Very cute breakfast and lunch restaurant. Staff are very personable and capable. They clearly have their ;regulars'. Nice music piped in too. The ambiance is very low key, easy to keep clean tables, chairs and floor. The coffee is good. Pancakes are huge. I asked twice for real maple syrup but unless she forgot to charge me for it, I think I got 'pancake' syrup, which is made of corn syrup and I'm not supposed to eat that. Note to self, if you have a food sensitivity or allergy, be sure they know it because I just tried to order according to my needs and didn't spell it out as I should have. The full order of Irish breakfast - an eggs bene over corned beef hash - is HUGE. A half order is absolutely enough for your average size breakfast. I ordered two pancakes, and one would have been enough for my appetite. Another note to self - portions are big. On street parking. Single restroom off dining area. Friendly staff. Good food and coffee. Definitely worth a stop for a home style breakfast. read more

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well it is just outside of "downtown" gardner and it isn't too much to look at BUT if you want a great generous breakfast with friendly service, go here!! first time for us and it was full this morning, fortunately we got lucky and a couple was just leaving so we were seated quickly.....menu is pretty typical but it was interesting...my date loves pancakes so she ordered the triple, the waitress warned her that that was a lot so she only ordered 2....and we came home with one!!! i had the Irish benedict, yes full size, and they do order a half so I also have dinner tonight....food was great AND GENEROUS, and service pleasant!! read more

good spot i do recommend there breakfast and them pancakes isn't small just note. its busy on the weekend. the lady who works during the wk she know how to make eggs love her.... read more

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I went here for the first time last week and will for sure be back. I love small, local diners especially for breakfast. The portions were huge especially for the price. The home fires are delicious and the bacon was cooked perfectly! I also got a Belgian waffle that was HUGE, but did lack a little bit of flavor. The staff was amazing! They were friendly and welcoming. It's a very warm atmosphere. Parking is a bit of a struggle but there is street parking and a large family dollar lot across the street. My partner was also excited he could get pumpernickel bread and egg whites! read more

Went out for a family breakfast on a Saturday morning . We had a delicious and positive experience at the Hen House. The service was excellent and the food was cooked to perfection. We had to wait about 20 minutes or so but, it was well worth it! read more

Not good. Do not recommend - bad service , rude staff. The food is ok but not worth it.

Around 9:30 am Friday the 13th this place was jammed with locals. By 10:30 they all left at once. The staff were fun and attentive. Had the French toast which was made with good bread. The ham was served NoT greasy. They have everything you might expect on the menu. When I was leaving locals were picking up lunches already. Fish dinners are apparently quite popular. read more

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Perfect as always! Food was excellent with always a generous portion of food. Staff and customers are laws pleasant to be around. whether it's lunch or breakfast you can't go wrong. read more

Great place to eat, good food, and wonderful staff. My son is special needs they go out of their way to accommodate him and always make him feel welcomed. The staff make a point to speak with him and engage with him as a parent I can't tell you how appreciated that is. You all rock !! read more

So tried to go to eat here today. The hours say they are open until 12:45p. We walked in at 11:00 and were told they had "just closed, sorry." What kinda customer service is that? However as a result we ended up at a different diner in town that is OUTSTANDING...so maybe it's a good things this placed closed early. Moral of the story if you go to The Hen House it may or may not be open AND the parking is an issue so after spending time finding a place to park you may end up with nothing for your troubles but a "we just closed, sorry." read more

Amazing food served in a timely manner. Nice staff and food was delicious! Definitely recommend

Waited 25 minutes for a table. Waitress started asking me if I was with my party eventhough she saw me come in with them. She made some rude remark. The food was average and the service was slow. read more

Home cooking, yummy food. Lunch or breakfast and daily specials. Friendly staff! Reasonable prices. Specials.

Pancakes are excellent, definitely better than average! We also got the eggs benny- which were also very good. They were served on grilled English muffins, which add to the flavor of course! Plenty of hollandaise, which is a plus! read more

The absolute best around. If there was a vote for worlds best home fries, HenHouse would win easily. Good portions, reasonable prices, extensive menu and great staff. A gem! read more

Best sausage gravy and biscuits in Gardner!! I have gone here a couple of times and it hasn't disappointed! Friendly staff, cozy.

*This review pertains to the second location in Templeton* The Templeton location far outdoes the Gardner location for the simple fact that it is a little smaller and not quite as well known. We went in and got a table right away and ordered our food and had our food within 10 minutes, as opposed to 30-45 minutes at the Gardner location. Food quality is the same. My only complaint would be that they could use a little creativity with their specials. read more

I've been a fan in the past ,however a new owner took over . Went in today early sat at the counter . A waitress gave me coffee but no menu , 10 minutes later I got a menu .my omelette ham onion and cheese was spot on , the side of kielbasa was stone cold . No refill on my coffee by waitress until finally I got fed up and asked the old timer on the grill . My waitress had zero personality . The new owner wasn't there at 8 a.m. on a Sunday ? This spot used to be awesome , not sure now . read more

Awesome service here. The owner made sure to thank us on the way out. Great little place. There are bar stools and multiple tables in this quaint place. The menus are under the glass top at the table. We each were able to find something easily as the menu was concise and easy to read. I ordered the hash meal with sunnyside eggs, homefries and toast. The hash was just canned hash...fine for me with some crispy bits. There were 2 pieces of toast and two over easy eggs (just cooked, on the verge of under). My only complaint was the homefries. They looked like shriveled prunes. I could not tell you what type of potato they were supposed to be and just tasted of stale oil. He ordered a Belgian Waffle with strawberries and whipped cream. They were out of waffles; so, he ordered pancakes instead with sausages on the side. So, one, he didn't get what he wanted, but his pancakes were just typical pancakes. It came with frozen strawberries with juice and 3 sausage links, also probably frozen. Overall, pretty good bang for your buck. We spent under $25 for us. The wait wasn't anything crazy. On par with other breakfast places around here. My suggestions would be to do a homemade special daily..ie banana bread and use for French toast. The second, clean as you go. The tables were great, as the servers kept up with that, but the floor had food from little ones that I had to side step to get to my table. Pretty happy with my first time here. read more

Good food. I'm not even a breakfast person but I loved it. Service is quick and friendly.

Ate here for first time since it opened months ago. Both our meals were made right and absolutely delicious. We sat at the "bar" by choice as did another fellow who devoured his pancakes and home fries. He too said his breakfast was really great. Clean diner. Attentive staff. Was pretty busy too. Plenty of parking spaces. Has tables outside for outdoor eating in better weather. Definitely worth stopping for breakfast. As with the Gardner location, they only serve breakfast and lunch and close by around noon time. read more

Went to the new Templeton location with my son. Got the pancakes with strawberries and whip cream sausage and bacon. Came out quick and hot. Friendly staff good service and prices easy location to get to. read more

The Hen House - Breakfast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardner, Massachusetts

There are quite a few breakfast restaurants in town, and so far this one gets bottom ranks in terms of food. Everything was rather bland in terms of spice and flavor, and the potatoes were disappointing at best. Unless you're the type of person who likes really bland flavors (no shame here, I know there are folks who like that sort of thing!), skip this one and try a different place in town. read more

I asked for over hard and she wrote and gave me a over easy overall not that and still a little sad read more

The Hen House - a plate of food with a fork - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardner, Massachusetts

Walk right in! The service is quite remarkable: friendly and exceptionally skilled, they all appear to be enjoying their work! The food: A+, as good as it gets. If you're looking for for a classic breakfast diner, check The Hen House in Gardner read more

clean eating areas, you can see the food prep is clean too. delicious food. attentive service. definitely come back to this place.

Fantastic hungry hen special with Eggs scrabbled and large amounts of bacon and ham to go with two thick pancakes and topped off with friendly fast service worth a stop in! read more

The Hen House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardner, Massachusetts

My party was on a business trip and we decided to have breakfast at the Hen House. Excellent food and fantastic staff. No cold New England staff here very warm and welcoming. Classic American diner with great music and vibe. Highly recommend. read more

First time at the Gardner Hen House.Super cute little place! Food came out fast and hot.Hot cakes were so fluffy and the Irish egg plate was so filling and flavorful.Our waitress was amazing.Nice with a smile, attentive and considerate that we had a toddler.Cant wait to try more there. read more

I live and work very near to The Hen House so I am a frequent flier. The servers know me by name and are always friendly. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. I will always be a customer of this restaurant, even if I move away from the location. read more

Awesome food and great people - so fun to watch the synchronization of creating fabulous food in front of our eyes - breakfast was worth the calories for sure - loved the teams interactions and quick wit and great service- enjoyed it and highly recommend it - nothing fancy just good to the core food and friendliness by read more

love this place the people who work here are gracious and caring great place for breakfast

Smallish seating area but it was packed with patrons. The food was delicious and the service friendly and fast! They know their stuff!!

My favorite breakfast spot! I've never received bad food or service from here. They have the best friend toast!Their hungry hen combo is my favorite! read more

:( not the same owners and definitely a different atmosphere. Too Gardner is going to shit

I have eaten here so many times and loved it. The last time I ate there my pancakes were dusgusting! They put old browning bananas in my pancakes. To try and cover that up they overcooked the pancakes and the bananas were black. Once I cut into the pancake I saw the old bad bananas... I tasted it.. and it was terrible!!!!! I asked for new ones... and the old blondish owner (?) yelled at me in front of the customets telling me "they were fine". Then, she should have eaten them! She asked me if I was gonna eat them and I said "no" She told the girl behind the counter "not to make me fresh (unburnt) pancakes. I would NEVER have guessed she was the owner ...if she is... she has "No Class" and doesnt know how to treat customers. I would not recommend them, unless its on a day grouchy rude lady ISN'T working. read more

The food was great although we left with sour tasted in our mouths. The reasons I give this a one star is because of the awful service and poor attitudes of the employees that work there. As we were being sat, the server only wiped down part of the table and left prior unused silverware on the table from the last customers. Upon arrival we felt very unwelcome, weren't asked if we wanted refills, as well as failing to check to see how our food was. I had to ask for more coffee after waiting a while to see if she'd come around. She touched the rim of my mug while refilling so I had to ask for a fresh mug. She gave us our check right after our food arrived which made us feel very rushed even though there were many tables open. We both are in the food industry so we are very understanding but this was ridiculous. There were dirty stares from the employees. I will never spend another dollar there. Bon Appetite! read more

This place is so good the best breakfast place in Gardner and probably the best pancakes I've ever had . Serving size are huge and the pricing is awesome . The reason I am not giving this place a full 5 star review is due to their hours and lack of parking . I've come here twice during their open hours and have been turned away because they were closing early . The parking lot only holds 6 cars tightly so you have to park on the street which can be busy in this residential /downtown area . read more

This is by far the best place in Gardner to get breakfast! Very friendly service and the food is always amazing and fresh!! Definitely highly recommend this place!! read more

This spot is a wonderful place for a delicious, cheap breakfast. They specialize in eggs and know what they are doing. On weekends you may have to wait a few minutes for a table. This greasy-spoon is a hidden jem. BE AWARE, CASH ONLY! read more