greasy spoon

noun

, Slang.

1. a cheap and rather unsanitary restaurant.

greasy spoon

noun

1. slang.
   a small, cheap, and often unsanitary restaurant, usually specializing in fried foods

Word History and Origins

Origin of greasy spoon¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Idioms and Phrases

A cheap restaurant, especially one serving short-order fried foods. For example, College students short of cash tend to eat a lot in that greasy spoon . This expression also implies that the restaurant is not very clean. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Old red vinyl booths, coffee in the pot, the traditional greasy spoon menu of mostly gravy.

From Vox

Like a Route 66 roadside greasy spoon, Burger Joint always hits the spot.

From The Daily Beast

Muckraking was just beginning in those days, and a prying reformer came to live for a while at the Greasy Spoon.

From Project Gutenberg

The Greasy Spoon isn't an appetizing name; not appetizing to men who live a sedentary life.

From Project Gutenberg

Fat came back to the table, and the Greasy Spoon again rang with laughter.

From Project Gutenberg

Then we go to a dinner club that makes the Buster look like a greasy spoon.

From Project Gutenberg