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“Disappointing”

Ellen's Stardust Diner
Ranked #767 of 14,728 Restaurants in New York City
Price range: $27 - $35
Cuisines: American, Diner, Deli
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Restaurant details
Good for: Child-friendly
Dining options: Dinner, Lunch, After-hours, Breakfast, Delivery, Reservations, Takeout
Neighbourhood: Midtown
Description: Ellen's Stardust Diner is a retro 1950s theme restaurant located at 1650 Broadway on the southeast corner of 51st Street in Theater District, Manhattan, New York City. The diner is regarded as one of the best theme restaurants in New York. The 1950s-themed eatery is home to its singing waitstaff known as (”Stardusters”). Ellen’s Stardust Diner has since served as the launching pad for many of its waiters/vocalists who have gone on to success in Broadway musicals and touring companies, domestic & international. Our retro 1950s-themed diner is filled with nostalgic memorabilia including the famous “Miss Subways” gallery honoring the beauty queens of a bygone era.
Reviewed 31 October 2019 via mobile

Before our trip to New York we were told to visit this restaurant and so we were very excited when we finally made it to the top of a 30 minute queue. Initially we were surprised by the tired look of the restaurant, especially the toilets which were awful. All the staff looked like they would rather be anywhere else but serving.

The food was average quality and cold. We were uncomfortable when a bucket was passed around for staff tips because they banged the tambourine until you paid.

There was a set 20% charge on our bill and we were given our bill before the end of our meal as a clear hint to hurry up and leave.

On a positive note the singers were very good.

Date of visit: October 2019
3  Thank JeanH618
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Reviewed 31 October 2019 via mobile

My Family and I Recently Visited The STARDUST And my 2 Nieces enjoyed it very much. They have great food and service. THERE will be a long line to go in so its recommend to go early. Your waiter, actually all the waitstaff are aspiring broadway actors/singers so as soon as you walk in you will be given a show of their talents.They all sing and take turns singing and dancing while they wait tables. The kids and adults alike will love the show and singing along. Pretty cool. Any place that gives THEIR EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE TO FULFILL THEIR DREAMS WHILE WORKING HAS TO BE A GREAT PLACE.

Date of visit: October 2019
2  Thank salvadort744
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 31 October 2019

It has to be done!. Ellen’s Stardust Diner appears on the list of places to visit and eat in NYC and if talented servers belting out hits from the musicals whilst you eat is up your street join the queue for a table. We only waited around 20 minutes and were served really quickly once seated. The downside was that drinks were a similar price to food and the air conditioning where we were seated was a little too strong making it a slightly too chilly experience. However, we’d still recommend a visit for the experience alone.

Date of visit: October 2019
2  Thank Winnie228
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 31 October 2019

This restaurant was recommended to us but for us it was a big disappointment It isn't possible to book a table so we waited 2 hours in in the rain because we didn't want to disappoint my stepsons.

The place is really lively and I understand the staff are all Broadway actors, between jobs, so the singing is really good and all the songs are well known Broadway show songs.

The let down of this place is firstly the food - it is quite basic and poorly made. The burgers are okay but the fries are the curly ones and they are overcooked and oily. The second disappointment is the cleanliness of the place. Our table was broken and in the grove was months of old food where the table had not been cleaned property - very off putting.

I also do not agree with the staff being made to walk round the restaurant asking for contributions from the customers to help toward putting the staff through some type of drama training or something similar (I wasn't really listening). The food is not cheap and given the place is packed from the moment it opens it a bit much to be doing this.

We will not be going back.

Date of visit: December 2018
    • Value
    • Service
    • Food
2  Thank sallyj188
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 October 2019 via mobile

Not totally sure it was worth the wait, but it was one of the places where you just have to tick off and say you’ve been! Food was ok, but expensive for what it is. However, the staff were fun and their singing was great.
We went around 4pm and it was still 40 people deep in the line!

Date of visit: October 2019
3  Thank Claire O
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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