Occupying the ground floor of an 1870s brownstone, this corner spot was designed in the early 1990s to emulate the chrome-and-vinyl luncheonettes of the mid-century. Three decades later, the distinction between homage and history has largely blurred. It operates as a high-volume neighborhood engine, particularly on weekend mornings when the sidewalk on Third Avenue fills with locals waiting for a table.
Inside, the energy comes from the open kitchen. The layout removes the barrier between the cooks and the customers, so the dining room is filled with the sounds of the line – orders shouted over the pass, eggs hitting the flat top, and the constant clatter of heavy ceramic plates. You can take a stool at the counter to watch the rhythm up close, or slide into a blue vinyl booth in the main room. The seating capacity has expanded significantly with a glass-enclosed extension hugging the building and covered structures on the street, accommodating the overflow that defines the brunch rush.
The menu is strictly traditional American comfort food. Mornings are built around chocolate chip pancakes, crab cake Benedicts, and a signature crunchy French toast, with bagels brought in from Ess-a-Bagel. Lunch transitions to beef dip sandwiches with au jus, hot honey fried chicken, and hand-scooped milkshakes. One structural quirk remains a challenge for some guests: the bathrooms are located in the basement, accessible only by a steep, narrow flight of stairs near the back of the room.
EJ's Luncheonette
