California diners

[rjwong]

I got inspired by Brithack's discussion thread American diner tour. In order to make things a bit organized (that's the librarian in me), I started this thread on diners located in California. Go ahead and put in your one-of-a-kind favorites.

I'll start off with the Original Pantry on the corner of Figueroa & 9th in downtown LA. It's a historic diner since 1924. Open 24 hours. The decor is straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel. They serve chicken fried steaks on Tues. & Sat.

[JFLinLA]

It's been years but my husband loves to talk about McClintocks, just north of SLO. Their specialty . . . turkey nuts. Really!

[touaregsand]

Los Angeles diners

24 hour diners

Kid friendly diners

More diners

Tikis and googies

There are some chains mentioned on the list, disregard those if not interested in chains.

[dfunghi]

In Berkeley you have Bettys 4th st diner, in Pt reyes I believe it is called "pine cone diner" but I could be wrong. I mentioned it in a bodega bay posting last year. Both of these places have huge portions of locally produced eggs , meats, etc. Home cooked wonderful food. Both worth a side trip since both located in an area with many other attractions. In Santa Barbara we always like "The Breakwater" for breakfast or lunch. It is very dinerish. If passing through the SLO or Santa Maria area on a weekend look for any busy "parking lot" bbq. Tri-Tip over oak grill on a soft roll for about $4. Why not have a couple. I usually look for a church parking lot or auto parts / strip mall type store and avoid grocery stores like the big chains. Just cruise around town a little.

[eje]

The only historic diner which springs to my mind in San Francisco proper is "It's Tops" on Market at Valencia. There must be others!?

I haven't been to Sear's Fine Foods. I think it is now owned by the Lori's Diner (fake 50s diner chain) people.

St. Francis Fountain on 24th and York, might be worth a stop.

[chefzadi]

Mel's

[Jensen]

For road food, I quite enjoy the Black Bear Diner. They're a small chain but growing (I hope not to their detriment!).

They serve what you might expect from a diner but the food is really quite good...not too greasy and the vegetables are always fresh.

I've been to three of their restaurants: Mt. Shasta City, Yreka, and Redding. The only one that I wouldn't bother going to again is the Redding one. Not sure why but there you go.

[merle]

For road food, I quite enjoy the Black Bear Diner. They're a small chain but growing (I hope not to their detriment!).

They serve what you might expect from a diner but the food is really quite good...not too greasy and the vegetables are always fresh.

I've been to three of their restaurants: Mt. Shasta City, Yreka, and Redding. The only one that I wouldn't bother going to again is the Redding one. Not sure why but there you go.

Ah, when I was in Redding a few months ago, Black Bear was on my list. We ended up not trying it, though, since my wife said (in a horrified voice) "but that's a chain!". But I'll try it out.

There was a great diner on I-80 between Sacramento and Reno. Yeah, I know, that's very vague. In Auburn? Colfax? Something like that. It's one of the cheaper gax exits. I can even draw what the roads off the exit look like... but the names are eluding me. [googling...]

Ah! Rosy's, in Colfax. Rosy's (first item) Always wise to write up trip reports for when the neurons stop firing. ;-)

[Carolyn Tillie]

For road food, I quite enjoy the Black Bear Diner. They're a small chain but growing (I hope not to their detriment!).

They serve what you might expect from a diner but the food is really quite good...not too greasy and the vegetables are always fresh.

I've been to three of their restaurants: Mt. Shasta City, Yreka, and Redding. The only one that I wouldn't bother going to again is the Redding one. Not sure why but there you go.

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I've eaten at the one in Suisun and the one in Sonoma and was hardly impressed either time. Only slightly better than Denny's, but hardly noteworthy. Then again, I was only there for breakfast and there aren't many chains doing anything exceptional for breakfast.

[mizducky]

This list is really fascinating, but this East Coast grrl is a little confused. Are any of these diners in the classic East Coast diner-style building? Y'know, the type of pre-fab building designed to look like an old Pullman railroad dining car, with lots of chrome and/or sheet aluminum?

You see, while the menu and general ambiance is an important criterion, to me it still isn't really a *true* diner unless it's housed in that long narrow sorta-bullet-shaped building with all the metal. Not that I wouldn't totally enjoy any of these other lovely dives, but it's the chrome Pullman-car look that really gets my nostalgia-senses aroused. So--any of those here in California? (Erm, any authentic ones, I mean--yeah, I'm afraid that I don't really count modern attempts to "re-create" the diner look in a totally-new building either. And yeah, I know I'm being picky. )

[rjwong]

The Way Station on San Fernando Rd. in downtown Newhall which is part of the incorporated city of Santa Clarita.

There are old license plates all over the walls, basic diner food, and a taste of "Newhall culture."

If it's still there, you can go further up San Fernando Rd. a couple of miles or so and eat at the Saugus Cafe. I've only eaten there once, back in 1989. Haven't been back there since, for whatever reason.

[eje]

You see, while the menu and general ambiance is an important criterion, to me it still isn't really a *true* diner unless it's housed in that long narrow sorta-bullet-shaped building with all the metal. Not that I wouldn't totally enjoy any of these other lovely dives, but it's the chrome Pullman-car look that really gets my nostalgia-senses aroused. So--any of those here in California?

The Napa Valley Wine train is made up of Pullman cars.

The only Diner I know of is Andy's Truckee Diner, Truckee, CA.

Anyone else?

[Carolyn Tillie]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

[rjwong]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

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Was Norm's or Shipp's? Are you sure it was in WeHo? What did you have? Maybe these questions will jog your memory?

Here's another place: The Pines Cafe; 4343 Pearblossom Hwy (at 43rd St. East) in Palmdale; (661) 285-0455.

It's been there since 1954. Open for breakfast & lunch only. Cash only. They make great Chicken Fried Steaks (CFS).

And one more thing: Ketchup is FORBIDDEN at the Pines.

[andiesenji]

You can check out this site

which has just about all of the "classic" diners listed.

I remember a diner, not in a converted train car but in one of the diners manufactured to look like one on Santa Monica blvd close to Havenhurst, but I think it has been gone for several years.

Edited May 22, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[Jensen]

For road food, I quite enjoy the Black Bear Diner. They're a small chain but growing (I hope not to their detriment!).

They serve what you might expect from a diner but the food is really quite good...not too greasy and the vegetables are always fresh.

I've been to three of their restaurants: Mt. Shasta City, Yreka, and Redding. The only one that I wouldn't bother going to again is the Redding one. Not sure why but there you go.

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I've eaten at the one in Suisun and the one in Sonoma and was hardly impressed either time. Only slightly better than Denny's, but hardly noteworthy. Then again, I was only there for breakfast and there aren't many chains doing anything exceptional for breakfast.

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I haven't had breakfast there. Usually we'll stop while we're on a road trip and Mt. Shasta City or Yreka comes along right around lunch time so I generally get a sandwich. I really liked their reuben and their beef dip is pretty good too.

(For road food...)

[JFLinLA]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

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It's Barney's Beanery on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard just east of La Cienega.

[rjwong]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

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It's Barney's Beanery on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard just east of La Cienega.

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Do you mean this place:

http://www.qsbilliards.com/barneysbeanery/default.asp

[Carolyn Tillie]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

←

It's Barney's Beanery on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard just east of La Cienega.

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Nope. It wasn't that big or that glamorous.

Was Norm's or Shipp's? Are you sure it was in WeHo? What did you have? Maybe these questions will jog your memory?

Nope. I remember both Norm's AND Shipp's (I LOVED Shipp's for the Toasters!)

I've made a call to the ex-boyfriend who took me there. He'll remember... At the time, he was working for one of the first electric car conversion shops, Green Motorworks which is/was on the 5000 block of Vineland in North Hollywood. (He had constructed Tom Cruise's electric Porsche, and we used to tool around the neighborhood to test the car).

[Painting]

Concerning Black Bear, I'm constantly amazed how many people on chefmoz.org reccomend the place in Redding/Mt Shasta. I'm tempted everytime to delete their "reviews" ;-)

A good "diner" are almost impossible to find now, but the one on the corner of 880 and Mowery in Fremont isn't bad for breakfest. They are in the A-Frame building.

Where I live, in Lakehead (30mins north of Redding) we used to have Top Hat but the owner sold it a few months ago and it's now a "fine dining mexican restaurant" *rolls eyes*

[eje]

I really didn't think Andy's Truckee Diner was that great. They have expanded the restaurant out beyond the dining car, so really the dining car is just the foyer to the restaurant proper. From what I remember, they had not continued the diner decor or ambiance into the larger restaurant, so we insisted on eating in the dining car.

Food was nothing special.

My impression of most restaurants in this price bracket/market is they rather depend on unskilled and/or illegal labor and pre-prepared items and mixes from food service supply companies. So, even though they are not chains, many are just outlets for the national food service supply companies. I doubt many even make their own pancake mix. At least that is how I explain what tastes like the same pancakes everywhere I travel in the US.

[Carolyn Tillie]

This is pretty horrible 'cuz I was brought there and don't remember the exact location, but somewhere around West Hollywood, there was this DIVE in an old converted train car. This was about 15 years ago but the diner had been there for 40 or 50 years so I'm sure it is still there. It was one of those 'morning after' breakfasts so I was too wasted to take note of location or name...

←

It's Barney's Beanery on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard just east of La Cienega.

←

Nope. It wasn't that big or that glamorous.

Was Norm's or Shipp's? Are you sure it was in WeHo? What did you have? Maybe these questions will jog your memory?

Nope. I remember both Norm's AND Shipp's (I LOVED Shipp's for the Toasters!)

I've made a call to the ex-boyfriend who took me there. He'll remember... At the time, he was working for one of the first electric car conversion shops, Green Motorworks which is/was on the 5000 block of Vineland in North Hollywood. (He had constructed Tom Cruise's electric Porsche, and we used to tool around the neighborhood to test the car).

←

Now I am sort of obsessing on this and hope someone in LA can help me figure it out... The ex-boyfriend is currently sailing on a masted ship out of San Francisco and won't be able to return the call for a while. Here's what I remember, though:

The diner was near (if not under!) some huge Edison electrical station -- a BIG one. I remember seeing lots of transformer-like units around. A dirty backstreet possibly off Cahuenga and Burbank Boulevard. It is only open for breakfast and an early lunch. It had an actual counter to eat at - no tables whatsoever. The counter sits eight or ten folks at most. This is a working man's diner, nothing as remotely upscale as Barney's or Shipp's.

Anyone in LA willing to go drive around???

[Toliver]

This list is really fascinating, but this East Coast grrl is a little confused. Are any of these diners in the classic East Coast diner-style building? Y'know, the type of pre-fab building designed to look like an old Pullman railroad dining car, with lots of chrome and/or sheet aluminum?

You see, while the menu and general ambiance is an important criterion, to me it still isn't really a *true* diner unless it's housed in that long narrow sorta-bullet-shaped building with all the metal. Not that I wouldn't totally enjoy any of these other lovely dives, but it's the chrome Pullman-car look that really gets my nostalgia-senses aroused. So--any of those here in California? (Erm, any authentic ones, I mean--yeah, I'm afraid that I don't really count modern attempts to "re-create" the diner look in a totally-new building either. And yeah, I know I'm being picky. )

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You bring up a good point. A true diner is a self-contained restaurant in a

"building" capable of being moved. Some places that call themselves "diners" don't meet that qualification.

"What is a diner?" from the American Diner museum website:

A true "diner" is a prefabricated structure built at an assembly site and transported to a permanent location for installation to serve prepared food. Webster's Dictionary defines a diner as "a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car." The word "diner" is a derivative of "dining car" and diner designs reflected the styling that manufacturers borrowed from railroad dining cars. A diner is usually outfitted with a counter, stools and a food preparation or service area along the back wall. Decommissioned railroad passenger cars and trolleys were often converted into diners by those who could not afford to purchase a new diner.

That being said, I've been to the Salinas Black Bear Diner and I can tell you it isn't a diner. And the food wasn't that remarkable.

[rjwong]

Now I am sort of obsessing on this and hope someone in LA can help me figure it out... The ex-boyfriend is currently sailing on a masted ship out of San Francisco and won't be able to return the call for a while. Here's what I remember, though:

The diner was near (if not under!) some huge Edison electrical station -- a BIG one. I remember seeing lots of transformer-like units around. A dirty backstreet possibly off Cahuenga and Burbank Boulevard. It is only open for breakfast and an early lunch. It had an actual counter to eat at - no tables whatsoever. The counter sits eight or ten folks at most. This is a working man's diner, nothing as remotely upscale as Barney's or Shipp's.

Anyone in LA willing to go drive around???

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Here's a possible answer to your question:

Carney's on the Sunset Strip.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Now I am sort of obsessing on this and hope someone in LA can help me figure it out... The ex-boyfriend is currently sailing on a masted ship out of San Francisco and won't be able to return the call for a while. Here's what I remember, though:

The diner was near (if not under!) some huge Edison electrical station -- a BIG one. I remember seeing lots of transformer-like units around. A dirty backstreet possibly off Cahuenga and Burbank Boulevard. It is only open for breakfast and an early lunch. It had an actual counter to eat at - no tables whatsoever. The counter sits eight or ten folks at most. This is a working man's diner, nothing as remotely upscale as Barney's or Shipp's.

Anyone in LA willing to go drive around???

←

Here's a possible answer to your question:

Carney's on the Sunset Strip.

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WAY to clean and glitzy. Seriously, the place I ate at wouldn't have a website. I'm not even sure it had an address. It was an actual DIVE - no appeal beyond the huge, manly-man-sized platters of food (I remember eating half of what I ordered, whatever THAT was).

Thanks for trying, though! I'm not giving up...