Year In North Jersey Diners: 2 Have Closed, But 1 Will Reopen

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Restaurateur Peter Meskouris has a big job ahead of him in the coming year. On New Year's Eve — he says — he finished moving both parts of the historic Bendix Diner in to elsewhere on its Hasbrouck Heights property, so he can build a new foundation for the restaurant, then return it.

The Bendix is one of several iconic New Jersey diners that closed last year, but unlike with some, the owner hopes to renovate and reopen it this year.

New Jersey is known for its classic diners because of the state's location between New York City and Philadelphia. It was historically a popular place to build and ship prefab eateries. But with changing technology, labor costs, and chain restaurant competition, some diners have failed.

Here are three diners that made the news in North Jersey in the past year:

Bendix

At first, the news didn't look good for this 78-year-old Bendix Diner in Hasbrouck Heights. Last January, the town shut it due to longtime problems with the fire suppression system. John Diakakis, who co-owned it with family members, said he had had trouble keeping up with his responsibilities while his mother was dying the previous year.

The diner remained closed this year, but Meskouris, of Queens, bought the building and the property with his brother. The pair already own the Jackson Hole diner in Queens.

Meskouris says that it's possible the diner will reopen some time in summer. He said that he removed it from its foundation last Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We lifted the diner up," he said by phone on Friday. "It's split in half. It's on the other side of the property. My son James is working with us. We're getting all the parts. Stuff came in from different auction houses, little things. Next week we're going to start again with construction."

Miss America Diner, Jersey City

As reported first by Patch, the owners of an iconic diner on Jersey City's west side announced late on Halloween night that it would close.

"It is with extreme sadness we announce that the Miss America Diner will be closing her doors on Monday," they noted in a message. "We will be open this Saturday and Sunday for business as usual. We wish to thank our hardworking staff for their dedication and especially to our loyal customers who kept us going."

But they later said that a local Italian deli, Salumeria Ercolano on West Side Avenue, would move into the space.

They promised, "No condos coming, just great food!"

Americana Diner, West Orange

The Americana Diner, on Main Street in West Orange, served its final meal in March. It was among the few 24-hour diners left in the state, Patch reported.

“Its classic design, delicious food, friendly staff, and standing as one of the few remaining 24-hour diners left in the state, will be missed,” the Downtown West Orange Alliance said. Read more here.

What About The Malibu?

It seemed pretty clear a year ago that the 24-hour Malibu Diner — which had anchored a spot near Hoboken's northern border since 1941 — was gone for good. It closed in 2021, but the owners promised that it would open again as part of a new residential development.

The development rose in 2024 without any sign of the restaurant.

Jersey Digs reported in October that a medical office has applied to open in the retail space, which would leave no place for a restaurant.

Help On The Way

Because so many historic diners are being lost, two New Jersey legislators have proposed a bill to try to help the state's diners stay in business.

The "Saving Our Diners and Protecting Our Past Act" would allow for a sales and use tax exemption and for tax credits for historic diners and restaurants included on an annual registry. It can be found here.

Read recent coverage of North Jersey restaurants and diners using the links below.

Do you know of a restaurant opening or closing in North Jersey? Let Patch know so we can write about it.

• READ MORE: Bendix Diner Has New Owner
• READ MORE: Bendix Diner Owner Vows To Bring It Back After Shutdown
• READ MORE: Iconic Americana Diner In Jersey City Closes: See What's Next