Lisa’s Radial Café is a small, locally owned restaurant near downtown Omaha. It has been an important part of Omaha for decades, but the current owners bought the establishment in 2000. Lisa’s Radial Café is known for their extensive, all-day breakfast menu and homey feeling.
When we visited, we got their waffle with strawberries and blueberries, The Heavy, and the Pork Carnitas Skillet. The Heavy is described in the menu as “a hearty portion of biscuits & Southern style gravy.” All of the food we ordered came in a nice, big portion. No one was able to finish the food at the restaurant. The food tasted amazing. Every dish we ordered was cooked perfectly. It was clear that whoever was making it cared about the patrons’ experience. I’m already a huge fan of breakfast food, but there was something special about the food I ate there.
Aside from the food, the best part about Lisa’s Radial Café was the decoration. The interior felt like one of those diners that’s in an old movie. The late owner, Lisa Schembri’s love of the sitcom I Love Lucy is made apparent. The waitstaff were all wearing shirts reminiscent of the familiar logo of the show that read “I Love Lisa”. All around the diner, there were plenty of images of famous scenes from the sitcom.
Lisa’s Radial Café also sells art from local artists. The display of these works emphasized the dedication the diner had to Omaha and its people. It was also just interesting to be able to see some of the talent Omaha has to offer.
While the dining experience at Lisa’s Radial Café was pretty great, there were also some drawbacks. The entrance wasn’t wheelchair accessible. The building where the café is housed in was constructed in a time did not account for accessibility. Although this presented some issues, the hostess was quick to offer help to try to resolve those problems. One other issue we faced was slow service. The waitstaff were all very kind, but because of how crowded the restaurant was, they were not able to get our order quickly.
All in all, Lisa’s Radial Café is an Omaha treasure. It’s a great place to get home cooked meals from people who will treat you like family. The few issues that I encountered at the restaurant were greatly outweighed by the amazing food, delightful decorations, and pleasant waitstaff.