I'm going to start this review by saying that I LIKED this restaurant. The location was a little…read moreremote and the food definitely left something to be desired, but I would definitely consider my visit a positive experience. I would definitely come back!
Cedar Ridge was recommended to my boyfriend and I by the owner of the little Bed and Breakfast where we were staying in Atchison. So we took the short drive out on the back-country gravel roads until we found ourselves climbing the hill to a beautiful, well-lit farm home. Vehicles are parked in a gravel lot between the house and the barn, and the whole area was lit with various party lights. We were excited to find a nice patio area complete with plenty of seating and a fire pit. The evening of our visit was pretty cold, but I can imagine it would be a fantastic place to hang around when the weather is warmer.
The restaurant itself is inside the barn. We were greeted by friendly staff who told us that this was a particularly busy evening for them, so the wait would be close to 45 minutes. We weren't in a hurry and were excited by the restaurant's atmosphere, so we just went to the bar, ordered cocktails, and spent some time by the fire outside. The bar, I should mention, had a minimal selection, but as a fan of locally-distilled 360 Vodka, I was excited to see they had my drink of choice in every available flavor.
The wait ended up being a great deal shorter than expected. Seating at this place is a little different and is reminiscent of some sort of community gathering. Even the smallest tables will seat six or so people. The building is big and open (as barns usually are), so it does get a little loud inside.
The menu at Cedar Ridge changes daily and is decided for you. You pay a set amount to receive a 4-course meal: salad, soup, entree, and dessert. On the night of our visit, we were served a salad (wedge-style, which was weird), chicken noodle soup, brisket, roasted lemon-pepper chicken, pulled pork, green beans, a baked potato, rolls, and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I have to say, most of the meal was pretty disappointing. The salad was overly drenched with dressing, the soup bland, the meat uninteresting. Dinner was not terribly impressive, but again, it was very reminiscent of your run-of-the-mill home country cooking. I did enjoy the cobbler, and our waitress was kind enough to bring me a bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup.
Over-all, we enjoyed Cedar Ridge. The people were very kind and friendly, and the atmosphere was amazing. Definitely a place to check out if you are in the area. Come hungry, and as long as you are not a terribly picky eater, you will be well-fed!