Tag: lunch

The Dumont Crystal Diner
Diners

The Dumont Crystal Diner

Hollie

The Dumont Crystal Diner (Dumont, NJ)

Recently, I was in Dumont, NJ, to celebrate New Jersey Isn’t Boring’s 300th diner review. While this is “only” 284 for me, I was honored she invited me to celebrate the big 300. Plus, we’ve been to 30 diners together, so it was the perfect number.

The Dumont Crystal Diner

The Dumont Crystal Diner Atmosphere: A

The Dumont Crystal Diner is small and one of the oldest diners in NJ.

The Dumont Crystal DinerIt has about 12 spots to sit.  It nearly blends in, in downtown Dumont. It’s a small, unassuming building. Inside the Dumont Crystal Diner, it’s like a blast from the past. You can tell the diner has been around for a while. All of the walls are filled with memorabilia from dollar bills to police patches, to old photos.  When we got there, it wasn’t busy and we grabbed a booth in the back.

The Dumont Crystal Diner Coffee: B

The coffee at The Dumont Crystal Diner was good, but there was nothing unique or exciting about it. The owner joked “no we don’t have coffee” and I definitely believed him.

The Dumont Crystal Diner

The Dumont Crystal Diner Food: A

The Dumont Crystal Diner menu is small and you won’t find anything healthy. It has all of the old school diner options from eggs, omelets, a few sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and pancakes. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but I decided to order the “amazing omelet.” I asked the owner of The Dumont Crystal Diner what was in the “amazing omelet,” and he said: “it’s amazing like you”…but he never told me what was in there!

The Dumont Crystal Diner
The Dumont Crystal Diner “Amazing Omelet”

When it came: it had chopped meats, burger, cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and onions. I’m sure there was more but I couldn’t figure it out. The omelet itself lived up to the name; it was “amazing.”

The Dumont Crystal Diner Service: A

Only one person was working at The Dumont Crystal Diner and it was definitely the owner. He was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever talked too and one of the best diner owners. He chatted with each of the guests, made jokes, and our food came out fast. He was in the top 10% of diner owners I’ve chatted with.

The Dumont Crystal Diner Cost: $

For my amazing omelet and coffee, it was $10.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to The Dumont Crystal Diner?

I liked The Dumont Crystal Diner, and I can see why it’s been in business for so long. Everything about it was great. You won’t find a healthy option, but you will find quality food.

Atmosphere: A

Coffee: B

Food: A

Service: A

Overall: A

Cost: $5-10

You can see all 283 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever talked to a diner owner?

Have you ordered a mysterious food? 

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Ann's Diner Elizabeth
Diners

Ann’s Diner (Elizabeth)

Hollie

Ann’s Diner (Elizabeth)

While in Elizabeth, I decided to stop at Ann’s Diner. I was a little skeptical while driving through town. It’s not in the nicest area and directly across from Ann’s Diner was a barbed wire fence and industrial field.  I’ve been on a small, old school diner kick lately so I wanted to stop at Ann’s Diner in Elizabeth. Many people have said it’s the hidden gem of Elizabeth and I already agree!

Ann's Diner Elizabeth

Ann’s Diner Atmosphere: B
Ann’s Diner has an unassuming atmosphere. You might even drive by it because it looks like an everyday, small, building. The exterior is brick with a few signs that say “open.” The parking lot is bigger than the diner itself.

The inside is well maintained and actually shocking. There are sorts of cute rustic signs with a few tables.  There is a small bar near the register people can sit at as well. It looked and felt like a nice bistro inside. I was pleasantly surprised.

Ann's Diner Elizabeth

Ann’s Diner Coffee: B
The coffee was good, but there wasn’t anything to write home about. The waitress gave me a to-go cup too which was nice.

Ann's Diner Elizabeth coffee

 

Ann’s Diner Food: A
Ann’s Diner menu is known for its every-changing specials. Ann’s Diner menu itself is small, with a few salads, sandwiches, and breakfast and lunch options. It can all easily fit on a trifold diner menu.  Ann’s Diner is open until 3 pm, so they aren’t open for dinner.

Ann's Diner Elizabeth sandwich

I decided to order off the specials menu. I can’t remember what the sandwich was called, but it was on thick homemade bread, with mozzarella, breaded chicken, peppers, and balsamic sauce.

The sandwich was great and the bread was one of my favorites in recent diner history. It tasted fresh and I would order it again.

Ann’s Diner Service: A
The waitress and manager were friendly and the food was made within 5 minutes. You can tell Ann’s Diner caters towards people working, because I saw several people stop in, grab lunch, and head back to work.  They were all in and out within minutes.

Ann’s Diner Cost: $
For my coffee and sandwich, it was $10.

Overall Thoughts/Would I come back to Ann’s Diner?
I liked Ann’s Diner and I would go back again, especially for a quick meal. It’s right near Elizabeth and Newark Airport, so if you’re looking for a quick stop.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $8-15
Overall: A

You can see all 281 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is your favorite type of sandwich?
Do you have a go-to lunch spot? 

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co)
Diners

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co)

Hollie

While visiting my good friend Angela, we decided to check out the 19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs). I had never been to Glenwood Springs before, so it was fun to check out a new town and new diner.

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co)

Atmosphere: A

The 19th Street Diner in Glenwood Springs looks like a blast from the past. The exterior of the 19th Street Diner is big, metallic, and shiny. The inside has plenty of retro booths, a bar, and a few tables. If you are looking for a stereotypical diner, the 19th Street Diner meets that.

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co)

Coffee: B

The coffee at the 19th Street Diner is brewed hot and fresh. There wasn’t anything unique or unusual about the diner, but it was good.

Food: B

The 19th Street Diner has all of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner options a diner usually has. I was disappointed they were out of their famous cinnamon buns, though.

The 19th Street Diner has the traditional diner staples like 1/2 pound burgers, chicken fried steak, omelets, salads, and club sandwiches. Plus they have their own specialties like fried french toast or diner primavera.

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co) salad

I wasn’t too hungry, so I decided to order the Spinach Salad. It came with spinach, olives, tomatoes, avocado, and I added a thin-cut steak. It also came with french bread (which didn’t look like anything other than regular bread. My salad was good but wasn’t the best salad I’ve had. It was enough for the time. I contemplated adding a side like fruit, muffins, biscuits, wheat, and sourdough bread, but they were out of most.

19th Street Diner (Glenwood Springs, Co)

Service: A

The waitress was friendly, and our food came out quickly. I couldn’t have had a better experience at the 19th Street Diner.

Cost:

For my salad and coffee, the price was $15.

Overall Thoughts of the 19th Street Diner:

The 19th Street Diner in Glenwood Springs is good. It’s an easy stop if you’re driving along Route 70. I would go back.

Atmosphere: A

Coffee: B

Food: B

Service: A

Cost: $8-15

Overall: A

You can see more diner reviews here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever been to the 19th Street Diner in Glenwood Springs?

Do you like olives? Apparently, it’s a hot topic with many people

The little diner vail pancake
Diners

The Little Diner (Vail, Colorado)

Hollie

While in Vail, Colorado, I wanted to go to the Little Diner. The Little Diner has been named one of the top 10 diners in Colorado.  (And yes, there are far fewer diners in Colorado than NJ, but every state has a diner).

Anyway, I arrived at the Little Diner around 10 am. There was about a 20-minute wait, but they were turning over tables quickly. We didn’t ask, but they sat us at the bar anyway.

The little diner vail

Atmosphere: A

The Little Diner blends into Vail. Vail is a ski town with several restaurants and boutiques. It’s definitely a resort town, and there is everything you really need. The Little Diner is located on the second floor of a small shopping center in the Lionshead Villiage.

The little diner vail

 

As the name suggests, the inside of the Little Diner is little. There is a bar that seats most of the restaurant than about 15 tables. We sat at the bar and could see the chefs making the food.

Coffee: B

The coffee at the Little Diner was brewed hot and fresh, but I definitely could have used more refills.

The little diner vail coffee

Food: A

The Little Diner is open until 2 pm and serves breakfast and lunch. There are several breakfast options, including pancakes, omelets, breakfast sandwiches.

I wanted to order the “Panneoken,” which is also known as a German Pancake or Dutch Baby. It’s baked in the oven, and the airy pancake rises like a souffle. The Little Diner is known for their German Pancakes, so I knew it was what I wanted to order. You can choose several toppings, including whipped cream, fruit toppings, fresh bananas, and chocolate chips. I chose whipped cream.

The little diner vail pancake

The German Pancake was delicious. It was light and airy, so while it appeared huge, it was thin, so I didn’t feel “stuffed” afterward. It was great fuel for the Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon.

The little diner vail

Service: B

The waitress was friendly, and the food came out very fast. The German Pancakes take about 20 minutes, but I watched as tables got their meal within 5 minutes of ordering. I asked the waitress a couple of times for a coffee refill, but she seemed to forget. Other than that, it was a good experience.

Cost: $

For the Dutch Baby Pancake and coffee, the cost was $14.

Overall Thoughts of the Little Diner:

I liked the Little Diner in Vail and would go back. It’s a reasonably easy stop off of 70 if you are driving through. Keep in mind; you might wait for a while as it does get busy. I went during the week, and there was still a 20-minute wait.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: B
Price: $10-$20
Overall: A

You can see more diner reviews here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever been to the Little Diner in Vail? Or Vail?

Have you tried a German Pancake before?

Vicki's Diner Westfield
Diners

Vicki’s Diner (Westfield)

Hollie

Vicki’s Diner (Westfield)

A few weeks ago, I met Christine at Vicki’s Diner. Christine and I have been to many diners together, including one of my first 30. She was one of the first friends I made when I moved to NJ. We have both moved multiple times since.

Anyway, we arrived to Vicki’s Diner in Westfield around lunchtime. It was busy, but there was still plenty of booths and tables available.  Vicki’s Diner is one of two Westfield Diners. The other diner is Westfield Diner.

Vicki's Diner Westfield

Vicki’s Diner Atmosphere: A
There are very few diners in the small towns of NJ. It’s fun to see a diner on a Main Street. Vicki’s Diner is the only diner on the main street of Westfield. It’s metallic and shiny and stands out in the storefronts.

The inside is what you imagine in a diner. There are plenty of booths, tables.m, and they fit a lot in a small diner.

Vicki’s Diner Coffee: A
The coffee at Vicki’s Diner was brewed hot and fresh, and was tasty. They brewed it well and one of the better coffees I’ve had.

Vicki's Diner Westfield coffee

Viicki’s Diner Food: B
Vicki’s Diner menu has everything a diner typically has. There is plenty of breakfast, lunch, and even dinner too.

I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for. Then I saw there was a “jumbo salad” designed for two people. When I see a salad that is designed for two people, I always think it’s a good salad for me. More often than not, I’ve been disappointed with a salad size.

Vicki's Diner Westfield salad

I ordered salmon on it, and I was happy I did. The salad itself was good but could have used more toppings. The only thing that made it a “Greek salad” was the feta cheese and onions. It lacked toppings like pita bread as well as olives. In all, it was good, and the size was perfect for me. Most people would have to take some home.

Vicki's Diner Westfield salad

My issue with the salad was how it was packed. It was stuffed into a tiny bowl that looked pretty but once you attempted to eat it, it made a mess. I wish restaurants would use more practical dishes to plate food. If it barely fits into a bowl, how am I supposed to eat it?

Vicki’s Diner Service: A
The waitress at Vicki’s Diner was kind, and the food came out quickly. I couldn’t have asked for a better service.

Vicki’s Diner Cost: $
For my salad and coffee, it was $20.

Overall Thoughts/Summary of Vicki’s Diner:
I liked Vicki’s Diner, and if I’m in the area, I’ll be back. Westfield is one of my favorite small towns to walk around.  It’s fun to see a diner on the main street.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Food: B
Service: A
Cost: $8-15
Vicki’s Diner (Westfield) Overall: A

You can see all 251 Diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
What’s your favorite salad topping?
What is your favorite walkable town?