CLOSED: Whoa, Nellie’s! Step into old-fashioned goodness
The Western Barbecue Burger from Nellie's Diner features homemade barbecue sauce and onion rings for $9.29. Photographed on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Provo. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
The Hungry Man Sampler from Nellie's Diner features pancakes, bacon, ham, hash browns, eggs cooked to order, deep fried french toast, biscuits, and gravy for $8.49. Photographed on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Provo. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
Nellie's Diner is located on 180 North University Avenue in Downtown Provo. Photographed on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
Nellie's Diner is located on 180 North University Avenue in Downtown Provo. Photographed on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
Walking into Nellie’s Diner on the first floor of the Zions Bank building on University Avenue in Provo feels a little bit like stepping back in time. Nellie’s is like those diners that you see in the movies, right down to the checkerboard trim on the menu. If a film crew came to Provo to remake the “Back to the Future” movie, this is where they’d go to film the scene where Marty tries to buy a soda in 1955.
There’s a jukebox pumping out the golden oldies, of course, and plenty of seating in a large dining area that blends into an open kitchen. The seating is a mix of booths and tables, and there’s also a long counter facing the food prep area with stools for dine-alone types, or anyone who likes the feeling of being close to the action.
Setting itself apart from many local eateries, Nellie’s has a decided focus on the breakfast-and-lunch crowd: It’s weekday hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the menu is loaded with mouth-watering breakfast options. Not that supper seekers are left out entirely: On Friday and Saturday, the doors are open until 1 a.m., and you can order anything on the menu the entire time.
We made our visit shortly after 7 p.m. on a Friday, and the first thing we saw is that the secret’s out: Lots of people already know about Nellie’s, which opened last month, and there was a bustling dinner rush. You may end up waiting a while to get your food if you visit on the weekend, but the good news is that the food is worth the wait.
To get a sense of the breakfast selections, we ordered Nellie’s Deep Fried French Toast. One member of our group said that she’s always drawn to the menu items that include the name of the establishment — if the restaurant puts its name on something, then they must think it’s good. That rule of thumb delivered immediate results with the deep fried french toast, which was a favorite with everyone at our table.
There are many, many other things on the menu, however, and it’s not just the signature specials that are worth investigating. The Old Fashioned Meat Loaf didn’t have Nellie’s name on it, but Nellie or someone else has a near-magical blend of seasonings that made the meatloaf into something much more tasty than mere ground beef.
(The Nellie of Nellie’s, incidentally, is owner Nilsen Septon, as opposed to the aproned grandmother or chatty waitress you may have been picturing. Nellie got his nickname from a youth baseball coach who couldn’t get his mouth around “Nilsen.”)
There are many burgers to choose from and we tried the tasty Chili Burger, served open-faced and smothered in chili, onions, tomatoes and cheese. And we don’t expect future patrons of Nellie’s to be plaintively asking, “Where’s the beef,” about the burgers or anything else on the menu. The portions are generous and the prices are affordable.
We topped everything off by sharing a cookie sundae consisting of ice cream and chocolate sauce served over a thick, warm cookie. One serving fed three adults, although I’m pretty sure each of us would have been happy to have the sundae to ourselves.
Nellie’s is family owned and operated, and, certainly on weekends, family-frequented. It seems likely that some families have already adopted it, and more are bound to do the same after experiencing the fine food and friendly service.
Nellie’s Diner
Where: 180 N. University Ave, Ste. 130, Provo
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Prices: Most entrees less than $10.
Info: (801) 691-1221, www.nelliesdinerprovo.com