Thirty years and counting. It’s hard to believe that Spaghetti Works has been boiling pasta for that long in downtown Lincoln. But it has.

I can’t think of a restaurant that is older in downtown Lincoln. If you can, send me a note.

“It’s pretty amazing in a lot of respects,” Spaghetti Works manager Dan McMahan said.

I agree. I find it astounding a spaghetti restaurant can survive at all, let alone for 30 years.

Think about it: Next to toast, what is easier to make than spaghetti? Boil some noodles. Heat up canned or jarred sauce and you’re good to go.

Yet Spaghetti Works not only has survived, but it’s thrived in Lincoln, Omaha and Des Moines, Iowa.

McMahan believes it’s all about menu consistency and name recognition. Some of the restaurant’s busiest times are state tournament weekends and Husker football Saturdays, when out-of-towners head to what’s familiar.

I think the success of Spags — as it’s been affectionately nicknamed — has more to do with the beer cheese sauce.

That’s what I usually order — as I did Monday evening. It’s creamy and cheesy and tough to beat — except maybe by the white clam sauce, which is just as tasty.

The best part: The bowl is bottomless. Always has been. For $6.99 or sometimes less, diners can fill up on as much pasta as they want.

The all-you-can eat spaghetti meal includes a slice of garlic or sourdough bread and a trip to the truck or, as some people like to call it, “the salad bar.”

Anybody who has eaten there knows about the truck. It holds the salads, dressings and those crunchy Bac-O-Bits in its bed. The truck is a Spaghetti Works icon and has been around as long as the restaurant. It’s one of the things regulars count on and look forward to.

When I dine at Spags, I tend to get a meatball (99 cents) with my first round because that’s my thing.

If spaghetti’s not your thing, well, the restaurant has a bunch of other dishes. They, too, are reasons for the eatery’s success.

My companion is a huge fan of the lasagna, especially because it comes smothered in Spags’ hearty meat sauce. It’s one of the restaurant’s eight specialties that range from $7.99 to $9.99.

She paired the lasagna with eggplant parmesan (her other favorite) on a combination plate ($11.49). The eggplant is lightly breaded, fried and baked with tomato sauce, provolone and parmesan cheeses.

 Also on the menu are grilled chicken and shrimp entrees, stuffed pasta and pizza. Personal pies cost $4.49 to $6.99 each.

Spaghetti Works is extremely family friendly. On Mondays, kids eat for free.

It’s another reason for Spags’ success. Another reason it’s been around 30 years.

And counting.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.

Dining outSpaghetti Works

 

228 N. 12th St.

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Italian

Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Phone: (402) 475-0900

Web site: www.spagworks.com

Notes: On-street parking, alcohol, takeout, children’s menu