Oaks Cafe

I visited this restaurant a while ago and while having recalled it as being decent, didn’t quite remember the details. So I went here again. What I was left with was a poor experience and a dent in my wallet as far as value is concerned. Starting with the drinks, the sweet tea was good, however drinks were a bit more pricey than I’d prefer, albeit understandably given the restaurant environment. I then ordered a breakfast special that consisted of a ribeye steak with eggs, toast of choice, and hash browns. Ordered the eggs over easy, and the steak medium rare. When I was served my platter, I was a bit concerned immediately upon seeing the ribeye that was served. The steak on the outside was mostly a light gray color with only a bit of brown spots, whereas there should typically be a somewhat brown crust on the outside. That could either mean the steak was cooked too slow for too long, or cooked not enough. I tried the eggs first, though, and they were good. Probably the best part of this dining experience, as they were done correctly and tasted delicious. Moving onto the ribeye, though, I cut it open ( albeit with some struggle as the cut lacked firmness ), and saw a deep red, most similar to a blue rare, or just raw meat. Very concerning, however, I still tried it anyway to see what the steak entailed. The steak had practically no flavor or seasoning when I tried it, along with tasting old and having this gelatinous consistency that was disgusting all around. I couldn’t finish without spitting it out. I then tried the hash browns, only to find they were very mediocre. My best recollection of the flavors are that the hash browns tasted like lays chips in some form of mush with a slight crisp on the outside. In fact, the hash browns weren’t that crispy at all. So I exchanged the platter for a florentine Benedict dish, hoping this was just a one-time issue. Again, the eggs were great, which is nice to see as Benedict eggs aren’t exactly the easiest to get right, however the toast, hash browns, and sauce were the same story of mediocrity and disappointment. Upon checking out, I then came to find out that it cost me 15 dollars for this platter, without tips included. This was a terrible value! Not only was there an ihop down the road that offered much more food and options that were far more enjoyable for the same price(from experience), but there was also a Waffle House right down the road that offered the same food done way better for the same price(also from my own experience). Compared to these places, this local restaurant was a ripoff at best, much worse than I remembered. I’d much rather go to one of these other mainstream chains so that I can eat without worrying about my health and paying for a poor experience. The only reason I rate this place two stars instead of the minimum is because the servers were very kind and controlled the situation as best as they could. They were quick to swap out my practically raw ribeye for something safer to eat, and they kept an eye on us and refilled drinks frequently. But even with great service, I came here for good food at a good value on a local level. This restaurant did not deliver on any of these expectations whatsoever. I doubt I will be returning any time soon, however I do hope this review either gives this restaurant a basis for things to improve on, or gives other people a warning of how bad this restaurant is as it stands, at least from what I’ve experienced.

Love eating here. Great breakfast and lunch. Fresh home made food. Not just reheated frozen junk. Love the small family restaurant vibe. All of the people are really friendly and gracious no matter how busy they get. They also have counter service if you’re old school like me and like sitting at the counter. Love the soups. Cabbage and Italian wedding are phenomenal.

Ask for receipt!! And check your bank!!! Over charged on tip!! I’m more than welcome to add an extra dollar on top of the tip but don’t add it yourself, that’s so dishonest and rude. This is the type of stuff that makes people not want to return to your restaurant. I had already tipped her $6 adding an extra $1 was just out of line when it was already a decent tip on a $20 order. The cashier ruins it for the waitress, who was great. I won’t be returning. They probably do this type of thing all the time!

Basics: Been going there for a few years, so the waitresses know me, and one offered me this (see photo) Meatball Marinara breakfast, with eggs, hollandaise sauce, set on top of an English muffin. HAND... MADE... meatballs - and boy does it show. Topped with a delicious hollandaise; it's absolutely delicious. Details: This is aimed at those that enjoy more layered dining. The presentation at the Oaks Cafe, is as 'complete' as they come. The staff are mostly family and/or close friends - and they all get along!.. which often translates to an even better value above-and-beyond the excellent - and often homemade - food. The decor is easily recognized as more personal than 'industry standards', and reflects on the personalized food/ambience/rapport. The dish I got that earned this review showed a layered knowledge of texture range, which is rarely witnessed at this more common breakfast/lunch joint. The smooth eggs topped with the hollandaise sauce, smothering the homemade meatballs, all set on an English muffin, bridged a texture range that was EXTREMELY enjoyable. VERY hard to find this kind of detail in common food fanfare, and definitely worth at least once-a-month visits. This particular dish was a bit more expensive than most of the very fairly priced menu; but was well worth it. Highly recommended!