This is a prototypical diner. I can't comment on a lot of the menu, because I only order a couple things at diners, but the pancakes, club sandwiches and burgers are all good. The sweet potato fries were also really good. Everyone who works there is really nice and we've never had to wait for a table, so overall I feel like this is one of the best diners around.

Arlene is a true pro. Went back a second time and she remembered what I ordered and my name. Wow. Now the food. They have a really good cook. My brother (picky guy) had the eggs Benedict and cleaned his plate. Everyone and I mean everyone wanted to come back a second time on this trip. Best diner ever!

Hadn’t been to the Empire in a couple of years. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the whole experience. Great friendly service, good food, and just an all around easy going, small town feel restaurant.

Had breakfast very friendly place good food nice waitress clean dinner.

Very good food. Clean, homey atmosphere at a fair price. Staff is genuinely friendly. All the waitstaff are terrific but Denise is a cut above! Worth the stop for any meal of the day.

There is a reason this place has become my every Sunday morning tradition! Every bit of the staff is friendly. The food is always perfect. I couldn't say a bad thing about this place if I tried! They really try to make every single customer feel like they are home and part of the family!

Cute diner! Went in a Saturday for dinner, and was absolutely dead. Service was decent, food was okay, and prices were average. Great spot for a quick diner meal.

Professional and reliable service. Just okay for me.

Excellent food and service. Staff very friendly and conversational as well, helpful. They truly love their jobs.

Amazing service, food, staff, and nice and clean. I live 30 minutes away and its worth the hike. The owner is very friendly and I was surprised to find out he was the owner of Jericho one of my favorite diners.

Met a friend from lunch. We were seated right away ordered and food was served Hot. Staff was friendly and professional. I will definitely return. Thank you.

We were actually going to the IHOP a few blocks away but instead decided to go here. Let me tell you .... the best decision we ever made. The food was amazing ; the staff could not have been more friendly. They practice safety protocols as well. HIghly Recommend it.

Good to be back at dinners. Its one of the my favorite breakfast place. This place is awesome l. They are so nice and friendly. Plus it's 2 min walk from my work. Love it.

A hidden little gem right out in the open! This diner is perfect! We love the staff, Arlene especially! The owners are wonderful! The food is great and always fresh. It's clean and the service is spot on! We are coffee lovers and our cups are never empty. It's our go to diner. It's always busy and they still find time to be personal and friendly. Highly recommend.

We're not from around here, but then again, who is? The service here made us feel right at home, and the food was delicious! Our server was delightful and very attentive!

Who best breakfast on Long Island oh yeah lunch and dinner too

First time back since leaving Hicksville 21 yrs ago. Love this place!!! Saw same waitress, and met new ones. Missed Gus, but we will be back. The Belsitos,

I had a fantastic breakfast at this diner with wonderful staff and service before I walked up to IKEA at Broadway Commons. In fact, the staff were kind enough to give me directions to the IKEA, which were very helpful.

Awesome diner, fully clad in Art Deco chrome. I was too tired to take a photo. Super friendly staff. Very clean place, large portions of deliciousness served fast! Some of the tables have their own jukeboxes, like days passed.

Love this place. It's family friendly, easy to get to, down to eat. The food is consistently good and prices are fair.

Great Food and Friendly Service!

I just love this little spot, been going there since Gus was the man at the front. After fire, rebuilding, closing and reopening I'm happy it's back for breakfast and lunch on weekdays and dinner on weekends. Haven't been there recently for dinner, but if you're looking for a great breakfast or lunch, this quaint spot nestled in the heart of Hicksville won't disappoint.

Excellent LI diner atmosphere Service and food. Coffee was hot and my cup never got 1/2 empty - our awesome waitress kept it near full the entire time!! You will not be disappointed with the fresh food.

Diners are known for their friendly service but Empire was exceptionally nice. We ordered food and drinks to wait out the storm and our waitress was very accommodating and attentive, without being pushy. Food was great (burger especially), and parking was very easy. Lots of people in there but service was fast and they had room for everyone. Great experience all around.

We loved the food at Empire Diner! The pancakes were amazing fluffy and full of flavor. The staff was friendly and made our dining experience wonderful. The service was quick and made our mealtime enjoyable and easy.

Had a great experience at the Empire Diner. Great food. Friendly staff. Eggs Benedict were perfect. Spinach pie and Greek salad delicious. Mozzarella sticks as they should be! Grilled cheese was terrific! The meat sauce and spaghetti disappeared! Highly recommend this diner with great parking! Open til 2 on Sundays!

Nice diner, good food. Colorful and quick waitresses. Real deal for me :) - no BS. We had both breakfast and brunch there. If you think that lox and smoked salmon are the same - they are not.

The food was your typical dinner food but the service was amazing and super nice. Highly recommended

Excellent service!! Food is really amazing! Went there one day for breakfast, loved it! Went back another day for dinner, had this super fantastic seafood dish. Server by the name of Chris was wonderful! It was a nice quiet night & we had a great time! This definitely has become our new favorite diner!!! Our only regret is that we hadn't discovered this place sooner!!

This place is amazing! Food is awesome! Service is even better. Our server Chris was very attentive & made us feel right at home. It was my first visit there & I was impressed with the food quality. Old school diner vibe...this definitely became our new favorite diner.

This is everything you'd expect at a diner. The service was very friendly. The atmospheric and food was you expect from a diner. Everything was good and we were very happy there. I think the service bumped it up making it a great experience.

Now I've been on this planet for 47 yrs. I have never once heard of a diner that closes. Diners in the united states of America are open 24hrs. With this said, i can never try this place because they are not open at the time i would go to a diner. Enjoy your 5 stars, since you lose constant business by closing daily.

I love this diner. Best food and servicers. I feel like it's my local once home town coming here! Arlene/ waitnes is the best in getting to know everyone. She knows my order before I sit down. God bless her!

I was here for the first time last night, and was nothing but impressed. Although the environment is pretty smaller than your average diner, it's still cozy, notheless. The food + service were both very decent. pleasant staff, pleasant food, would definitely return here.

Before getting to this dinner I was wondering why they have such a high ratings, let’s give it a try. Well now I am one of the contributor of their high ratings. Both wife and I had eggs with sweet potato fries and my son had tuna melt and everyone’s food were cooked to perfection. From waitress to the guy pouring water, everyone served with care the entire time. Great place, our family dinner from here on for sure.

Besides the food being delectable, the atmosphere was right. The staff interaction was nothing but professional, friendly, and courteous. Arline our server enjoys serving others. And clean tables for a change.

Can’t say enough great things about this place. I come here for lunch. They are just so sweet, great food, so welcoming. I need to bring my family here for breakfast! ❤️

Always a pleasure to dine at the Empire. For as long as I've lived in Hicksville, I've been going there. The staff is incredibly personable! Even if they didn't have the best food, which they do, I'd go there just for them. What a bright, cheery group of people! My personal favorite off the menu is the gyro with Greek salad, but the French toast or Bacon and eggs are always a great second choice. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Its not gourmet food but it is good wholesome stuff and the service is great.

Best diner on the island ! Waitresses and hostess are the sweetest people you’ll ever meet and the food is always delicious and hot !!

This is the quintessential diner experience, hands down. Great staff get to know you personally and treat you like an old friend, no matter how long since your last visit. The food is quality diner fare, and the place feels like you've popped into a time machine heading back to the golden age of Long Island diners.

Friendly environment and delicious food. Ordered the Belgium Waffles with turkey bacon. Food was served quickly and great price. Has that classic old school vibe which I like!

Food was great and staff were very friendly!

What else could you ask for ? Spinach Omlette with onion . Garlic. Home Fries. Rye toast. Usually you get a picture of my dish.... this time for sure a pic worth a thousand words...Great Service by Tina. Thanks

Great food even better service!

My favorite diner in Hicksville, NY. Good food and always friendly service.

Amazing service ! I was doing a take out. Once I arrived, a very nice woman greeted me at the front and directed me to go to another woman who took my order. Order turned out perfect! She was so nice. Both women were amazing. A waiter came and brought me water without me asking and they even offered me coffee while I was waiting for my order. The gentleman who rang me was very nice too. Superb staff I wish I got their names. I went Sunday in the am. I couldn’t believe the hospitality and the wonderful people I encountered there. First class people first class food! Amazing thank you to everyone who made my morning beautiful! Hope to see you all soon 🤭❤️

Tina is one of the best wait staff on Long Island. Breakfast is great. Coffee is awesome.

Stopped for a bite to eat. This place is a gem. Great burgers and roasted turkey club was real turkey breast not that processed crap you get elsewhere. The potato salad and coleslaw is outstanding. I inquired about it being made in house and it is. Absolutely delicious!

Best breakfast 😋 best lunch burgers are amazing... service is always amazing..

Has been my go to diner for more years than I care to share!!!! Food is always good, portions are generous and my favorite server, Eileen, is absolutely the best!!! Many places, surroundings and business have changed in Hicksville, happy to say Empire still remains. 😀

Liam Joyce

What an amazing diner, the place has a very family friendly atmosphere, the interior is original from the 70s. The food is next level delicious, the empire breakfast wrap is my order, eggs perfectly cooked, sausage soft and not chewy, and cheese melty and delicious! Stop by there for a great breakfast, you won’t regret it, service is very fast and friendly too.

Eileen Woods

The chicken Caesar wraps were delicious, as well as the Cole slaw. I substituted fresh fruit cup for the French fries.

Eric Wise

Wonderful diner, with Wonderful staff. Had a nice reunion with friends, and your staff made me feel like I was a 'regular' Thank you

K

Came here for lunch the other day and was really impressed by the service and taste of the food! Our server was really nice and the food was good. I'll definitely be coming back!

sheila milstein

Always meet friends here for lunch. The food is excellent. The portions are generous. Leftovers to take home. Booths are very comfortable.

Lisa G

My father and I visited for the first time. We live very locally and have been curious to try it. We were not disappointed. We were greeted warmly and served attentively. The atmosphere is charming and kept very clean. My dad ordered the French toast deluxe and truly enjoyed it. It was fluffy, juicy, and satisfying. I had the Mediterranean omelette. It was very flavorful and fluffy as well. Not every diner is created equal. The lovely woman behind the counter told us this establishment is at least 60 years old. It's such a slice of nostalgia. We had an even better experience than we anticipated. I hope they are a mainstay for years to come. What a treat. Really looking forward to our next breakfast there!

Ángel León

A good, old-fashioned diner. Excellent staff and a good variety. One of the few earing places that you can actually drink the water without the nasty aftertaste. I'm definitely coming g back to this hidden gem.

The Review Guru*

EMPIRE (diner) STRIKES BACK🚀🌐 At least for me, I mean between the movie and this restaurant; I was full like a wookie. I would highly recommend the Spinach Fedda Cheese Omelette with home fries, delicious. 😀👍 Omelette looked like a painting (photo enclosed). Seating tables arrangements and booths comfortable. *Men's Bathroom, clean with one urinal and one tolid. Ample size parking lot. Steps from the HICKSVILLE LIRR STATION and NICE BUS N80. I actually had a nice delicious experience. Come hungry and tell them the Guru sent you🙋 The Review Guru* Long Island NY

+4

Elena Belias (PoetElenaB)

Empire Dinner Many variety foods on menu from Burgers, Greek Salad, Coffee, Cakes, cosale filafo, fries.

+5

Adam Walker

Beef Chili omelette was amazing! Staff is so nice. Will absolutely be back.

Jesse H. (merple-serple)

Absolutely stunning diner, the decor was both nostalgic and classy, down to the individual jukeboxes at the tables. (Wonderful sight, incredibly awesome to be able to flip through the selection! They're incredibly well maintained, despite their age.) As for food, we had ordered the super breakfast, and I personally had a two egg meal, over easy, with home fries and bacon. The yolk ran perfectly, and they took great care not to burn the edges, something that happens often when judging a food establishment for the first time. My date said his meal was amazing as well, and all we took home was toast. (A rarity for me, as I'm a light eater!) The staff are warm and welcoming, and it's clear they care about their regulars. I instantly felt relaxed and excited to eat since reception, and the ambiance was soothing, hearing the regulars chat and laugh amongst themselves. The staff were also more than understanding about me wishing to finish a coffee I had picked up earlier, and I fully intend to return to try theirs as a thank you. You don't find that hospitality often! All in all, this was a wonderful experience, both for a date, and I imagine for a family meal as well. My brunch was amazing today, thanks to Arlene, so if she serves your table, you're bound to leave full and happy. I'm dying to bring my parents here for a meal, so I'll let that excitement speak for itself. It's a one of a kind experience, one that I recommend everyone try at least once.

Gina R

I've been going to the Empire Diner in Hicksville for over 40 years.. a friend of mine used to drive all the way from Valley Stream in the mid-80s just to get their egg cream. Happy that they now are open till 8:00 p.m. for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. And so grateful that the pandemic did not close this place like many others.. good food and service and they treat you like family. I love the burgers and Greek salads with grilled chicken..

Hussain Rizvi

A historical Hicksville diner near Long Island Rail Road train station. Old school chrome and glass decor and each table with it's own jukebox. Serving classic American breakfast fare. The Omelette and waffles were good. Drinks options were the usual and ofcourse bottomless coffee. Service was friendly.

Armando

I’ll be honest with you, this diner doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s reminiscent of a post apocalyptic hideout. But inside is a very cute old timey diner just the way your grandpa would love. We went on a rainy Sunday and practically had the place to ourselves. My life partner and I each enjoyed our respective meals; her with the vegetable panini and me with the waffles and eggs. Nice place to stop by

Mythreyi Vangapati

It was a great experience! This was our first time here and the food was amazing. Staff was extremely friendly and quick with serving customers. Very clean environment. Loved it a lot. Can’t wait for next time!😁

Although it's very old, it is well run and staff is very polite and friendly. I have gone there for many years and it has been been restored well. Always clean and conveniently located close to Hicksville Railroad.

This is my go-to local diner in Hicksville. The service is friendly and personable. I usually only have breakfast here but they do the staples well and your coffee will stay topped off.

A very good basic diner. The staff is attentive and atmosphere is comfortable. A smaller diner that has a charm of its own. You do not get lost as you would in a larger and busier diner. Decent chow and well worth a visit or two or three.

Good prices old style diner but they charge a surcharge to use credit cards. Not a deal breaker but annoying and it’ll probably be a consistent thing in the future. Service great food is consistent and good. Great specials. Nice people.

If you are familiar with New York diners, the Empire Diner is like most all of them. The food is good, the prices are a little bit more expensive then some sandwich shops, but this is not unusual for diners. You certainly will have much more of a selection than you will at places like Denny's or your average sandwich shop. The quality of the food is also much better than you would find in any of these other places. Like with most anything, you get what you pay for. This Diner is clean and the staff is and friendly, especially a waitress named Kristi. If you go in there, I would make it a point to ask for her as I have never had a better dining experience than when she was taking care of my table. This Diner has been here for many years and I would generally choose this place over any of the other choices, if nothing else for the variety and quality of the food.

I've been eating here since I was really young with my grandparents, and they moved since but I still come here all the time. I am friendly with the owner and he ALWAYS greets me with a kiss on the cheek and a smile when I'm there. The food is perhaps the most excellent you can possibly get at a diner, and everything is always fresh.

I'm here almost every workday for lunch. They treat you like family, so it's like coming home for lunch. They have great home made soups (lentil and split pea are the best), and a real chef making excellent specials. They do eggs right (many diners don't), and the best pancakes in Nassau County.

I have lived in Hicksville since they lifted the tracks. Over the years there have been many businesses that have come & gone; there have been businesses that were short-lived and age old ones and then there are the staples like this one. I have some many fond memories of this place, one fond one was when they had a kitchen fire some 40 years ago and instead of having a normal evacuation they hurriedly got everyone to pay and rushed everyone to pay our bills before letting anyone out. Got to start somewhere for the repairs! haha It wasn't that bad otherwise I wouldn't be here but it's something to remember and they were having a dine and dash problem at the time.

Ordered takeout, everything tasted amazing. Chicken salad club is refreshing and tasty except for one minor thing - for some reason, they put a sliced, boiled egg on my chicken salad; very strange, but easy enough to take off before eating. Came with fries which were also tasty without being salty; coleslaw is super light and refreshing. The staff was super polite and friendly, very inviting, and were nice company while I waited for the last of the food. My parents love this place, and now I see why. Very nice ppl and tasty (and NOT overseasoned!) food; I'll definitely come back.

Staff attentive. Place clean. Food was good; not great. Perhaps it's what we ordered, chicken souvlaki and a beef gyro, but it wasn't meals I would eat there again. Overall, nice place. Probably excellent breakfast.

:Since I live in the area, I can't be objective to a decent review. But the staff here is really good. The locals agree that it's a good place to come and relax. Eat what can be expected from a diner. The place looks to be well maintained. And the food can be counted on to taste just right.

Good consistent diner. I wish they had the little bottles of real maple syrup to sell you but I've been here a bunch of times with no major complaints. They even have tea that's thankfully not Lipton, which is a big plus for me since I don't drink coffee.

Classic NY dinner with good food and very good prices compared to their competition.

+5

Colleen McCormack-Maitland

Excellent service in a real old school diner. They have all the classic stuff - even the jukeboxes at the table

PhilYouIn

Old fashioned diner. Small and cozy. Excellent, attentive service; everyone was very warm and friendly. Sat in a booth by the window (we were free to choose), and wee served quickly. Food was just okay. Bathrooms were spotless. I would return. ♿️

+2

It’s never a good sign when a restaurant is empty. When i went there was one table seated. No one came in during the time i was there. My table was sticky. The food was ok. Kinda bland and over all a bit expensive for what it was. The staff were polite but the atmosphere def had a vibe that was off. No go back

Great for a quick meal, good service

Jeannine Comito

I really wanted to love this place. My boyfriend and I enjoy eating at diners, and after seeing the high reviews, we were excited to try breakfast here. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to our expectations. I ordered the Eggs Benedict Florentine with home fries. The eggs were great, but the potatoes were a huge letdown. As someone who loves to cook, I know what fresh home fries should taste like—these were clearly leftover baked potatoes from the night before. They were awful. My boyfriend enjoyed his eggs, and since he’s a coffee fanatic who can easily drink ten cups a day, we assumed he’d love the coffee. However, he didn’t even finish his first cup, which was disappointing, especially since the service was excellent and the staff came by at least four times to offer refills. I had black tea, and both of us noticed a strange taste in the water—it seemed unfiltered. Anyone familiar with Long Island’s water knows it’s not the best, so that may have been the issue. Many of the positive reviews seem to focus on lunch and dinner, so maybe that’s where this place shines. Unfortunately, breakfast just didn’t hit the mark for us, and we left disappointed.

Wendy Maini

We enjoyed the food. The service left alot to be desired. There is a lady at the bar that seemed to be very sweet. Luckily she saw a sausage on the floor and asked our waitress if she dropped one. She went to the back and brought one out right to our table. She knew she had dropped it but had no intention of bringing me another one. If the young lady at the bar had not spoken loud enough for us to hear, she probably would not have. The dry "sorry" let me know that she could not have cared less. I will give it another try but that waitress will be off limits.

They made u different. If u know what I mean. No one greeted you. They greeted the ones they knew. There is nothing to write home about.

Worst experience that I have ever had a diner. Rude greeting and a waitress that admitted to having too much on her mind so she couldn't focus. Brought a drink that we never ordered. Then delayed bringing us the drink that we did order. Laughed at my fiance's order which was 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with ham on wheat bread. She offered rye bread after taking the order. Then I ordered a cheese burger and brown gravy. Was severed a burger with no cheese. Then to add the icing on the cake was charged an extra dollar when I went to pay the bill. If there was an option to give 0 stars for this Diner, I would rate it that. Embarrassed to go out to eat at a place where my fiance and I felt unwelcome and was treated like our orders didn't matter. Will never go back to this diner and will tell all of our family and friends to not go there.

Was eating here with my family. Ordered stake and eggs for me and my wife. Asked to make it medium. Taste bitter and charcoal. Even bbq sauce that was comming with chicken fingers that we took as sharable appetizer barely could wave away the taste of charcoal. Very disappointed. I should call a food police because its a crime to cook steak so bad. The cow didnt deserve to be cooked this bad. Im sorry. I have no other words for this

This dinner ismy mainstay.I used to bring my father here to spend quality time.Because the meal was terrific and enjoyable.Time for over fifteen years , i've been going to this place

Allyson Bricken

If I’m paying $25 for a Greek salad topped with chicken I’m expecting fresh! Not sad pre-shredded iceberg lettuce, tasteless tomatoes, and chicken that wasn’t just cooked. What a total and utter waste of money.