Dan’s Windsor Diner

This place fails me everytime Im dragged here due to lack of food options. Last time I ordered waffles, because «there was no hollindaise in the freezer» (okayyy :/​) for eggs benedict and apparently that was too hard to actually whip up, they literally tasted like cardboard, told the waitress they were unedible and still was charged for them. It was disgusting.

Added earlier review but it doesn’t show! Had wonderful experience at this diner with my brother-​in-​law John and hopefully soon to be Gerri! We went to Vermont to pick up classic car and my nephew had a decal on a pickup truck he bought with a bumper sticker from Windsor Diner and asked us to stop and check the Diner out! What a great place and friendly service! I’m the type who asks a thousand questions and loves to highlight on the past! The girls were very courteous and eager to help satisfy our inquisitiveness! The food was prepared just the way we asked and liked!!. We all live in New Jersey but can’t wait to make another visit there!!!

My mother was from Windsor. To see the downtown now in comparison to what it was say 50 or 60 years ago is sad. They just can’t keep businesses running. This diner has had it’s up and downs too as I recall. But when I get into town, if it is open I sometime stop just to absorb the atmosphere inside this old Worcester car diner which the sign inside says was delivered in 1952. The banter of the waitresses and the one older maie customer who keeps talking and talking whether anyone is listening to him or not can be a fun local experience. You get the traditional ‘do I know you or not’ as you get eyed up and down when entering; little do they know my Windsor connection. Since it’s a Worcester car, booths and stools are available, as well as a small side room where a buffet is conducted once or twice a week. Standard diner fare is offered with occasional specials and homemade desserts. I had a grilled ham and cheese sandwich which was fine. I had some really outstanding sweet coleslaw, as a side — yum! For dessert, I had the house made apple crisp, which was good though microwaved. The food was slow in being prepared and cooked, but once it was the server brought it right over. I’d recommend you stop in when you’re driving along the Main St. Good steady food, reasonable prices. And I’d hate to see them close again, like they did several years ago. I do have a soft spot for the place.

This grubby little place may satisfy diner-​philes, but my experience today was less than satisfactory. It’s dirty; the windows look as though they haven’t been cleaned since who knows when, and the general greasy look inside numbs the experience. I ordered a burger basket with LTO and although cooked as requested, the lettuce had brown edges and the fries were pathetically limpid, hand-​cut grease sticks. The price for the combo basket was reasonable, but then I got bagged $ 4 for two glasses of ice with some tea and a slice of lemon in them (same slice, no less). That made the meal seem like more of a rip-​off than a good value. Next time I’m in Windsor I’ll find another place to eat.

We live about 5 minutes from the Windsor Diner, so we frequent it at least once a month, sometimes more. The staff is great and knows our regular order. I almost always get a veggie omelet, fiancée gets hash and cheese. They’re pretty big portions, giant omelet, good helping of home-​fries, and their home-​made bread is delish! (You have to ask for it and it’s an up-​charge, but if you like your carbs, it’s worth it).
It’s not the fanciest place in the world, but it’s an old-​style diner — what do you expect? Sure there are fancier places around, but the food here is great, the prices low, and the locals are always entertaining :)

I don’t know who Dan is, but this is just the Windsor Diner now. I stopped in late on a Sunday (they close at 8) and was immediately greeted by the waitress (I’m assuming a husband/​wife team, possibly brother/​sister or other relationship?). She didn’t look up or smile right away, but I’m from NJ, where surly is acceptable as long as she’s attentive. She did warm up later and was very attentive, so I’m not subtracting points.
The clientele is mostly locals/​regulars with the occasional tourist or traveler. It’s not on I-​91, so you have to get off at US 5 (NB Exit 8, SB Exit 9) and drive through Windsor. It’s easy to miss the place, and even easier to misjudge it, as the restaurant is inside a tiny train car. Only a handful of dishes are up on the menu board, giving the impression that it’s a cheap fried food joint, but no, no, far from it. I’m glad I didn’t read the Unilocal reviews first, because I wouldn’t have dared stop by if I had. Now, I had dinner, so I can’t speak to the breakfast, but it was all freshly made. I had the cabbage rolls (a special), and they were loaded with meat, and drowned in a meaty sauce. I got homemade mashed potatoes with plenty of gravy (yay), and a nice big dinner roll to sop up the sauce and gravy (more yay). I got incredibly more food with dinner than the price I paid. I also had the special soup, which was similar in makeup to the cabbage rolls (I must have had a hamburger and tomato craving) and actually seemed more like chili than soup — and they also have a chili. Fortunately, it was delicious, for the lack of liquid consistency.
After that positive experience, I elected to continue with desert, and ordered the rhubarb crisp. At the waitress’s suggestion, I made it warm and a la mode. This was the correct choice. I can tell the crisp is homemade (it is part of their Friday/​Saturday buffet, so it must be a standard), and if there was less crust than I might have preferred, there was a ton of rhubarb, and this is the first time I have enjoyed eating rhubarb. All in all, I would absolutely come back here in a heartbeat, and write more positive reviews, and shake my head at all you naysayers. I want to come for the buffet, which is $ 10 for all I can eat of their best dishes. I told them I’ll be back, and I mean it.

WE finally returned to «The Windsor Diner» formally «Dan’s Windsor Diner».
Dan is now gone but the bad food remains.
We stopped in on Black Friday morning and sat at the counter.
Ordered the «Hillbilly Benedict» which was 2 sausage patties on rye w/​2 poached eggs.
What I got was all pre-​made. The only thing fresh was the eggs.
The sausage was precooked, the hollendaise was as well and tasted off. The home fries were terrible.
Partner got blueberry pancakes. Those too were really bad t hat he did not eat even half.
He said that they tasted like paste and the blueberries had soured or turned.
Also the place is dirty. It needs a good scrubbing. Much of the stainless steel has dirty greasy hand marks.
I knew we should have continued on to Stella’s in Hartland.

Where do I start? I never write reviews but I must this time. Stay away if u have kids and Friendly service as a previous reviewer wrote… That’s funny. My dad said «good morning» very audible and no response. The server/​hostess has no patience and treated us with discrimination. The food was average but who knows if the food was spit on with her demeanor. But the service really just killed our day. They should really just put a sign at the door if they don’t want kids inside this Diner. Stay away! We made a horrible choice being the other place we wanted to go to wasn’t open till 11am and we didn’t want to drive further since the kids were hungry.

This IS your father’s diner, and that’s exactly why you should search it out. The Windsor is not some wannabe box with a laminated photo-​laden menu and «servers» in place of waiters/waitresses…it’s the real thing. I love it – inside and out (see my photos) – and if you’re into diners, you will too.
Frankly, I can’t remember what we were served but I remember leaving the place feeling good about the visit. See those donuts on the counter? The owner told us his wife makes them one day a week. I’ve forgotten that too, but my photo is dated on a Wednesday in August 2011, so be on the lookout for those yummies if you’re there midweek.
This place is on my permanent mental map of diners worth a big detour just to visit again… places coast-​to-​coast whose memories are of nice people and ok food – special spots that preserve on our byways the «civilization» enjoyed by, yes, our fathers. A legacy worth passing on to our kids.
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July, 2012: 2^nd visit… during noontime rush-​hour. I won’t «demote» my review to 2 stars, though I wish there were a 2 ½. Clam chowder: not sure there was a clam in it, but what WAS in it seemed suspiciously like chunks of BREAD! I’ve never had worse. I’ve forgotten what else we had (the chowder shoved everything else out of memory), but we’ll give the place one more chance because we like IT, if not as much its food. Sorry.

Good food and good prices! Exactly what you expect from a diner.
French toast was good, coffee as well.
The omelette was good too!
The waitress had to be reminded to bring our juice but, other than that, perfect!

good homemade comfort food, which is what I expect from a diner. too many diners take shortcuts with their food, but this place had sweet and cakey homemade pancakes with fresh apple chunks in them, freshly cut fries, decent coffee and very reasonable prices. I am used to 15 page diner menus ala NJ, but this place had a small but nicely rounded menu– everything that you would expect a diner to have. my burger was cooked to my satisfaction, and the help was nice. all around good diner.

I used to summer in Windsor, VT in the early 70s and the Windsor Diner would always be the spot for me and my friends, Jerry and Joyce. I love the coffee and more importantly, the conversation. I came back last month for the first time in three decades and I was happy to see things have not changed much. I ordered the BLT I used to get as a young man and it was ebullient as ever. I also recommend the french fries and gravy — it’s a tribute to our neighbors to the north. The Canadians know French Fries. If you happen to find yourself in Windsor with your friends, family, significant others, boy toys, or business colleagues — I say take them to the Windsor Diner. You’ll get a good meal at a good price.

I like eating at diners and this place is a favorite. I am in Windsor a couple of times each year and I always look forward to having breakfast here. They make a home-​made hash which is like a New England Boiled Dinner in hash form with some secret seasonings, it is incredibly good and I order it every time. The staff is pleasant and friendly, but not too friendly– a refreshing and honest change from the over-​the-​top fake smiles of the chain places. The authentic old-​time character of the diner is charming and the breakfast has never let me down.

Homey, comfort food done well with friendly service.
They do really good fried food as well: hand cut fries, fresh fish, etc. Great homemade desserts as well. Breakfasts are VERY good and well priced.
Counter service or booths in a classic Worcester Car.

Driving into town with hunger rumbling in our bellies, we were looking for a place to eat on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Since we’d been disappointed by our last VT diner, we thought we would give Dan’s a try.
The dining car showed years of use but is in fairly good shape. A fine example of a Worcester car, with lots of chrome.
It was fairly quiet, so we got a lot of attention form the staff. I ordered a chicken club with fries. The fries were greasey, but house made. The club was done perfectly. My partner had a grilled cheese sandwich, a perennial winner to his palate. He very much enjoyed Dan’s version. We both liked their cole slaw. fresh, house made, and not sweet or creamy. The best part of the meal… ample bread pudding! The custard was rich and eggy and the sweet taste of maple was prominent throughout the dish. YUMMMY!
We enjoyed the staff and meal… sorry you had such a lousy expereince there, Matthew! Try it for a meal other than breakfast and see what you think.