Union Street Diner

Do not go here if you value your health, they do not have their dish pit up to the correct temperature for even hand washing, meaning your plates/forks/knives will still have bacteria from the previous person, "Chemical sanitizer Any warewashing machine 120°F (49°C)" their dishpit is set to 90°F. They do not sanitize their flattop to health code's standards, they only use hot oil. Their cutting boards and knives? Same deal, they don't put those in the dishwasher for a variety of reasons, the ones I got? "The cutting board doesn't fit so we just spray it down with sanitizing spray". Salmonella is killed with heat and sanitizing chemicals, not just chemicals. 2023 Food Code - Chapter 3717-1-04 "SANITIZATION: utensils and food-contact surfaces must be sanitized before use after cleaning. All chemical sanitizers must meet requirements specified in Code of Federal Regulations and must be used according to law and manufacturer's use directions included in labeling." If you come down to visit your kid in college, go anywhere else or you might go home sick.

Food was great. Love all the vegetarian options. Only feedback would be the bread for the Phillies... Better quality bread would go a long way. I picked almost all the bread off the sandwich. It was still yummy though. Otherwise everything was great. Salad was fresh, French fries were great and ranch dressing was yummy. Husband got the veggie melt and said it was great

Classic diner with small-town hospitality. We loved the breakfast experience. The Garbage Omelette was crazy good. Also, the coffee was very 😊 good, unlike most restaurant coffees. Our server says they order it for other sources, online. I would eat at this diner again in a heartbeat!

Awesome eggs Benedict! Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open late on weekends. The menu offers a lot to choose from. Small, clean, and easy ro find. Staff super friendly. Fast service.

I was in town for my son’s orientation and was looking for a good local breakfast place The Union Street diner far exceeded my expectations. The service was fantastic. I just wish I would’ve gotten my server’s name shorter girl but then again everyone’s short compared to me with dark hair. She gave me some wonderful tips of where to explore while I’m killing time today. The food portions were so big too big for me and the food was delicious. I can’t wait to come back when I come to visit again.

Cute little diner at OU. My chocolate butterfinger milk shake was delicious and a bargain at $5.50. Loaded hash browns were good just not really loaded.

We decided to stop here on the way out of New Marshfield on the way home to Cleveland/ Akron after a family weekend. The food was great and the servers were amazing with a family of 8. Food came fast and we didn't wait for a table either. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area.

Small town family diner vibe. Great staff and good food with a classic diner menu. Stop in for a coffee and bagel for a cheeseburger at 8am because its a full menu all day.

Another great visit! My friend and I were in desperate need of breakfast on a Thursday morning, and Union Street had us covered. The place is always so cozy, and the service is amazing. I ordered the breakfast burrito and my friend got some corned beef hash and sausage. Both came out quickly and were fresh, hot, and so so good. My most favorite part of this place is its affordability. Breakfast and brunch places have become so expensive lately, so it was nice to not spend more than $15 on this filling meal. This place is a must stop if you're in the area and are hungry.

In town for YMCA championships, we ate here for lunch. Chicken parm sandwich is the bomb! Burger was good. The kids enjoyed the Mac and cheese bites and the chicken tenders. Service was fast and friendly.

Always, always served great food, and nice portions. It's either the Philly Steak with Zucchini Fries, or an Omelet.

What a cool little place in Athens. Just minutes away from OU, this little gem was spotlessly clean, surprisingly roomy inside and has great food. The servers were friendly and quick. Nothing fancy just delicious, damn good, stick to your ribs diner fare. You wont regret stopping in.

This morning for Veterans Day, I ordered the Loaded Hash browns with Toast and Bacon. The food came out quick and hot, the coffee was delicious and the atmosphere was great. The cost was great as well

Being from Jersey I love a good diner. So it's always an eatery I look for while away. Most of the real diners are stainless steel free standing locations open 24 hrs where you can get breakfast at 8 pm or surf and turf at 8am. Union Diner was none of these. Went for lunch and ordered a cheese steak. It wasn't. The roll fell apart and every body knows you don't eat a Philly cheese steak with a knife and fork. It's illegal. Tight seating but good service. College kids are fun but not when they act like they're having their last meal. It was crowded and waiting is outside. Not my idea of a diner.

I didn't even realize how much I missed this place. We went here all the time when I was in grad school - the food was cheap and plentiful, the coffee was excellent, and it's the only place I've ever actually enjoyed hash browns. I'm pleased to say literally nothing has changed, except they now have quite pleasant outdoor seating. Service was top notch, from bringing us an umbrella without being asked to serving food quickly and keeping the drinks refilled while making perfect diner waitress banter. Plus, amazing bacon. I really need to drive back to Athens more often.

Came here the day after my brother's wedding and I can't say I was disappointed. Standard breakfast fair near the college campus. Several green booths scattered at the entrance with a hallway that extended to larger back section. Nothing spectacular about the ambience but if you want comfort food, large portions, and family oriented service look no more! I personally had the garbage omelette with hash browns and a side of gravy. Everything was tasty and super filling. Only thing I didn't like were the banana peppers in it. The fermented flavor had too much bite too it, overpowering the omelette. But I just took a few out and it was just dandy! Owner came to ask about our experience and trip near the end of our meal. He was so warm and funny. I could see this being a place that locals frequent a lot.

Union Street Diner is the diner every college town should have. It is no frills goodness where you would go back just for the hashbrowns alone. Coffee is good, hot, and constantly being refilled. Biscuits and gravy is worthy as are the milkshakes that my kids will get no matter the hour. What it is not is a chain with cutesy (and misogynistic) dish names like what we also now have serving breakfast uptown. I alternate between Union Street and Casa Nueva for breakfast whether just the family or meetings with students or out of town guests. Very different vibes and so glad we have both.

Great service and great food. I would suggest others come here. Breakfast any time of the day. Reasonably priced

A group of nine of us enjoyed a nice breakfast on Mother's Day. Our server was excellent! Standard breakfast choices - just what we expected for a local diner.

I have been visiting this diner for years at all times of the day, night, and wee morning hrs and service has always been excellent!

Visited for dinner on the drive home from DC. Had never been through Athens, Ohio before, so we took the recommendation from Yelp reviews for a quick bite to eat with a variety of options to choose from, including breakfast for dinner. Nice little place with excellent service. Wasn't crowded when we got there, but it filled up quickly. Looked like a local crowd for sure which made me feel even better about our choice to dine here. The Good: the milkshakes were GREAT! Mine was so good, I tries another one. Got the cookies and cream to start, and followed that up with a cotton candy with oreos! Delish! The Food: Food was average to above average for a local diner. I had the banana cream cheese french toast which I would give a MUST TRY. Perfect portion, and very good. Country fries steak was just ok, and my youngest had the chicken tenders which were, well, chicken tenders (hard to screw that up). Again, the service was EXCELLENT. This gets a MAYBE, probably leaning toward GIVE IT A TRY. At least it is not another Ohio Chain restaurant or Chain restaurant in Ohio. Worth a sit down, and very affordable for a family.

Wish I could give it a zero ordered meat lovers breakfast. They forgot the other meats everything was cold, sausage was burnt and dry. Service was poor. We didn't even eat sent it back and still charge us. This must be a hit or miss place. WE WONT BE BACK

Typical American diner. I like the setting, feels like I'm in an American movie. Food is as good as it gets. Portion is huge:

One thing about me is that I'm a sucker for old fashioned diners and omelettes. Which Union Street is a diner and has plenty of omelette choices. This was actually my second time here but both experiences have been great. The food was filling and pretty good and the staff was great! The only thing keeping this from 5 stars is the eggs in the omelettes. This might be a preference thing but they seem overcooked a tad and they over power the actual ingredients in the omelette. Would still definitely recommend for a quick and tasty breakfast if you're on campus or passing through town!

Good college town diner! Breakfast anytime and done well. The Garbage Omelette is flavorful. The staff is attentive. Check their hours if you're planning to go late.

We went here for breakfast with my daughter and hubs. Service was good. She was very attentive and the food came out quickly and plenty hot. I got a 2 egg breakfast, daughter got pancakes and hubs got country fried steak and eggs. Food was okay. All the hash browns were undercooked and hubs sunny side up eggs were over cooked. Pancakes were fine. This place was ok. There are much better places to eat breakfast in Athens.

From the outside, Union Street Diner doesn't look like a place you would immediately stop, but trust me, do it! It's a little dive joint with a big heart, flavor, and portions. I took my family of 5 yesterday, and we all left full and happy. Our service was impeccable, and the food was top-notch. I personally ordered the Frisco Burger. The bun was buttery and crispy. The patty was perfectly juicy, and the dressing was insanely delicious. I will say, the food is a little on the pricier side, but for the speed of service, the portion size, and the friendly atmosphere, it's well worth it! Go and enjoy. You won't be sorry.

Good food and nice hours, everyone was super kind there. Only issue is that it is like a "greasy spoon" type of place!

The food and verity and special's are good same with the service plus the ta go boxes are nice too. I like how the outside has brick and walk up steps makes the outside stand out .

First things first, this place is pricey. Not what it used to be. You're easily spending $40 on two people going here. The food is good, nothing I'd write home about. Service is a bit questionable. Went once with my (queer) partner and the lady that greeted us seemed displeased. She sat us down and had someone else take our table, then throughout our eating she shot us dirty looks. Uncomfortable experience to say the least. Not really somewhere I would propose for a casual night out to eat, but maybe for a fancy brunch?

Had my first experience yesterday and I have to say it was a mixed bag. First let me say the service was great! The food was pretty typical diner food. Onion rings were great as were the French fries. I ordered the Frisco burger which was $14.95. Steep for a diner burger but the description made it sound great so I thought I'd give it a try. It was very underwhelming as were my families entrees. Even with current inflation I can't justify an over $60 check for a family of three for diner food when I had just paid the same the night before for Red Lobster. The prices are way too high for what you're getting.

Takeout country breakfast. Such a huge portion. Two eggs (they are nice to make one sunny side up and one scrambled), three giant pancakes, biscuit, hash brown, and two sausages. Smell so good. I was not hungry but when I got the takeout box I was so eager to try it out!!!

I worked here my freshman year of high school 1997. Doi g dishes, buss boy, food prep. New owner for awhile now. But amazing service! Great portion sizes! Great quality food. A lot of homemade items! Prices not bad at all! Will definitely be back! Thank you Jay and your staff fro.bring back old memories and tastebuds I completely forgot about

Note: This is a pre-covid review. I came on a Wednesday and noticed that their daily special was buy a burger and get a milkshake for $1. Knew I couldn't pass that up. I got the mushroom swiss burger and a cookies and cream milkshake. Portions were huge and the milkshake was much bigger than I expected (milkshake came in a huge glass). My burger and milkshake were pretty good and for the price, you really can't complain. I was surprised to find out the place is opened 24/7! Such a wholesome diner in Athens. Please go out and support local gems like this one!

An Athens classic is the Union Street Diner. It's always open. Literally always open. It's good for breakfast, lunch, or post vomit binges. There's all the classic diner slop. Be prepared for the menu. It's big, really big seriously. So big you may start getting dizzy again after recovering from last night. It has all the classics for breakfast. This might be the busiest time. Of course it's always busy. The lunch menu has some good options. One is a vegetable burger. See, you can find something not greasy. It's relatively clean for a campus greasy diner. Service can at times be slow. The wait usually isn't terrible.

Solid breakfast place , w good prompt service and prices. We had eggs omelettes and waffles ,all good. Got seated promptly on a busy Saturday morning and were out in less than an hour.

Since we driving from western PA to Cincinnati, we stopped at the Union Street Diner for lunch. My wife had the Portobello melt with fries and I had the open face hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatos. Both of our meals were great and the service was outstanding.

Name a better place to go for your hangover breakfast in Athens than the Union Street Diner. You can't! Typical diner food, usually pretty busy, overall pretty Good! Loved the butterfinger milkshake.

Very friendly staff and everyone loved their meal! The all day breakfast drew me in and it did not disappoint.

This is our favorite place to eat when we go to visit our son at Ohio University! He and all of his friends enjoy it throughout the week as well!

I have paid many, many visits to Union Street Diner. It used to be cute little place I went with friends after late night-studying to enjoy fries and milkshakes. However, this iconic campus eatery has fallen victim to the unfortunate realities of COVID and inflation. It is no longer a 24/7 diner, and the prices have all been marked up. I will say, though, that the service continues to be great, the staff are always friendly and pleasant to talk to. I do hope that USD regains it's status as a crown jewel of Athens soon.

A classic diner. Fast, delicious, reasonable prices. Friendly staff. 24/7 and breakfast all day. Don't think, just eat here. Will be back. Excellent!

In college, I ate here for years and it was always delicious. I came back this past weekend and although they have changed the inside, the food and service was still as amazing as I remembered! The frisco melt and coleslaw was great.

Service was good. Food was to be expected for a diner. The deep friend cauliflower was good and would recommend

It was ok, nothing special or fancy to report about it. It's your typical college town greasy spoon!

This place seems like a hidden gem right of the main OU campus. I came here around a month ago before my orientation to meet my roommate and the omelette I got was good! Not the best quality place but it's cheep and has comfort food. Staff was also extremely nice!

Ok, so not only did the service feel a little rushed but it also felt like the waitress didn't care Plus she wreaked of cigarette smoke badly which was actually making me want to gag .. i over heard employees screaming in the kitchen about drinking/drugs while I was waiting to be serv d there were f*%#ing flies everywhere before I even had my food and then when I finally did get my meal (roast philly steak) it was terribly dry and unsatisfying. Whoever is running this place needs a health inspection and new management I'm sad that the good things I've heard from my students over the years were either not true or have gotten worse

Also love this breakfast spot. Super yummy and cheap breakfast. Always have got good service and you can't go wrong with anything you order.

Love them! They custom make everything! Their fries are great; as well as a tremendous cheeseburger! Fast service, and my fiancé used to work as a dishwasher there! Love all the folks I have met... who are now friends!

Large portions, decor is typical college town diner, took awhile to get seated but it was late Sunday morning crowd. Our waitress seemed overworked and stressed out. It's a good place to go after a night of drinking during Ohio Beer Week. It gets the job done

Food was just so so, service was slow, place didn't seem very clean Country Country Breakfast

Cool breakfast spot with a large menu. Quick service and delicious items. I had the breakfast burrito with sausage, onion and spinach. It came with hash browns that were really crispy. My friend had a burger and fries. He really enjoyed his meal.

Sooooo delicious! Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Cute inside or perfect to sit outside and just watch the students walk by. They are so nice to make modifications if you need. Always packed, but worth the wait. I even bought a t shirt! I will go back every time I am in town.

Huge menu with a great selection of breakfast, burgers, etc. It seems to be almost constantly busy, but the staff is attentive and seats people as fast as they can. There is a little bit of seating in the main area and several booths in the basement/lower area. We ordered the bacon ranch quesadilla and mac and cheese bites as appetizers and then the mushroom swiss burger. There were maybe 7 or 8 Mac and cheese bites, but they tasted great. We had them with the "zesty boom boom" sauce, which the waitress told us was thousand island with a kick. The burger was pretty big and about what I would expect for the 8-9 dollar price tag in Athens. The service was nice, the food came out fast and hot and everything satisfied an early morning hunger. Overall, a good diner experience!

No complaints here! We found ourselves staving late night while we were in town for a Music Festival. Seeing this late night dive made our stomachs growl! It's nothing fancy to write home about, clean enough and working with a lot of old fixtures. The food was mediocre. The service was what you expect from a middle aged woman serving a bunch of drunk college kids. I will say my husband and I enjoyed the people watching! Whew the loud convos these groups were having. Hahah. Anywho, I went with a simple biscuit and gravy with an egg sunny side up with some shredded hash brown. My husband had a philly cheese steak with French fries. It was all edible and filled up our growling bellies till the next morning. If we are ever hungry late into the night in Athens you can bet we will find ourselves back here again!

Great breakfast in a 24 hr diner, really good coffee!. We each got egg dishes. Vegies and all were fresh and perfect in my omelette.

Fresh pies, daily specials. Sandwiches come with plenty of fries. Breakfast all day. The milkshakes are ok, too much whipped cream and syrup for my taste. Very friendly and accommodating.