If you're looking for ambiance, the North Star restaurant isn't for you. If you're looking for an excellent burger and are near Buchanan, VA, the North Star will not disappoint. The North Star is a clean Virginia roadside diner offering delicious food. My neighbor and I were visiting Buchanan to have his John Deere mower serviced, and we asked the salespeople where we could get a good lunch. The staff unanimously recommended the North Star, but we were cautioned not to order the double-cheeseburger unless we were very hungry. They were right. It is rare to get a burger prepared exactly the way I prefer one (cheese, ketchup, and loaded with grilled onions), and the North Star didn't disappoint. My friend ordered the double-cheeseburger and loved his meal as well. The fries were really good, and reminiscent of New York diner fries. My wife and I have been back more than a few times when we are in the mood for an excellent burger. read more

(Very) small town diner. A favorite of locals. The building is an open floor plan double wide that seems to have been renovated in the last few years. Walk in and seat yourself, one server serves the whole room. The food is okay, needs salt and seasoning but good for the price. Myself and two children ate for $16, can't get breakfast anywhere else that cheap. Bring cash, as it is a cash only establishment. read more

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The North Star Restaurant is a small, American, family-oriented restaurant in Buchanan, Virginia that takes you back to the good old days of the past. Known for its home-cooked meals and friendly service, it serves good quality food in generous portions at very reasonable prices, making it a popular spot for locals. It also has a casual, welcoming, homey atmosphere, that attracts travelers and welcomes visitors in the area. They are cash only and don't accept credit cards, however, they do have an ATM machine inside for the convenience of their customers. It also has a small free parking lot for the convenience of its customers. A friend of mine invited me for breakfast there and I accepted. We arrived there on an early Wednesday morning. When we entered the employees there greeted us with a friendly welcome and had us take a seat at one of the tables there. Our waitrees handed us a copy of the menu. It was very well designed and laminated and contained a nice variety of items for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. We both ordered coffee to drink. I ordered Two Eggs with Tenderloin and bacon and my friend ordered Two Biscuits and Gravy with Two Eggs. As we waited I observed a group of older men getting together and enjoying a good conversation in a round table. Our friendly waitress came by several times to talk with us and refill our coffee cups. When the food arrived it was plentiful and delicious. I highly enjoy the relaxing ambiance and delicious food there. Their southern hospitality was something that made this breakfast very special. I realized that there is more to a breakfast than the food. I highly recommend this restaurant to all of you and invite you to take the road less traveled and come an enjoy a wonderful breakfast experience. read more

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Was excited to try the food. Even ok with all of the locals staring at us sitting down...then discovered they don't accept credit cards. Cash only folks. There is an atm though. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch while traveling. Kind, welcoming people! Had the grilled cheese and bean chili special! Yummy!! They sell locally made jam, too! Country decor; clean restrooms!! read more

Cash only! This is not a fancy place but it's a half mile off the interstate and it's open super early. If you're looking for something super "local," then this is the spot. It's Friendly service this morning with a limited menu. Omelets, eggs, biscuits. No avocado toast or oat milk latte on this menu. Probably not even decaf coffee. I chose the ham and cheese omelet with coffee. I could hear the cook start on it immediately. Definitely fresh and a good portion. Simple and tasty. Note that this is a cash only establishment but they have an ATM. [Review 19545 overall - 1408 in Virginia - 515 of 2023.] read more

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Friendly service. Kind of awkward sitting in because of no music and almost deserted at 12:30 on a Friday. Cheeseburger and fries were decent, got plenty of fries. Was $11.50 plus tip. read more

FRESH ,WELL COOKED, good variety, made in house, friendly staff , clean and efficient! A rarity in this world. Don't be put off by simple outside appearance, the effort was channeled elsewhere. read more

Convenient for where I live but definitely a last resort choice. Not sure why everyone thinks it's all homecooking, unless you count can goods and pre frozen food. And they always forget something. read more

I love the North Star. It's a must every time I visit for vacation. Best breakfast I've ever had. However I was a little disappointed with the way they handled a situation today. Disappointed only because I know how good the food is and that I missed out on enjoying it. I picked up breakfast to go this morning and brought it half an hour away to Button's Bluff. (Basically the middle of nowhere you have to actually access the location by driving down a 2 mile gravel road once you get off the main road, it's very out in the sticks but the view is incredible) I get out here, get everything set up only to find out I was given no silverware to eat with. I called and explained what happened and asked if they would at least give me a refund or remake the meal and have me come pick it up at no charge. I was basically told I was in the wrong, it wasn't their fault, and that they would do nothing to fix the issue. Sure, I should have checked the bag before I left but at the same time, when you order something to go, you trust the staff to include silverware. I don't think it should be my fault/responsibility for that. If I found out my customer had something like that happen to them, I'd absolutely give them their money back or at least give them a meal voucher for next time. So I wasted money and a superb breakfast. Giving this place 4 stars only because I've had the breakfast before and it's literally the best I've had but I was a little bit surprised they didn't do anything to fix the problem. Will definitely come back to eat again though it's too good not to. read more

We decided to head out for breakfast and found this place - it was pretty good! Kids loved their cinnamon sugar French toast. Hubs had eggs and ham and biscuits and gravy and enjoyed it. I ordered an omelette that was just ok; almost a bit dry, if that makes sense...I thought I ordered it with bacon in it, but it came on the side. I loved the shredded hash browns with onions added in. Our waitress was great - we will return when we are in the area. read more

Chef salad and chicken tender salad fresh made. Fresh crinkle cut fries to share. Quaint, small town restaurant. Very clean, very busy. Employees friendly and efficient. read more

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It's good country food with a down to earth feeling and a family atmosphere. The locals talk across the tables and everyone is friendly. My sweetie enjoys their fried chicken the most and I'm a big fan of the BBQ sandwich (which is under $4)! We eat here about once a week since moving to the area about 2 years ago. By the way, their hamburger is the BIGGEST HAMBURGER I have ever seen! We accidentally ordered a double. Lol! read more

North Star Restaurant - a hamburger and fries on a plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

The bang for your buck here is amazing. I got the pasta with meat sauce which came with a side salad and garlic toast. Husband got the chicken sandwich with chips. The place itself is really just a relaxed room with the kitchen attached - just a fun feel to the place. I loved all the kitchen joke signs around the place too. Nice staff, food came out reasonably quick, so we're happy we stopped here on our long drive! We actually sat outside at the picnic tables - could use some shade on a hot day but looked like most of the clientele we're eating in or taking to go - and there were a lot of people going in and out! Taste was pretty average, but still rate them highly! read more

Fantastic local eatery. Busy but fast service. Delicious home cooked food. Extremely reasonably priced. Cash only- although they have an ATM on site. Will definitely visit again on our way through. read more

So good and SO SO cheap it's amazing. I recommend the bbq sandwich and the curly fries

Food is mostly good, but the grits are the worst anywhere - watery, soupy. Service is great!

Good food good price. The breakfast is outstanding. If you go for dinner don't forget about dessert, their banana pudding is really good.

This is a quaint little place. It's busy, a bit grubby from an avalanche of customers, it's comfortable, a bit noisy and very 'country'. The service was good, the unsweetened ice tea was forgettable at best (which is a bit of a bother for a southern restaurant), but the food was sensational. My wife ordered roast beef with gravy, mixed greens and cabbage and pinto beans. I ordered grilled chicken breast, mixed greens and pinto beans. It must be said the portion sizes were huge and this place outdoes Cracker Barrel when it comes to southern comfort food. This is a community meeting place sort of restaurant and it is a good place to be. I heartily recommend it. read more

Passing through Buchanan today and stopped by North Star Restaurant. The people, including the patrons, were incredibly welcoming. We were very obviously from out of town and a large group. The prices are incredible, the service was great, and the food was perfect. read more

North Star Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

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Great little place not far from the interstate. This is a place that a lot of locals frequent and you can tell by the friendly atmosphere. The waitress was attentive and took good care of the entire place. Food was good and portions large. The western omelet was very big and full of ham, sausage, bacon, peppers and cheese. Too much for me to finish with the addition of two biscuits. The sign in the men's room got a good chuckle out of me. read more

North Star Restaurant - Men's bathroom photo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

Delicious food, great service, small town homey feeling! We always make it a point to stop here after a weekend of hiking and camping!

Stopped today for Breakfast. Locals were friendly, service was on point, portions were huge and so reasonable. Nothing fancy, but hit the spot for these travelers! read more

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A quaint little gem of a place. Food was excellent and the people were most pleasant. The staff was kind and accommodating. We will definitely come back when we drive through Virginia. read more

I wanted to like this restaurant but if my food today is any indication, I think not. My husband and I ordered cheeseburgers, french fries and sweet tea. The tea was a bit too sweet, but did have a good flavor. The French fries were crinkle-cut and good. The cheeseburger was not very good at all. The bun was cold and the meat was dry and flavorless -- not a bit juicy. It tasted like it had been pre-cooked and just put back on the flat-top to heat. In fact one side of the burger was so dry and overdone that I actually had to cut the "crust" off the meat off to make it edible. The service was slow. In fact, one family, who had been seated before we got there, left because two tables of customers (us included) received their food and both had been seated after that family. They must have been there for at least 20 minutes without being served, because it was that long for us. The restaurant was almost full at 12:30 pm and I think many of the customers are local. I don't know anything about their other food. Maybe the restaurant had a "bad day", but the quality of ground beef was not up to my standards either. read more

North Star Restaurant - Cheeseburger -- overcooked and dry with cold bun - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

Friends of ours were recently forced off of interstate 81 by an accident and stumbled upon this restaurant. They raved about it so when in the area we decided to give it a try. It was everything they said it would be. A small, friendly and welcoming local diner with good home cooked food. Prices are incredibly low and the portions incredibly large. Service was good and even though the place was packed with locals we were made to feel welcome. One item to note is that they don't accept credit cards. read more

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If you are looking for a typical dinner restaurant, this isn't it. But if you looking for a Real, down home, country setting, where the locals come and go like they are eating at home.... This place is it! Food was great, Service was great. A real friendly atmosphere. read more

A great breakfast, reasonably priced, and they are very good people to boot - if you are in the area and want a country meal that will remind you of your grandmother, be sure to stop in. The locals drive 5 miles out of Buchanan to eat here, so you know it's good. read more

We were out for a drive and passed this little place. The parking lot only had a few cars and a sign that indicated take-out. We pulled over up the road a bit, called and placed an order. We were told it would be ready in 30 min. We continued our ride and when we returned the parking lot was full. We observed people going in and out with take- our so I went in to get our order. I waited outside for awhile then when someone came out, I went in. There were more people than I expected, no one was wearing a mask, or gloves, customers or the kitchen staff. People kept piling in and some who had their food were sitting around chatting. I got my order and left wondering if I should have run when I saw how business was being done but I did not want to stiff a small business owner. As for the food, it was good, not great but in retrospect, not worth the lack of public distancing. If you are not concerned about social distancing then you will probably enjoy this little place. For myself, I wish I had known ahead of time so I could have made a more informed choice. read more

Thank you, Yelpers... I'm in food heaven! Love this little place - food came out fast and was delicious, had the North Star Club with onion rings..so stinking good! Service was super friendly and the place is filled with locals swapping stories, love it! If you are passing by this place, stop... you will not be disappointed! read more

This tiny little diner-like restaurant is packed with PERFECTION!! And such affordable prices , you'll think you stepped back to the 80's!!!! We noticed they were closing in 20 mins when we went in, but the waitress pulled out a chair and insisted we stay, relax and she'd have our supper right out!! And that she did! Our dinner was brought out in a timely manner , pippin hot !! She was welcoming , kind and friendly !! Very attentive, bringing wrapped silverware ( knife,fork& spoon ) BEFORE our meal, refills when she noticed drinks were low! She anticipated every need before we knew we needed it! It's been so long since we received DELICIOUS, hot food AND GREAT SERVICE!! Sending a HUGE THANK YOU , from a tired & hungry couple of Jersey travelers! If you're ever out this way we HIGLY RECOMMEND you treat yourself to olde time service, taste & prices !!!!!! We had a pork chop dinner , a meatloaf dinner and 2 sodas for $24.00 read more

North Star Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

This little diner was disappointing to say the least. After asking a question about the lemonade, the server returned with lemonade with the PH balance of primordial soup and lemon seeds. The food wasn't bad but I'd rather consume a dehydrated kitten tail then go again. I felt threatened by the waitress and I'm a full grown man. read more

North Star isn't that bad. Would not recommend the pancakes cause they are gross. The cold slaw is amazing every time we make hotdogs we have to go to north start to get some cold slaw from there. 10/10!! read more

The food was amazing especially given their pricing. The service was also truly very good. Comfortable atmosphere. Recommended.

Love the home cooked food and the family environment. The waitress's always has a smile and very friendly. Prices are very low compared to what their places. read more

My mom and I were traveling from Houston, TX to Baltimore, MD. On the way we started getting hungry. I pulled up yelp and this gem appeared! This was an amazing experience. Quaint restaurant off a quiet road-definitely where the locals in the area come for a Cheers experience with home cooked, wholesome meals. Service is excellent, like being welcomed into someone's home. So warm and welcoming! The bacon cheeseburger was excellent. Substantial burger-thick and cooked perfectly. Bacon and patty were crispy and lightly smoky from the well seasoned flat top. Crispy lettuce, sweet beefsteak tomato slices, melted cheddar, lightly spicy white onions, and pickle coins, with a healthy snap to them, complimented the buttery soft bun that held everything together. Mayo for me! The Club was nicely piled with meat, cheese, bacon and lettuce. (That was my moms.) It was great as well! Will definitely be back if I ever visit VA again!! I wish this joint was in Houston, TX! I will miss you all! read more

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Solid 2-egg breakfast. Stopped here on our way from Natural Bridge to Charlotte. I got sausage, my husband got country ham. He ordered the home fries, which are basically potato disks...interesting! The biscuits are fabulous! A small OJ is quite large. Coffee is strong. Service is friendly enough, but getting the food was slow. There's a sign on the door that the hours have changed due to "my husband" passing away (I'm assuming the owner's husband), so maybe that has something to do with the slow turnaround on the food. read more

North Star Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buchanan, Virginia

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This is the classic old school welcoming stop for a typical diner bite Un crowded unfussy and inexpensive U cannot go wrong when u stop here Good onion rings good classic soup and good coffee Wish I was hungry enough to have had the pie read more

Great place for breakfast. They were friendly and the food was good. We left feeling extremely stuffed. They were able to seat six of us, so definitely check it out. read more

If you are looking for a no frills breakfast in a truly local place then this is the place for you. Between three of us we had two coffees and a hot chocolate to drink, biscuits gravy bacon and sausage, kids pancakes and biscuit sandwich. Oh and a side of bacon. Total cost $13. Loads of bacon instead of normal one or two pieces in some places. We actually couldn't get close to eating all the food. Service wasn't the quickest but food was good and plentiful. read more