Downbeat Diner - Fort Wayne

Love the salad bar and the desserts. Worth a detour if you’re headed down 30 or passing through Fort Wayne.

Quality of food has definitely gone up and down over time. In general pretty good service. More recently they've hiked up prices and reduced portion sizes. Also frequently hard to find a seat, noisy and busy. (Attached is a photo of $9.25 Jambalaya)

The Downbeat Diner is more like a cafeteria, located inside the large Sweetwater Sound music mall and warehouse just west of Fort Wayne. I visited during GearFest this summer, which deserves a review of its own. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw, and they were both very good. The staff is cheerful, and although the menu selection is somewhat limited, the options are good and change regularly. I can only give it four stars since it is, after all, a diner, but it’s a fun place to eat at the Midwest's hub for music gear. You can easily spend half a day exploring Sweetwater just to check out the new equipment, so it’s convenient to have a restaurant on-site.

This spacious cafeteria offers a wide variety of choices, including every dessert you could think of. I ordered the caprese wraps, which arrived promptly. I believe it's the best wrap I've had anywhere! The portion size was just right. I also tried the packaged cookie, which was wonderfully soft and delicious. The seating area features great music, and the restroom is the cleanest public bathroom I've ever encountered.

Fantastic diner in Sweetwater! You get excellent food at a great price of just $8.