Tick Tock Diner

  • November 2008 | 
  • 40,573 Views | 
  • 9 Favorites | 
  • 40 Visits | 
  • 3 Photos | 
  • 0 Eats | 
  • 17 Comments

281 Allwood Road, Clifton, New Jersey
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Tick Tock Diner in Clifton, NJ, is a beloved institution that was recently featured on the popular Food Network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" hosted by Guy Fieri. Located just off Route 3, the Tick Tock Diner has been serving up classic American comfort food for over 50 years, earning a reputation as one of the best diners in the state. The Tick Tock Diner's menu is packed with delicious options, from hearty breakfast plates and fluffy omelets to classic burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. Standout dishes include the diner's famous fried chicken, the juicy pork roll and cheese sandwich, and the creamy shrimp and crabmeat-stuffed flounder. But the real star of the show is the Tick Tock Diner's famous Disco Fries, a heaping plate of fries smothered in gravy and melted cheese. In addition to the delicious food, the Tick Tock Diner also offers a unique atmosphere that combines old-school charm with modern touches. The diner itself is a classic 1950s-style railcar, with a shiny exterior and a cozy interior. Inside, you'll find comfortable booths, a long counter with stools, and plenty of retro details like vintage signage and old-fashioned milkshake mixers. Despite its fame from the Food Network show, the Tick Tock Diner remains a true neighborhood spot, with a friendly and welcoming staff who know many of their regular customers by name. The diner is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it a popular destination for late-night diners, early-morning commuters, and everyone in between. Overall, the Tick Tock Diner in Clifton, NJ, is a must-visit destination for anyone who loves good food and a dose of nostalgia. Whether you're a fan of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" or just looking for a tasty meal in a unique setting, the Tick Tock Diner is sure to hit the spot.

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Restaurant Location

281 Allwood Road Clifton, NJ 07012
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Reviews (17)

  • Posted by Melanie R Mercado
    Point blank period this place is garbage
  • Posted by cstmhrly
    Avocado Turkey sandwich was big but fries were plain. The building is cool for a old school diner but the staff from the manager down seemed like they were in a prison assignment!
    Over all - a 3 out of a 10 needs work for a Triple D spot and I have been to better Triple D spots.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    I only gave this place a star because I could not publish my rating, otherwise, it would be a BIG FAT ZERO. The place was crowded and we waited 20 minutes for food after we ordered. I thought I was getting the Two Eggs Any Style with Corned Beef Hash for $7.49 (KEY WORDS ANY STYLE) and I ordered a corn beef hash omelette. I was never told that they ala carte you for something that's not on the menu. Their menu states that a three egg omelette is $5.99 without cheese and they charged me $7.99 plus $3.00 extra for corned beef hash with no cheese. When I questioned the bill, the manager felt he was doing us a big favor by taking off $1.50 for one of the coffees because that was equivalent to one egg (imagine that!!!!). The cost of the omelette still came out to be $9.49 for something that looked like a crepe with home fries (and no leftovers to take home). They didn't even give me the cheese I paid for. We could have gotten a 3 egg corned beef hash omelette (made with REAL CORNED BEEF) at Country Pancake House in Ridgewood, NJ for that price with two large pancakes that would be enough to feed two people plus leftovers. The waitress tried to go back to the manager, but he refused to do anything further. I feel it is bad business practice to send away an unsatisfied customer, but they did not care because the place was crowded and more people were coming in after 12:30AM as we were leaving. We even saw another manager on the way out and explained what happened and he pretty much dismissed us. I will be writing a letter to the Corporation and will be commenting on this place every chance I get (This is my first time writing a review for anything, but they pissed me off so bad, I felt I needed to put it out there). We stopped going there a long time ago, because of the food and this is the first time we have been back in this place in over 5 years. BIG MISTAKE TO GIVE IN AND GO BACK. We spent $40 for a Corned Beef Hash Omelette, another side of corned beef hash and a Chicken Parm dinner. If I have to spend $2.66 each for 3 eggs ($7.99 for the 3 egg omelette), I may as well go to Whole Foods and buy a dozen of ORGANIC eggs for $3.69 (which many of us look at as outrageous when you can get a dozen in the local food stores for $1.99), but just think of how much you spend for 3 eggs in a typical omelette (anyone ever do the math). I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS PLACE AGAIN. POOR MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WORK TOO HARD FOR MY MONEY TO BE TREATED AS SUCH. BAD BUSINESS TICK TOCK DINER!!!!!!!!!!
  • Posted by Anonymous
    Hey! it seems like Guy needs to make a surprise visit so someone can get the real truth on this dive.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    Phenomenal diner food, huge portions
  • Posted by Kelly Ann Kowalski
    I went here last year and I guess it was ok..... I think that had to many items on their menu to be good at anything... It was a diner- nothing to write home about. We went there because it was on the Food Network... I could see why people could think it was good because the area was full of chains. 
  • Posted by Anonymous
    HORRIBLE! That's how I would describe the food. The disco fries were nothing to dance about. The service S L O W! Don't waste your hard earned money on this stop!
  • Posted by Bob W
    Its a NJ institution -- I've been going there after concerts in the city or the Meadowlands since 1982 -- but the quality isn't what it used to be.  Nothing really to rave about these days.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    This is the worst diner I've been to in NJ! The first time I went, there was a long strand of hair in my food!
  • Posted by Anonymous
    Not worth your time or money. Poor quality food. I don't think this would be a place they would revisit.
  • Posted by Guest
    I grew up in Clifton and went to college in nearby Upper Montclair. The Tick Tock was a favorite late night hangout when I played in local bands. We'd finish playing a gig and come here for breakfast and coffee. It always amazes how Jersey diners can offer so many great food choices, and everything on the menu is very good. Nicely prepared and huge portions.  The place is always busy, so you try to hit it in the off hours to avoid a wait.
  • Posted by Anthony Messina
    Very rude coustomer service... the food is horrible.  Maybe they played up to Guy.. but in reality it is a big bust.. BAD SERVICE, MEDIOCRE FOOD.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    BAD FOOD, LOUSY SERVICE.. THUMBS DOWN.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    The food in this diner was not good.. maybe they kicked it up a noch when Guy came there.. but on a regular basis forget about it..thumbs down.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    The wraps are good but honestly anything else you eat there is just ordionary diner food, not really that good... I ordered chiken kiev dinner.. the soup was cold, the chicken kiev was pre made and partially frozen.  I gave it another chance and ordered a sirolin steak.. it was dry and over done the veggies were soggy.  really not a good diner at all..   Vito
  • Posted by Megan
    Subject: RUDE Customer Service Don't get me wrong the dinners Guy sampled did look good. We ate at the Tick Tock Diner with friends after travelling to New Jersey the night before to catch a show.  It was a getaway weekend so we wanted to look for fun places to eat.  We found the Tick Tock online and chose it based on the menu, a thumbs up from the Food Network, and it's supposed local fame.  My friend had a few good options to consider as far as what to order.  She finally decided on the potato pancakes (at $8 a plate) because that's something she really loves and after hearing what she had about the place she was excited to get them.  What she was served, however, was 4  suspiciously uniform glorified hashbrowns with a big glob of sour cream in the middle and a small (even for a condiment) sized applesauce.  She was disappointed to say the least.  Look, the rest of our food was pretty good and she quietly ate some accompaniments she had ordered and decided not to send them back. When we were finishing she did however decide to call over a manager-like gentleman and explained the difference between the experience she expected and the one she received. He basically stared at her with a blank - irritated look on his face and uttered a few comments aimed at dismissing her.  He quietly, but defensively, insisted that her take on the meal was wrong.  Knowing her, she probably would have been satisfied with a simple apology (which she never got.)    I realize that this is only a note on one of their menu choices, but it doesn't give me confidence in the rest of the menu, especially considering the lackluster, attitude-driven way this item was defended by the management. If I'm ever in the clifton, NJ area again, I'm going to avoid The Tick Tock Diner.
  • Posted by Anonymous
    niger

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