The first thing we noticed about The Breakfast Club was not the shiny metal exterior, pinball machines or the thematic ‘80s music drifting out the restaurant door. We were immediately greeted by a long line extending out the door of the classic diner. Boston University students and local residents alike wait for up to an hour in line for this popular breakfast place, but does the food truly measure up to the hype?
After waiting in line for half an hour, we were escorted out of the bitter cold and into the restaurant and were seated at one of the booths. From the neon yellow ceiling tiles to the classic black-and-white checkered floors, The Breakfast Club’s interior screams of a classic diner straight out of the popular 1985 film “The Breakfast Club.” It was energizing amidst the laughing and talking of rowdy college students.
Our server promptly took our drink and food orders. She was polite and helpful, but not memorably so. The drinks arrived quickly, with the food following shortly thereafter.
Since it is a breakfast diner, coffee and lattes are an essential part of the menu. The Pumpkin Spice Latte ($3.95) was a perfect balance between the dark, rich flavor of the coffee and the subtly sweet hint of pumpkin. While many lattes overwhelm the darker coffee undertones, The Breakfast Club has somehow managed to strike the perfect balance between bitter and sweet.
Unfortunately, the surprises did not extend past our drink orders. While the food was well-prepared and fresh, it was neither unique nor remarkable.
The Eggs Benedict Florentine ($8.99) exemplified the quintessential breakfast dish. The hollandaise sauce was creamy and lemony, but lacked the full-bodied thickness of a truly perfect hollandaise. The taste of the fresh spinach and tomatoes stood out against the creamy lemon of the sauce and the rich English muffin, but it was not particularly memorable.
The Meaty One Omelette ($7.89) is another classic. Cooked within the tender fried egg were chunks of breakfast sausage and ham that paired well with cheese melted between the layers of the egg. The omelette came with toast, but neither jam nor butter.
In addition to classic breakfast dishes, The Breakfast Club’s menu also includes eight dishes named after characters from “The Breakfast Club.” A poster for the movie sits prominently upon a wall.
One of these movie-themed dishes was the Dean’s Office ($8.99), which included a basic disassembled cream cheese and lox sandwich with tomatoes, onions and capers on the side. The capers added a salty touch to the staple breakfast food. The bagel was perfectly toasted, the smoked salmon was particularly fresh and the onions added a dash of strong flavor—but altogether, the sandwich was nothing extraordinary.
While the atmosphere of The Breakfast Club was invigorating and fun, the classic breakfast food was nothing extraordinary. The meal was not an expensive one, but The Breakfast Club is by no measure a cheap diner. So is The Breakfast Club worth a long wait out in the cold? We didn’t think so.
Matt DeAngelo and Aria Wong can be contacted at [email protected]
