Where do you eat out once the summer crowd clears out?

Live over in Heber but I'm up around Greers Ferry a good bit, and now that the lake traffic has died down I'm trying to figure out where to eat on this side. Chamber's list has Bentley's, Paradise Pizza Company, the Sonic on Edgemont Rd, and Janssen's down in Edgemont. I've done the pizza and Sonic plenty. Haven't been to Janssen's in a while.

What do you actually order at these places? And who cuts hours or shuts down for the winter? I'd hate to drive up after a morning in the stand (bow season just opened) and find the door locked at 2.

Also, is anybody still taking a boat over to Janssen's this time of year, or is that strictly a summer thing? Curious what folks up here drive to Heber for too, since I'm sure it's not the same list as mine.

I'm out in Edgemont so Janssen's is basically my neighbor. Road works fine this time of year, you don't need the boat. I see a few boats tie up on a nice warm weekend but it thins out fast after Labor Day, and once it gets chilly on the water I'd say forget it. Hours do shrink in the off season though, so call ahead before you drive all the way, especially mid-week. I'd hate for you to get skunked after a morning in the stand.

Most of us just drive to Heber for the bigger grocery run and anything that's not fried or pizza. Farmers market is done for the year so I'm back to the store like everybody else.

Good tip on calling ahead, Connie. I've been burned by that more than once, and with the season changing the hours on Facebook pages are usually more current than whatever's on Google. 😅

I'm over in Quitman and Paradise Pizza is my usual when I don't want to drive far. Heber is where I end up for anything sit-down on a weeknight, mostly because there's more to pick from.

Has anybody seen a new place open up around here lately? I always like checking those out before everyone else does.

Yep, call ahead. I've shown up at 2 on a weekday in the off season and found a locked door more than once, so now I just check first. Ended up at the Sonic on Edgemont Rd in my hunting boots, not the plan but it worked.

Up my way in Higden I do Paradise Pizza when I'm too tired to cook and Bentley's for a lunch. Haven't tried either late in winter so can't say how the hours go. Heber's where I end up if I want a real sit down meal, and after a Friday night game it's usually the only place still open.

Ha, hunting boots at the Sonic is basically a uniform this time of year. I did what Connie said and called Janssen's before I drove out. Weekday hours are short now, so I'm saving it for a Saturday when I'm not coming straight out of the stand smelling like doe pee.

Good to know about Heber being the only thing open after Friday games. I'll keep that in my back pocket. Still haven't got a straight answer on Bentley's in the dead of winter though. If anybody's been by in January or February, I'd like to know before I plan around it.

Can't help much on Bentley's in January, I don't think I've been by that time of year. I'd just call that morning like you did with Janssen's. Weather days can change things on short notice around here, ice especially.

Saturday at Janssen's sounds like a good plan, and showering first is probably the polite call too, ha. I'm over in Quitman and most of my Heber runs are for fabric and garden supplies, so I end up eating over there while I'm at it. Which is probably why I can't give you a decent winter report for this side...

Bentley's for lunch is good to know, michael. Lunch is usually when I'm out of the woods anyway, so that's probably my next stop. I'll call that morning like everybody said.

What's the place in Heber that's still open after the Friday games? Wanting to keep a short list for the winter. I'd rather know before I'm sitting in the truck at 9:30 with nothing but the Sonic lit up.

Michael's probably the one to say what's open after the games, I'm usually home by then. I wouldn't count on anything sit-down at 9:30 though, so your Sonic plan may be the backup whether you like it or not.

Saturday at Janssen's is the right call. Go around lunch if you can. The fall color on the drive down Edgemont Rd is worth it, and the lake is flat and quiet this time of year. If Bentley's is a bust in January, that's usually when I fire up the smoker anyway and put a butt on for the week.

- Wayne