Angela C.
Yelp
We visited this small diner and it was my favorite meal during our trip on the historic Route 66; so good that I am planning a weekend visit just to have their food again, and likely again and again.
Fun facts: this place opened in 1947 and was featured in Kill Bill and Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. The clock on the wall gave us a double-take as it ran counterclockwise.
GETTING THERE:
Driving through the route, the sign for this diner rises cheerily in a pastel yellow along with the modern route 66 blue sign on the road, and a painted shield for the historic 66 on the pastel blue-green wall. There is a small parking lot on the premises and we had no problem finding a spot on a Thursday before 11:00.
SEATING/DINING IN:
Once you enter, you've got a few booth seats along the wall, and counter seats circling in front of the open kitchen. One of the servers behind the counter motioned in front of her in the booth and that was that! It was easy to see that there are regulars here (they were chatting with Brian who was at the grill), the decor had some memorabilia from decades past on the walls, and overall felt cozy.
FOOD:
Per the reviews we split a Brian Burger, got it with a side of onion rings, and also shared a chocolate malt shake. The shake came first, topped with a mountain of whipped cream and served with the metal mixing cup and spoon, as our burger order lined up at the grill. Wonderful - the malt flavor was deep and satisfying and rich without being cloyingly sweet.
The BRIAN BURGER though - wow! This is the star of any dish of any diner I've been to (and I grew up in New Jersey), if you're craving something that's luxurious yet a comfort food yet also somehow...nuanced. The burger comes between two golden 1" thick slices of sourdough which have a parmesan crunch (yes, very much like goldfish crackers, deep and nutty), which then give way to a juicy medium-rare beef patty that's cushioned between gooey melted swiss cheese, with an extra oomph of ortega chile. Splitting this was a good idea esp since we had dessert lined up, but it still left me wanting more.
SERVICE:
Straightforward, timely, and friendly service. We never felt rushed and it was great to be able to see the kitchen during our visit and check out all the memorabilia on the walls.
Wonderful experience. I would come back again and again to explore the menu, if I can resist ordering the Brian Burger again.