Vike's Corner — Restaurant in Waverly

Joni's used to be a family-owned and operated fixture of Waverly. It was a classic small town diner experience inside and out and a real throwback by 2016. But then in 2017, Joni herself had to retire and her family had new ideas about how to run the place.

No more unique diner offerings like breaded pickles or fried clams. No more TV playing Wheel of Fortune as a matching Wheel of Fortune pinball table flashed in the corner. Heck, no more decor at all, aside from a bad painting of the local high school mascot Viking that makes it look like a caveman and the saddest wilting little plants you've ever seen by each window.

The menu now has a rotating option, which helps justify the new chalkboard that replaced the vintage letter board you can see in the google photos, but even if every option were permanent it still wouldn't be an impressive selection, only about half the size of a real restaurant. The food ranges from bad (do not try the mac and cheese) to just mediocre, and the new prices are too high to make up for it.

Joni's family must've seen some reality show or read some book about how to modernize a restaurant, but when they did (or tried to) they accidentally erased all the character and charm. It used to be a comforting capsule to a time when I wasn't even alive, now it's just generic. Not worth a trip from Lincoln or Omaha, where places like this are a dime a dozen.

If you want to see a place like what Joni's used to be, Shivers Sweets and Treats in Lincoln has that ice cream parlor/junk food diner vibe. Or if you want good food in Waverly, check...

Talk about a gem! Super quaint family restaurant with friendly owners Rae and Nick. They have the trifecta of quality homemade ingredients, skilled hands that cook (or baked), and creativity to make that go beyond the staples. Delicious burger with fresh made ingredients and sauces (Cajun sauce was bomb!) and the special of the day- chicken nachos were great. The hand breaded onion chip were such a great balance of crispiness, saltiness complimented with their homemade dipping sauce were just perfect. I agree with the previous comment of saving room for dessert as we were tantalizing (we came one day too early as the cheesecakes were reserved for the next day). A fellow patron unsolicitedly raved about the carrot cake and next time through we will be sure to try that. This was an unplanned stop as we usually go downtown Lincoln on our trip through, but the reviews were right and turned us to this fabulous place. Hours are limited, but worth it since it is clear Nick and Rae won’t compromise making good food. Even though the outside looks unremarkable, the food will have you posting a...

If you are looking for a gem of a little place to stop and eat, you've found it! Vikes Corner is a cool little retro ice cream shop/diner with the friendliest owners (Nick and Rae) that you will find on this earth. They make everything themselves and it is all absolutely delicious. The hamburger was cooked perfectly with excellent flavor. The chicken strips are hand breaded and made to order, cooked perfectly, super moist, (chef's kiss). The fries are thin, crispy and seasoned perfectly. The onion chips are crispy and flavorful with the perfect amount of salt. We didn't need to add seasoning to anything. If dips for your fries/onion chips are your thing, you're in luck because they have an array of delicious options. Not pictured on our table is the homemade carrot cake and chocolate lava pie with soft serve on top. 🤤 We ran out of words to describe how amazingly delicious the food was. If you are worried that you will leave hungry, you won't. The portions are huge, so he prepared to waddle out. We will definitely make special trips to Waverly just to come...