We always loved coming to the iron skillet for years. Within the last couple of years that has really gone downhill. We were just in there recently there is no iron skillet plates being used it's just all regular plating and food was just mediocre. There was hardly anyone in there. The food used to be exceptional along with the waitresses but not anymore. It's very sad to say but we will not be back read more

I don't leave many reviews but tonight's dinner quality requires me to leave a review so hopefully same does not happen to you. At 7:30 tonight I ordered the pot roast for dinner. The pot roast looked like it came out of a can. The macaroni and cheese was so hard that I think they cooked it at Noon and it just sat in the pan all day, the mashed potatoes and gravy was not even warm. Server came over and said it looks like you did not enjoy your food. I did not. Did not ask me if I wanted something else, just brought me the bill. Please stay away from here. You are not missing out on anything. read more

My group made reservations on October 6 for a large group in the back room. Today, when we arrived at the restaurant, the entrance was gated off. We spoke to the people inside and told them we had reservations. The woman, looked at me, said we are closed and shrugged her shoulders. Spoke to another woman, asked why we were not notified. She shrugged her shoulders and said "oh well". We had to call numerous restaurants to see if they could accommodate a large group. I would recommend to not make reservations with this restaurant as they cannot be trusted. read more

Stopped for dinner. Ordered the "guest favorite" chicken parmesan. Not so great. Serving size good. Chicken good. Tomato sauce had no seasoning and wasn't warm. Like they dumped a can on top of my food. My fiancé had a decent meal. So maybe I just chose wrong. read more

Truck stop diner... nothing fancy, lots of comfort. Staff was friendly and attentive. Designated professional driver seating area. Outlets for chargers or laptops at every booth and counter seat. Coffee was much better than expected, and you get your own little carafe. Country gravy is fair, biscuits were flaky, pork chops come deep-fried or grilled, bacon was thin sliced, rye bread was great. 2 breakfasts and 2 drinks for just under $40. read more

I just don't like the atmosphere! The food has always been okay. It sits on a hot bar waiting for people to pick it over. Over time it gets pretty picked over and very dried out, very unpleasant and unappealing to the eye. There are usually a couple of flies around the food area and it's very open. I've been there a couple of times, enough to know that it's not changing in its ways. So I just have made the decision to not return to there. Kori McBrayer read more

Where to begin? I first came here in 1999 with my grandma and it was such a great experience. I came here many years later with my wife on our way home from the monster truck show in Red Bluff and it was just as great as the first time. The atmosphere felt just like it did back when I first came here in all the best ways!! We have made it a tradition every year to come back on our way home. This is about the 6th or 7th year we have and every time we are here it feels like we were just here the other day. The food is always so good!! (The cheese curds are an experience to not be missed) The staff is beyond amazing!!! Payton is one of the friendliest servers I have ever had!!! Troy is such a great manager/cook and keeps this place in tip top shape. We will always come back thanks to the wonderful food and wonderful staff!!! I highly recommend stopping by whether you are going north or south on I-5!!! read more

Very delicious place! Although it is inside of a gas station customer service was great Fast seating Food arrived fast. Pancakes were the best part. read more

Iron Skillet - a person eating breakfast at a restaurant - American Near Me - Corning, California

Stopped here late at night on our drive down to SoCal from Seattle. What an interesting place! We've never seen a restaurant set up like this place, which is definitely tailored to truckers and career drivers. It was kind of cool to see their buffet and counter set-ups, very unique. We got service from a few different staff and they were all so friendly and kind. If I was working those hours I'd be exhausted and grumpy, but everyone working here was very chipper. The food itself was decent diner style fare, nothing overly special but definitely not bad!! read more

Iron Skillet - Bacon and eggs breakfast plate - American Near Me - Corning, California

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We were traveling back home and decided to grab a bite to eat. The waitress came to our table right away and took our drink orders. She returned a short time later and took our food orders. I had the biscuits, sausage gravy and two over medium eggs. A very hefty serving size. Everything was good and we both enjoyed the food. read more

Iron Skillet - Soup, salad and breakfast bar. - American Near Me - Corning, California

After reading the reviews, I still had doubts; however, since my buddies and I were already here, we thought we would give it a try. When we came inside, a waitress told us to find any seating we wanted, which were quite plentiful. Although there were plenty of workers there, we didn't get menus at all, so we ended up grabbing some after five minutes of waiting. After we were inside for 10 minutes, we were finally asked about drinks. After another 5, two waters came as requested, but mine took an additional 5. A friend and I got the buffet. The other had steak and eggs, ordered medium rare; however, that didn't came out as requested, but instead came medium well. The meat tasted quite normal as any Denny's could possibly serve. The toast, eggs, and hash browns, all normal. Nothing spectacular. So, how about our buffets, right? The best part was the beginning. The salad. It was just downhill from there. I tried a little of everything to figure out what was good... NADA! Maybe just the chicken enchilada was good; everything else, just decent or below average. The salsa (pico de gallo) tasted like it was made 5 days ago. The fried chicken, although I got it minute after it came out the kitchen, tasted like it was reheated. The roast beef was dried out, so they left it in the au jus liquid to rehydrate it for your pickings. The mash potatoes were decent.. As well as the sauces, both white and brown. The meat loaf is the only protein that might be worth it, but age does nothing wrong to it, so cannot tell if its old for that flavoring to occur. Ok, I was wrong on one thing, the baked chicken was actually the best protein. It was freshly out the kitchen and tasted as so!!! Only part of the buffet that was right, other than the clean salad bar! NOTE: If you go here, enjoy the ride... Cause it is definitely a sketchy wooden coaster. Tip: Skip the soups and desserts altogether. read more

Iron Skillet - Buffet - American Near Me - Corning, California

Good service and food! Patty Melt was perfectly cooke! Our server was super busy yet still exceptional and pleasant

This is the BEST diner I have ever been to. Delicious food at great prices. CLEAN Restrooms!! I love the atmosphere and prompt, friendly service. The coffee was transcendent. We really want to try that all-you-can-eat Breakfast buffet next time we come. They have a very impressive menu, with lots of options. Kids eat free on Sundays. For Road-trips up and down the i5, the location is extremely convenient. read more

Iron Skillet - This cozy little spot is right off the i5. One of the best litter diners I have ever been to. Lovely atmosphere, great coffee, good deals - American Near Me - Corning, California

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Great service and always good food. Weather in Wa state or Ca. If we pass by while traveling that's where we stop,

This place rules, the food is delicious. They portion size is amazing they give you a lot of food for you're money. One of my favorite places. read more

Good service in this truck stop diner. It was known for good prices and good portions and a fun breakfast buffet. The buffet is no longer open and the food is still good but boy oh boy have the prices gone up. Breakfast with my wife today after tip $70.00. Come on that is obviously too much for a truck stop diner breakfast. read more

This is one of those times where I should have trusted my gut feeling, and not Yelp. Even though the Denny's across the street received less than stellar reviews, even less than Iron Skillet, I know that Denny's will at least be somewhat good. The gas station restaurant looked nice, but both the food, and the service were lacking. Our waitress said "Hi.", and I'm pretty sure that's the extent of our entire conversation with her. She was like a robot. The food might have been bountiful, but it was also bland. I ordered the veggie omelet, with a side of grits, and whole wheat toast. The grits tasted as plain and boring as you can get, even after adding butter, and seasoning it with pepper. The omelet looked bad, and tasted worse. Again, the flavor was simply not there. If nothing could taste like anything, it would be this. The best part of the meal was the whole-wheat toast, and even that was bad. I would highly recommend checking out Denny's across the street. The reviews might not be so good, but it's still more than likely you will have a better experience. read more

Iron Skillet - coffee - American Near Me - Corning, California

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It's a roadtrip staple, and my wife's childhood tradition, to stop at Iron Skillet when traveling between Sacramento and Dunsmuir. First, it's a diner geared toward truckers. As such, it's everything a diner should be: - There's a buffet of comfort food if you're in a hurry. - There's a salad bar if you're in a hurry and want some greens. - Menu options are typically high-calorie, you know, like at a diner. - There's a separate area for Truckers, because they work hard, and don't want to listen to your baby cry for an hour. Food has been consistently good, for years. Not Michelin-star, and it shouldn't be. Set your expectations, and you won't be disappointed. We've been satisfied every single time. read more

This location is CLOSED. They have stated they will remain closed until all covid restrictions are lifted. It has been closed almost a year. We recommend visitors try the local pizza and mexican food restaurants in town. read more

I am not a road warrior. So on a trip to Mount Shasta that required me to be stuck in a car for almost 4 hours, I was going to need a few breaks. I was checking Yelp all along our route in a quest to find some lesser-known gems in some lesser-known towns. Along came Corning and the Iron Skillet. I wondered if this was where they made the dishes and cookware of the same name. After briefly checking out the truck stop mini mart next to Iron Skillet, I immediately noticed the buffet set-up inside. Could it be? Here??? See, to the detriment of my waistline, I love buffets. Not because I like to stuff myself silly, I just love CHOICES. It actually makes a lot of sense for a place that caters to truckers when you think about it. As nice as it is for impatient me to not have to wait around for the food, I bet it's great for them to be able to eat & run. The food was much better than I expected and the selection was impressive. They had an egg scramble that was one of those "kitchen sink" kind of dishes. Ham, chorizo, potatoes, peppers...you name it, it was in there. French toast and pancakes weren't very fresh, but there were biscuits & gravy, sausage, sliced ham, cereal and yes, even a salad bar to make up for it. Although we both went for the reasonably priced(about $10) buffet, there was also a menu available. The bathrooms were spacious, clean, and had a surprisingly feminine touch. There were oodles of goodies by the register to tempt on the way out. Homemade fudge and chocolates, saltwater taffy, and mints in personalized tins were just a few of the check-out counter offerings. People were friendly even as they watched the weird girl taking pictures of the buffet. Never did find out if this is the home of CorningWare. read more

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Ok, I have to support this place. The last thing I thought I'd find in this somewhat remote farming area of California is a decent egg white veggie omelet, but I got a super one! Fresh and lovely. Piping hot coffee- not gourmet, but come on! You don't come to a place called "iron skillet" for a caramel mocchachino! It's fresh drip filter, and you get your own pot! I do 5 stars or one star. I'm black and white, baby. Love it or hate it. I gave these guys 5 stars because they are worth it, and because one star reviews of this place that suggest "shoulda gone to Denny's because at least it's reliable" don't do it justice. I can argue the thought process- at Denny's you would most definitely prepare yourself for a one-star experience, and I guess then the crappy meal would be no surprise. Iron Skillet was simple and good. I ate a monster breakfast, and paid 14 bucks. Yeah- that'll be just fine! Thank you! read more

I had the buffet all you can eat and there is so many things going to choose from that one trip is definitely enough. Great service and clean too. read more

Food is always great and staff is always friendly. I came here a couple times a week when I traveled through constantly and if i wanted good quick food is always stop in! They make the best omlettes ive had from anywhere and they let you custom order it any way you want and dont charge you an arm and a leg for it either!! read more

We've been here for breakfast many times and it is usually good. Dinner is a different story....it took 45 minutes for a hamburger steak and chili burger! Lukewarm French fries accompany my husbands mediocre chili burger. My hamburger steak was ordered medium and came WELL DONE. My loaded baked potato was full of large diced onions why???? My kids had the buffet and struggled to find edible options. They said the noodles in the soup were slimy. The mac and cheese was like paste, cupcakes and cornbread were hard like bricks. 4 of us ate and the bill was $72.00. NOT WORTH IT!!! read more

This was a great place too eat! It is a buffet or you can order from the menu. Everything was delicious! We will definitely stop here again. We are always going up North and this area is a good place to stop. read more

Wow, how could anyone give this place more then 2+ stars! We were driving N. got hungry and got off the freeway. McDonalds, Denny's, Iron Skillet hmm, looked like a better bet than the others. Went in to see how it looked. Looked OK, country style with a fudge stand and a convenience store. Service was quick and sat us right away. It was the food that brought this all down. I ordered a burger and my friend ordered a Chicken Fajita. The menu said, Burgers are "fully cooked" unless you request otherwise. I asked for Medium Rare as it said I could. As a side, I got the Chicken Rice soup. Soup was old. The rice had become "mush" although the chicken in the soup was like home style the fact that it was old made it barely tolerable The burger was cooked medium, which is fine for me. The problem was that it had that "meat is tainted" flavor. I should have sent it back and ran, but I ate 1/2 of it because I was hungry. I took my medicine, so to speak. I can live with even a well done burger, but that "meat has been around too long" flavor was enough to motivate me to write. My friend said that the chicken fajita was so tasteless it was barely edible. He said there was some kind of sauce in it that was awful. In hindsight, grabbing a burger or such at McDonalds would have been way better. I actually read the reviews on my phone in the bathroom, just prior to sitting at the table. I wish that my review had been up for me to read, but then again, I would not have had the incentive to write this. A catch 22 for sure. read more

This place is not good anymore. Used to be really good before COVID. Now it's not so good and it takes forever.

All food was stale or old!!! I critique food over service and well iron skillet's food deserves lower than a 1 star. How we managed to get thro the meal, well we we're quit hungry.. but their buffet was terrible. All the food tasted as if it had been sitting all day on the heaters and was even made perhaps the day before and reheated. If not days old. Bread sticks were rock hard, fried meats hard and greasy, hush puppies were like golf balls, worst water logged day old corn cob in my life, cooked frozen carrots & green beans were also water logged, soups taste like canned... Then dessert I couldn't muster to try, but my partner said the brownies were soo dry and was scared to try the other sweets. They all looked very much like they were bought in store. Salad bar was the only decent thing.... Hope I don't get food poisoning! read more

We ended up here by mistake, we were looking for a different type of meal and we were very surprised by what they had. The buffet was delicious, fresh salads, 2 different kind of soups and plenty of meat. Not to forget the deserts, brownies and chocolate mousse were made to perfection. read more

We decided to stay the night at a nearby hotel and stopped in for dinner. I had the Steak & Potato Skillet w/sourdough bread. It was delicious and very flavorful, I was stuffed by the end. The place is cute, it's set up as a store/game room/candy shop/restaurant. It's a little dated, but has cute accents. It caters mostly to truck drivers, but the staff is incredibly friendly. My dad's silverware looked dirty (soap residue), so the waitress quickly replaced it with cleaner silverware and profusely apologized. Overall I liked the place, the staff was great and the food delicious. If you're traveling through on the 5, it's a great place to stop off. read more

Had a real bad meal last night. Ran out of clam chowder, only 5pm. The hamburger was cold and hard to eat. The shrimp was over cooked.

We are displaced by the CapFire and had dinner at Iron Skillet. We were hungry and we used to come here once a month in early 2000. In fact my husband who drive truck all the time loved this place. The food we had was mediocre to bad. Patty melt with sourdough bread and not rye was sent back 3 times with no rye bread and pasta primavera with slimy uncooked vegetables, cold fries. We again tried this place on a busy Saturday night and the salad bar didn't get replenished. I had the fried fish and my first bite tasted odd and oil gushed in my mouth. I ate a few tater tots and the taste in my mouth was horrible. I only ate half as not feeling good at that point My husband had the shrimp and he said was ok and also tater tots. By the time we got home (15 min later) I was sick and had severe diarrhea. The same taste I had going in was now leaving. Sick till 3 in the morning. We will eat at Denny's as never had an issue there read more

Went for dinner the second time since they reopened from pandemic. 1.5 hours later we were done. Over 30 minutes to get a soda, then another 30 minutes to take our order. Very unorganized and slow service. Food was ok although I got my salad with my dinner so my potatoes got cold while I ate my salad. They need some work on things. read more

This is a very good place for breakfast they have a breakfast buffet that looked really good. We ordered from the menu . I ha a egg white veggie omelette and it was very good. Husband had bacon and eggs also very good. And a very friendly staff. read more

My family was in town for the weekend so we stopped in for dinner. I am a foodie so my standards for food are farely high. We waited for 20 minutes just to order. The waitress quoted us 15-20 minutes for food coming out of the kitchen so we were fine with that and ordered. It took about 50 mins instead for our food to arrive. Luckily we all ordered entrees that came with a trip to the soup & salad bar to tied us over while we waited. In general the food was mediocre typical truck stop fare. The highlight for me was the salad bar which had a good variety of toppings and delicious dressings. I do NOT recommend ordering the entrees but the salad bar is worth it if your stopping in Corning for lunch or dinner. read more

Good food at reasonable prices. We stop here for breakfast anytime we are coming through Corning and always enjoy the chicken fried steak. It is a huge portion so we usually split the meal. Today we were here at lunch time so hubby still had a breakfast and I had a delicious chicken club. It wasn't put together like a typical club but more like a burger which was great without all the extra bread. The service was superb - friendly, efficient and accommodating. Guadalupe is a wonderful additional to the waite staff. She is observant and extremely efficient, constantly keeping empty tables cleared and stocked. She seems to always have a smile for even what I observed as a somewhat difficult customer. As a person who has worked in restaurants, it is delightful to watch a young person demonstrate such good skills. read more

My Truck was in the shop for repairs, since last night. The shop gave me a Complementary Voucher for a meal, so I decided to have some breakfast. I decided to have the 14oz Top Sirloin & Eggs. It was GOOD, more than I could eat, saved 1/2 of it for later. Brook my waitress was Very Attentive & Friendly, always making sure all was well, or if I need anything. It was Good, so Stop in if you are Hungry & Enjoy!!! read more

Iron Skillet - Steak & Eggs & Hash Browns & Garlic Toast - American Near Me - Corning, California

Very good home town food. I love the chicken fried steak which they prepare from scratch. Sausage gravy or white gravy. Last night we arrived and learned that the power had been out in the huge North State storms. Truckers were parked everywhere and the Iron Skillet had been shut down. Power came on and the Manager had just called the staff to return. Within a half hour we were seated, the grills and ovens heated and our orders taken. Staff was cheerful and food was great as always. read more

Good value. I've stopped here several times and have always had good food, plentiful amounts, and very pleasant waitresses. It is convenient to on/off freeway ramps and connected with a very large gas station. Considering that Corning is in the middle of nowhere, this is a good place to stop for a meal. They are open 24 hours and it is a nice, warm and safe spot to shake off the dregs of driving and relax a bit. I enjoyed their buffet which has a variety of items, your typical fare, with a great salad bar. Even when the buffet closing time is nearing, I saw the waitress putting out fresh items so that the buffet never looked like it was running out of food. The buffet area was kept very clean and presentable. I've read other reviews and I can say categorically that I've never run into flies, bad food, or food that was worse than McDonald's. Really? It's hard to imagine food worse than McDonald's or any other choke-and-puke in my estimation. But there are many of those types of restaurants at this freeway exit. They have a menu item of Louisiana white fish that is especially good. I like the fact that they serve everything in skillets, even at the salad bar. Fun. read more

Ahhhh, how I love these sit down diners when on a road trip!! This diner is also a truck stop which is pretty unique (and open 24hrs). They have a large convenient style store in the same building. Now the diner itself is clean, friendly servers and front counter staff. The food here is pretty good 9.5/10. While your food does come out in a timely manner, don't expect it to come out in a flash. This is the kind of diner where you come to relax and not rush anything. So pretty much laid back. I had the chicken fried steak which came out good. Crispy, juicy, and nice creamy gravy to top it all off. The garlic bread was fresh and buttery (yummy). The soups that are complimentary with some orders (salads as well) are delicious. 2 soups to choose from (chicken tortilla soup, and beef stew) both delicious. Overall, fresh American comfort food at reasonable prices and friendly staff. If your traveling up northern CA and love those sit in diners then visit a town called Corning and check out the iron skillet!! read more

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