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Categories: American (Traditional), Diners
Neighborhood: Kearny MesaDear Studio Diner "Fans", try our new Butternut Squash…
Announced 5 days agoMon-Sun. 12:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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Huge portions, great food and open 24 hours!!!
This place could get five stars based off of looks alone. The old diner look with a movie studio theme. Granted it is part of Stu Segell Productions, (which is next to door). You know, the studio responsible for those popular 80's shows such as Renegade?
The portions are nice and hearty. Free refills on the sodas. Various wines and alcohol are also available. Unfortunately, some of the menu items you fall in love with mysteriously vanish with no warning....and no, they will not make it for you if you ask. A staple item, the Count of Monte Crisco Sandwich is always a must. Who doesn't love a deep fried ham and cheese sandwich!?
The wait staff are the friendliest people and the interior is very nice. Even the patio dining is in a nice location.
The Studio Diner is a must for those looking for a huge meal at 2am. Much better then eating at Denny's. The prices are higher then an average diner, but I'll let it slide due to their 24 hour schedule.
Their parking lot only fits around six cars, so park on the street.
People thought this was:
When I saw the word diner, I was excited. We're from Jersey, where there is a diner on every corner. I opened the menu, and there were no disco fries, no taylor ham, and the waitress had no idea what barbecued onions were when I asked her which kind are on the hot dog.
They have a section called East Coast Specials, but I assure you it's nothing I've ever seen at a diner. For a diner, the menu is very limited. I remember reading through pages and pages of food at the Jersey diners, which is what they're known for.
We ordered the strawberry studio toast and the omelet, which were nothing spectacular and definitely not worth the drive from our area. We came at a time where there were almost no customers, yet coffee refills took forever. The food is average, not bad, but not worth the drive unless you're in the area. If someone knows of a real East coast style diner, please let me know! I've got a hankering for some disco fries!
I'm hesitant to post this, since this seems to be another one of those places where if they get a negative review, the owner comes on and makes nasty comments to the reviewer. Had I seen that prior to my trip there, I would have never went. What's up with the business owners in SD lacking proper business skills?
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I went here for the first time for lunch with some friends. The parking lot is tiny. But you can park on the street or in an adjacent parking lot. We walked in, 10 minute wait for a table. We opted to sit at the bar, no wait.
The waitress was pleasant, attentive, and very helpful.
There is so much on the menu that I wanted to try. I settled for the hot pastrami sandwich, then right at the last minute went for the prime rib sandwich. It was great. It was a thick slice of prime rib on a buttered toasted french roll. Add sides of horseradish, au jus, and a pile of waffle fries. Perfect lunch.
My friends had the monte cristo and fish & chips. Huge portions. The clam chowder is recommended. All their soups are made fresh and are all good (according to the waitress). The chocolate milkshake is very good and worth the extra indulgence.
You better come here hungry, because you'll need that extra space in your belly. I'll come back. But not for a week or so, that's when I think I'll be hungry again.
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Why I give Studio Diner 5 stars:
Open 24 hours
Plenty of parking in a giant lot to the left of the restaurant
Good food - had the monte cristo and my sasquatch had the breakfast sandwich. My monte cristo was very good! But its hard to go wrong with deep fried anything. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I had a bite of the breakfast sandwich and that was damn good too. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Large portions - couldn't finish my meal. The table next to us ordered a fish and chips plate and holy moley...that was gigantor!
Cool theme and decor
It's been on the food network, I think on DDD!
You put all those factors together and I give it two thumbs up...5 stars!
People thought this was:
I go here all the time but i always just get the same one or two things. Ive tried lots of things on the menu and I disliked most of them. I get the chicken fried steak but who can mess up chicken fried steak really? I go there when i have coupons from http://resturant.com and since the portion sizes are HUGE there is always leftovers. The burgers are OK the San Diegan is good but really its not the best diner its just a good location for me. So if you have a diner closer to you i would recommend going there instead. Don't go out of your way for this place.
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Studio Diner. Does it get better?
Just last week I went there Friday (definitely not my first time - probably been there too many times to even count now!) - with my wife, Amiee - and our friends Poppy and Mike. Dinner was delicious. The staff was incredible. Everything, as always, was just spot on awesome.
Then, I got folks from my voice acting class to meet at Studio Diner on Saturday (myself, Betty, Paula and Neda) - and once again - Studio Diner proved to be nothing short of awesome - for food, service, the whole works. I had asked if we could have a spot on the patio out back - and they kindly gave us the seats! And when some larger groups came and they needed to take some of the tables that were joined with ours, I was able to easily joke and have fun with the staff the entire night!
Definitely a great place!
And if you folks have FACEBOOK, might I suggest joining the STUDIO DINER facebook page which can be found here - it's a great place for Studio Diner fans to share their stories, photos, the works! http://www.facebook.co...
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This place is so darn good. Yes it is in the middle of a business park in Kearney Mesa and a bit out of our way, but worth the drive. This is diner food at its finest. My recommendation- the steak sandwich with sweet potato fries and a Stone Pale Ale (youre drooling thinking about it, right?). Me too. Its one of those places you eat at once and then think about for the next week. PS. you can find a coupon on http://Restaurants.com where you can buy a $25 for ten bucks. Every once in a while they have an online sale and you can pick up a $25 gift certificate for only 2 dollars. You just cant beat it.
Before you go be sure to try the rich, warm melted lava cake. Sometimes theres simply no better way to end your day than sitting in a comfy diner. And no rush to get there- theyre open 24 hours!
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It's a diner! In other cities this would not be enough to draw attention.
The most important feature of Studio Diner is that it's open around the clock. The next is that it's a 24-hour place that isn't Denny's or IHOP. Is it an entirely other kind of animal? Not really.
The menu is a little different; less breakfast than IHOP, more dinner than Denny's (especially once the 'til dawn menus come out). But it's not completely new, either: they may not know Moon Over My Hammy, but if you hummed a few bars, they'd probably be able to play it for you. The food is perfectly decent. It's neither great nor bad, neither worse nor better than its competition. The prices are slightly higher, if that's a concern.
The location is dressed up like a vintage diner by way of the 21st century; or less charitably it's a west-coast Silver Diner with a layer of Show Business gloss. Service is a notch above your average luck at other 24-hour places.
If you're in the area, it's not unworthy of your time; whether you need to travel very far -- that's up to you.
People thought this was:
Studio Dinner is a way better experience for 24 hour dining then your typical Denny's, IHOP or Roberto's. San Diego lacks a lot of fine dining after hours, so if you choose wisely you can enjoy a good meal at any hour of your liking.
Last week we visited here after being up late running errands. My wife didn't understand that the studio next door is actually for films. Though I haven't heard of anything coming out back there. Either way, Studio Diner captures the essence of an old-fashioned diner.
I have been here a few times, which I can contest service can be mediocre at its best. Don't come here wishing for a speedy delivery of your order, but take your time like it's in the 50's.
Wifey went for the Monte Cristo, while I opted for the Crabcake Sandwich. With the large portions and quality of the food you get, makes up for their lack of help running the floor.
I was glad to hear the honesty with our waitress about there's a slight chance I might get a piece of crab shell in my food. No worries, but I thank you for the head's up. Our meals were excellent, but I would still come back for novelty purposes.
The fat: Westley Snipes was here!
The skinny: No, it was only Samuel L. Jackson.
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Sweet Lord Jehovah!!! The sloppy bob and cobb salad were scrumptious! Mmmm mmmm good! The service was fantastic! I've never seen anything like it before in my entire life! I felt like I was in a dream . . . a dream that I wished would never end! It was like a movie! And there's a movie studio next door! What a coincidence!!!! Gee-golly-whillakers!!! I am so excited just thinking about it! I can't get over it! Oh my god!!! The only flaw I found was a gooseturd in my salad and that was even half-bad!!!
Thanks Studio Diner!!!!
Only been here once, Shakespeare's used to be my favorite Fish n' Chips place but Studio Diner has taken its crown. I've tried fish n' chips at every restaurant I've been in and their portion is never enough for me to indulge. It's like Studio's huge portion is made for me, from the extra crispy batter that someday will clog my artery to the juicy tartar sauce. umm...umm...life is good :)
Didn't need to order anything else cause why ruin the perfection?
Of course I'll be back and I don't think I will order anything else...
Denny's WHO? Please! If you are into breakfast like I am... this is should be your next place to try... for starters the breakfast here is cooked exactly the way you ask for it... Over Medium eggs come on you plate... over medium! NOT... over easy almost on the verge of being medium... or Over medium with fully cooked edges... NO! I love me so GOOD COOKED EGGS! And this place can cook me up a storm when it comes to breakfast anyday!
This a favorite spot of mine, and my boss' when it comes to breakfast meetings.
ONLY thing that sucks... is parking... be ready to park at a distance since parking is limited and this place is always buzzing even at 4am!
Even then! its STILL a must have when it comes to breakfast... oh yeah and the burgers are amazing! ;)
People thought this was:
Good spot to go for a late night snack. You can order breakfast, dinner, or just dessert without having to wait for a table.
Studio Diner is the bomb!
Open 24/7 and not a Dennys?! WIN. Great menu, tons of things to choose from, and so far it's all been good stuff!? WIN. Movie-themed because it used to be part of a movie studio?! WIN.
All in all, a great place to go, meet friends, get food at 2am after dropping your one friend off that lives up near UTC, oh and pick up your other friend that is getting off work at Cheetahs in a few minutes. Oh wait, that's only on Fridays, never mind. Not that I've done that, but if you have, I'm just saying this place is great to eat at then.
Def try them out. Enjoy! ;-)
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Great place to eat and take special guests. Fab Menu!
Thanks!
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WOW! is the only way i can describe this place it has the best of everything. it has great food and great service. THE MILKSHAKES ARE TO DIE FOR! if your in SD you gotta stop and take a look at this place and come over. trust me its worth the money and weight.
This is the perfect place to go to when you are very hungry but have no idea what you want to eat. They have a little bit of everything and the food is very good and as people have already mentioned the portions are huge. I love the fact that is open 24 hours its such a great alternative to Denny's or a taco shop. Service is great and prices are average. I have been here for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have never been disappointed.
Calorie restriced? Stay away.
Comfort food? Come on in.
The food does taste very good. The menu has LOTS of selections.
I've had the monte cristo sandwich, and the country fried chicken steak. Both on separate occasions. The sandwich leans a bit on the greasy side but is delicious nonetheless. The chicken steak comes as a HUGE portion. Not no wimpy filet.
24 hours. Awesome. Choices. Awesome. Staff. Awesome.
Our first trip was a while back. We initially heard about this place from the show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Everything sounded and looked delicious, and it definitely was all that and more.
We came yesterday for the second time and after a short wait were seated and immediately helped. We ordered the crab cakes as an appetizer and they were incredibly delicious. Our food also came in a very timely manner and we were no less than amazed.
I ordered the tuna melt with a side salad. Usually the side salad is crammed on your plate and the heat from your food mixes with the salad to creat a soggy disgusting mess, but not in this case. The salad came in a separate (*and very sizeable) bowl and was paired with some of the tastiest ranch dressing I've ever consumed. My bf got the Samson's Steak Sandwich and that too was incredibly tasty. The meat was very tender and the criss cut fries came with their special sourcream sauciness.
Now I know they are right next to a movie studio and all, but do the characters really step right off the set and stay in character? Towards the end of our meal, there was an interesting cast of characters that were seated right behind us. One of the gentlemen was rather interesting, and I was able to excerpt a few quotes from him for this review:
-When discussing his beverage of choice, he stated to his comrades, "I don't mind having it with ice because I get free refills," as though him not getting those complimentary refills would seriously alter his selection.
-He ordered and stated to the waiter, "I'll have Pepsi because that is who you have a contract with," and then proceeded to go into a 90 second discussion in front of the waiter about how he worked at Comic-Con and they had this and that and yadda yadda yadda you could tell the waiter didn't give a phuck but had to feign interest out of obligation.
-When ordering his bowl of chili, instead of it being a simple "I'll have the chili please and thanks," it was "I'll have the chili with three separate bowls and three separate spoons," as though the $4.25 chili was enough to feed a small tribe in Africa and wasn't just a staple on the "preview" (or appetizer) menu.
We didn't hang around long enough to see what this fellow did with the extra 3 place settings, although I'm sure it would have been entertaining. I wasn't aware that the ogres jumped right out of the movie set still in character. Either that, or this beast had been woken up and transplanted here. Either way, it made our meal at Studio Diner feel all the more authentic.
The waiter was superb and all in all, an incredible experience.
People thought this was:
Studio Diner...bacon grease, burger grease, deep-fried grease, and all around greasy goodness. If you want big ass portions, you'll definitely have to check Studio Diner out.
The Fish N' Chips is literally a Fish and chips. You usually expect to get a few pieces of deep-fried cod w/ some french fries, but Studio Diner gives you what looks like 1 gigantic piece of deep-fried tasty goodness. The coleslaw's not my favorite, but the fish is tasty.
You can get any meal any time day you want (they're open 24 hours). Breakfast, lunch and dinner servings are all big. The breakfast is as good as any other run-of-the mill joint for breakfast. The salads are pretty meh (shrug), and the sandwiches are pretty good. I wasn't impressed w/ the burgers, but the appetizer platter's awesome.
As a warning, avoid the Count of Monte Cristo sandwich. It is a delicious concoction of ham, turkey and cheese dipped in pancake batter, deep-fried and served with some awesome raspberry preserves. It is delicious, but after finishing the whole (the first time I ate it), I felt my heart slow down as I walked out the door.
As for service, it's a diner. Don't expect the greatest service in the world from all of their servers, but they're generally courteous and pretty quick. Expect a minimum 20-30 min wait.
For some good, greasy diner food any time of the day or night, Studio Diner can't be beat. I'd like to say that I go often, but I highly doubt anybody's arteries could ever handle it.
People thought this was:
We love this spot. It could be because it's 24 hours...but it's something about finding a diner spot to eat :)
So, I was just there last week and had the Calm Chowder and was really impressed with it....I only kind of wanted a little bit of it to try but I ended up eating the whole thing.
Remember this is diner food but if you are ok with that then....I guess I will see you down there one of these days!
I really like this place...
Friendly Service...+ 1 STAR
$12 Bottles of Wine...+ 1 STAR
$25 Gift Certifcates through http://restaurant.com... + 1 STAR
Good, Classic, American Diner Food...+1 STAR
Adorable, Nostalgic, Clean, Diner Setting...+ 1 STAR
Also, they serve $12 Wine Bottles here! We a got bottle of Coppola Chardonney, which is normally about $10 at the grocery store. As for the food, I've honestly only ordered the Monte Cristo, which is the best of its kind in San Diego...deep fried just perfectly! Someday I will try the Fish N Chips...Our waitress was friendly and patient with our 10 person group...especially when 4 out of the group were 30 minutes late(Everyone has a few slacker friends like this, right?). Did I mention they also sell Wine Bottles for only $12?
You can tell they put some serious money in decorating the outside and inside. Open 24 hours, this diner has a charming 50s-60s stainless steel exterior, lit up by blue neon lighting; the interior has the same warm, inviting, nostalgic look. If the waitresses and customers dressed like the era, you would really feel like you were going back in time. I will be back for my Fish N Chips and another $12 wine bottle...
PS : They sell wine by the bottle for only $12
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I had absolutely no idea this place existed, and boy am I glad to have found it!
It's super clean, with a menu sure to please anybody. When I'm craving diner food, this will be my new go-to place. Decent prices, huge amounts of food, friendly and helpful staff. The food came quickly, everything was delicious and exactly what I was hoping for.
The prices may be a tad high, but then again the portions are huge and it's definitely quality. Can't wait to go back for more!
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Boyfriend and I came here Friday afternoon around 4. There was no wait and we were seated right away. We got the lobster roll and fried clams. The lobster roll was good, with a good amount of lobster. It came with fries and a pickle. The fried clams were huge. When they say "whole belly" they mean whole belly. Decent size portions, really nice waitress who checked on us often. The food came out really fast. Good experience.
We also got to use our dining certificate from http://restaurant.com. A really good deal.
I'll keep it short and simple. HUGE portions, open 24 Hours, killer jalapeno poppers! I've only tried a couple of the things on the menu (mainly sandwiches) and they are pretty good. Great if your looking for a late night snack and don't wan to do the fast-food option.
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Delicious, Scrumptious and never lets me down!
I usually order the Monte Cristo here with my boyfriend and we always get the waffle fries for an extra cost. I enjoy that white sauce they serve (sometimes) but it always comes with Berry dip :)
YUM! The Monte cristo is always the same size every time I order, it is always thick (haha)
Nice~
The brunch is cheap and a lot.
I enjoy going to a diner that gives you this nostalgic vibe--a blast from the past, if you will.
Dom and I usually go when the late night hunger kicks in and we've exhausted our fast food spots.
Every time we've gone, we were always seated rather quickly but for some reason our orders are never really taken as promptly as we'd like. Luckily, we're really chill people and dont mind waiting but it would be nice if they improved on this, though.
What we love is that they serve breakfast all day every day.
Dom's an Egg's Benedict kind of guy. He loves it. He also likes the crabcake variation. I took a bite and I must say, I really do like that different twist to the egg's benedict.
My plate of choice is the The Lox-ness Monster: an omelet with Nova Lox and cream cheese folded inside. It's so rich and decadent. The creaminess and slight saltiness add lovely flavor dimensions to my omelet. You should give it a try if it suits your palette.
For dessert, we are soo in love with the Lava Cake. it basicaly tastes like it does at any other restaurant but it's one of our favorite desserts we like to share so when we see it on a menu, we usually get it to end our meal with a tasty little treat.
I hate to say this but that's all we've really ever eaten there. We're just so happy that we dare not venture out of our usual order.
: )
Did I mention that this place is 24 hours? That's awesome, isnt it? As I write this, i see that it's 228am...
I am so tempted to go there right now...
People thought this was:
The best diner food I've ever had! My husband is from Philly, where there's a lot of those awesome real tin box diners and he loved this place. We want and WILL try everything on the menu...eventually.
Ive had good experiences at this place! I love how its 24 hours! I love the theme, everything is studio/movie themed, its so cute. They have great onion rings & milk shakes.however Its in the middle of nowhere, but besides that the Food is decent.....way better then Dennys in my opinion. If your up late and hungry its worth the try! :]
This has been on my list to try forever and finally in the midst of an indecisive "what are we eating for dinner?" conversation, my boyfriend and I pile into the car and head up to the road for a surprise. I had no idea where we were going especially with industrial buildings and headquarters all around, until we pulled up to Studio Diner. The last place I'd ever expect a restaurant to be.
Parking was just fine in the main area and they also have an additional lot, proof that they are popular.
Upon entering the atmosphere looked very cool, our hostess was very nice, except I almost slipped and busted my butt on the floor. I mentioned to the girl that I think I slipped in a little kid's spilled drink by the door, but she informed me that the floors are just waxed really smooth and asked if I had any kind of heel on ( which I did ) and explained that many business ladies coming in during afternoon hours do the same thing on the way to their table. I almost slipped about four times on the way to our table on the other side of the room.... Heart pounding but tummy growling I made note to remember the walking situation for the way back to the car. However, if you see a lot of people slipping, wouldn't you purchase some rug runners to go around the floor for safety reasons?
Aside from that, their menu was gigantic and when you're belly is growling like a monster under your bed these decisions seem impossible. Everything from sausage and eggs to salmon sounded delicious. After extensive decision making, I settled on the salmon with grilled veggies and mashed potatoes where my boyfriend got the country fried steak with eggs and hash-browns. What an order!
Their coffee is pretty damn delicious too.
Our service was nice and quirky.
Food was delicious!!!!! I hear the country fried steak wasn't all that incredible, but my food was delicious. Prices were totally reasonable as well.
It's nice to have found a place that does some "greasy spoon" but has a twist on it where it convinces you that it's better for you than a trip to Rudford's.
Luckily on the way out I didn't fall, but I have definitely fallen in love with Studio Diner.
Bravo!
People thought this was:
I have Been to Studio Diner a few times this year and so far i have not been disappointed...
The boob sandwich is awesome, Grilled chicken, Bacon, Avadado, cheese, on grilled sourdough... and it just gets better if you order it with a side of waffle fries instead of regular fries, mmmmmm.
The count of Monte Cristo is a perfect fat boy food! A Ham, Turkey, Swiss and cheese sandwich battered and Deep Fried!!! and yes it tastes amazing when you dip it in the raspberry preserves!
The Studio Diner has been on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. so that just tells you that this place is amazing! so if you are ever in the San Diego area make sure to give this place a try!
People thought this was:
This place is definitely overrated. Yeah, it's open 24-7, but other than it's a pretty normal run-of the mill burger restaurant. The food is hot and fresh, but I didn't really see anything too different on the menu. It had the same old same old with just different funky names to make them sound different, but really it's the same menu as any other burger restaurant or Denny's. It was good, but not amazing and I don't really see what it was on TV for. It looked and felt too modern and the waitress too distant and superficial to have that vintage diner feel to it so it was just like a regular restaurant. I had the portabello mushroom burger, my boyfriend had the crabcake burger, and we split a sampler appetizer platter. The appetizer plate was delicious, but who can't fry frozen mozerella sticks and poppers? Yeah so they serve breakfast 24 hours a day, so do lots of other places.
Bottom line, good but overrated.
really loved it here. Just a really unique and cozy atmosphere. All the waitresses were super friendly and there is a huge selection of food. Peach cobbler for dessert..mmm. And if you like spicy food the studio poppers were hands down the best poppers I've ever had. I was really impressed. 24/7 spot so that's convenient and parking is no sweat, they have a huge lot on the side. Diner looks really cool at night.
I order the same thing every time i come here. I go with the Crew Works under the breakfast section. Pretty simple, ground beef, spinach and chopped onions all scrambled with eggs and topped with beef gravy and cheese. Substitute the burned hash browns with the waffle fries and dip 'em in their sour cream ranch sauce, then you got it made.
ok.. been back 2 more times since my last review.. and just had to do it - knocked a star off.
told my fam about it and we all decided to meet there. nice they took reservations, but unfortunately everyone thought the food was "just ok" but definitely pricey.
so studio diner won't be my first choice in diner eating anymore. bummer.
by the way, why is it always so cold in there?!!!
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Drove by there a many times but never even thought about dropping in until I saw all the reviews… Read more »
when you want Diner food this is the spot!
only place in san diego where you can get good east coast seafood like haddock!
YUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People thought this was:
ok, ok, ok. I live a block away from this place and it's a miracle that I have not gained 100 pounds from going here so much. I will go toe to toe for my Studio Diner. My favorites on the menu are the world famous Monte Cristo...HOLY YUMMY! The breakfasts are out of this world. The Zorba omelet seems to call my name a whole lot and the pancakes...ge'ez uhz christ. The outdoor deck overlooking the canyon is really nice too. I have brought friends, family and co-workers here and they all loved loved loved it! I love you Studio Diner...mwah, mwah, mwah!
Overpriced trash. Let me say that again for emphasis: overpriced, meaning it's expensive for what you get; and trash, meaning what you get sucks. Putting the two together, then, I recommend that you never visit this place.
It's obvious to me that this place survives solely on the novelty of the building it lives in.
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I came in yesterday for lunch with my Paul Mitchell sales consultant Karen (who happens to also be the neice of the this studio's diner).
I came in at around 12pm so I was starving. I'm the type to have a bigger eye than stomach. I was hesitant to order burgers, because I thought "burgers a buger". But noooo....I was wrong.....the burger here was AWESOME.....I could've chowed the whole burger down in 2 minutues, but since I was having lunch with Karen....I took small bites to make it last. Customer service was awesome..and I was very fortunate to meet the owner of Studio Diner himself. Very nice gentlemen. If you are looking for a good meal with portion swing by this diner, you'll love it.
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Neighborhood: Oceanside
Neighborhood: Mission Hills
Category: Mexican
San Diego, CA
Category: Food
Neighborhood: Coronado
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
Category: American (Traditional)
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