The Charming New Jersey Diner That Serves Up Comfort Food In Train Cars

If you aren't hip to it yet, the New Jersey diner scene is a thing of beauty. At Clinton Station Diner, patrons can order a sloe gin fizz with a platter of huevos rancheros and an ice-cream-topped Belgian waffle at three in the morning. This particular stronghold is as much about hearty portions of classic comfort fare as it is a nostalgic homage to the days when enjoying a sit-down meal during a long train ride was commonplace — and its arms are open to you around the clock. 

In this diner located at 2 Bank Street in Clinton, NJ, the big draw is the dining room built inside a reclaimed train car. Multiple dining areas make up the diner (not all train cars, for the record), each with its own unique look and character. The restaurant offers indoor dining, takeout, delivery, and even a drive-thru. Clinton Station Diner opened its doors in 2004 and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It has been making all of the dishes on its 16-page menu from scratch ever since; the bread is baked in-house twice daily. New-meets-old in a big way with these revamped retro digs — the parking lot even has 15 electric vehicle charging stations for EV-driving foodies to use to recharge while they dine. It's no wonder this locomotive luncheonette has become a pull for both locals and tourists passing through town.

Diners that open 24/7 aren't always easy to find. Clinton Station Diner's slogan is "Lots of good food," indicating the large portion sizes, but also aptly describing the generous menu. Guests can start with one of 14 different beers, 18 cocktails, or myriad wines and Champagnes from the well-stocked bar, as well as coffees. Then, they have their pick of appetizers from blooming onions to baby back ribs and fried calamari, tons of loaded salads, soups, wraps, sandwiches, paninis, fajitas, burritos, pastas, classic Greek and Italian entrees, steak, chicken, seafood, omelets, and pancake stacks. In other words, whatever kind of comfort food you want, Clinton Station probably has it; prices fall in the ballpark of $13-$20 per person. Gargantuan is something of a theme here, as the dessert case houses more than 50 different choices, and the diner even hosts a series of competitive burger challenges with massive patties. The burgers also come in regular sizes for non-competitor foodies.

The signature of this unique American diner is its authentic 1927 Blue Comet train car. The Blue Comet was (and through the diner, continues to be) a beloved part of New Jersey history. The train itself is an ode to the state, literally inside and out, "painted Packard Blue for the sky, Jersey Cream for the sand, and Royal Blue for the sea," writes the United Railroad Historical Society. "Of all the passenger trains that crisscrossed New Jersey, none, perhaps, are as famous, or as closely associated with the state, as the Blue Comet."