Circle Diner

Burgers are the thing to eat in this happy roadside diner. They’re big ones, cooked through but thick enough to remain succulent enough that their juices will puddle on the paper at the bottom of the basket in which they’re served. It is likely the bun in which you get yours will have disintegrated by the time you get to the last few bites. Still, extreme juiciness is a good thing because it is so nice to drag French fries through that flavorful seepage. And these are excellent, freshly-cut fries, arriving in the basket alongside the burger as a massive tangle of soft logs, crunchy twigs, skin-on edges, and brittle wisps of spuddy flavor.

The burger choices are formidable, including chili cheeseburgers, bacon & pimento cheeseburgers, and even junior burgers for those of meager appetite. The top-of-the-line Circle Burger comes loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a measure of Circle Diner Sauce, which is a potent combo of garlic and horseradish.

Hamburgers are the house specialty, but the menu also includes chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and chicken salad, a BLT, and — on Fridays, the only day dinner is served — freshly-made desserts. There’s a good hot dog, too, loaded into a fresh, soft bun. It automatically comes topped with beefy chili, mustard, ketchup, and chopped red onions.

I am smitten by the hospitality of the women who operate the Circle Diner. They are a friendly, helpful bunch, exuding genuine, human good cheer that far outshines the manufactured happiness of the restaurant’s bright pop culture decor.