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    Kernel Restaurant

    3.9 (70 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Kernel Restaurant Photos

    KERNEL RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Kernel Restaurant

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    French toast and sausage links
    Nicole W.

    The atmosphere was very quaint. Reminded me of an old diner which was a nice change. The food was amazing. My husband had the hot beef sandwich which he said reminded him of his childhood it was so good! My daughter had the French toast and the amount of toast she got was insane! But she devoured it and said it was so good she didn't even need the butter. I had the meat and cheese omelette and it was so good and the perfect amount of meat, cheese and egg. I also had the sourdough with it and it was so fresh and delicious. My family definitely recommend this place if you are passing through or visiting Owatonna like we are.

    Kathleen K.

    Good food and good prices! Very quick service on weekdays, especially in the morning and during the lunch hour. Attentive staff who will keep the coffee flowing. The menu is full of tasty midwestern classics... think split pea and ham soup and jello based pie options... lots of nostalgia available! They always have specials going... combos and free this and that if you buy one thing or another. One thing to watch out for is the entrance to the parking area via the motel is somewhat disintegrated with lots of potholes etc. so drive carefully :)

    Ethan T.

    The service was quick & terrific. It's nice that coffee is included in the morning breakfast specials. An entire urn is brought to the table! I ordered the chicken fried steak recipe. The hash browns were perfectly crisp. The eggs and toast were good. I've had chicken fried steak many time in my life, and I've never had it served with a sausage gravy. I assume it was the same gravy that was served with the biscuits & gravy. The gravy was rather bland & not hot. The chicken fried steak itself was fine, but nothing special.

    Bean and Ham soup (with crackers )

    A wonderful family run restaurant!! Excellent tasting food, very personable wait staff, when looking for a "home-cooked" meal- this is the place to go!!

    Chorizo breakfast plate with wheat toast (add Tabasco for maximum flavor!)
    Erica C.

    Had a wonderful experience at Kernel! We camp in southern Minnesota once a year and we strolled upon this place while finishing our errands. The food was great: I had the Chorizo breakfast option and my boyfriend had the country fried steak which he loved. For two meals & a pot of coffee we only paid $25! Our server, Sam, was also fantastic. We ended up coming back three days in a row! Will definitely be back next year.

    Jonathan W.

    A pretty standard breakfast spot. Mediocre food for a fair price. We got 2 steak and egg breakfast and a single pancake with an orange juice and coffee for around $32. The service was great, very attentive server and got the food out quickly.

    Country fried steak, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and toast

    I came here this morning for the first time with my niece. We were pleasantly surprised by everything. The service was great, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was very welcoming with plenty of natural light and calm, soothing music. We would definitely come back again!

    Cod, fries, and garlic toast.
    Greg J.

    The Kernel's menu is traditional American. They offer a fairly wide variety of options, including their daily specials. They have a very loyal base of customers, most being 60 years and above. The service is very good. You generally get your food without a long wait. The prices are reasonable. They are probably best known for their breakfast and their pie. Their omelets are good and they have a dish named Kernel Favorite which is very good. It's ham and cheese, or sausage and green peppers, on top of eggs and hash browns. A beverage is included with your breakfast. The rest of the menu is consistently good but in no way outstanding. On my most recent visit I had the Friday fish special. It's 2, 3, or 4 pieces of fried cod with dinner roll and two sides. The cod had a nice light batter. It was white and firm but needed a little salt. The French fries were adequate. My clam chowder was a little disappointing. It was more of a potato chowder with hints of clam. It's a good place to get a nice, reasonably priced meal but you won't remember it a few days later.

    Counter dining area

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Yummy breakfast!!! Not the fanciest place but who cares if the food is perfect!!! Had the breakfast croissant sandwich!!!

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    10 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for the kind words :)

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    7 years ago

    Loved it from day one! You are a true cook to order restaurant. Why can't the other big names catch on.

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Great food at a great price what more can I say! The service is excellent and listening to the "Locals" conversations is interesting!

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for the kind words :)

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    15 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Brad O.

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    7 years ago

    Great place for breakfast! Fast service nice staff and great food! Everything is fresh and well prepared. The pie is to die for!

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    7 years ago

    One of the better places to go in owatonna. Very reasonably priced with home cooked food. Lots to chose from on the menu.

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    10 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for the kind words :)

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    9 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for your kind words.

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for the kind words :)

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    9 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    8 years ago

    A little old fashioned which makes it nice, still my favorite place to go for breakfast.

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    12 years ago

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    Brad O.

    Thank you for the kind words! :)

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Kernel Restaurant

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    Buckboard

    Buckboard

    4.1(155 reviews)
    38.1 mi
    $

    Well, it took us 20 years to get here!! Have heard about the great food and it didn't disappoint…read more We will be back.

    I just wrote a review earlier this week, but I feel the need to follow up. So I went back and got…read morethe same Farmers Skillet to-go. It was still amazing! I still recommend getting it over hashbrowns, over-easy eggs, but this time I did hollandaise sauce and that was actually pretty good. I need to make a correction for my previous review because I feel bad. Buckboard does not charge a credit card processing fee. For some reason, I thought that I was charged one earlier in the week. So why is this still four stars? Well...this time the service/staff was less than ideal. When I called to place my order on the phone, the lady sounded very annoyed. Like the entire time I was placing my order - I felt uncomfortable and like I shouldn't be calling. When I got inside the restaurant to pick up my order, I'm 99% sure it was the same lady that took my phone order. She again seemed very annoyed and I felt very uncomfortable for being there. Like I had done something wrong. This time I also wasn't offered any jellies or hot sauce. I didn't feel like I should just ask because...I don't know, maybe those aren't supposed to be given out for free and it was just a nice thing the staff did for me earlier in the week? But I really missed having some strawberry jam with my toast. One thing I love about the toast when you get it to-go, they wrap it in a separately to keep it from getting soggy. I really liked this. Overall, I'm really sorry I made a mistake in my previous review about the credit card processing fee. I wish the service would've been better this time and from other reviews, it seems like it's definitely mixed. I still recommend giving Buckboard a shot, but don't go into a thinking it's going to be the best restaurant in the world. I really appreciate that ownership is looking at reviews!

    Photos
    Buckboard - Ruben- yummy just enough

    Ruben- yummy just enough

    Buckboard - Whats for breakfast. Yum.

    Whats for breakfast. Yum.

    Buckboard - Big generous breakfast!

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    Big generous breakfast!

    Benedict's - Hot chicken benedict

    Benedict's

    4.1(222 reviews)
    38.7 mi
    $$

    Had a Sunday breakfast at Benedict's Morning Heroes and it was a great experience…read more It's a little tough to find the first time - tucked up in the skyway - but that almost adds to it. Once you're in, it's a really cool space. Bright, energetic, a lot going on in a good way. You've got that steady breakfast crowd, coffee flowing, plates coming out - a fun place to sit and take it all in for a while. I ordered the Nordeaster lobster Benedict with hashbrowns and it was excellent. Big chunks of lobster, perfectly poached eggs, and a rich hollandaise that didn't overpower everything. The hash browns were crispy - just the way I like them. It's one of those meals where every bite is just...really good. You catch yourself slowing down because you don't want it to be over. The meal and experience were really, really good the whole way through. Coffee was solid too - kept it coming and it did the job. Overall, easy 5 stars. Great food, cool environment, and definitely a place I'll go back to.

    We had an amazing breakfast here! Don't let this slightly out-of-the-way location deter you. This…read morewas an awesome breakfast spot and the restaurant is pretty adorable. We had the sharable monkey bread (wish it had more cinnamon, but that's my personal preference). My wife had The Standard and the eggs were cooked perfectly (over medium) with bacon, breakfast potatoes, and sourdough. She's not really a breakfast potato person, but I kept reaching across the table to nab her perfectly twice fried hunks of deliciousness. I had the Chorizo & Cheese Tot Hash. I was a little surprised that it came with four (giant) tots, but once cut up it didn't matter. The chorizo was... odd. I'm from L.A. and whatever this chorizo was it wasn't made with the traditional seasonings I would expect from a chorizo. Nonetheless, it was absolutely delicious and I ate every bite. The sauce really put the whole thing over the edge. Can't wait to come back and try something different to explore the menu further on our next visit to Rochester.

    Photos
    Benedict's - Dining area

    Dining area

    Benedict's - Brunch

    Brunch

    Benedict's - Spicy Chicken Benedict

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    Spicy Chicken Benedict

    Kernel Restaurant - diners - Updated May 2026

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