Really enjoyed this place when it was Kens diner (miss my old style loose meat sandwiches) but have enjoyed the Hot Beef mashed tatoes an great gravy! Its my fav! Also i love all the breakfast items. Not one bit of badness here. Great place to have fun conversations an eat till your happy!
(5)
Tony M.
A visit to the Home Plate Diner is like visiting an old friend, it's home cooking, plain and simple, the hot roast beef is crazy good, the chicken strips are great, and you will not find a better breakfast in town, I honestly don't remember ever having a bad meal here, if I have one complaint it would be that a place like this should be open 24hrs! That way you can get great food when you leave the bar at closing time!
(4)
Kurt F.
Home Plate Diner is a solid old-school diner. The coffee is hot, the breakfast is greasy and hearty (which is precisely how I like my diner breakfasts), and everything is cooked how you order it. The biscuits and gravy were quite tasty and they were definitely not shy with the sausage gravy. The chicken fried steak was very much on par as well. The coffee was piping hot and accompanied by all the half & half I could ask for. That's about 4 little cups for me. I like my coffee creamy! The service here is good and the staff hospitable. Our service was good, but a little slower than I would have liked.The locals obviously love this place as despite being a gloomy, rainy Tuesday morning, it was still packed. The manager even chipped in to help get food out, so the staff definitely works together as a team when things get busy. While they lack the bar of the other location, everything else is pretty much the same. If you're in the neighborhood and you want good old fashioned diner food, you can't really go wrong with Home Plate Diner. If you want your coffee Irish however, you'll have to hit up the other location. All around a very solid American diner with great food.
(4)
Chad S.
We've never had a bad meal here. The wait staff is always fast and friendly. They have great daily specials and always manage to fill you up. -Update- Went from 4 stars to 2. Here's why.... We came here for dinner, on this night, and wow. Our waitress was really nice and helpful. We started off with smothered chips. Then we got a hot dog for our daughter, my wife got breakfast and I had the house special which was a chicken noodle casserole dish. Everything was good until the second bite of my casserole. It had a hair wrapped around a noodle. Our waitress came over and I told her about/showed her the hair. She apologized and sent over the manager. All of a sudden there was a lady just standing by our table. I looked up at her and she just goes "there something wrong?" I told her what had happened and she didn't apologize but told us she'd take my meal off the bill and then walked away. We noticed that the owner was there also. He talked to everyone but us as he walked by our table, looked for a second then walked out the door. Bottom line is, we won't be back here again. This one experience out ways all the good ones that we've had here. Eaters beware!
(2)
Summer M.
We love their breakfast! The pancakes, biscuits n gravy, hash browns, and their amazing chicken fried steak. Sooo good. We have only been their one time for dinner. I had the turkey club, which was OK, and fries which were pretty good. My husband had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. It says on the menu to allow 25-30 min. We were OK with the wait, expecting something amazing since we had to wait so long. About 45 minutes later he was wholly disappointed and under seasoned chicken and disgusting gravy. The manager asked for suggestions on how to improve it. Who knows if he actually listened. Stick to breakfast menu items and you can't go wrong.
(4)
Nate P.
Solid selection on the menu. I had their Meatloaf club and it was quite good. The service was okay, had to wait around for silverware and then again for more water. But they were every friendly. Place was clean and had the traditional diner feel. Would come back again.
(4)
Kelly S.
Only been to Homeplate for breakfast, both times on the weekend. The place is always busy, and the wait-staff is always moving! Both times I was there I had to wait for a table to be cleaned off, when th place is that busy they need a full-time busser. Today, my waitress had to clean a table off so there would be a place to seat us. I don't want to watch my waitress busing tables. The food is good. The pancakes are awesome. I order my eggs over medium and they were cooked perfectly both times I was there. A+ Now let me tell you why I only gave it two stars... The manager acts like a horses ass. He walks around, gets in the way, a bothers people while they're eating. Today, I asked for a to-go box. He actually said, in front of me, that he should charge for them! .70 cents!! The wait staff was embarrassed and apologized for him. I will not be back. I can make my own amazing pancakes and eat them in peace.
(2)
Olga R.
Terrible. Old and dirty. The food is greasy and cold. Staff had dirty fingernails and looked like trailer park inhabitants
(1)
Virginia M.
We were looking forward to trying this diner so much but we were incredibly disappointed. When you walk in it smells like rancid oil. It also smells musty, like in an old building. Once we ordered they took a long time with our order even when there was just another two top order. Our waitress acted like she was doing us a favor by taking our order. I'm not sure if she is racist or was put in a bad mood before she came to our table... But she was really friendly with the other table and not with us. Regardless, when our food came it lacked seasoning, the sausage was "over caramelized" and the coffee was cold. Would I come back? No. Would I recommend it? No.
(1)
Alex M.
Great food, service is nice and check on you often. Great when you want breakfast, lunch or dinner! And the pie is the bomb!
(5)
Jared R.
Good food! Only been here twice, but enjoyed both entrees. Tenderloin = Good. Philly Cheesesteak = Really Good! You get your choice of homemade chips (yum) or fries.
(4)
Bari B.
This restaurant was great! We were there on a Sunday morning, but, even though it was crowded, they seated us quickly. Ken the owner came over to refill our coffee and spent some time discussing Des Moines and St Louis, where he is from. Our girls (14, 9, and 7) LOVED the huge breakfast combo which was less than $5. The neighborhood is very industrial and quiet on the weekend, but we felt very comfortable and safe. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for great American diner fare.
(4)
Cyndi P.
If you like Mom and Pop diners you will love this place. Great food, good prices and good service.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
K W.
Really enjoyed this place when it was Kens diner (miss my old style loose meat sandwiches) but have enjoyed the Hot Beef mashed tatoes an great gravy! Its my fav! Also i love all the breakfast items. Not one bit of badness here. Great place to have fun conversations an eat till your happy!
(5)Tony M.
A visit to the Home Plate Diner is like visiting an old friend, it's home cooking, plain and simple, the hot roast beef is crazy good, the chicken strips are great, and you will not find a better breakfast in town, I honestly don't remember ever having a bad meal here, if I have one complaint it would be that a place like this should be open 24hrs! That way you can get great food when you leave the bar at closing time!
(4)Kurt F.
Home Plate Diner is a solid old-school diner. The coffee is hot, the breakfast is greasy and hearty (which is precisely how I like my diner breakfasts), and everything is cooked how you order it. The biscuits and gravy were quite tasty and they were definitely not shy with the sausage gravy. The chicken fried steak was very much on par as well. The coffee was piping hot and accompanied by all the half & half I could ask for. That's about 4 little cups for me. I like my coffee creamy! The service here is good and the staff hospitable. Our service was good, but a little slower than I would have liked.The locals obviously love this place as despite being a gloomy, rainy Tuesday morning, it was still packed. The manager even chipped in to help get food out, so the staff definitely works together as a team when things get busy. While they lack the bar of the other location, everything else is pretty much the same. If you're in the neighborhood and you want good old fashioned diner food, you can't really go wrong with Home Plate Diner. If you want your coffee Irish however, you'll have to hit up the other location. All around a very solid American diner with great food.
(4)Chad S.
We've never had a bad meal here. The wait staff is always fast and friendly. They have great daily specials and always manage to fill you up. -Update- Went from 4 stars to 2. Here's why.... We came here for dinner, on this night, and wow. Our waitress was really nice and helpful. We started off with smothered chips. Then we got a hot dog for our daughter, my wife got breakfast and I had the house special which was a chicken noodle casserole dish. Everything was good until the second bite of my casserole. It had a hair wrapped around a noodle. Our waitress came over and I told her about/showed her the hair. She apologized and sent over the manager. All of a sudden there was a lady just standing by our table. I looked up at her and she just goes "there something wrong?" I told her what had happened and she didn't apologize but told us she'd take my meal off the bill and then walked away. We noticed that the owner was there also. He talked to everyone but us as he walked by our table, looked for a second then walked out the door. Bottom line is, we won't be back here again. This one experience out ways all the good ones that we've had here. Eaters beware!
(2)Summer M.
We love their breakfast! The pancakes, biscuits n gravy, hash browns, and their amazing chicken fried steak. Sooo good. We have only been their one time for dinner. I had the turkey club, which was OK, and fries which were pretty good. My husband had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. It says on the menu to allow 25-30 min. We were OK with the wait, expecting something amazing since we had to wait so long. About 45 minutes later he was wholly disappointed and under seasoned chicken and disgusting gravy. The manager asked for suggestions on how to improve it. Who knows if he actually listened. Stick to breakfast menu items and you can't go wrong.
(4)Nate P.
Solid selection on the menu. I had their Meatloaf club and it was quite good. The service was okay, had to wait around for silverware and then again for more water. But they were every friendly. Place was clean and had the traditional diner feel. Would come back again.
(4)Kelly S.
Only been to Homeplate for breakfast, both times on the weekend. The place is always busy, and the wait-staff is always moving! Both times I was there I had to wait for a table to be cleaned off, when th place is that busy they need a full-time busser. Today, my waitress had to clean a table off so there would be a place to seat us. I don't want to watch my waitress busing tables. The food is good. The pancakes are awesome. I order my eggs over medium and they were cooked perfectly both times I was there. A+ Now let me tell you why I only gave it two stars... The manager acts like a horses ass. He walks around, gets in the way, a bothers people while they're eating. Today, I asked for a to-go box. He actually said, in front of me, that he should charge for them! .70 cents!! The wait staff was embarrassed and apologized for him. I will not be back. I can make my own amazing pancakes and eat them in peace.
(2)Olga R.
Terrible. Old and dirty. The food is greasy and cold. Staff had dirty fingernails and looked like trailer park inhabitants
(1)Virginia M.
We were looking forward to trying this diner so much but we were incredibly disappointed. When you walk in it smells like rancid oil. It also smells musty, like in an old building. Once we ordered they took a long time with our order even when there was just another two top order. Our waitress acted like she was doing us a favor by taking our order. I'm not sure if she is racist or was put in a bad mood before she came to our table... But she was really friendly with the other table and not with us. Regardless, when our food came it lacked seasoning, the sausage was "over caramelized" and the coffee was cold. Would I come back? No. Would I recommend it? No.
(1)Alex M.
Great food, service is nice and check on you often. Great when you want breakfast, lunch or dinner! And the pie is the bomb!
(5)Jared R.
Good food! Only been here twice, but enjoyed both entrees. Tenderloin = Good. Philly Cheesesteak = Really Good! You get your choice of homemade chips (yum) or fries.
(4)Bari B.
This restaurant was great! We were there on a Sunday morning, but, even though it was crowded, they seated us quickly. Ken the owner came over to refill our coffee and spent some time discussing Des Moines and St Louis, where he is from. Our girls (14, 9, and 7) LOVED the huge breakfast combo which was less than $5. The neighborhood is very industrial and quiet on the weekend, but we felt very comfortable and safe. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for great American diner fare.
(4)Cyndi P.
If you like Mom and Pop diners you will love this place. Great food, good prices and good service.
(4)