Esther’s Restaurant
2957 State Rt 22, Fredericksburg, PA, 17026
Esther’s Restaurant Menu
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-
Address :
2957 State Rt 22
Fredericksburg, PA, 17026 - Phone (717) 865-4312
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Amanda G.
I expected diner food, but this was no diner. Breakfast wasn't being served at 12 noon on a Sunday and that really should have given me my first clue that this wasn't going to be what I expected. I think if you order really simple things like BLTs, grilled cheese sandwiches, or chicken fingers that you will be content. The soups suck and I'm sure they came out of a can. The more dinner/entree meals look like hospital food and I'm sure taste that way as well. There is a Subway a bit further down Rt. 22, and you'd be better off eating there for lunch. I'm sure the clientele wouldn't be so depressing.
(1)Carey S.
I don't know how this place only has 2.5 stars. The food was fresh and delicious! I had the homemade chicken salad and fresh made banana cream pie. The waitress was friendly and helpful! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Chris H.
I pass by whenever heading back home, and recently stopped hoping to find some delicious homemade pie. was definitely disappointed, not with the selection, or staff, but taste. If they're homemade, they use plain old pie filling, the berry pie was thick and sweet, no blend of flavors. Even the shoefly, which I hoped, due to location would be outstanding, was not half as good as my grandmother's. sigh.
(1)Chad Y.
Esther's is a must for anyone headed out route 78. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners are always filling. Just plain old good cooking!
(4)Kara A.
He's the thing. Esther's Restaurant is not good. You don't make a special trip to go to Esther's. But it's a good place to stop if you're hungry and passing by. We each had the grilled cheese. There was absolutely nothing special about it. It's your run of the mill grilled cheese. It comes with chips and not fries - which always annoys me! Everyone knows that fries are preferable to chips. But the grilled cheeses were $3 each, so how much can you really complain? We also ordered an appetizer of onion rings. I can't remember how much the onion rings cost but I'm sure it wasn't much. However, there were only a handful of onion rings on the plate that we received. These appetizers aren't the big appetizers that you'd get if you stopped by some mediocre chain restaurant like Chili's or Applebee's, but I guess they're also considerably cheaper. Unfortunately, I also felt like they were lower in quality. One of my onion rings was clearly made with the outer most layer of onion. I couldn't even bite through the onion because it was so rubbery and hard. Come on, Esther's... My BIGGEST complaint is that this place doesn't sell breakfast all day. It's not exactly a fine dining establishment. Why can't I order eggs at noon? I'll never understand this. Eh, stop at Esther's if you have to, otherwise, you'll be happier eating somewhere else.
(2)Haboo Z.
Service was good. The food was not very appetizing. Everything seemed fake/frozen to me. Side dishes were covered in clear wrap, so I am assuming they are made up in advance. I got one crab cake and it was as thin as a McDonald's cheeseburger. I was still hungry when I left.
(2)Cathy B.
Ate there a few weeks ago. The food was absolutely disgusting. I had meatlaof with a baked sweet potato and glazed carrots. The meatloaf was horrible. I took it home and gave it to my canine companions. My son had chicken croquettes, mashed potatoes with gravy and 2 other veggies. He didn't like the croquettes. The mashed potatoes, which were instant, tasted like they were made with water. The gravy didn't look real. I will never go back and I will never recommend this place to anyone, even my worst enemy.
(1)Cassandra C.
Got off the hwy in need of a good midway point, assessed the reviews and made a conscious choice to try out Esther's. On entering, all seemed as expected - decor is well-worn, simple. Got seated immediately and as soon as we all closed menus, a kind waitress came over to take our orders. We asked for her favorites and ordered - I got smoked pork chop with baked sweet potato and pickled cabbage with peppers. And I was very pleased! So naturally I wanted to try out the pie. We all ordered to share - rhubarb strawberry, blueberry crumble and apple. Rhubarb strawberry and blueberry crumble were really good counterpoints to their strong coffee. In all, this was a satisfying road stop experience. Thank you Esther!
(3)Tina Z.
Taking a drive out through the country and stopped here for an early dinner. A bit like stepping back in time, the decor and waitresses in white uniforms, not a fancy place. But skip over all frozen and fried menu items and go for the homemade stuff- PA Dutch Yummies: Chicken corn and rivels soup was so good, big chunks of nice chicken, and I love dumpling like rivels Chicken Croquettes - I had these growing up so I love them- ground seasoned and breaded chicken pyramids with gravy- look strange if you never had them but if made well they are yummy and these were yummy, served with mashed potatoes and I had the BEST homemade rhubarb pie! I was a in PA Dutch food heaven If you have a hankering for old fashion farm food you will like the homemade items at Esther's
(4)Caitlyn M.
I was very happy to find a good veggie burger here! That and the corn nuggets are both yummy. Finish the meal with their blueberry crumb pie, and I am a happy camper! Some of the waitresses are more friendly than others, and the decor isn't great, but overall I enjoyed it and went back more than once.
(4)Steve W.
Good breakfast, fast and courteous
(4)Patricia D.
Avoid. We saw the sign on I-78 and like to support local businesses over the chains. So - we decided to give Esther's a try - how bad could it be. Well - we were un welcomed from the moment we walked in. It clearly is a local joint and outsiders, especially those traveling on the highway - are not welcome. Everyone turned to look at us and stare. We began to think is there something on our face that is "freaky" and unpleasant to look at? We should have listened to our instincts, turned around and flee. But no - we were hungry - how bad could it be. Well - grilling a hamburger is beyond the capabilities of this restaurant. The patty was gray, flabby and cold. The bun was stale. The accompanying chips too were stale. While affordable - the food just was not worth eating. The welcome - did not exist. So, avoid! It takes 3 weeks to starve to death. Depending on the direction you are heading good chains can be found down the road in Allentown and Harrisburg. For the owner and locals, if you wish to keep Esther's a private secret - please remove signage from along I-78.
(1)Kevin A.
We stopped at this place for lunch on a recent drive out to Indy. It was a cold, damp and rainy day so good old fashioned comfort food sounded like just the thing. First of all, the place is, in my view, basically a diner and has to be judge as such. After browsing the menu I settled on that days special which was a bowl of soup and a burger and the wife lit up at the prospect of Chicken Pot Pie. The soup, a vegetable noodle, was fine and I eat it all fairly quickly. The burger was so-so. Your average frozen pattie cooked to well done served up on a bun. As I wasn't expecting much more than that I was not surprised. The Chicken Pot Pie was a surprise though. So much so in fact that my initial reaction was "What the hell is that? I thought you order Chicken Pot Pie??" Me, I've always considered a Chicken Pot Pie to consist of chicken, potatoes and veggies in some manner of chicken gravy covered by some manner of pastry. I will grant you that there are some variations to recipes but they pretty much all follow that general guideline. What was presented to my wife was chicken and dumplings, pure and simple and bad chicken and dumplings at that. Well, the dumplings weren't bad but the chicken was an unseasoned, overcooked, nearly tasteless grilled breast. My primary issue with the place is not that the food is mediocre. You pays your money and tales your chances in places like that. I do object however to their insistence that a bowl of chicken/dumplings somehow constitutes a Chicken Pot Pie. Other than the above, we were seated promptly, the staff was pleasant, and the service OK. However, given this experience I think I'll seek alternatives when in the area again.
(1)H E.
Keep going on the highway and don't bother. Everything is off the back of a sysco frozen food truck. Uninteresting. Waitresses were nice but so-so food is not worth eating.
(1)Leigh T.
Filled with locals, if you know what I mean. Food tasted like it was reheated and lacked flavor. Waitress was nice. Food and dinner rolls had the same taste, nothing. Two stars for quick service, too quick if you know what I mean. Very popular with the locals. Someone from New York City will feel like an alien here. Down home with a touch of moth balls.
(2)Tony G.
There are a number of ways to summarize a visit to Esther's Restaurant but none more telling than a description of our waitress, a microcosm of the entire experience. To protect the weak and innocent, I will call her Flo. She was friendly and attentive and pretended to give a shit just enough that the banter wasn't unbearably awkward. Despite Flo's semi-nauseating plastic charms and the delightful nonchalance of her beehive hairdo, there were clear signs of a sick desperation in her eyes and the flab from her drooping lunchlady arms slapped me in back of my head with each refill she poured. You see, Esther's Restaurant is similar in every way. From the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly smiles that at first appear welcoming if not downright charming. But make no mistake, the smiles exist only to mask piercing existential pain and conjure up images of how broken spirits sold into sex slavery would look towards each new customer that walks through the door as if silently begging to have their hellish lives snuffed out in a final act of mercy. There is no word more apt to describe my chicken wrap than "meh" and the experience was mutual among those at the table. A side of fruit appeared as what might have once been a fruitcake incinerated by 30 minutes in the microwave only to have the fire put out by a thorough drenching in pineapple juice and expired body oils. Despite the overwhelming mediocrity of the vast and often handwritten menu, the nagging sensation that something was terribly wrong with the food was only interrupted by a gelatinous lobe of underarm flab pummeling my temple as Flo poured a new cup of sour coffee reminding me that there indeed are things worse than death. The prices were fair but failed to disguise the weirdness of the management by charging $3.70 or $4.05 for crab cakes and various fried abominations. Future digestive complications were ensured by the septic tank sewage removal advertisement inserted between the deep-fried seafood and the children's sections of the menu. In conclusion, if you are starving and there is no place left on earth except this diner, you have my permission to eat here otherwise eat leaves and tree bark outside this forlorn roadside vortex of limp pickles and love handles.
(2)Heather F.
I visited Esther's on day 1 of a cross country trip. Rather than starting off our trip with fast food, we opted for a "home cooked" style meal. We saw the sign on the highway, and decided to give Esther's a try. At 2pm on a Saturday, the entire place was packed. Based on the looks I received from many of the restaurant patrons (and the conversations I overheard), I would guess that this is a local hangout, and that there are likely not a lot of tourists who stop in. I could be wrong though. Our waitress was extremely friendly, efficient, and helpful. Following her advice, I ordered the chicken croquettes and a side of mac and cheese. Very good! Of course, I tend to like anything fried (or cheesy), so I guess I am not too tough of a critic. My fiance ordered a BLT, which he finished off pretty quickly, so I am assuming that he liked it. If you are looking for simple and quick food, not too far from the highway, this would be a safe bet.
(3)Yan G.
Well, I guess no one bothered to review this place. I see how it is. Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here? My visit to Esther's was definitely not premeditated. We were driving east on I-78, and my friend saw the sign on the freeway. Esther's was about a mile off the beaten path, and we definitely didn't expect it to be that busy. Judging by the cars in the parking lot, Esther's was a favorite hangout of every cowboy, every cop and every retired couple within the 20-mile radius. We waited for a table for about 5 minutes. I am not sure why, but they made us wait in the small lobby, separated from the main room by a glass door. I was almost tempted to play the claw machine, but I remembered my "no gambling" vow and resisted the urge. Much to our disappointment, Esther's stopped serving breakfast at 11 am on Sundays. It was 11:10 am, and rules are rules. We had to order lunch. Of course, I had already had a delicious Dunkin' Donut for breakfast, so lunch was in order anyway. My friend said that it was traditional Central PA fare, although I had nothing to compare it to. Sadly, she said it after I had already ordered, so I didn't get a chance to try the chicken croquettes or anything else exciting. I tried the corn fritters, which looked and tasted like McNuggets with corn. Meh. I ordered a turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. The menu said that if I wanted my bread toasted, it would cost me 15 cents extra. I tried asking "What bread does it come with?" twice, but I didn't get very far. I did opt for a side of cranberry sauce for $0.60. The sandwich itself came on a giant plate drenched in gravy. Both the mashed potatoes and the sandwich were drowning in at least a 1/2 cup of gravy. The sandwich itself was an open-faced creation on two slices of Wonder bread with dark and white turkey meat in the middle. That's it. No condiments, no lettuce, no cheese. Gravy, gravy everywhere and not a sip to drink. All this for $6.95. My friends had different egg sandwiches, which were about $3 apiece and looked pretty small. It's fried egg on toasted wheat bread; how big can it be, right? The food here was simple and filling. The place looked clean and the waitresses were nice and efficient. It made me feel as though I was dining at my Grandma Esther's house (if I actually had a grandma Esther). As far as roadside diners go, Esther's is a safe choice. I wouldn't book it for your next gourmand meeting or for your club social, however.
(3)MoCe C.
If the car accident wasn't tramatic and shocking enough fate had to kick me in the stomach. Im so happy to be alive, but the chicken n fries, probably were made last century. So I would only send my boss to this place. By the way, this place will Not Serve breakfast after 11, the drone waittress won't even try to tempt the cooks at 11:16.
(1)Ayrton B.
I have an Uncle and Aunt who have eaten here nearly every Sunday for the past 40+ years. In all that time they have both ordered the Chicken Croquettes... every single time. This place is a fav of truck drivers and blue-hairs, its one step above a greasy-spoon diner. (Make that a half-step.) The food is average, the desserts are good and the prices are moderate.
(2)Esther S.
OK so here is how my husband & I came to stop at Esther's Restaurant. Driving past the sign I already wanted to eat there. My name is Esther & I never see my name on anything (shot glasses, magnets, etc.) so I said we have to stop here. Having no idea what the food would be like, I was enamoured with the name alone. As we entered, I told our server my name is Esther & she was delighted. Once seated, I noticed that my husbands' coffee mug had "Esther" printed on it and I had to have one. I asked to buy one & our waitress GAVE us 2 mugs with great pleasure. I ordered grilled cheese with bacon on rye because I thought, "how bad could that be?" Well basically inedible from the grilling in the most salted butter I ever tasted, to only one slice of white American cheese & only one slice of extremely salty bacon. The sandwich was approximately 3"x3" square & was cut in half. Thank God it wasn't bigger!! I was thirsty for hours afterwards. Yes I agree the patrons were on the very heavy side & everyone knew each other by name. As this must be the only game in town, this is gourmet to them. I must say thanks for the Esther mugs. We enjoy our morning coffee in them.
(2)becky k.
We stopped to eat at Esther's with a bunch of friends after a day at the Pa Farm Show. It was the first time for everyone else and they gave them 5 stars. I have eaten at Esthers since I was a child and I have never had a bad meal and we live 2 hours away! My dad went to Esther's over 50 years. He started out as a young truck driver and now at 84 years of age is happy when I bring him a take out tray with food . My daughter remembers my father saying when she was little want to go for a ride with me and mom mom and they go to Esther's for dinner. thanks becky (bucks county)
(5)Glenn T.
Ok food..little pricey...typical PA Dutch home cooking. The bacon and lettuce salad I had was not great-the lettuce was turning brown. I also got a cheeseburger and fries and it was very good. It is a so-so place and a nice stop when heading west towards harrisburg.
(3)Tyler H.
Fast and friendly! Note to visitors from other areas, this is diner food. It's Central PA style, simple foods with a lot of gravy and few spices. If you're looking for a gourmet restaurant, keep driving. If you want to taste what the locals consider a "nice meal out", stop in. You'll be eating with the people who live nearby, and more than a few truckers who love it as well. Always super-friendly and efficient. Comfort food.
(4)Carey S.
I don't know how this place only has 2.5 stars. The food was fresh and delicious! I had the homemade chicken salad and fresh made banana cream pie. The waitress was friendly and helpful! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Chris H.
I pass by whenever heading back home, and recently stopped hoping to find some delicious homemade pie. was definitely disappointed, not with the selection, or staff, but taste. If they're homemade, they use plain old pie filling, the berry pie was thick and sweet, no blend of flavors. Even the shoefly, which I hoped, due to location would be outstanding, was not half as good as my grandmother's. sigh.
(1)Chad Y.
Esther's is a must for anyone headed out route 78. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners are always filling. Just plain old good cooking!
(4)Kara A.
He's the thing. Esther's Restaurant is not good. You don't make a special trip to go to Esther's. But it's a good place to stop if you're hungry and passing by. We each had the grilled cheese. There was absolutely nothing special about it. It's your run of the mill grilled cheese. It comes with chips and not fries - which always annoys me! Everyone knows that fries are preferable to chips. But the grilled cheeses were $3 each, so how much can you really complain? We also ordered an appetizer of onion rings. I can't remember how much the onion rings cost but I'm sure it wasn't much. However, there were only a handful of onion rings on the plate that we received. These appetizers aren't the big appetizers that you'd get if you stopped by some mediocre chain restaurant like Chili's or Applebee's, but I guess they're also considerably cheaper. Unfortunately, I also felt like they were lower in quality. One of my onion rings was clearly made with the outer most layer of onion. I couldn't even bite through the onion because it was so rubbery and hard. Come on, Esther's... My BIGGEST complaint is that this place doesn't sell breakfast all day. It's not exactly a fine dining establishment. Why can't I order eggs at noon? I'll never understand this. Eh, stop at Esther's if you have to, otherwise, you'll be happier eating somewhere else.
(2)Amanda G.
I expected diner food, but this was no diner. Breakfast wasn't being served at 12 noon on a Sunday and that really should have given me my first clue that this wasn't going to be what I expected. I think if you order really simple things like BLTs, grilled cheese sandwiches, or chicken fingers that you will be content. The soups suck and I'm sure they came out of a can. The more dinner/entree meals look like hospital food and I'm sure taste that way as well. There is a Subway a bit further down Rt. 22, and you'd be better off eating there for lunch. I'm sure the clientele wouldn't be so depressing.
(1)Haboo Z.
Service was good. The food was not very appetizing. Everything seemed fake/frozen to me. Side dishes were covered in clear wrap, so I am assuming they are made up in advance. I got one crab cake and it was as thin as a McDonald's cheeseburger. I was still hungry when I left.
(2)Cathy B.
Ate there a few weeks ago. The food was absolutely disgusting. I had meatlaof with a baked sweet potato and glazed carrots. The meatloaf was horrible. I took it home and gave it to my canine companions. My son had chicken croquettes, mashed potatoes with gravy and 2 other veggies. He didn't like the croquettes. The mashed potatoes, which were instant, tasted like they were made with water. The gravy didn't look real. I will never go back and I will never recommend this place to anyone, even my worst enemy.
(1)Cassandra C.
Got off the hwy in need of a good midway point, assessed the reviews and made a conscious choice to try out Esther's. On entering, all seemed as expected - decor is well-worn, simple. Got seated immediately and as soon as we all closed menus, a kind waitress came over to take our orders. We asked for her favorites and ordered - I got smoked pork chop with baked sweet potato and pickled cabbage with peppers. And I was very pleased! So naturally I wanted to try out the pie. We all ordered to share - rhubarb strawberry, blueberry crumble and apple. Rhubarb strawberry and blueberry crumble were really good counterpoints to their strong coffee. In all, this was a satisfying road stop experience. Thank you Esther!
(3)Tina Z.
Taking a drive out through the country and stopped here for an early dinner. A bit like stepping back in time, the decor and waitresses in white uniforms, not a fancy place. But skip over all frozen and fried menu items and go for the homemade stuff- PA Dutch Yummies: Chicken corn and rivels soup was so good, big chunks of nice chicken, and I love dumpling like rivels Chicken Croquettes - I had these growing up so I love them- ground seasoned and breaded chicken pyramids with gravy- look strange if you never had them but if made well they are yummy and these were yummy, served with mashed potatoes and I had the BEST homemade rhubarb pie! I was a in PA Dutch food heaven If you have a hankering for old fashion farm food you will like the homemade items at Esther's
(4)Tyler H.
Fast and friendly! Note to visitors from other areas, this is diner food. It's Central PA style, simple foods with a lot of gravy and few spices. If you're looking for a gourmet restaurant, keep driving. If you want to taste what the locals consider a "nice meal out", stop in. You'll be eating with the people who live nearby, and more than a few truckers who love it as well. Always super-friendly and efficient. Comfort food.
(4)Caitlyn M.
I was very happy to find a good veggie burger here! That and the corn nuggets are both yummy. Finish the meal with their blueberry crumb pie, and I am a happy camper! Some of the waitresses are more friendly than others, and the decor isn't great, but overall I enjoyed it and went back more than once.
(4)Steve W.
Good breakfast, fast and courteous
(4)Patricia D.
Avoid. We saw the sign on I-78 and like to support local businesses over the chains. So - we decided to give Esther's a try - how bad could it be. Well - we were un welcomed from the moment we walked in. It clearly is a local joint and outsiders, especially those traveling on the highway - are not welcome. Everyone turned to look at us and stare. We began to think is there something on our face that is "freaky" and unpleasant to look at? We should have listened to our instincts, turned around and flee. But no - we were hungry - how bad could it be. Well - grilling a hamburger is beyond the capabilities of this restaurant. The patty was gray, flabby and cold. The bun was stale. The accompanying chips too were stale. While affordable - the food just was not worth eating. The welcome - did not exist. So, avoid! It takes 3 weeks to starve to death. Depending on the direction you are heading good chains can be found down the road in Allentown and Harrisburg. For the owner and locals, if you wish to keep Esther's a private secret - please remove signage from along I-78.
(1)Tony G.
There are a number of ways to summarize a visit to Esther's Restaurant but none more telling than a description of our waitress, a microcosm of the entire experience. To protect the weak and innocent, I will call her Flo. She was friendly and attentive and pretended to give a shit just enough that the banter wasn't unbearably awkward. Despite Flo's semi-nauseating plastic charms and the delightful nonchalance of her beehive hairdo, there were clear signs of a sick desperation in her eyes and the flab from her drooping lunchlady arms slapped me in back of my head with each refill she poured. You see, Esther's Restaurant is similar in every way. From the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly smiles that at first appear welcoming if not downright charming. But make no mistake, the smiles exist only to mask piercing existential pain and conjure up images of how broken spirits sold into sex slavery would look towards each new customer that walks through the door as if silently begging to have their hellish lives snuffed out in a final act of mercy. There is no word more apt to describe my chicken wrap than "meh" and the experience was mutual among those at the table. A side of fruit appeared as what might have once been a fruitcake incinerated by 30 minutes in the microwave only to have the fire put out by a thorough drenching in pineapple juice and expired body oils. Despite the overwhelming mediocrity of the vast and often handwritten menu, the nagging sensation that something was terribly wrong with the food was only interrupted by a gelatinous lobe of underarm flab pummeling my temple as Flo poured a new cup of sour coffee reminding me that there indeed are things worse than death. The prices were fair but failed to disguise the weirdness of the management by charging $3.70 or $4.05 for crab cakes and various fried abominations. Future digestive complications were ensured by the septic tank sewage removal advertisement inserted between the deep-fried seafood and the children's sections of the menu. In conclusion, if you are starving and there is no place left on earth except this diner, you have my permission to eat here otherwise eat leaves and tree bark outside this forlorn roadside vortex of limp pickles and love handles.
(2)Heather F.
I visited Esther's on day 1 of a cross country trip. Rather than starting off our trip with fast food, we opted for a "home cooked" style meal. We saw the sign on the highway, and decided to give Esther's a try. At 2pm on a Saturday, the entire place was packed. Based on the looks I received from many of the restaurant patrons (and the conversations I overheard), I would guess that this is a local hangout, and that there are likely not a lot of tourists who stop in. I could be wrong though. Our waitress was extremely friendly, efficient, and helpful. Following her advice, I ordered the chicken croquettes and a side of mac and cheese. Very good! Of course, I tend to like anything fried (or cheesy), so I guess I am not too tough of a critic. My fiance ordered a BLT, which he finished off pretty quickly, so I am assuming that he liked it. If you are looking for simple and quick food, not too far from the highway, this would be a safe bet.
(3)Kevin A.
We stopped at this place for lunch on a recent drive out to Indy. It was a cold, damp and rainy day so good old fashioned comfort food sounded like just the thing. First of all, the place is, in my view, basically a diner and has to be judge as such. After browsing the menu I settled on that days special which was a bowl of soup and a burger and the wife lit up at the prospect of Chicken Pot Pie. The soup, a vegetable noodle, was fine and I eat it all fairly quickly. The burger was so-so. Your average frozen pattie cooked to well done served up on a bun. As I wasn't expecting much more than that I was not surprised. The Chicken Pot Pie was a surprise though. So much so in fact that my initial reaction was "What the hell is that? I thought you order Chicken Pot Pie??" Me, I've always considered a Chicken Pot Pie to consist of chicken, potatoes and veggies in some manner of chicken gravy covered by some manner of pastry. I will grant you that there are some variations to recipes but they pretty much all follow that general guideline. What was presented to my wife was chicken and dumplings, pure and simple and bad chicken and dumplings at that. Well, the dumplings weren't bad but the chicken was an unseasoned, overcooked, nearly tasteless grilled breast. My primary issue with the place is not that the food is mediocre. You pays your money and tales your chances in places like that. I do object however to their insistence that a bowl of chicken/dumplings somehow constitutes a Chicken Pot Pie. Other than the above, we were seated promptly, the staff was pleasant, and the service OK. However, given this experience I think I'll seek alternatives when in the area again.
(1)H E.
Keep going on the highway and don't bother. Everything is off the back of a sysco frozen food truck. Uninteresting. Waitresses were nice but so-so food is not worth eating.
(1)Leigh T.
Filled with locals, if you know what I mean. Food tasted like it was reheated and lacked flavor. Waitress was nice. Food and dinner rolls had the same taste, nothing. Two stars for quick service, too quick if you know what I mean. Very popular with the locals. Someone from New York City will feel like an alien here. Down home with a touch of moth balls.
(2)Yan G.
Well, I guess no one bothered to review this place. I see how it is. Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here? My visit to Esther's was definitely not premeditated. We were driving east on I-78, and my friend saw the sign on the freeway. Esther's was about a mile off the beaten path, and we definitely didn't expect it to be that busy. Judging by the cars in the parking lot, Esther's was a favorite hangout of every cowboy, every cop and every retired couple within the 20-mile radius. We waited for a table for about 5 minutes. I am not sure why, but they made us wait in the small lobby, separated from the main room by a glass door. I was almost tempted to play the claw machine, but I remembered my "no gambling" vow and resisted the urge. Much to our disappointment, Esther's stopped serving breakfast at 11 am on Sundays. It was 11:10 am, and rules are rules. We had to order lunch. Of course, I had already had a delicious Dunkin' Donut for breakfast, so lunch was in order anyway. My friend said that it was traditional Central PA fare, although I had nothing to compare it to. Sadly, she said it after I had already ordered, so I didn't get a chance to try the chicken croquettes or anything else exciting. I tried the corn fritters, which looked and tasted like McNuggets with corn. Meh. I ordered a turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. The menu said that if I wanted my bread toasted, it would cost me 15 cents extra. I tried asking "What bread does it come with?" twice, but I didn't get very far. I did opt for a side of cranberry sauce for $0.60. The sandwich itself came on a giant plate drenched in gravy. Both the mashed potatoes and the sandwich were drowning in at least a 1/2 cup of gravy. The sandwich itself was an open-faced creation on two slices of Wonder bread with dark and white turkey meat in the middle. That's it. No condiments, no lettuce, no cheese. Gravy, gravy everywhere and not a sip to drink. All this for $6.95. My friends had different egg sandwiches, which were about $3 apiece and looked pretty small. It's fried egg on toasted wheat bread; how big can it be, right? The food here was simple and filling. The place looked clean and the waitresses were nice and efficient. It made me feel as though I was dining at my Grandma Esther's house (if I actually had a grandma Esther). As far as roadside diners go, Esther's is a safe choice. I wouldn't book it for your next gourmand meeting or for your club social, however.
(3)MoCe C.
If the car accident wasn't tramatic and shocking enough fate had to kick me in the stomach. Im so happy to be alive, but the chicken n fries, probably were made last century. So I would only send my boss to this place. By the way, this place will Not Serve breakfast after 11, the drone waittress won't even try to tempt the cooks at 11:16.
(1)Ayrton B.
I have an Uncle and Aunt who have eaten here nearly every Sunday for the past 40+ years. In all that time they have both ordered the Chicken Croquettes... every single time. This place is a fav of truck drivers and blue-hairs, its one step above a greasy-spoon diner. (Make that a half-step.) The food is average, the desserts are good and the prices are moderate.
(2)Esther S.
OK so here is how my husband & I came to stop at Esther's Restaurant. Driving past the sign I already wanted to eat there. My name is Esther & I never see my name on anything (shot glasses, magnets, etc.) so I said we have to stop here. Having no idea what the food would be like, I was enamoured with the name alone. As we entered, I told our server my name is Esther & she was delighted. Once seated, I noticed that my husbands' coffee mug had "Esther" printed on it and I had to have one. I asked to buy one & our waitress GAVE us 2 mugs with great pleasure. I ordered grilled cheese with bacon on rye because I thought, "how bad could that be?" Well basically inedible from the grilling in the most salted butter I ever tasted, to only one slice of white American cheese & only one slice of extremely salty bacon. The sandwich was approximately 3"x3" square & was cut in half. Thank God it wasn't bigger!! I was thirsty for hours afterwards. Yes I agree the patrons were on the very heavy side & everyone knew each other by name. As this must be the only game in town, this is gourmet to them. I must say thanks for the Esther mugs. We enjoy our morning coffee in them.
(2)becky k.
We stopped to eat at Esther's with a bunch of friends after a day at the Pa Farm Show. It was the first time for everyone else and they gave them 5 stars. I have eaten at Esthers since I was a child and I have never had a bad meal and we live 2 hours away! My dad went to Esther's over 50 years. He started out as a young truck driver and now at 84 years of age is happy when I bring him a take out tray with food . My daughter remembers my father saying when she was little want to go for a ride with me and mom mom and they go to Esther's for dinner. thanks becky (bucks county)
(5)Glenn T.
Ok food..little pricey...typical PA Dutch home cooking. The bacon and lettuce salad I had was not great-the lettuce was turning brown. I also got a cheeseburger and fries and it was very good. It is a so-so place and a nice stop when heading west towards harrisburg.
(3)