Red Hills Trace Inn

We stopped in on a warm summers evening to give this place a try. The location was great. the setting very peaceful and relaxed. Our server was very friendly and attentive, missing nothing. I ordered blackened salmon and my wife had fish n chips. We preceded that with a starter of breaded mushrooms. The food arrived in good order, and relatively quickly. The mushrooms were hand cut and breaded and were fantastic! Next up… my side salad. I give this low marks. In a restaurant tauted as «fine dining», I expext at least one type of dressing to be made on site. but it was bottled only. Secondly, salad done properly isn’t made with cut lettuce… particularly with a $ 20 plate as a side. The salmon arrived in a timely fashion and was done perfectly. The side of green beans was obviously NIFDA canned. but otherwise ok. My wife’s fish n chips included cod done very nicely… along with frozen string cut fries. For the price… would like to have had a little farther up the ladder on the fries. The sides of hush puppies we got WERE hand made on site and very taaty. As i said, the staff was awesome and the setting and view were great. Overall I gave 3 stars. Some of the food was fantastic. .some just okay. If they continue to improve in some of the areas mentioned, they could be really great! They have a good start… and we will go back and give them anothet try soon.

This place is so neat! It’s literally dining in the middle of a glittery antique and novelty shop. There’s so much to look at that eventually my boyfriend and I were just gazing around the place in silence.
The food is good, not great, old-​fashioned diner food, and I actually really liked my honey ham. The prices are reasonable, the service is pleasant, and the location is so lovely on the little lake there. We came at Halloween, but I so wish I could see it at Christmas!

What a nice time in the middle of nowhere. Trace Inn restaurant is located on the property of Red Hills State Park known as the highest point between St. Louis, MO and Cincinatti, OH, if you were wondering. Trace Inn is a rustic little diner situated on the Red Hills lake and it is scenic year round. We watched Canadian geese fly in formation above the frozen lake as we ate and listened to them honk at each other on the ice. the restaurant was decorated for Christmas. Very nice.
The food is standard Sodexho diner fare. Uninspiring, but I did have some lovely fried catfish. Salads are decent and a good choice. The food holds it own, but it’s the location that draws people here. Service was acceptable, and prices are fair. Food does take time to make it to the table. Considering there is nothing else edible within 15 miles, it is a wonder this place stays as nice as it does.
They do not take reservations, do not update their website (nor do they spellcheck, it appears). Give them a call to make sure they’re open, and be prepared to wait a few minutes for a table when you arrive.
This is actually a good place for kids. They have a modern playset outside the restaurant and lots of space to run and play in the park, as well as the lake. they also have a gift shop with all the midwest, kuntry knicknacks you can stomach. Support Trace Inn!