1 week Ago
I’m a sucker for any restaurant with “diner” in the name, so when my dad suggested we head to Hampstead to check out Ober Easy Diner, he didn’t have to twist my arm. As a recent convert to an early morning schedule from many years of working nights, I’ve come to appreciate going out for a hearty breakfast. Atmosphere: 17/20 Menu: 18/20 Food: 18/20 Service: 20/20 Value: 20/20 TOTAL: 93/100 Ober Easy Diner opened in January 2019 in a strip mall you can easily access from Route 111.
Owners Susan and Tim Ober recount the story on the restaurant’s website of how they came to occupy the spot, which was formerly Christina’s Country Café. I appreciate when restaurants give you a chance to get to know them before you even walk in the door. When you do walk in to the door, you walk into a bright space done in red and yellow.
The retro tchotchkes (we noted that someone really loves the Pillsbury Doughboy) add a homey touch. There are several booths along the wall, with additional tables in the middle of the room. You can also sit at a bar (and yes, they serve alcohol) in the back.
It looks deceptively small from the outside but it’s a sizeable space. The menu is large, too, with a plethora of breakfast and lunch offerings. Name it and they serve it.
If you are still stumped, they offer daily specials. I typically order an omelet for breakfast but the crepes, selection of benedicts, breakfast sandwiches and sausage and gravy all were tempting. I was especially impressed with the list of list of toppings, fillings and extras.
In the mood for waffle with fruit, honey, chocolate chips and jimmies? They have you covered. I opted for the Steak and Cheese Omelet ($10.49), described as including shaved steak, peppers, mushrooms, onions and provolone cheese (I ditched the onions and asked for American cheese instead of the provolone).
The eggs were well seasoned and fluffy. The shaved steak was tender and veggies perfectly cooked. I was surprised that there wasn’t more filling, but at the price I paid, I can’t complain.
The omelet was a bit wet from the veggies but easily overlooked. My side of hash browns were textbook. Dad wanted lunch and was immediately drawn to the burger menu.
He said his cheeseburger club ($9.99) was better than the average fare, cooked as requested, and there was plenty of it. He ordered onion rings, which had a nice, thin coating that was not at all greasy.
His only complaint was that the plate was too small for the amount of food it carried: It was hard to keep things from falling off. The cheeseburger club with onion rings at Ober Easy Diner. We both noted that our bread was super fresh and tasted homemade.
That led us to bring home a blueberry lemon muffin made by Johnny “The Muffin Man.” You can’t miss Johnny’s baked goods, since they’re in a case right by the door as you come in. The muffins are also big enough to feed two.
The food was so good and the experience so pleasant that we decided to return a second time to try more menu items to report on — it’s a difficult job, but it’s all about our readers. The next time around we switched off — I ordered from the lunch menu and vice versa. Dad — going big or going home — ordered the Hungry Man Big Breakfast ($11.
99): two eggs, home fries, toast, ham steak, sausage, bacon and French toast, which took him two meals to finish. The Hungry Man Big Breakfast at Ober Easy Diner. He said his sunny-side-up eggs were perfectly cooked with soft flowing yolks and pristine whites, possibly the best he’s ever had in a restaurant.
The other highlight of his breakfast was the lightly grilled sausage. He described it as being above average with a good texture and thin casing. I had the opportunity to do something I haven’t done in a long time: try something I’ve never had before.
The lunch menu features a regional specialty — the chicken barb sandwich ($8.99) — which by most accounts hails from Lawrence and Methuen, Massachusetts. Dad remembered it from his childhood but he hadn’t seen it anywhere in ages.
The Chicken Barb with fries at Ober Easy Diner. What’s a chicken barb? It’s a sandwich made with white-meat chicken steamed in a seasoned broth. The chicken is shredded and served warm on a bun with lettuce and mayo.
If it sounds overly simple, it is — and it is simply delicious. The bun was fresh (if not a bit soggy from the pickle on the plate), the iceberg lettuce was crisp and the chicken tender. It’s one of the best chicken sandwiches I have had and I’m going to figure out how to make them at home.
We were both full, so we ordered the Irish tiramisu (on special) and a brownie whoopie pie to go. The tiramisu was amped up by a kick of Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur, which was a nice change. The brownie whoopie pie was super sweet, though it didn’t feature the marshmallow filling we expected.
There were two items of note that were consistent over our two visits: great service and great prices. The service on both visits rated an A-plus. They were attentive and friendly, and we didn’t want for anything, even on a busy weekend day.
The entire staff pitches in to help with the tables, so if your server gets tied up, you aren’t waiting. Our coffee mugs were never less than half full before the carafe was brought back around. Ober Easy is a place where you can still take the whole family without breaking the bank and still get a delicious meal.
For its service and pricing, it really does feel like a throwback to diners of yore. We’ll be back. 416 Emerson Ave.
, Hampstead; 603-329-3430; obereasy.com Hours: Sunday, 6 a.m.
to 1 p.m. (breakfast only); Monday-Friday, 7 a.
m. to 2 p.m.
; Saturday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.
m. Cuisine: Breakfast and lunch diner favorites Pricing: Omelets, $8.99-$15.
99; benedicts, $8.99-$9.49; other egg dishes, $3.
25-$15.49; salads and soups, $3.99-$15.
49; sandwiches, burgers and wraps, $5.49-$10.99.
Ober Easy Diner 416 Emerson Ave., Hampstead; 603-329-3430; obereasy.com .
Hours: Sunday, 6 a.m. to 1 p.
m. (breakfast only); Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.
to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 6 a.
m. to 2 p.m.
Cuisine: Breakfast and lunch diner favorites. Pricing: Omelets, $8.99-$15.
99; benedicts, $8.99-$9.49; other egg dishes, $3.
25-$15.49; salads and soups, $3.99-$15.
49; sandwiches, burgers and wraps, $5.49-$10.99.
{related_content_uuid}3787197d-27ae-4a19-8b16-1b1042d8323a{/related_content_uuid} Scores for Ober Easy Atmosphere: 17/20 Menu: 18/20 Food: 18/20 Service: 20/20 Value: 20/20 TOTAL: 93/100 {related_content_uuid}bc248a50-a775-421c-9327-3525c6d084af{/related_content_uuid}.
