Sparky's Diner — Restaurant in Town of Haverstraw

4 1/2 stars

I had a feeling I would be the youngest person in here by about 20 years, and that was confirmed immediately - it was basically the restaurant equivalent of seeing a Judi Dench movie in theaters. This place is a delightful time capsule that reminded me SO much of the little diner down the street from where I grew up in Hunterdon County, NJ called Ma-Dee's (which is still there). This is quintessential small town America at its finest.

After passing by a few times during lunch, I decided to actually stop for a meal yesterday afternoon. I will say that the absolute worst part of this experience is the parking - you'd think that at some point in the last 40 years they would have secured more than the front area parking lot that requires you to back right into a county highway, or that at the very least they'd put down some white paint to denote some official parking spots so you don't have customers parking however they want at weird angles. I ended up parking in the back (keeping my fingers crossed that my car wasn't going to get towed for whatever reason), and had a tough time getting out without hitting some of the vehicles parked nearby. Thankfully a happy ending in that regard.

I was told by an employee coming out of the kitchen to sit wherever I wanted, so I plopped down at the smaller counter off to the side. It wasn't particularly crowded in there despite it being lunch time, but everyone in there looked to be a) of retirement age and b) a resident of the nearby area. I stuck out like a sore thumb, though it probably did help that I was wearing a puffer vest.

It's unusual for me to get anything other than breakfast at a diner, so I went with two eggs (scrambled) with hash browns, sausage and toast ($8!). Hit the spot. This obviously isn't Michelin-level food, but that's not why you go to a diner like this. The eggs WERE a little bland and definitely needed the pepper I added to them, but everything was perfectly fine and I'm not exaggerating when I tell you all of this food came out within two minutes. That really might be a record for something that by definition does need to be cooked to order. I was pretty stuffed after that but curious about the dessert options, and obviously couldn't turn down a highly-endorsed piece of chocolate cake. Delicious. I didn't confirm whether or not it was homemade, but that's certainly the vibe I got.

The service was utter perfection. It was very obvious to everyone in there that I was making my Sparky's debut, and the staff made me feel right at home. They told me about the various celebrities that had frequented the diner over the prior few years (apparently Denzel is very nice), and were surprised to find out that I made the trek for lunch all the way from Pomona (which is literally about five minutes away but no matter). And the price point? It would honestly have been competitive during the Carter administration and I wouldn't be surprised if the prices haven't been adjusted since then.

Definitely coming back with an appetite and an eye toward a very large...

For my latest discovery of epic breakfast places in the northeast USA, may I present to you ... Sparky's Diner in Garnerville, NY.

Whenever I'm on the road, I seek out small, authentic, family-run, LEGIT diner restaurants ... the smaller, the better. Plotting a course that had me on the Palisades Parkway, as soon as I saw Sparky's on Google Maps, I knew it would be an easy choice.

Photos checked ... yep. That'll do.

Walked in and was greeted by perhaps the friendliest, nicest, perkiest hostess on the planet. This individual had to be in her 80s. I didn't get her name, wish I did. But I swear, she greeted me with an enthusiasm and genuine happiness unlike anything I've ever encountered before. It was as if she really was happy to see me. Totally not kidding. Really made me feel at home.

Breakfast was in front of me within minutes of ordering. The ham & cheese omelet was huge, the home fries were done well as I requested (with onions added, of course.) The rye toast was nice and buttery. Forgot to request a side of bacon. My bad!

Everything tasted amazing, and get this, everything in the photo was $13 before the tip. Incredible.

Good thing I live 2.5 hours away or I'd be eating here way too often. Yup, I'd be a regular for sure.

If you, like me, enjoy a classic diner experience, love getting great value for the money, appreciate genuine staff who truly love what they do, and want the decor / vibe to match, just come here.

You'll be...

My job takes me to a different diner in NY, NJ or PA pretty much every day, and I've had more breakfast specials, sides of fries and fresh pie than anyone should try to manage. In two years on the road, I've yet to find a diner as friendly, comfortable and all-around classic as Sparky's. They offer your standard diner fare, the way mom used to make, only if mom worked tirelessly for years on her pancake recipe. The atmosphere is so classic its almost on purpose, and brings more character than a Coen Brothers film.

Most significant, however, are the service and the people. Staffed by lovable locals who simply must be named Flo and Gene and the like, a whirlwind of friendly employees keep your coffee fresh and your every whim met with a smile and well wishes. On my most recent visit to Sparky's, their generosity went above and beyond any I have received in any other diner in the tri-state area.

I would gladly drive thirty minutes out of my way to get breakfast or lunch at Sparky's, and I suggest everyone else...