Liver, Onions, spinach, broccoli We land squarely in the Anti-Sportsbar demographic Years ago MCL Restaurant seemed to appeal to older retirees, and we have clearly joined this demographic Liver, Onions, spinach, broccoli suits us and MCL offers this plate on Thursdays. Truth is we might visit MCL seven days a week and be happy with the comfort food. Very energetic manager who greets all clients as his friends; the older cashier is often confused and should be replaced; young energetic servers who are very helpful read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

We were running errands, it was Thursday and that means liver and onions. My wife loves them. I usually avoid the food because of the sodium but today I decided to jump into the pool of taste uncertainty and order the spaghetti and meatballs. The price of $9.99 also persuaded me. Garlic rolls cost $2.10 , I think it should have been included in the price. I think it was a better dish than Olive Garden. Not excessively salty or spicy. Just right for seniors. The staff were friendly and helpful. The decor is clean and cafeteria style. I also wanted chocolate cake but the slice was not worth the price read more

Expensive and like any other buffet IMO. The food is so-so but the deserts are good Like I said I think the prices are a little too high read more

It was very good food. I would come here again 6-7 times if I could. The workers were quite friendly.

It has been a couple years since I have been here due to a poor experience... Today was PERFECT ! I was very impressed with the Food, staff, and atmosphere.... Now I cannot wait to come back ! read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Greenbean casserole - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

EXCELLENT food, service and atmosphere. Our Centerville High School Classes 1950 - 59 held our joint reunion in a private room after going through the cafeteria line w/ an unbelievable array of top-quality food choices. All staff were extremely helpful and we truly appreciated their kindness. The facility is welcoming and very clean! read more

I always loved going to the MCL cafeteria when my grandparents came into town. It was such a nice place to go in a nice atmosphere because it was always nice and they were very thoughtful and taking care of us and waiting on us. The faith was great I liked it a lot I went up for second and thirdS read more

Chicken Cordon, green beans, Mac n cheese, stuffing which I had eaten. Stuffing was a stove top style, green beans needed seasoning, Mac n cheese was too much like a baked jar cheese, and chicken was good. Was just overall good, not great and way overpriced. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Chicken Cordon, green beans, Mac n cheese, stuffing which I had eaten. - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

Tonight, we decided to go to MCL. Let me start off by saying, I have loved this restaurant/cafeteria since I was a little girl. While, yes, there've been times it has not been good, lately both the food and service has been great! It reminds me of the times I used to ask my parents if we could go as a child. The food is almost like homemade food and it's super good! I honestly have nothing to complain about. It's that great. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Wonderful Dinner - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

How utterly charming and what a delightful experience. We aren't often in the Kettering area but had the chance to use yelp for a recommendation of where to have lunch. By the description and reviews it sounded wonderful. The name including restaurant and bakery, the warm cozy entrance and environment pleasantly surprised us as we discovered cafeteria style dining. The food was amazing, the service beyond compare. Everyone was so pleasant and the decor so relaxing. I highly recommend. We'll certainly be back to try some of their other blue plate specials because the fried chicken was perfect. The variety of selections available mean that if you leave saying you're hungry, you weren't really hungry when you got there. Thanks for a great value and lovely meal! read more

Great experience! Great service! Very clean! We would recommend this place for a great family meal!Baked RollsBaked TilapiaBeef HotshotChicken CordonFried CatfishHerb Crusted Whitefish Italian Turkey DinnerTraditional Pies Spaghetti read more

The food was good, but the prices were outrageous. We will not go back there again. I don't know why they charge so much for simple food.

Amazing food great service, always fresh food and drinks like tea coffee always a busy place so that says something

The food presentation, since it is a cafeteria, is always presented nicely. Service is hit and miss. Lots of high school students serving on-line with a I could care less demeanor. The food is just like grandma would serve. Updating the choices and how prepared would be a plus, but if missing grandma's cooking I give a very high score. read more

This is the place to go for a nice peaceful meal. Plenty of variety on the menu and the food is fresh and well prepared. The staff is very friendly and helpful while the dining room is clean, well lit, and has a relaxing decor. We have never had an issue or a bad meal at a MCL location and cannot wait to return. Really love the Chicken & Noodles and the Stuffed Chicken Breast! read more

Very bright & clean, service was excellent and the variety of food was above average. It's great to be able to see your entrée before it comes to your table. Food being of cafeteria style was hot and the portions were large. I highly recommend this dining experience for your family and friends. read more

I didn't even know they had an MCL in this area... When I was little we went to the MCL in Richmond Indiana. My family was not accustomed eating out and this was about as close as we came to dining out. It's a cafeteria and you select what you want they put it on a plate and you pay for it and sit down. Pretty safe to say that it's older people that eat here. They were actually at the taste Festival in Kettering is the way we tried them here. They had stuffed chicken which was had stuffing in it. And Strawberry Shortcake. read more

The quality is very good. You can always see what you are getting. The meatloaf and lasagna are always my favorite.

The food here is just horrible. The so called meatloaf should have labeled bread crumb loaf because there was not any meat in it to speak of. The sides are canned salt laden mush. For the price it is not worth your time let alone the money. Didn't even eat 1/8 of the meal and walked out. read more

We are long time MCL patrons. On Memorial Day, we ate lunch there. It was 11:45. We were the only ones at the serving line. A handful of people were seated. This was our first in restaurant dining since Covid. We usually get roast beef. The roast beef at the carving station looked like a small dried out nub. They never should have brought it out. It was disgraceful looking. We both got lasagna. It was passable. For desert, my wife got strawberry shortcake. The strawberries were not sweet, very tart. Even the sweet syrup couldn't make it palatable. I got bread pudding. It was edible but mediocre. It tasted like a thickener had been added to give it substance. My wife took a bite and said it tasted like one of their cinnamon bread rolls, mashed up. No hint of milk. Not like any bread pudding that I've ever tasted. The coffee was good. The attendant was vey pleasant and made sure I had enough coffee. Left her a nice tip. It wasn't her fault the food was terrible. It's clear that they don't do enough business to keep up the quality. read more

This was not even mediocre food, it was bad. Overcooked, dried out, flavorless and overpriced.

There's a long standing joke that MCL stands for Medicare Lounge. I can't even imagine the average age here...perhaps it takes folks back to their childhoods while pushing a tray down the cafeteria line. There's no shortage of prunes here. I'm not kidding about the age of the average diner...I've been in retirement homes where everyone is younger. When Bob was working he loved to eat here with friends (I refuse to actually eat here). His favorite lunch was the Jack Benny Special (small beef hotshot) and a fruit jello salad with mayo on top (like your Grandmother used to make) That's not how he eats at home, which was probably the thrill. Behind the restaurant is a "To Go" section. One dinner feeds two of us. My favorite is a stuffed chicken breast. This is comfort food...like you grew up on. And pie. The world's best coconut cream pie. The pie is $12.99, and you return the pie pan for $1. I recently returned 6 pans, so my pie was only $6.99 and it made Bob's day. The turkey dinner on the other hand was one of those rolled turkey roasts. Won't be getting that again. Live and learn. read more

I only go for carry-out, and only for the fried chicken and chocolate chunk cookies. They are THE best in town. A little pricey for the service level though. It's not really a full service restaurant, but they charge above full service prices. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - a parking lot - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

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My husband & I dined here at this cafeteria-style restaurant for the All u can eat fried catfish for $5.65 which doesn't include any sides. I decided to order the baked tilapia for $8.99 which came with bread & 2 sides. I had the cornbread, broccoli & mac n cheese. My husband got the fried catfish & then for an extra charge, he had the mac n cheese, green beans & a glass of sweet tea. They comped him the mac n cheese because they put it on his plate though he didn't order it. All the food was delicious with the exception of the tilapia. It was not fresh & very fishy tasting. I sent back the tilapia & our server cheerfully offered to bring me an entree of my choice. I chose the fried catfish since I had sampled my husband's & knew it tasted good. She brought me extra catfish that I ended up taking home in a To Go Box & I appreciated the gesture. The average age of the diners is about 75-80 but don't let that stop you from trying this place. The food reminds me of long ago when I would dine out with my parents at Morrison's after church. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Fried catfish, mac n cheese, green beans & sweet tea - American Near Me - Kettering, Ohio

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Those that refer to the clientele as only elderly offends me, in that I probably fall in that category but have a palate that does not discriminate on food served cafeteria style, which is a lost type of dining. I do enjoy MCL from time to time, never got a bad meal, but also enjoy 4 star restaurants in our many travels around the country. Those that find it expensive need to look at the surrounding restaurant menus. read more

woman who works cash register is aggressive and scared me and my friends and hurt my feelings

I've been going here for 20+ years, and hope to for many more years. I always get a delicious meal here because there is so many items to choose from. the restaurant is always clean, and the food always good. The employees are courteous, respectful and helpful. i can't remember ever having a bad experience, or bad meal there while just in the last month we have had bad food, and service at big chain restaurants like Cheddars, Bob Evans, Applebees & Cracker Barrel. , read more

My fist time ad it's gonna be. My last Poor service. None of employees were even smiling . Only waitress was Ok . I was over charged for item included in my wife's meal I will never go there again read more

One of my favs. I really do not understand the reviews! The best part about this place, as you go through the line and pick out exactly what you want. There's a ton to choose from and very large portions. You can get southern style comfort food, basically anything you could imagine. And all of it has been fantastic. The portions are large and i have never had a bad meal here. We host our business meetings here constantly and everyone raves about the food! Give it a go you won't be disappointed! read more

The worst part about visiting the MCL Cafeteria is deciding what to eat from their huge amount of choices! I try for the Blue Plate Daily Special most of the time. The food is delicious and the portions are large. It is comforting "home cooking' " at its best. read more

This place was like being in a time warp to the 1980s. I remember the one at the Salem Mall and I think the only reason I went here was to re-connect the nostalgia to the memory of that The food appears to be home cooked but I imagine it comes frozen and heated although I can't prove that. Definitely appeals to senior citizens and I would say it's overpriced cafeteria food similar to that you would get at a hospital these days not the best but not the worst. If you're looking for a place to meet grandma or Older generation folks this is your spot however it's 2018 and I would imagine this place doesn't survive another five years in general read more

While driving around in Kettering, OH, I make it an adventure by hitting the food selection on my GPS to see what hidden gems of restaurants I can find. MCL Cafeteria appeared among the selections. WOW. With the exception of the Luby's chain in TX, the cafeteria concept has been nearly extinct in the last 20 years. With my stomach growling, we both decided to check this out. For those who grew up eating at Piccadilly's, Furrs, and Luby's in OK/TX, keep reading. To my delight, the MCL cafeteria was a classically decorated restaurant serving what appears to be classic American fare made from scratch. The food looked fresh and the baked rolls and pies looked like a page from your favorite cook book. Wow! True American Fare. No Italian, Mexican, or Asian. For us who grew up in the Midwest/Southwest, it was easy to figure out where to find the serving line. I got in line and servers were more than eager to please, dishing up your favories by request in quantities that would make grandma proud. I quickly re-lived my Sunday childhood with my cafeteria favorites, Fried fish with mashed potatoes, green beans, and jello and an unsweetened iced tea. With respect to my TX roots, a pecan pie quickly made itself onto my tray. The herb crusted whitefish was nicely breaded with a nice presence of herbs. The fish was nice and flaky and the breading was very crispy. The accompaniment of tartar sauce gave the fish a nice zippiness. The green beans were nicely flavored with a smoked bacon or ham and cooked in almonds. They were on the soft side, but very tasty. The mashed potatoes were a nice consistency and beaten smoothly. This place prides itself on its baked goods and the pecan pie was OK at best. The pecans on the top lacked the crunchiness of the TX varieties and the pecan filling or, "goo" as I call it, was a paste which tasted of caramel. I was a little disapointed because I was expecting the gel-like goo usually found on traditional pies. Service was friendly and the experience was nice. Because the American cafeteria is a very old restaurant concept, most of MCL's clientele are from the baby boomer generation, a 60s + crowd. Don't let that keep you from coming in though. These older folks are onto something. In addition, the food is fairly priced. For a square meal with drink, entree, two sides, and dessert, expect that to be around 12 dollars. In the future, I am going to be using MCL to walk down memory lane, trying their other selections such as roast beef and chopped steak. If you are hunkering for some straight up American fare and you grew up loving the cafeteria concept, check out MCL cafeteria. It is a rare treasure. read more

Having grown up dining at Morrison's, A&G and Piccadilly Cafeterias in the south, I was anxious to relive the experience of an a la carte buffet. Which I suppose describes any restaurant with a menu, but you know exactly what I'm talking about: the opportunity to pick and choose from a variety of precooked entrees, appetizers, desserts, etc., without serving oneself, or relying on wait staff to expedite your table order. No wondering if your chicken bruschetta is going to arrive laminated, like the one in the picture, or trying to determine just how generous a generous helping of peach cobbler might be. Outside of schools and hospitals, cafeterias are a dying breed in the United States. When I discovered that one existed in nearby Kettering Ohio, I decided to pay them a visit. MCL Restaurant and Bakery certainly did not disappoint. They are located on the far left end of a rather nondescript strip mall type of building. I can't even remember what else was in the vicinity. Google street view is your friend. Ample parking, which is pretty much all that matters, once you manage to find the place. The medial collateral ligament is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. Personally, I don't think that has anything to do with this particular MCL. It probably stands for My Cafeteria Lunch. Or something quite different. Mario, Carmine and Luigi, the three Italian explorers who first discovered the place. The restrooms are remarkably clean and located in the foyer area, just as you walk in. If you happen to drive a bulldozer, this would be a great place to scrub your paws before getting busy in the chow hall. The service line procedure is fairly straight forward. Walk to the far end. There you will find a stack of trays and various utensils. If I'm typing too fast, please let me know. The line moves left to right, as if you were reading a book. Keep in mind, there's only one line to this particular book. There is no reason to start over again, once you reach the far right end. In between, you will see an extravagant array of meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, salads, gelatin, breads, cakes, pies, puddings and cookies. The prices are documented on a chalkboard behind the servers. There are daily specials on the entrees. If you happen to dig the current special, that's probably the way to go. If you don't recognize a certain food item, just point to it and say something inquisitive, like "wtf is that?" I'm just kidding. Never say f in public. But do feel free to inquire. The servers are friendly and will hand you plates and bowls of whatever your little eye can spy. Just remember that you are expected to pay for whatever you select. So, if you're a glutton, please be sure that you are a rich glutton. Another thing to keep in mind: after you pay for your selections at the far end of the line, you're expected to lift your tray and carry it to a vacant table. So, it might be a good idea to limit your platter stacking to a single layer. You don't want to wind up like the clumsy baker from Sesame Street that fumbles twenty coconut cream pies all over the damn place. Also, be sure to save a little tray room for a beverage. Those are located about three quarters down, as you near the register. The cashier will ring you up in no time flat, even without barcodes. It's a rather impressive process to behold. Once you arrive at your table, there's still someone that will come around to see if you need anything else. Unfortunately, this does not include a second helping on any of the food items. Pretty sure you would have to go through the line again for that. But you can get a refill on your drink. Or request a bottle of ketchup, steak sauce, salt or pepper ... any of that fun stuff. Should your table server tend to you in such a manner, it would be nice to gratuitize them with a little green. And no, I'm not talking about collard remnants. Cough up a buck for the little lady, Mr. Pink. All in all, an enjoyable dining experience that can get a little pricey, depending on the size your appetite and/or your level of self-discipline. But you do get exactly what you pay for. These days, that in itself makes any such operation recommendable. read more

Not the MCL I remember. The roast beef was cold even after I requested a fresh serving. So I asked to speak to a manager (Sean) who greats as hey Bud. Thanks but no thanks. Since my eight year old was fine with his spaghetti and looking forward to his desert I ask them to refund my meal. I gave 2 stars because my son was satisfied; rather than zero or one star. read more

MCL is one of those places you wish you could find when you are on vacation or you're driving around your own town. The food is wonderful, and the staff is courteous and helpful. I love the cedar plank salmon! But anything I've had there has been tasty and satisfying. The biggest thing for me, especially nowadays, is cleanliness. The food is displayed well. The staff dresses like they are operating a restaurant, not a fast-food stop. You can tell that these people are serious about serving food. To me, one of the most important things is who runs a place. The managers have been there since I've been going (10 years). It's all about management! read more

The food here in Kettering MCL at one time was good food. I wonder if it is under new ownership or just has a new cook. Had liver and onions and the liver was too tough to even cut, much less chew. The onions were tasteless. Not good food, not good prices. Will not go there again. read more

I would rate this zero stars if I could. The food was inedible. The roast beef in the hot shot could not be cut even with a knife. It is way overpriced. I feel really bad for all the older folks who get taken advantage of here. My daughter hated the fried chicken. They now have a water machine so the waitresses don't have to get you water. It tasted horrific. I'm not sure what the waitresses even do now. She never asked us how our food was, probably afraid to. I should have gotten my money back, that's how bad it was. read more

It's enjoyable and tasty. Not the best cafeteria in the world but good enough. Good selection for my taste.

Food was ok but probably frozen and heated. I was grossed out by the staff touching and then serving you the food. Not clean...staff wore no hair nets and no plastic gloves. The health department needs to pay them a visit! read more

So, first thing.. it's a cafeteria. It isn't full service. Ok. That's out of the way. If you read the other reviews here, you'll get the point-by-point walk through of the cafeteria process. It's not really any different than the process of school or hospital dining. That said, the food is rather bland, the salads are limp and tasteless, and the entrees tend to be those that would appeal to the older generation. On the other hand, the baked goods are pretty darn good. The wait staff, the last time I was there, were all over 65; slow moving and hard of hearing. ... The other patrons pretty much the same. My daughter and I were the youngest people in the place. We went there because I remembered going there with my grandmother and wanted my own child to have that experience. Next time I think I'll take her to Sinclair Community College's cafeteria. read more