New Jersey - the Diner State

menton1 · August 8, 2003

Speaking of diners, I am not too familiar with the South Jersey ilk. I often pass Olga's in Marlton, and it looks very large. Any reports on Olga's and/or other diners in this area? There is also a brand new one opposite the Cherry Hill Mall on Rte 38.

babyluck · August 8, 2003

Let me first say that the diner experience is not primarily about food for me. But for taste, my favorite is Margie's Restaurant - 29 Union Avenue, Cranford. It's Ukranian (not the menu necessarily, but the owners). My mom grew up in Cranford and we used to make the trip to have breakfast with her uncle until he got sent to the home. It's damn expensive (for a diner) and not very diner-y (it's not a train car, and has too-elegant high-backed black leatherette booths), but it's definitely ahead of the curve in the food department. I don't like pancakes but mom & dad get orgasmic just talking about their shortstacks. They use great thick-sliced country white bread, so the French Toast & grilled cheese are killer.

My home-away-from-home during high school & college was the Royal Diner on rt. 22 in Branchburg. That embodies a great diner for me -- classic train car, dive-y, gruff-at-first-but-then-motherly bleached-blonde 50ish waitress, truckers, absence of high school acquaintances you'd rather not run into, and, oh yeah, inoffensive food. The kind of place you regret ordering soup. Even has an attached bar that is the best old man dive around. There is a regular who always wants to bet you $5 for anything he dreams up. Last time I was there, he wanted to bet that Larry Hagman was Angela Lansbury's son. During college we brought this twink friend of ours there. The bartender asked him if he was 21 and he said "almost." They served him anyway.

The Royal (the diner part) closed at 10:30, which was a problem, but since we always sat in the corner table where the neon OPEN sign was, our waitress would have us pull the chain to turn it off, set a thermos of coffee in front of us & let us stay till she was done closing. In those days, I always got a grilled cheese (with bacon if I was feeling flush) and fries (sometimes with gravy, which was orange & tasted like solidified pot roast gravy) and a Coke, or rice pudding & coffee between or after meals.

Best diners in my area now: Scotchwood on rt 22 in Scotch Plains, Windsor in Clark, Vicki's Diner in downtown Westfield even though it's always packed and nonsmoking, it's charming as hell. The first 2 especially have a great babyluck hangover breakfast (bacon cburger deluxe & a Coke)

Things I hate about diners: depressing brown exteriors/etched glass (Westfield Diner), minimum orders (Time to Eat in Somerville -- a true diner embraces the college kid & starving artist), cheesy 50's themes (Louka's Last American Diner), 80s mauve printed vinyl & black lacquer (the Pinwheel in Lebanon -- the kind of place that serves expresso [sic]), places that serve Pepsi instead of Coke (though this is the least of all these evils), "classy" reupholstery in blah beige or pink replacing the original bright, shiny vinyl seats, the black void left when they uninstall the table jukeboxes. The last 2 both happened to the Royal, unfortunately. It changed hands when I was in college and they changed the name to the Branchburg Diner (but the sign hasn't changed and this was almost 10 years ago), and even had a bloody knife fight over remodeling issues that was reported in the local paper. Hell, I guess I'd take out my blade too if I was protecting the original decor of a classic diner interior.

Edit: got one of the names wrong.

Edited August 8, 2003 by babyluck (log)

legendarystarbolt · August 17, 2003

The Nevada on Broad St. in Bloomfield is usually good. For breakfast I usually go to the Colonial Diner on Orient Way in Lyndhurst, not the greatest but it's right up the block.

KatieLoeb · August 17, 2003

Speaking of diners, I am not too familiar with the South Jersey ilk. I often pass Olga's in Marlton, and it looks very large. Any reports on Olga's and/or other diners in this area? There is also a brand new one opposite the Cherry Hill Mall on Rte 38.

Olga's is indeed huge. Monstrous in fact, but really good. About an 8 or 10 page menu too. I don't think there's anything you can't get in there! Good salad bar too.

The shiny new diner (Silver City Diner, I think?) across from the mall is just OK. Too new and not "real" enough for my ingrained sense of what a diner "experience" should be like. More like a cross between a real diner and a Nifty Fifties. A very fake retro vibe going on in there.

I'm a fan of Ponzio's, on Route 70. Great baked goods. And real diner waitresses. And all that it implies...hon. :biggrin:

I've heard really good things about the Penn Queen Diner on 130 South in Pennsauken, but have no personal experience with it. Will have to check it out sometime.

I'm actually pretty fond of the South Street Diner at Front & South. It's open all the time, the food is good, and it's stumbling distance from my front door. All good qualities to recommend it for. :smile:

herbacidal · August 17, 2003

Speaking of diners, I am not too familiar with the South Jersey ilk. I often pass Olga's in Marlton, and it looks very large. Any reports on Olga's and/or other diners in this area? There is also a brand new one opposite the Cherry Hill Mall on Rte 38.
Olga's is indeed huge. Monstrous in fact, but really good. About an 8 or 10 page menu too. I don't think there's anything you can't get in there! Good salad bar too.
The shiny new diner (Silver City Diner, I think?) across from the mall is just OK. Too new and not "real" enough for my ingrained sense of what a diner "experience" should be like. More like a cross between a real diner and a Nifty Fifties. A very fake retro vibe going on in there.
I'm a fan of Ponzio's, on Route 70. Great baked goods. And real diner waitresses. And all that it implies...hon.
I've heard really good things about the Penn Queen Diner on 130 South in Pennsauken, but have no personal experience with it. Will have to check it out sometime.
I'm actually pretty fond of the South Street Diner at Front & South. It's open all the time, the food is good, and it's stumbling distance from my front door. All good qualities to recommend it for.

i think olga's is crap personally.

but i only had one experience there, and was offended by the service.

actually more the lack thereof.

silver diner is decent.

penn queen diner used to be very good, about a decade ago. i believe them to be just decent now.

ponzio's is pretty good.

i've always liked crystal lake diner, on cuthbert boulevard in haddon township.

KatieLoeb · August 17, 2003

i've always liked crystal lake diner, on cuthbert boulevard in haddon township.

Good call Herb! I completely forgot about this place as it's somewhat "off the beaten path". I used to get take out from there quite frequently when I worked nearby. Excellent diner with nice folks running it.

robin · August 19, 2003

i like the pilgrim diner in verona / ceder grove. i'm a sucker for the queen latifah wrap...but you gotta remember to ask for tzatziki (sp?) sauce on the side (the yogurt based greek sauce that i think usually goes on gyros).

NJ2FLA · August 20, 2003

The owners of the Pilgrim diner act like they are doing you a favor when you walk into that place.

WHT · August 20, 2003

Speaking of diners, I am not too familiar with the South Jersey ilk. I often pass Olga's in Marlton, and it looks very large. Any reports on Olga's and/or other diners in this area? There is also a brand new one opposite the Cherry Hill Mall on Rte 38.

If you like deserts it is the place to stop. Burgers are nice too.

PhiSig238 · August 21, 2003

Favorite diner from my college days had to be the Broadway diner in Summit. Open 24 hours was just a matter of finding someone sober to drive. Now it has become the Star diner on 206 South in Hillsborough. Standard diner Menu but the burgers are unreal.

nizza · August 21, 2003

I like the Pilgrim (I've never had the feeling upon arrival that their doing me a favor)and the Tick Tock on Rt. 3 West in Clifton. I also like Calico Kitchen on Rt 46 West in Totowa. It's not "offically" a diner, but, could kinda qualify. I enjoy the food at all three places and I hate diners! LOL :laugh:

Holly Moore · August 21, 2003

So what's the story on Paul's Diner in Mountain Lakes, the diner of my earliest awkward years.

cbel964 · August 22, 2003

I must add my 2cents and tell everyone that the American Diner in East Windsor makes the BEST omelettes!!

A friend of mine took me there years ago, and when we pulled into the parking lot, I thought , "oh great a DINER...Guess I'll have a greasy burger"..

:shock:

Imagine my great surprise when my beautiful fluffy omelette was presented to me..

Apparently, after cooking on the stovetop, they finish them off in the oven.

The Best. You MUST Try!

wesza · August 22, 2003

I'm wondering how many posters remember the busiest and most successfull "Diner", in New Jersey, or in fact anywhere. Morris Baums, "Claremont Diner", on Bloomfield Avenue in "Verona, NJ". There was parking for 800 cars, the original dinner seated 110 but expanded to where it sat over 400. There was a full service Bakery, plus Take out foods. On weekends you'd get on a list and return to your car until you were called inside to wait inline for your table. There was a pastry dessert display, that made your mouth water while waiting for your table. All the waitress drove new Cadillac's. They sold in excess of 5000 pounds of shrimp each weekend. On a busy Saturday or Sunday it wasn't unusual to serve 3000 covers. They were open 24 hours and seemed always busy. They had crews of 11 dishwashers working. Now that was a dinner.

kel · August 22, 2003

The Americana Diner in East Windsor is fabulous. It's all been redone, and they have a martini lounge in the back room, which is just cool. Plus, the food is pretty good. It's always packed though, especially on the weekends.

albie · August 28, 2003

How about Mastori's Diner, on Route 130 in Bordentown? It has a very big local following.

mikeycook · August 28, 2003

Been to the Luna Bell diner in Iselin, NJ a few times. It's been consistently good.

cbel964 · August 28, 2003

Mastori's is not only a mere diner, it's an institution!

:raz:

menton1 · August 29, 2003

Mastori's is not only a mere diner, it's an institution!

Very ironic, Mastori's was featured last night on Food Network's "Best Of" series. Seems like it's very popular with the truckers. Giant portions as well....

rozrapp · August 29, 2003

Mastori's is not only a mere diner, it's an institution!

Very ironic, Mastori's was featured last night on Food Network's "Best Of" series. Seems like it's very popular with the truckers. Giant portions as well....

Looks like it's also popular with politicians. Last week, I happened to catch a segment of something called "Diner Politics." (Can't remember the cable channel.) Sen. Jon Corzine was being interviewed at Mastori's.

Craig · August 30, 2003

Been to the Luna Bell diner in Iselin, NJ a few times. It's been consistently good.

I'm surprised the Luna Bell Diner in Woodbridge is still there. I left NJ in '86-'87 and they were talking about closing it down. One thing about the Luna Bell was the portions were huge! I don't believe I was every able to finish a meal. There used to be quite a few great diners in the area especially in Perth Amboy. The traditional all stainless inside and out; two were the Amboy Diner on Smith St. and The Triangle on New Brunswick Ave. Both served great food and were cheap.

John · August 30, 2003

The Luna Bell was a favorite of mine. They have been closed down for a couple of years now. The town used Eminent Domain to close it down in order to widen the highway.

elyse · August 31, 2003

I'm wondering how many posters remember the busiest and most successfull "Diner", in New Jersey, or in fact anywhere. Morris Baums, "Claremont Diner", on Bloomfield Avenue in "Verona, NJ". There was parking for 800 cars, the original dinner seated 110 but expanded to where it sat over 400. There was a full service Bakery, plus Take out foods. On weekends you'd get on a list and return to your car until you were called inside to wait inline for your table. There was a pastry dessert display, that made your mouth water while waiting for your table. All the waitress drove new Cadillac's. They sold in excess of 5000 pounds of shrimp each weekend. On a busy Saturday or Sunday it wasn't unusual to serve 3000 covers. They were open 24 hours and seemed always busy. They had crews of 11 dishwashers working. Now that was a dinner.

Where was it? I passed through verona several times a week on Bloomfield, and can't recall a giant diner. Was it demolished?

Anyone know anything about Willie's Diner off Bloomfield on... ummm, can't remember the name of the street. In Bloomfield across the street from Sacred Heart church. Blessed Sacrement?

wesza · August 31, 2003

Elysee: Appearently the "Claremont Diner', burned down, as someone emailed me the information. Morris Baum, also owned and operated until it's demise Newark's. " Wecquawic" [spelling?] Diner'. The Claremont was so busy that during mealtimes we had 11 dishwashers. Soap and chinaware companies, would send us things to test. Were 12/55 Gallon Wood Pickle Barrels, on rotation in Basement year round. Pickles general only lasted long enough to be 1/2 Sour. Irwin

elyse · August 31, 2003

And it was where?

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