Very friendly staff. The usual diner fare. One of two breakfast places in Chester during the off season. read more

Kopper Kettle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chester, California

First time I came in was my last. I ordered the salad buffet and oh what a mistake. The items were frozen or spoiled. I pointed this out to the waitress who couldn't have car d less. My friends hamburger wasn't anything to talk about either according to her. read more

I remember coming here for breakfast with my family while vacationing at Lake Almanor. It was so much cuter, with better tasting food before the remodel. It used to be a greasy, hole in the wall with formica topped tables and brown coffee mugs. I wish I could elaborate about the breakfast we had here, but it wasn't tasty at all. Lots of food, with no taste. Service was slow, inattentive, order was taken down incorrectly, and by the time the food came out, we just wanted to leave. I started to get irritated, my dad didn't send his order back because we had already been there for an hour and were running behind schedule. Bypass this place by all means. The menu offers Chinese food and traditional breakfast, doesn't make much sense. Totally gross, pricey and lacks the charm it used to. read more

We had a group of 11 for a birthday breakfast, they got us in pretty fast. They were very busy, but still did a good job taking care of our group. We had a wide variety of food, from pancakes to cream of wheat... everyone liked their breakfast and some even had leftovers! read more

Kopper Kettle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chester, California

I do not know why this place is rated so high. The food is not good at all and the service is horrible. It seems like there was only one waitress for the two areas. She did not check on us to see if we needed anything or so that I could have my eggs remade. I had asked her for medium well scrambled well and she brought out hard. I thought my husband went to the restroom and instead went to go pay. When I was finally able to call her over to the table, I told her that I did not want the eggs and asked if I could get my money back. She replied with, "your husband already paid," and she then threw $3 on the table and walked away. I have never experienced anything like this. I ended up leaving the restaurant hungry and disrespected by this rude waitress. read more

Definitely a diner, with appropriate ambiance. I was a little reluctant since it's always iffy hitting a random spot. The menu listed breakfast, lunch and dinner menus -- I asked our friendly waitress if they were still serving lunch (at dinner time) and she said they serve everything all the time! I had a BLT w/ fries, wife had eggs and a waffle. Food was good. I'd go back. read more

Good brecky and a nice really cool big fish. Pancakes almost the size as the big fish in the tank and the coffee was delicious and served in coffee mugs with advertisements (so cool)! read more

The food and service at the Kopper Kettle was very good. However I found the fox news playing on the TV very offensive. I would like to see a less biased news source being offered. read more

My buddy and I have built a tradition of stopping by on our way in and out of Lake Almanor for one of their fantastic cinnamon rolls. Love it here! read more

Typical diner with average quality food and service. There are other places with better food nearby. I guess they have to increase the quality to attract more customers. Mostly, local people go there to eat. I had roasted turkey which Was not tasty and my husband had meatloaf which was good. read more

According to Yelp, two stars mean "Meh. I've experienced better". Yup, exactly. Hungry in Chester and all the places look the same. Flip of a many sided coin brought me to the Kopper Kettle Cafe. Should have trusted my instincts when I saw the kutesy K in Kopper and gone someplace else. The bland Ortega Chili Swiss Cheese burger took ~20 minutes to come out though the side tossed salad was presented immediately despite there only being four active tables. Waitress never asked if I wanted a refill on the non-sweeten ice tea and I had to ask for the check. Nothing really wrong with the place. Unfortunately nothing really right with the place. Would only stop there again if it was the only place open and I was two hours past meal time. read more

Out-of-Towners Beware! As you can see, I don't write reviews very often. I should write more positive reviews to steer people toward the businesses that deserve it. But whether a yea or nay, my reviews are honest, even if it's purpose is to make sure others don't make the same mistake I did. We camped on Lake Almanor over the 4th and were starving for a big breakfast on our way out. We decided on the Kopper K because it looks breakfast-y. Pros: Cool aquarium; no wait to be seated; quiet, shady patio; breakfast served all day. Cons: Terrible service; filthy restroom (no paper products - had to go back to my table for napkins); watery coffee. We ordered one of the homemade cinnamon rolls that are bragged about to share. It was one of the biggest, most gorgeous cinnamon rolls I've ever seen, brought out hot with a blob of melting butter on top. Cut into it and it was stale. Had to be a day or 2 old, it was hard as a rock. The rest of our food was middle of the road. Denny's quality - they even use the same dishes as Denny's - at tourist trap prices. Our server never checked on us. We had to get her attention for everything except the check. She was very friendly to the locals, who got large glasses of ice water. Our water glasses were small, as were another group of obvious travelers. It was almost amusing to look around and notice the difference in water glass size. And I'm not a conspiracy theorist. If I was, I would say I think we were given the special tourist menu, too. I always hate when I have a bad experience somewhere I'm passing through. I know that it's because tourists get a bad rap for being lousy tippers, but I always tip generously when servers treat my family warmly, locally and otherwise. Staff of the Kopper Kettle should adopt the philosophy of the hotel across the street from them, who's sign reads: "Welcome Friends - old and new." read more

We really liked the Kopper Kettle. It is family owned, the service is fast, the food is good diner food, everything is clean and pleasant.

The food is only serviceable, at least for breakfast. My opinion is somewhat biased by nostalgia - until the new owners, this place served the best breakfast in town, and had a much more small-cafe feel (people would literally wait more than an hour to eat there). Now, it's over remodelled, decorated heavily with generic prints to the point of kitsch, and the food is simply average - a step above what you'd get at IHOP or Denny's, but only a short step. The biscuits and gravy have especially gone downhill from years long past, and are in smaller portions. Decent, but not nearly as good as it should be. The new owners should put less money into fancy remodelling, and more money into quality ingredients and skilled cooks. It's still popular, but that's mostly out of habit for a lot of people. read more

Just dropped in for pie and coffee, and was pleasantly surprised. The berry pie was delicious! It was a pleasure to enjoy a pie that had an excellent crust! My compliments to the baker/chef! read more

This place is Bad. The waitress if thats what you want to call her, sat on her phone and fought with her friend then started fighting with the cook. Our food was burnt, then she didn't bring out our roll so we asked for them and she pulled a cold roll out of a bag and kinda threw it on our plate. Trust me find something else this place is bad. Too bad you can't give 0 stars. read more

A friend had recommended this place, but I think he must only have breakfast there. I went for lunch with my mother a couple of weeks ago. We started off with their split pea soup. It was pretty good. Then, my open face turkey sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes arrived - the worst I've ever had. Can't imagine they were proud to serve flavorless gravy and (what I assume were) packaged turkey slices and day old bread. The waitress even told me they make their mashed potatoes from scratch, but it was far from it. Just awful. My mother ordered a salad which, I will admit, is not a good idea at eateries like this. The vegetables were just not up to par. Since the atmosphere was not friendly or welcoming, we left as soon as we paid the bill. read more

Amazing Chicken Fried Steak! Also, club sandwich is one of the best I've ever had. Must stop by for a good meal near the lake!

Awesome service. Excellent food. Especially the burgers. Cooked perfectly. There chili is amazing! Good prices. If I could give this place more stars I would. read more

This is your typical old dive diner. Food and service was average. Food looks like they got it from the deli and frozen section of the nearby grocery store but didn't taste bad. Prices are too high for what you get. read more

This is where the locals go - and with good reason; the prices are reasonable, the portions generous, the waitresses friendly and efficient, and the coffee copious and strong. There's a nonsequitur of an aquarium in the entry-way with some of the largest Pacu I've seen in my life (take note, San Francisco Academy of Sciences). It's weird, but great. read more

Kopper Kettle Cafe in Chester is a must for me every time I'm there. It's such a classic diner with real home cooked food. I enjoy trying things I've never tried on their menu but find myself continually going back for their Chicken Fried Steak Dinner with French Fries. Their French Fries are probably the best I've ever had and I'm pretty obsessed. They are the perfect balance of crispy, soft, warm, and salty. They even have an amazing Garlic version. The environment is small town diner where you quickly become family. I look forward to seeing Amy (the owner/head cook) and her family just as much as I look forward to eating the food. While you're there you absolutely cannot leave without getting a slice of warm mixed berry pie with vanilla ice cream. The pie crust is buttery, flakey, and a top secret recipe that Amy won't share. My family usually orders a couple pies when we get to town because they are THAT good! Don't miss this small town treat! read more

Just had lunch here on our way to Reno. My Reuben and sweet potato fries were fresh and tasty. My friend enjoyed her cheeseburger and kept commenting on how different and good her coleslaw was. Lots of locals, fast friendly service and quite clean. So glad we stopped here. read more

Great breakfast. Hearty portions and fast service . Our family truly enjoyed our meal here this last weekend read more

I spend a lot of summers at Lake Almanor and I've been eating here for years. I love the Swiss and mushroom burger for lunch. They have a huge chicken friend steak for breakfast, and you can get it all day. The French dip is also great read more

I had dinner on a Wednesday in September. No crowds and the one waitress (owner?) was efficient and friendly. My CFS was prepared nicely and the mashed potatoes were homemade (slight lumps) while the canned Blue Lake green beans were perfectly squeaky. The meal came out fairly quickly. My iceberg salad was fresh but a tad small- I was quite hungry. I'd go back. read more

What a fall from grace...this place used to be great...now it is disgustingly gross and the service sucks. Don't know if it is new owners or what happened but it is not what it used to be! read more

My husband and I were up in the area looking at property. We ended up in Chester for the night at the Best Western (see separate review). The staff at the hotel recommended a really good place for breakfast, but unfortunately, they were closed that morning. So the other recommendation was the Kopper Kettle Cafe. We ate there on Tuesday, March 1st. It's a typical diner restaurant. The waitress was very friendly and took care of us. The food was nothing exceptional. I got the french toast which was ok, but I've had better. My husband was ok with his bacon and eggs. However, the reason for the one star is because as soon as we walked into the building we were slammed with a very, very strong smell of mold. It was pretty sickening. The waitress was very nice and came over quickly to offer coffee, etc. My husband and I gave each other the "look" because of the smell, but we ended up staying anyway. The lady was so nice, we sort of felt obligated. I regret that decision though, as it was pretty agonizing for me as I'm really affected by bad smells, especially when I'm trying to eat. We ate in a hurry and got out of there. When we got in the car, we both said that we should have just got up and left or to be nice, drink coffee and then leave. Ugh.. I'm not sure what was going on in the building, but it was really a terrible smell. Don't think we'll try it again. read more

Just okay - went there during the fall months during the week. Glad to see something open and definitely fine for that. I had a patty melt and it filled me up. Husband actually had the liver and onions and said it was good. read more

Delicious food! Big portions! Charming staff! If you're passing through, come on by and make the stop. This is classic American fare - big fluffy pancakes, gooey grilled cheese, hearty country fried steak, brain-freezing milkshakes. For a wet, hot, American summer day in July, this was the perfect supplement to a day on the lake. Will be coming back, hungry, for more. read more

This is a homestyle diner open for breakfast lunch and dinner offering a fair range of meals at reasonable prices. Re menu - think of classic diner with quite a wide range. Most mains are under $10. We had the pork steak, steak sandwich, and roast beef as well as two kids meals with drinks for under $50 (before tip). The food was good - very good overall. Salads were nice (and fresh) and sizings were reasonably large. Service was fine. The place was fairly clean and nice inside - though some signs of age with splits in the vinyl seats are apparent. Amongst our group, the opinion was that it was worthwhile to come back to. read more

We had many friends recommend this place for breakfast so we stopped in. We heard the biscuits and gravy are amazing. My husband did order the biscuits and gravy and he really enjoyed them. He is a tough critic and he said the biscuits were nice and fluffy and fresh. I had the pancakes and eggs which were also good. The pancakes were huge and most importantly served with warm syrup. We will stop here again when in this area! read more

Not really good. Not very clean. Not great food. I would eat here again to avoid starvation.

My wife and I have been coming to the Kopper Kettle in Chester for 25 years. We eat at many other restaurants in the area and out of town (we're from SoCal) so we have had a variety of fare and feel qualified to review any restaurant. The Kopper Kettle is a family restaurant and serves a large cross-section of people, from local residents to relatively sophisticated visitors. It does not to pretend to be a gourmet bistro or attempt to offer its own unique creations. It simply offers great country-style food served in generous portions for a reasonable price. We have found the owners to be gracious and friendly. They are extremely hardworking and go out of their way to make people feel comfortable and welcome. Their generously-portioned food has always been served hot and delicious by very attentive, friendly staff. Amy (one of the owners), Sonya (Amy's daughter), Carol, Michelle, and Candace are just super! We love this place, love the family, love the staff, and love the food. We are well aware that country-style food may not satisfy all palettes. For those people who are looking for unique food to satisfy their sensitive needs, perhaps the Kopper Kettle would not be their "cup of tea". But for the rest of the folks just wanting hearty, good country food cooked the way it should be: Come to this restaurant, YOU won't be disappointed! Dean and Penny S. read more

I ate there again this week and club sandwich was very good with sweet potato fries. Always good to see Amy as she brightens up your day. read more

Ok first time in Chester and this place looks super cute from outside. It was a warm day but not hot. Once we sat down the waitress didnt smile or offer any talk at all. As we waited too long for her to come back my husband used the rest room. I sat there and noticed about 7 flys buzzing around a beam. Umm gross and once my husband came back from the rest room he said there were several flies in that area of the restaurant. Need less to say we will never be back. read more

Great biscuits and gravy! You can get fresh fruit and healthier choices too.will cook to order and lots of substitute choices.

Love this historic restaurant. Been coming here for over 40 years! It's the best down home diner anywhere. Now my kids & grandkids come here when they're in town. The best Rueben sandwich anywhere & the owners are great!!! read more

Eh. I am not going to bash this place. There are not a lot of options for breakfast in Chester. Have eaten here twice in the last year, the most recent being last weekend for breakfast. If you are going in there for innovative food with a twist on traditional themes you are going to be disappointed. The menu is basic at both breakfast and lunch. I did like that they had corned beef hash, which seems to be disappearing from many menus and is one of my go to dishes for weekend breakfast. The version here is well cooked and the portion probably larger than it needs to be. Service was very friendly and the food came out fairly quick. read more

Above average diner in a very tiny town. This place reminded me of Mels diner. The tv show, not the restaurant. It came equipped with a funny waitress that couldn't wait to quit her job if she won the lottery and everything, lol. One of the only places I've ever ordered a burger medium and had it come out medium. Was very tasty as was their potato salad. It really hit the spot after a long day. read more