Raymond's

If you’re looking for a good diner in the montclair area, this place has become a regular visit for both brunch and lunch! The portion sizes are generous and the inside decor is vintage and well renovated!

Came here for a spontaneous anniversary lunch. It's BYOB, which is great because there's a cute Artesian Wine Store need door! We sat and then I ran over to grab a few libations. For our meals hubby had the Cobb Salad Dinner and a soup. I tried his salad and it was delicious. The onions were fried to perfection! For myself, I ordered the Belgian waffle with fruit, and the avocado toast. Both were so good! The waffle was hearty and not at all dry. The toast was a tad burnt underneath; but perfectly seasoned and topped with pickled radish, sunflower seeds and a poached egg. I ate every bite! The server was attentive and kind. Such a great experience. We will definitely return, when in the area!

My vegetarian days might be well behind me, but I've got to pour out some love for the veggie burger at Raymond's. Every time I order it, I'm freshly in awe of how picturesque this burger is with its towering top bun atop an unimaginably crisped crust. I've found a lot of veggie burgers to suffer in taste and texture (I can't tell you how many have just deteriorated in my hands), but the good people at Raymond's know how to take care of their plant eaters. The accompanying fries are the skinny kind. While they're not my favorite type (mainly because it feels like I have to eat five to eight at a time to feel like I'm tasting the potato) and smaller in serving size, I appreciated they were decently hot and well seasoned. It wouldn't be a diner if they didn't serve breakfast all day, and my breakfast fiend of a husband was positively gleeful over his omelette (all whites can be done upon request). He was even happier with the side serving of salad, which was far from the sad and wilted greens that typically compose a side salad. Instead, this was a robust helping of fresh greens, pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers that took up a whole half of his large plate. Service is warm, prompt, and faultless - exactly what you'd want from a quintessential diner experience. And while the decor doesn't add or detract from the good, I also adore the colored bottle displays that I've found are signature of all Raymond's diners (for those who care about such things, it makes for a highly Instagrammable backdrop).