Our first outing was to The Diner on Phillips Ave. which is owned by WR Restaurants of Sioux Falls. Mark Gillespie, General Manager has been with The Diner since it moved downtown from Louise Ave. 4 years ago. He told us that some of the “secrets” our readers may not know are what great deals can be found here. See below for weekly diner specials. The most popular requests are for the Seafood Jambalaya, Hot Beef Combos and Malts! If downtown parking seems too chaotic to you, don’t let that stop you. Mr. Gillespie pointed out 2 parking ramps less than a ½ block away that take care of that issue.

Here’s what the Palate Patrol had to say:
Scott W: I ordered Hot Beef Sandwich & Chicken Tortilla soup. Although the soup was not very hot, it was great with the tortilla strips and cheese on top. The steaming hot sandwich was huge and so was the pile of real mashed potatoes and gravy. Beef was so tender! Overall, our server Holly was quick and courteous, and the atmosphere was great right along with the food.

Mary S: My lunch of Turkey, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy was like I had been in the kitchen cooking for hours, took off my apron & sat down for Thanksgiving dinner! Home style cooking… what a treat! I will be going back to try more of their large selection of food. I have never been to a place where I could close my eyes and think that I was in my Mom’s kitchen or mine.

Dee J: I can see why The Diner’s Meatloaf lunch is a favorite! The best part is I asked to substitute the vegetable for cottage cheese and it was no problem! Secretly, I think I’m the “ice tea critic” and I have to tell you they have the best iced tea in town – hands down! The challenge is now on in the iced tea department!

Mark J: I had the Philly CheeseSteak Sandwich, Fries & Diet Coke. For dessert, us three guys tried the Fried Cheesecake which was amazing… unlike anything I have tried before.  This is a must eat, on the menu!! I’d like to suggest dessert before the meal in that situation. I would order the Philly again and enjoyed my experience at The Diner.

John R: I had the “Burger of Champions”, French Fries, Mello Yellow. The burger was amazing! It consisted of a beef patty, fried egg, bacon and a slice of ham between the buns. The idea of eating 3 animals (pig, chicken & cow) in one burger seemed like quite a challenge. But, after I took the first bite, I couldn’t stop. I also had a few spoons of the Fried Cheesecake. Ok, the truth – lots of spoons full! Incredible!

Sounds like this was a unanimous “Thumbs Up” from the Palate Patrol. You never know where they will show up – look for us again in two weeks with more dining information. In closing we’d like to share this: NOUVELLE CUISINE translated means “I can’t believe I paid ninety six dollars and I’m still hungry!” You can pay less than $6 and walk out of The Diner full!

121 S Phillips Ave,
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605)335-4977

Hours: M–Th 7 AM – 8 PM
Fri 7 AM – 9 PM • Sat 8 AM – 9 PM
Sun 8 AM – 2 PM (Winter Hours Coming)
DINER SPECIALS
M: 5:00 PM – Close – ½ Price Burgers
T: Comfort Food Night  – $6.99 Each
W: Kids eat for .99
Th: ½ Price Wine Night

The Diner believes they are the only restaurant in town that serves fried cheesecake. The cheesecake is wrapped in a special dough, deep fried and topped with strawberries served with a side of ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon.