Hershey area restaurants

[Tigger1028]

We will be leaving for the Hershey area in less than 2 weeks and I was wondering if anyone has been to any good restaurants in the area? We do want to try some local cooking and I have seen some of the Dutch restaurants like, Good n Plenty, Millers, Plain n Fancy, Bird in Hand Smorgasbord and Hershey Farm. Does anyone have any feedback on any of these? Which did you like or dislike? Thanks for all your input!

[wdwfansince75]

Most of the Lancaster County Amish resturants are about 30-40 miles from Hershey. Always preferred Food at Good and Plenty, but atmosphere at Plain and Fancy is better, and food is as authentic, and very good as well. Either is well worth the trip.

If you are into trains, a trip to Strasberg to the Railroad is a wonderful side trip. The Iron Horse Inn in Strasburg is an excellent version of the many classic resturants throughout PA....if you are there any day but weekends, their Chicken and Waffles is a PA classic....and their Crab Cakes are about the best in the area....remember that you are near the Chesapeake Bay, and the PA Dutch have been doing wonderful things with its bounty for a long time.

Hershey Farm is actually near Strasberg. Never dined there, but it always seemed to draw crowds comparable to Good and Plenty, which is the other side of Rt 30 on 896.....

Rt 30 has become the International Drive of PA....lots of chain resturants, outlets, ect....and lots of traffic on weekends....use 896 and 340...traffic is almost as bad, but scenery is much better. Shops and resturants are more authentic.

[Goofy Pluto]

As stated above, all of the restaurants you mentioned above are not very close to Hershey itself. However, if you are also venturing out to the Lancaster area, they are not so far away.

As for the places you mentioned, I've been to a few...

I have to apologize, but I can't remember if we went to Plain n Fancy or Good n Plenty (maybe both), but for whichever it was (or both), I thought they were OK. I remember one being a family style, which I didn't like because they sat you at a long table with strangers and you all had to share the same food. I think the other is solo tables (not family) and the food there again was OK.

I've never been to Miller's, but I've heard it's good. A little more expensive than other smorgasbord's in the area, though. Do hope to go some time, though.

As for Bird In Hand, that's one of my personal favorite's. The first time we went there, I thought it was EXCELLENT! I do have to admit, though, that subsequent visits, while still good, were not the same. Maybe that's because my expectations are so high now that they can't be met, but it's still very good, in my opinion, and we usually go at least once a year when visiting out that way. We've also only ever gone for lunch.

Never been to Hershey Farm, but I do not believe it is actually affiliated with Hershey itself, if that is your expectation.

A couple of other places I want to recommend...

It's a little further out, but if you are interested in smorgasbords, there's The Shady Maple, which is the biggest one in the area. I think they advertise something like 200 choices or 200 feet long, or something like that. All I can tell you is they have more choices than you could possibly ever try. They have a website, if you go to Yahoo or somewhere and search for it (so does Bird In Hand and probably Miller's, too.) They also have a BIG shop down stairs and a market next door. (Bird In Hand has a farmer's market next door, too.) This is a bit further away from Hershey and Lancaster than the others but depending on where you are coming from or heading, it's possible.

The other place I want to recommend is right next to Hershey Park and that is Red Robin. This is one of my favorite restaurants. It's a chain restaurant and their specialty is burgers. If you like burgers, try this place. They have other selections, too, but I'm a big burger guy and really like the food and atmosphere. I've never been disappointed.

Enjoy your trip!

900th POST!!!!

[LuckyMum22]

The family name of Hershey has mennonite roots...hence the use of the name throughout the tri-county area. Hershey does not only mean chocolate around here.
Very close to the park is a wonderful new restaurant that is a chain but is absolutely great - Houlihan's. Check on line for their menu and if you have a birthday they offer a free entree! It is located at the HERSHEY Press Building (in the square surrounded by the chocolate kiss streetlights)
27 W Chocolate Ave
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
717-534-3110
Another good local place is Isaac's Deli. (717) 533-9665. Located on route 422 in Hershey. They have great sandwiches and entertain the kids. Suited for families with great kids meals-no bar here.
The touristy places are a bit of a drive and are in very congested areas this time of year. An alternative and some local favorites for good PA Dutch cooking here would be a Sunday brunch at the Gathering Place
6 Pine St, Mount Joy, PA Tel: (717) 653-5911 call for reservations because it fills up quick!
Another is:
Country Table Restaurant
740 E Main St, Mount Joy, PA
Tel: (717) 653-4745
Remember Google is your friend...

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

We are HUGE Miller's fans. It is an all you can eat buffet and the food is great. We eat there every time we go to PA. It is always pretty crowded so there might be a wait, worth it though. There is some shopping in a little strip mall right next door that you can go in while waiting.

It is quite a ride from Hershey but, we do it often. We stay on Rt 30 and drive to Hershey for the day.

We love Strasburg. We have been taking our kids there for years. There is a great miniature train museum called The Choo Choo Barn right up from the road from there that is awesome! Kitchen Kettle Village is another favorite. It is a small shopping center. Set up like an old town, our kids love it too. I don't know how much time you are spending in the area but there is so much to do.

Have fun!

[snifflesmcg]

I've been to Miller's years ago and just recently Bird in Hand Smorgasboard. Both were great. However, those are more toward the Lancaster area not so close to Hershey, PA. If you are going down that way, surely try it though.

[GreenBeetle]

It's a little further out, but if you are interested in smorgasbords, there's The Shady Maple, which is the biggest one in the area. I think they advertise something like 200 choices or 200 feet long, or something like that. All I can tell you is they have more choices than you could possibly ever try.

Shady Maple is the one I was going to recommend. If you don't mind driving away from Hershey a bit, this smorgasbord/buffet is unbelievable!! Here's the link to the website if you are interested: http://www.shady-maple.com/.

If you decide to go, my best advice is wear loose-fitting pants - you will roll out of there!

[DessertDivaFL]

I was born and raised up there (graduated from Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown)but my brother still lives in the area. He suggests going to Kreider Farms Restaurant which is right on Rt. 322. He also suggests The Farmer's Wife which is on Rt. 22. The best are in Lancaster County which you already mentioned.