Reviews for Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory

11/28/2023 - MenuPix User

09/11/2010 - AVM Dental
Love their pancakes and the selection is amazing. Service is very good every time we go there.

05/18/2010 - Pamela
The food is amazing, the service is great even at their busiest times, the bad reviews are definitely from competitors- food is nothing like a typical diner, it is far better!!!

05/06/2010 - Billy Guer
Great food , better service

04/06/2010 - Angela Hoy
I'm thinking the negative reviews here must have been left by competitors. We were traveling and found this delightful "diner" after getting an enthusiastic referral from the security guard at the Liberty Park Marina. This is what I posted to our travel blog:

We drove to the Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory in Jersey City, NJ for dinner. The portions were HUGE and delicious! For example, we ordered "dollar pancakes" for Mason (age 3). They brought an enormous platter of regular-sized pancakes! There were so many that we got them to go and put them in the freezer in the RV. Mason ate them for the next week and a half. The smothered fries were oh-so-good, swimming in bacon and cheese and a delicious sauce. Even our picky 8-year-old couldn't get enough of them. I got a California omelete and it was the biggest omelete I've ever had. We got so stuffed that we ended up getting our dessert to go. They had an endless assortment of pies and cakes to choose from, as well as ice cream sundaes. We were delightfully stuffed when we rolled ourselves out of there that night. The service was amazing! It was the dinner rush but you'd never know it from the way our waiter hovered. After dinner, I accidentally tipped a bag of leftovers, causing a spill, and he ran to the kitchen for another to-go box and bag for me. The manager was extremely polite and gave us huge smiles as well. We'll definitely be back. Angela Hoy, WirelessTrips.com

03/11/2010 - Anonymous
I've been to Brownstone a few times. The first time I went it was busy so I didn't give a second thought to the slow and rude service. The orange juice had too much from concentrate, the coffee was too watered down. The food that came out was hard and dry and stale or soggy or watery or had old ingredients. The next time, it was early but still had a few tables that already had food, we were seated immediately but didn't get to order the drinks until 15 minutes later when I called over the food runner to get my drink and find my server. Another 20 minutes later, still no server to be found. Another 5 minutes, the server came out to set food down at another table and when I called her over she completely ignored me! Even if there was only one server, it can't be that hard for her to spot a new table that was ready to order. It was ridiculous and the last time I'll ever go back. I would not recommend it to anyone.

01/03/2010 - elias
the place not good at all the owner he was very nasty over a extra glass of water the food not taste at all DO NOT GO

10/05/2009 - MenuPix User
The wait has been long since it was featured on the Food Network, but the Pancakes are unbeatable and the omelets are 2 meals worth at least. I have never had a bad experience with service or food and come here often for breakfast and regular diner fare.

07/31/2009 - ms. donna m. cerreta
i really love eating here everyone is so polite, and very friendly and the service is very good, yes i would tell all my friends about this wonderful place to eat.

06/16/2009 - tonia
wow i was already for some pancakes and omelets willing to drive from Maryland to jc ,after reading these reviews i think i"ll pass NO THANKS FOOD NETWORK

03/15/2009 - MenuPix User
Casual, comfortable and great food. Although the entire menu is very great, you have to have breakfast.

02/09/2009 - MenuPix User
The food was good! The prices were reasonable. The menu was overwhelming, there were so many choices. Our server was slow and forgetful. But, we will go back.

12/26/2008 - Juergen from Germany
We looked for a real good diner, here is it.
Food (Pancakes and omlett) was very good,
service too. Could be a little bit cleaner,
but it is ok, we´ll come back.
Merry christmas and a happy new year!

10/05/2008 - MenuPix User
I hope you are not looking for a nice experience here. The utensils were dirty and it is against the owner’s policy to give you hot water. We just wanted to clean our utensils. Not sure what she (manager, may have been the owner) thought we were going to do with the water. The waitress seemed to be lacking social skills. I don't think she ever told us her name. My waffle came out of the kitchen cold and hard. My brother and his wife had similar experiences with their pancakes (cold and hard). Everything was lacking flavor. Not sure why this place was featured on the Food network. This was the worst diner experience I have ever had.

09/22/2008 - spitfie
We were seated at a table so small that we were uncomfortable and there wasn't room for our food on the table. We had to hurry and finish the juice to make room. The pancakes are only average and the diner doesn't offer real maple syrup. (I wouldn't mind paying another dollar or two for the real thing, but the Brownstone refuses to get it. Seems weird, especially in a place famous for its pancakes.) The strawberries and cream pancake was a major disappointment: strawberries weren't fresh (it tasted like pie filling, way too sweet, dumped on top of the pancake) and canned whipped cream. Maybe the menu is too big.

09/01/2008 - MenuPix User
We ate here this morning having seen an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on food network yesterday that raved about the place. We had a very short wait and were shown to a booth that was dirty - the waitress wiped it down after I asked with a towel that smelled like an old kitchen sponge. There were flies in the room that were constantly alighting on everything around us. The two of us were given one glass of water. My husband had coffee and my tea water was lukewarm. I ordered the nut n honey pancakes which were delicious and my husband had a breakfast burrito which was also delicious. The wait to be served was ridiculous, over a half hour. We had to flag the waitress down twice to get a check. The portions were enormous and we asked to take home doggy bags.........and were charged an extra $1 for the take-home dishes!!!

08/26/2008 - MenuPix User
If you are looking for a real diner with supreme pancakes, you are heading the right direction.

08/22/2008 - Julia and James
These people owe the food channel a big debt. I took my son for a late lunch on a weekday. No waiting. Maybe 10 customers. I first visited the restroom and it was spotless and shiny clean. I had high hopes. My son ordered pancakes with peanut butter and bananas, which he loved. He ordered a side of bacon and there was mostly fat and no crisp at all. Nasty. I had a bacon cheeseburger. It was big but nasty. It was char broiled which i like but it tasted like horse meat would taste. The fries were good. The service was horrible. I think the prices are so high to make up for the people who walk out without paying cause they couldnt find their server. VEEEERY Slooooo. Why? Only 10 customers. Go, but don't expect anything special. Don't go off your diet for this. I'm still searching for a great burger. These people featured on food tv must pay for the spot. Now I know. See Ya.

08/20/2008 - THE PANCAKE FACTORY
I VISITED THIS ESTABLISHMENT ONE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AFTER HAVING SEEN IT FEATURED ON THE FOOD NETWORK. I CAN ONLY COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE FOOD NETWORK PEOPLE ARE CRACK ADDICTS USED TO EATING OUT OF TRASH BINS FOR RECOMENDING THIS PLACE. THE NAME ACTUALLY FITS THIS ESTABLISHMENT AS I HAVE EATEN FROM FACTORY SNACK MACHINES AND THE QUALITY IS ABOUT THE SAME. ABOUT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE AMAZINGLY HIGH PRICES AT THE PANCAKE FACTORY. AS FOR THE SERVICE THEIR SYRUP SHOULD POUR AS SLOW AND THE SERVER ACTUALLY TOOK OUT A RAG WHILE TAKING OUR ORDER AND BLEW HER NOSE, THE BEST PART BEING THE GOOEY SNOT LEFT ON THE END OF HER NOSE THAT SHE MISSED WITH HER RAG AND THE PROCEEDED TO WIPE OFF WITH HER HAND AND FINALLY ON TO HER UNIFORM. ALSO UPON LEAVING AS ICHECKED OUR BILL I REALIZED THAT WE EITHER HAD THE WRONG CHECK OR WERE PURPOSELY BEING OVER CHARGED AFTER INQUIRING THE SERVER ABOUT THE CHECK AND RECEIVING SOME VERY NASTY DIRTY LOOKS SHE CORRECTED THE CHECK, AT THE SAME TIME PICKING UP OUR VERY GENEROUS TIP WITHOUT EVEN A THANK YOU. I WOULD NOT RECCOMEND THIS PLACE TO MY WORST ENEMY. IF YOU DO DARE TO VISIT THE PANCAKE FACTORY DO IT AT YOUR OWN PERIL, ALSO BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR WILDLIFE AS I AM SURE THE DINER IS RODENT INFESTED AS I OBSERVED QUITE I BIT OF RODENT DROPPINGS UNDER OUR NAPKIN DISPENSER AND ON THE FLOOR IN VARIOUS AREAS. THE RESTROOM WAS ALSO FILTHY AND IT SEEMS THAT OTHER DINERS WANTED TO SHARE THEIR DINING EXPERIENCE WITH EVERYONE BY NOT FLUSHING TOILETS I INFORMED THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS AND BASICALLY GOT A DIRTY LOOK AND THEN WAS PROMPTLY IGNORED

06/23/2008 - MenuPix User
These people hate children.... They were nasty to our children several times durring one vist ( I know children can be a challenge - but mine were quite well behaved on this day) .They are extreamly unfriendly and seem to have an issue with large parties.
Hate this place. Life is too short to spend my time with unhappy, unfriendly people who have no idea what customer service is.... Food is ok

06/15/2008 - MenuPix User
Unfortunately, we had a very bad experience at this
establishment. We sat close to the kitchen and we saw mice!
DO NOT eat at this place. We were told that this was a good
diner in JC but I would not go back. There are plenty of
other good diners in the area so we will patronize them. I
can't imagine what's in the food with rodents running
around.

06/13/2008 - MenuPix User
The meals are well over priced for the quality that you will recieve. Mostly, frozen foods. I had the worse fish and chips basket ever. The platter was $9.95 and the fish was a 3 frozen minced patties. To make this meal worse, it was served with packages of low quality tarter sauce. Trust me when I tell you, you will be disappointed. Also, I ordered beer battered onion rings, and they were nit beer battered. Frozen rings!

05/19/2008 - MenuPix User
Recommended by the Food Network. While the variety on the menu is extensive, the food was disappointingly average. My potato pancakes were way below average. They were not seasoned well and were very, very bland. They sat on a bed of shredded lettuce which was very annoying and continuously got in the way. Someone else at my table had the same reaction to this dish. The portion of the blueberry pancakes was large and the fresh blueberries were wonderful. However, the pancake itself was only about average, so very disappointing. Those at my table who got milk shakes and floats were served these in astonishing small sized glasses. Our waiter was good, but as we were a group of 8, we needed more table space and were squeezed into one square and one round table pushed together. When we requested another table to be added...as one person was seated at a corner with almost no place for a plate...we received resistance from management. They actually blamed us for wanting to be comfortable because it was a Sunday afternoon (after 2 pm) which they considered an inappropriate time for a large group to want comfort!

Would I return...no! It was really just a diner, and a very, very noisey diner at that! We have far friendlier, more accommodating diners closer to home. The food just was NOT worth it, the management not appreciative, and the food...just average.

Another serious problem we noticed was that the tables were squeezed in together so much that several people from one table had the actual backs of people from another group's table touching their legs or arms. It was almost as though people from one group were actually sitting on the laps of another group. Totally unacceptable.

While "Pancake Factory" sounded like a novel idea and worth checking out, it was a mess. If the food were great, it could have been an adventure. But, as it was, too many negatives and nooo pluses.

05/13/2008 - MenuPix User
THE NET WORK PROGRAM SHOW THIS REST I DECIDE TO TRY THE FOOD WAS EXCELENT THE PLACE NICE I DONT WAIT TO LONG I SEE THE OWNER I TOLD I SEE THE SHOW IN TV THATS WHY I WENT THERE I WAS LOKING FOR THE OWNER IN MY WAY OUT TO THANKS FOR EVERY THING I DONT SEE HIM AND I FORGET TO CHECK MY BILL THEY CHARME DOBLE THE ORDER OF PANCAKE TO LATE WENT I CK I WAS ALREADY AT CIRCUIT CITY AT KENEDY BLV.

05/08/2008 - MenuPix User
I saw this diner on the food network the other nite, and it seemed that I would have to drive up from Monmouth County today and try it out. I wa slightly disappointed. I had the Queen breakfast platter with beef sausage, which was very spicey, tough skinned, with a piece of grizzle at one end. My waitress was very nice, but her service was a little bit slow on checking up on my table. The menu selection, food quality(otherwise) was very plentiful and good, as well as the modern homey decor impressed me. My only real gripe is that I had to order 2 refills for my delicious homemade iced tea because there was very litlle of it in the serving, but losts of ice in ists place. At checkout, I told the cashier, who appeared to be the younger owner(black hair and moustache), that I was was billed for.2 refiils, while thinking that iced tea refiils were free. He plucked down a cash refund of $1.75(without adding tax to it) on the counter-half ignoring me and speaking to someone else while checking me out. His final obnoxious response to me was that his policy was no refills. My response to him was that my policy is not to patronize places like his where the owner should be a little more flexible with the clientele-especially those who spend over $20.00 for a one person lunch. He can be assured that I will relate this to my friends, family members and business associates in the area that would be a place to avoid. He mayhave put put on a good show for the Food Network episode, but his actions were a bad show for me.

04/13/2008 - MenuPix User
We went at the busiest time of the week - Sunday mid/late morning. We were lucky to get a parking spot in the lot, but saw many others ride around for awhile before finding a spot. They have a good system to seat people, so the wait wasn't bad at all. Waitress service was average, as was the pancakes. They offer many styles, but found the pancakes them selves were average and not really all that special. Breakfast for two set us back nearly $30 before the tip. I thought that was too much for a place that is really just a diner. It was clear to us that many people were there because of it's being featured on the Food Network. (We actually heard them talking about it while waiting for a seat) We decided that we could get this kind of food closer to home (10mi) and we wouldn't be making a return trip.

04/09/2008 - MenuPix User

Review: The pancakes have to be the best in the world! I'm sure everything else is terrific, too, but who can get past them. Someone in our party did order salmon and said it was great. He was on a diet - poor thing. The wait staff and owners make it a delightful overall experience.

04/06/2008 - MenuPix User
This diner is amazing... the food and the service are outstanding. Everyone is friendly and accommodating. My friends and I come for breakfast every weekend. The omlettes can't be topped!

03/31/2008 - AL
I've been to Brownstone about 6 times and every time, the food has been great! The owners are very friendly, and despite being crowded on the weekends, the food gets served relatively quick. Their pancakes are the best! ... As a sidenote, someone give 'Mac' a hug, he sounds like he needs a friend for once in his life.

03/17/2008 - mac
Christians that go here after church during thier busiest time and can't get a refill show a lack of understanding. This place is great- great food- very friendly people that work hard to sreve everyone -not just huffy catholics with a bug up their butt about being just one among a 100 looking for service.

03/17/2008 - MenuPix User
This is an excellent diner with excellend diner food quality. Not a fine dining establisment.

Expect a wait to get a table but the wait is worthwile.

03/17/2008 - MARIA & LAUREN
Many years ago, we were introduced to this restuarant & this wonderful family by friends in the area. We are from Canonsburg, PA and dont have diners in our area so this was a new experience for us. The only way to describe the old (Newport Pancake House) & the new (Brownstone) is EXCELLENT. The food...the people...the atmosphere. We miss it terribly and often talk about just driving back one day for the Brownstone experience. Brownstone Diner was just featured on the 3/16/08 expisode of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on FoodNetwork. Both my daughter and I watched seeing the familiar faces of the owners and that wonderful food we miss so much. If you are lucky enough to live nearby, go there and just relax and enjoy. Savor the moment and the incredible food and the atmosphere it offers. We tell friends and family here back home that we have nothing on Jersey City with the Brownstone Diner experience we were lucky to have experienced.

03/14/2008 - MenuPix User
Every kind of pancake you can imagine! Really good food and service. You don't have to wait too long in line on weekends.

01/06/2008 - MenuPix User
best diner around! gets pretty crowded on weekends, but it is definitely worth the wait!

09/20/2007 - KCRB
We just discovered this diner and love it. The pancakes are amazing. There menu is so big...give yourself some time to go through it all. Nice service.

09/10/2007 - A. Bermudez
Went there after church with the family. Food was horrible. Service was poor. It was like pulling teeth to get a drink refill. I could've of cooked the food better myself.better myself. This place is pricey for diner food. Better off going to one of the chain restaurants, i.e. Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Houlihans. You pay the same but much better food and service.

09/02/2007 - MMmm Breakfast!
Endless menue... Breakfast served all the time... Great pancakes. what more could you want in a diner

06/23/2007 - kinda good
While I have to give the Brownstone good marks. I always leave feeling something just doesn't work there. This was a great little place before the reno a few years ago but since then it's almost more than the staff can manage. But...go there...it's worth a try you might really like it. The owners are really friendly and just genuinely nice people...they could teach the folks at the Taqueria down the street a few things about customer relations!

06/13/2007 - lm
i love this place!!!