noun
Casual, slightly old-fashioned or folksy term for a small restaurant or eatery, often one serving simple meals like rice dishes.
駅前に小さなご飯屋ができた。
A small eatery opened in front of the station.
この辺りには昔ながらのご飯屋が多い。
There are many old-fashioned eateries around here.
食堂 is a more standard, neutral term for a dining hall or casual restaurant, while ご飯屋 has a warmer, more informal, and slightly nostalgic feel.
レストラン is a general loanword for restaurant, often implying a Western-style establishment, whereas ご飯屋 typically suggests a homely Japanese-style eatery.
Compound of ご飯 (gohan, 'meal, cooked rice') + 屋 (ya, 'shop, seller'). The prefix ご is an honorific often attached to 飯 (meshi).