Johnson’s Restaurant and Dairy Bar

Johnson’s have been a favorite place for decades. From the old menu to the new there isn’t a lot of change. Why mess with a good thing. Have gotten to know many of the people eating and working there, very friendly place especially for Groton. The super chicken and side of onion rings with a black raspberry frappé, mmm mmm good.
Listen, places this good last and last. It is worth the trip to try. Enjoy some ice cream too in the summer!

Two of the four in our party ordered fish
and chips. It was nearly indigestable. Regrettably,
the pleasant outdoor seating didn’t adequately
compensate for the tasteless food.

I went here with my son on a hot summer weekday at lunchtime. The place was very busy, both the indoor dining area and the ice cream window. This is the first (and last) time I’ve patronized this place. Let me share why.
The customer in front of me just received his change from his order and said to the employee who gave him his change, «oh, you gave me a discount!». The employee (who I later learned was Rick, the owner) replied «yes». Rick turned to walk back to the kitchen, but saw the customer place his change in the tip jar on the counter (a $ 5). He (Rick) then came back to the counter to take my order. While writing down my order, Rick reaches in and takes the $ 5 bill out of the tip jar.
Now, perhaps he feels that he deserved this, since he gave the customer the discount. However, no one should take anything out of the tip jar, especially without your fellow employees knowing about it. And especially not if you’re the owner. I should have spoken up right then and there and told him to put it back, but I had a moment of weakness and I didn’t want to make a scene. The other employees likely do not have the authority to offer discounts to customers in order to pocket the change. I doubt the customer who left the tip intended for the owner to keep it. There are just so many things wrong with this situation.
After ruminating for several minutes at my table, I decided to tell another employee (cashier/​server), who seemed very shocked. It was at this time that I learned that this employee (Rick) was the owner. (Before writing this review, I went to the restaurant’s website to verify Rick is, indeed, the owner.) I wanted anyone who works for this man to know what kind of owner/​supervisor he is. When I finished my meal and paid at the counter, I then told another employee, so they are aware of this in case it happens again.
As for the food and service, it was fine. It’s hard to mess up fish and chips and a hot dog, so there’s not much to say about that. The service was slow, but that can be partially excused due to them being busy. In short, it doesn’t matter how good (or bad) the food is when one experiences something like this. I feel bad for the other employees to leave such a poor review, but I can never voluntarily support a business who is run by someone with such a lack of integrity.

Ate here for a weekday lunch. Order at the counter, and they bring the food to you. Enjoyed the chicken basket, which comes with 3 pieces of fried chicken, plus fries and cole slaw. Party also enjoyed the fish and chips, as well as the kids menu (grilled cheese), and strawberry frappé. Friendly, though often busy staff. No frills dining, not that many tables in there. Would come again!

lunch recently… takes you back to the old days when there were drive ins all oven, not so much anymore but this one remains, rightfully so… it has been here a looooong time, and always seems busy, especially during ice cream (make their own!) season… have also heard their fried clams are great… i had the special ham and cheese panini (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) which was good with potato salad which was excellent… was able to sit outside on this nice warm day… smallish inside… open at various times for breakfast. lunch/​dinner and is byob… a neat visit to some older memories, give it a try if you are passing by!!!

Such a cute and kitschy little place! Stopped in for ice cream which was delicious. I’m very fond of an absurd amount of sprinkles, of which they were very accommodating as my mint Oreo ice cream was over inundated with them. Love it!

We went there for breakfast. Its a step or two above McDonalds but a far cry from my beloved Parker’s Maple House in Mason, NH.
Prices are average but maybe on the «cheap side» for Groton.
I ordered the 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $ 6.99.
The eggs were good and cooked perfectly. My wife like the bacon, I did not. I didn’t like the toast either very trivial. The hash browns were good but not enough of them.
The coffee comes in a paper cup and no refills.
You order the food, pay and they bring it out to you on small paper plates with plastic stemware. EEK! I didn’t like that you had to leave a tip before you got your food but fortunately the wait staff was GREAT! Everyone seemed friendly.
The dining room was very clean but on the small side. The place must be mobbed on a Sat/​Sunday.
Simple is a great world. I’d probably try it again with different choices.

I have been going here since I was a kid, Homemade ice cream and fresh seafood is always a fav, Drove 20 mins last month just for the Fried Pepper rings. Owners are great, I went to school with their Daughter and everyone is treated like family.

Johnson’s is the hangout. Home fries– unlike anything ever. Com’on to Johnson’s if you want some good breakfast. You go up and order a meal and you’re eating in less than 5 minutes. Eggs are remarkable. Make sure you order the homefries. Great little joint and nice people everywhere. #1 for breakfast

OK, people of Groton, why haven’t you put this place on the map? First of all, it scores super-​high in the unique category. There’s not a lot of space to sit down and eat, but it is an interesting old space. You order at the counter and pay up front and then they bring your food to you, either inside or out. I just ordered grilled scallops and was amazed at how large a plate I received. And, they were cooked perfectly. I followed it up with two scoops of homemade ice cream which was also terrific. They have a lot of very unique flavors to choose from. The portion sizes are huge, and the food is really good. I highly recommend at least one visit to this place, especially if you are from out of town. The people of Groton should be there in mass!

Great service, clam strips, and ice cream (the small scoop was HUGE).

The food wasn’t bad. Got fried shrimp plate with pepper rings. Service was fast and wasn’t an issue. Paying over $ 20 for 8 medium size shrimp, a handful of pepper rings and a portion of slaw is. It was a bit overpriced for what it was and what you get.

Stopped for lunch today, expensive for what we got. Sherrie waited on us, when we paid she did not give us the correct change. When our meals were brought out to us we asked for a fork, the girl said she would be back with one. We waited a few minutes then I went up to the counter to get a fork 4 people ignored me until I had to ask quite loudly for a fork. Needless to say we will not be returning to this restaurant. I believe the only reason they have any business is because they are the only restaurant in the area.

3.5 Stars. I have been going here for years and it has always been a favorite stop on our way home from getting our Christmas tree or for some other reason when we are passing through Groton. Their ice cream is quite good and there is a nice selection of flavors. I also really like the onion rings.
However, in recent years things have not been quite up to par. We used to love getting their hot chocolate and fries, but lately they have just not been as good as they used to be.
Still, it is a nice place to go if you are looking for somewhere around there to get some food.

What happened in the last few years? We always looked forward to stopping at Johnson’s on our way to New Hampshire. I hadn’t been there in about a year or two and was really disappointed when we stopped in a few weeks ago. The food was only so-​so and it was really expensive. What a loss. Can someone help them???

Was looking for some seafood for lunch today, and decided to drop in. We go here a few times a year for seafood and really good fries and onion rings.
They have changed the french fries to some random, not very good fast food style. Very disappointing. The fries used to be a real highlight here. I had the clam strip roll, and that was fine, but the fries were just meh. My son had the super chicken sandwich, and that was okay. Good, not great. Lunch for two was $ 27 — which is fine, if the food is high quality, but this was just average. I don’t know if this is the same owners, but everything just seemed a bit off.

Decent enough place. The food, eh, it’s just mediocre. Salads are very good, but if you’re stopping in for a quick burger beware. The regular burgers are mystery meat and for $ 6.99, it comes with nothing else but the burger. Seriously, pick up a box of Bubba Burgers at Target, throw in a handful of fries for heaven sakes, and you would do better Johnson’s. They do offer a Black Angus burger, if you want to experience a real burger at Johnson’s. But I feel all the burgers on the menu should be «real» meat. Don’t you? I’ve never been for breakfast, so I’m not sure of the «cheap» status quoted by other reviews, but typically, I find most things on the menu overpriced for what you get.
It’s such a fun, nostalgic place, it would be great if the food was up to par.

We stopped here for ice cream — nice treat on a hot day. I ordered the black raspberry chocolate chip — I found a small amount of chocolate ice cream in the cup. Perhaps the ice cream scoops aren’t rinsed after each use. Not a huge deal — I hate chocolate ice cream so I ate around it. Just something to keep in mind for any food allergies.

It’s safe to say this place is in my blood. My family has been going here since before I was born.
Cheap breakfast food, frappes, other stuff. I’d dock them for still using styro. But memories of meals with my grandparents, meals after theatre productions, and after church breakfasts. And that ridiculous merry-​go-​round-​rusted-​death-​trap that used to be up on the hill.
No, this place is never going to win any awards for innovation. But those lacquered and shellacked tables, benches, and walls… man.

Okay. Johnson’s is getting a three because it has cheap, good breakfast deals. Lunch is just too expensive.
Johnson’s has a pretty cool atmosphere, walk up to the counter, order your food, pay for it and sit down. One of the nice waitress will bring you the food to your table. Other than that the food for lunch and dinner is pretty much run of the mill fried food. One thing they have on their menu that is unique is a Pepper Ring, much like an onion ring except made with a pepper. Defiantly something that you will have to try out.
Breakfast is another story at Johnsons, the food is awesome! Also, if you are in a hurry you can call them up and have breakfast ready to go by the time you get there. good eggs, pancakes, french toast… everything…