Food was good and the service was great. We had sandwiches and a breakfast plate. Our waitress even brought over a little book to keep my toddler entertained. We will definitely be stopping by here again on our next road trip.

Place is amazing. Great Food and Friendly service. Would highly recommend this place.

One of the "Last of the Classic Dinners"..! Very reasonably priced ( discounts for Cash) , good portions & quick service.. Only downsides , "Mens" bathroom kinda' "nasty" & NOT handi-cap accessible.. Recent upgrade of parking lot ( paved from old dirt minefield..lol.. Will continue to frequent when in area & easy on & off TSP...

What a wonderful classic Diner, Clean, excellent service, great tasty food. The bacon is crisp.

I will back just for the new england clam chowder... what a surprise! Also, great burgers! Pies were dissapointed but is a rule in a dinner so that is okay.

We stop by here every chance we can. We love a good diner and definitely crave a perfect cheeseburger deluxe platter. The staff is friendly and fully chat up the locals and frequent customers. The food is good and very consistent, which is what draws us in and has been doing so for years. Try a milkshake, they are dreamily perfect and come in a old fashioned glass with the 'extra' on the side for you to enjoy. I love that!!

Stopped in for breakfast while on business in the area. Just what I was looking for and the food was serviced up quick and hot. Enjoyed the classic diner look. This is the real deal if your looking for a 1950's setting. price was good. Would stop by again if in the area.

What a wonderful surprise. We had three separate dishes at our table and each was excellent. The milkshakes are great and big. The decor certainly brings you back to that of many decades ago. Our waitress was excellent. Zero complaints, five stars.

Exactly what you expect in a classic diner. Great food, great prices, friendly service. Wish I’d come here sooner. Will definitely be back.

If you want a retro diner this is the place to go. The diner was clean, the food was great, and our waitress Susan was very friendly. I’m from New Jersey where we’re known for our diners and this place would fit right in back home. If I’m ever back in the area, I will definitely come back.

Quaint 50s-style diner near the Taconic Parkway. Great stop for a quick dinner before hitting the road. They make their own desserts and their own gravies, and their own soups. Very reasonably priced. Friendly and fast service in fun retro digs.

Great diner with a nostalgic feel . Our waitress Noelle was awesome , she helped us decide what to have & suggested both our dinners and they were delicious ! Super friendly staff , reasonable prices and great food. Definitely recommend 😋

Heated seats in booth. This warm, inviting refuge provides the perfect respite 1/2 between the City & our ski cabin at Gore Mtn. MLK weekend 2022 had us teachers desperate for escape to the outdoors. Thankfully we found Martindale Chief Diner. A diamond in the rough. Families, friend groups, younger and older are all greeted with friendly service that’s quick and on point. Diner-heaven is something that month-to-month disappears from life in Manhattan. After many hours on the road we walked into a viably LGBTQ friendly space filled with smells of home cooked meals and freshly baked pies. I couldn’t resist the house special meatloaf with mash, gravy, and steamed broccoli. Call me meat and potatoes but this hit the spot. Add the New England clam chowder if you need a hearty warm up starter and forget the cold winter outside. This classic diner has a menu I’d want to investigate further. Highly recommend you try something different and share what’s great!

Proper diner! Massive menu, clean seats and tables... It's a classic layout of a diner with the booths and swivel chairs at the counter. Good stop off on the way up to Vermont from NYC.

The reviews of this diner are spot on. From the outside it looks like a diner from the 1950s. Inside the service is outstanding food is all fresh and prices are super inexpensive. If you are passing by on the Taconic and hungry this is a must stop!

I went to the diner for the first time since living in the area with a friend who hadn't been here since she was a kid. The first words out of her mouth were....Boy, this place hasn't changed at all. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I did notice signs up that said the restaurant would be closed a couple of days for repaving of the parking lot. The inside was neat and clean and it was not majorly busy at about 2pm in the afternoon. The menu was small but varied compared to many diners I have been to. I feel this is a good thing so they can focus on keeping food fresh and the same every time someone visits. I am a coffee drinker, all day....everyday. So I ordered a coffee to drink and my friend ordered a cola. The cola was delivered without a straw and there we no sweeteners (sugar or non-sugar substitutes) on the table or nearby. We had to wait for her to come back to take our order 4 to 5 minutes before I could make my coffee or she could drink her cola. She ordered a simple cheese burger and fries. I ordered the Pilgrim Wrap. It was turkey ( might have been sandwich meat but the quality was actually excellent. It tasted like you took a fresh turkey breast and sliced it on a meat slicer.) Then the sandwich had fresh made stuffing (not boxed like stove top) and a cranberry mayo). The stuffing was a little salty but otherwise it was amazing. My meal also had fries ( fresh, hot, crispy in the outside soft on the inside, however a little bland. I did have to add salt to them. The meal also came with a pickle spear and a little wedge of watermelon it was just a tease but it was very refreshing and appreciated. All the waitresses were very attentive as I was probably asked 10 times at least if I wanted more coffee or soda, anything else and how was everything. It was quick, short, sweet, and non-intrusive to our conversations. Just the way good service should be. They cleaned up and took used dish away promptly and brought our check as soon as we asked for it. It was about $30 for our meal and I left them $40 for a meal with service well delivered. I will definitely be back. This visit was an 8 out of 10.

Stumbled upon this place. Awesome traditional dinner. I had the club sandwich with fries. The sandwich was great and the didn't skimp on the bacon. The fries were good too.

Love diners. And this one doesn't disappoint. Fast service. Breakfast all day. Our group had buffalo chicken wrap, hot turkey sandwich, hot roast beef sandwich both with french fries and breakfast that included french toast. We were all very pleased.

A delightful old-school diner, with nice staff, great decor, and tasty evergreens such as waffles, Egg's Benedict, or Egg's Florentine

+6

Great stop off when traveling. Great reasonably priced food. Highly recommended

So happy we stopped feel like stepping back in time, food was great and my GF loved the honey mustard, and the watermelon garnish.

Awesome little diner in the middle of nowhere off the Taconic probably had the best chop steak dinner I have had it any diner along with fresh local corn on the cob.

Friendly service, great prices, definitely try the ice cream!

Great atmosphere, home cooked food if you're looking for a quiet laid back, no frills meal. Very comfortable. No fast food. Not an uppity pretentious establishment. I loved it! It felt like I was home with Mom ❤️

+3

We decided to stop for breakfast, and we are so happy we did! Great atmosphere and the food was delicious! Great prices. Can’t wait to go back again!

We stumbled upon this place while looking for food during our drive. Truly a timeless gem. It felt like going back in time. The staff was amazing and the retro design was awesome. The food was amazing as well.

A classic roadside diner with plenty of options to keep all types of folks satisfied. Don’t be fooled by the typical diner menu - the ingredients are fresh, the presentation is solid, and the staff are all friendly and helpful.

+1

Cute diner. Very friendly staff. Very reasonable prices. Strawberry 🍓 Belsitos were tasty. Loved my cold meatloaf sandwich and brownie too.

+1

Exactly what we were looking for.... Driving home from a ski day in the Berkshires, Google diner near me and this just looks so good..... And it was! I had the perfect roast turkey dinner And my son had a delicious chicken fried steak. The service was perfect and the place was sparkling clean. I might just take a drive up the Taconic State parkway to come back for no other reason but to eat here!

Nice little classic diner. Friendly waitress, fast service, and good food at a great price. Right at the route 23 exit on the Taconic parkway, on the east side of parkway. Not really visible from road so easy to miss, even if you're looking for it.

+2

We were traveling the goat path from Vermont and happened upon this lovely spot. My husband had the rib eye and I the blackened chicken salad. It was great and Marissa such a sweet girl. FYI you must make a purchase if you want to use the restroom.

Fried zuchini and chowder soup was good. Fruit bowl was a bit expensive but was good we ordered food and dessert with coffee! They were great!

If you’re looking for a classic, no-frills diner experience, this spot delivers in spades. The atmosphere is laid-back, with retro charm and a welcoming vibe. The staff is always friendly and attentive. The food? Comfort food at its finest. Perfect example of diner fare done right. They don’t try to reinvent the wheel, but they do a great job of sticking to the classics and doing them well. The turkey club is amazing. It might even be the best turkey club I’ve ever had. We also highly recommend the blackened chicken wrap, crispy chicken ranch wrap, and Cesar chicken wrap with crispy chicken.

Great place, wonderful service, tasty food. The burger and curly fires were really good, and the vegetables really fresh and tasty. Carrot cake was delicious.

Everything was great: food, service and atmosphere. I go here a few times a year and always find myself ordering my favorite fried cod dinner. The fries are always cooked to perfection and the Cole slaw is fresh and crunchy. I also have had the clam chowder a few times, and it's always creamy and delicious.

This was everything I wanted it to be. On a road trip. I was looking for an authentic diner and stepped right in! The food was delicious, while simple, and offering signature diner dishes. The venue itself was exactly what I had in mind for a diner from movies I’ve watches. The staff was lovely and tended to us with care.

Mary Beth Shirzadi

Love this,quaint little spot. Conveniently located off the Taconic Parkway. Delicious , wholesome food. Great portions and reasonable prices! I LOVED the BLT today! I ate EVERY bite!

Teresa Bernardi

A classic diner. Great breakfast, and obsessed with the pink tile around the counter lol

Chris Perito

Upon entering we were greeted by an extremely friendly younger gentleman and told we could have a seat anywhere. The diner was very clean and not that busy. Once we sat down the waitress came over and introduced herself and offered to get us drinks while we looked over the menu. Ther was music playing in the background that was not excessively loud. My wife ended up ordering a regular burger and I ended up ordering a Martindale burger. Both burgers were flavorful while not being overly greasy. The coleslaw had a slight bite to it that tasted like mustard may have been added. This little added bite was very different and welcoming from the normal coleslaw that is normally served in other establishments. The bill was not overly expensive for the amount of food that was served. Both the gentleman and woman that were present there when we were there were extremely nice, welcoming and attentive. If traveling up the Taconic State Parkway and looking for someplace to eat that won't break the budget definitely give this diner a try.

Pam Olson

The breakfast was very good . Maple syrup was dark and rich and pancakes very good . The tea was gourmet. Emily was a superb. The old school retro restaurant reminds you of the old drug store soda fountain

Peter Feniello

If you love and appreciate a great diner, the Chief will not disappoint you! We live nearby and we’re very glad to have this in our area. Good, honest food. Good value for the money. Surprisingly great fries! A great old classic O.G. diner with atmosphere.

Andrew Wynn

This place is a time capsule. Ordered the Turkey Dinner and it was very, very good. In terms of value for money, you can't beat this place, when you're on a long road trip and just to stop somewhere for what will hopefully be a decent and quick meal, this place is an oasis.

Stephen Perrino

Great old time diner with friendly staff and excellent service. The price is right for eggs, pancakes, potatoes, toast, sausage and bacon on two plates (chief special)!!

Marivi Cerrada

Excellent breakfast served! Our server was super nice, and you feel like you are in a 60s dining

Diane VanNostran

Cute little place that we stopped in for breakfast. Service was good. We ordered omelettes that were prepared fast, and priced very reasonably. Quality of the food was good. All in all a decent value and convenient stop.

Tracey Rossi

Always look forward to stopping at Chief Diner when we travel upstate. Inviting staff, always attentive. I enjoyed an omlet this time with rye toast. Perfect home fries, cooked well with a little crisp, not over seasoned. Great coffee, reasonable prices.

Jordan Shapiro

Love this diner. Have eaten here many times. Always a good roadside mid-journey meal. Have had the fish & chips, the turkey club (add avocado), and many classic breakfast options.

+1

Kris P

Came here for lunch on a Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised. The ambiance is perfect, the menu extensive, and the food cooked to perfection! My fish and chips was perfectly crispy, every fry evenly cooked and nothing greasy. My friend enjoyed the mearloaf and ate every last bite! I look forward to returning again and trying their mexican menu!

Ryan Mazierski

Great roadside diner located right off the Taconic State Parkway. Classic look to the diner as it was built in the 50's.Typical diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have a wide selection of great desserts. Service is friendly and there is usually no wait. Food is excellent.

+1

Ellen GIRERD BARCLAY

My all time favorite diner, the Chief Martindale stop has been a family tradition for over 60 years. It's still as warm, and friendly, with delicious, fresh, diner-style dishes and the kindest and most efficient staff. The menu is amazing and the prices are still extremely reasonable! Considering this diner in upstate NY, the tex-mex dishes are excellent. We all love the burgers-made as you like them, and the fries are to die for. A bottomless cup of good coffee is a must on the Taconic Parkway drive. I'd gladly drive a long way to dine here! (and I do ..considering I live in Stockholm, Sweden!)

Andy Moreno

We ate here on President's Day (02/21/22) and it was packed with a line. The staff was pleasantly rushing around and seated us straightaway, giving updates on how many tables were opening up and when. A real great system! We split a Patty Melt and a Turkey Cheese Burger deluxe, everything super delicious, hot and so surprisingly fast!!! The food is everything you want in genuine diner fare, and the real treat was the most lovely waitress, full of life and bright energy, with the best presence. She took our breathe away at how she changed the experience, when it could have been stressful. Sorry, I did not get her name, she was young, had red hair and an asian tattoo on her arm. We both woke today remembering how amazing she was and how that positivity really stayed with us and rang through that place. You don't see that often here in Brooklyn so it was an absolute joy. We wanted to thank her particularly and let her know how much she's appreciated.

I have never had a bad meal here. We stop every time we travel through the area. Our favorites are the chicken club wrap and the fried chicken dinner. So good! We don't generally eat fried food, but their fried chicken is definitely worth making an exception.

Staple in the area. Good food. Good stretch break on the taconic

A nice Lil diner the food was excellent but the service was bad. When my daughter and I went. We had to wait awhile for our drinks and even longer to order. Even though they were not busy at all. The food was the best part. My daughter and I really enjoyed our meal though.

The food was good.The soup was very could have had a little more chicken in my wrap

On my way to the Shrine of the Divine Mercy I stumbled upon this much needed diner. No problem parking. Food was good. Just had an issue with the six of us being cramped into a table by the rest rooms.

Cool diner, food was good albeit being a bit too salty for my tastes.

We have been here many times. The food is always delicious.. the service, though --not always. We went recently on Wed Feb 1st and had a younger waitress we have never had before (I wish we got her name). She was AMAZING! Kind. Courteous. Always checked in. I am unable to eat seeds and she requested a new bun for my sandwich right away. She was so good we left her a 50% tip. Fantastic experience this day -- great food great service! FYI the Cajun chicken sandwich is AMAZING!!

Had a Reuben which had a generous amount of sauerkraut and a spinach omelette which had a generous amount of spinach but not much egg. Very quick service and unusually low cost.

Been here several times. The prices are very reasonable, employees are friendly, and the food is consistently good. Better than most in the area.

I ordered chicken fried steak. It was delicious, but the potatoes weren't that favorable.

I had a nice time here, good prices, nice portions!!

Reeeeal Diner. Looks lovely. But they never heard about real butter or food without flour. It’s time to change and bring better quality of food into everyone’s lifes.

This is a little gem I found during my travels between Long Island and Plattsburgh while I was going to college in the 1990s. Still the great greasy spoon diner with awesome food.

Had a great breakfast there, friendly service. Place is a bit rundown but clean. I’d go back.

Stopped in on business during the snow fall. Very scenic. Enjoyed the atmosphere. Possibly will stop in again

Great burgers and service on the way to VT. Looks like a lot of travelers stop here. Could definitely use some upgrades though.

Decent diner off the Taconic parkway. The opposite of fancy but decent food and conveniently located. Nice spot for breakfast or lunch. Service is amiable and quick. Plenty of parking.

Rich

Great food. Fresh. Kind staff. One star less, because we felt we had to ask multiple times for little things such as napkins, water, straws. Also, they charge extra when you use a card to pay.

Joe L

Decent food and very clean silk city diner. The home fries were very good along with the service .

+2

I know this place has been around forever, however that is not realN excuse for using frozen Vegetables in your food. Or instant pancake mix. All the food was just OK. The people who were works were fine. Also it probably would be a good idea to stop appropriating native history in its name and decor

Prices seems to change every day depending on who is working. Food is great but some of the staff gossip way too loudly about their customers and bosses, coworkers, which make it very.. not okay and awkward while eating. Sad really since everyone is way too old for the drama.

Great place, just be careful if you get a waitress named Kim. She adds her own tip to receipts if you don't tip her.

Stopped in on a Sunday around 5 PM. Ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a coke. The burger was a frozen patty that you’d buy at Sam’s Club. Dry, chewy and half the size of other restaurants and diners in the area. Spent over $20 with a tip. There are better choices a short distance away.

Nicole Kim

Stopped by on the way back to the city to grab lunch. This diner was busy and they sat us at the bar initially but we requested for a table which took some time to get seated even after it was cleaned. The service here isn’t that great and it takes a long time for the server to come and take the order, and takes a while to get the food as well. I got the breakfast burrito and replaced the home fries for french fries for an up charge. Also got a cup of coffee which was average. The food was good but not great to come back again. Also paid cash since there was a 4% discount. The diner itself is like any other diner, a bit outdated though.

+4

Waited to be seated roughly 10 minutes. Waitresses constantly walking pass. Eventually, my party was recognized, then was pointed in the direction of where we were to sit. No menus nor silverware was provided. However, the next 5 parties were greeted and asked if they were here for breakfast or lunch, seated and provided with menus. I was surprised to this behavior since it wasn't provided to my party. Even though the waitress named Claudia claimed they were short staffed, the treatment to everyone else didn't show they were short staffed. All and all food was editable establishment okay for a truck stop. Not friendly to all shades!

Waited 10 minutes for a table while no one spoke to us, at 9am on a Sunday, Waited 15 minutes to order food. Waited 30 minutes for the food to arrive. One order was wrong (Western omlette instead of mushroom). Tiny coffee mugs, the trademark of a diner eager to chisel you for every penny. Pancakes and omelets unremarkable, good grilled muffin. 4% surcharge for credit cards.

Only place ever that gives out 3 slices of rye bread due to cost. But the 2 eggs pricing is higher than most

Kevin Kim

UPDATE: Customers, beware of this restaurant business. They OVER CHARGE its customers! Despite their very average food & service, I left a pretty generous tip on my visit here, and they later charged me more than what I wrote on my check/receipt (attaching my photo proof of receipt vs my credit card statement - *granted my addition was embarrassingly off by 4 cents, but that shouldn't justify them over charging). I'm disappointed in this restaurant and I'm lowering my rating for their dishonest business. I cannot recommend this restaurant. ---------- Classic upper east coast American diner. A nice spot to stop by and dine during a roadtrip to upstate New York. Decent food, New York City prices, average service - a sandwich platter and a side of sauerkraut came out to about $16. One thing I really do appreciate about this place is the authentic 70s/80s American diner architecture.

Juriy

Fast and friendly service but the food is mediocre and the menu is smaller than what you’d expect from a diner. There’s no all day breakfast, for example. Well, there are not exactly many options around so this is a solid late evening stop with few classic dishes.

This morning we had breakfast at the Martindale Diner, and it was pretty much a disaster! First of all, we ordered 3 coffees, but were brought and charged for 4. We had to ask for silverware. My husband and I ordered corned beef hash, mine with poached eggs and his with “over easy”, all of which were very overcooked, the hash browns were tasteless and barely warm, the toast was barely toasted (thankfully, the hash was hot and tasty). Our son ordered a “meat lover’s” omelette, which was very dry. His wife ordered toast with a side of bacon. The bacon was late coming out of the kitchen and was DISGUSTING! She said it smelled and tasted like fish, so I tasted it and almost spit it out…it absolutely tasted like bad fish and was extremely chewy…I couldn’t get the vile taste out of my mouth fast enough! We told the waitress, who was pleasant and apologetic and didn’t charge us for it. This is not the first bad meal we have had there, but it will certainly be the last!!

Walked in with the family of four for breakfast Diner was not busy and three waitresses were serving customers. We waited for 20 minutes without being greeted by anyone. Others arrived and were served. We never got menus. The waitresses walked all around us and never offered us service. I asked why we were not served and nothing was said. Just a blank look. No apologies. We left and found a more enjoyable diner.

DO NOT EAT HERE! From the moment we walked in, we should have known this would not be good. The three women working there seemed irritated about the fact that they had to actually work. Annoyed by the presence of customers. We were greeted at the door with sour looks. There were only a few people in the diner, and the employees seemed bothered by the fact that they were expected to wait on customers. The food was not good at all. The eggs tasted of old meat and obviously cooked on a dirty grill. The cheese in the omelette was not even close to melted, it was a cold slice of cheap cheese in a semi warm plate of miserable eggs. The potatoes tasted like crap. My son asked for french fries, and he received hash browns, and when we tried to signal the watiress to get the fries, she ignored us. After just a few minutes of the food being served, we begged for her to bring us the bill, and we got annoyed looks and super slow motions of getting us the bill to pay. Horrible experience. Save your money, go elsewhere.

Worst diner food I've ever had in my life. You're better off grabbing something at a gas station then stopping at this place. Burger was worse than any fastfood restaurant you will visit. Tasted like cardboard.

Service was terrible, waitress never came back to see if we needed anything. Had to ask for the menu, get my own straw and napkins. The sandwich meat was tough, the sausage gravy had no sausage in it only two pieces of sausage on the side, never asked if we needed a refill on coffee. While sitting there an elderly man tried to get in the building with a walker and couldn’t make the stairs. No ramp for the handicap. I will not patronize this place again.

We’ve been to Martindale Chief many times, but after our recent visit, we sadly won’t be returning. When we arrived, a staff member (female with dark hair, glasses) shouted across the counter to ask how many were in our party. After telling her we were two, she said the only seating available was at the counter, and when we asked to wait for a table, she became visibly annoyed and literally huffed at us. We were stunned. As we started toward the counter, we noticed it was filthy with crumbs and other refuse. We saw her cleaning a table nearby and politely asked if we could sit there, but she furrowed her brow and said no, that it was only for “big families.” Mind you, no one was waiting behind us and it was a party of two that had just left that table. The interaction felt oddly rude and hostile, leaving us so uncomfortable that we decided to leave and eat elsewhere. Unfortunately, the lack of basic courtesy and outright hostility really soured us on a place we had once enjoyed. I can’t in good conscience recommend this establishment to anyone.

Food was inedible. Chicken tasted frozen and microwaved, giving it a rubbery texture. Sauce on the enchiladas was sour and acrid. Lots of rotten lettuce leaves in the salad. Even the fries were bad. Employees were watching SpongeBob SquarePants loudly on the TV.

I purchased a brownie for $3.00 and a small cranberry juice for another $3.00 the Brownie was so dry. Had spots on top. I went in to return it and they gave me $3.00as I was leaving the lady stopped me and told me she needed money back because I too a bite off it. I informed her that I broke a small peice off the corner. She insisted she had to get money back... For a nasty brownie. I gave her the $3.00 back.... I would recommend you not go there. Not good no more....

Low grade food. Half cooked as usual. We miss the old owners. The ketchup tastes like chemicals. Generally a disappointment.

I am traveling out of town for work, my coworker and I stopped for food, sat for 20 mins… food hadn’t been started. We let the waitress know we needed to get the food to go and she said “it won’t make it go quicker”… I was aware but I just needed it to go. We keep waiting and get the receipt to pay for the food.. that we hadn’t got yet. We go up to pay and they say “we can’t give you an itemized receipt” and we say ok can we get a receipt and she said “we don’t have time for that”. DO NOT go here unless you want AWFUL customer service- I couldn’t tell you how the food is.. we never got it! AWFUL experience and AWFUL workers. I am not one to leave reviews but this was absolutely a terrible experience !!! AVOID