Katie's Kitchen — Restaurant in Strasburg Township

We stopped here to try the food on our way home after a day trip to York, Pa. The menu was available online so we thought we’d give it a try. Why eat at a corporate chain restaurant (of which there are many around Lancaster) when you can enjoy some really fresh local foods? I actually feel remorseful writing an unfavorable review, but here it is. #1, online menu prices from the owners website are incorrect and not by an insignificant amount. #2, the menu is generic and limited in selection almost to the point of simply calling it tourist trap. This can result in a very disappointing dining experience as what one selects can diminish one’s experience. I previously lived in the immediate area for an extended period of time. I have developed a level of expectation for the local food and sadly I cannot say that Katie’s Kitchen has met it on all counts. This review is based on a single visit and based on that single visit I’d have to say this would not be my first, second, or even third choice to come to for a local meal. It wasn’t bad. It was simply disappointing, especially for the tourist trap inflated price. Pa Dutch, Amish, or any other name one would generically apply to the local foods isn’t generally highly seasoned. I’d rather add seasoning to foods to my taste than to send something back because it’s too salty, spicy, or anything else. Most of what we ordered here was simply very under seasoned to the point of just being bland. Buttered noodles, I’m looking at you. At least have some semblance of flavour and taste something like the name implies. When the tiny cup of peanut butter spread was the most memorable part of one’s meal that’s saying something. At least everything was cooked properly. Combine an expectation of prices based on the restaurants own webpage with an appearance of portion control and every single item on our meal being hit or miss, the result is sadly disappointing. The bottom line is an over priced, bland, unfavorable dining experience with limited choices = tourist trap. I’m sincerely sorry about being this harsh but I need to be honest. I travel through Lancaster a few times a year. I’m glad I tried here. Is it worth coming back again? Perhaps. It just won’t be my first, second, or third choice as there are better overall dining experience in the areas in and around...

A disappointing first experience with Amish cuisine

We visited Lancaster as tourists, eager to experience Amish culture, especially through its food. After seeing over 3,000 glowing reviews for this restaurant, we were excited to give it a try.

We arrived at 1:40 p.m. on a Saturday and found a long line ahead of us. It took around 5 minutes to make a reservation and another 35 minutes to be seated. Once at the table, our waitress promptly brought out drinks and dinner rolls, but we waited an additional 20 minutes for our meals. In total, we waited about an hour.

Was it worth the wait? Unfortunately, for us, the answer is no.

The food was fresh, especially the baked goods. The dinner rolls were soft and fluffy, served with a peanut butter spread that was sweeter than usual but still enjoyable.

Our main dish was the ham loaf, served with butter noodles and baked beans. The ham loaf and noodles were average, and the baked beans were overly sweet for our taste.

We also ordered the grilled BBQ chicken salad. The chicken was topped with cheddar cheese and tasted quite sweet even without dressing. The salad included large chunks of tomatoes, cucumber pickles, and other fresh vegetables. While everything was fresh, the overall flavor was once again too sweet.

The highlight of the meal was the apple dumpling. It was served warm with a whole baked apple inside—tender and juicy—alongside a scoop of ice cream. The ice cream was creamy, though it lacked strong vanilla or milk flavor.

We also tried two whoopie pies—classic chocolate and pumpkin. Both were mediocre and didn’t leave a lasting impression.

The waitress were very friendly and kind. Our waitress was clearly working hard, handling at least five tables at once. However, it was sometimes difficult to get her attention when we needed assistance.

This was our first experience with Amish food, and while we appreciated the freshness of the ingredients, we found the overall flavor profile too sweet for our preference. With such high expectations from the reviews, we left feeling disappointed.

We hope this honest review helps others decide whether this restaurant—and a 60-minute wait—is...

We were headed to Hershey Farms Restaurant. It costs a lot. My Godson said that Katies had really good food. We arrived at 5.30 and they were almost ready to close. 2 seats opened up at the counter so we sat there.

What is Katies? It is a very simple Amish Restaurant with authentic Amish food, the way they like it. It is not Pennsylvania Dutch. Everyone who works there is a female and they range in age between 12 and 50+. One of the youngest kids handled the register like a pro and was incredibly polite. And, there really is a Katie.

Because they are Amish and put God before everything else, the atmosphere is genuine, happy, and servant-like. Not fake by any means.

Everything is home-cooked. It is not like going to a diner. Everything is presented very simply. Now if that is what you like then this place rocks. They serve rolls with peanut butter spread. The rolls were very dense and delicious with the spread. Their wings were amazing and huge for the price. All their sauces are homemade so you have to be ready for new flavors. The fries are the way I like them. There was plenty to eat with free refills on soda. I watched the line cooks prepare the food. They have down a system that really works. It is spotless. The bathrooms were really clean. The general seating area was simple and not too big so there could be a wait.

Our bill totaled $35 with tax and tip. A lot of the stuff on the menu becomes an extra, but a meal is way less than other places. The best part of this place are the people who work there. I felt so good after leaving there. To see a community work together to create a very special menu and atmosphere was so refreshing. I really believe that this comes because they keep themselves from all the mental polution our secular world affords. If you like the above then come and enjoy a nice...