The Jukebox Diner is in that weird part of Annandale that is both on and not on Rt. 236.

Okay, so I can't drink at the nearby Colonial Room and walk next door at 2 AM to sober up over coffee. But it's still a cool place. A diner is the best place to get a meal alone; it's basically what the lunch counter is designed for. Jukebox has a great counter; it's a proper height (not like the midget Amphora counter) and places one in the ideal position for refills and general staff attention. I've taken tables too; spread out a full array of work around my diner, hung around an extra hour over coffee, and got not an unkind glance. Jukebox is never crowded and never pushed to aggressively control loitering. Speaking as a loiterer, such places are getting few and far between.

Portions never disappoint here; again, distinguishing this place from other regional diner fare. The food is decent, priced a bit below the Amphora menu. My cheese steak had everything on it one would expect save the tobasco sauce, and really only a frequent visitor of Bubbas in Mclean would expect that... The menu is wide and varied, again, classic diner. Berift of any particular specialty, this selection representing a kitchen full of the basic accoutrements necessary to construct nearly any basic meal. Oh, and they have an egg cream on the menu. A friend of mine from Long Island that used to live here made a point of tormenting every waitress he met in his excuse to get an egg cream; he'd launch into a long drawn-out recipe, suggest severl substitutes for missing ingredients, then taste it and send it back, unsatisfied... I'll have to get Gary's opinion on this egg cream ASAP.

So what have you done for me lately, Jukebox Diner? You'll never see me into the naked eye of 4 AM, which is a shame. Still, for a place that offers little practical utility to me, I do take a lot of meals there.

My favorite part of Jukebox is the food. They give you good portions of good food. I had the corn beef hash omelet which was excellent and came with potatoes and toast. Ironically, I've never been here for breakfast, or rather at breakfast time, but I fully intend to at some future point. I was going to photograph it but I was too busy eating it and by the time my hunger was sated it was all gone. On top of the good food, the staff is adroitly skilled at making sure your coffee cup stays full - especially if you sit at the bar.

My only complaint about Jukebox is that it is not 24 hour. Considering the neighborhood (can be rough by night) I can understand why, but closing at 2 on weekends is too early for me. This is actually a serious flaw for me since my sleep schedule leaves me with more waking time then your average human - a true 24 hour joint is a Godsend to me. Still, the food is superb, the staff friendly and the decor relaxing - I will return.