Corner Cafe

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By JEFF KORBELIK / GZO

EAGLE — Rhonda Halvorsen has been in and around cafes for most of her life.

Her grandparents ran one, as did her parents. That’s where she began working when she was 12.

It was only natural for her to take over the Corner Cafe in Eagle when it became available nearly three years ago.

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The cheeseburger at the Corner Cafe in Eagle can come with all the fixings if requested. A side of macaroni and cheese can complete the meal. (Jacob Hannah)

Since then, she’s turned the tiny restaurant into a little gem, where residents — especially area farmers — come for hot lunches and/or early dinners.

Her menu is what you would expect from a small-town cafe, with burgers, sandwiches and salads.

She’s complemented the menu with daily specials that run around $6. Tuesday, for example, was beef and noodles with broccoli, a dinner salad and bread.

The Corner Cafe also sells pizza in three sizes — 7, 12 and 16 inches, which run from $4 to $17.

On Saturday, the restaurant is open for breakfast, and it’s quickly becoming popular among area bicyclists who stop in to refuel during rides.

The cafe is on Nebraska 34 just as you get into town. Look for the golf cart with the bicycle safety flag that Halvorsen uses for transportation parked front of the restaurant.

The place is small with seating for 20 at five tables. It’s common for diners to share tables with strangers and strike up conversations.

Halvorsen plans to add an outdoor seating area, with three or four picnic tables.

With her restaurant background, it’s no surprise she’s made a success of the small diner. She shares the workload with Cyndi Langel, who has been with her since she took over the cafe.

You will find Halvorsen working the floor during lunch and in the kitchen at dinner time. She knows most of her customers by name and often brings them drink orders before they ask.

 My co-worker and I stopped in for lunch on Tuesday and took her recommendations for meal selections: taco salad ($5.99) and cheeseburger ($3.64, plus a $1.75 side).

Other favorites, she said, include the beef or chicken Philly ($4.49), the daily special (Friday, by the way, is the hot beef sandwich) and the vendor pizza.

The taco salad was served in a fried shell and featured green leaf and iceberg lettuce, ground beef, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and black olives, onions and sour cream and is served with a choice of dressing.

The burgers are made from ground beef from Lou’s Grocery in Eagle. They are hand-pattied into a third of a pound. Fixings — pickle, onion, lettuce and tomato — are available upon request at no charge.

After dining there, we know why the Corner Cafe is a favorite among farmers. Halvorsen’s portions, especially on her specials, are good-sized.

The food also comes out of the kitchen quick. And Halvorsen is good with her customers, taking time to chat when she has it.

The Corner Cafe gives Eagle two good restaurants; the One Eyed Dog Saloon is the other. While the food is similar at both places, the cafe is more of mom-and-pop joint, while the saloon is a typical bar and grill.

They complement each other nicely and give area residents alternatives to home cooking.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.