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[bhtooefr]

Unfortunately, in my area (Newark, OH), there aren't really any old diners around. There's Bob Evans, which is a chain that's from around this region, and has breakfast all day, and there's IHOP, which is not as international as they'd like to claim or a house, but it does have pancakes 24/7. There's also Steak 'n Shake, which goes for a 1950's diner vibe, and mainly does burgers and milkshakes, but they have a breakfast menu (only during breakfast hours though) with pancakes.

One of my favorite diners I've been to, I've never actually had anything other than their breakfast, but it's fucking fantastic, is The Bomber Restaurant in Ypsilanti, MI. There's a few VW diesel events I go to up there, and we make a point of multiple Bomber visits.

For ankhtahr... http://www.diner-durlach.de/speisen.html

That's not a diner-scale breakfast menu, but they do have pancakes, and they are near where I remember you being.

[Fig]

In my area there's a few chain restaurants, namely: Bob Evans, Perkins, Cracker Barrel, and Friendly's I guess counts since they do offer breakfast.  The only 24 hour diner (well there's two but one has gone downhill hard in terms of quality) is the Capitol Diner, which has actually greatly improved since it's been under new ownership.  I usually get an omelette when I'm there and it's always good.  Need to have me some pancakes sometime.

[Aziraphale]

bhtooefr, is Bob Evans any "relation" to Bob's Big Boy? I haven't seen one in ages, but I started seeing Bob Evans restaurants around the same time I stopped seeing Big Boy...

I'm lucky enough to live in NJ, which is arguably the diner capital of the country. Real diners -- by which I mean, as I mentioned in the other thread, they're open 24 hours, and you can get most of the menu pretty much any time you walk through the door. Nothing like French toast, fried chicken and a milkshake at three in the morning. We also have the usual chains here (IHOP, Friendly's, Perkins, Denny's, Cracker Barrel), and plenty of other little local spots that call themselves diners but aren't really (you can get the pancakes, but they close in the evening).

On a related note, I hate when I come across a particularly good place -- diner or restaurant -- either on a road trip or a vacation. In some cases, you know you won't be back for a while; in others, I've been willing to go back, but couldn't remember where in the hell the place was (insert conversation with my wife... "You know, that one place where you got that really good chicken sandwich!"... "Yeah, I know the place. Don't ask me where it is, though.")

[bhtooefr]

Big Boy is an unrelated chain, and there's actually two now unrelated Big Boy chains (Frisch's Big Boy being a separate company now). And, I forgot, there is a Frisch's near me, too.

[Zebediah]

A couple of notable diners:

In Durham, North Carolina, the place to go is Elmo's Diner. Pretty much everyone in town eats there sooner or later. Good, fast and cheap. They also have a second location in Carrboro but the one in Durham is the original.

In Watertown, Massachusetts, the equivalent is the Deluxe Town Diner.

Also, not a diner but still good - the S&S Deli in Inman Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Good food, HUGE portions.

[Aziraphale]

A couple of notable diners:

In Durham, North Carolina, the place to go is Elmo's Diner. Pretty much everyone in town eats there sooner or later. Good, fast and cheap. They also have a second location in Carrboro but the one in Durham is the original.

In Watertown, Massachusetts, the equivalent is the Deluxe Town Diner.

Also, not a diner but still good - the S&S Deli in Inman Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Good food, HUGE portions.

A good deli is nothing to take for granted, either. If you're ever in NYC, try Katz's. Everybody goes to the Carnegie, which is fine if you want a pound of meat on one slice of rye, but Katz's is better and usually less crowded (and their pastrami is better by far).

[TRVA123]

Egg Harbor Cafe, in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Georgia, is pretty awesome. (for breakfast)

[jwhouk]

Bob Evans is no relation to the Big Boy chain.

[Method of Madness]

There's a Bob Evans in Southern New Jersey, I went there this summer for the first time. (Sarah's stepdad used to live in Ohio, so she knew of it).

Azir pretty much said anything I could about Jersey diners.

[jwhouk]

I'll be getting my free Denny's Grand Slam (Pancakes, eggs, bacon & sausage) on Monday.

[ankhtahr]

For ankhtahr... http://www.diner-durlach.de/speisen.html

That's not a diner-scale breakfast menu, but they do have pancakes, and they are near where I remember you being.

Well, they are fucking close to where I live. That's the same part of town (though it's in the industrial part of it). I already knew about them, but I somehow overlooked the pancakes. That "diner" is bloody fancy though (you often need a reservation to get a table). And it's expensive.

[bhtooefr]

A reservation. For a diner. What the fuck.

In any case, seems there is, from googling, a small niche of American-style diners in Germany, some with more breakfast food than others.

[Papersatan]

One of my favorite diners I've been to, I've never actually had anything other than their breakfast, but it's fucking fantastic, is The Bomber Restaurant in Ypsilanti, MI.

That is literally a mile from my home.  I've driven past it, but never been.  If I go out for breakfast I usually go to Beezy's which is downtown ypsi, but is not really a diner, but it is amazing, and an easy walk from my house.

[The Seldom Killer]

The OK Diner is a chain that covers a bit of a band across the middle of the country. Pankcakes are pretty decent and the retro 50's American theme is kind of nice.
I can't think of anywhere that I frequent in Sheffield that does them as standard but if they're up on the specials at The Rude Shipyard or Tamper then it's definitely something worth going for as they do a really good job of them.

[Barmymoo]

I only ever go out for breakfast if I have guests and haven't got any food for them (in particular I have one friend who laughs scornfully, albeit good-naturedly, at the idea of eating my vegan fare - he is a much larger person than me and eats a lot of meat so a cup of oats isn't going to cut it for him). There are a few cafes around here that do vegan breakfasts as well as standard meat-containing breakfasts, so that's always a good bet. One is a greasy spoon type place, the other is a slightly fancier deli kind of cafe. And there's a cafe bar in town with good food. I don't think I've ever seen anywhere I could go for pancakes though, except maybe Frankie and Benny's but they certainly wouldn't be vegan.

[TieDyeKat]

I don't even know where to begin in a thread like this.  I write about food for a living.  Need a recommendation in Arkansas or the Mid South?

[Kugai]

Never really looked around for Pancake Houses or Diners that sell 'em

Make my own.

[GarandMarine]

There's a great little chuckhouse diner right by my school that IS an old school diner and their pancakes are awesome.

[Lines]

One of my favorite diners around where I live (Cincinnati, OH) is The Proud Rooster. Excellent pancakes and their specials are super affordable (and super delicious). I used to live about 2 blocks away from it when I was in grad school and I'd go there for breakfast and lunch a lot. I miss living within walking distance to a diner.

But I think one of the best diners I've been to is The Poky Dot in Fairmont, WV. It's not too far from where some of my husband's family lives and their food is freaking delicious. Also the atmosphere is fun. We try to go there every time we visit if we have time.

[Carl-E]

We have an old-school diner downtown called Tom & Joe's. 

I've never had the pancakes, though.  I hear they're good, everything I've had there is. 

[Barmymoo]

During Camp Eed we went out for breakfast at a pancake house and I was completely bewildered. They gave me seven different options for my eggs, four types of bread for my toast, and even multiple choices of butter. I cannot make that many choices before breakfast.

[Metope]

The first time I went to a diner again after Camp Eed I had forgotten everything, so when I ordered something with eggs, toast and a choice of meat I just froze when given all those options. I know what I like now so it's easier, but I still have to ask my boyfriend how I like my eggs sometimes because I forget what it's called (I think it's over medium). The best thing though: free coffee refills!

[Method of Madness]

For me, eggs are poached, toast is rye...not sure what kind of butter I'd get but I guess that depends on what the options are, I don't remember it ever being an option.

[GarandMarine]

Flap jacks, hashbrowns, sausage and bacon, eggs scrambled.

[Kugai]

Probably one or two of the four or five Diners in my local shopping centre does them - never really looked.  Prefer their Steaks, Chicken or Breakfasts.

[Aziraphale]

Two things I've tried to like and just haven't been able to: scrapple and grits. And it's not for lack of effort, either. I've lost track of the number of ways I've had grits -- boiled, fried, with and without butter, with and without cheese, jalapenos, et cetera. Each and every time, it just tastes like wallpaper paste to me.

[Method of Madness]

I've only had grits a few times, and they were always pretty good. Never good enough to go out of my way for them, but never bad enough to avoid if there wasn't an alternative. I've yet to try scrapple though.

[Neko_Ali]

Scrapple is an acquired taste, mostly. I grew up with it in Pennsylvania Dutch country and I like it fried with a bit of syrup. I was introduced to grits when I moved to the South, which I also love. Proper cooked grits though, not the instant stuff.

[Method of Madness]

No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits.

[GarandMarine]

Grits are okay. Scrapple was okay too.

[Fig]

Born and raised in central PA and I still can't stand scrapple.  My brother, on the other hand, loves the stuff.  Definitely an acquired taste.

[cesium133]

No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits.

Are you telling me water soaks into a grit faster in your kitchen than in the rest of the grit-eating world? 

[Neko_Ali]

No, that instant grits are a processed abomination upon the world. And honestly, it's not like it takes a long time to make a pot of grits in the first place, so using instant makes no sense.

[cesium133]

(It was a movie reference from My Cousin Vinnie.)

[Carl-E]

Corned beef hash, eggs over easy, rye toast (for diipping in the egg yolk), homefries (not hashbrowns) if available.  Biscuits & gravy at places that have good sausage gravy.  Too many places make it too bland... 

But a diner breakfast is a real rarity for me.  Most days it's a bowl of oatmeal at home.   

[Method of Madness]

No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits.

Are you telling me water soaks into a grit faster in your kitchen than in the rest of the grit-eating world? 

YESSSSSSSSSSS so glad someone got that.

[Papersatan]

Grits are my standard breakfast in the winter when I need to be up and out of the house.  5 min in the microwave with some butter and cheese.  I'm from the north, which I guess makes it weird that I like grits? but my dad lived in the south for a while when he was young and he used to cook them for us (not in the microwave) when I was small. 

I do not have a standard breakfast order when I go out, which makes it take forever for me to decide. I'm also not locked into foods as being for a particular meal, so I am that asshole who will order a tuna melt for breakfast, or a short stack of french toast and a bowl of soup for lunch, or some other "wrong" thing that gets me judged.

[Barmymoo]

Wait you're not allowed to eat soup for lunch?

[bhtooefr]

It's soup with a stack of french toast that's downright strange for any meal, and the french toast for anything other than breakfast is just strange.

Speaking of french toast, the Bomber (which I mentioned in the OP) has something interesting, Captain Crunch french toast. Essentially, IIRC, they roll the soaked bread in crushed Captain Crunch cereal. I actually find that their recipe is overly sweet, but some friends were inspired by it, and made it with finer-crushed, and a less sweet recipe, and it was OMG amazing.

[Method of Madness]

that gets me judged.

Fuck those people. French toast is always a good decision, no matter what time.

[Aziraphale]

that gets me judged.

Fuck those people. French toast is always a good decision, no matter what time.

Or a Monte Cristo (ham and turkey on French toast).

[bainidhe_dub]

Is that a real thing? We had a Bennigan's open in my building last summer (after 15-ish years in bankruptcy) and people were all excited about the Monte Cristo. I kept reading the description and still have not wrapped my head around why that would be a good combination. I don't know if I feel better or worse, knowing it's not a Bennigan's exclusive, but something that may exist in the real world as well...

[Fig]

Monte Cristos are delicious.  I highly suggest trying one if you can find a place that has them on their menu.

[Aziraphale]

Is that a real thing? We had a Bennigan's open in my building last summer (after 15-ish years in bankruptcy) and people were all excited about the Monte Cristo. I kept reading the description and still have not wrapped my head around why that would be a good combination. I don't know if I feel better or worse, knowing it's not a Bennigan's exclusive, but something that may exist in the real world as well...

It's a real thing, and not just a Bennigan's thing. They're very good if they're done right.

[GarandMarine]

Pancakes at my local diner were tried. They were quite good.

[Kugai]