The best seat in the house is sometimes not what you’d expect. This is especially true at a small diner such as Jigger’s, where Sunday morning fans line the steps up to the door or squeeze into the narrow space near the cash register, craning their necks to see if one of the six old-fashioned wooden booths is about to be free. Those in the know grab one of the counter stools for a seat on the 50-yard line, with players scrambling to the right to stack cups, to the left to fetch supplies, and directly in front, the kickoff — as the cook hands a plate of steak ’n’ eggs to her assistant, who passes it to a waitress, who plunks it in front of a customer.

It was Super Bowl Sunday when we visited (can you tell?), and every one of the staff sported a Patriots’ T-shirt or jersey along with a bright, cheery smile. It’s that kind of place. And though the pre-game endorphins pumping through the air would have lifted anyone’s mood, Jigger’s almost always conveys the feeling that the people serving the food are happy because they’ve eaten it, and they know it will do the same for you.

The diner itself is in an authentic Worcester Dining Car that has been at this Main Street location since 1950. When it was renovated in the early ’90s, the floor tiles were matched to the original light green ones under the countertop, and the booths were stripped and varnished. The large red clock above the galley kitchen is from the original Worcester car.

A glance at the blackboard on the morning of our visit revealed the specials: French bread French toast with a blueberry glaze, sprinkled with granola; red, white, and blue pancakes (with "Go PATS!" emblazoned next to the description); grilled ribeye with eggs and home fries; blackened salmon with poached eggs and fruit ($7.95); and shrimp and scallops alfredo over garlic toast, also with poached eggs and fruit ($9.95).

Bill and our friend, Ginny, respectively, chose the last two items, but I had my sights set on jonnycakes ($2.25) and ordered them with pure maple syrup ($1.15), along with two eggs and home fries ($3.55). Jigger’s jonnycakes are the thick West Bay incarnation, nicely crisped on the outside but thick and grainy inside, the stone-ground white-flint cornmeal giving them an earthy sweetness. I happen to love them, although friends suggest the possibility of a namesake affinity.

Bill was very pleased with his salmon, though he only nibbled on it, preferring to fill up on home fries, poached eggs on English muffins, and the beautiful fruit salad — two kinds of melon, fresh pineapple, and star fruit. He was amazed that the grill cook had not overcooked the salmon, nor under-poached the eggs and kept the potatoes crispy. The generous portion of salmon made a great supper for Bill that evening.

Similarly, Ginny was surprised at the amount of food on her plate and promptly saved the seafood, garlic toast, and fruit salad for a later meal, informing me subsequently that it was quite delicious. She enjoyed her eggs and potatoes as well, but her favorite thing about Jigger’s was watching the deft movements and precise timing of the cook (Debbie Heidrick that day). Debbie’s cooking was like a carefully choreographed dance, as she kept track of all the various orders, moving easily from poaching pan to grill to toaster and back again.

Second cook and owner Iva Reynhout was in the back kitchen that Sunday, watching over the "specials," plus the French toast, waffles, and pancakes. And what pancakes they are. You can order them with blueberries, cranberries, apples, bananas, strawberries, walnuts, or a mixture of the above. You can also get the gingerbread pancakes and turn a whole new corner with their spicy molasses flavor.

Not surprisingly for a traditionally minded diner, Iva and her crew make their own muffins and corned beef hash. With a nod to newer eating customs, however, they also make the granola in-house and offer pepper jack cheese as an option in omelets. Lunches feature club sandwiches, burgers and dogs, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and daily blue plate specials, but also Caesar salads, smoked turkey, and focaccia.

On Friday nights, Reynhout serves up BYOB dinners featuring such dishes as salmon with a pancetta leek confit, chicken breast with smoked gouda and roasted garlic tomatoes, or frutti di mari in a pink vodka sauce. The half-dozen or more of these entrŽes change, so call ahead if your heart’s set on one. And don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a booth. Just enjoy the show from a ringside seat at the counter.