Cracker Barrel in Owensboro: A Favorite Kentucky Restaurant
When it comes to writing Kentucky restaurant reviews, I tend to often write about restaurants I’ve visited for the first time – or a restaurant that has a “new” menu item or special.
Disclaimer: Many restaurant reviews on Genuine Kentucky were done BEFORE I had to stop eating gluten and wheat. I no longer eat at Cracker Barrel because they do not consider ANY of their meats gluten-free. Unlike the vast majority of restaurants, where you can order meat and consider it to be gluten-free, Cracker Barrel simply states that none of their meats can be considered to be safe for us to eat because they cook all of their meats in the same place. If you have to eat gluten-free, I don’t recommend Cracker Barrel. Even if you’re a vegetarian, in my opinion, you’d be better off going to a restaurant more dedicated to serving the needs of all of their guests.
The problem with that is that sometimes a good, old-fashioned, consistently favorite restaurant can get lost in the commotion.
Take the Cracker Barrel in Owensboro, Kentucky for example. I eat at this particular restaurant possibly more often than any other – with the exceptions of Wasabi Express and Mi Ranchito, which are the only ones I frequent as often as CB.
Old favorites might not get the fanfare that new ones get, but where in the world would we be without them?!
Cracker Barrels isn’t just a chain of restaurants in the South, it’s a Southern institution, and one that we’re incredibly proud of. The menu is diverse – more so than the majority of restaurants. Think about it, not only can you order amazing breakfasts any time of the day or night, you can have your choice of a HUGE variety of meats and vegetables.
- catfish
- meatloaf
- steak
- country fried chicken
- shrimp
- ham
- chicken and dumplings
- grilled chicken strips
- green beans
- mashed potatoes
- gravy
- potato casserole
- beef stew
- carrots
- coleslaw
- salad
- fried okra
- corn
- cornbread
- biscuits
The list goes on and on and includes “seasonal menu items” that are always available. On a recent trip to Cracker Barrel, my husband ordered a big beautiful breakfast (shown above). Our oldest daughter Emily and him order from the breakfast menu most of the time. Who can blame them, you get A LOT of food for a great price, and the food is always exceptionally delicious. My favorites are the fried catfish, spicy grilled catfish (Heavenly!), shrimp, meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings. Every now and then I HAVE to have a plate of pancakes with berries and whipped topping though.
One look at the picture below and you can see why.
Obviously, Cracker Barrel is an outstanding place to have breakfast or supper, but have you ever thought about Cracker Barrel for lunch? The prices are hard to beat and the food is as good as you’ll find anywhere. The fried catfish sandwich is wonderful and I highly recommend the Meatloaf Sandwich, the Grilled Chicken Salad and BLT Salad.
To make a long story short, there isn’t a bad food item on the entire menu. The next time you’re trying to decide where to eat breakfast, lunch, or supper, head to Cracker Barrel and remind yourself what a great restaurant experience should be like. I applaud (loudly applaud) the fact that, even in this irritable economy, Cracker Barrel’s prices remain VERY fair. You get more than you pay for at Cracker Barrel, and that can’t be said of a lot of restaurants.
It’s been my experience that the servers and workers at Cracker Barrels are uncommonly friendly. I think it’s a requirement or something. 🙂
See Cracker Barrel’s website for the menu and to find a restaurant/store near you.
