I first found this little diner three years ago. I was having lunch on my own at the counter, and the owner, Vicky was there with a friendly smile on a warm, quiet, peaceful day. It was a very memorable visit, because the peacefulness came to an abrupt end when I realized that they are CASH ONLY establishment, and I had no cash, and what’s worse, no debit card! And no, I couldn’t get cash off my credit card since I didn’t know the 4-digit pin…ugh! All I needed was around $10, but I had no way of getting the cash. When the owner noticed this, she simply said “Don’t worry, just bring the money the next time you come back” Oh yes, she looked just like an angel with a halo… Server took my information (just my name and number), and told me that I can also just mail them the money if I can’t come back. So, I sent them $20 as soon as I got home.

Since then, I have frequented this lovely diner on few occasions, and Vicky was always there to welcome everyone with that same friendly smile. At our most recent visit, I saw that they have ATM machine installed right outside the door, which is very convenient. There also is a Chase bank across the street too.

The inside is not big but not too small. It is pretty popular among the locals, especially the morning since there is not many place that is open early for breakfast. Unless you get lucky, they are usually always busy. They have several table and booth seating at the front, and a bar counter seats at the back. The George Washington Bridge is nearby here, so they had a big wall mural of GWB with NY skyline featuring the twin tower in the back.

 

Vicky was working hard behind the counter, greeting customers with an energetic voice. You can see how she loves her customers, especially the regulars, but most of all, little children. Seeing their smile in her diner just melt her heart, it seems.

We have had few items from here, and they are all good. They are basic, no-frills style dishes. I do remember their waffle being excellent though. It is just a simple waffle, but there is something special about their waffle…I hope they haven’t changed their recipe! This time, I tried their Greek Burger Deluxe ($10.95). Deluxe comes with lettuce, tomato and french fries. Since we are in Greek Diner, I thought it would be interesting to see how the Greek Burger would be like. My husband said “Maybe it has Feta cheese on it”…well, I thought “no way, they will be more creative than that!” Guess what? My hubby was 100% right. It was a burger with Feta cheese blocks on it. LOL.

I was imagining some kind of Gyro type dish, turned into a burger somehow. But no, just thick slices of Feta cheese blocks, which were actually pretty tasty. So, when I say no-frills, they really don’t go for anything fancy. But, the burger was good, cooked as requested, not too dry and with very fresh veggies. The Feta was nice and firm, and it did provide nice salty flavor that kind of woke up the taste buds. And you can see it is quite large, definitely fills you up!

My hubby went with French Toast on Challah Bread with Bacon ($9.25). It might look a bit small, but if you look at the photo of the French Toast next to the burger, you can see it is not small. It came with four pieces of bread, and three pieces of bacon, butter and syrup.

The bread was fluffy, buttery and not overly sweet. Again, no-frills, very simple, basic dish. But they are comforting and hit the spot. I liked how they are not too “egg-y” but airy and light. Bacon strips were good, not over-cooked so that it still have its juicy-ness. Good salty contrast to the sweet French toast.

The service might not be superb, but the staffs are constantly walking around in high-speed, trying to take care of everyone in a packed diner. Vicky also comes out to the floor to ensure everyone is happy and well taken care of. When we asked for refills on water, she said “only if you promise me you won’t get drunk!” LOL. I still like their waffle the best, and I will be sure to go back again when I crave some comforting diner dishes.

 

Vicky’s Diner – 805 W 187th St, New York, NY 10040