The Usual

My husband noticed this over the weekend. I forget where I read this, but I think they're closing. I think the building was sold.

I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=WhyFi]I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Same here. Double drat!

Triple drat.

alafairnadia wrote: you didn't miss much. think Tom's about 10-20 cents cheaper per item minus the atmosphere. it lacked the Tom's line, on one hand, but any wait was too long, on the other, since the place had 5 or 6 tables. if you need a greasy breakfast and can't wait at Tom's, just head to Carneviento, or Nick's.

Yeah but... well, I never got to have the folowing exchange with my wife -

"Where you goin'?"
"Oh... The Usual."

That was the most appealing part!!!

geezee wrote: They're just closing for renovations. Husband and I ate breakfast there two weekends ago. The owner said they were partnering with someone new and looking to offer an expanded dinner menu.

agreed - the owner told me and my husband the same. they are renovating the interior and updating the menu. we like the place - a good, quick breakfast, and the owners and employees couldn't be nicer.

Good news! We like it a lot for a low-key brunch. They are very friendly.

Yea, I have to say I'm glad their not closing either - I'm also glad though that they've decided to update - of course that probably means an increase in prices, but... my husband LOVES their french toast. He was crushed this past weekend. Maybe I could have made him some...hmmm, didn't think about that at the time.

JoshB wrote: I have to say, Too bad they're not closing. Every time I've gone there, I've had shitty, surly service. Drinks slammed down on the table. Inattentive waitresses. Rotten, moldy ketchup. And let's not forget about the time I forgot a water bottle at the restaurant. I had this classic exchange with an employee:

"Excuse me, sir. But I left my Nalgene water bottle here."

"How do you know?"

"I had it when I walked in, then I didn't."

"Someone could've stolen it."

"Why would someone steal my used water bottle?"

"They steal lots of things here."

"Could you at least look?"

"No. You didn't leave it here."

No more business from me.

LOL! that's hilarious! (I mean, sucks for you, and yes, it would make me not return to a place, but still. hilarious. that's one paranoid freak.)

JoshB wrote: I have to say, Too bad they're not closing. Every time I've gone there, I've had shitty, surly service. Drinks slammed down on the table. Inattentive waitresses. Rotten, moldy ketchup. And let's not forget about the time I forgot a water bottle at the restaurant. I had this classic exchange with an employee:

"Excuse me, sir. But I left my Nalgene water bottle here."

"How do you know?"

"I had it when I walked in, then I didn't."

"Someone could've stolen it."

"Why would someone steal my used water bottle?"

"They steal lots of things here."

"Could you at least look?"

"No. You didn't leave it here."

No more business from me.

you must have projected something to get that tude back...

Uh, you mean asking if they saw my water bottle. Wow, I never knew a customer asking a question could be perceived as a paranoid threat. I must've read the wrong customer-service manual.

I like Nick's...if only for the price.

Subject: Re: Re-modeling Again?

dadler21 wrote: They shut down for about a month and a half 2 summers ago to remodel, at the time the owners Mike and John said they were hoping to create a dinner menu. I guess this is attempt #2. And this place is much better than Tom's--no wait, better food, and more neighborhood character--Tom's is just a scene now.

i still think of it as "George's," which is what it was called until this last renovation. dinner would be great, but i sure hope they don't clean it up too much. i love all the grease, the frantic work behind the counter during the morning rush, the slamming for the water glasses on the tables...

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 (i won't claim anything about the water bottle story, but since i have a hard time imagining any of the folks i know there acting like that, i hope whoever that was is gone), i like the cheap, decent food, i like the neighborly conversation....i just LIKE it. a lot.

also, mike was one of the very first people to welcome me to the neighborhood. i was there my first week in town, and he gave me his card and said "if you ever get lost, don't be stupid. call me or my brother, and we'll tell you how to get home from wherever you are."

i am surprised that they're thinking of adding more dinner. mike had told me that they had started closing early (earlier than george's) not because they weren't making money but because they missed time with the family, especially johnny's kids. on the other hand, i think the boys do whatever they think will be fun to do, so maybe they think dinner will be fun....

oh, and if you want to here about ph back in the day, there is a regular named moses who will tell you marvelous stories....

man i love that place.

Hillyer Junkie wrote: The cooking area and all the decorations and seat are gone...just walked by there tonight. And it looks like new drywall is going up on the walls.

They had a nice vibe; good enough breakfast food. True Tom's is less expensive but always more crowded.

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.

I've got to weigh in with some props for the Usual. Its everything you want in a low - key neighborhood joint. Toms is great too, but it can feel a bit over the top sometimes.

BTW, WTF is a Nalgene water and why is it worth going back for? Couldn't you have justp picked up a new one at the newstand?