Chelsea Square Diner
Diner · Chelsea ·
24/7 diner with huge portions, classic fare, and celebrity photos
24/7 diner with huge portions, classic fare, and celebrity photos
"In a Chelsea diner written to stand in for the since-shuttered soul-food staple the Pink Tea Cup, Lisa treks out "all the way across the bridge" to meet Lucille Highwater (played by Jenifer Lewis) and plan her father's funeral in New Jersey. The staff know them well, calling her 'Miss Lisa' and asking if she wants "the usual," which turns out to be chicken and waffles. Over their big plates, Lisa asks for hot sauce from a server, but Lucille channels Beyoncé by whipping out a bottle of what looks like Crystal hot sauce, gifted by her father. They also get slices of Key lime pie, which Lucille describes as having "seen better days." - Nadia Chaudhury
"The very best diners bite off more than they can chew. Unsatisfied with omelets, burgers, and corned beef hash, they, like Icarus and the founder of Jurassic Park, dare to court danger. Would you like a whole lobster? Or a plate of moussaka? How about some monte cristo french toast with a shiny cap of barely melted cheese? You’ll find all of that and more at this spacious, 24-hour spot with checkered tablecloths and walls featuring photos of mostly-forgotten celebrities. The wifi password is “chelsea1” in case you need it." - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja, sonal shah
"During a breakfast meeting at Chelsea Square Restaurant, Roman makes a joke in which he suggests that the diner couldn’t possibly make an almond milk cortado. But Chelsea Square Restaurant does have almond milk, and they’d probably make you a cortado. The service at this longstanding Chelsea establishment is prompt and friendly, and there’s free wifi in case you need to do work or watch YouTube while you eat your eggs or turkey burger. There isn’t much going on here on weekday afternoons, so by all means stop by for a meeting. Near the entrance, you’ll see a bunch of headshots of esteemed celebrities, such as Erik Estrada from CHiPs, and someone who once played an uncredited factory worker on Veep." - bryan kim
"There’s an SNL sketch that pokes fun at diners that serve lobster, and we’re pretty sure it was inspired by Chelsea Square Restaurant. We can’t prove it, but this old-school establishment does serve lobster—in addition to a few Greek and Italian dishes, as well as a lot of other seafood—although we wouldn’t get too fancy here. Stop by for a standard-issue omelet or some brioche french toast the next time you want to have a quiet start to your day. There’s plenty of space in the wood-paneled dining room, which is decorated with stained glass light fixtures and headshots of celebrities who range from A- to Z-list. If you need to do some work, take advantage of the free wifi, and if you want to eat a turkey burger at 3am, pop in and grab a table. This place is open 24 hours." - Bryan Kim
