Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Here is scenario… they tell me 30 minute wait… It winds up being an hour… we sit down order food…1 hour goes by… no food… another 20 no food and only one coffee refill… angry tables all around and then a slew of empty ones with masses waiting outside… I love CB but this is the worst run Cracker Barrel that I have ever seen. Bottom Line: Walked out starving with 2 young kids with me.

Wow!!! And not in the good way. My roommate suggested to go there as a change from our regular habits. We sure got a change.
The place is quite cute and gives the feel of being in someone’s old house with a fireplace and various things decorating the place.
After studying the menu, and seeing that the only things I could eat where side dishes of veggies, I ordered three of them.
Every item of food we received was obviously cheap frozen food or canned food. The floors were salt and salt. I ate the food because I was really hungry, but it was not good at all. I don’t recommend it, unless you haven’t eaten for days and Ned something to help you to survive.

This place is hot garbage. I love Cracker Barrel but, this location has the worst service and cleanliness. We were told we would have a 30 minute wait for our table and ended waiting an hour. It took 10 minutes for our waiter to come to the table and we waited 15 minutes for our drinks. The waiter checked on us one time during our entire meal. We finished out meal and it took us 30 minutes of sitting there waiting to get our check. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

Cracker Barrel is my mother’s favorite restaurant and we always make the hour trip to this location since there are none near us in Ocean and Monnouth county. it was a Saturday night so it was typically busy both in the store and in the restaurant after walking around the store for about 20 minutes we went to the desk and was seated right away.
Our server greeted us and I got our drink order but after that she seem to be kind of distant and we always had to start her out to either place our order have an extra order of biscuits brought to the table or ask for drink refills. This was frustrating as you could imagine and kind of put a damper are on the experience.
Overall our food was fantastic I always get the chicken fried chicken when I come and I love getting all three sides with my meal. The fried okra vegetable is to die for!
I always leave the Cracker Barrel full with no rook for dessert, but that doesn’t stop me from grabbing some treats from the store before I go!

I went with a few of my non-​Caucasian friends tonight, March 4. They decided to seat us in the furthest back room, away from everyone else. The entire time during our meal (which was at best lukewarm) the staff decided to clean up the dining section we were in, moving around tables and chairs and deciding that it was a good time to sweep the dirty floor in the area. Again, I want to emphasize, this was during our meal. Disgusting. This was at 8:30pm. This branch closes at 11pm. I find it highly amusing that when we walked out to the adjacent dining section, where most customers were Caucasian, no one was cleaning that section, or moving furniture around loudly.
Our waitress decided to slap down our check halfway through our meal without even inquiring if we wanted dessert. She also took away our muffins while we weren’t finished eating – muffins that she brought out 30 min late. Muffins I was looking forward to all day.
I told this to an incredibly unapologetic cashier at the end of the night. The entire experience was horrific.
Bless their hearts.

This place is OK. On our road trip we decided to stop here. Place was kinda empty but I guess it was too early for people to actually be up and out. When we entered we were properly greeted and seated right away. I think the manager on duty sat us. He was great, and very informative. He gave us a run down of their famous yummy pancakes.
Our server was good. A little cold but a nice guy. He efficiently took our orders. He didn’t suggest anything and proceeded to take our orders. Like I said before maybe it was too early… whatever. Our table had 2 Momma’s Pancakes 1 Hershel’s breakfast and my Momma’s French Toast.
The Momma’s Pancakes (yummy pancakes, sausage, eggs) were good and the BF liked the Hershel’s breakfast (pancakes, country ham-​delicious and hashbrown casserole) and I had Momma’s Frech Toast which I didn’t like. It tasted chewy… nothing like French toast should. Also my bf’s pancakes were burnt.
The manager was great the waiter was so-​so and the lady at the register was a sweetheart. I will return… just to a different location. :-)

In the past I’ve always had excellent experiences at other Cracker Barrel locations. This time I was kind of disappointed. I ordered pancakes with eggs and bacon, pretty simple. I thought the pancakes were overcooked and chewy. The bacon was black and tasted burnt. I could have sent the food back but I hate being that person. I also wish they had more flavored syrup because I am the weird one that doesn’t like maple. It won’t stop me from going back again but I probably won’t order the pancakes. I’ll stick with my eggs, grits and biscuits that I love.
The manager came over to our table twice to ask if the server came to get our order, which he had. I guess they want to make sure everything is ok but that was more annoying I thought. The server did a great job!

I just HAVE TO stop by any time I see Cracker Barrel. Never disappointed. Great variety of dishes to choose from and the price is right. It is hard to believe that this is a large chain restaurant because it feels like home.

On my way back from NY to VA I received THE WORST service ever, after sitting down for about 15 minutes, I went to the host, asking to get service, she ask me to not yell at her, I was upset but i never yelled, i just talk in my military voice. It took about 10 minutes to have water on the table after order out meal. Also they skipped us for a couple that was seated after us. First and last visit at this place. THIS PLACE IS ALMOST EMPTY!

Cracker Barrel is better than I would think but still nothing special. My family seems to love this place. Quaint, but food is definitely on the boring side. The menu is made of «comfort american» foods. Not exactly the most appealing to a foody. I like their breakfast foods. The specials are usually decent, but taste the same as what can be made at home. Best part is the price point. Extremely cheap and easy to take out a group of people. I am not suggesting you skip this place, just expect a meal that costs $ 7 to taste like $ 7.

After a long day out, hubby & I passed this place, we had to try this place. We should have kept driving. I don’t get it. The food is not consistent. The entrees were riddled with sodium yet their vegetables had absolutely no flavor. Zip. Nada. Zero! Don’t get me started on the water, their biscuits and corn bread issues.
We knew things were weird when after we were seated, we waited over ten minutes. Others who came in after us received service yet we were still waiting. Finally after fifteen stupid (yes I used the «s» word) I stopped a waiter and asked him who and where is our waiter/​waitress!!! He looks at me quizzically and inquires how long have I’ve been waiting. I replied 15 minutes. The family that came after us already have drinks. He then tells us he’s not our server but he flags another guy and asks him if we are in his service area. That guy says no and is about to go to another table. The first waiter I flagged down asks the second waiter to tend to our table. Lots of blinking and silence follows. Finally the second guy asks us what we’d like. I reply «idk, we never received a menu!» After we looked, ordered and receive our drinks, no rolls. Oh boy. We should have left a long time ago. We later see our waiter and ask for the status of our rolls and dinner. He tells us it’s coming out soon but another server will be serving us. Ok, I guess they finally found our server. It took another really long time and the dishes to my right (35 minutes later) we noted the dishes still haven’t been cleared and it’s also not busy. Therefore this is a poor excuse to a dirty table. Ewwwww.
40 minutes passed and we are finally fed and our waitress was sweet but beyond forgetful. We would flag her down for the same thing over and over and she still forgot. It wasn’t busy but she still neglected to refill our water. Where are our biscuits and corn bread? Dang it. I spoke about the water, biscuits and corn bread issues. Oh never mind. Again, she’s really sweet but just forgetful.
This will be definitely the last time we will patron this place. Not in love or in like with this place. Oh well. Next restaurant.

Double check everything when you order for pickup.
2 big brown bags but missing most.

My wife and I visited the Hamilton NJ location. We were sat immediately. They had a section that was not full. As we waited for well over 35 mins saw two other couples come in after us and got served. At this point we were getting upset.
We went to the manager and at first he seem passive to help. It was only then after commenting to him «Do you even care» he then said he would talk to the server.
We left really upset. We have be customers to Cracker Barrel for many years. Food and serves was always excellent. I am very surprised this had happened.

This is by far the worst dining experience at a Cracker Barrel. Good food, awful service. At the hostess stand, the hostess told us it was going to a 5 – 10 minutes wait due to lack of kitchen staff. After waiting for 10 minutes, a couple shows up and the hostess sits them at a four person table right away. Lady, did you not see us, we have been standing right in front of you the whole time?!? After confronting them about this matter, they sat us at a table that wasn’t clean. How do you sit customers at a table that has visible cracker /​bread crumbs and sugar packet wrappers on the table?!? That’s unacceptable. We waited over 10 minutes for a server before asking a staff member who our server is. We were tempted to leave the restaurant but decided to stay. They blamed the bad service on the pope in the U.S. They are in DC, not Hamilton Township, NJ. After ordering, we waited another 25 minutes before bread plate (with three biscuits and a cornbread) and dinner entrees came.
For drinks, my mom and I ordered an Apple Cranberry Iced Tea, which consisted of freshly
brewed iced tea and blend of cranberry and apple juices. I wouldn’t say it was the ultimate fall refresher but it was a great fall addition that was sweet and refreshing.
For dinner, I ordered my usual — a house salad without bacon and honey mustard dressing on the side. The house salad consisted of mixed greens, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, shredded Colby cheese, and freshly made sourdough croutons. My mom ordered the usual — Grilled Chicken Tenderloin Dinner with three sides — double string beans and sweet whole baby carrots. The chicken was tender and very flavorful. My dad tried the Roast Beef Dinner with three sides — double string beans and baked sweet potato. Even though the roast beef had mushroom gravy, it was kind of bland.

This was my first visit to a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and I guess I wasn’t prepared for their full monty. Upon entry I was required to pass through a maze of ersatz «country» junque hanging from the ceiling and piled high on shelves and in barrels. It was sort of interesting in an unexpected way, and I could see how this was a bear trap for weary travelers with kids and impulse buyers. It was too much stimulation for a guy just wanting a quick lunch and a few moments of solitude.
The dining room was all wooded-​out and was fairly clean, bright and attractive. My server came quickly, was pleasantly engaging, and took my order of Country Fried Chicken, which came with Sweet Potato Fries, Cole Slaw, two Biscuits and one Corn Bread cupcake. Upon arrival the overwhelming sense of starchy calories struck me, because everything but the slaw was either breaded, or fried, or both.
The biggest issue I had was with this meal being called,“Fried Chicken.” That offered a mental image of bird on the bone, breaded and deep fried. Au contraire. This was only processed Chicken Patty food product that bore no resemblance to its namesake. It was flat, dried out, mealy, and tasted like chicken fingers at a baseball game. Disappointing. The Fries were okay, but had that extra finish that made them crispier than a regular potato would be. The Cole Slaw was the best part of the meal in a vinegar bath, but it came in a tiny side thimble. The Biscuits were tasteless, as was the Corn Bread variant.
I did escape for about $ 10, but I would never consider returning for another meal, as nothing I ate seemed authentic or even, healthy.
This roadside attraction takes its cues from Stuckey’s and other southern blacktop food stops.
It opts for cute and lowest common denominator offerings. I’ll being traveling elsewhere from now on. Once is surely enough.

Family friendly atmosphere, family friendly prices and food options that the whole family can enjoy. Add in an always pleasant wait staff… and I can’t forget to mention the scent of pure awesomeness every time you walk into the front door of the «country store», no matter what location you visit… it’s a hit every time!

Friends have been raving about Cracker Barrel for the longest time, and we finally stopped at one along the NJ Turnpike. The place definitely up to its hype! We arrived around 1pm on a Saturday, which seems to be peak lunch time here. After leaving our names we explored the stored filled with all things Christmas, Winter, as well as a wide variety of munchies. We bought some white Cheddar chips for the road and were seated after a few minutes of waiting.
The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large; quite a nice change from areas closer to the urban centers. I ordered the apple and cranberry glazed chicken which was rich and flavorful. The meat was tender and was not dry like chicken one tends to find in other establishments. We also ordered three side to share between five of us, which was plenty. Also, we couldn’t leave without having some pie. The cherry was a bit too sweet for my liking, but the apple was perfect.
Along with great food, the staff were friendly and quick. The ambience was lively and homey. Great stop along the turnpike!

Service at this location was great! I always order the same thing, country fried steak! Amazingly, the flavored do differ from state to state and location. So far, hands down, Pueblo Colorado is my favorite.

When I moved to Central Jersey from North Jersey, my only saving grace was that I got to gloat about the fact that I now lived driving distance to a Cracker Barrel. You see CB was a treat that only came by when enduring long road trips to Florida.
Much like any other chain, CB is a nit or miss with wait time, although usually the wait is under 30 minutes, and most time for a party of 2 it’s under 15. The service is of course hit or miss as well, although when they miss it is not as terrible as I have endured at other places.
Now what to order! My all time favoirte thing to do is come for breakfast and go half-​sies with my hubby on two meals to get the best of both worlds. We get momma’s breakfast which includes the buttermilk pancakes, eggs, amazing hashbrown casserole and meat. And the hubby gets grandpa’s bfrast which is the country fried steak, eggs, hasbrown cassoreole.
Upon ordering make sure you ask for EVERYTHING you want, like milk versus creamer, ketchup, APPLE BUTTER (yes, get the apple butter), or anythign like that. Then enjoy that table game with your date and get ready to feast!
You will most likely have left over, but that is never a problem. Prices are also very reasonable, about $ 6 or $ 8 for a large breakfast. I am very tempted to give Cracker Bareel a perfect 5 stars, because really their pancakes are the ONLY pancakes I have ever truly loved. But sadly I absolutely hate their dry flavor-​less corn muffins and the biscuits are mediocre at best.
Finally I really enjoy the CB country store while you wait or even at the end, I’ve bought a few Rutgers items at a decent price and they always have a sale going on. So needless to say, I have now have a southern bias to my love for Cracker Barrel.

Got a gift card for Cracker Barrel, so we ended up here for the first time. Had to wait for a little over 30 minutes but they went by fast since there was a «country store» area by the registers which i must say is a genius concept to squeeze a few more pennies out of you while you wait for a table (it’s like hospitals having a gift shop and a florist). The wife got sucked into buying some PB treats while we waited.
When our turn came, the hostess took us to our table and blurted out mechanically if we wanted anything to drink. We had not even sat down at the table when she said that. What southern hospitality! We asked her to give us a quick minute atleast to peruse the menu.
Got two orders of the Sunday Homestyle Chicken from the daily dinner features section. How can one go wrong with fried chicken in a chain restaurant that boasts the best southern food? That’s playing it ultra safe.
While we waited for our order to arrive we figured we’d wash our hands. The ladies room was OK from what the Mrs. said but the gentleman’s was easily one of the nastiest experiences that I’ve ever had. There was a repulsive stench that emanated as soon as one entered which reminded one of a humongous pile of wet stinky socks. It was so strong that I swear even a gallon of Febreze would not cover it up. This pretty much killed my appetite for the evening.
The country fried chicken wasn’t bad to be honest. One of the pieces was a tad burnt but we can live with that. But every time I’d try to enjoy it, the rest room situation would rear it’s ugly head. The sides were meh. Mashed potatoes sans butter and grits swimming in water with some plastic cheddar cheese on top. Service for the rest of the evening was fine albeit mechanical.
One thing’s for sure. You will not find us in «line dancing» for joy at CB any time soon after this experience.