Ellen's Stardust Diner

Ellen's Stardust Diner

Restaurant information
Established	1987
Head chef	Giovanny Tufino
Food type	American cuisine^[1]
Street address	1650 Broadway (at 51st Street)
City	New York City
County	New York
State	New York
Postal code/ZIP	10019
Country	United States
Coordinates	40°45′43″N 73°59′00″W / 40.76182°N 73.9834°W / 40.76182; -73.9834Coordinates: 40°45′43″N 73°59′00″W / 40.76182°N 73.9834°W / 40.76182; -73.9834
Reservations	Reservations for parties over 20^[2]
Website	www.ellensstardustdiner.com

Ellen's Stardust Diner is a retro 1950s theme restaurant located at 1650 Broadway^[3] on the southeast corner of 51st Street in Theater District, Manhattan, New York City.^[2] The Diner is regarded as one of the best theme restaurants in New York owing to its singing waitstaff.^[4] The diner also contains retro-themed memorabilia such as photos of many past Miss Subways on the walls, an indoor train, a 1956 Predicta television and a “drive-in theater” screen that showcases performances of the 1950s. It is popular among children and adults.^[1]

History

Ellen's Stardust Diner was opened in 1987 after Ellen's Cafe was closed down.^[5]^[6] It was the first 1950s theme restaurant in New York and had waitresses in poodle skirts.^[5] In the late 1990s, a sister restaurant operated near Times Square under the name Stardust Dine-O-Mat.^[6]

In popular culture

Ellen's Stardust Diner was the site in the movie New Year's Eve where Sarah Jessica Parker’s character and her 15-year-old daughter’s friends stopped for a bite after the ball dropped.^[7] It was also featured in American Idol when a former employee, Devyn Rush became a contestant on the show. Reports subsequently followed regarding Devyn's employment status at Ellen's Stardust Diner.^[8] Ellen's Diner was also featured on a Today Show episode.^[9]

Alumni on Broadway

Singer at Ellen's Stardust Diner

Several alums of Ellen's Stardust Diner singing waitstaff have gone on to have successful careers on Broadway theatre and American Idol. Many current staffers have received critical acclaim with original musicals at NY Musical Theater Festival.^[4] Brandon Ellis, Eric Michael Krop, Stephen Tyler Davis, Kevin Ray^[4] and Alysha Umphress (Shirley)^[10] are some of successful singers who had started their careers as singing wait-staffers at Ellen's Stardust Diner. Ellen's Stardust Diner is considered a breeding ground for singers. Former Ellen's staff members have been known to star in almost every Broadway and major off-Broadway musical such as Avenue Q, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, South Pacific, In The Heights, On The Town, Wicked, and Godspell.^[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ellen's Stardust Diner.

1 2 "Ellen's Stardust Diner - New York". Weekendnotes.com. February 24, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
1 2 "Contact « Ellens Stardust Diner | Home of the Singing Waitstaff". Ellensstardustdiner.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
↑ "The 4 Best Themed Restaurants In New York City". CBS New York. August 31, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
1 2 3 4 NiteLifeExchange. "Ellen's Stardust Diner Staffers Showcase Three New Musicals at NY Musical Theatre Festival". Nitelifeexchange.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
1 2 "Ellen'S Cafe Sez Farewell, City Hall". NY Daily News. April 27, 2001. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
1 2 Friedwald, Will (September 30, 2010). "Saluting a Maker of Local Landmarks". wsj.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
↑ Stack, Tim. "'New Year's Eve': 10 plot points that would never happen". Popwatch.ew.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
↑ "'Idol' Waitress Loses Job After 'A.I.' Audition". TMZ. January 25, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
↑ 51111975215_s49. "Today Gets A Laugh: Kathie Lee &... Stock Footage & Video Clips". NBC. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
↑ "Alysha Umphress". Alysha Umphress. Retrieved January 30, 2013.

Structures on Broadway in Manhattan

1-599 (Battery Pl. - W. Houston St.)	1 Broadway 2 Broadway Bowling Green 26 Broadway (previously occupied by Lautman's Dairy) Cunard Building 52 Broadway Adams Express Building 65 Broadway 1 Wall Street AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company Trinity Church Equitable Building Equitable Life Building Marine Midland Building Zuccotti Park One Liberty Plaza Fulton Center Corbin Building American Surety Building 195 Broadway Astor House Woolworth Building City Hall Park New York City Hall Broadway–Chambers Building 280 Broadway 287 Broadway Appleton Building 359 Broadway 361 Broadway (James S. White Building) 462 Broadway Mechanics' Hall E. V. Haughwout Building New Era Building Scholastic Building Singer Building

600-1499 (W. Houston St. - Times Sq.)	Cable Building Canterbury Hall Grace Church Church of the Messiah Grand Central Hotel 770 Broadway Strand Bookstore Tisch School of the Arts Grace Church Union Square Flatiron Building Madison Square Baudouine Building Gilsey House Grand Hotel Radisson Hotel Martinique Hotel McAlpin Herald Square Haier Building Knickerbocker Theatre Marbridge Building Metropolitan Opera House (former) Rialto Theatre Times Square One Times Square (previously occupied by Pabst Hotel) Condé Nast Building The Knickerbocker Hotel

1500-1800 (Times Sq. - Columbus Cir.)	1500 Broadway (previously occupied by Hotel Claridge) 1501 Broadway One Astor Plaza Astor Theatre Minskoff Theatre New York Marriott Marquis Morgan Stanley Building Palace Theatre Brill Building Winter Garden Theatre Central Theatre Capitol Theatre Ellen's Stardust Diner Paramount Plaza Studebaker Building Broadway Theatre 1717 Broadway 1740 Broadway Random House Tower Columbus Circle

North of Columbus Cir.	Museum of Biblical Art Dauphin Hotel Beacon Theatre The Apthorp Bretton Hall Goddard Institute for Space Studies Barnard College Audubon Ballroom United Palace Dyckman House Church of the Good Shepherd

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