All I can say is WOW!!, and also this. The Prime Rib dinner is FANTASTIC! Then I find out you can get it for breakfast... a nice slab too. I've had it 3 days in a row, it's that good. Being a prime rib connoisseur, I give it a perfect 10. The restaurant has a cozy, locals feel. With a train horn the old codgers pull when they leave. Over all a great experience. read more

It's a good family owned restaurant. My children love's eating here. For me, it gives me a stomachache no matter what I order

Wonderful food we did take out and all of our order was hot and excellent when we plated it up at home

Good food. Amazing Chef, Friendly staff, and Clean. Reasonable prices; would def visit again.

Wonderful lunch. Busy place, obviously well-loved by locals. Best biscuits and gravy around! Worth the short drive off I-5. Fun ambience, and you get to see the freight trains go right by outside read more

We are local Winlock residents and just love this hometown Diner. Love the karaoke kook and the staff is top shelf. We'll see ya soon. read more

Little Crane Cafe - American Near Me - Vader, Washington

If you want good food but bad customer service come here. You like getting dirty looks and feel like crap from a waitress come here. I'm a foodie and been eating in different places around the world stopped here with family looked cute but wow the rudeness specially from a blonde waitress with bright red in her hair just wow on her rudeness it feels like she wants to fight everyone if it wasn't for hungry people I was with I would of walked out That waitress will never care cause she has the attitude of someone not caring she might spit in people's food I feel nothing but sadness for that girl with attitude like that I'm shocked she has a job read more

My husband and I ate here and absolutely loved it! I had a wonderful pancake, and he had a club sandwich. Both were delicious. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and it was a lot of fun to chat with other people the next table. The menu selection is wonderfully varied, and everything is made fresh, and served in large portions. I wish we lived closer because I'd like to go here more often. I loved the photos on the walls, and was delighted to hear and see all the trains that go by all the time. I'm a big train fan, and hearing their whistles as they zoomed by just added to the great atmosphere in this wonderful cafe. Hmm... I think it's about time for another trip to Vader! read more

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We were referred here by a person in Longview, WA. We drove out on a Sunday morning for breakfast and were not disappointed! The food was fresh and delicious, the portions more than ample.....but most of all, I cannot eat anything with nitrates or msg or even cooked on the same grill and the cook there made it a point to come talk to me personally about the seasonings he uses on his prime rib, cooking in a separate pan, etc. My husband and I had a great meal and the atmosphere was delightful! They knew a lot of the people and were caring and genuine. Highly recommend! read more

This place has amazing customer service. The food is amazing. A lot of locals come here regularly and Sean to love it. It has an awesome family feel to it! Love it! read more

What a great serendipitous place we walked into in the small city of Vader WA! The food was great as was our server Mary! We came as strangers and left as friends as their sign said at the front door. We definitely will go back again! read more

My husband Doug and I moved to Ryderwood a year or so ago and quickly discovered Little Crane Cafe. We love this cafe. The people who work there are so friendly and lovely to talk to. The food is amazing! I've never been disappointed in anything we've had there. The breakfast is the best around and more than fills you up. I love coming in for dinner as the food is so yummy. You have to try the hot roast beef sandwich or meal. Jason, the owner makes a killer roast beef and it's the real thing. No mystery meat here. The hamburgers are fantastic as is the chef salad. I haven''t tried the chicken fried steak yet but Doug gets it a lot and loves it. Most important of all is how great the employees are. If you're lucky you might get to hear Jason sing along with the radio. He's pretty darn good. read more

So the hubby and I decided to go 'local' for our anniversary dinner, and heard great things about the Little Crane Cafe, and since the hubby was jonesin' for fish and chips, we decided to check them out for the first time since moving to the area in 2017. The hubby ordered the prime rib chili in lieu of soup or salad for a starter - while it was OK, it was on the bland side. His fish and chips were also OK - lots of small pieces of fish covered in breading. He ate them all, though, so that says something. I ordered the sirloin and coconut prawns - when they brought my plate, it seemed like something was missing... but I'll get to that in a minute. I ordered my steak medium-rare, and when I started cutting into it (no steak knife, by the way, I had to use the dull butter knife at the table), I could tell immediately it wasn't right. It was well done. It took *forever* to get the attention of our server (who seemed to disappear after taking our orders, and even forgot to bring us our drinks). When our server finally came over, I explained that my steak was way overdone, as I'd ordered medium rare... he kind of just stood there, like "OK..." staring at my steak as I explained in a different way that it was way overdone. He finally said "I'll be right back..." and disappeared yet again. Another server brought a fresh steak, and this time it was cooked to perfection. Still had to use the butter knife to cut into it, but at least cooked the right temperature, it was a little easier to do so. Then I realized what was actually missing on the plate - the baked potato that is included with the meal. By then it was too late (read: we really wanted to get out of there) to mention anything and decided to simply cut our losses, pay and get the heck outta dodge. We are debating on if they deserve a second chance or not, being that it's Sunday, maybe their 'regular' staff isn't working (two of them looked like high school kids) so maybe trying them on a 'regular' day will be better. We still have a few more local places to check out to see which one will become our special occasion dinner out location, so we'll see. read more

I decided to come to the Little Crane Cafe down in Vader Washington I came in the front door and instantly got many hellos from the employees which brightened my day. I sat next to the great window view and order a burger the waiter came as soon as I sat down and my food got to me quickly. The burger is none like any other restaurant, freshly made and with their own special sauce which I also enjoyed. I have a nice $20 tip and was thanked out the door. All in all amazing experience and great service, ate while trains passed by, nice employees. 10/10 read more

Little Crane Cafe - Root beer -very excellent taste - American Near Me - Vader, Washington

Little Crane has become my favorite new place to eat. Always a friendly smile when I come in, quick to seat you and delicious home style cooking. I've tried several items on their menu and all have been great! Nice portions and lots of options. The restaurant is decorated with old-time photos of the railroad, logging and life in Vader. There's even a train whistle to pull. Definitely with a stop on your way through. read more

Great little place, all good home cooking and great people, worth every penny, really enjoyed the chef salad, and the soup was very good, homemade cake also read more

Without saying it out loud or putting a sign on the door, you managed to convey the message that our money is not welcome there in only 2 visits. The 2nd visit, we left without being acknowledged whatsoever by the waitress for waaaay too long. On St. Patrick's day, no less! Wearin' the green and smiles! Fiesta Bonita was happy to have us. We recently moved here and will be entertaining many visitors this spring and summer. We can only assume that you don't want their money, either. In fact, we are willing to go the extra distance to help you in your endeavor to not make money. We promise to let everyone know whenever the topic comes up. Maybe you could publish a list, along with your menu online, of the types of people you find too undesirable to serve. That would help us with our decision-making and save us a lot of time and money(esp. since you don't want it). Your motto is hilarious! Boo! Little Crane. Thankfully, your attitude doesn't seem to be the norm around here. read more

The Little Crane, where the homestyle food is excellent, and the customers and staff become friends. Talking across tables with other diners is a given, and nobody stays a stranger. Well worth the drive for this nostalgic, casual, family friendly, rural Cafe. read more

We stopped here after reading other reviews. Delicious homemade soup! The staff is super friendly and clearly proud of their food. Check it out! read more

If you're looking for a great, American traditional restaurant to grab something delicious to eat, look no further. I felt at home when I walked in, and everyone was friendly and the service was outstanding. I had the prime rib melt and calamari, the sandwich was really good, and the calamari was incredibly good. My Mom loved her Burger. Over all amazing place to eat, and very affordable. read more

This place been my happy place for 40 years. Now whenever i get a chance i come over early on Sunday morning just to chat with the cook, Jason. I bring my kids here to hear Jason sing and so he can make them special pancakes and other stuff. The portions are huge and the food is awsome. Never disappoints. Keep up the great work. Crew. Many thanx from the Warnocks. read more

A bit on the pricey side, but really good food. My main issue is that the menu has certain flavor of shakes that you can get, but whenever I ask for those flavors they say that they do not have them. When those flavors become available I will change my rating to 5 stars. read more

What a delicious meal the three of us had! We had an order of chicken fried steak, a popcorn shrimp dinner and a cod dinner. First off, all three meals came with soup or salad, toast and an ice cream sundae for dessert. The soup, a vegetable with wonderful, tender chucks of steak was soooo good and came in a nice sized bowl, not just one of tiny ones. Oh and the price ~ of our three dinners, the chicken fried steak was the most expensive and it was $11. Our waitress was attentive and was hustling because it was a pretty steady stream of folks coming in and out oh, and our grill master sang to us a couple of times. What a wonderful surprise this little gem turned out to be. I can hardly wait to hit the repeat button and dine there again. read more

This place is THE BOMB. When it comes to food they know what their doing. I've ate there several times, beings I live in Ryderwood, their practically next door. As far as the closest restaurant. But you gotta try their Bread Pudding, it's to die for. Tastes like my great great grandma made it. It's melt in your mouth good! And I think their open-faced turkey sandwich is one of my favs. You've got to go check it out. They will show you why they've made The best Restaurant in the NW for like 4 years in a row!! Totally awesome I give them 5 stars in their food. Dont blink when you go over the railroad tracks in Vader. You'll miss them, they are just a little hole in the wall. Just Sayin! read more

Always great food! Love this place. We try to get here as often as we can. It is always worth the drive. Pleasant place with that down home country feel and food. Make the trip, you will not regret it. As it says in the title, this is an american(Traditional) cafe. If you are looking for vegetarian food, you should keep driving to a larger town. If you are looking for excellent meat and potatoes king of meal, stop on in and enjoy. read more

Little Crane Cafe - American Near Me - Vader, Washington

This is a great little home town Cafe. A 5 star Michelin swanky place it is not, but if you want some good comfort food and good company on a Friday night, this is the place to be. Points for cozy atmosphere, fun old photos on the walls, various town characters sitting on their favorite counter stools - this is that kinda place. Prime rib on Friday / Saturdays is the best deal around - Jason has really fixed up the place nice and he won't let you go away hungry. By the way - if you DO come on a Friday or Saturday night, come early - this place is small and has a small kitchen. It get packed by 6pm, so bring some patience and plan accordingly. read more

Had Sunday lunch at Little Crane, I grew up in Vader and had not been back for many years. I have heard the food is really good and saw the ad on Facebook. WOW it was awesome food and service both. I was there with 6 friends and we had a wonderful lunch. I had brocolli cheddar soup that was so wonderful and then Fish & Chips that comes with toast and then Ice Cream Sundae I went into the next room to look at photos. So good it was a very pleasant lunch. I will certainly be back!! read more

This quaint cafe is yummy! The staff is super friendly. We arrive and I was worried because we just moved to the area and didn't want to be treated like a outsider. We were immediately treated but the chef who was so nice and welcoming. We found a seat and didn't wait very long for a server to attend to us. Ordered our food, just some burgers. Food came quickly and was pretty good! We ordered a meal to go with us too and they were great about making towards the end of our meal and brining it out before we left. Overall I enjoyed it and will definitely be going back. read more

Great food-- came back three times in the two days we were in the region. Prime Rib on the weekends, and a surprisingly nice selection for breakfast, considering its a small place. But what really made it fun was the cook and servers singing to the oldies on the radio. It was downright festive. Next time my travels take me to that area, I will be back again. read more

Stopped for lunch today. This is our second visit and we weren't disappointed. The food is excellent as is the service. Interesting building and a very happy feel to the place overall. Well worth the time to find this place. read more

Great little place by the tracks. I'd definitely recommend going here if you like friendly local people and a home style meal. We felt like we went back in time in a good way. -BLT -Kids pancake, eggs, sausage -Hot open face turkey sandwich with mash potatoes and gravy I was lame and only got photo of kid meal, but the other items were just as nicely prepared. read more

Little Crane Cafe - Kids breakfast - American Near Me - Vader, Washington

Basic breakfasts done very well! We will be back very soon. Service was great. When we arrived we were promptly seated even though it was a busy Labor Day morning. Our server explained the wait might take awhile and poured us hot coffee....our mugs were never empty from that point on. Food arrived just as ordered and it was sooo good. Corned beef hash and eggs for me and prime rib hash for her. The only thought Kim had about her hash is that a little swiss cheese melted over the top of the hash would be perfect. Can't wait for our next visit. read more

Not happy with the takeout on Friday. Fish was chewy, asked for extra crispy tots. They didn't tell me they were out of tots until I got there to pick them up. Asked if the fries were crispy as my friend has a gastric sleeve, and the woman at the window told me she told the cook. Well they weren't & she's in the bathroom vomiting because she was hungry and the few bites she had clogged her right up. They intermingled the order, splitting the fish instead of having the meal in one & the kids size in the other. Told them no coleslaw, got 2 coleslaws, asked for extra tartar sauce, didn't get it. So totally disappointed as I've eaten there many times, had great food & service. I called back to let them know and when whoever answered the phone yelled in the back about the order, I swear I heard the response of "Bullsh*t". This is my last time going to Little Crane. With the cost of food going up and my paycheck staying the same, it's not worth going somewhere that can't get a take out order correct and then not even get a concerned response when you let them know. Even if they couldn't correct it, it's good customer service to at least act apologetic. read more

Great food as always, good atmosphere and service. There were 4 of us in our group, we all had something different

Great little home town restaurant!!! Great staff, good food, and comfortable atmosphere!!! Love the singing cook!!!

Traveling south we stopped here for the second time. First time was great. This time a little different. We were not even acknowledged when we arrived. I was immediately friendly but our server was not. If she had cracked a smile her face would have shattered! We ordered calamari to start. She brought out our soup and salad first. I asked if she ordered the calamari. Her reply: "no, do you want it?" I said yes since we ordered it. Placing our order she asked what kind of potatoes we wanted without explaining the options. She seemed annoyed and exasperated when having to explain the choices. She then asked us what kind of gravy we would like, again not explaining the options. My husband asked how the chicken fried steak was and she shrugged her shoulders in annoyance and said "well, a lot of people order it." That told him absolutely nothing about it. She never checked back to see how everything was- a cardinal sin in the restaurant industry. How she ever ended up in the hospitality industry will remain a mystery to me because she was anything but hospitable. Such a cute quaint place with great food. Just need the appropriate staff. read more

Best people. Great food. Feels like home. This is our "go to" place when it's time to eat out. Their menu is divers: breakfast all the time, lots of hot and cold sandwiches, and traditional dinners in different sizes. Perfect place regardless of what you're craving. read more

I've been eating here for many years. Usually after church. The employees are always very nice and the food is really good!

The food was excellent, atmosphere rural & friendly and the staff treated everyone like family. Loved this Cafe!

What a cute little cafe. The cook, Jason, was singing Christmas carols, 3 trains roared by and I had a most excellent French Dip, real roast beef, not the usual faked sliced mystery meat. Marvin had a yummy burger. The coffee is also a highlight of this off the beaten path eatery. I have not tried it yet, but took home a piece of carrot cake that looks amazing. Will be back for sure! Thank You Little Crane Cafe for a delicious lunch. read more