Food Review: Cafe 50’s

At Cafe 50’s, a 50s-themed diner on Santa Monica Boulevard, waitresses sail around in vintage red dresses, bobby socks and Converses, serving up burgers, fries and milk shakes to customers in green and red vinyl booths or at the barstools at the counter.

Decorating the walls of the two rooms are old movie posters for “Vertigo” and “She-Devil,” gossip magazines from the 1950s, and “I Like Ike” buttons. A stand of old comic books sells classics like “Tales of the Crypt” and “Two-Fisted Tales.” With a spare quarter, you can eat a gum ball from a machine the shape of a rocket.

If you ever get bored of playing the jukebox by your table or reading the monthly newsletter filled with funny jokes and random trivia, there are board games to play ““ Battleship, Checkers, Sorry, Yahtzee ““ and people actually play them.

While the details of the decor are superb, the food is even better. Breakfast is offered all day long, every sandwich and burger is served with crispy fries, and milk shakes are delivered the way they are supposed to be ““ in a big glass cup with the extra leftovers still in the metal mixer.

Speaking of the milk shakes, it is impossible not to order one ““ or at least be passionately tempted. The menu boasts more than 30 choices, including a sweet Apple Pie (vanilla ice cream, apple juice, cinnamon and nutmeg), an Elvis namesake (vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and bananas), and the classic S’More (chocolate ice cream, marshmallow, graham cracker).

For sandwiches, the Rueben is everything it should be: juicy, lean corned beef, subtle but tart sauerkraut, and plenty of melted swiss to accompany a light dusting of what Cafe 50’s calls “Russian dressing” (typical thousand island).

A winner in the burger category is the California burger, a thick patty with large slices of fresh avocado and tomato and so much melted mozzarella cheese it appears to be staging a coup over the beef. The portions are generous and filling and make tasty leftovers … if they survive that long.

It’s a toss-up about which sandwich and burger side is better: the crispy sweet potato fries for an additional $1.95 or the signature coleslaw, which, with its sweet and light flavor (in contrast to its traditional form that is drenched in mayonnaise), has coleslaw-wary customers claiming it is the best they’ve ever had.

The menu’s extensive breakfast includes three-egg omelettes and scrambles, cinnamon-banana French toast, and chocolate chip pancakes. It also boasts favorites like big bowls of chili topped with cheddar cheese, a fresh turkey plate with stuffing and cranberry sauce, and a classic meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy.

The dessert menu is overshadowed by the milk shakes but includes some favorites such as the Black & White Sundae ““ generous scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge, marshmallow whip, whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry. It is plenty big enough to share.

In addition to the good eats, Cafe 50’s Repeat Rewards program is a huge perk for UCLA’s penniless college students. Signing up for the program is free, and discount coupons are mailed regularly for birthdays, holidays and sometimes for no reason at all (except to make you happy).

If you are toting a tot ““ especially on Wednesdays when kids eat free with an adult meal ““ they have the joy of receiving a brightly colored balloon. And on the last Wednesday of every month, a very special thing happens: If customers wear their pajamas (matching two-pieces), they receive a free dinner.

There is always an air of hurry and rush, and you shouldn’t expect to have lengthy conversations with your waitress.

However, the service is pleasantly attentive and thorough. Condiments and napkins are full and ready on the tables, eliminating any waiting for the ketchup bottle.

Street parking can be tricky, but there is always plenty on the residential streets nearby. If you are without a car, Cafe 50s is between Barrington and Federal, two of the stops for the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus 1.

For a cute date, breakfast for dinner, or just a good quality burger, Cafe 50’s is what it claims to be but with a slight addition: “Your (delicious and affordable) neighborhood diner.”

““ Kelsey Ramos

E-mail Ramos at kramos@media.ucla.edu.

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