Historical dining in the heart of the Flint Hills. Hays House 1857 Restaurant and Tavern has been serving quality, Kansas food at affordable prices since 1857. Join us for one of our signature dishes or unique specials by Chef Randy Dickson. Find us on beautiful Council Grove, Kansas’ Main Street. From drinks and appetizers to full-scale events, we provide a memorable dining experience for all to enjoy. Check out our website for our current menu options, event spaces, and more. Then make a plan to experience a true Kansas dining tradition. We can’t wait to serve you!
Based on 689 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.2 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ No delivery
Address:
112 W Main St, Council Grove, KS 66846
Phone: (620) 767-5911
Website: http://www.hayshouse.com/
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Sunday | 11 AM–3 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
Closed |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
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Reviews
Ryan Armbrust
Stopped in on a weekday for lunch and were seated right away. Food came out fast. Ordered fried beef tips and mashed potatoes, and my wife got the “blue plate special” of an open face prime rib sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Flavor was good on my beef tips but the breading was a little underdone and really pale. Not very appetizing to look at. Prime rib sandwich was great, really good flavor and texture. Not too pricey either. A good meal!
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Jessica L
We ate at Hays House because of the historical significance of the restaurant. The food was above average, but pricey for some dishes. They had no kid menus printed. We ordered entrees for our kids to share, and they kindly split the entrees into 2 plates.
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David Hays
I guess some things are better left for the history books.
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Michael Herring
It’s more of a family dinner than the oldest bar in Kansas.. You have to visit the original bar down stairs… the price for the burgers is soooooo good.
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Matt in Mississippi
Great rustic place, service was very good and the food pretty good as well. The chicken fried steak was large! I don’t know if it was previously frozen, but it seemed to be hand battered and it was clearly a slab of sirloin. The beef flavor was there but I don’t think the meat itself was seasoned. As this dish goes, this was a good example! I’ll be happy to come back next time I’m in the area.
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teamcow550
Best pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked sausage I can ever remember eating. The garlic mashed potatoes were excellent. The 4 layer carrot cake was very good, but I didn’t need it. We split one meal and we were both stuffed. If you haven’t ever eaten there you need to put it on your “must do” list. If you have eaten there, we’ll you know what I’m talking about!
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Maureen Daniel
Very interesting historic restaurant. We were doing a day trip up the scenic byway (177 Hwy) from Cassoday to Council Grove with the final stop at the Hays House, total 110 miles one way from our home. It is a beautiful drive through the Flint Hills. Sadly, the Hays House was a bit of a let down. We arrived around noon and the restaurant was nearly empty. That should have been a warning sign. Service was slow and the meals incomplete. We started with fried pickles which are made in house. Interesting take on the dish with the beer battered slices but sadly had a fishy under-taste. I think the oil in the fryer needed changed. We both ordered chicken fried steak which is suppose to come with side salad and vegetable for $17.95. It arrived sans salad or side. The steak had a good flavor and the gravy was its saving grace. It was very gristly even though it had been run through a needle tenderizer more than a few times. Thank goodness for the hefty steak knife. It’s toughness was pretty sad since flavor wise it could be a stellar, top 10 chicken fry. I had read several reviews about the strawberry pie so was looking forward to a piece but the were out. I wonder if they were out of lettuce and side vegetables as well.
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Christ Opher
We visit CG a handful of times each year to fish. Somehow, we missed the memo on Hays House. When we visited this past Saturday, we not only had a delicious meal, the drinks were tasty and the service was good.
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mark llamas
We drove specifically, as a day trip, to Council Grove to eat at The Hays House. I start by saying that the place is bright and extremely clean, thank you! Our visit started with an inquiry to the young host if a childs menu was available. He turned to our waitress who had just arrived to ask and she visibly look annoyed, rolled her eyes and shook her head no. She then stated in flat tones that there was no printed childrens menus (btw, why not?!) but she gave us three options. Never once did she say hello, smile or act like…well, a waitress, never welcoming nor friendly. Everything was monotone, nothing but direct answers as she stood in front of us her weight on one hip. Despite this the service WAS quick and the food came out quickly. We were eating lunch so I cannot speak to the dinner menu items but the meal was pretty underwhelming. My bison burger was flat and heavily salted, the gravy on the chicken fried steak was floury. It was edible but not a standout in any form. Overall the menu is a bit on the pricey side considering there is NOTHING of much interest within 40 miles of Council Grove. Nothing here justifies the prices nor the travel. Oh yes, by the way, our waitress never did smile.
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jaaks6
Came in at noon on a Saturday, day before mother’s day. Got seated right away.they were fairly busy but we ha da very nice lunch. Staff was extremely pleasant and meal very good. I had the cowboy Cajun pasta. Could not finish it but very tasty. Hubs had the lunch special Tuna Melt and said it too was very good. We will come back again.
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