The Usual

I don't think has been asked yet, so here goes... what's going on with The Usual? Are they just remodeling? Closing? I was worried when I saw the sign being taken down yesterday.

My husband noticed this over the weekend. I forget where I read this, but I think they're closing. I think the building was sold.

say it isn't so?!?!

I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

WhyFi wrote: I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Same here. Double drat!

Carnivore wrote: [quote=WhyFi]I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Same here. Double drat!

Triple drat.

BrookFetish wrote: [quote=Carnivore][quote=WhyFi]I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Same here. Double drat!

Triple drat.

you didn't miss much. think Tom's about 10-20 cents cheaper per item minus the atmosphere. it lacked the Tom's line, on one hand, but any wait was too long, on the other, since the place had 5 or 6 tables. if you need a greasy breakfast and can't wait at Tom's, just head to Carneviento, or Nick's.

alafairnadia wrote: you didn't miss much. think Tom's about 10-20 cents cheaper per item minus the atmosphere. it lacked the Tom's line, on one hand, but any wait was too long, on the other, since the place had 5 or 6 tables. if you need a greasy breakfast and can't wait at Tom's, just head to Carneviento, or Nick's.

Yeah but... well, I never got to have the folowing exchange with my wife -

"Where you goin'?"
"Oh... The Usual."

That was the most appealing part!!!

They're just closing for renovations. Husband and I ate breakfast there two weekends ago. The owner said they were partnering with someone new and looking to offer an expanded dinner menu.

geezee wrote: They're just closing for renovations. Husband and I ate breakfast there two weekends ago. The owner said they were partnering with someone new and looking to offer an expanded dinner menu.

agreed - the owner told me and my husband the same. they are renovating the interior and updating the menu. we like the place - a good, quick breakfast, and the owners and employees couldn't be nicer.

cyn707 wrote: [quote=geezee]They're just closing for renovations. Husband and I ate breakfast there two weekends ago. The owner said they were partnering with someone new and looking to offer an expanded dinner menu.

agreed - the owner told me and my husband the same. they are renovating the interior and updating the menu. we like the place - a good, quick breakfast, and the owners and employees couldn't be nicer.

oh good... while the food might not be as good as tom's, it's my alternative for a cheap quick breakfast. the owners are fantastic.

Good news! We like it a lot for a low-key brunch. They are very friendly.

Thank god they're not closing. Good food, good service, and none of the crowds and annoying people you get at Tom's.

Yea, I have to say I'm glad their not closing either - I'm also glad though that they've decided to update - of course that probably means an increase in prices, but... my husband LOVES their french toast. He was crushed this past weekend. Maybe I could have made him some...hmmm, didn't think about that at the time.

I have to say, Too bad they're not closing. Every time I've gone there, I've had shitty, surly service. Drinks slammed down on the table. Inattentive waitresses. Rotten, moldy ketchup. And let's not forget about the time I forgot a water bottle at the restaurant. I had this classic exchange with an employee:

"Excuse me, sir. But I left my Nalgene water bottle here."

"How do you know?"

"I had it when I walked in, then I didn't."

"Someone could've stolen it."

"Why would someone steal my used water bottle?"

"They steal lots of things here."

"Could you at least look?"

"No. You didn't leave it here."

No more business from me.

JoshB wrote: I have to say, Too bad they're not closing. Every time I've gone there, I've had shitty, surly service. Drinks slammed down on the table. Inattentive waitresses. Rotten, moldy ketchup. And let's not forget about the time I forgot a water bottle at the restaurant. I had this classic exchange with an employee:

"Excuse me, sir. But I left my Nalgene water bottle here."

"How do you know?"

"I had it when I walked in, then I didn't."

"Someone could've stolen it."

"Why would someone steal my used water bottle?"

"They steal lots of things here."

"Could you at least look?"

"No. You didn't leave it here."

No more business from me.

LOL! that's hilarious! (I mean, sucks for you, and yes, it would make me not return to a place, but still. hilarious. that's one paranoid freak.)

Subject: didn't miss much?

wrong wrong wrong
what they've missed is the friendliest, neighborliest (i like making up words) service in the entire area: Viva The Usual

alafairnadia wrote: [quote=BrookFetish][quote=Carnivore][quote=WhyFi]I've never eaten at the place, but I'd always intended to... drat.

Same here. Double drat!

Triple drat.

you didn't miss much. think Tom's about 10-20 cents cheaper per item minus the atmosphere. it lacked the Tom's line, on one hand, but any wait was too long, on the other, since the place had 5 or 6 tables. if you need a greasy breakfast and can't wait at Tom's, just head to Carneviento, or Nick's.

JoshB wrote: I have to say, Too bad they're not closing. Every time I've gone there, I've had shitty, surly service. Drinks slammed down on the table. Inattentive waitresses. Rotten, moldy ketchup. And let's not forget about the time I forgot a water bottle at the restaurant. I had this classic exchange with an employee:

"Excuse me, sir. But I left my Nalgene water bottle here."

"How do you know?"

"I had it when I walked in, then I didn't."

"Someone could've stolen it."

"Why would someone steal my used water bottle?"

"They steal lots of things here."

"Could you at least look?"

"No. You didn't leave it here."

No more business from me.

Subject: Re-modeling Again?

They shut down for about a month and a half 2 summers ago to remodel, at the time the owners Mike and John said they were hoping to create a dinner menu. I guess this is attempt #2. And this place is much better than Tom's--no wait, better food, and more neighborhood character--Tom's is just a scene now.

you must have projected something to get that tude back...

Uh, you mean asking if they saw my water bottle. Wow, I never knew a customer asking a question could be perceived as a paranoid threat. I must've read the wrong customer-service manual.

the usual is a great spot and the food is much better than Toms. I live closer to Toms and have been going there for years and the food keeps getting more and more generic. Pretty soon it will be the same caliber as McDonalds... The usual is a true mom and pop without the commercial character that tom's has adopted.

I like Nick's...if only for the price.

Thank god they're not closing spoken here. It wouldn't feel like PH if they weren't here. What would be the point of going on?

Subject: Re: Re-modeling Again?

dadler21 wrote: They shut down for about a month and a half 2 summers ago to remodel, at the time the owners Mike and John said they were hoping to create a dinner menu. I guess this is attempt #2. And this place is much better than Tom's--no wait, better food, and more neighborhood character--Tom's is just a scene now.

i still think of it as "George's," which is what it was called until this last renovation. dinner would be great, but i sure hope they don't clean it up too much. i love all the grease, the frantic work behind the counter during the morning rush, the slamming for the water glasses on the tables...

I love both Tom's and The Usual, and the best part is that I never have to choose between them - Tom's gets Saturdays, The Usual gets Sundays. That way, nobody gets jealous.

Eat them up yum!

the usual is one of my very most very most very most favorite things about living here. i love those guys, i love the other people who work there (i won't claim anything about the water bottle story, but since i have a hard time imagining any of the folks i know there acting like that, i hope whoever that was is gone), i like the cheap, decent food, i like the neighborly conversation....i just LIKE it. a lot.

also, mike was one of the very first people to welcome me to the neighborhood. i was there my first week in town, and he gave me his card and said "if you ever get lost, don't be stupid. call me or my brother, and we'll tell you how to get home from wherever you are."

i am surprised that they're thinking of adding more dinner. mike had told me that they had started closing early (earlier than george's) not because they weren't making money but because they missed time with the family, especially johnny's kids. on the other hand, i think the boys do whatever they think will be fun to do, so maybe they think dinner will be fun....

oh, and if you want to here about ph back in the day, there is a regular named moses who will tell you marvelous stories....

man i love that place.

The cooking area and all the decorations and seat are gone...just walked by there tonight. And it looks like new drywall is going up on the walls.

They had a nice vibe; good enough breakfast food. True Tom's is less expensive but always more crowded.

Hillyer Junkie wrote: The cooking area and all the decorations and seat are gone...just walked by there tonight. And it looks like new drywall is going up on the walls.

They had a nice vibe; good enough breakfast food. True Tom's is less expensive but always more crowded.

If anyhting Tom's is pricier than Georges. What you spend $5 at Tom's you can get 1 1/2 times as much at The Usual. However, I like both. The service at both is quite friendly.

I'm glad to hear they are remodeling and putting up some new drywall -- I haven't been back since I had breakfast there with a roach crawling next to me on the wall...

I've got to weigh in with some props for the Usual. Its everything you want in a low - key neighborhood joint. Toms is great too, but it can feel a bit over the top sometimes.

BTW, WTF is a Nalgene water and why is it worth going back for? Couldn't you have justp picked up a new one at the newstand?

Duke of Flatbush wrote: BTW, WTF is a Nalgene water and why is it worth going back for? Couldn't you have justp picked up a new one at the newstand?

It's not the water, it's the bottle.