With shiny booths and a Tex-Mex twang, Kellogg's Diner is so back - Review - New York - The Infatuation

"An all-night anchor on the corner of Metropolitan and Union since 1926, Kellogg’s was, in recent years, most famous for that one scene in Girls. After going bankrupt and closing in 2023, the post-party, pre-dawn-shift diner—with booths where relationships might have broken or formed over under-salted eggs—has returned with a glow-up from the same team that spruced up Old John’s. Kellogg’s still looks and feels like a diner—just the movie set version, with shiny chrome trim and beige-pink booths. But it checks off all the more important diner boxes too. It's open 24 hours, and worth a visit during any of them. Sure, there’s orange wine, and the menu, sprinkled with solid Tex-Mex and even better Southern food, is more ambitious than your average steak-and-eggs joint. Yet it’s all warm and homey and, for a fancy diner, reasonably priced. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Whether you’re here for a brunch of patty melts and screwdrivers, or a date-night cocktail topped with a torched marshmallow, Kellogg’s is also a good time. And it's a little bit of a scene—especially late at night, when the soft rock and pop hits switch over to dance music, servers trade fist bumps with diners, and couples cuddle up (even take bench naps) in the back room. At the bar, people in short shorts and pink cowboy hats sink their teeth into saucy ribs, while kids—up way past their bedtimes—wiggle around in booths, scribbling on placemats with drawings of classic Williamsburg businesses. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Sonal Shah photo credit: Sonal Shah photo credit: Sonal Shah Pause Unmute The portions on those mats are appropriately huge, but factor in that you will be getting dessert—even if you ordered french toast for the table. The passion fruit tart alone is worth a trip here, and the Jell-O-topped pretzel salad is a trip (to the 1950s). Like any good diner, Kellogg’s menu is long enough that there will inevitably be some misses. Sometimes the yolks aren’t perfectly runny, or the chicken wings won’t be very crisp. But then, like any good diner, there are also so many reasons to come back. Food Rundown Dessert It’s a diner. You’re allowed to eat pie only, or even pie first. One of our recurring fantasies is to order every single dessert here, including the old-fashioned sundaes with thick housemade ice cream that’s scooped out from behind a counter, sometimes by a person wearing a bandana. Our top pick though is the sharp passionfruit curd tart on a moist but crumbly graham base, topped with meringue and a powdering of Tajín. Take home a big slice of the chocolate cake infused with chicory coffee for later. photo credit: Kate Previte Flat Nachos It feels almost obligatory to get nachos as a starter here (though we personally like the fried pickles with ranch even more). Unless you’re really in the mood for queso, pick these flat nachos over the “tall” ones. These are topped with a few cubes of juicy charred steak, and pickled jalapaños that will spoil the jarred version for you forever. Best of all, they don’t get soggy. photo credit: Kate Previte Baby Back Ribs If you want a hearty but still somewhat balanced plate of food, this is the one to get. The ribs are tender and saucy, the potato salad has a nice mustard-vinegar kick, and the braised collard greens are special—the bite you’ll find yourself returning to most often. photo credit: Kate Previte Guajillo Short Rib Hash A sleeper breakfast hit that works equally well for dinner. For $15, this is a very satisfying bowl of hash, rounded out with sweet potatoes, cotija, a fried egg, and the pickled red onion you’ll find sprinkled over much of the food here. photo credit: Kate Previte Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit The kind of thing that really hits when you stumble in at 3am: over-the-top, sweet and savory, and a hunk of fried chicken stuffed between a buttermilk biscuit of perfect density. photo credit: Kate Previte Texas French Toast Our pick of the more traditional pancake/waffle/french toast offerings, this one is the least traditional. The thick bread is deep-fried, with a crunchy, cornflake-like crust. It’s served with seasonal jam, syrup, and whipped cream cheese, and if you want to be really extra, you can add bacon. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Sonal Shah