Knotty Pine Restaurant is a quaint friendly slice of Americana. After visiting Luray Caverns on Saturday August 16, we stopped in for lunch and enjoyed freshly made cheeseburgers with fries and a potato pancake. The decor and atmosphere evoke a bygone era. Warm and memorable restaurant! Service was prompt and cordial. Food was delicious! It is cash only but they have an atm inside. read more

See all

The Hefty Pine Breakfast Special (available every day) is what I went for: that hit the spot. A classic diner meal. The side of Scrapple was equally delicious Hot tea was served in the cutest cup and saucer: the waitstaff and customers were all friendly. CASH ONLY in case you don't know. read more

Knotty Pine Restaurant & Lounge - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Front Royal, Virginia

See all

Came here for breakfast and I'm so glad that we did, The food was great I loved the country fried steak and eggs breakfast, and the wonderful lady working was a blessing to run into if I could have stayed and talked to her and her sister all day I would have! This was one of my favorite parts of the trip was coming by this homey restaurant, if we ever come through this town again, we would stop 100% stop by. read more

This is a hidden gem. Right new downtown front royal. It is a blast from the past. Opened in 1964 and still retain that same charm from yesterday. The foods was very good and the prices were very good. It is a local hangout everyone that came they called by name. JUST REMEMBER CASH ONLY. read more

See all

I came here to eat around 730am on a Wednesday morning. There were about 3 other tables eating here so it wasn't very busy. I came here with my oldest son. I had the hefty pine breakfast and a glass of water and he has a meat omelet and a cup of coffee. I had a sip of his coffee and it was phenomenal. You would think a simple cup of hot coffee would be just that simple but this one wasn't it was delicious very hot and fresh. All in all a great meal and the waitress was nice and came by and checked on us a few times!! One of the best parts of this review compared to my review 4 years ago is that the restaurant area was not smoky!! read more

See all

I am terribly sorry as there were so many positive reviews mixed with the few bad but absolutely do NOT go here. Facilities and bathrooms Run down and perhaps unclean. Food very mediocre. We made a special trip to take visitors from the U.K. to an American diner. What a huge disappointment - the friends told their friends they thought we were trying to poison them... coffee weak although fresh, waitress very pleasant, food extremely mediocre. Frozen tater tots ok. Disappointing for non locals. Definitely not worth a drive. read more

wonderfully greasy dive that feels right at home; even tho I was the only PoC there everyone was really friendly and I didn't get harassed. I also heard that this was Kanye's fav spot in Front Royal which is unconfirmed but pretty funny to think about read more

It is what it is! Product in Demand! This whole town rolls up at Midnight.... almost! Thanks Guys! Winall Spindall, best bar tender ever!! read more

See all

Came in around 8pm (an hour before close) and was promptly greeted and served. Some of the other reviews mentioned slow service, but im pretty sure it just took 5 minutes for the appetizer and 10 minutes for our main meal. I was super impressed with the fast and friendly service. The mozzarella sticks were definitely just the frozen stuff delivered from Aramark, but it's not like I expected a hand made gourmet appetizer at $4. Now the country fried steak was just ...yummm. I've been going on this kick of southern food, so in the past two weeks, I ordered country fried steak from Cracker Barrel, Pink Cadillac diner in Lexington, and now at Knotty Pines. The country fried steak here was by far the best. I don't know if it was frozen from Aramark too, but if it was, I don't even care. The gravy was thick and oh so good. The fried steak was crisp and yummy. Hands down, best country fried steak. The ambiance was pretty cool. It's just a tiny little dining room with a bunch of booths and a milk bar. The biker bar is attached to the same building but it is separated by the kitchen so you have to go outside and go in through the separate door to enter the bar area. It's kind of cool though bc on one side of the kitchen you have a well lit itty bitty diner with people eating pie and biscuits. Peak through the kitchen door to the other side, and the dimly lit bar area is filled with country music, bikers and whisky. Knotty pines is one of my favorite hole-in-the-walls for sure. read more

See all

We drove two hours to find out the restaurant is closed. Please update your webpage!!! It was supposed to be open until midnight.

Oh my.. where do I start.... the service was great. However it took them over 45 min to get our food out. Reading some of the previous reviews this seems like an on-going issue. Ordered grits and they were out. However, in the hour we were waiting for our food she gave me grits on the house. Food was decent, nothing to write home about. The dining area had tiles falling from the ceiling, and had a generally dirty appearance. Probably will not be back unfortunately. read more

Knotty Pine Restaurant & Lounge - Front dining area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Front Royal, Virginia

Had a late breakfast here one Saturday morning - about 11:00 am. It was pouring rain out - so it was nice to get out of the rain for a while and chill. Ordered the sausage gravy with two biscuits, two eggs over easy and breakfast potatoes - and coffee. Food took a while to come out (about 20 minutes). There did not seem to be many diners in the place (there are not a lot of tables). The sausage gravy was rather average - it did not have a very "sausage-like" flavor to it. I ended up adding a bit of black pepper and hot sauce to make it tastier. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The potatoes were really bland and needed seasoning - and they needed some roasting/char to them. Coffee was fine. service was good. The day I was there - there were several flies annoyingly buzzing around my table. They need to do something about that. read more

See all

Too many fights and other badness in the bar section, and kinda generic food in the front. Only takes cash, so be prepared.

I am leaving a review on the bar I never ate at the "diner" part of it. If I could leave 0 stars I would! If you want to get ripped off go here if not stay away! This place is trash! 1 good bartender the other is trash and will steal all she can! There's "Queen of Virgina" games here and the lady with piercings on her cheeks will not cash them or if she does she puts the pay outs in her tip jar. Definitely not the place to go if you want to have a good time! If you have money to waste... by all means waste your time and money! If not stay away! You've been warned! read more

Great little hole-in-the-wall found by serendipity. Tammie most welcoming. Typical small town diner with fresh eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, & grits for under $7. Strong black coffee. Grapefruit juice too. Just watch out for the mask-less locals solving all the worlds' problems! read more

Super nice waitress Tammie, the food was delicious and the food was priced very well. I'm definitely coming back...

Small and local restaurant. Waitress was great and very friendly. We stopped in for a lunch stop. We ordered the French toast and eggs, then we had an omelet with toast and grits. Pretty good. read more

One of the scariest restaurants ive ever stepped foot in. I would not eat there for any reason. We felt like the ceiling tiles were going to fall down on us and the cleanliness or lack thereof was substandard. Health Inspectors really need to check it out! ​ read more

When you enter this place you might imagine you died and went to the Confederacy and if you eat enough of their chicken fried steaks, you just might. This establishment will take you back in time a few decades to when pictures of Lee and Jackson were on the walls of smoke filled taverns where people would park their Ford Trucks outside the local watering holes and smoke, drink and eat in that order to their heart's content. The only hint of modernity is the touch tunes jukebox belting out 90s country. The food is good and cheap and the service staff is friendly. That chicken fried steak your doctor said might kill you sure tastes good. Everything on the menu is good and nothing is overpriced. One side is a family style non smoking restaurant while the other is a seedy in every good way redneck bar. Other reviews mention the place being dirty, but you can kind of see the kitchen and it looks clean. If you're a germaphobe who thinks the cook should scrub like a brain surgeon and food should be prepared on an operating table or that a bathroom should be a spa this place isn't for you. If you aren't from around Front Royal step out of your comfort zone enjoy some tasty treats and drinks that won't kill you to have once in a while. read more

When I walked in, I was immediately taken back to road-trips with my family when I was a kid (and it's cash only-just like back in the day ). From the sturdy ceramic cups of amazingly good coffee to the paper napkins with grapes and eggplants printed on them. My ham and cheese omelette with breakfast potatoes (that were a whole potato a matter of minutes ago) was delicious and the server was gracious and so friendly (alright I am a city girl so servers in small town diners like this are simply set apart). If u want to pay $20+ for a breakfast entree this is not your diner. If u want a comfortable seat, clean table and your favorite country music playing in the back ground, friendly banter between cook and server and good natured locals...this is your place. read more

We were traveling through after a great weekend in the Shenandoah Valley, and searching for a casual breakfast place. As we pulled into the parking space, the kitchen door caught our eye as it had a very noticeable confederate flag sticker on the kitchen entrance, clearly visible to anyone parking there to visit the restaurant. This by itself made me pause and think to search for another place. As we approached the front door, a group of Japanese-Americans in their 60's were walking out the front door visibly upset, and the lady asked in a shaky voice, "do you know of any good restaurants nearby" - I asked if this restaurant wasn't good and she said, absolutely not. That was enough, we left with them and found another restaurant in town. Thumbs down for hospitality, ambiance and American values. Go somewhere else. read more

Great Experience with New bartender "Jeremy ". He was willing to go out of his way for patrons tonite. He's a great addition to the Pine Family!!! (DRINKS were spot on) read more

Very good food , friendly waitress and patrons . Would highly recommend!! It's a step back in time , and we'll worth the stop . I had been here 20 years ago and always wanted to come back . read more

Love to go to the knotty pine for breakfast. Fast and friendly service and never disappointed. read more

Knotty Pine Restaurant & Lounge - Love to come here for a delicious breakfast. Fast service and never been disappointed. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Front Royal, Virginia

I had the hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, slicked tomatoes, and sweet tea. HOLY WOW! Everything was SO delicious! The service was everything you could imagine from a very nice, older Southern lady. The pies looked AMAZING, but I was so full I couldn't eat anymore. Although this is was out of the way for me, I will definitely be back. I didn't see the lounge, but would like to have a beer there one day! The place could use some maintenance, but it didn't impact MY enjoyment or desire to return for MORE. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I want to go back and try some other stuff!! read more

I wish I could do the review solely on the food and the experience but we didn't even get that far. We walked in at 7:30pm, supposedly 30 minutes before closing, even though online they said they closed at 9pm. The restaurant was halfway full. I literally looked at them and smiled, because I thought they were joking. Then another rude waitress repeated what the other staff said when we walked in that they were closing. I asked them, if there was something wrong, and they said no. Then I informed them that online they say they are open until 9pm. She looked at me and responded with "well, not tonight we aren't" So my family as well as 5 other family members had to walk out and find another restaurant. read more

I am so happy to note that there is not a single review of this place that says anything negative. This place is exactly what the doctor ordered... I drove around Front Royal for about 10 minutes after a hike in the National Park, wanted some good country breakfast. Faded sign, brick building, no frills from the outside, couple of cars parked on a Sunday morning. Walked to the door see booths and some stools at the counter, DONE! Winner. Servers were nice, they were chatting at the booth when I came in, helped me out and then kept joking around. Was great. Breakfast served all day, thank you and very much. Perfectly Scrambled eggs, not too dry not too wet and not browned a bit. Toast with Margerine, couple bacon slices, sausage patty, and SCRAPPLE! Sweet tea, and I'm a pig in poo. Its not fancy, its run down, the people who work there are friendly as can be. It us country food. And lets be clear... 9 bucks. read more

Don't know what the other reviewers were smoking before they ate here but it must have been some good stuff, or we were just phenomenally unlucky with the day we chose to try this place. The food here was pretty much horrible, I don't even know how else to describe it. The only thing I can think of is that maybe they do a much better job at breakfast and that the whole fiasco was our fault for eating dinner there. Appetizer sampler was all Sysco foodservice frozen stuff tossed in the deep fryer, as was the country fried steak patty. Green beans were canned that had been in hot-hold for most of a day. Corn was frozen thrown in the microwave right before service. If you like low-grade cafeteria food then this is the place to get it. The only thing we ordered that was home-made was the fried chicken and it was pretty good but had to have been from the smallest chicken on the planet. I actually thought maybe they had made a mistake and deep fried a Cornish game hen instead. Place smelled of stale cigarettes when we walked in. The only positive things I can say about the place were that the service was friendly and, though old and run down, it was clean. Maybe try them for breakfast, but dinner is a no-go here. read more

The first things that come to mind when I recall our last, and final, visit there are......dirtyyyyy and wayyyyy outdated, dust literally caked onto the wall hangings that probably date back to the day it originally opened, ketchup smeared on the wall next to our booth, flies, a hole in the bathroom door, greasy menus and tabletops, customers that went behind the counter to serve themselves a fresh cup of coffee and a rude waitress that acted as if she was way overdue to go home. The food? Not any better than the atmosphere. Nasty place. Just plain nasty. read more

The Knotty Pine Restaurant. A small two-story brick building, it looked like an old mom & pop diner, and when we walked through the door a time warp zapped us back to 1936. To our left was a blue and chrome 50s lunch counter with stools in front and soda fountain behind. Tables and chairs lined the other side, the front corner table currently occupied with chit-chatting locals. In the center were six booths arranged 3 x 2. The walls, as one would expect, were knotty pine and peppered with signs like "Ahhh... I see the screw up fairy has visited us again." At the end of the lunch counter stood 3 full-figured, no nonsense Southern working women well past their prime who looked at us with a jaundiced eye. No one was eating. "Are you still open, or are you getting ready to close up?" I asked. The folks at the corner table hollered out some snide, but obviously intended to be humorous comment and the woman sporting the mousy-brown mullet, wearing a Loretta Lynn t-shirt fired back a quick retort that included the fact that they were open for several more hours. Turned out she was the bus person and dishwasher. It broke the ice and Pat I grabbed a center booth. The chalk board on the back wall proclaimed the special of the day: liver & onions. Our waitress, wearing a short-sleeved dark t-shirt and blue waste apron, had short brown hair, was somewhere between 45 and 55, and gruff-looking, brought water and menus, then fired off a zinger at the dishwasher who just as quickly fired back. As did the owner who was clearly past fifty, wearing glasses and a star-patterned white short-sleeved blouse, and sporting shoulder length chestnut hair in a page-boyish cut. The one-liners flew back and forth across the little restaurant and Pat & I joined in with a few zingers of our own. It was all in great fun and for Pat and me, the ambiance harked back to our childhoods in the 50s when mom & pop diners were a form of family entertainment. If anyone in the place was younger than us, it wasn't by much... fifteen years at best. And here we all were acting like kids again without our parents around to tone us down. Hanging from the top of the doorway to the kitchen were several baggies filled with water, each containing seven to ten pennies. "I read in Reader's Digest a few years back that they would keep the flies away. We don't have any flies, so I guess they work," the owner told us. The cook came out from the kitchen and all three women pounced on him for something he hadn't done yet. He needed someone to operate the credit card machine in the barroom at the back of the building. The boss lady told the dishwasher to go take care of it and the dishwasher complained, "You know I'm no good around computers and machines!" The ambiance was right out of Comedy Central in a 30s to 50s setting. We had such a wonderful time in there neither of us remembers what we had for dinner. As we paid the tab at the cash register we told the owner what a wonderful time we had. Pat asked her how long she had owned the place and she launched into its history. First opened in 1936, it had been through just a handful of owners over the years. It had become a Front Royal institution for the locals with, apparently, a salty reputation likely created by the barroom in the back of the building. As a young girl, she had been chided by her father for being seen anywhere near the place. When it came up for sale ten or fifteen years back, she bought it for herself. We told her the clerk at the Budget Motel had recommended her eatery. "Wow! That's good to know. Most folks around here badmouth it as a dive." Pat noted the FOR SALE sign on the newer eating joint up the street and she told us it had gone through three owners in its first year before going bankrupt. And so the Knotty Pine, with few changes in its 75 years, continues on with home-cooked food and a staff of characters right out of Fried Green Tomatoes. We said our good nights and headed back to our motel with full stomachs and fond recollections from our childhoods. Not a bad way to end the day! read more

There are two faces of "The Pine". The front is the old-fashioned local restaurant. The back is a no nonsense biker bar. If you want down home, just like your Momma made, comfort food, then come in in the front door and set a spell. Breakfast is our favorite. Country fried steak covered with gravy, eggs, home fries and toast is the best we've found. The waitresses are friendly, but when it's rocking, they are a bit slow. But that's ok. You can get food in the back, but it's main focus is alcohol. And as I said earlier, it's a biker bar, so there is smoking allowed. We usually stop for a few on a Saturday night and to visit with friends. All in all, a great local dive restaurant. read more

I remember this place from the 80's when my Uncle used to live in Front Royal. I also used to come here for breakfast after working overnight at DuPont. Beer and eggs. It was good. That was a big 20 years ago. Not much has changed. Stopped in today after a pretty eventful hike. I got my chili dog and fries. I have to say there was no flavor in the chili or the fries. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. Also the chili left a big puddle of juice that my hotdog sat in on my plate and made my bun sopping wet. A little disappointed. My daughter got a bacon cheeseburger/fries. She loved it and it did look good. My son got chicken tenders/fries. No complaints there. The place is as rustic as it ever was. It could do with some deep cleaning. A bit of TLC - I know... I know. It's a peice of history and all that, I get it, but even history should be updated or it's left to rot and all for nothing. read more

See all

We stop there every time on our way from and to the Shenandoa National Park or to the Pumpkin Patch or the Christmas tree farm with the entire family. This is local, small town soul food at its best. Quaint, old school, not touched since 1960 'un-hip'and honest to the bone. You order your eggs sunny side up and runny, or scrambled soft, you'll get them exactly the way you want it. Chili, soups and hashbrowns are great, the grilled cheese is made for dippin' the breakfast sausage is hand pattied and amazing, and the pie selection is home made, the slices generous and taste just that: home made. .The service is fast and friendly, its 'y"all' and "hon" and 'boys' .Thanks to Jennifer who took care of us on Saturday. In the back is a full bar that still allows smoking. Something for all tastes :) . read more

I would have given this place six stars if: Yelp allowed it and the server had washed her hands after smoking and before preparing my drink (I still returned the next day for breakfast). The dining room probably hasn't been updated since 1972, the florecent lights flicker, and the place probably wouldn't pass a real health inspection....but this is what I was expecting. While filling my car I asked a local where the best 'affordible' food in town was. Without thinking about it she told me to head over to Knotty Pine. I was warned that it was just a local diner with great food, and that if I was looking for a chain I could venture somewhere else. Between my two visits we had the country fried steak (best I have ever had), ham and eggs (huge portion of ham), and the turkey club. We never managed dessert, though they looked great. read more

This place is no frills but one of the best breakfasts I have ever had. We happened upon Knotty Pine on our trip home from a weekend in Shenandoah. The prices were reasonable and the food was fantastic. I had 2 eggs with home fries and onions (requested) and the country ham. I've never had country ham and the waitress warned me it was salty but I was game. It was delicious! The vibe is very casual and the place is cozy but it fit our needs perfectly. The staff was accommodating and service was fast. I'd recommend anyone passing through Front Royal to stop in for a bite. read more

Knotty Pine Restaurant & Lounge - Country ham, 2 eggs and home fries with onions. Amazing. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Front Royal, Virginia

I'm a fan of old diners that are still homey-feeling, reasonably priced, have character and good food! The Knotty Pine is that. Spent a little time there while in the area and you could see all the regulars that come in for good down-home cooking. Nice friendly service by a crew of employees that really want you to feel at home. The result was a large, bountiful breakfast that tastes good and is substantial. Didn't try the dinner menu, but it sure looked good as well. All-in-all, now on the list of places to stop while in the area--I'll put it with the Yorkshire in Manassas as must visit spots. The Knotty Pine is not a big place, but it has big character. Wish they had more places like this in the NoVa area, they are a reminder a better days gone by.. read more

Small diner restaurant with good breakfast all day and friendly staff. Very affordable too.

It was good country style food I had the country ham steak and biscuits gravy and it was very good. They were very busy we had to park across the street and the service was great. read more

Pros: I had the two egg w/ bacon breakfast and everything on my plate was tasty. I sub'd a biscuit for the toast, they gave me two very delicious biscuits! The service was quick and kind. The prices were very reasonable. The coffee was fresh. True diner atmosphere. Cons: VERY retro/casual atmosphere (could be a pro depending on what you like). Summary: Great local joint. Feels like a step back in time. I will be back anytime I want to pretend that I am a true local. read more

Cheap, average diner fare. But a bit slow since the kitchen also services a bar on the other side.