Walking into Angelo’s Diner felt like walking into a familiar place I’ve known all my life. Everyone seemed to know each other, and you immediately felt like you were a part of the family. 

As I headed towards the counter, I was greeted with a warm smile from one of the waitresses. She asked me if I was eating here or to go. “For here,” I replied. The waitress told me to sit anywhere near the counter. A wave of relief fell over me as I was afraid I would have to wait outside like a few other people.

I proceeded to sit down at the closest stool and began looking at the menu. The menu, while very simplistic, had bright coloring and a very old-fashioned look. Emphasizing the classic, all-American diner vibe. 

Since I am a broke college student, I immediately began looking at the pricing. To my surprise, the menu items were all under $10 and overall very affordable. 

I had just come back from a workout class, so I was fairly hungry. I decided to order one of the larger breakfast meals, which included eggs, home fries, bacon, and toast. 

As I waited for my meal, I drank the orange juice I had ordered upon arrival. Of course, it tasted like regular orange juice, but I appreciated the waitress giving me a straw and a freshly washed cup. Cleanliness seems to be a rarity these days so I always respect a restaurant that still prioritizes it. 

Despite what seemed to be a busy morning, I received my food within less than half an hour. I was delighted to see a full plate of steaming hot food placed in front of me. I was so excited that I didn’t even know where to start. 

I started with the homefries, the fries had been cut into tiny squares, lightly seasoned, crispy but soft at the same time. I personally would have liked the fries to be even crispier, but overall they were decent. 

Next, I tried the bacon. I don’t usually eat pork bacon but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to eat a classic diner breakfast. The bacon was nicely salted, slightly burnt, and crispy just the way I like it. I devoured all three pieces within a few minutes. 

Proceeding was the main course, which was the eggs. I could eat eggs anyway and enjoy them, however, the waitress asked me while I was ordering how I would prefer my eggs to be cooked. I am not a huge fan of runny yolk, so I asked for them to be hard-fried. 

I can say the eggs were fried to my standard, but they could’ve used more seasoning. I had to add extra salt and pepper, and ketchup to be able to finish them. 

What made up for the under-seasoned eggs were the heartwarming conversations I overheard while eating. One of the other waitresses was talking to what appeared to be one of the regular customers named Sage. Sage seemed tired and a little out of it, but she welcomed him with open arms regardless. She began asking him questions about his girlfriend, Jules, even asking if he wanted to take a box to go for her. I could see that these waitresses truly cared for their customer’s well-being, and this establishment was a safe place for many people. 

Finally, came the toast. At this point, I was incredibly full and regretted my decision to order as much as I did. However, I still made room for one final bite of food. The toast was buttery and soft, and there were two jam choices: strawberry and grape. I tried to use both, but I couldn’t open the grape jam, which was a little disappointing, but I won’t hold it against them. 

After finishing my meal and my orange juice, I was finally ready to pay. The total came out to $10, including the orange juice. I paid cash and gave an extra $10 tip for the great service. 

Overall, I would rate Angelo’s Diner a four out of five. There are probably better diners out there, but for the price and service, you really can’t beat it. I think this is a perfect breakfast spot for any college student looking for a filling meal for under $20.

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