About Us
Eating at West Street Diner has been a Germantown tradition since 1988. Our large and varied menu includes fresh breakfast all day, scrumptious meat and vegetable plates, and delicious homemade breads and pies made by our talented kitchen staff. Portions are always generous and affordable and served by our friendly servers.
Generations have made eating at "The Diner" a family tradition, and new patrons are astonished to find the superb southern comfort food they’ve been searching for.
Our Story
On a drizzling Christmas Eve in 1987, Ron Bishop set out on his daily run and imagined starting a new business. With his extensive restaurant ownership and management experience, he was thinking about creating a unique dining experience in Germantown. He thought that a diner might be a welcomed addition to the few restaurant choices in the area.
Ron discussed his idea with Peter, a restaurateur friend whose Greek father, uncle and cousins owned diners in the northeast. They decided it would be a good idea to visit some of those family-owned diners to help come up with a blueprint for a special dining experience. After a few days of sampling comfort food, studying menus and observing kitchen and seating layouts, Ron moved forward with plans for his diner that was destined to become a hometown favorite.
While Ron was developing his business plan, a new building was under construction in the heart of Germantown. He decided that this building on West Street would be a perfect location for his new establishment. The diner opened in February 1988 to long lines of neighborhood patrons who were hungry for generous portions of good southern home-cooked food at an affordable price.
Still in its original location, West Street Diner’s neon clock reminds customers that it’s “Time to Eat Good Food.” Hungry patrons come to enjoy the nostalgia of the carefree 1950’s-style American diner complete with music of the era, oilcloth tablecloths, and photos of diners that Ron and Peter visited in the 80’s. “The Diner” has become an iconic Germantown destination where people of all ages find familiar welcoming faces and consistently delicious comfort food that warms the soul.