Joji’s Diner Review: Popular Retro American Diner With Mains Under $15

Joji’s Diner is a popular retro American cafe in Serangoon

Joji’s Diner, an American-style diner in Serangoon, has been popping up on social media ever since dining-in restrictions were lifted. Being an iconic symbol of American culture, diners are places of comfort, where people go for no-frills, greasy American grub that is fast, cheap and filling. Over at Joji’s Diner, they attempt to replicate this charm with their affordable all-day breakfast.

Food at Joji’s Diner

Joji Diner’s All-Star Platter ($14.50) was served as an all-star line-up of breakfast hits, such as bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage, baked potato chunks, and wild mushrooms. It immediately reminded me of a better version of the Big Breakfast set from McDonald’s.

Despite me flooding the French toast with maple syrup thanks to my overzealous hands, it still shone through with light cinnamon flavours. The cinnamon cut through the greasiness as well.

These German sausage sausages, another breakfast essential, had a crisp crunch and burst with savoury flavours. These flavours were further enhanced by the salty cheese within.

Their buttery scrambled eggs were smooth and melt-in-the-mouth. That being said, the oiliness got to me after a while and I found the buttery flavours a little cloying halfway through munching on the yellow cloud.

As a fan of crispy, seared smashed burger patties, I wanted to find out how the diner executes this American staple. Their Smash Burger ($14.50) features fluffy burger buns cushioning two smashed beef patties, lined with cheese, bacon, onions, pickles and mustard.

A common problem with fast food burgers is a sogginess that sets in, and I’m glad to announce that this wasn’t a problem with Joji’s burger. This allowed me to enjoy the fluffy buns in their full glory. However, the slightly over-salted beef patties did not carry the characteristic smoky charred flavours of smashed burgers and were a slight letdown.

My favourite dish at Joji’s Diner would be their Chicken and Waffle ($13.90). Arriving like a little pyramid, the waffle base tapers to a generous piece of fried chicken, followed by a sunny-side-up egg atop the crispy chicken.

The waffles had strong diary undertones, which seemed to point towards a generous ratio of butter and milk in the batter. These milky flavours contrasted well with the tasty fried chicken. I would have preferred for the chicken to be a tad crispier, but the generous portion made up for the shortfall.

Unfortunately, the sunny-side-up was the weakest link, as it was a tad burnt on the underside and bore a bitter taste. 

The Big Bang ($11.90) chocolate milkshake is so blissfully sinful that it can function as a meal on its own. Atop a thick malty drink lay liberal amounts of whipped cream, mini-pretzels, a strawberry, and a mini doughnut.

I recommend sharing one of these with a dining companion as the sweetness overload got jelak after a few sips. Their menu also includes a few coffee and tea items, for those looking to get something lighter to wash down the hearty breakfast sets.

Ambience at Joji’s Diner

The entire store’s decor bears a vintage look with its contrasting colours, jukebox, and gumball machine, making the diner a wonderful #ootd spot. You might find yourself photobombed by their endless stream of customers, thus I would recommend visiting after the hype wears off. 

For easy access, Joji’s Diner is a six-minute walk from Serangoon MRT Station.

The verdict

Joji’s Diner excels in the field of serving American diner-style food at very affordable prices. This breath of fresh air to the Serangoon neighbourhood is such an attraction to the residents, that you will find queues forming even before their opening hours. The popularity, however, seemed to have taken a toll on customer service and it was a roller coaster of warm greetings and cold, hard expressions for customers who took a little longer to finish up their food.

For more food around the area, check out our NEX food guide for Korean braised spicy chicken and more. Alternatively, read our Joji Sandwich Parlour review, a new cafe by Joji’s Diner!

Address: 534 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534549
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours
Tel: 6993 0461
Website
Joji’s Diner is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Keith Kok
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.

This post was originally written on 25 June 2021.