"THIS PLACE GOOD, WHOOA NOW OKAY. SITUATED IN THE GRAY MASS THAT EXISTS OFF 138TH AND Q, YOU 'D NEVER EXPECT SOMETHING WITH SOME COLOR AND CHARACTER TO RESIDE AMONG THE GRAY WINTER OF CONCRETE THAT IS 139TH PLAZA. BUT THAT 'S SHIRLEY 'S DINER, OKAY?<br <br IF YOU LIKE JUDY GARLAND OR ELVIS OR PANCAKES, YOU WILL DIG THIS PLACE, YA DIG? BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES SURROUND AS YOU BREAK BREAD. FOR REAL, I ORDERED THREE CAKES. THESE CAKES ARE PLATE-SIZED. THEY ARE BIG. A LIGHT GOLDEN BROWN IN COLOR, THESE THINGS ARE JUST A SOLID PANCAKE ALL AROUND WITH GREAT FLAVOR, ADMIRABLE TEXTURE, AND ROTUND GIRTH. COMPARABLE TO 11-WORTH CAFE 'S CAKES. I THINK I 'LL BE COMING BACK FOR SOME CAKES.<br <br THERE WAS EVEN COMPLEMENTARY ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED, AS THE COUPLE IN THE BOOTH BEHIND ME WERE HAVING A MYSTERIOUS AND INTRIGUING CONVERSATION. THE MAN WAS TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE, THE IDENTITY OF WHOM I SOUGHT TO UNCOVER AS THE CONVERSATION WENT ON. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT HE SPOKE OF HIS DOG, BUT CERTAIN STATEMENTS MADE LESS SENSE AS HE REFERRED TO THIS PERSON 'S 'FRIENDS ' AND THIS PERSON BEING 'ANGRY ' WHEN PEOPLE ARE OVER. BUT THEN ANOTHER TIME HE MENTIONED THIS PERSON 'LAYING HIS HEAD ON YOU AND DROOLING, ' MUCH LIKE A DOG WOULD DO. OR PERHAPS A BABY? I NEVER DID ASCERTAIN THE PRECISE IDENTITY OF THIS MYSTERY PERSON ANIMAL BEING. THE TONE OF THE CONVERSATION WAS EQUAL PARTS EARNEST AND DESPERATE, AND AS SUCH I DID NOT ASK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION AS IT SOUNDED EXTREMELY PRIVATE AND PERSONAL, AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RUDE.<br <br THE BATHROOM HERE IS AN ENIGMA. TWO PHOTOS OF THE RAT PACK. THERE ARE TWO URINALS WITHIN INCHES OF EACH OTHER, BUT WITH NO BARRIER. THE ODD THING IS ONE PICTURE OF THE RAT PACK IS TO THE RIGHT AND BEHIND YOU AS YOU USE THE URINALS, SO IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT WHILST URINATING, YOU MUST CONTORT YOUR NECK AND TORSO TO THE RIGHT, RISKING A MISFIRE ONTO THE WALL, OR ONTO A FELLOW PATRON IF YOU ARE USING THE LEFTMOST OF THE TWO URINALS. THIS IS WHY I RECOMMEND USING THE LEFT URINAL, TO AVOID THE RISK OF COMING UNDER FRIENDLY FIRE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THE RAT PACK PHOTOS ARE INCLUDED TO ENCOURAGE BATHROOM BANTER. I HAVE ONE RAT PACK CD; IT IS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM. I LISTEN TO IT AROUND CHRISTMAS USUALLY.<br <br OH, THIS PLACE HAS PIBB TO DRINK, WHICH IS SCIENTIFICALLY THE BEST DRINK IN WORLD. PLUS HALF A STAR. ASK FOR PABLO TO BAKE YOUR CAKES, THEY 'LL KNOW.<br <br 4 5"