Bites Nearby: Log Cabin Inn A Bit Out of the Way But Extremely Popular

Overview: Log Cabin Inn is an extremely popular restaurant on Perry Highway in Harmony. It’s in an isolated location, but a quick look at the full parking lot and you know you are in the right place. Expect a wait at this stop, especially if you come on the weekend.

Log Cabin is one of the seven restaurants that the Springfield Restaurant Group owns, all located in the Butler/Mercer area except for one located in Ohio.

Decor: The Log Cabin Inn is a log cabin restaurant perched on the side of a hill. You can dine in or outside, but I recommend that you take first available seating unless you have all the time in the world. The inside of the restaurant is rustic American with the bar up front. It has a very casual atmosphere.

Drinks: There is a full bar and a variety of wines by the glass, draft beer and bottled beer. Iced tea, soft drinks and coffee are offered as well.

Appetizers: We were starving when we arrived then had to wait 20 minutes for a table, so we ordered the hand-cut potato chips right away and they didn’t disappoint. The basket of chips was gone in no time.

Other appetizers include a waffle melt, which is a waffle-pressed grilled cheese sandwich served over a tomato puree for $4.99. A woman at the table next to us ordered it and raved about it, but it looked like a meal to me. Other appetizers include chicken wings, breaded zucchini and stuffed mushrooms.

Prices range from $3.99 for the basket of chips to $8.99 for 12 wings.

Entrees: The Log Cabin Inn is well known for prime rib, which is what I chose. They offer three sizes. I chose the 12-ounce size for $18.99. My only complaint was that my “medium” request was really on the rare side.

My daughter chose the salmon and crab, a fire-grilled salmon with lump crab, artichokes and roasted red peppers in a lemon wine reduction for $19.99. It was beautiful and tasted wonderful.

Other entrees include sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, meatloaf, chicken dishes and pasta choices. The cornmeal-crusted catfish and large hamburgers looked tempting.

Prices range from $6.99 for a classic burger to $21.99 for a 7-ounce filet mignon.

Side dishes include enormous, delicious baked sweet potatoes; sautéed squash; coleslaw; baked beans; and a few other choices. Side salads were fairly bland, but we weren’t there for the salads. They have larger salads including an interesting looking Trail Mix salad with greens, grapes, granola and chopped peanuts for $6.99.

Desserts: They had a nice looking dessert menu, and the waitress told us they make them all in-house. We thought about ordering the coconut cream pie for $4.99 but ordered the raspberry cobbler for $4.99, and it was delicious. We shared it but still couldn’t believe we finished it. Thank goodness we passed on the ice cream.

Service: I’ve never been to the Log Cabin Inn when it wasn’t busy, and the service is still always good. The waitress was friendly and apologized to my 21-year-old daughter for carding her, but I was impressed that she paid attention to that detail even though Eliza was with me. We never had to wait very long for something extra we needed (lemon for the iced tea).

Overall thoughts: The Log Cabin Inn is a relaxed place with very good food. It isn’t a place to go to if you are in a rush, but it is a great place for meeting friends and enjoying a nice night out with delicious fare.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Address: 430 Perry Highway, Harmony. Phone is 724-452-4155; website http://www.springfields.com/lci_files/logcabininn.html.