The Chain Restaurant With The Best Meatloaf, According To Reviews

Comfort foods like meatloaf are the culinary world's unsung heroes, rarely in the spotlight but notoriously difficult for a restaurant to perfect. Everybody has their own (often unshakable) opinions about the perfect version. Sure, there are standalone restaurants that make a decent meatloaf, but the ideal combination is a chain restaurant that's easy to pop into and get a good meatloaf every single time. 

Things have changed a little since our previous best chain restaurant meatloaf rankings. Steak 48's incredible, albeit pricey (about $50!) meatloaf is no longer on the upscale steakhouse's menu. And while The Cheesecake Factory is still the chain that has some of the best meatloaf around, we went looking for something special. Metro Diner's Iron City meatloaf has reviewers on Tripadvisor calling it "the best meatloaf we have ever had bar none" and "better than my mom's."

What started as a standalone outlet in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1992, the diner has done a good job of subtly elevating comforting classics like meatloaf, French toast, chicken and waffles, and more. As if the good reviews weren't enough, the diner's meatloaf also got a solid nod from Guy Fieri when he visited the Jacksonville outlet for his show, "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," back in 2010. The chain has since grown to over 60 locations, which is a good thing for meatloaf lovers. Its breakfast and Sunday brunch also have fans, with one Reddit thread titled "Shoutout to Metro Diner" featuring comments like "Metro is really good! [It's one] of my favorite breakfast spots," and "I always suggest it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!"

Experimenting with meatloaf isn't diner-like behavior — not if you want a loyal customer base coming in for comfort food anyway. However, Metro Diner's meatloaf manages to perfectly balance that homely familiarity with just the right touch of novelty — a crispy crust from a final sear on the griddle just before serving. While originally served with zucchini, squash, and a piece of French baguette, as seen on Guy Fieri's show, it now comes with French-style green beans. The mashed potatoes, however, remain constant. And if you're a ketchup-on-meatloaf person, watch out — this one comes with brown gravy.

While its rapid expansion as a chain (right after Fieri's visit) is good news for meatloaf lovers, the rest of Metro Diner's menu has lost some of its oomph. Dishes like the Pittsburgh steak salad, which also stunned Fieri, and the Yo Halla on the Square French toast, both lovingly crafted by the original outlet's founder and chef, Mark Davoli, are missing. Like the seared meatloaf, these also featured thoughtfully delicious modifications that elevated the dishes to something special. 

With the inevitable streamlining of expansion, however, the rest of the menu now has a run-of-the-mill feeling featuring regular diner fare like chicken tenders, salads, and more. The one item apart from the meatloaf that seems to retain the chain's love for modified classics is the fried chicken and waffle with strawberry butter. Diners and fans of sweet and savory combos adore it on Reddit, and the dish has garnered its fair share of online love.