In NY’s Catskill Mountains Johnny is Still Good !

By LJ James on March 2, 2009

Over the years I have done a few stories on the New York Catskill Mountains and I have done a few stories about places I have enjoyed eating at. Well recently while I was once again up in the Catskill Mountains, I went to a 50′s Thyme Diner called “Johnny B Good” located at 5806 RT 23 in the NY Town of Acra.

I was upstate in the Catskills Mountains at my Sister’s for the Holidays. My Mother, My Niece and I where out checking out the area. After looking around a bunch of really cool antique stores in the Town of Catskill itself We where all getting Hungry.

Now as I have said before I love to eat! Now my Sister being my Sister well she too loves to eat and I had heard her and my Brother in Law mention Johnny B Good as a great place to eat more then once. So it was the place I wanted to check out!

As we arrived right off the bat I could see from the outside it really looked like an Old style 50′s Diner.Now It seems these days everyone has a catch or a thyme to get you threw the door. So as good as the place looked from the outside, I was going to wait before I gave it a thumbs up. As we entered I could see they hadn’t missed much with the 50′s (and a little bit of the 60′s) thyme on the inside. We sat down and started to look threw our menu’s and order some food. As I looked though the Lunch and Dinner section of my menu I saw all the meals had names that helped to take you back. There where meals called the Peggy Sue Special , Jimmy Durrante Rueben , La Bamba Burger , Tarzan of the Jungle Salads and the Wimpy Burger (For Wimps) to name just a few. Now being a Biker I felt an obligation to order the Marlon Brando Mushroom Cheeseburger with Onion Rings.

While waiting for my food I started checking out the Breakfast Menu and found a few more Classic meal names like the Rita Hayworth Cheese Omelet , The Cisco Kid Chili Cheese Omelet, The Jolly Green Giant Veggie Omelet and I am going to have to go back to try some of their Hot Rod Pancakes!

I then got up and started to look around at all the great 50′s Memorabilia Johnny B Good’s had to offer hanging on the walls. There where of Course pictures of the King “Elvis”, some old Movie poster’s , Pictures of many of your favorite 50′s stars, some Classic 45s, some of those old plastic circle things you used to have to put inside the 45′s so you could play them on your turn table, (did those things have a name?) and even some old personal Pictures brought in by friends of the owner Bobbi.

I got to meet and speak with Bobbi the owner. I found her to be extremely Friendly. After just a few moments talking to her I could tell she really loves the place. There was no hiding the fact that she puts her heart and Soul into giving Johnny B Good that Nostalgic feel of a 50′s hang out. It really is a place where everyone feels at home enjoying a meal with Friends.Bobbi told me during the Summer months Johnny B Good holds many Cruise Nights and many people from far and wide show up in Classic Cars and on Classic Motorcycles. They all hang out showing off their rides talking and eating! On a hot Summer Night both the young and old love to stop by and enjoy an Old fashion Style Ice Cream Soda or Root Beer Float .

Now as I have said before how a Restaurant makes you feel just being there does count for something, but when it comes right down to it the Bottom line is taste and there Bobbi and Johnny B Good’s have the most important blast from the past down and this is good old fashion Quality and Taste.

I recommend you stop by Johnny B Good when you are out Cruising up in the Catskill Mountains! Just make sure to remember while in the Catskill Mountains taking this trip back in time at Johnny B Good’s “Nobody puts Baby in a corner”!!!

Be sure to check them out on-line at Myspace.com/JohnnyBGood50

I am your Bro LJ James AmericanBikerX.com

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