Richland Railroad Diner: choo-choo to the Railroad Diner (Lebanon Valley Food Critics)

Editor’s Note: In 2021, Michael and Nicole Borrell began reviewing Lebanon Valley’s restaurants and eating attractions as the Lebanon Valley Food Critics. Since then, the couple has aimed to offer unbiased reviews of the eating and drinking establishments the Lebanon Valley has to offer. LebTown is pleased to be partnering with LVFC to share these reviews with our readers. Bon appétit!

The past week and a half has been a hectic one. One of our critics was laid up in the hospital for a few days. She is doing fine now and is glad to be back home.

It soon came time for Saturday morning breakfast, and one had to eat. Where did I and my little critic go to quench our hunger? We went to the only town in America with a railroad track running right through its square: Richland. And right off that square sits the small standalone Richland Railroad Diner.

It was busy. The parking lot was full, and the line waiting was out the front door. The wait wasn’t long, though, once I got my passenger out of the car, and we were able to get right into a small table in the corner.

The inside has a mix of booth and table seating as well as counter seating. They maximize the limited space they have while not feeling too cramped for the diner.

While we were inside, it was consistently busy and steady as more and more people arrived. This may have influenced our ticket time as we waited about 30 minutes for our meals to come out.

This was my first time there, and I noticed that they offer several skillet dishes on the menu and as specials. Other items on the menu have train-themed names.

For our meal, we ordered a Boxcar Skillet ($7.29) with orange juice ($1.99) and a Boxcar Special #2 ($7.29).

The Boxcar Skillet was a pancake topped with sausage gravy, three scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese in a skillet pan. My first impression of the dish was that it’s a unique combo. I was leery of the pancake on the bottom, but it worked. At times, your bites are just dry pancake. The sausage gravy was homemade and tasted great. It could have used some more sausage. Add some extra pepper and enjoy.

Our second dish, the Boxcar Special #2, was two scrambled eggs, home fries, sausage links, and toast. Nice, thick sausage links join with home fries your way (grilled, deep fried, or hash brown patty). It left our little critic full and ready to start her day of fun and excitement.

Our take: The Richland Railroad Diner is a neighborhood joint that seems to be a regular hangout for the locals. They offer the classic breakfast fare with their own style. Any place can scramble an egg or flip a pancake. But if you are creative with your dishes, you will always get good grades in my book.

The food is freshly made, which may have accounted for the wait. And when the train goes by while you’re eating there, it’s hard not to go choo-choo.

We give this place .

If you have a restaurant you would like us to visit or review, whether a place you like or are nervous to try, please message us on Facebook or email lvfoodcritics@outlook.com and let us know. We thank everyone for the recommendations and the kind words we have received.