- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Route 99 Diner
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 7 am - 11 pm
Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
16 reviews for Route 99 Diner
16 reviews in English
-
Review from Cherie K.
I really enjoy breakfast at Route 99. This is my "go-to" place for breakfast on weekends if our family is feeling like a treat. It's a an older diner, but the charm of the 50's decor on the walls is what makes it feel like you are back in time. Definitely a greasy spoon, but not disgustingly so.
The service is always great, fast and friendly, which seems to be hard to come by these days in restaurants. As soon as we sit down, a waitress is offering us coffee-that's a winner for me!
I've eaten lunch here a couple of times and it's average. Food is good, but not amazing. I'd rather eat diner fare here than a big chain restaurant, as it's about the same.
The thing I like the most about this place is the reliability-I know exactly what to expect and I get it every time!Listed in: Favourite cafes & restaurants
-
Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
12/31/2011
Route 99 is a diner - nothing more. Service is fast, but not terribly attentive or comfortable - our server seemed annoyed that we didn't have our drink order ready before we even sat down at our table. And then we waited an eternity to receive our bill - I just went up to the till to pay.
I ordered the steak and eggs, which tasted as a diner's steak and eggs should. I ordered my eggs poached, and it was clear that they were cooked in molds, probably in a microwave oven. They still tasted good.
I ordered a pancake on the side instead of the toast and hashbrowns, which is a good option. And the pancake was pretty good - it's a typical, thick diner pancake, served with "pancake syrup."
But my wife ordered Eggs Benedict, substituting the ham for tomatoes. The tomatoes were not grilled before they were placed on the english muffin, which was not toasted. The Hollandaise Sauce came from a package and was "beyond disgusting," according to my wife.
She first wanted to order an Omelette instead of the Eggs Benedict, but as she finds processed cheese disgusting, she opted for the Benedict. And the Route 99 diner does not even provide an option to order non-processed cheese. Why can't you just order real cheese for your omelette at an additional cost? Just because the decor pays homage to the 1950s doesn't mean that the food needs to as well.
The prices here are fairly reasonable, probably because their ingredients tend to the cheaper side. This review is only based on breakfast - perhaps lunch/dinner food quality is better. -
Review from Gina I.
Pretty damn decent breakfast food to satisfy my greasy needs!
However, the coffee pot came around once after the initial pouring. That's totally not okay. The rest of the time the waitress was doing her crossword on the counter, rather than seeing if anyone needed coffee or anything else for that matter!
So the 4 stars is for the breakfast food and the kitschy decor all over the place. Love little diners like this. -
Review from Volya B.
Edmonton, AB
3/29/2011
I had a bad experience with the quality of food at Route 99 once and I haven't been back since. The last time I ate at this boring diner I ordered an omelette. When my meal came out I began eating only to realize that the omelette was without any cheese! By the time the young waiter came around, my omelette was cold. When I asked why the cheese was missing, I was rudely informed that "you have to ask for it". The last time I checked omelettes came with cheese, no? I did decided to order some cheese (now on the side) and when my fake craft cheese slice came stuck on a side plate I gave up.
B's Diner is close to Route 99. Same greasy spoon fare, only far more fresh and love goes into their food. Love also goes in to the community via B's diner as they are also known as huge supporters of hot meals for the homeless.
Head to Route 99 Diner, just make sure you bring your own cheese.
Pass! -
Review from Anali H.
Edmonton, AB
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let me start off by saying, I LOVE shoestring hash browns. That said, My coworker and I went here for breakfast after we finished our shift. We have been having trouble finding places that are open when we are finished work and are delighted just to find a place that will feed us at 7 in the morning.(What is up with that?)
I ordered bacon and eggs and my friend got the eggs Benedict. I like my eggs fried over medium and am fully impressed when my eggs are cooked right(Almost never happens) My eggs were perfect, I haven't been this happy with the fry of my eggs in ages, the hash browns were cooked just to my liking and they aren't stingy on the bacon either.
My friend on the other hand had a less enjoyable meal, she was greeted by neon yellow hollandaise sauce and blackforest ham. But that said, we both agreed that Route 99 isn't really the kind of place you go to, to get eggs benny. I'm sure we will be back here again.
I really felt I got my moneys worth here. $9 including the tip for breakfast with no beverage(I brought my own tea, which they supplied the hot water for without complaint) Sounds good to me! -
Review from Aditya R.
2/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Route 99 is a decent diner, but food-wise, nothing out of the ordinary. I really like the ambience of this place. It has the old-school, highway diner feel to it, which is extremely charming, to say the least.
I've been here just a couple of times and have had a decent experience on both occasions. The breakfast menu is predictable, yet good. The coffee is decent, the milkshakes are actually kinda good, the fries are very diner-friesish with a feeling of a lot of salt in them. I find the grilled cheese a little too average to my liking, while the burger is quite a lot better than I expected.
Strangely enough, though, they have pastas, pizzas, donairs etc. on their menu that just seems so weird and I wonder who'd go there to eat that stuff. It sounds nice, but I haven't tried that part of the menu. I would certainly go there again, but it's not my go-to place.
Now comes the ambience. It's really very, very charming. They've got an old school juke box, a counter/griddle area with a wall covered in license plates from all over Canada and the US. Large posters of young Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, famous old pictures and that kinda stuff. Their theme is low key, consistent and very dinerish.
The place is decent - do come here for a surprise, but don't expect the food to surprise you. It's not urban, whyte aveish. It's old school, highway dinerish :-) -
Review from Robin S.
Edmonton, AB
Updated - 5/14/2010 1 photo
My dad and I had a late lunch at Route 99 today and i'm bumping my rating up one star because of it. Departing from my creature-of-habit ways, I ordered a veggie burger with side salad, while my dad opted for a small beef and onion pizza. While we waited for food, we looked around at all the pop culture memorabilia and talked about the records we had or liked. He commented, "Every time I look up, I notice something different."
The veggie burger gets high marks, especially because of the accompanying condiment tray, allowing one to put as much or as little ketchup, mustard and relish on their burger as they please. My dad's pizza also aced the test, and unfortunately we were both too full to imbibe in a slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie. Probably the best Route 99 experience I've had to date.Listed in: Hunger Fix
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/25/2008
At a time when diners seem to be dropping off the map, it's nice that Route 99 is still well-known… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jessica D.
Edmonton, AB
3/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The grease!!!! Oh the grease!! I've been here many a times, mostly breakfast but I have been venturing into the lunch/dinner options lately... I really like their coffee here, it's (usually) always fresh and it's one of the places where I can enjoy it black. The service is almost always good but my last visit...not so much.. could be because it was near closing time but regardless.. it was a pleasant dining experience. I really enjoy the ambiance of this place, you can go here in pajama pants, uncombed greasy hair and enjoy your food with out being stared at. The fries and coleslaw are GREAT here. My friend was never a huge fan of coleslaw until he had it here.. and the fries have that crispy outside and soft inside almost like they were double fried. Decently priced, decent food.. it's a definite go to place if you were partying late on Whyte Ave.
Listed in: Git yer grease onnnn
-
Review from Jeanette B.
Edmonton, AB
9/22/2008
Route 99 is one of my favourite restaurants, because it has that authentic 50s-style diner vibe. I've been to a lot of other diners that try to pull this off, but fail miserably: kind of like in that movie Ghost World, when the girls go to that "1950s-style diner" that's blasting gangsta rap.
I really like vintage stuff, so I love that this place is decked out in 50s memorabilia like old ads, photos, or LP covers. The only thing that's kind of lame is the traffic light that they added a few years ago. I wasn't really sure what the purpose of this was, other than just plain tackiness, but now it seems like the place wouldn't be the same without it.
Everything about Route 99 is no frills. The waitresses, the booths, the floors, the menu, (even the bathrooms) but that's really what a diner is all about, right? And hey, no frills usually means cheap food, and this place definitely has reasonable prices.
Route 99 has amazing breakfast, served at any time of the day. I often order bacon and eggs, which comes with hash browns and toast, for under $7. Lunch and dinner have good options too--pizza, burgers, pasta, steaks, or salads. The burgers are good, and they always come with plenty of fries or salad. I usually get a grilled chicken burger with salad and this Italian dressing that tastes so good, I wonder if it's made from scratch.
One of the things that I like most about Route 99 is that they let you sit wherever you want. I really hate "being seated," and always enjoy my experience so much more when I get to pick where I sit. Or maybe, I just don't like being told what to do.Listed in: Best Food in Garneau/Old…
-
Review from Jack G.
Edmonton, AB
6/15/2010
Route 99 Diner is greasy goodness. The diner throws back to the 50's style with it's atmosphere and decor and it's pretty refreshing.
One thing that is really impressive is the variety they offer on their menu. Route 99 can pretty much cover any craving you might be having. The service here is great too. The people that work here are efficient. They don't waste time and they get you your food fast.
It's a great place to go for breakfast after a long night but you can't really go wrong no matter what time you come here. -
Review from Paula K.
3/8/2010
As far as 50s style greasy spoon diners go, Route 99 is the real deal. The menu is one of the most diverse I have ever seen with breakfast foods, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, melts, pizzas, dinners, and a few surprises like spinach pie and donairs. Service is efficient, prices are great, and the atmosphere is very cool. The walls are lined with memorabilia from the 50s and 60s, including album covers, pictures of Elvis, and the centrepiece of an airplane wing with Route 99 emblazoned upon it.
I finally decided upon a donair burger. I was really in the mood for a donair, but not the mess, and I heard the burgers here are pretty special. I think I will order a regular beef burger next time, because the donair meat here is nothing to write home about. It is thin and pre-sliced, reasonably tasty, but nothing special. The fresh bun had tomatoes, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce (I skipped the onions). Good portion, and it came with a mound of crispy fries.
I also had a bowl of the soup of the day, as I am weak when it comes to cream of mushroom soup. I was expecting something in the pre-made variety, but was extremely surprised to enjoy a delicious bowl of homemade soup. It was excellent.
My lunch date went for a hot roast beef dinner, with gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables (which turned out to be corn niblets), and a cup of soup to start with. His meal was huge, the gravy rich, the potatoes hinted with garlic, and his feelings about the soup were the same as mine. Kudos all around.
Somehow we still had room left for dessert. He went with apple pie with ice cream, while I went for the rice pudding. We were given the option of having our desserts heated (which we declined). The apple pie tasted homemade and the rice pudding reminded me of the one my mother used to make - full of cinnamon and plump raisins (OK, I don't like raisins, but it was all about nostalgia for me).
I definitely want to come back to try the breakfast goods (the french toast and vegetarian omelette caught my eye), a burger, pizza, and much more. -
Review from Francesca K.
Edmonton, AB
2/6/2010
This is THE place to go for a hangover breakfast or lunch.
The atmosphere here is of a 50's diner. They have pictures of Elvis and other celebrities on their walls and their booths are covered in red vinyl.Their burgers are absolutely fabulous! Their breakfast is also really good, and at a very low price.
Service here is pretty good, I have never had need to complain. The food comes out hot and fast, really what more could you ask for in a diner? -
Review from Nicole B.
Edmonton, AB
11/27/2009
I haven't been to Route 99 for dinner but I have been for breakfast.
Breakfast here is good and it's great for the price. One thing I've learned though, if you like your bacon crispy, you have to ask for it. I love crisp bacon!
This place gets crazy busy on weekends do if you're up early - go there early. Otherwise, be prepared to stand in line for a bit.
It's got a cool decor inside - the plane wing hanging from the roof is a memorable sight. The highway road signs and license plates on the walls really give it a diner feel and it's a pretty fun place all around.
Route 99 is usually full of University students and regular Whyte Ave-ers because of its location. -
Review from Bernie G.
Edmonton, AB
5/31/2010
I love this place. Sure, the food is just greasy-spoon food. Sure, the guys on the wait staff seem like they don't know what they're doing. (The women on the wait staff seem like experts, though!) And really, it's just a regular kind of place, but I love it! It's homey, really inexpensive, and a throwback to greasy spoons of my childhood. I wouldn't go there for a fancy dinner, but I love going there for breakfast.
-
Review from John D.
Edmonton, AB
7/5/2009
So in terms of greasy spoon diners, this one isn't the best. Not terribly clean (the busboys were quite dirty) but the waitress was nice and efficient. The pancakes were okay, but the hashbrowns were soggy and the coffee is just hot brown water.
-
Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
10/19/2008 1 photo
I lived in Edmonton a couple of years before someone introduced me to Route 99. As an ex-Torontonian, I was surprised that at least some E-towners enjoy the dive diner experience. The walls are covered with license plates and photos of movie stars. It's perfect, as far a greasy spoons go. There are lots of windows, like any decent road-side diner should have, and lots of cushy booths to stick to. The waitresses rule this joint.They've got systems for making sure everyone gets what they need fast and efficiently. The girls breeze around the diner, and around each other, with practiced grace, taking orders, refilling coffee and delivering bills. They know what you need before you do. And they're perky 'cause they've been up since six and already had 5 cups of Joe. It's always busy here on the weekend, but it doesn't take long to get seated if there's a wait. They've got yer pancakes, eggs, sausages, bacon, waffles, omelettes, steak 'n' eggs - you name it. This is the perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon before hitting Whyte for a stroll or shopping.
