50 Best American Restaurants near Waterloo

“Thanks for a great lunch!! I look forward to seeing y’all again.“

“Very friendly staff, pancakes were amazing and the freshly baked biscuits were over the top!!!!“

“Always consistent on food and ice cream. If I can offer one suggestion.. if people are going to wait more than 15 minutes in the Drive-Thru for a cheeseburger basket, maybe wait to give them their ice cream until the rest of the food comes out.“

“We stop as often as we can when we’re driving from Kansas City to northern Nebraska. From our first visit, we’ve been impressed with everything from the pleasant service to the creative menu and dishes. My husband’s favorite is the VooDoo Chicken, but warns that it’s not for the ‘faint of mouth’. It’s delightfully spicy and goes beautifully with the accompanying cooked apples and al dente green beans.“

“always skim your milk when you're having a latte“

“always skim your milk when you're having a latte“

“Tristan was an AMAZING server. food came out fast and he was very informative about the entire menu. I was extremely impressed with his attitude.“

“Good food, short wait.!!!“

“Fast, friendly, clean, and GOOD!! 10/10!“

“I've been in probably way too many times over the past month or so in an attempt to try everything on the menu. Besides one dish that I won't order out of personal preference, everything has been amazing. Definitely need to swing by for happy hour to try a few things not on the regular menu.“

“Cheese curds, Cheese curds, AND CHEESE CURDS!

They know how to keep making the experience better! Double drive through lanes, mobile ordering with curb side pickup, and a large lobby for plenty of seating. This Culver's does right.

Also, great food, awesome cheese curds, and fresh frozen custard. Loves the flavor of the day and the exciting combinations you can make.

Fast Food done right, and fresh.“

“We just ate there for our 6th wedding anniversary last night and it was an amazing experience!! Ally and the staff went above and beyond and made our night so wonderful and memorable 🥰 The food was outstanding and the Billionaire cocktail she recommended was delish! She made the dessert special and everyone even signed a card. She was so personable and genuinely nice, I can't sing Ally's praises enough, thank you again!!!“

“Delicious food from a local bar. Didn’t have the best staffing, only 1 waitress servicing the entire spot, but she was working hard and the food was worth the wait. The cauliflower and wings were our favorites. The chicken strips were huge! The chicken sandwich was also huge!“

“The atmosphere is unmatched. As far as country dive bars go, there's no one better. The food is unbelievably good and so inexpensive. It should be a crime. Buck, the owner and his staff create one of the best atmospheres you will ever experience.“

“The best food, cocktails, and staff 🤩“

“Food is always fantastic!“

“Always awesome. Coffee always filled!“

“45 minutes in the drive thru. Your food is good but really? Staff is short everywhere but never this bad.“

“The place is spotless. The foods delicious. The bathrooms are beautifully decorated, and modern. It's obvious the owners care about their customers comfort, and enjoyment. I also noticed they have many events. I went to their benefit poker tournament to play. I had the most fun I'd had in years.“

“I love first watch! They have so many options for my GF diet and everything is so healthy, delicious, and fresh! Rest assured, they also have the indulgent options for those with a sweet tooth and kids (choc chip pancakes!). My only regret is that I haven’t tried one of their fresh juiced concoctions during one of my visits. Definitely going to make that a priority next time. 😊“

“Always prompt and friendly service. Nice menu variety. Good food! Comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. Nightly specials are great. A++++“

“Great food and service. Very clean atmosphere. Love the tap handles displayed around the room up by the ceiling. Notice next you’re there for dinner or a drink.“

“I like First Watch bc I can enjoy many things and still stay on track with my eating plan. I would’ve appreciated the option of whole wheat English muffins, but that issue is the same across the entire chain. The server was very solicitous of my daughter’s specific requests for my grandkids’ menu choices (extra plate to share one adult meal, subbing fruit for their potatoes, extra straws and napkins, etc.).“

“Wonderful prime rib special on Thursday night. Very delicious; melt in your mouth. The desserts are also amazing.“

“Hosted a bridal shower there. Natalie was wonderful to work with. The food was very good, and the event room was the perfect size. An overall great experience!“

“The Q is the best bar in town! Great bartenders! Awesome people! So much fun!����“

“Great place to eat! Great prices!!“

“Friendly staff, fun environment.“

“My first time here. Honestly the menu here was solid and the food jalapeno cream cheese philly was excellent. Service was solid but it wasn't busy at all there were plenty of tables, I bet this place gets a lot of business. They also started trivia towards the end of our visit. Will be back to try some other things on the menu 20-30 bucks per person with drinks

Kid-friendliness: Few arcade games and some old school toy dispensers for 50¢ 75¢ and $1“

“Mike, at the bar, excels in personality and beverage suggestions and Brianna was an excellent server! Jake's food was amazing and Brad, the manager, made sure our experience was great! Shout out to Katelyn and Alexa for helping everyone when it got busy. We will definitely be back! The host, Brett, should be fired immediately, though. Was rude to my Wife when we arrived and we almost decided to leave before Mike jumped in to save the day. Thanks again, Mike!“

“Friendly staff, fun environment.“

“We reserved Jack’s party room for an after-work office social. Great room, food selections were wonderful and server was GREAT!! (Paige). Would absolutely recommend for any party/social for a group!!“

“Do not sleep on Shevy’s in Elkhorn. I’ve meant to post about their prime rib dip sandwhich forever, but I always inhale it before snapping a pic. This time, I showed restraint (barely). Juicy, tender prime rib, gooey melted cheese, and grilled buttery bread that deserves a standing ovation. The au jus? Not too salty, just rich and dunk-worthy. Fries? Absolute top-tier. Crispy outside, soft inside. Tied with Addy’s for best in town. My fiancée got the Philly and we both agreed: it’s one of, if not the best we’ve tried around town. Full strands of grilled peppers and onions, not the sad chopped bits you get elsewhere. And as always, Shevy’s has that friendly, down-home service. Go get you some.. and try to take a photo before you’re completely lost in the sauce. (I copied and pasted this from a local food group I posted in.. sorry no picture option on reviews, but go see for yourself - you won’t regret it!)“

“I love coming here. Food is excellent especially for the price point. Staff work hard to take care of guests and is a super fun game day atmosphere…they have a raffle where customers win items and even gift cards and half off tabs! Sports broadcasts take priority over jukebox box as they should. Highly recommended for the area!“

“If you’re looking for a family friendly Sunday brunch spot in West Omaha this is it! There’s a wide variety of yummy menu items or you can pick from a variety of fresh and flavorful dishes on the brunch buffet. The omelet station is where it’s at! Their chorizo will not disappoint. Most importantly the experience from the moment you step in the door is unlike most restaurants. The staff treats you like family and goes above and beyond! They even have a magician/balloon artist that stops by to entertain. To top it all off having an arcade and movie theatre all in one. For those on a budget it’s very inexpensive for what you get and they have a Loyalty program to save on your next visit. My girls and I look forward to our Sunday funday coming to this magical gem after church!“

“Great place to come to meet, relax, and a bit of good too. I had the Chicken bacon ranch wrap minus the tomatos, with tots and added starters of Jalapeno poppers with a classic Root Beer to wash it all down.
They have weekly specials on their menus, with a wide variety to choose from. My waitress Mandy was very good, and observing the staff is great to connect with their customers through the place. Mandy mentioned they have live music the plays here too. Nice! 😎

So come and check this place out, as the prices are fair with good quality of food to enjoy too!
😏 I chose being by the warm fireplace...“

“We had 12 of us together at the tables. Our waitress was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! So Nice and So pleasant taking the individual orders and bringing the food to each of us very timely. The food was so very good. We ALL said we will be back again. I wish I could remember our waitress's name but I can't. She represented the Outer Limit excellently!!!“

“I did takeout tonight. They were extremely busy, proms are tonight. I was quoted a time and I checked on my order 35-40 minutes after my promised time, order would be be ready within 5-10 minutes. No biggie, had a great time talking with customers waiting for tables so time was going by fast. The manager in the take out area was AMAZING and so sweet and kind, as were the rest of the staff in that area. I didn’t catch her name, but you ROCK! And thank you for my meal.“

“Finding a good sandwich can be hard. Today, I didn't find a good sandwich, I found a great sandwich! With the sandwich, came fresh cut french fries. Not only a great meal, but the staff was very friendly providing a great overall dining experience. Don't forget the fresh baked cookie for dessert! Delicious!“

“Best local bar that stays open til 2 am. Bartenders are all on point. One in particular is my fave, but I can’t say who, because that will make all the other girl bartenders Jealous. Oh screw it, it’s Hannah. Or is it Hanna? Either way, she’s Ms. New Booty.

Food is great also 👍“

“It was our first time visiting this restaurant and we had the best experience! All of the staff was very friendly, very helpful and very prompt. The food was excellent! The manager even came over to talk to us after our meal. It's really hard to find this quality of food and service anymore. We highly recommend this place!“

“While it took awhile to get waited on when first arrived, there was zero short after that! I believe possibly the day manager waited on us while the other waiters truly hussled through the other orders when what I believe was a substantial lunch crowd hit right at opening! Take my word for it-do the hummus tray! Pesto and sundried tomato hummus was unreal-so good! My husband had the Swiss mushroom burger with the up charged sweet potato fries which was so worth it! Our cocktails were well made with a nice pour. Well done Local Beer! We will return! (Sorry no pictures!). Would be great for a sport even! Energetic atmosphere!“

“The service was outstanding. We went during a slower time of the afternoon. Food was hot and served promptly. I had the Italian meatball sandwich and onion rings.
The sandwich was okay for what tasted like canned sauce and a generic cheese, nothing special. Kind of a smaller portion. The toasted bun was a nice touch. The onion rings were huge and made the almost hotdog bun sized sandwich look smaller than it was.
Typical concrete, industrial atmosphere. Lots of TV's but the sun was bright enough not to see them well from facing east in the afternoon.
I'm not a huge fan of chain food but, I wasn't hungry when I left. Prices were as expected. A decent place, I guess.“

“This is the nicest place on 180th off Center. The most conscious waitress attended to us today. She held the salt on the potatoes. Everything was delicious! The marble table top and white atmosphere felt so clean. It is by far the best Village Inn I have ever experienced.

Dietary restrictions: She held the salt on diced potatoes and made the pancakes with fruit“

“Good food, good atmosphere“

“Yum! Great food, love the bread!“

“the staff is always friendly. you have to sign up for the rewards. great happy hour deals...and the food is killer!“

“I gotta share about the best service we got at Freddy's tonight on 3465 N. 168th Ct. We stopped in there to eat dinner and was greeted by a kid name Chard, he had a the biggest smile on his face, so polite, and honestly seemed happy he work's there. He never stopped working while we were there eating, he was cleaning tables sweeping, and greeted everyone that came in with a smile and was just happy to see us. The place was spotless, who ever was cooking did a great job, and the kitchen was spotless. I highly recommend this place not just for the food, but the customer service was excellent. Looking for a place for a quick meal go check them out. My cheeseburger and onion rings were delicious, fresh and hot. Thanks to the staff at Freddy's especially Chard!! We definitely will be back 😊“

“We love Tanners!!! It's always a go-to for good food. The portions are good sized, the servers are always attentive. They can handle big groups with no problems. I recommend this if your looking for good bar food. They have lots of tvs and will show all of the nfl games during the season.“

“Super experience this weekend. We sat at the bar- great service.Delicious recommendation from the bartender and great ambiance. We had an excellent experience from the moment we were greeted until we left.. The menu was tempting to try everything but I settled for the short rib buritto breakfast, artichoke and bacon soup. next time I will try the stuffed popadews.“