Lunch Report: Hwy 16 Diner, Helotes...

We were driving down Highway 16 in Helotes this afternoon contemplating a bite to eat when my wife pointed out something called "Huey's Diner". Of course, I was probably going a little faster than I should have.
When I turned around so we could give it a shot, we both laughed at the fact that "Huey's" was actually "Hwy" as in Highway 16 Diner.
This diner has only been open a few months and I suspect either they are going for a very minimal decorating look, or they just haven't gotten around to it. With the exception of one wall decked out with O'Conner High School garb and a tiny TV, the rest of the place is bare. But we came to try the food.

The menu includes the usual - burgers, chicken fried steak and even meat loaf, plus they offer up some standard sides including Onion Rings, though we did not indulge today. It would have been nice to maybe see a display case full of pies or slices of cake, just to get us in the diner mood.
My wife ordered the 3 piece Chicken Tenders with sides of Mac & Cheese and carrots. The carrots were recommended by the waiter who said they are steamed and have a slight caramel taste to them. I'm not sure what the taste was, but they were good. The chicken tenders are fried but come out lightly crispy with no hint of grease. The plates come with a warm dinner roll smothered in butter. The creamy gravy for dipping is what you would expect.
I had the chicken fried chicken (which to be honest is just a single big chicken tender), the aforementioned Mac & Cheese and some delicious green beans. I couldn't quite place what the taste was in the green beans - I wanted to guess some sort of chili powder or something, but they were very good. I love me some green beans. My wife and I both agreed that the Mac & Cheese was great and like her chicken tenders, my chicken fried chicken was light and tasty, not overwhelmed in a fried greasy taste. Slathered in gravy and served hot, it really hit the spot. If you are looking for a unique zesty taste, this probably won't be the place for you; it was good but fairly uneventful taste-bud-wise.

The place was doing a very brisk business with lots of folks pitching in to clear tables and refill iced tea glasses. We got the feeling this is a family operation, but who knows. Service was good and quick, though we did have to wait for our check a little longer than I would like. Okay, let me be more specific: They had cleared our table and we were still waiting for the check.

They probably need to work on the atmosphere a little. If you are going to specifically name your restaurant a diner, then you ought to go with the theme that people expect. For instance, I suspect that when someone opened the first Long John Silvers, they didn't go for six months before somebody said, "Hey, what say we get some pirate hats and give this place a nautical theme? Arrgh."

Have you been to Highway 16 Diner (or as we shall now know it, Huey's)? Have you gone back for a second helping of vittles? Leave a comment and let us know about it!