Dino's Restaurant — Restaurant in Marengo

DINO’S Restaurant is SO worth the drive!!!! We happened upon this delightful gem, en route home to Detroit, after a trip to a nearby town for an event. What a find! This cozy little cafe is charming…welcoming, clean, and simply delightful! Our waitress Laura greeted us promptly and described the menu favorites in detail. It was quite hard to choose (one review we saw noted their “peppered gravy!”) but both of us ordered Swedish pancakes, which you can have with either Lingonberry sauce or Strawberry sauce. Let me just start by saying: the Swedish pancakes at Dino’s are thin, tender crepes that rival any that we have ever had in Door County, Wisconsin (where Swedish Pancakes/Crepes have reigned supreme for years!) Tenderly cooked to order; they are served hot and delicately rolled. You can order a single crepe or multiples (definitely a wise choice here!) They arrive at your table stacked longways, and they fill the length of the entire plate. You can add anything you desire - maple syrup, nuts, whipped cream…etc. We both had the Lingonberry sauce and it was - hands down - the best Lingonberry we’d ever tasted anywhere. Refreshingly tart, thick and aromatic….not at all the runny, “sugary syrup” variety primarily served elsewhere! This sauce was bright, plump, and surely heavenly! Even the other patrons we encountered were uniquely special! I’m uploading a picture of their dedicated “Rotating Table” (as they called it) where a stream of local diners rotate in and out for meals throughout the day. Those present during our visit were simply a “hoot” - friendly, conversational, and truly jolly! Owner Chris was actively engaged and interacting with the customers, so we got to meet him and briefly chat. Gosh, if we lived nearby - I can assure you we’d be joining in the merriment there everyday! (Laughter and great good is so good for the soul!) Don’t miss this place….and you might see us, because we’ll make a point to stop “coming AND going” on any future trip nearby!

P.S - My husband said their coffee was fresh &...

Outstanding staff! Great food (very fast & very hot). Best diner around, with that 'Mom & Pop' style, & staff. From the moment my family & I sat down, the staff was prompt, friendly, and entertaining to chat with. The host was at our table within seconds of sitting down. He took our drink order and was really friendly & witty. After bringing our coffees, he departed and the waitress stepped over. She was very friendly and humorous! :-) No fake 'Hi' or bored attitude, at all. She was genuinely having a nice time with us and the other patrons. This is a lady who enjoys spending time with people & being friendly. We felt like we were at a friend's house for lunch; that's how easy the conversation was. The time between taking our food order and receiving it was less than 10 minutes! And, this was during a lunch 'rush'! Very efficient kitchen! :-) The entire visit was enjoyable. The prices were as expected due to our screwy government and the resulting inflation. :-/ But, we are marking this diner as one our fav's to eat at. The food is great. The staff is perfect, and the town is a treat to be in (that 'home' feeling). We recommend...

Stopped in on a whim, and I'm glad I did. I've lived in the area for a few years and over heard nothing but great things about this place.

Food: I ordered the steak (rare) and eggs (poached).While I ordered a rare steak, I actually got a medium, that being said, it was well seasoned and the cut was excellent. This very much made up for the wrong temp on steak. The chef also knows his eggs, as they were poached perfectly. The American fries could use some seasoning, but they definitely weren't bad.

Atmosphere: Local and cozy, the patrons are kind, and keep to their groups. The few interactions that I saw between groups was friendly. No one was overly loud or boisterous.

Staff: Very attentive to the patrons. They know most of the people in the restaurant and joke around with them. But they don't slip on their jobs or tasks at hand. My waitress checked in on me several times and very much wanted to make sure that I was enjoying my experience.

Final thoughts: I slept on this place for far too long and and certainly coming back. Good food, great staff, and a...