The Hen House Restaurant began more than five decades ago in Frostburg, Maryland. In 1961, Buck and Ginny Warn started the restaurant by building a cement addition on the side of their house on Bowery Street, which accommodated only nine guests. The restaurant’s featured selection at the time, chicken, became the namesake of their business.
Sons, Gary and Bill Warn, were busy helping their parents at the restaurant, doing whatever chores were necessary and by 1975 the brothers had purchased the business from their parents. Through hard work, the number of customers continued to increase. A decision was made in 1979 to look for a new location so growth could continue. The Warns moved to their present location along U.S. Route 40, which was previously the Colonial Inn, built in 1929. The family business continues to thrive in its Old National Pike location, commonly referred to as Long Stretch, in Garrett County.
An unusual aspect of the Hen House is its poultry name, but quality seafood reputation. While chicken was the featured item during the 1960´s, the Warn brothers expanded the menu to include fresh seafood. The Hen House, with seating for over 400, is now the largest seafood restaurant west of Frederick.
Live crabs are delivered daily; fish, scallops, shrimp, clams, lobster, crab legs, and soft shell crabs are offered for seafood lovers. A large charcoal pit provides for tasty barbecue ribs. Even steak lovers are not neglected as their favorites are cooked to order. And yes, fried chicken is still on the menu.
