Connie’s Diner – Waterloo, NY

Eating at Connie’s Diner is like stepping back into the good ‘ole days. The ambiance is truly a throwback to an old-time diner frozen in time. However, it is the food that really draws a crowd. Let me tell you, it is something else. There are items on the menu that are truly unique that you won’t find anywhere else. Such as their famous loaded milkshakes for example. We originally went to Connie’s just to have one of their loaded milkshakes, but once we got a look at the menu, that plan went out the window in a hurry.

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History

Connie, for whom the Diner is named, purchased the establishment in 1989. She had always wanted to own her own restaurant and really loved the ambiance of the Diner. She decided to approach the owner to see if she could purchase the Diner and the rest is history. Connie was joined by her family, who, after she retired, continue to run the Diner today.

Authentic Atmosphere

Walk into this diner, and you feel like you just walked into the 1950s. They have clearly and painstakingly taken a lot of time to create the perfect atmosphere and paid a great deal of attention to detail. There are lots of small touches that might go unnoticed but all together create an amazing ambiance that really takes your dining experience to a whole other level. If you look at the ceiling, you will see 45 records ruling along the top of the walls. In the window booths are jukeboxes, and connected to each booth is a coat rack. Everywhere you look, there is a little something here and little something there that completes the picture of a 1950s diner.

Great Food

We showed up at Connie’s on the tail end of the lunch rush on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was packed. Always a good sign that the food is good. We had to wait a few minutes to be seated. Connie’s, unfortunately, doesn’t have a big waiting area. So for a few minutes, we were crammed in the small vestibule. Incidentally, there is an atm in the vestibule. If you don’t have cash, you will want to hit up that atm. Connie’s only takes cash.

Once we were seated, we had a chance to peruse the menu. Although we had only come for the loaded milkshakes, which I cannot stress enough, are over the top huge and incredible, we changed our minds pretty quickly. I saw a cheesecake waffle in the breakfast section of the menu, which looked pretty amazing. I asked if I could still order from the breakfast menu, and our waitress said, “Honey, you can have anything you want.” Now that is the kind of answer you love to get but rarely do at a restaurant.

My son was intent on trying the deep-fried pickles. The other two orders were a bacon cheeseburger and a cheeseburger. Both were cooked to perfection and exactly as ordered. I can even begin to describe my cheesecake waffle. Delicious doesn’t even begin to cover it. I was provided syrup and butter, but I really didn’t need them. The creamy cheesecake within the waffle made it sweet enough. I don’t know why someone didn’t think of this combination earlier. Pure culinary genius.

All of our food was amazing. I know that some people think a cheeseburger is just a cheeseburger, but this simply isn’t true, If you enjoy food, you can tell the difference between mediocre and extraordinary. Deep-fried pickles are not a common starter at most restaurants. These were absolutely scrumptious. The breading had spices in it, which added to the taste, and they were served with a side of (god, I really hate this name) boom boom sauce. I highly recommend trying them if you get the opportunity.

The only person who had room for the loaded milkshake at the end of the meal was my son. He ordered the Chocolate Brownie Loaded Milkshake. It looked like a masterpiece when it came out. The brownie on top was as big as my hand. It was insane. The brownie was surrounded by whipped cream, and the glass was covered in sprinkles. Connie’s makes several different kinds of loaded milkshakes -Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Cheesecake, Waffle and Bacon, Cannoli, Chocolate Brownie, S’more, and Red Velvet. Each is amazingly decorated and looks over the top fantastic. Almost too good to eat…almost. They also come up with new seasonal milkshakes for each different holiday.

Friendly Staff

It was a very busy day, and even though we had unique requests for each of our orders, our waitress was more than happy to deal with our little idiosyncrasies, all the while keeping a smile on her face and maintaining a happy attitude. I’ve never encountered a more accommodating and friendly waitress. Our waitress was quick to offer us containers to bring our food home with us when she saw that we had more than we could handle.

We were not disappointed with our visit to Connie’s Diner. From start to finish, this was everything we could have hoped for and more. We will be back, and it will be to try some more of those over-the-top loaded milkshakes. I think the waffle and bacon one is calling my name.

Address: 205 East Main Street, Waterloo

Helpful Link: Connie’s Diner

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