Restaurants Worth Visiting Wherever the Road Takes You

Chinese food is one of those meals we enjoy—and when we find a GOOD Chinese restaurant, I remember it! 🥢 These are Chinese restaurants we've actually visited and enjoyed, whether close to home or discovered while traveling. I'm looking for good flavor, plenty of choices, fresh food and those dishes that make me want to go back for them again. Some may b... If it's on this list, we've eaten there—and I'd be willing to eat there AGAIN. That's my test!

One of our FAVORITE Chinese buffets—and if it's Friday night or the weekend, I'm looking for the FROG LEGS! 🐸🥢 We really enjoy Twin Dragon because there's such a great variety on the buffet. Everyone can find something they like, try a little of several different dishes, and—very important to me—go back for the favorites! And if the buffet choices aren't exactly what you're in the mood for, head to the hibachi grill and choose the ingredients YOU want. I love having the option to put together my own combination and have it cooked for me. Lots of choices, something for different tastes, and those frog legs keep calling me back! 🐸

Twin Dragon Buffet & Grill - Mason, OH

A Neosho favorite when we're in the mood for Chinese! 🥢❤️ Oriental House has a nice variety on the buffet, which is one of the things we enjoy about it. There are plenty of choices, so everyone can wander around and find their own favorites—or try a little bit of several things. And hubby especially liked the dessert area! 😂 Apparently all that Chinese food does NOT mean you've finished eating until you've made the dessert trip too! Good food + lots of variety + dessert that keeps hubby happy = a place we've enjoyed more than once! 😂🥢🍰

Oriental House Restaurant - Neosho, MO

If we didn't go to Oriental House, Happy House was our other Neosho Chinese choice! 🥢 The food was good, and we especially liked the larger variety of choices. It was also a good option when we had a bigger group, because everyone could find plenty of different things they liked. Sometimes you don't need fancy—you just want good Chinese food, LOTS to choose from and a place where you can bring the whole crew. Good food + bigger variety + great for a group = another Neosho place we'd happily visit again! 🥢❤️

Happy House Chinese - Neosho, MO

Don't judge this one by the outside! 😂🥢 I'll admit—the exterior of #1 China Buffet in Wilmington isn't the most appealing and might not be what convinces you to pull into the parking lot. But the FOOD is good! What I especially like is the variety. There's enough to give you plenty of different things to choose from, but it isn't one of those absolutely enormous buffets where there are SO many choices that it almost becomes overwhelmi... Sometimes I don't need 150 different things staring at me. Give me a nice selection of good Chinese food and enough variety to find what I want, and I'm happy! Outside may not impress me—but what's on my plate does. And THAT'S what I'm there for! 😂🥢❤️

Chinese Restaurant - Wilmington, OH

Give me good Mexican food and a basket of warm chips and salsa, and we're already off to a pretty good start! 😂🌮 These are Mexican restaurants we've actually visited and enjoyed, whether they're close to home or somewhere we've discovered while traveling. I enjoy trying different dishes, finding a really good salsa, and discovering those menu favorites that make me want to come back again. Some places win me over with the food, some with the variety, and occasionally there's ONE particular dish that b...

This is our GO-TO Mexican restaurant in the area! 🌮❤️ We keep coming back because the food is good, the portions are generous, the prices are reasonable, and the staff is always friendly. That's a pretty good combination when we're deciding where to go for Mexican! There's plenty to choose from on the menu, so we can each find whatever sounds good that day—and we've had enough good meals here that when someone says, “How about Mexican?”, Acapulco is usually the first place that comes to mind. Good food + nice portions + reasonable prices + friendly people = a place we're happy to visit again and again! 🌮

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant - Lebanon, OH

When we were in Neosho and wanted Mexican food, El Caballo de Oro was a favorite choice! 🌮❤️ The food was good, the portions were nice, and I especially liked that they offered lunch specials—a good way to get plenty to eat without spending a fortune. Nothing complicated here: good Mexican food, generous portions and a place we were happy to return to when we were in Neosho. Sometimes that's exactly what makes a restaurant a keeper! 🌮🥑

El Caballo De Oro - Neosho, MO

Another GOOD Mexican restaurant—and we're fortunate to have this one close to home! 🌮❤️ El Picante in Lebanon is another place we enjoy when we're in the mood for Mexican food. They have a BIG menu, so there's plenty to choose from—tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, combination dinners and quite a few seafood and specia... Sometimes I don't need a restaurant to be fancy or complicated. I want good Mexican food, plenty of choices and a place we're happy to go back to—and El Picante fits that for us. Good food + lots of choices + close enough to visit again = it belongs on my list! 😂🌮❤️

EL PICANTE AUTHENTIC CUISINE - Lebanon, OH

If we're headed toward Wilmington and want Mexican food, THIS is our restaurant of choice! 🌮❤️ We really enjoy Fiesta Veracruz because the food is GOOD, the menu has plenty of variety, and the portions are generous enough that you don't leave wondering where the rest of your dinner went. 😂 They have a huge menu with 100+ dishes, including tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, seafood, vegetarian choices and house specialties, so there's usually something for everybody. For us, though, it comes down to the basics: good food, lots of choices and nice portions. When we're going that direction and Mexican sounds good, Fiesta Veracruz is the place we're most likely to choose. Wilmington + Mexican food = Fiesta Veracruz for us! ❤️🌮

Fiesta Veracruz Restaurant - Wilmington, OH

This is one of our “company's coming—let's take them somewhere UNIQUE” places! ❤️🍽️ The food is good, but The Golden Lamb is about so much more than dinner. Dating back to 1803, this historic Lebanon inn has welcomed 12 U.S. presidents, along with famous guests such as Neil Armstrong, Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mark... And if you REALLY want the experience, spend the night! The Golden Lamb is still an operating inn with only 17 historic guest rooms, each named after a notable guest. Because there aren't many rooms, I definitely recommend making overnight reservati... Good food + more than 220 years of history + a place with stories to tell = somewhere I enjoy taking out-of-town company! ❤️🏨🍽️

Golden Lamb - Lebanon, OH

We stop here EVERY time we go by! 😂🍽️ Blue Springs Cafe is one of those out-in-the-country, home-style restaurants you could easily miss if you weren't watching for the signs—but once you know it's there, it's worth the stop. The food is good, the portions are generous, and on Sundays w... Their menu describes the family-style dinners as coming with bottomless sides, which fits the whole “sit down and EAT” feel of the place. Blue Springs Cafe And the PIES! 🥧❤️ They make them there, and they are DELICIOUS. The restaurant itself describes them as handcrafted pies “just like grandma's,” and that's pretty much the kind of place this is—simple, filling, home-style food witho... Blue Springs Cafe: good food, nice portions, family-style Sunday dinners and pie worth saving room for = a place we keep stopping at again and again! 🥧🍽️

Bluespringscafe - Highland, IL

If you see a Bob's Steak & Chop House while you're traveling—MAKE A RESERVATION! This is a MUST for us! 🥩❤️ The steaks we had were absolutely wonderful—so tender they practically melted in your mouth after you cut them with a fork. And come HUNGRY because the portions are VERY generous! Hubby couldn't finish his steak and potato and ended up taking about ... This isn't an inexpensive everyday dinner, but for a special occasion or a really memorable steak dinner, Bob's is definitely worth the splurge. If we see another one during our travels, I'm ready to go back! 🥩🥕 *Under Favorite Recipes for Every Meal and Occasion - look for the Vegetable section and Bob's Steak & Chop Carrot recipe.

Bob's Steak & Chop (variety of places)

This is one of those places where the LOCATION is almost as memorable as the food! 🍽️ The Undercliff Grill is literally tucked beneath a rock cliff, with the exposed rock becoming part of the restaurant itself. It's definitely not your ordinary restaurant setting—and that's a big part of why we enjoyed it. The food was good, the atmo... Good food + a restaurant built into a cliff + an atmosphere you don't find just anywhere = definitely worth the stop! ❤️

The Undercliff Grill - Joplin, MO

OH YES—this is one we'd go back to! 🍽️ And did when we lived in the area. Definitely a place we'll visit on our return to the SW MO area. The food at Red Onion Cafe was GREAT, with plenty of interesting choices on the menu instead of the same old things you see everywhere. This is one of those restaurants where deciding what to order may take a while because too many things sound good... It was BUSY when we were there, so I'd definitely plan accordingly rather than assuming you can walk right in and sit down immediately. Great food + lots of tempting choices + a place people obviously enjoy = definitely worth the stop when we're in the Joplin area! ❤️🍽️

Red Onion Restaurants - Joplin, MO

YUMMY—and a favorite lunch stop! 🥪🥗 ❤️ Red Onion Espressoria is the sister restaurant to Red Onion Cafe, but this is the one I think of when I want a lighter lunch with soups, sandwiches and salads. My favorite is the BLTA with the Mandarin Orange Salad as a half-and-half combination.... Fresh, delicious and just the right kind of lunch when I want a little of BOTH. If I'm in the Joplin area around lunchtime, this one is definitely on my list! 🥪🍊🥗

Red Onion Espressoria - Joplin, MO

Come hungry—and KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN because your roll may be flying toward you! 😂🍞 Lambert's Cafe is just plain FUN. The food is good and the portions are HUGE, but half the entertainment is watching those wonderful, soft, hot rolls being THROWN across the restaurant to anyone ready to catch one! Eat them with butter, sorghum or ap... Then there are the pass-arounds. While you're waiting for—and eating—the meal you actually ordered, they're coming around offering fried okra, fried potatoes & onions, macaroni & tomatoes, black-eyed peas and more. And they KEEP COMING! By the time your generously sized entrée and sides are added to all that food, you'd better plan on needing a take-home box! 😂 We've been to the Ozark location many times, and one of my favorite memories has nothing to do with what we ate. When my nephew was about 8 years old, someone from the local newspaper caught a picture of him catching one of those flying rolls—and he ... Good home-style food + enormous portions + flying rolls + lots of laughs = a restaurant that's as much an EXPERIENCE as it is a meal. Definitely worth doing at least once—and we've done it a LOT more than once! 😂🍽️

Lambert's Cafe - Home of Throwed Rolls (variety of places)

If you're traveling through Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas or Missouri and see a Braum's—STOP! 🍦 Braum's was a favorite when we lived in Missouri. You can get breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, chicken and salads, but let's face it—the ICE CREAM counter is a major reason to go! They have hand-dipped ice cream, cones, sundaes, banana splits, shakes... My personal strategy? A Heath Mix! 😂❤️ Hubby doesn't like Heath, so if I ordered one, I knew I could eat the WHOLE THING BY MYSELF. It may be small, but it is mighty—and delicious! Braum's also brings back wonderful memories of my parents visiting us in Missouri. Mom loved their limeade and sandwiches, while Dad was quite happy with a banana split or hot fudge sundae. Apparently we each had our own department covered! 😂 Good food + wonderful ice cream + that limeade + some very special family memories = a place I'll happily stop whenever I see that familiar Braum's sign! ❤️🍦🥤

BRAUM'S (Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas or Missouri)

If you're visiting Cincinnati, you've got to at least TRY Cincinnati chili! 😂❤️ Skyline Chili was born in Cincinnati in 1949, and around here it's one of the BIG names in Cincinnati-style chili. And yes—we eat here ourselves! But if you're expecting a traditional bowl of chili, this is NOT that. 😂 Cincinnati chili has its own flavor and its own way of being served. Skyline is famous for its Ways—spaghetti topped with chili and a BIG pile of finely shredded cheddar cheese. A 3-Way is spaghetti, chili and cheese; add beans or onions for a 4-Way... It's one of those foods that is just part of Cincinnati. People have their loyalties, too—around here, mention Cincinnati chili and before long somebody will ask: “Skyline or Gold Star?” 😂 We're Skyline eaters, so YES, Skyline earns a place on my list! ❤️🌭🧀

Skyline Chili — A Cincinnati Original

If you're visiting Cincinnati, I think you should DEFINITELY try Skyline Chili—but I recommend Gold Star too! ❤️ And here's the important part: don't expect them to taste the same. 😂 They're both Cincinnati-style chili, but their recipes and flavors are definitely different. We eat at both, and I think it's fun to try each and decide which one YOU prefer. One advantage Gold Star has when you're eating with a group is VARIETY. If you want Cincinnati chili but somebody else is thinking, “Nope—not eating chili!” 😂, Gold Star may be the better choice. In addition to Ways and Cheese Coneys, you'll find burgers, chicken sandwiches, double-deckers, salads, fries, shakes and other choices on the menu. Gold Star Chili Fun little bit of history: Gold Star actually began when the Daoud brothers bought a Cincinnati restaurant called Hamburger Heaven in 1964. Their Cincinnati-style chili became so popular that the restaurant eventually became Gold Sta... So my Cincinnati-chili advice is simple: Try Skyline. Try Gold Star. DON'T expect them to taste alike—and then decide which team you're on! 😂🌭🧀

Gold Star — Cincinnati-Style Chili & MORE

PIZZA! 🍕 Really—do I need to say much more? 😂 We enjoy pizza, but there are SO many different ways to make it that every pizza place seems to have its own personality. Thin crust, thicker crust, traditional toppings, something a little different—or a buffet where I can try several kinds because... These are pizza places we've actually visited and enjoyed, whether they're close to home or somewhere we've discovered while traveling. And I like places that offer more than pizza too—salads, pasta, hoagys, wings and other choices are especially nic... Good pizza + plenty of choices + a place we'd happily visit again = worth stopping for! 🍕❤️

If you like VARIETY, Cicis makes it very easy to find something you want! 🍕 I especially like the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet because I can try several different kinds without having to decide on just ONE pizza. There's also a salad bar, so you can at least pretend you're being good before heading back for more pizza! 😂 A... We ate at Cicis often when we lived in the Joplin area, and it was an easy, casual place to go when everyone wanted something a little different. Lots of pizza + salad + dessert + all you care to eat = come hungry! 🍕🥗

Pizza Buffet, Carry Out & Delivery | Cicis Pizza (variety of places)

LaRosa's comes with a LOT of good family memories for me! ❤️🍕 I've eaten at the local locations many times with my Aunt and cousins, so this isn't just somewhere I go for pizza—it's one of those places that brings back memories every time I walk in. And you definitely don't have to be in the mood for only pizza. There are hoagys, calzones, pasta, wings, soups, salads and more, which makes it nice when several people are eating together and everyone wants something different. I also like the size of the Lebanon restaurant. It's small enough to still feel comfortable and somewhat private, but there's enough room for several family members or friends to sit down and enjoy a meal together. Good food + plenty of choices + years of family memories = a place that's special to me for more than just the pizza. ❤️🍕

LaRosa's Pizza Lebanon - (variety of places)

Sometimes TAKEOUT is the plan—and you just go with it! 😂🍕 Jet's Pizza in Lebanon is a good choice when we're in the mood for pizza and don't need the whole sit-down restaurant experience. Order it, pick it up and take it home—easy! And the important part? The pizza is GOOD. 🍕❤️ Jet's is especially known for its Detroit-style deep-dish pizza with that thicker crust and crispy edges, but there are plenty of toppings and other choices when everybody doesn't want exactly the same thing. Would I skip good pizza just because takeout is the option? NOPE. You go with the flow, grab the pizza and head home to EAT! 😂🍕❤️

Jet's Pizza - Lebanon, OH

Sometimes the best Asian food is found in the places you almost drive right past! 🥢 These are Asian restaurants we've actually visited and enjoyed, from Thai and Japanese to other delicious finds we've discovered close to home or while traveling. Some may be polished restaurants and others may be little hole-in-the-wall places wher... Good food, interesting flavors and places we'd happily visit again—that's what earns a spot on this list. 🥢❤️

Don't let the little “hole-in-the-wall” appearance fool you—this is one of those places where the FOOD is the reason you go! 😂🥢 Pad Thai in Neosho isn't really a Chinese restaurant; it's more Thai/Asian, and we enjoyed the food enough that it deserves a spot on my list. It's nothing fancy—just a small, unassuming place that's easy to overlook—but sometimes those are exactly t... Good food, casual atmosphere and a little hidden-gem feel = worth stopping when you're in Neosho! ❤️🥢

Pad Thai - Neosho, MO

We don't eat Indian food every day—but hubby and I really enjoy trying new restaurants and foods from different countries! 🌎🥢 Wok India in Mason is one of those places that gives us a chance to step outside our usual choices and try something different. There's a nice variety of Indian dishes, including curries, biryani, tandoori specialties, naan and plenty of vegetarian c... Part of the fun for us is simply exploring the menu and trying foods and flavors we may not normally have at home. We don't have to know what EVERYTHING is—we can pick something that sounds interesting and give it a try! Good food + different flavors + a chance to experience another country's cuisine = exactly the kind of restaurant hubby and I enjoy discovering together. ❤️🌎

Wok India Restaurant and Bar - Mason, OH

Dinner AND entertainment at the same time? YES! 😂🔥🥢 One of the things we enjoy most about Tokyo Japanese Steak House is having our food cooked right there at the table in front of us. Of course, the food is important—but for me, the entertainment is the BEST part! Watching the chef prepare everything... Good food + cooked right in front of you + entertainment while you eat = a FUN night out! 😂🔥❤️

Tokyo Steak House - Joplin, MO

If we're traveling through Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas or Missouri and I spot a Braum's—I'm interested! 😂🍦 Braum's is a regional favorite with locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri, and it's one of those places that brings back some wonderful family memories for me. My choice? A Heath Mix! And there's a bonus to that choice—hubby doesn't like Heath, so I don't have to share! 😂 Mom enjoyed their limeade, while Dad was more likely to go for a banana split or hot-fudge sundae. They have regular food and a Fresh Market too, but let's be serious...I'm mainly there for the ICE CREAM! 😂🍦 It's funny how certain restaurants become connected to the people you love and the trips you've taken. For me, Braum's is one of those places. Great ice cream + family memories + a Heath Mix that's ALL MINE = we're stopping! ❤️🍦

Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store - Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas or Missouri

It's a little bit of a drive for us—but the ICE CREAM makes it worth it! 😂🍦❤️ Young's Jersey Dairy near Yellow Springs, Ohio is one of those places we'll make the drive to when we're in the mood for some REALLY good ice cream. Now, there's one little catch: Young's can get CROWDED, especially during the busy fall season when everyone else apparently has the same idea we do! 😂 They have all kinds of activities at the farm, but sometimes we're not there for an entire Young's adventure. We're there for the ICE CREAM! 🍦 So when it's packed, we have a very simple solution: get our ice cream to go, head back to the car and si... They make their ice cream right there at the farm, with plenty of flavors and ways to enjoy it—from a simple scoop to sundaes and milkshakes. A little drive + delicious homemade ice cream + eating it in the car when the crowds are crazy = STILL WORTH THE TRIP! 🍦😂❤️

Young's Homemade Ice Cream

If you're traveling through Ohio, Kentucky or Indiana and see a UDF, STOP for the ice cream! 🍦❤️ United Dairy Farmers—or UDF to those of us who grew up around here—is one of those places that's tied to a LOT of memories for me. My cousin is a missionary in another country, and when he comes home, one of the things he looks forward to is a good old-fashioned VANILLA MALT! They don't have malts where he lives, so a trip home just isn't quite complete without one. 😂 Me? Give me an ORANGE FREEZE made with ORANGE JUICE—not orange drink! 🍊😂 There's a difference, and I KNOW what I want! That Orange Freeze also brings back one of my sweetest memories of Mom. She loved them too, and when she was sick and didn't want much of anything, I'd sometimes bring her one. She might only take a sip or two, but I can still hear that little “ummmm... Sometimes food isn't just food. It's people, places and memories wrapped up in something as simple as a malt or an Orange Freeze. And that's UDF for me. 🍦❤️

UDF Inc - Ohio, Kentucky or Indiana

For some people, there is ice cream...and then there is GRAETER'S. 😂🍦 If you're from around this part of the country (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Cleveland, Ohio, plus Northern Kentucky/Louisville/Lexington, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Graeter's says it has 50+ neighborhood retail locations), you proba... IYKYK. ❤️ Graeter's has been making ice cream for generations, and it's especially known for its rich, creamy texture and those wonderful chocolate-chip flavors with BIG chunks of chocolate mixed throughout. Is it good? YEP. Very good. 😂🍦 And for the die-hard Graeter's fans, suggesting another ice cream shop may be considered fighting words—so I'll just leave this right here. 😂❤️

Graeter’s Ice Cream - Ice Cream (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Cleveland, Ohio, plus Northern Kentucky/Louisville/Lexington, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Graeter's says it has 50+ neighborhood retail locations.)

Restaurants Worth Visiting Wherever the Road Takes You

Chinese Restaurants Worth Visiting

Mexican Restaurants Worth Savoring

Hidden Gems & Local Favorites

Pizza Places Worth Stopping For

Asian Restaurants Worth Discovering

Ice Cream & Sweet Treats