Love this place! A little jewel out in the burger, catfish, meat and 3 woods. Chef Edward is a great guy! Comes out and says hey. Has been here for years and the crowds prove how good it is. Beautiful porch over looking water. Cajun is a little heavy handed spices for me. But folks around here love it. Steaks, seafood, chicken. Sides are unique and great. Atmosphere is great. Casual but cool. Country but contemporary. What all great restaurants are..... Themselves. And just like people, they are the easiest to end up liking and admiring. We plan to have several great nights there this summer. BYOB.
(4)
Becky M.
Whether you want to eat by yourself, go on a date, or take your friends along, this is an out of the way place on the Caney Fork River, with a wonderful view in a delightful atmosphere. This is an out of the way food destination. The food is made to order, made in house, and served with love. Do not go if you were in a rush because you will want to enjoy getting out of town and retreating to a place that seems far away. Take advantage of that. Slow down. Enjoy your company. And put your phone down. The menu is small but perfected. Each menu item is a work of art. Many times restaurants have so many items to choose from and don't stay consistent, but this place fine tuned their menu, the presentation, the flavor, and the quality. And the portions are wonderful. You will not be disappointed. If you think you can go to a Red Lobster, Cheddar's, Logan's, or some other franchise and get more bang for your buck, you are out of your mind. Ditch the franchise and support your local family. The quality, flavor, variety, creativity, and destination make all those other places look like fast food. Middle Tennessee is very fortunate do you have this gem of a restaurant close to Cookeville, Crossville, McMinnville, and Sparta. Thank You chef Edward Philpot! Well done!
(5)
Linda K.
Nice setting. I don't like how the lettuce is cut, it shouldn't be cut in the first place. Other salad items are cut too small. Catfish was mushy and tasteless. Crapcakes were too bready and mushy, not enough flavor, could not taste the crab. Very much just diner type food. Not worth the price at all. Will not go back.
(2)
Jana H.
Do not waste your time or money on this stop. Wish I would have eaten anywhere but here. The good- beautiful scenery The bad- pricing...$15 and up for mediocre "Cajun" food. Was charged for food I did not receive because I opted out for the vegetable of the day: 'creamy carrots' aka carrot sticks boiled with some milk served cold. Also, cats were everywhere. They begged at your feet while you were eating. The ugly- waiting and service...waited 1 hour for table and yet another hour for food (that was cold). Terrible service as well. Had to ask for everything, and that was only when you could catch him. I wish this place lived up to its hype.
(1)
Patti M.
Great place will definitely go back. Service was great food was good and well priced and the craft beer was great. I will definitely recommend this place. Can't wait to go back.
(4)
Laurie S.
I am sorry I can not recommend this restaurant. The food is just odd, and not odd in a good way. For example all the Cajun dishes have lots of sugar added so there is a really strange sweet taste. Also something called tomato jam covers quite a lot of dishes like my smoked lemon trout. The trout was dry and flavorless and covered with this sweet tomato jam. I could not eat it. That said the service is good and the draft beer is wonderful.
(2)
Nicole P.
3 stars for food + an extra star for location. This a really cute little gem that could not be more perfectly situated for those who'd like a nice meal after exploring Rock Island State Park. My husband and I enjoyed the friendly service and our food (crab cakes; salad w/ apple date dressing; fried catfish; and the pork lollipops, which as advertised, fell right off the bone). My only complaint is this: my hubs ordered a draft beer. He's the one and done type, so he was quite perplexed when our server brought him another one once his reached the bottom. The server was busy and hopping from table to table, so she just dropped it and ran and we didn't see her again for quite some time. Thinking that maybe there was some sort of BOGO deal going on, and not wanting to see a good beer wasted, he sipped on it with his meal. Then, the bill arrives and we find we'd been charged for two... um, okay. It might be a good idea to instruct your servers to actually ASK before they bring a refill on the frothy $5 beverages... Truth be told, if this place were in Nashville, I would tell you it was ridiculously overpriced. But considering it's one of very, VERY few options in the area that is not deep fried fast food, I'd say the overall experience was worth recommending. Come in, expect to stay awhile, and enjoy the nice view from the deck.
(4)
Carol H.
Terrible slow service. Waited over an hour for food. Unhappy with service. Had empty tables but would not seat us and other patrons.
(1)
Dan L.
Waitstaff was attentive and our party of eight could not have been better served (Deanna?) Ordered appetizers of mushrooms (incredibly rich and flavorful) as well as the pretzel knots. The sauce with the knots could well have been the highlight of the meal! Everyone ordered different entrees and I don't believe anyone finished! Two of the party ordered salad with salmon and both could not have been more impressed. No one in the party expressed anything but joy related to their choice! When I have a "do over" I plan to hit the salmon instead of the Cajun sampler. While flavor profile was great it was heavier on the rice than I would have liked and lighter on crawfish. No feedback on dessert. Only one in party ordered the white chocolate bread pudding...took half home since all were at capacity! Looked great and obviously good enough to box and take home. Overall a great experience and I will be back SOON!
(4)
Alan C.
My date and I were extremely happy we made a last minute decision to stop in Foglight Foodhouse on our last evening in Rock Island State Park. We started with a side salad, which we assumed would be ice-burg lettuce with a few bland veggies. What we got instead was an organic combination of dark leafy greens and fresh vegetables with homemade dressings that was delicious. We then had the stuff mushroom caps. We gave them an A+. For our entree we split the Cajun Sampler. The Red Beans and Rice was our favorite part, but everything was delicious. If we ever find ourselves back in that part of the country, we'll be back.
(5)
Teresa S.
Foglight Foodhouse is in a great location (out in the middle of nowhere in the beautiful Rock Island State Park) and has great ambiance. They also have excellent blackened chicken crawfish alfredo. And that's where the wonderful ends. We showed up at 5:00 when they opened. The hostess started taking names and made people wait to be seated, even though there was a restaurant full of free tables. Slowly people were shown to their table. We were only 4th or 5th on the list but It took 30 minutes for our party to be seated. Service was rather mediocre but though slow at times our waitress wasn't terrible. She did manage to keep the drinks filled, which was well appreciated. Food took a very long time to arrive, even considering there were 8 of us. The quality of food was sadly lacking overall. Two of us ordered pasta and both dishes were very good. A couple others ordered the etouffee and it was just plain terrible - the sauce wasn't good and the spice was overwhelming. Both dishes should have been returned to the kitchen, it was that bad. Two others ordered the sea bass - one said it was just 'ok' and the other had to send it back because it was so rubbery. Another ordered chicken and sent it back due to the excessive smokey flavor. At no point did the manager come around to apologize or offer restitution - one of our party finally asked for the manager who ended up not being helpful. One of the worst dining experiences I've had the displeasure of encountering. Will not return.
(1)
Brian S.
Amazing Cajun food; after going caving and a afternoon drive around the park we arrived here. Place is cool- burlap bags on ceiling and causal interior. I had swamp cakes on grits- YUMMY! GF had catfish which was cooked to perfection. Her son had blackened catfish- spicy but he loved it! Staff was easy going and helpful.
(5)
Kristy T.
Hard place to find. Service was excellent for our group of 8. It took a little while to get our food but I think that's to be expected when everything is made fresh to order. The Cajun food choices were a lot spicier than I prefer and I'm one who really likes spicy. I sampled others and the pasta dishes and mushroom appetizers were fabulous. I'd definitely go back!
(4)
Diane A.
Great service, great good - always go there when we are around this area. Nice atmosphere - you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Denise B.
A hidden gem! The food is awesome, the atmosphere is great, and the chef is the nicest guy you'll find. The low country cuisine is a unique change of pace. Bring some friends, a bottle of wine, and grab a seat on the porch for a top notch evening.
When it comes to heavenly food Foglight Foodhouse is the food you will want. Each time we go we both have a hard time deciding what we want to order. Love the Rock Island Rib Eye, Pecan Crusted Catfish, Swamp Cakes (crab cake), Rocky River Catfish. Oh good grief I could sit here and type the whole menu. You will NOT be disappointed but make sure you order some cheese bread..... So, so, so good... Five stars isn't enough I'd give Chef Edward 10 stars!
I stayed with friends near Sparta over a weekend and invited them to dinner. They chose this place, which otherwise I'd never have found on my own. We arrived at opening as the first customers, got the a table by the window overlooking the lake, and had our drink and appetizer order in almost immediately. As my friends had been here many times, they quickly recommended our meals: stuffed mushroom appetizer, "coyboy lollipops", swamp cakes, and crawfish etouffee for me. I also had a local craft beer. We added salads to our entrees; the chipotle ranch dressing was very good. No room for dessert. Bill was $100 before the tip.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
C W.
Love this place! A little jewel out in the burger, catfish, meat and 3 woods. Chef Edward is a great guy! Comes out and says hey. Has been here for years and the crowds prove how good it is. Beautiful porch over looking water. Cajun is a little heavy handed spices for me. But folks around here love it. Steaks, seafood, chicken. Sides are unique and great. Atmosphere is great. Casual but cool. Country but contemporary. What all great restaurants are..... Themselves. And just like people, they are the easiest to end up liking and admiring. We plan to have several great nights there this summer. BYOB.
(4)Becky M.
Whether you want to eat by yourself, go on a date, or take your friends along, this is an out of the way place on the Caney Fork River, with a wonderful view in a delightful atmosphere. This is an out of the way food destination. The food is made to order, made in house, and served with love. Do not go if you were in a rush because you will want to enjoy getting out of town and retreating to a place that seems far away. Take advantage of that. Slow down. Enjoy your company. And put your phone down. The menu is small but perfected. Each menu item is a work of art. Many times restaurants have so many items to choose from and don't stay consistent, but this place fine tuned their menu, the presentation, the flavor, and the quality. And the portions are wonderful. You will not be disappointed. If you think you can go to a Red Lobster, Cheddar's, Logan's, or some other franchise and get more bang for your buck, you are out of your mind. Ditch the franchise and support your local family. The quality, flavor, variety, creativity, and destination make all those other places look like fast food. Middle Tennessee is very fortunate do you have this gem of a restaurant close to Cookeville, Crossville, McMinnville, and Sparta. Thank You chef Edward Philpot! Well done!
(5)Linda K.
Nice setting. I don't like how the lettuce is cut, it shouldn't be cut in the first place. Other salad items are cut too small. Catfish was mushy and tasteless. Crapcakes were too bready and mushy, not enough flavor, could not taste the crab. Very much just diner type food. Not worth the price at all. Will not go back.
(2)Jana H.
Do not waste your time or money on this stop. Wish I would have eaten anywhere but here. The good- beautiful scenery The bad- pricing...$15 and up for mediocre "Cajun" food. Was charged for food I did not receive because I opted out for the vegetable of the day: 'creamy carrots' aka carrot sticks boiled with some milk served cold. Also, cats were everywhere. They begged at your feet while you were eating. The ugly- waiting and service...waited 1 hour for table and yet another hour for food (that was cold). Terrible service as well. Had to ask for everything, and that was only when you could catch him. I wish this place lived up to its hype.
(1)Patti M.
Great place will definitely go back. Service was great food was good and well priced and the craft beer was great. I will definitely recommend this place. Can't wait to go back.
(4)Laurie S.
I am sorry I can not recommend this restaurant. The food is just odd, and not odd in a good way. For example all the Cajun dishes have lots of sugar added so there is a really strange sweet taste. Also something called tomato jam covers quite a lot of dishes like my smoked lemon trout. The trout was dry and flavorless and covered with this sweet tomato jam. I could not eat it. That said the service is good and the draft beer is wonderful.
(2)Nicole P.
3 stars for food + an extra star for location. This a really cute little gem that could not be more perfectly situated for those who'd like a nice meal after exploring Rock Island State Park. My husband and I enjoyed the friendly service and our food (crab cakes; salad w/ apple date dressing; fried catfish; and the pork lollipops, which as advertised, fell right off the bone). My only complaint is this: my hubs ordered a draft beer. He's the one and done type, so he was quite perplexed when our server brought him another one once his reached the bottom. The server was busy and hopping from table to table, so she just dropped it and ran and we didn't see her again for quite some time. Thinking that maybe there was some sort of BOGO deal going on, and not wanting to see a good beer wasted, he sipped on it with his meal. Then, the bill arrives and we find we'd been charged for two... um, okay. It might be a good idea to instruct your servers to actually ASK before they bring a refill on the frothy $5 beverages... Truth be told, if this place were in Nashville, I would tell you it was ridiculously overpriced. But considering it's one of very, VERY few options in the area that is not deep fried fast food, I'd say the overall experience was worth recommending. Come in, expect to stay awhile, and enjoy the nice view from the deck.
(4)Carol H.
Terrible slow service. Waited over an hour for food. Unhappy with service. Had empty tables but would not seat us and other patrons.
(1)Dan L.
Waitstaff was attentive and our party of eight could not have been better served (Deanna?) Ordered appetizers of mushrooms (incredibly rich and flavorful) as well as the pretzel knots. The sauce with the knots could well have been the highlight of the meal! Everyone ordered different entrees and I don't believe anyone finished! Two of the party ordered salad with salmon and both could not have been more impressed. No one in the party expressed anything but joy related to their choice! When I have a "do over" I plan to hit the salmon instead of the Cajun sampler. While flavor profile was great it was heavier on the rice than I would have liked and lighter on crawfish. No feedback on dessert. Only one in party ordered the white chocolate bread pudding...took half home since all were at capacity! Looked great and obviously good enough to box and take home. Overall a great experience and I will be back SOON!
(4)Alan C.
My date and I were extremely happy we made a last minute decision to stop in Foglight Foodhouse on our last evening in Rock Island State Park. We started with a side salad, which we assumed would be ice-burg lettuce with a few bland veggies. What we got instead was an organic combination of dark leafy greens and fresh vegetables with homemade dressings that was delicious. We then had the stuff mushroom caps. We gave them an A+. For our entree we split the Cajun Sampler. The Red Beans and Rice was our favorite part, but everything was delicious. If we ever find ourselves back in that part of the country, we'll be back.
(5)Teresa S.
Foglight Foodhouse is in a great location (out in the middle of nowhere in the beautiful Rock Island State Park) and has great ambiance. They also have excellent blackened chicken crawfish alfredo. And that's where the wonderful ends. We showed up at 5:00 when they opened. The hostess started taking names and made people wait to be seated, even though there was a restaurant full of free tables. Slowly people were shown to their table. We were only 4th or 5th on the list but It took 30 minutes for our party to be seated. Service was rather mediocre but though slow at times our waitress wasn't terrible. She did manage to keep the drinks filled, which was well appreciated. Food took a very long time to arrive, even considering there were 8 of us. The quality of food was sadly lacking overall. Two of us ordered pasta and both dishes were very good. A couple others ordered the etouffee and it was just plain terrible - the sauce wasn't good and the spice was overwhelming. Both dishes should have been returned to the kitchen, it was that bad. Two others ordered the sea bass - one said it was just 'ok' and the other had to send it back because it was so rubbery. Another ordered chicken and sent it back due to the excessive smokey flavor. At no point did the manager come around to apologize or offer restitution - one of our party finally asked for the manager who ended up not being helpful. One of the worst dining experiences I've had the displeasure of encountering. Will not return.
(1)Brian S.
Amazing Cajun food; after going caving and a afternoon drive around the park we arrived here. Place is cool- burlap bags on ceiling and causal interior. I had swamp cakes on grits- YUMMY! GF had catfish which was cooked to perfection. Her son had blackened catfish- spicy but he loved it! Staff was easy going and helpful.
(5)Kristy T.
Hard place to find. Service was excellent for our group of 8. It took a little while to get our food but I think that's to be expected when everything is made fresh to order. The Cajun food choices were a lot spicier than I prefer and I'm one who really likes spicy. I sampled others and the pasta dishes and mushroom appetizers were fabulous. I'd definitely go back!
(4)Diane A.
Great service, great good - always go there when we are around this area. Nice atmosphere - you will not be disappointed.
(5)Denise B.
A hidden gem! The food is awesome, the atmosphere is great, and the chef is the nicest guy you'll find. The low country cuisine is a unique change of pace. Bring some friends, a bottle of wine, and grab a seat on the porch for a top notch evening.
(5)Clarissa C.
Yum!!! I enjoyed the Cajun rice and beans and the étouffée! Both very delicious! I loved the kick of spice/heat from the rice and beans and the flavor of the étouffée! I kept wanting more! The views from the restaurant is breath taking and makes for a wonderful overall dining experience.
(5)Belinda B.
When it comes to heavenly food Foglight Foodhouse is the food you will want. Each time we go we both have a hard time deciding what we want to order. Love the Rock Island Rib Eye, Pecan Crusted Catfish, Swamp Cakes (crab cake), Rocky River Catfish. Oh good grief I could sit here and type the whole menu. You will NOT be disappointed but make sure you order some cheese bread..... So, so, so good... Five stars isn't enough I'd give Chef Edward 10 stars!
(5)Ming Z.
You need GPS to find this restaurant if you are not from this area. You will see more raccoons than human beings because it is in the middle of the thick Tennessee forest. However, it seems that locals love this place. We were there during weekdays and we had to wait to be seated. The warm and homey atmosphere is not the only factor that attract its guests. Surrounded by placid forest and pellucid Caney Fork River, dinning at this restaurant is therapeutic. To me, all those above are important elements to assure a pleasant time spent with love ones and dear friends. This restaurant almost took me to that utopia land only if its food could show me the magic. After all, we are talking about Cajun food. For that, it has failed to have me surrendered myself to that tiny bite of Étouffée. Call me bias. I admit I am not that easily to be convinced when it comes to good Cajun food, not mention I am a spoiled non-Cajun girl who adore Chef Paul Prudhomme's cooking. I wish I could spend more time in this area to try few more dishes of Foglight Foodhouse besides its Cajun food. I believe that behind all the loyal customers, there must be an excellent chef that dedicates all his/her efforts to establish a successful business. Unfortunately, for my friends and me, after paid 120 dollar for few drinks and 4 plates of plain Cajun, the possibility of coming back here has dimmed.
(3)Kirk B.
I stayed with friends near Sparta over a weekend and invited them to dinner. They chose this place, which otherwise I'd never have found on my own. We arrived at opening as the first customers, got the a table by the window overlooking the lake, and had our drink and appetizer order in almost immediately. As my friends had been here many times, they quickly recommended our meals: stuffed mushroom appetizer, "coyboy lollipops", swamp cakes, and crawfish etouffee for me. I also had a local craft beer. We added salads to our entrees; the chipotle ranch dressing was very good. No room for dessert. Bill was $100 before the tip.
(4)