The Golden Lamb is Ohio’s Oldest Restaurant

During a delightful weekend stay in Warren County, we had dinner at one of it’s most iconic restaurants: The Golden Lamb in downtown Lebanon.

The Golden Lamb is distinguished as the oldest continually operating business in Ohio! It was first started as a small public house in 1803 before the brick hotel and stagecoach stop was built in 1816. Over the following decades, the third and fourth floors were added to create the beautiful structure that’s been a familiar site to diners and travelers for years.

The decor recalls the building’s history, with some original pieces still in place. There’s a bench in the front room (pictured on the left here). As the business has changed hands, the contracts state that it’s not to be moved, and it never has! Stagecoach drivers used to sleep there when they would stop at the hotel. There’s also an old record player that hasn’t moved, and a pair pistols that – the story goes – were left by a Union and a Confederate officer who met there during the Civil War. They promised to return as friends after the war, but the pistols went unclaimed and still hang up front.

The Golden Lamb’s dining rooms fill most of the lower floor, and include modern touches that still fit nicely with the historic building.

The Black Horse Tavern is located at the rear of the space, and offers a modern tavern experience. It’s open seating and does not take reservations.

The restaurant features a full bar with cocktails, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options.

We sampled a couple cocktails, like the Honey Mead Old Fashion with mead, Four Roses bourbon, orange bitters, and a local honey syrup, and the JB’s Gin Buck with The Botanist Gin, ginger beer, and fresh lemon juice.

It’s hard to argue with a basket of cheese curds and a side of ranch! These were very nicely done – crispy and gooey without being too heavy.

The Cheese & Crackers spread features a nice selection of cheeses, peppadew peppers, pecans, fruit, honeycomb, and other bites.

Kudos to the creamy smoked salmon dip as well!

They’re known, too, for their side of rolls served with apple butter and regular butter. We had multiple mention those before we visited!

In addition to salads, soups, burgers, and sandwiches, their signature entrees represent a spectrum of comfort foods, from shepherd’s pie to roast turkey dinners, seared scallops to braised short ribs, NY strip steaks to lamb loin.

This is the couscous, mushroom, and vegetable “cobbler.” It’s served piping hot in a dish, with a bottom layer of pearl couscous topped with mushrooms, roasted garlic, green beans, sun-dried tomato, spinach, and goat cheese cream, with a buttery biscuit crumble and some roast chicken. It’s hearty and delicious.

But The Golden Lamb’s most famous dish is their Ohio fried chicken dinner. I knew well before we arrived that I’d be ordering it. I chose the half chicken; it comes with seasonal vegetables, a scoop of mashed potatoes, and gravy.

When a place banks its reputation on single dish, the pressure’s on to deliver. And I’ll say it: The Golden Lamb delivers. This is exactly what you want in fried chicken: deliciously tender and juicy meat, a crispy and well-seasoned breading. I devoured the plate and could have eaten more.

After you’re done savoring your fried chicken, you’re welcome to walk around all three floors of the building. It’s an active hotel, so the guest rooms will be off-limits, but it’s also partly a living museum.

You’ll spy a variety of event spaces on the upper floors. And the decor nods to the building’s history and its many famous visitors, including a collection of U.S. presidents over the centuries.