Greg Kinney, 46, knows he will never be able to find another place like the Tasty.
"It's a funky place with a lot of Bohemians and fringe characters," says the Dorchester resident.
"I guess I'm one myself and that's why I like it," Kinney chuckles.
With a menu offering everything from "VE RI TASty" frankfurters to grilled-cheese sandwiches to the "Heart Attack," a double cheeseburger with bacon and an egg, the Tasty attracts a continuously bustling crowd. Patrons who aren't lucky enough to snag one of the 15 bar stools end up having to stand and eat shoulder-to-shoulder.
Since August, Sarmonica Jones, 27, has shot more than 100 rolls of film commemorating the Tasty. Jones, who works at the Harvard International Office, proudly flips her portfolio binder to a black and white photograph and points out Johnson and Valcovic.
Jones, also a part-time student at the Harvard Extension School, eats a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich everyday at 8:30 a.m. before starting work.
"I'm heartbroken that the Tasty is closing," Jones says. "It's a great loss for the Harvard Square community."