Oh Eat Dirt: Big Nick's

Big Nick's Burger and Pizza Joint is one of the first restaurants I ate at when I moved to New York. This place is the ultimate diner experience. This Greek diner is open 24 hours and serves a smorgasbord of food. Literally, the menu is a small book. There is an index in the back of the menu, so you can easily sort of what you are in the mood for - whether it be burgers, pizza, breakfast or dessert.

When you enter Big Nick's be prepared to be immediately bombarded by the wait staff asking you how many are in your party. They don't waste any time, and are quickly shuffling you through the narrow space to your table and bringing you small glasses of water.

The menu can be overwhelming at first, but after going there once, you get the hang of it - just remember to use the index! I always get a slice of cheese pizza and a side of waffle fries. My pizza was crispy, hot and delicious, but I always wish there was more tomato sauce. The fries are always cooked well with a crispy spicy crunch on the outside and a soft hot potato center. That evening, my friends got the Big Nick's Special slice and a Monte Cristo sandwich. The pizza slice has chopped beef, onion, fresh garlic, mushroom, and a dash of curry on an extra thin crispy crust. Nick's Special slice is always a hit because it has the perfect combination of ingredients. The Monte Cristo sandwich has turkey, ham, and swiss cheese on challah bread dipped in a rich egg batter and cooked on the grill. All in all it was a complete greasefest and I don't know if that was a good thing, yet the plate was clean by the end of the meal. And even though neither one of my friends got a burger, it is actually a big reason why people go to Big Nick's. They have quite the selection. For a detail look of their menu click here.

Photo taken by Clark, J. Petty Officer 2nd Class of USN

Unlike the food, the service leaves much to be desired. A lot of times the wait staff is straight up huffy, but sometimes you are lucky enough to get one of the rare sweet waitresses. I figure it is just part of the atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, one of the best reasons to go to Big Nick's is just for looking. The walls are filled with autographed photos of old celebrities, as well as Big Nick's specials and sayings. The Three Stooges are always silently shown on a tv, while the Golden Oldies are playing in the background.