkwardly located and you won't get your ego massaged by the wait staff. Don't come here if your looking for free range eggs, French crepes, or soy free lattes. Folks, you know what your getting when you come to a place like this. It's traditional, good, fresh and fattening food. If it's busy, they don't have a "take a number" or "stand in line" type approach. They simply tell you how long they think you're going to wait. A bit strange, but relax; soon you'll be chomping down some classic American victuals. Oh, and there's a good assortment of 50 cent condoms in the men's bathroom, if the mood is hitting you hard.

Good and reasonably priced food! Love their gobs of the week too!

Traditional diner. If you don't know what's a traditional diner that's fine but don't go in with rediculus expectations then end up leaving a bad review. Food is very nice and the quality for the price is unbelievable. Ruben and BBQ sandwich are 2 of my favorite. They are known for breakfast. Like everyone else mentioned they are cash only but they have an ATM. You won't find a better food place in the area. Staff is very friendly.

I love this place! If Ruthie isn't married, I'm going to propose so I can eat here every night! Special props to the hot meatloaf sandwich...One of beast I've ever had!!

Lots of cars in the lot. Only take cash (red flag). Need a cook(red flag). Had the meat loaf sandwich. Honest the meatloaf was a ball of dried up burnt hamburger. The fries where greasy. The only thing that saved the meal was the canned beef gravy. They could use this place in a antacid commercial, wait maybe they did. Plop plop fizz fizz. Heartburn all night. The only reason I think it gets 4 stars is the price. Just terrible.

You can't beat Ruthie's for home cooking. I haven't had anything bad here. My favorite is the hot turkey sandwich. My brother loves to come for breakfast. I don't live close bye but have been known to go out of my way! Not expensive either.

I came here on a busy Saturday morning after some yard sales to have a good breakfast and that's exactly what I got! In fact, the food was so good that I even ordered another egg with a couple slices of toast. For how busy it was, I was constantly able to get the waitresses attention with our table of 7 including three kids. The food was delivered to us quickly after ordering about 10-15 minutes before. The service and the food were enough to come in every Saturday morning for now on. Looks like I've got a new Saturday morning tradition to start and ruthies diner will be Saturday mornings' breakfast for now on! The only thing I was a little let down on is that they only accept check or cash. But given the circumstances of being in a small town, that is easily forgivable.

This was our first time visiting Ruthie's Diner. This is definitely your old school classic diner. We were greeted and treated like we were at home. The menu is small, but has your classic, typical diner selections on it. From eggs, bacon, sausage and toast. To grilled cheese w/ your choice of ham and tomato, and they also have classics like country fried steak, fried baskets like fried shrimp, chicken tenders and etc. Breakfast is served all day, until an hour prior to closing. (Little important tid but we find important if you are as big into great diners as we are) We ordered the following: sausage gravy over biscuits and a grilled ham and cheese w/ tomato w/ a side of fries. One Pepsi and a sweet tea. For starters, for a small diner not located in the south, the sweet was really good, unfortunately I did not get to ask if they make it from scratch, but it did not taste bottled or from a can. (I say this after living in SC, so I know my sweet tea.) let's start with the grilled ham and cheese, really good. Grilled perfectly, not over cheesy, some places cover it with too much cheese, this was great. Fries were crispy and not oily. Sausage gravy was good. But just a little too peppery for my taste, but still good. Biscuits were buttery, but tasted like they were from that morning, but was to be expected as we arrived at approximately 7:30-7:45pm. Overall we enjoyed the food and the atmosphere and would go back again.

You dont go here to fill your stomach: you come here to fill your soul... I have yet to find a finer diner in the country, and not for lack of trying. The only downside is cash only, but they do have an ATM in the Diner, and whatever the surcharge is, its well worth it. This place will BLOW YOUR MIND its so AMAZING!

Won't be doing this again. Been here lots of times. It's always busy but at least servers are typically polite. Today sat down. She came to take our order. Brought our drinks and food. I said thank you. No response. Sis said thank you and she said uh huh as she walked away . We never saw her again. Food was decent diner food per the norm. Sister ran out of coffee. My iced tea was gone. Mom had a tiny oj and nothing after. We waited for our check. She never came around. We finally got up and waited at register for check. She brought it over and said sorry ladies. They have a sign at the register saying we can't please everyone every day. Today isn't your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either. How fitting! We won't be back.

Ruthies is an awesome throwback and reminder of how much better things used to be. They make everything home-made everyday and maintain high standards for their food and service. They have nostalgic daily specials and is a place where you can walk in as an outsider and will walk out knowing everyone's name. They treat you like family at Ruthie's. Diners like Ruthie's are the heart of America. We need to embrace and appreciate what establishments like this bring to our lovely mountain town of Ligonier. Delicious home-made food for shockingly low prices!

Love Ruthies- I'm actually on my way there now and been coming here since I was little with my pap. I can't speak for all the food, but I can for breakfast. It's the only meal I come for and for good reason. The quality and quantity is amazing and you can't come any closer to a home cooked breakfast. You will be satisfied and def worth trying one time. Yes they don't take cards but they do have a atm inside. It's one little set back that is quickly forgotten after you bite down on the feast in front of you. Hope you give it a go :) enjoy .....

The food was good, however the service was lacking. Our waitress had a little bit of 'I'm over it' attitude. It was my first and last time going there. It did not live up to it's reputation and I am thoroughly disappointed. I also wasn't a fan of the fact it would've costed more for me not to get tomatoes in my omelette, versus getting them.

One of the disappearing types of restaurants in western Pennsylvania is the classic diner. As long as we have Ruthies, we can keep the spirit alive. Any given day you can pull into the parking lot next to either a high priced German motorcar or a rusting thirty year old pickup. Ruthies invites all and none are dissapointed. My favorite there is breakfast; you can not go wrong with any choice on the menu. And don't be surprised when you can feed two people and walk away with change from your twenty including the tip.

Wonderful food. Hash browns are good, sausage is good, blueberry pancakes are delicious as well. Quaint small town diner.

One of the BEST blueberry muffins I've ever had. Ever. Served warm, and was nothing short of amazing. Great service , friendly atmosphere. Not a local, but was welcomed and treated as if i was a regular

Incredibly average with poor service. The waitress had no personality. She never checked back with us and so we had to flag her down to get the bacon that she forgot with my breakfast special. I overheard her talking to a table and she has apparently worked there for many years. So how is it even possible that she wouldn't realize that the bacon was missing from the breakfast special? Toast was soggy and potatoes were bland. It took forever to get our check. Not worth the drive to Ligonier.

My boys ask to eat here any time we're in the area. It's a favorite for us! The prices are small, and the portions are huge! We love the old-fashioned diner food and friendly staff. We feel right at home. One time, we were stranded here during a snowstorm when route 30 was closed on the mountain. The other guests talked with us like we were family. It made the long visit much more pleasant. The staff also chatted with us. We all exchanged stories and followed the news and weather. Another guest even offered us an apartment to stay in for the night! The specials are great, and we enjoy dessert here, too. We've eaten dinner and breakfast here before. Both were great! They have good options for adults and children and children who eat like adults!

Does anyone know whether Ruthies has a new cook or maybe new management? We've gone there for years and the food was always very good for a diner. Yesterday, everything was pretty bad. From the tasteless mashed potatoes and gravy, to the really bad chicken tenders with cold home fries. Just curious as to whether this was just an off day or whether someone else is running the place.

If your ever in the area and hungry. Gotta tty ruthies. Great food, has that old school diner feel. Nothing fancy, but the food is amazing