'Seinfeld' Fans Still Flock To Iconic Diner Nearly 20 Years Later

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — Tom’s Restaurant, a popular spot that has graced the corner of 112th Street and Broadway in Morningside Heights for about 70 years, went from being a simple neighborhood diner to a destination spot for tourists all over the world in the 1990s. That’s when the restaurant’s facade was first used as the exterior scene for Monk’s Cafe in "Seinfeld," the hit television series that aired from 1989-1998 on NBC.

Now, nearly 20 years after the series' final episode broke all sorts of TV viewing records, Seinfeld fans still make the pilgrimage to the spot that bears just the word "Restaurant" in red neon lights facing 112th Street.

"People come in everyday and ask us about Seinfeld, about where they sat. It’s the same questions from different people from all over the world,” said Mike Zoulis, the second-generation owner of the cafe who took over managing the business from his father and uncles when "Seinfeld" was the most popular show on television during the 1990s.

Watch: 'Seinfeld' Fans Still Flock To Iconic Diner Nearly 20 Years Later

"I like it a lot," he said of the attention his diner gets from its association with the show. "We embrace it."

Deb and Steve Kessler of Alaska were taking in a mid-morning breakfast at Tom's on Friday while in New York visiting their daughter, Annie, who attends New York University at the other end of Manhattan in Greenwich Village.

"We came from all the way across town to eat here just because of 'Seinfeld,'" said Deb Kessler. "I took pictures of the sign and sent it to everyone I know on Snapchat."

Steve Kessler, who says he still watches reruns of "Seinfeld" every night, said he came across the address of the Seinfeld diner (2880 Broadway) just the night before when deciding on where to eat the next morning.

"We wanted to see the 'Restaurant,'" he said. "It’s iconic. You see that in almost every episode."

Long before "Seinfeld" turned Tom's into one of the most visited New York City tourist destinations, the diner was a hot spot for students at nearby Columbia University who need to get in a few extra hours of studying late at night. The restaurant is open 24/7 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

"Many of Tom’s best customers are the Columbia students," according to the restaurant’s website. "Over the years, Tom's has become a rite of passage for the students. Life is not complete for a Columbia student unless they get a milkshake and gravy fries at 3 a.m."

Zoulis, the owner, says business stays strong year-round because students are coming in left and right from September until May, and the tourists are its biggest supporters during the summer.

Seattle resident Bernard Hernandez often visits New York City and stays with family in Morningside Heights. He's not a die-hard "Seinfeld" fan but comes into Tom's because in his mind it’s the best place to eat in the neighborhood.

"We like the food," he said. "We always stay around here, so we would come in even without the 'Seinfeld' stuff. But it is always cool to look at."

It’s the "Seinfeld" memorabilia, including a portrait of "The Kramer" at the front booth, that makes the show’s connection unmistakable to the neighborhood patrons.

But other than his chance connection with popular culture, Zoulis says not much has changed about the diner since it first opened in the 1940s.

"We’ve been doing the same thing for years," he said. "Keeping prices low with quality food and service."

One recent change is the four banners that have been added to the outdoor seating area facing Broadway. They read "Seinfeld," "Elaine," "George" and "Kramer."

"That was a little fun thing we did," Zoulis said.

When NBC photographers first came to Tom’s to shoot the facade, they told one of the owner’s they were photographing for "some pilot."

But that pilot turned into possibly the most talked-about show in television history.

"It’s the one-liners that have become a part of popular culture," Deb Kessler said, while her husband says the show "still makes me laugh" even after watching every episode several times.

Zoulis said it’s dealing with the people, like the Kesslers, that is his favorite part of running the cafe.

"When the tourists come in for 'Seinfeld,' stay and eat and tell me the food was great," he said. "I love that part."

Photos: 1. The iconic "Restaurant" neon sign that faces 112th Street at the corner of Broadway in Morningside Heights.

2. The Broadway side of the diner has a similar sign that reads the actual name of the restaurant.

3. Tom's Restaurant owner Mike Zoulis sits at the front booth with a portrait of "The Kramer" behind him.

Photos by Tim Moran / Patch