Lunch in a treehouse? Sign me up!
Actually, when I first noticed Treehouse Café on FM 1488 in Magnolia, I was passing by quickly and saw the treehouse and the sign, and I assumed that the treehouse I was seeing from the road was the very one people were eating lunch in. I couldn’t wait for a chance to give it a try. Months later, when I finally stopped to eat at the restaurant, I learned that the treehouse visible from the road is an old, small-scale treehouse, virtually impossible of housing an entire restaurant, even if someone WAS brave enough to climb up into it! (I wouldn't be!) LOL, it was a laugh that my husband and I shared as we walked pass the small treehouse and down the forested path to the true restaurant.
Treehouse Café is a lovely, diner-style rustic restaurant full of little surprises.
We were fortunate to sit and chat with the owner, Mike Kelton, for a while, and we got a grand tour of the place. We didn’t expect to see live tortoises outside, a fun graveyard at the restaurant, and we certainly didn’t expect this fun surprise (see below):
I can’t wait to bring my kiddos so they can experience firsthand the thrill of the zombie popping up into the window! Note – this is by special request.
The restaurant’s meu is extensive with comfort food entrees such as the Bonfire Brioche BLT sandwich, chicken friend steak, and shrimp po-boys. Other offerings include salads, cold and hot sandwiches, burgers, and several other dinner entrees.
It’s hard to go wrong with a chicken salad sandwich, so that’s what I ordered. The sandwich was really good (with lettuce and tomatoes to boot), as was the smothered chicken with mashed potatoes my husband ordered (7 out of 10!). We enjoyed chocolate cake and cookies & cream pie for dessert, both which were satisfying and cured our sweet tooth. Don’t come to this restaurant looking for a myriad of scratch-made desserts from a master chef. However, you’ll find satisfying options that come out the kitchen quickly, which was perfect for us since we were on a tight schedule.
The star of The Treehouse Café is definitely the atmosphere. When you’re there, you just want to slow down and take a load off. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with old-school memorabilia, and it almost feels like you’re sitting in someone’s home. You definitely want to linger and take it all in.
So, while the restaurant itself isn’t necessarily a treehouse, there IS an actual treehouse on site that you can eat in. This quaint room is just down the walkway from the main restaurant and is perfect for small group gatherings, so consider this for the next scout meeting or birthday party!
There’s also outdoor patio seating, so make plans to check out Treehouse Café during these lovely spring months!
Treehouse Cafe is located at 12202 FM 1499 in Magnolia, and has 4.5 stars on Yelp. Once you give it a try, let us know what you think!
