Tina's Cafe & Catering

The best little place in Lincoln NE. They appreciate your business. We went for cinnamon and pecan rolls. Be prepared to share or take half home. Their menu for breakfast and lunch is mouth watering and delicious. The price is right. You will leave full and smiling.

Came in on a recommendation, they were not wrong!! The hole in the wall feel is exactly what most of us grew up on with the Best home cooked feels. Tina's does not disappoint on portions, friendliness, and TASTE!! Pancakes have a sweet hint, french toast is great, sausage gravy top notch. Ill be back soon. 🍽 😃

Superior friendly service, food prepared in timely manner, and absolutely delicious. First time in, definitely not the last. COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF, EVERYTHING WAS GREAT!! Had 2 French toast, #2 Bristol w/pancakes (pancakes were grade A) couldn't resist the offer of a roll to go, Pecan Cin Roll for my mom. See you Soon Tina & Co.

My new go to when I’m in Lincoln! I was looking for a good little breakfast spot and was recommended Tinas so we stopped by and it did not disappoint. Great food, great people and great prices. The staff was awesome the atmosphere was great it was all good. I definitely recommend stopping in

We ate breakfast at Tina’s for the first time and we’ll definitely be back! The food was great and our waitress was very friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. The price for our breakfast was unbeatable for the amount of food we got. Parking was a little difficult to find since it’s a smaller diner but other than that, our experience was amazing!

First time customer at Tina’s and they did not disappoint! Husband and I walked in a little after 8am on a Saturday morning, only spots left were at the bar and one large table. Food: 5* We ordered the cinnamon roll to share and wow it’s huge! The picture is what we had leftover to take home! Their hash browns are legit the best I’ve ever had. I asked the waitress if they were fresh shaved potatoes (they are) , and she was able to proudly explain the process to me. Chicken fried steak was great as well. Service: 5* The waitresses working were very attentive, both would ask if we needed anything as they walked by. Super friendly and personable! Atmosphere: 5* Clearly some racing fans decorated! Love the small diner feel with the atmosphere. Side note, be sure to check hours before going! Posted hours are closed after 2pm M-F. Closed on Sundays and have a short open time for Saturday!

My wife and I decided to try this place as we love going to diners. I had read reviews about this place before we went and the reviews made me feel it was going to be a home run. That was not the case. My wife ordered a bacon cheeseburger on sour dough bread. Now me being a big bacon fan looked forward to trying her burger. But the bacon did not smell very appetizing to me, it actually made me nauseous. The burger itself was very greasy, as if it wasn't put anywhere to rest and to drain excess fat. I ordered a bowl of chili and I really felt that there wasn't anything special about it. I could have had that chili anywhere. The service was lacking. It wasn't that busy when we were there not to mention this place is tiny. The waitress seemed to be overwhelmed. The restaurant itself was cute and homey.

This place has enormous Pecan and Cinnamon rolls. Think loaf of bread. It was delicious. The food is homemade and fantastic. I recommend it and will be back. Great job!

Wow. We both ordered a half order of the biscuits and gravy and hash browns with an added over medium egg. We were headed out on an epic road trip and needed to fortify. This breakfast didn't disappoint. We didn't get there in time to grab a cinnamon roll to go-- all sold out-- but the sausage gravy was amazing. The biscuits were fluffy and perfect. Potatoes were delish. Service was friendly and quick. Loved the old school diner vibe. We would definitely go back!

Well well well! You pull up and it looks like no parking but 3-4 stalls and the place looks tiny. Well there is parking in back. Oh and the place is pretty small. Definitely an old greasy spoon feel. I think it would most outstanding food for a hangover! My sausage gravy and hash with eggs was good but did not blow my socka off. The service was great. The clientele all servers seemed to know. Keep in mind it was a weekday with a snow storm. I gave a 4 mainly on the experience and the service. This place could be in a country down home movie! Good job i will be back to try aome other things!

The pecan cinnamon rolls are huge and to die for! They're the best thing on the menu. I did have a slice of french toast as well, which was good. My son got the #2, which looked delicious. My granddaughter was happy that they had chocolate chip pancakes. Tina's is a great place for breakfast.

It's definitely a hole in a wall, limited parking spaces! But the breakfast is incredible, the hash browns are seasoned very well, maybe it's butter? The prices are so good, you can get Ala carte breakfast portions, or do one of their combinations! This is a gem in Lincoln, be sure to check their hours I think sometimes they close after 2/3 a late lunch! They have good lunch deals, and would love to come and try it!

I love coming to this place every time I am in town visiting my brother! After fasting for 10 hours, I was able indulge by having the gigantic cinnamon roll topped with butter nicely warmed up. It's so big that I split with my friend and we still had some left! I also had biscuit & hash browns with gravy smothered all over. Waitress lady was real nice. Great breaking the fast meal! If you ever are in town I highly recommend!

Me and my wife visited the restaurant a few days ago for breakfast and we were greeted with smiles and a friendly hello from the owner and Megan our waitress. The food is great and so is the service!! Megan and the owner were VERY PROFESSIONAL AND PERFECT when it came to the dining experience. Megan also told us the story behind those HUGE DELICIOUS WARM AND BUTTERY CINNAMON ROLLS..but to find out what it is you have to visit for yourself ..I promise you won't be disappointed

Tina's is, hands down, my favorite breakfast in the world! I've been to dozens of other places, famous for breakfast, and never found better. For starters, the food is exceptional. Best hash browns anywhere, fluff scrambled eggs, perfectly cooked crispy bacon. Pancakes are always delicious. If you like biscuits and gravy, theirs is exceptional! Finally, they have homemade cinnamon rolls as big as your face! Order one to go, or take home leftovers, you won't eat a whole one! Service is quick and efficient, and always friendly. It's a tiny little cafe, so a very hometown atmosphere. The restaurant has very limited seating, and a long counter with stools, but tables turn fast so if you have to wait it won't be long. They also serve lunch, burgers and sandwiches, also very good.

A colleague recommended Tina's. I am so glad he did. Perfect bacon!! Delicious cinnamon rolls that were HUGE and soft. Family feel with lots of "regulars" who eat there.

giant cinnamon rolls as big as your head! super service, and an omlet so big we made 3 breakfasts out of this! hidden gem in Lincoln. I signed up for catering and am happy I did

I love breakfast food, and this place brings the goods! Like Waffle House but local and better. Super friendly service. I'll be back!

The food is excellent and service is excellent and they make you feel like they are glad you came to Tina's. One best coffee I ever had too.

When you pull up outside you're going to question if you should go in. GO IN! It's a small place but the food is amazing and the service is great. Our party of four split a pecan cinnamon roll to kick off our breakfast, I definitely recommend you do the same! We also had breakfast - some omelettes, some eggs, and biscuits & gravy - all of them were absolutely delicious. The hash browns are homemade and superior to any I've ever tasted before. Go in, you won't regret it!

Went with 7 other family members for breakfast. All first timers. The 8 of is Shared one of their very large and delicious cinnamon rolls and pecan rolls. Followed that up with breakfast. I had the veggie omelette with added jalapeños. It was loaded with veggies and surrounded in a tender omelette wrap. Very delicious! The service was great!

Meh, is the best I can say. this is a breakfast dive that is popular with the locals. It's very small. I visited for breakfast and I was unimpressed. I had the Biscuits and Gravy. I am from the south where biscuits and gravy is sacrosanct. The biscuits at Tina's were good, light and fluffy. The sausage gravy was awful. It was nothing more than milk and flour whisked together with no seasoning and little sausage. I counted exactly 4 pieces of sausage about the size of a dime, that's all. Bland is an understatement when describing this sausage gravy. Coffee was weak. Hash browns were okay. People in the Midwest describe a "good" restaurant as someplace with enormous servings. Which brings me to the cinnamon rolls. This place sells gigantic cinnamon rolls about 8 - 9 inches in diameter. Again they're big but not good. The cinnamon rolls are nothing more than a rolled up loaf of bread with a thin, milk and powdered sugar frosting. I don't see myself returning here for breakfast. I would not recommend this place to friends or family. If you're from any place that was heavily glaciated during the Pleistocene, (the midwest ) you'll probably like it.

A fabulous local spot for breakfast or lunch with great people and friendly, efficient service. I always have a great breakfast of hashbrowns smothered with sausage gravy, topped with fried eggs and one (large) pancake with lots of fresh coffee. Irene has something lighter, Ha! Haven't had a giant cinnamon roll in a while so will have to do that again soon. We've had breakfast all over this country, Canada and Mexico, and although most good and many different, we always look forward to our return to Tina's in Lincoln, Nebraska!

Nice little intimate diner and busy for a reason! Chrystal was a very friendly and attentive waitress. She was also handling the phone and the busy front counter. But the FOOD. Very reasonable prices. My second time coming and, while just for breakfast, I literally can't remember having had a better breakfast anywhere before. Everything cooked perfectly and just delicious! You definitely won't find this at the chain restaurants. SO good!

The cook did not wear a mask as she was making our food, which was...not very good at all. The waitress would occasionally wear a mask but sometimes would take it off for long periods of time. If you take the mask off it kind of defeats the purpose. The restaurant also doesn't accept card payments - only cash and check. Now, admittedly, we missed the sign on the door warning us of this, so that's on us. But still - it's 2020. Nobody pays with checks any more, and I can't tell you the last time a business wouldn't take my debit card. Tina's needs to get with the times and take people's cards for payment. Bottom line - bad food, bad health practices, and cash/checks only. We won't be returning.

Been going to this little cafe for years usually about once a week. I like breakfast and her hashbrowns are homemade and EXCELLENT. I live in a senior community of around 100 people and Tina's always caters our holiday meals. They cannot be beat. It's not a fancy place but didn't we come here to eat? The employees are great, the place is clean and it has an old fashioned feel. I think someone said it's been there for 30 years? The present cook/manager is the woman's daughter who started the cafe. Her mom maks the BEST FREAK'IN CINNAMON rolls around town!!! Be sure to take some time to stop there and see what you think. Jackie T.

My Cuz told me to check out BTN's Campus Eats as Tina's was featured on the show. We were going to do the Lincoln National Guard Half Marathon so we had to check it out before our visit. I came, I saw, I devoured (team effort! GBR!) that Godzilla of a Cinnamon Roll! Make no mistake! This is a hole in the wall dive diner, with a great character! I "could" regain my 100 lb back eating here every other day! BUT I own portion control now! It also helps when you are constantly in training for a Triathlon or Long Distance Run! Angie is a draw no matter what. She was our server and was interviewed on Campus Eats! (Miss you, Ang! See you soon!) She was also outstanding, friendly, and made the best recommendations! Over the few days we were in Lincoln, I had the nice sized tasty pancakes, perfectly grilled hash browns, eggs fried to my liking, bacon crips, biscuits & gravy 'cause I had to sample them, and THE CINNAMON ROLL! This is a beast of it's own. On a day many years ago, I would've torn this puppy up alone. Now that I'm race ready at all times, FOUR of us divided and conquered! The Coffee was nice and strong but not over the top! I msut I always look for the perfect locally breakfast place as I believe is supporting locally. I had a couple of faves in Lincoln. Engine House Cafe is still open in Havelock. the other, family owned Kuhl's, closed in 2008. Glad I found Tina's as a new fave! I will hit their Lunch fare hard next time I'm in Lincoln! GBR!

Located in a converted gas station. Hidden by a tree row, you would drive past if you weren't looking for the place, but don't, because it is well worth the stop. Outstanding Biscuits & Gravy! Best Hash Browns ever! Second time here in as many years, and has been great each time.

Eclipse day and this place is packed. Viewing right here 1min 30 seconds. 20 miles and you gain a minute. This place has been fantastic for breakfast for years. Beware of the consuming rolls, today they are out, they come in the 7x7x4" version. Loaded with frosting or Carmel topping with or without nuts. I settled in on the Bristol combination. eggs bacon hash browns and pancakes. Because of the day, a wait is expected. In fact, this is the first time I've ever seen a waiting line for a table. Breakfast arrived in a reasonable amount of time and was good as always. Note. Order the bacon, it's so good.

Great locals hideaway. Killer breakfast. Huge portions. Cinnamon rolls the size of car batteries.

Tina's cafe was GREAT, the ladies take great care of me, They love my T-shirt, tell them hello, the guy from BAYTOWN, Texas!!!!!

I drive to Lincoln once a year for a football game. It's a 525 mile drive so I like to have a good breakfast during the trip. I tried Tina's after I saw it featured on BTN Campus Eats. The #2 Bristol is just right for me. Her pancakes are perfect. Just the right chew. Ask for gravy on your hash browns and you have to try the bacon. The prices are very low. I have eaten there 3 times and the food and service was great each time. I have eaten at dozens of breakfast restaurants between Chicago and Lincoln. Tina's is the best.

My partner and I went to Tina's (formerly a favorite place) this morning for a late breakfast. As we walked in I noted that it was 10:35. We sat there for a few minutes waiting to be acknowledged when another party sat down directly behind us. The waitress went up to them immediately and as she walked away, my partner said loudly, "We'd like coffee too!" The waitress, jokingly we thought, apologized and said we must be invisible. We must have been, because the four other tables who came in after we did were all served and we still had not gotten our order. At 11:30 we finally got up and walked out. Unfortunatly my partner left his phone on the table. When he went back to get it he was told that he would have to pay for the food we never got in order to get his phone back. This experience was wrong on several levels, and needless to say, we will not give them another chance to be treated that way.

Four and a half stars? Nope, I am being generous with one star. Nothing special. The cinnamon rolls looked huge, but that is the only thing that looked good. Would never go back. Our breakfast was nothing special.

Service was horrible, we came in at 10:35 am sat down and another table sat down next to us. The waitress walked by us as if we were not there. She took there drink order and walked by is again, I said we will have water and coffee to please. The restaurant had one table seated, 3 at the counter and 4 next to us. She seated two more tables then 3 at yhe counter abs then took the table next to us. Then our order, we sat there until 11:25 still no order. The waitess servers 3 other tables with good that had arrived after us plus the people at the counter. We left, at 11:30 with no food. I left my phone on the table and upon returning to pick it up , before they would return it they demanded I pay for the food I left. I told them no service, you did not serve me in 45 minutes, no service at all. They said I had to pay to get my phone back. I told them they serverd 4 other tables before me that had arrived after me. It's not right you hold my phone because you did not serve me. I told them they lost a customer I will never return to their place of business.

I love to write about food in Lincoln and wherever I go, I only write honest reviews good or bad so that you the customer will follow along and know that I either had a great experience or I wouldn't send my worst enemy to a place...... That being said I absolutely love breakfast food anytime of the day and for Lincoln Nebraska if you live here or just passing through TINA'S CAFE IS A MUST TRY!!!!! I eat here usually when I'm having myboio changed at another greta place next door Hillis 66 car repair shop. This food is truly great it's one of Lincoln Nebraska's secret amazing places,The prices are good food amazing and place is small yet homely feeling :-) alot of racing items on the walls racing memorabilia,and the absolutely positively BEST THICK CUT BACON I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! I order the #2 Bristel , which comes with two eggs any style homemade thick cut hash browns and choice of ham, bacon or sausage also served with your choice of toast or pancakes which are truly amazing also for only $6.39 you will leave happy full and get to have a great life experience yes it's breakfast food but at the same time its great breakfast food!!! This place is a toss up for me with another great restaurant here in Lincoln the engine House Cafe but again I'm very partial to the bacon here if you are a bacon connoisseur it is a must eat... so stop by to have a bite say hi and have some great down home cooking with a good atmosphere! You will not leave disappointed... a great place for kids adults and people of all ages :-)

Tina's is a great breakfast place. The service is friendly and helpful, and the cinnamon rolls are fantastic! They are also huge. While the food is good, seating is limited, and they do not take credit cards.

I travel extensively in WI, MI, IA, NE, northern IL. This was my first stop here and is on my return list of restaurants to eat at. Excellent breakfast. Had Gear Grinder (biscuits and gravy half order, see photo) and it was delicious. I also had to try their homemade roll which I split with another person. I also had side order of bacon. Thick slices and made just right (at least the way I like it). This place has a race car theme. Lots of stock car photos and such. The focus here is the food not the decor. Tina's daughter, Sue, works the grill while Angie works the table. This is a place where the help is friendly and likes to get to know their customers. Parking is a bit limited but worth the extra inconvenience if you should happen to experience that aspect. I will be back.

Super good all good he way around. If your looking for a very laid back place to eat this is the place. Love the theme of NASCAR as well!

It's a greasy spoon with no frills. A perfect Saturday morning kind of place. We love Tina's and we love Sue. Biscuits and gravy, egg over easy, a decent cup of joe...that perfectly toasted white toast with butter. When you need, you need it.

Fantastic atmosphere and food. The Mexican omelette was great. Not too spicy, with an abundance of flavor. The employees are wonderful and will occasionally sing !

Yum! Cinnamon rolls bigger than your head and better than grandma's (don't tell her)! Breakfast was tasty and filling - make sure you bring cash because they don't take checks or cards.

Went to Tina's for the first time today, even though my coworkers have been raving about it forever. I got the biscuits and gravy, hash browns, and bacon. The bacon was good. The biscuits and gravy were very good. The hash browns? Hands down the best I've ever had. The atmosphere was really nice too. It felt like I was back in my tiny hometown instead of in the middle of the city. I also got a bit of their cinnamon rolls (with pecans). Delicious.

This is a true blue country style cafe! I have eaten here many times for breakfast and lunch and it is always as good as expected. They have the best breakfast in town (no competition what so ever). Seriously, where else can you get homemade hashbrowns that taste this good? Not only that, when you order bacon here they dont bring you two flimsy strips of paper thin nonsense, you get four massive strips of thick-cut deliciousness. Their lunch is also amazing - I always get the Chicken Fried Steak special on Fridays. There is usually a different pie/cake each day as well that never disappoints. Quality of food aside, I greatly appreciate the subtle ambiance of this place. Sue, the woman who runs the show, will treat you like a real person and not a customer. Some may find her a tad on the bossy side, but I for one have a sincere appreciation for hard-working people who tell it like it is. I just hate it when I get a fake waitress at a restaurant that is overly cheery and just trying too hard to get a tip - you will not get that here. And because of that, I tip more here than any place else. Parking can be difficult, but it's worth it. They are only open from 6:30AM-2:00PM on weekdays and 7:00AM-11:00AM on Saturdays. I wish they were open on Sundays, but they need a day off just like the rest of us! Oh, and a here's a tip for the newbies: Don't ask about substituting items on the menu. It's annoying. If you haven't eaten here before, do yourself a favor and pick a weekday and go check it out!

Yum yum yum! I have lives in Lincoln about as long as Tina's has been open, but didn't know about it until recently. Big10 Network did a story in college town eateries, and I knew I had to visit Tina's! Homemade from scratch everything. I am not a huge gravy fan, but the sausage gravy here was like none I have ever tasted. It has the most delicious flavor and perfect pepperiness. Maybe I have just never had good gravy; this will be the standard by which all others are measured! Great hole in the wall, place to bring out of towners. Too decadent to eat often, but definitely a place to treat yourself occasionally!

You have to love a bossy woman in her kitchen. I came into Tina's 2 years ago on the day of my wedding with my new to be wife to have breakfast and use a gift certificate to her place that was given to us from our new neighbors. We enjoyed the company and the service and her story . The food is great if you like the diner scene and we do. She has great daily specials and wonderful burgers and fries as well. If you are a desert fan then save a little room for some of her wonderful cakes or even her Fred Flint stone size Cinnamon rolls or pecan rolls. Tina keep on rolling out the comfort food that we all love to eat. We have a tradition now of eating here every anniversary so Tina we will see you soon for another year of marital bliss behind us. Big Love

Went for breakfast but was too late. Ended up having a giant AMAZING cinnamon roll and a hot roast beef. It was delicious

First of all this is a very small diner space is very limited. The hash browns were hand cut and tatsty but that's about where the goodness ends. I had a veggie omelet and the veggie's were not sautéed and I felt I had half a raw onion in my omelet. Now aside from the food the wait staff was friendly but every time the door opened either the waiter or the lady possibly owner who was cooking was screaming to close the door. I get that it put her pilot light out but either fix the air flow issue or be understanding that people need a few seconds to enter and exit the building. EVERY time someone came in or out the yelling to close the door would begin. Made a person feel a little unwanted there!!

Don't skip on the frosted cinnamon roll. They will heat it with butter and it's incredibly fluffy and delicious! The biscuits and gravy with hash browns are made fresh. There is additional parking in the back, and you might have to wait a little bit to get a table (especially if you have a group larger than 4 people), but this place is worth it.

If you want the best cinnamon rolls in Nebraska, get here early especially on the weekends. The hash browns are amazing also; best ever! This is a very small place & parking is limited, but the staff is amazingly friendly, food very reasonable & delicious! You can order cinnamon rolls in advance & take them To Go. Also, they don't take credit cards. Be prepared that the cinnamon rolls are very large: so split one with a friend or take it home.

Waitress looked me strange, When I requested 3 drinks. But she brought all three. Omelet, bacon, toast. And water, coffee, orange juice. Good food, good service. Haiku review.

This small dive is definitely worth the stop if you are anywhere near Lincoln. The food is made fresh. The hash browns were perfectly done. The cinnamon rolls are not only huge but probably the best we have ever had. The service was great and everyone is really friendly. If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would.

Went here with some guys from work a couple of years back. It was forgettable. I was shocked to see it rated so highly (4.5 stars at the time of this review), but there are so few ratings I thought maybe it's due to those of us who ate here and forgot all about the place. I'm happy for those that enjoy Tina's so passionately. For me it was just meh.

If you like old, authentic diners then this is for you. Great food, great price , great service. I had the daily special. Today it was Home style Salisbury Steak.

We stopped on our way out of Lincoln. Oh my! What a find! Home cooking at its finest. Do not (no matter what diet you are on) miss the cinnamon rolls. They are truly cinnamon rolls! Tina or whoever baked these from scratch that morning has found the perfect ratio of gooey cinnamon to the roll part of the creation. May not be the "healthiest" option on the menu but they are worth delaying healthy eating until lunch. BTW, the service was great. Lots of good conversation and Nebraska hospitality.

Delicious!!! Great food and great service! It was our waitress' first day but you'd have never known!

I wish tina's would bring their home cooking to havelock. We need a decent from scratch breakfast and lunch cafe. I've never had better smoked bacon than tina's. They are the most consistently good eatery around. Have never been disappointed eating there.