I say this with no malice in my heart. This was the worst food we have eaten in...honestly I don't know how long. The chicken fried steak was bad, the pasta was too salty, the clam chowder honestly nauseated me a little. On the upside we were laughing about it the whole way home. Damn disappointing though, it's usually these places that are hidden gems. read more

Needs improvement in everything. Food, Service and atmosphere. Service was just above terrible. We had to get up to ask for items and another time we had to ask another waitress to send our waitress to the table. All I could say about the waitress and staff is, they are very polite. We got the chicken fried steak, which was below par as far as the flavor and the gravy. The restaurant looks like it's never been updated since the original build of the building. Don't plan on returning the next time. I'm in town. read more

A nice and friendly place to have any meal from breakfast to supper. We were invited turn for three days for my husband's business trip. The atmosphere is a little aged in that the booths are all of different designs and material. Lots of clutter and various handwritten messages and neon lights to advertise their ice creams and such. We were invited to seat ourselves both times that we went there. And the staff quickly brought our menus. A varied menu with a large selection. I had the Captain's plate- there was no description, but it was listed under seafood, so I hoped for the best. My husband had some variation of a French Dip. Both actually turned out to be delicious. The roast beef in the French Dip was tender and tasty. My husband could tell that it's unlikely that the au jus was homemade, but it was still very good. My favorite part of my Captain's Plate was the fried Oysters. I was a little leery of ordering seafood that far from the coast, but I was pleasantly surprised. We came back 2 days later for breakfast. I had Eggs Benedict and it was very good. I really liked the potatoes that came with it. More like tiny, crisp little French fries than soggy hash browns and my husband and I really enjoyed them! The "hollandaise" sauce was probably from a mix, but still tasty . A little disappointed in the pressed ham that was part of the Eggs Benedict, but it didn't ruin the dish. read more

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Just recently stopped in and had breakfast ordered the fajita omelet was so good came with toast or bisquit I of course had the homemade biscuit with hash browns so much yummy food I took leftovers home the wait staff was very warm and friendly and kept the coffee flowing for 10.99 special it was so worth it, I been craving of goin back and get it again it's a down home rustic place to stop and enjoy! read more

buyer beware. I ordered prime rib medium rare. I received an over cooked piece of meat. I sent it back. the second prime rib was the same. no pink inside at all and hard to swallow. I ended up ordering a new york steak. I don't think it ws ever aged. the waitress was great. she and my wife and I were not happy. the baked potato was in my opinion in a warming drawer much too long. read more

I have been here a few times. The meals I have had have been good. Staff is nice. Cafe style menu.

It was a very hot day and my daughter and grand kiddos were visiting, we went into the Ponderosa late just half an hour before closing and asked if we were too late to get ice cream cones. They were so kind to us and treated us so special the kids were in ice cream heaven! Not to mention that the ice cream was delicious! It was a special memory for us all to look back on! I will probably take them there every time they visit now! read more

Ponderosa - a woman sitting at a table with two children - American Near Me - Orofino, Idaho

We met friends here and enjoyed a nice conversation filled dinner. Our friends both had the chicken fried steak ( a main stay in this part of the country) my bride went light and had the salad bar, and I had the hamburger steak covered in grilled onions with mashed potatoes. I would say considering all our plates were empty it must have been good and it was. We returned two days later for a good bye lunch with many different meals enjoyed around the table. I had the corned beef on rye, hmm... not like a Jewish deli I'm used to but tasty none the less and my wife had a cheese omelet and hash browns and like it very much. Off to Clarkston. read more

Decent. Expensive. Does not deserve a 1 or 2 star rating. Just know that you're not there to get in and out within 30 minutes. Their salad bar is pretty good. Burgers are meh... (Go to the Riverside Bowling Alley for a good burger. It is on US 12 heading towards Lewiston, roughly 2 miles past the bridge into Orofino). Avoid the weekend buffet, it is okay. Friendly staff depending on when you go in. Their french dip is great. Soda refills are NOT free (kinda stupid). Cinnamon rolls are good, French Toast is excellent. It's a small town cafe, so don't expect a royal treatment. But if you treat them right, they'll take care of you. That's how it works in a small town. read more

When you walk into this place, you think okay, there is NO way this place is going to be good. Keeping expectations low. The food here is surprisingly really good! The Rueben sandwich is my favorite! Better than most restaurants I've been to. The servers are never friendly but honestly that's part of the experience. This place is like going back in time. You have to appreciate it for what it is. It's a great small town cafe. I would give it 5 stars except the salad bar is seriously lacking. One of my favorite places to eat in Orofino. read more

Stopped by for lunch with 7 guys it was quick only took about 10-15 min to get food. Staff was friendly and the meals were decent. I would come back read more

Ordered off menu, eggs bacon and toast.. the eggs came with a fistful of hair.. got an sorry, a replacement of one egg only.. we paid for two.. kind of made the appetite go away read more

NO!! I ate here about two years ago and the food was BAD. Tried it again tonight. Should have stayed away. Worst place ever!!! Started with the house salad that looked wilted and had pieces of bad lettuce scattered within. Had chicken fried steak that tasted like oily breading. No meat flavor or texture. This was served with hot tater tots, cold corn and milk gravy. I think that nothing is made from scratch. You can't call yourself a cook if you screw up something as easy as chicken fried steak. The evening excitement was when the waitress spilled a full glass of water on our table. She eventually came back with a small bar towel and cleaned up half of the mess. I suggest that someone who cares buy this place and turn it back into what is was! read more

the food was really good once i got it me and my friend went to get lunch and it seemed to take them forever to get food to us but it was overall pretty good food read more

Great breakfast... must try the chicken fried steak! Very clean and amazing service.

The atmosphere is pretty outdated but the service is great and the food is pretty good. I ordered the veggie fettuccine; it was a huge portion and pretty good quality. My husband ordered the chicken fried steak and said it far exceeded his expectations. Considering there's not many dining options in this small town, this place isn't bad at all. read more

Ponderosa - Veggie Fettuccine Alfredo - American Near Me - Orofino, Idaho

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This place hasn't changed since 1981. It was mediocre then and it is mediocre now. Problem is that Orofino has so few choices for restaurants, it doesn't have much competition. It is the old standby for the locals. The Ponderosa is a meat and potatoes kind of place that provides a side salad consisting of iceberg lettuce with dressing (not even a crouton!). Our waitress was friendly, but service was extremely slow (I think she forgot about us at one point). All in all, not a place I would recommend unless you have no other options. read more

Cheeseburgervwas ok, service slow,. I know there's not many choices in Orofino, but really? If I wasn't a firemen I would relocate and open a real restraunt in this town. Love Orofino, but not for the food lol. read more

Nothing fancy but it was clean and the food was good. Definitely the place the locals go.

Good food, good prices. To me, it looks expensive on the outside, but inside, it's a down-home kind of restaurant. Bar is in a separate area completely. Friendly waitresses. read more

We ordered Fettuccine and it was awful it had no flavor. We added gravy from my moms dish to add flavor it tasted like water and flour. And our waitress was awful. I would recommend going somewhere else in town!!!! read more

My fiance and I were out on a date night in Orofino tonight and decided to try The Ponderosa. Walk in about 5:30 and sit down as the sign says to seat yourself. I see a waitress helping another table, she looked right at us when we walked in. She goes and sits at the end of the bar and starts eating without even acknowledging us. We sit in our booth for a good 10 minutes before I get up and ask for menus, to which she asks me how many with a mouth full of food. I ask for 2 and go back to our booth and she sits back down at the end of the bar and keeps eating. Two couples and a party of four walk in while we are waiting, all are waited on while we are still sitting there in our booth with not so much as a greeting. Terrible service. We ended up leaving and eating at the Mexican restaurant which had excellent service. Will never go back to this place again. I was in the service industry for nearly 10 years. First as a hostess then a server, supervisor and finally manager and I can say I have never experienced such an unprofessional attitude. From the complete lack of awareness to who is even in the restaurant to sitting in the dining room and eating in front of customers, talking with your mouth full of food to a customer and then sitting back down to finish your meal instead of greeting a table. Seriously disappointing. Clearly your staff needs to be retrained in service and apparently basic manners. read more

DO NOT DINE AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO TO THE MEXICAN RESTAURANT ACROSS THE STREET! I come to town on business and thought i'd give this restaurant a try. Worst experience I have ever had. First I started with the salad bar to find the lettuce was bagged , brown, wilty and just old, the pineapple and watermelon must have been cut days ago, dryed out and wilted. I ordered a Ribeye steak medium, the steak was red and gelatinous, it was disgusting!!! The only option for a vegetable was corn, canned corn, I said no thank you and it still came out on my plate. When the waitress came to clear my plate and saw the steak, she even commented on how disgusting it looked. I told her that the steak was terrible and to just bring me the check. She brought me the full priced check and offered to say that her supervisor was busy and the owner doesn't like confrontation. WTH....you are in the customer service business Mr or Mrs OWNER!!!! I advised the waitress to let the owner know I will be writing a review online to warn other people not to dine at their establishment. I was fuming and paid $30 for a dinner that I only had a few bites of. read more

Food was ok, waitress was a Grouch! Avoid this place. Go the Krystal Cafe for breakfast or the Bowling Alley, at least the food will be hot and the service friendly! read more