Toddle House

[Nagelberg]

Toddle House, on 77th street near 37th avenue was, unequivocally, the best darn diner in the world. It started out as a Tenessee-based restaurant chain named Hull Dobbs, and was established in Jackson Heights abgout 1930.  The building looked like a little cottage and specialized in fabulous hamburgers and waffles. Believe me, Toddle House was no proto McDonalds. It was open 24-7 and your meals were prepared (or choreographed, I should say) by ambidextrous short order cooks who made meals from scratch and could juggle ingredients faster than you'd believe possible.  You just sat at the counter on a low stool and watched the show unfold. Does anyone remember this late great place?

[Queenskid]

I was introduced to hash browns there.  It seems like a small thing, but to this day I still remember them.  On a cold day we would get out of PS 69 and order them.  Those were the days.

[Nagelberg]

Hash Browns, of course!  The potatoes came in little white paper bags. They went into the pan with oil that flamed up like a 10 alarm fire. Next came a big shake of Paprika, and there it was -- the best potatoes ever for only .15.  I still try to make Hash Browns the Toddle House way, but I never get it quite right. 

[NYC Native]

I read somewhere that there was also a Hamburger Express across the street from The Toddle House

I read they used to deliver their burger on some sort of train

[Nagelberg]

There was. The burger was delivered to your place at the counter via an electric train. It was novel but it didn't last too long -- probably because the Toddle House burgers were lots better.

[coolpapa]

you folks forgot the waffles at the toddle house it was where we went after bar hopping

[Kestral342]

When I tell people about the Toddle House hash browns they look at me like I'm nutz. They were the best ever. I too have tried to duplicate the recipe but it always comes short. I think it might have been the cooking oil they used I remember it was amber in color.  Used to have a burger hash browns a "lime rickey" and a piece of cherry pie there for $1.25. Man talk about the good ol' days

[Barking Dog]

I used to get an English muffin with butter and jelly and a hot chocolate. SOmetimes a fries. Then go play stickball in the school yard.

But the good fries were at the fish store on Roosevelt Av btw 75 & 76th Streets

[Queenskid]

I used to get an English muffin with butter and jelly and a hot chocolate. SOmetimes a fries. Then go play stickball in the school yard.

But the good fries were at the fish store on Roosevelt Av btw 75 & 76th Streets

If it's the fish store I'm thinking of, they had these unbelievable french fries.  For ten cents you would get a big bag of salty french fries.  There was something about the oil that made them taste better than normal fries.  Plus, they were cut differently than regular fries--they were big wedge like things.  They rivaled the Toddle House hash browns.