I stopped at TIsha's to kill time before the library down the street opened (CLP-Brookline). I had a coffee and pretended to read a book...while actually eavesdropping on the locals.
1.) The coffee was excellent enough to drink black. No milk, no sugar, no frou-frou flavored syrup. Strong but not too bitter--just the way I like it.
2.) The regulars all stopped talking to look at me when I walked in, which was amusing. But their conversations quickly resumed and were really interesting--the who's cheatin'/Pittsburgh sports gossip you can only get a true down & dirty diner.
Put it this way: I was so thrilled with the experience that I tipped more than double my (small) bill.