We only had about a 20 min wait. The food was very good. We had a NY style pretzel with nacho cheese and the fried (provolone) cheese. For our entrees, I had filet medallions with bleu cheese and my son had a turkey sandwich and the seafood bisque. The steak was cooked perfectly and I liked that there was a good variety on the menu. Service was great. I'll definitely be coming back when traveling through the area.
(4)
Jamie B.
I ordered the Balsamic Salmon Salad. I was looking forward to a healthy meal of veggies and omega-3. The menu described the dish as a fillet of salmon over mixed greens. However when my entre arrived (50 min later) -- the salmon was bland, but cooked well and a good size -- came over a bed of iceberg lettuce. When it was brought to the table I mentioned to the waitress I thought it included mixed greens (as in dark green leaves, reddish purple, etc.) but she argued with me and said it was in fact mixed greens. I asked the other 4 people at my table and they all agreed it was the whitest pile of chopped iceberg they'd seen.
(2)
Jake R.
My wife and I have been eating out alot in the past couple years and I am a wonderful cook myself. So there aren't many places that "wow" me (I'm very picky). We have eaten at Rachels in the past with only good things to say but its been a year or so. Last weekend we went back and besides the 45 minute wait I have nothing bad to say. The service and price was good and the food was fabulous! It actually tasted like something prepared and not frozen or from a box. This will be a regular stop from now on.
(5)
Alise F.
Very busy, but worth the wait. The food was delicious (the fried green beans and artichoke dip are great) and the service was okay.
(4)
Summer K.
Based on previous reviewers, and the full to capacity parking lot every time we've driven by here, we knew Rachel's had to be doing something right to continually be packed to the gills. A friend and I came for lunch at 1 on a Tuesday and it was still pretty crowded, w/a few people waiting to be seated. A table for two opened up as we arrived, so we were fortunate enough to be seated directly. Service was prompt and spot on, as w/all Springfield Group restaurants we've eaten at. They're making an effort to incorporate more micr/craft beers, which is fantastic, but our waitress had obviously not been taught about them as she told me a Magic Hat IPA, w/both 16oz and 20oz prices on the beer list, was not on draught. (I later discovered it was.). They have Bell's Two Hearted (bottles), which is a nice session beer. My lunch companion ordered the Lime Salmon special and enjoyed it, while I enjoyed a cup of the soup of the day (Broccoli Cheddar Chowder) and the Salmon Salad, salmon on the side. I really enjoy the house balsamic w/blue cheese dressing. We'd go back, for sure... (Though, if I'm being completely honest, at peak times, we'll keep driving a bit to the less crowded Iron Bridge Inn ;) )
(5)
Stacey P.
Rachel's Roadhouse is the only restaurant that I will wait for forty five minutes to be served. I look forward to their Filet Slices Sandwhich every time I go back to Pennsylvania. Despite being out of the way Rachel's is always busy and understandably so. The food is delicious, the service wonderful, and the drinks made large and strong.
(5)
Brett W.
Oh, that's right. Now I remember why I go home. BECAUSE DRINKS ARE HUUUGE. When I order a whiskey-on-tha-rox*, it isn't served in some puny glass. It's served in something akin to a soup mug.** And that's just the small. The food is good too. It better be considering I need something to soak up all that alcohol. Hooray Pee-A! You've made me proud...and a bona fide alcoholic. __________ * It was that kind of family visit. ** That's a joke, but coming from a NYC-standpoint, it's half-true.
(3)
Bill B.
First off, the food is good, but not worth the wait. When you show up and see a ridiculous line, just head north a few hundred feet to either the Iron Bridge Inn or the Springfield Grille. The menus are different for each, but the quality is consistently good. Overall, the food is much better than most of the other places in the area we have come across, but I don't see that as a reason to go overboard on the rating. Food was good, service was good and nothing at all was memorable.
(3)
Laura H.
I met my bf here for dinner a few Fridays ago since we were trying to find some place halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh (since I was leaving for a planned vacation early Saturday morning) and this was the best we could do. I have the same gripe as everyone else-the wait was ridiculous! You'd think there was no other dining establishment within 30 miles of here (maybe that's accurate considering how this was pretty much in the middle of nowhere) due to the 90 minute wait! The other gripe is the parking-WAY too many monster trucks were taking up multiple spaces and I wasn't about to park next to one for fear it'd hit me when backing out so I had to park in the overflow across the street. I waited most of the 90 minutes alone because my bf got way, way lost and ended up near I-80 (but that's another story....) and even after I had put our name in, there was a steady stream of people doing the same after me. Once we were seated, we were quickly greeted and had attentive service throughout our meal. They have a decent draft list with numerous craft beers, and of course I ordered an IPA. For my meal, I chose the mahi mahi which was drizzled in tomato basil vinagrette and served over a broccoli slaw mix. It was a healthy portion and when paired with two sides (I chose a salad and mashed potatoes) was worthy of its $14.99 price. My bf had the tequilla lime pork chop and quickly devoured it saying it was very tasty. It also came with 2 sides and was priced appropriately at $14.99. While we were eating, I saw the infamous peanut butter pie make its way to a neighboring table and I just knew we had to try it. and OH was it worth it! Even split between the two of us there were leftovers! It was the perfect sweet way to end our meal! Overall, everything was good, however, I don't feel the quality justified the seemingly eons-long wait. I'd try coming back here but only during non-peak hours and only if I am in the area. The only part truly worth the hour and twenty minute drive was getting to have dinner with my beau since I wasn't going to see him again for over a week.
(4)
Jamie G.
Always a great place to eat! I'm never afraid to try new things at Rachel's! Had a half hour wait, but we always go out to the extra room and have a few drinks while we wait. Had the spicy seafood bisque and it was absolutely mouthwatering! I had the ravioli as the main course and it was really good also. The service was awesome!
(5)
Susan R.
Was in town this past weekend on a work trip and LOVED the food! Ended up going twice! The french onion soup was perfect!
(5)
Arlene M.
Rachel's Roadhouse falls under the same umbrella group that also comprises it's sister restaurant-the Iron Bridge. Rachel's is located about a mile short of the other restaurant and it is just as good. The place is small but very clean. We had a very friendly waitress who gave us the opportunity to ask questions. I learned that I could substitute soup for one of the given sides for $1.00 more which on a very cold day of this visit was indeed a welcome. They have free Wi Fi for use. They offer the same rolls and fresh crackers as the Iron Bridge. I decided to try the portabello mushroom sandwich with French onion soup which was simply the best by far! They offer sumptuous desserts where my friend and I tried the raspberry pie with ice cream. There was so much we ended up taking half of it home! Rachel's offers a full service bar as well. They offer drinks in a mason jar for that country feel and nice size portion. I would advise coming during the off hours since the place is small and chances are it will get crowded very easily. I will most certainly return.
(5)
Susan T.
Busy, busy, busy yummy, yummy, yummy Warm peach cider in March? Oh yes. Deep fried, golden gnocchi pillows to dip in marinara? Uh-huh. Black and Blue Burger - perfect. Hubs: Meatloaf... called Trucker-something. He claims it to be terrific. So good, kinda loud. Happy place to be and share a meal.
(5)
Michelle C.
So sad to see this place slipping. I am local and my family and I have loved Rachel's for many years. The past several visits have been disappointing. Dry chicken, rotten lettuce, hard rolls. We were never offered drink refills. That was just our most recent visit. Before that, same issues with food quality and poor service. Rachel's will no longer be our "go to" place. So sad.
(1)
Tito K.
Ive been to Rachel's several times since I went to school at Slippery Rock. Now fast forward ten years later and Im back visiting people at Lake Latonka. Rachel's is just like I remember it. I had a crunchy rueben which was a great catch (fish sandwich) with rueben fixings. The dollar fifty miller lites are a good look also. My wife enjoyed a turkey wrap which was good even the next day.
(4)
Kay S.
Used to really like Rachel's... but the wait to get in is ridiculous, no call ahead seating, no reservation... and you can expect to wait 2-3 hours on a Friday/Saturday night. And there just isn't that much on the menu... when I have ordered... I've thought... yummm... that sounds good... then the food came... overpriced and disappointing.
(3)
Harleysydney C.
Pretzel was pretty good nothing spectacular. Jalapeño shrimp had wayyyyyyyy too much cream cheese for my taste. Homemade salad dressings are great.
(3)
Michael C.
If you like poor service this is the place for you. We waited over an hour on a Monday at noon, for a burgher. We did not get refills on drinks. The food is ok but no worth the wait. Fries are good though.
(1)
Molly C.
Went here for a later dinner on a weeknight. It was busy, but we were seated immediately and had wonderful service. Our food came quickly and included large, tasty portions at a reasonable price. I look forward to going back again soon.
(5)
Bryan P.
Visited Rachael's again. Food was still ok. Salad dressing is suppose to be home made and it is very good(French). Three times now we have been here to eat. Just the two of us. We waited 45 min to an hour and were seated at a table for six. Frankly, it would seem like a high priced piece of real estate with that many people waiting. If I were a party of 5 or 6 and they sat people in front of us with only 2 at a table that big, I would walk out. Happened 3 separate times. So strange!
(3)
Danielle R.
What an interesting place. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere and it appears alot of bikers stop here. Like motorcycles. So like everyone says, be prepared to wait, party of 4 at 2 pm on a Sunday, waited close to 20 mins for a table. Reservations on OpenTable would greatly be appreciated. Couple seats outside could also go along way. They have pix on the wall that says the place has been there since the 40s which makes it pretty cool. Couple of TV's to watch the games on but not enough in my opinion. They have half sandwich options which is still plenty of food. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich that came with the 2 biggest slabs of cut onion I'd ever seen, they were like a quarter of an inch thick for each, why anyone would ever eat that much onion on a sandwich I have no idea. Sweet potato fries were very good and cost you another buck! Others in my party got the 1/2 sandwich and chips. Chips, for me, needed way more salt and needed to be salted right when they got out of the fryer. I've definitely had better. Auntie's sauce on the side reminded me of Ranch. They have an interesting selection of craft beers and a couple on draft that were pretty cool. I think the brewery at Slippery Rock probably still has them beat here. The 2 items I wanted to try but didn't were the pretzels and the zucchini.
(3)
Gina P.
We were driving through and it was worth the stop! It had an amazing crowd for lunch. Even being so busy, the service and food were perfect. If the parking lot is full don't worry about it you will still get seated quickly. They were right on top of everything!! We ordered a pepper blue burger and a roast beef pepper jack melt. The portions were nice and the quality of the food was great! We both really enjoyed are meal! They serve soft drinks and water in a mason jar and they have the best coffee!!! I highly recommend!
(5)
Thomas A.
Stopped by Rachel's Roadhouse this afternoon at lunch and was very impressed. We only had a five minute wait, but I know this place gets packed for dinner and on the weekends. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was great, and the food was very good. The quality of the food and the way that it was prepared was excellent. I had the filet sandwich and my wife tried one of their famous Rubens. We had a Pittsburgh pretzel as an appetizer, it was excellent as well. Sure beats the chain restaurants and food court at the outlets!
(4)
Vince R.
Cocktail, soda, chili, side salad, felet, baked potato and chocolate cake(free with coupon from hotel) $28.00 Cant complain about that. Chili was loaded with beans (beans are filler and have no place in real chili) however good flavor nice amount of heat I would get it again. Salad was ok looked kinda gnarly but ok. Steak was very tasty cooked correctly and nicely seasioned. All in all not a bad little stop No wait service was spot on I definitely recomend if you happen to be close
(4)
Ron P.
Peanut butter pie was superb!! Highly recommend. Great service good selection of beers. Warm wood everywhere. Comfortable , celebrating 30th year in business.
(4)
Gaye W.
Gluten Free dinner menu with quite a few choices--shrimp, salmon, 2 beef cuts, chicken, several sides. So we were very pleased about that (we are celiac). My son had filet mignon, which was excellent. My husband (not celiac) had salmon with some type of fruit sauce on top, which was excellent. I had "smoky" chicken, which was so tough and dry I quit eating it, thinking I would have to take it home and try to do something with it to make it edible. The baked potatoes were huge. We're local, and Rachel's has a huge great reputation, but I was disappointed. It was so noisy we had to shout at one another, and I'd just rather not go again. I gave it 3 stars because my guys liked their food.
(3)
Vannessa S.
Great place! Went here with my work group of 6 and were seated immediately. We all had soup (the Buffalo Chicken soup is to die for) and various entrees. I had a delicious turkey Reuben that I added sweet potato fries to. The fries were crisp and delicious. My coworkers all loved their meals as well. Would definitely recommend. One star off for location, but for the area it's good food and worth going out of your way.
(4)
Rachel P.
Great food and great service! Love the soup and sandwich combo. Can't beat the prices either! Loved the chili with a little kick and the hot grilled corned beef. Will be back soon-very soon!
(5)
L B.
We are from out of town. This place was highly recommended. It was awful. The stuffed mushrooms took forever and tasted like they were stuffed with Stove Top Stuffing....My husband ordered a steak and it was ok, greasy though. I had the lemon cream chicken and garden rice. Rice was wild rice and not fully cooked so had hard bits stuck in my teeth. The chicken was disgustingly overly lemon and with cream sauce it didn't work. After I scrapped off the lemon cream and breadng- the chicken was more like leather and tasted funny. Even the butter for the bread was sour tasting....And most drinks are served in mason jars-hokey. The waitress was very nice though. Don't go if you're from out of town and used to decent food.
(1)
Amanda H.
If I could put a negative star, I would. I ate frozen fish. It was absolutely disgusting. My friend had the FROZEN scallops that were more disgusting. We were all sick for days. It was the biggest waste of $20 I have ever spent. I was disgusted. I do not recommend this place to anyone. Not worth anything. This place is terrible and an embarrassment to the restaurant business.
(1)
Laurel K.
We stopped at Rachel's while visiting the Grove City Outlet Malls. We were pretty excited to visit here and thought it may be one of those places you always hear about. The ones that are way out in the middle of nowhere that people come from miles around to eat the best food in the area. Based on all the good reviews, we thought it was a sure thing and waited about 40 minutes to be seated. Place was packed and from reading and hearing people talk it's always packed. We ordered meatloaf and spaghetti and meatballs. Salad was pretty good so we were all excited to get our scrumptious dinner. We get our rolls and eat those and were pretty disappointed, just pre baked rolls warmed up, nothing like a Texas road house or something you'd make at home. We were a little let down by those but didn't get to upset about the bread, still excited about our great dinner. Well then the food comes... I could not believe my eyes when it arrived. Sliced, premade frozen dinner type food! I could not believe all the people around us and all the stories online saying how good the place is??? Meatloaf was barely edible and something like you would get at the frozen section of the grocery store. Meatballs were the same, frozen fake type meat you find in premade freezer section. Spaghetti sauce was just everyday canned sauce, no taste and not even as good as some you can buy at a local store. We could hardly finish our food and the waitress comes and asks us if we need boxes and we politely decline. She looked confused as to why we would leave food behind. I'm not sure she's ever gotten a real meatball or meatloaf or she would have known exactly why we didn't finish our meals. Atmosphere and waitress were all good, no complaints there and we always tip well as it's not their fault the managers of the business are putting out this type of food. We didn't complain because again, even if the manager was there he knows exactly what they are buying and reheating. Not like they can say it must have been the chef or the food was overcooked. We did not get desert as we didn't want to take our chances with another disappointment. Meatballs and meatloaf are some of the easiest things you can make, why in the world could they not use REAL hamburger? As if the dinner wasn't bad enough we both had severe diarrhea from the food, which wasn't to shocking I suppose and summed up our overall experience of the visit pretty well. I cannot recommend a place like this if they do not have the ability to use real food; I expect it from McDonalds but not a place such as this. After we got home from our trip we read other reviews and discovered a few talking about why the place is always busy if all they do is serve frozen premade food. So I guess, do some research and use strong caution before ordering from this menu. I'm not even sure I'd try a steak here as if they cannot cook a meatball with hamburger I'm not sure what the quality of steak would be like. Hopefully this long winded review will help others and maybe even help the management company that runs this and the restaurant down the road. However, if the place is packed every night I'm not sure any criticism will do any good as they have no reason to change. The price was fairly good though, but I would have gladly paid more for food that is prepared by a chef.
(1)
James R.
Good food, good fun. Love the pretzels!
(5)
Tim Y.
This place is AMAZING. If your passing through, it's well worth the stop. $9 for a gourmet burger and fries. And their fries are fantastic, not the normal, limp, undercooked, greasy kind you find ar most places here in western Pennsylvania
(5)
Daniel H.
Burgers are always delicious, menu is a bit unbalanced price wise, entrees are overpriced, but the sandwiches are underpriced, def a repeat place
(4)
Jackie C.
Jalapeño cream cheese shrimp, best ever. Basil salmon with sweet potato yummy. Tara our super server. 5 stars
(5)
Mark W.
Just went to Rachel's Roadhouse for the first time. Won't be my last. I had the crunchy fish Ruben and a cup if Italian Wedding soup. Very good! Although it was really busy the service was very good! The drinks were yummy too!
(4)
Richard F.
We stopped for dinner while we were traveling and found that there are three restaurants in this town that share a common sign. I don't know if one family or group own all three restaurants, but judging by the style of the places and the signage, I wouldn't be surprised. We were pleased with Rachel's. The food was good, prices were right and the service was excellent. I was particularly impressed with our server. She was a real pro and she did take great care of us. I had the "Frankenstein Burger" and it was a monster. I loved the way it tasted, but it was also impossible to eat without a knife and fork. It consisted of a large burger served with tons of gooey cheese and vegetables, but also ham, and turkey and it came on a bagel. Well the bagel was the problem. It made biting into the oozing sandwich an impossibility. My wife and I also both had the soup made with the Gouda cheese and that was very tasty too. We enjoyed Rachel's and I am sure we will be back. We are curious about those other two restaurants though...
(4)
David P.
Service was okay but we were very disappointed with the tasteless and overcooked food. We ordered beef stoganoff, shrimp, salmon and a rib eye steak. The stroganoff was very overcooked like the sauce was made a week ago and had sat on a heater all week long. The steak was undercooked and had zero flavor, despite the fact that I ordered it with crab and sauce on top (their special). All in all it was a waste of $100.00
(1)
Mike H.
I grew up in the area and Rachel's is the casual option to The Iron Bridge's more formal dining. I am still puzzled at it's popularity. It is esentially a college pub. Lot's of frozen / prepackeged foods reheated. Long waits for everything and the place is crazy noisy! Waited 45 mins in the hot sun for a seat, then had a waitress that made us feel like we were imposing when we asked for 2 seperate bills. The table was cleared and apps boxed to take home and 30 mins later we were still waiting for our main course (burgers and fries) everything was COLD!! entire meal comped by gracious, appologetic manager, but the fact remains that after almost 3 hours we were still hungry.. Every restaurant has a bad day, but I don't think the cuisine merits the popularity. But there a few other options in the area.
(2)
Greg S.
Here is what you need to know about Rachel's: in the Mercer area there are not a lot of nice restaurants, so the triumvirate of Rachel's, Iron Bridge and Springfield Grille all get slammed whenever there's an event in a neighboring town (like homecoming at Grove City College). The food is typically above average, the joint is clean and the service is decent. The peanut butter pie is incredible. Really the only knock I have on it is that it gets so, so, so crowded.
(4)
Alice M.
I love this place. The food is awesome. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I don't care for their steaks. But everything else on the menu is good. The place is always packed on weekends. I recommend the pretzle appetizer with cheese. All of their soups are good but if you're there when they have white chili you need to get it. If you are in a hurry you can sit at the bar without waiting
(4)
Andi B.
What do I say...not inspiring. For a one hour and 15 minute wait, I expected something decent. Unfortunately, I was proved wrong. The restaurant is run down and the food is not exactly creative. We had the stuffed peppers to start, which was ok. We then got, the cajun pasta which was REALLY salty. My compadre couldn't eat it the whole thing. My husband had the salmon florentine which was LITERALLY a tiny piece of salmon with spinach dip slathered on it (from the apps) and uncle bens rice. The club sandwich I ordered was OK...probably the saving grace from giving it a 1. The carrot cake was pretty good too if your into sweets. Overall....I think people give it high ratings cause its the only restaurant in town that isn't serving pub food or fast food. But, I wouldn't suggest it.
(2)
Miriam W.
What a surprising find this place is here in rural PA. We seem to have been the last ones to hear about it, as it was rockin busy, and on a Sunday night, too. We arrived a little after 7 pm only to find they were on a 30 minute wait. We're not much for standing around, even for great food, so made our way to the back and nabbed a couple of bar stools, just as another couple was vacating them. The bartender was very busy, so we were patient and relaxed a bit over our iced teas while perusing the menu. She ultimately got to us, and we both went for sandwiches. I tried the Black Jack Chicken Sandwich, which features a chicken breast with a Cajun spice rub, grilled and topped with bacon, provolone, lettuce and tomato on a Kaiser bun. I opted for fries, but regretted it after seeing a neighbor get their house made potato chips. They looked beautiful. Oh well, next time. Actually, the fries were very good, as was the sandwich. The spice rub was quite noticeable, so, for those of you who don't like heat, you might want to skip this one. This sandwich reaches out and gives you a good punch in the mouth. The bacon and provolone were perfect additions; someone here understands flavor and texture combining very well. The food was all cooked perfectly, and we left to complete the last leg of our journey well fed and content. Rachel's Roadhouse is not far off of Route 79, so we'll swing by whenever we're headed through these parts.
(4)
Christie L.
This place is pretty great. I went here on a Sunday night because the specials menu looked great. We ordered the crab legs which were surprisingly great (for PA after living in Boston for years), and the fried green tomato app which was also delicious (my bf HATES tomatoes, and LOVED this). My bf got a stuffed pepper soup with his dinner which was one of the best soups I've ever tasted. I ordered Asian short ribs for dinner which were just ok and my bf got a steak that was just ok. Next time we may just stick to the apps because they were so good, they earned 5 stars themselves.
(4)
Rachel L.
Rachel's is always packed so be prepared to wait. Don't worry, it'll be worth it -- especially on wing night! This place has a nice casual atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices. Nice place for a group of friends to go out!
(4)
Shannon C.
I'm currently residing in Grove City for work and Rachel's Roadhouse was suggested to me by some fellow coworkers. I read a few reviews on yelp and since it seems to be slim pic-kens in the immediate area I decided on Rachel's. Like most of the other reviews, we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, which wasn't a big deal at all. It gave us some time to thoroughly study the menu and change our minds about 10 times before we were able to order. Our server was super sweet and really personable. Actually I would've given their food solely two stars but she was so great I decided to bump it up one. I read a few reviews on yelp about their Cajun pasta and i was in the mood for pasta. (i should know better) my boyfriend decided on their blackened steak with a baked sweet potato and a side of mushrooms and onions. They also have some unique sweet teas. We decided on the peach/green tea which was good but a little too sweet. Someone was heavy handed with the simple syrup. The Cajun pasta was way too salty. So salty I was shriveling up sitting at the table. The portion was huge but it tasted as though some sort of cajun/creole salt seasoning was mixed with the sauce. It was just flat out not good. My boyfriend said there was really nothing special about his steak and the meat was okay. His sweet potato was heavenly. We could have probably both just eaten baked sweet potatoes for dinner that night. Overall our server was great but the food was not. i will take responsibility for my poor choice in a pasta at what was essentially a steak house. But the steak was also not remarkable.
(3)
JP J.
This place is way off the road, but I went here on a friend's recommendation. It was really good! I had the cajun sirloin with crab legs. It's only $6 for a half pound side of these. The side sweet potato was really good too as well as the fresh bread. I don't normally eat sirloin (prefer ribeye) but it had a ridiculously good flavor and was tender. Don't skip on the pretzels as an app. My friend suggested them, and I don't normally eat pretzels (much less in a restaurant), but they do something to them to make them taste really good. Although there was a wait on a Wednesday night, I don't see that as a bad thing. It means the food is good. I really worry when restaurants are empty. A bluegrass band was playing while I was there and it was an overall good time with good food and a great environment.
(5)
Dan S.
Great burgers and friendly/quick staff. Fries are pretty mediocre though...
(4)
Heidi P.
I can't believe there is not even one review for Rachel's! Actually I can, sorry PA but you are a little behind on the times. So Rachel's is a special place for me and for so many other people. Rachel's is a part of the Springfield Group restaurants. A couple local guys started Rachel's Roadhouse and the Iron Bridge Restaurant about 25 years ago. They are located basically in the middle of Amish country in a little town called Leesburg, not far from Mercer and Grove City, PA. Rachel's has a victorian style decor and amazing, incredibly inexpensive food. The prices range from $5 to $20, depending on weather you are getting a sandwich or an entree. They have a huge selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and burgers. They also serve great steaks and seafood. I never realized what a gem it was until I moved to the other side of the country. I have never found any other place that offers the quality of food and service for such a value. That's probably why this place is packed...always. People flock from miles away to eat here. Due to the success of Rachel's and the forefather Iron Bridge restaurant, they have expanded into 5 more additional restaurants in the area. All with "Springfield" in the name. At any rate, if one is ever in the area, this place needs to be checked out. Beware, they take no reservations, probably because if they did then noone would ever be able to just walk in and be seated. Expect at least an hour wait for dinner on any night of the week. But belive me, it's worth it! Noteworthy menu items-Leesburg hero is a must-it has cole slaw and french fries on it, a Pittsburgh classic; the french onion soup is the best. I usually opt for the cup and a half of soup, it's only $5 for both. The burgers are great, and the marinated portabella mushrooms are divine. I have never had anything from here that I did not like. Oh and I almost forgot, my favorite dessert probably ever-the peanut butter pie. The crust is made of oats and sugar and layered with chocolate. OMG!!!
(5)
Kendra E.
Rachel's is by far my favorite restaurant. When I was in college, my friends and I loved to go here. You have to get the New York style pretzels, they are crispy on the outside and so warm and chewy on the inside. We liked to get them with the nacho cheese sauce. Everything I've had is spectacular. I've had: Char-Broiled Chicken Breast - very tender, perfectly cooked, and flavorful Filet Slices - the filet is delicious and I love the croissant, a nice twist instead of a regular bun Black Jack Chicken - another delicious chicken sandwich that is tender and has lots of flavor Bourbon Roast Beef Wrap - this was a very pleasant surprise! The sauce is sweet but not overwhelmingly so, it compliments the beef and cheese very well. Three Cheese Pasta - SO good! I haven't had anything like it anywhere else, the sauce is very creamy and the chicken and shrimp are cooked perfectly. I always liked to get a slice of cheesecake with chocolate sauce and strawberries to go, since I would always be stuffed from my lunch or dinner as well as having pretzels as an appetizer. I haven't been to any of the other Springfield restaurants, but would like to go someday. I no longer live in the area so I only go occasionally, usually when my college friends and I get together.
Props to both Heidi and Julie for getting to this before I did. The wife and I have been Rachel's fans since the mid-90's. The place has held up all that time, improving in service and amenities. They've stayed about the same in food quality, which keeps them from the full 5-star treatment. Still, the food and experience are excellent. The scene you want to go for is the mid-winter, cold, maybe snow-on-the-ground evening. You've been to the Grove City Outlet for a little tax-free clothing extravaganza. You want to snag a table near the fireplace. While you wait, head out to the bar area that is now covered and heated (at one time it was seasonal). It gives you that feeling of sitting outside, which you'll really need in the depths of winter, while staying warm. It's a charming place with a warm feeling. The food is generally pretty good, but not stellar. Their pasta dishes are the best on the menu. They usually have a local brew on tap, like Penn Brewing Co., so give that a try too.
(4)
L L.
My favorite restaurant. I've been here countless times, and the ambiance, staff and food are all five star. Expect a long wait if you're going during the lunch or supper rush, but its well worth it. My favorites are the colossal onion appetizer, sirloin salad and the peanut butter pie. They also have a great selection of beer on tap. Perfection!
(5)
Jami K.
We went to Rachel's Roadhouse with a group of 9 to celebrate my graduation from a local college. The restaurant was packed with folks waiting inside and out. They quoted us a wait-time of an hour and fifteen minutes (even if we split into two tables), so we headed to the bar to chat over some drinks and appetizers. We ordered the chips & dip, zucchini, and jalepeno poppers. All of the appetizers were hot and fresh and didn't have the heaviness that fried food frequently features. The dip for the chips was sweet and spicy at the same time, with something similar to a horseradish tang, while the chips themselves were light and perfectly salted. The zucchini was julienned before frying, which was wonderful although a few pieces were little more than skin. The marinara with the zucchini was excellent, and we probably could have used a second cup for dipping as it ran out quickly. The poppers were slightly spicy and very cheesy, with a satisfying crunch -- the number of poppers varied from one order to the next though, and the second order didn't receive a dipping sauce. We were called back to the hostess stand after only an hour wait, much to our surprise. They seated us in the very front of the dining room, in a little raised area, which was nice except it made getting up to use the restroom a little challenging for the folks in the back. The whole table ordered sandwiches and burgers, which were all amazing. I had the Bourbon Burger, which was crammed with bourbon sauce, grilled onions, and bacon under provolone cheese -- I had to cut it in half to be able to eat it, and it was still slightly falling apart due to the amount of toppings. The sweet potato fries were a delightful accompaniment, although the maple sprinkle really didn't add much. Overall, Rachel's lived up to the reputation I'd heard from others who had been there before, and I look forward to going back! I much prefer Rachel's to their sister-restaurant in Mars, PA (Springfield Grill).
(4)
Daniel S.
Off the hook....I had the Monte Cristo. They re-invented this sandwich. Everything was great here. Try the pretzel with choclate dipping sauce.....yum yum yum!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Candace R.
We only had about a 20 min wait. The food was very good. We had a NY style pretzel with nacho cheese and the fried (provolone) cheese. For our entrees, I had filet medallions with bleu cheese and my son had a turkey sandwich and the seafood bisque. The steak was cooked perfectly and I liked that there was a good variety on the menu. Service was great. I'll definitely be coming back when traveling through the area.
(4)Jamie B.
I ordered the Balsamic Salmon Salad. I was looking forward to a healthy meal of veggies and omega-3. The menu described the dish as a fillet of salmon over mixed greens. However when my entre arrived (50 min later) -- the salmon was bland, but cooked well and a good size -- came over a bed of iceberg lettuce. When it was brought to the table I mentioned to the waitress I thought it included mixed greens (as in dark green leaves, reddish purple, etc.) but she argued with me and said it was in fact mixed greens. I asked the other 4 people at my table and they all agreed it was the whitest pile of chopped iceberg they'd seen.
(2)Jake R.
My wife and I have been eating out alot in the past couple years and I am a wonderful cook myself. So there aren't many places that "wow" me (I'm very picky). We have eaten at Rachels in the past with only good things to say but its been a year or so. Last weekend we went back and besides the 45 minute wait I have nothing bad to say. The service and price was good and the food was fabulous! It actually tasted like something prepared and not frozen or from a box. This will be a regular stop from now on.
(5)Alise F.
Very busy, but worth the wait. The food was delicious (the fried green beans and artichoke dip are great) and the service was okay.
(4)Summer K.
Based on previous reviewers, and the full to capacity parking lot every time we've driven by here, we knew Rachel's had to be doing something right to continually be packed to the gills. A friend and I came for lunch at 1 on a Tuesday and it was still pretty crowded, w/a few people waiting to be seated. A table for two opened up as we arrived, so we were fortunate enough to be seated directly. Service was prompt and spot on, as w/all Springfield Group restaurants we've eaten at. They're making an effort to incorporate more micr/craft beers, which is fantastic, but our waitress had obviously not been taught about them as she told me a Magic Hat IPA, w/both 16oz and 20oz prices on the beer list, was not on draught. (I later discovered it was.). They have Bell's Two Hearted (bottles), which is a nice session beer. My lunch companion ordered the Lime Salmon special and enjoyed it, while I enjoyed a cup of the soup of the day (Broccoli Cheddar Chowder) and the Salmon Salad, salmon on the side. I really enjoy the house balsamic w/blue cheese dressing. We'd go back, for sure... (Though, if I'm being completely honest, at peak times, we'll keep driving a bit to the less crowded Iron Bridge Inn ;) )
(5)Stacey P.
Rachel's Roadhouse is the only restaurant that I will wait for forty five minutes to be served. I look forward to their Filet Slices Sandwhich every time I go back to Pennsylvania. Despite being out of the way Rachel's is always busy and understandably so. The food is delicious, the service wonderful, and the drinks made large and strong.
(5)Brett W.
Oh, that's right. Now I remember why I go home. BECAUSE DRINKS ARE HUUUGE. When I order a whiskey-on-tha-rox*, it isn't served in some puny glass. It's served in something akin to a soup mug.** And that's just the small. The food is good too. It better be considering I need something to soak up all that alcohol. Hooray Pee-A! You've made me proud...and a bona fide alcoholic. __________ * It was that kind of family visit. ** That's a joke, but coming from a NYC-standpoint, it's half-true.
(3)Bill B.
First off, the food is good, but not worth the wait. When you show up and see a ridiculous line, just head north a few hundred feet to either the Iron Bridge Inn or the Springfield Grille. The menus are different for each, but the quality is consistently good. Overall, the food is much better than most of the other places in the area we have come across, but I don't see that as a reason to go overboard on the rating. Food was good, service was good and nothing at all was memorable.
(3)Laura H.
I met my bf here for dinner a few Fridays ago since we were trying to find some place halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh (since I was leaving for a planned vacation early Saturday morning) and this was the best we could do. I have the same gripe as everyone else-the wait was ridiculous! You'd think there was no other dining establishment within 30 miles of here (maybe that's accurate considering how this was pretty much in the middle of nowhere) due to the 90 minute wait! The other gripe is the parking-WAY too many monster trucks were taking up multiple spaces and I wasn't about to park next to one for fear it'd hit me when backing out so I had to park in the overflow across the street. I waited most of the 90 minutes alone because my bf got way, way lost and ended up near I-80 (but that's another story....) and even after I had put our name in, there was a steady stream of people doing the same after me. Once we were seated, we were quickly greeted and had attentive service throughout our meal. They have a decent draft list with numerous craft beers, and of course I ordered an IPA. For my meal, I chose the mahi mahi which was drizzled in tomato basil vinagrette and served over a broccoli slaw mix. It was a healthy portion and when paired with two sides (I chose a salad and mashed potatoes) was worthy of its $14.99 price. My bf had the tequilla lime pork chop and quickly devoured it saying it was very tasty. It also came with 2 sides and was priced appropriately at $14.99. While we were eating, I saw the infamous peanut butter pie make its way to a neighboring table and I just knew we had to try it. and OH was it worth it! Even split between the two of us there were leftovers! It was the perfect sweet way to end our meal! Overall, everything was good, however, I don't feel the quality justified the seemingly eons-long wait. I'd try coming back here but only during non-peak hours and only if I am in the area. The only part truly worth the hour and twenty minute drive was getting to have dinner with my beau since I wasn't going to see him again for over a week.
(4)Jamie G.
Always a great place to eat! I'm never afraid to try new things at Rachel's! Had a half hour wait, but we always go out to the extra room and have a few drinks while we wait. Had the spicy seafood bisque and it was absolutely mouthwatering! I had the ravioli as the main course and it was really good also. The service was awesome!
(5)Susan R.
Was in town this past weekend on a work trip and LOVED the food! Ended up going twice! The french onion soup was perfect!
(5)Arlene M.
Rachel's Roadhouse falls under the same umbrella group that also comprises it's sister restaurant-the Iron Bridge. Rachel's is located about a mile short of the other restaurant and it is just as good. The place is small but very clean. We had a very friendly waitress who gave us the opportunity to ask questions. I learned that I could substitute soup for one of the given sides for $1.00 more which on a very cold day of this visit was indeed a welcome. They have free Wi Fi for use. They offer the same rolls and fresh crackers as the Iron Bridge. I decided to try the portabello mushroom sandwich with French onion soup which was simply the best by far! They offer sumptuous desserts where my friend and I tried the raspberry pie with ice cream. There was so much we ended up taking half of it home! Rachel's offers a full service bar as well. They offer drinks in a mason jar for that country feel and nice size portion. I would advise coming during the off hours since the place is small and chances are it will get crowded very easily. I will most certainly return.
(5)Susan T.
Busy, busy, busy yummy, yummy, yummy Warm peach cider in March? Oh yes. Deep fried, golden gnocchi pillows to dip in marinara? Uh-huh. Black and Blue Burger - perfect. Hubs: Meatloaf... called Trucker-something. He claims it to be terrific. So good, kinda loud. Happy place to be and share a meal.
(5)Michelle C.
So sad to see this place slipping. I am local and my family and I have loved Rachel's for many years. The past several visits have been disappointing. Dry chicken, rotten lettuce, hard rolls. We were never offered drink refills. That was just our most recent visit. Before that, same issues with food quality and poor service. Rachel's will no longer be our "go to" place. So sad.
(1)Tito K.
Ive been to Rachel's several times since I went to school at Slippery Rock. Now fast forward ten years later and Im back visiting people at Lake Latonka. Rachel's is just like I remember it. I had a crunchy rueben which was a great catch (fish sandwich) with rueben fixings. The dollar fifty miller lites are a good look also. My wife enjoyed a turkey wrap which was good even the next day.
(4)Kay S.
Used to really like Rachel's... but the wait to get in is ridiculous, no call ahead seating, no reservation... and you can expect to wait 2-3 hours on a Friday/Saturday night. And there just isn't that much on the menu... when I have ordered... I've thought... yummm... that sounds good... then the food came... overpriced and disappointing.
(3)Harleysydney C.
Pretzel was pretty good nothing spectacular. Jalapeño shrimp had wayyyyyyyy too much cream cheese for my taste. Homemade salad dressings are great.
(3)Michael C.
If you like poor service this is the place for you. We waited over an hour on a Monday at noon, for a burgher. We did not get refills on drinks. The food is ok but no worth the wait. Fries are good though.
(1)Molly C.
Went here for a later dinner on a weeknight. It was busy, but we were seated immediately and had wonderful service. Our food came quickly and included large, tasty portions at a reasonable price. I look forward to going back again soon.
(5)Bryan P.
Visited Rachael's again. Food was still ok. Salad dressing is suppose to be home made and it is very good(French). Three times now we have been here to eat. Just the two of us. We waited 45 min to an hour and were seated at a table for six. Frankly, it would seem like a high priced piece of real estate with that many people waiting. If I were a party of 5 or 6 and they sat people in front of us with only 2 at a table that big, I would walk out. Happened 3 separate times. So strange!
(3)Danielle R.
What an interesting place. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere and it appears alot of bikers stop here. Like motorcycles. So like everyone says, be prepared to wait, party of 4 at 2 pm on a Sunday, waited close to 20 mins for a table. Reservations on OpenTable would greatly be appreciated. Couple seats outside could also go along way. They have pix on the wall that says the place has been there since the 40s which makes it pretty cool. Couple of TV's to watch the games on but not enough in my opinion. They have half sandwich options which is still plenty of food. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich that came with the 2 biggest slabs of cut onion I'd ever seen, they were like a quarter of an inch thick for each, why anyone would ever eat that much onion on a sandwich I have no idea. Sweet potato fries were very good and cost you another buck! Others in my party got the 1/2 sandwich and chips. Chips, for me, needed way more salt and needed to be salted right when they got out of the fryer. I've definitely had better. Auntie's sauce on the side reminded me of Ranch. They have an interesting selection of craft beers and a couple on draft that were pretty cool. I think the brewery at Slippery Rock probably still has them beat here. The 2 items I wanted to try but didn't were the pretzels and the zucchini.
(3)Gina P.
We were driving through and it was worth the stop! It had an amazing crowd for lunch. Even being so busy, the service and food were perfect. If the parking lot is full don't worry about it you will still get seated quickly. They were right on top of everything!! We ordered a pepper blue burger and a roast beef pepper jack melt. The portions were nice and the quality of the food was great! We both really enjoyed are meal! They serve soft drinks and water in a mason jar and they have the best coffee!!! I highly recommend!
(5)Thomas A.
Stopped by Rachel's Roadhouse this afternoon at lunch and was very impressed. We only had a five minute wait, but I know this place gets packed for dinner and on the weekends. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was great, and the food was very good. The quality of the food and the way that it was prepared was excellent. I had the filet sandwich and my wife tried one of their famous Rubens. We had a Pittsburgh pretzel as an appetizer, it was excellent as well. Sure beats the chain restaurants and food court at the outlets!
(4)Vince R.
Cocktail, soda, chili, side salad, felet, baked potato and chocolate cake(free with coupon from hotel) $28.00 Cant complain about that. Chili was loaded with beans (beans are filler and have no place in real chili) however good flavor nice amount of heat I would get it again. Salad was ok looked kinda gnarly but ok. Steak was very tasty cooked correctly and nicely seasioned. All in all not a bad little stop No wait service was spot on I definitely recomend if you happen to be close
(4)Ron P.
Peanut butter pie was superb!! Highly recommend. Great service good selection of beers. Warm wood everywhere. Comfortable , celebrating 30th year in business.
(4)Gaye W.
Gluten Free dinner menu with quite a few choices--shrimp, salmon, 2 beef cuts, chicken, several sides. So we were very pleased about that (we are celiac). My son had filet mignon, which was excellent. My husband (not celiac) had salmon with some type of fruit sauce on top, which was excellent. I had "smoky" chicken, which was so tough and dry I quit eating it, thinking I would have to take it home and try to do something with it to make it edible. The baked potatoes were huge. We're local, and Rachel's has a huge great reputation, but I was disappointed. It was so noisy we had to shout at one another, and I'd just rather not go again. I gave it 3 stars because my guys liked their food.
(3)Vannessa S.
Great place! Went here with my work group of 6 and were seated immediately. We all had soup (the Buffalo Chicken soup is to die for) and various entrees. I had a delicious turkey Reuben that I added sweet potato fries to. The fries were crisp and delicious. My coworkers all loved their meals as well. Would definitely recommend. One star off for location, but for the area it's good food and worth going out of your way.
(4)Rachel P.
Great food and great service! Love the soup and sandwich combo. Can't beat the prices either! Loved the chili with a little kick and the hot grilled corned beef. Will be back soon-very soon!
(5)L B.
We are from out of town. This place was highly recommended. It was awful. The stuffed mushrooms took forever and tasted like they were stuffed with Stove Top Stuffing....My husband ordered a steak and it was ok, greasy though. I had the lemon cream chicken and garden rice. Rice was wild rice and not fully cooked so had hard bits stuck in my teeth. The chicken was disgustingly overly lemon and with cream sauce it didn't work. After I scrapped off the lemon cream and breadng- the chicken was more like leather and tasted funny. Even the butter for the bread was sour tasting....And most drinks are served in mason jars-hokey. The waitress was very nice though. Don't go if you're from out of town and used to decent food.
(1)Amanda H.
If I could put a negative star, I would. I ate frozen fish. It was absolutely disgusting. My friend had the FROZEN scallops that were more disgusting. We were all sick for days. It was the biggest waste of $20 I have ever spent. I was disgusted. I do not recommend this place to anyone. Not worth anything. This place is terrible and an embarrassment to the restaurant business.
(1)Laurel K.
We stopped at Rachel's while visiting the Grove City Outlet Malls. We were pretty excited to visit here and thought it may be one of those places you always hear about. The ones that are way out in the middle of nowhere that people come from miles around to eat the best food in the area. Based on all the good reviews, we thought it was a sure thing and waited about 40 minutes to be seated. Place was packed and from reading and hearing people talk it's always packed. We ordered meatloaf and spaghetti and meatballs. Salad was pretty good so we were all excited to get our scrumptious dinner. We get our rolls and eat those and were pretty disappointed, just pre baked rolls warmed up, nothing like a Texas road house or something you'd make at home. We were a little let down by those but didn't get to upset about the bread, still excited about our great dinner. Well then the food comes... I could not believe my eyes when it arrived. Sliced, premade frozen dinner type food! I could not believe all the people around us and all the stories online saying how good the place is??? Meatloaf was barely edible and something like you would get at the frozen section of the grocery store. Meatballs were the same, frozen fake type meat you find in premade freezer section. Spaghetti sauce was just everyday canned sauce, no taste and not even as good as some you can buy at a local store. We could hardly finish our food and the waitress comes and asks us if we need boxes and we politely decline. She looked confused as to why we would leave food behind. I'm not sure she's ever gotten a real meatball or meatloaf or she would have known exactly why we didn't finish our meals. Atmosphere and waitress were all good, no complaints there and we always tip well as it's not their fault the managers of the business are putting out this type of food. We didn't complain because again, even if the manager was there he knows exactly what they are buying and reheating. Not like they can say it must have been the chef or the food was overcooked. We did not get desert as we didn't want to take our chances with another disappointment. Meatballs and meatloaf are some of the easiest things you can make, why in the world could they not use REAL hamburger? As if the dinner wasn't bad enough we both had severe diarrhea from the food, which wasn't to shocking I suppose and summed up our overall experience of the visit pretty well. I cannot recommend a place like this if they do not have the ability to use real food; I expect it from McDonalds but not a place such as this. After we got home from our trip we read other reviews and discovered a few talking about why the place is always busy if all they do is serve frozen premade food. So I guess, do some research and use strong caution before ordering from this menu. I'm not even sure I'd try a steak here as if they cannot cook a meatball with hamburger I'm not sure what the quality of steak would be like. Hopefully this long winded review will help others and maybe even help the management company that runs this and the restaurant down the road. However, if the place is packed every night I'm not sure any criticism will do any good as they have no reason to change. The price was fairly good though, but I would have gladly paid more for food that is prepared by a chef.
(1)James R.
Good food, good fun. Love the pretzels!
(5)Tim Y.
This place is AMAZING. If your passing through, it's well worth the stop. $9 for a gourmet burger and fries. And their fries are fantastic, not the normal, limp, undercooked, greasy kind you find ar most places here in western Pennsylvania
(5)Daniel H.
Burgers are always delicious, menu is a bit unbalanced price wise, entrees are overpriced, but the sandwiches are underpriced, def a repeat place
(4)Jackie C.
Jalapeño cream cheese shrimp, best ever. Basil salmon with sweet potato yummy. Tara our super server. 5 stars
(5)Mark W.
Just went to Rachel's Roadhouse for the first time. Won't be my last. I had the crunchy fish Ruben and a cup if Italian Wedding soup. Very good! Although it was really busy the service was very good! The drinks were yummy too!
(4)Richard F.
We stopped for dinner while we were traveling and found that there are three restaurants in this town that share a common sign. I don't know if one family or group own all three restaurants, but judging by the style of the places and the signage, I wouldn't be surprised. We were pleased with Rachel's. The food was good, prices were right and the service was excellent. I was particularly impressed with our server. She was a real pro and she did take great care of us. I had the "Frankenstein Burger" and it was a monster. I loved the way it tasted, but it was also impossible to eat without a knife and fork. It consisted of a large burger served with tons of gooey cheese and vegetables, but also ham, and turkey and it came on a bagel. Well the bagel was the problem. It made biting into the oozing sandwich an impossibility. My wife and I also both had the soup made with the Gouda cheese and that was very tasty too. We enjoyed Rachel's and I am sure we will be back. We are curious about those other two restaurants though...
(4)David P.
Service was okay but we were very disappointed with the tasteless and overcooked food. We ordered beef stoganoff, shrimp, salmon and a rib eye steak. The stroganoff was very overcooked like the sauce was made a week ago and had sat on a heater all week long. The steak was undercooked and had zero flavor, despite the fact that I ordered it with crab and sauce on top (their special). All in all it was a waste of $100.00
(1)Mike H.
I grew up in the area and Rachel's is the casual option to The Iron Bridge's more formal dining. I am still puzzled at it's popularity. It is esentially a college pub. Lot's of frozen / prepackeged foods reheated. Long waits for everything and the place is crazy noisy! Waited 45 mins in the hot sun for a seat, then had a waitress that made us feel like we were imposing when we asked for 2 seperate bills. The table was cleared and apps boxed to take home and 30 mins later we were still waiting for our main course (burgers and fries) everything was COLD!! entire meal comped by gracious, appologetic manager, but the fact remains that after almost 3 hours we were still hungry.. Every restaurant has a bad day, but I don't think the cuisine merits the popularity. But there a few other options in the area.
(2)Greg S.
Here is what you need to know about Rachel's: in the Mercer area there are not a lot of nice restaurants, so the triumvirate of Rachel's, Iron Bridge and Springfield Grille all get slammed whenever there's an event in a neighboring town (like homecoming at Grove City College). The food is typically above average, the joint is clean and the service is decent. The peanut butter pie is incredible. Really the only knock I have on it is that it gets so, so, so crowded.
(4)Alice M.
I love this place. The food is awesome. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I don't care for their steaks. But everything else on the menu is good. The place is always packed on weekends. I recommend the pretzle appetizer with cheese. All of their soups are good but if you're there when they have white chili you need to get it. If you are in a hurry you can sit at the bar without waiting
(4)Andi B.
What do I say...not inspiring. For a one hour and 15 minute wait, I expected something decent. Unfortunately, I was proved wrong. The restaurant is run down and the food is not exactly creative. We had the stuffed peppers to start, which was ok. We then got, the cajun pasta which was REALLY salty. My compadre couldn't eat it the whole thing. My husband had the salmon florentine which was LITERALLY a tiny piece of salmon with spinach dip slathered on it (from the apps) and uncle bens rice. The club sandwich I ordered was OK...probably the saving grace from giving it a 1. The carrot cake was pretty good too if your into sweets. Overall....I think people give it high ratings cause its the only restaurant in town that isn't serving pub food or fast food. But, I wouldn't suggest it.
(2)Miriam W.
What a surprising find this place is here in rural PA. We seem to have been the last ones to hear about it, as it was rockin busy, and on a Sunday night, too. We arrived a little after 7 pm only to find they were on a 30 minute wait. We're not much for standing around, even for great food, so made our way to the back and nabbed a couple of bar stools, just as another couple was vacating them. The bartender was very busy, so we were patient and relaxed a bit over our iced teas while perusing the menu. She ultimately got to us, and we both went for sandwiches. I tried the Black Jack Chicken Sandwich, which features a chicken breast with a Cajun spice rub, grilled and topped with bacon, provolone, lettuce and tomato on a Kaiser bun. I opted for fries, but regretted it after seeing a neighbor get their house made potato chips. They looked beautiful. Oh well, next time. Actually, the fries were very good, as was the sandwich. The spice rub was quite noticeable, so, for those of you who don't like heat, you might want to skip this one. This sandwich reaches out and gives you a good punch in the mouth. The bacon and provolone were perfect additions; someone here understands flavor and texture combining very well. The food was all cooked perfectly, and we left to complete the last leg of our journey well fed and content. Rachel's Roadhouse is not far off of Route 79, so we'll swing by whenever we're headed through these parts.
(4)Christie L.
This place is pretty great. I went here on a Sunday night because the specials menu looked great. We ordered the crab legs which were surprisingly great (for PA after living in Boston for years), and the fried green tomato app which was also delicious (my bf HATES tomatoes, and LOVED this). My bf got a stuffed pepper soup with his dinner which was one of the best soups I've ever tasted. I ordered Asian short ribs for dinner which were just ok and my bf got a steak that was just ok. Next time we may just stick to the apps because they were so good, they earned 5 stars themselves.
(4)Rachel L.
Rachel's is always packed so be prepared to wait. Don't worry, it'll be worth it -- especially on wing night! This place has a nice casual atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices. Nice place for a group of friends to go out!
(4)Shannon C.
I'm currently residing in Grove City for work and Rachel's Roadhouse was suggested to me by some fellow coworkers. I read a few reviews on yelp and since it seems to be slim pic-kens in the immediate area I decided on Rachel's. Like most of the other reviews, we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, which wasn't a big deal at all. It gave us some time to thoroughly study the menu and change our minds about 10 times before we were able to order. Our server was super sweet and really personable. Actually I would've given their food solely two stars but she was so great I decided to bump it up one. I read a few reviews on yelp about their Cajun pasta and i was in the mood for pasta. (i should know better) my boyfriend decided on their blackened steak with a baked sweet potato and a side of mushrooms and onions. They also have some unique sweet teas. We decided on the peach/green tea which was good but a little too sweet. Someone was heavy handed with the simple syrup. The Cajun pasta was way too salty. So salty I was shriveling up sitting at the table. The portion was huge but it tasted as though some sort of cajun/creole salt seasoning was mixed with the sauce. It was just flat out not good. My boyfriend said there was really nothing special about his steak and the meat was okay. His sweet potato was heavenly. We could have probably both just eaten baked sweet potatoes for dinner that night. Overall our server was great but the food was not. i will take responsibility for my poor choice in a pasta at what was essentially a steak house. But the steak was also not remarkable.
(3)JP J.
This place is way off the road, but I went here on a friend's recommendation. It was really good! I had the cajun sirloin with crab legs. It's only $6 for a half pound side of these. The side sweet potato was really good too as well as the fresh bread. I don't normally eat sirloin (prefer ribeye) but it had a ridiculously good flavor and was tender. Don't skip on the pretzels as an app. My friend suggested them, and I don't normally eat pretzels (much less in a restaurant), but they do something to them to make them taste really good. Although there was a wait on a Wednesday night, I don't see that as a bad thing. It means the food is good. I really worry when restaurants are empty. A bluegrass band was playing while I was there and it was an overall good time with good food and a great environment.
(5)Dan S.
Great burgers and friendly/quick staff. Fries are pretty mediocre though...
(4)Heidi P.
I can't believe there is not even one review for Rachel's! Actually I can, sorry PA but you are a little behind on the times. So Rachel's is a special place for me and for so many other people. Rachel's is a part of the Springfield Group restaurants. A couple local guys started Rachel's Roadhouse and the Iron Bridge Restaurant about 25 years ago. They are located basically in the middle of Amish country in a little town called Leesburg, not far from Mercer and Grove City, PA. Rachel's has a victorian style decor and amazing, incredibly inexpensive food. The prices range from $5 to $20, depending on weather you are getting a sandwich or an entree. They have a huge selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and burgers. They also serve great steaks and seafood. I never realized what a gem it was until I moved to the other side of the country. I have never found any other place that offers the quality of food and service for such a value. That's probably why this place is packed...always. People flock from miles away to eat here. Due to the success of Rachel's and the forefather Iron Bridge restaurant, they have expanded into 5 more additional restaurants in the area. All with "Springfield" in the name. At any rate, if one is ever in the area, this place needs to be checked out. Beware, they take no reservations, probably because if they did then noone would ever be able to just walk in and be seated. Expect at least an hour wait for dinner on any night of the week. But belive me, it's worth it! Noteworthy menu items-Leesburg hero is a must-it has cole slaw and french fries on it, a Pittsburgh classic; the french onion soup is the best. I usually opt for the cup and a half of soup, it's only $5 for both. The burgers are great, and the marinated portabella mushrooms are divine. I have never had anything from here that I did not like. Oh and I almost forgot, my favorite dessert probably ever-the peanut butter pie. The crust is made of oats and sugar and layered with chocolate. OMG!!!
(5)Kendra E.
Rachel's is by far my favorite restaurant. When I was in college, my friends and I loved to go here. You have to get the New York style pretzels, they are crispy on the outside and so warm and chewy on the inside. We liked to get them with the nacho cheese sauce. Everything I've had is spectacular. I've had: Char-Broiled Chicken Breast - very tender, perfectly cooked, and flavorful Filet Slices - the filet is delicious and I love the croissant, a nice twist instead of a regular bun Black Jack Chicken - another delicious chicken sandwich that is tender and has lots of flavor Bourbon Roast Beef Wrap - this was a very pleasant surprise! The sauce is sweet but not overwhelmingly so, it compliments the beef and cheese very well. Three Cheese Pasta - SO good! I haven't had anything like it anywhere else, the sauce is very creamy and the chicken and shrimp are cooked perfectly. I always liked to get a slice of cheesecake with chocolate sauce and strawberries to go, since I would always be stuffed from my lunch or dinner as well as having pretzels as an appetizer. I haven't been to any of the other Springfield restaurants, but would like to go someday. I no longer live in the area so I only go occasionally, usually when my college friends and I get together.
(5)Julie D.
I used to come here all the time. It was always a favorite restaurant of mine. After moving to Cranberry Twp, I haven't been here for a few years. This is my first visit back. Nothing has changed. My boyfriend and I went shopping at Prime Outlets in Grove City a couple weekend's ago. He promised to take me to Elephant and Castle. I said, "hey, if you want to continue to be my boyfriend, let's drive over to Rachel's". It is only 10 miles away. When we got there, it was just like I remember. Packed. We were warned of a one hour wait. No problem, they have a great covered patio bar and we had no problem killing the time watching the Utah Running Utes put away Michigan in the "Big" house. We had hot spinach dip and jalapeño stuffed shrimp, very delicious. It was a lot of fun! For dinner, we got a great table in the middle of the dining room. Our server was awesome and eager to help us with our dinner selections. Jim had Cajun Shrimp pasta, super yummy. He is a very smart man, he shares with me. The dish had fresh mushrooms, red peppers sautéed in a light cream sauce with Cajun spices, huge shrimp and tossed with penne pasta. I had a Bourbon Street Burger. Awesome. The bourbon sauce was sweet, with lots of grilled onions, bacon and provolone cheese. It was served on a huge toasted onion roll. For dessert, we shared an awesome slice of carrot cake, complete with fresh whipped topping. I've really missed this restaurant. It's part of the Springfield Group and there is a Springfield Grille near my home, as well as the Log Cabin Inn. But there is something about this place that makes it less stuffy and a whole lot more fun!! I love it!!
(5)Bill M.
Props to both Heidi and Julie for getting to this before I did. The wife and I have been Rachel's fans since the mid-90's. The place has held up all that time, improving in service and amenities. They've stayed about the same in food quality, which keeps them from the full 5-star treatment. Still, the food and experience are excellent. The scene you want to go for is the mid-winter, cold, maybe snow-on-the-ground evening. You've been to the Grove City Outlet for a little tax-free clothing extravaganza. You want to snag a table near the fireplace. While you wait, head out to the bar area that is now covered and heated (at one time it was seasonal). It gives you that feeling of sitting outside, which you'll really need in the depths of winter, while staying warm. It's a charming place with a warm feeling. The food is generally pretty good, but not stellar. Their pasta dishes are the best on the menu. They usually have a local brew on tap, like Penn Brewing Co., so give that a try too.
(4)L L.
My favorite restaurant. I've been here countless times, and the ambiance, staff and food are all five star. Expect a long wait if you're going during the lunch or supper rush, but its well worth it. My favorites are the colossal onion appetizer, sirloin salad and the peanut butter pie. They also have a great selection of beer on tap. Perfection!
(5)Jami K.
We went to Rachel's Roadhouse with a group of 9 to celebrate my graduation from a local college. The restaurant was packed with folks waiting inside and out. They quoted us a wait-time of an hour and fifteen minutes (even if we split into two tables), so we headed to the bar to chat over some drinks and appetizers. We ordered the chips & dip, zucchini, and jalepeno poppers. All of the appetizers were hot and fresh and didn't have the heaviness that fried food frequently features. The dip for the chips was sweet and spicy at the same time, with something similar to a horseradish tang, while the chips themselves were light and perfectly salted. The zucchini was julienned before frying, which was wonderful although a few pieces were little more than skin. The marinara with the zucchini was excellent, and we probably could have used a second cup for dipping as it ran out quickly. The poppers were slightly spicy and very cheesy, with a satisfying crunch -- the number of poppers varied from one order to the next though, and the second order didn't receive a dipping sauce. We were called back to the hostess stand after only an hour wait, much to our surprise. They seated us in the very front of the dining room, in a little raised area, which was nice except it made getting up to use the restroom a little challenging for the folks in the back. The whole table ordered sandwiches and burgers, which were all amazing. I had the Bourbon Burger, which was crammed with bourbon sauce, grilled onions, and bacon under provolone cheese -- I had to cut it in half to be able to eat it, and it was still slightly falling apart due to the amount of toppings. The sweet potato fries were a delightful accompaniment, although the maple sprinkle really didn't add much. Overall, Rachel's lived up to the reputation I'd heard from others who had been there before, and I look forward to going back! I much prefer Rachel's to their sister-restaurant in Mars, PA (Springfield Grill).
(4)Daniel S.
Off the hook....I had the Monte Cristo. They re-invented this sandwich. Everything was great here. Try the pretzel with choclate dipping sauce.....yum yum yum!
(5)