Pop's Branding Iron Restaurant & Lounge — Restaurant in Albany

I had wanted to try Pop's Branding Iron for sometime, and today I finally did. First off, let me express how the atmosphere is. Pop's procalims it's self as an authentic country styled restaurant. As I did grow up in a small country/rancher town in Eastern Oregon, I became nostalgic of the interior of this establishment. This is an old country design, with dark floors, dark wood interior, massive incandescent chandeliers, dark wood tables and chairs. This was the style of the 70-90's for rancher restaurants - so was having old western movie stars like John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and newer classics like Sam Elliot which adorn the posters and picture frames inside. You will also find a wonderfully mounted 7-point bull elk in the main hall. Much like any small town ranchers mess hall, you will find a saloon/bar and lottery machines. There is a Oregon Lottery machine upfront for scratch-its and powerball - and kino machines.

The wait staff weren't too friendly. I seated myself when I came in, and the first waitress said she'd get my coffee but the oncoming shift waitress would take my order. I said that was fine. She brought me my coffee and she left. The coffee was disgusting. I had one cup and that was enough. If I could explain it better, it was like drinking blue liquid urinal cakes.

This place really didn't care how long it takes to get to you. I was there early at around 6am. I saw that most of the regulars there knew the staff. Mostly retired gentlemen that were meeting for breakfast to talk before starting their day. As I browsed around the location I remembered back to my youth at how a place like this would host Kiwanis and Lyons members. Then my eye caught the Kiwanis and Lyons seals on the wall. Go figure. About 10 minutes passed before my 2nd waitress came by. She topped off my coffee, which I thanked her, but I didn't complain about the coffee because I didn't want my food to be tainted.

Now because I grew up on country food in that small town in eastern Oregon, I wanted to judge this place based on their simplest meal. Breakfast. I ordered the Rancher, which is a Ham Steak, Hashbrowns, 2 Scrambled Country Fresh Eggs, and toast with jelly. I added a side of Biscuits and Gravy (no sausage) because I have always found that biscuits and gravy are detrimental to a country breakfast.

Another 15 minutes went by before my food was delivered to me. Let me paint you a picture. Three plates. The large plate had a Ham Steak, and I mean a large steak. Where Denny's would give you a 4" wide and 1/6" thick ham steak, Pop's had delivered a 6" wide and 1/4" thick with bone in ham. This thing was honkin huge. Half of the plate was hashbrows with a little american flag planted in it. The eggs were sadly disapointing. On the menu, described as 2 Country Fresh Eggs, were in fact carton'd eggs. I had asked they be scrambled, and what I got wasn't ideal. It was just a large solid block of microwaved eggs, that in no way had ever hit a skillet or pan to be scrambled. Just poured from a box and nuked. On the next plate was the Biscuits and Gravy. Pop's states that it's gravy is homemade - something I was eager to try. The plate sizing was two biscuits that were halfed, and then covered in gravy. I took a bite and quickly recognized that the biscuits were a good tenderness, and the gravy was store bought. Very close to instant gravy recipes you can buy in Safeway. The biscuits also had a little American flag planted in them too. The last plate was toast and two packets of jelly. Nothing special about the toast either. All of the meal, I believe, came from SYSCO which was branded on every sweetener, jelly packet, and coffee creamer.

The meal wasn't fancy, or special. In fact, it was authentic to what I had as a kid. Half-assed, and probably the least effort made in food preparation. When it came time to pay, they didn't have a working credit card machine. But they had a Pop's owned ATM, where they charged me $2.50 to take money out to pay for my meal. I will not be...

3 stars pending a re-visit, where I hope to be able to upgrade this place to 4 stars. I had really high hopes for this place when I saw a massive plate of nachos being brought to a table, thinking the portion size would be good.

In the menu, I ordered their specialty sandwich which was described as "huge" so I was eagerly awaiting my meal. Instead, I got a very modest size sandwich and skimpy sides that left me hungry after I was finished. I ended up ordering a shake for dessert which was really good, but I shouldn't have to order dessert to feel full especially after ordering something described as "huge." The person I went with joked that the restaurant was being ironic by describing the sandwich that way.

I did see several large plates of food being brought out to other tables so I have the impression I ordered the wrong thing, so I do want to try this place again. Food, service, atmosphere, and value were all average based on my first visit there, however. I specifically asked for no tomato, as I always do (with an emphasis, making eye contact, and making sure they write that down), and lo and behold my sandwich comes out with tomato. Even if it was the cook's fault, the server should have noticed it before she brought it out, so I have to give negative marks in this category.

Update: Re-visited and got a burger which was good, but again nothing to upgrade this...

If I could rate lower then one star I would. Came in to get chicken strips a burger with a milkshake, the waitress makes the milkshake. while it's mixing I pay for the food, she gets back to the milkshake and hands it to me and I leave. As I'm leaving I notice the milkshake is half full. I go back in to ask her to please give me a full shake, considering they're 4 dollars and she says that's just how they come. I said no let me talk to a manager, she goes back to the kitchen and grabs a chef. He comes up, won't even look me in the eye, face red with anger and asks me what the problem is. I ask to have a complete milkshake made. And know I am very polite to service workers and try to be understanding at all times as I've worked jobs similar, but this was just childish. He picks up the milkshake and in a fit throws it in the trash and storms off into the kitchen. Did I really ask that much of you? I come here often and will now not buy from them again knowing they have no respect for their costumers even upon reasonable request. The milkshake isn't what concerended me, I'll wait patiently for however long you need. But show some respect,...