The Ritz Diner
3 Stars
Ritz Diner
72 E. Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Livingston, NJ
973-533-1213
At about 5:30 on Saturday August 3, 2019, we went to the Ritz Diner. We would like to point out that the Ritz Diner is not Ritzy. Mama foodie had the Farmer’s Omelette and Chicken Noodle Soup. I had Chicken Noodle Soup, Scrambled Eggs with toast and French fries. Without further ado, the review:
Big Baby says:
Atmosphere: 5 Cleanliness: 7 Food: 5 Service: 6
Average Score: 6
The acoustics were bad on the half of the restaurant where we were not seated. However we were seated at the mostly deserted other half and could still hear, so logic tells me that the restaurant has terrible acoustics as a whole.
The cleanliness was average. It was not unclean but was not clean either.
My toast was over cooked, my chicken noodle soup had no chicken, and my fries were mediocre. My eggs were good but did not compensate for the problems with the rest of my meal.
The service was accurate and modorately fast.
Overall there are better diners in Livingston. Thus it is pointless to go to the sadly lacking ones like this one.
Mama Foodie says:
Atmosphere: 5 Cleanliness: 7 Food: 5 Service: 6
Average Score: 6
The Ritz Diner is a classic New Jersey diner located on Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Livingston, NJ. The name is a bit of a misnomer. There is not much about it that implies ostentatious wealth. The décor is decidedly eighties, complete with pink and turquoise accents. That being said, the diner has quite an extensive menu and a wide range of food options, including a gluten free pasta selection.
We were greeted promptly, if not with a friendly smile. We were seated immediately and did not have to wait long before our server approached. I always like to test diners based on their breakfast menu, so I opted for the Farmer’s Omelette. I chose home fries and whole wheat toast as my sides. When big baby’s soup arrived, I decided that I would also like a cup. I am fairly certain that the soup came out of a can. Nevertheless, the broth had a nice flavor and there were plenty of noodles. As with Big Baby’s, there was no chicken in my soup. The home fries were outstanding. They were the perfect blend of tender and crispy. My omelet was clearly not from a dairy farm. There was no cheese inside. It was also served with the vegetables mixed into the eggs, rather than served in between the folded layers. It was more of a frittata. The flavor wasn’t bad. Some of the vegetables were tender, and some were undercooked. The toast was black around the edges, but otherwise not bad. My iced tea was very cloudy.
The service was accurate and fast. The atmosphere and cleanliness were nothing special. The Ritz Diner is a solid choice if you are looking for a simple diner, but it will not knock your socks off.