Follow the block-long queue of eager patrons to the southeast corner of West 51st Street and Broadway, and you’ll encounter a retro-style neon sign that reads “Stardust” against a bright red facade.
This is Ellen’s Stardust Diner, a staple since 1987. The ’50s-style diner is known for its “world-famous” singing waitstaff that serves up nostalgic favorites to bustling theater crowds, international visitors and fun-seeking locals 365 days a year from 7am to midnight.
The lifelong New Yorker at the helm is 84-year-old Ellen Hart. As a seasoned restaurateur, performer and former Miss Subways 1959, she represents a rare city stalwart who carries the torch for its bygone eras. Nearly forty years after its opening, Ellen’s Stardust Diner is usually packed, with a consistent wait to enter (how long varies depending on the time of day and season) and a steady stream of social media coverage from influencers and travelers.
Ellen Hart
According to Ellen, the diner’s enduring success is all luck, but we think there’s a bit of magic sprinkled in too.
Here’s what you’ll find beyond the entrance line at Ellen’s Stardust Diner.
Inside Ellen's Stardust Diner
The Diner Is a Straight Shot of Nostalgia
The 1950s-themed interior features multiple levels—the main space has a narrow, raised stage in the center, upon which the waitstaff perform live from open to close.
There’s a wraparound balcony filled with seating above and a separate 160-seat nightclub in the basement, called The Iridium. Aside from the retro staples like vinyl booths, disco balls and framed memorabilia on the walls, the diner showcases a mini Miss Subways museum, a wall of fame featuring photos of notable waitstaff alumni, custom merchandise for sale and a drive-in-theater-style screen projecting era-specific performances.
Confetti pancakes and a burger topped with mac and cheese
Menu items span classics including pancakes, milkshakes and chicken fingers, alongside more contemporary dishes like rainbow bagels, roasted salmon and a gluten-free pasta primavera.
“There’s some of yesterday, and we added a couple of things that are today,” Ellen explains of the diner’s broad selection. Their most popular dish is burgers and fries, but when Ellen orders for herself, she says, “I like the avocado toast.”
A group photo of Miss Subways
Hart singing the National Anthem before a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden
It Has an Authentic New Yorker Pedigree
Ellen always dreamed of being in the spotlight. After serving as March 1959’s Miss Subways when she was a student at Jamaica High School in Queens, she went on to pursue her passion after graduation, singing in New York State locations such as Rockland County’s bungalow colonies and various Catskills hotels.
In 1969, she opened Ellen’s Café across from City Hall with her husband. “I decided that after wanting to be a singer and actress and all of this glamour stuff—you know how difficult it is—that I would like to join him,” she says. The restaurant became a favorite haunt of many of the City’s mayors, from Lindsay to Koch to Guiliani, and operated for 32 years.
Ellen set her sights closer to Broadway for her second establishment and embraced the era of her youth through the diner, which was City’s first 1950s-themed restaurant. The performing servers, however, came a few years after its 1987 opening. “A lot of the waiters were singers, and that’s how we got the idea,” Ellen says. It became a full-circle endeavor—just as Ellen had hoped to find a launchpad for her own success, she created one for her staff.
A Starduster at Ellen's Stardust Diner
Your Server May Be the Next Big Broadway Star
The competition to become one of the diner’s singing servers, known as “Stardusters,” is fierce. “We have 17 on the current waiting list,” says Ellen. “Every so often there is an opening.” The gig is gold for anyone who dreams of gracing theater’s ultimate stage, not just for the diner’s proximity to Broadway but because of its clientele.
“They get a chance to hone their talent, and maybe an agent would see them,” says Ellen. “There are some agents in the building, so you never know.”
There’s a long list of Stardusters who have gone on to major Broadway roles—they sometimes even return to the diner between shows. Among them: Michael Longoria, who starred in Jersey Boys; Brandi Massey of Jekyll and Hyde and Wicked; Alex Grayson of Into the Woods and The Outsiders; and Zak Resnick and Tyler Maynard of Mamma Mia! In fact, Maynard is currently a Starduster and will be lending his particular expertise to the diner’s Mamma Mia!–inspired brunch series. '
A Starduster at Ellen's Stardust Diner
It Takes “Dinner and a Show” to the Next Level
“I think we’re unique because we perform morning to night,” Ellen says. “And we offer food and entertainment at a much better price than Broadway.”
The Stardusters get to choose what they perform for the live singing sets, and while they tend to stick to 1950s through ’70s show tunes, they sometimes throw in more modern selections. “Once in a while I hear a pop song that I don’t recognize,” admits Ellen.
The diner also offers special ticketed programming that pays homage to shows at neighboring Broadway theaters. They host that wildly popular Mamma Mia! brunch featuring ABBA song performances and a cast member from the show, and there’s more in the works, including a Wicked Wednesday series. Plus, The Iridium in the diner’s basement operates as its own concert venue, curating a full slate of rock, jazz and blues shows with renowned artists. If you want to experience a double bill of the best in NYC’s music scene, just head downstairs after your meal.
It’s Enshrined in Pop Culture
You may recognize the diner’s interior from a scene of the 2011 film New Year’s Eve, in which Sarah Jessica Parker’s character stops by to eat after the ball drops in Times Square. You may even recall that actress Courtney Cox’s Monica Geller worked as a chef at The Iridium during the first two seasons of Friends.
Ellen Hart
You Might Catch a Solo or Two from Ellen Herself…
Ellen, who recently sang the National Anthem for an audience of 600 (including Gayle King!) at the Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council, regularly performs at the diner.
“I get it out of my system,” she jokes. Her favorites include “Getting to Know You,” “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Somebody Loves Me,” and she continues to hone her skills with singing teacher Katy Wolfe.
“Dreams die hard,” Ellen says. The same adage is true for her Stardusters.
“We have a 53-year-old [on staff],” she adds. “We have some people that are still there hoping for their big break. You never know! There’s parts for older, younger people…all different types of parts.”
…Or Witness a Wedding!
Not only was Ellen’s Café known for its “instant marriage receptions,” wherein newlyweds and their loved ones crossed the street from City Hall to enjoy a post-vows meal, but Ellen, at her current spot, is also responsible for two marriages among staff who met at the diner.
“A lot of waiters met their partners and got married at the diner,” she says. “One actually met his bride in the diner when she was a waitress and he was a waiter, and they both sing.”
With such a winning track record, it’s no surprise that Ellen says she’s working to host weddings at the diner on a more regular basis. “We do have the space,” she says. “They could have a chapel downstairs, and then they could come upstairs and have a whole wedding.”
Tips for the Stardusters
You’ll Have the Opportunity to Support Good Causes
A tip bucket is regularly passed around to help fund singing and acting lessons and any other ongoing needs for the servers. And Ellen often sponsors organizations that are close to her heart—this past Pride Month, the diner gave proceeds from special rainbow-colored menu items and merchandise to Broadway Inspirational Voices. In previous years, the diner has supported God’s Love We Deliver, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and many others.
The line outside Ellen’s Stardust Diner wraps around the block
And, if You’re Savvy, You May Get to Skip the Line Altogether
A hot tip straight from Ellen: grab your seats at the diner during the times when Broadway audience members will be in theirs. “When people go to the matinee or to the theater, it’s quieter,” she says. That means avoiding pre-matinee (2pm or 3pm starts) and pre-evening show (7pm or 8pm starts) crowds. According to Ellen, the best time to skip a wait is between 2pm and 4pm most afternoons, while matinees are performing. The busiest times? Before Wednesday and Sunday matinees.
