Pancakes are a lot like chocolate chip cookies. They can be made in a million different ways: fluffy, thick, soft, crispy, chewy, dense, or light, and it seems like everyone has an opinion on the best version. While I’m not up for solving this age-old debate, I am up for sampling some of NYC’s most hyped pancakes. This week, I head to Golden Diner in Chinatown to see what all the buzz (and that line) is about.
Golden Diner is a Chinatown staple located under the Manhattan bridge. It’s a cute little eatery that calls itself an “Asian diner” because of their twists on American diner staples like club sandwiches, omelettes, and chicken wings. However, they’re most known for their honey butter pancakes which are at least 2-3 inches tall and come drenched in syrup and blueberry compote. There is a line almost everyday, and if you search them up on TikTok, you’ll see countless videos of people trying to get their hands on these very special pancakes. Normally, I’d hop in line, but this time, I had a special pal with me: comedian Cat Cohen, also a pancake fan. Together, we would sample Golden Diner’s viral pancakes.
The Snacks
We arrived 15 minutes prior to the restaurant’s opening, and the line was already down the block. With to-go coffee cups in hand, we sipped and watched as the staff inside readied all the tables for us. Thankfully, we had a reservation, a perk of traveling with a celebrity.
Honey Butter Pancakes with Berry Compote. The star of the show and the whole reason for our visit, these pancakes were the subject of lots of conversation as we waited for them to grace the table. Thankfully, they came out first, Cat and I audibly gasped. After a few bites of pancake, lemon zest, and berry compote, we discussed. I thought they were well balanced, fluffy and dense like a yellow cake, and I liked the zing of the lemon flavor. Cat liked them but admittedly, preferred a thinner, crispier pancake (more like that of an American diner).
Chicken Katsu Club. Talk about a club sandwich! Layers of fried katsu chicken, bacon, red cabbage slaw, and lettuce made this sandwich at least 6 inches tall. The underrated, unexpected eat of the day were the accompanying burger sauce (made of mushrooms, mayo, and gochujang). Cat and I discussed the importance of a good diner french fry. The fries and little sauce bowl were emptied before we even took a bite of the sandwich.
Green Tea Coffee Cake. What is a meal without dessert? Yes, even a meal of pancakes! This little dessert, with matcha and hojicha swirls, was served cold and with a big coffee crumble top layer. I liked the savory, rich, green tea flavors of the dessert, but Cat said she wished it was served with ice cream on top. I second this!
Final Rating
I can’t claim they have the best pancakes until I try every single pancake in the city, but I personally enjoyed the fluffy sweetness of the Golden Diner pancakes, and the overall vibe of restaurant—including the vibey indie music wafting from the speakers—made it fun. Plus, I had hilarious company. But even without that, I declare Golden Diner as perfectly rated.
If you’re reading this and you have a suggestion for a Snack Shop in the city that I must visit and (honestly) rate, leave a comment here or on our Snack Shop TikTok video. I love suggestions!
English (US) · 