Pine Cone is a classic no-frills roadside diner with large portions and a fantastic bakery case. It can get busy and loud inside but the tables are spaced out pretty well. Service was quick and the waitstaff was super friendly. The location makes it a great spot to catch up with friends between the Madison and Milwaukee areas. Parking is easy and it is right off the interstate. The food was good and portions were massive, you'll definitely get your money's worth here. Everyone took food home. The bakery is the true star of the show. The cases are packed with tons of options. They had cream puffs and eclairs the size of my head. Everyone raves about the cinnamon rolls and I have to agree. It was huge, fluffy, and perfect for sharing. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Cream puff - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

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Second time visiting the pine cone. This has become a great little pit stop for us. I still can't get over how we can eat for 2 for under $20 and still eat good! The waitress's are always so sweet and the food comes out quick, hot and fresh! read more

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Stopped at Pine Cone for breakfast with a long-time friend. We shared the Eggs Benedict (egg was the star) and Cinnamon French Toast--both were REALLY good. Normally this is a stop on summer road trips with the grandkids for a large bakery treat to enjoy on the go, so it was a treat to finally sit and eat inside. It was pretty busy, but we never felt rushed and had plenty of time to catch up. Cozy, welcoming, and a perfect breakfast spot. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

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This place is awesome! I was a little skeptical because it's in a travel center, but omg, the food is amazing. The employees were friendly, service was fast, and did I mention the food was incredible? I highly recommend the hot beef sandwich (comes with mashed potatoes and gravy), and do not leave without getting an eclair (as big as your head) from the bakery. There were so many things on the menu I wish I could try. If I'm ever in the area again I will definitely stop. read more

Haven't been here in a couple of years, so decided to stop in for breakfast. Very popular truck stop. Dining room was warm, clean and nicely decorated. Server was friendly and attentive. We both ordered coffee and we were provided our own pot so we could self serve. I noticed the menu said the corned beef hash was homemade, so I ordered that and my wife ordered the Denver skillet. We both ordered the hash browns crispy. We received our orders quickly. My corned beef was real, not canned, and very tasty but could have used a little more corned beef; still, better than canned. My whole wheat toast was very good and eggs were perfect. My wife enjoyed her skillet and sourdough toast. Though the sourdough was light, it did have good sourdough flavor. Neither came with the hash browns crispy as ordered, but were still very good. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Denver skillet with sourdough toast - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

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We always stop in either on our way to WI Dells or on our way home. There's really no match to the Eggs Benedicts. It's my all time favorite! We also enjoy a cup of chicken soup with a roll. Keep in mind nothing is small at Pinecone! On the way out we generally get ourselves a sweet treat for the road. Our server this evening was Alex and she's got a great sense of humor! Really made our day! She gave everyone a sticker for cleaning their plates... This was such a great stop for dinner today. read more

I have been to the Pine Cone several times now, it has become an anticipated Thanksgiving week tradition. The Pine Cone has large serving sizes of home cooked meals, breads, and desserts for unheard of prices! The food is wonderful and so is the staff. It's hard to find places like this these days!! read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Chicken dumpling soup and homemade roll - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

One of our favorite spots to stop in while passing through. We absolutely love the chicken dumpling soup and roll. Nothing is small at Pinecone! When we arrived this time the dining room was closed and the only seating was at the counter. We did eventually get seated at a booth, but super stressed as the counter seats are not really ideal for a group of 4. Our server, Kathy, was so patient with me as I was kind of frustrated about the seating at the counter and not wanting to invade the space of the person next to me. My husband says the eggs benedicts here are, hands down, the best he's had. Both my husband and daughter had the eggs benedicts, my son had hashbrowns with cheese and I had the cinnamon French Toast. Three of us had the chicken dumpling soup with a roll. Then we bought a cookie, carrot cake, cheesecake brownie and something that was chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and covered in chocolate...goodness! read more

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Quick and easy place to stop on the way to/from the Dells. Stopped for dinner on the way home this time; my husband had chicken tender platter with fries and I had Salisbury steak dinner with mashed potato's, both came with soup, coleslaw and roll. Everything was decent but nothing amazing this time. Their baked goods used to be the main reason for stopping; everything is still humongous but the quality and taste isn't the same as a few years ago. read more

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Portion sizes for all food is huge! Even the rolls are the size of a small pancake in diameter.If you leave hungry, that is on you.

Server was great. Then it went down hill. The both has not been updated since the place opened. I sat in valley. Actually it felt like sitting on the wrong side of a 5 gallon pail. The soup was the highlight of the visit. The mushroom was great. The chicken dumpling was good too. I had the country breakfast. Eggs sausage potatoes a biscuit and gravy. The eggs sat under the lamp and were dehydrated and hard. The biscuit was ice cold. We asked the server if that was normal. He said no and quickly brought out a steaming hot one. The gravy was a huge disappointment. When i try a new restaurant for breakfast, I try the biscuit and gravy. I use the barstool pizza review premise. One bite everyone knows the rules. This i gave a 3.8 to. Never again will i get that. We did buy an eclaire for dessert tonite. Hopefully that is better than breakfast. read more

We had a great meal! The price and quality were on point. The stuffed pepper and chicken dumpling soups were both fantastic. The rolls included were huge. This was a meal itself when paired with a salad. We enjoyed the cod and meatloaf dinners as well. The staff was nice and welcoming. The bakery case was tempting, but earlier in the day, we stopped at the Pine Cone Travel Center. We tried an éclair to split. It was huge. So good. We will definitely return when in the area. read more

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01/2025 Just a little updated it's been a couple of years Still one of my favorite old school truck stops Came in for dinner here on New Year's Day. I ordered the walleye breaded fried fish dinner. Was a nice good piece of walleye they brought out. Had a baked potato butter and sour cream on. One of their big old dinner rolls. Diet Pepsi. substituted salad for cottage cheese and no problem with that Still 24/7 food is still excellent. Servers that we're working this particular dinner shift were very cordial and friendly. So I'm still leaving it at the full five bar of Stars You can see why this not only has a strong following with old school truckers don't want to get home cooked meal healthier or not LOL but also a lot of locals still like to come here read more

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All travel plazas/ truck stops should BE like this! The parking lot is full for a reason, but don't worry, you will find a spot outside and inside. There are booths and counter service. I sat at the counter cause that is great. You can see the action of these fast and efficient hosts. I wish I was hungrier, but I wanted just the biscuit and gravy, something we don't have at home. This was absolutely delicious. Everything here tastes , homemade. Perfectly seasoned gravy with the huge biscuit. The roast beef, sandwiches, burgers, breakfasts, and specials looked good too. The Pine Cone takes you back to a time I hope we never lose. A classic diner, very clean and classic inside. Welcoming and tasty. And the bakery area! Sinful pastries, breads, donuts and cookies. Visit the Pine Cone on your way to Madison or the Dells. Outlet center is behind it. A must when in the area. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - You can't see it, but the massive, delicious Biscuit is under very flavorful, homemade sausage gravy. Perfectly seasoned. - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

This is always our go-to on the way home from the Dells. Affordable and yummy! Good service. Also fun to grab some of their giant rolls and some bakery on the way out. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Eggs Benedict, hash browns, corned beef hash, a pancake, a waffle, chicken tenders and fries, & Southern Breakfast. - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

I love The Pine Cone! It's an amazing hop on, hop off the freeway on my way to Madison from Milwaukee. They classic dinners like ham, chicken and turkey. They have burgers and sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day! Their bakery window will draw you in upon entrance and upon leaving when you pay your bill at the register. Service is fast! Most of the time you seat yourself. There is a diner counter, and tables. I've had quite a few meals here and most recently I went with pancakes for lunch. They were delicious as were the smoky links that came with them. My boyfriend loved his double cheeseburger. And the price is right, very reasonable. Give this place a try. Plus the shell gas station has decently priced gas. read more

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PSA: I did not eat in restraunt It was my first time here and it was BUSY. I ordered a small cinnamon role. No nuts, but you know I picked the one with a thick layer of white icing on top(Mhhhhmmmmm tasty). The staff was friendly despite the rush but was confused about what I was ordering. I later realized, upon seeing my dining partners dish, as to why. They had ordered a GIANT cinnamon role, clearly one of the things Pine Cone is known for. It looked great! I can't wait to come back and try it! read more

Gross... would they cooks feed this to their families? I didn't want a replacement of that "corned beef" again. I dont typically like to complain, but seeing that disgusting sandwich, that's just a bad cook, who takes no pride in his job. Pinecone used to be really good, but it's definitely gone downhill. They should make the cooks take a bite of what's sent back from lack of attention and pride. Just gross. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - This is a Rueban...? Saurkraut and sauce asked to be put on the side. But forget that. The "corned beef".. - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

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Listen...this place rocks socks and totally took me by surprise. Was driving home from Madison to Milwaukee and stopped off at the Johnson Creek outlets so the kiddo could get a new pair of crocs. After shopping, we were looking for a little lunch. This place was so conveniently close that we decided to stop here. It's basically a truck stop diner and when comparing to other truck stop diners I've been to, this spot blows them out of the water. First thing to note: when you enter it's a seat yourself and your server will bring you menus kinda spot. No need to wait to be seated. As you enter, to the left is primarily diner counter seating. If you follow the hallway to the right, there are plenty of booths and tables for larger groups. We opted for a booth and were quickly met by our server who brought menus and water. I ordered their chef salad. I loved that you could opt for turkey instead of ham (which I did) and that they served it with ample dressing on the side. It also comes with a dinner roll that was as big as a small plate--it was huge, nicely warmed up, and absolutely delicious (gimme all the buttered carb goodness). As we left, we perused their pastry case which was astounding. The have the biggest cream puffs, eclairs, and cinnamon rolls that I've ever seen. Would definitely recommend this spot if you love a sweet breakfast. Get to it! read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Pastry case - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

Highlights/Lowlights 1) Friendly Service 2) Not a Ton of Ambiance 3) Budget-Friendly Pinecone was a perfect meeting place for our group of friends that is split between Madison and Milwaukee. Pinecone is conveniently located just off highway 94, next to the Johnson Creek Outlet Mall. Don't be put off in you arrive and the parking lot is full! This place is big and even though it was packed, our group of 4 was seated after waiting only 5 or so minutes. Service was super friendly and fast! We were in and out in about an hour (and we were lingering a little). Menu options are standard breakfast and some diner lunch fare. Our group did a traditional breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast), a skillet and corned beef & hash. Food was exactly as you would expect, really good and kind of greasy! Pinecone isn't somewhere that will knock your socks off but it's very convenient, budget-friendly and quick! read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Denver Skillet - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

Always full when leaving the Pine Cone. Restaurant is split into diner style or family style seating. This was the first time we chose the diner side. We ordered a steak meal & the broasted chicken AYCE special both with mashed potatoes & their signature giant dinner roll. Steak came with a salad. Our food took a bit longer than normal but the waiter was very attentive, refilling our waters & brought the rolls & salad right away. Our meals were hot. The stuffing had some hard chunks in it which wasn't great but once picked out t it was good. Not a fan of the brown gravy, I like their turkey gravy better. it wasn't very flavorful and was too much for the potatoes. Potatoes were from scratch but whipped a bit too much this time, they were much thinner than I like. Our waiter was so great, he's worth the 4th star and of course, we bought a 6 pack of rolls to take home. read more

Food and service great per usual. Bathroom was disgusting and lines to get in and check out were very confined.

This place is great! I stopped here while on a college visit to UW Madison, and it's a great place for lunch or dinner! I ordered the fried walleye, which was delicious, along with the mashed potatoes, though as a native Marylander, the size of the dinner roll was a bit surprising! read more

Delicious food that tastes like home. I used to come here when I was little, haven't been here in awhile. The food is delicious, hearty, sweet but not too sweet. Our waitress was delightful, very attentive and catering to my needy pop. Far away from where I live, needless to say I will come back. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Breakfast! - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

I love this place. Always a great road trip stop. Quick service, good food, and amazing bakery. You can't go wrong if you're passing through. read more

Always good service and generous portions. Desserts are the best! Clean restaurant and staff is pleasant read more

The food was really good and reasonable prices. Stopped on the way out and bought some bakery items. The eclairs were bland, no taste to the custard, the pistachio cheesecake was alright, the lemon squares were amazing and the huge cookies were delicious. read more

The food was awful. Nondairy coffee creamer was all they served...hello this is Wisconsin. The eggs benedict was not on an English muffin but on a roll sliced in half. French toast was not cooked through, raw and mushy inside. Staff was at the entrance to the back area and were so loud. One quite loudly said, " Over by that old lady". WTH Place needs to be thoroughly cleaned! Hadn't been there in about a year. Will never go back. read more

This place was amazing!!! Excellent food, service with a smile and incredible bakery! We will definitely stop by when we're back in the area again! Thank you :) read more

Along the way to our anniversary destination, we stopped at the Pine Cone Restaurant in Johnson Creek for lunch! If you haven't been, I highly recommend it! Great food options, generous portions, reasonably priced and all sorts of baked goodies to take home with you! I had the "Hungry Man's Breakfast" which i almost completely finished, but still bought a ginormous frosted brownie to take with! read more

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As I walked in I was immediately surprised by the size and the amount of different deserts. The menu has everything. From breakfast to dinner items. We were immediately created and seated. The waitress knew the menu and politely answered all of our questions. I tried the special "German meatballs". Very tasty. Side of veggies and mashed taters. It came with a cup of soup and a giant dinner roll. Very very tasty. All that for $9. WOW. Got a desert giant eclair on the way out. Can't wait to demolish it. read more

I was visiting my mom in Wisconsin and she wanted to try this place. So of course I'm going to take her. Plus the menu looked good so win/win. But....it's located at a truck stop so I wasn't sure what to expect. We arrived and got to choose which side of the restaurant you sit in. There are two dining rooms with a large display of baked goodies separating them. We were seated and given menus. The inside of the restaurant was extremely unimpressive. Everything looked old and run down. Booth seating had tears, the faux wood tables had probably been there since the 70s and the carpet was pretty worn out. That said I didn't come here for the looks, just the food. I ordered the chicken fried steak and for some reason I said "yes" when they asked me if I wanted cheese and sautéed onions on my hash browns. The food made up for the surroundings. I'm pretty sure the gravy was the same powdered stuff you can buy at the grocery store but the steak was excellent. Strangely enough the cheese and onions on the hash browns worked too. Staff was super friendly and exuded that Midwest charm. While you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, it's kinda hard not to in this case. This place is like a time capsule with a good forty years of wear and tear on it. But again, the food was tasty and the service was good and that trumps all the other stuff. If you happen to be near Johnson Creek, WI give it a try! read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Chicken Fried Steak ($10.95) - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

Definitely get the JJ Pork Chops. Get it with the sausage gravy with the chops and with a side of rice. The service team during the second shift are the nicest people you will ever meet. Especially Bucky. She's easily the best server there. read more

Stopped in Friday night and the restaurant was busy however the line to be seated was moving quickly and we got a table within a few minutes. The server was very friendly and attentive and greeted us while we were sitting down. The food is the issue during this visit. Both of us ordered breakfast items. I had biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon and the other person ordered pancakes with a side of bacon. The bacon for both orders was undercooked with a large portion on each strip still pink and white. Needless to say of the three pieces we each received we were only able to eat a half piece of one strip. The pancakes were also raw in the middle so not much was eaten. As for my order the gravy was absolutely flavorless. It literally was a heap of flour with just enough water in it to make a gravy consistency. Usually biscuit and gravy are maker with a sausage or red eye gravy so the one here was underwhelming and disappointing. The restaurant restroom are also a problem. They were not clean and are starting to show their age in rusty falling down vents and chipped paint. Yes this is know as a truck stop and the food is diner style however after tonight I can not recommend this place nor will I be returning read more

Haven't been to the Pine Cone in awhile, and won't go back anytime soon. Food was cold. The young gentleman at the check out added $10 to our bill when I called him on it got some different looks. Did get it settled. read more

Earlier this month it was me and a couple that I'm friends with was heading to their cabin for the weekend. We all haven't had lunch yet so instead of going the fast food route, we stopped here and also because I've never been here given how many times I have drove past Johnson Creek. There was a few choices I saw I wanted and was hard to narrow down what I wanted. In the end, I went with something I haven't had in a while and that was the hot roast beef sandwich which came with mashed potatoes. While we were waiting for our food I was watching waitresses brining these big dinner rolls to peoples table and I thought I gotta have one those! So when our waitress brought out our food and asked if we needed anything else I told I would love to get one of those big rolls please! My meal wasn't too bad, but that roll helped sop up the gravy on my plate. Next time I come here and order the same thing, I'm going to request the roast beef but not served as a sandwich but get one of the rolls on the side or order another entrée where the roll comes with the meal. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

Always a great cheap meal here. The main attraction is their bakery. Dinner rolls bigger than a softball. Donuts the size of your head. All made in house and fresh. A great stop on your drive since it's right off the highway. Easy on and off. read more

We stopped at the Pine Cone for lunch yesterday, have been there many times. Great location. We are return customers because of the food, the bakery and the service. All wonderful! The following comments are directed to the owners of the property, not its workers. Your restroom is one of the worst I have ever experienced. The paint is missing and rust exposed on the heater vent. The stalls are worn and dirty. Previous frames hanging from neglect of being removed. I have been to restaurant and waited 15 minutes for a table, my point being is that this establishment is making money. SPEND SOME OF OUR $ AND UPDATE THE RESTROOM!!!! And will end with...the way the restroom looks makes me worry about the conditions in the kitchen. read more

The servers here are very attentive. When you can sit in the same booth where family used to sit almost 40 years ago, you know the classic diner feel is still alive! read more

"Welcome. Sit anywhere that is clean." :) It is exactly what you would expect. Large portions fitting the clientele. Inexpensive Fast The LARGEST dinner roll I have ever seen. It was served hot! Worth it just for that. It probably could have been dinner in itself. I am not kidding. It was enormous. I got the roast beef and mashed potatoes. Perfect. It had so much gravy on it that I couldn't even tell what was what. But not in a bad way. :) There ended up being a lovely thick bread sandwich under there. Perfectly toasted. Mmmm Everything appeared homemade. Grandma style. The decor? Also grandma. I was entertained during the short wait for the food by trying to figure out a couple of things about the wallpaper. Where was the repeat line? Why would the barn say mail pouch? Pouch? Weird. But, again. Entertaining and exactly what you would expect in a roadside stop. Stop in and enjoy the Americana. read more

Pine Cone Restaurant - Huge!!!!! - New American Near Me - Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

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