EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED
Tops Diner is America’s premier family-owned diner, serving over 15,000 hungry customers exactly what they want each week. Established in 1942, Tops remains a staple and institution for Newark as well as a destination.
PEOPLE ARE PARAMOUNT
We strive to bring the culinary experience others travel to Michelin star restaurants to enjoy right back home for a memorable night out. While food draws everyone in, our focus is giving the people who sit around our tables a taste of everything we’ve experienced, and making them feel apart of the Tops family.
Well-established place with classic American diner eats, baked goods & cocktails. Based on 13 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.6 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Curbside pickup ✔️ Delivery
Address:
500 Passaic Ave, East Newark, NJ 07029
Phone: (973) 481-0490
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Saturday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
8 AM–11 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–11 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Reviews
Angie
I can’t even begin to describe how perfect everything was. From the beautiful modern upgrades of the design, to the attentive friendly staff, all the way down to the BOMB food!! I’m so glad I chose this place for my boyfriend’s birthday. He got grapefruit juice to start and i got the 50/50 (lemonade and ice tea) which were really fresh! For our main, I ordered the shrimp and grits which was creamy and cheesy with really well seasoned shrimp. He got the breakfast burrito which he said was really good as well (I didn’t try it) and the waffle and chicken with hot honey. Most places that serve “crispy chicken” are usually referring to soggy crisp-less chicken, but not this place. It was fried to PERFECTION only to be elevated even higher with the hot honey sauce, im still thinking about it hours later and I didn’t even order it for myself. They were also kind enough to sing happy birthday to my boyfriend with one of their delicious desserts. The flan was creamy and not overly sweet- the perfect combo. I’ll definitely be back. I recommend making a reservation so you don’t have to wait around long. 20/10 a really great place!!
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Darrell Grant
Saw a YouTube video about this place so I decided to check it out on the way back from D.C. it’s a huge place but they recommend calling ahead for reservations because it’s considered one of the best diners in the country. We waited less than 5 minutes before we were seated. The place is huge and the food was amazing although more expensive than a typical diner. Their legendary disco fries are awesome so that’s a must have if you go. I decided to not try their legendary fried chicken instead going for a pasta dish. Everyone’s food was great and the servers were great. My reasoning for the 3 star rating on the atmosphere was only based on one feature that seems bizarre to me. The place has an actual DJ. I walked in and was blasted by like techno music and saw there’s literally a DJ by the main entrance with the whole 2 digital turntables, Mac book, everything. You had to shout to talk to each other. It seemed poor taste to me. I don’t want to feel like I’m at studio 54 when I’m sitting down for a meal at a DINER. I actually heard a neighboring table complain to their server about the music so they actually got the DJ to turn it down but still what the heck ? Ditch the night club music and it’s 5 stars all the way !
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Pwana Dooshima Duku
I was in Newark attending Rutgers University graduation with family friends and lunch was planned at Tops Diner. Needless to say that many families celebrating graduations were present here so the place was agog.
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Zeynep Gumus
Our recent visit to Tops Diner with a group of 5 adults and 2 kids was quite satisfying. The service was attentive and courteous, and the atmosphere added a nice touch to our meal. Tops Diner is worth considering for its pleasant dining experience.
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Suyash Raiborde
First time visit to Tops! Excellent experience. First off, the vibe is great! Spacious, clean, and modern (with a tip of the hat to an old diner). Second, the food was great. I enjoyed a breakfast platter with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. And a cup of fresh coffee, of course. Service was timely and staff were courteous!
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Alicia Ortiz
Tops is always amazing!!! The food is delicious, coffee is perfect, very clean, and the servers are highly professional.
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Robert Lechadores
I’d absolutely love to be unprofessional but i dont wanna risk this being flagged/deleted. First time at the revamped Tops since the entire plot was redone. Excellent massive space which gives it a modern vibe. Big bar area. Line can be long so it’d help to have a reservation which is what my group of 5 did. What photos I have here are screenshots from videos so I apologize at some of them not being great quality. Speaking of quality, the food is as amazing as I remember and the reputation of being the best diner in NJ never left. My shrimp bistro pasta was the pinnacle of flavor excellence. “Wow” is one of 1000 words I can say to end this review.
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Kristina Montesano
New Jersey is known for its excellent diners (best in the US, and I say this as a New Yorker). And of the excellent Jersey diners, Tops is… well, pardon the pun, but the top.
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D. L.
Went on Father’s Day, for the first time, which was a BIG mistake. No reservations so we had to wait for about an hour, but nonetheless they allowed us to stay and eat. Next time definitely making reservations ahead. Place was awesome and modernized. DJ was playing great old school songs. Food was delicious and service once seated was fast and friendly. Definitely recommend this place.
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ChattiYammi
The food, service, atmosphere and attention to detail are unmatched. Came here on July 4th and although busy-making a reservation that morning helped us get seated within 5 minutes. The diner is modern with retro-timeless touches and is immaculate in terms of cleanliness. We ordered mimosas, dusse lemon and espresso martinis and all were very well made. The complimentary multi-grain toast comes with jam and butter (best bread I had in a while-I was tempted to ask where the bread was sourced from or baked). We ordered the skirt steak, NY Strip and shrimp and grits (cousin said the grits lacked flavor) and everything was well made. I have been thinking about this meal since and plan on going back soon
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