I've never personally made my way to one of Guy Fieri's restaurants but I have seen virtually every episode of the show that makes his career what it is, "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". Look, I love fine dining. I enjoy getting a little dressed up and having a formal evening full of excellent food and a classy ambiance. As much as I enjoy such things, I love those diners, drive-ins and dives just as much. Nothing beats road food, the unassuming holes in the wall that keep sending out plate after plate of deliciousness. It doesn't have to be exquisite to be good, and as good as a $48 per plate dinner featuring Chilean Sea Bass can be, a good burger or meat loaf dinner at a diner can be every bit as good. Judge places for what they are supposed to be. Not every restaurant falls into the same category.
In that vein, often times the best, tasty, greasy dinners in the world come from places that make you say, "I don't think I should eat here" when you walk through the entrance. Take the risk. More times than not, you will be glad you did. Personally, I never miss a home football game at Mountaineer Field, and get to as many basketball games as I can The West Virginia Mountaineers are a priority. Tradition is not to be messed with. On the way home, rain or shine, win or lose, day game or night game, the postgame meal is at Waffle Hut. If nothing else, well over a decade of time is evidence enough of the quality. If it wasn't good, I wouldn't go back time after time.
One step into the building leaves you wondering if you have entered a time machine. The decor and furniture, even the plates and cups, are dated but feels just like home. If the prettiest place in the world produces bad food, no one notices the light fixtures anymore. When the menus are brought to the table, they are further evidence that you may have just accidentally stepped into 1988. The prices are remarkably low, especially considering the amount of food that is brought to your table within a few minutes. The proprietors of Waffle Hut are not seeking a Michelin star. They just want customers leaving happy, and that they do. I did get a smile from another reviewers statement that Chef Robert [Irvine] needs to come save Waffle Hut. I love Restaurant: Impossible and never miss an episode. That said, Robert Irvine only saves restaurants that need saving, those that do no business, lose money, and have very little hope. A place that is constantly doing business, is open 24-7-365, and is absolutely packed on weekends to a point where getting a table can be difficult at times.... does not need to be saved, and that's definitely a good thing. Support local business!
While the Waffle Hut name suggests a menu similar to that of Waffle House, Omelet Shoppe, or a similar type of restaurant, the selection is actually far more diverse than expected. The breakfast menu is full of traditional offerings: waffles, pancakes, a range of pork products, biscuits and gravy, potatoes however you like them, and more. The dinner menu, however, is where the quality is delivered even more.
The Honey Dipped Chicken dinner is always piping hot out of the kitchen, cooked to order, served with fries but they will gladly substitute mashed potatoes and gravy. The open-faced Hot Roast Beef sandwich is a diner classic, with chopped roast beef piled between two pieces of white bread, halved and stuffed with mashed potatoes before being smothered in brown gravy, and it is everything a diner lover could want. Simple but satisfying is the name of the game. For those seeking an even richer, stronger flavor, the Country Fried Steak is the dinner of choice. Even the gravies on the plate are contrasting in color and flavor. The fresh cooked cube steak, breaded and fried, comes topped with a tasty white gravy, while the mashed potatoes are served with the brown gravy that is a staple of several Waffle Hut dishes.
So what makes this place stand out? One word: Coleslaw. There have been many dinners of many kinds in many places, from restaurants to homes to church picnics and all points in between, but I have never had coleslaw as good, much less better, than Waffle Hut's. Order breakfast, order dinner, order dessert, you can't go wrong... but make sure you have some coleslaw with anything and everything. More than once I have tried to acquire the recipe, and the efforts have failed, but perhaps that is for the best. It keeps the slaw a treat associated with the trips to Morgantown.
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there is never a bad time for Waffle Hut. The well-known Exit 67 for Flatwoods is loaded with gas stations and fast food joints of every ilk. Skip them. Take the time to venture into Waffle Hut, have some slaw, enjoy the evening, and resume your trip on a full stomach without the rush. You'll be glad you did. If it is on a gameday in the fall, Let's Go Mountaineers.