The Shiny Diner

Amazing service and food!! Jasmine was our server but the whole staff was welcoming and polite. We ordered the chicken and waffles with a Belgian waffle, the 2 biscuits and sausage gravy with a vanilla shake. We were pleased with all of it but the biscuits and gravy was the show stopper for sure. The sausage to gravy ratio was *perfect* and the biscuits were a fantastic texture. With the chicken and waffles, I was expecting more out of the tenders but everything still tasted great. The milkshake was delicious as well, the amount you get makes it really worth it. The entire atmosphere of the diner is great, the coziness is a great aspect. The individual music players are super cute, don’t function 😂 which is to be expected, however my husband and I still tried to put a quarter anywhere we could. The price wasn’t bad at all, especially for two of us at a sit down place. Can’t wait to come back!

Went on a Sunday. They had a sign posted to text this number to be placed on waiting list. Only issue is seeing the note! If someone didn't tell us we would not have been aware. Make sure when there is a line is a person putting you on the list or not. Was there around 1pm and they were already sold out of some of the sides. Shakes are a must!

Great food! Friendly and fast service! Real nostalgia vibes ! Ask Taylor to make you a banana split. You're welcome. Will definitely return and encourage you to make your way over there. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

We had a great breakfast 🥞/ lunch 🍽️. Absolutely nothing to complain about. Pancakes, pork chops and everything was great. Marissa had great hair!

I visited The Shiny Diner for the first time this past weekend with my friend Lydia. It is such a cute restaurant with helpful staff and delicious food! I got a Belgium Waffle, two scrambled eggs, and two sides of crispy bacon. The Belgium Waffle was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It was delicious! Lydia got two pancakes, a side of grits, a side of bacon, and an orange juice. We had a wonderful experience here and we did not have to wait long for our food despite the restaurant being full. Our server was Spirit! She was so kind and helpful, especially when explaining the menu to us. She remembered to check on us regularly. Lydia and I both have diagnosed stomach issues and were worried that the food might be greasy. It was not and neither of our stomachs were upset after. We both throughly enjoyed our visit to The Shiny Diner and will definitely be visiting this restaurant again!

Found this place off Buck Jones Rd looking for a quick bite. Sat at the counter and instantly fell in love with the place. Classic Dinner experience! Had the Chicken salad Melt with Hand cut chips. All very good. Would have liked the Melt a little more melted and a little more butter on the grill. Will ask for that next time I order. Real jute box in the place that was real fun. I will definitely come again.

Food was good. You definitely get the Diner feels. Super clean and fast service!

Walking into the Shiny Diner feels like stepping into a time machine! The retro charm hits you right away, with classic jukeboxes playing, cozy vintage bar stools, and booths inviting you to sit and relax. The centerpiece of the room is a massive cake display, while a milkshake machine hums in the background, adding to the nostalgia. The menu is extensive, though vegetarians might find limited options—so keep that in mind! We went with the veggie omelettes—one served with an English muffin and the other with white toast. Both came with the crispiest hash browns, perfectly golden brown and delicious. Pairing the meal with hot, fresh coffee and a strawberry milkshake to share made the whole experience even sweeter. The portions were generous, and the food was fantastic, full of flavor and warmth. Service was impressively quick and efficient, making the meal even more enjoyable. We’ll definitely be back, and next time, we’re bringing friends & family!!

Our dining experience at the Shiny Diner was extremely pleasant. The food, the service, and the ambiance were delightful. But the entertainment was the best part. Jennifer is definitely the best waitress ever. Her comedic personality is unmatched. We enjoyed her witty replies, her soulful tunes, and her genuine desire to ensure we were well taken care of. Thank you, Jennifer, for an enjoyable evening. Charlene & Leroy

Over easy eggs over cooked, not runny at all. Med-rare steak equal to beef jerky Waited over an hour for a table for 5 @ 10am on Sunday, however service once seated was very good. MAKE NOTE:: go to the NC Farmers Market Restaurant for MUCH better food and experience! Their food doesn't disappoint and their biscuits float on air! (Shiny Diner offers white, wheat, rye toast. We weren't offered biscuits)

This was our first time at the shiny diner and it was fantastic! We had a variety of breakfast and lunch/dinner foods and it was all delicious!!! Big portions also! The service was great. They have a classic jukebox which was a hit with my 9 year old. Overall great vibes and I'd recommend!

The ambiance is why you go! It was a cute little spot to visit, the cake was the best part though. The lemon cake was great and the carrot was good too (I'm not a huge fan of raisins). Service was nice and attentive but not overbearing. The chili on the burger was not my thing, tasted more like tomato paste than chili but the burger itself was good once I took off the chili.

Service was great, but that's where it stops. Whoever is cooking needs to learn about temperature control and seasoning. Medium pretend Ribeye was basically Beef Jerky and the scrambled hard eggs were definitely not that. Hash browns had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. Exchanged the steak for Sausage patties. I don't come here often and now I see why that is. Save your money and go elsewhere.

The Shiny Diner is a very fun breakfast spot. We had a 15-20 minute wait and it was a colder morning so we waited in our car. It is very popular the parking lot was very full. I got a waffle with cinnamon apples and a side of bacon. It was a perfectly crunchy waffle and I would go back for more!

My boyfriend and I stopped here on Sunday for breakfast before running a few errands and that was a big mistake. Our waitress and the hostess were awesome, but the food quality/kitchen staff are terrible. My boyfriend ordered French toast and a side of hash browns. I ordered the veggie omelette with hash browns and rye toast. The hash browns were not cooked well and had zero flavor and the French toast were literally slices of toast with butter on it. My boyfriend sent his food back and when it was brought back out, it looked exactly the same. Our waitress was even disgusted and removed the French toast from our bill. The veggies in my omelette were mostly raw, I was so disappointed. The place is very run down also. We won't ever return.

Back again at 1:30 on a Tuesday and there was one table that was just being cleaned off! Three sweet ladies worked hard to get us seated quickly. This diner has a bigger menu than some so it's always hard to choose but today I had country fried steak, mashed potatoes and Lima beans. All were delicious. Mom Had the cowboy omelette with hash browns and toast. Wow, it was huge and had tons on " stuff" inside. She only ate half. The ladies that work here are always so kind and pleasant. One of the ladies even helped me get mom back in the car. There is handicap parking but there's a incline so someone on a walker has to be very careful. Great food, excellent service, good prices and super clean ....this is why we come back here Sorry the pictures are not better...I forgot to take a picture before I started eating...but you can still see how good it is! Note: their sanitation score is 100!!!

We were in this place a couple of times, and it wasn't too bad, today we went and the service was really bad, it took and hour for them to bring our order and for a couple that walked after us, didn't take no more of 20 minutes, we were ignore, and the food wasn't fantástico it all, we won't go back to this place anymor.

We enjoy coming here and would be regulars if we didn't live all the way in south Durham! We do visit enough that we're learning the waitresses names though. If you come on the weekend, be prepared to wait if you don't arrive early. The food and service is definitely worth the wait, so don't let that scare you off. Good comfort food is the name of the game here. Their homemade chips are so good I've seen some people get them with breakfast instead of hash browns! If you have room left after any meal don't pass on their desserts. I had the German chocolate cake recently and it was so good!! I hear they have a place opening in Apex sometime in the next month or so. Keep your eyes peeled!

Had dinner and breakfast in there. So good! It's a lot of food for the cost. And delicious, fatty - will clog your heart hahaha The service is a little slow and the place is kinda small so it gets loud, but not a deal breaker.

What an iconic spot! The diner was 100% shiny from the outside. The inside felt like you stepped back in time with little jukeboxes on each table. It was definitely a lot of fun just being there. The food was very much diner food and I loved how expansive the menu was. I went during a lesser busy schedule - Wednesday morning at 9am. Also the best time to go bc there's no rush and no wait. I imagine weekends are crazy. If you're looking for a cozy diner to hang out, I would recommend The Shiny Diner!

Great food and friendly service. Always very clean and very cozy. All time favorites are the chicken fried steak and vegetable beef soup. Always hits the spot

I really don't leave many reviews. But this place would be a really good spot with two simple changes...First, make your own Ranch dressing. It's easier and cheaper. Second, make your own coleslaw. You would have the best hot dog in Apex if you just took the time to make your own slaw. It is also cheaper!

So far, I have been here twice and DoorDashed once. Every single time the food is delicious. This last time around I stopped in to grab dinner at the end of a VERY chaotic day on the way to do emergency laundry. My waitress was super sweet and wrote me a cute note on my takeout box. I truly wish I could remember her name because she was phenomenal, but that's what lack of sleep does to you. And my fried green tomato BLT and fries tasted like sunshine and hope.

What a great find this was!!! 3 miles from my hotel, true old school diner feel, and the food was outstanding! My server Jackie, was a pleasure to chat with and provided great service. Food came out in great time, was hot, and delicious. Even the young lady that greeted me and sat me was really nice as well. If you're on this side of Raleigh, you definitely have to try this spot. AND...they serve breakfast all day AND have grilled bologna sandwiches! Phenomenal!

Great service, great food, we had to wait a little bit to get seated but not too long. A place I recommend highly. Bathroom was clean (also very important!)

Staff and service was a 4/5. Food was a 3/5. Ambiance was a 5/5. Overall, giving it 4 stars. We ordered the meatloaf Blue Plate special and the waffles with 2 eggs plate. The waffles and bacon were all room temperature. My beets were cold, and I don't know if that's how they are served in the south, but I am used to having them warmed in the Midwest! The meatloaf was so good though, loved it! The iced tea was amazing too. Overall, I don't know if we'll come back or not, but it was fun to experience once!

Nice ambiance, good and fast service! Food tasted great! Would come back again! I felt like I was inside the 50's

In to visit few friends, liked the diner concept in an area of many restaurant choices. Only one aisle was open, greeted warmly. Breakfast was an array of menu items; scrambled eggs, grits, sliced tomatoes and home fries. Their grits were thin, added some butter however the butter was without taste of butter?? Their coffee was weak, when poured one could see the bottom of the cup? Asked 2X for water refill and waitress simply walked behind the counter to check her IPhone. Every one can certainly have a day of distractions....

Classic diner experience. Quality service and decent food! I have enjoyed eating here over the years.

Overall would recommend as a place with a " Meat and two ( "3" if you count the tea). Food was either tasty or blah.We went at 7:30.While the Pot Roast had a good flavor I would not order it at night again as part of it was blackened and dry .I assume from a heat lamp.The best part of the meal were the Veggies.They were very good--after the addition of salt.Those on a Salt restricted diet will do well here. The French Toast came with some very sad looking and tasting strawberries.My spouse left them in their dish.The two waitresses we encountered were friendly but busy.They deserve a good tip.Will try again --just earlier in the day.We will try them again and update if opinion changes.

I used to come here w. My Papa along time ago. Came back to visit and I have literally ate here at least 3 times this week! The first time since I been back, I ordered the Gigantic Italian Burger. Dr. Decker allowed the diner to use his Italian recipe as long as he was paid a royalty. The Provolone cheese, hand-pattied choice beef grilled then covered with sauteed peppers and onions, marinara sauce, then topped with 2 fried Mozzarella cheese sticks. I replaced the world famous chips for fries. The fries were an additional $2.99. They were really good! The second time, I ordered the Philly Steak and cheese omelette. Came w. grilled steak, green peppers, onions and Provolone cheese. Home fries for the sides paired w. Coffee & water. The third time, I ordered the all beef hot dog served with chili, onions and cole slaw on a grilled bun. And this time I did get the "world famous" Diner chips (hand-cut, homemade potato chips). 5 out of 5 rating because of the food and the service. Definitely will be back!

Long wait but good food and great service. I ordered the breakfast burrito and my son ordered the big breakfast with pancakes, eggs, bacon, home fries. Call ahead!

I come here all the time. The servers are super sweet and the food is classic American diner style. Big portions always. If you're in the Cary area this is a must try.

Not too shabby but not nothing was spot on. Eggs, bacon, everything. Just a little under average taste and preparation wise. Our waitress was assertive, brawny and on point. It was a shuffle to get us in and out but we stayed and chatted and ignored the eyes. Here's the thing that only wise people know. We expect all places to hold themselves in the highest standard , no matter what they serve. The atmosphere needs to be good and no visible damage or aging or grime or dirt. Today the standard has plummeted and the expectations have been settled to mediocre. The experience was just ok. But, it's a diner and as I stated, there's nothing to expect. Eat and leave.

This diner looked super cool from outside so i HAD to try it! The place, vibe and people everyone seemed cool. I ordered a custom omelette with hash browns, very generous portion size .. the omelette was well made and the hash browns were crispy and yummy too! The hostess was very friendly and I enjoyed the food too, loved the coffee as well! Reminded me of my days in Connecticut... I will definitely be visiting again...

The Shiny Diner is a quaint little restaurant. The place has the feel of nostalgia to it. The booths have the little jukeboxes at the tables. The food is tasty. I have gone on multiple occasions and always came away happy. The service has always been good.

I am in Cary North Carolina and asked the hotel manager a great place to eat. She recommended the Shiny diner. I checked Yelp like I always do and it had an ok rating but based on the recommendation I gave it a try. I do t know why this place doesn't get more dive stars? It's clean. The wait staff are Friendly, the food is cost effective and the food is gooood. I think people don't consider the type of place when they give ratings. This is a local neighborhood diner. Lots of locals. My kind of place!

I LOVE this diner. Growing up in NJ, I've eaten at diners 100's & 100's of times. First off, Plenty of parking & a real nice staff ( especially Ruth!) Ownership has changed fairly recently ( used to be called Gypsy's Shiny Diner). TSD is a true American diner (unlike a typical Greek-owned diner with 500 items of all types of food) And unlike NJ, this diner is not 24\7. Opens at 7am, and closes 9-11pm depending on the night. An American diner is in an old rail car sort of building ( narrow with lots of booths), 25 cent jukeboxes at each table, breakfast all day, plenty of burgers, wraps, salads, some entrees ( Blue Plate Specials!), huge milk shakes, stools at the counter, and a cut out into the kitchen where you can see the cook put the plates up for the servers. Home made, fresh pies. Root beer served in giant frosted mug with crushed ice. So many things set this apart from the rest of the pack. Nothing I love more on a Sunday is a big hearty breakfast and TSD was on he money. I had a nice portioned omelette with FRESH spinach, mushrooms with melted provolone cheese on top. I chose hash browns ( shredded potatoes) with thick slabs of rye toast. It was perfect. I also had a small grits with cheese which was typical. We also had a patty melt ( hamburger on rye toast with sauteed onions & provolone cheese). side chosen was the house made potato chips which are excellent ( not greasy & not too salty). Prices were very fair especially during the current skyrocketing prices of eating out. I highly recommend The Shiny Diner and cannot wait to get back to try more items!

A good meal. The staff gets you in and out quickly. Standard diner etiquette applies. One of the few places left in Cary with an ounce of character. Get there before the landmark south hills mall becomes an "area attraction" and this property is bought out by a Hifalutin restaurant group and turned into whatever high end restaurant concept is trendy at the moment.

Charlie was a pleasure for our entire first visit! The food was absolutely delicious - we will be back for some more of that feel good vibes and comfort food. Thank you Charlie & Team!

It's shiny and has the cool retro vibe. The food was not great. The meatloaf was meh, according to my uncles who both ordered it. It looked meh as well. My Philly cheesesteak was also pretty bland and sort of thin. My mothers patty melt arrived when the rest of us had nearly finished our meals. We ordered milkshakes and they arrived towards the end of our meals. My nieces breakfast plate actually looked pretty good, so perhaps stick with eggs and bacon if you feel like trying this place out. The waitstaff was very friendly, so we tipped generously in spite of the three start food.

Can be really busy at times but it is a fun experience. Pretty good food and the homemade chips are a must.

We came here on a Wednesday night as it is open until 10 PM. We got there right before 9 o'clock and they honored the specials that were only good until 9 PM. It took some time to get the food. I ordered the pot roast and my husband ordered the fried chicken. The meat was tender but they were a little skimpy on the potatoes and carrots. The fried chicken was plenty and the sides had decent portions. Very clean diner with authentic ambience for a diner setting. Server was friendly and helpful.

The shiny diner is a shining beacon. The diner food is great. The menu is extensive so you will find something you'll love and want to go back to try other options. Our toddler loves the food and the service was very accommodating towards children. The price point is fair and is borderline a bargain for the quality of the food and the experience overall.

Good service, friendly service, even when you do takeout. The burgers and shakes are very good!

This place is a gem! Very clean, cute atmosphere and the food is delicious! We both ordered an omelette and we could have split one meal. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable. We did not try any of the desserts, but they looked homemade and delicious. Definitely try the diner chips - they are super thin homemade potato chips. A great place for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Breakfast is served all day. Service is great - ask for Ruth - she's amazing. A great spot - highly recommend!

Last time we were there we were not impressed with the server who was very rude to us. We decided to give it another try, big mistake. We were there around 4:40 PM before the dinner crowd, placed our order, watched all the other customers who came in AFTER US get their meals. Our waitress kept walking by saying our meals would be there soon - 45 minutes later she says they lost our order slip. We walked out after almost an hour - we just said we could not wait any longer, we had a commitment, which we did. We will not be giving them a third chance!

The food took forever and my family missed church by so much. The food was tasteless, mediocre, and at the end I was very hungry. The waitress looked directly at us after we asked for the check, and she completely ignored us. Just not a good place especially when you have to get somewhere soon. But the peppermints and look is good.

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal at The Shiny Diner. The server was super fun. My chicken friend steak was exactly what I needed. Fried okra was perfect. Awesome atmosphere.

The Cakes and Pies come in frozen but are made in a bakery in a small near by town. They sell out fast and this is the only way to keep them in stock for your enjoyment. You can't miss going past the display case and looking at 8 different cakes and wondering which on to try next. I have tried almost all flavors of both the pies and cakes. I am a fan of their blue plate specials and this is my to go place for weeks at a time, than I take a break before returning. I went twice a week for a very long time. They are a fairly long drive since I moved.

Throw back lil diner that there should be more of. Only third time here but had the double burger with fries. Probably the cleanest burger patties I ever had. Not salty. Not greasy. It was so fresh and clean tasting. Lemonade needs some strength though. The chicken fingers my daughter had looked a lil kinda like frozen generic big box store bought. Idk. But definitely going back to have more burgers and breakfast.

Food was gross. I have traveled all over and this place was not the best. I have had better for sure.

Our first time in Raleigh and we picked this place based on positive ratings and its close proximity to our hotel. When I called to see if the restaurant could accommodate a party of 6, the hostess said to text the restaurant number and get in line emphasizing the importance of timing. As we traveled from Vermont in the last 13 hours everyone was super tired, cranky, and hungry. The staff there made us super welcome and made sure we got a table shortly after we arrived. My partner got fried flounder, and okra (whoa!), I got an omelet and grits (when in South :) Kiddos got pancakes, corned hash, and eggs. My partner's father got chicken fried steak with gravy. The food was most delectable and good to the last bite! Would definitely recommend the flounder and fried okra! The food arrived super fast and the service was outstanding! Our wonderful server made fresh decaf coffee and lemonade. Oh, if you have any room left, order the coconut cake (you won't regret it). Remember the number to text to get in line for the table is posted when you enter the restaurant, as it is not the same number as posted on Google search.

The lowdown: Great food, breakfast all day long, good service and a working jukebox for 25 cents per song.

The food was ok, it wasn't the best or the worst that I have had in a restaurant. The issue with the food was it was lukewarm at best. The service was horrendous, it took 25 minutes from being shown to our tables until the order was placed with the waitress. After that, another 27 minutes until I first plate was delivered; a total of 52 minutes to get food.

If you don't know what a $5 milkshake is, you will learn from The Shiny Diner (Pulp Fiction reference). Highly recommend the shakes. They also have homemade chips- they are addictive.

We arrived in NC last week and wanted to eat at a local diner near our hotel in Cary NC. We stopped by at Shiney Diner and was not disappointed! It was raining cats and dogs when we arrived but was seated right away. We ordered the fried chicken 2 pc white meat mash taters and carrots. Spouse had the meatloaf and mash taters and green beans. All washed down with sweet tea. For dessert we had lemon meringue pie! All was super delish, and our server was top notch. Loved the interior decor and had a juke box that was playing all night!! Great milkshakes from what I heard from the next table! We will be back from CA!!

Oh my gosh, this place is awful! I ate here earlier tonight. Granted there was a rush, but still. It took 30 minutes to get seated. Then when we were finally seated, our waiter was so slow. Then the food was so slow. There was a point, when I almost gave up. Then the food, ugh. They said their fried chicken was amazing. Well, friends, it was not. The Mac and cheese had congealed in the worst way. Even the chocolate chips in my kid's pancakes were gross. The service was so bad that I wouldn't even ask for a refill; there was no point. At least I have a memory, but next time I'll do myself a favor and go to Waffle House :)