Do you want the feeling of an old school classical diner, but with a modern identity? The Lake Diner in Conneaut Lake is the place for you. It is situated right on the main drag, with minimal parking, so you might have to walk a little bit. It is a little boring on the outside. However, that changes as you go to the diner. The first thing that impacts you is the atmosphere as you walk in.

The restaurant was a great place. I loved the atmosphere. It felt like a classic American small diner, with its music focused pictures hanging around the place. However, it does feel like it was an American diner in another country. My dad said it feels like it should be in Sheffield, which I agreed with. It was nice, but in a sense, maybe it was trying a little hard. The food was good, simple, well salted, and the eggs perfect. The food took a little long (I think this was my fault; I ordered a steak). My meal was great, perfect size, not too big, not too small, especially because my dad and I biked there, which made me worried that I would get sick on the way back, but I didn’t. It was friendly and extremely local. As others came in, people were calling one of the servers/owner by name.

This fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the place. Being on a first name basis with your customers, and having them know you by your first name, is great for a local place. This little detail contributes to the specific way an American diner should feel, and this almost nails it. I say almost because it feels like it is trying too hard. The walls seem to be a little cluttered, but it is all a part of the charm of the place. An American diner should be simple, a little bit cluttered, and of course friendly, all of which this place nails to a tee. The

space was small and homey, but the colors of the space were bright, allowing it to have an airy and big feeling. Overall, it felt like a nice, small, friendly little diner. 

The food was excellent and simple, seeing as the typical problem with eggs is too much salt.  Nearly every time I go out, the eggs are always too salty. I've learned from an online cook Joshua Weissman that salt enhances or emphasizes the flavor of the food, when most people treat salt as a flavor and add it to everything, and make it way too much. The salt levels here were perfect, and the eggs were perfect. They were simple. I was worried that they would be gross because I forgot to ask for cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised, and it was definitely one of my favorite egg dishes that I have had. And I’m sure that everything else on the menu would be just as well salted and equally delicious. 

The diner has a small layout, and seems like it can’t hold a lot of customers. It was a little busy, but not incredibly so. I think the reason for this was because I was there between 9:30 and 10:30 AM on a Sunday.  I am not entirely sure of the reason for the slowness; it might have just been because there was one person cooking, or because I ordered something that most people don’t order. However, it wasn’t overly slow, and our waitress comped our coffee, which was nice.  

Overall, I rate it at 4 out of 5 stars. It is a great little place. It feels like a classic diner feel, with images of musical artists, old cars, and unique mugs. Yet, it has this friendly feel where anyone from any walk of life is welcome, which nowadays seems like a hard thing to come by.