This is one of my favorite diners. I don't understand some of the other reviews. I have been here many times and have always had very good food,friendly service, and big portions.
Yesterday  was no different. I decided to order the prime rib at $16.45 it came w/ soup and two sides. I started with the chicken noodle soup it had pieces of chicken and carrots and loaded w/ noodles. The salad choices were house, Cesar, or Greek salad.I got the Greek salad of course, and it had lots of feta, anchovies, tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and a stuffed grape leave on top, I also got the baked potato and red cabbage for my sides.When my meal came I was pleasantly surprised how big my prime was. It was the size that Fred Flintstone would have gotten. It was cooked exactly how I like it, between rare and med-rare and very juicy and tender. I would have liked it seasoned with garlic though not just salt and pepper, that's just me. I put garlic on everything. A bread basket was also put on the table.
I was really full from my soup and salad and bread, so when my prime rib came i only ate a small portion. My daughter ordered the same thing but she ate all her prime rib because she didn't eat her soup or salad. I took it home. We wrapped it to go and ordered what else dessert. I had rice pudding and my daughter ordered the chocolate fudge cake. Omg! Her piece was big enough for 3-4 people. Most people go to a diner for breakfast, burgers, and sandwiches etc next time try one of their dinners like we did and u won't be disappointed !
I've been here twice, and to quote the millions of frustrated Yelpers before me, "I wish there was a 3.5."
If I were you, I'd stick to the diner fare. The first time we ordered greek gyros (apparently that's one of their "specialties") and were not impressed. I mean, who WOULD be impressed with gyros at a diner, so maybe it's our fault for expecting too much. We did not intend on coming the second time but happened to confuse the name with another place and Yelped the wrong one so...voila, here's try number two. This time it was much better; I ordered a belgian waffle and home fries and my boyf ordered a tuna burger (not tuna melt or sandwich--a full on fat filet-o-tuna). We were more than pleased this time around. The homefries are obviously freshly made with thick shaved potatoes and red and green peppers and the tuna burger comes with a slaw and tartar sauce that hit the spot. Reeeeeally good.
Even though it's a bit pricey ($20 for both of us...) they have a ton of options, a bar, and the environment is nicer than normal for a diner. They also don a display case dedicated to oversized bakery items (cookies, elephant ears, brownies, pies, muffins BIGGER THAN MY HEAD PEOPLE) which I'm dying to try. The service is consistently average and the food comes out a little slow, especially considering the two times we've come have been late at night on a weekday.
See why I want a 3.5?
Very good food! This place does not look very presentable on the outside. My friend and I were very hungry and decided to go to any diner that we see on Rt. 22. Then we saw the Union Plaza Diner. When I parked the car and looked at the exterior, I thought we would be disappointed. But I was wrong! Once we walked into the diner, it looks like a cozy version of TGI Friday. The place is very cute with all the Tiffany lamps ect. There are also pastries presented at the front desk. The place looks festive! Then we ordered what we wanted. The waiter was very friendly and upon inquiry by my friend what he personally would order, the waiter recommended something. My friend ordered it and told me it was a quality burger! Cannot remember the name of the burger but it is one of their specialties with good meat and onion and everything in it. I was going to the gym and so only ordered the most basic burger. It turned out to be nice too! I would go back and would love to recommend this place. The only thing is that, being a family-friendly diner, you actually can hear kids screaming in their seats. But that is what you get. I don't view it as a negative based on the price paid.
Review Source:Went back here for the first time in a while and I was pretty disappointed with my meal. Â I ordered a pasta with vegetables. I got pasta with spinach, a ton of ground meat, and it was dripping in garlic oil. I love garlic, but it was way too much to taste anything else. Â I also tried the eggplant rolletini which was plain bad. It was overcooked and tough. Really surprised at how the quality of the food has slipped.
Review Source:when i tell you this place used to be so much better im being totally serious! up to a year or so ago i would have given this place 5 stars without blinking. i dont know what happened as ive been going here for many many years..and the food was always as excellent as the service. now..and  it pains me to say this..neither are that great anymore. and weve been back 3 times in succession (spaced within a few months apart as well) before i decided to write this review just on the off chance that it was just a bad night..and it doesnt look like that is the case.hey i totally understand this is a diner not a 4 star manhattan gourmet restaurant..that said food should still have a basic quality to it..that it tastes good.. the last time we went less than a month ago there was this couple behind us that were  sending stuff back to the kitchen course after course. they even sent the dessert back! i was thinking..hmmm..not a good sign. we first thought they may have been a bit too persnickety/fussy.. but yknow something...our food wasnt much better. and our server while nice enough..seemed really befuddled (it wasnt that busy either shockingly for 8pm this joint used to jam) we ordered french fries with mozzerella cheese and gravy said it 2x's to her too ..she asked for a order repeat..and we ended up with fries and a melted plasticky looking american cheese on them. ..no gravy...plasticky looking as they must have been sitting out for a while because they were cold. we didnt send them back because we didnt want to be out all night, as it was taking a while for the kitchen to get things out and was getting late..so shame on us i guess. but my grilled tuna steak sandwich on a hard roll which used to be my all time fave item on the menu was just surprisingly meh (a little fishy tasting too this time..not as fresh as it used to be) and my fiances grilled chicken ceasar wrap was not that good either. the soup was ok tho. i had heard rumour that the original owners had sold to others..idk if this is true. but what i do know unfortunately is that the UP Diner has seen better days..hopefully it will go back to them...so i can change this review to a 5 star one.
Review Source:Great! And they have a bar, pretty awesome. Â So the bathrooms are small but the diner is huge, everyone is friendly, the food is good and if it's not - they are very accommodating and happy to fix something that's wrong. Well priced and just good food. Also an easy location to get to
Review Source:T had her sights set on eating at a diner since it's the NJ thing to do and really wanted the diner experience. The majority of reviews for diners around Woodbridge were not so great, but we found this place a little further away.
We were starving when we got here and were seated right away. The waitress was very attentive, kept coming back to check on us. The menu is very extensive. There just has to be something there that everyone would like. I got the chicken portobello panini, which came with fries. They let me substitute for sweet potato fries! generous portions. M and T got the lunch specials, which also came with soup and dessert for a price cheaper than mine, which wasn't a lunch special. good deals. T did complain that the ice cream was really bad... we're not the type of people who can really tell amazing ice cream from not so amazing, so that ice cream must've been pretty bad. The waitress brought her a different dessert since she didn't like the ice cream.
Overall, good food, good service.
A great NJ diner.... Good Food, Â Great Service, Fair Prices!
(Don't get this review twisted UPD because you are still not perfect! Something needs to be done with the uncomfortable tables in the middle by the restroom. Â They look nice but when I sat down in the chair the table was almost at my neck !)
It's typical diner food. Huge menu, so-so service.
I tried the Greek trio which had moussaka, pastichio, and spanakopita and came with a Greek salad. Good diner food. The server looked and acted as if she didn't want to be there and didn't even crack a smile. The servers up by the dessert stand were friendlier.
Probably one of the better diners in Union, NJ. However, I am fan of those diners that are hole in a wall and they provide amazing food and service. The food here is quite good.
One bad experience that has stuck with me is that I went during lunch with a friend. We sat before this table of a party of 5 and I was party of 2. The party of 5 got their food before us and our waitress came back to us and asked us to clarify our order. Keep in mind this was 40min after we sat down. I was shocked and I asked for the manager and all he did for me was comp me on the soda? I guess if your business is good enough you don't really need to comp customers.
Overall food is good but the bad experience was a new waitress which was a very painful experience for me. I lost hope for humanity for that day.
I was very surprised  at how good the food was here , I had a Greek sampler platter, thaat was more than I could get, and my honey had his Taylor ham sandwich , that he has been  going thru withdraw for. I noticed a tiramisu  cheese cake that look fabulous. Sure wish I hadn't been so full , Or I would of tried it. Definitely  would come back again.
Review Source:Usually, when friends and I go out drinking, we end up here (or Tropicana) afterward, which begs its first positive quality: Â It's open 24 hours. Â Huge plus.
In terms of the food, it's OK. Â Not in love with it. Â Not in love with the prices either (they seem a bit higher than most diners I've been to).
Their menu is massive and the service is quick and effective.
Combine it all and you get four stars. Â Maybe three-and-a-half, but that's not an option, so we round up. Â You won't be disappointed, but if a lot more of the other local diners were open at 2 in the morning, I'd probably go other places.
AW Union Plaza Diner I love youuuu. Def my fav diner, no tricks, no bells n whistles..just a jersey diner. Love the selection, I know some people complain that there is to much on the menu, but when you are drunk as hell and hungry you can order an oreo pancakes, cottage cheese, eggs, meatloaf and a pina colada all at the same god damn time. Now what is wrong with that? nothing my friends, nothing. Enjoy!
Review Source:New Jersey truly has the best diners in the nation. My favorite dish here is the Greek Trio comprised of: spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka (eggplant casserole), and pastichio (pasta with ground beef and béchamel sauce casserole). It's quite comforting and comes with a Greek salad (with feta, olives, an anchovie, and a stuffed grapeleaf), and your choice of soup of those available that day.
Their empanadas are only filled with ground beef on the dry side and nothing else. Their kourambiethes (Greek butter-based cookies covered in powder sugar) are also on the dry side. Mixed drinks are visually cute and taste okay but pretty weak here. If you want booze, I recommend getting beer.
Overall, the food and service here is dependably good and the menu is vast. It's great for late nights, when you suddenly decide you're too lazy to cook, and any time.
The vibe at the Union Plaza is a bit different than that of the two other "major" Union diners, a bit edgier and more energetic. Â Menu choices are overwhelming, with most selections eatable, but hit-or-miss in terms of actual quality. Â UPD's renditions of many of its menu choices appear and taste different than similarly-named dishes at Mark Twain or Huck Finn; not better or worse, just different. Â If they actually do more scratch cooking, I wouldn't be surprised. Â My guess is that, more likely, they buy from a different frozen purveyor. Â What makes the Union Plaza a fun place to hang is the incredible assortment of characters who comprise their waitstaff. Â Read my rating as 2.50.
Review Source:My favorite spot for all hours of the day. Most people think that diners are only great at burgers and sandwiches...not this one! You can get grade A meat, fresh salads, and a martini! Pretty decent prices. Nicely decorated, clean. Try to avoid the Sunday church crowd and late night after club crowds. Right on 22 very convenient!
Review Source:One of the great things about moving to NJ was the lure of diners. Mass. used to have a ton but, little by little, they've gone the way of the dodo. I've been trying them out and UPD is my consistent favorite.
After 9/11, my brother was recalled by the USCG and was working on the Hudson. He told me all the guys used to come here for late night because it was good, the waitresses were nice, and it was far enough away that none of their commanders would be there to bother them. When I moved here, he told me I had to go.
I've been to Vicki's, West 22, and lots of other diners. UPD is the best I've found. I find their menu overwhelming, but everything comes out of the kitchen at good diner quality, I've always had good service, never a long wait even when it's busy, and they don't even sneer at me when I bring my 2 little girls with me. The prices are reasonable. They have specials on long island iced tea. It's larger on the inside than it appears on the outside and the booths are comfy. What's not to love?
Good food, poor service. Server was over worked. Took our order and I knew she didn't hear what I said. The waiting area had no place to sit. For me that's fine but I worry if my mother or grandmother ever had to wait standing up for a half hour wait. It would piss me off.
The food was good. Prepared well and very satisfying. Decent sized portion and reasonable price. I have eaten there before and will eat there again. Hopefully my server will be better next time. I'm sure the food will stay the same.
I moved to this area recently, and this is my favorite dinner.
I used to visit so frequently The Bridgewater Dinner (on Route 22) when it was close to my place, but my wife found this place (just before we moved);
And it's great!
It is a perfect place to go for breakfast, dinner, or late-night.
Service is good during day, but at night is not as good as we expected, but food it's still great. Â
These guys don't have a menu, they have a BOOK!
My family and i have been going to union diner since i was in 7th or 8th grade. At 27 when i come home to visit my family its one of the first place i visit. I have an endless amount of story in this place,which is fairly common with the dinner experience because there is always or story behind it. Ill spare you them. I love breakfast there and the staff is pretty cool and personable. Its 24 hours as are most dinners but they still have quality during the late night hours where most other diners fall off. Plus you have say a testament to there overall stay power and quality is the fact they have out last many of the stores around them and the ihop not far down 22. Large selection on the menu the seemingly have everything and if you don't see it you can ask and i am sure the may have it anyway. Top 10 diners i have been to in North Jersey..HANDS DOWN. Enjoy!!
Review Source:Known as UPD to locals, the Union Plaza Diner is a great late night spot.
I'm not sure I've ever had a real "dinner" here, but I'd imagine the food is equally as good as the breakfast and late night orders.
They are open 24 hours (call before you go, just to be safe, but I've been there all hours of the night) and the food is as good at 1am as it is at other times. Â My only late night complaint is that the service staff is notably less friendly at night. Â I guess people are usually obnoxious at that hour, but not everybody deserves the silent walk by treatment. Â That's my only knock on UPD.
The menu is HUGE. Â They have sections devoted to the typical Greek diner options as well as a slew of Mexican/Latino choices. Â I usually go with the appetizer samplers (there are tons of choices to choose from).
If you are going in late night, and probably shouldn't be driving, I suggest not stopping at UPD. Â There are usually cops in the parking lot patrolling Route 22.
This is by far the best diner in the area. The menu is HUGE offering everything from mexican to Greek dishes. Granted with this huge menu you are bound to find some things that are not good but they are few and far between. Almost everything  is fresh and delicious.  Definitely get the matzo ball soup if you go. The prices are fair, they are not cheap but a little more than normal diner prices. The cake is selection is also very big if you are looking for desert. The staff is also very friendly.
Review Source:Breakfast is amazing: I absolutely love the banana chocolate chip pancakes and any of their omelets (which I always have egg white and they are still phenomenal!)
This place is also a great place to go late night - they have great fries, burgers, milkshakes, and mozzarella sticks and they even have a full bar for those friends that can keep the party going.
The menu is truly extensive with everything available ALL THE TIME - I have never had an experience otherwise. Furthermore, the Price is always right here - everything is decently priced and the food quality is high.
Note:
Sitting in the booths around the bar is the best part of the diner, its very relaxed, and a little quieter than the other areas and you get the best service there.
Hugest menu I have ever seen in any restaurant! Massive selection of any type of food you could ever be in the mood for - Greek, Asian, Mexican, American, breakfast, sandwiches, greasy spoon favorites, lo-cal options. Food was served quick and was comforting and yummy (albeit greasy and unhealthy).
EXCELLENT service, super friendly and awesome waitstaff, fair prices. Kitschy diner setting. I loved this place.
See my pictures!
This is a New Jersey diner. Â And that's the best complement I could give a diner. Â The menu is vast, the service is impossibly friendly, and everything is a dollar cheaper than you think it should be. Â One of the best diners in the state, and I've been to dozens.
Tips:
-Come in with a general sense of what you want (gyro, lobster, mexican, etc) or else you'll start sweating when you look at the 15 page menu.
-Bring a cash tip, so you can leave it on the table when you pay at the register.
-Wear comfortable sneakers, since you're going to need to walk around to digest the vast bounty.
In the vein of what others have said, this is the BEST DINER IN THE AREA. I've searched long and hard for a consistently well-priced, delicious place with good service, and this is it. The hours are wonderful (24 hours on the weekend) and if you can brave driving on 22, the parking lot is sizeable. My fav here is the chicken caesar wrap. Bring your reading glasses because their bible of a menu requires some serious eye work out.
Review Source:A co worker described this place as her favorite diner - considering she likes to eat at diners a lot, I took her recommendation.
Me and the bf, went on a Saturday morning for b fast. Â We order our usual - veggie omelet for myself and he orders a side of choco chip pancakes and eggs benedict with a glass of OJ. Â The OJ was fresh squeezed, so it tasted like and the food was good, yes good, not to be confused with great. Â The only con - i have was the home fries - I don't think you can really mess up this wonderful side to b fast, but they just were not on point with this. Â
Why I gave it three stars you ask, well the prices are very reasonable AND the selection is quite immense, service was pretty good given it was quite busy that Saturday morning.
What surprised me about this place is how many people can fit inside of it, from the outside it does not look so big but what you walk in, Wow...
Good gosh, what is it about places to eat on the Rt.22 island that makes them so good? Â This diner is the best diner in New Jersey as of now, and here's why. Â The gastronomicon menu has wraps, breakfast specials, lunch specials, etc on it, and they do it all well. Â As a joke I ordered prime rib because I've never ever ordered it at a diner, and it was probably the best prime rib I've ever had. Â I ordered fish specials that they can't do correctly down the Shore, and have been astonished. Â I can't find something they don't do well, and I really tried. Â Well, the water isn't so good, but that's it.
Review Source:
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