Tom's Restaurant (the Seinfeld Diner)

For all you Seinfeld fans visiting New York City:

The "Seinfeld Diner" is found at 113th and Broadway. It is named "Tom's Restaurant" in reality, and bears little similarity to the TV diner once you are inside. It is basically a college kid hangout for Columbia College / Barnard College students.

The neighborhood is safe (but don't wander too far East or North). Take the #1 or #9 trains to 110th and Bdwy and walk.

Enjoy (if Betty still works there, say hello for me)

This is one of the few annoying things about the show for me. Every time I see the shot of Tom's Restaurant, followed by the totally foreign interior, it irks me. Having attended Columbia, I'm very familiar with the real Tom's, including the read-headed waitress from about the 16th century who called everybody "Honey" (don't know if she's still there now). It's a very funky interior... not the polished yuppy interior they actually use. I don't know why they couldn't have just gone with it (and the redheaded waitress).

Incidentally, in some of the indoor scenes you can read the name of the restaurant backwards through one of the windows. It escapes me right now... "something cafe" I think... anybody else notice this and remember what it is?

Another point about Tom's: it's the restaurant that Suzanne Vega sings about in her song, which I think is titled "Tom's Restaurant." The "bells of the cathedral" in the lyric refers to the bells of St. John the Divine, which is one block away. I guess she frequented the place when she attended Barnard College.

   It's titled "Tom's Diner" and it's on the album Solitude Standing.
   There's a neat (as mixes go) version of the song by an English dance
   group called DNA.  Suzanne was said to like it so much that it inspired
   here more "techno" new album.

Actually, there is an entire ALBUM dedicated to different mixes of the song. As I remember, "Tom's Diner" had only a vocal track, no music. Therefore, many people took it upon themselves to write their OWN music. WOW, there is an ENTIRE album of songs dedicated to the Seinfeld Restaurant.

In article [email] writes:

I think on the Solitude Standing album where Tom's Diner originally appeared (thanks to the middle poster for identifying it), the song appears twice: once with an accompaniment that I recall as having lots of strings, and once a capella.

Actually, "Tom's Diner" is sung a capella at the beginning of the album. "Tom's Diner (Reprise)" is an instrumental at the end. (Maybe some "da da da da's" from Suzanne. I don't have the album, just the sheet music!)

The amazing thing is, this song would be great for the Seinfeld show, it's about nothing. Check out the lyrics. Sound like a Seinfeld episode?

"Tom's Diner", music and lyrics by Suzanne Vega (Copyright 1987 AGF Music Ltd. & Waifersongs Ltd.)

I am sitting in the morning at the diner on the corner. I am waiting at the counter for the man to pour the coffee. And he fills it only halfway, and before I even argue, he is looking out the window at somebody coming in.

"It is always nice to see you," says the man behind the counter to the woman who has come in. She is shaking her umbrella. And I look the other way as they are kissing their hellos, and I'm pretending not to see them and instead I pour the milk.

I open up the paper; there's a story of an actor who had died while he was drinking. It was no one I had heard of. And I'm turning to the horoscope and looking for the funnies when I'm feeling someone watching me and so I raise my head.

There's a woman on the outside looking inside. Does she see me? No, she does not really see me, 'cause she sees her own reflection. And I'm trying not to notice that she's hitching up her skirt. And while she's straightening her stockings, her hair has gotten wet.

Oh, this rain, it will continue through the morning. As I'm list'ning to the bells of the cathedral, I am thinking of your voice and of the midnight picnic once upon a time before the rain began.

And I finish up my coffee, and it's time to catch the train. Da da |: da da da da da da da da da da da da da da. Da da :| (Repeat and fade) :end of song

I love good lyrics about nothing. (Was George her manager?)

By the way, Suzanne Vega's first album (self titled) was excellent. Much better than anything she's done since, IMO. (Haven't heard much of the new "techno sound, yet.)

-Disclaimer: This was reprinted for the free enjoyment (or boredom) of the newgroup. I consider this the same as playing the CD over the radio, only the net isn't multi-media yet! If someone tries to sue me - don't bother. I'm not worth it!

I don't think the Reprise has any Suzanne on it at all. I loved the a capella version; her voice alone is a beautiful instrument. The Reprise instrumental is so-so, but the DNA (?) techno version is TOTAL CRAP! And Suzanne liked it?! My opinion of her is lowered by her liking it. (I'm sure she cares what I think... :-)

The Seinfeld fans must be getting bored of this. Is there an alt.fan.suzanne-vega newsgroup?

Andrew.

In [email] writes:

Wild! I used to live on this same street (110th) as Tom's when I attended Columbia. It is located at 110th and Broadway. And about the album, one of my best friends (from high school in Phoenix and still) wrote/performed/produced one of the songs on the album. It is the parody song about "I Dream of Jeannie" to the tune of the remixed Tom's Diner. I also love Sienfeld.

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND.

Correction: 112th & Broadway, northeast corner.

I was nearly going crazy trying to remember where the "restaurant" was that kept showing up on the show. I've lived in NYC for 5 years off and on, in a number of neighborhoods, and I just couldn't place it, until they panned down the street one day and showed the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Bingo! Tom's!

I used to live at 114th and Broadway, and can attest to the dining pleasure that is Tom's. It's a real New York diner, with good cheap fast food and service. The inside will not remind you of Seinfeld in any way; but, it may bring back memories of the old John Belushi Saturday Night Live skit ("Cheeboogy, cheeboogy. Pepsi, no Coke!"). Monday night is the best, for the Pot Roast special, complete with bread and butter, salad, choice of potato, and vegetable, for around five bucks. Or, start with a bowl of the fantastic vegetable soup and follow with an order of bacon, corn fritters, and apple sauce! (On second thought, maybe that's Tuesday night? Call ahead!)

Incidently, Tom's is on the Northeast corner of 112th and Broadway. Don't confuse it with the College Inn, which is closer to 113th, and can't compare in terms of quality of food. I also wouldn't characterize it as a college hangout, as at least half of the clientele are just old neighborhood folks. It's definitely worth a visit for a truly hype-free and inexpensive New York experience for all serious Seinfeld fans. Be sure to check out the cathedral while you're there. And if you're REALLY lucky, you might have a neat subway experience as well!

Robert