Homer’s World Famous Malt Shop

Homer’s gets four stars for what it is. And what it is, is a fun spot to scarf down very good greasy food. I am a lover of grease in its tastiest forms — hambugers, bacon, fried foods. The star of the Homers menu is the Bodacious Burger, 20 o-z’s of good ground beef with bacon, BBQ sauce and an onion ring on a very good roll. With a side of sweet potato fries all of the major greasy food groups are represented. Don’t worry about your heart attack you can up your heart rate at a number of arcade games. The staff is friendly and low key. It is a good place for kids as it is low key. Prices are low and the food is good. This will now compete with Big Nicks as my low price option on the UWS.

I really like this place. You can either come here with kids or go and feel like one. I’m in the later group. They have all the classic food you enjoyed as a kid and continue to like as a grown up while showing classic cartoons on their TVs. You can find a cocoa pebbles dispenser right next to a beer tap on their counter. Everything from donuts and ice cream to hot dogs and grilled cheese. I ordered their pulled pork sandwich which was actually quite good.
The prices are very reasonable as well. The best part is that they have a small arcade in the back with a few arcade games and air hockey. They are also connected to the business next door (The Blue Donkey Bar) where you can get drinks and play a little pool. As long as you don’t need culinary greatness and there aren’t too many kids around, Homer’s is a good time.

The only thing I’ve tried here so far was an egg cream. It was alright — I wish that it’d had more seltzer, as it ended up kind of thicker, more like an ice cream soda. The staff was very nice, and it was uncrowded around 1pm. There was someone there with her computer, which makes me wonder if they have wifi. If they do, I’d probably prefer working here than at the nearby Starbucks.

I’ll be the first to admit it’s not the best food, especially considering the fact that you can get tastier eats at the Shake Shack in the area, but honestly? I really like Homer’s. I like it for what it is — a solid burger and shake shop that caters to the young and those young at heart.
In terms of vibe, what Scott R. said in his review really needs to be repeated — it really is the junior high hangout he/​I never had. So Peach Pit from the old school 90 210. Kudos to Scott for nailing it.
Really I just like grabbing a burger and fries in a laid-​back, neighborhood spot that isn’t really trying to be trendy. The food is solid — I’ve been multiple times and never been hugely disappointed. I’ve had some decent meals here. Then again, their corn dogs are of the frozen brand variety, judging from the little inscription on the stick… So it’s not exactly original, or the best quality, but for a snack? It’ll do. If you want to be blown away, again, go to Shake Shack. Homer’s will generally suffice, not dazzle.
Having said that, their birthday cake ice cream is delightful in that sugar overload manner that I occasionally crave, and speaking of sugar, the staff’s been pretty nice when I’ve been. I haven’t really delved into their desserts/​other ice cream flavors too much, but I’m optimistic.
So yeah, it’s a bit of an oddity, a goody two shoes place which is more fun for what it is rather than for what it serves. I’m sure most of the regulars would give it a higher rating, but again, the reason there’s a dearth of Unilocal reviews is due to the fact that the typical Homer’s patron is still into Dora The Explorer. I never got on the Dora bandwagon, but I can definitely dig Homer’s.
Anywho, sorry to break it to Homer that you’re obviously not «world famous» but fame’s overrated anyways bud, so don’t take it to heart. Let’s just hang out free of paparazzi and share a milkshake. I’m more than content with that and you oughta be too.

This is where UWS moms, dads, and nannies go to unleash their beasts (kids) and let them run free. If this doesn’t bother you, then the food is actually not the worst in the world… if you’re into fries and finger food.

I was looking for a burger and shake restaurant, however this place really disappointed me. I guess we will have to wait for the UWS version of the shake shack to open later this year.

One thing I’ll say was that the servers were very nice. It was full of ill-​behaved UWS children, drawn to their array of video games in the back. I got a vanilla coke, which was almost certainly a bad idea, but tasted good.
Things that could have been a fluke:
*My turkey burger was not cooked. Weirdly enough, my boyfriend’s was. I don’t know how they cooked 2 turkey burgers at the same time and one remained raw. I sent it back once I realized that it was fully pink, and felt karmically stupid for eating random meat in the first place.
*There was a dying mouse next to us that was in the process of dying as we sat there and ate.
Perhaps I should have tried the «donut burger.»

two words: donut burger

This a fun little place. Good for kids. Good for adults. Very casual and well lit. It’s a tradional style malt/​burger joint. With a bar to sit at or tables… you’ve got your choice of milkshakes, banana splits, or more non-​desert food like burgers and fries which are pretty good. They actually serve really cheap beer here too and have a small outdoor seating area out back which is really nice quiet!

I was really craving a cool burger and shake joint so I googled it and this is what I found near me. Boy what a mistake. The theme of the place is neither here nor there. It feels like a half assed basement rec room. We were the only two people in the place and we waited over 30 minutes for 2 really crappy hotdogs and a milkshake. When our waiter realized that it was taking way too long he told us the cook misplaced our ticket. We over heard the employees (who looked a little old for the job) saying they were hungry but couldn’t stomach the thought of eating anything on the menu there. I completely agree.

We meandered into Homer’s as we walked up Amsterdam and were immediately enamoured by its charm. A few scoops of thick, buttery mint chocolate chip ice cream for $ 2 hit the spot, the children in the tables were happily eating burgers, the moms drinking beers, and the counter girl was funny and good natured.
I would love to rent out Homer’s for my next birthday and get drunk with my friends as we gorge ourselves on donuts burgers, shakes, ice cream, and «wachos» (nacho style waffle fries).
Homer’s is just adorable, and call me crazy, but I really felt like a kid again.

I’ve been here a couple times but couldn’t think how to describe it and then it hit me — this place feels like the junior high hangout that I never had growing up. More like the Saved By The Bell crew’s spot than the 90 210 crew’s Peach Pit.
So this place is rad if you’re 12 and need a sugar fix to balance out the ritalin.
But if you’re adult — this place is pretty lame. The portions are kiddie-​size. Burgers aren’t anything special. They have beer and a pool table but — what — I’m gonna get drunk, challenge little Johnny and make him look bad in front of the gang?
Just like on TV, any adult in a situation like this either comes off as the über-​naïve authority figure (Mr. Belding), the parental figure (Nat), or a pedophile (the bike shop owner who woos Arnold and Dudley in a special two-​part episode of Different Strokes and whose offer of Banana Splits to the boys has ruined this dish for me — hell, i get the shivers just walking in a bike shop!).
Since I don’t want to play any of those roles, I recommend leaving this place for the kids/​families and finding another hangout to get your milkshake fix. Think of this place as doing a public service so the restaurants you really want to go to are a little less familial and your occasional dropping of an f-​bomb doesn’t blow up in your face.

5 bucks for a milkshake? First, how do they get away with that. Second, the only size they have is equivalent of a medium… Somebody please say something to the manager. If you’re advertising as a ‘shake-​shack’ with those prices at least give us our money’s worth.

Probably the cheapest sandwich in the area. Great retro-​nostalgia joint. It really feels like an old-​fashioned malt shop, not some spruced up theme restaurant. Great milkshakes and PB&J w/​fluff. Burgers/​fries however, were not as satisfactory. Come for dessert or a midday break with kids or kid at heart

Homer’s is a pretty cool little spot on the UWS that goes for the hip, «retro» feel. The food is classic stuff: sliders, fries, hot dogs, ice cream of course… the menu features Aqua Teen Hunger Force look-​alikes, which is kind of unexpected but whatever…
Anyway, Homer’s is neat and they make a good banana split… but, it seems like they’re missing some kind of X factor to attract a devoted crowd. When I went it was relatively empty, but they have potential.
That’s all besides the point though. Bottom line, Homer’s is a fun place to come for something different every once in a while.