The Usual

duke of flatbush

Ahhh... Makes more sense now.

doctorj

Idlewild wrote:

If anyhting Tom's is pricier than Georges. What you spend $5 at Tom's you can get 1 1/2 times as much at The Usual. However, I like both. The service at both is quite friendly.

When it comes to Diner Warz, why is it Usual vs. Tom's, with Purity not rating a mention? I have a few basic requirements: not having to queue, and not receiving a free gastroenteric disorder with my meal. Tom's fails the first. So far the Usual passes and I prefer it, but the housespouse prefers Purity and it does seem comparatively clean to me.

medusa

doctorj wrote: [quote=Idlewild]

If anyhting Tom's is pricier than Georges. What you spend $5 at Tom's you can get 1 1/2 times as much at The Usual. However, I like both. The service at both is quite friendly.

When it comes to Diner Warz, why is it Usual vs. Tom's, with Purity not rating a mention? I have a few basic requirements: not having to queue, and not receiving a free gastroenteric disorder with my meal. Tom's fails the first. So far the Usual passes and I prefer it, but the housespouse prefers Purity and it does seem comparatively clean to me.

Is Purity even open anymore? I never see it open.

I would object to going there on the grounds that it claims to be open 24h and is clearly not.

spinningpinwheel

I've never been to Purity, sort of on principal. I swear that every single time I've driven by it late at night in a cab, I've been able to clearly make out the 'Open 24 Hours!' sign in the dark window, just behind the closed gates.

That's just wrong.

alafairnadia

I agree re: Purity that the lack of 24 hourness is lame. I have had many 2:30 a.m. meals at ToD overlooking the shuttered Purity. in fact, the ONLY time I've ever seen that place open I was having brunch at ToD and noticed a former board member getting food at Purity. and then it closed. okay, just kidding, it was still open, but I was full from ToD.

apollonia666

Ditto on wishing Purity really was open 24 hours. When it IS open, I like it -- the wait staff are super-nice, the portions are large and in charge, and the joint is clean.

helloyellow

sweet tea wrote: the usual is one of my very most very most very most favorite things about living here. i love those guys, i love the other people who work there...

agreed! I love love love mike's/john's diner. going to breakfast at mike's turned PH into a real home when I moved here. I can't think of a friendlier establishment in the neighborhood.

putz

i'm not happy about the new awning. the old place had character. worried...

emily

I haven't seen the awning yet but when I walked by over the weekend, they were painting the--what is that thing called--security gate, and the guy who owns the place was standing outside. He told me they'd be reopening in a few weeks.

I think as long as those two guys are still working there, it'll have character...

volition

Idlewild wrote:

Is Purity even open anymore? I never see it open.

I would object to going there on the grounds that it claims to be open 24h and is clearly not.

it was open 24/7 when we first moved into the area in may 05, then they slowly cut back the hours during the winter. it looks like they've just extended the hours to 11pm. hopefully they'll gradually increase the hours until it's at least on par with dean. we spent many a late night there when we first moved in, and the staff have always been real nice, and the food has always been on par with any typical diner.

jgregorie

i use to go there a lot when i first moved into the nieghborhood about 2 years ago. they had pretty good french toast and sausage. and it was so cheap.

i hope it opens up with a better menu and night hours. there arent many place to get diner if you get back to the hieghts after 8:00.

sweet tea

so i stopped by the usual and talked with mike and johnny today -- they're planning to reopen on monday.

they've totally remodelled -- kitchen in the back, sliding glass in the front window so it can be open in good weather, second bathroom for ladies -- and now they'll have a back yard!

the plan is to offer the same menu as before up to 6 pm. then the "fine dining" begins, with food cooked by their new partner, who has been a chef in manhattan. i saw the menu, and it's pretty reasonable. entrees are in the $12-$20 range, with salmon, roasted meats, etc. good looking app and dessert list, too -- can't remember the details, except for tempura battered fried mozzerella, which struck me as an amazing combination of diner and upscale aesthetic....

devincf

As long as I can get my egg on a bagel and coffee on Saturday mornings, I don't care what frou frou they serve at night. I am so glad they're coming back!

idlewild

They make a mean grilled cheese with tomato, onion and tons of bacon sandwich. And the pickles ain't so bad either. If they served oatmeal I would be their's forever.

jgregorie

Subject: usual update

i walked past there on sunday around 2:30 on my way to bergen bagels
looks like thye have made some serious progress. from what i saw they took out the counter area and mooved the grill to the back out of sight.
i think they also worked on a garden area out back. they now have these really generic looking chairs and tables. the place looks alot like that restaurant on carlton ( thast used to be a bodega ) very bland and generic.
but hey there not done yet.

teddyballgame

Anyone know if it's open yet? I want pancakes.

sweet tea

it wasn't open yet yesterday morning.

cowgirly

Hey, can someone tell me where Nicks is?
I know where Toms is, and I have never seen Purity opened... I need a local diner-diner!

roux42

Corner of Vanderbilt and Dean. Never that crowded.... and very, very cheap!

teddyballgame

I went to Tom's last week and Nick's yesterday, but I'm still really reeling from the absence of The Usual, which is just totally better. Sorry, I know there are a lot of loyalties to other local diners and such, but I'm pretty sure it's a scientific fact. I saw the guys from the Usual today at Joyce but didn't get a chance to ask them when it opened up today, even though I was really impressed by the one guy's "Deep Purple: Smoke on the Water" t-shirt.

Anyone have any clue when it opens again? I really want some good pancakes, and while I realize that the pancakes at the Usual don't come with kitschy charm or cinnamon butter, there's something about the pancakes at Tom's that I just don't like that much.

The Usual looks almost ready to go every time I pass by, I wonder if they're waiting on an inspection or something?

erikka

I spoke to them about a week ago and they are waiting on inspection--plus, the backyard space wasn't done yet. Looks nice inside, hopefully it will be good.

emily

Any further news? I'm jonesing for diner food.

sweet tea

I think they'll be open next week (?). it looks great in there. i can't wait to have diner breakfast in the backyard....

emily

Okay, I walked by this afternoon, and some dude who was hanging out in the doorway (not one of the usual two dudes) said they were opening Thursday. Yay :!:

teddyballgame

Anyone know if it really opened on Thursday, and, if not, when they'll really open? I'm getting kind of antsy.

emily

No, we tried to get brunch there on Saturday and it was very non-open. :?

whyfi

We walked by this morning and it certainly looked open.

laura b

Has anybody been there at night now that they're serving dinner? How (if at all) has the menu changed?

idlewild

I went there yesterday morning and to my delight they now serve oatmeal! I will try their dinner tonight. The scallops perhaps.

innocent x

From greasy spoon to fancy dancy? Not the same place.