A Cut Above the Usual Diner Fare

Like hundreds of other ‘50s-style diners spawned during the past decade, Lyndy’s Restaurant is a good place to get a juicy burger, fries and a Coke, along with a taste of nostalgia--all for a fair price.

But unlike most other culinary shrines to Marilyn, Elvis and James Dean, Lyndy’s offers a menu replete with alternatives to the usual diner fare.

If you’re not in a mood for a burger, hot dog or milkshake, and didn’t get enough of Thanksgiving dinner, Lyndy’s dishes up a turkey-and-stuffing meal as good as any. Turkey being a house specialty, it’s served any time of year, in the form of full dinners, sandwiches or pot pies--and, of course, always with the sounds of Chuck Berry and Fats Domino on the side.

Even if you walk in craving a burger with a slice of ‘50s flashback, be sure to peruse the daily specials. The revolving menu offers a wonderfully diverse selection of dishes, including red snapper, cabbage, enchiladas and potato pancakes. One can even order steak, shrimp and barbecue pork chops--all in the same meal, and for less than $8.

This also may be the only ‘50s diner where one can get a good Irish beer. Both Guinness stout and Harp ale (by the bottle) are always available.

The quirky diversity of Lyndy’s menu is representative of the evolution of the 30-year-old adjunct eatery to the motel of the same name.

Before undergoing the nostalgia face lift several years ago, Lyndy’s had been a family restaurant/coffee shop, serving many of the items that appear as specials today. With the ‘50s-style overmake came an expanded menu of burgers, fries and shakes.

And the burgers, by the way, are excellent. They start at $2.50, and any cheeseburger, bacon burger or other variation can be made a “Big Bopper”--with another patty added--for an extra $1.

Don’t be fooled by the red-sparkled upholstery and ‘50s artifacts that adorn the walls--the atmosphere, refreshingly, is more relaxed and unpretentious than trendy.

Lyndy’s Restaurant, 924 S. Beach Blvd. (at Ball Road), Anaheim. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (714) 761-0234.