Classic campus diner serves it all, all the time

The Philly Diner sits on the 3900 block of Walnut Street, across from the Walnut West branch of the Philadelphia Free Library.

You know the place.

It's open right now, serving everything on the menu.

No, really. Between 3 and 4 a.m., I ordered a plate of spaghetti, coffee, scrambled eggs and a sundae and got them all -- no surcharge, no waiting, no grumbling and everything seemed freshly made.

The Diner is something of a fixture on campus, especially for its late-night crowd -- long after the doors lock at Insomnia Cookies, you can still get a steak at the Diner.

Unfortunately, the Diner has gotten some bad publicity of late. William Hurt of Philadelphia was shot and killed there on Christmas -- an argument gone too far. But the Diner's no more dangerous than anywhere else, assuming that you don't scuffle with the armed.

So let me set the record straight. Because, really, it's about the food.

Of course, the fare at the Philly Diner is not what you would call a daintily prepared epicurean delight. It's for hungry people. You'll get bigger portions of most dishes than you might have thought, and while little may be spectacular, everything is solid. Some highlights:

n The French onion soup rivals many more expensive versions to be had elsewhere while ringing up at about two-thirds the price.

n The cajun fries are tasty, though some have said that the cajun seasoning ends up concentrated on just a few of the stack of fries. That's not terrible, though, because the regular fries are decent, too.

n The cheese blintzes are delicious. If you've never had one, it's like a rolled pancake stuffed with warm, slightly sweet cottage-cheese type stuff. Comes with a fruit topping if you like.

Just be sure to enunciate clearly when ordering; the Diner also serves rolled pancakes stuffed with fruit, and you might end up with that. Not that that's the worst thing in the world.

It bears mentioning that the omelette menu is almost identical to that of the International House of Pancakes; the breakfast connoisseurs among you may recognize many of the options.

The Diner's speakers are consistently playing easy-listening music, sometimes with a seasonal theme, especially around the holidays.

It can be very crowded, even at extremely odd hours, and almost empty at other times. A satisfactory explanation has yet to be offered.

No one says you have to wait to be seated, but it's recommended. If you just walk in and sit, the staff may not realize you're there for some time, and the service is unlikely to wow you with its swiftness.

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