Writer’s Note: After Game 1 of the UAAP Basketball Championship of Ateneo-La Salle in 2008, my friend and I wrote a long review on Butter Diner.  This is my worst dining experience ever, and I strongly discourage anyone who would even think about trying Butter Diner.  Here is a shorter and less agitated version of the review.

My friend and I wanted to try Butter Diner because it got good reviews from ClicktheCity.com, and also received praise from one of my friends from the office. Along with some other friends, we headed there after game 1 of ADMU-DLSU and got one of the worst dining experiences. EVER.

Service:

Butter Diner’s service was inefficient and very slow - perhaps, slower than a snail’s pace.  For example, six of us were given just one menu to share, and when we asked for another menu, it took 15 more minutes for the staff to hand another one.  This was only the start of the long wait.

When our food did not arrive 30 minutes after our orders were taken, we followed it up.  Only then did they tell us that the mashed potatoes that go along with the pot roast were already out of stock.  Perhaps, the waiter could have informed us about the mashed potatoes when we mentioned our orders, or at least even when the chef  saw our order slip?

We waited for 45 minutes before the first item, the beef pot roast, was served.  We had to keep following up our orders one at a time, and only then would those food items show up.  We waited more than 30 minutes after the first order was served, and most of the orders require minimal preparation, such as soup, salad, and pancakes. The last omelet was served 30 minutes after I left.

The staff, in an attempt to make an apology, told us that there was only one cook in the kitchen, and was the cause for the delays. That was funny to hear, since two other tables which were empty when we started ordering were served first.  Maybe, they follow LIFO, (last in, first out) which shouldn’t really be used if you don’t want to agitate your customers and hear them say “we ordered before they did!”

Food

Beef Pot Roast:
I like tender beef, but this was too tender for my taste. The meat shreds too easily that it doesn’t feel like I’m chewing anything anymore.  As far as taste is concerned, I’m not too picky with my food unless I feel cheated. The beef was seasoned with too much soy sauce, maybe not even Knorr or Maggi seasoning. For the price (around 200php), I don’t think it was worth my money.

Cream of Mushroom Soup:
The soup’s consistency was too watery.  Moreover, it tasted more like garlic soup than a mushroom soup.  My friend, Roy, also observed that it was too buttery, and joked that it was probably because we were in a “butter” diner.

Western Burger and Fries:
It was surprisingly small for a 165 peso burger. The burger was not all bad. The bun was soft and parts of the patty were juicy, but most of it was a bit dry for my taste.

It seems adding bacon and BBQ sauce makes it western. The bacon was not just burnt to a crisp; it was burnt so bad it felt carcinogenic. The only thing that felt right was the spicy kick of the BBQ sauce and the fries.  The fries were okay, not bad, but nothing special either.

I didn’t sample the food of the others, but I did see a lot of inconsistencies in their servings. The three omelets we ordered were served with three French toasts. The first one that came out seemed to be just soggy bread, while the second had a scoop of butter and confectioner’s sugar sprinkled on them.

Ambiance
Butter Diner does have the feel of a 60’s American diner. I loved the memorabilia, the old school posters, pictures and equipment – even the old bread toaster on our table actually still worked, as we were welcomed by the smell of a heating coil after playing around with it. There were radios, TVs, and even a Kermit Clein poster!
While being 60’s themed is fine, it was no excuse to keep it feeling dingy. A cockroach on the table is not really a good way to start a diner experience.
Butter Diner was simply disappointing.

With good reviews and praise, I felt even more letdown by the experience. I had high expectations, but the service was slow and sloppy, and the food wasn’t even worth the wait. I don’t see why I had to pay service charge, when my friend had to keep standing up and asking the kitchen and the staff for each of our meals, and even the bill.

I wanted a second opinion and asked both Helen and Roy, first time Butter Diner visitors as well, and we all agreed that Butter Diner does not deserve a second visit, or maybe even a first from you.

Original Version Written by: Cris Evert Callueng and Roy Vitangcol
Photo Credits: Helen Tan