OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — “My mom became a server here. She was a server and a cook and moved up to be a manager. She worked through three different owners before she ended up purchasing it herself."
Lisa’s Radial Cafe is a staple when it comes to breakfast food in Omaha.
Manager Jennifer Maguire's mom was Lisa, who bought the building twenty years ago — and Maguire has worked there ever since.
“I’ve known these customers since I was 16. It’s fun for me specifically because my mom used to go around and talk about me and my sisters and the kids to all the customers and now I get to do that,” said Maguire.
Not much has changed in two decades and that’s part of the magic of the place.
“We still have a couple of the same servers, same kitchen staff, still family,” said Maguire.
One of those servers is Pearl Lovejoy Boyd. She’s worked at the cafe on and off since it opened.
“I started here when I was about 15 and Lisa took me on as one of her pretend daughters, which I appreciated so much," said Boyd.
Boyd added there’s no shortage of good memories when it comes to her time at the restaurant.
“We’ve had a lot of really fun and funny days. Especially when Lisa was still around. She was such a riot and loved having fun, was playing a lot of practical jokes a lot of the time. Especially with the Creighton students,” Boyd said.
Both Maguire and Boyd describe the staff and the patrons as a big family — and you can feel that in the atmosphere the second you walk inside.
“Being here so long, you can see someone coming in through the window and you know exactly what they want to eat. and sometimes it makes them feel better if it’s like waiting for them when they sit down,” said Boyd.
Kathy Bannister is a longtime customer, saying her favorite things about the cafe include...
“The ambiance. You know, just the character of the place. The neighborhood. It’s cozy. Good food. Everything.”
It’s that good food, and the good people that make the cafe a favorite for so many.
“Our community is everything. Being next to St. Cecilia's, we love being next to the church and all the people around here and we just love being a part of this community. We’re really, really lucky," said Maguire.
Lisa's Radial Cafe is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Visit their Facebook page here.
Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.
Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.