Perry's — Restaurant in New York

Perry’s Diner: A Mirage on Nostrand Avenue

I was walking down Nostrand Avenue, chasing the ghosts of greasy spoons and late-night salvation, when I stumbled across Perry’s Diner. It had that classic New York mirage energy—the parking lot was packed like sardines in rush hour, and two women were arguing in soft tones over the ancient art of parallel parking like it was some lost Babylonian ritual. That alone gave me hope. The good kind. The kind that whispers maybe this place still knows how to fry an egg properly.

Up a short flight of stairs—eight of them, if you’re counting—I entered a long, narrow foyer that definitely held a Space Invaders machine during the Carter years. You could still feel the quarters rattling in the pockets of kids hopped up on Tab and freedom.

Inside, a short older guy greeted me with a wave that said: This is your home now, kid. He didn’t care where I sat, and I liked that. I chose a booth with a window view streaked in rain and what I can only assume was a decade of road grime and old cigarette smoke. The booth had that worn-in, cracked vinyl you can’t fake—pure 1970s Americana. Grease-slicked menus leaned against the ketchup bottle like they were nursing a hangover. I half-expected a tabletop jukebox to crackle back to life and spit out some Elvis Costello.

I skipped the menu. I ordered a burger and fries, which at a real diner is the litmus test. Within minutes, the waiter brought over some complimentary odds and ends—coleslaw, pickles, chickpeas. Nice touch. The pickles had bite, the coleslaw had crunch, but the chickpeas? Funky, and not in a good way.

Then the burger came. And it all went to hell.

Two tomato slices sat there like crime scene evidence—pale, rubbery, and dead on arrival. The onions were fried to death and still somehow oily, like the ghost of a deep fryer was haunting my plate. The patty? It was a prefab hockey puck, perfectly round, utterly flavorless, probably shipped in on a Tuesday. You couldn’t taste the beef because it had already given up. I managed three bites before mercy kicked in.

The fries? They tried. But they stayed in the oil two minutes too long and came out limp, bitter, and broken—like dreams deferred.

Perry’s looks like the kind of place where miracles happen. But sometimes the neon lies. Sometimes, it’s just a museum of what used to be, serving food that reminds you why you left Jersey in the...

My fiancé family had been ordering there for years. Over the last few years. The service and food have slipped badly. We would spend on average $12-$50 on meals. With multiple people living in the house sometimes multiple orders where placed. After many years the service has become HORRIBLE!! You call and order a phone delivery and the owner is nasty, rude, and downright disrespectful. Couldn’t care how much money we have spent there or how many times we order A week. Our last and final experience came after 3 of us ordered separate dinners. Delivery came with with missing stuff for all three people. Called back to tell them. Was Screamed at and treated like a dog because they where mad they forgot many items. 2 shakes were given credit for very reluctantly. Then when we tried getting the stuff we already paid for ( that was missing from previous order)with next order and was cursed and screamed at for wanting it. Fighting every urge in my body to go down to confront the nasty owner. We have all decided NEVER!! Order from there again. We will spend our money with people who respect and appreciate there customers. I would strongly advise anybody or anyone to eat at OASIS. There nice. And respect there customers. Ty Perry’s for you awful service. Remember this address.3116 You’ll never get a penny off...

Perry's food and delivery service is wonderful. They have such a wide variety of food to choose from and you do get a lot of food for a great price. Enough to share with a friend.

The only gripe I have is with their chicken noodle soup... it's much too salty and not appetizing at all. On the other hand, their lobster bits soup is delicious.

Update:2/20/21 I initially gave them five stars but had to downgrade it to three.

I've realized that the person who answers their phone, is quite unprofessional. She yells into the phone and doesn't seem to know anything about the menu. This past month, I had a home delivery and the steak wasn't well done like I requested.

Another delivery, the olives were missing from my meal and another, the veal chop was very raw inside. I called to let them know and they said they'll send someone for it.

I figured they'd replace it, but they sent a delivery person to tell me I should put it in the oven, to cook it more.🤦‍♀️ If I wanted to cook, I wouldn't order food!!!!

Also, the way they throw a huge chunk of lettuce onto the deluxe cheese burger special, is quite unappealing.

Maybe it's the stress of the pandemic, that's making everyone lose...