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Categories: Diners, Nightlife [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Waterfront, South Bostonwe now have free wifi, a new juke, a new tv showing sports and old movies, monthly specials meatloaf, new pancakes, fallafel burgers
South Station (Silver, Red)
Chinatown (Orange, Silver)
Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 5:00 a.m.
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after my redeye flight from LA, i was MADDDDD hungry as the locals would say. after getting off the silver line at South Station, my first instinct was to grub and being around 7am, there werent too many establishments open and i wanted something the locals eat and not anything like starbucks or McDs.
so my homie brought me here to South Street Diner which just happened to be open 24 hours and he mentioned that this was the spot to eat after a night of heavy drinking. but my 6 hour hour flight of hunger probably equated to that of someone in a drunken stupor after a night out on the town since the food tasted pretty good to me. the banana bread they served as a appetizer was pretty good with the powdered sugar on top. and my homeboy recommended to get something with home fries, and i was like WTF are homefries? but yeah, i realized they're kinda like potato wedges with seasoning. i guess cuz i dont frequent too many diners for breakfast that i wasnt too familiar with homefries. but they were legit considering how hungry i was.
bonus for the dick tracy lunch box holding all the condiments and napkins on the table. hella funny tho how the guy who was serving us calculated our bill out loud and mentally in his head instead of giving us a receipt, i guess the cash register was broken?
I almost tore a strip off Tara L when we plunked ourselves down in a booth at South Street at 2am and she declared "Ugh, I'm not even really hungry." I was going to force feed her if I had to, but luckily she wisened up when the food came around and we all focused on feverishly devouring what was put in front of us.
Incredible diner food. Allegedly the only one of its (24 hour) kind in Boston, and much appreciated after a night of carousing and cavorting in the city. We were rowdy and ravaged by hunger but our friendly and patient server took care of us without any trouble. I was in the mood for a plate of grease with grease on the side and extra grease on top, and he was happy to oblige.
The homefries were among the best I've ever had. An absolute must-stop after a night of debauchery!
The details of this meal are a bit hazy since I dined here at 2:00am following drinks at Drink.
What I can tell you though is that I polished off a huge egg white omelet with mushrooms, tomatoes, ham and cheese in record time considering that I continuously told Kat F and Leighann F that I wasn't even hungry. Ohhh, the dangers of when community managers unite!
At first the waiter brought out a regular omelet and immediately caught that I ordered egg whites. Funny, because I probably would have eaten it without noticing. Nice catch and way to save me some nutritional whammies!
I'm pretty sure these came with toast and hash browns. I remember really enjoying the toast and spreading the jelly on it with the precision of someone that as found their way into a diner at 2:00am.
I was more than satisfied with my meal and I slept like a bare bottomed baby that night, thanks to my hearty, late night breakfast.
I blame South Street Diner for a recent unhealthy obsession I've developed: buffalo fingers. All the spicy goodness of hot wings, combined with the ease of chicken fingers!
On my first visit to the South Side Diner last year, my considerate cabbie dropped me at the entrance after I told him I wanted a snack before heading to bed. Luckily I had ditched my electric blue prom dress at the hotel, entered without shame and got a grilled cheese to go.
It was mighty tasty but nothing could compare to the joy given me by the buffalo finger I snatched off Leighann's plate on a return trip to South Side a few weeks ago.
If you have buffalo finger recommendations in your town, please send 'em my way. I'm on a hunt to find the best. So far, South Side is tops!
Sal (owner) is the best.
All of the staff is friendly & eccentric.
The food is exactly what it is supposed to be, deliciously simple diner fare. I often com ein for egg white omelettes, grilled cheese & fries, coffee & quesadillas. Fast, friendly & cheap!
Yes, you are not allowed to go in unless you are pissed drunk after a night of parting, and even though Im not usually in that state, the few times that I've been, this place have saved my life, or my sanity, or the sanity of those with me... anyways.
Its decent priced, not that I wouldn't pay $30 for a half chewed burger at 3am... but it is decent priced and tastes quite good.
My review is not for quality but for availability.
I may be the only person in the entire city of Boston to lay claim to the following statement:
"I have been sober every single time I have eaten at South Street Diner."
Keeping that in mind, coupled with the information that I was born and raised in NJ, the ultimate diner destination of the free world, South Street Diner gets my seal of approval. Despite the fact that they serve Pepsi and not Coke and despite the fact that the bathroom is barely acceptable, this is what a diner should be, in every form:
*Super-local, colorful waitstaff
*Greasy, delicious, traditional American food
*Breakfast all day
*Open 24 hours
*Cheap, cheap cheap
On a side note and major plus, their buffalo wing sauce is near perfection. So spicy, but not in the way that all you taste is spice and the burning of your own mouth.
If my experience is this good sober, I cannot imagine how happy I will be when feeding my inebriated self!
Used to come here more often when it was the Blue Diner and my dining companions were largely Big Dig construction workers. Now it's the South Street Diner and I seem to run into more club refugees than anything else. The difference in company is manners - the sandhogs, ironworkers, etc., at least had manners, while the children apparently missed the please, thank you, and excuse me lessons.
What isn't any different is the food and the service. Burgers are still very very greasy and fries are something I could barely finish, due to the large number splattered all over my plate. Coffee could be stronger - but there's no question about freshness, since nothing stays around long enough to get stale. I give the food two stars. As for my waitress...she gets the restaurant another one because she juggled about 20 tables at once, missed nothing, smiled all the way through and was lightning fast. Impressive.
Just three words: MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH
This was one of the best I've had EVER. You're talking about an almost perfect combination of sweet (i.e. french toast and maple syrup) with savory. The black forest ham was thinly sliced and with melted Swiss cheese....I can't wait to go back! They serve it with thick cut home fries. It was a great way to satisfy late night eats.
The wait was short because we showed up before the clubs and bars closed. The service was great, they obviously know what they're doing.
Yeah, I walked out smelling like breakfast food, but that's not such a bad thing really, now is it?
Two things you are guaranteed at this place: 1) the most delicious homemade banana bread you'll ever eat and, 2) a food coma.
Ok, so here's my recap of the South Street Diner experience.
On our last day in Boston (back in May 2009), my friend and I decided to have breakfast here before checking out of our hotel (shout-out to Doubletree downtown.. love that hotel and their amazing chocolate chip cookies). It was nearby and really, who can refuse diner food?
I remember entering and being greeted by a very large and physically intimidating man. For a second, a jolt of remorse flashed my train of thought and I looked at my friend with a somewhat frightened face. A sort of "maybe we shouldn't have come here" look but then something happened whereupon I fell in love with the diner and the fear-inducing waiter.
He (I think his name was Mike), very casually, told us to grab a seat wherever we wanted. Then he brought us a small dish of ambrosia -aka- THEIR homemade banana bread. We ordered our lumberjack breakfasts' or in other words, very very large amounts of breakfast food, and quickly dug into the bread. I was not at all expecting the taste but it was seriously, one of the most delicious pastries I'd ever eaten.... in my life (not an exaggeration, I promise)!
The food and the coffee came out and the portions were just completely enormous, like a genetic mutation. I'd never had an egg-white omelet made more like a wrap (egg white being the wrap and all the fillings -- chunks of veggies -- encased within it), and it was not so much delicious as it was interesting. The coffee was nice and smooth and the cinnamon roll was pretty tasty, though incredibly sticky.. maybe too sticky, and it was the size of the plate it came in. I may have finished only 45% of my breakfast. (Come here hungry, to the point of starvation, or wear spandex pants!)
A very memorable moment occurred when a nice and homely family of six -- with a child in tow -- came in for their daily bread. Upon seeing said child in the party, Mike immediately asked one of his buddies to shut off or change the music. The mood went from gritty, and ghetto-ish, to somewhat wholesome. We were listening to a rap song, laced with profanity (I even wrote down some of the amusing lyrics on a small napkin, but don't have it on hand to recite -- it was something about dollar dollar bills), anyhow, I was touched by Mike's consideration. He was one huge man whom no one in their right mind would want to mess with, but that small act demonstrated tact, and good customer service. High-five to Mike for showing off his acuminous business chops.
Before paying for our meal, I just HAD to have a few more pieces of that ambrosia so I gingerly asked Mike for another hit of the banana bread. I think I told him I'd pay for it, but he said it was on the house and generously whipped us up another plate-full of said deliciousness. I clearly remember that my friend also loved it and shared some with me. Mike was a kind -- and quite an articulate -- man. That chilly first impression took a complete turn.
Let me be clear, the diner is pretty dingy and the food (aside from that amazing banana bread) is alright at best, but the sum of their parts, make South Street Diner a definite standout and dare I say, favorite Boston food joint (for me, at least).
Ah, many of nights have ended at this place. Not only was it one of the only places open late, outside of chinatown, it was close to were I lived in college so it was perfect.
Grilled cheese with bacon with a coke was my go to meal everytime. The prices are alright. Food, drink, and tip would be about 10-12 bucks, but again this place is opened until 5am so instead of going to the sev to get one of their subs, might as well get real food.
The food isn't anything special but you don't come here for that. It's a diner. Run down and all, but a cool place without a doubt. You may have to wait on some late nights but it's part of the overall experience. I can't wait to get drunk downtown and make my way to South Street.
This place sets the bar for diner breakfast in Boston. Granted, you're kind of out of luck if you're vegan-but vegetarians and meat eaters alike will love this place. The atmosphere is friendly and a little funky, and if you go around 2 am there will be a hell of a line. They serve beer here until 1am. The service has been impeccable every time I've visited. I can't vouch for the lunch and dinner menu-but why would you want to do that when you can order off the breakfast menu? sheesh.
Update: I'm told they now have a vegan burger. Happiness.
I was a little nervous the first time we went. it was a weeknight, and the staff/clientele/soundtrack was nauseatingly hipster. HOWEVER, the food was just plain great diner food.
we've been back a handful of times, and the staff has always been really personable and attentive. the food always hits the spot.
I can't believe it took me so long to come to the only diner in Boston that is open 24 hours which isn't an IHOP. Because, really, IHOP doesn't count..
I had the "chocolate fantasy" which is french toast stuffed with chocolate. Talk about decadent! kind of reminded me of the "sin sandwich" at Hi-Rise Bakery.
Friendly, tasty, and located in the shadow of South Station. A must check out for any diner fans visiting Beantown.
Newsflash- good and delicious while sober.
Yes, it's true! And it's the only time I've been to South Street Diner. After checking out Splash, I came here and ordered the chicken kebab wrap with fries. The wrap was freaking huge and filled with tons of grilled white meat chicken, lettuce, onions, and Greek dressing (although a little too much). The fries were delicious as well.
My sandwich and fries was $8, a total steal for how delicious and huge it was!
Our waiter was very nice and attentive and made small talk with us randomly throughout the evening.
No Coke, only Pepsi.
I'd totally come back here to satisfy my diner cravings, specifically pancakes! Hell, there's no other option in downtown Boston, but this isn't a bad choice, either!
As in the case of most of the other reviewers, I was definitely NOT sober when entering this establishment last evening after a few rounds of debauchery. Absolutely hit the spot with a plate covered in potatoes, and two large egg and bacon sandwiches. All for the great price of $7...Couldn't have been better. There was definitely an interesting mix of people here, from those in suits, to a certainly less desirable element. Will I be back? Absolutely. I was so worried that I wasn't going to find some late night munchies, and this place made the difference between me feeling bad vs me feeling god awful this morning. I am writing reviews as we speak, so it must have hit the spot.
I went to the South Street Diner for the first time a few nights ago for a late night snack. Like many reviewers before me have mentioned, it gets a full star just for being open 24-hours a day. Why Boston has a deficit of good late night food is beyond me.
In any case, not only is the food decent, but there are some vegetarian options (grape leaves, veggie burger, veggie bomb sandwich). Veg-friendly diners are becoming more common these days (Watertown Town Diner Deluxe, for instance, is an excellent one) but as far as late night food goes, there weren't many options out there (the 24-hr McDonald's are out of the question, as the company itself made the claim "None of our foods can be certified 100% vegetarian." Not even the orange drink? Really, Mickie D's, really?)
They have recently added sweet potato fries to the menu here and they were the best I've ever had. Very sweet, done to a slight crunch, wonderful. Their regular fries are pretty standard Ore-Ida frozen fare.
The waitress we had was a picture of punk-rock cuteness. She was very attentive with taking our order, reflilling our drinks, checking up on us, and getting us our check quickly. In fact, our food came out probably 7 minutes after ordering it.
If I'm hungry and everything else is closed, I'd come back to the South Street diner in a pinch.
While I give props to the South Street Diner for its vintage diner decor, it must cost them a fortune to maintain. That's the only way they could possibly justify charging $10.50 for an veggie and cheese omelet.
On top of being super expensive, my omelet wasn't even that good. The eggs tasted like they were poured from one of those cafeteria style containers of frozen egg product and the mushrooms came from a can.
Save yourself the money and get a much more delicious omelet for $4.95 by walking down the street to Figaro's.
I went during the day for a garden salad. I asked for a eggs with it. I was charged two dollars for one egg. I thought that was a a bit expensive but hey it was whatever I paid the tab and kept it moving to me it was no biggie but something I took notice on. I thought their ice coffee was pretty good and the waitress was very good,very polite,and on her toes. She reminded me of your average hard working bostonian women...for the idiots who complain about waiter...they are people and when you act like a ass it will lead them to treat you the way you treat them. Any who the decor was nice and talking to the people making your food was nice to because I don't always trust people with food.Anyways I gave it four stars because it stays open late at night,good service,good food, a bit expensive but I would put that in the area they are in it's to be expected and just all round good vibe
Just had a one-pound burger at the South Street Diner. Wow. That was good. Also, needed a few beers to wash the french fries down! Thrilled that this diner is now open 24-hours 7-days a week! Now I can indulge in all things bad for me at any time of day or night! Cool. :D
Stopped by a little before 2 AM on a weekend night craving eggs. Plenty of spots, no wait, sat at the counter. Score.
Only we couldn't get anyone to pay attention to us inside. I caught the eye of one waitress after a few minutes and she nodded, but nothing. Everyone looked really tired and out of it, kind of mulling about behind the counter. It was a strange vibe and awkward because we were right there. Felt like kind of a personal diss. Maybe they were just stoned. Which, from some of the aggresive reviews I've read, is probably not necessarily a bad thing.
So after about 10 minutes without so much as a hello, hang on, or a glass o' water, we left. No big loss, it was getting late and Wendy's is open to 3.
On another note, I wish there were a normal diner downtown. This place is all weird and trying to be clubby with the funny lights and stuff, but I don't need another bar to hangout in. I need a regular, eggs and hash, all-business, all-night diner. Like you'd find in Worcester, Wow, I actually wish Boston were like Worcester in one small way.
I'll give it a 2 for not being Denny's, for keeping the old car, from the reviews by others looking pretty good, and from once having a decent meal here like eight years ago.
I hadn't been here since then, and it will probably be at least that long if i ever go back.
I'm a pretty fair type of gal. I'm not one to pass judgement quickly or easily. Having said that, if I could give this place a negative rating, I would.
I don't care that Boston doesn't have many diners or late night food type establishments. I still would never go back to South Street Diner, even if I was hungry in some desperate sort of way, low on cash, at 3am in Boston.
After other disappointing experiences at South Street Diner, I came back for lunch with a friend when her mother was in town (from Thailand). Don't ask me why we ended up here in the first place. Anyhow, when we walked in the staff refused to acknoledge us for upwards of 5 minutes. There was only 1 other patron in the diner, so, it's not like they were busy doing something else. When we decided it was a lost cause and were turning around to leave, that's when the server asked "Did you want to sit down or what?" Sort of shocked and intimidated at his somewhat aggressive sounding statement, we nodded and opted to sit outside. Note: this is not really a patio but more like a random collection of tables on a tiny strip of sidewalk.
We decided to brush off his comment and continue on with our would-be lunch. Again, we waited quite a while to be tended to. Like, maybe 15 minutes? When he finally came to take our drink order, we were so hungry that we ordered food as well. My friend's mother had ordered a hot chocolate (it was rather cold outside) and, when it came, there was whipped cream on top. She apologized but asked if he could bring her a cocoa without the whipped cream. Our server proceeded to:
1) Roll his eyes
2) THROW the hot chocolate out of the mug and into the street in a somewhat forceful manner
After he walked away I turned to my friend and her mother and suggested we high tail it out of there. Just before we could pass the entrance, our server came out and was like "Where are you going?" I explained that we would not be dining there. He rudely said "Your food is ready, you don't want to eat it?"
We left. That was that.
If you were to ask me why folks like this place, all I can offer is that it's cheap and doesn't have much competition for late night places or restaurants in the South Station area.
Disclaimer: Much like how a picture has a purple hue because of a purple-colored filter on the lens, this review has a positive vibe because it is based on the effects of alcohol.
I have yet to visit this place while sober. I don't get drunk very often because I'm usually the responsible one, but on the few occasions that I do, I always end up craving either pizza or a hamburger. If it's the latter, we go to South Street Diner.
There is often a line of people waiting to get in, but if you leave the bar half an hour before closing time (which is blasphemous to some, I know) your wait will be either very short or non-existent.
The smell of grease in the air is enough to begin the sobering-up process. One look at their menu and you'll see why drunkards love it here: Pancakes? French toast? Waffles? Burgers? Onion rings? Buffalo wings? Yes please. :)
Service is friendly enough, the price is right, and they add the gratuity to parties of five, apparently. There are better-tasting diners out there, but for those late-night munchies, you can't go wrong with this place.
Great for late night or for a lunchfest midday!
I like South Street diner, but if Boston had other options, I probably wouldn't even rate it three stars. It's good because, basically, there isn't really any other option.
It has basic diner fare. Eggs, sausages, pancakes, sandwiches. The cheese fries are good even if they are a bit of a joke (it's obviously a slice of Kraft singles-style cheese melted on top of the fries. At least slice the cheese up a bit before so it isn't just a huge melted square). But, if you're craving it, you're craving it, and it'll do
Sometimes you have to be a little specific with what you want. Twice I've had them try to give me one fried egg sandwich instead of the meal that has two. What, you think I can't down two sandwiches because I'm a girl? Please. You obviously don't know me.
As I said, it's ok. It has to be. If you are wasted and want something greasy, it'll hit the spot, but there are definitely better places to actually have breakfast.
I definitely have a bias when it comes to diners - I LOVE them. The greasier the better. Someone stumbling past the place (stumbling patrons being a cornerstone of their business) may pass it by and turn their nose up - but this place is GREAT!! I think the food is fantastic! Their breakfasts are huge and absolutely delicious. Portion sizes are very generous, staff is great (our waiter had us rolling with laughter) and they have a really good jukebox too! The people watching is pretty top notch as well - extra entertainment at no cost!
If you are looking for matching china and silverware - this is not the place for you (and you probably a total bore anyway so stay away) but if you are looking for awesome grub at 2 AM after a few too many vodka tonics or just want a good greasy breakfast - this is your place.
Some people say to me "Wayne, you are an idiot for rating the South Street DIner 5 stars". I tell them "People, shove it".
You have to appreciate greasy goodness at its best. The South Street DIner knows exactly who they are and what they are doing and they know how to do it right. Some steakhouses do not know how to be a true steakhouse. Some Thai restaurants can't make a good Pad Thai, just like bad pizza around the corner, but you have to hand it to the age old street car diner that late-night revelers love. They know how to be nothing but the best at the worst.
Management here knows that they can only pack in so many people into this joint so when the line starts to form outside they start taking orders for people while they stand outside. This way, when you sit down out comes your greasy goodness. Bang Bang Bang! You are in. You are out. Don't go looking for a late night excursion of white tablecloth and fine wine. This is an after hours place when all the clubs close so no booze up-in-here and certainly no fresh flowers on your table. The most you'll get in your centerpiece is an assortment of jelly and half-full bottle of ketchup.
Al things considered, it's great! It's great because they know that they are a dive and they don't feel like they have to hide it or pretend to be something else. Unlike their neighbor restaurant, NEWS, which is just as late-night-greasy-divey-run-of-the-mill-crap yet they think they are a "finer" place. News to management: get over it. You are a dive and you should be proud of it. Take a lesson from next door.
Anyway, the best time to go here is between 10pm and 1:30am, before all the crazies get there and start ordering their food outside. Love it!
I typically order the steak bomb sub or a big plate of fries (the ultimate pairing dinner for too many vodka sodas). If I have a sweet tooth I always order a belgian waffle with a scoop of ice cream on top and strawberries.
Gotta go.....
DON'T GO HERE. Our waiter swore at us repeatedly while taking our order and was extremely rude to my friend. When we left (with a scant tip on the table and a slight altercation) our waiter chased us out of the restaurant and pursued us down the street. He ("John") is literally psychotic. If the threat of physical harm isn't enough to stop you, the overpriced bad food should be.
Update: This is how the South Street Diner likes to handle customer complaints. I received this message from the diner's owner, Sol Sidell, who suffers under the delusion that his staff would never lie to him (touching). With customer service skills like these, they'll put themselves out of business. Not to mention the coherence of the response, which is kinda lacking...
"Sol S.
Owner
Block & Report Owner
5 hours ago
Katie v, I saw your review this morning but I wanted to speak to my staff before I responded. I am sorry you did like the prices at the diner for gravy cheese fries, unfortunately the cost of making the cheese sauce ourselves and thowing away any gravey that is not used on shift that is the cost. Maybe you were unaware that you that your friends after leaving a dollar tip descided to give the waiter the middle finger on their way out the door. This is not a proper thing todo. now I spoke to waiter about giving you your change back and I am familiar with his vocabulary and can assure you that no time did he swear, his quote when asked about the prices was don't worry you can afford it with the blackberry that was being used, Again I do apologize if the prices are not inline with what you are used to paying but being a 24hour place in the city with expenses that is what I can afford to sell them at. I would appreciate if you could remove your review do to. I want to think is truly a miscommunication and not true constructive critism. thank you Sol"
Wow...don't outdo yourself or anything. I wonder if he sends messages to all the Yelpers who don't like taking crap at his place? That must cut into having a life.
Obviously obliterated, we stumble towards a cab and yell, "TAKE US TO 24 HOUR FOOD!"
We end up at the South Street Diner. The bouncer was super friendly, the waitress was super friendly, and we got our late night eat on! I got a burger with bacon and mushroom (I can't believe I remember) and it was actually tasty. The lady got chicken fingers. I wasn't a fan of them, she burned her mouth, but hey! It's 24 hour food!
I probably would never come here sober, but it's a solid 4 star drunk place.
I can honestly say that I have no idea what the food at South Street Diner REALLY tastes like. That's because when it's 3am and you're obliterated, ANYTHING that's fried, grilled, or otherwise hot diner food tastes HEAVENLY. So I'm awarding 4 stars, under the condition that you must be drunk and eat between the hours of 1 am and 5 am.
The South Street Diner is an obligatory dining experience for the Boston late night crowd - it's one of the only places in town open 24-7, has reasonable food (because how picky are you really going to be at 2:30 in the morning?) and has a staff that's incredibly tolerable of drunken stupidity.
And I love that you can now call ahead and reserve a table - perfect if you're rolling with a large group.
So plug the address into your phone or GPS or just tell the cab driver to take you to South Street Diner, and you'll see me there. I'm the one who's missing his pants and stuffing his face with mozzarella sticks.
Really great diner!! We had a great breakfast here of blueberry pancakes and chocolate French toast. It's really convenient to have a 24 hour diner 1 block from south station bc we needed a place to kill several hours in between our bus arrival and ferry to Provincetown. We arrived around 430-5 AM and our waitress greeted us and told us we could sit anywhere. Liz was such a sweet waitress! She even gave us directions and advice about navigating Boston by foot! The pancakes and french toast were really good also and we were full until 1 PM!
I've spent the best years of my life at the south street diner, often drinking only coffee and leaving a 150% tip.
To be honest, i steer clear of this place when its busiest (which is "after the bars close") but when i want nearly every night with a friend when i was 17 this place was beautiful. Sit on the patio, occasionally order a plate of fries, smoke cigarettes and occasionally get hit on as the parade of alcoholism goes by.
As for food, its somewhat over priced but the banana pancakes are legitimately delicious and the banana bread is also balls
Just go to the dinner, preferably before 1am when the rush begins, and enjoy greasy foods and expect to bum ciggs to the awesome waitresses
South Street Diner is Amazing!!!
You get to see all the local drunks come in, possibly get into a fight with them. That alone is a reason to go. Watch all the characters that come stumbling in around 2-2:30 in the morning.
Also, they got a Jukebox, which is awesome.
I love the food. The pancakes are really good, so is the banana bread. The first thing I ever got there was a chicken kabob wrap and it was so good. The menu is an american style. Sandwiches, burgers. They also have fajitas and a big breakfast menu.
COME ON
who doesn't love a weird trashy trailer thing in the middle of the city that serves you fried fat with a side of cholesterol on a plate at 3 in the morning?
i'm serious! i LOVE this place!!! i give it three stars because i feel certain it would scare the general public...
but i'm telling you to GO anyways. all you germaphobes, loose your soap and your hand sanitizes and check this place out, the eggs won't kill you
the service is generally lacking, the cooks look more like garbage men at the end of a 13 hour shift, and the bathroom's anyone's basic nightmare, but i JUST can't help myself.
maybe it's because i'm southern, but i just love a plate full of dirty, greasy-looking toast and eggs tossed onto a table in the spirit of utter languor by some dude with food on his face
yessss
i love sloppy diners, there just aren't enough around here that ACTUALLY have good tasting food. 3 and a HALF stars!!!!!
Ive now been here drunk and sober. Apparently I loved it when i was drunk...or so says the picture of me face first in one of their burgers at 2am.
I finally came here sober for breakfast and was SO happy. The food is awesome. And by awesome food, i mean totally the best diner food ever. I had an egg white omelet...which came with 4 filling choices, home fries and literally a loaf of toasted bread. My friend got the breakfast, diner special thing. 2 eggs, choice of meat, toast, 2 pancakes and home fries. Ummm...it was brilliant. Some of the best pancakes I have ever had. SO light and fluffy. The girl next to me got some chocolate fantasy french toast. It looked like dessert...really good dessert.
The staff is chatty, surly and down right hilarious. Its what you would expect from a diner. Best entertainment ever. I recommend sitting at the counter. Please...its like a free show with your breakfast/lunch/dinner/post drinking second dinner. Loves it.
Judging by most of the other reviews, this is the go-to place for people who are just getting out of the bars. I am not a frequent drinker and the only time I've been to this place was when I was driving and thus stone-cold sober, so please read my review accordingly. :)
The scene? Dimly lit, still active in the middle of the night (we entered the place around 1AM), loudish music from a digital jukebox, slightly dirty tables that don't always have all of the condiments you may need. (But if your table-neighbors are friendly, you can probably share with them.)
The menu? Traditional diner fare. Milkshakes/frappes, burgers, various breakfast items, french fries with or without gravy, sandwiches.
The food is decent. I had the steak and eggs meal and everything was great except for the toast--a fairly significant complaint I have about the place was that my toast had some kind of chemical, faux butter poured on it. When the server set it down on the table, I got a whiff of what smelled faintly like urine. And when I lifted the toast to my mouth to take a bite, I realized that the urine smell was coming from there. This might be a deal-breaker for some, but once I bit into it, I realized that it TASTED like nothing and thus probably wasn't ACTUALLY urine. LOL. Once it dried it didn't smell anymore. And the smell wasn't enough to keep me from eating a full slice--but then I am known to eat what people put in front of me, so long as I don't have to cook. Heh.
ANYWAY. This place is decent. It won't be the best diner experience you'll ever have, but it's open all night and active, and hey, if you're drunk, it might be totally awesome.
A note about accessibility, as I am a disabled Yelper and so is my boyfriend: there are two doors to get in. The first one has a ramp leading up to it, and opens into a kind of "vestibule," from which there is another door to get in to the actual dining area. There is a shortish step here, probably 6 inches (maybe less) in height. My boyfriend is a wheelchair user and was able to tip himself backwards somewhat to get his front wheels up the step and, with my help (and I'm a weakling!), pushed his back wheels up after. Once you're up over the step there are tables in the back to sit at that you can wheel right up to, and a fair amount of room in the "corridor" to get to the tables. The bathroom is definitely not wheelchair accessible, though if you can stand and walk a few steps you can probably manage it. And the staff were willing to help us get out of the place, so y'know, just ask and ye shall receive. :D
I think this place would've been better if I get shitfaced and stumble into it after 2am on Saturday night.
Nowadays, my post 2am state is state of "magic". First of all, it's been tougher for me to stay up that late, therefore it's miracle if I do so. And mostly importantly, all chicks start looking hotter and all food taste better in that "magic hours"
Having located near Chinatown/South Station and opening for 24 hours, I think that this place would be great spot for that "magic"(and intoxicating) moment.
Unfortunately, I came here this morning when I am super sober.
Home fries are too fried, too brown which is typical indication of oil being old, texture steak was quite tough.
However, I really love the staffs. They are super laid back and friendly. One dude was almost "resident comedian". Wicked funny dude!
It was a cold November 2006 evening when my best friend and I decided to hop on a Chinatown bus, at the time $10 each way, to Boston. We caught it at 11:30 or so, wanting the last trip of the night, thinking it would take 4+ hours to get from here to MA... because that's how long it took him to drive. I had graduated college in June and spent the entire time since partying and not working. I was to start my career the Monday after ... and this was my last hurrah before becoming a slave to the wages.
We boarded the bus, fell asleep, and the next thing you know it was 2:05am and there we were standing in the bus station, freezing our arses off because we didn't anticipate just how cold Boston would be. We didn't know what to do, (we were 21 and in a dead city 2 in the morning and didn't have an iPhone with the yelp application installed!). Being the over-prepared little freak I am, I had printed out walking directions to all the things we wanted to see... and noticed that there was a diner pretty close to the bus station. We walked by, and sure enough it was open.
When we walked in, it was like a dramatic 70s B-movie moment. The music, the decor, even what the people were wearing. It was like we Quantum Leaped into 1975. Led Zeppelin blared on the radio. People weren't dressed in brand names and bling, but casual, comfy clothes. People were friendly and talkative. There were about 60 people smashed into a facility that comfortably fits maybe 25.
The food was delicious, bad-for-you diner food. It's a staple of my drunken diet, but alas, I was not drunk. I watched them paint butter on my toast (the grill and everything is right in front of you, like a hokey hibachi restaurant, but with plump waitresses with over-processed platinum hair and big, silver, pineapple earrings). The eggs were a little too drippy than I would have liked. The bacon, crisp and wonderful.
If I had been drunk, South Street Diner would have gotten a 5. But I wasn't, so I had expected better. All in all, it was a great time, and I would definitely go back if I were in Boston... but it's nothing special.
Apparently, there's no such thing as truth in advertising. If there were, this place would not be called a diner, since they open at 5 pm on weekdays. There must be something about Boston's economic climate that makes it impossible to find a morning cup of coffee and eggs somewhere other than Dunkin' Donuts anywhere inside of 95/128. In other exotic parts of the world (like Cleveland), you would go to a diner for this, but not in Boston.
So don't think of The South Street Diner as a New Jersey diner, where you can go for breakfast, lunch, dinner... think of it as one of those places where you can go when the bar just closed at 2AM and you realized that you're not going to go home to bed like this and where can you find some fried food and a place to drunk-dial your entire booty call list. And at that point, damn the prices, and can I get ice cream on that?
I have been here trashed out of my gourd in the wee hours, and the french toast with milkshake was a godsend, the waitress was fun, and although it wasn't diner prices it was downtown Boston so it was OK.
I just wish they wouldn't call it a diner. That's misleading to the common man, cruel to diner lovers, and insulting to anyone who has been to New Jersey and knows what a diner is.
I'll always remember this place because after a night of drinking with a former college flatmate he came out to me in this restaurant. He thought I would be surprised, however, I was not because quite frankly he was the reincarnation of Tennessee Williams. The notability of it was not so much that he officially came out but that he thought I would be surprised. I mean, come on, you're channeling Tennessee Williams like Whoopie did with Patrick Swayze in the movie Ghost.
He and I had been drinking for a few hours, and with him being of the Teutonic type he drank quite a lot. We needed food at 3 in the morning and South Street Diner was the only place open. Why did he come out then? Because this was the perfect place.
At South Street Diner I guess he felt comfortable to come out since the people around us were silk-shirted Euro-trash and rather butchy cross-dressers. Certainly a more welcoming environment than a small town near Applachia.
Also, their pancakes were a perfect way to absorb the ample amounts of beer and alcohol one drinks in the late evening. I suspect that if one were sober one would spit out the food in disgust. Well, not really, I'm exaggerating. The food's not bad, but intoxication is certainly its best sauce.
Boston, MA
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: French
Boston, MA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Category: Sandwiches
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