The Legendary Bendix Diner | Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey (2014, 2022, 2025)
Table of Contents
Bendix Diner Is Legendary
This historic diner in Hasbrouck Heights has been around for decades.
It was named the diner after the Bendix Corporation which had a factory nearby.
The diner is situated – literally – in the middle of Route 17.
Jerry O’Mahoney Diner Company
You can see a little bit of this diner and other Jersey classics, some by the Jerry O’Mahoney Diner Company, in this video by Alan Wasenius, which includes this diner at the beginning of the video (including the interior):
Check out his YouTube Channel.
Most of the diners in the video still exist.
Sadly, Max’s in Harrison, that adorable red and white cream puff diner, is gone now, replaced by a very ugly, generic building.
Also gone is The Wildwood Diner, which was also demolished.
2022 Updates
In 2021, this classic diner appeared in yet another video AND the Sopranos prequel.
The New Yorker wrote about their documentary The Blind Man Running His Family Diner which is about Bendix Diner.
This is simply wonderful!
2025 Updates
This diner is now CLOSED.
Is it permanent? Is it temporary?
In January 2025, the diner was abruptly closed, apparently in the middle of the day.
The problem? According to an article from northjersey.com:
The diner was issued a health code violation and forced to close in January because of an issue with its fire suppression system.
John Diakakis, the owner of the longtime eatery, with his two siblings, said he had been trying to fix the system since 2021, but the age and structural condition of the building made it challenging to repair to the standards of the state fire code. He was told it could cost $100,000 or more to fix.
The diner was forced to close abruptly in the middle of a busy business day. Eventually, it was allowed to reopen if it agreed to sell only cold food until the fire suppression issues were resolved.
So they served only cold food for a time, but then started serving hot food, which got them into trouble again.
There were plans to try to reopen, but then they decided that it would close forever, according to Facebook and Reddit.
According to Daily Voice, the owner is heartbroken:
Diakakis, who is blind, said he still visits the shuttered diner three or four times a week, walking through the empty space that once kept him busy seven days a week.
When the landmark eatery was forced to close in January, Diakakis was left at a loss. A GoFundMe launched shortly after brought in thousands of dollars to help support him through the transition.
According to NJ.com, the asking price is $2.5 million.
Further Reading
To read more about this and other New Jersey diners, please check out:
Why Jersey Is the Diner Capital of the Country
Bendix Diner Closed Its Doors After 77 Years; Now the Iconic NJ Spot is Up for Sale
Jersey’s Bendix Diner Story Blows Your Mind – Forced to Sell
New Jersey’s 41 greatest diners, ranked, for 2024
New Jersey diners adapt to survive in state dubbed ‘diner capital of the world’
Preserving Americana in New Jersey, the Diner Capital of the World
And my own posts about diners:
Where the Sopranos Ate: Holsten’s Ice Cream Parlor
Summit Diner | Summit, New Jersey
Diners Of New Jersey | Jersey Shore Edition
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6 Comments
Debbie
Nothing says eating local like a diner, I love diner foods. The OB diner, a big one here at the shore closed this year. In point pleasant, it has been there my entire life. It was our favorite breakfast spots when we use to skip school!!
New Jersey Memories
Oh, that's a shame. I never went to that one.
Betty
I miss the NJ diners. No such thing here. I guess the closest thing to a NJ diner would be Denny's. No pork roll/Taylor Ham. I did create a NJ diner for my dolls though. That's as close as I can get.
I see where Debbie said the OB diner closed this year. One of my favorites at the shore. I better take good care of the OB diner glasses that I still have.
New Jersey Memories
Yes, those glasses are great mementos! We sure have many diners in New Jersey.
Anonymous
The Bendix Diner probably got it's name from Teterborough was called
Bendix Borough.
Bogtrotter52
My mother was a waitress at the Bendix during the 60's.