By: Abigail Grunden  

    For The Squire’s restaurant review, we are visiting Youngsville’s oldest and only diner, which started business in 1961. Richards Family Restaurant had been the original name, but, in recent years, it has changed to Station 61.  

   The Youngsville Volunteer Fire Department purchased Richards Family Restaurant in late 2020. The VFD stated that they needed a new form of income or fundraising to support their costs. It is run as a non-profit restaurant and they plan on using profits to fund Youngsville VFD projects, purchases, equipment, etc.  

    The Richards Family Restaurant was a family-owned diner, often visited by locals. The workers have changed over time, but the menu stays the same, even after the Youngsville VFD purchased the restaurant. Some items have different names to match the new restaurant’s theme; for example, they have a ‘firehouse omelet’ and a ‘firehouse burger’. 

    Personally, I have been served at both Richards and Station 61, but I brought along two other Squire members to test it out for their first time. The restaurant has a variety of options available, including their famous salad bar, wraps, burgers, omelets, etc.  

    Taylor Napolitan, a senior member of The Squire, reviewed the restaurant with me. She explained that the atmosphere overall was very homey. Taylor felt very welcomed by our waitress, Missie, who was super sweet and always made sure to ask us if we needed anything. She said, “The food was delicious!” Taylor ordered a grilled chicken salad, which can be topped with your choice of regular fries or sweet potato fries; she chose sweet potato. The waitress offered her honey and made kind small talk about her enjoyment of honey with sweet potatoes. The meal was larger than expected with a price of $10. The salad was a great option for Taylor, who follows a gluten free diet. They didn’t have any completely gluten free options besides salad. However, one could order a burger with no bun, and it would be gluten free. Taylor gives her experience an overall rating of 7.5/10. She enjoyed the restaurant and would visit again.  

    Haley Eckman, a sophomore member of The Squire, joined as well. She shared, “The atmosphere was very mild and cozy. The restaurant wasn’t busy, but, if it were, it is a large enough space to accommodate many people.” Haley described our waitress as being very pleasant and helpful. Haley ordered a BLT and a side of smiley fries; she also says it was very good and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Her overall rating is an 8.5/10. Haley would revisit the restaurant if given the opportunity.  

     I ordered six boneless chipotle BBQ wings and a side of mac ‘n’ cheese. Our food came out remotely fast, and it had very good quality and taste. The waitress was very kind and checked on us frequently to make sure we were satisfied. My wings were very flavorful and had a crispy outside layer, while still maintaining the tender chicken inside. The design of the restaurant is cozy and country-style, creating a warm, welcome ambiance. They sell items from local businesses, mostly artwork, supporting the community. I give Station 61 a rating of 9/10 because the service, food, and atmosphere were close to perfect.  

    Overall, The Squire would say that we would give Station 61 a rating of 8/10. We decided that the food quality was very fresh and full of taste and our dishes came with a reasonable amount of food for the price. The service was wonderful, and it only took about 10-15 minutes for our food to come out. The waitress was attentive and kind, and the price of the food was appropriate. I would highly recommend a visit here.  

    The Squire’s restaurant review has covered almost all local restaurants in our area. If you, or others you know, are contemplating visiting a restaurant, The Squire could help you out with one of our reviews! Stay tuned in with us for our next visit.