I recently visited Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine, which is nearly 100 years old.
I waited over an hour for a spot at the diner's 15-seat counter but thought it was worth it.
However, I had to return the next day to try a famous menu item that had sold out before I sat down.
On a road trip from Connecticut to Portland, Maine, I stopped off at Palace Diner.
The almost 100-year-old restaurant is famous for two things: its classic 1920s railcar interior and a chicken sandwich people travel for miles to try.
One of only two Pollard-style dining cars remaining in the country, Palace Diner was named one of Eater's essential restaurants in 2018 and the diner's chefs were nominated for a James Beard Award in 2020. It even appeared in a 2022 episode of the hit Netflix series "Somebody Feed Phil," starring Phil Rosenthal, who praised the diner's "idealized versions of omelets, French toast, pancakes, burgers, [and] sandwiches."
The diner, which is said to be the oldest in the state, has changed hands multiple times since it first opened as a popular eatery for local mill workers, the Portland Press Herald reported. It's now owned by Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley, business partners who met while working at a farm in Harborside, Maine.
"We came to Biddeford on a whim and within two hours we had met all the right people," Conley told Maine Magazine in 2015, a year after the pair purchased the diner.
As for creating the menu, Conley said they "ate a lot of cheeseburgers" in the early days.
"Even now, the editing and creating process never stops," he added. "We use customer feedback, take suggestions from our servers. We're not afraid to take things off or add to the menu."
Here's a look inside the historic Palace Diner, and what you should order when you visit.
I visited Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine, on a Saturday afternoon.
The exterior of Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Palace Diner was built in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1927. It then moved to Biddeford, about half an hour from Portland, and has been there ever since.
In its lengthy history, the diner has had six different owners, though it most recently reopened in 2014 and underwent renovations in 2021.
My party of two arrived at the diner right around 11 a.m., which we thought would be the perfect time between the breakfast and lunch crowds.
A sign outside the restaurant explained that you could check in with the host inside to be put on the list, or order takeout.
A sign outside Palace Diner explained how to get a seat or order takeout.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
We expected a little bit of a wait, considering we could see every seat at the small 15-seat counter was taken.
A representative for Palace Diner told Business Insider that the restaurant doesn't take reservations and seats are first-come, first-serve.
When we checked in with the host, we were told we would have to wait 1 1/2 hours for two seats.
Palace Diner's interior featured a tiled floor and a 15-seat counter running the length of the restaurant.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
We were a little surprised — I hardly ever choose to wait more than a half hour for a table at any restaurant. However, we decided to walk through nearby shops in Biddeford to kill some time before we got a text message saying our table was ready.
Inside the restaurant, there was a classic dining counter.
The back wall of Palace Diner had coffee pots and a sign for beer.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Against the back wall of the diner were coffee pots, mugs, and other necessities you'd typically find in a classic diner.
The interior felt historic, but not outdated.
The back wall of Palace Diner had merch and to-go bags.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Everything was exceptionally clean and didn't feel run down — a feat considering the actual railcar is almost 100 years old.
It was apparent to us that the restaurant has attempted to modernize with a line of merchandise, branding that felt welcoming yet modern, and an updated interior.
The restaurant is also cash-only, but there's an ATM right outside.
The door to Palace Diner was situated at the front, near a sign advertising the restaurant's merch.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
After receiving the text that our seats were ready, we only had five minutes to check in, so keep that in mind if you decide to venture further afield while you're waiting.
When we finally sat down, we were told that the diner was still serving its famous flapjacks, but it had sold out of fried chicken.
Palace Diner's menu had breakfast plates, sides, sandwiches, and drinks.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
To say we were devastated was an understatement. We had traveled miles and waited over an hour for the chance to try the fried chicken sandwich, one of the diner's most famous menu items that has garnered rave reviews.
"This is one of the most unique menu items at any diner you'll find," travel website OnlyInYourState wrote in its 2020 review. "And it might just be the most delicious chicken sandwich we've ever had."
If you want to try Palace Diner's fried chicken sandwich, I recommend getting there early on a weekday. Otherwise, like us, you might miss your chance.
Luckily, we had time to return the next morning so we could include the sandwich in our review of Palace Diner.
To start, I ordered a basic cup of coffee with half and half.
The author holding a mug of coffee from Palace Diner.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I'm typically a fan of iced coffee, but this morning, I decided to stick with the diner's signature blend. It had a delicious, nutty flavor and wasn't overly strong. I could definitely have cup after cup of this brew.
The cup of coffee cost $4, excluding tax. I only drank one cup, but refills are free.
After overcoming the disappointment of not being able to try the chicken sandwich, I ordered the cheeseburger.
Palace Diner cheeseburger with fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The cheeseburger is served with fries and is topped with cheddar cheese, sliced iceberg lettuce, pickles, and secret sauce on a sesame-seed bun. It costs $15, excluding tax.
When the burger arrived, I was blown away by how good it looked.
Palace Diner cheeseburger with fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The pickle slices looked thin and crispy, while the thick cheddar cheese was perfectly melted on the burger. A hearty dollop of secret sauce, which looked slightly like Thousand Island, peeked out from beneath the fluffy sesame-seed bun.
This definitely wasn't your typical diner or fast-food burger.
Palace Diner's cheeseburger comes with cheddar cheese and secret sauce.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The burger was a juicy medium-rare, and the generous serving of lettuce was well balanced by the sharp cheddar cheese. The pickles added just the right amount of crunch, while the secret sauce added a creamy, tangy flavor that didn't overpower the other elements.
The fries were good, though nothing to call home about. Still, there was a generous serving of them, making this meal well worth the $15 price, in my opinion.
We also tried one of the diner's famous flapjacks.
A person pouring syrup on top of Palace Diner's flapjack.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
You can order as many flapjacks as you like, though they often sell out after the breakfast rush. We just ordered one, and it cost $6, though a stack of three costs $15, excluding tax.
The flapjacks were buttery and very moist without being soggy.
Palace Diner flapjack piece on a silver fork.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I loved the buttermilk flavor of the flapjacks, which paired well with the diner's Maine maple syrup. I could definitely have eaten a whole stack of these.
The next day, I returned to the diner to try the famous fried chicken sandwich.
Palace Diner fried chicken sandwich.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Palace Diner's fried chicken sandwich, which includes cabbage slaw, jalapenos, and mayonnaise on a sesame-seed bun and an iceberg wedge salad, costs $20, excluding tax.
The story goes that when the diner would hold fried chicken dinners, which it reportedly still occasionally does, they would use the chicken breasts left over to make fried chicken sandwiches.
The sandwiches were so popular, that they eventually ended up on the menu — though there's no guarantee the diner won't sell out of it before you sit down.
The fried chicken sandwich certainly lived up to the hype.
Palace Diner fried chicken sandwich came with slaw.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
To avoid missing out on the sandwich, I arrived at 9:30 a.m. to put my name on the waitlist. A half-hour later, I sat down and was able to try it.
To say this was the best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had is an understatement. The chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside, with thick, juicy meat inside.
The slaw was tangy, complemented by the slight heat of the jalapenos.
The entire sandwich had a slightly pickled flavor, which reminded me of Asian-style chicken sandwiches I've had in the past, and I could immediately see why this is one of the diner's most popular offerings.
I'll definitely be back at Palace Diner the next time I'm in Maine.
The exterior of Palace Diner.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
While I had to make a separate trip just to try the chicken sandwich, that didn't tarnish my overall experience at Palace Diner. From the cheeseburger to the buttermilk flapjacks, I thought every menu item I tried was worth the journey from Connecticut.
However, my one warning to potential diners is to get there early, at least an hour before you really want to eat. The wait times can be long, and you certainly don't want to miss out on trying any of the diner's most famous menu items.
