Best Diner Within Walking Distance
So what is the best diner within walking distance of Prospect Heights?
Comments
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Park Cafe may have the "best" food (still not saying much), but no atmosphere.
Tom's Restaurant will probably win this poll, but only because they have the best atmosphere and they give out free cookies. Is the food really that much more outstanding than typical diner food?
The Usual has a great neighborhood feel but the food is pretty average. Vote: The Usual.
Carnivore disagrees with everything I just said in 3, 2, 1... -
dailyheights wrote: Park Cafe may have the "best" food (still not saying much), but no atmosphere.
Depends on what you're looking for and how you want to define "walking distance" on a given day. Tom's is the place to bring tourists for an experience, especially in the winter when they bring coffee to you in line. But to me, the food is stunningly average. I like The Usual for burgers, breakfasts (still merely ok), and Mike's corny jokes.
Tom's Restaurant will probably win this poll, but only because they have the best atmosphere and they give out free cookies. Is the food really that much more outstanding than typical diner food?
The Usual has a great neighborhood feel but the food is pretty average. Vote: The Usual.
Carnivore disagrees with everything I just said in 3, 2, 1...
Overall: meh. -
dailyheights wrote: Park Cafe may have the "best" food (still not saying much), but no atmosphere.
Hey! I only disagree with the last 8 words (and 3 numbers). Actually, I haven't tried enough of the diners yet to weigh in on this one.
Tom's Restaurant will probably win this poll, but only because they have the best atmosphere and they give out free cookies. Is the food really that much more outstanding than typical diner food?
The Usual has a great neighborhood feel but the food is pretty average. Vote: The Usual.
Carnivore disagrees with everything I just said in 3, 2, 1...
But I'm sure that I would disagree with you if I were better informed about this topic! :twisted: :idea: :idea: :idea: -
I agree about Park Cafe. The burger they served us didn't look pre-made and was quite large.
As for Tom's the price isn't right, especially if you just want eggs as eggs are eggs are eggs. Their pancakes are great but I can cook those at home. I usually only out for breakfast for eggs as it's tough timing the bacon, toast, eggs, potatoes to be done all at the same time.
The Parkside just sucks and I haven't been been to Nick's or Silver Spoon for quite a while.
The Usual is my favorite if not for the decor but for Mike and John, they make it great! -
Oiseau wrote: The Parkside just sucks
Do they still serve "free wine" with dinner?
I think diners are rarely known for outstanding food, so it comes down to atmosphere and vibe. So I'm not surprised to see The Usual take an early lead. -
Doesn't Purity get any bonus points for being open 24 hours? How many places around here can say that?
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dailyheights wrote: Do they still serve "free wine" with dinner?
To be honest, I haven't been there for years when I had the only experience in my life where I didn't tip the waitress. The food sucked (not her fault), but she never came over to ask how we were doing (when we would have told her the food sucked) and then after we were done sat there for 15 minutes and we piled the half-empty dishes in a pyramid on the end of our table (hoping she would get the idea that we were done). And the place was empty to boot! -
Carnivore wrote: Doesn't Purity get any bonus points for being open 24 hours? How many places around here can say that?
Any connection to the Purity on 7th Ave in Park Slope? That was my usual when I lived in the Slope. Where on Underhill is it? -
Cupcake wrote: Any connection to the Purity on 7th Ave in Park Slope? That was my usual when I lived in the Slope. Where on Underhill is it?
Good question. I seemed like it opened when Purity on 7th closed. It's at Underhill and Dean. -
Oiseau wrote: I seemed like it opened when Purity on 7th closed.
Purity on 7th didn't close, it just moved a few blocks further south on 7th, near the hospital. Can't remember which block exactly. -
I admit it. I'm a Tom's fan, and I do think that the food is great, but the atmosphere is outstanding. I am not familiar with the usual, though.
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I'm a Tom's fan. and, er, I heard some very disturbing things about the Usual and their ... cleanliness.
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nick's wins, hands down. SO CHEAP. stu and i went there and each got two eggs with potatoes and toast PLUS an order of pancakes PLUS juice and coffee. the bill? $5 bucks. $5 bucks! a whole order of pancakes costs, like, $1.65!
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My vote goes to The Usual. When I heard the brothers were from Quebec, I asked as a joke why they didn't have poutine (Quebecois specialty of french fries mixed with cheese curds and covered with piping hot gravy, which melts the cheese--yum!), and they made one for me on the spot. Yay!
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I like the Usual because it's the only place in the 'hood to have a decent hockey conversation.
But I think it's overpriced and the other staff seem somewhat uninterested. As was mentioned in an earlier thread, they also used to boast the dumbest waiter in New York. -
Tom's is the quintessential Brooklyn diner.
Typical diner fare served super fast with a smile.
Tom (the owner) is a total sweatheart.
And the unique ambience is unbeatable.
And my Mom (from the south) loves their grits. -
I'm sorry, Tom's might be typical food-wise on most things, but their pancakes have ruined me on all other pancakes. They're so moist and delicious (particularly the lemon ricotta ones...YUM) and with those flavored butters...Plus of course there's all the free stuff. When I brought my mom there, she mentioned to Gus that she was visiting and that Tom's was high on our list of places to show her. He gave her a free cherry lime rickey. Then she asked him what it was about New York bagels that was better than other bagels, and he gave us a free sack full of bagels!
I mean...how can I not vote for it? -
bluedove wrote: I'm sorry, Tom's might be typical food-wise on most things, but their pancakes have ruined me on all other pancakes. They're so moist and delicious (particularly the lemon ricotta ones...YUM) and with those flavored butters...
The pumpkin walnut pancakes are my favorite.
I mean...how can I not vote for it? -
I've been going to Tom's for 13+ years and I confess I've never tried either of those pancakes.
Sounds like I've been missng out.
I will definately try them both.
Thanks for the tips. -
I'm always tempted by the pancakes but then wind up getting the same thing (sausage omelette with grits). It will take an iron will, but I will try to force myself to stray from my routine next time!
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Silver Spoon also has grits available for breakfast/brunch.
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Is purity really open 24 hours? I walked by a couple of nights ago, and even though the big sign says 24 hours, a smaller sign inside the restaurant says that they close at midnight. This is obviously a huge difference, and begs the question: just where around here can I get food at 3 am on a Wednesday morning?
I know about Bageltique in PS but that's kind of a hike... -
teddyballgame2 wrote: just where around here can I get food at 3 am on a Wednesday morning?
Albaz or better known as the diner that's in the newspaper stand/deli on Flatbush, right at where the Q train stairs come out on the Park Slope side. Got it? In the back there's a diner with people playing Quick Draw (something to do while you wait for your food). Actually they make a pretty decent burger.
I know about Bageltique in PS but that's kind of a hike... -
daveb wrote: [quote=bluedove]I'm sorry, Tom's might be typical food-wise on most things, but their pancakes have ruined me on all other pancakes. They're so moist and delicious (particularly the lemon ricotta ones...YUM) and with those flavored butters...
The pumpkin walnut pancakes are my favorite.
I mean...how can I not vote for it?
Those are also completely excellent. -
I don't think Purity is open 24 hours anymore. Several months back, in a drunken pique, I stumbled there, desperate for sustenance. All I got was a darkened storefront. This has been repeated often enough that I'm pondering scratching off the "open 24 hours" sign on the awning.
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Late-Night dining options: (soon to be split-off thread)
The new frat-boy burrito place on Flatbush is supposed to be open 'til 2am (although they don't specify whether the kitchen is open that late).
I think Natural Land (also on Flatbush) is open 24 hours, so you can always at least pick up something to heat up.
I passed by an "American Fried Chicken" over in Crown Heights at 3am on Friday night and they were open. It was on Eastern Parkway, I think around Franklin or Rogers.
If you don't mind spending some cash and want a totally un-ghetto experience, you could go to Blue Ribbon in Park slope, which is open until 4 am on the weekends (2 am weeknights).
Anyone have any other ideas?? I'd love to know- my wife and I both often work late. -
Carnivore wrote: Anyone have any other ideas?? I'd love to know- my wife and I both often work late.
Like I said, Albaz. It's really not that bad. -
Oiseau wrote: [quote=Carnivore]Anyone have any other ideas?? I'd love to know- my wife and I both often work late.
Like I said, Albaz. It's really not that bad.
Yeah, I've been meaning to check that place out. It's kind of depressing-looking inside, but it looks like the kind of place where one could obtain a decent cheeseburger. -
Anonymous wrote: My vote goes to The Usual. When I heard the brothers were from Quebec, I asked as a joke why they didn't have poutine (Quebecois specialty of french fries mixed with cheese curds and covered with piping hot gravy, which melts the cheese--yum!), and they made one for me on the spot. Yay!
Did they have authentic cheese curds, or did they have to use something else? You can't find that stuff around here. You can't even find the plain ones in Northern NY anymore... -
alan wrote: [quote=Anonymous]My vote goes to The Usual. When I heard the brothers were from Quebec, I asked as a joke why they didn't have poutine (Quebecois specialty of french fries mixed with cheese curds and covered with piping hot gravy, which melts the cheese--yum!), and they made one for me on the spot. Yay!
Did they have authentic cheese curds, or did they have to use something else? You can't find that stuff around here. You can't even find the plain ones in Northern NY anymore...
WHAT??? Um, to both of those.
You can get poutine around here? I am constantly talking people's ears off about that stuff. So delicious, so impossible to find outside of Canada...
Cheese curd: Tell me about it! I've been looking for it around here for years. I had it up in Oswego (WAY upstate)...you mean you can't even get it up there anymore either? Never having any reason to go to Wisconsin, it was my last hope...
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