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Tue-Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
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i don't know where to start, so here's a list of all the good things: polenta, the home made strawberry jam, the salsa, my sunny side up eggs with perfectly crunchy bacon, the fact that they brought us 2 donut holes after we ordered.
i don't have a list of things that were bad.
i wish i could have ordered a bunch of donut holes, because i liked the texture of those better than the actual donuts. they hit the mark perfectly with the maple glaze on that maple bacon donut.
Went here for lunch yesterday. The food was solid. Good service and extremely friendly. I had the patty melt. Good homemade thick patty with fontina cheese. Nice and juicy. My lunch buddy J, had the spicy pulled pork. He said it was a bit too spicy but that didn't stop him from finishing it all up. The onion rings were good.
We were lucky and didn't have to wait for a table. The ambiance is great..new restaurant with old school feel. They put some thought into the decor to give it a true 50's diner feel without being cheesy.
We split a slice of red velvet cake and that was delish. Cream cheese icing with bits of malt for a unique texture. Mmm Mmm good.
The only negative is that it does get busy and they have only have 2 cooks working and it looks like they work 1 order at a time so it can take a while to get fed. I'll be back though.
Where to begin
Let's start with the doughnuts.. dare I say it.. yep I should
"Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland Oregon need to take a note from this diner when it comes to the bacon doughnut"
Shortcake? Nutella? S'More? BACON!! *drools*
This place is awesome. We got some samples after getting our coffee. The shortcake and the bacon are delicious. The service we got on Saturday morning was stellar.
Everyone loved their omelets. I eyed.. what.... VEGAN OPTIONS!!
I got the vegan rancheros breakfast.. I eat meat with the best of them.. but being from Santa Cruz I am a sucker for a good vegan meal....
The tofu was perfectly fried and well textured.. the beans were perfect.. there could have been a tad more soy cheese but other wise it was a hit in my book.
The pancakes were perfect...
I have nothing negative to say about this place and yes.... I bought their doughnut T-Shirt which I will proudly sport. Great service, good food for the money... highly recommend
Just like most of previous review I missed out on the bacon donuts. I guess you need to be there at opening for the pork and carb feeding frenzy. Alas, we ate there early afternoon before going to the fashion district to shop for bridesmaid dresses, too early for the evening batch of donuts according to the waiter.
Loved the decor. This place is seriously old school from the light fixtures and the 20 cent beer signs to the pleather booth covers. A pack of fashion students were jabbering away in the corner drooling over the desert tray. An older gentleman looked up from his coffee and paper and smiled at us as we took our seat. He seemed to be a regular since he called out his goodbyes to the wait staff by name as he left. That is a good sign to me.
Service was friendly and apologetic for not having the bacon donuts. We ordered the mac and cheese and the BLTA. The sandwich was good.nice toasty bread and a perfect combination of creamy avocado, crunchy bacon and sweet tomato. The mac and cheese was, to be completely honest, a big disappointment from all the glowing reviews. Maybe it was a bad day for the chef because the macaroni was complete mush. The cheese was delicious though.
The place shines with the desert tray. The waiter brought it over and started going over the choices of the day in vivid detail. Just like the fashion students, I left a puddle under my chin as he described the red velvet cake and hand made ding-dong. We went with the Cher cupcake and took it to go since we had a lump of cheese dead center in our stomach. Needless to say, it was a damn good cupcake a few hours later.
I'll have to stop by again to try the other deserts and donuts and breakfast...
This is my first review of the place? Seriously?? what the??
Ok.. I ask this to myself because I go here at least once or twice a month.. sometimes weekly. It's my neighborhood restaurant.. my go-to for mouth-watering stuff yourself to the gills avocado bacon cheeseburgers. It's huge! It's got avocado and bacon.. you can get onion rings, fries or salad with it.. but seriously.. go for the onion rings. BEST FREAKING ONION RINGS!
Other favorites: the smac n cheese is the yummiest. It's what I compare all other mac & cheese dishes to. Seriously.
Eat Your Vegetables.. a multi-layered plate of yum. Bacon Hashed Brussel Sprouts, green beans, parsnips, spinach all on a bed of mashed potatoes.
The pulled pork sandwich is just the right amount of spicy & tangy sweetness.. If you're eating breakfast go for the 5th & Main.. It's got that same pulled pork goodness.
Pretty much everything on the menu is good.. I don't eat fish but the spouse does & he swears by the catfish.
The double stuffed chicken is good and enough for two people.
light appetite? go for the vegan chili.. the cup is plenty filling.. and if you have room.. there's dessert.
Breakfast is great here too.. the lines outside on the weekend can be a bit long.. patience is a virtue they say. I don't have a lot of it, so when I do manage to make breakfast.. I am willing to share a table with strangers if I need to (after all a stranger is a friend you haven't met!)
Go for the blueberry pancakes, the aforementioned 5th & Main, the hangover helper if you are just starved.. or the "Cameron's Puppy Pile" if you are eating for two.. it's a lot to have for breakfast, but very good!
Dessert is a must.. You did save room right?? Practically everything is a winner.. from the red velvet cake, the salt peanut cake, the dulche de leche, the Nickel "ding dong" , the peanut barry pop tart, and of course the famous maple bacon donuts.. The last one they may sell out of by dinner time, so give one of the other desserts a try. During Thanksgiving-ish time there may be a pumpkin cheesecake to try. OMG it is the BEST.
Service is friendly, the place is crazy busy during peak hours.. be willing to wait up to a good 20min for the breakfast queue to be seated. The owners are very involved in the running of the place.. You may see Monica behind the counter working the grill & Kristen seating customers and sometimes waiting the tables too.. The style of the place is sort of 40s kitsch and a no-nonsense approach to dining.
It's a good place to bring a couple friends.. but be forewarned the larger the crowd, the harder the seating gets.. I love coming here, It's my neighborhood diner, and I'm always running into my neighbors here.Within this past year the Nickel Diner has really established itself as a important part of the community.
Nickel Diner has been open just over a year now and there isn't much I can say about this place that hasn't already been said.. it's "the place" literally, that's what it says inside.
I'll make this quick...
Thing's I've eaten thus far:
The Bacon Donut.
Yeah it's amazing, it's the perfect blend of sweet and salty, crispy and soft. It's off the hook, it's a must!
Red Velvet Cake
Holy moly! I'm not a big chocolate person and I've had tons of "red velvet" over the past few years, but this red velvet cake is the best I've ever had!
Chimichurri Steak
This steak is great, it's done just right and the chimichurri sauce is made to perfection. The shoestring fries are good as well.
Spicy Pulled Pork Sandwich
Man this thing is phenomenal. It's sweet, spicy, savory and juicy! It's a must if you are craving something loaded with flavor with a kick!
SMAC and Cheese
I was recently in Chicago and ate at a place in Wicker Park called Chocolate. I was told by many it was the best Mac and Cheese in the country and boy was it ever... until I tried the SMAC and cheese here at Nickel Diner, it's like crack! It's a must!
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Meh! I'm Italian so my standards are high. I've never actually ordered this, but people I have been here with have and it's nothing special. Nobody beats Nonna's meatballs!
So in short, I am stuck on the Spicy pulled pork sandwich, the bacon donut and the red velvet cake. I almost feel like i must order all three of those to prevent wasting my trip there (a whole two blocks). I still haven't had the homemade pop tart, that's next on my list.
So much to choose from, that's why I keep coming back!
So i was up pretty early going thru the dvr when I noticed Diners, Drive ins and Dives. And man how I love sweets. I'm usually not a fish or brussel sprouts person. But it looked so good on t.v. I had to have it. I was lusting for that corn cake all through my shower.
And man this must be the place. My eyes did not decieve me, but they couldnt really prepare me for the meal I was about to consume. It was so good. If only my t.v. has smell-o-vision. The chicken salad sandwich is an experience. It has a tangy dressing. But its really good.
And plzzzzz dont let me forget how moist that red velvet cake is. And the chocolate candy in it makes it a cut above the rest. Wowzers I didnt know u could make red velvet cake any better, but looks like u can. I cant wait to go back and try some more food.
I first read about the Nickel Diner through Potatomato (one of my trusty go-to guides) a few months back, specifically about their maple-bacon donut. While I filed it away in my mental food rolodex, I'll admit I forgot about its location till early this week, when I had to do some research on nearby restaurants near Club Nokia for dinner before the Royksopp(!) concert. Little did I know the Nickel Diner was mere blocks away from my work.
The reason I've never seen it during my commute is because the Diner is tucked away in between several sketch "hotels" and hidden by a strong stench of eau d'urine. Believe me that you don't want to walk around the area by yourself at night.
But once you bypass the shady looking characters en route to the diner and walk though the Nickel's welcoming glass doorway, you are instantly transported to the 50s, as the interiors are outfitted with rich burgundy leather booths, old counters and tile floors. Atop the metal counters are tiers of tantalizing desserts (the s'more cake looked extra fetching that night)--the only way you know you're in the present is the artsy-looking crowd dining in nearby tables.
The food the diner serves are old-timey classics, but with a modern twist. For my dinner, I ordered their Smac & Cheese, which may seem straightforward and even pedestrian to some, but it was surprising how amazing it was. They bathe large elbow macaronis in a creamy mixture of melted cheddar, fontina, mozzarella and a kicker, pepper jack. Then they top it with a big slice of roasted tomato, a sprinkling of paprika, buttered bread crumbs and bake it till it's a bubbling cheese party.
And what a party it was, you first get the gooey richness of the cheeses, then the slow heat from the pepper jack and paprika. Next is the random crunch from the baked bread crumbs and the freshness of the tomato and chopped parsley which did well to temper the heaviness of the dish. What a pleasant surprise to experience a diner that knows how to create balanced dishes.
My friend had their pulled pork sandwich with onion rings, both of which was aptly prepared as well. I tried a ring, which was perfectly fried with a shatteringly crunchy exterior.
Although it was a tough control my urge to finish my entire dinner, I forced myself to stop so I could make room for their famed donut. If you want to know my honest opinion about it, I say double yes! The maple donut was a dream, a fluffy, yet substantial donut in a thin vanilla glaze and a generous covering of crunchy maple bacon bits. It's a must-try for all first-timers. In fact, if I was the mayor of LA, I would enact a new public plan that would provide meat lovers with a maple-donut of their very own... weekly.
Until that dream comes true, I guess I'll be back in the near future to try their other offerings. Bet you a nickel that they'll be delicious as well.
I am not sure what all the hype is about at Nickel Diner. I came in early on a Sunday morning, so that I would not have to deal with the insane line that forms around 12... Got seated right away, and had a hard time picking something out of the menu. Not too many healthy options... Decided to get the Huevos Rancheros. No flavor, all beans, nothing special.
DOWNRIGHT RUDE, PRETENTIOUS & JUST POOR SERVICE.
A one star rating is being generous for this joint. If only I can rate with a half or a no star then I would be happier just to share my true feelings about this Nickel Diner. My first & will be the last visit in this place is not very impressive and I don't think my opinion can ever be changed.
First, the waitress is just a rude, unfriendly hipster b*****. Aside from the fact that she does not know how to greet with a warm welcome, she knocks down a glass full of water sitting on our table and rather than apologizing for the accident, she threw her rag to the other side of the table (where I was sitting) and only for the towel to land on my lap. ???? Did she want me to clean up after her mess?? Now, why the hell would you freaking do that???? It is very obvious to me that she was not trained very well nor was she raised with manners as she did not even apologize at all. Rude and just plain stupid.
Secondly, I asked for tabasco sauce and it never came.
I forgave both incidents as I thought maybe she was just having a bad day, but when I got home and realized that what I had ordered was not exactly what I got - really just did it for me and, I know for sure I will not be coming back to this diner. I clearly ordered a slice of Smores cake to go (which btw, cost $5) and what I got instead is a piece of red velvet cake which I do not care for. Now, wouldn't that piss you off after all the fuckups she's had with your table??? And not even get an apology for throwing a glass of water and rag on your lap?
It is just too bad because this place actually has OK food,but in this economic times, restaurants really need to focus on customer service. Poor customer service is the biggest turn-off for customers. No customer deserves to be treated poorly by a wait staff.
Two words for Nickel Diner: NEVER AGAIN!!!!!
My Diners, Drive-ins & Dives pilgrimage continues and this time it took me to Nickel Diner. Like most of my other Triple D stops, Nickel Diner lived up to the hype.
We arrived shortly after opening on a Saturday morning. I guess we were so early that they didn't have time to prepare the donut hole amuse bouche that I had read about in so many Yelp reviews. The disappointment was quickly erased once we ordered and were served full sized maple bacon and Nutella donuts.
The donuts were great but not amazing. At least not Doughnut Plant in NYC amazing. But they were very good and if they were sold in Orange County I would buy them regularly.
Nickel Diner was not a typical truck stop diner --the kind I tend to prefer-- but an upscale diner that feels like it has roots in real cooking schools. Just about everything on the menu seems to be a serious and well thought out item. The ingredients are fresh and have that homemade feel and taste.
I went with a baked egg and polenta dish that was heavenly. The eggs were perfectly nestled in a dish of creamy polenta and topped with spinach, garlic and Parmesan cheese. If you haven't tried baked eggs yet, you should. They take on a custard-like texture that are perfect for dipping your toast in. Definitely good eats.
Parking on the weekend wasn't too bad but we decided to spend $5 in the lot down the street instead of $3/hour in quarters at a meter in front of the restaurant. By the time we left there were several people waiting outside so the meter might end up costing you more than the lot.
Seriously?
No, seriously???!!
3 slices of cake and two beverages - $30 with tax and tip.
Seriously, what is going on?
All I kept thinking was how we could've bought a whole cake from a nice bakery or went to a different place for dessert. Even Syrup desserts would've been better than here.
The cakes were so so sooooooooooooo very disappointing. I can't even...
Peep the pix - looks just as bland and blah and lifeless as the pix. Peep them if you will.
Velvet cake - mild and bland. Blah comes to mind.
Peanut butter chocolate cake with potato chips - tasted like nutter butter and heavy cream and buttery. Too heavy and rich.
S'more cake - what a disappointment. Boring and mundane.
Nothing wrong with the service, but seriously folks, these cakes literally *are* of DINER quality. Don't be fooled by the pix.
Location - easy to miss, and in a sketchy part of town. On 5th and Main St. Seriously, unless you live or work near here, it's not worth checking out. Really. There are far better diner spots like Fred 62s or a gazillion other places that will fulfill your needs instead.
Parking - street
I heard about the Nickel Diner then finally got a chance to go today for lunch. I heard all about the bacon donuts from when they talked about them on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. The only thing I was disappointed about with this place is the lack of bacon donuts - apparently they sold out so I didn't get a chance to try them, but everything else was amazing that I did.
I had the nickel burger which was really good - great sesame bun and really felt light not heavy, probably b/c I got a side of coleslaw instead of fries or onion rings.
I did this purposely so I could make room for dessert. I was there with three friends so we decided to each try and share three things - the nutella donut, red velvet donut and the homemade ding-dong. ALL were super yummy. My personal favorite out of the three was the red velvet donut - the cream was so good that one minute you thought it was ice cream the next cream and it had the red velvet crust on the outside.
I highly recommend this place. It's a bit small inside for the amount of people that go there now, but its worth it. I would go on the weekend so you can try the donut holes - which are only sold apparently on the weekends.
Great options on the menu, and the food is satisfying. Nice soda selection, salads are great and the burger is awesome. The food is fun and good, and I'm a great fan of the red velvet cake. It's a slight upgrade to diner food.
The layout of the place makes it difficult to sit comfortably if you're not at a booth, as the servers hit your chair when they walk by. I've eaten here quite a few times, and after the server gets your food to the table, they seem to disappear. The owners peruse the floor and don't seem to check on you either. If you can stand the lack of friendly service, then it's a good place to get good food.
so, apparently downtown isn't just for homeless people and their tent cites anymore...when i was a little darling child, my parents would bring my brother and i to skid row and explain to us how not all people were as fortunate as we were and blah blah BLAH... :) ok really. that sorta shit traumatically instilled a great sense of appreciation in my bitch ass...but it's still a little strange to come here to eat and drink and be merry.
and as if you didn't already know, downtown is now booming with all kinds of different lifeforms and new businesses and new ways of entertaining oneself that doesn't involve balloons of heroin...and most importantly!!! downtown now serves food! ok, i know they've always served food, good food too, but not at the hands of hipster beauty kings and queens!
i really dig the interior of the diner. small, cozy and old fashioned. our small group opted to give the smac and cheez a whirl as an appetizer, and i loved it. creamy, gooey, cheezy goodness with a bit of the crunch from the flavorful bread crumbs. practically perfect in every way, except the portion was MUCH too small for starved adults who'd just braved a buncha traffic followed up with slightly scary downtown wanderings.
the catfish dinner i had at this place was absolutely delicious. two very generous chunks of tender catfish, seasoned to the power YUMMY with a slight kick, gently placed over two outstanding corn cake pancake looking things with sweet white corn kernels coming out the sides, ohhh and those steamed brussel sprouts with bacon...it was a perfectly filling and wonderful meal. i couldn't finish the entire thing, as hard as i tried.
the service was fine, the bus boys were great about keeping that water/iced tea coming. our glasses were never more than half empty.
i really wanted a maple bacon donut afterwards...or at least some donut holes, but i was stuffed and satisfied and happy. until i stepped outside, once again faced with the sadness that is the homeless problem in this country. sigh.
but i know i will be back!! for donuts of course :)
This place is like where the "cool, hype" people know about. And only they know why this place would deserve 5 stars. They have a small menu, the food was just okay. I got the Double Stuffed Chicken, which was okay...some bites were dry. The chicken is ctaertainly not close to been the best tasting. The portions are reasonable. My bf got the Bacon Avo Burger, which was just alright as well. The fries were the best part on the plate. The waiter wasn't super friend either. He seemed more interested trying to get into a conversation with his fellow co-worker.
The dessert platter looked amazing though for their prices, it's not really THAT amazing. I'd rather go to a bakery.
I'm writing this now as I might just collapse and die of a heart attack any minute now.
I've heard a lot about this place, especially from a very enthusiastic foodie co-worker. She mentioned that Guy from Food Network did a special on this place and that we had to try it. So, given it's a nice Friday at work, my co-worker and I made the trek over there.
I got there knowing I would order the tuna burger and my co-worker got the Nite Club. My tuna burger was pretty yum. I got it medium, although I think I should have asked for it medium rare. They sear the outside, but it's fairly rare on the inside. I'm not a huge fan of the spicy aioli, but it did give an okay kick to it. My entree also came with a side salad. It was a mighty big side. The Nite Club looked delish and so did his fries.
And now, drum roll please........
DESSERTS!!
Rarely do I ask for desserts for lunch, but this place...oh man...this place is infamous! How could we not try the bacon donut? So we did. But not only that. We had to see the dessert SAMPLER platter. There was the red velvet cake with chocolate malt balls, flaming chocolate smores cake, lemon meringue, pumpkin cheesecake, two pop tarts, a ding dong, and a cupcake of some sort, and the vegan tapioca. Trying to balance things out, we ordered was the "healthy" vegan strawberry tapioca (that tasted way too healthy compared to our greasy, oily, sugary donut). Both were good.
The service was GREAT!!!!
Like other yelpers stated, come here on a non-busy day and time. You'll enjoy yourself more. =)
Ok- arteries officially clogged. *pumps chest to get heart beating*
All Girl Dessert Orgy at the Nickel Diner.
Say whaaa?
That's right. You heard me.
Four Girls. Five desserts. And Meredith from the Office!
I just came back from an all girl dessert orgy at the Nickel Diner. And it was good. Real goood. I mean "O" face good. I was there when three Nickel Diner virgins got to try their first mouthfuls of the most tasty red velvet cake I've ever had (I'm sorry Alcove, but I found one better than yours!). Someone should have censored the delight on our faces with those little blurred areas they have on tv. Everytime we bit into those little flavor crystals it was oh oh oh so awkwardly good we had to look away from one another. We also sampled the ever popular bacon maple donut (which after we tried it we figured it out it did taste like cha siu bao!), pumpkin cheesecake (more like pumpkin mousse with a tasty crust), and the homemade ding dong (which was voted 2nd most delish for the night).
We did manage to have dinner before this food love fest began and I recommend the Nite Club, the Bacon Avocado burger (both flavorful and has the spicy aioli sauce) and the smac and cheese. If you want to have a relaxing dining experience, don't go on busy days like Art Walk, or if you do just grab a dessert and eat it at the stand up side tables.
Oh and thank you to our generous waiter! Half of my piece of the homemade ding dong accidentally fell outta my hand and onto the floor . I didn't complain as that was my bad, but he came back with a complimentary nutella donut for the four of us to share.
Four girls on one donut.
Lucky donut. ;-)
If price is important to you... This could be your new home. My first experience was a good one. Basically sound recipes for very little money.
I predict the prices will go up very soon as they can not be turning a profit.
I love the Smack and Cheese. They give you free tasters of the donuts which are wonderful :-) It gets busy but that is because it is good! I hope downtown gets more restaurants like this!!
"This is the Place - THERE IS NO PLACE QUITE LIKE THIS PLACE ANYWHERE NEAR THIS PLACE SO THIS MUST BE THE PLACE"
Indeed.
In spite of the downtown gentrification, the neighborhood is still slightly sketchy, with that occasional urban whiff of weeks-old-urine marinated pavement that hits you now and again when the wind blows just right. However, this place is a shiny beacon of sweet home made love that must get inside my tummy immediately. Once inside, you'd swear you were in a diner in Small Town, Middle America.
We arrived promptly at 8AM when they opened for breakfast this lovely Sunday morning.
I ordered the 2 eggs Any Style with bacon and polenta (as suggested by our server) with rye toast. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and buttery as was the polenta (there must have been a stick of butter in my serving alone). The bacon was crispy and fairly thick. My friend ordered a Strawberry donut and a Clockwork Orange donut. She was nice enough to let me try a bite of each, and I've never had anything like them. No donuts like these anywhere but here that I know of. Unique and scrumptious.
The decor and ambiance isn't shi-shi. It looks the way I picture a diner in Mayberry must look like in real life. They definitely have a following because there were people out front waiting for the place to open at 8AM when we arrived. The diners seemed to be that Silverlake demographic but sans writers-in-the-corner-with-laptop and the hipster in those "jeans", that "hat", those "shoes", that "t-shirt", and those "friends". These people looked like real people who were just trying to enjoy some real good, unpretentious food.
As was I. . . and I left happy and satisfied.
Huge portions, competent servers, and WAY too many delicious dishes to choose from!
I had The fruit & nut salad; it was extremely generous in the amount of fruit it had, as well as how much cheese they gave me! (I swear there was more cheese than lettuce.) it came with a homemade lemon vinigrette, lemon zest included...yum.
Didn't have room for the desserts but you can bet I'll be back this week!!
Let's talk donuts first....upon seating you get an amuse bouche of a Bacon glazed donuthole and we also got a nutella donuthole. The bacon glazed donut totally works and the flavor compliments well with a bit of salt and a bit of sweet. We ended up ordering the full donut and it was awesome. Even better was the red velvet donut, which isnt actually red velvet cake but has a red coating and a cream filling, so it's almost like an eclair but it tastes fantastic
Now the food....got the Smac & Cheese, the missus got the burger, and friends got the french toast. All of the food was great, but the smac & cheese might be the BEST Mac n Cheese I've ever had. Just the right amount of kick to the flavor with a sharp spicy tang to it. The sauce is also perfect, not runny and soupy like many mac n cheese do. Just amazing. The burger was also very good and well cooked and the french toast portion was huge and looked great as well.
All in the the prices here for breakfast/lunch are very reasonable and the bill actually came out a lot less than we would have thought considering how much food we ordered. As everyone says parking can be a bitch but we got lucky and found a street spot about 1 block away. We'll definitely be back, if for no other reason than the smac and cheese.
Fabulous!
The sampler of doughnut holes at the table were my first indication that the nickel diner ruled. I've got to come back and try the polenta breakfast...such a good idea.
Great diner food (I had an avocado cheeseburger with skinny fries and coleslaw) But they really shine with the deserts. I tried the:
Strawberry doughnut: tasted like a more delicious version of the good humor strawberry shortcake ice cream bar
Nutella doughnut: Yes yes yes!
Bacon Doughnut: It was everything that I dreamed it could be, not too cakey, not too salty, and you could definitely taste the bacon fat and maple syrup.
PB& J Pop Tart: About twice the size, three times the weight and four times the yumminess of a normal pop tart.
Peanut butter chocolate cake: 4 of us stood in the parking lot across from Olvera St, passing the piece of salty sweet cake around and scarfing it down greedily. Seeing it written, perhaps it wasn't my grandest moment....but man oh man was that cake good.
I'm thinking this place is a little more hype than it actually comes out to be, but I am generous, so 4 stars for the fact that it is a non-chain restaurant and they have some unique ideas for their desserts etc.
My friends and I came here during the LA artwalk, and ate inside so my friend could use the restroom, however we could have easily been satisfied by taking a dessert from the table set up outside. I don't eat pork, so I couldn't partake in the bacon maple donut, but my friend loved it (emphatically at that!). We also had a couple mint lemonades (decent, but could have used more mint), onion rings (good, but kinda pricey for the amount given), a red velvet cupcake and the smores cake.
The Smores cake slice they served me was way smaller than the one they had on display. That was kind of a bummer or misleading, whichever, but I wasn't in the mood to nag. It was good, but the ganache was a bit rich. I think the smores vibe could have been integrated a bit more, however, the dessert looked really cool after they "blackened" the outside with the pocket torch. My friend liked the red velvet cuppie, but the lady gave a misleading tip that it would not have the chocolate cruchy inside (which my friend did not want in the frosting), and of course it did, but not too many. Frosting was good, but a bit goey, less stiff than I am used to.
The service was good, but was missing that extra friendly vibe. Our server was nice, but the lady seating us was a tad pushy, but it was clear she was trying to be kind and professional when my friend wanted to use the bathroom and look at desserts while we were waiting. Apparently, you can't use the restroom until you are seated. I figured that some people probably abuse the system in downtown. Oh well. The smac and cheese looked good but the food was kinda limited in terms of variety, and the desserts were the only appealing thing on the menu for us.
I would like to try the peanut butter cuppie next time. I really dug how they put a chocolate dipped potato chip on it!
We made the trek to downtown LA after seeing this place on diners drive-INS and dives this week. We went early on a Sunday morning And were seated rather quickly. We waited roughly five minutes for a table.
Upon being seated we notice how small the place was. And were give donut holes, one maple glazed bacon and a nutella. Both were tasty. We scanned the menus and ended up getting a hangover helper and a smac and cheese.
The smac and cheese was good. It was piping hot when it came out to the table. The macaroni was very tender and tasty. The best part of it was the burnt bits that were crunchy.
The hangover helper consisted of scrambled eggs, country potatoes, onions, avocado, salsa, and cheese. This was very filling but a little bland. You definitely use the salsa that they give you on the side.
We didnt leave empty handed, we ordered a maple glazed bacon donut, a nutella donut, a strawberry shortcake-ish donut, a clockwork orange donut, a red velvet donut, and a homemade pop-tart to go.
All in all, this place was good. And they gave me something that I craved for the longest time, maple glazed bacon donuts.
Would I go back? Probably, but the 80 mile round trip trek will not be made that often.
Homemade poptarts, ding dongs, maple bacon donuts and cakes? Are you kidding me? This place is the shit. Yay for triple heart attack deluxe!
I was so happy to have found yet another hidden gem in downtown LA. I heard their maple bacon donuts are the shit, yet when I got right at 6 PM when they were open for dinner, they had already ran out. Boooo.
I ordered the super moist, creamy and buttery red velvet cake (with mini chocolate chip bits in the cream cheese!) and their homemade peanut butter and jelly pop tart. Simply unforgettable! Then I decided that I wanted more so I ordered a side of onion rings. They were breaded well and fried well too. Although Nickel Diner is a truly fantastic and classic all-American food joint, let me warn you that the place isnt that cheap! But the food is great, the desserts are BOMB and its open late. And that's definitely good enough for me.
The best part of this place is the Desserts....they are a must...the selection is great.
We had a group go and we shared some dishes. The Smac & Cheese consisted of pasta shells baked with tomatoes and a breaded topping...extremely rich dish. Veggie Chilli fries were shoestring fries (small & crispy...like chips) with beans, cheese, onions, chives, etc...they were okay. Spicy pulled pork sandwich was good. The red velvet cake was excellent...extremely rich (must be shared) and had an extra kick with tiny chocolate balls in the frosting between the layers. also tried the maple glazed bacon donut.....the sweet and the salt thing was interesting.
Atmosphere = American Diner
Neighborhood = a little shady....downtown LA after 6pm is a ghosttown...there were a couple of crackheads outside when we left...about 8:30pm.
Its a great place to try and you could always order takeout for the desserts :)
I'm so in love with this place. The servers are fun (smart, creative and they really seem into what they offer) the food is great (and by great- I mean not pretentious but tasty). I love comfort food and I love the diner atmosphere- small downtown lunch counter really.
And then there are the desserts. They almost make you forget how good and filling your meal was. I saw them sitting on the table next to me before the main course arrived and decided then and there that I would not finish my meal. I set aside a portion and reserved that stomach space for (and here's the problem) ONE and only ONE of the amazing desserts.
5 stars for the red velvet cake. Hands down, some of the best I've ever had. My mouth just started watering just writing about it. Little tiny chocolate malt balls in the frosting between the moist layers of cake = the most delightful texture in an otherwise perfect cake. A lovely combination.
Oh, they have other stuff too. I had the beef stew... maybe was a mistake. It was good, served on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. Friend raved about the vegeterian chili (it was good), and the rest of the group were saving themselves for dessert.
Other desserts we tried (all totally home-made):
S'more cake : pretty darn good. graham cracker crust, meringue toasted tableside, yummy.
Salted Peanut cake: also pretty darn good. too rich for me after 2 or 3 bites.
Lemon Meringue pie: very good.
I have to say, this might be my new go-to for dessert... damn that red velvet for being so far away from me!
Today I ordered the Huevos Rancheros. I was eating the mediocre food when I crunched down on A ROCK. The rock broke to pieces in my mouth and I spit it out in my hand. The busboy got the lady who owns or manages the restaurant, and she informed us that "that's from the beans. Of course they have rocks, they grow on the ground". She held her hand out to collect the rock evidence, which I gave her. She comped only the huevos rancheros on our meal, a small price to pay for a potential law suit.
This place sucks. Besides the rocks in the food, any "diner" that charges $5 for a side of fries is morally questionable.
I am quite critical of my breakfast meals, since it's my favorite meal of the day. Most restaurants serve basic breakfast items like eggs, sausage, bacon, etc. But after doing some searching for DTLA breakfast spots for the last weekday of our vacation, I stumbled upon Nickel Diner. After reviewing their menu, I told Roo "I found our spot...I love the menu...the dishes are super unique!".
Luckily, it was a weekday so we weren't rushed and could relax and enjoy the food and atmosphere. Now on to the food - here is what I ordered (Roo will discuss his meal in his own review) -
- Scramble #1 - Ham, Leeks, Fontina - the flavor was subtle but still delicious.
- Shared a bacon maple donut - OMG...this is an amazing donut. My initial assumption of the flavor was that it'd be a basic glazed donut with bacon bits on it. The bacon bits are spot on, but the donut can be compared to the flavor of char siu bao, but fried (I know, right!!). And the maple glaze ties these complex flavors together perfectly.
- Coffee - I love my coffee and this coffee is no exception. As my dad likes to describe the flavor of many things "it just comes to you". In more specific terms - it wasn't an intense flavor, but one that makes you sit back and smile and think "mmm...that is a good cup of coffee".
So overall - I love this place! Too bad it's 30 miles from home :P
Don't know if it was just a 'bad' morning for the diner, but the breakfast my gf and I had was KIND of average.
Although I greatly hesitated before ordering, I ended up getting the scramble with salmon that came w/ their standard side of potatoes.
I'm very much open to new combinations, but eggs and fish I wasn't necessarily screaming for. My gf got some scramble with bacon, spinach, and goat cheese....which SOUNDED safe and promising.
Anyways, for how busy they were, the food did come fairly quick.
It was fairly quiet for our first several bites on both our dishes. For us, that's usually a red flag indicating that 'so far the food is pretty damn average, but we are willing to give this restaurant another several bites before we each make a verdict.'
So yea, as you can guess it wasn't that great. My eggs seemed a bit 'liquidy'.....not undercooked really, but soggy....maybe from the fish i was thinking.
But then my gf's eggs were the same way. Also, the potatoes seemed overcooked....and not 'fresh,' but rather like they had been prepared in bulk and sitting on the warm side of the flat-iron in the kitchen. Which I'm sure it was, "i get it" and am not even that particularly mad. I know how hectic and notoriously busy breakfast in a restaurant can be.
If anything, the goat cheese on my gf's eggs / bacon / spinach, tasted really odd. I like goat cheese, don't get me wrong, but it seemed to overpower the other ingredients way too much. I actually think they just got sloppy and accidentally threw too much on....because just a SPRINKLE of it, i think would've really worked.
Bottom line, the food wasn't 'BAD' by any means, and i don't want to be too harsh because it was our first time.
But what I MAINLY came here for was the infamous 'maple syrup bacon donut.'
Unfortunately, they were out of the regular donuts, so they gave us two donut holes to try for free. Btw, them being out of donuts by around 10:30am, I actually didn't get upset for since i understand that is what the freakin diner is known for. So if anything, EXPECTEDLY...they were sold out.
Anyways, the donut is very good, and i feel terrible for thinking so.
There's people out there however, like my idiot cousin, who can't handle the 'salty and sweet' flavor profile......or to be more fair, the 'salty breakfast items with sweet flavors' profile.
For example, the classic American staple of 'pancakes, eggs, and bacon' ...he cannot do. I for one, LOVE the combination of bacon with sweet items......the smoky bacon profile in particular is just SIMPLY complementary to sweet and savory.
So if you're like my cousin, I don't think this donut is for you.
But if you like bacon with your pancakes and syrup, then you will completely admire and love this donut. The donut is the MAIN reason it saved our previously average breakfast -- even my gf guiltily loved the donut and forgot about her goat cheese.
She also commented how it tasted like pancakes with bacon.
And this is WHY it works. Most people don't have a problem with eating bacon with their pancakes, but when you hear the word 'donut' and bacon, it for obvious reasons sounds odd. But i assure you, the diner is almost "cheating" in the fact that it's simply disguising the classic 'pancakes and bacon' as this novelty, popular, dessert item that is the BACON DONUT.
It's brilliant if you ask me. Worked on me, and piqued my interest completely. The donut was also featured on Food Network's: The Best Thing I Ever Ate (sweets / desserts episode).
What's funny, is that this wasn't even the ACTUAL donut....but the donut hole.
Plus it wasn't even fresh when we ate it, and it was still delicious. I just couldn't imagine this thing fresh. I'd probably just jizz all over the place -- that's like sacrilege man, eating that thing fresh.....damn.
Anyways, breakfast wasn't great, but the donut was clearly the highlight and still have us talking about it.
Based on that, i completely suggest you try this insanely guilty pleasure.
Great tasting burger and salad but the standouts are the mac and chgeese and the smores cake.
Best mac and cheese I've had. I actually dint like mac and cheese in general but this is awesome! It's called smac and cheese here.
Gotta have the smores cake.
The bistro atmosphere is great. The place kinda gives me a 40's vibe. Don't know why.
After reading so many good reviews, co-workers and I decided to try the Nickel Diner for lunch. Too bad. There were five of us, and the restaurant was out of everything each of us wanted to order. I had never experienced five people (each person not wanting the same thing mind you) not getting what they wanted at any eatery. So we settled for burgers although I think one person ordered a salad. Sorry to say, but no one was impressed. I envy the folks who have given this place more than two stars because neither the food nor the overall experience [at least for me] warranted more. And if you do not live or work in downtown, this place would not be worth the pilgrimage to get there, especially because you may not be up for this part of town. Really.
Wow I'm at 100 reviews already?! Where has the time gone.
Anywho, what a great idea for Nickel Diner to have a sidewalk bake sale during Art Walk! I came here last night with my sis, who praised their desserts when she came to the last Art Walk.
We got a snicker doodle cookie, red velvet cupcake, maple bacon donut hole http://static.px.yelp...., and a homemade strawberry pop-tart. The crisp bacon bits mixed with the maple glaze was genius! The donut hole itself was nice and moist. My favorite was the pop-tart, the pastry crust was soooo good and the strawberry filling was just perfect and not too sweet. The red velvet cupcake was pretty good, what took me by surprise was the little chocolate crisps mixed in with the frosting. That put a nice smile on my face. The snicker doodle was nothing spectacular, I've had better.
I'd definitely come back, my sister raves about their pudding. Looking forward to the next Art Walk and stop by their bake sale again.
I came back here for brunch hoping for a better experience. It was so-so. My apple dutch baby was disappointing. It was no match for what I had at The Original Pancake House. Nickel Diner's version was a very thin pancake, but in being thin, it lacked something. It did taste like apples, though.
The best part of breakfast was the maple bacon donut! Mmm...soft, fried cake covered in maple glaze and topped with real bacon crumbles. It was too good. I felt super guilty eating it, but I had to try it. Impressive.
I came by here for lunch on a Friday. There was no wait and service was prompt. I ordered the Smac… Read more »
I would come back but mainly because of the cool atmosphere than the taste of the food. It was packed but the food was just so so. But the service and motif was very cool.
Since we were gallivanting Downtown L.A yesterday afternoon with the mister and baby, we decided to finally scope out the infamous Nickel Diner! We got there about an hour before they closed and waited about half an hour to get a booth because (con) they do not have high chairs or booster seats for the kiddies, but the hostess kept coming outside to update us on the status of our table situation, so kudos on the customer service :) Finally made it inside... it was as small as I expected it to be, and it had that nostalgic Downtown L.A feel to it complimented by the decor which I absolutely loved! We got waited on by Kristen I believe...she was quiet, yet friendly, and made it a point to check on us throughout our dining experience.
So... on to the nitty gritty..wait a sec, reading through the prior Nickel reviews, we were gipped, and didn't get the infamous donut hole sampler! Boo!! eh, must have been because we got there during the last hour..but anyway, menu is pretty typical for a diner; burgers, sandwiches, etc. We decided to go with sandwiches. I had the Nite Club chicken sandwich which was pretty tasty. I'm really picky about my chicken sandwiches, but this one was surprisingly really good. I only ate half because I wanted to save room for the infamous desserts! The mister had the Steak Sandwich. He ate it quietly, and I thought..hmm guess it's not that great..so I snagged a bite and I understood why he didn't say much about it. His expectations were shattered when he saw that their version of 'steak' was not his version of an actual piece of steak, but rather sliced steak smothered in red peppers and pickled onions. It was different, but tasty for my palette..and finally dessert...Kristen said (while setting a plateful of sinfully looking desserts) "I'm ready to put these to bed, would you like any dessert?" You bet your bottom nickel I do I said..ok, so I didn't say that , but you bet your bottom nickel that I jumped on saying 'yes' to dessert! It was hard to make a choice but I felt that the red velvet cake was calling my name, so I chose the cake. A few seconds later, heavenly red and white bliss arrived..and my oh my my! That's got to be thee BEST velvet cake I've ever had. Sure, everyone and their momma has a velvet cake or cupcake these days but la creme de la creme is the "Perle Croquantes" which reminded me of the chocolate pearls in a nestle crunch bar! I'm not a sweet tooth,but by golly I could eat an entire red velvet cake from the Nickle! Absolutely delish!
And so..the million nickel question, would I go back to the Nickel? I'd say yes, and most definitely for that beautiful sinful scarlet cake!
I LOVE their desserts! I first came here during the Art Walk last month. Dined inside with a friend. I got the smac and cheese and chicken pozole. The smac and cheese was pretty yummy. I loved the crunchy breaded top. The pozole was OK.
I was pretty full but I couldn't help but ask about the desserts--especially with the bake sale right outside! My friend and I shared the pop tart. De-freaking-lish! Once you have one of these you don't won't want any pre-packaged ones after. (Tip: better to have while dining inside because they heat it up. I went to the Art Walk again yesterday and just purchased some items from the bake sale table and the pop tart was still nom nom delicious but not the same when heated.) I've only tried the one with regular frosting. Next time have to try the one topped with peanut butter!
I ordered one of the cupcakes and the vegan pudding to go... forgot the name of the cupcake but it wasn't the one with the potato chip on top. All I can say is that it was nothing special since I can't recall it. The vegan pudding was also yum yum yum. It's made with almond milk, has pineapple and blueberries on top and sprinkled with coconut flakes. De-freaking-lish as well. I can't believe I didn't get it again last night.
Anyhow, service was pretty slow. Although the Art Walk was going on I felt like they should have been more prepared. The server took awhile to give us our water or to refill it after we asked.
Last night we just purchased items from the bake sale. Finally tried the maple bacon donut- de-freaking-lish as well. I opted to share the donut hole (yes, as small as it is because we bought other desserts) with my sis (Yelper: Lei B.). The donut was pretty soft. Extra points because usually donut holes aren't as soft as regular donuts since they're smaller. The maple bacon and glaze mixed so well together. They use a good quality bacon (no, I'm not an expertise on bacon -ha- but I had the chocolate covered bacon at the LA county fair and the bacon they used there was skinny and flimsy. Bleh) Anyhow... the bacon pieces were a good size. Added the right amount of crunch to each bite. Damn, I want another one...
My sis also ordered the red velvet cupcake but I just had a lick of the frosting. It was pretty good but definitely more sour creamy than cream cheesey...
All in all I'd go inside to sit and have a drink and enjoy desserts.. if rating the food by itself it'd be a 3
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Desserts
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
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