Metro Diner is the original and the best of what is now a small regional chain. The San Marco location — the first, opened in the 1980s — serves the kind of oversized American diner food that is done half-heartedly most places but here is done with genuine enthusiasm. Pancakes the size of dinner plates, chicken and waffles, the Duval-style chicken biscuit with pork gravy, shrimp and grits on the weekend.
The wait at weekends can be substantial — arrive early or expect to queue. Cash only at the original location, though this may have changed. The service is friendly and efficient and the portions are unambiguously large. Good value.