Frank & Diannah’s Arbor Inn

Restaurant reviews concern themselves with three main categories: food, service and ambiance. It’s the third one that gets me at Frank and Diannah’s Arbor Inn. The food is good, and the staff is friendly and competent. But… then there’s the atmosphere. The décor is dated; I’m pretty sure nothing has changed since the owners opened this restaurant a couple of decades ago. The bathrooms are tiny with old 1950s tile which they could work with to create a cool retro style. The darkened synthetic wood paneling creates a claustrophobic and lifeless setting of where I cannot stay long.
They are best known for their Thursday night burgers (available at the bar only?) which I have heard people say are the best in the county. The dinner menu is considered upscale for Reading, and entrée prices range from $ 20-​$ 30. Aside from the normal alcohol at the bar, they usually have something intriguing hiding on the shelves somewhere.
Moving their operation to a different location or investing in renovations (something more akin to Judy’s on Cherry) would do them a world of good. Instead of being an in-​the-​know place for dinner, it would probably be regarded as one of the top two restaurants in the area.

We went for the burger night which was a great deal — and it was really delicious. But goodness! Drinks add up very quickly! We each had two drinks (beer and wine — no cocktails or anything fancy) and my jaw dropped when the bill came. Lesson learned: temperance here. Especially for a burger night!

Definitely a fantastic restaurant. We love to go on Thursday nights because it is burger night. They always have unique and delicious burger specials. The other menu items are great as well. They usually have a pretty good selection of beer on tap, for those that enjoy a beer with dinner. Their dessert does not disappoint. Also, the few times we have been there, we always see the owner interacting with customers and making sure everything is perfect. I wish this restaurant was closer to home, but it’s definitely worth the drive to reading for a treat!

We went here for burger night after reading such wonderful reviews. Olivia was our waitress and she was phenomenal. She had a lot of tables around us but that didn’t interfere with our service at all. I noticed that not only did she take great care of us but the tables around us as well. The owner also came out to check on the tables and I thought that was really great. We order the lamb chop lollipops for an appetizer and they were delicious! We thought about trying the calamari but went with the lam chops lollipops instead. The table next to us got the calamari and it looked phenomenal. We will definitely be trying that next time. When our burgers came they were wonderful. When you think of a big juicy burger this is it. I order my burger medium rare and it was cooked PERFECTLY! One of the best burgers I’ve ever had. I can’t say enough good things about this place and I highly recommend it.

Great gem in Berks County. Top notch chefs & bartender. Many specials throughout the week. Desserts highly recommended as well. Unique fish dishes and appetizers. Rotating premium draft selection.

I love this place! Easily the best food around — try the fish special — very fresh, and different types of fish. Was in this week and had watermelon gezpacho with bay scallops — so refreshing. Small comfortable setting, very nice.

I’ve only been here once, but I ate probably the best burger I’ve ever had in my life. I literally still dream about it.
It’s a long way from Germany, but I’m definitely coming back.

Definitely a local gem, nothing fancy on the inside. Casual bar area opens to a cozy dining room, décor is traditional/older…feels like grandma’s house. Menu is small, changes occasionally, and seasonal specials are always good. Menu has a variety of dishes ranging from duck to seafood… all homemade, fresh ingredients. There is something for everyone. Hot crusty dinner rolls are out of this world, house salad with Asian vinaigrette-​my favorite with a tangy/​sweet flavor that leaves you wanting more; mushroom barley soup was simply delicious; Wiener schnitzel, filet, Moroccan stew, chicken cordon bleu… there is not an item on the menu that will disappoint. I have been here several times and keep coming back. If I could afford it, I would eat here weekly. One night we sat at the bar and I had the half chicken which was so moist and flavorful. Hubs had the mac-​n-​cheese which was rich, homemade goodness. Still have not been in for the burger night… dying to try it! OMG, the desserts are out of this world… vanilla cheesecake and key lime tart… definite European flair… not sickening sweet like American desserts. Diannah is quite the baker! Quiet, somewhat romantic, yet casual, friendly atmosphere. Just love it! Take your friends, family, or business colleagues here-​they will love it!

I always Unilocal to read reviews before trying new places. the schnitzel seemed to be a specialty, of sorts. I was disappointed with the quality of the veal, tough. My husband had shrimp Alfredo and loved it. The wait staff was exceptional and the ambiance was quaint; however, the entrees seemed over priced (20 – 30 range) for Berks County. My husband said that he could get shrimp Alfredo at OG for 16 $. Lesson learned… visit new venues that post online menus. with prices.

Started with a wonderful lambchop appetizer. 3 chops per order. Cooked medium, tender, and tasty. Followed with a burger special, which was called a «Wimpy» burger. 8 oz of hand patted burger smothered in spinach, caramelized onions and a mornay sauce. Burger was cooked just as requested– med rare, was tender, and housed in a soft but substantial roll. French fries may not have been hand cut but they were delicious, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Look forward to a return trip to try the duck breast and wiener schnitzel main courses!

I always check Unilocal before trying places and realized I should start posting reviews so after a great experience I thought of Unilocal.My husband and I went for burger night, it was packed but we got a table right away. After ordering our drinks the waitress came back quickly to inform us they were out of burgers… they are closing tomorrow for a month for vacation and didn’t have large stock since they would be closed. She was so apologetic and we understood but since we wanted burgers we finished our drinks and left. On our way out the owner stopped us and was even more apologetic, they really really care about their customers. So even though we didn’t eat we were treated so well, we wished them a happy vacation and will be back when they return.

Great food, cool atmosphere. It looks awesome for a dinner date and could be a nice place to have drinks with friends. My purpose to the Arbor Inn was purely for food!
The atmosphere is mellow. The lights were dim and there is a good amount of wood detailing around you. I catch the eclectic yet classic feel.
The menu is stacked with unique choices. I really mean it! It has been a while since I have seen some of the entrée options. A huge plus: They offer several versions of Schnitzel. Also, there were a lot of «off-​menu» specials. The waitress was really good at naming all of them and informing of additional choices.
A piece of warm bread with dipping oil was served before my meal. The entrees come with fresh vegetables, a starch and a house salad. The vegetables were very crisp. I feel like they must take care in the purchasing practices of ingredients. I got the Wiener Schnitzel Holstein. The sunny side up egg was cooked to perfection and the veal was quality!
Definitely worth it to stop in and get a bite.

By far one of the BEST places in Berks County for a dining experience to remember. Keep up the good job Frank!

Not sure why we waited so long — finally made it to Burger night. It was delicious. Burgers done perfectly. The service is outstanding.
This may be a regular Thursday night thing!

This is officially my first review…
My family and I came to Reading to visit my oldest child at Albright College for family weekend. He really wanted me to to bring some homemade food, but since it was a 6 hour drive we figured going out to eat at a special restaurant would be ok. Well Frank & Diannah’s was more than ok. We are a bunch of fun Irish/​Italian people who like to eat and drink. Frank treated us like royalty, expaining each meal himself. We had food that were so unique, but yet familiar, and cooked to perfection. Diannah is amazing! There was a ham dish on the appetizers portion of the menu. Strange right? It was fantastic! It was like prosciutto. We all loved our meals. The dessert was rediculous! We continue to talk of the Arbor Inn and can’t wait to go back. We’re from RI and consider ourselves very well versed in good food. And this was good food!!! We’ll be back our new friends! Keep up the great work!!!
By the way at the end of our meal, Frank noticed that one of the men was getting bumped into by the woman sitting behind him (she actually never really sat, she kept getting up and walking around… why?). Well, Frank came over with grace and tact and asked if we’d be more comfortable finishing our drinks at the bar. Then he proceeded on sending us over drinks of Tuaca, never had it, but it was great!!! Thanks again and again!!!

Very interesting and delicious food. Very nice atmosphere.

Had dinner here last night. Not so good. My scallops and shrimp were over cooked. Dish had too much sauce. My husband had schnitzel, which was good. We didn’t complain at all but the owner (very nice man) offered us free dessert, we declined. Owner can really read people well!
I do feel that my dish may had just had an off night but I doubt if we will go back, first impressions really are lasting. I’m giving 3 stars due to great service, reasonable drink prices, nice atmosphere, and good schnitzel.

I agree with reviewers who liked this quiet eatery. Nice jazz and blues fill the air. Servers know what they are doing. Menus selection covers all the required categories. Had the calamari for and app which was more than enough for two. It was delicately fried with just right amount of breading. I could have stopped there and given it a 5 but we went on. Fish of the day was nicely plated and perfectly done with a nice pepper topping that was just right. The seafood platter was packed with mussels, clams, fish, shrimp and scallops. It was clear they were all prepared separately with care. All were perfectly done. There was not a tough or chewy bit among them. I was impressed that even the fish on this platter had it own unique flavor. It wasn’t lost in the «stew».
Deserts are fresh and worth a visit just for themselves. This kitchen takes nothing for granted and the pride in craft is in every dish. You got to love these folks
I think quality was more than worth the price which was average. I’ve paid much more for significantly lesser quality.
If you’re near Reading, put this fine eatery on your must do list.

5 stars doesn’t give this place justice! If you are a fan of a casual yet intimate setting with a menu that is more diverse than anything you have ever seen before than you will love this joint.
Here is why I believe this may just be the best spot in Reading, and if I would ever move to Philadelphia, you better believe I would make the drive back to get a meal here. First of all Diannah is a mad scientist behind the scenes, she can make a dessert that would make The Pillsbury Dough-​boy blush. However this doesn’t mean that the meals are just okay, they are phenomenal! They have specials each night of the week, my favorite is Thursday nights, why you ask? Because they make burgers that are made with filet and prime rib. To put these burgers in comparison with Red Robin or 5 Guys, it would be like comparing a Ferrari to a Huffy bicycle you bought at Ames in 1984. Another thing I must add is that usually consistency can be a problem with restaurants. I have never had something that is more consistent than what I have had here, week after week it is still just as good.
The burger is served with lettuce and tomato on the side and the toppings range from mushrooms to a fried egg. My choice is bacon with mushrooms and cheddar cheese. The burger also includes a pickle spear and french fries. Now my wife isn’t even a burger person, however she really enjoys these as well. My wife will sometimes substitute a burger with chicken, and the french fries with a vegetable medley (green beans with carrots cut long). So if you are a man and have a craving for a damn good burger, you better place this on the top of your list. If not you will be pissed at yourself after you sink your teeth into this phenomenal out of this world creation.
Enough about burger night, if you find yourself there on another day of the week the menu includes some rare dishes like weinerschnitzel (I hope I spelled that right?) also one of my favorites is the Filet Gorgonzola (this looks like a meal you would get at a restaurant owned by Wolfgang Puck). Finally I did mention very briefly about the desserts, I will run through the several that I have had, these are not in any particular order:
Double Chocolate Pudding — Damn!
Lemon cello Ice Cream — Holy Crap!
Strawberry Cobbler — Speechless — Get it A la Mode
Key Lime Pie — Best North of Key West Florida (if Jimmy Buffet ate this — he would release another album about this pie alone!)
S’more Pie — Yes it is as good as it sounds (they even toast the marsh-​mellows on top!)
Enough about the food, lets chat about the beers. I am a pretty cheap guy, in other words I am happy with a Yuengling. I do enjoy craft brews over the major commercial beers. This place has some really great beers on tap. Another thing that they have going for them is that they love to hear of your suggestions. I fell in love with this Hawaiian beer (Kona) this was a suggestion by a frequent patron, and now I must purchase these beers to add to my house collection.
Okay, I will now discuss the cons with this place. Since I gave it a 5 star review I will hold true to all of my words above, however every place in the world can use improvement. The only thing about the Arbor Inn, it’s improvements I would have to say are out of control of the establishment. I would love to enjoy a burger outside in an even more casual environment, however since it is the parking lot it is a restriction of the location. If there is anything I would change I may offer burgers on a few nights (however since I do not run the business I am sure this is Frank’s design to ensure his waitstaff gets business on usually down nights). Speaking of Frank, what a nice guy. He makes you feel welcome as soon as you come into the door. He also has a good sense of humor and knows his returning patrons.
Therefore, I must conclude and say I can not say anything negative about this place to effect the rating of 5 stars. I would give this place 10 stars if I could — it is just that good. So check it out, you will not be disappointed

Could be the best in Berks. The place to go if you’re a food person.
As my fellow Berks county foodie friends know, our choices for fine cuisine are somewhat limited. Frank & Diannah’s Arbor Inn is the place I go when I need my fix and I don’t want to drive to Philly.
Let’s start with the décor. I’ve heard it described as drab and dated. It’s certainly not trendy. Dark wood paneling dominates the theme. The first time I stepped into this restaurant, I felt like I was time-​warped back to the 1960s. But not the flower child ‘60s. More like the darker but über cool Frank Sinatra ‘60s. The large trapezoidal bar whispers mid-​century modern and I picture it as the type of place where Mad Men’s Don Draper would take one of his girls for a martini after a hard day at the office. Personally, I love it and I hope they never change a thing. You can draw your own conclusions.
But don’t come here for the décor. Come for the food.
I was surprised to see that another reviewer gave this place only 2 stars. But then I read his complaints that they left the tails on his shrimp and that a Malaysian dish was (gasp) spicy! The same reviewer gave 5 stars to Red Robin and Shady Maple…’nuff said.
I like food that surprises me with vibrancy, complexity and fun. Food that makes me smile. You’ll find that here in addition to some old standards, done to perfection. The chef is creative and inventive, fusing flavors and cuisines from around the world. She’s the real deal.
If you like mussels at all, I’d highly recommend the mussels appetizer. They come in a green curry and coconut broth with a no-​sh** authentic southeast Asian flavor, which, as it turns out, is the optimum way to serve mussels. Try these and tell me if I’m wrong.
Other great app favorites of mine include the fried calamari, jerked shrimp or roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella. I see they now have an octopus carpaccio on the app menu as well. I’ll have to try that on my next visit. Suddenly, I have a serious octopus jones.
Entrees are just as good. They usually have some amazing specials so I often lean that way. But ordering off the menu, you really can’t go wrong. The Middle Eastern style lamb chop is freakin amazing. The steak frites are every bit as good as what I had at Les Halles. Likewise, the wiener schnitzel is easily the best I’ve had this side of Munich.
Portions are ample as they should be. They have a nice selection of quality beers on tap. The wine list is small, but interesting. The wait staff is generally very competent and professional. Prices are not cheap, but in line for this quality of dining.
It is perfect? No. I wish the wine list had a little more depth to it and included a few stars like a Caymus or Joseph Phelps for those special occasion dinners. My only other real gripe is that the dining room is on the small size and can feel a bit cramped when they have a full house. Not a show stopper, but just saying.
All in all, I think this is the best restaurant in Berks County. If you haven’t been there, give it a try.