29 Diner

After spending all day checking out the cherry blossoms at the tidal basin, in Washington D.C., the Nomads were hungry. We arrived in the afternoon and we did not get back to our car until late; it was after 9pm. While in the Fairfax/Vienna Metro Station Parking, we fired up Yelp and began looking for nearby places that were still open and serving. Most of them closed at 10pm. We came across one called the 29 Diner. Decent reviews and supposed to be reasonable on price. That late at night and being hungry, we weren’t real picky.

We plugged the address into the GPS and away we went. In less than 10 minutes we pulled up to a building with no less than three neon open signs. It had an old classic diner look and feel from the outside that was only strengthened as we entered. You expected a server to come out named Flo. Well, no Flo but there was a Sheri. She was real outgoing, conversational and fun to be around.

We sat down to order and the menu had a wide variety of items. I looked over the shoulder of another guy who just ordered the special, ribs. Sheri told us it was “to die for.” It looked good so Noah and I ordered it. Mama Nomad ordered a Mac and Cheese Bacon Burger. Trevor got a Fried Egg and Bacon Burger. Then Ethan rounded it out with a Reuben.

I thought it was odd that Yelp had one dollar sign next to 29 Diner. However, the burgers were between $10 to $14. I would consider this to be a 2 or 3 dollar sign joint. That is, until the food came. I am not stretching the truth at all when I say that this was the biggest plate of ribs I had ever had! The burger was so big that you almost had to step on top of it to squash it down to an eatable size. And the sides were plentiful. I could not finish my meal and neither could Mama Nomad. Good thing we have bottomless pits for sons. They took care of the rest.

Another great addition to the place was the jukebox. It was old enough that it still played records. It seemed like it was from the 1950s or 1960s. It was not just a show piece. It actually worked. And, it was free to play the songs.

Quality of Food: 5   |   Service: 5   |   Price: 4   |   Overall Value: 5

The food was fantastic as far as taste. Sheri was not only an efficient server. But she kept the entire evening lively and jovial. Although the quantity of food received was well worth the price, it was just a tad on the higher side. However, the overall value of this place is a solid 5. If you are in the Washington D.C., Arlington, Fairfax area, I would recommend making a special trip to see Sheri at 29 Diner. Safe Travels.