Pioneer Cafe

This restaurant serves large portions of all American cooking at reasonable prices. I enjoyed the open faced turkey sandwich very much while my wife enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwich with chicken noodle soup. The restaurant is done up.kn the theme of a 50s diner with a lot of Route 66 paraphernalia. The staff is efficient and the food comes hot and quick with very large portions. If you're in the are I suggest you drop by.

Favorite of locals, this place will not let you leave hungry! The portion sizes are enough to share! We came for breakfast and it was delicious! Food is served up quickly, and the coffee is fantastic! The reindeer sausages were great, and the flapjacks were bigger than a Frisbee!

This is a cute mom & pop style diner with Rte 66 and 50’s American themes. Also, conveniently located a hop over from creek street. They offer traditional American breakfast for a decent price. Both my wife and I ordered the 2x French toast breakfast. It was great. Coffee was good and refills were timely. I did find it odd, however, that on the menus half-sized portions are available but only a dollar cheaper than the full-sized option. Seems strange to offer it in the first place. The customer service was good. Expect about $40-45 for two people.

I dont know where to begin, my family and i came on vacation and this had to be the worst service we have ever encountered. This place wasnt even busy not sure what their problem was and i hate to say that i felt discriminated for not being a local. We got seated ordered our drinks and food, when our drinks came out my OJ tasted watered down when we asked if we could exchange for another drink the waiter said she had just changed the filter and she would bring out a new juice when she brought the new juice out it tasted the same at this point i wasnt going to ask to change my juice i was going to add a new drink but server never made her way back to our table 45 minutes later we noticed people who had gotten to the cafe after us had already got their food and where paying we nicely asked why our food was taking so long, they said our food was not placed because the server failed to ask what type of eggs we wanted. Our food was never placed they never attempted to even ask at this point we wanted to walk out and not pay for the drinks but we did. We never got an apology for the inconvenience, in conclusion if your out visiting ketchikan alaska do not visit this is not a friendly cafe!

Popped into the local favorite, the Pio, early off the ship. We shared o e combo meal and still had more on the plate. Good old fashioned “diner” food with a great vide! Johnny & the music was on point! Def give a try!!!!

Cute little spot with retro vibes. Service was HORRIBLE. Our server never smiled and acted like she wanted to be anywhere but there. We had empty glasses for the majority of our meal. The food was mediocre. The halibut and fries was just okay. The fish was tough and not like any other halibut we ate in alaska... guessing it wasn't fresh. The reindeer hotdogs were just like any polish sausage... disappointed that they weren't somehow different. I don't think I'd choose to eat there again.

I’m not a big breakfast guy but stopped in here for breakfast because we would be gone until well after lunch. Service was quick and good. Food was great. Going back for breakfast today!

Food was ok, somewhat pricey. Chicken fried steak was ok..

Stopped in for a quick bite while visiting town. The reindeer hotdog was very good. It perfectly fits my desire to try something new and local while traveling. The decor is 70s diner and functional. Service was a bit sporadic even though there wasn't much of a crowd. If there's a next visit to Ketchikan we will likely try a different place.

After several days filling our bellies on a cruise ship, naturally we were craving a good breakfast when we arrived in Ketchikan! I searched for breakfast spots on Yelp, and up popped the Pioneer Cafe. It was a quick (maybe 5-7 minute) walk from our ship, so we headed on over as soon as we got off the ship. Luckily, it wasn't very busy when we arrived. That changed quickly, as soon other apparent cruisers were lining up to get in. We loved the classic diner vibe of this place, and settled in to a booth near the window. Insider tip: this was a great spot for people watching - which is a fun local pastime when there are literally 5 cruise ships in port! Soon, our coffee cups were filled and our orders were taken. We decided to split one of their massive 4-egg Denver omelettes, and I was having some sweet cravings so I got a side of their Texas French toast. It was all delivered hot, fast, and delicious. Our server was super friendly, too. This appears to be one of the only full service breakfast restaurants in downtown Ketchikan, so if you're on a cruise ship my advice is to arrive early. It's also right next to Creek Street, so we were able to walk off some of our breakfast calories over there while perusing the various galleries and shops.

Cute little diner! We went for dinner and we also came here for breakfast in the morning. Dinner wasn't as busy as breakfast so that was a plus. My cheeseburger was cooked well done and there was way too many fixings for the amount of bun and burger. The mozzarella sticks were alright, nothing to rave about. For breakfast I wasn't extremely hungry so I got potatoes and a side of sausage gravy for dipping. The potatoes were delish and I loved how the green peppers were still crunchy, green, and not over cooked. The toast was a little sour, so maybe they accidentally gave me sourdough instead of white toast like I ordered.

This place was recommended by a local after our first choice was closed. If you're looking for friendly service, this isn't the place. Our server Eliza was as stone faced as you can get, and if you looked in the kitchen, the cooks weren't any different. I had the chicken club sandwich and the breaded chicken looked and tasted like it was cooked in the microwave. The onion were actually not bad. Husband had the chicken fried steak which was pretty good size and he said it was good. I guess if you're super hungry this place will suffice.

It hit the spot. Retro spot--looked like a mix of locals and tourists. Really good potato soup. My friend said the clam chowder was good too. We split a reindeer dog--simple, but good amount of sausage.

This is the best place to go for a great meal any time or the day or night. Clean, fast and great servers.

We were in town visiting family and went here on a Saturday and Sunday night. We stopped in for dessert. The waitress was an older woman, her behavior towards us was very odd. She was on the verge of hostile. It was myself, my two sisters, and my daughter. The first night she took my daughters order only and walked away. She came back later and took my order and one of my sisters orders and walked away again. She did not take my other sisters order at all!! We were very put off by this! She seemed annoyed that we were there. I shared my dessert with my sister and we didn't push it thinking we would just get out of there! The second night we went hoping someone else would be working. There was only one other booth of customers there and she hardly acknowledged us. We ordered pie we had barely gotten it when she walked by and hastily put our paper ticket face down on our table without saying anything. She made us feel like we were not welcome, we didn't finish our dessert and hurried out of there. It was pretty much the only place open besides bars after 8 pm. I do not write many reviews but the service was terrible, definitely would not go back if she is working!!

Was in Ketchikan on an Alaska cruise and our excursion was just a few hours so we time to explore the city a bit more. I was searching for a hot dog and after strolling around it seemed like the Pioneer Cafe was the best option. The cafe had a classic diner feel inside. They were busy so my plan was to get my hot dog to go and sit in the park across the street. The server was also working the register so it took a while for her to come around and take my order. I got the hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard with fries. Again, it was busy inside so it took a while for the food to be ready. When it was I took it into the park. The dog was big. They had put the mustard in a cup on the side which I thought was interesting instead of just putting it on the hot dog. Everything was hot and tasted good. The fries were probably the highlight of the meal, well-seasoned and crispy. I can't say for sure that hot dogs and/or quick service is where Pioneer Café shines, but the other dishes coming out of the kitchen looked good.

Whenever we are in Ketchikan, we make it a point to stop by here. Why? Alaskan blueberry pancakes, and reindeer sausage. The pancakes are so big, one is almost the size of the plate. The blueberries taste different than the blueberries found in the lower 48. I can't explain it. They just taste better. Flip the pancake over, and the underside is full of blueberries. The reindeer sausage was a little on the pricey side, but they get them from Anchorage, and are delicious. We really couldn't get enough. The location is small, and service seems rushed to quickly turn over tables, but it is worth it for those two items.

The young lady who served us at the counter was rather unpleasant and dismissive. Not sure why, it was not overly busy. Prices; the menu prices just increased. However, the menu in my hands still stated the lower prices. My friend's menu had the higher price. I was dismissed when I asked if I could have the lowest posted price (which is the law). Additionally, she put my older menu in the hands of the next party that sat down. Who, btw, ordered the exact same thing and were served long before us. Oh well...

We attempted to go to another nearby restaurant for lunch but unfortunately it was closed. We were starving, so decided to give this place a try... utter disappointment. Honestly, the two stars are for the service and cleanliness of the place. We both ordered cheesesteaks and while they were somewhat edible, they were the worst we had ever had. The bun wasn't toasted... the veggies barely cooked and sliced cheese barely melted. The fries & onion rings were typical and refills on drinks were good. I don't think I'd completely write them off... but I definitely wouldn't order the cheesesteak again.

Our breakfast/lunch was delicious here! The Reuben had the perfect proportions of sauerkraut, meat, and thousand island. The gravy on the country fried steak was thick and flavorful. Portions were huge, I even had leftovers for another meal. We really had no complaints about this cute little diner. You can really tell all the dishes are made with love!

While venturing through the town we decided to stop for some breakfast. We lucked out and didn't have to wait to be seated. This place felt like home instantly with a great diner feel, old school bar seating as well as your usual booths and tables. Decor is similar to what you'd find driving down old Route 66 and the wall decor shows that. Our server was awesome, funny and told us some great things. Our food came out quickly and didn't have to ask for a thing. The food was deli and the coffee was wonderful. Nice and hot on a very rainy day. Once you're done eating you pay at the counter. Great service, food and chill vibe.

Such a great breakfast place. If you are in town, definitely hit this place up. Biscuits and gravy are excellent and so are the pancakes and French toast and Benedict. The salmon Benedict specialty was delicious. Service was great too.

Huge portions (beyond huge). There is about a dozen or so booths and some counter seating. Very simple and basic decor, old diner style. When we went, they were slammed busy and only had 2 servers for the whole restaurant. No one up front to write down names or seat people so it was a bit unorganized. People were just walking in and sitting down ahead of other people that had been waiting. I saw 2 groups of people leave because of it. Our server took our order and got us some coffee. Although our order came out quickly and correctly, she didn't come back after that so we never got a refill on our coffee. The food was a huge serving and very delicious.

Do not come here for the "locally caught halibut". Absolute scam. It is literally frozen fish sticks. As you see in the picture attached below. Steer very clear. The prices are as ridiculous as the food too. $26 for a basket of 4 fish sticks and frozen fries. Absolutely pitiful.

We ordered the "fresh halibut" & it was worse than any frozen fish stick I've ever eaten. Terrible service & way over priced, wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

Originally scouted out a few locations for breakfast but landed at the Pioneer Cafe because the first place wasn't open and the second place ran out of batter to make crepes (yes, that was weird to hear, but things happen). Overall, we enjoyed our breakfast and the staff were friendly. THE FOODS | Traditional diner food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We went on a Thursday and there was only one cook in the kitchen, so food came out about 30 minutes after putting in our order. If you're on a tight schedule like we were, I suggest planning ahead and account for the extra time needed for the cook to prepare your meal. We ordered... - Corned Beef Hash | Nicely crisped corned beef hash with three over easy eggs, hashbrowns, and English muffin. Portion size is big but I ate almost everything because I was hungry. - Stuffed Hashbrowns | Hashbrowns are crispy on the outside and stuffed with chunks of thick ham, cheese, chopped onions & bell peppers on the inside. Two eggs cooked over easy completed the perfect diner-style breakfast. THE PIONEER CAFE FEELS | Old school diner vibes with booth and counter seating. Pictures of classic cars, Route 66 signage, and other images of Americana plaster the cafe walls. THE PARKING SITUATION | Free street parking in front of the cafe.

Perfect breakfast cafe, good coffee, very friendly local place. Pancakes, eggs, biscuits and gravy very tasty and enough for people ($33 total). Price very reasonable for here. Will go again.

This is a classic 50's diner. I made a couple of visits here while I was in town. The interior does a great job of giving a nod to Route 66 travel. Even though it's 2,276 miles away, you'll feel that Rt. 66 vibe! The staff is super friendly and the food is pure diner magic! Breakfast all day long and the coffee is sweet sipping happiness! If you have a sweet tooth, try the pie or the cinnamon roll. It was covered in a rich cream cheese frosting. I had breakfast here one day and it was simplicity at its finest. The light breakfast was a perfect size for me. The next day I decided to try a burger. It was cooked so well and the bun was light and fresh. I am really surprised at how great and cost effective the meal was! This is now my go to diner in Ketchikan!!! Great food, great service!!! Check them out!!!

Classic American cafe. I have enjoyed eating breakfast here whenever I'm in town. Breakfast is as good now as it was 30,years ago. Good quality, large portions and great staff.

3/23/24 10:30 pm I called in to place an order for 2 dinners. The man that answered the phone had a negative attitude from the start. When ready to pay I asked if I was too late to add on to the order. He said "If I have to l I will". I started reciting my additional order and he HUNG up in me!! When trying to call back he answered the phone and hung up on me again! I'm extremely dissatisfied with their rude customer service, lack of appreciation and just plain old kindness. All of this that would've taken about 5 minutes. Come on guys/gals, you are running an iconic restaurant business that is normally full of people (especially locals).

I had halibut for breakfast almost every morning, so was nice to have some real breakfast. Decided on the Chicken Fried Steak. HUGE. The gravy was super good...salty and lots of sausage. I'm not the best judge, but it was tasty. Couldn't finish, so got the rest to go and hubs and I had a snack on the plane ride home. Everyone else had regular food...pancakes, eggs, sausage. All good. Coffee was much needed and could have been a touch stronger, but otherwise good.

This is american diner in Ketchikan. The food is about 3.5 stars. well executed and ample. prices are very fair, similar to home. The diner, like many, is bright but is a bit worn. Very clean Service was prompt. Brisk on a busy day. If you are going to Ketchikan, drop in and you will be totally satisfied. Don't go for Ketchikan to go here, it's just like the one in your home town.

GREAT BREAKFAST!! Excellent service and the quality of the food was great! Possibly the best corned beef hash I have ever had!!

It's a diner. We had chicken fried steak and blue berry pancakes, I could say yeah not so good. We have been here in Ketchikan for seven days and actually most every place we've eaten we've been very satisfied with. Unfortunately, this was the one and only we were not satisfied with

This place gets a lot of word of mouth for a meal that's just "fine." My "scrambled" eggs were just a flat omelet w no toppings - like a circle patty or eggs. Pancakes were pretty good! It's very Americana diner so if that's the vibe you want, check it out.

Tried to eat here for lunch and got ignored for thirty minutes by several people. When we left, we asked about it and one person said they were short staffed but having worked in the service industry, it costs nothing to walk by a table and simply say "someone will be right with you."

We were in Ketchikan port for the day and ate a late lunch in this diner. It was very busy and glad that there was a table that frees up. This area is very tourist so the menu items were pricey. The customer service is poor. The battered fish and fries we ordered were good.

Great food and atmosphere. Wait time for food was a little long (short staffed) but all in all. Two thumbs up.

Handily the worst halibut fish and chips I've ever had. Dry and hard fish fingers. Some of the other dishes looked good, but not the halibut

The pancakes were delicious and huge. I had the pancake breakfast X2. It was a chore to finish but oh so delicious!

Alway stop here for breakfast on our Alaska cruises. Hubby's favorite is the reindeer sausage. Perfect over medium cooked eggs with no runny whites!! Best crispy hash browns. Fast and friendly service dining with the locals.

Followed a recommendation to stop for breakfast. Best breakfast, friendly staff and great food. Come hungry! The large portions will satisfy any hungry traveler even if you are not a lumberjack

1 (should be a 1/2) only cuz its good at cerain times of day, when its busy, understand there may be a LONG wait for your greasy food, when its not; youll get whatever the cooks feel like cooking, might not be what you ordered so dont bitch about it as they (pioneer) demand you just laydown and pay for what you did not recieve; if you dont and your local theyll trash your name because they refuse to fix the problem....

Charming little throwback diner! Great food, large portions, and a classic menu! You can get breakfast all day, too!

My husband and I decided to eat here after a week of cruddy ship food. It was exactly what you expect, greasy diner food. The hash browns were good and eggs actually cooked right (it's hard to get properly cooked over medium sometimes). I was not a fan of the gravy but I've never really found any at a diner that is good, but I keep trying lol. Service was good despite a full restaurant and two servers. Food took a bit on the longer side but we didn't have anywhere else to be and it came piping hot

Food was great. Service was great. Was told short staffed but could not tell. Would definitely recommend breakfast here.

Most important: This appears to be the earliest-opening (6 a.m.) breakfast restaurant in Ketchikan. Retro, well-prepared diner food served fast. We had a Denver omelette drenched in chili, and eggs with bacon. Hash browns were crisped on the exterior and soft on the inside, perfectly cooked. On another day we stopped in for soft-serve ice cream in a waffle cone. The restaurant is frequented by locals, and we couldn't help but wonder if there was a cheaper menu reserved for them .... because this place was expensive for the food.

Delicious . Ordered a veggie omelette and got some toast and harsh browns . Service was pretty fast

I feel like I would give 3.5 if I could, but I'll give them the extra half for the service. The wait staff was friendly and attentive which was much appreciated was a bit slow waiting for food but they are understaffed and was extremely busy so it's understandable. As for the food the biscuits and gravy were delicious, bacon was good and so were the home fries. The bad or not so good was the French toast very basic and bland , and the scrambled eggs I do not recommend! They were watery and looked and tasted like carton egg mix or possibly dehydrated eggs! Would definitely recommend getting like a over easy , fried or something like that to ensure you get fresh real eggs

We walked in, and the music transported us back into time. We were in the 50s and 60s! As we waited for our food, we took in the diner feel: from the red and brown overstuffed booths to the Route 66 memorabilia. Johnny took our order: friendly, efficient, and we waited long enough for the cooks to make up excellent meals. I had the special: cup of cream of chicken mushroom soup and grilled cheese & beef on sourdough bread. It was so good! The fish sandwich and burger were also good, and the onion rings were great! The tea tasted funny, but was okay. It's a little pricey, but we love this place!

We were so excited to try this place, but extremely disappointed in the service and food. At first our Server seemed awesome but then she would disappear for long periods of time. There were only 2 other tables occupied, so thought she'd be more attentive. At one point we asked the other server for an iced tea refill and instead of taking care of it himself, he waited for our server to come back from being outside and then she took care of our request. The Scallops on the Seafood Platter were so bad. All batter. The actual scallops were about the size of a penny while the batter was half dollar size. For a town this size, I'd think that they would be a little more customer service oriented.

This cafe had an old time diner feel. Friendly server, very attentive. The menu was hearty but basic with the exception of things like reindeer sausage (I'm definitely not that adventurous before coffee). A friend and I shared an omelette, which they split for us, portions were huge and very filling. Hubs had chicken fried steak (no surprise there...) and was satisfied. They had quite a pie display and also an ice cream counter. The place was packed with locals and tourists alike.

We really liked this place for breakfast. It's not fancy, but its comfortable and welcoming, the servers are fun and efficient, it has all of the breakfast basics, i.e. eggs, pancakes (flapjacks), etc. The food is good, and we absolutely recommend it. We'll be back. Merritt Weisinger Sparks, NV

Largest pancakes ever. They are awesome. Highly unlikely that a person can eat their 3 pancake portion. They are great.

Stopped here for lunch. It seems to be a locals place which is a good thing. A little slow on the service but the food is good and reasonably priced. Portions are not shabby. I would definitely recommend stopping in for a meal.

Love love love this place! Its always my fav spot to go to for dinner before the movies! Then i go next door to Alaska Crepe for dessert! One of the best customer service experiences too! Always so friendly and always asks if we need anything.

We are here 3 times and had milk shakes, fish and chips, tuna melt and breakfast all were excellent and very friendly service.