GOOD FOOD, GOOD SERVICE, GOOD PRICES. Â From 4pm until 11pm you can get a complete dinner from Greek salad, two sides, beverage, and dessert. I had the Greek style steak, in a lemon-fetta sauce, cooked to perfect. Our server was **DAWN** fast and friendly . *** THE HOSTESS was as sweet as the bread pudding and very honest. She said the food is great but the COFFEE WAS NOT BAD, ** ITS HORRIBLE, Thank God that's not my department!!! I have to agree with her, I've had better dish water at Mac Donald's after the 3rd wash. " CAUTION DON'T DRINK IT, The tea is BETTER EVEN IF IT'S FREE.
**** WELL***in every bag of apples there may be a rotten one. That was the cashier he was as warm and as friendly as the iceberg that hit the Titanic. I have always found the women cashiers here very friendly, sweet, helpful, and outgoing. This Rude guy should take lesson from the staff especially DAWN the server and THE HOSTESS. I should buy him Dear Abby's book of Etiquette or put him out to graze with the rest of the herd. BRING BACK THE SWEET , FRIENDLY CASHIERS.
YES I will return , the food gets better and better.
Food is good (breakfast) wait staff is attentive but not overbearing, friendly and polite. Â The problem for me was it's not very tech friendly. Â I was looking for a place to eat, drink coffee and kill a couple of hours before a flight. Â There are no outlets to power your stuff if you need it. Â And the funny thing is the Battle Axe (bless her heart) working the front desk/cashier, was I think slightly offended I even asked for an outlet. Â She sat me at my booth never made eye contact, set the menu down and walked away without a word!! Â But it was slightly endearing....in a soup nazi kinda way. :).
So I asked my very friendly waitress if she had the inside track on an outlet in this joint and she says " the only one is at the front desk and you'll have to ask the ma'am there if you can use it yourself". Â I said "I'm not asking her, she's mean!" To which she replied "yes sir" and smiled. Â
Anyway - the food and service are good, don't go there if you're low on "juice" or need an internet connection and do your damnedest to make the Old Battle Axe smile - just for the fun of it.
Lesters Diner has a history in Fort Lauderdale having survived longer than most. Â Many the night did I dine at Lesters at 4:00am "after the bars." Â But truth be told your experience here has alot to do with what you order and who your server is. Â Some of the servers at Lesters are very efficient serving at lightning speed, but there are a few who probably should have retired years ago if they were able to and seem like they are struggling with the pace of the place. Â Not recommended for dinner unless you want a strong case of diaherrea; your best bet at Lesters is breakfast (not the biscuits which resemble cardboard frisbees), the turkey club (classic with real turkey), or any of the greek items. Â The fried shrimp and scallops are also decent at times but it is hit or miss. Â Stay away from the desserts in the revolving case by the entrance; some were made in the 1970's and are still in there rotating. Â The best desserts at Lesters are the rice pudding and other desserts that come with the dinners with no extra charge and are fresh. Â Lester's is a great place for late night; but order breakfast, a belgium waffle or a grilled cheese and nothing too complicated if you want to eat well because otherwise you are looking for trouble. Â Simply put, stay away from the mystery meat under dubious gravy.
Review Source:Lester's is one of the friendliest most likable diners around; a place where everybody seems to get along, have a good time and enjoy themselves. Even back in the days of the infamous gay Copa Bar when the after hour drag queens would invade the place in the wee four o'clock hours of the morning, the gathering was just a fun hoot for everybody. Nobody ever gave anybody any static and many even came there at that hour just to witness the event.
As for food, it's diner food, but of good quality with a Greek accent to it, top notch professional service with seemingly bottomless coffee cups.
More than just being a diner, Lester's qualifies as being a local Fort Lauderdale institution and for many locals, a diner tradition.
I live in Las Vegas, so sometimes I forget what it's like to be visiting other parts of the country where things are not 24 hours. This was this case on a recent trip to south FL. Lester's Diner was the only place opened for late night dining. So...we went.
We sat ourselves at the bar. My husband asked the waitress "What was good" and she very unfriendly as she was walking by said "all of it'. Part of me got pissed and the other part of me loved how truely DINER this place was. I am talking DINER!! The servers were all 50 plus and looked like they hated life, the counters were sticky, and there was a spinning cake display upon entering. DINER!!
I ordered a breakfast sandwhich with ham and overhard eggs. The eggs came out runny anyway. Aside from undercooked eggs...the food was pretty good. And, by good I mean tasty and REALLY bad for you.
We got a carrot cake and a chocolate mousse cake to go and they were both pretty good. Not fantastic, but they met the middle of the night sweet tooth demands.
Also, I think our entire bill for 2 meals, 2 desserts, coffee, and soda came to about $22. Can't beat that.
I will definitely go back to Lester's if I am ever in the area again!!
Lester's is nothing like it was 35 years ago when I first went in there but then what/who is. I don't go as often as I use so I had sticker shock looking at the menu and even more when I ordered. $1 extra for a slice of tomato and then not even a good slice taste and size wise?
I had a turkey sandwich on rye with that $1 tomato, onion and lettuce ($9.99) and a  regular cup of coffee--they are known for over sized cups if you want it--($1.99--don't know if that is the same price for the larger one.) The sandwich was fine and the coffee weak.
Allen had a chicken salad platter ($11.49) which was a good size and a cola ($1.89) but wasn't offered bread or crackers with his salad.
Usually we would have one of their huge pieces of  carrot cake for me and chocolate cake for him but we were on the theatre in Miami and had to get going.
Again I keep hearing how bad service in restaurants in Fort Lauderdale but I haven't found it yet. While our server wasn't 5 star she was good.
The bottom line is that spending $32 (including tax and tip) in a diner is a bit much even if they have redone the place and there is a lot of stainless steel around!.
As yelp says for 2 stars "Meh. I've experienced better." Â I have--and at Lester's!
You know... I have to admit, I've meandered myself in here with a group of friends seeing double more than once. I have to say though, that whether buzzed or sober, the breakfast here isn't bad!
I was in here this past weekend and split an order of biscuits and gravy with a friend. They were TO DIE FOR. Seriously, wow! After that the rest of my meal was no different than any other diner. I ordered an omelette and found it strange that I had to ask them to add cheese to it. I found a slice on top and a slice inside, but for a three-egg omelette, I didn't find it sufficient. The home fries were a little over spiced, but not so much that I was unable to eat them.
Overall the meal wasn't bad, but I would've expected slightly better food for the price.
What I think of when I think about diners is the inevitable quick witted older waitress who takes a cigarette break 10x a day, doesnt leave the house without her mascara n thick layer of eyeliner, and if you ask could tell you stories. That's wasn't exactly what we got but it was close. So I was happy. Coffee was a little too watered down for my taste. I took 2 sips and was done. Food, on the other hand, was good. They bake the bread they use for their french toast in house. It's similar to challah bread which I think is perfect for french toast. It's thick but light enough to soak up ALL the syrup I like to shower over my toast. Our waitress was quick and quick witted which I loved. We were in and out in less than an hour. It's open 24 hours so it's great for late night stop or early morning breakfast.
Review Source:I love lhis place. They have a great menu for a diner and the staff is, while a little rough around the edges, very friendly and helpful. If you get the chance to check this place out for dinner I'd recommend the stuffed mushrooms for a appetizer. If its breakfast you are into be sure and check out the gyro plate which has the gyro lamb meat along with a couple eggs and hash browns. I've never had a bad meal here and always make it a "must go" place when i'm in Ft Lauderdale.
Review Source:Lester's Diner has to be a South Florida restaurant landmark. I had a terrible experience. The food tastes like it has been soaking in water. It tasted like salty mush. The service is poor. You are nickeled and dimed for everything. It all is bad. There must me at least 50-100 tables in the place and there were about four servers. It was depressing. The prices are crazy. You can pay 8.50 for sewage that you can get from the toilet for free.
Review Source:After meeting my Man at the Hard Rock he invited me to Breakfast at Lester's, I said Yes!
 This Diner had nice booths and a Huge Menu! I remember ordering an Omelet and it was Huge and tasty, he had Egg white Greek Omelet. That was delish.
We came back to Lester's after a Panther Game at the Bank Atlantic Center.
Everyone was happy and the service was great.
 Lester's is a fun place I like to come back.
I used to like Lester's a lot more. Â The food used to be much better and much less expensive. Â 11.50 for a tuna salad? Â Too much. Â i was going to order that, but I went with one of the specials, a roast pork dinner. Â The pork wasnt loin, god knows what it was. Â It was really fatty. Â The baked potato it came with was good, the green beans were overcooked. Â The salad was good, a really nice homemade greek dressing too. Â I upgraded my dessert to one of the layer cakes. Â That was the WORST cake I think I've ever had. Â The cake was dry and had zero flavor. Â The strawberries were coated in this disgusting red colored gel. Â The whipped cream was nasty too. Â It was probably non dairy whipped topping. Â The cakes might look good, but man, they are tasteless. Â
My partner had a french dip, she said it was just ok. Â Our friend had half greek chicken and he said it was dry as a bone.
The best thing that day was Athena, our server. Â She was sweet and patient and she knows her shit.
Lester's is a rarity in this little corner of the U.S. - a good, old-fashioned American diner. Â About the only thing missing from making it like something out of a TV show is the waitresses wearing little white bonnets and making wisecracks. Â But I'm okay trading the wisecracks for the near-lightning speed with which my food has usually been served there.
I've been here for breakfast many, many times, which are hearty and will leave you stuffed. Â You can get the standards - pancakes, bacon, eggs, etc., but this place also has a gyro meat and eggs breakfast that you don't find most other places and it is sooo good. Â The home fries they serve with many of the breakfasts are a plus. Â
In addition to breakfast, they have an extensive selection of desserts - cakes, pies, and cookies. Â The black and white cookie they serve there is the best black and white cookie I've ever had. Â The cookie is huge and the chocolate side is like a delicious chocolate cake in cookie form. Â Every time I go there, it's very hard for me to leave without getting one to go.
I absolutely love Lesters.  My boyfriend took me there for breakfast  for the first time a month or so ago. I am extremely picky on what I like to eat and how I like it cooked. (yes I am one of those that recreate the menu when I order). I was very skeptical as I thought "OH BOY A DINER" grease galore.
I will have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. I ordered a veggie egg white omelet cooked dry with no oil butter etc. The waitress laughed and said I suppose you want your toast dry too. I said of course. They are very accustomed to picky eaters like me. It was great that they cook  to order like that. You wouldn't expect that from a diner.
The service was great. I had fresh hot coffee constantly being added to my coffee mug! The price is just right too around the same as cracker barrel but  the food is 10 times better.  I have not had lunch or dinner there, but my boy fried has and he says it is every bit as good as the breakfast. I would recommend this place to anyone that wants great breakfast eats!
I love this place. Went with my boyfriend and a friend visiting us from Tampa and hit up Lester's for the first time around noon on Sunday. The BF and I ordered breakfast, which our friend got a simple cheeseburger, which is so out of character for her.
We all loved the food, the service, the atmosphere, etc. Apparently all three of our stomach's later revolted. We don't know why, but it probably still won't keep up away.
I am really happy that there are so many diners in the Fort Lauderdale area. Lester's is one of the current three that I am willing to patronize on a continuing basis. I remember the first time that I walked into this place and was amazed at how small its presence was on the exterior yet how large the interior was in comparison. Â There are three distinct partitions to the interior: the diner bar, the front dining room, and the rear dining area. There is an exterior patio, but I have only seen it used as a place where the servers take their smoke breaks.
We were seated in the front dining room and after a couple of minutes of perusing the menu we decided on a split brunch/lunch:
Cream of chicken and rice soup
Chopped steak (medium) with mushroom gravy, fries and cottage cheese
2+2+2 Breakfast: eggs poached medium, French toast, and bacon (soft)
Side of home fries
The soup arrived directly after we put in our order and it was not bad. It wasn't great either, but I could see myself ordering it again if I wanted something to eat immediately while I waited for my main course. It is so difficult to find a place that makes a soup that I crave.
We didn't have to wait too long after finishing the soup before our food arrived. Everything appeared good and we immediately dug-in as we were both ravenous. Â The temperature of the chopped steak was more of a medium-well than a medium, but it was still moist on the interior, which was a plus. I moved on to my meal after trying my friends. The eggs were properly cooked and while I ate them I buttered up my French Toast. Â The French Toast was lacking in cinnamon and so I would be more inclined to call it Eggy Bread, but it still had a good flavor. My bacon was all handed over to my eating partner as it had been brought out crisp. I despise crisp bacon unless it is thick-cut. It is so difficult to convey that I want soft bacon when a vast majority of the population wants it either crisp, very crisp, super-crisp or burnt.
The sides were really nothing special and may or may not have been from a freezer bag. I had no issue just leaving them. Overall, the food is very similar to Peter Pan in Oakland if not a tad more pricey. That being said, it is still fairly cheap and open 24 hours. If I am in the area and need some diner food, this is where I am going.
Yay! I'm a fan of Lester's Diner. Â Great coffee, only $1.00 too!
My wife had an omelette  and I had braised lamb shank.  I'd say the only complaint is the carrots were slightly mushy (fresh steamed carrots should be a bit firmer).
Service is great, the prices are way reasonable for South Florida.
We've been going to Lester's for years and there are some odd birds in this place whenever you go. I haven't been to Lester's in years and it's not like I had a bad experience there, it's all because of something stupid like the temperature. It's a friggin ice box in this place. Â But this time not only do I have a scarf on, I have a jacket on and wanted to down a few cups of coffee before my flight so it was optimal time to go.
I quickly got a cup of coffee and reacquainted myself with the menu and Lester's itself. Ladies (or men), go here if you want to see some men, I felt like I was the only chick in this place! Some were desirable, other said odd birds I spoke of and others were just normal. Oh yeah, back to the menu-they got it all however once I saw they had Eggs Benedict game was on. Thy brought out a generous portion of the Benedict and home fries but there was too much hollandaise sauce on them so note if you don't want a plate of hollandaise sauce with a side of Benedict, be sure to get the sauce on the side.
I'm loyal to this place, its down the street. Has always catered to me whether im fresh off work, waking up or endulging in a drunken stooper,
Open 24 hours..
Alot of room..
Quick service..
and i only get the gyro platter..Reminds me of when I was a boy in NYC, Astoria Queens to be exact..
I love it!
As a newbie Fort Lauderdale resident transplanted here from New York City; it was a big relief to find a 24 hour diner very close to my house.
Like many food establishments in South Florida, or even just Fort Lauderdale; there is a eerie feeling. Not that the food is bad, or the place is scary, or disgusting. More like a Deja Vu or "time has stood still" sort of way.
OK, OK, I may be over doing it a bit......
Lesters was interesting. Our waitress; a programed machine, cigarette throat-ed, and sweet was very welcoming and even commented on my Michigan State tee shirt (I was born and raised there). My boyfriend; french born and 6 years in the Union asks "what is sheet cake." After a brief pause and uncomfortable starring"uh, its a cake, just a cake you know, like a birthday cake." another long uncomfortable pause "oh."
He ordered the Chicken Parm.
I ordered the French Dip (I am not referring to my boyfriend).
Frenchie having a bottomless pit stomach was satisfied and cheerful about his food. He is easy to please. He later had the bread pudding that he was eh about.
My French Dip was OK. Too much beef piled in which was tough and hard to bite into after dipping into a bowl of boulianne (sp?). The french fries that accompanied were fabulous! I later had the cherry apple cobbler which Frenchie delightfully helped me enjoy since his bread pudding was just "eh." The cobbler was very good. I was given a huge piece and even after sharing I still had to take the rest home.
Any place where there is bottomless coffee I will be a "Yay! I'm a fan" about. No, really. Diners are pretty great in general in the United States. This one is your typical 50's ish tin box. I am not sure if it is that old but it appears to be. I look forward to trying other items on their menu in the near future.
After a day of shopping, the W and I stopped in at Lester's Diners. This isn't the place to go if you haven't been to the gym that day. I had their Country Fried Steak with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes. Wow, the Chicken was fried in in a thick batter and crispy. This is one of the best Chicken Fried Steaks I've ever had.
For dessert, I had them give me one of the Giant Apple Turnovers that I could eat the next morning for breakfast. It was very good, with plenty of chucks of apples in their filling.
A South Florida landmark of sorts. This place has been around forever.
I have had a variety of dishes, from the beef stew (large portion and full of beef), to an omelet (at least three eggs and loaded with veggies), to the turkey BLT. The food is solid for a diner. As one reviewer noted, the turkey is not your processed turkey. It was cut off the breast and very good. And the bacon was crispy.
They have a lot of different cakes and pies. They look awesome when you walk in and see them right in front of you. I have not had any yet, but they do look good.
If you want a diner meal or someplace to go late at night, this is a good option if you are near downtown Fort Lauderdale.
LESTER's was just down the street from the hotel where we stayed. place was packed on a drizzly sunday morning -- always a good sign. i think we were the only ones there not nursing a hangover or still drunk from the night before -- hey, i worked for WAFFLE HOUSE back in the day and know how that goes ...
pretty sure we got there just before church let out 'cause it really filled up right after we sat down with well-dressed dads and moms with lots of little people in tow.
the diner's very family friendly with a big menu and waitresses right out of central casting. all the usual breakfast favorites done well and in huge portions. we ate our fill of pancakes, eggs, hash browns, sausage and bacon and waddled out to the car fat and sassy.
great place to channel your inner redneck.
This would defiantly be a four star place, except Lester forgot to clean the bathroom.
Service is exceptional............. Five stars!
Eggs were great............ Five stars!
However, I'm not pointing fingers (God forbid), but someone seemed to miss the mark, or just plain exploded in the bathroom, and no one has bothered to clean up. Yes, I know disgusting but after going to the Dirty Job's room during breakfast my appetite for breakfast diminished, GREATLY..... I think if I try I can market the fecal diet, if I could only find the source! NNNAAAAAHHHHH no thanks!
My advice to Lester, buy a pressure washer, or just a new building!
Wanted to grab a quick bite before our trip. The location is great because it's close to Ft. Lauderdale airport. For many years we have been coming to Lester's especially the location by Sawgrass. It is your typical diner with a gigantic menu. They serve breakfast all day, Greek food, Italian, American, you must be able to find something you like on their very large menu.
I always enjoy their Turkey Club Sandwich. What stands out the most from other places is the Turkey they use is not typical deli lunch meat. It is sliced thick real turkey breast and very good. The sandwich is large and it comes with fries. Oh, so good, and it hits the spot everytime.
Hubby ordered a tuna sandwich with slaw. Oh man that slaw was juicy good. He said the tuna was fresh and sandwich was delightful.
One of my other favorite dishes from here is their liver and onions. Very good. Good home cooking well without being home.
Service is typical for a diner, they do keep your drinks filled, sometimes a bit of an attitude but hey good food with reasonable prices for a quick bite.
As you walk in they have a huge dessert case filled with fresh desserts that are mouthwatering. We did pass on dessert but they have some really good ones. Especially their rice pudding...yummy....next time.
Check this diner out, good food, reasonable prices, with reasonably good service.
Being that I'm a NJ native; I think I know a thing or two about diners. I don't think I've ever given Lester's the proper amount of respect just because I think so highly of my Jersey diners and feel there is no real comparison to anywhere else *annnnd breathe*, glad i got that off my chest...well I was wrong! See I can admit to my mistakes!!! *shocker, i know* I mean it ain't no State Street up in dirty Jersey, but it does stand well for a South Florida establishment.
We used to go there all the time before we left Broward. It was our late night dinner spot or an early morning breakfast joint. The omelets were delicious. I remember an old waitress by the name of Lenny, who had worked there forever. She was so sweet. I don't know if she's still there, it's been years since I've gone there :( but she would totally hook you up.
On Friday and Saturday nights around 4am...the Goth kids would pack this diner and it was always fun to watch. If you're in the area...I say give this place a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed for the amount of food and price you pay...and the quality is pretty spot on too.
King of the Greasy lil Spoon!
Went for breakfast & was PACKED during the week that is...can't imagine the weekend. This seems like the place you go when you need comfort food. Don't think I would come here if I wasn't looking for typical Diner food. The place is very clean, staff is friendly, & food consistent. I felt like I had taken a step back into the 50's with the decor. Pancakes were great & looked so perfect. Don't come here if you wanting something out of the box.
Good ole home cookin food.
What's not to like about an old-fashioned diner that touts itself as "Home of the 14 OZ Cup of Coffee?" lol  I would've gone here merely for that if for nothing else!
Just like out of a 50's movie...old-styled diner replete with vinyl booths and a counter with locals abounding.
We got in and out of here for under $11 for two for breakfast: two cups of coffee, and two combos which included juice, two eggs, an english muffin and bacon or sausage.
On another day I sampled the short stack (2) along with two eggs and bacon...good stuff for under $5.
It's not gourmet...definitely low-key...so if you expect the world you just won't get it. Â BUT...if you want charm and older ladies offering smiles as they bring you your food...Lester's is the place for ya!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
