greasy spoon

Meaning

A 'greasy spoon' is a small, cheap, and informal restaurant or diner, typically specializing in fried foods and hearty breakfasts. While the name sounds slightly negative, it is often used affectionately to describe a cozy, unpretentious place with delicious comfort food.

Examples

• Let's hit that greasy spoon down the street for a cheap breakfast tomorrow.

  Let's hit that greasy spoon down the street for a cheap breakfast tomorrow.

• I love high-end restaurants, but sometimes nothing beats a classic greasy spoon.

  I love high-end restaurants, but sometimes nothing beats a classic greasy spoon.

• They serve the best blueberry pancakes at this little local greasy spoon.

  They serve the best blueberry pancakes at this little local greasy spoon.

• It's just a typical greasy spoon, but their coffee is surprisingly good.

  It's just a typical greasy spoon, but their coffee is surprisingly good.

• We stopped at a roadside greasy spoon for some burgers during our road trip.

  We stopped at a roadside greasy spoon for some burgers during our road trip.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The restaurant was so dirty, it was a greasy spoon.

  ✓ The restaurant was a bit run-down, like a classic greasy spoon.

  While 'greasy spoon' implies a cheap, basic diner, it is usually used affectionately. Calling a genuinely filthy, unhygienic restaurant a 'greasy spoon' as a pure insult misses the nostalgic, cozy connotation of the term.

• ✗ I bought a greasy spoon from the kitchen store.

  ✓ My spoon was greasy, so I washed it.

  'Greasy spoon' is an idiom for a type of diner, not a literal utensil that is oily.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you want a cheap and heavy breakfast, there is a great ___ around the corner.

  💡 An informal, cheap diner specializing in fried food.

  Show answer

  greasy spoon

• It's not a fancy place, just a local ___ that serves amazing milkshakes.

  💡 Two-word idiomatic term for a cheap, unpretentious eatery.

  Show answer

  greasy spoon