Gay List Daily’s brunch of the month: Circle Grill

by Staff of Gay List Daily

No Dallas homo is worthy of street cred if they haven’t eaten at the Original Market Diner on Harry Hines. The place is an institution and gayer than three silver-dollar pancakes.

Yet not so many people know of its sister restaurant across town, Circle Grill.

Depending on whom you ask (and which part of town they reside in), it’s either the red-headed stepsister to the Market Diner’s Cinderella or vice versa. We like to think of them both as Cinderella, at least a kind of Siamese beauty with two heads (and four arms for carrying all those grits and pork products) that would totally rock a State Fair freak show.

But the fact of the matter is, Circle Grill shares ownership with Original Market Diner and the food is equally gut-busting and delicious, even all the way over in East Dallas.

Circle Grill has a more retro Quentin Tarantino-esque diner feel with a long counter full of permanently attached stools with a great view of the kitchen. Sitting there allows you to bask in the warm glow of a dessert case and listen to the whirlwind of servers shouting 1950’s waitress lingo to the short-order cooks.

It’s just like being part of a National Geographic TV special. (Don’t disturb their habitat and absolutely no poking of the waitresses allowed. You could lose a limb).

The cooks produce some culinary magic on that well-loved grill of theirs. Eggs Benedict (for less than $8.00) are among the best in the city for the price. Pancakes are outstanding. And the biscuits and gravy are stupendous, even if they do stay with you for days like a happy, tummy-loving rock.

Service is attentive and friendly with many long-time waitresses on staff who know a thing or two about slingin’ some hash and working a coffee pot.

And best of all, no matter how crowded it gets on a Saturday or Sunday morning, there’s rarely a wait longer than five minutes.

Now go forth and gay up the place.