Carolyn's Essenhaus is a true gem on the Kansas prairie. Located just southwest of Salina along…read moreState Highway 61, it's well worth a stop at almost any time of day. They're open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, and until 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Saturday. They're closed on Sundays. After a long day on the road traveling from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Salina, Kansas, we arrived around 6:00 p.m. on a Monday evening. We were more than ready for a break. We had found Carolyn's Essenhaus on Yelp, and from the photos and reviews, it looked like just the kind of place we were hoping to find. Inside, the restaurant was much larger than we expected. The dining room was filled with local artwork, charming Kansas memorabilia, comfortable tables and booths, and a classic salad bar prominently displayed in the center. Table service was friendly, warm, and welcoming--like enjoying dinner in your grandmother's kitchen. My wife ordered the chopped steak topped with cheese and grilled onions, served with green beans and sweet potato fries. I chose one of the local favorites, essentially a hearty patty melt featuring a grilled burger, grilled onions, and a thick slice of grilled ham. Both entrées were excellent, but the real star of the meal was the salad bar--especially if you appreciate an old-fashioned, homemade selection. It instantly reminded me of family potlucks with all my aunts and uncles. There was macaroni salad, cottage cheese, potato salad, broccoli raisin salad, a sweet and creamy chopped cucumber salad, and plenty of other homemade favorites. It was so good that I went back for a second small plate and happily told our server to charge me for the extra trip. To finish the meal, we couldn't resist taking two slices of their homemade coconut cream pie to go. It was every bit as delicious as the rest of the meal. Before heading out, we picked up a few of their homemade cookies from the front counter, paid what we thought was a very reasonable bill, and continued our journey with full stomachs and smiles. If your travels ever take you near Arlington, Kansas, do yourself a favor and make time for Carolyn's Essenhaus. It's the kind of place that reminds you why small-town restaurants are often the most memorable stops on any road trip.

Seat yourself, waited on quickly. Hot coffee, food arrived soon and was delicious!…read more A little out of the way, but so worth the drive!!

Stopped in for a bite. Quaint little restaurant/store. We ordered a Chicken Ranch Pizza…read more Hand-tossed pizza dough, Ranch Dressing, Chicken and Bacon. It was quite tasty.

The pizza used to be the best around. Last one I got was pure crap! Hardly any sauce and the crust…read morewas soggy. Never again.

Food was great and the waitress was always there when we needed her, but above all the aesthetics…read moreof this place were amazing. I did get the Traditional Italian sandwich and I opted for no mayo so it was a little dry but the bread was so soft and fresh that honestly I didn't really care.

Super cute atmosphere. Great service. And the best chicken salad sandwich I have ever had! Just an…read moreawesome place! Love it!!!

This is a 5 star cafe! The pulled pork sandwich was out of this world! The sandwich was literally 4…read moreinches tall with the bun. It was on a small cute metal tray. The southwest salad was twice the size for one person to eat so huge size. It was delicious with quartered cheese quesadillas and scoop of guacamole. Prices were very reasonable and service was very good and friendly. Tables were cleaned very thoroughly and even the chairs. Don't miss this little gem inside the science museum.

Based on other Yelp reviews, we decided to try Cosmosphere Cafe for lunch. What a find! My…read moresister-in-law and I both chose the won-ton tacos, and they were tasty. The cilantro adds a nice touch. The server picked up on it being a birthday celebration, and even other customers offered well wishes. The museum is a perfect setting for the getting to the cafe. It gave us a chance to get Cosmic photos for a fun ending to the delicious lunch.

Absolutely a charming, friendly place to eat or have just a refreshing drink. The prices are…read morereasonable, the wraps are delicious and the homemade baked chips are yummy. Service was fast and staff very helpful. Make a point to try this quaint cafe, you won't be disappointed!

Do not online order. If you do order online, check your order before leaving the store. This is…read morethe 2nd time they forgot substantial items in my order. The first time was in the Fall of 2019 and afterwards I responded to a survey on their website and never received any kind of communication back. The last time was this weekend. They were not busy and had many employees working. They should check all items are in the order.

We had a large order to be delivered for a family reunion. They delivered on time & had each box…read morenamed for the recipient. So everyone got what they ordered.

Update - still runny and melted shakes. I still get them but I know I can't eat it until I go home…read moreand put it in the freezer for 30 minutes first.

Great food for a crowd! Went mid day with a ton of kids and service was super friendly and fast. 9…read moremilkshakes and burgers and no complaints! The caramel hot fudge milkshake was amazing!

I didn't think I liked smoothies, but when my daughter got one and I tasted it, I was hooked. You…read morecan add protein and customize your sugar - sugar, Splenda, or 50% sugar and 50% Splenda. There's usually a bit of a wait so I use the app to order ahead.

people were very rude. our orders were not right. we order TWO things. smoothie taste like it was…read moreold and taste like chemicals. food made me sick after a day. it was burnt and not the right thing that i ordered. place was dirty especially the bathrooms. a bug in the women's restroom. flies and gnats flying around. i and my friend were so disappointed. never coming here again.

This bbq establishment should be on your "travel to" list! The food was excellent. Juicy chicken…read more Tender brisket. Smoky Mac and cheese. I could t get enough. Next time you're craving an amazing meal, stop by, you won't be disappointed!

Nice small town BBQ restaurant. Service was great and quite a bit of food for the money. Got…read moreBrisket and Sausage with sweet red sauce. Baked beans and MAC & Cheese for sides. Everything was very flavorful. Look forward to trying more menu items

Great service - great food - highly recommend. The chili was excellent!! Ambiance was interesting-…read moreit really is an old firehouse

This was rated at the top of the local restaurants. Everyone was not wrong. My husband ordered the…read moreReuben and loved every bite. I got the grilled ham and cheese sandwich and was happy as well. My fries were outstanding and my husband enjoyed his fried onion chips. The wait crew were always on the move. And best of all, this was the least expensive meal we have had on our trip so far. We were in town with about 5,000 other geocachers for GeoWoodstock, a game of hide and seek where people hide containers around the world and post coordinate locations for others to find and sign a logsheet. We bumped into fellow cachers eating here as well.