Nickel Diner Adds Dinner (Again)
Ed Fuentes
Los Angeles Magazine named the Nickel Diner the city's third best new restaurant for 2008.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Nickel Diner has added a dinner menu... again.
Downtowners may recall the Nickel previously served dinner a couple months back. Owners Kristen Trattner and Monica May say they had to stop due to unhappiness with the team they had assembled at the time.
The diner is starting up with a fresh dinner crew and relying on word of mouth for the next week or so as they get into the flow of the new schedule. Dinner hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 6-11pm. (Breakfast and lunch served Tuesday through Sunday from 8am-3pm.)
The dinner menu is the same as before, including the double stuffed chicken, simply salmon and some of the lunchtime favorites such as the lowrider burger and the "smac and cheese." Always leave room for dessert, as pastry chef Sharlena is still baking up those legendary desserts.
Lee on March 25, 2009, at 09:22AM – #1
Putting the blame on someone else. Lame.
Ankur on March 25, 2009, at 10:25AM – #2
I feel like all of wanted to support the place so badly, and for some reason they cant just make it work.
I dont get it. They gotten amazing press too.
Not Ankur on March 25, 2009, at 10:51AM – #3
So tell me, what great or amazing thing have any of you done lately? How many people, egos, schedules and demands have you balanced successfully. No, you just sit inside your little bubble and complain. That's lame.
Russell Brown on March 25, 2009, at 11:45AM – #4
Just a reminder, running a kitchen takes cooks who show up daily and WORK. I realize many folks think that just sitting in a seat, food magically appears.
Had dinner there a few times, and Monica and Kristen were covering the kitchen because their 3rd set of cooks had flaked out.
We all know they will be successful, but a great amount of work of a business is built incrementally- just as any built structure adds floors and decorations.
Best of luck to a great community diner.
Jonathan on March 25, 2009, at 04:20PM – #5
how is it that anyone is flaking out on a job right now? unemployment is over 10% and people arent showing up to work? i dont understand people...when i read this, the first thing that comes to mind, is great, theres another LA family that is living off of MY PAYCHECK. Instead of feeding me, im going to be feeding them.
thats lame.
Ankur on March 25, 2009, at 04:57PM – #6
Not Ankur;
Dude, its been this way for a while. I get it, its a mom and pop kinda place. Cool.
But they are loosing tons of business not being open at night - 95% time I would visit the place.
yeah, i heart the place.
What do you prefer? on March 25, 2009, at 08:25PM – #7
Do you prefer a restaurant that knows that it's not capable of operating at dinner or do you prefer a restaurant that tries to wing it and give you shitty food and service?
I respect those who hold off until they have their shit together.
Remember the fiasco that was MODE?
A word to 5 Diner: Can we get proper menus? Since the opening, the menus look like placemats, which is fine if they stay on the table and are tossed out after we slop all over them. But its not the best way to start a meal to be handed a soiled paper menu when you've done a great job making everything else look great.
Greg Kr on March 26, 2009, at 05:02AM – #8
Its good to know youll always be there for us Jonathan!
George Saunders on March 26, 2009, at 04:27PM – #9
Thanks for posting about the new dinner hours...
I went to Nickel Diner last night and had the Pozole soup, and the Catfish and it was great...!
J. on March 27, 2009, at 08:20AM – #10
I also went to Nickel Diner last night and thoroughly enjoyed everything. I've only had their breakfast items before, so I really enjoyed my veggie sandwich, amazing fries, and red velvet cake.
The service was great, and overall, kudos! Glad to see more dinner choices around here.
Don Garza on March 27, 2009, at 05:04PM – #11
Come on folks, let's be honest. The real reason is that the nickel diner got very popular due to the amount of press and it is now just way too small. We may have to get some of that stimulus money to expand it. My opinion....I dread going because of the amount of people that show up for dinner...they ran out of soda and pies when I went to dinner there the last time....or maybe I may need to get my food handlers license and wash dishes I am cheap...
Michael McWilliams on March 28, 2009, at 01:48PM – #12
Congrats Nickel Diner! - As a fellow downtown business I understand how hard it is to serve such a diverse crowd, especially in the midst of a recession. I applaud their effort in maintaining a high level of standards and look forward to the new dinner hours!
Tony Villar on March 31, 2009, at 10:29AM – #13
Give up Nickel. The fact that you guys have such bad judgement that you can't assemble a professional and reliable crew speaks volumes of your ability to manage a real operation. Your service sucks, your attitudes suck, your employees suck, and your management sucks. Worst of all, your rancid old breakfast potatoes suck. Half the comments on this comment thread are positive (suspiciously positive) and are obviously posted by people who manage or own Nickel or have been urged by Nickel owners and managers to "put in the good word and spin a positive message." However, half the comments are pretty negative, which should be evidence enough for intuitive people that the Nickel is a sinking ship.
Caryn Ho on March 31, 2009, at 11:54AM – #14
I finally got to eat there and had one of the best breakfast's every. Even the coffee was faulous and the people who worked there, especially Barry, were very pleasant. Can't wait to try lunch and dinner. I'm sure it will be just as great. Glad to have them close to my home.
Bert Green on March 31, 2009, at 11:56AM – #15
Wow, the Mayor hates the Nickel? That's sure to drive it out of business.
Veronica M. on March 31, 2009, at 08:45PM – #16
Congrats Nickel! Best of luck on your dinner hours, and I hope its as delicious as your breakfast/lunch menu!
Julie Jamerson on April 01, 2009, at 09:42AM – #17
My girlfriend and I went to the Nickel Diner last week for dinner and as always, were completely impressed. The meal were delicious, the staff was fantastic, and the atmosphere was just as pleasant as ever. I would highly recommend this place to a friend or stranger. Be sure and check it out!
Oscar on April 01, 2009, at 01:46PM – #18
I've gone there 4 times just to find it closed ALL 4 times, in the afternoon and sunday, where the F do you think you live, Europe? F' em I'm not going there EVER again.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on April 01, 2009, at 03:16PM – #19
Oscar: Perhaps you ought to consult the hours more closely ahead of time? The Nickel is closed 3:30 - 6pm between lunch and dinner, and isn't open for dinner on Sundays.
Cindy Yu on April 01, 2009, at 04:13PM – #20
I found hairs in my food. Gross....
Oscar on April 02, 2009, at 01:31AM – #21
Eric, perhaps I will NEVER EVER EVER try to get back there. 4 F'in times, are you kidding me? And now even less after cindy found hair in her food, double Yuck!
But I hopefully will also get my other message across, why do restaurants have to close from 3-5 (average) don't they know that there is actual people living here now or are they all European? It's not only the office people around anymore, and if you are only catering to them, well F U! open your business by flower and/or Figueroa... yes, DOUBLE YUCK!
downtown on April 02, 2009, at 04:30PM – #22
the great thing about on line commentary is that true or false, real or imagined, an opinion is like an a*hole.Everyone's got one.
Dave Bullock (@eecue) on April 02, 2009, at 07:02PM – #23
i just want to note that i love the nickel. deserts are amazing. haven't tried dinner yet, but most certainly plan to. had about 10 lunches there and 2 or 3 breakfasts. good stuff.
Greg Kr on April 03, 2009, at 12:55AM – #24
Oscar that is so funny the things you write. Anyway, I havent eaten there in a long time but Ive always liked it. I will always think of Cindy though now in the future.
Bart on April 06, 2009, at 05:09PM – #25
I wanted to like it, but it's not very good. And being shut in the afternoon is just foolish. I think it got over-hyped, and couldn't cope with the first influx of customers.
Pamela Rouse (@) on April 07, 2009, at 04:10AM – #26
It's only closed for about 2+ hrs while shift change occurs. They are closed in the late afternoon when one might expect a bit less traffic. Many restuarants around downtown do this, I don't see it as a serious issue. The Nickel is owned and operated by Downtown neighbors who have lived in the community for some time and have had experience with the restaurant biz. The hours must work for them I can only assume so I don't find fault with anyone that does this.
Dopple on April 07, 2009, at 02:55PM – #27
Closing between lunch and dinner is a common practice around the world, despite being inconvenient when you want to eat between 3 and 5 or so.
Downtown is populated by many people who don't have traditional schedules and it would be nice if Nickel stayed open to accommodate them. Hardly any restaurant downtown offers a consistently good meal, except for the Japanese over in Little Tokyo. The Nickel does a fairly good job most of the time, but yeah, they falter occasionally too. We still need to support them and support them enthusiastically, because if they fold, we're really fucked. Do you want to eat with the Ann Taylor crown at Pete's?
Anyone remember Gorkys in the 80s over on 8th Street near Wall? There was a great, fun Russian brewery / restaurant open around the clock, decades before the gentrification sweep of mediocrity that's befallen downtown.
eva on April 08, 2009, at 10:48AM – #28
I loved Gorky's! Wish it was still there... I do think, however, that even that was part of a "first wave" of gentrification/change here in the downtown of the 80's. Although the cast of characters seemed more interesting then...
Susan on April 28, 2009, at 05:52PM – #29
Even though most of westsiders coming downtown are happy to bend over to the gentrifaction of skid row, I as a local moved down here for a reason. I love the Nickel for all the reasons the new elite snobs hate it, in fact I hope you stop coming in and leave it to the rest of us who dont like the hospital cafiteria aesthetic.
Stop Ranting on April 29, 2009, at 10:05AM – #30
As a downtown resident and business owner (and not affiliated with the Nickel), I am shocked with the selfish comments, specifically with the likes of Oscar.
ANY business that invests in downtown should be cherished and thanked. Unless they maliciously attempt to harm, you should not freely spew this harmful and negative tone. If you are not interested or don’t like business – fine – just don’t go. These attacking comments are just not necessary and do not help to attract more businesses to come and invest in our community. To say the Nickel sucks is just false. They are not perfect. But I’ve enjoyed every meal that I’ve had there. How can you expect them to be perfect if you can’t even read a sign that shows the hours of being open? It’s not that difficult. If it happens once, then call before you go.
These business owners work very hard to provide us with entertainment and amenities that we desperately NEED. Yes, they need to earn your business and provide a good product or service. But give them a bit of credit and respect. They do want our feedback, but please make it constructive and not malicious. Some of these comments look like a 2 year old stomping their feet, crying to mommy for an extra cookie.
This negative tone is another example of how “spoiled” and “entitled” we are. As much as downtown has a strong community with such great people, we have a large group of haters who love to complain about everything. What’s your contribution to downtown? You live here? You work here? Big deal. Just because you live here, does it mean it gives you the right to act childish and complain? Why don’t you get off your lazy a** and start your own business and see what you can do better. Otherwise, stop spewing on your computer, walk up to the business owner and give some real and constructive suggestions for improvement. They will be happy to hear it in person and to see that you have something to say.