This place is kind of like the local watering hole or diner. I think their collection of nutcrackers is pretty cool but I come for the cheesy hash browns. These hash browns are THE best. They have just enough cheese in them. They have a variety of foods to pick from including grilled cinnamon rolls, Ashleigh's omelette and prime rib breakfast. I usually end up with Ashleigh's omelette with everything in it, including jalapenos, a side of rye bread, cheesy hash browns and coffee. The last time I went with my family, they served home made banana cake as part of their anniversary. Free! Note: They only serve cheesy hash browns until 11am. read more

Great food, great atmosphere and great service. Bought some chocolates to share with my co-workers tomorrow. Everyone was very nice and the menu is fantastic. read more

This is one of my favorite places to go! I drive 25 minutes just for their burgers! The atmosphere is great & really reminds you of a true old-skool diner. Tonight, i decided to try the "old fashioned diner dinner" and was NOT disappointed. It was amazing & their french fries are great! The service was spectacular. As a nutcracker collector myself, i love going around and looking at their different nutcrackers. I love coming here in the winter time around Christmas because it puts me in a holly jolly spirit. This was mr first time here in awhile & i'm glad nothing has changed. I'll definitely continue coming here & will be back. The menu is very reasonable for the great quality of food your served. Don't forget dessert! This is definitely one of Licking County's gems. read more

Nutcracker Family Restaurant - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Pataskala, Ohio

Basically just edible food. Let's leave it right there and only there. I guess you could call at farm to table but I think it would be more like frozen food aisle to table. Imagine Denny's but it sucks. I will say that they have on tap root beer and it literally almost makes up for the food! read more

First time here, had heard many great things about this place so I thought I'd give it a try today...definitely a mistake. I walked in and people were swarming everywhere, I saw an open dinning area in the back that wasn't being used for some reason, they just had everybody crammed in the front. I was by myself so I decided to eat at the bar. My server was very nice but my anxiety was at an all time high because the other servers kept throwing stuff on the bar right where I was sitting (receipts, handheld computers) and kept talking with each other about how long each table has been there, if they've paid yet and how quickly they think they can get them out the door. It was very uncomfortable. I ordered a hamburger, fries and a side salad. The side salad was straight from a bag ....gross but expected. The hamburger was a fresh made patty but had no flavor...fries were the best part. I hurried and ate so I could get out of there. I got my card out to signal I could pay on one of the handheld computers because I felt very pressured by the 'back room talk' that I was forced to listen to and the host quickly came over to cash out. I didn't pay attention to the total until I got home and realized I was charged for somebody else's bill. I gave a 25% tip because I always do and saw on my credit card the base charge (before tip) was $21.75...oh well. Lesson learned. Hopefully whoever's bill I paid enjoyed their experience more than I did. read more

The food was good but service was pretty slow for a Saturday morning with lots of staff "hanging" out. The food options are good and the atmosphere nice. read more

A favorite place to take our granddaughters. The service is superb and everyone is friendly and attentive. For picky young ones there is always a delicious menu option especially their hot chocolate with a mound of sweet whipped cream. Thank you for being our family favorite. read more

Great food and awesome service. Great atmosphere with nostalgic displays. Highly recommended

Such a fun place to look at. Diverse menu. Great service. They have candy. The hard to find stuff. The food is like grandma used to make. Strongly recommend for a great meal! read more

I have been going to this restaurant since I was very little. I love the 1950's atmosphere it makes it who the Nutcracker is today. Downside is the food is very bland, makes your stomach hurt and feels like the food is for older people. i've always has great service here! maybe update the menu choices to modern stuff? read more

This is small town Pataskala, Ohio and worth a visit. A trip down memory lane with the old time booths, Formica, music and an amazing number of nutcrackers. The blue plate special of the day is something to consider. They honor veterans. The food is good. The prices are fair. The ambiance is a reason to experience The Nutcracker. The waitstaff is attentive. read more

If you love "down home cookin'," you'll love the Nutcracker Restaurant in Pataskala. I've visited this restaurant on multiple occasions and have not been disappointed. It's nestled in the hamlet of Pataskala and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have limited hours on Sunday. Check the schedule first. Thanks to the Butcher family for this nice family-style restaurant. It's no wonder that we keep going back. read more

The food was good, a bit pricey for what you get. Service was pretty good as well. Next time I would skip the appetizers.

After 5 months in the area, we finally headed in for a Saturday morning brunch. It was bustling, but not crazy busy. Service was very diner-ish, with few pleasantries and extras, but quick coffee refills and delivery of everything we needed. We all got breakfast, and those of us without the cheesy potato casserole were sad about it. I got a basic eggs/toast/potato mix and everything was cooked well. With a breakfast entree and coffee, four people ate for about $40 before tip. read more

This is our go to Diner for Friday fish fry!! Great staff. Fantastic pies!!! Great Fish! Great staff, pros all the way.

Over priced! Service is subpar. Buster's is much better! Or I'll make the extra trip to Delaneys diner in Reynoldsburg

We love the this place. Their cream puffs are legendary. Diner food with a family feel.

A place for Boomers to Relive the glory days in the 1950s. Food is overrated, overpriced, your typical small-town diner nothing out of the ordinary. Service is sub par at best. Not to mention the former mayor owns the place so this is all the town has had for 20 plus years as far as dine in restaurants go. Shady back door politic deals prevented other food Businesses from setting up shop in town. read more

Friendly staff. The place is clean and food is good. Cozy place to have a nice breakfast.

Have been coming here for years. I don't get to dine regularly but enjoy every time I do get to come to this restaurant. Food is amazing and love the old time candies. read more

So fun! A 50's style diner with an old-fashioned candy counter. Our server, Hank, was the best! read more

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You know if you're hungry and just don't want to leave Pataskala go for it. The reality is, the food is bland. Cute diner like idea. But what's missing is diner like food. This is like getting on a plane that never leaves the ground. read more

Must try if you like old diners. Portions were just ok in size. Food was good, not great but good. Deserts are worth trying. It was busy and very loud. The server was not the most attentive. She would disappear for long periods of time. Had a coffee right when we sat down and she didn't come back and refill until desert came only because I asked her to. She wasn't around from time of order until desert. Someone else brought out food. read more

I love diners, and I loved this diner after only a few moments there. 1950's decor, friendly staff and surly locals at the counter. Mismatched china and coffee mugs. Two eggs over easy, bacon, cheesy hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and bottomless coffee, all for about ten bucks on a Saturday morning. What's not to love? read more

This place was awesome! My husband and I both got the Nutcracker breakfast and it was delicious. Not to mention the service we received from our waitress was top notch! she was extremely polite and checked on us often. We will def be returning! read more

A staple here in Pataskala. The food is good and the staff is friendly. They are very involved with the community and deeply care about veterans. This is a really good local diner. Never had a bad meal here. I really like the fried macaroni and cheese. read more

Great family restaurant! Excellent food, excellent service that can slow down a bit on busy days. Decor is interesting, 50's diner-themed with hundred of nutcracker lining the window sills and booth dividers. Their deserts are truly special, and they've won a few awards for their original recipes, especially their Snicker pie. Check out their shelves full of nostalgic candies, and their display case full of chocolates, fudge, and nuts by the register. If you go for breakfast, make sure to try the corned beef hash scramble and hte cheesy potatos. read more

We have made this our family restaurant for our Christmas outing! Everybody can find something on the menu, even my vegetarian teenage daughter. The kitchy atmosphere is awesome and the burgers are enough to make us drive a little out of our way! And they have a huge selection of chocolates and nuts at the register to buy in bulk. Even sugar free. YAY! There is never a wait for seating, even when they have huge parties in there and the wait for the food is reasonable. The prices are good and the food is good. Overall, we love this place. read more

Gave this place a second try after a more than disappointing go round the first time. Sttod at the podium for ten minutes before anyone acknowledged us and I thought oh no here we go again. But, we stuck it out, were seated and our Server Ashley was great! The food was great also, piping hot to the table. We will return on Thursdays or Saturday's and ask for Ashley, she was excellent! read more

This place has such a cozy feel. I love to bring my mom here when she visits because she loves the home-cooked style food. The breakfasts are very tasty. I usually add a side of sausage and gravy biscuit to whatever I get and sometimes have to bring it home because I'm too stuffed to eat it, but it's so good even reheated!! For dinner I usually get the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. This is something I begin to fantasize about when it's been a while since I've visited the Nutcracker. It is amazing!!! I also recommend the jalapeño bites and the grilled cinnamon roll is also out of this world. I've actually never gotten anything I didn't like here! Make sure you try the root beer in a icy mug too! read more

At first glance it's a fun place but the atmosphere is one of strangers not welcome. Owners aloof unless you're an old friend, regular local or political contact. Parking is inefficient and it's closed on Mondays. Food is marginal for the price. I shop elsewhere. Bring back the Barn on York. read more

Everything about this place was amazing. I had a party of three, was greeted immediately, and then sat within minutes. The server was very friendly and attentive. She made sure to let us know specials, and was very patient with us (it took us a few minutes to make a decision). The food was DELICIOUS. I ordered the skillet breakfast, and it was prepared perfect. Our server kept our coffee hot, and checked back on us many times, without being overbearing. We received our checks in a timely manner and never once felt rushed to leave, even though it was very busy throughout the time we were there. I will DEFINITELY be back and will recommend it to anyone!!!! Thank you for the amazing experience. read more

Came in on a Sunday morning at 10am. Very quick to sit down, get service, order and get food. I expected more out of the food. I ordered the corn beef hash scramble with a side of sausage patties. The hash was very dry. And with this place being a small local joint, I expected homemade sausage patties. Instead, I got basically a Sausage McMuffin sausage patty which was Luke warm like it was cooked in microwave. Overall, I was not impressed with the food. Decent prices. Just expected a home cooked meal, not one that tasted like it came out of a package. read more

I've been in this place four times over the 10 years I've lived in Pataskala and the food is average nothing to write home about the first time I ate at this restaurant they charged me close to $4 and a half for a bowl of grits instant grits ! I figured any place that would try to rip you off for a bowl of grits probably isn't a place I want to spend my money. Pataskala lacks family style restaurants and that's why the NC has business it does but I wish the food was a little better quality. read more

Great restaurant to take your family. Love how involved they are in our small Pataskala Community.

I decided to check this place out for lunch, well actually a friend decided to check it out and I came along. This is not my type of restaurant as it is just a local kitschy diner. The decor is very festive in 50-60s design with a ton of nutcrackers everywhere. My mom or mother-in-law would think it is pretty cool, but not my style. The food is ok as I ordered a parmesian grilled chicken on Focacia. It was smaller than I expected for the price. The homemade chips were so so but I only ate a few and gave them to my friend. The waitress was friendly and refilled my water in a timely manner. She also gave both of us to go cups when we realized that we needed to get out of their in a hurry because we were running late to get back to work. The food is comfort style with a few decent sandwich options. My friend ordered the club, which was a better choice than mine. The club also was much larger than my sandwich. Ordering a platter option is more expensive than I think it really should be. Expect to pay close $9 or $10 for a sandwich and platter. I don't think it is worth it. I probably won't return to this place. If you like local American diners with comfort food then this may be your place. They also have fudge at the front along with Johnson's Ice Cream. They have some nice extras, but that doesn't make up for the value of my meal. I think they are trying to modernize the menu but their price reflects their modernization. I don't understand parking complaints of a previous person because there were plenty of parking spots. And service was friendly to two strangers. They have their regulars and I saw them chatting with them so it must be worth it for some people. read more

This place is great! Truly a one of a kind place. I have been there a couple times and they have diner fare, homemade pies and good salads too. The rootbeer on draft is delicious, you have to get it-served in a frosted mug. The decor is bright red and white diner booths and nutcrackers are everywhere. Definitely worth a stop if you are tired of chains and want good honest food at a good price. read more

Cheap and pretty decent food. The service is sometimes good and sometimes just okay. But I still like this little diner, I either way I'll keep returning every once in a while for a good cheap meal! read more

Typically I give this place a 3 but today it's hovering 2 or below. Food is good but service is bad. Had to ask for water 3 times and still didn't show up. Come here about 1 or twice a month. Because it's local and not many breakfast choices other than fast food. Yelling across restaurant to ask people what they want to drink. Service is disappointing here. Will start driving further to get better service. read more

From West Jefferson to Pataskala i have been to every diner and decent restaurant on broad street, this is the worst. I have been here at least twice when the server would take care of a regular first that sat down after we did. Not sure if the woman manager with short blonde hair is still in charge, probably the worst example of a manager i have ever seen. Confrontational is the best way to describe her. My food was cold with a hair on it, i am sure it was still better than the service we received from the server and manager. read more