iron hen cafe

a new favorite!. i frequent the iron hen at least once a week for lunch!
i have tried several of their entrees and have never been disappointed. the food is fresh, primarily local, and amazing! and for all of these qualities it's very reasonably priced! therestaurantitself also has a quaint, cozy, neighborhood feel (i love eating outside).
i highly recommend the fried goat cheese salad = incredible! i am also a big fan of the homemade, thinly sliced, sweet potato chips - yum!!

i am so thrilled that greensboro finally has arestaurantlike this that offers healthy, delicious food that supports our local economy. please support them to so that we can enjoy thisrestaurantfor many years to come!

my favoriterestaurantspot. sure it's overcrowded and loud but that's because it is that good. people (myself included) will wait 45 min for breakfast it's so good. definitely worth the price and time. just be prepared for the atmosphere. i'm not a fan of being cramped and near others but for some of the best breakfast in town, i'll manage.

not bad but should be better. iron hen shoots for several ideas i can appreciate in arestaurant-- they attempt to source local, and by extension, seasonal and perhaps more environmentally sound food. unfortunately, while laudable, this doesn't overcome iron hen's shortfalls, which i feel are plentiful. let us start with what for most people is the bottom line, taste: my experience has been very hit or miss here. the shrimp and grits were quite good, while on the same visit, my girlfriend's portobello sandwich was so vinegary she took the mushrooms off and ate just the rest. the quinoa hash i've gotten has been reasonably good for a light meal, but their signature "very good deviled egg" is embarrassingly lacking in interest. it is singly the most boring deviled egg i have ever eaten.

another note for those considering the iron hen, be prepared to peruse a sandwich-heavy menu. there are a few non-sandwich items, but the heft of their selection is sandwiches. also, echoing many other reviewers, you will find iron hen to be noticeably pricey. think $12 for a burger (albeit grass-fed), and $3 or so for a side. i have my suspicions on why these prices are what they are, which include being on the edge of a wealthy neighborhood and using locally sourced ingredients, but when it comes down to it, unless you're used to spending $20 for lunch in greensboro, it's going to make you expect really good food that you very well might not get.

ultimately, iron hen will be for me a place i rarely go. it's too expensive for the dice roll in quality i take in going there. however, i do feel like the iron hen is not far off. they just need to up their game a bit. i'd personally be willing to go much more frequently if they had consistently good food, including more non-sandwich offerings.

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 gone back to purchase more the the now famous - bbq chicken salad. the exceptional delivery service from kim was very much appreciated & so efficient. glad greensboro has arestaurantthat's dedicated to excellence.

lived up to excellent reviews. chose thisrestaurantfor 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 laid back but 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 give back to the community. therestaurantis 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.

a friend of mine and i just had a delicious dinner at iron hen cafe. this was her first visit and one of many for me. as usual i was very happy with my dinner choice, the fried catfish sandwich, as was my friend who ate the black bean cakes. thisrestaurantis truly one of my favorites, and one that continues to represent why we need to support and stand behind our local independent restaurants. we need more of them. the service was great, thank you brooke, and the atmosphere was chill and great for conversation and good times with friends. iron hen is at the top of my list of favorite places in greensboro. a must try, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

iron hen cafe was the perfect place to meet amy scott, director of marketing – greensboro convention & visitors bureau, and two of her co-workers to talk about what’s been happening in greensboro in general, and the culinary scene in particular. journalist and author john gunther once said, “all happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” color me happy. this was such a fun meal. we talked about food – how impressed we all were with iron hen,restaurantopenings, favorite restaurants ( bin33 , snack bar , table 16 , fincastles , m’couls ), favorite farmers markets, favorite food-related businesses, favorite foods. we also talked about art, culture, history, recreation and how greensboro supports it all. some of their favorites are the new aquatic center  (olympic swim trials held here), proximity hotel , elsewhere (artist collaborative),  bryan park golf and conference center , sheraton greensboro/koury convention center and the greensboro coliseum complex . the hen’s interior is a cr

i love iron hen!!. this is my absolute favorite spot in g'boro to dine. i love the atmosphere, the concept and most importantly the food! breakfast, the steel cut oats with blueberry compote, omg they will make an oatmeal lover out of anyone, they are crazy good, you just have to try them to understand!! of course that's just one of many awesome choices, also love the black bean cakes with a poached egg and tomatillo sauce, sooo good! for the reviewer that said the crab cakes were full of fillers, you must have thisrestaurantmixed up with another. the crab cakes are at the top of my list, as they seem to be made of only fluffy, sweet, crab meat and perfectly cooked, every time. let's not forget to mention the shrimp and grits, such a southern favorite and the hen does it so well. the sides are unique and plentiful and i can't forget to mention the cakes and other baked goodies, which just seem to keep getting better!! yes, iron hen is definitely at the top of my favorites list, do yourself a favor, check it out!

hiit or miss, but mostly miss. mediocre and disappointing. the food simply does not have much flavor and seems to lack the creativity of a talented chef. the fried chicken, which they tout as one of their specialties, is god awful (dry and flavorless) and way overpriced. the crab cakes are mainly filler and the pulled pork is a joke (given that thisrestaurantis in n.c.). their food in general lacks flavor. brunch is good, but also overpriced.

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. the back of 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 localrestaurantthat 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 the back towards 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 be back next 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*

going back tomorrow .... looking for local flavor in the greensboro area and found thisrestauranton 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. therestaurantlists 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.

cramped, but good food.. despite being listed as vegetarian, there is an abundance of protein on the menu including several dishes with bacon. recommended are the smoothies and the salads.
on the downside, thisrestaurantgets really crowded around the lunch hour with its cramped and somewhat limited seating and the parking is horrible.

fresh. local. good.. fresh. local. good. these three words are painted in big black letters above the door to this restaurant. after recently making a decision to be more conscious of my food decisions for economic and health reasons, i decided to give thisrestauranta try. i first inspected the menu which revealed all the local partners from where the iron hen gets it's food. this list included many local farms, and even a favorite of mine, the old mill of guilford. local: check. on to fresh and good.

i ordered the hamburger. on the menu, it said the beef was local and grass-fed. the roll was fresh, the texture wonderfully dense and springy, and taste was superb. the patty was cooked to order (medium in this case), and tasted great! the produce toppings (lettuce, tomato, and onions) were all fresh and tasty. the fries were a deep golden color, not peeled (something i love), and were very tasty. my wife ordered the asian pear salad. she loved it. it was very large, and she had plenty to take home. my kids ordered the chicken tenders. they enjoyed them, and they looked so good that i had to try them. the breading was crispy and delectable. they were served with a great honey-dijon dipping sauce.

of note to all you green people out there, the plastic cups, lids, and straws were made of corn (completely compostable), and the take-home box was made from recycled paper.

overall, i think therestaurantlived up to words painted above the door. i enjoyed it and recommend it.