South End Diner

After wanting to try the South End Diner for a while, especially after the new renovations and menu changes, I finally got the chance a couple weeks ago when my father stopped by to visit while he was in the city.
The diner has several tables that are more welcoming than the old square counter that dominated this place prior to the renovations, There’s a retro feel from the stark red/​black/​white colour scheme, old black and white photographs and a really old orange payphone decorating one wall; it’s an all around cosy feel for a neighbourhood diner.
It’s lunch time but I haven’t eaten yet, so with my firm belief that no matter what time it is your first meal of the day is breakfast, I order the fish cakes from the breakfast menu. The fishcakes come with eggs and a biscuit, and a traditional green tomato chow. I order my eggs scrambled and they’re perfectly done, moist and fluffy. The biscuit is a hefty size and flavourful, although not particularly flaky. The two fish cakes are golden brown, and contain a few different types of fish as well as small chunks of potato instead of the more commonly mashed, giving a nice textural contrast. While the cakes are a bit dry, the green tomato chow comes to the rescue and also bring their own enjoyable tang to the mix.
Our server is attentive and a friendly, and treats us well, checking in on how things are and topping us up on caffeine as necessary.
I do wish that they had a website so that I could peruse their menu and check up on their hours, especially since I will soon be doing shift work at on office near the Diner, but alas, with the recent fire at a next door apartment building, they likely have more pressing issues to address. If they haven’t reopened yet, I hope to seem them back in action in the near future!

It’s always nice to find a little diner offering all day breakfast. This place definitely fits the bill for traditional 50 – 60’s diner. As much as I love greasy breakfast diners, I can’t say I was overly impressed by my two experiences here… On my first visit, expecting breakfast, I was saddened to find out that they were out of sausage… Being a poutine fan and having read the reviews on their fries, I decided to treat myself… quite a disappointment!!! The fires were under cooked, the what was suppose to be «traditional curds» resembled a cheese soup more than the squeaky cheese of my Quebec childhood… and at $ 8 ++ for a poutine, I expect to be wowed! It is only potatoes, gravy and cheese after all…
My second visit allowed me the pleasure of breakfast as they did have sausage :-) Unfortunately, after waiting 10 minutes for the server to get off the phone with her boss, I took it upon myself to write my own order up and give it to the cook :-s The server was apologetic but unfortunately, harm was done… That said, once breakfast arrived i felt a little better. Good value on your traditional 2 egg, meat, home fries toast and coffee for $ 8… Might be back, but won’t be back running!

Now I know we aren’t supposed to judge book’s by their cover so the unappealing outside atmosphere of the Diner was placed in the back of my noggin’. It was late on a Sunday. Football Sunday in fact and my friends insisted we check out the diner. If for any other reason then to fulfill the curiosity that was killing our kitties. I walked in and was surprised at how packed it was! I had all I could do to scrounge up a seat. I mean the place is tiny to begin with. I do particularly enjoy small, up close, and personal diners so I wasn’t complaining. However, if you are looking to take a large group to the Diner, you might want to rethink your plan. The inside kind of made up for the grungy outside. The black and white pictures of Halifax lining the walls matched the black and white checked floor. It certainly covered the diner feel. With cool bar stools and tasty baked goods on display, my eyes were certainly pleased. What about my belly? The server finally came over to see what we wanted. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with cheese and tomato and hash browns. It took absolutely forever for our food to come, probably because it was packed and there was only one chef working in the kitchen. In the meantime I sipped on my water that was completely lukewarm – Fail. The majority of my friends got tea with their meals, clearly they weren’t as hungover as I was. The tea came in cute little selfie teapots of which I got excited about until they started spilling all over the place. While waiting for our food I also noticed that all the waitresses had red hair to match the red walls, kind of cool. I then directed my attention to the old school ketchup and coke bottles. They really do get a hundred points for having diner décor.
When the food finally came, I was hungry and dove right in. I first noticed that everyone’s portion sizes were ridiculously small for the prices we were paying. My meal was $ 6.95 before taxes and I got 6 hash browns and a small breakfast sandwich. My friend had a good morning breakfast and it didn’t even fill the plate. How’d it taste? Well I must say the hash browns were amazing. They were different and not as crunchy as some might like, but I thought they were great. Since I only had 6 though I was looking for more. The egg in my breakfast sandwich was done to perfection. Cutting it allowed the yolk to bleed out throughout the sandwich and onto my plate, not excessively though. I did feel that I could’ve made a better sandwich at home and it would’ve cost me much less. None of my friends were overly impressed. It could’ve been that it was too busy so I might go back and give it another whirl and steer clear from the breakfast menu. Hash browns and diner feel saved my rating. I guess I’m just used to paying $ 5.95 at The Moustache for a ridiculous amount of hash browns, 2 eggs, fruit, 2 slices of bread, 2 sausages, and 2 pieces of bacon – shaaaaaaaaazam.

I was at the Dinner about a month ago on a Saturday morning. I went after reading the positive reviews here; I’d never been because of the exterior. It was half full and the service was good, we had two basic breakfasts with biscuits and I was so full I couldn’t finish the biscuit. I will be back because the food is homemade, even the pie comes from a local bakery and it’s the only breakfast place in the neighbourhood!

I’d heard a lot about this place, and it is close to my work… so I popped in for lunch. I had breakfast, which seems to be the most popular choice at this establishment… but I have to say the breakfast was only ‘so-​so’. Eggs were a little over done & the hash browns were big chunks and only about 20% of them were actually cooked through.
Also, at 7.95 + tax isn’t that cheap in my opinion for a 2 egg breakfast…

You wouldn’t know it from the outside, but the South End Diner is an adorable piece of the fifties right in the heart of the south end. Checkboard floors, bright red walls, black-​and-​whites of James Dean, fresh baked pies in glass stands… it’s all just so very cute for an all-​day breakfast joint!
From the one server who leafed through a newspaper in between table visits, to the single sheet of paper menu, you can really tell that this is a diner and not a restaurant. You won’t find many special touches here but rather a throwback to simple, filling food. No frills, no fuss, just honest home cooking.
With that in mind, my cheese omelet was fine. It arrived hot, was stuffed with plenty of cheese, and was folded neatly alongside four slices of toast and okay hashbrowns. Of course, I believe potatoes to be a highly subjective food so I’ll let you make your own judgement, but I’m on Team Crispy whereas the South End Diner seems to be on Team Soft.
I don’t think this would be my go-​to breakfast destination since I usually am the most critical of food served as my first meal of the day, have very high expectations, and typically like to see Eggs Benny on the menu, but I do lament the fact that I never made it to this perfect hangover destination during my university life.

As an almost life-​long Halifax native, I wish I had known about this place sooner! The interior is cozy and unpretentious. It’s all about the food here — no extra song and dance necessary. Our waitress was very attentive and cheerful, and quick to bring us our coffee. I had the turkey soup (which was the soup of the day), and it was AMAZING. I don’t know what kind of secret ingredients they put in there, but for $ 4.95, it was one of the most delicious soups I’ve ever eaten. I also got to sample the fishcakes and the omelet (one of the perks of dining with family). The servings are generous but not too over the top, and brunch for 3 (with coffee) came in at under $ 30. If you’re in the south end of Halifax, I would absolutely recommend a trip in to this spot!

Great bare bones place for breakfast. The coffee was great, the fish cakes some of the best that I have eaten. Our waitress was a real pleasure.
The real message of this review is that they did things right for us. The place was packed — every seat taken — which was a bit of a handful for the staff. So, we had to wait a bit for our breakfast to arrive. But the waitress kept checking in with us to keep our coffee cups full and hot. When the food arrived, it was excellent. The fish cakes were steaming, the eggs cooked just the way I requested. So overall it was well worth the wait. It turned into a lovely way to enjoy a cold wintery Saturday morning, chatting over a bottomless cup of coffee in a place with some real Halifax life.

This diner has recently had a change of ownership and the new owners and cook are wonderful.
The interior has been updated and looks wonderful. The service is excellent, you feel like you are visiting with a friend. But all of this pales in comparison to the food. Organic and home made, no preservatives or pre-​cooked garbage, it dosn’t get any better than that.

The South End Diner is a much cherished local gem, and its a spot that has its fair share of regulars. Maintaining an old school mentality, SED an approach that works in its favour and keeps customers charm.
Recent renovations have spruced up the diner’s interiors, and its all with an appropriate dosage. The overall look welcomes customers with its small-​town charm, and deems lovable with its no-​frills but efficient service, and a little bit of gruffness.
Its not about calorie counting or the latest dietary substitutes– The South End Diner serves hearty dishes that are delicious but very straightforward. The sandwiches seem popular, and I’ve heard fantastic things about the breakfast. My own experience alloted for a milkshake, and it was allll the way fantastic.
This spot is just like something you’d imagine in a small town in the mid-​west. Social commentary charges through the meal, as regulars line along the bar. This diner has its own flare and offers a quality character experience for those in the mood for a thick and yummy meal.

My wife and I had the good fortune to eat here twice during our honeymoon last summer: the morning we left for Prince Edward Island, and the morning of our last day in Canada.
This is a tiny place, just a U-​shaped counter with windows on two sides facing the street. The walls are covered with commemorative plates from all over. The food is yummy and all cooked to order.
It’s quaint but it’s real. There’s something wonderful about a place where everyone eating at the counter knows everyone else. The server/​proprietor, one «Miss Ella,» and the cook, whose name I believe is George, seemed to be local legends.
Thanks to the folks at the Westin Hotel across the street, who recommended the South End when I asked about «a decent breakfast place.» They couldn’t have pointed us to a better spot.

Just a heads up everyone:
The South End Diner has recently undergone a pretty impressive face lift and now actually looks the part of the whole in the wall little gem that it is. Prior to this, it sort of looked as though you might have been taking your chances with the e coli fairy by trying this spot out but no more!
This place is located just across from the Atlantic Superstore on Barrington Street and deserves a look.

The South End Diner, do not let the outside deceive you. Most of the locals know about it and it is a regular stop for them.
The inside has your old-​time appeals with the sit at counter and then booths.
You will find the menu of real foods, no frills.
The lunch times get pretty busy with the crowd. They have a great clubhouse, I am not sure why when I go to these places I always get the club.
This is a great place that will not break the bank.

I had a feeling this place might be a hidden gem: looked so old and simple from the outside. Finally checked it out: the most delicious and inexpensive traditional diner breakfast I’ve found in town so far! Delicious fried potatoes, real slices of ham, good coffee. Feels like stepping back in time! I love the stools-​around-​a-​communal-​counter service, but some may not… Will definitely be back regularly.