Okay so hear me out, I cannot stay away from this spot when in Clinton! Their soups have me coming back for more over and over. I was informed their beef & cabbage soup is the special on every Wednesday, and when I tried it... oh, I might have to make this my normal Wednesday routine! I love the service here too. Everyone is so friendly, it really feels like you're dining with family. read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

See all

Nice dining area, friendly people and very good service. Not real busy for weekday morning about 8 a.m. but a few other diners. A two egg omelet isn't that large but it was part of the breakfast special so it is what it is. The onions are peppers were too large, those should be prepped smaller in our opinion. Not much cheese at all. The American potatoes were good. The biscuit and gravy was sort of good, it's like a milk gravy. The biscuits were good. The problem is you expect like sausage gravy or something for some taste and flavor, there really was none. Came straight out of the kitchen and it was basically cold. Then came the pancakes, whoa! I couldn't figure out where the odd taste was coming from. Without saying anything I asked my wife to try a bite. She then had a strange look on her face. Thought it couldn't be from the whipped butter, syrup maybe? No, then we each tried a bite from a pancake with nothing on it. Whatever the odd taste was it was in the pancake. Couldn't quite place the taste, some added flavoring.....whatever it was it wasn't good. Served one container of whipped butter which is only enough for one pancake. Didn't matter as it turned out. We might try them again for lunch but we won't be back again for breakfast. Sorry, but it just didn't work for us. read more

This has always been one of my favorite places to stop when coming through Clinton. The food is just good comfort food no matter what you order. Our server went out of her way to make it pleasurable experience. We've always found the place clean and relatively quiet for a family restaurant. All in all the wife and I were happy when we left. read more

Sadly, they've went downhill the last couple of years in terms of hours open, waiting for our food orders, food quality, cleanliness, etc. There are much better restaurants than this one. read more

Long wait for food but that's the only complaint. Coffee refills on time during the wait. American fries really done right. Ham & cheese omelette was filled with ham. The ham & egg sandwich was also done perfectly with good portions of all ingredients. Waitress was apologetic about the wait & recognized we had been seated before another table got their breakfast. It's located in an old fast food building, standard diner of today. read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - Ham & Cheese omelette - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

See all

Came for breakfast, really great service and pretty great food. Really BAD coffee! However, it seems that every restaurant in Clinton serves the same awful coffee. We really wanted to try this place for dinner, and they have a decent dinner menu. But, they aren't actually open for dinner read more

Nice hometown restaurant in Clinton. Definitely my breakfast stop while I'm in town. Staff is friendly and food is good. Definitely will be back. read more

Stopped in here for some breakfast with some coworkers, and it was BUSY. Full disclosure, it's taken me this long to review it (it got lost on my review list) so this was prior to COVID, I'm not sure how things are now, but they had us packed in there like sardines! The service was okay, what you would expect from a small town diner on a busy morning. Coffee was typical diner coffee. Food was typical diner food (probably frozen/in a can prior). Prices were extremely affordable and portions were huge (I couldn't finish my breakfast), but I often expect this at little diners! Overall, nothing special - your typical small town diner, but there's definitely a time and place for these kinds of spots and it was thoroughly enjoyed! read more

The food is really amazing along with the service! The place was packed but we were served within minutes of sitting down!! Nice ambiance!

An at-home feel diner with an extensive menu. Can't decide what to have for dinner? One kid wants burgers and the other wants breakfast? Hungover and need some coffee and a good ol' gravy biscuit? Old Town is your place. I won't say anything I've tried yet has been some crazy show stopper, Instagram worthy meal, but sometimes that's what's so nice about it. It's consistent, it's tasty, and the staff are great. Your coffee cup will never be empty unless maybe if you drink it like a cactus at a watering hole. Food is always hot. Ask for Tapatio with your hashbrowns instead of Tabasco and thank me later. read more

I have been wanting to try this place ever since I moved here. I went this past weekend and it was--okay. Slow service, was left hungry and had low blood sugar for 45 minutes. The food was delicious, but you could also tell there wasn't much love to it, frozen ingredients, and servers that didn't really bring home the small town diner feel. So, just okay. Prices were a bit more overpriced than expected, good food. read more

Great family all American diner with a very wide selection of foods, the wait staff is friendly and the prices are decent.

Yep, so good I cleaned my plate! We order breakfast at work on Sundays and the folks at Old Town really take care of us. Deliver right to our plant gate. Always arrives hot. Sweet lady always puts a smiley on my order! Next time I will try to get a picture before I dig in! Thanks Old Town! read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - a fork in a takeout box - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

See all

Excellent dining in the Clinton area. I've been there a few times and the service is great and I've never had a bad meal !! A wide selection of meals and soup's ! Enjoy your dinner or breakfast ! read more

So many good ratings - I hate to be the one to spoil it. This place is the American Idol contestant of restaurants. Somebody has convinced them that their food is good, and nobody who they would actually listen to has the guts to tell them that their food is actually really bad. So they keep serving it, but in reality they shouldn't be in the restaurant business. I decided to stop in for dinner during a short business trip to Clinton, thanks to the four star rating on Yelp and its proximity to my hotel. I was seated immediately, since there were only three other customers in the place. Perhaps that should've been a warning to me. My waitress recommended the house chicken (chicken strips) that they "sell a ton of". For sides I asked if they had any vegetables and was told "corn". I asked if it was canned or fresh. It's canned. (Gross. No self-respecting restaurant should ever serve canned corn. And here in the heart of Iowa farm country?! That should be illegal.) So I got a buttermilk biscuit and mashed potatoes and gravy for sides with a cup of chicken noodle soup. You can't go wrong with those, right? Service was fast and friendly. Food was delivered five minutes after ordering. Waitress came every two minutes to check on how I liked the chicken. The environment feels like a clean 1980's diner, but there was a faint smell of cigarette smoke despite nobody actively smoking. As for the food: Chicken noodle soup - Probably from a can. Noodles were totally mushy, but the broth had a nice peppery flavor...after I put more pepper in it. Buttermilk biscuit - really really soft. Any softer, and it would be soggy. Is it supposed to flop over when you lift it? Mine did. The flavor is like Pillsbury biscuits, except not fresh out of the oven but rather reheated in the microwave. Just avoid these. Mashed potatoes and gravy - the uniform consistency of the potatoes (and the flavor) were a dead giveaway that these were boxed potato flakes, reconstituted with water. The turkey gravy was also definitely from the can. I had to load it up with salt and pepper to make it edible. Chicken - finally something that was actually homemade. The chicken strips were moderately tender, but nobody should be bragging about the batter they were coated with for frying. Like the rest of the meal it was bland with a weird texture for fried chicken. The strips were served piping hot. I'm pretty sure they came right out of the fryer to my table, because I burned the roof of my mouth when I bit into the first one. Dipping sauces - all sauces were pre-packaged in plastic sauce cups with lids and came from the refrigerator which made them too thick to use effectively as a dipping sauce. Jan sauce is supposed to be sweet and tangy but this one was just sweet and bland. The BBQ sauce was a 100% exact match for the flavor of Famous Dave's BBQ sauce from the grocery store. I hate to drop a one-star rating here, because my waitress was so nice and so earnest in hoping I would like the food. They really were all nice, but the food was so bad I could never ever recommend that you visit this place. read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - The famous chicken strips, with mashed potatoes and gravy and a buttermilk biscuit. - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

Nice breakfast place. RIght next to smelly factory but you will not smell it inside. Really inexpensive but great food! read more

See all

This place has always been so welcoming and they never forget a face! My family has been coming to this restaurant since i can remember and it never fails me. Food is always delicious and the customer service is is supreme. Highly recommend. read more

Good little mom and pop shop. I enjoyed stopping here for breakfast when in town. Typical small town restaurant with large menu and good prices. Service was adequate. Will stop by again when in town read more

Some of the best breakfast food I have ever had. I am just waiting for the opportunity to go back! Definitely a recommend!

Bad food. Slow service. 40 minutes wait for a half burned bad smelling burger and half boiled half burned hash browns (see pic). Like an Ihop, but worse. Not "family" at all. to be fair I will enlist the only good things: tomato juice was good (standard) and they were polite. read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - Burned bad smelling burger. Half boiled half burned hash browns. - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

Man, this is the kind of place I'd make a habit out of if I was around here a lot. Super friendly staff, really well made regular ol' 'Merican chow, good portions. Zero complaints. Today's soup (bean & beef) was eye-rollingly good. Yum. read more

Found this place while taking the scenic drive between Le Claire and Chicago. We were looking for a local joint to grab some lunch, and since Flavor Flav's chicken place was already out of business after four short months, we thought we'd give this one a try - especially after reading the sign out front boasting their ranking as the #1 Family Restaurant in Clinton. I'm happy to report that this ranking was well-earned and that the Old Town is now a must-stop place for us to eat whenever we're in the area. First of all, the service here was top notch. Friendly, knowledgable servers that aren't too pushy, and also are there when you need them. Refills were timely and we felt right at home. During my first visit here I decided to try one of their breakfast skillets for lunch. I chose the corned beef hash skillet and was not disappionted in the least. The corned beef hash was canned (which I really don't mind) and they did a nice job of cooking it extra crispy. The hasbrown potatoes (fresh tasting and crispy) at the bottom or the scramble were amazing and possbly the best hashrbrowns I've had anywhere. My wife had the chicken, bacon, swiss sandwich featuring the house chicken specialty (broasted, I think?). The chicken breast was big, juicy, and seasoned perfectly with some sort of tasty blend. She said it was honeslty one of the best chicken sandwiches she'd ever had, anywhere. I had a taste and I find it hard to disagree with her. It's crazy good. We stopped back here the other day when we had the chance to drive through the area again. I had the special of the day which was a creamed chicken over biscuits - and I was again impressed with the quality of the food. Tasted like really good home cooking. My wife had her same sandwich again, and loved it as much the second time as the first. Five stars for this hidden gem off the Mississippi river. If you ever have a chance to eat in Clinton, stop here and enjoy some of the best "home cooking" you'll ever have the luck to find. read more

I love this place - as an "old school" Midwestern go-out-to-eat-with-the-family-every-Friday night as a child, this restaurant reminds of the great food served then. I always get the catfish fillet, which of course comes with plenty of sides and for a very reasonable price - I am in heaven. The service is personable and customer oriented. All the other dishes got raves at our table and all sauces, dressings, and soups are home made by the owner. Give it try - you will not regret it! read more

Like coming to this place. Everywhere I travel to I try and find good breakfast places. I always stop here when I'm in Clinton.

My best friend and I would come here after work in the morning and catch up. I moved away 3 years ago, and every time that I've been back to visit, they remember me. That means so much to me that they pay attention to their customers/regulars. They have a great menu, the service is always fantastic, the location is easily accessible, and it is clean inside. I always get the steak cheese scrambler. A++++++ I will always be back whenever I visit. read more

We stopped this morning for breakfast. Excellent restaurant. Friendly staff, great food. I had the caramel, cinnamon banana french toast. Very tasty. Wish we lived closer, so I could stop back often. My husband had the eggs, french toast, bacon. Great location, right on the main artery through Clinton, you can access the parking lot from either direction. read more

Great food at a great price. Gives you the classic American diner feel. Staff was very friendly and timely with the food. Highly recommend read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - Nutella French toast - must have! - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

Good food great service and reasonable prices. Breakfast all day long. I stop here every time I am visiting Clinton.

My sister and her husband moved to Clinton back around 2005, and my young son and I started visiting this restaurant during each of our visits. NUTELLA FRENCH TOAST with bananas, chicken quesadilla for breakfast meal, Bacon cheeseburger skillet for breakfast, Reuben sandwiches, my goodness the list goes on. This is the epitome of a small town restaurant, and I love coming here and I will miss it now that they are moving out of Iowa. read more

Old Town Family Restaurant - Letter we left; after many visits while 2 C family, today was last visit, family is moving back to WI. LOVE THIS PLACE!! - Diners Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

This restaurant has become my go to in the Clinton area. The staff is long term, which you rarely find in a restaurant, friendly and very accommodating. As a person with dietary needs I hate eating out but they make it easy for me. The food is simple and to the point, without being overdone, and priced very reasonably. It reminds of the diners that I grew up with, is clean and well lit and casual. I guess the nostalgia is something that I appreciate whereas those people looking for top shelf atmosphere won't want it for a dressed up dinner occasion. They are easily able to handle large groups (I took a group of 24 there) as long as you limit your group to 3 or 4 entree options. I had friends from Chicago down and they were pleased with their meals. I don't claim to be a food snob and I can cook very well on my own and have never had a bad meal there. read more

We were visiting from California and decided to stop at this family owned restaurant for breakfast on our road trip from Chicago to Iowa. I like to patronize family owned establishments, especially in small towns. This is a family operated, old school, authentic American diner. We stopped in on a Saturday morning and the place was fairly busy. Nearly every table was occupied. The service was good, and we received our food in a timely manner. If you are in the area and need a place to sit down and enjoy good food, stop in, you won't be disappointed. read more

A great little diner, and a real all-American place. The food is much better than your average diner, and the service is great and quick. I worked in Iowa for 6 months, and I was in Clinton at least once per week. When I was there, Old Town was definitely my go-to place. read more

The food was about as good as food at a truck stop, with service to match. Everything was microwave quality. I would definitely not eat here again. read more

Love this place. Food is excellent, service is exceptional. Family owned and operated. Very hospitable and professional, but homey

Been eating here for 10+ years and hope to for another 40. Fantastic people, delicious food ( no matter what you order) and a professional wait staff. Impossible for me to choose only 1 favorite meals. Yeah, that kinda place..... Awesome! read more

Food poor atmosphere poor service was not to bad but my burger was terrible and my eggs cold would not recommend to anyone with taste buds

My wife and I come here often. The food is very good, the price is right and staff is friendly and courteous.

I took my family there when we first moved to Clinton and were checking out the local restaurants. Went there once and never again. Service was horrible, the food took forever to get to us and, when it finally did, it was cold and tasteless. Do yourself a favor and just go to McDonald's. read more

Great for any meal! Breakfast served all day I love the all meat omelet. They also have s great Ruben.

I love coming here, the environment is so homey and comforting. The service is great. I recommend the gyro, fish and chips, and their ribs are the best in town! Super cheap, super delicious. read more