I had breakfast at the Tastee Diner this morning. I had a classic diner breakfast - an endless cup of coffee, scrambled eggs, scrapple, toast with purple jelly, and a waitress that calls you "Hon." There are jukeboxes on each formica topped table with songs like "My Way" by Frank Sinatra and "Stand by My Man" by Patsy Cline. It is exactly what you expect a diner to be and that is very comforting. Sometimes you just want two scrambled eggs rather than avocado toast - and that's when you go to the Tastee Diner.
The Tastee Diner is located in the Woodmont Triangle area across from the Starbucks and next to the new international headquarters for Marriott, so it has an ideal location. Word was that the Marriott people tried to buy the land from the owners of the Tastee Diner, but they wouldn't sell.
The Bethesda location of the Tastee Diner was originally located on Wisconsin Avenue when it opened in 1935. At that time, it consisted of an original dining car of six booths and counter stools. In 1950, the diner was moved to its current location on Woodmont Avenue and it was expanded in 1979 to its current size. This particular diner was built and designed by Jerry O'Mahoney. In 1935 it was considered the "Cadillac" of dining cars.
I remember going there after a sleep over with a class mate and her dad when we were still in middle school. I am sure by high school we would have been way too cool for her dad to take us to breakfast.
I know that both of my children had many late night snacks there after proms and dates since it is open 24 hours a day. Some food in your tummy always helps after a long evening of celebrating something or other.
Throughout all the changes that Bethesda has gone through - and is still going through - the Tastee Diner is still there. It is always there - open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, except Christmas! If you want scrapple or chipped beef gravy, a short stack (with or without blueberries or chocolate chips), BLTs or meat loaf, you want to go the Tastee Diner. It is just exactly what you want a diner to be.
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