The 100-Year-Old Diner In Brooklyn That Never Closes

When it comes to restaurants, there's just something about the classic American diner. Sure, it's the nostalgia, but it's also the food, the history in many cases, and the servers — many of which approach hospitality with the mindset of never having met a stranger. It's a welcoming environment that screams delicious old-school American diner food.

Nowhere is that more the case than Kellogg's Diner in Brooklyn – one of the spots we recommend to try out if you only have 24 hours in New York. The diner originally opened in 1928 at the corner of Metropolitan and Union in the Williamsburg, Brooklyn – where it still is today. The diner stays open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving items like pancakes, waffles, omelets, sandwiches, wings, and fries. You could order breakfast at any time of the day.

In 2023, Kellogg's fell on hard times and was in danger of closing until New York restaurateur Louis Skibar purchased the diner to give it a second life. He hired local New York City chef Jackie Carnesi to take over the kitchen, cut back on some of the diner's 200 menu items, and modernize the restaurant to appeal to both older and younger locals.

While Kellogg's diner still has "diner" in its name, it now certainly resembles more of an upscale-yet-approachable restaurant than a greasy spoon that might come to mind when you think of some American diners. Chef Jackie Carnesi incorporated some of her Texas heritage into the menu, offering Tex-Mex items like guajillo braised short rib hash, chilaquiles verdes, enchiladas suizas, stuffed poblanos, and more.

With those additions, you'll still find many diner staples as well – eggs, sweet-savory chicken and waffles, fried chicken, steak and eggs, chicken fried steak, burgers, and patty melts, just to name a few. Kellogg's still incorporates the old-school diner counter for customers who enjoy the barstool experience with a nice coffee or cocktail. The diner goes next level as well, with its menu changing throughout the day. In all, Kellogg's has several different menus: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night. Needless to say, it has a little something for everyone, no matter the time of the day ... or night.

Some long-existing restaurants can get away with hardly ever making changes to the interior or the menu — maybe that's what their customers want. But Kellogg's Diner hasn't been afraid to change things around and, at least for now, those changes seem to be working. That only goes to show that maybe a nearly 100-year-old diner can learn new tricks.