Viral diner known for fluffy, cake-like pancakes & Katsu club. Go for dinner to avoid long brunch waits.
This Chinatown diner, helmed by a Momofuku veteran, offers a unique twist on American classics with Korean and Japanese influences. It's renowned for its "viral" honey butter pancakes, which are described as thick, fluffy, and perfectly sauced. Beyond pancakes, patrons praise the chicken katsu club sandwich and tuna melt, though Korean fried chicken receives mixed reviews. Be prepared for significant waits, especially on weekends, as reservations are highly recommended.
Golden Diner is celebrated for its "viral" honey butter pancakes, noted for their thick, fluffy, cake-like texture and perfect saucing, often described as magical or the best ever. Other highly recommended items include the Katsu club sandwich and tuna melt. Conversely, the Korean fried chicken wings receive mixed to negative reviews, with some finding them too breaded, oily, cold, or overly sweet. The breakfast sandwich and coffee cake also garner positive mentions.
"The honey butter pancakes are a must-try, described as magical, fluffy, and worth the hype. Other highly recommended dishes include the Katsu club sandwich and the tuna melt. Some also enjoy the breakfast burrito and coffee cake."
Customers generally love Golden Diner, especially for their unique pancakes and other creative dishes like the Katsu club sandwich and tuna melt. However, frequent complaints revolve around extremely long wait times, particularly for brunch, leading some to deem it overrated.
Important Note
Wait times can be extremely long, especially on weekends, with some users reporting waits of 2-4 hours. Reservations are highly recommended, and even then, some suggest arriving early for the first seating. Some find the pancakes overly rich or sweet, and the Korean fried chicken has received mixed reviews.
"Golden Diner is recommended as a good choice that fits the user's personal preferences for pancakes with a twist."
Positive"The honey butter pancakes were magnificent and worth waiting for, but the breakfast sandwich was disappointing due to the lack of sauce."
Positive"This user personally likes the Golden Diner pancakes, describing them as crispy on the outside and big and fluffy on the inside. They also suggest Golden Hof for a similar, smaller, and cheaper option with less waiting."
Positive"Golden Diner is suggested as a great option for thicker style pancakes that are becoming more popular. The commenter also notes that the same pancake can be found at their Korean spot, Golden Hof."
Positive"This commenter noted that Golden Diner was legitimately great and reasonably priced before the pandemic, but implied that current prices might be higher."
Positive"Golden Diner's menu is available all day, and it's recommended to go in the evenings during dinner time to avoid crowds."
Positive"The tuna melt at Golden Diner is described as divine."
Positive"Golden Diner is listed as a recommended spot for a tuna sandwich."
Positive"The wait at Golden Diner is not bad during dinner, and it's also an option to take food to-go."
Positive"This commenter noted that while Golden Diner is a good option, they are hesitant due to potentially long wait times, but would keep it in mind."
Neutral"Golden Diner is recommended as a place for a tuna sandwich."
Positive"Suggests swapping Golden Diner for Katz's, as Golden Diner requires waiting over 2 hours for a table."
Negative"Questions if walking into Golden Diner is difficult now, recalling easy walk-ins for one person on weekday afternoons. Also notes Golden Hof is an option for pancakes but lacks the diner atmosphere."
Neutral"When waits are long at Golden Diner, suggests giving your name/number and visiting nearby art galleries while waiting for a call when the table is ready."
Neutral"Mentions Golden Hof as an alternative to Golden Diner and notes its easier accessibility from anywhere in NYC."
Neutral"Confirms that obtaining pancakes at Golden Hof with no wait is possible, having done so recently."
Neutral"Recommends Golden Hof for pancakes and also mentions Super Nice Pizza's brunch for a similar dish and Sal & Cookies for masa pancakes with spiced honey butter."
Neutral"This user stated that Golden Diner, despite recommendations, was not better than IHOP."
Negative"Suggests Golden Hof as a 'hack' for pancakes and advises that looking for same-day or next-day dinner reservations at Golden Diner is usually easy."
Neutral"Suggests Golden Hof as a sister restaurant or visiting Golden Diner for dinner, as reservations are easier to obtain then."
Neutral
