This is a placeholder post for an article about Marc J. Brenner, Esquire. He's starting to become an internet phenomenon and we need to get in on the ground floor before this thing blows up. We found him funny first, okay. We noticed back in the last few months of '08 that he was on pretty much every diner placemat in northern NJ, his smiling face always greeting us.
More to come later!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Empire Diner
After a long, unannounced hiatus Diner Monster is back, bringing you the best and the worst of diners everywhere- but mostly in Northern New Jersey.
1315 U.S. 46 Parsippany, NJ 07054
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Parsippany-NJ/Empire-Diner/92317552027
Formerly known as The Par-Troy Diner.
This is the only diner where the testosterone half of Diner Monster has been wowed by the pancakes, and after all the diners we've been to, we know pancakes.
It's a bit of a drive from our base of operation but completely worth it.
The food is good and cheap, with good portions. It's also one of the only diners I've found to have salad options where the meat isn't the main source of flavor (bonus points for vegetarian-friendly cuisine outside of the breakfast menu!), and where the salad isn't over seven dollars- most of the meatless options land anywhere between three something and five, and for the amount of salad you get it's worth it.
Our friend and French toast aficionado has also mentioned that this is her favorite diner French toast, and I can most definitely vouch for that.
My other half mentioned that he likes all the bonuses you get with the California Burger: shredded lettuce, black olives, pickles, peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. And how the shredded lettuce was much easier to work with than the whole leaf.
Service has been prompt every time we've gone there- we're seated quickly, our orders are taken, and the food is brought out within a reasonable amount of time. The wait staff has always been kind and polite, which isn't always the case when they see young patrons (they usually assume the tip is going to suck, or that everyone is just going to order water).
On a side note, don't be afraid to special order at this diner. They've yet to get a request of mind wrong. Assuming it's nothing oddly specific or nothing resembling it is on the menu, it's a safe bet they'll get it right.
For good service, reasonable prices, and good food the Empire Diner recieves a four out of five Munchies.
1315 U.S. 46 Parsippany, NJ 07054
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Parsippany-NJ/Empire-Diner/92317552027
Formerly known as The Par-Troy Diner.
This is the only diner where the testosterone half of Diner Monster has been wowed by the pancakes, and after all the diners we've been to, we know pancakes.
It's a bit of a drive from our base of operation but completely worth it.
The food is good and cheap, with good portions. It's also one of the only diners I've found to have salad options where the meat isn't the main source of flavor (bonus points for vegetarian-friendly cuisine outside of the breakfast menu!), and where the salad isn't over seven dollars- most of the meatless options land anywhere between three something and five, and for the amount of salad you get it's worth it.
Our friend and French toast aficionado has also mentioned that this is her favorite diner French toast, and I can most definitely vouch for that.
My other half mentioned that he likes all the bonuses you get with the California Burger: shredded lettuce, black olives, pickles, peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. And how the shredded lettuce was much easier to work with than the whole leaf.
Service has been prompt every time we've gone there- we're seated quickly, our orders are taken, and the food is brought out within a reasonable amount of time. The wait staff has always been kind and polite, which isn't always the case when they see young patrons (they usually assume the tip is going to suck, or that everyone is just going to order water).
On a side note, don't be afraid to special order at this diner. They've yet to get a request of mind wrong. Assuming it's nothing oddly specific or nothing resembling it is on the menu, it's a safe bet they'll get it right.
For good service, reasonable prices, and good food the Empire Diner recieves a four out of five Munchies.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Hibernia Diner, a mini-review
Everything this man touches turnes to crap, seriously. Everything from small Caribbean nations to sandwiches. Why do we invoke el Fidel himself? Enter the Hibernia Diner, located at 9 Green Pond Road, Rockaway, NJ.This is a popular trucker's diner for its location directly off route 80 and its 24 hours of operation. Also popular for the local youth of Rockaway and Denville. We visited this diner long before DM existed (like 2 months, man) and it turned out to be not the best experience.
It has your typical modern layout, nothing to write home about there. We were seated at the dining area and proceeded to read the menu. I noticed they offered a Cuban sandwich. Having fond memories of Cuban sandwiches my stepmother brought back for me from Bloomfield, I was tempted to try it, despite being unusual diner fare.
Our food came pretty quick. Perhaps a little too quick. We both chowed down on our respective dishes. My Cuban sandwich was actually pretty good - I wolfed it down pretty quickly.
It was pretty uneventful from that point. I think I remember it being somewhat expensive, but most 24-hour diners are. All was normal, until the next morning.
I awoke at 7:00am the next morning, for what seemed like no particular reason, until I got that feeling: I'm going to fucking throw up everywhere. I made it to the bathroom at least, but 40 years of struggle against capitalist pigs exited my digestive tract at that point. I was sick the rest of the day, and had to call out of work.
As much as I'd like to give Hibernia a negative rating, we did have an okay time there, and the service was pretty good. Hibernia gets 1/5 Munchies.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Double S Diner
154 State Rt 23 Sussex, NJ 07461
http://doublesdiner.com/
I cannot stress how charming this diner is. Do not go to this diner if you're expecting the chain restaurant experience that is in most modern diners (Chester Hills Diner) or the over-the-top-trying-too-hard-neon-lights-everywhere diner experience (Tick Tock Diner). No, this diner is just that, a diner. It's homey, it's cute, it's quaint. Even the bathroom has the feel as if you're walking into the half-bath of a friend's house- if it wasn't for the automatic paper towel dispenser and lack of bath tub it wouldn't've been any different from my bathroom.
Everyone seemed to know each other, and even though the diner was filled with community chatter I could easily hear the 50s classics filtering through the speakers.
Instead of filling up the small converted train car with neon lights, making it feel more like a disco than a diner, the walls are plastered with actual vintage material. Everything from clocks in the shape of Miss Marilyn Monroe, movie posters featuring The King himself, even the table tops of the booths are painted with black and white portraits of stars from the Era- the one behind us had Lucile Ball and I think we had our plates on James Dean's face.
They even had decor with function: beside each booth by the "bar" area is a long pole with hooks to hang your jackets. And just to prove that this Diner wasn't stuck in the 50's, they had a small flat screen T.V. at the end of the bar playing the local news.
And the service was wonderful. We were allowed to seat ourselves, and even waitresses who weren't "assigned" to our table came up with a smile asking if everything was to our liking.
The only issue we had was that there was some miscommunication on the menu. The prices were reasonable- hell, they were cheap compared to most of our diner experiences - and the quantity and quality for what you paid was most definitely worth it. But my better half was a bit disappointed with his order.
What we got:
- One plate of "chunky monkey" pancakes (bananas and chocolate chips in three, dinner plate-sized, griddle-fresh pancakes)
- One plate of strawberry pancakes.
Now, usually when we order strawberry pancakes, or pancakes with strawberries, they are served with fresh strawberries either on the side or cooked into the batter of the pancake. Both are accepted as normal. These strawberry pancakes were more like the ones seen at IHOP, doused with a type of strawberry syrup with soggy, jelly soaked strawberries. Though my partner said it was no where near as disgustingly sweet as IHOP's strawberry syrup-soaked pancakes were, and the consistency of the "syrup" was closer to jelly and wasn't as sticky, I could still see the disappointment on his face. He enjoyed them, but would have enjoyed them more if they were "normal" strawberry pancakes.
http://doublesdiner.com/
I cannot stress how charming this diner is. Do not go to this diner if you're expecting the chain restaurant experience that is in most modern diners (Chester Hills Diner) or the over-the-top-trying-too-hard-neon-lights-everywhere diner experience (Tick Tock Diner). No, this diner is just that, a diner. It's homey, it's cute, it's quaint. Even the bathroom has the feel as if you're walking into the half-bath of a friend's house- if it wasn't for the automatic paper towel dispenser and lack of bath tub it wouldn't've been any different from my bathroom.
Everyone seemed to know each other, and even though the diner was filled with community chatter I could easily hear the 50s classics filtering through the speakers.
Instead of filling up the small converted train car with neon lights, making it feel more like a disco than a diner, the walls are plastered with actual vintage material. Everything from clocks in the shape of Miss Marilyn Monroe, movie posters featuring The King himself, even the table tops of the booths are painted with black and white portraits of stars from the Era- the one behind us had Lucile Ball and I think we had our plates on James Dean's face.
They even had decor with function: beside each booth by the "bar" area is a long pole with hooks to hang your jackets. And just to prove that this Diner wasn't stuck in the 50's, they had a small flat screen T.V. at the end of the bar playing the local news.
And the service was wonderful. We were allowed to seat ourselves, and even waitresses who weren't "assigned" to our table came up with a smile asking if everything was to our liking.
The only issue we had was that there was some miscommunication on the menu. The prices were reasonable- hell, they were cheap compared to most of our diner experiences - and the quantity and quality for what you paid was most definitely worth it. But my better half was a bit disappointed with his order.
What we got:
- One plate of "chunky monkey" pancakes (bananas and chocolate chips in three, dinner plate-sized, griddle-fresh pancakes)
- One plate of strawberry pancakes.
Now, usually when we order strawberry pancakes, or pancakes with strawberries, they are served with fresh strawberries either on the side or cooked into the batter of the pancake. Both are accepted as normal. These strawberry pancakes were more like the ones seen at IHOP, doused with a type of strawberry syrup with soggy, jelly soaked strawberries. Though my partner said it was no where near as disgustingly sweet as IHOP's strawberry syrup-soaked pancakes were, and the consistency of the "syrup" was closer to jelly and wasn't as sticky, I could still see the disappointment on his face. He enjoyed them, but would have enjoyed them more if they were "normal" strawberry pancakes.
Despite this set back we both enjoyed our pancakes, nearly clearing our plates- which is hard to do considering the size of the three massive pancakes.
All in all, the Double S Diner was wonderful and is worth the trip down 23. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere charming, and the service top notch. Just make sure you ask about their pancakes before you order.
4.5/5 Munchies
4.5/5 Munchies
Monday, August 31, 2009
Chester Diner
(formerly known as the Chester Hills diner, under new ownership)
65 U.S. Highway 206, Chester Borough, NJ
This diner was recommended to me by my father, who passes by it on a daily basis. Diner Monster decided it was worth checking out.
It's pretty large for a diner, yet still easy to miss blowing down 206 at 45mph. We went inside and were seated promptly, in the formal dining area. (most modern Jersey diners have this layout of a dining room and a "classic" section where the counter and booths are. We prefer the latter.)
The air conditioning was turned up a bit too high, causing our visit to be a tad chilly. I ordered a BLT sandwich and my partner in crime ordered an egg and cheese sandwich. We also got a side of mozzarella cheese fries. Our waitress was friendly, moreso than the average diner waitress.
The wait was average, about 15 minutes. The BLT sandwich was good - the bacon was nice and chewy, not burnt to a crisp. My partner got her egg sandwich on toast this time (usually round roll is the only option), and it was a little burnt. Not a huge deal.
The cheese fries. They were covered in cheese, but as usual, only the top layer was covered. We've come to accept this as routine. There was enough left over on the sides to make it palatable. Mozzarella cheese is a good pick since it permeates the pile of fries better than say, American.
As for the drinks, I just had diet cola and my partner had her usual water. Interesting to note is that, unlike every other diner on the planet, this diner does not carry Pepsi or Coke. It appeared from a glance at the soda fountain that they only had Canada Dry products. So your choices are RC Cola, Diet Rite, etc. Cheap bastards. At least they had free refills.
The bill came out to $16 with tax, not terrible.
We may visit Chester again if we're in the area. There is a noticeable lack of diners in this somewhat rural area of Jersey. Actually, there's a notable lack of everything, but that's country life for you.
3.5/5 Munchies.
65 U.S. Highway 206, Chester Borough, NJ
This diner was recommended to me by my father, who passes by it on a daily basis. Diner Monster decided it was worth checking out.
It's pretty large for a diner, yet still easy to miss blowing down 206 at 45mph. We went inside and were seated promptly, in the formal dining area. (most modern Jersey diners have this layout of a dining room and a "classic" section where the counter and booths are. We prefer the latter.)
The air conditioning was turned up a bit too high, causing our visit to be a tad chilly. I ordered a BLT sandwich and my partner in crime ordered an egg and cheese sandwich. We also got a side of mozzarella cheese fries. Our waitress was friendly, moreso than the average diner waitress.
The wait was average, about 15 minutes. The BLT sandwich was good - the bacon was nice and chewy, not burnt to a crisp. My partner got her egg sandwich on toast this time (usually round roll is the only option), and it was a little burnt. Not a huge deal.
The cheese fries. They were covered in cheese, but as usual, only the top layer was covered. We've come to accept this as routine. There was enough left over on the sides to make it palatable. Mozzarella cheese is a good pick since it permeates the pile of fries better than say, American.
As for the drinks, I just had diet cola and my partner had her usual water. Interesting to note is that, unlike every other diner on the planet, this diner does not carry Pepsi or Coke. It appeared from a glance at the soda fountain that they only had Canada Dry products. So your choices are RC Cola, Diet Rite, etc. Cheap bastards. At least they had free refills.
The bill came out to $16 with tax, not terrible.
We may visit Chester again if we're in the area. There is a noticeable lack of diners in this somewhat rural area of Jersey. Actually, there's a notable lack of everything, but that's country life for you.
3.5/5 Munchies.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Andover Diner
193 Main St, Andover, NJ 07821
This Diner is one of the few that has been AMAZING every time we've traveled there. From waffles, to calamari, this Diner makes everything a Diner should and makes it well. Not only do they have fantastic food, but everything is at a reasonable price.
The first time my partner and I went there we ordered simple:
1 Waffle
1 Burger
The food literally came out five minutes after we ordered, which was odd but exciting at the same time considering how hungry we were. The waffles were so good there I actually got them on out second visit. Light, and fluffy on the inside, with a nice flaky outside. It was everything a waffle should be.
The hamburger was a hamburger, not much to write home about. It was cooked to order for once (I asked for it to be cooked "medium", and that's what I got). Came with lettuce, tomato, and mandatory fries (off topic rant: at many diners, if you want lettuce and tomato for your burger, you must order the "deluxe", which includes LT and French Fries. can't get just lettuce and tomato, impossible). Decently seasoned.
The staff has been more than pleasant every time we've been there as well. The first time our waitress even stopped and struck up a conversation with us over a piece of jewelry I was wearing.
Other items that have been ordered from this Diner include:
This Diner is one of the few that has been AMAZING every time we've traveled there. From waffles, to calamari, this Diner makes everything a Diner should and makes it well. Not only do they have fantastic food, but everything is at a reasonable price.
The first time my partner and I went there we ordered simple:
1 Waffle
1 Burger
The food literally came out five minutes after we ordered, which was odd but exciting at the same time considering how hungry we were. The waffles were so good there I actually got them on out second visit. Light, and fluffy on the inside, with a nice flaky outside. It was everything a waffle should be.
The hamburger was a hamburger, not much to write home about. It was cooked to order for once (I asked for it to be cooked "medium", and that's what I got). Came with lettuce, tomato, and mandatory fries (off topic rant: at many diners, if you want lettuce and tomato for your burger, you must order the "deluxe", which includes LT and French Fries. can't get just lettuce and tomato, impossible). Decently seasoned.
The staff has been more than pleasant every time we've been there as well. The first time our waitress even stopped and struck up a conversation with us over a piece of jewelry I was wearing.
Other items that have been ordered from this Diner include:
- Fried calamari
- 1 Gyro
- 1 Omelet
- A plate of mozzarella sticks
All have been wonderful and promptly brought out to us after we've ordered. The diner is tiny and closes early depending on the day and season (we've seen it closed before 7pm in the winter), but definitely worth checking out. It even has that old school diner feel, complete with a large mural of Elvis, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe playing pool in the larger dining area. Lots of chrome accents too.
Finale rating, for all three combined visits:
5/5 Munchies
UPDATE - 8/15/09: We went to this diner again last night, but it wasn't as good as it's been in the past. The service from the waitstaff was still great, but the food was very slow to come out. We had ordered just a burger and a waffle, and we saw people who came in at the same time as us being served chicken parmesean and other complex dishes.
When we finally got our food, the waffle was fine, but the burger was way overdone. I had asked for "medium", and I got "destroyed". It was beyond well done, the edges were black and crunchy. It was still edible, but just barely. Another few minutes on the grill and there would have been nothing left of the burger.
For the above reasons we are revoking a Munchie. Andover is now only 4/5 Munchies.
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