Roosters Country Kitchen — Restaurant in Pendleton

Great food, awesome service! We stopped here for lunch while on a road trip. It was 2:50 on a Wednesday afternoon when we were browsing nearby restaurants on my phone. We were still 15 minutes from town but the menu online said they stop serving breakfast at 3:00 pm. Our 5 and 3 year old really wanted pancakes, so we called in and asked if they would still make us some pancakes even if we came in after 3 pm, they said yes. We were quickly seated when we arrived, they gave our kids crayons to draw with and some toys to play with. After they brought our food (pancakes included!), my husband left the table to use the restroom and about 2 minutes later our 2 older kids said they HAD to use the restroom right NOW. Our squirmy 8 month old was sitting in the highchair and I didn't want to leave him alone because he has a tendency to climb out of chairs but I couldn't take him with me and still help the other kids in the restroom. One of the waitresses saw my predicament and offered to sit with the baby while I took the other kids to the restroom. While in the restroom another employee was finishing cleaning and my daughter remarked how good it smelled. When I returned to the table, 2 of the waitresses were talking and playing with the baby who had a big grin on his face!

The food was delicious! I got the smoked chicken penne and my husband got the turkey croissant and said it was great. The kids liked the pancakes, though they were way too big for them to eat it all, and then they offered to let the kids choose a popsicle from their treat freezer. We decided to get dessert for my husband and I but we had a hard time deciding because they all sounded great. We went with the marionberry crisp which was perfect!

The restrooms were clean, the portions were large and delicious, the service was exceptional! Overall it was a great experience and we will definitely come here again!

Update Nov 24 2021: Stopped here again on a road trip. Service is still great, food is still delicious! Kids love it here! Thanks roosters! You're on our list of favorites every time we drive...

My wife and I went to dinner tonight. Been patronizing Roosters since the day it has opened over 25 years ago. Will NEVER go back. Ordered a simple Burger Dip, with the added grilled onions and cheese. Shows up with dried up slivers of onions, please see photos. Asked the waitress (who was genuinely awesome) if she could maybe get some more grilled onions. She apologized and went right back to help. We were sitting on the complete opposite side of the restaurant and could hear the cook arguing with her and saying we'd have to pay for more. When she came back we told her we could hear and I was no longer interested in eating my meal. The waitress called the owner and we got a 50 cent credit for the onions. I had to pay for the food I sent back. WOW!!! I tipped the waitress well, never raised my voice, made a scene or said a foul word. I would no longer EVER recommend Roosters to anyone! I could go on and on, but I was genuinely wanting to patronize a locally owned business I've know for decades. Hearing the cook argue and make a scene (across the restaurant) over simple grilled onions completely turned me off to ever wanting to go back. Considering Roosters has a customer loyalty (tracking) system, not sure I want the cook to remember me as the guy asking for more onions. I don't even want to think what could be done to my food. Then the waitress being SO nice and apologetic, yet the owner only allowing a 50 cent credit for a refused meal... I simply don't get it. So many years, meals, literal banquets hosted at Roosters by my friends, families, and colleagues over the years and to hear a cook yelling across a restaurant, I'm sorry, but I no longer trust the food. I cannot believe the resolution of 50 cent credit. Really? Maybe AT LEAST not charge me for a full plate meal sent back....? Nope, full charge, 50 cent credit. And like I said, 22% tip on the super awesome waitress that got to deal with the brunt of the cook, owner, and customer situation. She doesn't deserve to work in such a...

Coming off of a month where we found a small town diner with "rooster" in the name that blew our minds (Red Rooster in Enterprise-OR.), we were hoping lightning would strike twice, but that just wasn't the case. Or...maybe it was....the entire power in the restaurant went out towards the tail end of our meal, so who knows ;)

The 3-star rating isn't about a power outage that can't be helped (although, they DID mention it had also happened the day before. We were praying to the restaurant gods that their managers were up on their food handlers card status and knew how to cool and reheat appropriately in a situation like this.) So this is where the 3-star begins: both our Pot Roast Sandwich and Artichoke dip were lukewarm. First concern. Especially when you're halfway through eating and learn this has already happened the day before! 😬 2nd: portions were tiny, while prices were a bit on the high side for diner food. Which, I dont really get, as thats not what most reviews say. 3rd: most everything we had was either too salty or BLEAH- artichoke dip being the big culprit.

On the plus-side: *- GREAT service. Friendly, prompt and helpful. Very accomdating and level-headed with power going out too. Kudos! *- Chicken soup was REALLY good and definitlely homemade. As was the pot roast meat in the sandwich (although it was lukewarm.)

Inside theme is fun: rooster/henhouse decor and tons of the best artwork hung up from guests tables.

Still kind of bummed it wasn't the gem we...