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!!

Beautiful views, great food and Order your personal Omelette, too! They need a little Music!…read moreDelicious deserts, everything is Fresh.

If you've been there pre Covid it was a treat! Post...screwy!…read more Had to fill out our "menu" which was supposedly all you can eat but waitress disappeared and when asked for more slips to fill out for second we got the omelette menu, again! Who eats more than one omelette?? The dessert table was a help yourself, precut, low quality pie selection! Why can you get a piece of pie but can't offer a buffet? Salad bar was served by waiter behind plexiglass...so we had all realms of service...buffet but not buffet, salad bar but not help yourself and dessert bar help yourself....made NO sense! German sausage was undercooked, rolls were hard as a rock, pie looked like it was sitting out for a week! Sorry to say but we will never return and the service wasn't worth the 15% we left.

I would make the trip from Wichita to eat here again! Food is delicious, service is friendly, and…read morethe atmosphere is fun! Nice liitle hidden treasure! 5

They have one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever had in my life! Great place and wonderful…read morepeople. Highly recommend this place!!!!

Best pork chops I've ever had. Servers were attentive. Ambiance was very low key welcoming. We'll…read morebe back.

Used to be, but no longer is, one of my favorite Hutchinson restaurants. The service is as good as…read moreever, but the food quality has substantially wained. Used to be that one could get fresh shredded potatoes for breakfast hash brown. Now they are anyone's guess. The precious Moon Burger has seen better days. Smaller Burger smaller bun. The sacred French fries are now thinner and the portions smaller. Do not try the Chicken and noodles they are terrible.

Seen signs to this place, but never stopped by until recently. Easy access right off the interstate…read moremakes it very convenient. Been here a few times in the last month - service has always been great and staff are super friendly. Pretty decent menu; and prices are great too. The shop itself while small, feels quaint and comfortable. If cruising down I-135 and you need a caffeine stop, this is the place.

Found this little gem during a quick trip to Hesston last week so I decided to go through the…read moredrive-thru. So happy I made that decision. Their regular menu looked wonderful and they also had an extensive seasonal menu. They also have food and milk substitutes The service at the drive-through window was exceptional and she was very kind and friendly. I cannot remember the name of the drink I ordered, but I know it had salted caramel, cinnamon and pumpkin. It was not your average pumpkin spice latte. It was a step above! The flavors, the aroma, everything about this coffee made my day. I also ordered the ooey gooey pumpkin butter bar. If you think about the size of a regular dessert bar versus this, not only was this about the size of two you might normally get elsewhere, but the quality and the taste let you know this thing was homemade and made with love. I'm not afraid to make longer road trips for great places, especially when it comes to coffee or food. I will definitely be back to try more and to visit the inside which looks adorable. Whether you live close or you're passing through the area, stop in or go through the drive-thru. They will be ready to welcome you with smiles like they did me!

We were looking for a place to eat after going to the Kansas Barn Sale at Riverside Park, and I saw…read morethat this place had some good reviews. The menu is large, and the prices are some of the most affordable I've seen in years. The owner even stopped by our table to chat, and she was lovely to talk with. I had the breakfast special with bacon, eggs, and toast, and my husband had ham fried rice. We also had crab Rangoon as an appetizer. Everything tasted really good, and we will be back next time we are anywhere near Halstead!

Best Pancakes ever! The rest of the food is great too. Great prices! Relaxed atmosphere. Employees…read moreare all welcoming.

I love this place, they sell the best ice cream. Hopefully it can open again this summer or the…read morerest of summer. I can't wait for the opening this year 2023

TNT Dairyland is in the cool little red and white building with Spyres just as you are leaving…read moreSterling headed South. These guys are great he real deal with old school ice cream, special sundaes, banana splits, malts, shakes, floats & TNT Bombs. If you are hungry they have a full on food menu. Broadt d chicken is their specialty and their sandwich baskets are very good also. You hey have a wide array of side orders where they serve any food that can be fried. They even have a drive-thru.

Had a large group with us- staff was accommodating and nice. The buffet was a good choice for the…read moregroup and had a lot of yummy options. I liked the cheese roll things the best. Lots of desserts to choose from too. The building was nice enough!

Cannot say enough positive things about the Anchor Inn! Frankly, I think it should be considered a…read morehistorical landmark, as it has been around as long as I can remember! It has a warm, friendly atmosphere! From the days when Tony made the place famous, to now, with Greg's touch, keeping it one of the best places for Mexican food in Hutchinson ... It is a main state! The food is always hot fresh, and a great quality! It wouldn't be impossible to beat the price of the buffet for what you get! Especially when you're considering includes the desserts! Additionally, not only is the service great, but everybody here is so friendly! From the Flower chips to the salsa, everything is just great! If you have not been here, you are missing out! It's a must do for dining in Hutchinson! I highly recommend it!