48 Best American Restaurants in Newark

“I came to Metro Diner this morning off the humbug. I was starving & was craving some chicken & waffles from somewhere close in the area. Surprisingly the chicken was very seasoned and crispy. The waffles were also very tasty and soft. The strawberry butter mixed with their signature hot sauce was also pretty good. Alicia was my server. She was such a doll :) Her knowledge of the menu is impeccable and she took very good care of me. If you are in the Newark area and would like some tasty and quick diner food, go there & ask for Alicia <3 Thanks Alicia will be there again real soon !“

“Beautiful 😻 Place to have lunch with friends and family“

“Yummy. Breakfast so good,“

“We decided to go to dinner at Firebirds. I had been once and was not impressed; however my husband had never been there. I have to say the food was good. Cooked exactly the way we wanted. The only draw back we had is the portions of food that you receive for the price that you pay. We felt like we were robbed. We don’t over eat so when I say we had small portions, we really had small portions. The dessert was even small portions for the price that you’re required to pay. The five very thin layers of lemon cake were good but the slice was very thin for $10.25. Out bill was $76.30 for two and I would have no problem if we had an appetizer and alcoholic drinks but there was none of that because we don’t drink. We each had a soda because the lemonade was too tart. The server was very pleasant and on time with everything. We tipped her well as we should have. Not sure I can return there. A little more light would be appreciated if I did return.“

“my friend and I had lunch here with our little ones today (2 and 5) i picked here because i knew they would be child friendly.because lets be honest you never know what's going to happen taking toddlers to a restaurant. they were well behaved but i want to give a huge shout-out to our amazing server Zuri. Hands down the best waitress ive ever had in a restaurant. She was polite, attentive, and had great positive vibes from her all around. Thank you zuri for making our dining experience that much more enjoyable 😁“

“excelente 👌 servicio y la comida muy sabrosa😋“

“Sean was our server. Said he was new to the job, but performed like he had years under his belt. Took care of everything we needed. My mother-in-law is doing chemo and he bent over backwards to make sure she had exactly what she needed to eat a successful meal out. Ask for him if you go to Peoples Plaza.“

“Many thanks to the staff at Churchman's Rd Newark DE Applebee's. I spoke to Garrett to make arrangements for a birthday celebration there. He was so wonderful and pleasant to speak to and so accommodating. Our waitress Crystal H was wonderful too. She gave such great service, even helping us to decorate the tables. I didn't expect her to do that but that was so nice of her. The food was great and prices reasonable. The staff there all seemed so friendly. Again many thanks. Will definitely go back the Churchman's Rd Newark DE Applebee's.“

“Everything looked great, and we had a really enjoyable brunch in the middle of our road trip. It was a perfect stop to take a break, relax, and enjoy a good meal before getting back on the road. The location is near i95 highway, so no extra time to get there. Overall, a pleasant experience and a great way to recharge during the trip.“

“Enjoyed my birthday tonight with family and friends. Grew up in Newark and have never eaten here. It did not disappoint. Love the history and the ambience. Our waitress, Piper was phenomenal, .... friendly, accommodating, and very attentive. The food was perfectly portioned and all tasted great. The soft pretzel was wonderful. The Brussel Sprouts was excellent and the short ribs were tender and flavorful. The apple cider mule was a perfect drink to top it all off.“

“We’re frequent customers at the Montvale, New Jersey, store, but this was our first visit to the Christiana (Delaware) First Watch. Spectacular food and spectacular hospitality from our server, Vanessa! I always get the ‘Traditional’ breakfast and a blueberry pancake. So yummy! My wife loved her ‘Farmhouse Skillet Scramble’! Hope we see you and your friends again, Vanessa! - Jim & Laurel Lambert“

“My aunts, uncles, brother & his family & myself cane into town for surprise bday celebration. Need to entertain before the event, stop in to grab dinner for 10 people & staff was great
There were able to fit us in & last minute & our waitress was awsum, I cant remember her name. Food & drinks were great. We liked this place so much, went back next for lunch w 17 people & again they were able to accommodate us again. Thank you for the great food, drinks & the staff.“

“Tammy was accommodating to take care of us in the bar area without a bartender!!! Thank you for serving us even with your large party you were taking care of“

“sam was the best server ever!!! very fast service and answered every question I had about the menu. gave some great suggestions on menu items, and even brought out a complimentary cinnamon rolls! lauren delivered my food so hot and fresh. love!! DO NOT PASS UP on the butternut squash soup!!! will be dining here again😛 also thank you bella for working your butt off!!!“

“Endless Shrimps was delicious. My grandson loved it. The waiter was extremely nice“

“I've been there four times, 2x Lunch, 2x Dinner. Food, Ambiance, Service, each somewhere between Very Good and Excellent.“

“I went with my group on a Thursday which was a very light evening which allowed my group to enjoy our whole dining experience. Our server had time to explain the menu and make recommendation to our group that included a 4 year old. Why is this relevant? Because, she gave her the same respectful service as she did the adults. Thank you. Now let's get to the food. I had the Chicken Picatta. I had to take the picture because at the first bite I new it was about to be destroyed. I left nothing on the plate. The Impossible Sloppy for those who need a vegan option also got a thumbs up. The food comes out hot hot! No one complained! I will be back the next time I am in Delaware.“

“Amazing food, homey environment, great prices and sociable, accommodating staff. Once again, great food.“

“As a customer who only eats fish, it was disappointing that the only fish besides Mahi mahi was not tasty and more batter than fish. Food options were limited for me but great deals are available for those that eat burgers and wings. The staff is exceptional and the environment is upbeat“

“Absolutely delicious! 😊 Everything was loaded with flavor- the macs, the sandwiches, the burgers“

“A great venue, not far from the UD campus right on the river. Good food at decent prices. Their upstairs venue space is awesome. We are there monthly for the Vanguard Event and they go out of their way with custom drinks and great service. 10/10 would recommend!“

“We love this IHOP! We live in New Castle, but we travel to this one all the time! Everyone is always pleasant when you walk in, they all speak, smile and even the manager was singing along to the music playing. She also made sure to let us know of the upcoming NEW menu items. We usually have Tim as our server and he is always on point! Very personable and he talks to everyone like they are in there every day! The food always comes out hot and looks just like what you order from the menu! I used the restroom and when I passed other servers/workers, they all speak and look like they actually want to be there, which is a nice feeling. The manager was checking the restrooms and she spoke and was very pleasant, which was very clean! You have a great crew here at this location, that is what keeps us coming back! Keep up the great work! Thank you to all who works this location!“

“Great place to hang out with the group for Happy hour or watch any game you're looking for and friendly staff!!!“

“Some friends and I went to Catch45 for lunch yesterday and we had great food and conversation. We were there for nearly four hours. The ambiance was nice and the food plentiful and delicious. We had beef patties, fried plantains two ways, jollof rice, red beans, attike and the yummy sauces. The staff was amazing in sharing their culture through exploring the menu with us, making recommendations, and ensuring we enjoyed everything. We were offered complimentary dishes to try and lots of attention was given. We can’t wait to go back again. Thanks for a great dining experience.“

“Been coming here for years. Delaware's hidden Italian secret!“

“I didn’t just grab vegan chocolate at 67 Cafe — I grabbed a whole experience. After snagging a delicious vegan chocolate bar from the neighboring Newark Natural Foods, I wandered into 67 Cafe, found myself a super comfy chair, and set up shop to study something a little niche: autonomous vehicle prompt engineering (yeah, it’s as futuristic as it sounds).

The atmosphere here is perfect for focus — relaxed, welcoming, and with that kind of low hum that makes you feel like you’re part of a quiet but thriving community. And I have to give a huge shoutout to Raina, who was working the counter when I came in and whom I rewarded a decent tip to. Friendly, efficient, and just genuinely good energy — exactly the kind of person you want as the face of a neighborhood spot.

Whether you’re looking for a place to sip, snack, or deep-dive into a cutting-edge study session, 67 Cafe has you covered. I’ll absolutely be back — probably with another vegan treat in one hand and a laptop full of AI prompts in the other. 🚀🍫“

“Wow- we can’t say enough about our awesome experience here! Patricia makes an epic cocktail! Robin is the kindest F&B manager we’ve met. Isaiah checked us in and Katie is a general Mayer who holds it all together. Stop here if you can and order a martini!“

“stoll as good as it was 20 years ago when I was eating it for study fuel!“

“my first visit I tried the chicken alfredo pizza and fell in love, it was delicious 😋 then the second visit I went for a cheese steak, I am definitely hooked to this restaurant. I would highly recommend this place to try, you will not be disappointed! Also, the staff on the phone & in person were very friendly and helpful....GREAT SERVICE👍“

“the BBQ burger with straw onions is delicious. my husband got the avocado burger.“

“I dream about your nachos 🤤“

“Food was delish!!! Service was great!!! Restaurant clean very friendly!!!! 10/10 recommend!!!“

“Last night, my wife and I tried Cheddar’s for the first time. We both ordered steaks with sides—I had the ribeye and my wife had the sirloin. Both steaks were cooked perfectly and were very tasty. My ribeye had a bit more fat than I prefer, but overall the food was good. The service and atmosphere were excellent, and we will definitely be going back.
Follow-up: I decided to add to my review after dining here at least five times now. Unfortunately, my wife and I experienced the same issue for the second time when we entered the restaurant. There was no one available to greet us, and we stood there awkwardly waiting for someone to acknowledge us and show us to a table. When an employee finally arrived, she completely ignored us and instead went to assist a woman who had entered after we did. She then disappeared into the kitchen to check on the woman’s takeout order. Throughout all of this, we were never acknowledged or even told that someone would be with us shortly. The experience was just as disappointing when we left. Two employees were standing at the register near the exit, yet neither one said anything to us. At most restaurants, you would at least expect a simple “Goodnight” or “Thank you for coming.”
Everything else about our visit was fine, but these are two areas that really need attention. A simple greeting when customers arrive and a courteous acknowledgment when they leave can make a big difference in the overall dining experience—and, in my opinion, would go a long way toward earning a better rating.“

“Prices are reasonable but the service is very poor to the point of almost being non existent!“

“Great service! Great atmosphere! Great food!“

“went sunday for brunch! the food was really good, but that espresso martini was amazing! it was really busy but our server Ashley was awesome!“

“food was delicious and service was fast and absolutely friendly. the price was also good especially compared to the large amount of food you receive.“

“I was having a hard time ordering off of the website for tonight's dinner so I called the restaurant to see if I could order directly from them. A young lady named Bri picked up the phone and was able to help me pick out everything I needed. Thank you!“

“Linsey was an amazing waitstaff today. She remembered what we needed refilled without requesting. And our other favorite server and bartender, Alley, was here too. Alley introduced us to the loyalty program and Linsey took good care of us. The impossible burgers were fantastic, the fries were YUMmmm, and those dipping sauces are a must try. And let’s not sleep on the margaritas…“

“First time ever eating at Bob Evans. Very few customers in the building, which makes me a little nervous. Greeted quickly and sat right away (go figure). Ordered the Steak Tips and Lemon Chicken Breast with fully loaded Mashed Potatoes and corn. Felt like eating home, simple. A Resturant better suited for the older generation, nothing fancy here. Simple and plain.“

“the food here is pretty decent if they get your order correct but my biggest complaint is the young rude judgemental girl that works there that is always looking down her nose at everybody that comes in. I doordash so I am in there frequently and she has a very ugly personality to the point I hate going there. it doesn't matter if I am in there as a customer or for work she is a snob and I wouldn't give them a penny of my money ever again. on another note the young guy with the beard that works in there is always very respectful and nice.“

“Great place to hang out with the group for Happy hour or watch any game you're looking for and friendly staff!!!“

“My husband and I met friends there to celebrate Juneteenth. Everything we ordered was well prepared...and there's no other way to say it except the brisket quesedillas were out-of-this-world DELICIOUS!! I can't wait to go back just to get them again. Our server was attentive and accommodating--though he did forget to bring my husband's soup. Overall, a great dining experience except for that one blip. And the parking is easy around the restaurant, though the parking lot itself is very congested.“

“Brought crabs, were ok, but almost all front claws were missing. Cooked Crabs had sand and dark dirt on bottom of their shells, had to wash off.“

“First time here and everything was amazing“

“Cleanest Wafflehouse you’ll get in a while. Good service, was a bit slow to pay the bill.

Important: there’s a 20% surcharge for “To-go” orders. Not sure if the left overs from the dine-in meal count, so ask about that.“

“Mandy was phenomenal! I had an issue with an online order, i called and she went out of her way to make sure the order was perfect (she even called me back afterwards to confirm). Hard to find customer service like this nowadays.

Edit: they messed up the order… disappointing. Shout out to Mandy tho for the effort“