Greasy Spoon Eateries in Boston

Sometimes you don't want a high-class restaurant to dine in. Sometimes, you may only be satisfied with a grubby hole-in-the-wall diner that really knows how to cook up some food. Below are a list of some that accomplish just that.

Sorella's

388 Centre St., Jamaican Plain

Sorella's houses probably one of the best breakfast choices in all of Boston. Aside from the traditional eggs, bacon and hashbrown dishes, Sorella's offers its own creations. Their omelets are huge, more than enough for one person, and creatively different from the norm - they really go all out with their ingredients. Also offered are probably the most variety of different kinds of pancakes that you've ever seen in one place! Gingerbread, pistachio, pumpkin, and coconut, just to name a few.

Along with the pros must come the cons. The staff usually seem to be off-standish and cranky, there is a long wait for a place to sit on the weekends, it's only open for breakfast and lunch, and only cash is accepted.

However, the taste and quality of the food is definitely worth it. On top of everything you'll probably only be spending about $4 - $7 for a meal.

South Street Diner

178 Kneeland St. (Waterfront, South Boston)

Boasting itself as "the only dining destination open all night in Boston," South Street Diner is a great place to come to for a midnight snack or hearty meal in the middle of the night after everything else closes. But the food and cheap prices make it a good place to come to any other time of day as well.

However, late night is what it's known for and seems to be most popular with the college students and late-night partiers. Service is great and the staff are very friendly. The initial impression of the building may be a bit off-putting, but isn't that what makes a good "greasy spoon"?

Mike's City Diner

1714 Washington St.

This typical old-fashioned diner has the basic huge breakfast and comfort food fare, but at great home-cooked quality. The food is cheap (under $10) and some meals, such as "The Emergency Room" are big enough to share with someone, unless you happen to have a huge appetite!

On the downside, the place is pretty small and gets really crowded really fast, it closes business at 3 PM, and only cash is accepted. But for the food quality and friendly (and humorous) service, it's well worth it.

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe

429 Columbus Ave.

Another old-fashioned Boston diner, Charlie's is a great breakfast and lunch spot featuring some of the city's best (and largest) omelets, and huge juicy burgers and fries that will leave your mouth watering.

As with every popular diner, the place can many times become very crowded, leaving a long wait at times. Although the price for food is more than reasonable, only cash is accepted. This one also closes early, at around 2 PM. But my biggest complaint, is that there are no restrooms for the customers!

In spite of the cons, the food and diner atmosphere more than make up for it.