Starliner Diner

Best restaurant in town! My wife and I have been going there for as long as I can remember and go there pretty much every chance we get. The plantains are a must.

Been going there for over 10 years now, and have had everything on the menu. Top ratings go to the Cuban Sandwich and the Plantains. The Po' Boy and the roasted chicken is great also. The Cajun Chicken Salad is not so good, same with the chili rellenos. Pizza is okay...not really sure why they have it. Everything breakfast (served all day) is great too, the Breakfast Burrito is the bomb! I will continue to visit.

The service is always great and the food is even better. Great spicy cheeseless pizza! The crowd can become somewhat noisy, but its a family friendly joint. Highly recommend it!

If you don't like out of the way non-franchised diners please skip this review. If on the other hand you like eclectic places with friendly staff that serve exotic yet comforting and tasty food that is inexpensive and so plentiful that you will not have room for lunch or dinner this is the place for you. Breakfast burritos and quesidillos that have`to be seen to be believed, and traditional fare like blueberry pancakes that are light and fluffy yet take two people to finish. I can't wait to go back for lunch and dinner. This place should be on the Food Network. I expect to see it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Get here quick Guy Fierre. What a welcome relief from the Franchise/fast food culture of Columbus.

I have been to the Starliner Diner for lunch a handful of times and enjoyed each one. Today we went during Brunch and I ordered off of the Breakfast Menu, and WOW! it is TERRIFIC. I cannot believe I just found breakfast here. It is definately worth a trip across town on a weekend.

Ok, I have to say, this restaurant is one of the kind,

My buddy got me addicted to this place. I work in Hilliard and I come to this place frequently.

Food:
You absolutely must love corn I think it comes on everything, or at least on majority of items. A lot of plates with beans.

It's a mix-match-mis-match pile of food on your plate that tastes amazingly delicious.

Some food is a tad-bid spicier but I love spicy food. Ask your waitress or waiter if it's spicy, they usually know or can recommend less or more spicier foods.

Their crab chowder is absolutely the best. I think i can go there and just eat that.
Everything comes with a slice of white bread, a healthy mix between sourdough bread and french bread.

Everyday there is something new and interesting on the chalk board (specials) and I would highly recommend trying something from their specials list.

It's very casual but yet interesting atmosphere, It's dark and intimate, but it's also bright and flashy. Like someone said, there is random junk hanging on the walls, nothing really matches!

It reminds me of little kids playground, in a way;

Mural: A slightly smoked out sun is watching you with Mona-lisa like smiley. It cracks me up. And the mystical stars, behind it, only add to the intriguing ambiance of the place.

Definitely try it!

I used to work at Starliner Diner for about a 1 1/2 and ate ALL of the food on the menu. I now live in California and there is NOTHING bad I can say about the food at all... it is worthy of a franchise. If you live in the Columbus vicinity: You are really missing out if you have not made the venture to Starliner Diner (SD). SD has some of the best ribs that you can find in the area; as well as the Walleye fish... they are both out of this world! Please, if there is anything you are going to order: get the Tossed Greens Salad. Why? The salsa dressing is probably the thing I miss most about not living in Ohio anymore... seriously... I think about it ALL the time. Another one of my favorites (even though it wasn't very popular) is the Roast Pork. The Roast Pork w/ the corn tortillas is making my mouth water right now. Ever wonder why they are not open for 2 hours during the week? They are slow cooking some amazing food.

Some of you are probably reading this and saying: ""Yeah he worked there so what."" Very true, I did... but I NEVER write reviews on here (I signed up just for this) and I went out of my way to write this one for SD even though I can't have any! I am so jealous of everyone that lives in Ohio for this simple reason: You live close to Starliner Diner. Nuff said. Go eat here and have some AMAZING Cuban inspired food. DO IT you will not be disappointed!

Starliner Diner is near the top of my list for Columbus. I've not had a bad meal or item there yet. The plantain appetizer is simply the best I have ever had; it's sweet with a spicy dressing. Only problem is that it is fairly filling, I would recommend splitting this one. The roasted vegetables are fantastic; we've had pecan crusted chicken and corn-breaded walleye which are both excellent. Cuban bread is provided with every meal and it is really good. Only ding is the service; first time was excellent; second time was average. It is a diner setting so don't expect anything fancy. The sixties motif is really intriguing. Starliner is hard to find, it's on top of a hill and can't be seen very easily from the main drag.

I've heard so much I had to try it. The first time I was disappointed, the cuban flavor of my dish was not to my liking, so I figured I should give it a second try, then a third. Both my husband and myself tried different dishes - the only thing that impressed us were the appetizer nachos - it's all in the sauce. The place is super noisy, disorganized, and not incredibly clean. Pricing seemed high for the value/quality of the food.

After reading reviews and listening to The Bass Brothers on 610 liking this place..I decided to give it a try.
It's possiible that the spice they used didn't really agree with my tastes....and some of what I sampled was good.
The Plaintain appetiser...was interesting and I'd possibly order that again (can't get that where I come from).
The Jalepeno soup....was creamy, yummy probably the best of all items tried at the SD..

The Chile reilleno's...I'm not sure exactly what was going on with these...but they had a crusty battered outside...some thing similar to falafel breading...it was OK but just not my cup o' tea (as far as chille relleno's go).

I also had breakfast earlier in the day.

one of my party ordered french toast...(cuban)...the most accurate way to describe these little morsels..is they are peices of bread about the size of what you'd get from burger king as a french toast stick.....nothing special....it came with some pretty bland fruit........zzzzzzzz.

I had the southwestern scramble...with chorizo and like the Chilli's above it must have had what ever spice is associated with a falafal....it wasn't horrible...but certainly not worth the $8 bucks....for some onions,spice,eggs,chorizo,and black beans....and 4 tortilla chips.

I'd consider the breakfast burrito....and the one for dinner next time.. There's way too many good reviews...of this place and maybe I' just caught em on an off morning and night. So the next time I'm on the west side...I might give em a third try.
Service was fine...both times. (better at dinner)

This is one of the best places I've visited EVER!! There's Usually a wait, although not always a long one, but even a two hour wait is well worth it! Prices are reasonable, portions are generous, and service always comes with a smile. They are closed Mondays, and Sunday evening but anything else is fair game. They don't take reservations, so if you're planning a large party, plan early. This is a great place to take the entire family, or plan a casual date. Also, due to recent changes in Ohio's smoking laws, they are always non-smoking.

Loved this place! the food is good and in great portions. Very eclectic menu with a cajun theme. And the decor is great! such a fun place to eat. the staff was very nice and friendly.

I've only eaten here once, but other than finding the place, it was a wonderful experience! I got the Creole Macaroni, which was FULL of chicken and other yumminess -- every bite was a total treat -- you'd never know it was mac & cheese! My date got some kind of blackened fish, which was also fabulous. There are a few other great restaurants in Columbus, but if you also consider the price and the portions, none comes even close to Starliner. I just wish it was closer to where I live, and I'd eat here all the time!

This is one of our favourite little places to eat in Hilliard. The food is wonderful with pasta dishes containing more ""toppings"" than the actual pasta, something I've never seen before but love. They also have a great list of specials which are always the best things to get. Their bread, fried plantains, and sweet potato fries are the best. Starliner has a fun decor but the service is somethimes good and sometimes not great.

great if you are looking for something out of the ordinary. i would not classify this as a mexican restaurant. it is a nice blend of cuban, latin american and traditional fares south of the border. i have been going there for almost 12 years and will continue to come back. the only thing problem here is with management, so just don't complain and you will be ok (i observed our poor server being yelled at because of our complaint which had nothing to do with the service)!. other than that, you will find excellent food and service. servings are huge, and some days there is a long wait, but worth it for the most part.

My husband and I visited for the first time eager to sample the reasons for all this praise. We discovered that the food is indeed terrific, but there's more to it than great food.

One, the portions are HUGE. On your first visit, stick with an entree and drink, and if you're still hungry afterwards you'll be able to order dessert. The veggie quesidilla appetizer I got for myself was the size of an entree, so I couldn't eat my entree.

Two, the specials are about twice the cost of regular menu items. My husband and I ordered from the specials expecting them to be a dollar or two less than the menu items, like specials in diners used to be when we were kids. THIS DOES NOT WORK.

Finally, if you want to order a side, I suggest substituting it for something that comes with the entree. This will cut down both on cost and the amount of food you wind up with. Remember--these are large portions.

I did take home a large styrofoam box full of the rice and beans, veggies, plantains, and bread that I just couldn't even think of finishing. It's certainly a whole meal.

We went with a few friends specifically to try the plantains - a hard find in Columbus restaurants. All the food was very tasty, large portions and while the decor was kinda cheesy, it gave us lots to talk about while waiting for dinner. We are definitely going back to try other dishes...

What a great change of pace. The food is excellent. Check out the specials on the left as you walk in. If it sounds interesting, it probably will be and it will taste delicious. If you are tired of chain restaurants and crave something a little different, then this place is for you. Definitely not fancy but even the decor is sure to catch your eye. Plenty of sixties era kitsch to reminisce about if you are a baby boomer! Dishes tend to be pleasantly spicy, but not too hot. Try the jalapeno soup for a real treat!

I love SD! The Jalapeno soup and sweet potato/corn tamales are delicious. The soup has wonderful flavor and generally doesn't set your mouth on fire. I've loved almost everything I've ordered here. The menu has many unique offerings.

Fun, not stuffy, atmosphere. The decor features a lot of 60's kitch, so there's always something interesting to look at while waiting for your meal.

The service is great, even considering that there is sometimes a bit of a wait. Oh...and the entire restaurant is non-smoking!!!

This is most wonderful breakfast on this planet. My best friend suggested I try it, now thats all I ever order when I can.