Lake Hope Lodge — Restaurant in Brown Township

It's been a couple years since we have dined here. I'm on a mission to give positive reviews to those that need it, so I'm back tracking a bit.

We had our first Hocking Hills weekend away, just my husband and I. We live about 4.5 hours from HH.

I did a Facebook post asking for suggestions to do/eat/see while in the area. Lake Hope Lodge was one of them.

We came in November, so most of the leaves were down. It was a beautiful drive up, and once you arrive at the restaurant, the view down into the hollow is a looker too!

We dined in the main dining hall with HUGE high ceilings and lovely wooden beams. We did have a seat next to the window looking down into the hollow. It would have been and even better experience if we had been there during warmer temperatures and could have sat outside. We might have to make the trek back to LHL!

We had a couple beers and decided to start off with some loaded potato skins- they were a win!

My husband had the ribeye, veggies and baked sweet potato. He enjoyed his meal.

I had the Pride of the Pitt, which goes against everything in me as I'm a pasta/salad lover, and shy away from protein most often. It was delightful! I kept saying during my meal that I had made the right choice! All three meats were cooked to perfection. I got a side of coleslaw and the veggies as well.

We didn't find that the prices were obnoxiously high, like you so often find when traveling to touristy areas.

Our server did a great job as well.

This was a very...

Wow. I had absolutely no problem paying what I did today (Tuesday may 30th) the food was unbelievable. Homemade everything. My grandma would've been proud to see how far the lodge has come since the fire. Truly a 5 star rating. Without question. If I had the cash, I'd have ordered everything on the menu just to try it all and support this place. Sitting on the balcony in the breeze and sun. Staring at the view of the lake. This was probably top 10 experience of my life. BBQ sauce to die for. Ranch that is perfect for anything. The meats were so good, I wish they were never ending. I would've willingly made myself sick eating it all. Our waitress was incredible and also she needs a raise. All the employees deserve a day off for the day that I experienced. I will be returning very soon.

Also I noticed a lot of "expert chefs" have been commenting about the food. I guarantee y'all couldn't cook half as good. Salt and pepper doesn't make you a gourmet chef. Please don't insult cooks that you couldn't even compare to. A BIG thank you to the cooks in the back.

If you're in the area, grab a menu and take the plunge. I've been coming to Lake Hope for almost 25 years and everyone from the nice lady in the office to the park ranger that gave me a ride back to my campsite during a storm. All of them are good people and I will continue to support this place until I stop breathing. Thank you for putting a smile on my face...

Went for the first time in years to Lake Hope for Sunday brunch. It is the only time in the week it is buffet style. Smoked pork, brisket, and turkey all available, as well as scalloped potatoes, biscuits and gravy, vegetables, and there was a salad mix I didn't try (the forementioned brisket, pork, and turkey). There was also a wood fired pizza, and berry cobbler. This is around $25, which I think is a dollar more than the three meat combo Monday through Saturday. Everything was very good, but the brisket has been the star for several years for me. I had multiple pieces, some had a deep char, but the meat was still melt-in-your-mouth juicy. So good. My family was with me, and one of my kids said they were experiencing "savory" overload, not having anything to balance it. It is worth a moment to go out on the deck and check out the view... It ain't bad, not at all. The service was great, keeping up with plates and drink refills in a busy room The room was about 3/4 full, with additional seating being utilized down the hall. Our seats were right in the flow of the air conditioning, which was quite chilly. I would have requested another table had it not been busy, but I was grateful not to wait.

If you are into smoked brisket, pork, and turkey, you at least need to try this at least once. They rent overnight cabins as well, with various trails...