lucy's eastside diner

loves it:). people that give bad reviews to lucy's eastside diners are people that don't eat a lot and don't know what good food are?? since lucy's eastside diners open last july, i have been a regular and all my friends that i told about this diner that open 24 hours are also become regulars.
where can you have a burger with milk shake or beer??

they have pretty great eggs benedict - and instead of having to choose from the ham, bacon or chorizo versions

for my meal, i had a hard time deciding what to try, so i ended up getting a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup. the tomato soup was not good.

mix of moderately-priced diner & trendy, youthful main street culture. on the walls hang vegan versions of deer antlers - bike handles

took my ketchup!. i had lucy's classic burger platter /triple.
i thought it was a platter that i can taste various burgers (smaller size) but then it turned out to be a burger with three patties. the guy was very nice enough to offer alternative dish if i wanted to change it to something else or a drink. i said it is ok and had the gigantic burger.

my bf came after all so he helped me finishing it but the food wasn't great.
the fries were not crisp, and it was oily and limp... pretty nasty bad. the burger patties were dry and not juicy at all.

but the worst of all, the lady server took my ketchup when she saw that i was using it. i thought she was going to fill it up for meor something (altho it was already pretty full) so i didnt say anything but the ketchup never came back :(

24-hour awesomeness. how can you not love it? open 24 hours. their burger combo is hella reasonably priced - ten bucks for a burger, fries, and milkshake or beer - and the best post-night-out food ever. also tried the mac 'n' cheese, very creamy & cheese, very satisfying.

years ago, main street was alive with truck stop cafes/greasy spoons offering serviceable, basic food to working people in need of uncomplicated, inexpensive meals. spring forward to the present and we've now got themed restaurants based on the idea of an old fashioned diner, furnishing a trip down someone else's memory lane, and providing greasy spoon simulacra for urbanites. slickety jim's was an early pioneer of this self-conscious retro ambience, but a fire did them in last year (although rumour has it that they're coming back to main street soonish). lucy's retro diner emulates real diner food a little too well. filling in the gap at main and 11th is the latest attempt to make the old new - lucy's diner. compared to slickety jim's, which essentially suffocated you with eclectica, lucy's restrains itself with a version of the 1950s as imagined by ikea. the space is small, even cramped.

last sunday i sidled up to the counter at another eastside diner, appropriately called lucy's eastside diner. i was meeting a carless friend who lives nearby so while it's not the most convenient location for me, i can definitely see myself making a repeat visit, perhaps in the middle of the night, since lucy's is open 24 hours. the place is blink-and-you'll-miss-it small, but this only adds to the charm. we received very friendly service that i suspect i can only partially attribute to the server's obvious crush on my dining companion. the food was yummy, though again i didn't venture very far off the beaten path (artichoke, mushroom, pepper, and goat cheese omelette). i'd better start being more adventurous lest i bore you with an endless parade of omelette reviews! the décor is 1950s hipster, which i can really get behind. my very favourite part was the bicycle handlebars mounted like trophy heads on the wall. very clever. my only complaint is the lack of depth between the stools

cute diner atmosphere, basic fare. my friend and i went to lucy's for the first time the other morning for breakfast. i was immediately taken by the clean and kitschy 50s diner atmosphere, sat at the 'bar', and had a decent coffee and breakfast for $10 (including tax + tip).

they were accommodating in 'vegetarianising' my friend's and my breakfast, substituting fresh veggies for sausage without complaint or extra charge (which a lot of places don't do, oddly enough).

the server was friendly and chatty, and i'm looking forward to going back to give myself a heart attack when i order their double-decker grilled cheese and a peanut butter shake sometime -- which could be anytime, since they're open 24/7.

combo success. service was great and food arrived quickly. my fries were delicious (not soggy like others have experienced), my burger was perfectly cooked, and my oreo milkshake tasted just the way an oreo milkshake should. for 10 bucks, i enjoyed this fairly priced meal waaay more than similar meals at denny's.

lucy's eastside diner on main street is open 24 hours - yes, 24 hours - catering to satisfy all of your greasy spoon cravings. lucy's is a throwback to the old school diner, furnished with large booths and gigantic bottles of tabasco sauce on top of their dining tables. light blue and peachy wall colouring and vintage knick knacks continue the retro vibe reflected by the menu. (top to bottom: 1. standard diner setup. 2. fried chicken dinner with mashed potato, gravy, and a mess of

undercooked or soggy fries?. undercooked fries are pale in colour.

on the other hand, soggy fries are a result of mainly two factors.
1. not having the oil up to temp when cooking
2. long hold times before serving to guests

i still think the fries at lucys are notoriously soggy due to improper cooking and serving techniques.

for those who still think lucy has the better burger meal under $10... give vera's or berts down the street a try. you'll also find a great burger, great fries and a glass of any beer on tap for $8.99 (1 buck cheaper and better food)


-----04 nov, 2010-----

budget prices but no value. had a disspointing monte cristo sandwich. wish i took a picture because the inside was a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese and half a piece of canadian bacon straddling the whole sandwich. although it was $6.50, it was still a rip off considering what you get. i bet food cost for the item is around $1. they can charge 3 bucks more, use a slice of swiss cheese, a decent layer of ham and turkey deli meat and then sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and i would gladly pay for that!

hand cut fries were soggy and cold.

food maybe cheap, but the drinks aren't. they do have a nice, small selection of craft beers.

food quality is poor. ingredients are cheap. and my sandwich doesn't meet the basic requirement to be called a monte cristo. which tells me the cooks are inexperienced.

the tomato soup was good for $4. menu said it was roasted, didn't really taste it. wasn't creamy or strained for a nicer texture. seasoning was okay.

my companion had the hamburger. we joked how they didn't use leaf lettuce but small square pieces you find in a bagged salad mix.

it's a shame, cool atmosphere but bad food. i know i shouldn't expect much from plates under $10, but honestly, i have way better meals at dennys (hate to admit it but i'm a moons over my hammy fan) i would skip the food and get a milk shake there instead.

staff were friendly and did check up to see if the food was okay, but by that time i had almost finished my "two pieces of tasteless french toast and half moon shaped canadian bacon" of a monte cristo. i should have said something >_<

can a budget post modern diner survive the discerning mount pleasant food crowd? there are other choices for cheap food in the area with as good or better food (ie sunny spot, renos, berts, and now tim hortons), props for being opened 24/7, another option for late night eats thats not 100% vegetarian.

haven't tried breakfast. hard to mess up if you know how to cook eggs. so i'll give this place one more chance for breakfast.
i'm also judging based on that one horrible sandwich i had. maybe their burgers are better? if so, they need to work on consistent food quality.

did you pay $100 for your dinner? then by all means please whine. i think people just like saying the word 'hipster', it makes them feel superior to some idea they have about something...

as for lucy's, i've been once and will go again- moved here recently from the east and happen to be across the street.

how could anybody complain about a decent burger and fries and a large milkshake for $10? you even get the milk shake container like in olde tymes, basically giving you two full glasses.

the fries were underdone a bit, but that might just be my preference- next time i'll just ask for them well done, no big deal. same for the mayo on my burger- is that a western thing?

when you consider they have to staff the place 24/7 yet prices are pretty low (if you think they're not low, you're a cheap effin prick) then i give lucy's credit for a good meal. i was satisfied and tipped my server accordingly.

looking forward to another visit, maybe for breakfast.

yikes. we went in for a burger and fries. this place puts the "grease" in greasy spoon. our server was awesomely friendly and helpful - our food arrived fast and was sooo not good.

the menus offered more than just a price and picture of the food - they also offered samples (leftover from past visitors).there was food on the walls and the floor was (shudder) even more covered with food.

not going back - don't recommend.

i had the burger with fries and milkshake combo and was satisfied. the burger was quite good and had fresh vegetables with a good bun. i really liked the fries as they were hot and fresh out of the fryer. however, the milkshake was very disappointing. it was very watered down with too much milk. white spot has way better milkshakes but overall a pretty decent meal.