So this review is bearing in mind my review I had made for "Route 5" which was Brightside's predecessor and a regular place to eat at for myself and many friends/family. Firstly I'll say, despite my love of Route 5 and how amazing it was I was willing and happy to give this new venue a go with an open mind. First impressions were that it has a lot more of a 50's feel to it then 80's, with a dark orange and yellow interior and an avocado green toilet. The overall lighting is quite dim, but the cleanliness of the building was spotless! Service was as expected nothing to make major notes about either for or against. However, I did find that the tip or service charge was automatically added to the bill regardless on weither or not the service was up to par. This did not impress myself or my father who used to like to tip the actual person who served us if they did a good job. As for food that's where it all fell apart. I have rarely seen a menu as limited yet as expensive as I saw today! I, after getting into the building just before noon, saw both the morning and evening menus (images provided). There are several items that are still on the evening menu from breakfast and overall very little variety especially when compared to "Route 5". I myself got the Brightside Breakfast for £12.50, as did my dad. I however, as a fussy eater, do not like tomatoes or mushrooms so had asked for these to be removed and was surprised when I was told nothing extra could be added to replace these. For drinks I ordered a Hot chocolate for £3.50 (average price) and my dad a Salted Caramel milkshake for £4.50. The hot chocolate was basically hot milk with no flavour and my dad's milkshake was more ice than ice cream. The food was basic. The beans were clearly Heinz and in a very small pot, sausage (yes just one) had more herbs than meat, egg (yes also just one) was over done though still runny, the toast was small and a bit burnt and the potato croquettes were way too squishy. The only praise I could give was the bacon was excellent! For £12.50 though I think not! Overall I have to say I'm so disappointed in this new restaurant, I won't be going back or at least not in a hurry. To be very open and honest most of the staff that carried over from Route 5 have left which says a lot. Hope this helps others in deciding whether or not to eat here.

Absolutely awful Decor is like going back to the 60’s in a old person’s bungalow. Really dark and dingy and unwelcoming, No queue at all to be seated not like route 5 ! Quite empty for a Sunday lunchtime ? Struggle like hell to get seated in the booths and I am only 5ft ! Flat drinks and milk shakes with just milk and no flavouring , smallest breakfast ever for a whopping £12.50 ! No atmosphere at all unlike route 5 ! Staff were amazing and friendly and the only good thing I am afraid! TO TOP IT OFF THEY ADD AN EXTRA £6.35 TO YOUR BILL WITHOUT TELLING YOU FOR SERVICE CHARGE 😡 I will NOT be going there again. BRING BACK ROUTE 5 !!!!!!!

We've wondered about this place for a while, as we often drive by. We stopped here a few years ago before it changed hands, and to be honest, it was dreadful. Sticky floors, tasteless food etc. But the rebrand and refresh really stands out as you pass, so today we stopped to try. Absolutely fantastic from the moment we arrived. Welcoming staff, great interior that seems to be both modern and retro at the same time, and a fab looking menu. Coffee was good, and the food was excellent. I had the ham, egg and chips supreme, my wife had an English breakfast, and my daughter had pancakes. We enjoyed the lot, I would especially recommend the ham. They also welcome dogs! Relative to prices everywhere at the moment I thought it was very reasonable, especially for quality like this. And no sign of the service charge a few others have mentioned. We'll be back.

Love this place, proper throwback to 80's classic roadside diners. The decor is absolutely spot on, and the food is all the classics you'd expect, but with an unexpected uplift. I had the "ham egg and chips" but the "ham" was treacle glazed pork belly with a charred pineapple salsa. Really delicious! Will definitely be returning to try out their breakfasts too!

Lovely atmosphere, amazing staff and service, food is awesome and plenty of choices on the menu.

I used to be a frequent visitor to the original Route 5 Diner and decided to give Brightside a try back in February this year, not long after it opened. The décor of the restaurant is spot on for a vintage roadside diner and takes you back to the 60s and 70s. Especially the jade green lavatories and sinks in the bathrooms. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, however we struggled with the "booth" tables so had to sit at a standard table by the window. The food was delicious, however the portion sizes were quite small for the price. We were also not warned about the 10% automatically slapped on the bill at the end of the meal. I cannot fault the look of the restaurant, the amazing staff, or the taste / quality of the food. But I don't think I could justify spending that much money in there again unless it was on a special occasion. Drive-By diners wanting a quick bite should check the menu outside carefully and make sure they are happy with the price before entering. If you're looking for a quick, cheap bite you're probably better off going to the McDonalds on the other side of the complex. However should the price ever come down to a more reasonable amount, I would have no problem recommending Brightside for the amazing food and service.

Great renovation and great team in place for this new venture. Popped in with some friends for a beer and check out of the new decor. What great vision. Great retro feel welcome was great. Looks fabulous 🤩. Recommend a visit

Really happy that Brightside have taken over these diners. Always been a fan of Orsino Lounge and now I can get Lounge eggs closer to home

As a fan of Route 5 excited to stop at the new Brightside ( lounge fans also!) Nice decor and friendly staff. The breakfasts were delicious ( one super meaty and one vegetarian ) really good choice on the menu, something for everyone. It is a bit pricey but it is good. Nice loos and easy parking.

Service was slow in my section, very grateful for Georgia coming across from her section to take my order. Most of the food was tepid (mushrooms, bacon, black pudding, beans). Was asked if I had ever been to the route restaurant that was there previously, answer was yes and it was much better. Pricey for what wasn’t a great brekkie

We have been waiting to visit Brightside ever since they opened. Not living locally we planned a holiday in the area to allow us to visit. (Yes, honestly!) As previous Happy Eater and Little Chef fans the idea of a new roadside diner chain following the same theme was great news to us and wow, it was absolutely worth the wait! Building - amazing. Decor - amazing. Staff - amazing. Very attentive, polite and engaging. Food - amazing. Beautifully cooked breakfast with quality ingredients. Pot of tea which gives 2.5 cups 10/10 100% etc etc! The restaurant is dog friendly too. (ours were too excited to dine with us but water was provided by the lovely staff for them to have outside. We cannot wait until there is a Brightside closer to home so we can visit more frequently.

Unfortunately, this year, the funding for our staff Christmas party was pulled and it was left to us to organise and pay for somewhere. Luckily, a lovely lady showed up to our work and offered us a free meal and drink at the Brightside which seemed too good to be true, right? Well, our hopes and expectations were set super low going into this and we were blown away! The atmosphere was incredible with live music, a table magician and exceptional food! I want to give a special shout out to our waiter, Reuben, as well! A young lad who does not carry the poor reputation of his generation in the work place! This kid was able to put up with our weird and dark humour and served us promptly and professionally with a smile on his face and we would have loved to tip him more if we had the mind to carry any extra cash on us! He was super polite and helpful and a credit to the business so thank you so much for changing our false preconceptions on this business! It is SUCH a breath of fresh air to be catered to with such outstanding customer service that, unfortunately, even the prestigious restaurants are now lacking so I am more than keen to return here and PAY for a meal, if only to receive this kind of service again! (You won’t get in anywhere else!) Thank you so much Brightside for your generous offer - you really turned around our Christmas! :-D 11/10

We just stepped in to my Nans kitchen! A true throwback which has been excellently decorated and converted in a sympathetic and in some places, an avocado way! The service was excellent, food was delicious and a really good atmosphere to boot. Totally recommended to all and we will be back!

This was truly the American experience in the UK, it offered quite a lot of the Dennys style of menu including steak and eggs for breakfast and a range of different pancakes. This is by far the best roadside meal I've had in the UK and I would highly recommend it for a stop on a trip back from Plymouth! The staff are very friendly and the prices are very reasonable for what you get!

The service is exceptional in this diner! Very attentive to detail and understanding of intolerances and allergies. The food was ok there, personally could be a tad better but overall it's a better dining experience than neighbouring McDonald's.

Superb brunch this morning. Brightside eggs with bacon was a very generous serving of perfectly poached eggs, crispy bacon, sourdough and hollandaise. Service was delivered with friendly sincerity and atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The loos were pristine too. A total jewel!