greasy spoon

greasy spoon

A small restaurant or diner, especially one that serves fried foods. Every time I go on a road trip, I make it a point to stop at a greasy spoon for at least one of my meals.
See also: greasy, spoon
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

greasy spoon

Fig. a cheap diner, where the silverware might not be too clean. The corner greasy spoon is always busy at lunchtime.
See also: greasy, spoon
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

greasy spoon

A cheap restaurant, especially one serving short-order fried foods. For example, College students short of cash tend to eat a lot in that greasy spoon. This expression also implies that the restaurant is not very clean. [c. 1900]
See also: greasy, spoon
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a greasy spoon

INFORMAL
A greasy spoon is a small, cheap, unattractive café that serves mostly fried food. We ate at a greasy spoon called the Step Inn Cafe.
See also: greasy, spoon
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

greasy spoon

a cheap, run-down restaurant or cafe serving fried foods.
1968 Len Deighton Only When I Larf Bob said he was hungry and wanted to pull up at every greasy spoon we passed.
See also: greasy, spoon
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

greasy spoon

n. an untidy and unappetizing diner or restaurant. Let’s eat at the greasy spoon over on Maple. The food is gross, but the people-watching is good.
See also: greasy, spoon
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

greasy spoon

A cheap restaurant, especially one serving greasy fried foods. This slangy expression, which dates from the early 1900s, also implies that the restaurant is not particularly clean. Len Deighton used it in Only When I Larf (1968), “Bob said he was hungry and wanted to pull up at every greasy spoon we passed.”
See also: greasy, spoon
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a greasy spoon
  • greasy
  • Eat at Joe's
  • hash-house
  • spoon out
  • hash-slinger
  • slinger
  • hash slinger
  • (all) rolled into one
  • rolled into one
References in periodicals archive
Last year, the Marram Grass made the exclusive Good Food Guide despite being dubbed "a greasy spoon" by the brothers.
CHEF DEDICATES TOP AWARD TO HIS GRANDAD
Ellis, 25, a former Pan Am Restaurant chef, and older brother Liam, 27, set up the "greasy spoon" at their parents White Lodge Caravan Park in Newborough six years ago.
How 'greasy spoon in a chicken shed' booked place on food map
The greasy spoon nature of The Victoria Square Cafe makes it different to the area's other chain coffee shops, but one bonus is there's always much more reading material here - newspapers, magazines, flyers, the lot.
DAILY GRIND
Si and Dave, who repeatedly looks like he's got dressed in the dark, also visit a Chinese version of a greasy spoon cafe.
WE LOVE FOOD
And a back-street Indian takeaway and a greasy spoon cafe were considered on a par, despite being far cheaper and much less glamorous.
Rio's Italian mid-table in clean league
PIZZA, quiche, chick peas, brown rice and kidney beans are the staple fare of any cafe trying to prove it has left the greasy spoon days far behind.
comment
Whether you own a greasy spoon or an upscale dining establishment, it can't hurt.
Hold the tax; Could we get a plate of 5 percent?
Pickoftheday Michel Roux's Service (8.00pm) The chef and restaurateur takes his eight trainees for a breakfast shift at one of the oldest 'greasy spoon' cafes in London, and the hopefuls experience work at a curry house.
Pickoftheday
The bride and groom, who run a greasy spoon in Weatherfield, splashed out on a top-end choir for their nuptials.
Fool as a cucumber
London, June 22 (ANI): The script for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie was surprisingly found in a greasy spoon cafe.
'Pirates of the Caribbean 4' script found in cafe
FALKIRK new boy Jack Compton had to work in a greasy spoon and gardens to make ends meet before sealing his move to the SPL.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
I'm joking of course, unlike Mr Blumenthal when he said he wanted to reinvent the greasy spoon image of the troubled Little Chef chain into something more of a culinary goer.
tvchoice
Rumour had it that he had been banned from the greasy spoon over the road due to some petty hygiene regulations.
Letter: Punter who always made a splash in the betting shop
LOTTO lout Michael Carroll has found love with a waitress at a greasy spoon cafe.
THE LOTTO LOUT..& GREASY SPOON JEN; WHO SAID THAT ROMANCE WAS DEAD?
It was pleasing to note that a caf bar dedicated to the interests of working-class people has not fallen into the 'greasy spoon' category.
Letter: Good example of vibrant culture