Singing Waiters, Oh My!

If you ever want to go to a fun, family restauraunt, Ellen's Stardust Diner is the place to go.  Located on the corner of 51st and Broadway (my office is convienenetly right next door), this New York Broadway diner is famous for their singing wait staff along with their retro 1950s theme.

 

The diner is named and owned by Ellen Hart, a former Misss Subway back in the 1950s.  "Miss Subway" was a beauty compeition that was held for more than 3 decades, but ended in the 70s.   The winners were featured on Subway trains, and back in the day, riding the subway was considered a luxury where people dressed up.  Below is a great and interesting video which talks about the story of Miss Subway and features Ellen Hart, owner of Ellen's Stardust Diner.

Ellen Hart has photos of all the Miss Subways that won from decades ago featured all over the diner.  The singing wait staff is also dressed up in 50s attire.  It's a great place to go back in time and relive that era!  If you check out their website, you can get a feel of the atmosphere and what Ms. Subway is all about.

Check out the main website:
  Ellen's Stardust Diner

The website features a bunch of articles regarding "Miss Subway" events, as well as photos of the singing waiters.  This diner is not just any restaurant, it's a unique and famous tourist destination.
 

The restaurant itself is known for it's fun energitic atmosphere, not so much the food.  It's your basic American-style food, but nothing out of this world.  I came across a food blog that mentions Ellen's Stardust diner and the blogger's experiences with it.

Adventures of the Foodaholic

The blogger, named Maria, also describes the food and the atmosphoere.  It's a wonderful place for Tourists, but not if you want to eat the best of the best.  You go more for the environment and the singing, not the quality of food.  I personally think they are a bit overpriced, but the salads and burgers are pretty good!

 All of the waiters are aspiring actors, hoping to catch their big break if an agent or manager happens to discover them. Since it is located in the heart of the theater district, is the perfect place for actor's to work! My boss, who is a booking agent, sometimes goes down to the diner if she needs to find a singer for an event we may have. It's essentially a showcase for actor's and at the same time a way for them to make a few bucks.

 

However, if you don't like singing, this probably isn't the place for you!  Check it out, it's a really fun restaurant to be in!