Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — Restaurant in Bismarck

Overall it was pretty good visit. There were just a few things that could have made it much better. Our server was nice and courteous however he was not quite on top of things when waiting on us. I asked for some lemon with my water which he did not add. After taking out drink order he did not bring drinks back when came to take our food orders and remembered he forgot because he asked again what we ordered. We ordered an appetizer duo and we had to stop him to ask him for silverware and napkins after he brought appetizers to table. When he did bring them, silverware was heaped all together and with a handful of napkins. Not the kind of presentation you expect especially when you have eaten at this restaurant before. After we ordered our food he came out before appetizers to let me know it would take over 20 minutes for my to be prepared and cooked. I had ordered the Southern Fried Chicken and really wanted to try it so I told him I would wait the extra time for it to be prepared and cooked. I was not impressed by server when he brought out our food and said the chicken better be good. The tone in chicken said it seemed like he was not impressed with the cooks in the kitchen and did not give me the best impression I was going to be having the best meal. He also forgot one of my sides for meal and had to ask what it was I had and had to go back and bring it out. Finally was not overly impressed with food. We ordered the fried pickles and fried cheese curds for appetizers and when we got them them looked and tasted over cooked/burnt and appearance was almost burnt looking on the outside very dark brown and not light crispy brown I have seen when I have ordered the types of appetizers before. I felt the same way about Southern Fried Chicken I was presented with to eat. I outside looked and tasted overdone/burnt, very dark brown and not the color a person associates with fried chicken of any kind. I have worked in kitchens and I feel like they definitely fried the food too long as well as the fried oil was too old and desperately needed to be changed. I also understand that everyone can have an off day especially when you work in hospitality industry. I plan to go back and dine here again and know things will be better the next time. Will still recommend people...

This saddens me to write this... I love cracker barrel I had worked there in highschool and love the people I worked with. But yesterdays experience was by far the worst I've ever experienced.. first off we get there and the hostess was going to seat us but while in the process had what I would call an argument on who was taking the table and whose section right in front of my husband and myself. I turned to my husband who mouthed "inappropriate" I shook my head and we were seated we were then greeted by a very nice server she seem bubbly and very nice which was a plus she brought our drinks and told us another server will than take our order.... The server was friendly and sold us on their new onion petals... We ordered our food and a bit later our petals came out we munched on them and my husband pulled a blonde hair out of the basket we brush it off thinking it was our son's hair... Our food comes out I grab my sandwich and take a bite.. there was another blonde hair hanging from my sandwich my stomach turned and I drop my sandwich and push it aside and said I'm done... We waving our server over and I tell her I'm done there was a hair in my sandwich... She asked if I want another one I said no my appetite is a bit ruined .. I sat as I watched my husband and son eat... No manager came out to talk to us and it felt as if the server was avoiding our table she came back out with our ticket and all she did was take off my sandwich... From experience I made it my all to make sure the guest experience was above and beyond... Free appetizer free dessert offering anything I could to make it known how sorry I was... Words and only do so much.. the retail manager checked us out and asked our experience was we then began and she was appalled... But again nothing was done 🤷🏼‍♀️ I guess this was my last time there.. maybe I...

This seems to be the place to go if you want to be treated like an inconvience. I know that's shocking to read compared to other reviews. We were shocked, too. We came in around 6:30 Sunday evening. The restaurant wasn't even half full. Went to the hostess stand and she said she'd get us a table ready. It was obviously going to be quick, so we lingered around the nearest shopping display so we weren't in people's way coming out of the restaurant. She comes back and not very loudly goes, "party of five.... Where ever you went." Did it sound condescending? Yes, but she looked apologetic when seeing I was standing right there. So we blew it off and go back to the table. Our waitress comes up and is friendly asking immediately if we knew what we wanted, which is fine to ask, BUT I've never had a waitress try to rush us so quickly before. We had to keep asking for time to look at the menu and help our kids. Our food came out quickly and before we could even eat it half way we were being questioned about dessert multiple times until we just declined and was instantly handed the check. She rushed off so quickly my husband had to go ask for to go boxes so we could just leave. If we were actually given adequate time to look over the menu or eat our food/discuss dessert it wouldnt have felt like we were expected to just get the heck out their hair. As for the food, it was okay. Nothing was extraordinary or awful. Fries were a little too hot to be handed to kids without warning. Steak was a bit over cooked and rubbery. Everything else was as expected. So food wise it was a good time, but not service wise. We did tip extra for it being a holiday, so hopefully that part of our presence was...