The Old Stone Inn Tavern - Simpsonville

We met some friends here for drinks and small bites and I was immediately drawn to the ambiance of this place. It is a historic building, with the original, wide plank floors adding to the charm of this place. You are greeted by a large foyer-turned reception/hostess stand, ahead of the original staircase. On either side of the reception area are smaller dining rooms, with a fireplace in each room. Right past these rooms is a large lounge area with small cocktail tables, a leather sofa, and television above the fireplace, making it feel like home. Past this room is the large bar with high top tables. We sat at a high top table and were immediately greeted by the server where he took our simple drink orders: beer and wine. We felt like we were starving (of course, we weren 't ; , so we ordered appetizers: grits fritters, pork skins, deviled eggs, and portabella mushroom fries , which were sliced portabella mushrooms, battered and fried. The portions were rather large, enough for four hungry adults, and leftovers. The food came out quickly and was piping hot. I wish I would 've taken pictures of the food, but like I said, we felt like we were starving. We weren 't at the inn longer than one hour, but we know we 'll return soon, looking forward to trying the dinner and desserts!

It's much larger than it appears. Entering through the back door, they have a patio outside and a bar upon entry with comfortable furniture in an adjacent room. Moving to the dining room you see folded napkins in a bishop-hat style which made for fun presentation upon sitting. The table placement wasn't the best as one of the seats would be unleveled on the fireplace. Thankfully we only had three people so we could avoid that seat. We quickly ordered the in-house hummus as an appetizer and it was quite good. It came with pita, tomato, cucumber, olive and banana peppers with a kick. After this we had a long wait until the main course arrived by which time our friendly server brought rolls that were forgotten. I ordered the chicken Parmesan and it was delicious and filling. The risotto was cooked well, as was the chicken. By the end of the meal we were all stuffed and had no room for dessert. While the server was great refilling our waters there was a bourbon that took the entirety of the meal to arrive. (Could have been the bartender) Overall, a good experience since we were in no rush and arrived before six. Portion size was suited for the price and food tasted great.

It's been a few years since we've eaten at the Old Stone Inn. We heard that it was under new management so we decided to go have lunch in the old historic Inn and see what has changed. We were seated in the back dining room, a charming room with horse pictures that adorn the walls. Our server, John, came over and introduced himself and took our drink orders. We started off with a glass of wine and a ****** Mary. They have a very nice limited menu for lunch. So John suggested we start with a cup of the Bourbon Trail Burgoo. Actually, you can make a meal with a bowl which is very large. It is stuffed with vegetables and big pieces of beef, pork, turkey and lamb in a thick broth. Absolutely delicious. My wife ordered the Apple Cheddar Salad which was a huge salad bowl with local grown lettuce, Bourbon Apples, Farmhouse Cheddar, Pecans and a Spicy Pecan Vinaigrette. I got the Shrimp Grits which was 7 large Rock Shrimp cooked just right on top of a bowl of Smokehouse Grits and ham. The added juice around the outside of the bowl gave it an excellent flavor. Both meals superb. We had a delightful time and the meals and service were exceptional. When we finished, John took us out and showed us the Tavern area and the new outdoor patio area that they will open soon. We can't wait to come back and try the Tavern.

My wife and I have passed this restaurant many times on our way out to the horse farm, and often commented that we should try it. We finally visited with friends last night, and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. The building is beautiful, and the dining room was comfortable and spacious while still feeling cozy. It could've stood to be a little darker, but that's my personal preference. The appetizers were excellent, we had the grit fritters and fried green tomatoes, and the sauces with each were delicious and complemented each beautifully. The cocktails were excellent as well. For an entree I had the wild rice encrusted trout, which was fabulous. Our friends split the chicken which was also great, and my wife tried the mushroom ravioli, which might have stolen the show. We ended with a delicious dessert served in a mason jar, which we all shared. The service was attentive and intuitive without being overbearing a tough balance to strike. Overall, a wonderful experience. Can't wait to try brunch!

REOPENED AND UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT! The chef from Churchill downs has taken over the Old Stone Inn and it 's just reopened a few weeks ago. New menu give this place another try! 5 stars because I LOVE the history check oldstoneinntavern.com), the food was great, and the staff were very pleasant. For example, our table was wobbly and we immediately had 4 staff come over to fix it. My only complaints are that the food is pricey $20+ plates), and our server also dropped off the check before asking if we 'd like dessert or more wine. Given that and how fast the food arrived our meals were given to us before we finished our appetizers), we felt a bit rushed out. Very minor, but when you 're paying for a nice meal you sort of want it to last, especially when it 's not busy. Gravel parking lot on the side. By far the nicest restaurant in the Simpsonville/Shelbyville area, so it 's perfect for date night or a special occasion!