Trinh T.
Yelp
The Little Diner is a hole in the wall gem in Lionshead at Vail. It's a fantastic diner that serves delicious breakfast and lunch options. Approved by the locals, The Little Diner is also reasonably priced, and is a must visit when you come to Vail.
My Overall Rating - 5 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere - You'll find The Little Diner behind Moe's BBQ in Lionshead. There's outdoor and indoor seating Inside, it's a classic diner - complete with a bustling open kitchen with bar seating, and shiny red leather booths if you want more privacy. It's also very busy. There will be people standing outside, waiting for a table. 1 Star.
Service - Start by visiting https://thelittlediner.com/ and look for the wait time. The Little Diner uses a first come/first serve waiting list system. When you arrive, you'll register and get on the list. On my two visits, the first wait time was 45 minutes with 60 people in front of me. I waited 20 minutes with 20 people ahead of me on the second visit. Inside, the servers and friendly, fast, and super-efficient. 1 Star.
Food - I dined at The Little Diner twice in three days. I love breakfast, and diners, and The Little Diner epitomizes both.. The star is their Steak & Eggs Wedge Sandwich. Thinly sliced beef (like what you'd find in a Philly Cheesesteak), is topped with hash browns and two over easy eggs onto a nice sandwich roll. Eat it with your hands or with a fork. Just eat it. The second star was the Biscuits & Gravy. Honestly, I don't know if the biscuits were flaky because they sat in a warm pool of delicious sausage gravy. The flavor was super savory and this felt like a hearty meal. Lastly, the MVP of my meal was the pancake. Simple, fluffy, delicious. I ordered one pancake as a side, and quickly ordered another one once I finished the first. 2 Stars.
Will I Return? - Yes. I visited The Little Diner twice in three days. I enjoyed all my dishes. It has great charm, is in a great location (Lionshead), and serves delicious food. 1 Star.
My Yelp Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star - Atmosphere - Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I'll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star - Service - You can have a great meal with bad service. But that's also what can make a five star joint drop to four. It's important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars - Food - I'll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it's really all about the food.
1 Star - Will I come back? - If I know for a fact I'll return, I'll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Yelp score.