This place is awesome. I love the food and the staff is top notch. It's one of those places that is out of the way for me but since the food is so great I don't mind the drive getting there.
The bakery should a have a sign at the door saying crackery!!!! Â I've never had anything that tasted so good that mom didn't make.
Two thumbs up....wait this is a restaurant not a movie review!!!!
This place is enormous and has quite the business. Â In addition to the restaurant, there is an excellent bakery attached along with a crafts & novelties store. Â Tons of parking spaces available, but you may have to walk a little. Â They do have a drop-off / pick-up place for those not as mobile. Â You will have a wait ahead of you when visiting at peak times, but they have a comfortable lobby or you can browse the bakery or crafts store to pass the time.
The dining experience was top notch. Â I had family in from out of state. Â We went for the buffet option so to sample many of the different down-home cooking, comfort food menu items. Â You can order entrees from the menu as well. Â The salad bar is quite large and can be a whole meal in itself. Â Loved it! Â Plenty of main and side dish options. Â I enjoyed the turkey. Â Mashed potatoes were really runny, but the noodles were tasted like homemade. Â Prices were quite reasonable. Â Great place to take the family. Â Service was friendly and good.
Okay ... if you are dieting ... AVOID the bakery! Â WOW! Â Bismark's and doughnuts alone will destroy best laid plans! Â We took one of their home made pies home and shared it. Â It was delicious. Â
This spot is located in Plain City. Â So, it may be a bit of a drive for some. Â However, it is well worth the trip, have a delicious dining experience and terrific way to create some family memories.
I've been to this restaurant a few times. As I was driving on back from C-Bus, I stopped by a Quaker State & Lube (Beavercreek). As I was going through the backroads to get back on 71, I vaguely remembered this area and then it clicked that there was a Amish restaurant near here. Â The gift shop is amazing, so many different arts and crafts. Its located near a bike path, so it makes for a perfect lunch/snack break. The bakery items are delicious and I would def. have to recommend the pies (cherry, dutch apple, coconut, and chocolate and peanut butter pie. Yum!!
Review Source:Der Dutchman has been a family favorite for years. It used to feel really *out there*, but civilization has slowly grown up around it. As a kid, we liked the idea of sitting in the Amish buggy for our dinner (I don't think we ever did though), and the menu appealed to any picky kid's palate.
Fast forward to my adult years, and the food is still comfortingly buttery, but a little bland given my choice. The baked goods are voluminous, both with whipped froth and prolificy (is that a word?). Â I prefer smaller portions of more flavor-packed culinary creations, but Der Dutchman has it's place.
Der Dutchman is a great place to bring relatives from out of town, especially if the ages range from 5 - 95. Kids will like it, old folks will like it, and you'll feel like you're doing something Ohio-specific.
Food and local-tourist vibe aside, Der Dutchman has two other things really going for it. First, the gift shop is surprisingly awesome. I've found some great home-dec treasures here. You kinda have to sift through some of that contrived country kitsch a bit, but there's some beautiful things in there. Second, Der Dutchman is a great biking destination. Traffic isn't too heavy, and (from Dublin) you can do a portion of the ride on a very well-maintained, wide bike path. Ten miles out, pause for some breakfast, and ten miles back. Easy peasy, and makes for a great Saturday morning.
Surely I've reviewed this before? Â Anyway, it's okay for "home-cooked" food, and the buffet is decent. Â Service is good, though they're often overworked. Â And prices are high for what you get.
The bakery is the star. Â Stop in there, eat dinner somewhere else. Â If you need to eat "Amish" go to the Country Kitchen down the road. Â Same menu, same owners, but smaller crowds.
I don't eat here very often but the times I have I've told myself I'm going to try something new but always fall back to the buffet. The food is comforting, reminds me of bob evans or cracker barrel quality. The buffet lacked a lot of variety but the bread pudding made up for it. Eating here every once in a while is fine but I wouldn't make it too much of a habit because I can cook similar things at home with more flavor and less travel time.
Review Source:Okay this place gets good marks for very pleasant waitresses and good service but when it comes to the food I just don't see what why so many people seem to rave about DD.
I have been twice, once trying out the buffet, and once ordering off the menu, and was underwhelmed both times. My barometer of this kind of home-style eating is "How good is the fried chicken?" It was better off the menu but still not great. Maybe if it had been in the "pan" just a little longer.
Also the clear (as in no color whatsoever) transparent gravy looks extremely foul.
First, this is of course a cultural experience. If you want to get a feel for middle-working class suburban/rural Midwestern people and are not from here, here is the best place (far less weird than Walmart - although many of the same people are cast for both appearances at Der Dutchman and Walmart). So, if you are feeling like a cultural anthropologist, good place for some observation. As to the food, my very favorite thing is their amazing Thanksgiving take-away. I simply cannot cook a better turkey, and have tried numerous times. That plus the insanely good pies, my favorite being the chocolate pudding one that, I am sad to say, rivals memories of what my one grandmother made, which had been the standard bearer. House full of guests = happy when we do Der Dutchman and every time. I prefer this so I can concentrate on actually having fun/drinking. As to eating in, it is comfortfoodpalooza, and in mass quantities. The service is prompt and earnest and they all act and look lime they just left a church service. This is a family scene and very laid back, kids and old people everywhere. I also like the bake shop quite well and the quality of what they sell is really excellent, if predictable. We have never once bought a bad food item there. I won't comment on the gift shop other than to say they really get their audience and there is a lot of it. This is an incredibly well-run business. It also "is what it is,, and if you are up for it, you will be happy with the experience. If you cannot dig the aesthetic, go elsewhere, but you are missing out on some truly great pie.
Review Source:This has been a staple of our family for too many years to count. Â At least since about 1981 when we moved to Indianapolis and started heading back to Galion, Ohio through Plain City to visit our "good looking relations." Â (Inside joke, my apologies). Â
Der Dutchman has grown considerably since then, but the good quality comfort food has stayed consistent and delicious. Â
While the food is wonderful, I would only refrain from giving them that final star due to the fact that they are too big.  The restaurant has grown a little too large to be "cozy" and takes just a little "pinch" away from the atmosphere.  Still, the service and food is  top notch.
Many happy returns, Der Dutchman. Â Hope too see you again soon!
The bakery has some pretty solid treats. I really enjoyed the blackberry pie and the peach hand pies. I got an apple fritter, but it was comparable to many others I have eaten. I would give the bakery a 4 out of 5. I have tried a variety of their bakery items, and they have all been tasty!
The restaurant... That is another story. I went with some friends on a Saturday night, and we had to wait 45 minutes. Expect to wait if you are coming at any peak eating hour. We all got the buffet that I had heard so much raving about. I got a small portion of all the meats and sides. I have to say - I was not impressed. The shredded turkey and beef were both extremely dry. The mashed potatoes were decent, but could have used some more flavoring. The chicken and noodles did not impress me. It tasted a little like Campbells with bigger noodles. The rolls were good, and the salad bar had plenty of options. I would give the restaurant a 2.5 out of 5.
This is just not my style of restaurant.
Ick. Pretty underwhelming all around. I've heard people talk about this place since German class in middle school and after it being built up in my head for the last 15 years, it was a huge let down. All the food was pretty bland and overcooked. The only thing that was halfway decent was the stuffing that I think had apples in it. My experience was topped off by a butterscotch pie that tasted reasonably good, but hardly like butterscotch. The service was acceptable, but I felt bad leaving a 20% tip as I think it was too much. As far as prices go, it was $30 for a kids buffet, and adult buffet, a piece of pie and a sundae. Not a good deal at all for a bunch of food from a can. I suppose if you're a Vera Bradley fan they do have a big selection in the gift shop.
Review Source:This review is actually two separate reviews: one for the restaurant/buffet, and one for my Rehearsal Dinner.
Restaurant: 5 stars. Â Delicious homemade food, awesome service, pie can't be beat, wonderful dinner buffet. Â Breakfast buffet cannot be beat. Â $7.99 and it includes those amazing chocolate long johns.
Rehearsal Dinner: 1 star. Â Awful. Â Service was terrible (they gave us one waitress) and they set up the room in the most awkward way imaginable. Â Two separate rows of tables across a room, so most of the guests could not see each other and speeches were impossible. Â Now I know why the price seemed so reasonable.
My five stars is based on their donuts and bakery not the restaurant. Â I stopped in this morning for another bite of their Apple Fritter and Long Johns (I call them Cream Sticks because I am from NE Ohio.
The Apple Fritter is just huge as it is bigger than my tiny hands put together. Â The donut was light, fluffy, and full of small bites of apples. Â I hadn't had a fresh one for quite some time and remembered why i hold all other fritters to the Der's standard. Â I also grabbed a Long John and ate half of it to refresh my taste buds. Â I had to do this for the integrity of my search for the best donut (I also ran about a mile today so I think it was ok). Â I think they just brought the Long John out as it was still fresh and warm. Â These are huge so eating a half is the equivalent of eating two Krispy Kremes. Â I love the lightness to each of these but let me warn you: Â The lightness disappears from your stomach when you eat a whole apple fritter and half of a Long John. Â I guess eating one or a half of one should be enough.
The nice thing about their donuts is one can order a dozen and then cut them in half so you have 24 donuts and no one feels cheated. Â
If I review their restaurant and buffet my stars would drop to 3 or 4. Â I have eaten here before but I tend not to like Amish comfort food since it is the food I grew up on. Â I can go home and get everything here made for me by my mom. Â So my review of Amish-Mennonite comfort food would be tainted.
I have been to this place 3 times, so this review is a culmination of all 3 experiences. My first time here I didn't know what to expect and had never heard the hype as I was not a Cbuser, yet. It was good. I had the sweet potato fries and they were wonderful. My second and third times here, however, for the breakfast buffet, were complete failures. The buffet consisted of french toast sticks, sausage, bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy and their famous (practically) foot long cream sticks and more.
The first time- it caused myself and my partner to be stuck in the bathroom for long periods of time. The second time it merely caused both of our stomachs to protest semi-violently. Why- (do you ask me) did we go back a second time for breakfast? Because our little girls who love the Bendaroos they gave them AND we had a $20 groupon. Never again. We both agree we would never again go there for breakfast and never again if we didn't have a groupon.
When you move 2,000 miles away from your birthplace, you do sometimes come back to visit, and when you do, you have your Homesick Circuit.
For me, Der Dutchman is one of the stops on that circuit. It's just so... Midwestern. Nobody where I live now really understands meatloaf or open-faced sandwiches.
The portions at Der Dutchman are huge. The salad bar is great: there is old-school lettuce (no arugula here!), and pickled eggs, and lots of shredded cheese, and unctuous clumpy salad dressings. The carbs... oh, the carbs. If you plan your meal right, you can have noodles AND mashed potatoes. Or what about some roast beef over mashed potatoes with a hunk of thick white bread? Yum.
Der Dutchman's atmosphere is grandma chic, which means that the decor is somewhat fussy and yet plain, and also very comfortable and welcoming.
I love it. I miss it. But I'll be there again someday.
I have to agree with Laura J. Â The food is not so good. And the old Amish restaurant that occupied the space that is now the Dutch Kitchen (it was called the Kountry Kitchen, I think) was much much better. Â There is nothing inherently wrong with Amish style food, though one ought to work like an Amishman if one is going to eat like an Amishman. Â Otherwise, one risks tipping the scales at 300 lbs, as do many of the Der Dutchman customers. (And I used to live in PC when I was a kid, and consider the town my home town.)
Review Source:I love buffets, not gonna lie. Â Don't really even care how good the food is, especially if I'm hungover, which is the only time I ever eat here.
This place is truly a trip--both in that you have to drive a ways to get out there and that it's just an interesting place. Â I'm going to go ahead and warn everyone, even though this should be obvious. Â It's an Amish style *family restaurant* and they do not serve alcohol. Â Now, you'd think if you explained this to someone it's kind of a given that there won't be alcohol--"We're going to an Amish Buffet." Â Well, I was in the mood for some super fatty, starchy buffet food a few weeks ago and craving Der Dutchman after a night out downtown. Â I went here with a girl who was also struggling with a hangover. Â So, we get there, and she says she can't "wait to get a mimosa," then when I tell her "you can't get one here" she says "oh, they don't have champagne, I'll just get a bloody mary." Â Wow. Â Anyway, she was pissed and it kind of ruined our whole adventure with her complaining. Â No, things didn't work out with us.
The atmosphere here is campishly country kitchen styled mixed with what I would only call "funeral home décor."  Yes, it reminds me of a funeral home.  Wander around when you are done eating and you'll understand.  Lots of furniture made to look nice but you can tell it's cheap with the silk flowers and dim lighting.  Bleh.  Just get your buffet on and then get the hell out before someone tries to embalm you.  Although, I do feel like I'm dying after I eat here so maybe it is a funeral home/restaurant combo.
On to the food--it's good food but not great. Â They start out offering you bread or rolls. Â They are served with AMAZING--no other words describe this--creamy caramel peanut butter marshmallow spread. Â This stuff is so so good. Â It does, however, contain TRANS FAT. Â They have bottles of it on every table and just be careful because trans fat KILLS PEOPLE, but its so yummy in everything it's mixed with that it's hard to resist. Â It not only lowers good cholesterol, but also makes bad cholesterol rise. Â It's pure poison. Â But, I don't eat here more than a couple times a year, so I figure I can handle a little. Â They also sell this stuff to buy and take home in their gift shop, which is filled with shelves and shelves of yummy baked goods and amish delights.
Now the buffet salad bar: Â there's ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF on this thing. Â I always get started with the salad bar. Â The salad bar has unique "metal plates" that are kept ice cold. Â This is a nice touch. Â They also have the best dressings (probably trans fatty but who cares) I've just about ever had. Â The macaroni salad and cole slaw is also amazing. Â I usually make a salad with fresh bacon bits, chopped eggs, onions, blue cheese dressing and fresh grated cheddar cheese. Â Yep, super healthy. Â They also have homemade pickled eggs on the salad bar which are 2 die 4 if you like pickled eggs.
Now for the buffet hot food: Â the fried chicken is crisp and delicious. Â They also have these sweet and sour ham ball things that are wonderful. Â They have chicken and noodles, assorted gravies, ham, roast beef and all kinds of stuff that I've had and it's all pretty good. Â The only complaint I have is that the mashed potatoes are not very good and remind me of the powdered mixed ones. Â I will also note that dessert is scant and/or non-existent--there's been bread pudding both times I've been here and it was blah tasting and that's all I saw in the dessert department. Â I think they want you to order dessert from the menu, which they are known for.
All in all: Â not gourmet food, but good food. Â Go starving, or hungover, and get your money's worth. Â The only problem is that both times I've gone I'm so comatose and delirious from eating so much that I have trouble keeping my eyes open as I drive home.
Ok, my fist review was based on Der Dutchman in Amish County about 2 hours away, this time I went to the Original in Plain City and now I believe in the hype.
I still love local chops like Yutzy's more, but the Donuts and cookies are amazing!
The other items cost more than everywhere else in town but the donuts are big as your head and if you get a dozen they are just under a dollar each, 3 kinds of fritters from blueberry, cherry to apple, all good, apple is the winner though.
Great stuff, cute decor store a bit overpriced but if I wasn't  looking at the pricetags I would have bought it all.
The people are friendly, this will be a stop each time I go to Plain City for some Amish goodness!
You can never go wrong at the Der Dutchman for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or even if you come here with a group of people. I've eaten here many times and was never disappointed. Normally they have their usual menu and their buffet. You cant go wrong with either option. The staff here is very friendly as well. Â
We were just here within the week with our church family. They quickly seated and the waitress was by to ask us for our drink orders. As we waited for our drinks, we had a salad infront of us, plus where I sat there was a piece of chocolate mousse pie. Yum. I did all I could not to dig into the pie before our dinner! ha! Â We were all served the buffet of mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, stuffing, pot roast, chicken and gravy. Yum.
Overall the atmosphere in the banquet room was inviting and comfortable. Dont forget to stop in at the bakery and the gift shop! The wheat bread and other goodies are worth picking up a loaf or two while you are there. The gift shop is big and has a variety of different items that you can choose from -- a gift for a friend to doillies (sp?) to quilts to candles to pictures that you can hang on your wall. If you go here, eat and check out both the bakery and gift shop!!!
I've been hearing from friends that Der Dutchman has an impressive bakery, so I decided to make the trip out there in the late afternoon. Â I've never been there before but wow...the place is HUGE and there were tons of people there. Â Frankly, I was wasn't interested in the dinner selections but I was very curious about the bakery. Â
The bakery is virtually a store unto itself. Â There are tons of bread, cookies, and pies. Â Behind the counter are the donuts. Â The donut selection isn't mind-boggling but the donuts are utterly huge. Â Each donut is equal to two regular donuts. Â No joke. Â
I'm trying to recall the selection: bismarks (vanilla, maple, and chocolate) various fritters, twist donuts, regular glazed, and perhaps a couple other types. Â You won't find a big variety here like you would at Buckeye Donuts or even Kroger's (when they're well-stocked). Â
By the time I tried the donutes, it must have been around 6 PM but the donuts were still super-fresh. Â I'm assuming that Der Dutchman is making several batches throughout the day. Â If they would've been made in the early AM, the donuts I bought would've been stale already. Â Instead they were very fresh and quite delicious. Â
My final verdict: the donuts were pretty great. Â I'm a bismark fan myself and personally didn't care for them too much as I found the cream on the inside was a bit too bland and greasy. Â I prefer a sweeter cream. Â On the other hand, I thought the apple fritter, twistee, and regular glazed were absolutely delicious. Â I would certainly buy them again. Â
I should add that I also bought a small variety pack of cookies and they were great as well. Â I had assumed that with the huge assortment that Der Dutchman had in the bakery that it wasn't made in-house, but everything that I tried certainly had a homemade taste and was very fresh.
Would I recommend the Der Dutchman bakery? Â Absolutely. Â Everything was delicious and fresh. Â Even at 5 PM on a Saturday, there was still a great selection of baked goods.
I recently went back to the Der Dutchman after almost a year. Â I really like the renovations.
This is hard review because it really a business with multiple aspects. Â I am rating the the Restaurant and Bakery.
The restaurant is okay. Â I usually go there for breakfast. Â Â The menu is the only option for the early AM with a buffet later in the AM (around 7:30 AM).
If iti is your first time - I recommend the buffet because you can decide what you like and do not. Â Â They offer many of the bakery items on the buffet - which is a real good opportunity to try some of their fabulous donuts.
The breakfast is good - not outstanding. Â The people are friendly so I am not going to knock it. Â They offer the standard fair. Â A couple of notes the toast is from their home made bread and I realy like their skillets off the menu (eggs, potatoes, peppers, onions, bacon, and cheese).
Breakfast will cost you $5-10 depending on what you get.
Bakery: Â I believe this is where the amish recipes are still being used if I was to guess.
Great pastries at a great price. Â Â A donze of donuts there will run you around $10. Â The portions are huge One Der Dutchman dozen = 2 dozen of a competitor. Â Â They offer 3 types of fritters (apple, blueberry, and cherry). Â They offer the most amazing Long Johns. Â
They sell out of  their Long John donuts on Saturdays usually Â
They sell bread, pies, meats, cheeses, etc.. there.
Go there for the bakery and if you have time get some breakfast.. Â Enjoy!
In my opinion, this is the best kind of food ever! I used to work in an Amish restaurant in Newark several years ago and I can see many similarites.
Der Dutchman has really expanded and added on since I've been there last. There is a new wing open with a waiting area (with a baby grand piano), a nice bakery, and gift store.
My parents and I went with a friend and had the dinner "barn-raising buffet." It was delicious! The salad bar had a variety of potato sald, slaw, pickled beets (my favorite), cottage cheese, three-bean salad, and other things.
The buffee itself was amazing! It had chicken noodles, mashed potatos, stuffing, sugar cured ham, roast beef, fried chicken, green bean casserole, baked beans, rice, and a few other things I'm probably forgetting!
I'm glad I live so close to this place and can't wait to go back!
Wow, I have had the displeasure of dining at two horrible Dutch restaurants this week. Go figure.
Der Dutchman was at one time authentic food where you could see the old Amish ladies in the back yelling at the young kids, and watch them make food, but sadly, Der Dutchman has went on the cheap, and everything is Ala aluminum can quality. Don't believe me? We knew people who used to work there a few years ago, and even our waitress on our visit last night admitted that some of the food products were from a can.
This place is simply a tourist trap for really old people, or people requiring a large space for a reunion, or banquet, because the food is mediocre. You honestly can get better quality at Bob Evans, a chain Restaurant, and that I can verify since I worked there and have seen the KP firsthand.
When we usually have to go here for family engagements I order the turkey Manhattan, but I tried the "homemade" noodles this time as a side, and they were anything but authentic. They reassembled the noodles you can find in a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup.
I will say that at least the turkey on my Manhattan was amazing, so perhaps they're still REALLY cooking the poultry here, but all the sides are clearly from a can.
People go crazy over the pies here, but they're so mediocre to me, and it came to no surprise when the waitress admitted some of the flavors are... yep, you guessed it, from A CAN! If you order your pie Ala mode, at least the soft serve ice-cream is pretty dagone good.
The market area they have here is wonderful! They have plenty of sweets, cheeses, noodles, and breads to take home. They also have a HUGE gift area where you can find some unique and interesting things, and is nice to take a look around when wait times get long.
I will praise Der Dutchman for being in the Plain City Community for over 25 years, and they've re-done the entire decor of the Restaurant, which looks amazing, and provides more seating room for visitors. The new set up is wonderful, and I'm so glad they added some bathrooms CLOSER to the eating area, so you don't feel like you have to walk a mile.
Now... if you could only do something about the cheap canned food. Then I could appreciate you a little more.
**MY ADVICE: Check out Dutch Kitchen down the road about two miles. They're small, quaint, and you won't have to fight Grandma to get that golden piece of chicken.
I've been to a lot of "Amish" buffet places like this over the years, and this is one of the best. Â Maybe it's the time of day I normally go (Thursday evenings), or maybe I've just been lucky, but I have walked away satisfied and sated every time. Â
I always get the buffet, the highlight of which is the chicken - it's so flavorful you can just pull off the skin and eat the meat. Â I have a feeling the grease and salt content is ridiculous, but a tasty splurge now and then isn't a bad thing. Â
Other offerings are also very good. Â Of note are the chicken and noodles, creamy corn, and the fresh-baked breads. Â I also really like the salad bar, even if the super-chopped salad is a bit unusual. Â It makes mixing in the other toppings very easy, though, and seems to release more flavor. Â
The only item that is somewhat disappointing is the roast beef, which is rather chewy and dry most the time. Â Visit Sauder Village in Archbold for the best roast beef!
Definitely save room for dessert! Â The pies here are top notch. Â I especially like the sugar and cream pies, made with -real- whipped cream which is dense and rich. Â
Service, by the way, is very good. Â I've yet to have a server who wasn't friendly. Â Sometimes when busy they aren't as quick about the refills as one would like, but given the number of folks this place packs in, it's understandable.
Before or after dining, be sure to drop by the gift shop and bakery. Â The gift shop is...well... overpriced, but interesting to look at. Â There is some very pretty jewelry. Â The bakery, though, has a lot of delicious things for sale, from fresh challah bread that will melt in your mouth, to entire boxes of cookies and pies. Â Be sure to try the doughnuts too - they're as big as your head, fresh-made, and ridiculously decadent. Â I don't even normally like doughnuts, but these are an exception. Â
As to decor, at this moment, the place is being redone from outside in. Â The parking lot and large waiting areas are sprawling, confusing messes, and the main dining area has a sort of construction-site chic thing going. Â But, really, the food is the main thing here. Â I'm sure it will look great once the work is done.
Be aware and wary of wild rug-rats who will trip you trying to go back to your table from the buffet.
*Update: Looks like the renovations are nearly completed and it's looking good. Â The old waiting room is now a dining room, complete with an old buggy that now serves as a dining table in one corner. Â I bet I would have loved that as a kid! Â Food is as good as ever, whether you drop by on a week night, holiday, or weekend.
What is going on here? 16 reviews and an average of 3 stars?! Who are you people?? Der Dutchman is a GEM.
When you think of Chicago you think pizza, hot dogs, steaks. When you think of NYC you think of bagels, cupcakes, street meat. SF - all and any ethnic food. When you think of Columbus what comes to mind? I'll tell you what SHOULD come to mind - AMISH food. Now some of you may be offended by that comment...but stay with me for a second here.
Yes, I know Columbus has a great food scene. But honestly, if you think of all the food types out there....a lot of the food categories are already taken by other cities. But AMISH food, think about it...where else have you had better Amish food? The cheese, the doughnuts, chicken noodle soup on top of mash potatoes! Â mmm mmm mmm!
The other day my bf asked if I could make thick chicken noodle soup. Â Confused, I asked him what he was talking about. 'you know, the kind at der dutchman!', he responded. Boy, do I look Amish to you?
I really don't get the hype over this restaurant.  I've been there numerous times (I used to live in Plain City, and some of my family members used to work at Der Dutchman), but I've just never really cared much  for this place.  I have noticed, from friends and family, that the people I know who love Bob Evans also love this place.  Maybe that will help some of you decide if you want to give Der Dutchman a try.  Personally, both places bore me.  But if you love Bob Evans, you will probably love this place, too.
I think one of the reasons I am always disappointed with this place is that there used to be a fantastic Amish / Mennonite restaurant run by a local family in Plain City a couple of decades ago that was beyond amazing and I keep wishing Der Dutchman had the quality of food that place had. Â That location (a few miles south from Der Dutchman on 42) is actually now home to a restaurant called Dutch Kitchen, which is owned by the same company that owns Der Dutchman. Â (As a side note, the food at the Dutch Kitchen is gross, not even up to par with Der Dutchman, in my opinion). Â I don't know the history of why the family sold their far superior restaurant, but it's such a shame!!
If I really felt Der Dutchman had the home-cooked quality of food of that former restaurant, maybe I would be willing to give them a break. Â Quite simply, they don't even come close.
First off, this is a really beautiful restaurant. Â Besides the dining area, it also encompases a grocery section where you can buy pies, sausages,, etc. Â And then there is a section for gifts and these go up in price to the hundreds of dollars.
Now to the food. Â The salad bar has about everything you'd want. Â From lettuce to peas and beets and all kinds of dressings. Â The hot food area has fried chicken and ham, and meatball, and bbq'd beef. Â And other stuff that I can't recall. Â Oh, the mashed potatoes are great. Â And the home-style gravy.
I think the people who are complaining about having to wait are really missing the point. Â If the food wasn't good, there wouldn't be any line.
Hospitality from the Amish people is excellent. Very polite and very kind. Came to this place with my brother and his family. The server remembered exactly who they were. Probably because she never seen an Asian family before. But either way, service was great.
We all ordered the buffet. Think of a smaller Home Town Buffet but with superior quality. Fried Chicken, roast beef, creamed corn, mashed potatoes are parts of the menu. Fried chicken was probably one of the best I had.
To make this a great place was the dessert. We bought a rasberry cream pie that was better than any thing I had at Marie Calendars.
Good job Amish people!
Der Dutchman is an enormous Amish style restaurant, which actually has many Mennonite's working there. Â True to its roots, don't bother stopping by on Sunday, which is sad, as my favorite meal there is breakfast. Â Der Dutchman serve ample portions, and most opt for either family style dining (essentially a mini buffet brought to your table) or the buffet. Â Lunch/dinner is filled with turkey, roast beef, broasted chicken, beans, potatoes, and other country style items, and you can follow this up with one of a dozen or so awesome fresh pies they make. Â Breakfast features the best donuts you've ever had (especially their maple iced creme filled ones), combined with fruits (decent selection by Ohio standards), eggs, sausage, pancakes, and bacon. Â I go straight for donuts and bacon but the rest is great from what I hear.
Service is rather good, seating is very ample (not sure there is a bigger setup in Columbus), and while there tends to be lots of families there, which is no surprise given the very reasonable prices, the kids tend to be rather well behaved.
Since the moment I stepped foot in Columbus and talked up my beloved Cracker Barrel, all I have heard is Der Dutchman this, Der Dutchman that...so  I finally went.  And it wasn't bad but it was no Cracker Barrel. I know most people will laugh at that but southern folks know how it's done.  Right down to the shopping.
I WILL readily admit that the Der Dutchman gift shop area was charming and I love the whole Amish connection but the food...some of it was outstanding, don't get me wrong...but some of it was just plain disappointing. Â Maybe in its heyday this place was the shizzle fo rizzle but I think it's losing it's luster.
And yes, the wait was horrendous both times I have been. Â Don't go hungry.
In high school I remember my mom waking me up at the crack of dawn to drive three hours to eat at an authentic amish restaurant for breakfast. Â I'll admit that those were the best buttermilk biscuits I've ever had...The Windmill, that was the restaurants name.
So when my husband and I decided to head out to the countyside to enjoy a haunted corn maze in celebration of Halloween we stopped here to eat. Â The wait was over an hour so I was anticipating a great home cooked meal. Â Unfortunately it was a disappointment. Â The chicken was really greasy and all of the sides on the buffet compared to those of Hometown or worse yet, Ponderosa. Â
A final judgement couldn't be made without trying the chocolate pie, the pie is what awarded the Der Dutchman two stars, it was yummy. Â If I had known I could work it off being lost in a corn field for two hours I would have had another slice.
I walked into Der Dutchman and found myself in the midst of about 100 hardy Ohioans standing around in an ENORMOUS waiting room (seriously--you could fit an entire high school prom in the lobby) while some Amish lady screamed out names over the loudspeaker (e.g., Wayne, party of 15, Wayne, party of 15, your table is ready). Â So there's not much in the way of ambiance. Â But then I followed the intoxicating maple syrup aroma wafting from the bakery...and promptly bought my baby bro a delectable banana cream pie for his birthday. Â He owes me one. Â I seriously contemplated hoisting that thing onto my flight back to NYC.
Anyway, I also managed to convince myself to buy a bag of popcorn, some sausage that got me flagged at airport security (no joke), spicy beef jerky, and a cream cheese spread made with "dried beef, cream cheese, scallions and tabasco {YUM}". Â My shopping made our 45 minute wait go by a lot faster. Â It was a Saturday night, I guess. Â The place was bumpin.
And rightfully so--I attacked the buffet with a relish that would have done my Chinese ancestors proud. Â Their "broasted" (you say tomato, i say tomahto. Â they say broasted, i say fried) chicken is stellar, as is the creamed corn, the mashed potatoes, the noodles, the stuffing, the gravy, etc. Â And did I mention the banana cream pie??
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
