Jarrett House

Our extended family of more than 25 has had dinner here every summer for forty years, and even with some very skilled Southern cooks in the family, we all agree to return. It’s a meal I look forward to each year. The staff are always extremely friendly and attentive, and each family settles up at the register by telling the cashier what they had. Entrees cost around $15, and come with all-you-can-eat family-style sides: slaw, beets, buttered potatoes, green beans, and biscuits. The usual choices are fried trout, fried chicken, baked ham, chicken and dumplings, our favorite, with tons of chicken, and pot roast. It’s fun to order different things and share. Portions are generous, so we never have room for the desserts, though they sound incredible. Alcohol is limited, basically wines, with no beer or liquor. This review is only about the restaurant.

There was plenty of food when it arrived, but we couldn’t see a menu or options before then. The fried chicken was crispy and tasted great, the chicken and dumplings were very good, and my father-in-law really liked the meatloaf. Unfortunately, the potatoes and mac and cheese were cold. It’s a family-style restaurant, and it would help to post the prices and what’s being served somewhere noticeable before people go in. Not a bad place to eat, though there are several things they could improve.

I had a very good time here overall, and the staff were great, but the building has some real issues. It’s very old, which is nice in a way, but the doors don’t line up with their frames and have about four locks each. Our bathroom door wouldn’t close, so it had to stay open with a two inch gap. I felt slightly ill and spent 15 minutes sweating in a muggy, poorly ventilated restroom. There’s no central heat and air, just individual AC units. Small gaps beside the window units let warm air and gnats in, and the units ran full blast all night. In my opinion, they need to make the big plunge on costly but important renovations to attract more customers and better reviews. If they renovated, I’d stay again.

This place is haunted. I have the pictures to prove it, including a cool picture of the departed and orbs on the property. My family and I have stayed here several times and love the atmosphere. I hope they open again real soon, because I’m going back.