Best Diners in New York

Waverly Restaurant is a typical American diner that is open for all 24 hours, seven days a week. The hours and convenient location in Manhattan make it a popular joint for relishing breakfast and light snacks. This eatery is also popular with busy professionals for its flexible pickup and delivery services. It has a bold neon sign outside and unpretentious interiors with dim lighting. Popular menu items include chicken Souvlaki served with Tzatziki sauce, chicken fingers and cheeseburger deluxe. Enjoy challah French toast and silver dollar pancakes for breakfast, and dishes like stuffed clam shells for lunch. This diner has a wide selection of drinks such as malted milk shakes, orange juice, herbal tea, cappuccino floats and wildberry smoothies.

This restaurant offers authentic American fare in what is known as the vortex of tourist-friendly entertainment, Times Square. In the true style of diner hangouts, the menu features a little bit of everything, from hamburgers and turkey sandwiches to Greek salads and falafel. Most diners really enjoy the homemade ice cream, and there are a number of freshly baked pastries from which to choose. Service is fast, so grab a bite if you are on the run. Another attraction is the singing waitstaff, which keeps patrons entertained from start to finish.

Located in a beautifully refurbished diner car, Diner fuses the charm of the old with the sleekness of the neighborhood's new trendy attitude. As a result, it has become a spot that is adored by local youngsters. The decor includes chrome stools, linoleum floors, and low ceilings, all in a chic-rustic atmosphere. Considering how trendy this place is, the dressed-up diner fare is a bargain. Their truly wonderful burgers share the menu with brasserie-style dishes like Steak Frites and a variety of wines.

La Bonbonniere is the last of a dying diner breed in the city, where fancier, niche restaurants consistently encroach on the old-school mom-and-pop spots. La Bonbonniere has been a fixture in the neighborhood and most locals don't even know how long its been along this quasi-quiet strip of 8th Avenue. Inside, the diner menu is filled with no-nonsense, stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts. The decor leaves much to be considered, however the homey atmosphere, linoleum floor and shaky tables are all part of the charm.

After a brief hiatus, this iconic New York diner was reopened and revived under celebrity chef Amanda Freitag in January 2014. The restaurant offers popular dishes and quintessential comfort foods like matzo ball soup, cheesecakes and much more. The menu comprises of diner food-made-chic, thanks to Freitag's culinary flair. Try the buffalo skate wings or go for the Empire Burger, there is nothing here that will leave you disappointed.

The menu at this Midtown deli ranges from pastrami to pasta, with an impressive variety of tasty sandwich meats. There is roast beef, turkey, brisket and tongue, as well as salads and omelets, among other choices. A whole new generation has discovered this longtime spot in the Garment District. Parents like to bring their children here, as the kiddie menu offers them the chance to scale down both portions and prices. It is a clean place with family-sized tables. Please call ahead for restaurant hours.

This popular tourist attraction is a bit more famous than your standard diner. The coffee is hot and the food is better-than-average, but that's to be expected in New York. What sets Tom's Restaurant apart is its pop culture history. This diner opened its doors in the 1940s and served as the model for the diner on Seinfeld, where the gang spent every day discussing shrinkage, puffy shirts and much more.