What makes Shirley's great is hard to define. The menu options are expansive. The atmosphere is tight (old school 50's). The wait staff is seasoned and professional. But it's just the vibe. And the food...it's great. I've eaten here now over 100 times. Work lunches, family breakfasts, after church brunches...it's never even close to empty. The locals all know - this is THE spot to get good food. And the Friday special of beef tips and noodles (homemade). Outstanding!! read more

Food was family style home cooked breakfast, mostly the historic ambiance of Omaha, Nebraska was the best aspect in my honest opinion. Manager was professional, but overly friendly and helpful explaining Shirley's Diner as he knew "nothing about the restaurant's history." Sad. Janine M Costello/ASCAP https://suno.com/s/ZvqZzzyy9deLObuc read more

If I could give Shirley's Diner 10 stars out of 5, I would. I can't believe I haven't been to this location, despite driving past it all the time! This diner is truly a gem in Omaha, and I will be returning with my friends and family! The staff was so incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive, and the vintage vibes make this restaurant a must-try! The food was amazing. I am extremely picky about French toast, and Shirley's did not disappoint. My French toast was light and fluffy, and perfectly complemented by the fresh strawberries and cream. I ordered a side of bacon, which was crispy and delicious. My waitress was so nice and made me feel right at home. She also helped me with the Wifi so I could do some work on my laptop. I really appreciated the staff's kindness, and they didn't make me feel rushed or forgotten. As a lover of all things vintage and old-school diner style dives, I enjoyed the comforting ambience, warm lighting, fun and eclectic decor, and oldies station playing while I enjoyed my meal! read more

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Overall this was ok, service was decent, food came out haphazardly but warm and fresh. My sandwich was large but could have done with a side. I'll try the eggs next time. Pricing was fair. No reservations though so often have to wait. read more

Shirley's Diner - Monte cristo - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Food is great. Very good comfort food. Awesome breakfast and served all day. Very good fish and chips

While waiting for my car to get an oil change, we decided to look for a nearby breakfast spot and Shirley's Diner popped up with great reviews. We decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad we did! There was a short wait when we arrived, about 10 to 15 minutes, but it honestly just confirmed how popular this place is. It definitely felt like a local favorite, with people constantly coming in and lining up. Wait wasn't too bas as they have plenty of space. The servers were super friendly, and the food really impressed me. Portions were huge and everything was absolutely delicious. I ordered the veggie omelette, my boyfriend got the breakfast burrito, and every single bite was amazing. We cleaned our plates! This truly feels like a hidden gem in Omaha. I can't believe we hadn't been here before. It's not super close to where we live, but we'll definitely be making the trip back. read more

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Joined some friends for Sunday brunch at Shirley's. There was a wait, as expected, but not too long, so we got a table without too much grumbling. Drinks came quickly, and I got to peruse the menu like a true brunch connoisseur. I went with the country hashbrowns with bacon and a side of pancakes. Our group of six ordered everything from biscuits and gravy to chocolate chip pancakes to breakfast burritos. Just classic diner fare, nothing fancy, but comforting. The ambiance is exactly what you expect from a laid-back, classic diner. Cozy, casual, nothing fancy, just a place to sit and enjoy your breakfast or lunch. That said, they might want to consider fixing the bench out front. With the constant waits, it looks like it is an accident just waiting to happen. The food came out in stages. Some people got their sides only, a few had full meals, while others stared longingly at the table. Personally, I think a table should get all their food at once, but maybe that is just me. My food finally arrived lukewarm, potatoes and gravy not ideal, and my pancakes were a little overdone, but luckily I like them that way. I never got the jelly I asked for, so I ate them plain and syrupless. Another friend waited over five minutes for butter. I get that it is busy, but small things like that matter. Overall, it was an okay breakfast saved by excellent company. I do not live in the area anymore, so I will not be rushing back, but if you are in town and want classic diner breakfast with friends, Shirley's will eventually get you fed. read more

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From scratch diner food. We were a bit late for dinner so the special ( beef & noodles) was no longer an option ( drats). Mashed potatoes ran out for my order of chicken fried chicken... bigger drats. Chicken needed seasoning, gravy was a bit bland , but there was plenty of food on the plate. BBQ burger was enormous and tasty and hit the spot with crispy waffle fries. Breakfasts are definitely a draw here. They close at eight so get here in time to enjoy this busy diner with friendly staff. read more

My husband grew up up in Millard and we have been over to his old stomping grounds many times, always passing Shirley's Diner. He was surprised when I wanted to try it, saying he thought it was a pretty old fashioned place with heavy food. Imagine my surprise when we came a little after opening time on a Saturday and the place was PACKED! Luckily we got a table right away since we were only two people and not a large party. It's actually pretty cute inside. Yes, a little old fashioned, but they are kind of leaning into that with the old decor on display, and booths with little radios at each, and a theme for every one, like Elvis, Marlyn Monroe, James Dean, etc. The service left a little bit to be desired. I know I said they were busy during the time we were there, but we saw others who were seated way after us get their food and start eating before we got any of our food at all, which is never a good sign. My husband was correct in his assumption that the food is pretty heavy for the most part. We were hungry so decided to lean into it and go with the flow with the heavy, salty food. We ordered a starter of poutine, and it was pretty tasty with brown gravy (and lots of it) along with giant blobs of the white cheddar cheese curds. This is almost a meal in itself, so definitely share it with a larger group than two people so you can tackle it. My husband got the Honey Dijon Chicken Sandwich for his entree, and he was pretty happy with it. A little bit messy with lots of dijon on it, along with pickles and bacon, so things were kind of sliding around. For the side, he got the tots, and they were pretty standard. Tasted like tots you would get anywhere and everywhere else. He also wanted something a little lighter, so asked for just a cup of fruit on the side too, not realizing that the cup the size of a business card is almost $5!! Definitely not worth that cost for the puny amount you get. I'm a huge Monte Cristo fan, so that's what I ordered for my entree. It was almost a DESSERT because it was so covered in strawberries and strawberry syrup. It was also gigantic, so I could only eat about 1/3 of it before I had a sugar high and a full belly. I have never seen a Monte Cristo that covered in sugar and strawberries. Overall, I would say the meal was just ok, but it did satiate my curiosity for trying Shirley's Diner. I would still recommend trying them out, but just know what you're getting into ni terms of the heaviness of the fare on offer there. read more

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Everything was great. Food, service, and setting. Would absolutely go back if we are ever in Omaha! read more

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Shirley's diner was a perfect stop for a large breakfast before hitting the road for the day. Our waiter was friendly and attentive and made the suggestion of the breakfast burrito for me. It's an award winner and I can see why! It was huge and extremely delicious. My Husband had eggs Benedict and it was excellent. I would definitely recommend stopping at Shirley's diner anytime you're in the area. read more

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I wasn't a fan of the flavors of anything i had. The hot chocolate had a beautiful presentation but tasted watered down. The chicken was too charred and tasted that way. Staff was nice and attentive. Lots of places to sit and the wait was short. read more

Shirley's Diner - Hot chocolate - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

The Irish omelet was very tasty and loaded with corned beef, mushrooms, and grilled onions. The hash browns were tasty, though a bit under seasoned. The pancakes were spot on. I only have one complaint. It's entirely too much food for the price. Highly recommended. read more

Enjoyed breakfast here this morning and was fabulous! Staff was very attentive and got in and out very quickly! read more

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I love this diner because of the simplicity and synergistic relationship with the staff. It almost feels like a No Judgement atmosphere where you can order your meals the way you want instead of how it appears on the menu. I've seen the wait staff do that without complaining or condescension because I think they are taught to respect their customers. I'm NEVER disappointed! read more

My last meal in OMAHA business trip and this was a great ending because I did not eat anything else for the entire day until the next morning. This retro throwback ranch style log cabin vibes. Our server Liz was amazing. So friendly and helpful. Great energy. She recommended the fried chicken steak which is what they are known for. And boy were we in for a surprise!! It was HUGE portions. We could've fed a small village. But we all enjoyed it and I can't believe i finished my plate. read more

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I haven't been to this "new" location until recently but the food has stayed the same- great. Service was great, attentive, and patient. The atmosphere lacks what it used to be but still holds onto what it was. read more

Ate breakfast here for the first time earlier this morning. I really enjoyed it. Just a simple good restaurant with fair pricing and a decent breakfast menu and lunch menu. I got the loaded hashbrowns with scrambled eggs and sausage patties with pancakes. I enjoyed the white gravy over the hashbrowns and the sausage was tasty too. The eggs and pancakes were fine, but pretty basic tasting And not over the top. I would definitely go back here though. read more

Shirley's Diner - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

I had the berry salad with chicken. It was very good. I wish they had a dressing that matched it like a rasberry vinaigrette. Closest they had was Italian or basalmic vinaigrette. Service was great and they were fairly fast. Came around and gave me water refills quite a bit. Ambiance was great, they did a great job decorating read more

Absolutely never disappoints. I stuck with my go-to order--Chicken Royal and hashbrowns--and it hit the spot like always. I was this close to trying the pancakes or the chicken and waffles though... definitely giving those a shot next time. Solid 10/10. read more

Shirley's Diner - Chicken Royal - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Visited here for lunch the other day. I tried the breakfast burrito and it was huge! Unfortunately, I tasted more raw onion that I like. It was either added (and not on the menu as such), or the pico de gallo was very onion strong. It was still quite good. The service was excellent. read more

Unfortunately, my experience at Shirley's was a bad one. They were busy and it significantly impact the quality of the food and service. I sat for almost 10 minutes before being greeted, so wound up going up and getting my own coffee. Order was incorrect when it arrived. Was offered coffee by the waitress several times but then after waiting for or 5 minutes for her to return I wound up getting it myself. When I tried to speak with her about this, she's said " you see me running around ". No apology and then just dumped the check on the table. When I told the host, he was equally dismissive, no apology, no questions, just bad customer service all around. read more

Yuck . I am so tired of seeing the rave reviews about this food . Some people's mamas must have been horrendous cooks! I have even kept trying when people I am with want to try it, so I duck it up and we always walk away with them saying they don't understand what everyone is raving about . I just refuse to go. Service is hit or miss and food just isn't good. read more

Food was delicious. I think those were the best waffle fries I have had. Plus their ranch is the best. Service was good. Only problem was it wasn't clean. read more

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Oh Shirley's.... I have given you so many chances and yet you failed me again tonight. My husband and I stopped in to give you one more chance and we were again highly disappointed. I ordered the French toast with a side of bacon. The French toast looked amazing. I couldn't wait to pour some hot syrup on top and get to eating. However, I was quickly interrupted by the enormously long black hair protruding off of the side of the plate. I couldn't help but notice that three of the four young gentlemen working at the front counter. All of which had incredibly beautiful long locks of hair. I proceeded to bring my plate up to the counter and explain that I could not eat the French toast because of I could not get past the long hair that was on it. The gentlemen apologized and proceeded to ask the cook to give me a replacement. I went back to the table, and within a few minutes a fresh plate of French toast arrived. This time with no hair, I was very pleased with the outcome, however, I would have thought that they may have offered to comp my meal or even offer some sort of discount. Nope, not a word. Maybe I should have vocalized my frustrations at that time, but at this point I was so aggravated that I paid the bill and chalked up the experience as another failed attempt. read more

Came for breakfast and it was very good. We had the Monte Cristo and the Chicken & Waffles. Honestly the most impressive part was the hot sauces they had and the decor. This would be a fun place to bring the entire family. I feel like even my parents who don't always enjoy eating out would enjoy coming here to look at all the decor on the wall. Staff were also so great! read more

Shirley's Diner - Cool decor inside - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Excellent server! Breakfast burrito was bomb! It was so big he couldn't finish. Don't worry he'll finish it in an hour. The eggs Benedict was perfect, poached eggs! read more

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Place look great. Food was O.K. Husband order Philly but mainly in veggie and very little meat. I myself enjoyed the Malted Waffles but some reason my water tasted wierd. Also our waitress was awesome. read more

We got here a little before 7pm on Friday night. Fairly well crowded, but plenty of friendly well trained personnel and since there were only 2 of us we were immediately seated. Our waitress was very polite, professional, and very attentive even though she had many customers she kept an eye on everyone. Our food was promptly delivered, piping hot, obviously fresh, well cooked and couldn't possibly have been any better. What a great place, seriously good food, great employees, clean, and they all make you feel welcome. Very nostalgic, reminds me of the good old days. read more

I'm not sure about this one. This is my husband's town where he grew up so he rec'd the place and I trust him. However. "Old-school" diners generally know how to cook food. This one apparently cannot. How do I know? I asked them to cook something. So, let's begin from the beginning. Generally on Christmas morning, I like to get a slab of country ham with gravy and biscuits for my Christmas morning breakfast. However, this year I didn't get the chance while I was visiting my family down south. My mom is getting old and she didn't want to make it. I said don't worry, I'll get some when I get home. So when we got back to Omaha, we went to buy some country ham for me. If you want to try country ham, Shirley's diner has it on the menu; however, after my experience, I would NOT recommend it to you, as they are PROBABLY not cooking it correctly. It isn't like city ham and has to be prepped and served right. Here's what happened. I ordered country ham with soft scrambled eggs, biscuits, and grits. And I asked for a side of gravy because you always have gravy with country ham. They said, sausage gravy? (RED FLAG!) No, I said the plain gravy. They have it on the menu. You can look. It's on the sides menu, listed as just, well, gravy. The waitress was like, what? I said you know, the plain gravy. Béchamel. Milk gravy. Isn't it on the menu? Here? Where it says gravy? She said, huh? I guess she'd never heard of it. So, I tried to explain. Béchamel is a classic gravy from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk, seasoned with salt and pepper. Three simple ingredients are found in every single kitchen, especially one that serves chicken and waffles and biscuits. If the food is from scratch, and not falling off the back of the Sysco truck ready for a 16 year old kid to chuck into the fryer, the kitchen will have these ingredients and any chef worth his job title is going to know how to make it. I am not a chef and never have been, but I've been able to make béchamel since basically birth. Ain't any of y'all ever been to Louisiana before? Don't y'all do gravy? Gravy is basically a beverage in New Orleans. I think I made a mistake ordering it in Omaha. Whoops. I mean it's cheffery 101. It's literally the first course you take in culinary school. So she pops off and I have to say, Shirley's diner has really nice staff and courteous service. I had no worries about the gravy until she came back and said to me, "We don't have it." So we had to leave. This is a HUGE red flag in a restaurant. An "old-fashioned diner" that does not stock flour, milk, and butter in the kitchen - and I believe that this place has a kitchen, or at least they say they do - is called McDonald's. And a chef that does not want to make VERY SIMPLE special orders is called a 16 year old kid throwing frozen stuff from a bag into a fryer. We apologized and left. I felt kinda bad for confusing them, but honestly seeing gravy on the menu and then not being able to get it for a food that ALWAYS takes gravy is just dirty pool. They're not up to the kind of service that is standard in other parts of the country. Omaha, for me, will remain the sort of place where food supposedly comes from, but I still haven't found anyone here who understands it. Thanks for giving it your best shot, guys, you are so sweet and your restaurant is super successful and it's obviously working great for everyone else. But now I don't even want to try the chicken and waffles, because now I'm scared that you will serve me Tyson nuggets on top of an Eggo. I mean, if frozen and canned, microwaved food is your thing. Fine. But I like to shoot a little higher when I eat out. As for me? For the price of 2 meals here, I ordered a salt-cured, attic-aged, country ham out of Virginia. A whole one. It's all mine. Every slice, every bite. And I'm going to eat it up with cathead biscuits and SCRATCH GRAVY that I made with my own two very Southern hands and Omaha, Nebraska does not get to see it, smell it, or taste it. That is your loss. Stick to what you know: canned and frozen, microwaveable food. Have a deliciously convenient 2026! read more

Shirley's is a consistently good old-school diner serving American comfort food. Chicken fried steak, burgers, mashed potatoes and gravy, breakfast all day, that sort of thing. The portions are large, and the quality of the food is consistently on point. Special note must be given to the staff, who in my experience are always friendly and attentive. Just be aware that their seating capacity is a bit on the modest side, and they can be quite busy at times. Call ahead to see if there is a wait time. read more

The service and food was amazing especially on a busy morning. Great place to go to brunch with a larger party. I will be back!

Shirley's Diner is one of those true blue comfort breakfast restaurants where you know you're going to enjoy warm delicious dishes that are all about comfort. We happened upon this place since we live near by and we were both pretty hungry. We were seated pretty quickly and eagerly looked at the menus to decide what to start our day with. Walking into the restaurant I looked around the space and don't believe I've been to a place quite like this one. I loved that they had a little corner area for kids to play in. There were a variety of toys and some vintage ones lined the top area. Definitely makes the restaurant feel warm and inviting. We both opted for dishes that were warm and savory. My omelet loving heart chose the Western omelet which boasted jack & cheddar, ham, grilled onions, green peppers, tomatoes, queso and scallions. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was tasty and the queso was a good touch. We both enjoyed the extra crispy hashbrowns it comes with. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken fried steak, hand breaded pork steak with sausage creamy gravy and a side of toast. We each shared some with each other and both were happy with each other's dishes as well. Our server was super helpful, friendly, and attentive as well. She even brought out a special hot sauce the staff loves and orders it special from Seattle! We definitely wanna keep that one in mind. If you're on the hunt for warm, cozy, yummy breakfast and you happen to be in the area I highly recommend checking out Shirley's diner. Their menu will have something you'll love and the servers will make sure you're enjoying your experience as well. read more

Shirley's Diner - Western omelette - Diners Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Food is always great comfort food. Service is attentive and friendly every time we have been there. Atmosphere is casual/diner.

Always have had excellent food here. I love their chicken fried steak. Service is quick and efficient

Tasteless, pricey and poor service...it the fifties, a great generation but this diner is not great.

I've been eating here since I was a kid, back when it was just a hole-in-the-wall. It's now taken over an old Pizza Hut location, which I think was a smart move--more space, same great food. I don't get over to this part of town much anymore, but when I do, this place is top of mind for breakfast. It's the kind of spot I've always associated with a solid morning meal... and I love me some breakfast. read more

The food was a large portion. Our waitress was friendly and the service was great. I highly recommend this place for an awesome meal. This place has a homelike atmosphere it makes you feel like family. read more

I heard great things about Shirley's when I moved into the area 6 yrs ago. Finally made it a point to grab lunch on a Monday. I heard their chicken fried steak was huge. I didn't hear wrong. We got there at 1pm (they close at 2pm on mondats) to purposely miss any lunch time crowd. But it was still over half full. Trista was awesome! She stopped by to check on us from time to time, and had a good personality and sense of humor. Pricing seemed in line with most other places. It had a good vibe to it. read more

Shirley's Diner is such a cozy atmosphere with great food and portions! All staff were warm and welcoming, along with their cute diner aesthetic that made you feel like you traveled back in time to your grandparent's favorite hangout joint. The food had great portions for entrees and sides, along with a well rounded menu! A great spot for any meal of the day and the whole family! read more