A historic house dating back to the pioneer era back when Kansas was a new state to the United States. Although the museum portion was eye-pleasing and had artifacts relating to Kansas in the 19th century, the food was just alright and portions were small. The elk pot roast was underseasoned, but the rest of the meal was good. However, the person running the restaurant was knowledgeable about the history of Council Grove and the building itself which made up for less than ideal food. read more

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Absolutely loved my stop here. The history is incredible. I had the soup with native bread hit the spot on that rainy day

No words can describe our experience. If I had to pick... Connectedness. We learned so much about the deeply-rooted history of this town, along with beliefs and traditions connected to the natives of this land. I want to try everything on the menu. But most of all, I want to return and spend more time with Shirley and Ken. If only the world had more folks like this in it. read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - Good advice. - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

Sweet place with kind servers. Had the bison sloppy Joe and root beer float. Books to read and a museum to check out! read more

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What a treasure! My BFF and I decided to try here after a little hike at Tallgrass Prairie National Park. We had already read that our meal would be in a house. What we didn't anticipate was the wonderful history lesson we received regarding the property and area. The house is filled with antiques, photos, furniture and everyday items from a time past. The house is kept immaculately, and is operated by volunteers. The menu is unique, and can be viewed from the website. We chose the bison Pot roast, succotash, and sweet potatoes. This was accompanied by an Indian bread (not fry bread) that contained a little dill. The bread was soft and accompanied by a pat of butter. I also ordered a side salad that was composed of fresh greens, tomato, purple cabbage and carrots. Before we left, we enjoyed a slice of chocolate cake and a root beer float. I recommend this to all, especially history buffs who might enjoy learning more about the development and history of this special part of Kansas. Our waiter/server/cook/teacher is a retired attorney, who is an authority regarding Council Grove. So happy we visited!! read more

I have been working in Council Grove for a month and decided to check out something new. The Trail Days cafe and Museum was a very pleasant experience since I enjoy local history and good food this was a home run. After an introduction to the historic house it was time to order I looked no further than the Bison pot roast with sweet potatoes, succotash and Indian bread. I was to totold to make myself at home and have a look around the house it be came apparent the pride the owners have in the preservation of the house and enjoy sharing it with any who stop by. I will definitely be back and recommend the pot roast it was very good topped off with a large chocolate chip cookie. read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - Bison pot roast sweet potatoes succotash - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

The food is ok. Not a place to go if you want to visit with someone. If you're going there strictly for a history lesson you're in luck, the proprietor spends a lot of time at your table giving you just that. read more

My wife and I stopped here to have lunch and look at the museum. The upstairs had a lovely finished era date correct bedroom. When we sat down to eat we were greeted by the host. He was very personable and throughout the meal was attentive you're not overbearing. The dining room is small but quaint. There are many descriptions of the items around you in the book that you can read. We ordered the buffalo roast and the savory salad, followed by a piece of cherry strawberry pie. Overall the food was very delicious and reasonably sized. We enjoyed the meal and the company. If you want to eat interesting place to visit stop in and enjoy the meal. But if you were in a hurry probably skip this place. read more

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A lovely experience of food and history! They were able to accommodate our large group, which was planned in advance.

I hadn't been in a bakery in more than 15 years! Stopped by for some donuts. Bought a dozen donuts- chocolate, glazed, maple & strawberry e.t.c, They were delicious! Not doughy, but soft & light with perfect frosting! read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - Good morning every one. - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

Great food and great experience. Takes a while to get your food, so plan on staying for at least an hour if you want to eat.

Fantastic! This place is unique and a must stop if you go to Council Grove! Food is both interesting and authentic. Owners are magnificent! Nice, friendly, and full of local history shared fluently by the most interesting person in town! He's witty, funny, entertaining, and full of knowledge. Wow! What a find. And they beat the heck out of the Hayes House. In a league of their own. read more

What an amazing experience! Came for lunch after hiking at Tall Grass Prairie. It's in the 1860 trail house with a museum and cafe. The menu comes alive with the owner walks you thru the history of the area by the foods from native Americans, to the settlers Italians, Germans etc. it's home cookin' at its best. We opted for Native American and went with bison and elk with traditional sides of butter beans, Indian bread, sweet potatoes and apple sauce to die for. We topped it off with homemade rhubarb and strawberry pie. The cherry tea was amazing too. Service was amazing and atmosphere was very unique. read more

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Thank you, fellow Yelpers, for pointing us to this great restaurant/museum combo!! This charming place is FILLED with Santa Fe Trail history, and the owner told us several short & humorous stories while waiting for our food and during lunch. The menu items all tie into the history of Kansas and the surrounding area, including specialties such as elk and bison, a couple French items, English, German, Swedish... My salad was fresh and the homemade blue cheese dressing was very good. The salad included house-made croutons and shaved almonds! My entree was Swedish meatballs and they were VERY good. Also included was a slice of homemade bread -- delicious! My mom ordered ham & beans and said they were delicious and flavorful. For dessert we shared a homemade brownie, and the frosting was even homemade and reminded of my grandma's frosted brownies -- she is now 93 and hasn't made them in years!! Definitely stop in for an amazing, HOME COOKED meal, and learn some fun history!! read more

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We ate there a few days ago and here's what we have to say. This is a one-of-a-kind restaurant providing a one-of-a-kind experience with exceptionally delicious food. Here are details: FOOD: Amazingly delicious! This place makes everything from scratch while you wait and thus, it is amazing. I had two Native American Salads for lunch (one was a green salad, the other a kidney bean salad). Really delicious flavors and unlike anything I've ever tasted. My husband had ham and mashed potatoes and what he described as extra-delicious iced tea. Our son had a "buffalo joe" - like a sloppy joe but made from bison. We all enjoyed every bite. Super, super tasty! EXPERIENCE: One-of-a-kind! Don't expect to get in and out quickly. Food this fresh and delicious takes time to prepare. Also, expect to learn a lot about the history of this quaint town and the Santa Fe Trail. It is a museum after all and you'll be inundated with history if you are interested in reading their literature. read more

Agree with all the other reviews. A Small restaurant in a restored home built in 1861 on the Santa Fe Trail. The owners did the restoration work and have been running it for 15 years. You can see the love they put into the place and hear it when they come out and tell stories about the house and Kansas history every chance they get. You can also tour the rest of the house which has been made into a museum while you wait for your food . The food is also very good. Homemade breads, desserts, applesauce, pop, everything! Lots of options ranging from Native American, to French, Italian, German, and regular American. Highly recommend stopping by if you ever come through Council Grove. read more

My wife and I had dinner there and we are still telling our friends and family about it. Owner Ken kept us entertained with photos and stories of the history of the house and community. You can walk around the house looking at the antiques, books, photos and artwork while your meal is prepared. The menu is perfectly suited to the vibe of the place, and really delicious. Don't go to Council Grove and miss this experience. read more

we stopped in here on our way to Manhattan and WOW is all I can say. The food is absolutely amazing, fresh and homemade, and it's honestly the best meal I've had in quite some time. I ordered BOTH the Elk and the Buffalo and all of the sides were absolutely amazing. But, as they say, the food is just a bonus to the incredibly knowledgeable owners who love to fill you in on the great history of the area and the Santa Fe trail. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by this place, but that's the only way to describe it. 100% recommend!!!!! read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - DELICIOUS - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

Love this place. We had to stop one last time before we head out of Kansas. Every single thing I've eaten here is delicious. The ice tea is one of the best I've ever had. Food with a touch of history! Recommended 110% read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

Delicious food- all homemade! Make sure you have time to spare. It's not fast food just heat food. Love the history of the place as well!

This place is outstanding. A combination of restaurant and theatre, live entertainment in the evening, TV and wait staff at lunch. We enjoyed standard burger and onion rings for lunch. Located across the street from the Tom Mix Museum and hotel, it is right there in a historical area. read more

This is both a resturant and museum. I know strange combo but they pulled it off. Lots of history on walls and on display aboyt the building and Council Grove. The food was very good. The menu was all overe the place and the munu itself was a walk through local history. American indian, Italian, early American, and more. The doen side is the portions are on the small side. But let me say the food was very good. The two folks working there were awesome telling us all about the history. read more

Trail Days Cafe and Museum - the front of the house - Diners Near Me - Council Grove, Kansas

I ate here recently to help celebrate my one year anniversary. My partner and I had decided to stay at a B&B here in town and after looking online and what this place had to offer we decided to give it a try and I am beyond thankful that we did. The couple who runs the restaurant greet you with pure joy and stories of the past that will make you feel like you are emerged in a totally different time. After ordering they told us that the house is actually a museum and to feel free to wonder through and look at all the different stories and beautiful pieces of history that the building has to offer. We both really enjoyed the experience since we love learning new things and it was very casual. The food was incredible too. So many different flavor combinations that seem strange but work beautifully. I had the baked ham with strawberry sauce with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and a side of corn. My partner had the schnitzel with Cole slaw and mashed potatoes. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and loved indulging in such hearty home made food with such different flavors. We finished the meal with cake and a root beer float. Ultimately the experience was so wonderful and we wished we could tip more because they really deserve it. We can't wait to come back! read more

Great little find while visiting Council Grove! The owners will tell you the history of the place. It's dinner and a story. Beautiful restoration and excellent food. Well worth a stop! read more

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Very interesting history and artifacts of early Kansas. The curators give a good tour and have lots of insights, either that they've researched or have learned from other visitors over the years. I went with a group of 8 and we got the tour, which took about an hour, and then ate a delicious sit down dinner from the German menu, created from scratch by the curators. A fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon! read more

My wife had to stop after it was featured in this month's HOG magazine. This place is very cool. The restaurant is a non-profit as it supports the museum. This is a must stop if you are in the area. read more

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We were serviced by a good story teller and excellent cook, Ken McClintock. Hubby had the roast bison (tastes very much like grandmas pot roast) with sweet potatoes, white beans, and an herb bread. I had the swedish meatballs, salad with poppyseed dressing, creamed corn and wheat bread. We finished up with 2 giant (3x of normal) cookies, chocolate chip and black walnut, for $1.60! All served with a heaping side of Santa Fe Trail history. read more

The food was excellent. The owners were very personable. Ken is very knowledgeable and told us some great stories.

This is an adorable little place, lovingly restored and maintained. The atmosphere is a Victorian parlor style tea room at afternoon, and the menu reflects this. Iced teas and coffees, homemade cookies and treats, and a variety of regional meals are available at any time of day. The house also operates as a museum, with the café as the main income source. Super cute, super quaint, worth a short stopover. read more

Great atmosphere, even better food!! Excellent history and the owners are so friendly

We had a family dinner here after a funeral. We were wanting a comfortable, relaxing experience and that was exactly what we got. We felt like we were at grandmas for dinner. The food was the best home cooked food I've ever had at a restaurant. The ham was fantastic. I have no words for how good the mashed potatoes were. Definitely order the apple sauce!! Plus we enjoyed hearing all kinds of interesting area history. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to visit and would highly recommend it. read more

We stopped here for lunch in our route to Albine, Ks. The place is packed of history, the menu is varied and the Cherry pie is awesome. The service is great and the food delicious. My husband had Elk for lunch. It is a vegetarian-friendly Cafe and has a corner with books and toys for children. Its a great place for a family visit. read more

The restaurant itself is a museum along with the rest of the house (the historic Terwilliger Home). Friendly service (you get to learn while you eat) and delicious food. There's a variety of food from the different people that have settled in Council Grove through the years. Includes vegetarian options as well. Definitely worth a stop by if you're going through Council Grove. read more

Shirley and Ken gave us a truly fantastic dining experience unlike any other. The food is excellent and is served with a heavy dose of Santa Fe Trail history as seen from the Rawlinson/Terwilliger home. Each section of the of the menu reflects a distintinct cultural group that contributed to the area history including Native Americans, Germans, and, to our surpise, a 19th century vegetarian community. We had fresh baked bread, roast bison, the 1902 burger, succotash, beans, slaw, cherry tea, and cookies. The authenticity comes with careful consideration of fresh ingredients that translated to utter deliciousness. The house, decor, and property are equally rich in authentic detail. read more

This café has far better food than the famous Hays House. You can get native American food such as buffalo and elk; French and Swedish food; and early American (ham and beans and cornbread). The Buffalo Sloppy Joes are very tasty. Great desserts as well. Plus, the "proprietor" will tell you the history of the 1861 stone building and Council Grove history. read more