Happy Days Diners in Paris
Known as the HD Diner for short, these restaurants are based on a traditional 1950s American diner that you may remember seeing in TV shows such as Happy Days or movies like Pulp Fiction.
A bit of history
The typical American Diner that we may remember or recognise came from when there were wagons or train carriages that were designed to serve food and were meant to be able to be moved either via road or on tracks. Yet things started to change and catering establishments were set up that gained popularity over the years, but were still on the same styling and offered a fast food type of alternative without the same costs as dining at a restaurant.
The tradition of the long narrow shape and a long service counter with stools, and sometimes with a row of bench seating against one side became the tradition for American diners. Yet the decor changed over the years from Art Deco through to the 50s style that most of us will recognise with stainless steel, formica, neon signs and black and white tiled floors.
About the Happy Days Diners in Paris
As you have probably gathered by now, the Happy Days Diners have been designed in the traditional way in a 1950s styling, and after the success of the first American Diner opened in 2007 within the Latin Quarter of Paris close to Place Saint-Michel, they have expanded and there are now five of these restaurants in Paris.
Located in different areas of the city, they are all based upon the same theme and have the traditional jukebox, brightly coloured seating, posters, pictures and lots of other memorabilia from the 1950s to make this an authentic American diner experience, not forgetting the rock’n’roll music playing in the background for added nostalgia.
The food is also typical of this type of venue with burgers served with fires such as the Americano, which is a grilled steak with smoked bacon, cheese, salad and sauce or the Brooklyn Bridge Burger with chicken break, mozzarella, red onions, lettuce and honey mustard. Bagels such as the Long Island Bagel with cheese, smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, red and dill, or a vegetarian option called Green Peace are also available along with hotdogs.
The Happy Days Diners also offer Mega Burgers as they are called, along with specialities including the Angus Cowboy Burger with a Black Angus chopped steak, tomato slices, lettuce and red onion rings. You could also opt for the Dragon's Fire Burger China, which consists of Chicken breast, jalapenos, mozzarella, fried onions, tomatoes, salad and a sweet chili sauce or the Norway Salmon Burger with a Salmon steak, mozzarella, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and dill cream.
Side orders or starters are also available such as chicken fingers, onion rings, tortillas with cheese and guacamole, nachos, etc. Yet, one of things that has become synonemous with an American Diner are the milkshakes, and there are plenty of different varieties to choose from at the Happy Days Diners including alcoholic options with names like Kiss Me Deadly or Sleep Walk as well as non alcoholic drinks. Plus there are also several desserts available including cakes, pancakes and traditional cheesecake.
Tic-Toc Brunch is also a traditional American Brunch, which is served on a Sunday and consists of fried or scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon or salmon, baked beans, a muffin, etc, along with fruit juice and other delights such as fresh fruit salad, pancakes with syrup, hot drinks and more.
Visiting the Happy Days Diners
You will find that the Happy Days Diners, or HD Diners for short, are open every day from 9am through to midnight, and there is no need to book, yet they also provide a Sunday Brunch, as we mentioned above, and this available on Sundays and on National French Holidays from 11.30am through to 5pm.
There is also a Happy Hour Aspect, on a Monday to Friday from 3pm through to 7pm where you can get a 25cl cocktail, a 50cl beer or a non-alcoholic milkshake for €5 as of 2014.
