Beginners Diner

What a fun place! And a 24/7 diner too!? Heck yes! We came to checkout the vibes of Lafayette hotel but figured we'd grab a quick bite to eat. Their food is pretty unremarkable (what do you expect from a diner). Their dinner specials I thought were a bit expensive too. However, their sides were good. I would totally get the sautéed corn and green beans again. But the star is really their boozy milkshakes!! Fun flavors that tasted good, for being an alcoholic drink.Probably rating more on the novelty of this place rather than on the quality of food (which was kinda subpar), but our group had a great time!

Ok. The group was craving a lil snack after hanging out at "The Gutter" So decided to walk over to this diner. Jesus was our server and he was really nice and friendly. We appreciate that. (He gets the perfect 5 rating. ) We ordered the following *CLUB Sandwich -turkey, bacon, cheddar, swiss, lettuce, tomato, mayo*PATTY MELT -wagyu smash patties, caramelized onions, secret sauce, American cheese on sourdough*Mashed Potatoes *French Fries *Curly Fries *Onion Rings -And *Shakes The snacky food was okay like fast food. The turkey sandwich was good and sharable like the Patty Melt. Definitely "diner" food at a hiked up price. lol Probably could have gotten a much better meal nearby for the same price and better quality. lol But overall, surrounded by nice company helped elevate the experience.

Ok the ambiance here is AMAZING. Come here with the girls, take pictures everywhere. The Lafayette's low lighting and elegant feel is definitely a pro of the diner's. Beginners diner is open 24 hrs so Id love to return to try their breakfast menu, but for dinner our party got some alright sandwiches. Have to say the best was the Ruben. Shakes were simply okay too.Our server was so much fun (I think it was Ally?), we loved her.

Food is fire in the diner. The wagyu burger is fantastic and the fries are great as well. The fries are nothing to ignore. I have had some bad fires lately, but these are great and the ranch is fire. Ask for extra ranch! Drip coffee is great as well. Service is on point. Inside is clean and has a great atmosphere. Come in and enjoy the food and atmosphere.

I quickly glanced by Beginners Diner when I passed by it trying to explore around the Lafayette. Soon enough I was able to dine with my friends here on a late-night visit to the hotel as we became hungry. The diner maintains that classic retro look with a bit of a more upscale menu. I indulged in a Mushroom Hash which works as a vegetarian option. They used maitake mushrooms which was pretty unique and was served with a sunny side up egg and their diced potatoes. The dish could slightly use more salt and less onions and something else? It felt a bit incoherent. My friends ordered their Steak & Eggs, Tuna Melt, and Patty Melt. The fries were solid and I got to nibble off some of theirs. I'd rate the service to be incredibly slow, but I did expect it because we weren't looking to leave right away. Overall, they did not miss the mark on the old school diner feel! I would order differently next time and try new things.

Its San Diego time, and I wanted to share with you some places I hit.Beginners is the 24 hr option at The Lafayette Hotel. I was able to get some pool time b4 meeting my cuz later, and the food at the pool is fr Beginners w/ a limited menu.I ordered the patty melt that comes w/ two patties & fries. The sandwich was really hearty, and the patties were moist and nicely seasoned. Likewise, the fries were GBD. The only downside was the price, but I'm at the pool mid-day during the week, and you're not - LOL.Regarding the ambiance, the pool is very cool at TL. I reserved a floor level pool access room. I walked out the back door to a lounge chair. The service was friendly & warm. There were two waitresses and it was surprisingly busy on a Thu afternoon in mid-May. The only miscue was I was not given napkins or ketchup by the server.The next time I stay at TL, I'll be sure to try other items on the menu like bfast, or their Reuben.

Finally got to visit the updated Lafayette! It's so beautiful inside and a MUCH better use of some of the wide open spaces in the lobby. We had breakfast here both loved our food. The server asked if I wanted cheese added to my corned beef hash and I'm so glad I did because it made it even better! My wife loved her eggs, they were perfectly cooked! And she thought the English muffin was so good it might be made in-house. We'll be back! Only negative was the dark roast coffee was a bit too bitter for my liking.

They sat us like way in the corner by the kitchen which I thought was weird it was a huge booth with two tables and it was like only two of us. The restaurant was not busy with guests. Our waitress definitely forgot about us a few times only cause we weren't in anyone's line of sight. But...The food was delish! The Ban Mi was fantastic it has avocado in it which was a game changer. The strawberry milkshake was so yummy!

The new Lafayette Hotel is bananas and the diner is a fun complement to the dark and cool Mexican restaurant downstairs. It feels like a true diner all from the roomy booths up to the slightly yellow lighting (who would have ever thought I'd be okay with yellow lighting?)We had the chicken liver pate. It was nice, the bread that came with it was excellent. I had the reuben. As a reuben enthusiast, I would call it a good reuben not a great reuben. A bit greasy and I had to ask for extra thousand island (sauce girl here), but the pastrami was very thinly sliced and the second half reheated nicely the next day. The curly fries were delicious, and they gave me the perfect amount. I also had the boozy strawberry milkshake. Couldn't taste the tequila in there but I felt it.The milkshakes came out after the food, not on purpose but it was fine. Service was friendly, not super expedient but also fine.This would be a fun place to come with a small group of friends, order some of the upscale small plates and split a couple sandwiches. Would go again.

Late night eats are great BUT we did have to wait close to 2 hours from adding our name on the list to getting our food. It took about an hour for each process (maybe more on food). The staff recognized this and brought us over a pastry as a way to apologize that we waited so long for food. Overall, not sure I would eat here after hours but it is is conveniently located inside the Lafayette Hotel. Which is a fun spot for people watching and grabbing drinks.