We had cheeseburgers from the Senior menu. They were Ok, but nothing above average. The fries were a little under-cooked. The frustrating thing was that even the smallest substitution was not allowed. I asked for cheddar cheese, rather than American, and it was a no-go. Not even a small up-charge, just "can't do that with the 1/4 lb burger on the Senior Menu". We asked about a couple other items too, same response. The waitress seemed embarrassed by it, but said it was management policy. read more

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

Stopped in here on my way to Minneapolis and was really glad I did! The food was fantastic as was the service? Obviously there's a reason that they have been around for over 50 years. It's not visible from the highway but it's close. If you're traveling and are looking for some great diner type food, this is the place!! read more

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

We came here for breakfast and it was good. It wasn't superb but not bad. I did like that they use real eggs in their scrambled eggs. Service was also friendly and quick. I wish I would have tried their deserts because they looked homemade and tasty. The restroom was gross though. It smelled and was not too clean. read more

Just visiting from out of state. Not overly impressed with the food or desserts. Three people in our group. The fried cod was a big fish stick &the mac'n cheese was plain Kraft out of the box (definitely not worth the extra .99 to choose it as a side.) Most side items were a form of potato... No real vegetables. Seriously, no real vegetables. Coconut pie, apple pie & vanilla milk shake we're lacking in flavor. Steak was tough. read more

They are a typical American dine in. The place is falling apart and the decor won't win any prices. Bathroom is disgusting as well. Food is not great or bad, just randomly ok. People who come here are either older than 50 or younger than 12. read more

I've eaten at the kernel since I was nine, and I can say that the food is amazing. The traditional style of the food and restaurant gives you a nostalgic bliss. If you ever go there you have to try the strawberry milkshake! read more

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

Seriously one of the best breakfasts ever. Eggs and bacon good exactly like I asked and the cinnamon roll was soft and sweet and delish!! read more

Kernel Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Owatonna, Minnesota

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Great selection of options to choose from on their menu. Their fish basket with waffle fries was very tasty and everything being served looked delicious. They are also known for their pies as they have many choices to pick from. read more

What a find! Huge menu, friendly service and easy off/on 35. all day breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads and a full desert menu to boot. read more

Hmmm, if you ever wonder what "everyday Americans" eat in the rural parts of our country, this is the place. It looks like a diner, the menu is quite extensive, I was craving fried chicken. What I got were numerous abnormally shaped fried "things" cut in and you can see some kind of meat structure, but it wasn't a wing, leg, breast, thigh, WTF was it!? It's that nasty frozen friend chicken! They made me mass produced nasty fried chicken. The split pea soup was also horrendous! And the pies? I got an apple wrap that was a mess, the dough was cooked only on the bottom so I got an apple that was covered with uncooked pastry dough. Disgusting. I don't even remember what pies I ordered, but they weren't memorable. real time writing during the event on iphone: Classic small town diner atmophere, everyone was either above 45 or below 20 yo. Surreal...Fried chicken-unidentifyable pieces of chicken, the middle was cold on the bigger piece I can see (&smell) commercial frozen fried chicken a mile away. This was gross. Should be removed fr menu. Split pea soup- hearty, carrots were striated & melted in your mouth... which makes me think canned or frozen, if u like split pea I think this is pretty good This is classic middle america processed food at it's finest! I think this is exactly what non Americans think read more

Tastes: bland Presentation: Eh staff: cold I met the owner. When I voiced an opinion walked away, mid sentence read more

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

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

Stopped by on our way through from Colorado. Good food! Nice local atmosphere. Omelette was great. I already regret not testing out the pies or cookies, they looked delicious. read more

Easily the best restaurant in Owatonna, at least I think so. The term 'casual' cannot be emphasised more here, the food is the same, average American fare you'd make yourself but with the added bonus of kind service, value for money and a varied menu. Most of the time I'm out for comfort food and this is the place to go, there's no flashy presentation, expensive decoration or any pressure on the staff (from what I can tell) and the atmosphere is always calm even when full. If the terms 'All American' and 'Homemade' can be thrown around anywhere theses, this place will remind you of what they really mean. read more

Nice hometown place to sit and with family and friends. Prices are great, doesnt empty your wallet.Staff is very friendly,helpful service is good read more

This place is absolutely incredible! Food: Not only do they have a large variety of menu options, but each item on the menu is delicious. They don't focus on making one item a signature dish, they focus on every item. The serving sizes here are also prime time. The food here has yet to disappoint! 5/5 Service: You will not find a restaurant that has better service! If you do, let me know because I don't see how it's possible. Over the course of your experience here, you gain a connection with your server. After you're done eating, it's almost sad to say goodbye to your server. 5/5 Price: I feel like I'm committing a crime when I get my bill. I should be paying more for the food I ate, but it's hard to complain. Extra cash in the pocket is always a plus. 5/5 Overall: The Kernel Restaurant will make you feel like you're at home. The food will make you happy, no matter what you order. The staff treats you with upmost respect and makes you feel welcome every time. With such great pricing to top things off, this place can't be beat. read more

Perfect place to stop for a cozy diner setting! The staff is personal, polite, and attentive. My order was taken quickly, and from what I could see, the waitress managed several tables during a busy hour with efficiency and grace. I ordered pork chops and they came out hot and well cooked but still very juicy(not dry). Several times, I finished my water and a member of the staff was always around not too much later to refill my glass. Amazing service. read more

Wonderful homemade pie and great prices. Best breakfast in town. Big menu. I go here at least a few times month. The only things I wouldn't recommend are the onion rings and cod as they are both obviously over processed frozen food and not homemade. The bathrooms and carpeting really need updating to make the place cleaner. read more

Needed lunch with 2 of the grandkids, saw this place on yelp with good reviews. Good menu choices, good food and good service. The deserts are really good and homemade. We will stop again on our next trip to the area. read more

Wonderful made-from-scratch home-style food! Homemade Pies and cakes like your mom used to make. The pieces are large so ready to share. Yum! Very friendly and helpful wait-staff. My husband had the fish and chips, I had the roast beef dinner, our son had the chicken and bacon sandwich. All were fantastic. Cannot wait to go back next time we ate in the area. Go early for the best soup and pie selection. read more

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

It has been a long year of illness, and dietary restriction. Several days a week I spent long days at Mayo. We found it hard to eat out anywhere. We stopped here one day when I not knowing I would be staying at hospital 7 hours forgot to bring lunch. The waitress was beyond kind. We explained my diet problem, no problem. She talked to the cook they tool the time to fix everything so I could safely eat a meal. After my last surgery, we went back and I had the most delicious... to big to finish piece of lemon meringue pie. The waitress we had before remembered us came over and said I looked so much better, how was I feeling. Food was very good. Staff very, very nice! We will return often as we can. read more

Good food. Great breakfasts. Casual. Great service. Home style cooking. They have everything from taco omlettes to liver and onions to Cuban sandwiches to burgers. read more

Great food, breakfast is fantastic, pies are wonderful. Makes me feel like i am eating at grandmas house every time I go there. Highly recommended read more

This was our first time eating here. I ordered the french toast. It tasted more like toast than french toast. I think they added little egg to it. It was okay. One of my group members ordered pancakes and shared with me. They were egg-y, but all right. The syrup came in a cute little pouring cup. The syrup was warm, and it tasted like metal, so I think they warmed it in the cup. Another group member shared their caramel pecan roll. It was better than I expected, and it was huge! I also had cottage cheese and a Blackberry muffin. The cottage cheese tasted how it is supposed to taste; there was nothing wacky about it. It was definitely fresh. I had originally wanted to try their Morning Glory muffin, but they ran out before we ordered. The Blackberry muffin was sweet, but there were few blackberries in it compared to the amount of blueberries in the Blueberry muffin one of my group members ordered. Most of their muffins come with sugar on top; I would have preferred just a muffin without the sugar on top. Their bakery supply runs out quickly on Sundays. They do have a wide variety of flavors of pie, more than Perkin's, including raisin, blueberry, cherry, and pumpkin. They also serve Bridgeman's ice cream, but they only had vanilla, chocolate, and possibly strawberry. We were hoping for more flavors. Overall, the restaurant has a nice feel to it, the workers are very kind and helpful, and the food is pretty good. I only tried breakfast items, so I can't judge all of the food they serve. It was also nice to find a cheap, diner feeling place in the area that was first of all open on Sunday, and open past noon. They have a wide variety of breakfast they serve all day as well as several choices for lunch or dinner. The side choices are numerous, more than a similar sit down restaurant. The side options include two types of fries, tater tots, baked potato, jello, cottage cheese, onion rings, and more. read more

Very good food. However service can be slow when they get busy. I recommend this place to anyone looking for an inexpensive restaurant with high quality food. My family comes here often and we still try new things and are yet to be disappointed with the food. Only flaw is poor quality restrooms and slow service when it gets busy. read more