05/26/09

We came We left We're done

by CSMobileUser2

I miss Dolores. Been going for years. Moved to the Westside in 1978. Went in during construction and had a mediocre experience and thought I better let the new owners get their place together.

After seeing their coupon on the back of Ralphs receipts for months I decided it was time to try Dolores again. We went last Friday at 6PM. The first warning was I was the only car in the lot. We continued in to see about 3 people in the place. The hostess was not exactly friendly but we were seated. She later came over as our server. She saw the coupon I placed at the table edge, took it, closely examined it and said something about trouble with the coupon vendor. Then she said we don't take this coupon anymore. Never mind it expires two months from now?? That was enough. We left.

I predict Dolores will close sometime during the Summer unless big changers see made. We're done.

Went to Rae's in Santa Monica and had a wonderful dinner.

03/09/09

Terrible

by CSMobileUser

I used to go for the Jumbo Jim burger. My dad used to take there when we were kids. The new owner changed the menu, and also hired a cook that couldn't get eggs, bacon and hash browns right when there were 3 other people in the place. Don't go

01/17/09

Overpriced food and horribly managed restaurant

by brentwoodcontessa

Oh what a waste of money this joint is. For ages it was a comfy homelike friendly place, with competent servers serving quality meals at a reasonable cost. Well, all that is in the past. New owners have taken over and for months the place was under construction right in the middle of business hours, making it impossible to sit & eat, or enjoy your meal without sawdust in your burger. It is now so overpriced for humdrum pablum food at poor quality that I won?t go back. A serious loss to the neighborhood. I rate it below average.

• Pros: they serve wine and beer, which you will need in ample amounts if you want a good eating experience at this place.
• Cons: yummy homebaked desserts are no longer; management has ruined the place.

01/16/09

It?s under new ownership, ungone a remodel and unfortunately very few bits of charm remain.

by Wiggywoo

Too bad this fabulous old LA landmark sold out. It's not that the remodeling is bad per se, it's what came with the new look that's a tragedy. The new owner has taken great pains to try to maintain the style of the old place; it's bright and shiny-new version of the old now boasting wi-fi connection. However, with the new decor has come an unpleasant new attitude and vibe. It's a vaguely pretentious feeling of putting on airs and trying too hard to make Delores Diner a fine dining establishment. The food is unchanged, and is just what you would expect from a diner; solid and consistently good, not outstanding or remarkable, and certainly not gourmet. Sadly, the charming, funkiness & quirkiness that naturally comes with an "always open" 24 hour diner is gone, as is most of the staff. All but a handful have been relieved of duty, leaving the remaining few rushed hurriedly running from table to table which is made glaringly apparent by the things forgotten like your toast order or that you needed a clean fork. Meanwhile, the boss stands back and watches with a critical eye never lifting a finger to assist. Delores is now generally understaffed; hence the level of service has dropped from good to less than satisfactory. Finally as expected there has been a substantial a price increase. Two eggs and a side of sliced tomatoes that cost $5.95 three months ago is now a whopping $8.25, fountain drinks are $2.50, overall a staggering 39% increase in price. It's a diner not Delmonico?s. Save your money and head for the IHOP, Norms, or Denny?s; each of equal quality and all within a couple of miles of Delores.

• Pros: Tables are always available at any time.
• Cons: service, cost

08/17/08

Good food, new decor, free wifi

by sm2323

I work across the street from Dolores and had never been in until a friend suggessted I try the place once.

Being a diner they serve breakfast all day and so I ordered their special and it was great. At $7.95, I got a tasty egg benedict with toast and coffee. I sat there for nearly two hours, working away on my laptop with the waitress filling up my coffee cup every few minutes.

The backroom is nice and comfy with new booths and carpet. I think I'll go again.

• Pros: Good value, comfy
• Cons: They are going through remodeling

08/03/08

Forget Doloreses unless your a MILLIONARE

by sumi23

My girlfriend and I saw dolores on logo as the place for GLBT's too eat breakfast/brunch. The service was fine and food was ok. We ate 2 orders of eggs and sauage, one slice of bacon, one dish of cottage cheese, 2 rootbeers and one coffee w/cream....IT CAME TO $35.83 are you kidding me? More than $40 bucks for breakfast after the tip! I can get the same service better food for $ 23.00 w/tip included at norms. We happen to eat breakfast every day and have been all over west LA for this same order. I would not recommend eating here unless you are just going to drink water. 2bucks for a soda is bad but this place charged 3. So if you have Money To Burn enjoy, but I don't. Me and my girl will be at NORMS!

07/25/08

Doleres Ain't the Gal she used to be!

by CabreyC

Maybe I have not paid much attention to what resturaunts charge for soft driinks, but $3.75 caught my attention as exhorbitant for a mediocore class of ice tea. It gets worse. My boyfriend ordered an open faced roast beef sandwich which was delivered up susupiciously quick, within 2 minuteslooking like the sole of an old shoe. One bite confimed that its looks matched its taste.

The shoe was sent back and exchanged for a burger. One bite of that confirmed our suspicions that Delores serves the worst food we've ever tasted. An avid user of toothpics following a meal, which in this case was only one bite of a burger and a shoe, my boyfriend said he could not even get the food from the one bite out of his teeth with a toothpick -- it was too rubbery!!.

I had a bowl of lentil soup which was fine. The bill was $30 for two ice teas (at $3.75 each) , one bowl of soup and an $11,95 burger that was not even eaten. Be warned. Delores ain'[t the gal she used to be!

06/19/08

best service nice management

by manuel2

i do have a very nice experience at Dolores , with nice servers specialy in hte morning i like the nice clientel they have off course some time arrive those wierdos from the strett and make the day very bad for every body in the restaurant

• Pros: parking service

04/20/07

Legitimate, Non-Homogenized Hangout for Weirdos Like Me

by pointofinfo

I do really adore this place. I'm one of the weirdos in drag who walks over to Dolores before or after the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the nearby Nuart Theater. There's always available parking and seating in the lot, though to be fair I'm there between 11pm and 4am. 24 hours, by the way. I do recommend this place for what it is: a non-homogenized Denny's. The staff is funky and quirky, which I appreciate. They get a kick out of smalltalk (especially when the talker is in drag) and don't get orders wrong. They are quick about seating and service, and attentive to things like refills and bringing the check. I think it would be easy, however, to mistake their straightforwardness for rudeness if a customer is accustomed to the higher-end places in Santa Monica. Otherwise, this place has a very Canter's-esque vibe, and isn't as cut-and-pasted as other places serving similar food. As a veggie myself, I don't go to places like this with the misconception that I'm going to have more than 5 options, but they do offer fried zucchini, 2 types of fries, and onion rings. Funky place.

• Pros: Funky character and staff. Plenty of parking and quick service.
• Cons: Not for us vegetarians, those used to upscale will be out of their element.

04/13/07

standard diner fare, open all the time

by zaphod46

Dolores's is very average. It is nice and big inside, open all the time, but the food is only so-so. It is, however, priced appropriately, so you don't feel ripped off.

Vegetarians beware, you won't have many choices here. Vegans will be stuck eating fries.

• Pros: service, spacious
• Cons: meat-based menu