First time here today and it was amazing. Food and service was great. 10/10 recommend!
Nikki Lunkenheimer
Warning!! I’m so over the top when it comes to reviews! Good or bad. I believe businesses, especially locally owned, small businesses thrive & survive off of reviews (with whatever platform they’re on). As a business owner, I know this first hand! And if I like something, I’m gonna shout it from the rooftops! So buckle up, because it’s lengthy! 😂
Today, my friend Sarah & I met up at the brand-new Second Chance Diner location (located @ 4002 West Genesee Street in Camillus). Pulling into the packed parking lot, I was both nervous and excited—nervous because I thought we’d be in for a long wait, excited because a packed lot usually means one thing: AMAZING food and service.
I’m happy to say I couldn’t have been more wrong about the wait! From the very moment I walked through the door, I was greeted by two warm, smiling hostesses who made me feel instantly welcome. Even with two larger parties ahead of me, we waited no more than 5–7 minutes (shorter than the estimated time!). Before I even sat down, I knew I was in for something special.
The service was seamless. Our hostess brought fresh napkins and silverware to the table right away, and within a minute, we had two big glasses of water. Our server, Liz, was nothing short of phenomenal—attentive, upbeat, and genuinely caring. Throughout the meal, multiple staff members checked on us to make sure we had fresh coffee, water, and anything else we might need. You don’t often see that kind of teamwork and attention anymore—it felt refreshing.
Now, the food: 🤌🏼👨🍳 chef’s kiss. We ordered the OG Fritta and the Southwest Fritta, both half sizes (which were still HUMONGOUS). Packed with flavor, color, and perfectly cooked ingredients, every bite was delicious. The English muffin on the side was toasted just right, and I couldn’t help but notice the nearly endless bread options—bagels, English muffins, and what felt like 37 different kinds of toast!
On top of the already incredible service and food, the owner, Eddie, personally stopped by our table to greet us and make sure everything was perfect. That kind of personal touch speaks volumes about why this diner continues to outgrow its locations—when the owner himself is making sure every guest feels valued, you know you’ve found something special.
My Ratings:
• Staff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring
• Food: 👨🍳💋🤌🏼 – Packed with flavor & HUGE portions
• Cleanliness: 🧽🧹 – Spotless from seating area to restrooms
• Ambiance: 🤗 – Cozy, welcoming, like being part of the family
• Overall: 100/10 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I walked in a first-timer and left feeling like family. Second Chance Diner is not just a place to eat—it’s an experience. Warm people, top-notch service, and food that leaves you both full and happy. I will most definitely be back!
Joan Ward
We had a nice breakfast on the patio. The yogurt parfait was delicious! Definitely recommend.
Patrick Stewart
I ordered eggs Benny with bacon and homies to go. I got home and started in on my bfast. They put ham on my eggs Benny. I didn't care for it. I did get bacon but it was just sprinkled over the top. Very little hollandaise. But the home fries were the best part.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Mary Olmsted
My friend and I went there this morning (Tuesday 8/5), around 815 and was closed. Website said it was open at 7am. No sign, no nothing. Tried to call also and no answer. Not good for business, so we went to Stella's instead. Got right in and got service with no problem. The food at Stella's was great and so was the service.
I found out like 3 hours later on Facebook that they are closed on Tuesday's but they should off had a sign on the door saying that they are closed and update their website. Website said they are open 7 days a week at 7am. It said open. We were not the only ones pulling into the parking lot and all were surprised that they were closed with no notice.
Shauncy Claud
My to-go box was thrown out by staff, and when I brought it to their attention, there was little concern or response. That was poor service and was disappointing—a waste of money.
Francisco Kehn
⭐️⭐️ Second Chance Diner – A Disappointing Reboot
What could’ve easily been a five-star review was unfortunately dashed to pieces.
We were really excited to return to Second Chance Diner after having an awesome experience at their original location. This time, we visited their beautiful new location, and while the setting was impressive, the service was absolutely horrendous.
The visit started with ice cold coffee—yes, ice cold—which took our waitress about five minutes to correct. When the food started coming out, it was completely staggered, and not by a few minutes—we’re talking 15 to 20 minutes apart. Pancakes and French toast arrived first, but we had to flag down a random server just to ask for the pure maple syrup we had ordered. By the time it arrived, our food was lukewarm at best.
Worse yet, our entire order never even arrived, and we had to ask them to remove it from the bill. At that point, we thought maybe we’d at least get a discount or some gesture of goodwill since we had made it clear how displeased we were. But nothing was offered.
To be fair, our waitress herself was kind and doing her best—it was clear she was completely overwhelmed. The place was packed, but there just weren’t enough servers on the floor. The whole experience left us feeling disappointed, frustrated, and honestly a bit sad because we had really hoped to love this place again.
We want to give Second Chance another chance—but not until they work out some serious issues.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Rlevans E
Cute place and the food was delicious. We went for breakfast and eat it before I could even take a picture. But definitely recommend can wait to go to there new location on W Genesee Street in August
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aliyah Bundage
Food was great but the service was TERRIBLE. Did not check on our table at all which shows poor customer food service
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Allison Merkur
Was able to accommodate our party of 14 easily. Food was amazing!!
Very nice place . Prices are a bit hight for breakfast I feel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kathleen Gaudreau
Very creative menu, but the option to just order a simple familiar breakfast is there as well. I ordered a Belgian waffle, no fancy toppings and it was delicious. I also ordered crispy bacon and it came out perfectly cooked. Not chewy and overdone, like I often receive at other restaurants when ordering it cooked that way. I would definitely stop in here again for breakfast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dustin Hilton
Absolutely amazing experience! The menu offered fantastic choices, and the food was simply delicious. Service was both fast and incredibly friendly. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Frank Szmalc
Great service, great food
The Cool Dad
Fantastic staff slinging amazing food. Worth checking out, can't wait to see them in the new and bigger space.
First time here today and it was amazing. Food and service was great. 10/10 recommend!
Warning!! I’m so over the top when it comes to reviews! Good or bad. I believe businesses, especially locally owned, small businesses thrive & survive off of reviews (with whatever platform they’re on). As a business owner, I know this first hand! And if I like something, I’m gonna shout it from the rooftops! So buckle up, because it’s lengthy! 😂 Today, my friend Sarah & I met up at the brand-new Second Chance Diner location (located @ 4002 West Genesee Street in Camillus). Pulling into the packed parking lot, I was both nervous and excited—nervous because I thought we’d be in for a long wait, excited because a packed lot usually means one thing: AMAZING food and service. I’m happy to say I couldn’t have been more wrong about the wait! From the very moment I walked through the door, I was greeted by two warm, smiling hostesses who made me feel instantly welcome. Even with two larger parties ahead of me, we waited no more than 5–7 minutes (shorter than the estimated time!). Before I even sat down, I knew I was in for something special. The service was seamless. Our hostess brought fresh napkins and silverware to the table right away, and within a minute, we had two big glasses of water. Our server, Liz, was nothing short of phenomenal—attentive, upbeat, and genuinely caring. Throughout the meal, multiple staff members checked on us to make sure we had fresh coffee, water, and anything else we might need. You don’t often see that kind of teamwork and attention anymore—it felt refreshing. Now, the food: 🤌🏼👨🍳 chef’s kiss. We ordered the OG Fritta and the Southwest Fritta, both half sizes (which were still HUMONGOUS). Packed with flavor, color, and perfectly cooked ingredients, every bite was delicious. The English muffin on the side was toasted just right, and I couldn’t help but notice the nearly endless bread options—bagels, English muffins, and what felt like 37 different kinds of toast! On top of the already incredible service and food, the owner, Eddie, personally stopped by our table to greet us and make sure everything was perfect. That kind of personal touch speaks volumes about why this diner continues to outgrow its locations—when the owner himself is making sure every guest feels valued, you know you’ve found something special. My Ratings: • Staff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring • Food: 👨🍳💋🤌🏼 – Packed with flavor & HUGE portions • Cleanliness: 🧽🧹 – Spotless from seating area to restrooms • Ambiance: 🤗 – Cozy, welcoming, like being part of the family • Overall: 100/10 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I walked in a first-timer and left feeling like family. Second Chance Diner is not just a place to eat—it’s an experience. Warm people, top-notch service, and food that leaves you both full and happy. I will most definitely be back!
We had a nice breakfast on the patio. The yogurt parfait was delicious! Definitely recommend.
I ordered eggs Benny with bacon and homies to go. I got home and started in on my bfast. They put ham on my eggs Benny. I didn't care for it. I did get bacon but it was just sprinkled over the top. Very little hollandaise. But the home fries were the best part.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
My friend and I went there this morning (Tuesday 8/5), around 815 and was closed. Website said it was open at 7am. No sign, no nothing. Tried to call also and no answer. Not good for business, so we went to Stella's instead. Got right in and got service with no problem. The food at Stella's was great and so was the service.
I found out like 3 hours later on Facebook that they are closed on Tuesday's but they should off had a sign on the door saying that they are closed and update their website. Website said they are open 7 days a week at 7am. It said open. We were not the only ones pulling into the parking lot and all were surprised that they were closed with no notice.
My to-go box was thrown out by staff, and when I brought it to their attention, there was little concern or response. That was poor service and was disappointing—a waste of money.
⭐️⭐️ Second Chance Diner – A Disappointing Reboot
What could’ve easily been a five-star review was unfortunately dashed to pieces.
We were really excited to return to Second Chance Diner after having an awesome experience at their original location. This time, we visited their beautiful new location, and while the setting was impressive, the service was absolutely horrendous.
The visit started with ice cold coffee—yes, ice cold—which took our waitress about five minutes to correct. When the food started coming out, it was completely staggered, and not by a few minutes—we’re talking 15 to 20 minutes apart. Pancakes and French toast arrived first, but we had to flag down a random server just to ask for the pure maple syrup we had ordered. By the time it arrived, our food was lukewarm at best.
Worse yet, our entire order never even arrived, and we had to ask them to remove it from the bill. At that point, we thought maybe we’d at least get a discount or some gesture of goodwill since we had made it clear how displeased we were. But nothing was offered.
To be fair, our waitress herself was kind and doing her best—it was clear she was completely overwhelmed. The place was packed, but there just weren’t enough servers on the floor. The whole experience left us feeling disappointed, frustrated, and honestly a bit sad because we had really hoped to love this place again.
We want to give Second Chance another chance—but not until they work out some serious issues.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Cute place and the food was delicious. We went for breakfast and eat it before I could even take a picture. But definitely recommend can wait to go to there new location on W Genesee Street in August
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was great but the service was TERRIBLE. Did not check on our table at all which shows poor customer food service
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Was able to accommodate our party of 14 easily. Food was amazing!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very nice place . Prices are a bit hight for breakfast I feel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very creative menu, but the option to just order a simple familiar breakfast is there as well. I ordered a Belgian waffle, no fancy toppings and it was delicious. I also ordered crispy bacon and it came out perfectly cooked. Not chewy and overdone, like I often receive at other restaurants when ordering it cooked that way. I would definitely stop in here again for breakfast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely amazing experience! The menu offered fantastic choices, and the food was simply delicious. Service was both fast and incredibly friendly. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great service, great food
Fantastic staff slinging amazing food. Worth checking out, can't wait to see them in the new and bigger space.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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