J&S Hamburg

March 4, 2016

DINER DAYS (AND NIGHTS)

Got a hankering for breakfast at 10pm?

Dinner at 3am? Head over to J&S Hamburg on West Front Street in downtown Traverse City. Dwarfed by the existing and soon-to-be built tall buildings around it, this unassuming little gem is happy to oblige.

“We serve anything on the menu any time of day,” said manager Bill Coty, who has been with J&S for almost 20 years. “And often we’re actually busier on Friday and Saturday at midnight than we are in the daytime, mostly the after-the-bar crowd. We have taxis driving in here at all hours of the night.”

A traditional diner in every sense of the word, J&S has occupied the same spot since 1938 and still attracts a steady, diverse group of patrons who appreciate what it offers: friendly and prompt service, a homey atmosphere, familiar and unpretentious menu items, consistent quality and taste and reasonable prices. It’s proof that certain things never go out of style.

“We have a lot of longtime customers, some of whom come quite a distance to eat here almost every day. They’ve become friends,” said Coty. “Our staff is a tightly knit group. We laugh, we joke around, but we take our product and our customer satisfaction seriously.”

Coty’s whole family has become involved in the restaurant over the years; his wife is a server, their son a cook and their daughter a dishwasher during the summer.

EGGSCETERA

With a name like J&S Hamburg, you’d expect burgers to be the main attraction.

“But breakfast is actually what we’re best known for,” said Coty. “We go through lots of ground beef, but even more eggs. I would estimate about 25 cases a week, at 15 dozen per case.” That’s 4,500 eggs, if you’re counting! According to Coty, two of the most popular breakfast choices are the Farmer’s Omelette (three eggs loaded — and they do mean loaded —with sausage, hash browns, onions, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and tomatoes) and the Irish Omelette (three eggs loaded with corned beef, American fries, green peppers, onions and Swiss cheese, with a side of sour cream.) Both dishes are served with toast or buttermilk pancakes and unlimited coffee refills.

The home-style breakfast selections fill three-quarters of one side of the menu, which echoes the red, white and black colors and checkered border of the J&S exterior. Five classic salads (garden, chef, chicken, tuna, taco) and two soups take up the remaining quarter. On the flip side, you’ll find lunch and dinner fare, including the two top-sellers: a mushroom-Swiss burger, smothered with grilled onions, and a Reuben sandwich, piled high with corned beef on grilled rye with sauerkraut or coleslaw, melted Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. All the burgers and sandwiches, as well as the plump, natural casing hot dogs (plain, Coney and chili versions), include a hearty side of fries and a dill pickle spear.

TAKE THE CAKE

Almost everything on the menu is cooked to order on the griddle or in the deep fryer, the only two pieces of cooking equipment in the main level cooking area except for a steam table to keep soups hot.

“We make the soups and do all of our baking in the downstairs kitchen, which has two ovens and a stove,” said Coty. “I make all the cakes, but others also bake. Joe (a line cook) makes the pies and we all take turns making cookies.”

A word about the cakes, layered sky-high and slathered with fluffy frosting: They are so decadent and delicious (as a taste test confirms), they should bear a warning label stating, “May be addictive. Eat at your own risk.” In fact, that could be the motto for the entire menu.

The regulars at J&S, who include neighborhood folks, business people, local police and firemen, students and nearby shopkeepers seem more than willing to take that risk, leaning comfortably over the vintage counter or seated around one of the mid-century Formica-topped tables as they happily tuck into a piece of carrot cake, savor the day’s special (sloppy Joes and meatloaf are two recurring favorites) or enjoy Friday’s all-you-can-eat fish and chips. Lively chatter fills the air between bites, and between tables. The friendly, casual atmosphere invites conversation — even with perfect strangers — on topics ranging from local news to Elvis to job-related networking.

SMALL WONDER

Coty says his clientele is mostly local during three seasons, “but come summer, the locals stay away because we’re so busy with the tourists that it’s crazy crowded.” When the J&S dining room threatens to burst at the seams from that seasonal overflow, they take it outside to the patio, which will move to the east side of the building this year, where the city is planning to install tables and benches when the new bridge connecting Front Street to the booming Warehouse District is completed.

Giving back locally is an important part of the J&S mission. Some past events have included hosting a community meal for the homeless, partnering with Bill Marsh Auto in a grilling extravaganza that raised funds to defer medical costs for a young woman suffering from a serious illness, and offering free breakfast, lunch or dinner to any veteran on Veteran’s Day.

Unlike the J&S menu — which he described as “small for a reason. We’d rather do fewer things well than try to do too many things and have our quality suffer,” — Coty himself does not hesitate to do it all. In addition to his management responsibilities (among them ordering, scheduling, payroll and staffing) and taking on nearly 90 percent of the baking, he also shares line cook duties.

By any standards, that’s a very full plate, but he doesn’t seem the least bit daunted.

“My day here starts about 4am, every day, even on my days off,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve been in the restaurant business my whole life, first as a dishwasher and busboy and gradually came up through the ranks. I love what I do. I was working the line here when the manager position became available and the owners asked me if I would like to give it a try. The rest is history.”

History indeed, just like this stalwart little diner that has been going strong for 78 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

J&S Hamburg is located at 302 West Front Street in downtown Traverse City. They are open 7 days a week: Monday and Tuesday 6am–midnight and 24 hours a day from 6am Wednesday to 8pm Sunday. For more information, call (231) 947-5500. $