December 15, 2011

As Al noticed in the comments section yesterday, Jeremiah Moss announced the reopening of The Waverly Diner! I’ve been waiting for this since last summer, so you know where we’re off to tonight. I hope they kept the black and white 8x10’s! And I pray the orange juicer is there for Biff, let’s go see.

I thought we'd walk there, it's a straight shot down Sixth Avenue. Just ignore the angry Cardboard Box Man to the left. He appears to be restrained...and pissed. Aaaahhh!

Hey, check out this photo in the frame store window.

It's a photo of The Waverly Diner!

Okay, we're almost there, in fact I think I see the neon in the distance.

Goddamn...it looks just the same. This is a great moment, nice to see the corner back to the way it was.

Inside the changes are minimal. There's the double and single booths to the left.

The right area is a little different, there's now booths and tables where the kitchen counter once was.

There's still a couple booths up in the front window.

The counter is now all the way in the back, which I believe seems to be a little longer. I think they gained some space in here.

Here's a view of the marble-topped counter from the back end of the diner. Looks nice!

Freddie serves up a beer with Jonna at his side. Still nice and friendly in here.

And here's Bobby, great to see the old crew back in here again!

The only disappointent for me was the 8 x 10 glossy black and white autographed photos aren't back. But Freddie said they may be putting them back up in the future. I'll bug them until they do.

The menu is exactly the same.

And here's Freddie with my order.

I just got an order of the chicken wings. It was too late for a full-fledged meal. I have the night off tonight though to see a friend of mine's band, so I'll return for the Waverly Melt, stay tuned for that tomorrow! Oh... and Biff...

And good news for Biff the orange juicer made the transition! Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

The Waverly Diner
I have to admit, as I walked up to the Waverly Diner and saw the neon signs spraying color out onto a winter’s night on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, I got a little choked up at the sight. It was really a happy feeling.

I don’t remember my first meal in The Waverly Diner, but I know it was sometime in the summer of 1993 when I first moved here and I was living on the Upper West Side. I’ve always liked to walk up and down Bleecker Street and that area in Greenwich Village and would always stop at The Waverly Diner when I made a trek downtown, which was often. Sometimes I’d sit in one of the burgundy vinyl single booths, other times I’d camp out at the counter. I’d usually get the Waverly Melt and fries, but I think through the years I’ve sampled nearly everything on that menu a couple times at least. I got to know the crew working in there and would have fun kidding around with them.

“You’re charging me for the soup? They give this stuff away for free in the missions!” Was one of my standing routines that I wore into the ground, but it always got a laugh.

You’d see other familiar diners in there and nod and smile and they’d do the same back at you. You never get to know these people, but they kind of feel like family in a strange, dinerly kind of way. It makes you feel like part of a community. And when places like this close and a Starbucks barges in, communities start to crumble and people become less familiar. Not as many smiles and nods become nonexistent.

When I saw the boards on the windows last summer, and the neon signs unlit, I thought it was the end of the Waverly Diner. I dreaded the thought of a 7-11 or a Chipotle or...well, you know the list by now, moving in and wrecking my fond memories of the place. Or even worse, someone would buy it and Fedoradize it, keep the name and completely turn it into a yuppiefied version of what it once was while serving pig’s heads and artisanal hot chocolate to a hapless band of fools who buy into a pathetic shit show like that.

You know what it felt like sitting at the counter drinking beer, talking to the crew and eating chicken wings in there? It felt like I was kicking Mayor Bloomberg in the balls. And boy if that isn’t a good feeling! Stop in the Waverly Diner and experience it yourself, you’ll be glad you did.

Waverly Diner
385 Sixth Ave. (at Waverly Pl.)
212-675-3181

Further Reading: Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, DNAinfo and Grub Street.

 

When I can, I will,
Words defy the plan,
When I can, I will.

(Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!)

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Bonus Christmas Song From Willy Momo!

Willy Momo sent in his new Christmas song to MAD and here it is. Thanks Willy!

December 10, 2011

Yesterday I wrote about how Gabe Stulman single-handedly wrecked Fedora, so today I thought I’d check in on a place that’s going to have a happier ending to their renovation, The Waverly Diner. Back in the fall I went and discovered boards on the windows and the neon unlit. I expected the worst—Starbucks, T.G.I. Fridays, 7-11, Chipotle...but lo and behold, it looks like it’s going to be open soon and with minimal changes. Here’s the advance photos and story at Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York. I haven’t been by there for awhile, so now I’m curious as to when they’re reopening. I thought I’d go there and check it out, it would be great if it was open!

Well, it's not open yet, but curtains are up and the neon signs are back.

I wonder when they'll finally reopen. It's been closed since July, that's a long time for a renovation.

The neon signs were taken down at one point and I thought that was the end of this place. Nice to see them back, I can't wait to see them lit up.

And I'm not the only one curious about what's happening inside either.

These three guys were checking it out and trying to peer over the paper covering the window.

Here's a shot I took from holding my camera above the paper. It looks like it could open any day now, I'll keep checking.

Since I was in this neck of the woods, I thought I'd walk over to the space where one of my favorite bars, The Stoned Crow used to be. I haven't been there since there closing night last New Year's Eve. I wonder what's in there now? It's right down the street here, let's go see.

Nothing's moved in here. This is what kills me. Betty, the owner of The Stoned Crow told me that the landlord drove her out by raising her rent so high she couldn't afford it. So she had to leave and now it sits vacant. Is this better for the greedy landlord? It doesn't make sense to me.

That's where the Stoned Crow sign used to hang. Now it's just a patch of brown on a vacant basement.

Smile, you're on MAD camera. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

Further Reading: New York Magazine, MAD and 365 Bars.

Holidays and salad days and days of moldy mayonnaise,
Caress me Aunt Jemima.

(Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!)

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Bonus Linkage!

My friend Phil Luciano wrote a great tribute to Mike’s Tavern bar owner, Tony Ward. Check it out here: One of a kind, times two.

If you live in New York and are out and about today or next Saturday or Sunday, CBBM documenter, Spike and his wife organize a hand-made, gifts and crafts holiday fair at d.b.a. Check out the information at this post at EV Grieve: 7th Annual d.b.a. Holiday Fair.

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Bonus Art By Jaws!

Jaws sent in this artwork to accompany the post. Nice one, Jaws, thanks!

September 30, 2011

So it was my first night back at work and I may as well start whining about it. I had to go in at 10 :00 AM and now it’s closing in on 10:00 PM and I have to go back in early again tomorrow. Ugh. So I thought I’d take it easy and do a little bit of wandering. But wander to where? That is the question...and here’s the answer: The Waverly Diner. Jeremiah Moss recently ran a post about the renovation that’s been going on there, you can read that post here: Waverly Diner.

The renovations started last summer, I would think they’d be close to finishing by now. I thought we’d go, take a look and if it’s still closed we’ll grab a beer at the Washington Square Diner, another great old school diner that’s close by.

It's a nice night out, so I thought we'd just walk there, it's a straight shot down 6th Avenue.

Pumpkins in this store front window are a reminder that Halloween is on the way. Fuck, where did the summer go?

And here we are. Boy is this a sad sight. They stripped the neon sign off the front wall. I wonder if it's coming back.

This is how it looked last July.

The neon sign is still hanging, but the lights are out. I'm wondering if they're ever going to light up again.

The neon lights on the side of the building remain, but they too are unlit. This corner used to look so festive and now it's just dead.

I second that emotion.

How true. This is too depressing, let's go to the Washington Square Diner, hopefully they haven't turned it into a Sizzler.

Thankfully, it's still here, in all it's lit up glory. A classic, New York, open all night diner.

There's lots of comfortable booths to sit at in here.

But I thought I'd sit at the marble-topped counter in the back.

Wrapped up pastries line the edge of the counter.

And coffee and hot chocolate machines stand at attention behind it.

And the first beer of the evening is poured by this friendly gentleman behind the counter.

Some cakes are chilling in this refrigerated case.

I ordered a bagel and it looks like it's up and ready. Ding, ding, ding.

And Dyson serves it up with another beer.

A beer and a bagel, the breakfast of champions. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

The Washington Square Diner
Let’s hope they never renovate the Washington Square Diner. The place is a Greek diner, but that’s where the tragedy ends. Inside the walls are lined with spacious booths, covered in purplish/red vinyl. There’s a coffee counter to sit at in the back and single booths are lined up in the middle of the diner for those that just want to hunker down with a newspaper and a bottomless cup of coffee.

The menu is beyond huge. Here’s just a sampling of some of the entries: Lumberjack Belgian Waffles, served with two eggs, bacon, ham and sausage (take that IHOP!); Brisket of Beef open faced sandwich; Linguine With Clam Sauce; Southern Fried Chicken; fourteen varieties of omelettes and seventeen styles of burgers.

Washington Square Diner is  open 24 hours, 365 days a year. And they have beer and wine. Stop by and support a great old-school New York diner.

Washington Square Diner
150 W 4th St. (Near 6th Avenue)
212-533-9306

Further reading: MAD, Daily News and facecrack.

Nothin' ever happened 'round my hometown,
And I ain't the kind to just hang around.

(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)

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Bonus Photos by Tom!

Fellow EV Grieve reader and contributer, Tom, sent in these photos of the Papaya Dog on 14th Street at night. Nice shots, Tom! Thanks for sending them in! Sorry, Al!

July 3, 2011

Live from New York, it’s Cheeseburger Saturday Night! Tonight’s host is the Waverly Diner and featuring the Ready for Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher. Ladies and Gentlemen all the way from the West Village in New York City, please welcome the Waverly Diner!

And it's off we go, the Waverly Diner is about 10 blocks from where I live. It's straight down 6th Avenue.

We're getting close, I can see the neon in the distance.

And here we are at the Waverly Diner.

There's booths on the left side of the diner, note the obssessive texter!

But I prefer the counter, Jose shows me a seat...

And Bobby hands me a menu. Before the meal arrives, let's take a little tour of the place.

Here's the view from my perch at the counter.

The infamous OJ machine that Biff mentioned a few posts ago.

There's slices of wrapped pound cake and brownies on display up at the counter.

My patented ebony and ivory salt and pepper shot.

Cookies!

"This store is monitored." Yikes, can you say, "Big Brother?" I knew that you could!

Here's a view from the back of the diner.

Here's a picture of the Waverly inside of the Waverly. I call this photo, "Waverly Squared."

And of course the walls are lined with signed black and white photos.

Three words come to mind as I gaze at this signed photo of Pete Turbiville and those words are: "Public Access Channel." (Actually I Googled him and he's a known voice-over guy.)

Hey, Bo Diddley!

Okay, enough of the tour, let's eat! We'll start off with a cold beer, served up by Freddy.

And here comes the main course. Instead of the standard cheeseburger, I switched things up and got the Waverly Melt.

It comes with cole slaw and a pickle. Delicious!

Burp.

And this jackass is still texting away. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

My Meal
I had the Waverly Melt and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and served piping hot with grilled onions and American cheese on white toast. For an appetizer I got the buffalo wings and they were deep fried and delicious and came with blue cheese and barbecue dipping sauces. I sat at the counter, but there’s red vinyl padded booths in the back and tables up front to dine at. The walls are dark wood and covered with old photos and images of New York and autographed black and white photos of actors and actresses of varying degrees of success. A classic old school diner.

The menu at the Waverly is very extensive and probably has the largest breakfast selection in New York. The fact that they offer a variety of 60 kinds of omelettes should be a good clue that if you’re a fan of breakfast food, you should definitely try the Waverly. In addition to the standard, Steak, Chop and Burger offerings that all diners serve, some of the entrees at the Waverly include: Pork Souvlaki served on a bed of rice; Meatloaf Parmigiana; Roumanian Steak and Two Stuffed Shrimp and Homemade Pastichio which is, baked macaroni with sauteed ground beef, topped with béchamel sauce. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, there’s over 25 desserts to choose from including: Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake; Banana Cream Pie  Apple Turnover and a Brownie Sundae.

Cheeseburger Rating
Three Wimpys—The Waverly Melt is great and highly recommended!

Waverly Diner
385 Sixth Ave. (@Waverly Place)
212-675-3181

Further reading: New York Magazine, Menu Pages, Village Voice and Edna Earl Dines Out.

You also might like: Johnny Rotten, Johnny Carson and Johnny Cash.

Four Other Waverly’s
Waverly
Waverly Hills
Waverly Convent of Jesus and Mary
Mr. Waverly

It's been a long, a long time coming,
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.

ARCHIVES

(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)

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Bonus Photo From Lex!
My friend and sometimes MAD guest star Lex is vacationing in Switzerland and she sent in this photo dedicated to Tiki Bar Susie with a caption. Thanks Lex and have a great vacation!
Sami & Robert and yours truly at Kon Tiki Bar in Zurich (Swiss Bars rock - they were hopping at 10am!).