Johnny's Lunchonette: Who knew the Jetsons had a delicatessen?
Written: Jun 19 '05 (Updated Jun 19 '05)
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Pros: Good food, zany 1950s decor
Cons: Decor may not appeal to adults, a little on the expensive side
The Bottom Line: A great deli / breakfast / lunch place in Newton with decor that will really appeal to the kids.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Johnny's Luncheonette |
Walking into Johnny's Lunchonette is a bit of a shock. The front of the restaurant is unassuming - a smallish store front in a line of stores in Newton Center. However, the inside is quite large and the decor is best described as the Jetsons meet Benjamin Moore.
DECOR
The decor is definitely what makes Johnny's stand apart from other restaurants. The theme is 50s, but it is that kitschy 50's decor that you associate with the Jetsons rather than the more classy modern styles. The walls are all painted in a variety of styles in (depending on your taste) garish colors. There are booths with purple, yellow and red vinyl. There are a few tables. There is also a snazzy counter with those twisty stools that kids love so much. There are lots of 50s era props including a bowling trophy over the counter.
Needless to say, kids love the decor. If I didn't have kids, I doubt that I would eat at Johnny's. Sure, the food is good, but the decor would not be my first choice in a restaurant. I suspect my views are widely held, because most of the groups in the restaurant were families with younger kids.
MENU
I expected Johnny's to be mainly a burger place but was happy to find lots of deli favorites on the menu as well. There is no doubt that mainstream Americana anchors the menu, there are basic salads, burgers, grilled cheese and fries in abundance. In addition, you will find fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, club sandwiches, BBQ steak tips and grilled salmon. Nothing on the menu is particularly adventurous but what they had seemed to be tasty and served in ample, but not generous, portions.
We had to pay for our pickles for the table. At $2.95, we got a plate full but there were not particularly crisp or flavorful. I got matzo ball soup for $3.95 and it came loaded with matzo balls (yes, more than one) plus noodles, lots of chicken and carrots. It was very good and a large serving could be a meal. My dinner was an Asian chicken salad. It came with tasty grilled chicken, those crispy asian noodles, greens, almonds and other salad stuff. It was very good but, at $8.95, I would have expected a bigger portion.
There is a kid's menu with all the kid favorites but it is only for the 7 and under crowd. My son was delighted with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and fries for $3.95. My daughter got a grilled cheese from the regular menu. It came on bread that was so huge, she had a hard time taking a bite. She gave it good reviews but it was too much for her to finish. At 9 years old, I would say she hadn't outgrown the kids menu yet.
I should also mention that about 2/3 of the menu is dedicated to breakfast and brunch foods. There were waffles, blintzes, french toast, pancakes and anything else for breakfast you can image. We plan to go back and sample some of those offerings.
AMBIANCE
Most diners in this restaurant had small kids with them. The rest had older kids with them. I didn't spy too many couples. Everyone was dressed very casually.
SERVICE
The service was very good. We were greeted by a hostess and seated immediately. The wait staff was friendly and help us store a stroller and immediately provided a high chair. The food came out quickly, although my one complaint was that the main dishes arrived before we finished our soup which made for a very crowded table.
LOCATION
We ate at the location in Newton Center. This is a nice walking area with lots of stores and restaurants. There is quite a bit of meter parking and a small amount of free parking if you are willing to walk a bit. Boston's trolly, otherwise known as the T, stops about a five minute walk away.
OTHER THOUGHTS
They sell a small selection of beer and wine.
They take credit cards with a minimum of $10.
The whole place appeared to be handicapped friendly with everything on one level.
Vegetarians will find some options on the menu.
We dined at 6pm on a Sunday night. The place was busy but there was no wait for a table.
Johnny's has a good dessert selection. Another option if you like ice cream, is to skip dessert at Johnny's and check out the ice cream store a few doors down.
CONTACT INFORMATION
50 Langley Road
Newton, MA
(617) 527-3223
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
I liked eating at Johnny's and probably will return. The food was good although I thought the prices were a bit high given the serving sizes. The kids would give Johnny's five stars but the decor and glitches in service bring it down to four stars for me.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? TRY THESE BOSTON-AREA RESTAURANTS:
BOSTON: Radius; Caffe Vitoria; Excelsior; Jacob Wirth; Cottonwood Cafe.
BROOKLINE: Mr. Sushi; Fugakyu; Takeshima; Tsunami; Anna's Taqueria; Zaftigs Delicatessen; Bangkok Bistro; Golden Temple.
NEWTON: Appetito; India Paradise; Blue Ribbon Barbeque; Ice Cream Works; Baker's Best; Bill’s Pizzeria; Cafe Nicolas; Union Street; O’Hara’s; Yeradi’s.
CAMBRIDGE: S&S Restaurant; The Japanese Mall; Jasper White’s Summer Shack.
WEST ROXBURY: Cafe Misono.
BRIGHTON: Tasca.
ESSEX: Woodman’s.
SAUGUS: Kowloon.
CHAIN RESTAURANTS: Not Your Average Joe’s; Bertucci’s; Legal Sea Foods; Cheesecake Factory; Rainforest Cafe; Fire & Ice; Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse; Friendly’s; Bruegger’s Bagels.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Matzo ball soup was really good
Best Suited For: Friends
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modernmarvel
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