You know what is most memorable about my trip to Cousins? My Condon friend and I went to The Dalles specifically to get "ethnic" food (which doesn't exist in Condon), and we ended up at Cousins because of his glowing review. And I must say, he wasn't wrong. Cousins very much reminds me of a lower grade Cracker Barrel. Very kitschy, country, down-home feeling with delicious comfort food. When you first enter, you are greeted with a restaurant store of cute knick knacks and Cousins mementos. Can't help but feel like you walked into another dimension...but in a nostalgic way if that makes sense. Because I had eaten complete unhealthy shite the last couple days, I went with a BBQ chicken salad (swapped out the ranch dressing for Italian), which was a great portion for the price. Came with a side of freshly baked bread and nicely whipped butter. I must admit that I was ogling the pies (baked fresh), but there was just no way I could do it. Clientele inside is very interesting...lots of locals but also people staying at the attached hotel. Service here is very friendly; I did not have to wait for anything. I don't know when I will be back in the area, but when I do, I definitely will be back, and I will try that pie. That's a definite.
(4)
Emma M.
Our waitress was AMAZING! We sat in the bar. I am breastfeeding and have to avoid soy, dairy and eggs. I had lots of questions for her and she was super sweet about it, even though she was SLAMMED! I believe her name was Holly! Super impressed!! She even changed my order in the system so it would be cheaper and make more sense for the cooks. UPDATE while waiting: It became dead. There was like only three tables left of people. We had empty waters for like 20 minutes, had to ask them to be filled, after she asked if everything was good. She also forget about my husbands beer but she was sweet and was dealing with a bunch of drunks! Overall very impressed! The food was just ok. We both got burgers. Really wish they cooked their fries in something other than soybean oil. I understand it's cheap but there are other cheap options!
(3)
Idaho Travelers S.
Very good food, very friendly service! We had dinner here while driving home from the coast. Our server, Jennifer, was very friendly, helpful and accommodating. The themed restaurant was interesting, although being called "Cousins" was a bit unusual. The food was fabulous. My husband had the Cobb salad, which was fabulous, and I had the rib eye with a huge baked potato. I ordered the steak rare+, and when it came out, before Jennifer ever placed it down in front of me, she noticed that it might have been over-cooked. Great observation, as indeed, it was well done. She took it back, no questions asked, and quickly returned with a perfectly cooked steak... awesome marbling with great flavor! Everything you would expect from this beautiful part of Oregon with it's large ranches and farms. This was our last night on our way home from the coast, so we also decided to have one last cup of clam chowder... and wow, are we glad we did! GREAT CHOWDER! Some of the best we had on our vacation! Thank you Jennifer and Cousins for such a fabulous meal! We will for sure stop in again!
(5)
Bobbi J.
More of an upscale Dennys. You will find the same type of food cooked and tasting better. Not gourmet but not too bad for a stop on our travels through the gorge.
(3)
Jerry A.
This is the restaurant within Cousins Country Inn. The food here is always very good. I've had salads, halibut, pot roast, turkey dinners and dessert here. All are high quality and a great meal. You can eat in the bar or restaurant. The bar serves peanuts in a bucket at the table. Shells go on the floor. Be prepared for the animal sounds as you enter and leave through the door. And, to be treated as every waitresses "cousin".
(4)
Andy S.
Very friendly rustic atmosphere but the service and food are sub par. Server was at our table every 2 minutes to "check" on us and was very fake with her attitude. She rolled her eyes often at simple requests like extra ranch. I got the fish and chip and the fries were so tuff to eat that it made it very unpleasant. The fish was mostly batter and little fish with no taste. Used to be one of my favorite spots but has gone way down hill more of a retirement diner now.
(3)
Dude W.
Huge portions, great staff, nice ambiance, and if you stay at the nearby Fairfield Mariott hotel, the front desk can give you a voucher for a free appetizer. Cousins has dsily specials which are a great deal, and happy hour lasts 4 hours! The appetizers are around $10, but with the free coupon, it is a steal! The food is delicious, and I'm a big eater, so I'm pleased by how large the portions are. The Chicken Fingers appetizer is $12, but is definitely a meal in itself. It comes with fries, too. For dessert, I ordered the cake, and I asked the waitress to put some monthly ice cream flavor on it, which is Oregon Black Cherry! My friend ordered the brownie dessert and it is huge!
(5)
Michael A.
I wasn't too sure, but this place is fine. Service was great. I had a BLT, my wife had the patty melt. They were both very good. We'll stop here again. By the way, there is a full-size John Deere tractor in the middle of the dining room!
(5)
Mai Mai G.
Love love Cousins Restaurant. Okay I have not been here for awhile, I used to come here all the time when visiting my grandparents in The Dalles. We always stopped for breakfast before heading back to Vancouver, Wa. Always great and friendly service and always great portions :) would definitely recommend trying.
(5)
Kevin S.
The food is great and your better be hungry. Fresh soups and great salads and the chicken fried steak!!! A good place to eat !
(5)
Betty K.
Cousins' in The Dalles is class act with a cute country flare right down to farm fare food and a John Deere tractor displayed in the dining room. Room was super clean with self-serve Keurig coffee. Great food. Excellent pet facilities. Comfortable bed.
(5)
Matthew C.
We ordered soup, chicken strips and a country fried steak...over an hour later I had to grab the waitress and asked what the heck is taking so long.. She said I'll check on it and never came back. The manager came over and he said I'll check on it...he never came back. Finally the food arrives an hour and half later. Mine was cold and we didn't get the bread that is supposed to come with the soup. Used to be a great place but I won't be coming back.
(1)
Don C.
Eclectic Styles A combination restaurant and hotel, Cousins' has a well-arranged variety of themes. When asked, the manager says the restaurant is styled as a "Country, Family" type of theme. My take on it is that Cousins' is a delightful, eclectic collection of many styles. That is, no one theme seems to be dominant as some restaurants will do to make their mark as the "trendy" place to be. Inside Cousins', there's just the right amount of eye candy to explore, and framed articles to read, that keeps my interest while waiting for a delicious meal that's served in very generous proportions, just the way we Americans like it. One such item was an article on Steam Locomotives which always stokes my nostalgic reverence for the engineering of the time. I ate in the, "Milk House" section designed in the 50's Diner style. Juxtaposed to the eclectic and pleasing styles of the interior, Cousins' meals are very unique. As my first impression of their interior was overwhelming, so was my meal starting with my own personal loaf of bread served with its own cutting board. I could've definitely "fill up on bread" if I didn't pace myself during the short wait time for the entree. They're obviously as proud of their food as they are of their interior. Even the multi-colored sugar is uniquely chosen. After my meal, I visited their well-stocked gift shop as well. There's a lot of history, a lot of style, a lot of quality, and a lot of hospitality to spare at Cousins' Restaurant, cousinsthedalles.com
(5)
Abby B.
We stayed at this hotel and had breakfast and dinner at their restaurant/saloon. The food was amazing! I had the prime rib and it was the best I've had in a while. And with the food as good as it was, it was especially nice to get awesome customer service as well. The place was inviting, the food was good, the price was decent and the service was great. What more could you ask for? Highly recommended!
(5)
Jenna F.
It is important to know that I love a kitschy road side experience of any kind! And I didn't have one in mind when we saw the freeway advertisements for Cousins on our way home to Portland. So imagine my surprise and excitement when we pulled in to find a big red 'barn' of a place with an old piece of farm equipment out front and an array of decorative farm animals! They even have a wooden 'face in the hole' and an old children's quarter ride horse! I haven't seen one of those in forever! I should also mention that the signage from the freeway exit makes this place quick and easy to find and get back on the freeway after. We arrived at 530pm on A Sunday, the place seemed fairly busy but we were seated immediately, our daughter was beyond thrilled to be presented with a cup of crayons and a paper coloring menu as soon as she sat down. I was thrilled by the kitschy decor, which includes an actual tractor in the dining room. There seemed to be an over abundance of waitresses buzzing back and forth. Ours was wonderful, and our daughter fell in love with them all as they stopped briefly to chat with her. Our food was served quickly, and it was quite tasty. A little pricey for what you get, but that's expected when you pull off the side of the road for a sit down dinner. This is one of those places where you pay at the register up front as you leave, but the waitress, seeing that we had our hands full with our little one, happily offered to ring us up and bring the receipt back to the table. Oh and because it was Father's Day we got a free jar of their house BBQ, which I would have forgotten had the waitress not reminded me. Perfect place to stretch your legs and get your family out of the car! Over all it was a great experience and we will definitely stop there again!
(5)
P.C. P.
We have been using The Dalles as a stopover on our way to and from the Oregon coast for many years, so we have watched this hotel and restaurant evolve over the years. The staff at Cousins' Inn and Restaurant has always, always, ALWAYS, been just great. On our most recent stay, tonight, we checked into a room near the ice machine and, while upgrades have been underway for some years, the cold water handle in our sink, came off right in our hands. We called the desk and they immediately got us into another room, and upgraded us to a "barn room". In the future, we will ALWAYS book a "barn room". They are awesome!!!! These "barn rooms" really showcase the potential this property has and could achieve should the owner pour some money into it. The other wings of the hotel are ok. This is not a Sheraton people so if the AC seems loud, or some stuff seems outdated, well yeah, it is. It's comfortable and clean enough, and if something breaks, they will do their best to take care of you, because the staff is great. Now the restaurant. Cinnamon Rolls... Big deal, they give me heartburn. There is something comical about watching a pair of 600 pound ladies assault the giant cinnamon rolls like they were a pair of Ethiopians tearing into a bucket of Taxpayer funded KFC, but I digress... Breakfast. Oh breakfast! Omelette sure packed with meat, and for the 600 pounder on the go, they even have a 4 egg omelette!! Buttermilk biscuits are killer. Always, always, always opt for one instead of toast. A little butter and some blackberry preserve on them, = outstanding. Our waiter for our coast bound and home bound meals has been Clint. He is awesome. Never gets complicated orders wrong even when they are slammed like today. We have never had a bad meal here. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Nobody, and no thing are perfect, and I'm sure mistakes happen and this restaurant does get really, really busy, but even with 25 people waiting to be seated, the wait has never been longer than 12 minutes. The food is killer. Breakfast should not, at any cost be skipped. Staff is great. We give the property as a whole 4 out of 5 stars because the hotel needs to finish its upgrades and do them all at once, not little by little as they've done over the years. If all of the rooms were done up like "the barn rooms", this property would get 5 of 5, but, then again it would cost $150 a night, and for just an overnight stopover, nobody really wants to spend that much. Overall this hotel is a good value, and the staff makes up for any shortcomings of the property. And don't skip breakfast, just try not to get seated too close to a herd of 600 pounders as small kids might get caught up in the feeding frenzy. Overall, we are loyal to this property and always will be, even if we can't get into a "barn room" every time. It always was and hopefully will remain a good value. P.C.P.
(4)
Chad F.
We ordered the chorizo skillet and the dalles omelette. The omelette was very good and my wife said like the biscuit. The service is slower than it should be and the waitress was borderline rude. I personally did not like the biscuit as it was more of a cake than biscuit. The has browns were luke warm and had no seasoning at all. The chorizo skillet was very blah and had little chorizo flavor. Tip for any restaurants: if you are going to give out samples of your product please sure it representative of your best. The sample cinnamon roll was very dry and hard to eat. It did have good flavor but not worth the risk of ordering if it will be just as dry and no icing.
(2)
Jerry M.
We had eaten at Cousins' once before while driving through The Dalles. The tasty food, friendly employees, and fun "country-style" decor was impressive last time. So, since we were in The Dalles again last night, we knew for sure that this was where we wanted to go for dinner. OK, I've always loved pot roast, so I ordered their "Home Style Pot Roast" knowing that it should be great at a country-style place like this. Well, it was indeed tasty and fork-tender like I figured it would be. However, I was disappointed with the small amount of meat I received. The scoop of mashed potatoes on my plate was bigger than that little portion of meat, and the amount of vegetables dwarfed it too. Hey, I thought that, since the main ingredient of the dish was supposed to be POT ROAST, that it would consist mainly of that. . .but this was not the case tonight. Anyway, after such an "inadequate" amount of pot roast, I then had room for dessert. They had a couple of big posters in their dining room touting their fresh Strawberry "Tallcake", so I ordered it. Yeah, it was TALL all right, but the height mostly consisted of biscuit, ice cream, and whipped cream. It was tasty, but it could have used some more actual, you know, STRAWBERRIES. So, I noticed a pattern here. . .both my entree and my dessert were a bit short on the main ingredients, pot roast and strawberries. Still, it all tasted good and our waitress was super friendly, so we will give Cousins' another try "some day".
(3)
Kyle A.
Great service. Friendly staff. Good quality food. Quick service. The only bad thing about this place is that it's located off of 84 and it opens at 6am. I think they could change the hours to better feed the early commuters.
(5)
Laurie G.
Really great food! The service is great! Our waitress was a little weird and seemed to be pretending to smile the whole time. But other than her, it was great! Get used to being called cousin!
(4)
Angela H.
Quantity, homestyle cooking and a country atmosphere are on the menu. Lots of life sized animals out front, the door moo's when you walk in and we were greeted with an enthusiastic "Howdy Cousins!" When seated our waiter arrived he greeted us the same, kinda funny, kinda weird. There's a gift store and a John Deere Tractor in the restaurant, lots of interesting things to look at. I didn't see any tables, just roomy booths. The food was good and filling about average in taste and quality, lots of it though and lots of carbs. The bean side dish with ground beef was really good.
(3)
Virginia M.
Good food. Home style. They don't serve baked potatoes. Employees are so friendly to everyone. They have a Sunday Breakfast Buffet with a good variety of food.
(4)
Joleen O.
Fun, kitschy atmosphere with friendly service. Amazing hash-browns, and tasty ranch. Food is what I would've expected it to be. Good, but not life altering. Dinner service was busy so we sat in "the saloon", drinking water from mason jars and throwing peanuts on the floor. Overall, a nice experience, and a good local place to spend your money. No regrets
(3)
A D.
Food 3/5 stars. Staff 5/5 stars. I think their breakfast rules taste-wise over other menu choices, but that's just me.
(3)
C T.
We stay here a lot. All reservations have always been made under my parents name in the past because they get great discounts. However, this time my folks didn't go and was my first time under my name. They put us in a unit far in the back that was horrible and we didn't even know this section existed...very dirty...run down...nothing like the nice part you see in the front and was awful. I let them know when we came back that we wanted a room in the front and they were very nice and made note of it. Stay was MUCH nicer and safer the next time and we loved it although their air conditioner was obnoxiously loud but grateful we had it!! Breakfast is amazing! Dinners okay and not enough to eat there. We go elsewhere for dinner and there are some pretty good spots downtown.
(4)
Annie N.
Great place to stay- the room was nice with an updated bathroom. Not the highest quality mattress but comfy enough. The Lite Breakfast: eggs, a beautiful, picturesque biscuit, and hashbrowns cut from fresh potatoes. Very nice. They start the morning by giving you each an awesome cinnamon roll as well (small and sooo good). The ambiance is of a country inn- When you enter the restaurant, animal sounds (horses, cows, roosters) go off, the walls are rustic wood, there is a train that moves around the place near the ceiling, etc. Great experience all the way around.
(4)
Eric E.
Service was great, food was great. I ordered a Stampede Burger because it sounded good with Onion Straws and BBQ sauce. Love these Western type burgers with Onion Rings/Straws and BBQ sauce on them. So I decided to give their version a try. It was pretty good but my complaint about it was the Onion Straws. They weren't really crisp like "French's" Onion Straws. But they were a bit softer which made them hard to chew. And they were quite stringy so I would frequently take a bite of the burger and get a few Onion Straws stuck between my mouth and the burger. Either I and to try to bite them off awkwardly, spit it out or get too much food in my mouth by trying to stuff them all in my mouth. Made it a bit unpleasant to eat. But the flavor was excellent so I can't complain too much. I would definitely come back here again.
(4)
Julie Y.
From the moment you walk in the door you feel like you are at a dear cousins house. So homy and welcoming. Loved the barn animals and trains. The staff were just down right incredible!! God bless you Peggy Sue. It was such a pleasure meeting and visiting with you. You are an Angel! The food was Outstanding!! Everything homemade and delicious plus cooked to perfection and very affordable. One must experience the heaven that is their coconut creme pie. They have their own bakery in the restaurant so all the desserts looked mouthwatering. They even stayed open late so we could enjoy our meal. Looking forward to going back and staying in the barn!!
(5)
Dave M.
We're traveling through, and never heard of Cousins. The food was very good, reasonably priced, and the waitresses were notably friendly and personable. I had the Fri-Sat roast beef. The place was a welcome end to a long day's drive!
(5)
Jim D.
This is THE PLACE your Mom loves! Free samples of the Cinnamon Rolls when you sit down.
(4)
Alan N.
This is a funky country/railroad themed restaurant with super friendly staff and decent food for the price. I came here in the evening with my son when we were in town and I, of course, ordered the Reuben while my son, being a breakfast fan ordered the chicken fried steak and eggs. There was some confusion when the staff brought out the Country fried steak in the dinner configuration but they fixed it straight away without a fuss at all. The Reuben was well stacked with thick cut corned beef on a thick rye with just the right amount of sauce. I like a little more kraut on mine but it was very good. All in all a fun place to go when you want some good old-fashioned, home style comfort food.
(4)
Robert B.
Two years prior got noisy table and inattentive server. Decided everyone could use second chance. Very glad we did! Just had a wonderful meal and a good time. Ordered burgers with one large order of onion rings. Plate arrives with 13 small to medium/large onion rings... Robert: "sir, we ordered the large platter...for $9.99?" Server: "yup, that's it" Robert: (speechless - looking at fellow table mates) Robert finds a roving server: "ma'am, is this a large portion of rings?" Roving (snarky) Server: "I don't know, I guess so...what's wrong?" Robert: "it seems for $10 we should have at least enough to cover bottom of plate, I thought perhaps there was an error?" Roving Snarky Server Storms away. "WAIT" you're thinking. Robert gave this place four out of five stars. Why? Manager comes to table, genuinely apologizes. Robert asked why mixup? Manager says "I don't know, but will find out and correct it." Then brings out 50% more onion rings. THAT'S customer service. All that other stuff...she'll sort it and them out. Most managers/owners don't care...she does. Well done manager!
(4)
Phuc C.
I traveled and visited my friend in the memorial weekend. We got a late time to decide what to eat, so we pick Cousins' for a late dinner. At first, they try to make a sound of livestock when we opened the door, and it looked really awkward to me. We ordered the food, and waited like 30-45 mins to have the food. At that time, there is really less people. I made a joke to my friend that there was a grandma in the kitchen to make the food for us. They have less professional to server the food too. There are many servers came over to our table and they stepped over our orders. We waited and waited for our food. I don't think I want to be back again when I visit the Dallas.
(1)
John K.
I love this place. The food is good. Very unique. Good place to eat. Impressive customer service. Everyone Is friendly and helpfil. Service is fast. We have had both breakfast and dinner The bread reminds me of aunte hitcherners homemade rolls. They have gigantic cinnamon rolls.
(4)
Gary L.
My go to breakfast stop whenever traveling east on I-84 .... fast service .. nice wait staff .. good food .. reasonable prices ... good easy parking even if we are towing a trailer
(4)
Ariel S.
My husband and I stopped last night to grab a drink. It was between 10-10:30 pm. The waitress greeted us right away, asked for our IDs and asked what she could get for us. My husband ordered a beer, and suggested I have the chocolate martini, I said that I'd love a martini but I'd prefer one that wasn't chocolate. The waitress suggested the huckleberry martini and I said that sounded great! I moved over and sat next to my husband so I could show him pictures I took earlier in the day. Then a man came up to us and asked us what he could get for us, if we'd like some water or some soda, and we told him we had already been helped. He asked again if he could get us some water or a soda, then he told us he would not serve us because his waitress said we were intoxicated. We left, both quite blown away, not being intoxicated and the very short interactions we had with both the waitress and this manager Wayne was his name. When we came home I called to ask who the managers were, and ask the name of the guy who told us we wouldn't be severed (Wayne), and the girl on the phone Estelle hung up on me. I called back, and she answered the phone again, I asked her the owners name and she said she didn't know. And I told her I wanted the name of all the managers and the owners name and she came up with T.K. being the owners name. I will never spend my money at cousins again. Everything my husband and I experienced there last night was completely unprofessional, and just altogether way out of line. I would not have given a rating if there were the option.
(1)
Pamela G.
In my experience, restaurants that are attached to roadside motels are usually best avoided. However, Cousins Restaurant and Saloon is a happy exception. You won't find anything upscale or fussy here, but you will find comfort food like mom makes (if your mom is a great cook!). This restaurant doesn't try for unique; this is down home American cooking. Perfectly tender and juicy Pot Roast with beautifully cooked vegetables and home-style mashed potatoes, delicious meatloaf open faced sandwiches served with rich, flavorful gravy and those same home-style mashed potatoes are good examples of what you'll find on Cousins menu. Their desserts are worth coming in for just for themselves. Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Strawberry Shortcake and Bread Pudding are a few of note. Their breakfast menu is equally good. When you sit down they automatically bring a warm, mini cinnamon roll to the table for each person. I had a skillet with tender perfectly cooked potatoes, scrambled eggs, onions, green peppers and thick, smoky, crispy bacon. Huge, tender baking powder biscuits are served with almost every breakfast. My friend had Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy and she said it was the best gravy she's had a in a long time. The next time I'm in The Dalles I'll definitely go there again. This is Comfort Food at its best.
(4)
Heather C.
From out of town and staying at the Inn, just tried the Cousin's Burger and it's definitely made my top ten list of best burgers! Staff is extremely friendly too!
(5)
Jen g.
We stopped in a few weeks back after an overnight backpack down The Deschutes River trail. We brought our appetites and were not disappointed! The food and service was awesome. Some delicious down home cooking. On the way in our mouths were watering at the site of the huge cinnamon rolls they have. We didnt have room for one after our meal, but took one to go and enjoyed it for breakfast the next day. Two of us split one and it was amazing!! This will definitely be a goto place on our next visit to the area.
(5)
Holly K.
Back in 1994 I took my dad here when he came to visit. It is a drive to the Dalles from my house, 90 minutes to be exact, but since that time, we have made the drive just for dinner or lunch on many occasions. The door moos and makes various barnyard animal noises, very farmy and country motif, complete with mason jars for drinking glasses. I usually get the turkey and dressing no matter what time of year. The portions are very large and the prices very reasonable. Expect to take a box. I had the chance to try breakfast here the other day and was not disappointed. They sell these giant cinnamon rolls up front and I always think I will get one to go, but am usually too full to care on the way out. The waitress brought warm miniature ones to the table, but when I say miniature, I mean regular size. I snapped off a picture. The ham was thick and hash browns plentiful. Service was great. I have never had bad service here in all the years we have been coming in. Every time my dad comes from Kentucky for a visit, he requests a trip to the Dalles just for their pot roast. Oh, and the biscuits... I don't eat biscuits, I donate them to my husband's plate, but it was included with my breakfast and it looked so good, all it took was a pinch of it, and the feeding frenzy was on. They brought out a dish of gravy to go with it, but it was too good to cover up in the gravy, my husband said it was good on his biscuit, so we'll go with that. We split a waffle topped with strawberries and homemade whip cream. It was a good size to split and worth every calorie.
(4)
B L.
The full rack of ribs were way overcooked. We sat in the gaming room and had pretty good service. Once we got to our room which was as far away from the office as you can get, our key cards didnt work. We trekked back to the office and got new cards, the gal told us we may need to pull on the door and then try it. I thought to myself for $116.00 + tax per night the damn thing should recognize me and open by itself when I stand in front of it. Tried it again and after about the 10th attempt it opened, issues in and out the entire time. Once we were in our room and settled I cracked open the cherry coke I bought at the restaurant cashier, are you kidding me its flat.
(2)
Todd S.
Coming back from vacation on the Oregon coast we stopped at Cousins for lunch. The parking lot was full and their sign said real food so, we decided to go check it out. the place was charming and the service was pretty good but the food was reminiscent of a school lunch. I ordered the the hot meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes, it tasteed like the TV dinners I had when I was a kid. My wife ordered the Extreme Mac and Cheese with ham it was basically a jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce over some pasta. both dishes were edible but that was about it. The kids both ordered burgers and said they were good and that is why I gave this review 1 star. My wife and I would have been happier with Taco Bell at a fraction of the price.
(1)
Jeffrey B.
Better than expected. Very friendly wait staff but they're busy and can get a bit flustered. The only part that seems to baffle them is wanting to take food back to the room of the attached Inn- they won't let you take dishes so try and eat pancakes in a foam container- cut right thru. Ever heard of paper plates?? Had pot pie last night and patty melt- both very good. Cinnamon rolls are monsters. I'm sure there's better in town but we didn't wanna give up our hard to get parking spot right outside our room as we gotta load up.
(4)
Erin H.
It was tasty enough, but this time around I felt like the prices were much higher. Maybe I just didn't notice them last time, but I felt that $15 for a 1/2 (looking) order of a roast beef dinner was a bit much. And $9 for cheesesticks? Wow! The roast beef was good, but it was clear that the slab I got was from the disgusting fatty end. I found the rubbery fat cap and all the other fat yuck melty junk once I got further into the meal. I didn't finish it and pointed it out to the waitress. She send the manager over and she compted my meal--even though I told her she didn't have to do that. It was nice of her. The rest of the food was just ok. The next time I drive through this area I will definitely stop somewhere else.
(2)
Jill P.
Restaurant Service was good (Jennifer) Turkey was from a WalMart rolled turkey roast $15 wow !. Mashed potatoes & green salad were such small portions but ok w white 99 cent loaf bread. Ugh!! Good though were the hash browns. Stayed in hotel as this was the only option ... room was very nice too bad they use that smelly hotel dis infect ant ...the grass leading into rooms from parking area brings in dog poop and yuk. Why doesn't The Dalles have a Best Western & a nice dinner restaurant?
(2)
Matthew F.
The waitresses address you as "Cousin".
(2)
Fraser M.
Bleh. We walked over for supper since it was close to our motel and we were too hungry to go farther. Super kitschy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if that's what you're into. But after the hostess (who was super nice) got us seated we got volleyed back and forth between three waitresses, unsure of who was serving us. Eventually we got our soup and sandwich orders in (after giving two people our drink orders). Potato soup was straight up gross - thick in a congealed kind of way. The Reuben wasn't bad, but small for the price, and it left my insides unhappy. This is a place your grandparents want to go.
(2)
Alena C.
I think this place gets higher than deserved ratings because it's kind of weird and divey and people remember it better than it actually is. So it's a solid two.
(2)
Heather W.
Pros: Very clean, great pillows and nice bathroom! Family friendly, our little 4 year old got sick in the middle of the night and the housekeeping/front desk was great. The staff is very friendly at the restaurant which is on site. Cons: Loud air conditioning system, so I cracked the window. And potential road noise.
(4)
Anjelah S.
Meh. I've experienced better. It's really convenient to stay at Cousins and have a family restaurant near by, however, the food isn't so great. The decor is kinda fun, "IF" your into that country feel. I think it's pricey for what you get, but again, your paying for the atmosphere. I had a really grumpy waiter that kind of ruined the whole "Cousins" atmosphere for me. She didn't understand that I didn't want pork in my meal, so she got a little huffy and wanted to charge me more to change the order. I told her..."just forget it and I'll just make it all vegetarian." Whoah...all veggies. I must of blew her mind or something. She just looked at me in a daze and said.."ok.". My meal...well.... when I finally received it... wasn't worth it. I probably won't be going again, even if I do stay at the Cousins motel.
(2)
Ray V.
We came here looking for some down home food, and we found it. Easily visible on the south side of I 84, it is worth the detour from wherever you were headed. We stopped in about noon on a Sunday and there was plenty of seating available. The staff was friendly and the place clean. With all the knick knacks for sale it would be easy to forget it is a restaurant. with an extensive menu it is possible for anyone to find something they can eat. My wife opted for 1 pancake (the size of a 12" plate) with marionberry compote and Snappy Tom aka bloody Mary. I went for the Celilo omelet (tomato, onion and fresh spinach with cheese) hasbrowns with their home made country gravy and biscuit. now my wife loved her drink and the pancake was fine, definitely improving with the compote on top. My omelet was also tasty and the gravy on the hashbrowns was good. the hashbrowns themselves were different. Not shredded, but little ribbons of potato that were crispy yet chewy at the same time, they also lacked seasoning for any flavor. Now I prefer my biscuits flaky, so when this rather large cakey thing came out I was disappointed. The flavor of the biscuit was fine and the whipped and apple butter on the side a nice touch. The portions are large and if you go away hungry it is going to be your own fault. All the dishes that went by us to other tables certainly looked good, so we will definitely come by here again. The only real drawback was the parking lot (shared with a hotel) isn't big enough!
(3)
VJ R.
I had the salmon and grilled veggies. It was very good. I had the Marion Berry Pie. It was ok. They also have a great tea selection. Great service. I would eat there again.
(4)
Amanda K.
HAH!! I can't believe this place is listed! YES. This place is alright, but it is a must-stop for my family every time we pass through the Dalles, which is usually on the way to the Gorge Ampitheater or to NW Idaho for vacation. So, atleast once a year we stop here. If only so my brother (now 21 years old) can loudly proclaim "FIVE COUSINS!" when they ask us how many "cousins" will be dining that day. That joke keeps us giggling until we cross the Bridge of the Gods and beyond. Oh, and so we can take the neccesary pictures straddling the fake barn animals in front of the restaurant. I usually order something safe, like a mexi omelette with a biscuit. Can't really screw that up. My brother always orders biscuits and gravy, which are good, but it's the kind of gravy that already has a skin on it and it's jiggling by the time it reaches our table. "You gotta mix up the gravy before you dig in." The food is decent diner food. It's tradition. And this place is all about tradition, and my family is one big walking tradition, so we'll always stop at Cousins on the way to Washington or Idaho. It's just what you do.
(3)
Kristin H.
Cute farm-y theme, decent breakfast food--and huge portions. Be sure to bring home a cinnamon roll. It will last you for days!
(3)
John E.
Another year has come and gone and I am back for my annual visit to The Dalles. This means I get to eat at Cousins' again, which is always a treat. This time I went for the Biscuits and Gravy ala carte along with that great iced tea, Two gigantic biscuits come on a plate with white gold ladled over the top, sausage infused white gold! I am not sure how I can wait another year to come back. I may not.
(4)
Travis N.
This is a good place to stop while traveling. I had a mango daquri and it was excellent! The BLT I had was OK. The theme is ol country and western. I will return in the future.
(3)
Savannah Veronica J.
Always have to stop here on the way out or into town. Over to top customer service, food, portions, and environment. Its like going home each time I go. I highly recommend it to people traveling through!
(5)
Katherine W.
The food is consistently good and the service is great. Love their fresh rolls. Didn't like the country gravy, but that was personal preference. I think they make it with ham or bacon and I prefer sausage. Real mashed potatoes. Homemade soups. Yum. You can't go wrong if you want some down home cooking.
(5)
Stephanie S.
Right when you walk in, you know something is different about this place. Barnyard animal sounds greet you at the front door which is cute (although mooing at a fat girl could be considered rude LOL ). You're greeted immediately with , "Howdy Cousin" when you go inside, and everyone is friendly even though the place is usually slammed. SO busy! If the restaurant is really busy, don't be afraid to sit in the saloon to have your meal. It doesn't feel like a bar in there at all except for the TVs and the obvious bottles of liquor on the wall :-) Cousin's prides itself of friendly, efficient service, and big portions of home-cooked entrees. I almost always end up taking leftovers home because the portions are so big. If you order the cinnamon roll, be forewarned: It is HUGE. Enough for 3 or 4 people, easily. I love that they offer free refills on most beverages, and that dinner entrees come with a dinner roll (you could call it a small loaf of bread), a VERY BIG biscuit served with apple butter OMG!, or sometimes cornbread. If the sides are this good, imagine how tasty the meals are. Mmmmm I have eaten so many times here with my dad, and I've tried so many different dishes. Everything I've ever had here has been excellent. I guess if you're into gourmet meals, this isn't your place, but for everyone else, it's a winner. My ONLY complaint is that they do not have adequate parking. Sometimes I can't find a free handicapped spot or regular spot close enough to the door, so I have to drop off dad at the entrance, park farther away, and walk in from the side street.
(5)
Murlena H.
A no brainer, we have stopped and eaten here for 30 years when traveling by. Great value, large portions, as we typically will split a meal. Family freindly. Food prepared as ordered, large menu, freindly service. Something to meet anyone's hunger, and a fun place for kid's or grandkids.
(4)
Nicole D.
Don't get me wrong, they have amazing gluten-filled goodies like cinnamon rolls, cakes etc. but this is not a celiac-friendly locale. You are pretty much limited to what you can determine is naturally gluten free (burger minus bun, salad minus dressing, etc.). But if you are in the mood for some down home cooking and fried food, this is the place for you because they've got lots of it!
(3)
Ellen E.
Barn animal sound attached to the opening of the front door. Staff greets you with "hello cousin." The food is pretty solid American. The breakfasts are big and tasty and the burgers are delicious. Try a homemade cinnamon roll - skip the raisins.
(4)
Jim D.
We have been going to Cousins for 10 years as we pass through town to tri-cities. We have had breakfast lunch and dinners. The food and service has always been excellent. The first thing that caught my attention today were the lack of customers. I would soon find out why. I would soon be served the single worst breakfast I have ever had in my life. The eggs were not even close to being fully cooked. The chicken fried steak was also not fully cooked. The hash browns had a dozen BLACK chunks of potatoes. To top it off the food was cold and the waitress NEVER stopped by to ask how my meal was. What happened to Cousins? From here on out, It's sad to see this gorge icon go so fear downhill. And by reading other reviews, this is definitely the trend for Cousins. Bye Cousin.
(1)
Rob M.
Good good for the price. I have tried the Cousins in Pasco wa and will never go there again. However this place was great from the staff on down.
(4)
Kathy H.
Everyone has to stop here if not for the food but the atmosphere. Similar to country cousins in chehalis it is heavy on the farm theme. Grand kids love it. Very busy and you feel rushed. Coffee comes in a pot, sausage doesnt come in links. Bacon is crisp, toast is soggy. We only eat breakfast here. Never had the cinnamon rolls, but they are huge- Take a picture out front with the farm animals leave with a smile. Six days later we stop for lunch. It was 1:00. Took 15 minutes to get water.. Another ten for an order... Then it wasn't right. By the time the screwup was corrected, the rest of the table had finished lunch. This Time we left with NO smile. When the grand kids aren't with us, we are finding somewhere else to eat!!
(3)
Aleta S.
All I can say is ICK! The "pulled pork" tasted like it was pulled from a can full of corn starch gravy. A better bet was the burger, which was ok. Even the peach pie was little more than edible. Try another place if you're looking for fresh/tasty/healthy!
(1)
Brian L.
Took a motorcycle ride from Vancouver to The Dalles and stopped by Cousins for lunch. Cousins is a Barn themed Restaurant, bar and Motel. It is clean and charming with it's farm animal statues out front, milk can bar stools and Mason Jar water glasses. The waitress told us in detail about the days special in detail, which we ordered, I got the Tuna Melt on sour dough with home made Clam Chowder. Our soup arrived in moments, my chowder was hot thick and tasty. Before I finished my soup, My Tuna Melt arrived, it was good, not spectacular, but I'm not complaining. It was a little expensive for my taste at $10.99. Over all the food was good, the service was great and the decor was very nice and not too cluttered or over bearing.
(4)
Mark B.
Love this place. Hotel and restaurant are great!
(4)
Jennifer C.
Great service. We had to wait here while our motorhome was repaired. Staff was accommodating and gave us a back booth area for family to spread out. Free WIFI and upgraded kids coloring, wax craft sticks and books provided by the restaurant helped to pass the time. The giant cinnamon rolls were some of the best we have ever had. My husband gave a thumbs up for light flakey crust on the homemade chicken pot pie. Thanks Cousins!
(5)
Virgil K.
Love the place, the breakfast's are my favorite. Great American food and a solid notch or two above Denny's or Shari's. The burgers are fine (fries are great) but after the breakfast's what I really like are the Steak & Ribs or Home-Style entree's menu. Always a reliable stand-by.
(4)
Ryan T.
Well I missed out on their cinnamon rolls, and didn't get to watch the complementary DVD, but I can't fault them for that. Their rooms are nice with a microwave and mini fridge. Pool and spa were kept open till 11:45pm when we were there, always a nice touch. but the bed...too small and the mattress was too hard. Word to the wise getting a tempurpedic in your home can spoil you.
(4)
Linda S.
Good food Friendly service. While traveling stopped here for lunch. Very good! We ordered the patty melt and a salad with grilled chicken and lime vinegar dressing. Very yummy!
(3)
Michael K.
Typical American food
(3)
John O.
Strawberry Lemonade served in a boot-shaped glass with salt around the edge-- unique to say the least. The root beer (and maybe other soda) comes in a mason jar. They have a small gift shop, and their food is pretty good. They have many choices for cuisine-- my wife had chili & southern-style cornbread while I enjoyed coconut shrimp with aioli sauce. There also appears to be an inn connected to the restaurant. Definitely worth a stop.
(4)
Kory T.
Down home country cooking. My wife drags me here every time we pass through The Dalles. I've never once had a bad tasting meal here and the portions are HUGE, but even if I don't finish, I still leave nauseous. Maybe it's just the type of food. The service can be hit or miss on occasion. Some of the waitressing staff are super friendly and others seem really bitter and hurried.
(3)
Lisa W.
We stop here every time we drive through The Dalles, the food is always good. This would be our breakfast spot if it was closer to us
(5)
Leang E.
When I arrived here, I nearly thought we were walking into a barn... It's got that Peanut Barrel type of restaurant feel. I felt so far away from Chicago, sitting inside the restaurant. I mean we were seated next to a John Deere tractor, and maybe there were haystacks around there or I could have imagined it. There's certainly a small town atmosphere, and the waitresses are like women you could see in movies. The food was good. I'm always a fan of bacon, and it's a little thicker sliced here, which I appreciated. I don't think it's pricey, but I can't compare it to any place else in town. The town seems widely stretched. I see a lot of barren land, and wide spaces in between buildings. I wonder if this place is as good as it gets...
(3)
Dan W.
We were on a long drive, and The Dalles was an optimal stopping point for us. From the outside, Cousin's looks like a standard motel, and it largely is. Upon check in we were told that the room we were getting had just been renovated and that most of the others were currently getting the same treatment. Needless to say, I was curious to see what they looked like. First though, we needed to eat. The fact that they had a restaurant right on site was one of the reasons we pulled in. The desk clerk/manager proudly stated that the restaurant was the reason that Cousin's was "famous", so I had high expectations going in. Yes, everyone here does call you "cousin", which I personally found a bit odd and even off putting. Call me a city slicker, but I started to wonder when the group wedding was taking place. Still, staff was friendly and responsive. Food was a bit slow in coming, but it wasn't that busy so I wasn't surprised that they weren't working at full tilt that night. As for the food itself, it was .... ok. It wasn't bad, it was fine, but it wasn't something that would garner acclaim anywhere I've lived. It was basic, standard family restaurant fare. Nothing more. I wouldn't have thought twice about it if the restaurant hadn't been built up as something extraordinary. As we left the restaurant and moved towards our room, we walked past the pool. Again something that had been rather beamingly touted by the front desk, but in reality couldn't comfortably handle more than 6 people at a time. Now, the room. It was nice. Not exceptional, but nice. Clean, spartan but tasteful. Nice. I could see that the furniture was new, and the shower was nice and large (great for couples), but my expectations had been a bit raised at the front desk. It was a nice motel room, but not an extraordinary one. The bed was comfortable, the water was hot, and it had a nice air conditioner. There is an HDTV in the room, but the image quality was surprisingly poor. This has more to do with the signal than the screen, I'm sure. It might be more of a perk once the digital conversion goes into effect. So, ultimately, it's a nice motel. Clean, pleasant, friendly, but not extraordinary. I highly encourage people to stop of here as they travel, but don't want to raise anyone's expectations.
(3)
Steven L.
My first experience with this location was 2 years ago after breaking down and needing to find a place to stay for the night. I have to say that hearing the sound of a cow mooing as I opened the door turned my perma frown upside down for just a moment. They own the hotel there too and so I was able to get a room (which comes with one free DVD rental per night) and could even partake in any of the DVDs on the spinner for the night. Unfortunately I was looking for a way to get my car home much more than watching Top Gun or Pretty Woman for the thousandth time. The food was awesome at the restaurant though. They serve drinks in the old mason jars which adds to the country feel. I even got to see a live radio show from the place the next morning at breakfast. I have since been back several times with my bosses as we travel between stores in my district. My most recent experience was yesterday and it lived up to my expectations once again. The familiar sound of the cow and someone behind the counter saying "howdy cousin" was refreshing to my ears. We discovered on a previous trip that the cinnamon rolls are amazing so my boss got one for us to share and one to take home to his wife (how nice of him) I only hope that he can be disciplined enough to actually get it home to her. They are pretty darned good. Thank you cousins for another great visit.
(5)
Ben A.
Monster cinnamon rolls!!! It is worth stopping in just for one of these. They sell them at the Cracker Barrel type gift shop and it will take you all day to eat it by yourself. No joke, this thing could feed a family of four. Before I found out about the Baldwin Saloon, I used to eat here. The service and atmosphere are good, and the food is reasonably priced. I also liked the family orientation in the general dining area, and being able to watch the game and throw peanut shells on the ground in the bar. I can't explain it, but the food here just never sat right with me. It was like eating over at a friend's house and the other kid's mom cooks different than your mom. It's almost really good, but not quite. I think the problem is that they have such a huge menu and they serve breakfast all the time, so they do a whole bunch of things pretty well instead of doing a few things really well. This is the best place in The Dalles to sit down with the family. Everyone will find something they like, and it is affordable.
(3)
Enoch H.
Service was great and the food was awesome. I was in the Dalles for work and will be back here for dinner next time I am in town.
(5)
Kimberly M.
Welcome to cousins country inn!! Also.. cousin's restaurant saloon and gift shop! I love it here! I have never had a bad experience:) the staff is always overly friendly and the food is extraordinary! Everything I've tasted is GREAT and I am a total picky eater, even though I like yo try everything at least once. Every one that works here has a great sense of humor and is very sweet. Constantly smiling ands very attentive to your needs. I love taking my husband and two kids here and sitting next to the full sized old fashioned john Deere tractor they really get a kick out of it and then when I don't have my kids I make sure to sit in type gandydancer saloon where they have a full bar with plenty of booths and tables with chairs as well as the same full menu but with more deals and the same friendly fast service as the family side. Tuesday night is called taco Tuesday with tacos they only make on Tuesday for a dollar a piece and margaritas for just THREE BUCKS! Wednesday nights it's the rock bottom Wednesday with a cousins Burger, a beer and BOTTOMLESS fries for only SIX bucks!! The deals are both from 5pm-10pm each night and then there are all kinds of happy hours with 1/2 priced appetizers and this place will just keep u coming back for more! The management even.. now this is the part that gets me right in my happy place.. the management literally spends almost no time in the office. They help the cooks, they help the servers, they help the bartenders, they even help the hostesses. They are extremely friendly, completely understanding and if u are the LEAST bit unsatisfied with ANYTHING they will do anything to make up for it! This restaurant is definitely aiming for number one in customer service and as far as I'm concerned, they are!!!!!
(5)
Bobby D.
A very down home type place that serves traditional style meals. Located off I-84 2nd the dalles exit going east. Really not too bad of a place for the dalles. The farm and railroad style decor is great for those interested in history of the area. They even have a tractor inside and you can have your picture taken outside at various props. The water is served in mason jars and the bathroom has old well style faucets. When you walk in, the greeter will say to you "howdy cousin". A little different. Not sure what i think about that one. Anyway, the servers are real nice even the ones not serving you. I ordered a cousin burger with fries. I got my meal in about 15 to 20 minutes. The burger was good and came with lettuce and onion. The patty was probably a 1/3 pound. The fries were ok (very salty - heart attack and high blood pressure on a plate). The meal cost me around $8.29. The atmosphere was great, the burger was good, but not worth the $8.29 they suck out of your wallet (what ever happened to the $6 burger). I would go back to try some of the other interesting items on the menu. They have wireless internet and serve breakfast all day!
(3)
Doug M.
This is an interesting place. It has an extensive down-home menu with all of the usual comfort foods served in enormous portions. And everything tastes great with gravy. It's a popular meeting place for locals. There's not a hint of kitsch or trendiness. It's unapologetically home-spun, down to the mooing cow that greets you when you open the door and the "Howdy Cousin!" from the servers. If you want a good burger, breakfast at 4 in the afternoon or mashed potatoes and gravy, come here. If you're worried about your HDL levels, don't.
(3)
Daniel B.
Always love eating here when we come to town, always great food
(5)
Barbara E.
I have had chili in too many places to count and Cousin's has the best anywhere, hands down! They were kind enough to give me the recipe. Everything else I or my friends have had was always very good and tasted homemade, unlike the crap you get at Denny's and for about the same prices.
(4)
Thomas S.
Freindly service. Great (but expensive) onion rings. Chili was good, but unlike previous reviewer,not the best I ever had. I'd stop again.
(4)
Mark F.
Very nice front desk. Rooms are very nice. The plasma tv was a nice touch.
(5)
Jim G.
We stopped in The Dalles on a monday afternoon, after a long drive from Boise, Drove through town and stopped at Cousins because it didn't seem to be a chain establishment and it had an onsite restraunt, of the same name, advertising MNF. I called from the parking lot and asked for a single bed. The clerk was very helpful, said the only singles available were ones with a kitchenette but that he would give it to me for the same price as a regular single. I walked inside and booked room. Staff was very friendly. The room had a king size bed that was firm and comfortable. It had a small fridge with freezer. The room was older and had a few signs of age but was very clean. The shower was one of the best i've ever had. I think the room we got was one of the older ones. There are others you can tell are more updated. Was happy with our overnight stay.
(3)
Ray P.
great home style food--outstanding service---awesomely large portions. definitely a stop next time I'm thru.
(4)
Jason H.
Friendly staff, but sometimes slow service. The food is ok, though it seems that some of it is premade. You get good sized portions that make up for some of the wait and average quality. They do have some good cinnamon rolls that they make daily. We went there on mothers day for brunch and my daughters birthday and they gave my wife a jar of their colored sugar for moms day, and sang a birthday song and gave her a cupcake and card with her pic in it that they took, it was nice, and not something places do nowdays.
(3)
Joey F.
Yes, you can throw your peanut shells on the ground, depending on where you sit of course. This sit down restaraunt is attached to the Cousin's Inn, sitting directly off of I-84 in The Dalles, and serves a large number of travelers as well as hungry locals throughout the year. The dining area is broken up into a couple different sections, smoking, non-smoking, and a bar room. You can throw your peanut shells on the floor of the bar room. The menu covers a wide variety of American breakfast favorites such as western omelettes, biscuits and gravy, and chicken fried steak. Those are a couple of my favorites; I can't begin to cover the entire menu. If you're not hungry for breakfast, that's ok; they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day. You can also find a good burger, steak, or salad here. Worth checking out.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Brunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jessica G.
You know what is most memorable about my trip to Cousins? My Condon friend and I went to The Dalles specifically to get "ethnic" food (which doesn't exist in Condon), and we ended up at Cousins because of his glowing review. And I must say, he wasn't wrong. Cousins very much reminds me of a lower grade Cracker Barrel. Very kitschy, country, down-home feeling with delicious comfort food. When you first enter, you are greeted with a restaurant store of cute knick knacks and Cousins mementos. Can't help but feel like you walked into another dimension...but in a nostalgic way if that makes sense. Because I had eaten complete unhealthy shite the last couple days, I went with a BBQ chicken salad (swapped out the ranch dressing for Italian), which was a great portion for the price. Came with a side of freshly baked bread and nicely whipped butter. I must admit that I was ogling the pies (baked fresh), but there was just no way I could do it. Clientele inside is very interesting...lots of locals but also people staying at the attached hotel. Service here is very friendly; I did not have to wait for anything. I don't know when I will be back in the area, but when I do, I definitely will be back, and I will try that pie. That's a definite.
(4)Emma M.
Our waitress was AMAZING! We sat in the bar. I am breastfeeding and have to avoid soy, dairy and eggs. I had lots of questions for her and she was super sweet about it, even though she was SLAMMED! I believe her name was Holly! Super impressed!! She even changed my order in the system so it would be cheaper and make more sense for the cooks. UPDATE while waiting: It became dead. There was like only three tables left of people. We had empty waters for like 20 minutes, had to ask them to be filled, after she asked if everything was good. She also forget about my husbands beer but she was sweet and was dealing with a bunch of drunks! Overall very impressed! The food was just ok. We both got burgers. Really wish they cooked their fries in something other than soybean oil. I understand it's cheap but there are other cheap options!
(3)Idaho Travelers S.
Very good food, very friendly service! We had dinner here while driving home from the coast. Our server, Jennifer, was very friendly, helpful and accommodating. The themed restaurant was interesting, although being called "Cousins" was a bit unusual. The food was fabulous. My husband had the Cobb salad, which was fabulous, and I had the rib eye with a huge baked potato. I ordered the steak rare+, and when it came out, before Jennifer ever placed it down in front of me, she noticed that it might have been over-cooked. Great observation, as indeed, it was well done. She took it back, no questions asked, and quickly returned with a perfectly cooked steak... awesome marbling with great flavor! Everything you would expect from this beautiful part of Oregon with it's large ranches and farms. This was our last night on our way home from the coast, so we also decided to have one last cup of clam chowder... and wow, are we glad we did! GREAT CHOWDER! Some of the best we had on our vacation! Thank you Jennifer and Cousins for such a fabulous meal! We will for sure stop in again!
(5)Bobbi J.
More of an upscale Dennys. You will find the same type of food cooked and tasting better. Not gourmet but not too bad for a stop on our travels through the gorge.
(3)Jerry A.
This is the restaurant within Cousins Country Inn. The food here is always very good. I've had salads, halibut, pot roast, turkey dinners and dessert here. All are high quality and a great meal. You can eat in the bar or restaurant. The bar serves peanuts in a bucket at the table. Shells go on the floor. Be prepared for the animal sounds as you enter and leave through the door. And, to be treated as every waitresses "cousin".
(4)Andy S.
Very friendly rustic atmosphere but the service and food are sub par. Server was at our table every 2 minutes to "check" on us and was very fake with her attitude. She rolled her eyes often at simple requests like extra ranch. I got the fish and chip and the fries were so tuff to eat that it made it very unpleasant. The fish was mostly batter and little fish with no taste. Used to be one of my favorite spots but has gone way down hill more of a retirement diner now.
(3)Dude W.
Huge portions, great staff, nice ambiance, and if you stay at the nearby Fairfield Mariott hotel, the front desk can give you a voucher for a free appetizer. Cousins has dsily specials which are a great deal, and happy hour lasts 4 hours! The appetizers are around $10, but with the free coupon, it is a steal! The food is delicious, and I'm a big eater, so I'm pleased by how large the portions are. The Chicken Fingers appetizer is $12, but is definitely a meal in itself. It comes with fries, too. For dessert, I ordered the cake, and I asked the waitress to put some monthly ice cream flavor on it, which is Oregon Black Cherry! My friend ordered the brownie dessert and it is huge!
(5)Michael A.
I wasn't too sure, but this place is fine. Service was great. I had a BLT, my wife had the patty melt. They were both very good. We'll stop here again. By the way, there is a full-size John Deere tractor in the middle of the dining room!
(5)Mai Mai G.
Love love Cousins Restaurant. Okay I have not been here for awhile, I used to come here all the time when visiting my grandparents in The Dalles. We always stopped for breakfast before heading back to Vancouver, Wa. Always great and friendly service and always great portions :) would definitely recommend trying.
(5)Kevin S.
The food is great and your better be hungry. Fresh soups and great salads and the chicken fried steak!!! A good place to eat !
(5)Betty K.
Cousins' in The Dalles is class act with a cute country flare right down to farm fare food and a John Deere tractor displayed in the dining room. Room was super clean with self-serve Keurig coffee. Great food. Excellent pet facilities. Comfortable bed.
(5)Matthew C.
We ordered soup, chicken strips and a country fried steak...over an hour later I had to grab the waitress and asked what the heck is taking so long.. She said I'll check on it and never came back. The manager came over and he said I'll check on it...he never came back. Finally the food arrives an hour and half later. Mine was cold and we didn't get the bread that is supposed to come with the soup. Used to be a great place but I won't be coming back.
(1)Don C.
Eclectic Styles A combination restaurant and hotel, Cousins' has a well-arranged variety of themes. When asked, the manager says the restaurant is styled as a "Country, Family" type of theme. My take on it is that Cousins' is a delightful, eclectic collection of many styles. That is, no one theme seems to be dominant as some restaurants will do to make their mark as the "trendy" place to be. Inside Cousins', there's just the right amount of eye candy to explore, and framed articles to read, that keeps my interest while waiting for a delicious meal that's served in very generous proportions, just the way we Americans like it. One such item was an article on Steam Locomotives which always stokes my nostalgic reverence for the engineering of the time. I ate in the, "Milk House" section designed in the 50's Diner style. Juxtaposed to the eclectic and pleasing styles of the interior, Cousins' meals are very unique. As my first impression of their interior was overwhelming, so was my meal starting with my own personal loaf of bread served with its own cutting board. I could've definitely "fill up on bread" if I didn't pace myself during the short wait time for the entree. They're obviously as proud of their food as they are of their interior. Even the multi-colored sugar is uniquely chosen. After my meal, I visited their well-stocked gift shop as well. There's a lot of history, a lot of style, a lot of quality, and a lot of hospitality to spare at Cousins' Restaurant, cousinsthedalles.com
(5)Abby B.
We stayed at this hotel and had breakfast and dinner at their restaurant/saloon. The food was amazing! I had the prime rib and it was the best I've had in a while. And with the food as good as it was, it was especially nice to get awesome customer service as well. The place was inviting, the food was good, the price was decent and the service was great. What more could you ask for? Highly recommended!
(5)Jenna F.
It is important to know that I love a kitschy road side experience of any kind! And I didn't have one in mind when we saw the freeway advertisements for Cousins on our way home to Portland. So imagine my surprise and excitement when we pulled in to find a big red 'barn' of a place with an old piece of farm equipment out front and an array of decorative farm animals! They even have a wooden 'face in the hole' and an old children's quarter ride horse! I haven't seen one of those in forever! I should also mention that the signage from the freeway exit makes this place quick and easy to find and get back on the freeway after. We arrived at 530pm on A Sunday, the place seemed fairly busy but we were seated immediately, our daughter was beyond thrilled to be presented with a cup of crayons and a paper coloring menu as soon as she sat down. I was thrilled by the kitschy decor, which includes an actual tractor in the dining room. There seemed to be an over abundance of waitresses buzzing back and forth. Ours was wonderful, and our daughter fell in love with them all as they stopped briefly to chat with her. Our food was served quickly, and it was quite tasty. A little pricey for what you get, but that's expected when you pull off the side of the road for a sit down dinner. This is one of those places where you pay at the register up front as you leave, but the waitress, seeing that we had our hands full with our little one, happily offered to ring us up and bring the receipt back to the table. Oh and because it was Father's Day we got a free jar of their house BBQ, which I would have forgotten had the waitress not reminded me. Perfect place to stretch your legs and get your family out of the car! Over all it was a great experience and we will definitely stop there again!
(5)P.C. P.
We have been using The Dalles as a stopover on our way to and from the Oregon coast for many years, so we have watched this hotel and restaurant evolve over the years. The staff at Cousins' Inn and Restaurant has always, always, ALWAYS, been just great. On our most recent stay, tonight, we checked into a room near the ice machine and, while upgrades have been underway for some years, the cold water handle in our sink, came off right in our hands. We called the desk and they immediately got us into another room, and upgraded us to a "barn room". In the future, we will ALWAYS book a "barn room". They are awesome!!!! These "barn rooms" really showcase the potential this property has and could achieve should the owner pour some money into it. The other wings of the hotel are ok. This is not a Sheraton people so if the AC seems loud, or some stuff seems outdated, well yeah, it is. It's comfortable and clean enough, and if something breaks, they will do their best to take care of you, because the staff is great. Now the restaurant. Cinnamon Rolls... Big deal, they give me heartburn. There is something comical about watching a pair of 600 pound ladies assault the giant cinnamon rolls like they were a pair of Ethiopians tearing into a bucket of Taxpayer funded KFC, but I digress... Breakfast. Oh breakfast! Omelette sure packed with meat, and for the 600 pounder on the go, they even have a 4 egg omelette!! Buttermilk biscuits are killer. Always, always, always opt for one instead of toast. A little butter and some blackberry preserve on them, = outstanding. Our waiter for our coast bound and home bound meals has been Clint. He is awesome. Never gets complicated orders wrong even when they are slammed like today. We have never had a bad meal here. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Nobody, and no thing are perfect, and I'm sure mistakes happen and this restaurant does get really, really busy, but even with 25 people waiting to be seated, the wait has never been longer than 12 minutes. The food is killer. Breakfast should not, at any cost be skipped. Staff is great. We give the property as a whole 4 out of 5 stars because the hotel needs to finish its upgrades and do them all at once, not little by little as they've done over the years. If all of the rooms were done up like "the barn rooms", this property would get 5 of 5, but, then again it would cost $150 a night, and for just an overnight stopover, nobody really wants to spend that much. Overall this hotel is a good value, and the staff makes up for any shortcomings of the property. And don't skip breakfast, just try not to get seated too close to a herd of 600 pounders as small kids might get caught up in the feeding frenzy. Overall, we are loyal to this property and always will be, even if we can't get into a "barn room" every time. It always was and hopefully will remain a good value. P.C.P.
(4)Chad F.
We ordered the chorizo skillet and the dalles omelette. The omelette was very good and my wife said like the biscuit. The service is slower than it should be and the waitress was borderline rude. I personally did not like the biscuit as it was more of a cake than biscuit. The has browns were luke warm and had no seasoning at all. The chorizo skillet was very blah and had little chorizo flavor. Tip for any restaurants: if you are going to give out samples of your product please sure it representative of your best. The sample cinnamon roll was very dry and hard to eat. It did have good flavor but not worth the risk of ordering if it will be just as dry and no icing.
(2)Jerry M.
We had eaten at Cousins' once before while driving through The Dalles. The tasty food, friendly employees, and fun "country-style" decor was impressive last time. So, since we were in The Dalles again last night, we knew for sure that this was where we wanted to go for dinner. OK, I've always loved pot roast, so I ordered their "Home Style Pot Roast" knowing that it should be great at a country-style place like this. Well, it was indeed tasty and fork-tender like I figured it would be. However, I was disappointed with the small amount of meat I received. The scoop of mashed potatoes on my plate was bigger than that little portion of meat, and the amount of vegetables dwarfed it too. Hey, I thought that, since the main ingredient of the dish was supposed to be POT ROAST, that it would consist mainly of that. . .but this was not the case tonight. Anyway, after such an "inadequate" amount of pot roast, I then had room for dessert. They had a couple of big posters in their dining room touting their fresh Strawberry "Tallcake", so I ordered it. Yeah, it was TALL all right, but the height mostly consisted of biscuit, ice cream, and whipped cream. It was tasty, but it could have used some more actual, you know, STRAWBERRIES. So, I noticed a pattern here. . .both my entree and my dessert were a bit short on the main ingredients, pot roast and strawberries. Still, it all tasted good and our waitress was super friendly, so we will give Cousins' another try "some day".
(3)Kyle A.
Great service. Friendly staff. Good quality food. Quick service. The only bad thing about this place is that it's located off of 84 and it opens at 6am. I think they could change the hours to better feed the early commuters.
(5)Laurie G.
Really great food! The service is great! Our waitress was a little weird and seemed to be pretending to smile the whole time. But other than her, it was great! Get used to being called cousin!
(4)Angela H.
Quantity, homestyle cooking and a country atmosphere are on the menu. Lots of life sized animals out front, the door moo's when you walk in and we were greeted with an enthusiastic "Howdy Cousins!" When seated our waiter arrived he greeted us the same, kinda funny, kinda weird. There's a gift store and a John Deere Tractor in the restaurant, lots of interesting things to look at. I didn't see any tables, just roomy booths. The food was good and filling about average in taste and quality, lots of it though and lots of carbs. The bean side dish with ground beef was really good.
(3)Virginia M.
Good food. Home style. They don't serve baked potatoes. Employees are so friendly to everyone. They have a Sunday Breakfast Buffet with a good variety of food.
(4)Joleen O.
Fun, kitschy atmosphere with friendly service. Amazing hash-browns, and tasty ranch. Food is what I would've expected it to be. Good, but not life altering. Dinner service was busy so we sat in "the saloon", drinking water from mason jars and throwing peanuts on the floor. Overall, a nice experience, and a good local place to spend your money. No regrets
(3)A D.
Food 3/5 stars. Staff 5/5 stars. I think their breakfast rules taste-wise over other menu choices, but that's just me.
(3)C T.
We stay here a lot. All reservations have always been made under my parents name in the past because they get great discounts. However, this time my folks didn't go and was my first time under my name. They put us in a unit far in the back that was horrible and we didn't even know this section existed...very dirty...run down...nothing like the nice part you see in the front and was awful. I let them know when we came back that we wanted a room in the front and they were very nice and made note of it. Stay was MUCH nicer and safer the next time and we loved it although their air conditioner was obnoxiously loud but grateful we had it!! Breakfast is amazing! Dinners okay and not enough to eat there. We go elsewhere for dinner and there are some pretty good spots downtown.
(4)Annie N.
Great place to stay- the room was nice with an updated bathroom. Not the highest quality mattress but comfy enough. The Lite Breakfast: eggs, a beautiful, picturesque biscuit, and hashbrowns cut from fresh potatoes. Very nice. They start the morning by giving you each an awesome cinnamon roll as well (small and sooo good). The ambiance is of a country inn- When you enter the restaurant, animal sounds (horses, cows, roosters) go off, the walls are rustic wood, there is a train that moves around the place near the ceiling, etc. Great experience all the way around.
(4)Eric E.
Service was great, food was great. I ordered a Stampede Burger because it sounded good with Onion Straws and BBQ sauce. Love these Western type burgers with Onion Rings/Straws and BBQ sauce on them. So I decided to give their version a try. It was pretty good but my complaint about it was the Onion Straws. They weren't really crisp like "French's" Onion Straws. But they were a bit softer which made them hard to chew. And they were quite stringy so I would frequently take a bite of the burger and get a few Onion Straws stuck between my mouth and the burger. Either I and to try to bite them off awkwardly, spit it out or get too much food in my mouth by trying to stuff them all in my mouth. Made it a bit unpleasant to eat. But the flavor was excellent so I can't complain too much. I would definitely come back here again.
(4)Julie Y.
From the moment you walk in the door you feel like you are at a dear cousins house. So homy and welcoming. Loved the barn animals and trains. The staff were just down right incredible!! God bless you Peggy Sue. It was such a pleasure meeting and visiting with you. You are an Angel! The food was Outstanding!! Everything homemade and delicious plus cooked to perfection and very affordable. One must experience the heaven that is their coconut creme pie. They have their own bakery in the restaurant so all the desserts looked mouthwatering. They even stayed open late so we could enjoy our meal. Looking forward to going back and staying in the barn!!
(5)Dave M.
We're traveling through, and never heard of Cousins. The food was very good, reasonably priced, and the waitresses were notably friendly and personable. I had the Fri-Sat roast beef. The place was a welcome end to a long day's drive!
(5)Jim D.
This is THE PLACE your Mom loves! Free samples of the Cinnamon Rolls when you sit down.
(4)Alan N.
This is a funky country/railroad themed restaurant with super friendly staff and decent food for the price. I came here in the evening with my son when we were in town and I, of course, ordered the Reuben while my son, being a breakfast fan ordered the chicken fried steak and eggs. There was some confusion when the staff brought out the Country fried steak in the dinner configuration but they fixed it straight away without a fuss at all. The Reuben was well stacked with thick cut corned beef on a thick rye with just the right amount of sauce. I like a little more kraut on mine but it was very good. All in all a fun place to go when you want some good old-fashioned, home style comfort food.
(4)Robert B.
Two years prior got noisy table and inattentive server. Decided everyone could use second chance. Very glad we did! Just had a wonderful meal and a good time. Ordered burgers with one large order of onion rings. Plate arrives with 13 small to medium/large onion rings... Robert: "sir, we ordered the large platter...for $9.99?" Server: "yup, that's it" Robert: (speechless - looking at fellow table mates) Robert finds a roving server: "ma'am, is this a large portion of rings?" Roving (snarky) Server: "I don't know, I guess so...what's wrong?" Robert: "it seems for $10 we should have at least enough to cover bottom of plate, I thought perhaps there was an error?" Roving Snarky Server Storms away. "WAIT" you're thinking. Robert gave this place four out of five stars. Why? Manager comes to table, genuinely apologizes. Robert asked why mixup? Manager says "I don't know, but will find out and correct it." Then brings out 50% more onion rings. THAT'S customer service. All that other stuff...she'll sort it and them out. Most managers/owners don't care...she does. Well done manager!
(4)Phuc C.
I traveled and visited my friend in the memorial weekend. We got a late time to decide what to eat, so we pick Cousins' for a late dinner. At first, they try to make a sound of livestock when we opened the door, and it looked really awkward to me. We ordered the food, and waited like 30-45 mins to have the food. At that time, there is really less people. I made a joke to my friend that there was a grandma in the kitchen to make the food for us. They have less professional to server the food too. There are many servers came over to our table and they stepped over our orders. We waited and waited for our food. I don't think I want to be back again when I visit the Dallas.
(1)John K.
I love this place. The food is good. Very unique. Good place to eat. Impressive customer service. Everyone Is friendly and helpfil. Service is fast. We have had both breakfast and dinner The bread reminds me of aunte hitcherners homemade rolls. They have gigantic cinnamon rolls.
(4)Gary L.
My go to breakfast stop whenever traveling east on I-84 .... fast service .. nice wait staff .. good food .. reasonable prices ... good easy parking even if we are towing a trailer
(4)Ariel S.
My husband and I stopped last night to grab a drink. It was between 10-10:30 pm. The waitress greeted us right away, asked for our IDs and asked what she could get for us. My husband ordered a beer, and suggested I have the chocolate martini, I said that I'd love a martini but I'd prefer one that wasn't chocolate. The waitress suggested the huckleberry martini and I said that sounded great! I moved over and sat next to my husband so I could show him pictures I took earlier in the day. Then a man came up to us and asked us what he could get for us, if we'd like some water or some soda, and we told him we had already been helped. He asked again if he could get us some water or a soda, then he told us he would not serve us because his waitress said we were intoxicated. We left, both quite blown away, not being intoxicated and the very short interactions we had with both the waitress and this manager Wayne was his name. When we came home I called to ask who the managers were, and ask the name of the guy who told us we wouldn't be severed (Wayne), and the girl on the phone Estelle hung up on me. I called back, and she answered the phone again, I asked her the owners name and she said she didn't know. And I told her I wanted the name of all the managers and the owners name and she came up with T.K. being the owners name. I will never spend my money at cousins again. Everything my husband and I experienced there last night was completely unprofessional, and just altogether way out of line. I would not have given a rating if there were the option.
(1)Pamela G.
In my experience, restaurants that are attached to roadside motels are usually best avoided. However, Cousins Restaurant and Saloon is a happy exception. You won't find anything upscale or fussy here, but you will find comfort food like mom makes (if your mom is a great cook!). This restaurant doesn't try for unique; this is down home American cooking. Perfectly tender and juicy Pot Roast with beautifully cooked vegetables and home-style mashed potatoes, delicious meatloaf open faced sandwiches served with rich, flavorful gravy and those same home-style mashed potatoes are good examples of what you'll find on Cousins menu. Their desserts are worth coming in for just for themselves. Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Strawberry Shortcake and Bread Pudding are a few of note. Their breakfast menu is equally good. When you sit down they automatically bring a warm, mini cinnamon roll to the table for each person. I had a skillet with tender perfectly cooked potatoes, scrambled eggs, onions, green peppers and thick, smoky, crispy bacon. Huge, tender baking powder biscuits are served with almost every breakfast. My friend had Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy and she said it was the best gravy she's had a in a long time. The next time I'm in The Dalles I'll definitely go there again. This is Comfort Food at its best.
(4)Heather C.
From out of town and staying at the Inn, just tried the Cousin's Burger and it's definitely made my top ten list of best burgers! Staff is extremely friendly too!
(5)Jen g.
We stopped in a few weeks back after an overnight backpack down The Deschutes River trail. We brought our appetites and were not disappointed! The food and service was awesome. Some delicious down home cooking. On the way in our mouths were watering at the site of the huge cinnamon rolls they have. We didnt have room for one after our meal, but took one to go and enjoyed it for breakfast the next day. Two of us split one and it was amazing!! This will definitely be a goto place on our next visit to the area.
(5)Holly K.
Back in 1994 I took my dad here when he came to visit. It is a drive to the Dalles from my house, 90 minutes to be exact, but since that time, we have made the drive just for dinner or lunch on many occasions. The door moos and makes various barnyard animal noises, very farmy and country motif, complete with mason jars for drinking glasses. I usually get the turkey and dressing no matter what time of year. The portions are very large and the prices very reasonable. Expect to take a box. I had the chance to try breakfast here the other day and was not disappointed. They sell these giant cinnamon rolls up front and I always think I will get one to go, but am usually too full to care on the way out. The waitress brought warm miniature ones to the table, but when I say miniature, I mean regular size. I snapped off a picture. The ham was thick and hash browns plentiful. Service was great. I have never had bad service here in all the years we have been coming in. Every time my dad comes from Kentucky for a visit, he requests a trip to the Dalles just for their pot roast. Oh, and the biscuits... I don't eat biscuits, I donate them to my husband's plate, but it was included with my breakfast and it looked so good, all it took was a pinch of it, and the feeding frenzy was on. They brought out a dish of gravy to go with it, but it was too good to cover up in the gravy, my husband said it was good on his biscuit, so we'll go with that. We split a waffle topped with strawberries and homemade whip cream. It was a good size to split and worth every calorie.
(4)B L.
The full rack of ribs were way overcooked. We sat in the gaming room and had pretty good service. Once we got to our room which was as far away from the office as you can get, our key cards didnt work. We trekked back to the office and got new cards, the gal told us we may need to pull on the door and then try it. I thought to myself for $116.00 + tax per night the damn thing should recognize me and open by itself when I stand in front of it. Tried it again and after about the 10th attempt it opened, issues in and out the entire time. Once we were in our room and settled I cracked open the cherry coke I bought at the restaurant cashier, are you kidding me its flat.
(2)Todd S.
Coming back from vacation on the Oregon coast we stopped at Cousins for lunch. The parking lot was full and their sign said real food so, we decided to go check it out. the place was charming and the service was pretty good but the food was reminiscent of a school lunch. I ordered the the hot meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes, it tasteed like the TV dinners I had when I was a kid. My wife ordered the Extreme Mac and Cheese with ham it was basically a jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce over some pasta. both dishes were edible but that was about it. The kids both ordered burgers and said they were good and that is why I gave this review 1 star. My wife and I would have been happier with Taco Bell at a fraction of the price.
(1)Jeffrey B.
Better than expected. Very friendly wait staff but they're busy and can get a bit flustered. The only part that seems to baffle them is wanting to take food back to the room of the attached Inn- they won't let you take dishes so try and eat pancakes in a foam container- cut right thru. Ever heard of paper plates?? Had pot pie last night and patty melt- both very good. Cinnamon rolls are monsters. I'm sure there's better in town but we didn't wanna give up our hard to get parking spot right outside our room as we gotta load up.
(4)Erin H.
It was tasty enough, but this time around I felt like the prices were much higher. Maybe I just didn't notice them last time, but I felt that $15 for a 1/2 (looking) order of a roast beef dinner was a bit much. And $9 for cheesesticks? Wow! The roast beef was good, but it was clear that the slab I got was from the disgusting fatty end. I found the rubbery fat cap and all the other fat yuck melty junk once I got further into the meal. I didn't finish it and pointed it out to the waitress. She send the manager over and she compted my meal--even though I told her she didn't have to do that. It was nice of her. The rest of the food was just ok. The next time I drive through this area I will definitely stop somewhere else.
(2)Jill P.
Restaurant Service was good (Jennifer) Turkey was from a WalMart rolled turkey roast $15 wow !. Mashed potatoes & green salad were such small portions but ok w white 99 cent loaf bread. Ugh!! Good though were the hash browns. Stayed in hotel as this was the only option ... room was very nice too bad they use that smelly hotel dis infect ant ...the grass leading into rooms from parking area brings in dog poop and yuk. Why doesn't The Dalles have a Best Western & a nice dinner restaurant?
(2)Matthew F.
The waitresses address you as "Cousin".
(2)Fraser M.
Bleh. We walked over for supper since it was close to our motel and we were too hungry to go farther. Super kitschy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if that's what you're into. But after the hostess (who was super nice) got us seated we got volleyed back and forth between three waitresses, unsure of who was serving us. Eventually we got our soup and sandwich orders in (after giving two people our drink orders). Potato soup was straight up gross - thick in a congealed kind of way. The Reuben wasn't bad, but small for the price, and it left my insides unhappy. This is a place your grandparents want to go.
(2)Alena C.
I think this place gets higher than deserved ratings because it's kind of weird and divey and people remember it better than it actually is. So it's a solid two.
(2)Heather W.
Pros: Very clean, great pillows and nice bathroom! Family friendly, our little 4 year old got sick in the middle of the night and the housekeeping/front desk was great. The staff is very friendly at the restaurant which is on site. Cons: Loud air conditioning system, so I cracked the window. And potential road noise.
(4)Anjelah S.
Meh. I've experienced better. It's really convenient to stay at Cousins and have a family restaurant near by, however, the food isn't so great. The decor is kinda fun, "IF" your into that country feel. I think it's pricey for what you get, but again, your paying for the atmosphere. I had a really grumpy waiter that kind of ruined the whole "Cousins" atmosphere for me. She didn't understand that I didn't want pork in my meal, so she got a little huffy and wanted to charge me more to change the order. I told her..."just forget it and I'll just make it all vegetarian." Whoah...all veggies. I must of blew her mind or something. She just looked at me in a daze and said.."ok.". My meal...well.... when I finally received it... wasn't worth it. I probably won't be going again, even if I do stay at the Cousins motel.
(2)Ray V.
We came here looking for some down home food, and we found it. Easily visible on the south side of I 84, it is worth the detour from wherever you were headed. We stopped in about noon on a Sunday and there was plenty of seating available. The staff was friendly and the place clean. With all the knick knacks for sale it would be easy to forget it is a restaurant. with an extensive menu it is possible for anyone to find something they can eat. My wife opted for 1 pancake (the size of a 12" plate) with marionberry compote and Snappy Tom aka bloody Mary. I went for the Celilo omelet (tomato, onion and fresh spinach with cheese) hasbrowns with their home made country gravy and biscuit. now my wife loved her drink and the pancake was fine, definitely improving with the compote on top. My omelet was also tasty and the gravy on the hashbrowns was good. the hashbrowns themselves were different. Not shredded, but little ribbons of potato that were crispy yet chewy at the same time, they also lacked seasoning for any flavor. Now I prefer my biscuits flaky, so when this rather large cakey thing came out I was disappointed. The flavor of the biscuit was fine and the whipped and apple butter on the side a nice touch. The portions are large and if you go away hungry it is going to be your own fault. All the dishes that went by us to other tables certainly looked good, so we will definitely come by here again. The only real drawback was the parking lot (shared with a hotel) isn't big enough!
(3)VJ R.
I had the salmon and grilled veggies. It was very good. I had the Marion Berry Pie. It was ok. They also have a great tea selection. Great service. I would eat there again.
(4)Amanda K.
HAH!! I can't believe this place is listed! YES. This place is alright, but it is a must-stop for my family every time we pass through the Dalles, which is usually on the way to the Gorge Ampitheater or to NW Idaho for vacation. So, atleast once a year we stop here. If only so my brother (now 21 years old) can loudly proclaim "FIVE COUSINS!" when they ask us how many "cousins" will be dining that day. That joke keeps us giggling until we cross the Bridge of the Gods and beyond. Oh, and so we can take the neccesary pictures straddling the fake barn animals in front of the restaurant. I usually order something safe, like a mexi omelette with a biscuit. Can't really screw that up. My brother always orders biscuits and gravy, which are good, but it's the kind of gravy that already has a skin on it and it's jiggling by the time it reaches our table. "You gotta mix up the gravy before you dig in." The food is decent diner food. It's tradition. And this place is all about tradition, and my family is one big walking tradition, so we'll always stop at Cousins on the way to Washington or Idaho. It's just what you do.
(3)Kristin H.
Cute farm-y theme, decent breakfast food--and huge portions. Be sure to bring home a cinnamon roll. It will last you for days!
(3)John E.
Another year has come and gone and I am back for my annual visit to The Dalles. This means I get to eat at Cousins' again, which is always a treat. This time I went for the Biscuits and Gravy ala carte along with that great iced tea, Two gigantic biscuits come on a plate with white gold ladled over the top, sausage infused white gold! I am not sure how I can wait another year to come back. I may not.
(4)Travis N.
This is a good place to stop while traveling. I had a mango daquri and it was excellent! The BLT I had was OK. The theme is ol country and western. I will return in the future.
(3)Savannah Veronica J.
Always have to stop here on the way out or into town. Over to top customer service, food, portions, and environment. Its like going home each time I go. I highly recommend it to people traveling through!
(5)Katherine W.
The food is consistently good and the service is great. Love their fresh rolls. Didn't like the country gravy, but that was personal preference. I think they make it with ham or bacon and I prefer sausage. Real mashed potatoes. Homemade soups. Yum. You can't go wrong if you want some down home cooking.
(5)Stephanie S.
Right when you walk in, you know something is different about this place. Barnyard animal sounds greet you at the front door which is cute (although mooing at a fat girl could be considered rude LOL ). You're greeted immediately with , "Howdy Cousin" when you go inside, and everyone is friendly even though the place is usually slammed. SO busy! If the restaurant is really busy, don't be afraid to sit in the saloon to have your meal. It doesn't feel like a bar in there at all except for the TVs and the obvious bottles of liquor on the wall :-) Cousin's prides itself of friendly, efficient service, and big portions of home-cooked entrees. I almost always end up taking leftovers home because the portions are so big. If you order the cinnamon roll, be forewarned: It is HUGE. Enough for 3 or 4 people, easily. I love that they offer free refills on most beverages, and that dinner entrees come with a dinner roll (you could call it a small loaf of bread), a VERY BIG biscuit served with apple butter OMG!, or sometimes cornbread. If the sides are this good, imagine how tasty the meals are. Mmmmm I have eaten so many times here with my dad, and I've tried so many different dishes. Everything I've ever had here has been excellent. I guess if you're into gourmet meals, this isn't your place, but for everyone else, it's a winner. My ONLY complaint is that they do not have adequate parking. Sometimes I can't find a free handicapped spot or regular spot close enough to the door, so I have to drop off dad at the entrance, park farther away, and walk in from the side street.
(5)Murlena H.
A no brainer, we have stopped and eaten here for 30 years when traveling by. Great value, large portions, as we typically will split a meal. Family freindly. Food prepared as ordered, large menu, freindly service. Something to meet anyone's hunger, and a fun place for kid's or grandkids.
(4)Nicole D.
Don't get me wrong, they have amazing gluten-filled goodies like cinnamon rolls, cakes etc. but this is not a celiac-friendly locale. You are pretty much limited to what you can determine is naturally gluten free (burger minus bun, salad minus dressing, etc.). But if you are in the mood for some down home cooking and fried food, this is the place for you because they've got lots of it!
(3)Ellen E.
Barn animal sound attached to the opening of the front door. Staff greets you with "hello cousin." The food is pretty solid American. The breakfasts are big and tasty and the burgers are delicious. Try a homemade cinnamon roll - skip the raisins.
(4)Jim D.
We have been going to Cousins for 10 years as we pass through town to tri-cities. We have had breakfast lunch and dinners. The food and service has always been excellent. The first thing that caught my attention today were the lack of customers. I would soon find out why. I would soon be served the single worst breakfast I have ever had in my life. The eggs were not even close to being fully cooked. The chicken fried steak was also not fully cooked. The hash browns had a dozen BLACK chunks of potatoes. To top it off the food was cold and the waitress NEVER stopped by to ask how my meal was. What happened to Cousins? From here on out, It's sad to see this gorge icon go so fear downhill. And by reading other reviews, this is definitely the trend for Cousins. Bye Cousin.
(1)Rob M.
Good good for the price. I have tried the Cousins in Pasco wa and will never go there again. However this place was great from the staff on down.
(4)Kathy H.
Everyone has to stop here if not for the food but the atmosphere. Similar to country cousins in chehalis it is heavy on the farm theme. Grand kids love it. Very busy and you feel rushed. Coffee comes in a pot, sausage doesnt come in links. Bacon is crisp, toast is soggy. We only eat breakfast here. Never had the cinnamon rolls, but they are huge- Take a picture out front with the farm animals leave with a smile. Six days later we stop for lunch. It was 1:00. Took 15 minutes to get water.. Another ten for an order... Then it wasn't right. By the time the screwup was corrected, the rest of the table had finished lunch. This Time we left with NO smile. When the grand kids aren't with us, we are finding somewhere else to eat!!
(3)Aleta S.
All I can say is ICK! The "pulled pork" tasted like it was pulled from a can full of corn starch gravy. A better bet was the burger, which was ok. Even the peach pie was little more than edible. Try another place if you're looking for fresh/tasty/healthy!
(1)Brian L.
Took a motorcycle ride from Vancouver to The Dalles and stopped by Cousins for lunch. Cousins is a Barn themed Restaurant, bar and Motel. It is clean and charming with it's farm animal statues out front, milk can bar stools and Mason Jar water glasses. The waitress told us in detail about the days special in detail, which we ordered, I got the Tuna Melt on sour dough with home made Clam Chowder. Our soup arrived in moments, my chowder was hot thick and tasty. Before I finished my soup, My Tuna Melt arrived, it was good, not spectacular, but I'm not complaining. It was a little expensive for my taste at $10.99. Over all the food was good, the service was great and the decor was very nice and not too cluttered or over bearing.
(4)Mark B.
Love this place. Hotel and restaurant are great!
(4)Jennifer C.
Great service. We had to wait here while our motorhome was repaired. Staff was accommodating and gave us a back booth area for family to spread out. Free WIFI and upgraded kids coloring, wax craft sticks and books provided by the restaurant helped to pass the time. The giant cinnamon rolls were some of the best we have ever had. My husband gave a thumbs up for light flakey crust on the homemade chicken pot pie. Thanks Cousins!
(5)Virgil K.
Love the place, the breakfast's are my favorite. Great American food and a solid notch or two above Denny's or Shari's. The burgers are fine (fries are great) but after the breakfast's what I really like are the Steak & Ribs or Home-Style entree's menu. Always a reliable stand-by.
(4)Ryan T.
Well I missed out on their cinnamon rolls, and didn't get to watch the complementary DVD, but I can't fault them for that. Their rooms are nice with a microwave and mini fridge. Pool and spa were kept open till 11:45pm when we were there, always a nice touch. but the bed...too small and the mattress was too hard. Word to the wise getting a tempurpedic in your home can spoil you.
(4)Linda S.
Good food Friendly service. While traveling stopped here for lunch. Very good! We ordered the patty melt and a salad with grilled chicken and lime vinegar dressing. Very yummy!
(3)Michael K.
Typical American food
(3)John O.
Strawberry Lemonade served in a boot-shaped glass with salt around the edge-- unique to say the least. The root beer (and maybe other soda) comes in a mason jar. They have a small gift shop, and their food is pretty good. They have many choices for cuisine-- my wife had chili & southern-style cornbread while I enjoyed coconut shrimp with aioli sauce. There also appears to be an inn connected to the restaurant. Definitely worth a stop.
(4)Kory T.
Down home country cooking. My wife drags me here every time we pass through The Dalles. I've never once had a bad tasting meal here and the portions are HUGE, but even if I don't finish, I still leave nauseous. Maybe it's just the type of food. The service can be hit or miss on occasion. Some of the waitressing staff are super friendly and others seem really bitter and hurried.
(3)Lisa W.
We stop here every time we drive through The Dalles, the food is always good. This would be our breakfast spot if it was closer to us
(5)Leang E.
When I arrived here, I nearly thought we were walking into a barn... It's got that Peanut Barrel type of restaurant feel. I felt so far away from Chicago, sitting inside the restaurant. I mean we were seated next to a John Deere tractor, and maybe there were haystacks around there or I could have imagined it. There's certainly a small town atmosphere, and the waitresses are like women you could see in movies. The food was good. I'm always a fan of bacon, and it's a little thicker sliced here, which I appreciated. I don't think it's pricey, but I can't compare it to any place else in town. The town seems widely stretched. I see a lot of barren land, and wide spaces in between buildings. I wonder if this place is as good as it gets...
(3)Dan W.
We were on a long drive, and The Dalles was an optimal stopping point for us. From the outside, Cousin's looks like a standard motel, and it largely is. Upon check in we were told that the room we were getting had just been renovated and that most of the others were currently getting the same treatment. Needless to say, I was curious to see what they looked like. First though, we needed to eat. The fact that they had a restaurant right on site was one of the reasons we pulled in. The desk clerk/manager proudly stated that the restaurant was the reason that Cousin's was "famous", so I had high expectations going in. Yes, everyone here does call you "cousin", which I personally found a bit odd and even off putting. Call me a city slicker, but I started to wonder when the group wedding was taking place. Still, staff was friendly and responsive. Food was a bit slow in coming, but it wasn't that busy so I wasn't surprised that they weren't working at full tilt that night. As for the food itself, it was .... ok. It wasn't bad, it was fine, but it wasn't something that would garner acclaim anywhere I've lived. It was basic, standard family restaurant fare. Nothing more. I wouldn't have thought twice about it if the restaurant hadn't been built up as something extraordinary. As we left the restaurant and moved towards our room, we walked past the pool. Again something that had been rather beamingly touted by the front desk, but in reality couldn't comfortably handle more than 6 people at a time. Now, the room. It was nice. Not exceptional, but nice. Clean, spartan but tasteful. Nice. I could see that the furniture was new, and the shower was nice and large (great for couples), but my expectations had been a bit raised at the front desk. It was a nice motel room, but not an extraordinary one. The bed was comfortable, the water was hot, and it had a nice air conditioner. There is an HDTV in the room, but the image quality was surprisingly poor. This has more to do with the signal than the screen, I'm sure. It might be more of a perk once the digital conversion goes into effect. So, ultimately, it's a nice motel. Clean, pleasant, friendly, but not extraordinary. I highly encourage people to stop of here as they travel, but don't want to raise anyone's expectations.
(3)Steven L.
My first experience with this location was 2 years ago after breaking down and needing to find a place to stay for the night. I have to say that hearing the sound of a cow mooing as I opened the door turned my perma frown upside down for just a moment. They own the hotel there too and so I was able to get a room (which comes with one free DVD rental per night) and could even partake in any of the DVDs on the spinner for the night. Unfortunately I was looking for a way to get my car home much more than watching Top Gun or Pretty Woman for the thousandth time. The food was awesome at the restaurant though. They serve drinks in the old mason jars which adds to the country feel. I even got to see a live radio show from the place the next morning at breakfast. I have since been back several times with my bosses as we travel between stores in my district. My most recent experience was yesterday and it lived up to my expectations once again. The familiar sound of the cow and someone behind the counter saying "howdy cousin" was refreshing to my ears. We discovered on a previous trip that the cinnamon rolls are amazing so my boss got one for us to share and one to take home to his wife (how nice of him) I only hope that he can be disciplined enough to actually get it home to her. They are pretty darned good. Thank you cousins for another great visit.
(5)Ben A.
Monster cinnamon rolls!!! It is worth stopping in just for one of these. They sell them at the Cracker Barrel type gift shop and it will take you all day to eat it by yourself. No joke, this thing could feed a family of four. Before I found out about the Baldwin Saloon, I used to eat here. The service and atmosphere are good, and the food is reasonably priced. I also liked the family orientation in the general dining area, and being able to watch the game and throw peanut shells on the ground in the bar. I can't explain it, but the food here just never sat right with me. It was like eating over at a friend's house and the other kid's mom cooks different than your mom. It's almost really good, but not quite. I think the problem is that they have such a huge menu and they serve breakfast all the time, so they do a whole bunch of things pretty well instead of doing a few things really well. This is the best place in The Dalles to sit down with the family. Everyone will find something they like, and it is affordable.
(3)Enoch H.
Service was great and the food was awesome. I was in the Dalles for work and will be back here for dinner next time I am in town.
(5)Kimberly M.
Welcome to cousins country inn!! Also.. cousin's restaurant saloon and gift shop! I love it here! I have never had a bad experience:) the staff is always overly friendly and the food is extraordinary! Everything I've tasted is GREAT and I am a total picky eater, even though I like yo try everything at least once. Every one that works here has a great sense of humor and is very sweet. Constantly smiling ands very attentive to your needs. I love taking my husband and two kids here and sitting next to the full sized old fashioned john Deere tractor they really get a kick out of it and then when I don't have my kids I make sure to sit in type gandydancer saloon where they have a full bar with plenty of booths and tables with chairs as well as the same full menu but with more deals and the same friendly fast service as the family side. Tuesday night is called taco Tuesday with tacos they only make on Tuesday for a dollar a piece and margaritas for just THREE BUCKS! Wednesday nights it's the rock bottom Wednesday with a cousins Burger, a beer and BOTTOMLESS fries for only SIX bucks!! The deals are both from 5pm-10pm each night and then there are all kinds of happy hours with 1/2 priced appetizers and this place will just keep u coming back for more! The management even.. now this is the part that gets me right in my happy place.. the management literally spends almost no time in the office. They help the cooks, they help the servers, they help the bartenders, they even help the hostesses. They are extremely friendly, completely understanding and if u are the LEAST bit unsatisfied with ANYTHING they will do anything to make up for it! This restaurant is definitely aiming for number one in customer service and as far as I'm concerned, they are!!!!!
(5)Bobby D.
A very down home type place that serves traditional style meals. Located off I-84 2nd the dalles exit going east. Really not too bad of a place for the dalles. The farm and railroad style decor is great for those interested in history of the area. They even have a tractor inside and you can have your picture taken outside at various props. The water is served in mason jars and the bathroom has old well style faucets. When you walk in, the greeter will say to you "howdy cousin". A little different. Not sure what i think about that one. Anyway, the servers are real nice even the ones not serving you. I ordered a cousin burger with fries. I got my meal in about 15 to 20 minutes. The burger was good and came with lettuce and onion. The patty was probably a 1/3 pound. The fries were ok (very salty - heart attack and high blood pressure on a plate). The meal cost me around $8.29. The atmosphere was great, the burger was good, but not worth the $8.29 they suck out of your wallet (what ever happened to the $6 burger). I would go back to try some of the other interesting items on the menu. They have wireless internet and serve breakfast all day!
(3)Doug M.
This is an interesting place. It has an extensive down-home menu with all of the usual comfort foods served in enormous portions. And everything tastes great with gravy. It's a popular meeting place for locals. There's not a hint of kitsch or trendiness. It's unapologetically home-spun, down to the mooing cow that greets you when you open the door and the "Howdy Cousin!" from the servers. If you want a good burger, breakfast at 4 in the afternoon or mashed potatoes and gravy, come here. If you're worried about your HDL levels, don't.
(3)Daniel B.
Always love eating here when we come to town, always great food
(5)Barbara E.
I have had chili in too many places to count and Cousin's has the best anywhere, hands down! They were kind enough to give me the recipe. Everything else I or my friends have had was always very good and tasted homemade, unlike the crap you get at Denny's and for about the same prices.
(4)Thomas S.
Freindly service. Great (but expensive) onion rings. Chili was good, but unlike previous reviewer,not the best I ever had. I'd stop again.
(4)Mark F.
Very nice front desk. Rooms are very nice. The plasma tv was a nice touch.
(5)Jim G.
We stopped in The Dalles on a monday afternoon, after a long drive from Boise, Drove through town and stopped at Cousins because it didn't seem to be a chain establishment and it had an onsite restraunt, of the same name, advertising MNF. I called from the parking lot and asked for a single bed. The clerk was very helpful, said the only singles available were ones with a kitchenette but that he would give it to me for the same price as a regular single. I walked inside and booked room. Staff was very friendly. The room had a king size bed that was firm and comfortable. It had a small fridge with freezer. The room was older and had a few signs of age but was very clean. The shower was one of the best i've ever had. I think the room we got was one of the older ones. There are others you can tell are more updated. Was happy with our overnight stay.
(3)Ray P.
great home style food--outstanding service---awesomely large portions. definitely a stop next time I'm thru.
(4)Jason H.
Friendly staff, but sometimes slow service. The food is ok, though it seems that some of it is premade. You get good sized portions that make up for some of the wait and average quality. They do have some good cinnamon rolls that they make daily. We went there on mothers day for brunch and my daughters birthday and they gave my wife a jar of their colored sugar for moms day, and sang a birthday song and gave her a cupcake and card with her pic in it that they took, it was nice, and not something places do nowdays.
(3)Joey F.
Yes, you can throw your peanut shells on the ground, depending on where you sit of course. This sit down restaraunt is attached to the Cousin's Inn, sitting directly off of I-84 in The Dalles, and serves a large number of travelers as well as hungry locals throughout the year. The dining area is broken up into a couple different sections, smoking, non-smoking, and a bar room. You can throw your peanut shells on the floor of the bar room. The menu covers a wide variety of American breakfast favorites such as western omelettes, biscuits and gravy, and chicken fried steak. Those are a couple of my favorites; I can't begin to cover the entire menu. If you're not hungry for breakfast, that's ok; they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day. You can also find a good burger, steak, or salad here. Worth checking out.
(4)