Nick's Diner — Restaurant in Maryland

A familiar site at the corner of University Blvd. and Veirs Mill Rd. for the 20 years plus that we've lived in the area, Nick's Diner has been a promise to ourselves that finally found fulfillment today. It proved to be the stereotypical mom n' pop shop where its age showed in its exterior and interior -- all the familiar wear and tear. Nothing fancy...everything was so laid back. We were there about a quarter to eleven, and it was still busy with the breakfast crowd because our order came 15 minutes later. Inside, there were a few sets of tables and chairs but the choicest seats seemed to be the barstools right along the long counter (that was where we sat). The barstools gave us a view of the bustling "kitchen." We actually saw our food being cooked. The amazing thing was that the elderly gentleman who was making egg dishes was Mr. Nick himself. (Wow...personalized service!) We ordered the two-pancake platter and their sausage omelette breakfast special which came with house fries and toasts. In all honesty, our orders (at the very least) were all right. They tasted familiarly good, like homemade stuff. The coffee, regular as it was, was served hot with containers (not packets!) of cream and sugar. The prices were reasonable. More than the food, we've come to witness that people went to Nick's Diner because of the easy camaraderie those obvious regulars have nurtured with the affable and courteous diner team. There was an easy banter between them, and the regulars felt comfortable being their quirky selves (one kept asking out aloud for answers to his crossword puzzle). We thought that going to Nick's was like dropping by a close friend's place, or your mom's (if you were a grown up), or your in-law's..."come as you are...mi casa es su casa." It was easy to make another promise to go...

If you're looking for a neighborhood diner, this is the place. It's diner food. No frills. It's a bacon and eggs kind of place, but done correctly, "mom-would-be-impressed" kind of correct. George on the grill clearly likes what he does. He feeds people goid food and should be proud. Best country potatoes in DC. Don't be alarmed if while you're wearing your favorite sports team jersey, a complete stranger asks if you're from that particular city. Guess what? That guy will say hello to you every Sunday morning and wish you a good week. And when Alex the waiter greets you by name then clarifies before bringing you a cup of coffee, or whatever your normal beverage is, you're going to feel very welcome whether its your 2nd or 30th time there. He does it in such a way that you feel you belong there, like he was waiting for you to show up. Don't be ashamed about being unimpressed by the decor. Seriously, it's nothing to look at. But instead, look at the team functioning. Older waitstaff teaching newer waitstaff the nuances of waiting tables, and George and the rest of the cooking team pushing out order after order is beyond impressive, and without any pretense. Every city, no... every neighborhood, should have a "Nick's", as long as it's...

Came in for a late breakfast/lunch one weekday. Fortunately, it wasn't busy during this time. So parking and grabbing a table wasn't a problem for us!

It's an old school diner feel both tables and counter seating. It's very well kept, and the kitchen is out in the open. So you can see all the magic happen. It's fairly clean with lots of natural lighting.

Prices are good and reasonable!

Service was good and quick.

I had the two fried eggs, bacon, home fries with toast. My girlfriend had the gyro and feta omelet, which came with home fries and a plain pancake on the side. We thought the food was good, but nothing amazing. My bacon was actually way overcooked. And the gyro meat was super over seasoned. The pancake was a little dry for my taste.

Nick's is a cash only establishment. And oddly, they don't total the check for you. Once you are handed the check, you go up to the counter to pay. They don't calculate the tax in until you go up to the counter, and the numbers seemed off for us. But we let it go.

I don't see us coming back. It didn't live up to the...