Business & Tech

Monarch Diner Owners Focusing On Quality And Fun

Pauline and Tina Diakos opened The Monarch Diner on Route 23 a few months ago. The sisters say business is doing well. They say they don't cut corners when it comes to ingredients and pay attention to the little things.

The Monarch Diner just feels fun.

The newest addition to Wayne’s roster of diners is located next to Fuddrucker’s on Route 23 South. Historically, the location has been home to several diners, all of which have failed to get any momentum going in recent years. The Diakos sisters are trying to reverse that trend.

“This is just an opportunity that we had to take,” said Pauline Diakos, who owns the diner with her sister Tina.

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The sisters come from a family of diner owners. Their relatives own The Pilgrim Diner in Cedar Grove and the Fairmont Diner in Clifton.

“We grew up with it. We both went to college for other things, but we’re both here now,” Pauline said.

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So far, the sisters are enjoying the experience. Always smiling and laughing, they have tried to inject their personalities into the establishment from day one. They want their customers to have a good time when eating at the Monarch. The diner is open 24 hours a day.

There’s The Burger Garage with each burger named after a different car, like the Beamer, a burger with swiss cheese, grilled ham, and pineapple on a Kaiser roll or the Thunderbird, a burger with mozzarella cheese, grilled tomato, and roasted peppers on a garlic Kaiser roll.

Each wrapped sandwich is named after a famous rapper. The Jay-Z is a traditional BLT with spicy mayo, and the Will Smith, a Philadelphia-style wrap, has strips of beef with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and American cheese. The girls grow some of their own herbs on the property.

The chicken platters are all named after famous women, including Queen Latifah, who stopped by the Monarch recently, Tina said.

The Monarch offers a full breakfast menu and specials change everyday. A full slate of desserts are written out on a blackboard near the door and a display of sweet offerings tempts customers when they first walk through the door. Outdoor seating is offered during nice weather.

“Quality, presentation, how our servers look when they come to work, we look at all of those things because that’s what our customers are looking at,” Pauline said. “We don’t skimp on quality either. People notice that right away. If we spend a little more to get good meat and make a little less by not buying something cheaper, that’s fine.”

For more information about the diner, visit its Web site or Facebook page.

The Monarch is one of our diners featured in our most recent Readers’ Choice poll.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.


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