7 American Diners to Eat Before You Die
The restaurant is as much a part of the American experience as baseball and the SUV. Sure, they serve more grease than a mechanic shop, but there’s nothing like the comfort of pulling up a chair at a classic diner after a long drive.
So grab a napkin or two and join us as we explore. 7 American restaurants to eat before you die. That is unless, of course, eating there kills you first.
1. Hillbilly Hot Dogs: Lesage, West Virginia
Straight out of a trailer park cliché, this West Virginia hot dog stand is all about down-to-earth people serving down-to-earth food. Husband and wife team Sonny and Sharie (not to be confused with Sonny and Cher) run the grill and bring you some of the tastiest dogs you’ll ever sink your teeth into.
Go big or go home, we say. Order the “Junk Yard Dog,” a well-dressed sausage loaded with homemade chili sauce, mustard, onions, relish, coleslaw, kraut, jalapenos, BBQ sauce, and finger-licking nacho cheese.
For the truly adventurous, there’s the 15″ “Home Wrecker” hot dog. Take down this beast in 12 minutes or less and you’ll walk away with a free Hillbilly Hotdogs t-shirt (not to mention a few extra pounds).
2. Mac & Ernie’s Roadside Restaurant: Tarpley, TX
Nothing more than a log shack sitting in a small town parking lot, you probably wouldn’t think twice about stopping by this South Texas restaurant. That is until you taste the food.
Come to the order window, make your selection and let Chef Naylene bring your culinary masterpieces to life. Choose from crispy tacos, grilled pork tenderloin, or even swordfish slathered with capers and olive butter. You won’t believe food this good can come out of the tiny 10′ X 16′ kitchen.
For burger lovers, Mac & Ernie’s Cabrito Burger is a must-see hit. People come from far and wide to enjoy juicy ranch-raised beef topped with Bermuda onions on a fresh-baked bun. Gastronomic simplicity at its best.
3. Eveready Diner: Hyde Park, New York
About the only thing bigger than the menu at Eveready Diner is the gigantic portions they serve. Drop in at any time and you’ll be greeted by the salivating aroma of freshly baked bread, pastries and old-fashioned cakes. Everything here is made from scratch. Heck, even the apples in the apple pie are grown in the back garden.
For breakfast, go with the corned beef hash, or the Chevy Nova omelette, 3 eggs loaded with Nova Scotia smoked salmon and onions. If you’re going for lunch or dinner, order the chicken parmesan to die for, then cut the fat with a three-tablespoon chocolate milk shake. Go ahead, sip it as hard as you want.
4. Frank’s Diner: Kenosha, WI
Locals call this lunch car diner a historic landmark; and once you taste the food, it will put you up there with Mount Rushmore and the Washington Monument too. Yeah, it’s just that good.
Breakfast is king at Frank’s; with the gigantic pancakes, freshly baked bread and hearty omelettes dominating the menu. And if there is a king among kings to name, Frank’s famous “Trash Plates” certainly take the title: 5 eggs, roasted with hash browns, cheese, ham, bacon and sausage. In short, royal treatment on a plate.
5. Baby Blues BBQ: Venice, CA
Get yourself a bib and get ready for authentic southern cooking, in the heart of California. This is simply the tastiest soul food you’ll find west of the Mississippi, y’all.
Dive into Memphis-style fall-off-the-bone ribs, tuck into a slow-smoked pork sandwich, or just enjoy the nearly endless selection of classic southern dishes. Baked beans, collard greens, sweet potatoes, fresh cornbread and all the other usual suspects are here and they are delicious. The only southern piece missing here is General Robert E. Lee.
6. Triple XXX Restaurant: West Lafayette, Indiana.
Don’t be fooled by the Triple XXX name, this Hoosier State burger joint serves food suitable for any crowd. Take 1/3 LB of 100% fresh ground sirloin, top it with melted cheddar cheese and fresh grilled onions, place it on top of a toasted sesame seed roll, and you’ve got one of America’s tastiest meals between two buns.
Enjoy it with Triple XXX’s house-made potato salad or a hearty made-from-scratch chili, then finish with an old-fashioned root beer float. Detanglers.
7. Chef Point Cafe: Watuga, Texas
Part gas station, part restaurant, the motto here is fill out, fill in.
Once you’ve filled your tank, grab a seat at a table and get ready for one of the greatest adventures your taste buds have ever seen. From freshly prepared pastas to delicious burgers, Chef Point has you covered. Seafood is the star here, with the blackened catfish, perfectly crispy crab cakes, and succulent lobster bisque (complete with a handmade bread bowl) stealing the show.
If it’s still nearly empty (we highly doubt it), fill to the brim with a gallon or two of homemade bread pudding in warm cognac sauce. We guarantee you’ll never need to eat for miles again.
Do you have an “American restaurant to eat before you die” of your own? Go ahead and share it with us, we are always hungry for more.
-He sat
