Love , love this place! The food is all comfort food and always save room for deserts ice cream is amazing! If you are around there it's worth a stop read more

Good all around American food. Its in an amish area so you'll see them around and even some of the waitresses dress like them. They have a buffet you can get many classics like fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, potpies, gravy etc. It changes a bit. You can also order off the menu. We had the buffet and it was pretty good comes with a salad bar, soup and a warm dessert section if you still have room. One think to keep in mind is that it gets packed for dinner so you might be waiting a while. Also, you can get any of the pies to take home we got a coconut one soo good. read more

The first time I went to Yoder's Kitchen I was in heaven with their comfort food buffet style! Yummy. You can't beat some fried chicken and mashed potatoes after a long stressful day! There was also a certain charm to the place. Loved it! The second time I went here I was kinda disappointed to see all the same foods in their buffet. There weren't too many choices in the dessert department either. And I love me some dessert(s). I was sorta hoping they'd have different foods, you know, change it up a bit. But it was the same stuff. Kinda boring and predictable. Still good, still charming, but I may only go back in a year or so. read more

First of all, the location is wrong on the Yelp map. The place is actually east of town by half a mile or so, but you can't miss it. It will be where all the cars and tour buses are parked. I think this is what happens when the Amish proprietors succeed way beyond their dreams in the retail business. They go from being "country" to mass market retail. So, rating this place puts me in a real quandary. Let me start by stating that this place does in fact make the best fried chicken ever, anywhere, and it is not even close. Nothing in the deep south or anywhere else can come close to how good the fried chicken is. BUT, that's where the good ends, and presumably why the lot is full at lunch time and the tour buses are lined up, because the rest of the place is Amish sell-out to mass market retail and your basic all-you-can-eat buffet chain. I feel a responsibility to recommend Miller's Bread Basket, in of all places South Carolina, for the traditional Amish store/restaurant if that is the experience you are looking for: http://www.yelp.com/biz/millers-bread-basket-blackville. So the 3 stars apply to the fried chicken, which is really 5-star quality, but the rest of the place drags it down. PROS: Fried chicken is the best in the world CONS: everything else: Tourist trap, blue hair tour buses, 20 minute wait for lunch on a weekday, who knows on a weekend. read more

Blah food. The chicken is blah. Could use a smidge more seasoning. On the up side, the chicken is very moist and fresh. The salad bar is awful. Mushy, boring food. Nearly no desserts, and what they have is not worth eating. Won't go back again. It's not worth the hype it gets. read more

Good , something different... not worth the drive... we went today for the first time... slot of there food is bland...

Visiting Family in Decatur, IL short drive to Arthur, IL home of Yoder Kitchen, Restaurant & Gift Shop. Had lunch early because it gets crowded by 11.30 am. The buffet is reasonably priced or you can order from the menu. We had the buffet; lots of fish, chicken, salad +, desserts and wide variety of drinks. We had plenty to eat and drink, service was excellent. Thank you Yoders for a great lunch! read more

I went in for breakfast around 9:30 and was waited on within 2 minutes. While waiting for my hot breakfast I looked around and noticed less than a dozen people mulling around eating. For some reason it took them over 30 minutes to bring me my one dish. The food wasn't that bad, I just wish the food had been hot instead of luke warm, and the biscuits didn't taste a day old. Another incident was when the waitress filled my coffee cup and overfilled it, spilling some on the table...instead of cleaning up her mess she threw down a napkin, said 'oops' and walked away....she didn't even bother to clean it up....maybe thats why I wasn't charged for the coffee...nevertheless it was a wtf? moment. Oh and the bacon had no flavor whatsoever....blegh! It was just dried crunchless air. Oh, and I don't know what they have done to the chicken in the past year, but it was extremely dry the last time I ate the dinner buffet. Unlike the past year when you could taste full, juicy, flavoring, mouthwatering chicken. Where is that tasty chicken, I want it back! read more

Great quick stop for lunch. The apple butter and homemade peanut butter on the table is worth the trip alone. I didn't have the buffet but it looked good, even if there weren't a ton of options. Hand-breaded chicken sandwich was juicy a perfect portion. Service gets 5 stars. I thought this place was just alright because it didn't have the "comfortable" feel that I was looking for in an Amish kitchen. Food was fantastic, but I wanted the atmosphere to live up to it as well. read more

We came to Arthur for the cheese fest, but stopped here first, and ended up missing the cheese fest. Oh well, this was worth the 45 minute drive. I hadn't been to a buffet in probably 10 years, but was curious about the rave reviews. We arrived and were seated in about 30 minutes. The ambiance leaves something to be desired, but my word, the food is delicious! The entree station is definitely the pièce de résistance. Both the fried chicken and bbq were top notch! The salad bar was also delicious but could use a little variety on the greens. The deserts were the only thing that I wasn't impressed with. Overall, it's an incredible value and totally worth it if you are in the area. read more

I would love to give this place a 5 star review but the buffet was really lacking. You can't call it a buffet when you only serve 1 type of meat. And this 1 type of meat want cooked different ways either like BBQ, fried, baked, or even stir fried. Nope all they had for a choice of meat was fried chicken. THAT'S IT! Your standard sides of mashed potatoes and veggies plus the salad bar. This to me is NOT a buffet. It WAS good but no options. The gift shop was awesome. And the service was great. read more

Defiantly the best in the area from what I can tell. I'm not a fan of buffets so I ordered off the menu. My boyfriend and I shared a cinnamon roll (um.... Wow... Amazing) and my stuffed French toast was very good. He raved about his green peppers being the best he had ever had! I don't even like green peppers and they were ok to me. Lol! If your ever in the area and want something simply made well This is the place. read more

Yoder's Kitchen - Stuffed French toast - Bakeries Near Me - Arthur, Illinois

This was only my second time here since I live in Maryland but this place is quickly becoming a must go to place for me when I'm visiting home. It can be a long wait but the food is definitely worth it. The fried chicken is some of the best I've ever had. My daughter loved the corn fritters and noodles and the salad bar was also a big hit. My favorite part might have been the blueberry cobbler with vanilla softserve. It was really good. read more

What a cute restaurant! The minute you get out of the car, you smell the food cooking and you know the food is going to be great! We got there and thankfully there was no line. We got the buffet and the food was really tasty! The corn is so good! The kids loved the ice cream bar. Great experience and we will be back! read more

Like several have stated, the fried chicken is excellent. The balance of the buffet is excellent too. You get soup, a great salad bar, and desserts including ice cream. Now, the food is not highly seasoned as that's the way the Amish that I know eat. Very good no excellent service. Nice people that work here. Excellent for groups and meetings. We had a seed kickoff meeting here Thursday evening. This restaurant and it's food help draw a large crowd. read more

This is the best buffet I've ever been to! They have a very nice gift shop and knowledgeable staff about the area. I would highly recommend and I will definitely be going back! read more

I am apart of the Douglas County CEO Class. Yoder's Kitchen is our go to for the best donuts! The twisty ones are the best. Their workers are phenomenal at their job and always treats us with kindness! I love going there with my family and eating a good lunch. Their fried chicken is the best! read more

My name is Jake and I am in the Douglas County CEO class. Yoder's Kitchen has been active in our class throughout the year. From hosting our first meeting to hosting our trade show, Yoder's has always been there for our class. I especially love the buffet and my family and I go often for breakfast. read more

Yoder's is one of the best places in the area to get a homestyle meal and leave with a loaf of homemade bread and apple butter. I am a part of the Douglas Country CEO class and they help us with anything we need and we are very grateful! read more

Love the chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes. The apple butter and marshmallow peanut butter are delish. All of the staff are nice and helpful. The store is fun to browse while waiting. read more

I'm originally from Arthur but moved away 16 years ago. My senior year prom was at Yoder's. It's always served fantastic food and the prices remain good. The wait is worth it and the servers are always friendly. Be prepared to wait up to an hour on Saturdays. I do think it's worth the wait to enjoy the food. Wander the gift shop, buy some tasty treats, and get some fresh air on the benches outside. It's a delicious place we always stop for lunch when we're in town! read more

Yep. We bought SIX JARS of apple butter. I put that stuff on white bread and it was delicious!! Fried chicken, salad buffet, REAL mashed potatoes, delicious green beans and some kind of old fashioned cole slaw. Oh soooo good! I am so full I had to ask for my pie to be packed to go. The drive from Interstate 57 to Yoder's is completely worth the 10 miles! Go to Yoder's! You will be so glad you did. read more

OK - so the label Amish and Mennonite Cooking threw me at first. What is Amish and Mennonite cuisine? We were in Arthur, Illinois (pop. 2,300) visiting very good friends and THE local place, well ONLY local place, is Yoder's. So, Amish and Mennonite Cooking, what could that be... turns out it is good old American comfort food. Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, green salad, beef, etc.... and all buffet style. Our server was a very pleasant Amish girl (I'm told that wasn't just a uniform) that seems almost embarrassed to give us the bill at the end of the meal. Nice country gift store attached to the restaurant and plenty of hitching posts for the horse and buggies... seriously. read more

The green beans are fake looking, not homecooked with bacon and onions and slow cooked, like they should be, tasted like out of the can. They are very expensive for the few items on the buffet line that they have. Not too happy with this meal. read more

Best fried chicken ever! This place was awesome! We ate the lunch buffet and loved it. The service was great. The side dishes, corn bread, and spreads were fantastic. The best part, of course, was the fried chicken. Crunchy and juicy. Amazing. I'll return all the back to Arthur just for the chicken and I live in Atlanta! read more

Awesome place! I recommend the cinnamon rolls! If you like sweets you'll love there cinnamon rolls, there as big as the plate. They also have a great buffet, down home, amish cooking. Staff is friendly for the most part, had a couple encounters I wasn't to pleased with but the food out ways any of that. read more

Went here last night for dinner. Had not been since I was a kid. My husband loved the Fried chicken. I had the buffet and loved everything, especially the noodles omg so good, and the catfish. My son also got the buffet and said the shrimp were really good and also the corn nuggets. read more

We went for a late lunch-early dinner. The food was still pretty good but some of it you can tell had been sitting on the buffet table a while. The oyster stew, pork, chicken, and cherry cobbler were the favorites. They sell the peanut butter and apple butter, that is served along with the bread, in the gift store. The fudge from the store was very creamy. The store also had a nice selection of cards and many gifts. read more

We go to Amish/ Mennonite country all the time. Always clean, constantly restocking the buffet, so friendly. Most importantly the food is beyond great, and that is a all the time great. We go every time we can !!! read more

The best thing about this place is it is all from scratch. The fried chicken is some of the best you will ever taste. The mashed potatoes are absolutely amazing. The brown gravy is Oh so good. The dessert table is OK... The marshmallow sauce is awesome. My friends swear by the sweet Onion dressing at the salad bar. Myself is not as fan of salad bar as they shred the lettuce taco bell style. Not my favorite read more

We live about an hour and a half away, and make the trip over to Arthur at least once a year, for this place. Home style, comfort food. Not a fan of buffets, but get the buffet every time. The broasted chicken is the best chicken I have ever ate. Clean, friendly staff, cute store, great baked goods! Family friendly, kids love it. read more

Yoders is a very awesome buffet. Great service. Exceptional value. Connie is the best waitress ever. The stuffing is great. Great Grandmas cole slaw and Snicker pudding. The Goulash is great. Gravy and mashed potatoes excellent. Chicken and fish out of this world. Breaded corn nuggets rock. Nice home cooking comfort food. Best restaurant in Illinois. Owe it to yourself to check this place out. Awesome homestyle cooking. This is an honest review. Yoders is great. Homemade bread is good too. Best food we have had in a great while read more

love the freezer cole slaw! The whole salad bar is great, good fried chicken. The noodles really don't taste homemade! The prices seem to be creeping up, $24 with water, for two of us! But it's away's crowded! read more

I have heard rave reviews for this place. While we were in the area I just had to try it. An hour long wait made it seem like it must be delicious. But standing right between the men's and women's restrooms for an hour with people carrying plates of food to various rooms and other would be diners was stressful. There is very little seating for those waiting to eat. I even saw an elderly woman who could barely push her walker having to stand and wait for a table. ( in fact I only saw enough seating for maybe 10 people) The real kicker is while wandering around looking for a waiting area I saw several tables sitting empty yet set and ready. It appeared there were several employees including 3 ladies at the hostess station. After finally getting a table we opted for the buffet as the kiddos were starving at this point. The buffet was fairly small but tasted pretty good. Granted this "Amish" buffet is pretty much the same as you would expect for any comfort food style dining. The salad bar portion was pretty extensive and the regular food included very good fried chicken, thick sliced ham, green beans, instant mashed potatoes, corn, chicken and noodles, and loaded mashed potatoes. Dessert was a choice between a fruit cobbler and chocolate cake like dish, ice cream and 2 varieties of sugar free cookie. We had a party of 6 and some opted for salad first while others opted for the main course first. Sadly after the salad eaters were ready to start on the main course the fried chicken pan was empty. There was a crowd of about a dozen diners waiting around the salad bar for (no exaggeration) 15 minutes while more chicken was prepared. This is absolutely unacceptable in my book as there were only 2 meat options. And it caused our dining to be a disaster. Some were finishing up dessert while others were just starting their main course. The children in the group wanted more chicken and had a hard time waiting as they are toddler age. When paying it was not asked how things were (which I feel should always accompanying the taking of your money). I made a point to tell the cashier how disappointed I was in the chicken fiasco and I was told by another cashier that they couldn't help it they were just really busy. Maybe I am wrong but in my opinion if you have a large establishment your capacity to prepare food should meet the amount of seating offered. There was no attempt at making things right just a curt explanation of how busy they were (which was obvious at this point). Overall, if I were in town and hungry at an off time I might attempt it again but if you want a truly authentic experience of Amish food I would highly recommend advance planning and making a reservation at an Amish home. This was our option on our last trip to Arthur and it was fantastic. A real Amish family opened their home to a group of diners and we ate real food (no instant here) in a true Amish environment. read more

Only ate here on Saturdays for breakfast and the buffet was awesome! Sucks they're not open on Sunday for breakfast. Amish rules, no working on Sunday. Nice place and fair prices. read more

After hearing all day, you have to eat at Yoder's, we relented and gave it a try. Was so-so, not bad, not great. Highlight was the floor show. A man identified as "Tom" by the waitstaff was worth the price of admission. He was sitting at the table closest to the buffet and had every piece of ham in the house on his plates, I kid you not 6"-8" high piles of ham and not one more piece for any one else. The only reason I got the buffet was because before placing our order I took a look at the buffet as I always do. The only redeeming thing there was the ham so I got the buffet and by the time I got my plate and went back , Tom had pigged it all up! Asked the nice lady replenishing the buffet if there was more ham and she said that was all they had for the day! Then he left seconds behind us and all of it went in the trash!! This must be his MO as the waitress told us "you should see him on prime rib night" You folks really need to get this guy under control as I was not the only one that didn't get any ham and several people voiced their displeasure at his antics. read more

Efficient service; fantastic food. It's hard to keep fried foods well in a buffet, but the walleye was tremendous!

Looking for Amish style cookin'? This is the place. Fried chicken, mash potatoes and gravy, biscuits, corn, green beans, assortment of pies, huge cinnamon rolls, ice cream. They serve both a buffet and breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. Nice place to relax and enjoy traditional style cooking. read more

Great service friendly people. Clean. Great prices. And toast is on homemade bread very good. Will return again. Busy place we went towards end of breakfast not as busy. Did not have to wait for a table. read more

Excellent home-style buffet food. Sweetie declared it the best fried chicken outside of the south (Sweetie would know, having lived there for 20 years). Also, sweet tea! Possibly the best mashed potatoes I have had in my entire life. Moderately-sized lunch buffet with salad bar, 2 soups, 2 desserts (a cobbler and a bread pudding), ice cream, four or five vegetables and four or so entrees. When we came in past the bakery, I was making a mental list of the donuts, pies, cinnamon rolls and bread I was going to pick up on my way out. On the way out, I had eaten too much to buy any. Fast, friendly service. read more