The DINER.

[BellyTank]

Horse is still somewhat of a delicacy in Sweden-
cooked on the rare side and thinly sliced with a smear of horseradish... mmmmmmmm....
Of course it was also a universal wartime meat.

B
T

 

[Wild Root]

I heard about that BT. A friend of mine tried that once and he said it was very good but, it wasn't very cheap.

Horseradish on horse.... hahaha, sounds like a perfect fit.

Root.

 

[BellyTank]

Doh! I missed that one, Smartypants- :hamburger :beer: :kick:
B
T

 

[Wild Root]

Ha Ha,

Cheers! :cheers1:

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

Geez, next thing I am going to hear is that skunk is a delicacy somewhere.
"Yes, I'll have the skunk ala King with a side of horsey sauce please."

Regards to all,

J

 

[Deleted member 259]

There are lots of Diners around these parts (east coast) but they unfortunately don't have the same service as you're discribing.
There is a Diner right up the street from my house, it's always been the local hangout - the food isn't great and the service depends on your waitress, but everyone who works there knows us, and the jukebox still runs.

For anyone in MD who gets the chance - A close friend of mine (Well, her family) runs The Plum Crazy Diner and it's the best Diner experience I've had to date - Good food, Good service, great atmosphere.


Is anyone in here familiar with Johnny Rockets? Its a relatively new fast food chain with a 50s theme - realistic Diner style, the staff all wears those funny little hats, and there are oldies playing nonstop (I admit to a charleston while waiting in line for a milkshake)
Honestly - the food is unimpressive, But they have good milkshakes, and the atmosphere is fun if you're with a group.

I can't decide If I like it or not. If I'm just stoping in for a soda, it's nice - but it's almost too retro. I'd feel silly walking in there wearing vintage clothes.

 

[renor27]

diners on the east coast

hello all I am going to be Traveling from DC to NH @ the end of the month would love to stop in @ some good local diners on my journey. Any of the groupe from that part of the country know of any I should stop in for my meals. Also any around DC.
David

 

[jamespowers]

I am not sure if they are everywhere but there is a small chain in California called Lori's Diner that has that classic diner experience. The best part is that they have coat and hat hangers at the end of every booth. The food isn't bad either. The hamburgers and such are referred to as the "best around" by my mother who grew up in the golden age. So I suppose she would know the difference.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Michaelson]

.
Once you have children, you say, "let's go for a drive in the country," and boom! You're making sandwiches.

Or being sent to the store for milk and bread, since you're in the mood to take a drive.... Regards! Michaelson

 

[Matt Deckard]

 

[scotrace]

Hmmmm

The Tormented Poet?
or Bored After Porcellian Club Dinner?

or Listening to Root's Tale of The Found Spectators Again

Perhaps "Can't believe I lost my hat... thing cost me $400... I oughta punch myself in the jaw... just like this... right here"

"He had found his Emma, at last. But in a textbook case of bad timing, his necktie accidentally dipped into the salad bowl, wicking Balsamic & Olive Oil up to the knot. He couldn't possibly introduce himself like this. 'At least I have a fresh haircut,' he thought."



Great shot. You look grand.

 

[Wild Root]

It was neither.

It was the waitress that was board and wouldn’t shut up.

Rob.

 

[Matt Deckard]

 

[jamespowers]

Hmmm... Looks interesting. I hope that is bread in front of you.

Regards to all,

J

 

[jitterbugdoll]

In Arizona there is a chain of retro diners called the 5 & Diner. The food is good and the service is usually decent--it's one of my favorite places to go, actually. We do have Johnny Rockets here, but the 5 & Diner is much, much better!
We also have a Ruby's Diner (the one I used to go to closed a while back--not uppity enough for the Scottsdale crowd, I suppose!)

I also work at the neatest vintage soda fountain--it's called MacAlpine's and was built in 1928. It housed a pharmacy until 1992, and it is the oldest continuously operating soda fountain in the southwest. Wayne Newton and his brother, who lived in one of the surrounding neighborhoods, used to come and sit at the counter. The food is top-notch home-style cooking, and they have and use a lot of the original equipment (for example, the shake machines are from the 40s.) Also, I have met so many people who either worked at the fountain when they were teenagers, or remember it as *the* high school hangout. Once, a gentleman came in and softly told me that he had worked here when was 16--in 1940.
Although we don’t have official uniforms (yet), I always dress vintage. I have the cutest green and white striped day dress that matches the décor and makes a perfect uniform. I wear a 1940s waitress apron, style my hair in big rolls, and even wear a cap. I find that customers love the look, and I often have people ask for me when I am not there. About once a month, tourists ask to take my picture! I'll try to a post of photo of me in waitress mode.

(The brown and white tile, originally installed over concrete tile in the 40s, has been replaced with green and white tile)

Here’s a pic from the 1930s—note the prices:

This is a photo of Mr. ‘Mac’, taken in the 1940s. The little boy, who won the car in a contest, brought this photo to us a few months ago:

A few blocks away from MacAlpine’s is a tiny (seats 9) diner that was built in the 1930s. It was built in the 1930s and has awesome turquoise and red décor. Although the menu is slightly modern/trendy, they serve bottled sodas (vintage colas made with sugar cane and not high fructose corn syrup) and the place is just fun to look at.

 

[Wild Root]

MacAlpine's:

I had the chance to go over there for Thanksgiving last year. I was in town and got to hang out with Havershaw and his wife for a day. It was fun! They took me over to MacAlpine's and it was closed for a new floor. I was so dissapointed because I just looked in the window and I just about died! It looks so cool inside! Way better then some of the places here in CA.

Any way, next time I'm in AZ, I'll try and stop on buy there and check it out.

Root.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Yep--they were closed for several weeks for the installation of the new floor. It looks great though--they went with two-tone green linoleum. Although not original to Mac's (actually, the brown and cream tile was added in the 40s anyway), it is a very accurate 1930s-40s color and really brightens the place up!
The booths and telephone booth were brought in 1992--I believe they came from an old hotel in New Orleans.

Some changes have been made, but the place is still really, really neat. It simply oozes nostalgia--you would love it! And yes, there are pegs at each booth for you to hang your hat!

I’m not sure if I’ve ever met Havershaw—but I’m usually there are Saturdays, so maybe he came in and I didn’t realize it!

 

[ITG]

jitterbugdoll,
I'm totally digging that diner you work at. Very retro. The pics really give off the right feel for stepping back in time.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Anyone have other pics and stories of small local eateries?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. From the outside, it's nothing special, it's in the ground floor of what looks like an office building. Inside, it's authentic retro. Looks like nothing has been replaced in 50 years.

The booth in the corner facing southwest has a small plaque identifying it as Dean Martin's favorite. Prices are in line with Los Angeles, a nice burger and fries for 8 bucks, a Martini for... 8 bucks. Guess where their profit margin is.