The Diner

How retro can you go diagonally across Chelsea? First there was Cafeteria on Seventh Avenue, then Diner 24 on Eighth Avenue, now The Diner on Ninth Avenue. But when creative design meets classic American head-on at the Meatpacking District border, keep your eyes open: The Diner gives other Johnny-come-latelys Pop Burger and Pizza Bar a run for the stylish money. The bar is sleek, and the fixtures transport us back to the soda fountains of yesteryear.
The Diner takes the breakfast anytime concept and typical diner fare (burgers, club and tuna sandwiches) one step beyond with lobster roll, chopped salad, chicken paillard and grilled pork tenderloin. So you can take the kids (spaghetti & meatballs) or the club kids (disco fries, mac & cheese) or even get that grilled Black Angus NY strip steak for less than half of what you'd pay at the nearby Old Homestead Steakhouse. And you'll probably get less attitude with your steak here as well.
Since The Diner just opened, we'd like to cut them some slack. After all, the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and greens was terrific, and the burgers thick and juicy, served with tasty fries. But we fear the staff is mimicking the TSA: totally standing around. Despite that we saw only seven other tables of patrons, it took 20 minutes to get a waiter and another 25 to get the food for a very simple order (indeed, we do keep time here at NYC.com). And although the appetizer arrived along with the main courses, compared to other nearby meatpacking restaurants, none of this is unusual.