I think we could call Jersey the Diner State, in addition to being the Garden State.
So what diners do we like in New Jersey?
Any dishes that are particularly good?
In Eastern Monmouth county I like the Broad Street Diner in Keyport.
Broad Street Diner
83 Broad St, Keyport, NJ 07735
(732) 497-0808
https://goo.gl/maps/FFHJ6mMpNLs
At Broad Street I like the burgers, the meatloaf, the Chicken Fried steak, and just about any of the specials. The service is also really friendly.
I am not as fond of the Red Bank Diner, the New Monmouth Diner, and the Americana Diner, which are good but not great.
I like Gus’s Diner and The Roadside Diner, basically at opposite ends of rt 33 from me. Both are good but I prefer Gus’s for a better variety.
I was just telling someone this past week that I haven’t been in far too long, but the Skylark in Edison is always high on my list.
I also miss the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst (an easy off/on from Rt 3, fwiw, and far better than the Tick Tock the last few years). And the Park West on Rt 46 in Little Falls does a good job, too.
My favorite is Top’s in Newark, which is more of a fancy, more pricy diner.
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Me too.
Plus theee
Kings Arms 2 Diner in Belford off Hwy 36 really surprised us a few years back. Having passed by probably hundreds of times over the years, a friend raved about the family dinners and the value. We tried the breakfast specials our first visit, portions are gigantic. Well made coffee (very important), the perfect western eggs, homey hashbrowns and fresh toast. We have been back a number of times for meals and enjoyed homemade chicken soup, triple decker sandwiches, “the big salad” and a number of chef specials. While stuck in a diner timewarp of charm, the place is a hidden gem.
I also agree that the Broad Street Diner in Keyport is making wonderful food. Its popularity makes getting a table or hearing over a noisy dining room a tad challenging but the folks running the place are super customer and community friendly.
But, our favorite diner is the Westfield Diner when we visit family. Call it an unexpected wildcard. Colonial Westfield has a diner preparing some unusual combinations and globally inspired menu items.
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Try the fried chicken platter if you’re into fried chicken.
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I really wanted to try the Broad Street Diner, I got so many recommendations from folks here about this place. As luck would have it I ended up at Kings Arms 2 instead. It was okay, definitely better than any diner where I lived at the time but it wasn’t great IMO. I think I remember my sister having a BLT and liking it, I may have had a burger. The fact that I don’t remember what I ate, means with certainty I wasn’t impressed. Living in NJ now, I prefer the small mom and pop breakfast/lunch type places, you know the kind of places where the employees and the regulars are all characters and the food tastes and looks like it was made in someone’s home kitchen. I am thinking that Broad Street Diner is more this type of a place.
Any chance they are connected to diner of same name in Staten Island?
I tried Broad Street last year after NJ.com ranked them #1 in the state. The sliced roast beef was really good.
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Another decent diner in Edison with a more traditional vibe is the Edison Diner on US 1 just before the Raritan bridge:
The Edison Diner
101 U.S., US-1, Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 985-3335
https://goo.gl/maps/6Eh3aAbhher
Everything made from scratch…
Are there any decent diners in Asbury/Neptune?
Have to be honest…if there are, I haven’t found them yet. The closest decent one imo is the Americana in Shrewsbury. But we have so many excellent breakfast/lunch options here that I don’t mind… In AP there’s Cardinal Provisions (I 
their chicken and waffles) where everything is good and the ingredients amazing< Talula’s, and Chat 'n Nibble, which is as local/dive-like in the best way possible. In Ocean Grove, I love Starving Artist, and in Bradley, The Buttered Biscuit is worth waiting for (and I’m rarely willing to wait in line).
ETA it’s not a restaurant per se, but Booskerdoo Coffee in AP has some damn good breakfast biscuit sandwiches and baked goods, and their coffee is fantastic.
Does Frank’s qualify? I like their food:
Frank’s Deli & Restaurant
1406 Main St, Asbury Park, NJ 07712
(732) 775-6682
JB’s on 537 was good but it burned down. They relocated to 35 just above the Collingwood Circle but I haven’t been there since.
some mom and pops are good. There’s one in Little Silver near Sickles that is over rated in my experience, name escapes me but its usually packed and I don’t get it.
Um, DUH. How could I forget Mastori s??? South Jersey, but it was a childhood staple because my grandparents lived near there. I still remember those cheese buns …
Edie’s
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