Joni's Diner

American restaurant · Lake Geneva

Joni's Diner

American restaurant · Lake Geneva

1

111 S Wells St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147

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Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null
Joni's Diner by null

Highlights

American home cooking is offered for breakfast & lunch in a quaint, stalwart diner.  

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111 S Wells St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Get directions

jonisdiner.com

$10–20

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111 S Wells St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Get directions

+1 262 348 9565
jonisdiner.com
jonisdiner

$10–20

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Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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"Those in search of a truly retro dining experience will want to swing by Joni’s Diner, a staple in the area for diner breakfast favorites and char-grilled burgers. It’s housed in a 1954 Jerry O’Mahony L-shaped prefab metal building (only about 20 remain in the U.S.)." - Naomi Waxman

Where to Eat While Visiting Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
View Postcard for Joni's Diner

Paul Gaede

Google
Stopped here one morning for breakfast with a large group of guys on an annual golf trip. Very awesome little diner, with very friendly staff and great food. The food was so good, we stopped the next morning too. I had an omelet the first morning, which was very good, biscuits and gravy the next morning. Definitely the best biscuits I've ever had in a restaurant, the gravy was delicious too. Definitely would stop here again if in the area.

Tiffanie Roewer

Google
Excellent service, food was great. Parking lot could be bigger, very tight. And there is a service charge to use a credit card which I have a hard time with, this day and age. Otherwise it was a good experience... Everyone working was busy and running around to serve people to get them in and out quick.

Priyanka Arora

Google
Absolutely loved the breakfast, great customer service! If I visit lake Geneva again, definitely going to eat here again.

Catabriea Muellerleile

Google
Servers were so friendly and the food came fast. Noise was a tad loud for 8am and was hard to have a conversation but that's expected in a small diner filled with many busy travelers. The food was decent, if a bit pricey considering what it comes with. I paid almost $17 for a breakfast of pancakes(which were large though) 2 eggs and bacon and i had to add the later 2 because they're sold separately which is different compared to chain breakfast joints. But your dining local and small so I understand. Overall if you're looking for a quick diner bite while in Lake Geneva, definitely stop in. The waitstaff was tremendous!!!

Carolyn B B

Google
First time, won't be the last. The food was delicious, our server was so bubbly and attentive in a great way. The place was very welcoming.

Daniel Bharadwaj

Google
Very friendly neighborhood diner that’s welcoming, prompt service, with excellent refills of coffee, highly recommend eggs Benedict, veggie omelette was great, hot dog, Denver were all tasty, reasonably priced. Excellent stop for all those visiting Lake Geneva.

Mr. B

Google
Joni's Diner was a nice experience. Staff was super friendly and all smiles. The Breakfast Burrito, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and hashbrowns were good. The Corned Beef Hash was ok but just wasn't what I was expecting. It was fresh and flavorful though. The diner is on the smaller size so it was quite crowded and seating is tight. I would eat here again when in the area.

Ryan Yantis

Google
Fabulous birthday breakfast at Joni's. We loved everything about our visit. Linda was great as our server, and the food was fantastic! Very neat!

Gio G.

Yelp
It is a diner. Just what I needed. Actually left another place to come here. We went to another restaurant and had to leave. It was more of a millennial place with unusual dishes, maybe even "healthy", but I wanted breakfast not "foo foo". The diner was a diner. Down to earth good old fashion breakfast. Loved it. Service was better than best and the diner was an old style atmosphere that was simple and friendly. I'll be back.

Phil M.

Yelp
We stopped in at Joni's on a Sunday morning. The vibe of a small diner was in full force. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. But, the pleasant staff handled the wait with ease due to the size of the diner I'm sure it's a regular thing. The staff was very quick on the turning of vacant tables. There's counter service and booths available. We has a booth which was clean and not lacking of the vintage diner feel. The food was definitely worth the wait. I had the biscuits and gravy and easy over eggs with a side of cornbeef hash. My girl had the easy over eggs and bacon. The cornbeef hash was excellent. Crisp with a little crunch from the green onions and touch of green cabbage. It wasn't overly meaty but, the flavor was there.. This wasn't cornbeef from a can. Great flavor without being overly salty. The biscuits were fresh and soft and the gravy was flavourful without being overly salty as well. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. The food came out very quickly which must be helpful to a place this sized. Overall we loved Joni's Diner. A traditional diner vibe with great food. We will come back every time we in town

Alexa R.

Yelp
I heard Joni's is a must for breakfast in Lake Geneva and you know what? The rumors are true - it's sooo great!! While cozy and sometimes a wait, the retro vibe is so fun. The service was wonderful - quick, responsive, kind and friendly. I think alot of the staff were family - they had a great synergy going. The food was delicious and came out so quick! Can't wait to go back!!

Sherry D.

Yelp
Amazing place for breakfast. Joni's is the cutest Dinner you will find in Lake Geneva

Todd R.

Yelp
This fifties style diner is so full of atmosphere, you will feel right at home immediately. I loved their biscuits and gravy for breakfast and highly recommend their homemade Reuben sandwich for lunch. Staff is friendly and welcoming. I went back 3 times while in Lake Geneva.

Edward E.

Yelp
Solid breakfast, quick efficient service. Good food, good price. I had eggs, pancakes and bacon. Pancakes had powdered sugar. Bacon was crispy as I asked for it. Eggs were meh. Overall 4/5

Davina R.

Yelp
What an adorable little diner! Old school, classic diner vibes, which was so cute! We came around 11am on a Saturday and we're able to grab a table right away, around 11:30ish it definitely filled up so we were super lucky. Food was great and seasoned very well, especially for a diner! Pancakes we're so fluffy and buttermilk-y!! Service (Maddie was our server) was excellent! Very kind and attentive. Coffee was filled often and we would definitely return.

Nina H.

Yelp
I'm not one for writing 2 star reviews but I have to because my experience here was bad the minute I ordered. On our last day in Lake Geneva, we visited Joni's for Brunch. It was packed on our Saturday arrival and the hostess informed us it would be a 15-minute wait. The entrance was already cramped with people waiting for a table so we remained outside until standing space was available. When it was our turn, instead of opting for a booth, we took the next available and found a pair of seats at the counter. We both ordered breakfasts. My husband ordered a Denver omelet and I got the Two Eggs + Meat combo. Both my husband and I specifically asked for our hash browns to be made extra crispy. His hash browns came out as requested while mine did not. I asked to have them redo my hash browns which prompted our server to return my plate to the kitchen. I assumed it was going to take a few minutes which it did but when I got my plate back, my hash browns appeared how they did the first time around (soggy and pasty) so I had to send it back a SECOND time! While waiting around for my food to arrive again, my husband ended up finishing his meal and 30 minutes later, I'm still waiting on my food! I'm already starving. I haven't had anything all morning and it's past 1pm. The server quickly apologized but that didn't make up for it at all.

Bailey P.

Yelp
What a fun place! We passed by the night before but it had already closed for the day so we decided to try it for breakfast the next morning. It really stands out from the crowd with its retro look. The parking lot is pretty small and the line builds up fast so I recommend going early or at odd times to beat the rush. The food was great! I ordered the griddle combo - swapped the meat for a fruit cup and tried the speciality pumpkin pancakes. The pumpkin pancakes were out of this world! They were sweet enough to where I didn't need syrup and were just the perfect portion size to satisfy my cravings. They also had a large display case of goods - apple pie, cheesecake, cinnamon rolls. Everything looked so good!

Cyndee T.

Yelp
Visited for brunch on a cold weekend in February. The restaurant was warm and hopping. I tried the stuffed French toast, eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits and gravy. Everything was delicious. My friend tried the burger with cheese curds on it and they kept saying how fresh the meat was and how delicious the burger tasted. Would definitely recommend this diner for breakfast or lunch.

Chris M.

Yelp
Does a nostalgic diner bring the heat or is it all just for show... Well Joni's dinner brings it, classic diner vibe with good solid diner food to boot. The corned beef hash was homemade fresh and the service was fantastic with a bit of nostalgia. Prices were family friendly and if you squinted you might think you were somewhere off the Jersey Turnpike and not in ideal Lake Geneva. No matter where you think you are, you'll be glad you actually are at Joni's, Aloha

Dave N.

Yelp
Classic '50s diner vibes, great service and consistently good breakfasts keep me coming back. Fluffy pancakes, hearty omelettes and thick and smoky bacon are all excellent, but the real surprise for me were their biscuits. They're out of this world, absolutely worth an up charge for a toast replacement.

Rob L.

Yelp
My wife and I have been coming here for the longest time as we like to support local franchise free business. We understand inflation and the need to adjust prices but the last increase has now set you above the reasonable line for the product. When you see an average increase of 20-40%, depending on the dish, in one one year period something is amiss. This is a perfect example of how Yelp protects its users because you can browse back through the menu photos and compare to the current one! We always support local business and will continue to do so however this establishment will be passed on by us and now many people who can simple math. Best of luck.

Jonathan G.

Yelp
The management has really gone downhill. The owner is very snotty to her waitstaff, her kitchen staff, and even her customers. And if you dare point out a discrepancy between the menu price and your bill, then she REALLY gets sore. This *used* to be one of the better restaurants in town, but the way they are now, you're better off bypassing them and going to Egg Harbor Café instead.

Ron T.

Yelp
The fact we had breakfast here two of our four mornings should speak volumes. My late brother and I loved diners; the ambiance and the food. While he is nolonger alive, I seek out diners with the same enthusiasm. At Joni's we weren't disappointed. We had large groups with each breakfast and they were able to accommodate us. And given the fact half our party was under six, everyone found something they liked and it was brought out promptly. Similar for the adults; lots of choices and good food. The service was excellent as well; enthusiastic and helpful. I wish they were located a little closer and that they played their 60's music a little louder.

Michelle L.

Yelp
I stopped here with the family for breakfast. The portions aren't huge but filling and the food is good. Nothing fancy, just good hearty food.

Kinza D.

Yelp
Discovered this old school diner on a day trip to lake Geneva. I don't think I've ever actually gone to a diner this old so it was fun to check out - they maintained classic diner vibes and menu options. The food itself was pretty mediocre - not bad but nothing too special. Wish they had some more coffee options - they weren't able to make iced coffee which was a bit disappointing. Staff is super friendly and food came out in a timely manner!

Micheal M.

Yelp
Good enough food, service was just ok. Overpriced for the quality of the food. Cute diner, seems to very busy all the time.

Myrna S.

Yelp
Popped in here yesterday for a quick lunch since we were shopping nearby. Wow what a great place. I got a burger and my husband got the patty melt. Both were delicious and we loved the homemade fries as well. Will definitely go back as soon as possible and would highly recommend. My husband liked the fact that there really is a Joni and she was there to greet us! Just a great place with fantastic food and service and ambiance.

Gavinsidekick H.

Yelp
Let's start off with the place itself, nice diner, just the type of old fashion diner we were looking for. Wait staff, very nice , very attentive. Food, lunch, mainly chicken and burger sandwiches, most of the 10 complained about cold fries, they thought the sandwiches were OK. I, on the other hand, decided to get the special turkey and cranberries sandwiches for $15. What a waste of money and was a disgrace to the turkey. The total bun size, 3 " thick, total turkey 1/16" thick. So basically, I paid $ 15 for a bun. We won't return and am sorry we came in the first place.

Eric C.

Yelp
Awful. My tuna sandwich couldn't have been more vanilla. Toasted white bread and tuna.. bread was dry! Wish they could have added some sort of sauce or dressing for the bread..

Alexis S.

Yelp
Corned beef hash and eggs benedict are both amazing! Krissy is an amazing server, super sweet! Only complaint is that every time I come, the lady at the front register is rude, never even bothers with politeness as we pay- today didn't even stop her conversation to close us out. Then she just waved our receipt in our face. Overall great service always from the waitresses and great food but having to see her right as we're leaving every time takes away from the experience.

James D.

Yelp
Very friendly staff, very nice authentic atmosphere and the Food was top notch! Highly recommend(Come early)

Suzanne C.

Yelp
My favorite place to stop before going to the lake. I love how it's retro and a true old school diner. The service is fast. The servers are always nice. The food always comes out hot. I love their corned beef hash. Their potato pancakes are an honorable mention.

David G.

Yelp
The food here was diner-incredible. My wife and daughter split the Gouda cheeseburger with bacon. I had the BLT with an egg on sourdough with chipotle mayo. Both were awesome. We ended up having desert. Glad we did. The homemade cheesecake is possibly the best I've ever had. The building is exactly what you think a diner should look like. The staff was friendly. Will come back to this place again next time we are in Lake Geneva.

Gigi D.

Yelp
Overrated. I've eaten here a handful of times simply because there aren't many competitors in the area. The food is decent, but there isn't one dish calling me back. Cute place, though. .

Emily J.

Yelp
We came here because the border towns in IL have almost no good places to eat so we headed to Lake Geneva. It was a busy Sunday and they were slammed but we were still able to get sat right away. They have a cool interior and story which is detailed on the menus and tells you about the history of the space. They have a big menu with all the diner classics. I enjoyed the potato pancakes which came with sour cream, applesauce, eggs, and bacon. I had a Sir Andrew for the first time which is lemonade with seltzer water. Although it was refreshing, it would have been stellar with fresh squeezed lemonade instead of Minute Maid. All in all, it was a good experience but with basic ingredients, you get basic food and there were not many vegetarian options. If you are into classic diner food though this is a great option!

Kentaro S.

Yelp
My wife and I went to Joni's Diner on Saturday for our weekend getaway in Lake Geneva. We had Banana Bread French Toast (sweet but amazingly tasty) and Big E omelets (omelet with everything in it with toast but not hash brown). Both were really good for a typical breakfast food. The portion was perfect for a middle aged person. Next time we would like to try some other dishes as well! We gave it 4 starts only because even though we really enjoyed it, we never had any wow moment here.

Lynn C.

Yelp
I have been going to Lake Geneva for years. How could I not have known about this place. Loved the ambiance. I thought on a Sunday morning, we would have a long wait. Got in right away. Service was great as well. Our server was excellent. Nothing bad to say about Jonis diner Highly recommend

Ana V.

Yelp
Decide for a day trip, and stopped in this small diner, wow so pretty and such friendly employees

Chris A.

Yelp
this diner was packed. the food was delicious and filling and service was great. it had the classic diner feel to it

Wendy W.

Yelp
If you love old dinners, you will love Joni's. As there is normally a line, we were lucky to get a table right away. We ordered Banana Bread French toast with Carmel sauce, 4 large slices with banana slices, and walnuts. My grandson had chocolate chip pancakes, and my granddaughter got pancakes, ham, and egg plates. She said it was the best food ever. We also ordered the turkey cranberry sandwich, which came with hand cut frys. Will diffenitly spot again when were in Lake Geneva

Lauren H.

Yelp
Joni's is a gem! It's really a throwback in time. Reminds you of the old diners in a metal trailer or a food truck. The food is delicious and the portions large with cheap prices. We just went for breakfast and I had to take half my food with me to go. The pancakes are big and thick, same goes for the bacon. I was super impressed with food, the service, and the prices. If you like yummy diner food and don't wanna spend a lot of money check out Joni's.

Christina C.

Yelp
I love that there is an old-school feel diner in Lake Geneva. Honestly, this was one of my favorite spots that we went to this past weekend. The menu is very much one that you would find at a standard diner. I like that there is something for everyone. We were seated within 5 minutes when we went earlier at 8:30am. I imagine it gets pretty packed very quickly on the weekends here. I ordered the Steak & Eggs. It was a New York Strip and came with hash browns. I enjoyed it a lot! It was tempting to order a Deep Dish Apple Pie slice, but I opted not to after a delicious meal. There's a surcharge for using your credit card.

Shannon O.

Yelp
What a delightful little gem! I found this place while looking up breakfast spots within walking distance of The Cove. While we never made it for breakfast, we did manage to pop in for lunch (they are only open for breakfast and lunch). It's a small hectic space but yet you feel welcome and unrushed. It's a nostalgic old school diner in every sense of the word and I immediately fell in love. We started with the fried pickles, known as Frickles ($7), because I have to get them whenever I see them on the menu. They were soooo good! The batter was crispy almost like a tempura and just greasy enough to satiate your diner food craving. My husband went with the traditional patty melt ($11) and a chocolate shake. He raved about both. He did feel the shake was on the small side, but truth be told he could drink shakes by the bucket full. I went with the Fried Cheese Curd burger ($11), such a wonderfully gluttonous decision. Juicy burger topped with fried cheese curds, caramelized onions (no onions for me) and buttermilk ranch. It is just as amazingly messy and delicious as it sounds. I mean, it's vacation right, why not? This will definitely become a place we stop in every time we are in Lake Geneva.

Molly R.

Yelp
We went here twice on our vacation. The first day, everything was excellent and the restaurant was able to seat us quickly despite a crowd. We loved it so much we came back the next day. It was less crowded but none of the food was that great. Unlike the first visit, it didn't make me want to come back. Maybe a change in cooks or ingredients available was the culprit. It's a cute spot and decent prices so I would still check it out!

Guillaume M.

Yelp
This is an old-school diner. Nothing fancy, but everything very good. I came here for breakfast and had the feta omelet. Nice balance of cheese, spinach, and tomato. Next time I'll ask to add onions, but that is personal preference, not a failing of the restaurant. Hash browns were crisp fresh off the grill; they hadn't been parked off to the side waiting for an hour before my omelet. Counter staff were friendly and welcoming, plus prompt bringing out the food. Overall five stars; will go back the next time I'm in the area.

shawn h.

Yelp
Expect to literally be timed on how long you're there from the second you sit down and expect to be told about it if you're there "too long". Completely rude owner and waitress. Food was eh. Prices eh. I'll never go back due to the owner's pathetic attitude and disrespect for her patrons.

Chris M.

Yelp
Excellent. But always crowded. Get there early. Staff is great too. The long ride to get there was worth it.

Sidney Z.

Yelp
When your traveling through unfamiliar territory and need places to eat and stay, I really do rely on YELP and Google. On our first morning in Lake Geneva, we all wanted a bodacious breakfast after our 3 mile walk so I Googled / Yelped breakfasts in Lake Geneva. There was a slew of places, but Joni's Diner stood out like a sore thumb. I mean over 300 reviews with a 4.5 star average spelled a huge call-out on this is the place to come. So, we did! It's a throw back dinner from the 1950's that was a cute and comfortable as all get out. The staff were these cheery people actually looking like they were having a good time working; this was infectious. Well, we all got cups of really good coffee. My freind got a Denver Omelette and his girlfriend got eggs over easy with bacon and toast. They were set and I must say happy. I got a build your own omlette and my wife got eggs with cheddar and sour dough toast. We were also happy and set. All of really enjoyed this meal. The ambiance, service, food all spelled out a well earned 5 Star review!

Anthony J.

Yelp
Great fresh food, service is excellent, always busy for good reason. Wish they were open more often. Definitely worth checking out!!!!

Chris B.

Yelp
just good, recommend coming here. The staff are very kind and always asking to refill your water. Also food comes out very quick.

Jigar M.

Yelp
Strictly ok very ordinary Elizabethe restaurant much better hash brown was dry omelette wet. Kindly avoid this place.

Laurie B.

Yelp
Awesome diner really authentic and food was delicious! Close to downtown LG and was very clean. Service was good too. Definitely a great place to have breakfast when in the area.

Desrye E.

Yelp
Such good food here and the milkshakes are amazing! The service is always quick and makes sure you have everything you need. And the old diner look is adorable and very retro feeling!

Elisa G.

Yelp
====SURCHARGE ON CREDIT CARD USE==== ====SURCHARGE ON CREDIT CARD USE==== ====SURCHARGE ON CREDIT CARD USE==== Cute retro diner car look to to the place on the outside, small and cozy on the inside, was so looking forward to it cuz I love a good retro looking diner! According the the menu their rubens are their signature dish...why is the question! My friend and I both ordered the ruben with a side of thousand island. When the order came to the table it was wrong, no side of thousand island dressing cuz the cook decided we really didn't want it on the side but spread all over the sandwich! Ugh....asked for on the side for a reason! Waitress offered to fix it, brought extra dressing (which is actual really good) but we both decided just to go ahead and eat the sandwiches as is. I also decided to try their "Sir Andrew" a mix of lemonade and club soda...eh, not a fan, it seems the lemonade part was too artificial tasting to me. The waitress was also kind enough to say if I didn't like it I could swap it out. So good service, but I'll have to give the food another chance at another time. I'll end by saying that my first time there not the greatest experience, disappointing really, especially when gouged at the end with a surcharge for using my credit card. I may go back to try again, maybe, and with cash cuz screw your surcharge.

Mrs H.

Yelp
Fantastic diner. Love it. It is sandwiched between 3 burger places (no pun intended.) You walk in and it is like you stepped into a past, so nostalgic and fun! All the food sounds amazing it was hard choosing what to get. The staff was speedy and welcoming. They were crazy busy but the food came out quick. We really enjoyed the food and what we got. If I were to give some feedback the bacon has great flavor and a nice thick cut, however, it was incredibly salty. (I would also say I have a high tolerance for salt) We are definitely coming back, yum! Support the little guy! Family owned!

Garren S.

Yelp
Was an amazing breakfast and we joined the clean plate club. Cute place as well that has an original diner feel.

Kam W.

Yelp
We got there for late lunch and it was packed. Retro feeling and cute. Food we ordered was average

c k.

Yelp
Just enjoyed our Christmas Yule Log from Joni's. It's beautiful with meringue mushrooms and suger berries and leaves. Definitely a delicious chocolate cake double roll! It's our 3... hopefully we will order next year!