Holstein Kitchen

Last night was our second time at Holstein Kitchen and while it did not have the WOW factor i am always looking for in a restaurant, it did not disappoint either.
So we went in last night and were the first people in there for night. The wait staff was very nice and remembered us from a few weeks back when we had brunch there. That was very nice. Anyway, we were seated and while I knew they only had wine and beer… i really wanted a cocktail. Anyway, that is what it is and while the wine that had was good I wish the selection was a bit larger and wish they got a liquor license. But whatever, I am not here to review drinks.
So, with like any new place when we see cheese curds on the menu we have t try them. They were ok. I liked the flaring done to them but the breading was thick and the Aioli that came with it pretty much tasted like Mayo. Cheese Curd Grade: C–
But, also with the cheese curds the chef/​owner brought out a small plate of the pulled pork for us to sample and it was amazing. What a great touch and also made my wife wish she ordered something else.
Now, when you look at the menu you will not see steak on the menu but they have it! Oh yes they have it! I got the delmonico rib-​eye steak and it was a great cut of meat. A little over buttered and under slated but cooked perfect and delicious. My wife tried the Southern Fried Chicken and it was ok. The chicken was good but the breading was very very heavy and also had a sweet taste to it. Now I lived in the south for a long time and never had sweet way heavy breaded chicken. But, the chicken inside the bread was very good. The kids… well thats easy. Daughter had the broiled chicken and it was delicious and the son has butter noodles and they were even very good.
BEWARE: The portions are large… so much that we all could have split two meals if we liked the same things. Also, it is pricey but I understand why being a Farm to Table restaurant. Speaking of… where do they get the local farm to table kale?
So…I was finished with my steak and the wife/​kids still working on their meals. The owner/​chef came out again and wanted to make sure we liked our meals and specifically my steak (I assume this is something they want to add to the menu in the future.) He than sat down a bowl of loaded garlic mashed potatoes with a side of meat loaf. Asked if we cared to sample this new item he was working on. WOW… very good. The potatoes were great and loaded with these and bacon and while the meatloaf was a little overcooked for me it was still flavored very well.
In a city like Oregon that has such a lack of QUALITY places to eat, Holstein Kitchen is a great little hometown place. My only complaints were the lack of mixed drinks, cheese curds, and the breading on my wife chicken. It is just good old farm cooking and I love that. Also seems to be run by a very good person. Normally I end with some sarcastic joke or quip but nah… just happy to write a good review for a change.

HIT & MISS
My wife and I drove the 25 minutes from Janesville to Oregon, WI this morning (DEC 19) to have brunch at Holstein’s Kitchen.
We arrived about 10am and the place was pretty much empty.
Oddly though, they initially sat us right next to the only other people eating there. We moved one table away because, well, why not, there was plenty of room.
The menu is fairly large and everything is unique so it took a bit of time to decide.
We both ordered coffee in the meantime (coffee is quite good).
My wife ordered the bacon spinach kale omelet.
I ordered the Four Hour Pork Hash and Eggs. The eggs come scrambled but thinking I was getting hash, I asked for them over easy (but changed my mind as my wife wanted to taste the pimento cheese eggs).
We had heard the french toast was excellent and ordered one piece. We had heard the same about their mac and cheese and ordered a side of it.
THE GOOD
I am not a fan of kale and barely one of spinach. But my wife’s omelet was outstanding. It has tons of flavor with just enough garlic. My wife said it did not need the bacon and would order that on the side next time (I liked it with the bacon). The spinach kale omelet was the highlight of the meal.
The mac and cheese was also very good. It was hot (temperature hot) and bubbling with several kinds of cheese. Very good.
The fresh strawberry jam was a hit. (Bread review in the MEH section below)
MIXED
The french toast (pain perdue) was indeed tasty. But it was cold. The butter would not melt on it. That’s cold. It tasted very good though. And the maple syrup is real. I would order it again but next time insist on a warm piece if it arrived cold.
MEH
Perhaps calling an item ‘hash” made me think I was getting a dish that was more like a corned beef hash. The pork hash was just pulled pork cooked with bbq sauce on top of fried potatoes (they ladle more bbq sauce on top — I was lucky I asked for that on the side). Pork tasted OK. But it wasn’t hash (at least what I believe breakfast hash to be) so I was disappointed.
The pimento cheese scrambled eggs tasted great. Holstein’s uses farm fresh eggs. However the eggs must be small as it was a very tiny portion for two eggs. Again, flavor was very good. Portion not so much.
MORE MEH
My wife got an english muffin with her omelet. It was probably toasted but arrived hardly so and cold.
Our fried potatoes were overcooked. My wife’s came as a side. My pork sat atop mine. We barely ate them. Potatoes were not good.
The place looks great. Bathrooms were very clean. Wait staff was wonderful. The place is not huge but as more people arrived, they seated everyone next to each other (up against the wall). So ²⁄₃ of the room was empty and all of the people eating were crammed up against the wall. Odd.
Food was hit and miss. Enough good to go back though. Hope this helps.

I found the food to be average at best, the waitstaff were pleasant and respectful, and I enjoyed the meal… the owner’s having to come to your table for a review came off as pompous … and the Prices !! 3x what the food would cost anywhere else … if having to make a choice, fast food like McDonald’s or Burger King would be better … I will not make a return visit

Holsteins is my new favorite establishment, a true diamond in the rough. 8 of us took a friend here for a birthday celebration and all of us thoroughly enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere. This is comfort food at its finest and not meant for those counting calories. From the NY strip to the fried chicken and the delectable sides, you will not be disappointed. The chef even gave a complimentary meal to the birthday boy! The service here was fast and extremely friendly, we were treated as if we were part of their family. Beyond Ritz Carlton service.
We were so impressed with the food that we came back the next day for brunch which equally impressed. The servers and chef remembered us and were sincerely happy to see us and grateful we returned.
I will be frequenting Holsteins for as long as I am able. Thanks for the great food and experience!

They have the best Friday night fish fry. You have to go. I love the fact that you can choose from two different kinds of fish. The service is always friendly and the price is right you have to go

Good service, good food, I ate the WHOLE thing (pecan crusted chicken), Generous house salad. Fried green tomatoes were a seasonal treat. My companions also enjoyed their dinners. Only complaint; how about whole grain bread or rolls? We will be back.

Tried it back in Brooklyn and thought it was lousy. Not much better on the new location. To bad as we go out for breakfast a couple of times a week. Try hq instead or go to stoughton.
Weekend hours are not for breakfast, but more like a lunch.

We recently moved from San Diego to Oregon and it was a real pleasure dining at Holstein Kitchen. First and foremost, service exceeded our expectations! Melissa was excellent! She took very good care of us and made excellent recommendations. The first time we went in for a late brunch on Sunday. The french toast was to die for! So worth the calories and carbs. We went back in for dinner on Thursday and received equally wonderful service and a great meal! The key lime pie was the best I’d ever tasted! The prices are extremely reasonable… in my opinion a great value for what you get. Don’t forget to ask for Melissa!

I really wanted to like this, but I’m continually disappointed when I go. The service is always slow and something is forgotten/​not brought out when it should be. I appreciate the farm to table concept and would love to know where the items are coming from. I think the prices are high for what you get ($ 9.50 for french toast and $ 11.75 for an omelet). The poor service and high prices combined make it a 2 star.

This was our second time visiting Holstein’s Kitchen, the first time was at their previous location.
We specifically sought out Holstein in Oregon, because our first experience there was amazing! The food was great, the atmosphere was great, everything was as close to perfection as could be.
Now that does not mean that this occasion was by any means bad, but because it was so good previously I had to give them a four this time and I look forward to our next visit being a 5 star again after they get the kinks of a new place run smooth.
The French toast is still wonderful and leaves you wondering how they do it and the menu still offers enough choices that it is hard to choose, but not to many that it looses it’s fresh feel.
The three pigs breakfast is also a really great plate and my boyfriend holds it as a meat lover’s breakfast standard.
My final comment is this: go try Holstein’s, this will not be a meal you regret.

Awesome food and fish fry. Curds and onion rings were amazing. Only complaint is that the severs, while pleasant, get overwhelmed by the number of customers. Need more help!

I’m leaving this place 5 stars not only because I can’t leave 4.5, but also because I want so bad for this place to succeed and become even better. The place definitely has a great concept and great food. My complaints are small.
My wife and I decided to try the place despite mixed reviews. I’ve come to understand that sometimes reviews are just very wrong. We’ve visited «wonderful, awesome» places that turned out to be horrible. We’ve visited «not worth your time» places just to discover how wonderful those places actually are. I feel this place is closer to the later.
I ordered the pecan fried chicken and my wife had the meatloaf. I’m still thinking about the bone-​out, crispy, sweet, maple-​pecan topped chicken, and the mac and cheese is some of the best I’ve had (I stole a bite from my wife). I would visit the place just for a bowl of the creamy gooey cheesey awesomeness! For an appetizer we had fried green tomatoes, which were awesome and served on a bed and salad and cheese curds. I had peach cobbler for dessert, which was also very good, but I love peach cobbler so maybe I’m biased.
My only complaint is by ordering the tomatoes which were on a huge pile of greens while also ordering dinners that came with more salad, we had ridiculous piles of greens. I would have preferred to pick a side other than salad, even if it were just a good soup.
Overall, I would recommend the Holstein Kitchen. I love fish fries, so I will be sure to stop in some Friday night.

Like others said, service has a few kinks. Roast beef, while plentiful, was cold and gravy lacked flavor I associate with farm style cooking. Salads on two near by tables arrived either with entrée or AFTER and both tables were not happy.
Brought the wrong burger which was fine as it was good and bill was adjusted but again points to disconnect between floor and kitchen or training?
Would give it another try but if experience is the same, will cross it off my Unilocal list.

Tried twice. First attempt — brunch was a disappointment. Mid morning and already out of the sausage meal. French toast is something you either love or hate. A single piece of deep fried bread doesn’t do it for us. On the positive side, the jam was good and you got your own personal sized jar of it.
Friday night fish fry. Arrived at 5:30 and only two tables were already seated. There were 5 wait staff and a manager/​owner (?) visible. Requested extra lemon for my fried cod only to learn that they were out of lemons. Seems like someone should have run the mile to the store to buy lemons on a Friday Fish Fry night.
Cod dinner consisted of two fish stick sized pieces. They were cooked well, but under seasoned and overpriced. Luckily, I kept the parmesan cheese dust from my cheese curd appetizer and used it to add flavor … since they had no lemons and I detest tarter sauce — my only other seasoning alternative.
Coleslaw was tasty. Fries were good. Marbled rye bread might as well be Wonder Bread for all the flavor it had. The single slice came cut in half, pre-​buttered and stuck buttered face together. What if you don’t like butter? This butter was completely tasteless.
I wish the owner would focus less on marketing his farm to table concept and actually deliver on high-​quality food. We’d love to support a local restaurant but won’t be returning.

I really, REALLY wanted to like this place. There’s not much else in Oregon. But I don’t. I tried them 3 times. I’m done. Breakfast in their original location, breakfast in Oregon, and a dinner in Oregon. I have yet to experience a complete, quality service. 1^st breakfast was cold, although the eggs were tasty. Having to listen to the owner/​chef BS at another table, extoling the whole farm-​to-​table concept, was a bit much when I’m staring at cold scrambled eggs.
I was hopeful when they opened in Oregon. But the 2^nd breakfast was no better. Largely empty house, and they were out of 2 of my first choices. OK, give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re working out the supply kinks. Cold french toast, deepfried, with no seasoning. Thick enough that it should have been prepared correctly (custardy on the inside), but no better than any 2-​bit diner. Made worse by watching the owner/​chef strut around the floor, eventually spreading himself out at vacant table and holding court with his wait staff.
Dinner was a mess. I went with the meatloaf and was seriously disappointed. Only a single slice, no seasoning, the smashed potatoes had no butter or cream to impart richness so they had a weird watery texture, and even the brown gravy was bland and not enough provided to wet the loaf.
The wait staff is generally friendly and chatty, but continually having to make excuses for being out of this or that. The owner /​chef certainly talks the talk regarding farm-​to-​table, but can’t walk the walk. Supply problems (no lemons on fish fry night?!?), cold, bland food, and prices more than it’s worth? I’ll pass.

We were excited to try the new location in Oregon.
Few glitches here and there — but somewhat understandable because of its newness. Work on your supply — a Sunday Brunch place should NEVER be out of their top selling menu option. A true disappointment when the first thing announced as we were seated.
Wait staff seems to still be scrambling. No one refilling water, coffee. Had to wait 20 minutes for more coffee to brew. Server announced every time she went back to get the pot it was empty.
Huh? Where’s the host — not that busy that he couldn’t be making more coffee, filling waters and assisting the wait staff. Staff needs more direction — a lot of standing around. No team got your back attitude. Three out of the 4 plates came out of the kitchen incomplete or with errors.
Tighten it up — you’ve worked hard on a great concept — will give you more time to work out some kinks and then coming back with the same party to try dinner.

Housed in the former location of what was the DeBroux diner, the Holstein Kitchen is a big improvement to the corner for service and a hardy breakfast. I had had a really bad service experience at DeBroux, making my visit a one-​and-​done, never going back. The new owners of this restaurant are taking service seriously and the friendly, attentive staff deserve your generous tips.
I ordered the Americana scramble, soft and fluffy eggs with cheddar, bacon and well-​spiced sausage links mixed in. I like my bacon more crispy than what’s in the scramble, but it’s smoky and delicious. The scramble came with toast and potatoes. The bread was a dense, thick wheat and very lightly toasted. A ramekin of soft butter made the bread a treat, but it’s not for the Wonder Bread fans. The thick-​cut potatoes are deep-​fried and crispy, but I’ll ask for a different side next time — there are sautéed greens that look more interesting.
The highlight of the meal was the French Toast that came on the side. Two huge pieces of thick bread, soaked in a cinnamony, custard batter and fried to be soft and fluffy inside and crispy on the outside. It’s a rich treat for your diet cheat day, but totally worth it.
Other notes: the coffee is good enough to drink black. The décor has a cute, farmhouse theme and everything is clean and simple. I appreciated the bluegrassy music with albums and songs I recognized (the Stoughton opera house crowd will love this place).
My suggestions for improvements: ditch the plastic ramekins and invest in stainless steel. Rethink the exit — only front door — routing traffic around back makes sense, but not welcoming guests through the picturesque front, corner door is a wasted opportunity and people will continue to be confused. People can wander back to the host’s stand. Take a tip from Wendigo Tavern and add some local, oversized art to the walls. A few walls could use some theme — appropriate art. The prettiest tables are the ones without tablecloths. Is real maple syrup an option? Are there more local CSAs that could be providing meat, dairy and veggies? Even if standard specials aren’t 100% local, your daily specials can be.
Good stuff, Holstein. Keep it up.

Holstein might be what Oregon has been missing, a restaurant with fresh, homemade food that is actually good!
The good:
Food was pretty solid. They have a menu and specials based on what is in season, local and good. This afternoon, we ordered a bowl of fresh cherries (which were awesome and a welcomed oddity on a menu), poppy seed salad, chicken soup, and mac-​n-​cheese. All were good!
Service was very friendly and attentive.
What needs improvement:
Menu is really overpriced. The prices are in Capital Square territory. Even when the ingredients are fresh, this is too expensive.
Menu is sort of hard to read too. Needs to be simplified like a normal menu.
All in all, we will definitely be back! Keep it up Holstein folks!

Holstein Kitchen is pretty great. My first visit was on a weekday for lunch, with my husband.
If this place served sweet tea and Dr. Pepper, I’d swear I was in Texas.
We started with fried green tomatoes; they were garnished with pickled vidalia onions, pimentos, and (what I think was) a remoulade, and served on a bed of mixed greens; they were just as good as any fried green tomatoes we’ve had in TX. Then we shared the macaroni and cheese and fried chicken sandwich w/​fries, both of which were great. I can’t say it’s THE BEST mac & cheese I’ve ever had, but I’ve definitely had worse. The chicken sandwich was outstanding; I don’t think I’ve ever had such juicy, white-​meat chicken. And then there’s dessert — they only had two to choose from, and they were half-​price (not certain why; maybe just because it was lunch?), so we tried both. The key lime pie was lighter and fluffier than most, with a graham cracker crust. Loved it. The peach cobbler was served warm, but without ice cream; it was still quite good.
Can’t wait to go back to try fish fry on a Friday and breakfast on a weekend.

Food is ok. Kind of strange in my opinion that toast with the meal is just one slice. Usually I see two and one was just a bit short for two eggs. Wondering why with 14 tables only seating 8. Says he only has 4 severs in so he doesn’t want to overwhelmed them. I think he just was a 15 minute wait to feel busy. Everyone waiting does have seating available and severs are just waiting for food with nothing to do???