Come Hungry To This Reno Diner Known For Seriously Generous Plates

Come hungry, because leftovers are almost part of the plan here. At one longtime Nevada breakfast and lunch favorite, plates arrive loaded, coffee keeps flowing, and regulars have been returning for years without getting bored.

The menu is huge, so first-timers may need an extra minute. Omelettes stretch across the plate, salads come generously portioned, and comfort-food classics make choosing harder than expected.

Weekends bring plenty of energy, but the pace stays quick. The patio adds extra room when the weather cooperates, while the dining room keeps that familiar neighborhood feel.

Nothing here tries too hard. The appeal is simple: big portions, reliable favorites, and a menu that gives everyone something to crave. Show up hungry, expect a full table, and do not be surprised if your next meal is already packed in a takeout box.

Portions That Truly Test Your Appetite

The word most often used to describe the plates at PJ & Company is simply huge. A single order of house potatoes could pass for a side dish meant for two, and the omelettes arrive folded so thick they hang past the rim of the plate.

You should plan accordingly. Skipping breakfast before an 11 a.m. brunch is a smart move, and so is asking for a takeout box at the same time you order.

Salads deserve special mention here. Regulars talk about ordering one, eating until full, and still carrying home a container with a second meal inside. Sharing works well too. Two people can split an entree, add a side, and walk away satisfied without anyone feeling shortchanged.

If you are traveling through Nevada and want one solid meal that carries you through the afternoon, this kind of generosity matters. You are not paying for a small plate with a fancy drizzle.

Come with an appetite, but come with realistic expectations about finishing everything. Most people do not, and that is part of the fun.

Eggs Benedict With A Twist Worth Trying

Ask around about the most talked-about dish at PJ & Company and eggs Benedict comes up again and again. What sets it apart is PJ’s signature cream cheese sauce, which replaces the standard hollandaise.

The result is thicker and tangier than you might expect. People who normally skip Benedict order it here just to taste the difference.

Variations keep things interesting. A chicken fried version swaps the usual Canadian bacon for breaded steak, which turns an already filling plate into something you will remember.

You get poached eggs, a sturdy base, and enough sauce to reach every bite. Nothing about it feels rushed or thin.

Pair it with a side of the house potatoes and you have a breakfast that holds up until dinner. Coffee arrives fast, usually before you have finished reading the menu.

If you are new to the place, ordering the Benedict is a reasonable starting point. It gives you a clear sense of the kitchen’s style: familiar comfort food, made larger and slightly different from what you find elsewhere in Nevada.

A Menu So Long You Will Need Two Passes

Deciding what to order takes real effort here. The menu at PJ & Company runs front and back, and just when you think you have narrowed things down, you flip a page and find another full section.

Breakfast gets plenty of attention here, with an extensive lineup of pancakes, omelettes, Benedicts, and other morning favorites.

Omelettes come in many combinations, including a Denver and a vegetable-packed primavera. Sandwiches range from BLTAs to open-faced steak with au jus.

Burgers cover plenty of ground too. Turkey burgers, bacon cheeseburgers, and grilled cheese with tomato all show up on the same list.

You will find the address at 1590 S Wells Ave, Reno, NV 89502, which puts it in an easy-to-reach part of town with straightforward parking.

My advice: glance at the menu online before you arrive. It saves your table a few minutes of quiet page-turning and helps you avoid the common problem of ordering three things you cannot possibly finish.

Chicken-Fried Steak And Other Comfort Classics

Comfort food anchors the whole operation. Chicken-fried steak, corned beef hash, and biscuits with gravy all hold steady spots on the board at PJ & Company, and each one arrives in a portion that leaves little empty space on the plate.

The top sirloin is hand-pounded and breaded in-house before being covered with homemade sausage gravy. It gives the dish more crunch than the standard version.

Corned beef hash makes a good alternative if you want something with a little salt and bite. Many people pair it with eggs cooked to order.

Then there is the honey butter cornbread, which shows up as a side and quietly steals attention. Kids especially seem to gravitate toward it. Fresh-cut fries deserve a mention as well. They come out hot and hold their crispness longer than frozen versions do.

You are eating the kind of food that built American diners in the first place. Nothing here is trying to be clever, and in a state full of newer dining options, that steadiness is exactly the appeal.

Patio Seating That Makes Good Weather Better

When temperatures land in that comfortable 70-degree range, the outdoor patio at PJ & Company becomes the seat everyone wants. Tables sit under cover, and the space feels relaxed enough that people linger over refills for an hour or more.

Spring and fall are the sweet spots in northern Nevada. Mornings stay cool, afternoons warm up, and the patio catches just enough sun. You will want to arrive early on weekends if outdoor seating matters to you. Sunday brunch draws a crowd, and the patio tables fill first.

Waits do happen, though the staff keeps the line moving at a decent clip. A 30-minute wait on a busy morning is not unusual. Standing outside with a nice breeze makes that wait far more tolerable than pacing an indoor lobby. Bring a friend and the time passes quickly.

The restaurant has also hosted motorcycle gatherings, adding extra activity to some evenings. Families with kids tend to enjoy those mornings most, since there is something to look at between courses.

Coffee Cake And The Sweet Side Of Things

Dessert does not always get attention at a breakfast spot, but the coffee cake at PJ & Company has built a quiet following of its own. Coffee cake earns a spot on the menu alongside the restaurant’s other sweeter breakfast choices.

It works as an ending to a meal or as a companion to a mug of coffee mid-morning. Either way, it makes an easy addition to the table. The coffee itself gets steady praise. Servers tend to bring the first cup out fast, sometimes before you have settled on an order.

Sweeter breakfast plates round out the lineup. Monte Cristo French toast blends savory and sweet in one dish, and the kids pancake plate keeps younger guests happy. Raspberry lemonade shows up often as a refreshing non-coffee choice, especially on warmer Nevada afternoons.

Here is a small tip: order the coffee cake to go if you already know your entree will defeat you. It travels well and makes a good breakfast the next morning, which stretches one visit into two meals.

Generations Of Regulars Keep Coming Back

Longevity says something about a restaurant. PJ & Company has been serving Reno since 1987, giving the restaurant nearly four decades to build a multigenerational following. That kind of history builds routine.

Kids are genuinely welcome, not just tolerated. Coloring pages help pass the wait, and the children’s menu keeps portions sensible for smaller appetites.

The dining room stays lively without feeling cramped. Even on a packed Sunday, tables are spaced well enough that conversation stays easy. Televisions around the room show sports, which gives solo diners something to watch and gives groups a reason to stay longer.

You get a real sense that this is a neighborhood institution rather than a stop built for tourists. That matters when you are choosing where to eat in an unfamiliar city.

If you want to see what local dining in this part of Nevada actually looks like, a weekend morning here gives you an honest answer.

Plan Your Visit And Bring Your Appetite

Timing your visit makes a difference. PJ & Company opens at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and stays open until 9 p.m. every day except Sunday, when the kitchen closes at 4 p.m.

Weekday mornings tend to move fastest. If you dislike waiting, aim for a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than a Sunday at 10 a.m. Parking is easy, which anyone who has circled a block downtown will appreciate.

Takeout is available, though the food is best enjoyed right at the table where everything arrives hot.

What keeps people returning is the combination of steady service, familiar dishes, and plates sized for real hunger. You leave full, usually with a box, and often already planning what to order next time.

For anyone passing through this corner of Nevada, a meal here gives you comfort food done the traditional way. Show up hungry, take your time with the menu, and let the kitchen handle the rest.