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“If it ain’t broke, don't fix it” could be the motto for Parkside, a diner whose fake-marble counter and diamond-shaped mirrors recall a time when Flatbush Avenue had yet to know American Apparel and Target. Judging from the scores of contented-looking regulars crammed into the booths and paging through the encyclopedic menus, that maxim still holds true. Parkside is all about age-old, guilty pleasures: oil-saturated foods and thick, creamy chocolate milk shakes that could sustain a grown man for a week. A smattering of Greek and Italian specialties rounds out the entrées, but basically this is comfort food of the homegrown variety. No matter how hungry you think you are, when given a choice between large and small portion sizes, choose the latter—or be prepared to loosen your belt big-time. — Sarah Sundberg

Crisp Belgian waffle, $5.25; French fries with melted Cheddar, $3.95; milk shake, $3.50