05/20/09

H. Moore

by CSMobileUser2

Good food. But donlt put your quarters in the jukebox's on the table. They don't play music and you wonlt get a refund. That really aggrivated me.

02/17/09

A shiny diner that needs some polish.

by arsbadmojo

I wasn't looking for this place - someone had told me to check out an Asian market in the neighborhood; but when I saw what looked to be a real live diner, I was very excitied.

The excitement didn't last long. It was Saturday morning around 10:00 and I had to wait for a table. I can't really ding them for that; after all, if there's a crowd it usually means the place is pretty good, right? But in this case, no one seemed to be bussing tables. In other words, I don't mind waiting if the place is full - but if there are tables with uncleared dirty dishes AND I'm waiting - that's a problem.

I finally got a seat at the bar. Menu is pretty much straight up diner fare, with prices on the high side. $9 for Eggs Benedict? Unfortunately that's what I was hungry for. Turns out it didn't matter anyway; they were out of english muffins. Hello? You're a diner on a Saturday - there's just no excuse for that.

So I ordered a Rueben. Didn't really go with the OJ I had already ordered in anticipation of breakfast, but the waitress didn't think to ask. I saw 3 waitresses working front of the house, I think they could have really used 4 because there was very little attention paid to me. No one did a mid-meal check, see if everything was OK.

The Rueben was pretty good, but the pickle they served me with it was this pathtic little runt that looked like it had already been chewed on. If I had seen my waitress I would have asked her if she thought it looked good enough to serve, but by the time she got back to me I just wanted to get out.

I'm wresting with giving the place 2 stars (below) or 3 (average). I'm going with 2 because I expected more, and I don't think it was too much to ask. If you're a diner, you just don't run out of english muffins. Hire another waitress and a high school kid to bus tables.

Also - Pepsi products, ewww. You're a diner - spring for Coke.

• Pros: Has the look of a real diner, fast.
• Cons: Service isn't stellar, on the expensive side

07/22/08

The search ends at Gypsy's..GREAT FOOD for us New Yorkers!!!

by RDUINFO

Went to Gypsy's on Sunday for breakfast..great service, indeed as other wrote a nice loud jukebox (but not as loud as the other post had said, it was just top tapping right, we are older not DEAD..lighten up people ;)

Food was of great quality and the friendlly staff including the owner telling me "Thanks for you business, we appreciate it you coming to Gypsys"..The SHiny Diner has just received 6 new "regulars at all hours of the week

• Pros: Gypsy's Jewel breakfast, HUGE Milkshakes, Coconut Cream pie
• Cons: my waistline after Gypsy's ;)

02/18/08

Bring Ear Plugs

by Davidla

The food is okay and the service is improving. The music is so loud that it will make you want to leave if you are sitting under one of the sets of speakers. People almost scream at each other to talk at the same table. Will probably stop going there because when asked if they could cut volume down just a little was told it is against management policy to cut the music down. So much for customer satisfaction. There use to be 6 of us that went there regularly, which was reduced to 3 and now if I want to go I will go by myself. The 10 layer cake is great, but I'll just stop and get it to go in the future.

12/30/07

Average diner at best but Good for the Triangle

by jasondburke

I've had good experiences and the Shiny Diner and bad experiences there hence the average rating. This is the place I take people from out of town to for breakfast and I'd say I probably eat here 3 times a month. If you enjoy diner food then this is really the only place I have found in the Triangle that closely resembles what you'll find in NY or Jersey. It is a greasy spoon diner. If you go then I highly recommend going during the "sweet spot". The "sweet spot" is the time between 8:30 and 10:30 on Saturdays and Sundays when most people down here are in Church. If you get there after 10:30 then most likely you'll have to wait - and wait, and wait some more. The staff isn't exactly the most friendly which is somewhat expected because of the fast pace of a diner in the morning however they aren't nearly as efficient as they should be so when your catching a bad attitude after inefficient service it rubs the wrong way. The food is good but definitely overpriced for a diner. I recommend the gypsy jewel for breakfast and the granny chicken sandwich for lunch. They also need to learn how to refill coffee, at a good diner I never see the bottom of my coffee cup. Also a somewhat annoying feature of the diner is the 50's and 60's music that blares throughout the place. You shouldn't have to sell a diner based on a retro theme. I don't remember any great diners that I've been to back home that play 50's music but maybe they need to do that down here to get people in the door who are used to eating at chain restaurants like IHOP, Perkins or Waffle House. Parking can also be tough during busy times as there have been a few times where I needed to park across the street at the Border's Book Store. Overall for some of its negatives this will be the place I continue to eat breakfast at until I find something better in the Triangle to replace it with.

• Pros: Greasy spoon diner, Better than chains like IHOP
• Cons: Cramped Parking, Long waits, Inefficient service, Overpriced, Annoying music

11/02/07

Not what I expected

by baileysrock

My niece and I went here for dinner- it was so disappointing- never again! The owner, cook & wait staff need to take lessons from the folks up north- even in Durham @ Elmo's. Huge disappointment. The staff was not friendly at all. Management needs to take a look at revamping this place- starting with the employees! Never AGAIN will I dine here!

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Food, staff, environment & prices

06/19/07

A bit pricey, decent service, great food, could stand a good cleaning.

by ackahol

Our overall experience at Gypsy's was good. We didn't have to wait for a table and our server was reasonably friendly. The only downsides I can think of are the prices ($7-8 for an omelette with hash-browns) and cleanliness. At least a little of the money they make should go towards repairing and cleaning the place. Bench seats were torn, the laminated menus were peeling apart, and anywhere dirt and grime could collect (even in plain site) it did. My fiance said the coffee was good - better than similar restaurants. We may have spent $2-3 dollars more than we would have at Cracker Barrel, so really, it wasn't too bad. We were both completely satisfied with the meals and plan to return and give the burgers a try. Oh, and the bacon was way too salty.

• Pros: The food
• Cons: Too small for large groups, could use a few repairs

Sparkling counter tops and malt-thick shakes are only the beginning.

by Contributor

In Short
Jump in the long line to get a seat with everyone else, or pass the time by surrendering your quarters to the jukebox just inside the door. The fare is a cut above your typical greasy spoon. You can order fresh tuna fish or grilled chicken sandwiches, as well as Caesar salads and fresh soups. The requisite burgers and fries do find a prominent place on the menu.

03/28/06

Horrible unprofessional service

by georgecf99

I will never go to this restaurant again. No one at my table received a refill at all and we ate our food with no drink. I tried to see if they could take the drinks off my bill and was attacked with expletives by not only the server but the manager as well. Two ladies said that since we came in as a group we should have expected to get sorry service. She then explained I had to pay for my drinks whether the service was bad or good. The service here is horrible and totally unethical. Especially bad if you are under 30 and with a group.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Expensive, Horrible Service, Unfriendly

10/30/05

A Great Experience

by tommy9205

This was a great restaurant. The classic 1950s diner feel made it a very unique, pleasant, quaint place. The food was wonderful, and the service was good. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants the classic 1950s jukebox style place. It is a small diner, though, and sometimes gets full, but if you do have to wait for a table or place at the counter, your wait will be worth it!

• Pros: Great food, Great service, Goood decor
• Cons: Small, Lots of customers