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A lot of what people have already said is true:
1. The food is quite good. Terrific home fries: with crispy edges, not over-salted and with a hint of garlic. Worth their own star, they're so crispy. Plus, fresh baby spinach is a nice touch on the immaculately poached eggs Florentine. The hash is out of a can, but two perfect sunny side-up eggs along with butt'ry Scali toast are enough to overlook that detail.
2. The hours are limited. When we arrived 15 minutes before the 2pm closing time, we were seated with a slight smile and served with efficiency. Almost too efficient, as the check was dropped off immediately after our food. However, that was done subtly and, fair enough, it *was* closing time.
3. It's really clean. I could have done without the overpowering scent of Sea Breeze Vagina cleaning spray wafting over our food. But, again, it was closing time so the staff was doing routine end-of-shift chores.
4. The prices are nothing special. One gets a lot more food down the street at Victor's and a bigger menu over at The Deluxe, both for comparative prices.
Overall, not a horrible experience - with one exception:
5. The music was LOUDLOUDLOUD!!!1! When I'm stumbling into a diner on a hungover Saturday, the last thing I want to hear is AM 70's rock cranked to a volume that compounds my headache. And I couldn't hear my companion across the table.
It's true that Watertown boasts an embarrassment of diner riches. That's why, despite the tasty chow, Talk Of The Town Diner isn't my first choice. It's still on the list, just not at the top.
The Tally: Two eggs over easy with corned beef hash, hash browns & scali toast; Eggs Florentine (fresh spinach & bacon) with hash browns; two iced teas; including tip = $25.
While away in Boston visiting some friends, we woke up Saturday morning (yea, ok, it was closer to 1 pm) to find ourselves famished and ready for some brunch. My buddy picked this place, as he had been before and had great things to say about it.
It was pouring rain and being that there is very little "waiting" area, we were glad there were three seats at the counter. The place is tiny, maybe has about 10 booths and a few tables, and the small counter.
The coffee was hot and quite good for a tiny little diner. I ordered an omelete with sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese. It was a HUGE omelete, but the mushrooms were not cooked at all, big no-no. The home fries were quite tasty and not overly salty. The meal for the three of us came to $28, a nice deal, if you ask me.
Definitely a nice little spot in the area for a relaxing brunch and/or lunch
I'm a pretty devout Wilson's-Diner-goer, as a Waltham citizen. However, Talk of the Town Diner is probably close to tying for first on my breakfast eat-out list.
I. Love. This diner. It's adorable. The staff is really sweet and "family-like." I love seeing a restaurant staff throw professionalism out (depending on the place) and just hang out with each other. It's a great, relaxed atmosphere for a little Sunday brunch and I've taken everyone there.
The downside.. getting a table/seat is a BITCH. The place is usually packed, on the weekends especially. However, I've never had to wait longer than 10 min and it's definitely worth it.
Get the chocolate chip pancakes. Sweet Jesus.
********GO TO JIMS DELI INSTEAD********* 371 Washington Street
Brighton ------1000000 TIMES BETTER------ TALK OF THE TOWN DELI? Horrible........ i bought the chicken deluxe wrap.... just pathetic and uninspired. There was 3 peices of old chicken, terrible lettuce, old tomatoes, in a tastless wrap of such poor quality that it could have been used to cover a school book. I could have spent my ten bucks on a bag of dirt and a bottle of anti freeze and had a better meal.... WORST MEAL EVER
Talk of the Town is just another average diner in my books. They try to dress it up a little (they certainly dress up the bill a little), and somehow they keep getting "Best of" awards, but I've never thought they were anything special. No complaints, but nothing to write home about either. The only downside is getting a table - weekend mornings the restaurant is absolutely packed, and you have to be a skilled knife fighter to get a seat.
I used to live about 100 yards away, but I'd drive past Talk of the Town and across town to Wilson's in Waltham for breakfast any day of the week.
Talk of the Town is a pretty average diner. I used to pop in for eggs, bacon, and hash browns 'cause I'm a breakfast kinda gal, but I've heard the tuna melt is solid, too.
Our office took a Friday lunch jaunt there once, though, and all experienced some funky stomach pains. I could elaborate on the bad joke that our trips to the toilet became the talk of the town, but...well, I'll just say I'm sticking to other nearby dining establishments.
Talk of the Town Diner is part of a fad. Diners are cool right? Watertown has some of the best diners in the Boston area right? It seems they took that and then opened their own. I believe it was opened in the 1990's. I do appreciate a place that has been opened since the time of Elvis and is still family run. Talk of the Town Diner is not that type of place.
First off, the diner is run by college kids. That is not bad necessarily, but is something to note. I kinda like my diners run by old timers who look like they've worked there for a million years (well not 80 year olds, but you know what I am saying). The other thing that sets them apart is that their prices are more expensive than other Watertown diners like Victor's and Deluxe Town. The steak tip and eggs meal at Victor's was $7. The same thing here was $9. On top of that, the portions at Victor's was significantly more. Now, the portions at Victor's are way too much food, but the point is that it is not only cheaper but you get TONS more food.
So all of this had already made me grumpy. I do admit though that the food was good. The steak tips were great. It was crowded which is also a good sign.
Like every other diner out there, its decor was that of Elvis and Marilyn. I am so tired of that! I get that is what diners are known for, but hey, you opened in the 90's, get creative! How about Ricardo Montalban decor? Or Mr. Ed? We all loved Mr. Ed.
When it comes to going to a diner though, I probably won't make it back to Talk of the Town. Victor's still holds the crown for us.
Walk into Talk of the Town on a Saturday or Sunday around 11 AM, and you will probably meet me waiting in line... or catch a glimpse of me all ready devouring some brunch deliciousness at the bar cause I got too hungry to wait for a booth.
I love this place. I may even be a regular. Anyone who stays with my roommate and I on a weekend can pretty much expect to dine here. The food is consistent, good, reasonably priced, and I mean...everyone needs a favorite diner! Try this one out, I doubt you'll be disappointed!
I love breakfast and am one of those people who could eat it anytime of day. However my fear when going out for breakfast is that I will be disappointed and feel like I could have made something better at home. This is how I felt at Talk of the Town.
It wasn't a bad meal, just nothing special. I had a sausage and cheese omelet and my bf had chocolate chip pancakes. Both decent, but the bill was at least $20 or so and I don't think it was worth it. Also it may just be me, but I hate when you order a soda and they give you a can. It just gives me the feeling of a sub shop, not a yummy breakfast diner.
5 stars! TOTT is great. I am usually there every weekend. Anyone that stays over is usually treated to a great breakfast there. Get the Kaz's special and you wont be disappointed (or hungry after). everyone is really friendly there. I wont even look at other breakfast places anymore.
A perfectly serviceable diner. They serve heaping quantities of decent food at average prices. Some friends I've dined with wanted a little more out of their sandwiches, whereas some friends have ordered sandwiches that towered over their plates, Dagwood-style. Me, I get two eggs scrambled, sausage and scalli toast every time. Why screw with what works?
I've been going to the Talk of the Town since I lived right up the street, but I've only eaten there a few times. How is that possible? The line... if you time it wrong, the line here will be out the stoop, down the narrow stairs and out into the sidewalk. It's okay if you're flying solo or maybe have a wingman and you can sit at the bar, but if you want a booth, either get up early, slink in late, or bring something to do in line.
My latest visit was very pleasant- I was flying solo, so I slid right into the only seat at the bar, right between a couple and two buddies out for breakfast. The waitress was quick with coffee, took my order and was pleasant about it.
They offer the traditional eggs and omelettes and pancakes, etc... but let's face it. If you're going to stand in line for breakfast and pay a premium (they're a little more expensive than most diners), you might as well do it right and get the Belgian waffle with fruit. And whipped cream.
It'll be just the right size, the fruit will be fresh (I can't remember having frozen fruit here any of the times I've gone) and it will be gone before you know it. Now that's a good waffle!
If you just want eggs and homefries, you can probably do better at the New York Diner one street over on Mt Auburn, or Eating Tresca's Place a block up Main Street. But if you deserve a waffle, damn the price... this is the place.
Fresh spinach on the eggs Florentine was a nice touch. Not sure what to make of the bacon on them tough. The pancakes were delicious, a short stack was easily split between me and a friend. The fries were pretty good, and so cheap.
I wish that this place had real diner hours (meaning 24/7). But the snappy (not snappish) service and easygoing environment almost make up for that.
Went last weekend while we were stuck at Sullivans Tire to get a tire fixed. The sausage was nice and gristly. If your sausage links need a rinse after cooking, you should probably upgrade. My blueberry pancakes were overloaded with maybe seven or eight blueberries. And unsurprisingly, the coffee was awful. Their service was good at least, but maybe I just got lucky. Oh and worst of all, it cost more than the exact same meal at the Watertown Town Diner would have.
Easily one of the greasiest, worst breakfasts I've had in years. I don't know why it was so crowded. Location? People thinking it was the far superior Town Diner instead?
I'll never go back.
Talk of the Town is one of my favorite greasy spoons in the area. I keep telling people that they are SO much BETTER than the neighboring Deluxe Town Diner, but folks just won't listen. They are near Watertown Square, a 1.5 minute walk from the very last stop on the #71 bus.
This place is smallish, so be prepared to wait on weekends. Staff is nice, and you'll sometimes see younger family members working in the family business, bussing tables, bringing out plates, learning to take orders, etc.
It draws local folks, families, working people of all ethnicities, speaking all sorts of languages. That other place, mentioned in my first paragraph is total YuppieWannaBeVille. Get it? Not Yuppies, but Yuppy wannabes, complete with double wide baby strollers, hot pink Crocs and all.
The food is yummy! BEST SAUSAGE LINKS around, guaranteed! Good home fries, good bacon. Other people have gotten more adventurous in their ordering, and no one I've gone with has had any real complaints.
Now, price wise, I think they are mildly overpriced. Not too bad, but I think they could stand to tone down the prices a little. It IS a greasy spoon afterall.
we just had breakfast here for the first time ..and it was absolutely amazing!!!
There was a little wait, but we were sat within 5 min of getting there. If you have more than 2 or 3 people, the wait might be a little longer...but it is DEF worth waiting for
I had the strawberry pancakes! made with real strawberries...and they were soo delicious! the home fries were great as well , nothing was too greasy, and everything was flavorful!
My fiance had the western omlet ..which was soo good i had to have a few bites!
Within seconds of being sat, we were given coffee, and the waitress (who was extremely friendly and efficient) took our order and had our food out within 5 min! Best service i have had in a long time!
We will DEF be returning every Sunday for breakfast! If you are in the area you should go by and check it out! the service and the food and the prices are th best i have found in this area !!! :)
A nice little place for a nice breakfast. Good place to take teenagers. It's that kind of food. Simple, excellent, comfort food. Nicely prepared. Always good, so far never adventurous.
To be fair it is not Deluxe Town Diner food, which is awesome, but tends toward artsy. So I think of Talk of the Town as complimentary to Deluxe Town Diner instead of as competition. For example, Lipton Tea vs. Camomile. Both good, just different. Some days you want one, others days the other.
The room is clean and in the winter smallish. If you go to the Talk of the Town in the summer, you can sit in the courtyard which is very nice. In the winter sit on the far side and you get a decent view of the Charles River.
Service has always been very good and fast. Another plus if you are bringing teenagers.
There's a big sign on this place that says something like, "New England's Best Breakfast," according to Channel 7 news. I don't watch Channel 7 news (I watch 5), but that sign was enough to catch my attention. Breakfast is by far the best meal of the day, unless dinner involves a porterhouse steak or some New York sicilian pizza.
So we went a few weeks back to try something new in the area. It's a cozy, roadside diner sort of place with a good breakfast menu. The omelette was extra cheesy, which is perfect if you like cheese, but it wasn't fluffy. The eggs were a little runny and flat. The home fries and pancakes were great, though, and those are two breakfast items I'm really picky about. I'll have to update this review when I stop back in to try some french toast. I don't know if it deserves best breakfast in all New England, but it is a good spot.
I completely agree with all the points of Jenny's review, but I'll be generous and give them 3 stars, since I never had a bad meal here.
The food is very average, except for the pancakes which were exceptionally fluffy. I actually happen to like really thin griddle cakes, so its not a huge selling point for me, but I figure its good to note.
also I noticed they have kids working there - not that I mind, since they seemed to do a good job, but I dont know if they were even legally old enough to be working. I went early on a saturday morning & I did not see a single adult working in the place. whats up with that? I kind of feel a little weird about a bunch of 13 year olds cooking & serving me breakfast.
also I remember the food taking awhile to be served. I have no clue who they paid off for those "best breakfast" accolades. I also have no clue who would ever choose to come here when the amazing Deluxe Town Diner is right up the street.
This place is very much overrated.
Not impressive at all. Nothing special about the food.
I work in the neighborhood so I had lunch here today (well, my meal was technically "breakfast" but it was at lunchtime). I was very impressed! For a diner, it was so much better than your typical greasy spoon. I was a bit picky and they totally delievered my high maintenance order with no problem (dry toast, light on the cheese, egg whites etc.).
I had an omelette with feta cheese and veggies. It actually had fresh mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach - nothing canned or frozen! My co-workers asparagus in his omelette was fresh too. And the homefries were big fried chunks of skin-on Red Bliss potatos without too much grease. Very good. My other co-worker had a turkey club and he was very happy to see that it was "real" turkey breast. He said the fries were good too.
We were all very impressed and surprised that at 1pm the place was pretty empty. They are only open til 2 though, so I imagine they do more business early in the day and weekends are probably much busier.
This place is ok.
It's great in nice weather when you can sit outside in their patio area, the inside isn't so hot.
The food is a typical greasy spoon diner, with daily specials that actually are special.
There is often a wait on weekends and with no one manning the line, you can get cut off by a douche bag if you are not paying attention/too hung over.
There is a big banner about it being "the best diner in Boston" I always wanna rip it down and take it over to the Deluxe town diner, 'cause that place is way better!
This is an ok greasy spoon cheap as hell diner.
I absolutely adore this place! it's probably the only place that I would never not want to go to in the Boston area, especially for breakfast. Their food is amazing, and totally worth getting up in the morning for! Their pancakes are excellent, and so are their eggs, and the ham and home fries. As a matter of fact, I still have yet to find something I don't like in their menu which totally explains why they won so many awards.... That's probably also why they have such demand which is best represented by the waiting that you must usually do when your trying to go. Despite their size they pack a bunch and their service is really really friendly and it feels just like home...
The music and atmosphere is kind of like being in a dinner, and they have pictures of Elvis and Monroe on the walls... The portions are just right and their scali toast is to die for. Their prices are ridiculously low and I also feel guilty paying so little for what I get! A+
The second best breakfast I found in Boston area (thats a mild joke, they have a banner that says best out front), nice people, always had good breakfast and did I say nice people? Small on the inside, nice back outdoor area with umbrellas. Excellent diner to add to some national diner list...
When I went here I was working construction and this is the perfect place to have some food if you are working hard and it isn't some crummy IHOP or Dennys. Check it out if your in the area you won't be disappointed.
I live around the corner from here and finally got the chance to try it! The reviews are correct, in that the omelettes are huge but not fluffy, and the home fries are deliciously not greasy. The coffee was great and the pancakes were spectacular! Waiting for a table does stink but it's a tiny townie diner so what can you expect? My only peeve would be that there were so many people waiting that I felt rushed to finish my meal. A little pricier than IHOP but worth it.
They do accept credit cards.
Great place for brunch. A little gem with the best breakfast in town.
Talk of the Town Diner is a small family-owned and run place serving freshly made food. It's in a weird location - on a busy street near Watertown Square, but worth trying to find parking for.
The place is very small and the decor is a little dated, but the food is what you come here for. They serve standard breakfast/brunch items - but all done very very well. I always get either the perfectly cooked eggs benedict with homemade hollandaise sauce or the fluffy belgian waffle liberally sprinkled with fresh fruit. My sister is a big fan of their blueberry pancakes.
Pretty solid breakfast joint. The banner on the front declares "Best Breakfast in New England," and while I'm not sure about that, Talk of the Town makes a damn fine breakfast. Bonus for summer months: they have a courtyard in the back, and you can enjoy your breakfast al fresco, if you so desire. Good times.
Downside: no parking. But in these days of 100-degree temps, who needs cars anyway?
For a small place the waitress can sure find herself a lot of busy work. I went over around 10 am and maybe 4 other groups were eating. I think I read the entire sports section and business section cover to cover before she came back.
The food was about average for diner grub. If I'm in Watertown again I'm going to THE SPOT on rte 20. Their bread is to die for.
Solid diner fare. I had the strawberry pancakes, which actually had fresh strawberries and not those weird frozen mushy ones, and they were fluffy and yummy. The home fries lacked seasoning, but were cooked well, so with some more seasoning they could be really good. My husband had the Uncle Maurice's omelette, which featured a plethora of fresh vegetables. The best part of this meal? The iced tea! In my iced tea snobbery, I figured that I would get the iced tea and immediately discern that it originated from a machine. But no! Freshly brewed! And unsweetened! And they gave me lemon! So I'm giving them an extra star for that sweetness.
There's really nothing to talk about here. The service is fast and friendly but the hours are short. It's definitely a family-run joint, and I can see they work hard. I feel like a heel for saying this, but I think the prices are a little high for diner food that is just about average. I ordered the eggs benedict with bacon and spinach ($9). The spinach was uncooked and scattered across the top while the English muffins were tough and the whole thing drowning in Hollandaise. I dislike the lack of parking, but I guess it's an OK place to grab some grub if you're looking for a greasy spoon that'll do the job quick.
When I'm working on Saturdays, my husband and I make it a point to visit this place for breakfast. It's always packed so we sit at the bar and the service and food is always excellent. The prices are a little high for diner food, but you get what you pay for. The portions are huge and delicious.
I love this place. The food is delicious and it's reasonably priced. And the service is really quick and friendly. And their hollandaise sauce is RIDICULOUS. We started going here because Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown is too expensive. But this place is just right.
This is one of my favorite diners in the area. Although it's a small place, and there's usually a line that can sometimes lead out the door on weekends, the food is good and the people are very friendly. I love coming here on a Saturday or Sunday morning for 2 eggs sunny side up, sausage and their scali toast. Mmmm...scali toast! It's perfect side to my eggs and a perfect start for any morning.
I went here this past Sunday afternoon because the line at the Breakfast Club was too long. It's a small, non descript little diner. Unfortunately, my first experience there was not the best. As soon as I walked in I was greeted with the smell of urine. In normal circumstances I would have quickly turned around and walked out, but I was with an extremely hungry person who gets very irrational when low on food. So we stayed. The service is quick, but not very friendly. I ordered the tomato and cheese omelette, which looked like a pancake. There weren't many tomatoes in it either. My sister ordered the Denver omelette and the peppers were still raw. My boyfriend ordered scrambled eggs and pancakes - he enjoyed them but he was also extremely hungry and would probably have eaten just about anything at that point. The kicker though was the toast.... it was burnt. How does a breakfast place burn toast?! The total bill for three people came to over $30, which I think is outrageous for diner food. Especially diner food of this low caliber. Needless to say, I will not be back.
I went here for the first time today with my five year old twins. We all loved it! I've been driving by for months meaning to stop in and made a point of it today.
The decor is great- red bricks set off with black and white pictures of various celebrities. Everything tastes better when you are gazing at a photo of Elvis when he was young and sexy! The diner itself is very clean and neat.
We opted to sit at the counter (spinning chairs... that's a no brainer!) and were waited on by Nicole. She was very nice and chatted it up with the kids. We ordered and were amazed by how quickly our food showed up!
My favorite of the items we ordered was definitely the french toast-I'd give it alone a five star rating! It was made with scali bread and had just the right amount of cinnamon. Delicious! My eggs were cooked perfectly- just the way I ordered them- and the home fries were crunchy and flavorful. The pancakes were a little heavy for my tastes, but still hot and cooked just right.
We had a great time and will definitely be back!
I went here once and ordered an omelette. At first I thought it was a mistake, because the omelette looked more like a pancake. It was flat and browned. It was actually really, really awful. It was so bad that I haven't ordered omelettes at restaurants since for fear that it would be as bad as it was at Talk of the Town. There are better greasy spoons around Watertown.
I've eaten here a few times, the first time I got Eggs Benedict and it was really good, I've tried some of their omelets and they are ok but on some days they tend to be a little greasy and over done. Their home fries are very good as opposed to some places that just haven't figured out how to make them correctly, I once got tater tots to go with my eggs at another restaurant and that was sacrilege! Anyway, I would recommend not getting Iced tea with your meal, mine always tastes like coffee, which I don't like, stick with the oj and a glass of water... or coffee if that is your cup of tea. (Sorry!) Also, They have mostly counter seats which is good when by yourself or with a small group, but I wouldn't go if you have a large group, it tends to get really busy and you'll wait for a while. Breakfast will run you about $10/12 plus tip.
Love this place. There's usually a line but it moves quickly. There are mostly kids who work there but they are fast and friendly. The food never disappoints - again, fast and fresh.
I can't believe there's a single bad review on here! If you're expecting a grand buffet, don't go to a diner. They make really great home-style breakfast--just like mom would make if you still lived at home--the homefries are especially good. It's better than the Deluxe Town Diner, although they are also pretty good, because they start serving fries in place of homefries sometime around lunch.
The name suits this place as this truly deserves to be the talk of the town, one of the best breakfasts I have had around Boston. Portions were hearty and the service was good and prompt. Only have been one time, but definitely looking to return again soon. As for recommendations try the Kaz Jr (Steak and Eggs), the steak was mouthwatering and the 3 eggs that came with the meal looked more like six eggs, so it definitely fills you up. Only drawback is the diner is quite small but the quick service and friendly atmosphere makes wait times small.
Watertown, MA
Category: Restaurants
Watertown, MA
Category: Diners
Watertown, MA
Category: Diners
Watertown, MA
Category: Diners
Watertown, MA
Category: Sandwiches
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