I had been here a few times over the years, dating back to when it was TJ’s Pancake House. Every trip was satisfactory, but since it changed over to Country Griddle, it has gotten even better. I wish I lived closer. The only times I come now are when I am en route to some place else, which is usually Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pennsylvania. This place is more than a diner. It’s like you stepped into grandma’s kitchen, and she is whipping up a huge batch of whatever you just ordered. The prices are beyond incredible for the amount of food you receive. Is it just me or are Jersey diner prices going through the roof lately? There was a time when a diner was not only a place to quash your hunger, but get a bang for your buck as well. Those days appear to be dissipating fast, but not at Country Griddle.

In the past, I had tried their burgers, tuna melt, and pancake breakfast combos. This weekend, though, I wanted something a little bit different. On the specials menu was a potato pancake meal. But these weren’t just any old potato pancakes—they were stuffed with bacon, eggs, and cheddar cheese. Now, I assumed they would stuff all of that into the pancakes themselves, but instead, they made a kind of sandwich out of them. In between two colossal pancakes was a massive helping of scrambled eggs, two or three large strips of bacon, and a nice layer of cheese. They came served with more potatoes on the side, by way of their scrumptious home-fries. An ungodly amount of potatoes and carbs, and a meal so delicious it should have been illegal.

Everything was cooked to perfection. The pancakes airy, the bacon crisp and cheese melted, and the home-fries well-done and tasting like the tiny pieces of grilled onion they added to it. This meal was priced at $7.49. I ordered the wallet-buster of the day. Other meals included the breakfast special, which at $6.99 came with eggs, bacon, sausage, home-fries, toast, and juice. This is the place other diners in the Garden State need to mimic. I don’t know what has happened, where diners want to come across as fine dining now and really up the prices. There is no pretentiousness at County Griddle because they do not need to be. They serve up all the classics and more with a stunning adequacy. It makes me want to move to Flemington just to be near it. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Country Griddle is located at 285 US-202, in Flemington, New Jersey.