Dutch Kitchen Restaurant — Restaurant in Frackville

We were lured in while on a road trip a few weeks ago by the numerous billboards, which made this sound like an honest-to-goodness culinary treat. It was anything but.

The overpowering smell that we encountered when we walked in should have motivated me to just turn around and walk out....It was that "This place just got mopped by the same mop that they clean the bathrooms with, and it wasn't been washed out in decades" smell that reminded me of the bathrooms in the Times Square subway station circa 1990. We were asked where we wanted to sit (Diner or dining room), and then told to walk through to the dining room, where I hoped that the smell would be better. Not much. The place is staffed by very young girls, who seemed to have no clue what to do...they all just kind of wandered around the empty tables and folded and refolded napkins. We had an older waitress, who had very little patience for us while we looked over the huge menu. After telling us that she would give us a chance to look at it and then come back, it took her about 20 minutes to come back, which was odd, because it wasn't like she was waiting other tables.

My wife was dying to try some of the home-made desserts, which was a big factor in our coming here. She had a Steak sub for dinner, and I could immediately tell that it was sickening her to eat it. She said that the steak was "yesterday's dry leftovers covered with Hunt's tomato paste"...she picked at the roll. My daughter had a tuna melt, and said it was disgustingly salty and overly cheesy. My son's grilled hot dog was clearly microwaved, and his fries were limp and soggy. I had the meatloaf, which would seem like a home run in an Amish restaurant.....It was OK, and the mashed potatoes were OK, as well, but the "Homemade" gravy was Heinz from a jar. I know that taste from my bachelor days. My wife was afraid to try the desserts after tasting their "Home cooking", so we left and hit a Dairy Queen. Plus, the waitress never once checked to see how our food was, or to offer us a drink refill. The locals seem LOVE this place...It was filled with families in their Sunday best, and they were all having a good old time. I can only assume that this is the only nearby place to eat. Bathrooms were very dirty when we visited, too. Avoid...

This was an inadvertant drop-by. We were a group of famished Indian (the Real ones) tourists traversing to Gettysburg for an educative and informative sight-seeing session, when we saw on the freeway the sign for the Dutch Kitchen at Frackville, and decided to turn in for a spot of lunch. Excellent and extensive parking, though we did not notice the Tesla chargers; our Tesla had an adequate charge, btw. The facade was autentically and delightfully retro- it felt like we had walked into the set of 'Tender Mercies' (1981). Of course, I was a bit surprised to notice we were the only non-Caucasian amongst all the guest diners, (who seem equally surprised to see us saunter in :-) ) One of the guests even managed to utter an oath(!) but was quickly shushed by his pretty lady companion. But we were quickly seated by a very efficient blond hostess who took our orders straight-faced without a blink. We ordered a Veggie grilled cheese sandwich, onion rings, chicken sandwich (fried, and not grilled), several glasses of their delicious lemonades, potater chips (called fries, here) and all preceded by the most delicious tomato-and-basil soup I had ever tasted- emphasis on "ever-tasted", kindly note. Food delivery took a while, which though was taxing on a growling tummy, was ample assurance that the preparation was bound to be good. I observed our hostess- the way she moved around, interacting and taking very good of other diners. The price was also not high, though the portions were cerainly generous. Overall, I was very, very, very happy with our food. I'll be definitely telling all our acquaintances about our experience and cuisine, and I'm sure they, to will enjoy it.Well done, and to the Management: please, don't make any dramatic changes. It was a quite a unique experience for me to...

The Dutch Kitchen is a real gem. Whether you eat in the classic diner section or in the dining room, The Dutch Kitchen serves some of the best restaurant food in Schuylkill County, amd the entire Coal Region. Most of the food is local, it's all fresh, and always sone right. It's always been a bit of an anomaly in Frackville, which is not in the "Dutch" section of The Skook (Schuylkill County), but dere's soom Dutchayz dare. It offers Pennsylvania Dutch desserts and entrees, and the Polish, Lithuanian-leaning and Italian fare more common in that part of The Skook. You can get pot pie and pierogies (after all, the place is a few miles from Shenandoah, the home of Mrs. T's). Chow chow is available as an entree side dish, and from the hutch-based gidt shop in the dining room, you can buy chow chow to go, and a souvenir Dutch Kitchen T-shirt. The wait staff is always pleasant and helpful. Great selection of pies. And the prices -- despite the postpandemic restaurant-price hikes -- are still what I've always called Coal Region reasonable. No flukes, either. I've eaten there three times this summer, and over many years. I grew up in neighboring Mahanoy City, and have had many a meal here since it opened in 1971. I lived in Philsdelphia for two decades, and always ate at The Dutch Kitchen when I could when I was "up home." I live in Hareisnurg now, amd stop here on my way home, and sometimes make the 45-minute to an hour trip up I 81 for supper. No bias, either. The area had lots of greasy spoons I'd readily admit had notably mediocre food. The Dutch Kitchen is a cut above, even if it were somewhere else. Get some chow here, and have a great, relaxing,...