A True Classic: Oak Creek Diner

Oak Creek Diner prides itself on service, and it’s apparent. The kitchen is well-staffed, food comes out quickly and hot, and no coffee cup is ever empty.

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Oak Creek is filled with new and old restaurants, but one of the best is the Oak Creek Diner at 6874 South 13th Street. It’s an old, unassuming one-story building surrounded by a parking lot. You could easily miss this spot without the giant old-school sign out front. South 13th Street isn’t exactly a main drag in Oak Creek, but it is if you’re someone like me who always sees movies at the Marcus South Shore. 

On the way to see A Complete Unknown (a fantastic movie, by the way), my mom and I wanted a good American breakfast. And, let’s be honest, great diners are hard to come by in the Midwest. The internet assured me that Oak Creek Diner was going to be good, so I went to see for myself. It was a dreary Sunday morning at 11 a.m., and the parking lot was almost full. Luckily, we walked in at the exact moment to get the only two open seats at my preferred spot, the counter. 

After speaking to the owner’s husband, who was seating the endless line of people coming through the door, I was assured that everything on the menu was good. The couple bought the diner from the two previous owners about 15 years ago and added an extra dining room in the back. 

The diner menu is vast, so I’ll have to return many times. However, based on what I saw, you can’t go wrong with whatever direction you decide. Most people were on the breakfast train, as were we. My mom got the classic two-egg breakfast plate with their homemade chorizo. Like I always do when ordering eggs at a diner, I got the Western omelet (ham, onion, tomato, green pepper, American cheese) with a side of hashbrowns and two mini pancakes. 

Now, when I tell you I haven’t had a pancake in a decade, I am not being hyperbolic. I never order it because it’s simply too much of one thing for me personally. But I love a silver dollar or mini pancake when presented to me. Maybe it had just been a while, but this pancake was banging and the exact right amount on the side of an already big breakfast. 

Oak Creek Diner prides itself on service, and it’s apparent. The kitchen is well-staffed, food comes out quickly and hot, and no coffee cup is ever empty. They have a dedicated server who runs around ensuring all coffee is topped off when needed. Our waitress Erica was super friendly for someone seemingly amid chaos. 

As we got up to pay the check, I saw some more lunch menu items pass me. I can vouch that the burgers and crinkle-cut fries look exactly like you’d want them to at a good diner. Soups are all made from scratch, and plenty of daily specials ensure you’ll never run out of things to try. It’s comforting to know that I have the Oak Creek Diner so close by, so whenever I don’t know where to go, I can go to the one place that has everything!