Riley’s Café a Cedar Rapids Main Stay

You have to want to go to Rileys Café.  Located on 836 1st Ave NE, finding a parking place can be a bit daunting.  Then once you get inside, it is packed, at least that was our experience on the Tuesday morning we stopped by while on a trip to Cedar Rapids.  Once we squeezed into a place behind this iconic breakfast and lunch stop our server/hostess Tiffany deftly cleared a booth and seated us the way only a truly experience waitress can.

“We have been around since at least the 1940’s,” Riley said.  Loving what she does, this young mother said the early hours suit her schedule.  Riley’s seems to suit everyone.  With the room packed and the historic and patriotic décor there is just something about it that screams hometown and immediately gains a fierce loyalty.

Traveling with my mom, Lora Disque, we split a bacon and egg and hash brown breakfast.  It was hot, tasty and rib sticking.  In her younger days mom had been a waitress and a good one at that. She watched Tiffany move from table to table keeping everyone served, tables bussed and Rileys running like clockwork.  “She’s a good server,” mom said, praise of the highest kind indeed.

Everything about Riley’s was great.  We loved it and so will you.  If in town, take the time to find a place, park and enjoy the ambience and absorb the history once inside!