"I think the strengths of this operation are the staff and the ambiance. That said, my wife and I both had good family style tasty food in a generous proportions.The decor is plain with the exception of the wall decorations. Like wall paper, there are frame pictures of many veterans (I can only assume locals) which is very patriotic and inspiring as well as many authentic newspaper front pages from important eras in American history (a nice touch). Lastly, the staff, even though quite busy, was attentive, cordial and efficient. You could tell they enjoyed what they did and that they like each other as they were always helping out one another.Oh, and don't forget the awesome iced cinnamon roll hot from the oven for every table, delicious!"
"I stopped here for breakfast to start my day because it was close to my hotel. It's a generic diner in a great location with some parking. The menu is normal except for the the Bob special. The decor is kitch with generic tables and chairs. The place is nothing fancy but it works. My service was off because I was forgotten about. Service was lacking but the food was great so no stars were harmed on this visit. Ok listen up people, the Bob special is very unique because it's a big biscuit topped with country fried steak, hash browns, scrambled eggs smothered in country gravy.OMG the Bob special looked amazing piping hot to my table. This was absolutely delicious by the way. The hash browns were golden crisp, the country fried steak was golden crispy and three times thicker than the crap in my city. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and the abundance of thick creamy country gravy like a volcano erupted on this mountain of food was so good.Overall this was a great choice for a breakfast spot and on my trips, I spend hours researching the area for the best possible restaurants and this one hit it out of the park, great job."
"Very cool dinner, from the variety of food choices, great oldies playing to the waitress attire. They are very polite and friendly. Prices was good as well."
"I enjoyed my lunch at Cliff's Taphouse. It is a casual restaurant with friendly service and tasty food and drinks. I was happy with my Lavender Lemonade cocktail made with Kansas City Rally gin, lavender syrup, mint, lime, and lemonade. It was refreshing, not overly sweet, and had a kick from the gin. I ordered the small-sized Shrimp & Grits. It was flavorful with three grilled blackened shrimp, cheddar jalapeno grits, brown butter creole sauce, tomato, onion, and green onion. I thought the plate, at $13.00, could have been larger with additional shrimp and grits.I tried a piece of the Pear & Brie flatbread. This delicious vegetarian dish has brie cheese, ripe pear, and caramelized onion. It was both savory and sweet. Overall, it is an excellent choice for classic American dishes and an extensive wine, beer, and cocktail menu."
"Great place all the way around! Great food and great service! We decided to eat breakfast for supper. We had pancakes, which were absolutely delicious! Also had scrambled eggs and ham. Prices were reasonable. Facility was clean including the restroom. We got there an hour before they closed and we were not rushed at all. Waitress was extremely attentive! We got a dessert (small pie) from the showcase to go, it was great! Highly recommend!"
"A group from work had breakfast here. The total experience was excellent. I will be coming back with Mr. G.The resuraunt was able to easily accommodate our group of 14 people. There were plenty of cinnamon rolls, in fact our waitress brought out a second plate before we ordered.The coffee was good, the half and half, that wasn't flavored, was in good supply on the table, and the coffee service was good, in that I didn't have to ask for a refill, the refill was provided in a timely manner by the staff.Our waitress has a great sense of humor and was ready to joke with our group.Now onto the food.It is hard to choose what to order. I stepped out of my usual bacon and eggs breakfast platter and had the Tomato, Avocado, Spinich Omlette. The clincher on this was the hollandaise sauce. This came with grits (which needed salt - and salt was on the table), and I ordered a biscuit. Which was yummy.The servings were huge, so I had to get a to go box.I realized that I didn't get my usual bacon, and my ommlette was so good I didn't miss it.I would recommend the Waldo Cafe just for the cinnamon rolls. The food is an added bonus."
"Hubby and I stopped in on the way to the airport. Found this place on my trusty Yelp app. We generally like to try Mom and Pop locations for breakfast as we have usually found they provide the best be breakfast. Well Banjos Cafe is another hot spot to add to our list. When you pull up to this lil place it is off the beaten road. But don't let the location fool you. They are serving up some good breakfast food. I had the veggie omelette with hash browns and pancakes, hubby had the Corny with grits and pancakes. We both enjoyed our breakfast. Omelette well made and full of veggies, hash browns cooked just right and not over cooked or burnt, hubby said his grits had a really good taste to them. Definitely will add this place to my collections."
"Looked so cool on the outside and wanted to try it. Order food for pick up, and they were ready when we got there. No wait time. Steak and eggs were bland, though. Steak tasted a little bit more burnt than usual. Maybe we'll try something else next time."
Jack P.
May 26, 2024
Quaint local breakfast restaurant. Not particularly head-turning, but it's an option.There were complementary cinnamon rolls as if it were bread and butter at dinner. They tasted inoffensive at worst.I had the country breakfast burrito. I wasn't a fan of it.My girlfriend and I agreed on the sentiment that "It's just slightly better than a frozen breakfast burrito, and I can make better burritos at home". The service was okay, mainly regarding the small water cups since they may have ran out of larger cups. It was often that I was without water trying to eat my burrito and couldn't wash it down. The servers seemed all cluttered by the ramp between the two rooms, and not fully aware of their surroundings.The front room was much less decorated than the back room, it felt like we were walking into a for-sale house with booths and chairs in it. But where we actually sat, in the back room, the newspapers and pictures on the wall were cool and comfortable decor.
Visit Restaurant Page
Ralphie S.
Jul 22, 2023
Basic old-school diner with an emphasis on breakfast. Yesterday was only my 3rd or so visit, which is odd since I used to live in the neighborhood. I was craving Biscuits and Gravy and ended up stopping here. The biscuits were very standard and cold and topped and although the gravy was hot and creamy, it lacked any substantial amount of meat crumbles. My side plate of hash browns were crispy. Service was efficient and pleasant but not very engaging. I love that these type of places exist and they serve a purpose, basic greasy food with a quick turn-around.
Visit Restaurant Page
Patricia A.
Aug 21, 2023
The best place for a hearty big breakfast. The interior has stayed true to the diner theme (complete with a juke box and diner chairs) and the food is incredible. I always get the chicken fried steak but you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
Visit Restaurant Page
K S.
Jan 19, 2025
Incredible! The staff, the establishment, the food, drinks...hell, even the parking, was incredible. My 1 year old daughter was hangry before we got there and as soon as we sat down, they gave her a snack plate. The menu has the classics and some very unique items (looking at you, jalapeño corn chowder). The drinks were fun and fresh. Our server, Rebecca, continued to excessed our expectations. We'll be back for sure
Visit Restaurant Page
David L.
Jul 14, 2024
Was quick to be seated even during breakfast rush this place is large enough that there plenty of tables. I got the breakfast sandwich which as you can see in my picture it is rather large portion and had plenty of breakfast potatoes. It was so tasty that I wanted to eat it all but ended up calling it quits halfway through. I thought that the cost for what you got was a great value and will definitely be going back to try more foods.
Visit Restaurant Page
Kay L.
Nov 16, 2024
I love Waldo Cafe! I can't speak to the ambiance or service, because I have only ordered delivery from here through Door Dash. I have ordered breakfast twice; both times I got the breakfast sandwich with American cheese, fried egg, and turkey sausage. I love that they offer turkey sausage, because a lot of other popular breakfast spots only offer pork. I have also ordered the pancakes, which are delicious! For less than $4, you get a giant pancake. I love the value too-everything on the breakfast menu is $12 or less, and the portion sizes are generous. The first time I ordered breakfast from here, they even threw in a cinnamon roll for free (which was yummy). Waldo Cafe is definitely a place I will order from again!
Visit Restaurant Page
Kathy S.
Dec 27, 2022
I've ate here a couple times now and both times the food was good. Service was great the first time and the second time wasn't the best. Although the last time my mom and I got there about 1:00 PM and they close at 2:00PM, so by the time we got our meal we felt like we were being rushed to get out of there. Just the vibes we got from our waitress. The first time I ordered pancakes, sausage, and eggs. Everything tasted great. Coffee was nice and hot, which the waitress kept it full too. I was there before the lunch crowd arrived. Although breakfast is served all day long.Second time was my mom and I eating there, which we decided to just split a meal. We ordered an omelet, fruit, and pancakes. All of the food was great except the fruit, but it's out of season. Fruit was only one option to choose from, so other choices are available. Service could be improved. It might be because it was towards closing and she just wanted to call it day? I still thought even splitting a meal that $20.00 was a bit pricy for no more then we got and $18.00 for when I ate by myself was pricy too, but inflation is horrible. The restaurant is clean. I went to the bathroom and the signs hanging up in there gave me a chuckle. I will say the restaurant is spread out with a lot of room for seating. If you are looking for some good down home cooking, this is the place. Be prepared because during lunch this place is extremely busy!
Visit Restaurant Page
Anne N.
Jan 5, 2024
I was in Independence and needed breakfast on one of the last shopping days before Christmas 2023. The area was understandably busy and Black Bear Diner was shining like a beacon that morning. I knew it would be packed. I knew there would be a wait. But as I saw no other acceptable option in the immediate vicinity, AND I was in the company of an impatient spouse, Black Bear Diner was the place for me. We were even fortunate enough to snag the last open parking spot at the back of the building. Once inside and on the list it was really only about a 10-minute wait before we were seated in a comfortable booth in the kitschy mountain cabin atmosphere. Our server was a kind, chatty sort, who likely would've pulled up a chair if she'd had the time. I ordered French toast, 2 over-medium eggs, and link sausage. My husband had 2 over-easy eggs, hash browns, bacon, and one of their massive biscuits with gravy on the side. I know it sounds like a lot of food, but c'mon. It was the holidays. We had not one single complaint. Our order was swiftly delivered, well-prepared, and tasty. Black Bear Diner is a solid breakfast spot if you find yourself east of the Metro.
Visit Restaurant Page
"Had a really enjoyable dinner here! Very friendly service and some of the best diner food: we really enjoyed the french dip and the chicken fried steak. The French fries were done perfectly, and the dinner roll was fluffy and yummy. Highly recommend the coconut cream pie too!"
"When I walked in, I was immediately greeted by a tall man near the front door. There was a worker, mopping the floor, and I could see and smell how clean the place was. I let the greeter know I wanted to place a to-go order and he showed me to a menu and a place to sit down to be comfy while I reviewed my food options. Everyone was super friendly right off the bat. I placed my order and did not have to wait long for my food. The same man who greeted me was the one who gave me my food, and he wished me a fond farewell and told me to stay warm on this cold evening. The service alone is what will bring me back to this place. It smelled so good in the car that I wished I had a fork and someone else was driving so I could start tasting it on the way home. Finally, I was home and able to dish up. My daughter tasted hers first. "So good!', she proclaimed. After my first bite I agreed. Restaurant has plenty of seating in the dining area. If you're in Northtown during lunchtime, you should stop in and try the buffet. I could see that it's a very large buffet and there must be lots of options. They also offer delivery."
"Our service was excellent with Ms. Emma! The food was out to us quickly, very tasty and definitely will be going back!"
"Lacy crispy wonderful patties. This place has been open for 80 years and the decor is frozen in time. My grandpa used to come here 75 years ago and it's so unique being able to have a similar dining experience today. The burgers are awesome - highly recommend throwing on grilled onions. The cherry limeade is a must try it's nostalgic and absolutely delicious. It comes with a little scoop of a lime sorbet that you mix in and it's so so so good."
"Great place to grab a burger and reminisce! We go a couple of times a month and we are always pleased.The servers are friendly and attentive."
"This place is great. I love everything about it. I love the quaintness and the historic nature of the diner. The food was excellent. My eggs, ham, and hash browns were as good as you can ask for. The staff was excellent as well. It definitely is a local place that everyone should visit. I will be back on my next visit to the Elms."
"I am not a big breakfast person...UNTIL NOW!! My sister in law and I got the French Toast and sausage....a very basic meal. The FT seemed to be double battered and amazing. The sausage...I WANT MORE!! My brother got the Spanish omelet. The omelet and potatoes covered the plate. I would have liked the coffee to be a little stronger. The service was wonderful. I was visiting for four days...can't wait to go back!!"
"Kathy was very friendly gave great service made sure my drink was full and was very bubbly and pleasant to talk to. The Beetlejuice Juicy Burger was would definitely order again. We came at dinner rush on a Saturday night and it was still a very pleasant environment everything was clean."
"My family and I met some of my momma's cousin's here. They live here in Peabody and in a few surrounding towns. It was a good time, food was good also. I definitely recommend the fish sandwich and the cherry pie. Service not fast, but adequate. No worries, slow down y'all. Slice of small town life, this place is open until 2pm everyday. One cousin's significant other said they are open for dinner on one day a month, not sure when that is though."
"Just a good old American diner. Everything was excellent. Doesn't look like much from the outside but we were pleasantly surprised. Food 5/5Service 5/5Ambiance 3/5"
"Really enjoyed the food and will plan on returning regularly. I especially liked the chicken piccata, the chicken shawarma sandwich, and the chicken quesadilla. Highly recommend! And their locally owned."
"What a great little place. Stopped for breakfast today. A wonderful staff. Both kind and attentive. Breakfast was fantastic and a great price. The horseshoe. Get it. Delicious. Would definitely recommend."