Duke's Coffee Shop

Originally the coffee shop at the Tropicana Hotel, Duke’s has been in business for 40 years – 20 of them in the current location – so it’s hosted its share of celebrities smitten with the New York style diner food. Take a seat at the wood grain Formica counter or at one of the communal tables, where you just might find yourself seated next to the likes of Frankie Muñiz or Weird Al. Sure, the red carpet and red vinyl chairs are showing some wear, but the signed headshots and movie posters adorning the walls, as well as the 45s strung from the ceiling, keep things festive. Breakfast, served all day, is king here, with combos like the Howdy Doody (OJ, hot cakes, fried eggs, and bacon or sausage) and the Revenge (a Tex-Mex three egg scramble) and sweet treats like the banana hot cakes and cheese blintzes with fresh berries. If you come for dinner, don’t miss the meatloaf. You’d think Duke’s would capture the Saturday late-night crowd spilling over from the Whisky a Go Go, the Viper Room, and Hustler Hollywood, but no bones:  this old timer closes at 3 p.m. on weekends.

TIPS: The 1940s cash register can only calculate amounts up to $40. If your tab exceeds that, you’ll get more than one bill.