ST. LOUIS – Culinary treasures often outshine chain restaurants when it comes to an ultimate food experience. For many, small and locally-based eateries offer a charm that’s hard to top elsewhere.

Food experts say that especially holds true for one diner in St. Louis, recently giving it honors as the “best hole-in-the-wall diner” in Missouri.

Cheapism recently released a list naming the best such diners in all 50 states. Many share these qualities in common: Smaller restaurant venues, but hearty portions and exceptional value.

According to Cheapism, Courtesy Diner of St. Louis takes honors as the “best hole-in-the-wall diner” of the Show Me State.

Courtesy Diner has two St. Louis locations, one near Forest Park at 1121 Hampton Avenue and another in south St. Louis at 8000 South Laclede Station Road.

Throughout the years, Courtesy Diner has become well-known for The Slinger, a delightful mess of a dish consisting of a hamburger patty and two eggs, served on top of hash browns and chili. There are a variety of breakfast and brunch options for just about anyone’s craving.

Cheapism left the following review of Courtesy Diner: “This is old-school, greasy diner food — and customers, many who’ve been regulars for years, love it.” Their food writers also add that it’s a place for “diner who have a taste for adventure.”

To name the best “hole-in-the-wall” diners, Cheapism looked at reviews from Yelp and TripAdvisor, in addition to rankings from well-known food writers.

Established in 1935, the Courtesy Diner franchise was first known as Courtesy Sandwich Shops and had more than a dozen locations around the country.

By 1997, only one Courtesy location in St. Louis was still operating. A new owner changed the name to Courtesy Diner. Over the years, it expanded to two additional spots in the St. Louis area. One location on South Kingshighway closed last year, leaving two Courtesy Diner spots remaining in the region.

For a closer look at the Courtesy Diner experience, click here.