I've been here about 3 months ago, and just as the reviews over a year ago say, you should probably steer clear of this place. Although our food was decent on the way out and we got our meal for free (!), they just don't seem to have their priorities in order. We came to this restaurant the day after Christmas for some lunch, and it was PACKED... of people waiting. As for the dining room and boxcar area... they were pretty bare because they only had ONE waitress working the front and bringing people their food. She unfortunately had to give people's meals out for free for their wait because it was pretty preposterous that the owner of the establishment would only schedule one person after a major holiday (albeit if Monday's were and are usually "slow").

It goes to show that they just have their pants down, and are still very unprepared. Their food costs way too much, their service is sadly lacking (but not without friendliness and a few gray hairs). It's attraction are clearly out of staters, and if you are one of the lucky few who are local (or not! and reading this review), go look up somewhere else. Heck, go to Shyrl's Dinner in West Lebanon (near the Asian food market) if you're looking for a local feel: it's delicious, the portions are VERY generous, and their prices are FANTASTIC.

Pass on the Farmer's Diner.

I've tried this place twice, once for dinner - a pretty boring steak dinner -- and once for lunch. The soup was luke warm the grilled cheese sandwich okay. Nice waitress who was trying hard but the service was slow and it WASN'T busy! I, too, like the localvore idea but it also needs to be good. Doesn't have to fancy, just good.

they have a good concept -- local food, gourmet diner. but are you kidding me -- $6 for chocolate milk! the food was cold, & for supposedly having good quality ingredients -- nothing was put together well & i hardly got any food. such poorly executed plates & the service was awful too.

Yes, ya always have to ask what the daily specials are, or else you only learn about them as they float by on the waiter's arm. I definitely support their localvore theories, and I wish I could say everything was excellent, but I can't. They started out with great food (powerful coffee, mouth-watering blueberry muffins & blueberry preserves) but over time they've cut back, until they offer only OK food, which usually arrives luke warm and turns cool, then cold by the 4th bite. I want them to succeed, but I'm afraid their flaccid french fries will do them in!

My wife and I ate lunch here after she had finished running a half-marathon. I suspect she could have eaten a cinder block at that moment and found it delicious, but she assures me that the burger she had was quite good. I had a grilled portobello mushroom, which was "good" but unremarkable... the rolls, however, had a really excellently light, delicate texture. Service was slow, but they were pretty slammed at the time.

If I had to sum this place up in a phrase, it would be "Bad service, but organic[tm] bad service!"

I rather liked the original location in Barre, but I'll agree with romkey, I've found the food here to be decent but not spectacular, but on my three visits there, the service has ranged from mediocre to terrible. The last was bad enough to make me hesitant to go there.

This place is oozing with attitude about organic food and quality, but, quite frankly, doesn't really back it up in action.

I've only eaten there once. I like the concept but found the service disappointing, and my food was served cold.

Yes, I get that it's a diner, and I don't expect a lot on the service side, but our waiter didn't mention there were specials and couldn't tell us what the sides were that were available for our dishes.

I have friends who hold it in high regard, and I'll definitely give it another chance.