Golden Diner
34 people recommend, 15 warn against itvia r/FoodNYC30 comments cited below
The comments cited below are a sample of the full tally across 15 threads.
What people say, in short
Many diners recommend Golden Diner, and many praise the pancakes, a couple describing them as fluffy and a few liking the berry compote. One diner says the egg sandwich stays with them, and the menu mixes diner dishes with Korean and East Asian flavors. Many diners mention long waits, and a few suggest booking ahead to avoid the line. Several diners find the pancakes overly buttery, dense or too syrupy, one prefers them without the compote, and some find the wait hard to justify.
Address
Golden Diner, 123 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
At a glance
- Signature dishes
- Pancakes, Egg sandwich
- Best for
- Breakfast
- Opinions divided
- Yes
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Golden Diner, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/ToughIllustrator6754 in r/FoodNYC · Mar 2026taste
Author says the pancake was the standout of the visit and that reservations helped avoid the long line.
- Recommendsu/Crambo1000 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Author went, found the wait worth it, and urges trying the pancake.
- Mixedu/lifeinprogress27 in r/FoodNYC · Apr 2026wait time
Honey butter pancakes were great, but the queue makes it hard to justify going.
- Recommendsu/deathbusters in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Loves the pancakes and thinks they suit sharing at the table.
- Recommendsu/Sirnando138 in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Found the pancakes fantastic, particularly with the berry compote on top.
- Recommendsu/garlic-chair in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025
Picks Golden Diner's pancakes as the breakfast stop in an all-day food plan.
- Recommendsu/randomlycorduroy in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Lists the pancakes among favorite foods and calls the diner a great neighborhood restaurant that doesn't chase hype.
- Mixedu/Shoddy_Bridge_2672 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Lived nearby and visited monthly for its breakfast sandwich; found it good but not especially memorable.
Show all 30 cited comments
- Recommendsu/idrift4wd in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Says it has become a TikTok spot lately, but the pancake is still decent.
- Recommendsu/goisles29 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Calls the pancakes the best they have had anywhere; also likes the menu's diner and East Asian influences.
- Recommendsu/EducationalReply6493 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Says they love the pancakes served with berry compote.
- Recommendsu/JayMoots in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2024taste
Has only heard praise for its egg sandwich and hasn't tried it.
- Mixedu/EatsYourShorts in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025wait time
Loves Golden's pancakes but advises skipping weekend visits because of very long waits.
- Recommendsu/Low_Drama8403 in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Loved the pancakes, best shared among a table; the egg sandwich is a lasting memory.
- Caveatu/Final-Ad-6694 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Went a couple times and finds it overrated: early pancake bites taste fine, then it becomes overly buttery.
- Recommendsu/RecordingBubbly8981 in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025
Lists Golden Diner's pancakes as their second breakfast.
- Recommendsu/Cee_Vader in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Recently visited and found it among the best, living up to the hype.
- Recommendsu/japonica70 in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2025taste
Calls the breakfast burrito the best in the city; has only ordered it for pickup or delivery.
- Recommendsu/Chennsta in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026taste
Likes it, especially the fluffy blueberry pancakes; suggests booking ahead to dodge the queue.
- Caveatu/Forsaken-Subject8362 in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026wait time
Reports waits over an hour, including ninety minutes on a mid-morning visit.
- Caveatu/Deep-Emphasis-6785 in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Says the pancakes are dense, a texture they dislike in pancakes.
- Recommendsu/114631 in r/FoodNYC · Nov 2023taste
Says its breakfast items are excellent and the pancakes stay memorable, though it can get busy.
- Caveatu/lostinthesauce2004 in r/FoodNYC · Mar 2026wait time
Found the pancakes not worth the waiting for them and suspects it may have been an off day.
- Recommendsu/FLPI22 in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025taste
Praises Golden Diner's pancakes and recommends ordering the berry compote separately.
- Recommendsu/MountainMadman in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Enjoys the pancakes, though a different menu item is their clear favorite here.
- Caveatu/bbeeebb in r/FoodNYC · May 2025wait time
Notes the website lists long waits and reservations, and doesn't feel it's a classic diner.
- Mixedu/edtheoddfish in r/FoodNYC · May 2025taste
Praises the fluffy lemon pancakes, was unimpressed by the katsu sandwich, and suggests avoiding weekends.
- Caveatu/DMmepicsofyourdog in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025taste
Found the pancakes overloaded with syrup and asked for them served without any.
- Caveatu/ODoyle37 in r/FoodNYC · Jan 2025service
Calls it unremarkable and pretentious with average service; was told all tables were reserved on arrival.
- Caveatu/Anchorage_skim in r/FoodNYC · Feb 2024price
Didn't like this diner; the pancakes they got were overpriced and just average.
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Details last checked 10 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.