iron hen cafe

food was great and server was amazing. we have small children that were not acting well and our server was understanding and helpful. would comebackagain.

catered for a crowd. we needed a great caterer for a very special event, and the iron hen cafe was the perfect choice. from the first phone call, we knew we were working with an exceptional staff. the menu was quite unique - organic, local, fresh, and that's what we got! i have since gonebackto purchase more the the now famous - bbq chicken salad. the exceptional delivery service from kim was very much appreciated & so efficient. glad greensboro has a restaurant that's dedicated to excellence.

not a place i'd gobackto. this is one of those places where i simply don't see what many others seem to appreciate here - in fact, our lunch here was simply, completely bad - in ambiance, service, quality of food, and value - that doesn't leave much else to appreciate.

this is a small place with closely placed tables with uncomfortable, straight back, wooden chairs with no cushioning. this is a noisy place, and was today with only 3 other customers in house, and the music blasting away in the background. the acoustics here are just not good. we chose to move outside - the noise of the traffic on nearby wendover avenue was preferable to being inside.

we ordered 2 sandwiches - the 8 oz grass-fed burger with cheese, and the crab cake sandwich. each was $12, and came with a side and their signature "very good" deviled egg - which is 1/2 an egg. despite the fact there was only one order in front of us (2 folks ordering breakfast) it took a full 30 minutes to get our order. i didn't expect fast food service, but i didn't expect to age significantly over lunch either.

the burger was simply awful, with an underlying bitterness, and an almost rancid greasiness. this burger tasted like it had been cooked on a grill that had not been properly, or recently, cleaned - old oil or grease will leave a definite signature taste. the taste of the meat on the inside of the burger was simply without flavor. the hand-cut ff were only ok, limp and under-cooked - a ff should not curl over when picked up. the 1/2 devil egg was bland, with salt and pepper only marginally helpful. the cheeseburger, as served, costs $12, and would be way overpriced even if it was a good burger, and this was definitely not a good burger. the best burger in town would cost from $7 - $9, with a side.

the crab cake sandwich suffered from the same underlying bitterness; again i would suspect the grill on which it was cooked. the red bliss potato salad was, like the deviled egg, bland. this sandwich was also $12 as served and definitely not a value meal even if it tasted good.

maybe these folks do some other things well, maybe this was just a bad day, but what we experienced here was a totally bad meal - an uncomfortable, noisy environment; slow time out of a less than busy kitchen; poor quality food; and much less than reasonable value. i cannot image a scenario in which i would comebackhere.

lived up to excellent reviews. chose this restaurant for its emphasis on local, in-season and humanely raised food. everything we ordered was superb, from appetizers to main course to dessert. wish we had a place like this where we lived. very laidbackbut attentive service. loved it so much am sending my husband here without me on a business trip tomorrow.

i love this place!. i am a commercial pilot; so having traveled many places and seen many things, i have to admit that my tastes can be rather selective. in so many restaurants and shops across the nation (and yes, even the world) you happen upon the same cuisine everywhere. the same sandwich, the same soup, the same salad, desert, etc. obviously locales offer different variations, and to find a truly unique and representative flavor of the area you have to look very hard. i am tickled pink that here in greensboro,nc i didn't have to look to hard at all.

nearly two years ago now i discovered the iron hen, and i have to say that i have really been satisfied every time i have returned. so many restaurants have attempted to capture local flavor, and have only succeeded in drowning their quest in the typical. the hen offers distinctive flair that is only surpassed by its commitment to the meal. the menu, while simplistic in its nature is truly a work of art. the artisan chefs have found a way to literally taste each ingredient in every selection. each and every dish is an homage to health, flavor, and satisfaction. this is unique in the area, and while one might expect such a menu to be found at an exorbitantly expensive restaurant, this clearly isn't the case. the prices are well within reason, and its location is very accessible.

its quiet and unassuming exterior houses a bustle of guests who have also found the food delectable, and for good reason. the staff is friendly, and the food is real. nearly all the ingredients are from the local vendors which surround the area, and in return the iron hen willing to givebackto the community. the restaurant is committed to leaving as little a foot print as it can with all disp0sable products being one hundred percent compost able. being from a very environmentally aware place, i can appreciate this immensely.

in short, this traveler is well satisfied and intends to make several return visits. the iron hen is a unique slice of americana. it preserves the flavors of the area's past while keeping a steady eye on the future. i am only too happy to endorse the iron hen in every way that i can.

it's a cool place. i've gonebackand forth with this place. it's not, overall, good. i agree with other reviewer in that the food lacks something. many of the dishes i've had are bland, the service can be lack luster ,and the prices a bit high. however, there is something about this place that is undeniable. i guess my suggestion would be to hit this place for sunday brunch. i've been at different times and the sunday brunch is by far the best.

shrimp and grits. so amazing!


-----14 dec, 2011-----

catfish sandwich with the perfect deviled egg. yum!


-----14 dec, 2011-----

tempeh tacos. these are very tasty!


-----12 dec, 2011-----

iron hen café: fresh. local. good. simply amazing!. iron hen café: fresh. local. good.

i mean come on people! if the words on the front of the building don't tell you all you need to know, then i think you just might have a few screws loose in that pretty little head of yours. if anyone is as bold as the owner of iron hen café to put how good it is on the front of the building, it durn well better be good inside…period. *smiles* let me tell you, it was fantastic!

it was literally like foodie heaven. the menu speaks for itself, when you see phrases like…

"old mill of guilford's buttermilk buckwheat pancakes…"
"simple kneads bakery's buttermilk roll sliced and dipped in a peanut butter batter, seared and topped with sliced bananas, honey, and powdered sugar"
"tender braised beef short ribs, pulled and served over asiago peppercorn toast, topped with fresh arugula, poached eggs and a hickory smoked tomato hollandaise"
"crab cake medallions seared"
"grilled peach and scallop salad with walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles"
"fried goat cheese salad with a grilled pineapple and pancetta salsa over mesclun greens, topped with an aged balsamic reduction" (i'm getting this one next time, wow!)
"grilled portobello mushroom on asiago peppercorn bread with provolone cheese, caramelized sweet onion, roasted red peppers, roasted red pepper aioli, and spinach" (had that last night, amazing!)
"tender braised beef short rib in natural jus with hickory smoked brie, shaved red onions, and baby arugula, on a kaiser bun"
are you drooling yet??? wait, there's more…

"friday night iron skillet fried chicken: a breast and leg dusted in espresso flour and friend in a cast iron skillet" (omg, did you read that??? yum!)
"baked smoked gouda mac and cheese, parmesan charred corn on the cob, corn fritters with honey, collard green egg rolls"
they also have a delightful selection of baked goods at the front counter, and an espresso selection that looked tasty.
it's the kind of place that makes you want to become a better foodie…and, while i'm sure i would love every single adventurous thing on the menu, i love the simple things from a kitchen even more (because yes, the simple things are the true test of a good restaurant) , and with that being said, the best thing i put in my mouth at the restaurant…the baked smoked gouda mac and cheese. it wasn't that annoying mac and cheese with stringy cheese everywhere where you have to check and see if anyone saw you tackling that long string that dripped down from your hungry mouth. it was smooth, cheesy…..creamy. it was as if the gods had bent down from the heavens and touched the chef personally that made it. mouth wateringly good.

the atmosphere: when you walked in, you just felt peaceful. there were no harsh colors in your face, the lighting was soft. it was very light and refreshing. it's exactly how you want to feel when walking into a place that has a mission to connect the food they serve to the farm it came from and the people at their tables. green. thebackof the menu states that they favor organic and north carolina grown items.

we are our own farmers' biggest fans and we must support them in every way we can! what better way than supporting a local restaurant that prides themselves on bringing us local goods from local farms and companies and helps contribute to a healthier agricultural north carolina.

the help: a real quick blurb about the people working there last night…matt, kate, and chandler (who briefly appeared from thebacktowards the end of the visit)….yum, beautiful, quite cute. oh sure, you've heard me talk about delicious waiters before…but these guys took it to a whole new level. they were super nice to us and everyone in there that night. truly seemed like good hearted individuals, and those are the people you want to employ. they were tolerant of my questions, and took the time to make us feel welcome in their restaurant. they acted like they were owners as well and took pride in the items when i asked them for suggestions. it was great to have that interaction, and to see them interacting with other tables as well. they really do care about the customer's experience.

thank you iron hen café for a fabulous pre-birthday dinner. the food was wonderful, the employees were entertaining and fabulous, and the whole experience was refreshing. will bebacknext week, and the week after that, and after that, and …….. (you get the point).

a few shots of my visit…. i would have loved to have had my real camera in here, but you get cell phone pictures. *smiles*

this place is horrible. do not go!!!. what a let down. local food is awesome. but local terrible tasting food that's almost unedible is horible. the food is very very greasy, like gas station gross. im not even kidding. i have eaten there a few times hoping it was just a bad cook but no-its the same way with multiple dishes every time. and the place is filthy.

also the woman who owns the place is very openly rude to both customers and her employees during business hours. she actually yells and calls them cuss words etc. once i was having coffee there, and a lady had left her car there over night cause she couldn't get her key to turn the ignition. i see this lady there a lot she spends good money there. the owner was extremely rude to her about having the car towed, and threatened her to do so before 12, they lady said the soonest she could be at the car was at 12:45. the owner told her she didn't care, then went on about a rant of how she was doing this customer a favor because people apparently pee on the side of the building at night so she was having a bad day. unbelievable!!!! i will never gobackto spend money there and i advise others to do the same. plus the owner is only nice to the rich senior citizens that live in fisher park who come there to read newspapers. yet she only hires hipsters to work there. so look out! if you wnat terrible food, an owner to yell at you for breathing or being human, etc. then go here. what a waste of space of an establishment. i have facebooked this and many many other people responded having the same experiences. over 75 people now and climbing!
numbers dont lie.

goingbacktomorrow .... looking for local flavor in the greensboro area and found this restaurant on urbanspoon. glad i searched, it was an excellent find.

had the roasted portobello and vegetable sandwich and a side of deliciously gooey gouda macaroni and cheese. paired with a local natty greene amber ale, followed with a thick slice of the chocolate espresso cake with a professionally pulled double espresso. everything listed above was excellent, and coupled with the friendly and enthusiastic staff, made for a very nice dinner for a texan a long way from home. the sandwich was a delicious mix of meaty portobello mushrooms with well cooked peppers and onions, layered with tangy cheese and just enough mayonnaise to ensure you used your napkin. crispy but not heavy, just the right size. the gouda-based macaroni and cheese was sticky, just the right kind of chewy, with a rich sauce that held on to the noodles perfectly.

has a very nice, clean and light atmosphere - outside seating was fine in the evening, although i can imagine it might be a little less pleasant in the middle of a busy lunch rush. the restaurant lists large number of local and regional suppliers for everything that it cooks, and is the kind of place that every town should have as an antidote for the industrial and chain-driven junk that we eat so much of. prices were very reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food, and it'll be even harder to pick just one entree off the menu next time.

highly recommended, and i'll be visiting for the black bean patty breakfast as soon i can get back.