Capricorn Inn

This place is nothing fancy, but serves a really good quality Angus burger that’s pressed thin with a crispy edge. The burger is served sitting on a mountain of fries or onion rings. The desserts are great and the homemade cinnamon rolls are HEAVENLY! They have huge salads, club sandwiches, fried cauliflower, pork tenderloin sandwiches etc… Just thinking about it makes me want to go there right now!

Great food! Friendly service! HUGE portions!
Absolutely, all time best home made cinnamon rolls!

Burger: tasty, hot, condiments and burger oversized for bun. Take a date if she eats it without complaining marry her. I would eat it again.
Fried cauliflower: maiden voyage and I would run it again
Brownie and cinnamon bun: drop the MIKE.

This place is certainly a hole in the wall (even has a few holes in the wall!) dive type place. But hey, sometimes the best food is found in such places. It has mostly good reviews and options are pretty limited here, so I figured why not. The staff was friendly and service was quick.
I sat in a corner in the back, they were fairly busy when showed up. I couldn’t help but think to myself that it certainly couldn’t be too difficult or costly to perform some updating, as it looks like it has been at least 20 years since the last time. Then I noticed the wall to my left. It had some fresh Sheetrock that had yet to be finished. Then I noticed the floor in that area. It was unfinished. Then I saw the strip of old wallpaper that was behind where a dividing wall once stood. They were clearly in the midst of making some more room. I just found it odd that they would have an u finished space exposed to the dining public… three feet from my table even. Hopefully this is followed by the much needed updating.
Anyway. Ordered the Rod Burger as suggested here on Unilocal.Menu is pretty limited anyway, so it made an easy choice. The party was certainly big and the fries were stacked tall. I dug into the burger which tasted pretty standard. Nothing fancy, but well made. I enjoy the steak burger type, so it was a welcome treat to have a smashed party. Plenty of toppings in the burger. Then I started digging into the fries. I swear I hit them hard for ten minutes before I started getting full. When I finally pushed my plate away, it didn’t look like I had even made a dent in the pile. They were pretty bland, but nothing a little salt and ketchup couldn’t cure.
Overall, I was happy with the experience. I would return, but they get three stars because of the condition of the building.

Do not get the fries… while they are still delicious capricorn inn has something a bit more special, DEEP FRIED CAULIFLOWER. get it. thank me later.

best hamburger in Clinton or surrounding counties… sure do miss Rod, but the different owners have hardly changed a thing. if it ain’t broke, please don’t fix it!!!

Hubby and I had the rod burger. A little dry for me, and way to big for the small plate It comes on. Really didn’t have much flavor but had to try it and glad I did!!! Great waitress that ran her butt off. She deserved big tip! Wont go out of my way to eat there but if I was driving by I would definitely stop. Almost forgot… BEST homemade peanut butter pie

The previous reviews are spot on — kind of a dive, but more like a locals place that gets some Cowan Lake traffic too. I went with the reviews and ordered a RodBurger and fries. The waitress read off what was on it, and I said sure, but the way she said it, I’m sure I could have dressed it differently. The meat is well-​done and thin, but it’s twice as big as your bun. You get a ton of crinkle cut fries with it, and it’s messy because the plate they serve it on is small. So I wasn’t sure how to handle it without being a fuss and getting another plate, so I had to eat more than half my fries before I could even access the hamburger. By the time I got to it, the bottom bun shrank to the point I couldn’t really pick it up. Oh well, it was pretty good. Had sweet tea too and the total was around $ 10.35 or so. I’d definitely go back if I was in the area, but it’s very out of the way unless you’re at Cowan Lake.

If you are not into dives, this place may convert you. If you drove by and just glanced at it, you probably wouldn’t give it a second thought but you’ll regret skipping it! The Rod burger and fries were outstanding!

The owner was rude and she didnt want our money. She was even rude to our friend to before we got there. We will never set foot in that place again. Her words this is her place and i will do what i want. Hope she doesnt treat her employees that way to. Lack of business skills and people skills.

I love a good burger and I think I found the place. This was the best burger I have had in years at a restaurant. Great value, great sides, very generous portions. Superb service. Make sure to get a piece of carrot cake.

We are burger fans and are always open to checking out new places. Now I will say this place is a little bit of a drive for us. However, we went to a wildlife preserve that is in Waynesville, for a hike, with plans to then check out Capricorn Inn for some burgers (while we were up in that part of town). It is a small cozy place with very nice and friendly workers (a true dive place). We went for the Rod Burger, fully dressed, with a side of fries and a side of cauliflower. These were great burgers and good sides. Love the presentation. The burger overflows the bun. If they used a bigger bun it would be to much bread … liked the over sized burger.
Definitely worth the drive and lots of neat places in that area if you want to take a mini day trip. Now in our top 5 burger list.

Rod Burger and Fries is less than $ 8. You won’t find a better deal in the area.

2 lb club sandwich for $ 5.99!!! How they do that I don’t know but it was good… at least half of it was. The remainder will be my dinner. I did not get any sides but those who were with me did and they were plentiful and delicious. The 1lb burgers looked and supposedly tasted great as well!

Rod’s Capricorn Inn, out in «middle-​of-​nowhere» Wilmington, is as much a dive as it is a staple of Wilmington’s local cuisine. It may look like an old roadside shack on the side of a hill, but they serve up one of the most unique, tasty, and outstanding burgers I’ve ever eaten. You just can’t go to Clinton County without trying a «Rod Burger». I always get the fried cauliflower to go with my Rod Burger. I always leave this place full and satisfied.

Dive bar of Dionysius, relaxed. Family friendly. Great team of servers and cooks.
The Rod burgers is one of Cincinnati’s top 3. Get the Rod burger fully dressed and enjoy.
Tell the owner that Mark Faust sent you!

Yum – peanut butter pie and fish sandwiches will make you happy! Off the beaten path and a real gem in SW Ohio.

This is simply the poster child for a good, out of the way, dive burger joint.
Atmosphere: It is next to Lake Cowan with nothing but homes and woods around it (OK a marina next to it). You go inn and the first thing you notice is the smell of burger smoke (in a good way). Small town diner tables and chairs with generic red/​white table clothes (might even be plastic — not sure though). The capper is the TV all had a hunting channel on. Not my thing but it gives a unique ambiance for sure.
Service: Quick and friendly. Even though they were busy when I went, the waitress talked and joked with us, knowing that we were first timers and obviously not locals.
Food: I have never been able to put in to words what makes a good burger, but I can honestly say this is a darn (ok, damn) good burger. The burgers are thin and crispy, but no where near burnt. They are twice the size of the buns and stcked on top of your fried side order. My sweet potato fries were ok, but it is hard to compete with the burger. My friend said the onion rings were good (said with a full mouth and chuckle). We passed on the desserts but if you are a dessert person they look like must gets as they are homemade and look incredible,
Overall I would say this is a top 5% burger, not worth the trip from the CIncinnati area, but if you are anywhere near Wilmington it is a must stop.

The locals know this place as Rod’s not Capricorn Inn. And if you want dive, out of the way, grease pit, you got it! And it is A-​Mazing! If you have a group you’ll have to use the back room through the kitchen and register counter, which is comprised of picnic tables with plastic table clothes over them. But there’s an ancient bowling game back there, and an old pac-​man game. There’s an old tv set you might have to hit a few times to get to work, but the sound works even if the picture doesn’t.
It’s hours can be kind of sketchy, but it’s well worth it to stop and see if they’re open, even if they don’t look it. The burgers are huge, even the chicken sandwich and they don’t skimp on the toppings or the french fries! It’s one of the best places to get a great homemade hamburger!

Rod’s Capricorn Inn is as out of the way as you can get. It’s a good 15-​minute drive from the center of Wilmington, which is itself at least 30 minutes from the nearest big city. Its hours are at the whim of Rod himself, so you might get there at 5 p.m. on a Friday night and find it closed. Even if it’s open, the rundown, shack-​like appearance and gravel parking lot might make you think twice about eating there.
If you decide to go elsewhere, you will miss the amazing Rodburger. Just the magnitude of the meat alone will impress you; the burger hangs out the sides of the bun at least three inches on all sides. If you order fries, they’ll be hiding under the edges of the burger. And the taste is just great… fresh and meaty… mmmm.
Rod’s is a place you will remember, trust me on that. Rod himself cooks the burgers, and often sings along loudly to country music on the radio (if a song he dislikes comes on, he’ll just turn to another station). If your table orders soda, it’s served in cans, in a 12-​pack container cut in half, often by a short-​shorts-​wearing waitress who looks about 15 years old. You can watch the big game during your meal, if you can see through the static on the ancient TV. Oh, and I hope you’re not a high-​maintenance eater. A friend of mine once tried to order a Rodburger without cheese and was told «no» by the waitress.
So yeah, this place is a dump. A dump that serves quite possibly the best burger in the country.