Phoenicia Diner

Not you typical 5-hundred same old diner menu choices.
Fewer choices with unexpected combinations and amazingly delicious pancakes.
Decent sized - shareable portions.
Always busy but the wait is rarely more than a few minutes and the staff is engaging and knowledgeable, too.
Old-fashioned diner charm.

This little diner is perfectly placed where starving hikers from the Catskills can pull over as they come south on route 28. As I was racing down the road so hungry I would have pulled over and ate roadkill, I slammed brakes as I was racing passed this diner, backed up and pulled into the lot.

This place feels like an old school diner and the menu was perfectly sized; not too big but not too small either. I feel like any business that has several pages of menu items surely is serving you frozen food without a doubt. Was the burger I ordered from here frozen? Not sure but as hungry as I was it tasted like the best burger I ever had but if I was of sound mind it was probably an average burger for this type of establishment. I wasn't a fan of the fries but ate half of them.

For location and value this place is really good spot. I know it's not fine dining and I wouldn't dare compare it to such but compared to other diners I've been to this is average at best and I most certainly would stop in again after a day of hiking.

We were recommended this place while we stayed in a resort 30 minutes away.

Well worth the trip, and it helps that it's on our way home.

This dish was great and the pancakes and bacon were tremendous as well.

I get it. I do. This classic diner, with exceptional food deserves to be on the map. I don't usually give 5 stars for not a 5 star food experience, but this place deserves it for exceptional execution, and through a fault of my own (not being able to get more than two dishes in one sitting).

During this visit, I was there for brunch, so I ordered two different plates, buttermilk pancakes, and the turkey club.

The pancakes were thick, fluffy, and flavorful. They had a nice crust on the outside. Really just how I would want my pancake, except I would want some sugar in the batter. It's a matter of preference. I believe most people would die for these pancakes had they been something that was a top food. I can't say I eat pancakes often.

The turkey club, I was told, was turkey breast made in house. I made a mistake, I thought the club would be hot (I am a turkey club rookie, I don't get one often). It wasn't, which is a bit off-putting to me. In this case I found it to still exceed my expectations. The onion rings were fat, crispy, and delicious. Since this was a lot of food, I was able to bring half of the sandwich back with me, and the next evening I heated it up in the oven, and it transformed for me into a 5-star sandwich. Seriously, good job.

The meal was quite nice, and I want to go back on my next visit. It was truly a favorable experience and deserves the accolades.

I came back here as a group of 7 on Sunday 10am, and it was about a 30 min wait for us.

The pancakes were again very good, although you could get a side order of 3 pancakes and be satisfied I think. They are small in circumference but pretty fluffy.

I got the shrimp and grits skillet this time, and while I liked it, I preferred my first skillet (the arnold) more.

I also tried the hot chocolate, which was a great drink for me as it is not sweet. We tried the lemon pie (silky and the better option in my opinion) and the Bourbon pear (still good, but the pear didn't mesh well as a pie).

Amazzzinggggggg!!! We went here on a holiday weekend and it was a bit of a wait but let me tell you, it was worth every second of waiting.

We started at the bar with the mimosa and bellini. They were so strong and the orange juice was freshly squeezed. Actually perfect!

We then got seated where we were immediately seen which I commend them for with how busy they were. I got the onion rings and the tuna salad sandwich with a side salad. The onion rings were actually the best I have ever had. The tuna salad sandwich was sooooo good, the bread was so soft! The side salad had the best greens ever!

The place is so cute and cozy inside. I love it here so much!

We had visited the Phoenicia Diner back in October. We had passed this diner on our way to Rail Explorers and decided to stop by after our rail tour. We walked in and was quickly welcomed and seated to a booth. The menus were on the placemats and was also given a specials menu. Good variety of food and we were starving. The menu was diner favorites like breakfast and sandwiches with their own little twist. I was surprised to see on their specials that they had a Filipino Adobo dish. I was curious but decided on something else. I had ordered the Reuben and the waitress said it was her favorite. When the food arrived, one of the servers said it was going to be the best Reuben I would ever have. And they were not wrong at all. The Reuben was delicious!! The fries were extra crunchy.

Overall we enjoyed all of our meals. The staff were all amazing! They also had some cute Halloween decorations outside and a really nice outdoor seating set up and as well as plenty of parking. The diner was cute and gave those old school diner vibes and it was super cozy.

Stopped at Phoenicia Diner on our way upstate. A diner that serves up the classics, but in a way that they feel both comforting yet new.

Quality: Phoenicia Diner really offers a little bit of everything. It is a place you could come back to a dozen times and be confident in ordering something different each time. My first bite was of the ridiculous Beer Battered Onion Rings. They were massive, yet managed to keep an incredible, soft texture. The French Toast was unique, but not my favorite item. I did not love the bread they used, it was a bit too hard and could not sponge in all the syrup. The Corned Beef Skillet was fantastic and my can't miss item. The corned beef in the mix was some of the best I have ever had.
Quantity: Large portions of everything, don't underestimate the sides.
Value: $8 for the Beer Battered Onion Rings. $14 for the French Toast. $16 for the Corned Beef Skillet.
Ambiance: Phoenicia Diner is an iconic establishment located near Woodstock. The space is huge, as COVID necessitated an outdoor expansion. The inside has a classic diner feel, then an attached cocktail bar. They have a huge covered outdoor dining area as well as some tables that extend beyond the roof. The views of the surrounding nature make any seat, inside or out, an impressive one.
Crowd: Weekday in the off-season grabbing a table was no issue, but don't be surprised to find it packed during busier times of year.
Service: Lovely staff and the food moves quick.
Parking: Large private parking lot.

Not a bad place but we probably won't stop here again.  Pancakes and the jalapeño hash browns were very good.  The ramp pasta was over seasoned.  
Service was decent especially how busy it is.  Very friendly.

This place is an absolute 'must visit' when you're in the Catskills. It is so cute and perfectly appointed inside. The vibe is retro, stylish, cozy. The service was great; super fast. The pancakes were the best I've ever had - fluffy but with a crisp exterior. I couldn't help but buy merch on my way out!