Dallas Restaurant Celebrates 5 Decades of Business – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

When you walk into John’s Cafe on lower Greenville in Dallas, you’ll see history on the walls. Owner John Spyropoulos started his business 50 years ago.

“Fifty. Five and O,” Spyropoulos said.

So, what’s the recipe for half a century of success?

“The food here is excellent. The service is excellent. And he’s just a very good person,” regular customer John Bly said of Spyropoulos. “Seems like everybody’s his friend.”

“Everybody loves me, you know, because I’m smiling and joking with the people,” Spyropoulos said while pouring him orange juice after joking with a customer about whether he wanted bourbon or ouzo.

Spyropoulos left his native Greece in 1970 with just a sixth-grade education and no English in his vocabulary.

“My English is not that good because I never went to school,” Spyropoulos said. “I learned all my English from my customers.”

After 50 years, John’s Cafe is more than just a business.

“It’s home,” Spyropoulos said.

“My wife says this seems like our own ‘Cheers’ that everybody knows one another,” Bly said. “This feels like home (away) from home.”

“I got 50 years,” Spyropoulos said smiling. “I want to do 50 more, then I’ll retire.”

John’s Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. It’s located at 1733 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206.