Top-diner designation a boon for north Las Vegas Valley’s SNS

SNS Diner employees are used to a rush of customers during lunch hours on weekdays. The lines have been longer than normal recently at the North Las Vegas restaurant, dubbed the “home of secret barbecue,” Michael Poniewaz said.

He credits the influx of traffic to a recent article by MSN that named SNS the best diner in Nevada. The publication selected a diner in each state and the District of Columbia.

“I was surprised,” the Southern Highlands resident said. “I didn’t even know about it until a couple — who were first-time customers — told me that they came because they saw the article.”

SNS Diner sells breakfast meals including omelets, served with potatoes, biscuits and gravy, and waffles, which were highlighted in the MSN feature. They also have lunch items including rib tip sandwiches, pastrami burgers and baby back ribs. Homemade desserts includes peach, apple or berry homemade cobbler.

Maley May, who has been working as a server at the diner for nearly two years, said she has noticed more locals visiting, but she also has seen customers from other states, including Michigan and New York. Some told her they’d read about the diner online, she said.

Kitchen manager Sabrina Swartz said the diner went from making about $500-$800 on a busy day to about $1,500, all within the past month.

This isn’t the first time SNS Diner has received national attention. This year, the diner was featured on Food Network’s “American Diner Revival” series with Ty Pennington and chef Amanda Freitag. The hosts gave SNS Diner a few recipes, including chicken wings and a feta onion dip.

Poniewaz opened SNS about four years ago with the intent to cater to drivers who were waiting long hours to get their semitrailers cleaned at his truck wash.

Poniewaz, who has been in the truck-wash business since college and the restaurant industry since high school, said he wanted to provide truckers with a large homemade-style meal, rather than fast food.

He said he’s grateful for the national mentions, but he hopes that the business doesn’t grow so quicklyhe can’t keep up.

“Anytime you receive recognition for the work that you put in, it’s very humbling,” he said. “This started as nothing. It wasn’t like I bought an existing barbecue joint or my dad had a restaurant. I made the menu and the items are my idea, so it’s basically my baby. (And) it’s working.”

He said he doesn’t plan to open a second restaurant.

Contact Kailyn Brown at kbrown@viewnews.com or 702-387-5233. Follow @kailynhype on Twitter.