I was wandering around the streets of Oswego with my friend Morgan when by some form of dumb luck we stumbled upon Maria’s Family Restaurant on West Second Street. It had been four hours since our last meal, and our hunger was becoming too much to bear. So, knowing nothing about the restaurant, we decided to sit down and have lunch there.

The restaurant reminded me a lot of an old-school diner. The walls are covered with old family pictures and the whole place has a comfortable, homey vibe.

Opening up our menus, we were met with many great options. I was impressed to see that Maria’s offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant has everything from burgers and pancakes to club sandwiches and finger foods. Maria’s has a great variety that would definitely appeal to everyone, even the picky eater of the family.

Maria’s also has milkshakes, which I definitely regret not ordering, since I will always be a sucker for a good milkshake.

Since Maria’s serves breakfast all day, all of the breakfast lovers out there are guaranteed to be satisfied when they walk through the door. There are also regular specials, like lasagna every Wednesday, as well as dessert options including coconut cream pie, chocolate cream pie, blueberry pie, cherry pie, carrot cake, rice pudding, bread pudding, and brownie sundaes.

After evaluating all of the options, I decided to get something off of the lunch menu and Morgan ended up getting something off the breakfast menu. The hot chocolate that she ordered was repeatably described as “so good,” which was a good predictor of our reactions to our meals.

The prices of the meals ranged from about $4 to $13. I got the open hot turkey sandwich, which was $7.95 and came with a choice of mashed potatoes or french fries. It was basically two pieces of white bread with the real meaty turkey on top, smothered in gravy. I have always had mixed emotions about gravy, so I was nervous when I saw the amount that was on my sandwich. Once I took my first bite, I knew that I was going to have to push some of the gravy aside, but I really liked the taste of it so I kept more of it on than I originally expected. The sandwich went perfectly with the mashed potatoes, which were creamy and delicious. Overall, I think I made a great choice because I really liked everything on my plate.

Once I was finished, I turned to Morgan and asked her what she thought of  her broccoli and cheese omelette. It came with hash browns with onions, and Italian toast. Morgan said she “really enjoyed it.”

Maria’s Family Restaurant offers a variety of quality food and for a good price. So if you get the chance, head on over to 111 W. 2nd St. for a great “anytime” meal. Maria’s is open 6 a.m. – 8 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. -9 p.m., Friday-Saturday and 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sunday.