Review York St. Diner - Duncan

Rating based on food only (the decor is dated, and frankly a little perplexing). The portion was huge, my food was served on a literal platter. Everything cooked to perfection. Best bacon I’ve had out in a long time. Thick sliced! Hash browns done very well. Coffee was decent. They were short staffed but food still came quickly and very pleasant service. I’ll be back for sure.

Some good, some not so good. I had the "Little Cake" breakfast, a pancake and choice of meat, the server suggested the ham as it was cut "off the bone" from a real ham and portion was generous. The pancake was as big as my head, fluffy and delicious and the ham lived up to it's billing, excellent breakfast. My husband was not so infatuated with his meal, he ordered the breakfast special with shredded hash browns and got cubes, the back bacon was very salty but the poached eggs were perfect and the sourdough toast was excellent. He asked for mustard, which did not come until we asked for it again, and nobody offered to refill his coffee. Price was reasonable although they charged extra for the mustard, never had that happen before. The server was friendly and the place was packed. Not a mask in sight, but that is, of course, personal preference these days.

I had the York Street breakfast, my wife had the chicken and waffles. Mine was ok, the Chicken and Waffles were very good.

Wouldn’t have picked it out on first look. Referred by a friend. Convenient location. Good parking. Generous breakfast. Well priced. Tasty. Coffee is decent. Staff were friendly and attentive. Following vacc pass protocol. Sadly not doing supper anymore temporarily do to lack of business and the vacc pass. The decor is tired but I would recommend for breakfast place.

This place has amazing breakfast and the prices are very decent for the portion sizes. The staff is very nice and the parking is not too bad. The dishes that I always get are: *Going bananas (French toast with bananas, whipped cream and Jamaican rum syrup) *chicken and waffles And a few others but forgot the names. I went for lunch once but the chilli didn't taste right at the time so it turned me off of anything other than breakfast there. I highly recommend this place. 👌

My bf and I were looking for a lunch stop while in Duncan for a short bit. The diner hit the spot in all the right ways: spacious, friendly staff, service, price and quality of food. It was hard to judge what it’d be like from the outside but we were pleasantly surprised with this diner once in! I was too hungry to take a picture of my Chicken&Waffle dish as I inhaled it the second it got to my table! I rarely would order something like that but I just had a craving and it was SO SO satisfying. Waffles were fluffy, perfect size and the chicken was crispy without any grease! Topped with whipping cream and drizzle of the mayo/mustard sauce. We’ll definitely stop in again!

Amazing breakfast! We went on Mother’s Day and the service was great! Size of the breakfast is more than good, we didn’t even finish our meals because of how big they were. Perfect place for a morning coffee and chatting

Yum alert! We had the Going Bananas French Toast (side plate of eggs) and the Hungry Man plate and both were FABULOUS!

Love this place! Best oysters I have ever had. Service is friendly and efficient. I have their Oyster Basket almost once a week and have never been disappointed.

Some of the best food in Duncan! No meat arrives pre-done, all meat is fresh and  'home-made', like the luscious burger patties. Meat loaf is to die for. Portions are generous, and prices are moderate.Very pleasant staff, and superb coffee. Highly recommended.

Another good evening at York where you get good food and friendly service without emptying your bank account. You never leave hungry and they do not skimp on the food they put on your plate.Just had my turkey dinner and now I feel stuffed. I always loved their service. Once they get to know you, they give you the VIP treatment. Go there and try it out, you will not be disappointed. Also if you like the good old pop music from the 60's, this is the place to go. Drop by and say hi to the girls that working here. They aim to please you and they want happy customers.

The first time we went here, it was awesome. I ordered a burger fries and gravy. The burger was nicely grilled on a nice kind of mini crispy sub bun and the gravy was thick and tasty. The fries were perfect and the service was awesome. <br/><br/>The second time we went it wasn't so great. I ordered the same thing because it was so good last time. This time they gave me a flat standard burger bun...you know the kind that fall apart while trying to eat it. The burger was nicely done but having all the toppings and bun fall apart while eating was not a good time. I ended up eating it with a fork and knife. The server said that I have to specifically order the good bun next time, but I didn't specifically ask for it the first time...so what's up with that? Also the gravy was like dish water. It's like the kid who preps in the back added too much water to the brown gravy powder. The server did not seem to interesting in that feedback. It was like, "Oh well, what can you do?". But why ask how everything is, if you don't want to hear it. It's like a rhetorical question to her. The fries were not fully done. Not crispy by far. To top it all off, it was a rainy day and only three tables of customers, yet the service was slow. I was waiting for drink and I saw our server mopping the floor in a different area of the restaurant where there were no customers. Maybe she thought that if she starts the evening clean up early, she'd get home quicker? <br/><br/>Anyway...two visits to the same restaurant one the same day of the week and the same time of day but one visit was fantastic and the second was terrible. We'll give it one more chance, but we might just stick to going to Mr. Mikes. Which is always good.

Amazing food!! Good service!! Although could use a touch up or two, love their environment. And their food is well cooked. And it tastes great.

I have nothing bad to say.tgey have great service and great food.and the prices are great.we love to dine in or take out 😀 they are very under rated on this Web site

I ordered take out. My beef dip (which most restaurants offer au jus for dipping!) was gravy! Apparently I had to specifically ask for au jus, which I didn't even know about as every beef dip I've had automatically comes with au jus, not gravy!<br/><br/>My kids had the mini macs and the noodles were overcooked and the mac itself was tasteless. My grandmothers country fried chicken was soggy and overpriced. Will NOT be ordering there again. Tried trying a new place, what a mistake that was! Spent almost $60 for this meal! <br/><br/>Another note: when my grandmother picked our order up she said the servers seems very snobby and not attentive to her.<br/><br/>Go to the Doghouse- at least they know how to prepare a beef dip!<br/>

Best comfort food in the cowichan valley, amazing owners and great customer service , would recommend to anyone looking for a great meal in Duncan.

Mighty good eh. We had a delish chicken burger and beef burger & soup n fries - all real good. This place has gone uphill in the last couple years. Could be cleaner or I'd give a five star.

Been here several times and have never been disappointed. Love that I could substitute plantains for bread in the sandwich options. Nice change for gluten free people. Keep up the good work.😊

I have eaten here a number of times for both lunch and dinner. Great diner food! Best Bacon and tomato sandwich! Chick pea salad is wonderful.

A nice casual and friendly atmosphere with excellent service no matter how busy. Breakfast is amazing with something for everyone. No processed meat on their Clubhouse sandwich, I can never finish it. Fabulous home style cooking without the clean up. From appies to desert you can't go wrong. <br/>PS... Prime Rib Saturday is a must

This little place is a pleasant surprise in what is kind of a hard area to find yummy food! I am doing my time in the area and have made it my mission to find delicious things here, and have so far not been super successful. But York St. Diner is a little gem! <br/><br/>The food is a solid "Good!" - not crazy foodie food, and not cheap diner food, it lands somewhere in the delicious middle. Almost like mama made, but still somewhat fancier. Nice portions of tastiness, well made with what seems to be a small pinch of secret ingredient (love perhaps?). The decor and music are surprising also, as it is not what you expect from the exterior or location by a long shot. The tunes both times I have been in are excellent. Small prices for the size of portions and quality of food as well. <br/><br/>As long as I am in the area, this will be a go-to. Thumbs up York St. Diner! Thanks for filling my belly!

Great food, I think our favorites include the roast turkey (sandwich or dinner) and the Ukrainian plate.  We've not had breakfast there but I think it's safe to assume it's good too.

I've been here 2-3 times now and haven't been disappointed. It's a nice cafe with a good atmosphere and the service has been good. I've only been in for breakfast/brunch and everything I've tried has been really good. Great pancakes... HUGE though!

Valentines Day Supper. We've been eating at the York Diner for about two years now, since we came to the area. Always liked the food and the good portions. We decided to go there this year for our Valentines day supper with another couple. The food was good, but we all noticed that the portions were downsized by one third of the usual portions. What a disappointment after we sat there in great anticipation of the forthcoming meals. Maybe it was a new cook, who knows. We won't write the place off yet and will give it one more chance, but if the portions are what we received on Valentines day, we will be looking for a new favourite spot.

Excellent home style food. All meats are prepared onsite. Excellent value as the servings are huge. Great diner feel.

UP - Price is reasonable, i guess...<br/><br/>DOWN - Super slow. Coffee was pretty nasty. Worst Benny Ive ever had. Shrimp were still cold sauce was pathetic. Service was weak at best.<br/><br/>OUT - I'd never suggest this place to a friend.

This is REAL FOOD!. Love this place. Amazing breakfasts, great curry, fabulous corned beef and I hear the turkey dinner is great! (Plan to try it this weekend!) It's a culinary jewel...but if you're after ambiance, this isn't for you. Great Food. Clean well kept restaurant.

Great Food!. My wife and I recently stopped in while visiting in Duncan, thanks to the Urbanspoon app (and seeing the location when we stopped in at Wendy's the day before). I opted for the York Burger and she had the Clubhouse. Portion sizes were more than generous (see uploaded pics). Burger was fresh with lots of toppings. The bun was part of a french loaf (nice touch!), and by the time I got around to starting to eat the burger the bottom of the bun was saturated with juices. Had to eat this over the plate, elbows out; the way a burger should be! My wife's Clubhouse had the option of two or three slices of bread; with bacon, ham, and real turkey breast! We both enjoyed our meal and was recommending it to people we know in the area. Next time I'm here, I'll have to try the waffles and fried chicken!<br/><br/>For sure worth checking out.

Very Happy Diner. We have just tried this diner after it changed hands from being a Greek restaurant. The service was wonderfully friendly and the food was extremely well prepared. My daughter thought she had died and gone to heaven when she looked at the roast beef dinner. The Yorkshire pudding and diner gravy were really something to behold. Portions were huge, so get ready to take something home. Other than the Old Fork, this is our new "go to" place for home made food. Thanks for a great experience mid week. We weren't expecting it to be so good.

My wife and I just had lunch there the other day and thought it was really a nice place. Far better than what the outside looks like. Service was pretty good. Nice and friendly. I had the Reuben. It wasn't thinly sliced at all, so everytime I took a bite, a slice of corned beef would slap me in the chin. My wife's chowder was good but tasted like a store bought base. I will go back because I want to try the awesome looking burgers!

Food and Service. I have to admit to being a fan of Lloyd's cooking since before the York St Diner. His food is awesome, if you don't like something he has made most of the time he can change it. I have never had to "ask" for more water or coffee. <br/> My biggest review for this diner comes from the day that my husband had one of his "spells" in the Diner. They come on suddenly without rhyme or reason, so there is no way to plan around or for them. They leave him scared and a little spacey.<br/> Now the girls on duty at the time could have panicked when he walked out of the bathroom scared to death and his pants undone, or they could have been mean spirited and yelled at him. They didn't, they showed more professionalism than some medical professionals I have seen. They helped me get him situated and even sat with him while I pulled the car up front. <br/> There is more to being a diner than just good food. Diners are family oriented meaning they treat all like family. They will always have my business

Great diner style menu with amazing food! Clean, modern look with family good food!<br/>5 stars!!!!!!

No breakfast for us.... Well York st diner had become me and my boyfriends' favorite breakfast spot in Duncan. we went there regularly at least once a month, if not twice.. we were always so happy when we went there and enjoyed our food (even though the has browns were never fully cooked) but we were always happy with our food it was delicious and the atmosphere and staff were very comfortable... <br/>BUT then one day, my boyfriend and I woke up late in the day, and really wanted breakfast. we knew they stopped serving breakfast @ 12:30 so we rushed to get ready, and drove there, we got there and it was 12:33 and we said hi, sat down and asked " we can still get breakfast right???" she says no, my boyfriend and I both reply saying how we really came here to get breakfast, please can you ask if we can have breakfast we just rushed to get here. the waitress said "I guess I can ask". well... meanwhile as she is in the kitchen talking to the cook, another guy walked out saying no, he wanted breakfast and left. so the waitress comes back to our table and says "no, breakfast anymore, onto lunch" I COULDNT BELIEVE IT! we looked at each other and said no way, we are leaving. and we never went back... our new favorite spot is THE OLD FORK!

It's no coincidence.. Discovered the York cafe last fall when i met my son there for lunch. Good food. During the winter back twice for lunch. Good. Judy and I stopped for early dinner on drive home to Qualicum Beach from Victoria to 'test drive' one of their dinners. Very, very good. Three times an indication -- four times a trend. Met Son for lunch again today -- I'm in -- If it isn't the best place to lunch in Duncan it's good enough for me!

Excellent Food and Service.. Like Ron, I frequently work in Duncan and I must admit that the York Street Diner has become my favourite place to eat when working in Duncan.<br/><br/>Food is good, portions are generous, service is quick and cheerful and prices are very reasonable.<br/><br/>Roast Beef, turkey, fish and chips and the meal loaf? Wow, just excellent.

Deeta. This diner is indeed in the greasy spoon category<br/><br/>Arrived a few minutes before 12:30 for breakfast after being told by someone whom I thought knew food. The menu stated breakfast was on the menu until 12;30<br/><br/>Told by the waitress that breakfast was over. <br/><br/>The cook was making greasy gravy for the lunch menu!<br/><br/>The menu is limited with breakfast over and other menu items not served until 4:30. <br/><br/>This is a diner!<br/><br/>Well, I ordered the meatloaf sandwich, "Please toast the bread well, but not black". I asked for mashed potatoes, which all around the world comes with meatloaf. No, not happening!. Apparently in this restaurant, you will have fries with that!.<br/><br/>The cook should learn how to make gravy, which was a mass of grease, the meatloaf was probably cooked in bacon and the pan juices were not skimmed, The dish also served with greasy onions, greasy fries, greasy gravy. <br/><br/>All in all a no go!<br/><br/>Service:<br/><br/>Strange service. I had to ask for water, had to ask for a second cup of coffee, but did not have to ask for the bill. Had to wait to pay my bill while my waitress was interrupted by another for a till training session.<br/><br/>The waitress used a tray while cleaning off tables, which is a plus in Duncan.<br/><br/>This is a diner for those who wear their hats backwards, and talk at the top of their voices.<br/><br/>The tariff is high for this type of service and food quality.

Delicious and plentiful. We have eaten breakfast and lunch here, breakfast was very good and the lunch portions were huge and probably my favourite of the two meals. Enjoyed it and will definitely be back.

Good diner and value ,will go again

Yeah, good food in Duncan. I work up in duncan quite a bit. I have have more bad dining experinces than good but York St Diner is a great place to go. I have probably had 2 dozen meals there now and was not EVER dissapointed in any meal. There were early hiccups right after they opened but nothing major. It is now a well oiled machine. Good prices great portions great food. Nice fresh daily made suop, great meatloaf, just very good all they way through. Servers are always cheery and attentive. A must place to go for home cooked style diner food....

Diner fare - pretty good. I've been more than once and had burgers and fish and chips (bit greasy). If you are looking for diner food then that is exactly what you will get. If you are wanting "fine" dining you're in the wrong place. The burgers and fries are good (make sure to get a 2nd napkin) and contrary to another review there are some gluten free options available. (Not a ton - but it's a diner). The kids all enjoyed their food (which is rare) and they all ask to go back. Wait staff was friendly and helpful, we didn't have a long wait (either to be seated or served). We will go again.

Great Food and Service. I have tried many dishes from this restaurant and have never had a bad meal - including the turkey dinner sandwhich, roast beef dinner (with the hugest homemade yorkshire i have ever seen yum!), chicken burger with real chicken breast, homemade hamburgers like dad made when you were a kid and even the tastiest french fries,,, good portion sizes that give me a quick snack for later and fill up my ever hungry husband... as for people saying it is salty I do not cook with salt at home and am sensitive to salty cooking - never have I thought the food was salty, just properly seasoned and not bland like some other restaurants I have eaten at...

Five of Five Will Be Back. I was with a group of five who all enjoyed their meals. Two of us had the roast turkey dinner and couldn't finish it as there was so much on the plate. Real turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, with lots of veggies. We were told they cook the turkey, beef and ham in-house and I hope they can keep that up. The place was busy even though it was mid-week. Service was good. The decor changed a bit from Bravo's, but this could be improved upon. <br/> I'll end with saying that at least one of us has been back and enjoyed their meal again.

Worst meal in Duncan. First time there, there were no knives and forks at the table to begin with. Then the food came and the Yorkshire Puddings were absolutely burnt. All the food is over salted. Veggie burger was like it was deep fried in grease (What's with that). As for vegetables included in the turkey dinner with veggies, the veggies were two small pieces of carrots and the rest onions, must have just been stuff on sale at Superstore. As for cranberry dressing, I think it was an up sale that we couldn't afford because it wasn't included with the turkey dinner. As for water there must be a drought in the Cowichan Valley, but thank god we are camels and we have our humps. Will we go back? When there is water in the river. You can decide for yourself by looking at the picture attached.

Ugliest unfocused restaurant I've ever been too. Food was over salty and cold. Bad experience. Never going back

York Street Diner a Must!. I have eaten at the YSD 3 times. I had the best meatloaf in my life every time I went.<br/>Each time we were greeted at the door and promptly brought to our table. A glass of iced water arrived whilst we were perusing the menu.<br/>We ordered and it didn't take long before our orders arrived. I was fascinated with the presentation of my meat loaf dinner. I dug in to my dinner and to my complete surprise, it was the best meat loaf, bar none I have tasted.<br/>There was such a variety on the menu and my daughter had the turkey dinner which she announced had the best stuffing she had tasted in a restaurant.<br/>The waiter was most attentive to us...making sure we had enough water...was everything all right?<br/>I have eaten in many restaurants and today this is my favorite.

The best "diner " in town !!!. After some growing pains , this has fast become a go - to place for good old-fashioned food ... The menu is quite good and there's something for every taste ... I've seen the negative reviews and really think those people should give it another shot ... We haven't been for breakfast yet , so I can't comment on that , ...however we have been many times for lunch and dinner and always leave very happy ...The staff is fantastic!!! Rhonda is amazing and always so friendly ( it might help I went to school with her , lol ) ... The waiters are really friendly and the waitresses are wonderful too ! There has never been a time that we've had anything but great service , even when things are hopping , and believe me , sometimes it is really hopping ... Sometimes you don't feel like going out , nor do you feel like cooking ... well , ... we've started to order the food and pick it up to go ... What a pleasant surprise ... You barely have time to drive there before the food is ready , and the quality doesn't suffer ... we've had many great "take-aways " and are always pleased ... Give this place a shot ... It's clean , very friendly , not expensive and is a pleasure to eat there ...

Service was nice enough. The food was so disappointing. The ceaser was oily and disgusting. No vegetarian options. Thinking the caesar salad was vegetarian, I ordered it. It was full of bacon bits, the dressing was strong and, sadly, destroyed the potentially good tasting meal. he garlic toast was greasy and not tasty at all. I will not be returning again.

Good Food & Good Service. This is a great Restaurant that offer you good food and good price.<br/>You don't leave hungry and you wallet is still in good shape. Stop in and try it out<br/><br/><br/>-----24 Jul, 2012-----<br/><br/>Dinner. Today I tried the Roast beef and it was delicious and affordable. The service are good and friendly peoples. If in Duncan, give it a try. Just across from wendy.Fred Havn

York St. Diner ... : (. My husband and I went to the York St. Dinner and had breakfast.. Never again .. The best thing was the ice water... Dog House any day.. : )

Meats made in house. I took my mom and daughter out for lunch on Mother's Day. When we arrived it did take a little bit to be recognized at the door. I think it was because everyone was so busy with their customers. When we got noticed we did get seated right away thou. The menu had alot of options. I decided to get the Beef Dip with chickpea salad, my daughter got the pulled pork sandwich and my mom got the clubhouse. The food did arrive fast and everything was made from scratch. The clubhouse had in house roast turkey and baked ham in the sandwich which added suculent flavor. And their fries were hand cut fries. My daughter's pulled pork sandwich which was also made in house was really good. She did say thou there was no slaw on the sandwich like the menu said, she got sauteed onions on it instead. Not too sure why she got that instead of the slaw. She also mentiond that the sauce was put on top of the meat and if the sauce was mixed in with the meat it would enhance the sandwich even better. My Beef Dip was really flavourful but I did find the beef a bit dry. The Au jus was amazing and the chichpea salad is a must try! Unfortunetly after our meals were finished it did take some time for our plates to be removed and I had to flag down our server for our bill. I did notice they were busy but being their first weekend open the restaurant should be over staffed, not under staffed, as it is common sense that people are going to want to try out the new restaurant. And good food with good service brings people back. I will give the restaurant another try as the food was great and hopefully they can mend out the humps in the new restaurant.