JANE LEW -- Entering the Hickory House for the first time, it's hard not to stare at the walls.
"Everything in here we have some kind of a connection with and we felt that that's how people feel when they come in," said John Butcher, co-owner of the Hickory House Restaurant.
From license plates, to local sports team pictures, to pictures of Butcher's ancestors, the restaurant has some of the most unique decorations around, said customers.
"It's got a lot of things from different places and all that you wouldn't see otherwise," said Gloria Villers, a Lewis County resident.
"If you look around, there's a lot to look at. And the people who wait on you, they know who you are, they know your name and they even know what I want!" said Rocco Rossetti, a Harrison County resident.
Often times, customers want the Hickory House's barbecued foods. The restaurant prides itself on the best barbecue in the state, and owners explained how their pulled pork, ribs and other barbecued foods are made.
"You take the product and you just use a dry rub powder and you rub the product. And it sits. You work it in - you have to actually work it into the meat. And then you put it onto the smoker," said Butcher.
Cooks said they smoke the meat for about 12 hours every night, which helps the barbecue flavor sink in.
"Every time I've had it, it's been really good - just the way they make it. It's smokey - can't beat it," said Dusty Lambert, a Marion County resident.
"The texture is always tender. The flavor - the hickory flavor is really good," said Steve Queen, from Lewis County.
The most popular menu item is the pulled pork sandwich, said cooks.
"The pulled pork sandwich comes with our baked beans. They're barbecued baked beans and it'll also come with some Grandma's Coleslaw," said Dawn Fraser, a cook at the Hickory House Restaurant.
Some customers rave about the barbecued sandwiches.
"I actually had a picnic, a cookout, at my house and got the stuff from here and brought it over there. But I took the labels off and told them it was homemade. Which wasn't a lie, because I believe it's homemade here," said Rossetti.
It's not just the barbecued foods that earn great reviews. The restaurant offers a variety of other foods too, including steak, hogies and daily specials.
"This is the steak hogie. It usually comes with green peppers and onions and mushrooms. But this particular person just wanted pepperjack cheese on it," said Fraser.
No matter what you're ordering, it will be made fresh on the spot, said owners.
They said several relatives work at the Hickory House, which uses a lot of family recipes, helping give the restaurant a homey feeling.
"A lot of the recipes come from my wife's family. So it's stuff that's been passed down," said Butcher.
"Really what we want is to have a piece of our family to be brought out into the community," said Leslie Butcher, the owners' daughter.
So whether you're looking for a down-home feeling, great BBQ or a unique atmosphere, owners said you're sure to find it at the Hickory House.
The Hickory House Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.
They also do catering.
For more information, call 304-269-7373.