Tom Sawyer Diner (Paramus)

Tom Sawyer Diner (Paramus)

I’ve been fortunate with diners lately.  For the most part, I’ve been happy with everything.  Sadly, that streak came to an end when I went to the Tom Sawyer Diner.

Last weekend, My husband and I went hiking at Bear Mountain. We had gotten lost so by the time we got to the diner, I was starving.  Just like eating after a long run, everything should taste good.  Should, being key.

Tom Sawyer Diner Atmosphere: A
The Tom Sawyer Diner is clean.  The outside is a modern building.  The inside of the Tom Sawyer Diner has a bar, multiple booths, and a small bakery case.  We were sat in a booth.  The diner itself is well kept and nice.

Tom Sawyer Diner Coffee: F
The coffee at the Tom Sawyer Diner was lukewarm at best. It had sat for a long time and tasted like it. The whipped cream stayed intact the entire time and didn’t melt at all. The waiter never brought out or asked if we wanted a refill, but it was so terrible I didn’t want anymore.

Tom Sawyer Diner Service: F
The service at the Tom Sawyer Diner ranks as possibly the worst restaurant service of any restaurant (diner or not) that I have been too.  The waiter never asked if we wanted refills, came over twice, and every time we asked for anything, it felt as if we were bothering him.  There were only five other parties in the restaurant, yet for some reason, it took close to an hour to receive our food.

Tom Sawyer Diner Food: C
Like the majority of diners, breakfast is served daily, and there were plenty of specials.  The Tom Sawyer Diner menu has everything at typical NJ diner has. I was starving and craving red meat.

We ordered the Mediterranean appetizer. It came with hummus, pita bread, Greek salad, olive, and vegetables. While it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great either. It tasted like something I could have prepared home myself.  I did like the hummus, though.  The Tom Sawyer Diner made a lot of use of their tortilla chips.  They added them to everything.  They were decent tortilla chips, but I’ve never been to a diner well known for their tortilla chips.

For my entree at the Tom Sawyer Diner, I ordered the California Burger. It was a disappointment as well.  It was topped with avocado, bacon and cheddar cheese.  The patty itself was overcooked and dry, and the French fries were okay.  It’s tough not to love food after a long run or hike, so I was surprised.

Tom Sawyer Diner Price: $$$
The Tom Sawyer Diner is expensive and not worth the price.  For my burger, appetizer, and coffee, the prize was $30.  Was it worth it? Absolutely not.

Overall thoughts/Would I come back to the Tom Sawyer Diner (Paramus)?
The Tom Sawyer isn’t my least favorite diner, but it is very close.  There wasn’t anything I enjoyed about the diner so I won’t be back.  The food was edible, but there are plenty of less expensive and better quality diners close by such as the State Line Diner. 

I had planned to get dessert, but nothing looked great either, so we left.  When the manager asked how our meal was: I told him it wasn’t great, and the service wasn’t great either (something I rarely do). He responded with a shrug. He didn’t care in the slightest, which is what upset me the most.

Summary:
Atmosphere: A
Service: F
Coffee: F
Food: C
Price: $15-30
Overall: F

You can see all of the diner reviews here. 

Questions for you:
What was the last lousy dining experience you’ve had?
What’s your favorite long run/workout meal?