The Smokehouse

This is the main dining option at Shawnee State Park. I went to dinner this week with my mom and my children and my parents also went to dinner earlier in the week. Both times we noted that service could be very slow, but pleasant.The portions of the food were good. My mom and I split the Little Smokie Sampler and had leftovers so it is more than enough for two with moderate appetites. The sausage was a highlight of the bunch. The kids enjoyed the bread a lot as well as the chicken tenders and mac and cheese. Honestly the chicken tenders were a highlight for everyone. The fries were served lukewarm at best.The evening I was there, they had live entertainment. A guitar player - kind of an aging hippie type but was playing the hits (Take Me Home, Country Roads, etc.) and it was pretty good. It was nice but there was a drunk guy who kept yelling. Keep in mind it was 6:15 PM on a Wednesday and the restaurant was 80% families at this point, so it was a bit bizarre.Bottled beer only here.The prices are reasonable for what you get.Overall I would not hesitate to go here if staying at or visiting the park for a day, assuming you have time to deal with slow service. I would not make a special trip. FYI most of the park gets no cell service or WiFi, and WiFi in the lodge is intermittent / no streaming.

I went to The Smokehouse Restaurant with a book because of the possibility of a long wait. I did not get to read very much. I arrived just at Supper opening time of 5:00 PM. I was seated within two minutes. A couple of minutes later I received a loaf of bread and butter. And then the waitress, Karianne, took my order, a house salad and Spaghetti and Meatball. It took about five minutes to be served. One meatball, about the size of a tennis ball. What was served was a good size mound of spaghetti topped with perfectly seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and the giant meatball. The meatball was well seasoned and was really good. The salad was fresh and crisp. The croutons were not as hard as what is found at other restaurants which was pleasant as they were easier to chew. The food, the service, and the ambiance were perfect. My only complaint is that the loaf of bread was slightly warm but the butter was fresh out of the refrigerator so it was impossible to spread the butter on the bread.

The ambiance is SUPERB. The charming, mid-century aesthetic of the lodge transitions effortlessly into the design of the restaurant. The broad picture window frames a truly stunning view of the forest, and generally, the interior is an architectural high point of the area. The food is adequate. It is the best restaurant that I have been to in the greater Portsmouth area, but the menu is still like B- quality.

Very friendly waitress, however they were extremely under staffed. Food was dry and tasteless.

My husband and I ate here over the Memorial Day weekend in 2019. It was delicious! He had the brisket and I had the catfish. We would highly recommend it!

Service was good, the restaurant was kind of small crowded and smokey. The food was not bad.