The Tiny Restaurant In Ohio That Locals Swear Has The Best Shepherd’s Pie In The State
You do not expect to find a red double-decker bus and a tiny British pub in a small Ohio village, which is part of what makes this place so memorable from the start. Even before the food arrives, it already feels like the kind of discovery people end up talking about long after the drive home.
Then the Shepherd’s Pie shows up and makes everything easier to understand. I had heard all the praise, seen the glowing comments, and wondered whether it could really live up to that kind of local devotion.
After looking into it more closely, I could see why people are willing to go out of their way for a table here.
A British Pub Hidden in Plain Sight
Most people blow right past Enon without a second thought, which means most people have no idea what they are missing.
Tucked along East Main Street in this quiet Clark County village, The Last Queen is a British gastropub that genuinely feels like it was lifted from a cobblestone street somewhere in England and dropped into the Ohio countryside.
The exterior gives little away at first glance, and the building has been described by some visitors as looking a bit rough around the edges from outside.
But the real landmark is the red double-decker bus parked nearby, which serves as the most reliable navigation tip you will ever get for a restaurant in Ohio.
Once you spot that bus, you are exactly where you need to be.
The full address is 210 E Main St, Enon, OH 45323, and the phone number is +1 937-340-6032 if you want to call ahead before making the trip.
The Story Behind the Name
A British-owned pub in a small Ohio village is not exactly something you stumble across every day, and the ownership behind The Last Queen is a big part of what makes this place feel so genuine.
The name itself came from a family debate before the restaurant opened. Owner Adrian Shergill, his wife, and their three children reportedly spent about a year tossing around ideas until one of their daughters, while the family was in Britain, wondered whether Elizabeth would be the last queen.
That was the name that finally stuck, and it suits the place perfectly.
The decor leans fully into that identity with crown-adorned signage, Union Jack imagery, and a bar setup that would feel right at home in the English countryside.
This is not a theme restaurant slapping a British flag on the wall for novelty.
The owners are from England, and the restaurant says it focuses on high-quality food that is locally sourced when possible, which helps explain why the whole place feels rooted in something real rather than staged.
Knowing that the people running this kitchen actually care about getting it right makes every bite taste just a little bit better, and that pride is impossible to fake.
The Shepherd’s Pie That Started the Conversation
People do not drive 50 minutes from Lebanon, Ohio for a mediocre meal, and the Shepherd’s Pie at The Last Queen is the dish that keeps pulling them back.
Multiple visitors have specifically called it out as a must-order, and the owner’s own responses confirm that it is a point of serious kitchen pride.
The filling is rich and deeply seasoned, the kind of comfort food that makes you close your eyes for a second after the first bite.
The mashed potato topping is golden and smooth, carrying just the right amount of weight without overwhelming the savory base beneath it.
One guest who ordered it as carry-out came back specifically to update his original review just to say it was fantastic.
That kind of loyalty does not happen by accident.
For anyone visiting The Last Queen for the first time, the Shepherd’s Pie is the clearest way to understand what this kitchen is actually capable of, and it sets a very high bar for everything else on the menu.
Fish and Chips Done the Right Way
If the Shepherd’s Pie is the dish locals swear by, the fish and chips is the one that converts first-time visitors into regulars before they even finish their plate.
The cod arrives in a batter that is light, golden, and genuinely crispy without being greasy, and the portion size is the kind that makes you question whether you should have skipped lunch.
Several visitors have described the fish as the meatiest they have ever had, which is a bold claim that the kitchen seems to back up consistently.
The hand-cut chips are thick, properly fried, and taste like real potatoes rather than something pulled from a frozen bag.
Malt vinegar sits on every table, which is exactly the kind of detail that tells you the kitchen understands what it is doing.
The house-made tartar sauce adds a bright, tangy contrast that pulls the whole plate together.
For anyone who has struggled to find great fish and chips anywhere in Ohio, this plate is a very satisfying answer to that problem.
Starters That Deserve More Attention
It would be easy to skip the starters here and go straight for the main event, but that would be a mistake worth regretting by the time you see someone else’s order arrive.
The fried halloumi is the kind of appetizer that makes you rethink your entire ordering strategy, with a crispy exterior and a warm, salty, chewy interior that has genuinely transported visitors back to memories of eating in Europe.
The olive mash with crackers is another starter that has earned its fans, and it adds a briny, citrusy option that stands out from the usual appetizer lineup.
The sausage roll is a British staple that The Last Queen executes with obvious care, and the smell alone as it passes by is enough to make you add it to your next order.
The charcuterie board rounds out the starter options with a lighter, more refined touch that works well as a shared plate.
Every one of these dishes reflects the same kitchen philosophy: fresh ingredients, proper technique, and no shortcuts.
Beyond the Classics: Burgers, Pies, and More
The British classics get most of the attention, but the broader menu at The Last Queen holds up just as well for anyone who wants to explore a little further.
The ABLE burger is made with grass-fed beef, and multiple visitors have described it as one of the more unique and well-executed burgers they have had anywhere, messy in the best possible way and cooked exactly to order.
The steak and stout pie is another standout, a deep, hearty dish with a golden crust and a filling that is rich enough to make you forget the weather outside entirely.
Bangers and mash have earned their own loyal following here, with one guest describing the dish as simply banging, which feels like the most appropriate possible review.
The chicken pot pie has also drawn praise for its flavor and comfort-food appeal.
There is a small kids menu available as well, which means this is genuinely a place the whole family can enjoy without anyone feeling like they drew the short straw at dinner.
The Atmosphere Inside the Walls
The inside of The Last Queen does not match what the outside might lead you to expect, and that contrast is part of what makes the first visit so memorable.
Stone archways frame the space, polished wooden floors run underfoot, and the bar is stocked with a solid range of British brews that immediately set the mood.
Rugby plays on the television, which is either charmingly confusing or perfectly on-brand depending on your familiarity with the sport, but either way it adds to the sense that you have genuinely crossed into a different atmosphere.
The space is tight, especially when the rollup door is closed, but on warmer days that door opens onto a patio with additional seating and fans on the tables to keep things comfortable.
It fills up fast, and that is not a warning so much as a compliment to what the kitchen and the room have built together.
The whole environment feels lived-in and warm, the kind of place that rewards you for staying a little longer than you planned.
Hours, Parking, and What to Expect on Arrival
Planning your visit to The Last Queen takes a little more thought than most restaurants, and knowing the schedule ahead of time will save you from showing up to a locked door.
The restaurant is closed on Mondays, open Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 9 PM, open Thursday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM and again from 4 to 9 PM, open Friday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM and again from 4 to 10 PM, open Saturday from 9:30 AM to 10 PM, and open Sunday from 9:30 AM to 2 PM.
The weekend hours make Saturday the most flexible day for a visit, and Sunday brunch is worth considering if you want a slightly quieter experience than peak dinner service.
Parking fills up quickly, and more than one visitor has driven past the restaurant on a busy night simply because every spot was taken.
Regular dining operates on a first come, first served basis, though the restaurant does take reservations for its afternoon tea events.
You order your food and drinks at the bar, and the team brings everything out to your table from there.
Desserts Worth Saving Room For
Skipping dessert at The Last Queen is a decision you will probably regret before you even make it back to the car.
The sticky toffee pudding is the standout, a deeply traditional British dessert that has earned devoted fans among visitors who have made the drive from across Ohio specifically because they could not stop thinking about it.
Checking dessert availability early is genuinely sound advice, especially if you have your heart set on something specific.
The rum cake is a worthy backup, and the menu lists homemade rum cake flavors rather than just one fixed version.
Dessert at a British pub might not be the first thing on your radar when you sit down, but after the savory courses that come before it, finishing with something sweet from this kitchen feels like exactly the right call.
Why People Keep Coming Back
A 4.7-star rating across nearly 740 reviews is not something a restaurant earns by accident, and the pattern across every piece of feedback about The Last Queen points to the same conclusion.
The food is made from scratch using fresh, quality ingredients, and that difference is noticeable from the very first bite of almost anything on the menu.
The service is warm without being performative, the kind of attentiveness that makes you feel genuinely looked after rather than processed through a shift.
People have driven from Lebanon, from Dayton, and from well outside the immediate area just to experience what this small Ohio village has quietly built on East Main Street.
The ownership clearly cares about the product in a way that comes through in both the food and the way the restaurant responds to its community.
For anyone who loves good British food, honest cooking, and a room that actually feels like somewhere worth spending an evening, The Last Queen is the kind of place that becomes a regular stop rather than a one-time curiosity, and that is exactly the point.