Don's in Livingston

Anybody remember Don's in Livingston? It was great. I think NJ Monthly even rated their burgers #1 in the state. I even worked their one summer - I was one of the guys making sodas and shakes behind the counter. What a great place - too bad its gone.

After Don sold the place (I think in the 80's) the new owners could not make it work. So Don bought it back, ran it for a while - sold it agin. Stayed open for a while under a new name. Its been closed now for 7 or 8 years.

[Applecheeks]

Oh how I miss Don's. It was one of mine and my daughters favorite places. We loved the burgers and the fried onions - and of course the pickles. I loved the red hamburger relish. It can be found at the Livingston Deli. They sell a few other 'Don's' products, as well.

[Curlz]

Just for those who don't know it--it's not Livingston Deli, but Livingston Bagel, and it's on Northfield Ave. GREAT Jewish deli, imo! Expensive, but worth it.

www.livingstonbagel.com

[Applecheeks]

Thanks, Curlz, for correcting me. I've been sending people to the Livingston Deli. I hope they found the place.

[mturtle]

My sister and I grew up in Livingston and Don's was our family's regular spot. We and our parents are having a debate over the decor. We can picture the restaurant, the pickle bar, the unusual photo decor... but here is our question: Was there a lobster tank at the front entrance? We know this sounds funny, but we have vivid memories of this entrance and can't seem to match it to any restaurant other than Don's.

So: was there a lobster tank? Thanks!

[michele cindy]

my first thought was no, but then I started thinking and a lobster tank somewhere with an atmosphere similar does sound familiar. I don't think it was don's but somewhere else that seemed like it. hmmm???

[scarlet knight]

i think the lobster tank was at the Heritage Diner, the predecessor to the Ritz Diner.

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Ritz Diner
72 E Mount Pleasant Ave, Livingston, NJ 07039

[michele cindy]

Does anyone know how to make their onion rings? They were the best I ever had.

[Daveack]

We just had Don't onion rings last weekend at The Black Horse Inn Pub in Mendham, NJ. I work with one of Don't sons who told us that the onion rings are available at the Pub. Michael Horty the Pub's general manager used to work for Don and the onions are now on the Pub's menu - they were excellent !!!!

[michele cindy]

now all you need to do is get them to tell you how to make them and report back!

I used to go to Don's all the time as a kid. I remember waiting on those benches and shopping in their appetizing store.

I loved their burgers and their onion ring loaf. Do you remember the onion and pickle bar. Those sauteed onions were terrific!

I have such great family memories of that place. I couldn't believe how it wasn't able to stay open. I did go when it re-opened (years ago) and the burger was awful. I'd wondered when I didn't have to wait!

I used to go to Don's all the time as a kid. I remember waiting on those benches and shopping in their appetizing store.

I loved their burgers and their onion ring loaf. Do you remember the onion and pickle bar. Those sauteed onions were terrific!

I have such great family memories of that place. I couldn't believe how it wasn't able to stay open. I did go when it re-opened (years ago) and the burger was awful. I'd wondered when I didn't have to wait!

Oh my god do I remember Don's? I hear about it all the time, well, not so much the restaurant but about Mr. Fishman the manager. My husband worked there for a few years bussing and then cleaning up the bakery in the basement and he mentions and does a priceless imitation of Mr. Fishman so funny that my children ask for Mr Fishman when they go to bed at night. I know it might sound strange if you don't have small children but my husband has such great memories of working there and thought Mr. Fishman, as tough as he was, was a good manager.

He took me there once years ago before they closed and all he could say was how it was nothing like it had been before.

Time marches on and yet the memories never fade.

I'm trying to remember where Don's was before it moved to the big location. I'm almost positive it was somewhere else, I just can't remember exactly where. Or maybe they just enlarged what was already there????

Just posted on Don's several weeks ago - A hound corrected me - Thought it was Dom's - Surprised to hear it closed. I have been away from NJ for many years - Grew up in Englewood and was in the commercial kitchen planning business for many years there.

Hey, do any of you remember The Clarement Diner, before it became Harrold's, by any chance - perhaps you are too young?

I remember the Clairmont Diner, do you remember the Weaquhaic (sp?) Diner? Both were great, they don't make diners like that any more... I too posted on Don's about a year ago, do a search, I think a few people replied.

Both diners owned by the same guy - Joe Baum. Both the absolute best. No, they don't make diners like that anymore.

The Tick Tock is not bad though -

I grew up in the area in the 1970's and fondly remember their hamburgers