YE OLDE TAVERN

Someone from this business manages this listing.

1,548 reviews

#2 of 47 Restaurants in Manchester$$ - $$$, American, Steakhouse, Seafood

+1 802-362-0611+ Add website

Hours

Sun

4:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Mon

4:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Thu

4:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Fri

4:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Sat

4:30 PM - 8:30 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,548 reviews

#2 of 47 Restaurants in Manchester

Travelers' Choice 2023

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$20.00 – $40.00

CUISINES

American, Steakhouse, Seafood

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

meals, features

Location and contact

5183 Main St, Manchester, VT 05255-9772

+1 802-362-0611

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Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?

Yes

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About

From the moment you arrive, it feels as if you have stepped backwards into 18th Century New England. Our colonial era Tavern catered to the Vermont Green Mountain Boys and the politically influential folk before, during, and after Vermont became a state. The Tavern was where the elite met to drink, eat and sleep. The atmosphere at Ye Olde Tavern is one of simple elegance as befitting statesmen and the gentry who often dined and socialized here. We look forward to welcoming you! Minna & Michael Brandt- Your Hosts

PRICE RANGE

$20.00 – $40.00

CUISINES

American, Steakhouse, Seafood

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Dog Friendly, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

1,548 reviews

Excellent

1,008

Very good

343

Average

131

Poor

Terrible

Karen C

4 contributions

Lovely candlelit dinner for two in colonial tavern

Jan 2020 • couples

Do not miss dining at this 1790s colonial tavern. The food, staff and atmosphere were superb! Early Bird special for two included cranberry fritters with maple butter, salad, pot roast and roasted turkey. We chose the two desserts of apple crisp and mint chocolate ice cream. Tina, our waitress was very attentive and Michael, the owner was very friendly and accommodating.

Written January 19, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheTavernCrier

Karen, Thank you for all of giving us a 'thumbs up' review! Your kind words regarding your experience brought a smile to my face. I know that Tina will be quite happy that she helped make your evening special. We hope you can join us again!!! Cheers! Michael

Written January 20, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

robert h

Morristown245 contributions

A cold wet night, a warm fire and good food. What is not to like?

Mar 2020 • none

As mentioned we were at the end of a cold wet winter week of intermittent rain. When we arrived for our reservation perhaps our covetous looks at the fire in the hearth helped the decision to seat us in this room. We were greeted and seated quickly with drinks and dinner menus. What a pleasure to hear the specials AND the prices. Coming from the NY Metro area specials can have a nasty surprise if you aren't told or diligent enough to ask. A good indication of their attention to the customer was when we asked for a lemon drop martini for the other couple to try something new. When four small shot glass sized glasses arrived we each were able to sample the beverage without having to pass around a single martini glass. Dinner was excellent. The Grand Marnier duck was flambed at the table, the salmon special, shrimp and seafood pasta were correctly cooked. A place we will gladly return for another meal.

Written March 1, 2020

TheTavernCrier

Robert, We are so pleased to have had you as our guests and our humbled by your words, especially your recognition of our attention to detail. The Tavern lends itself to a cozy night out, with historic ambiance, roaring fireplaces, fabulous cocktails, New England Comfort Fare and dedicated friendly staff. We are committed to providing memorable meals and thrilled we hit the mark. Thank you for posting about your evening, and we would love to see you again! Cheers! Michael

Written March 3, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Norway_in_Stamford

62 contributions

Incredible roast beef

Feb 2020 • couples

Marvelous meal in a very nice setting. You know the chef is serious when the menu says the roast beef is served in 1lb slices and medium rare - only! One diner at a nearby table got a beautiful slice, so the choice was easy. But then a lucky break as they were sold out save an end piece. It was the most divine roast beef I have ever had! 16oz is much meat so no objection when I requested sharing with my wife - we were both happy! Her appetizer of lobster bisque was also excellent as were the two other dinners of filet mignon with Bernaise and horseradish sauce, respectively. Still talking about what a nice meal it was!

Written February 8, 2020

TheTavernCrier

There's nothing better than a great piece of Prime Rib of Beef!! We are thrilled to know we made your evening such a memorable event. Hope you will come and dine with us again. Jubel! Michael

Written February 8, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Maryann C

Acton8 contributions

Wow. Just wow.

Jan 2020 • family

Family of four went for a New Year’s Eve celebration. It was one of the worst meals any of us can remember having. The cranberry fritters were greasy and cold. The lobster bisque was overly processed. I ordered the salmon. It looked like it had been microwaved. There was no char and no seasoning. The side dishes (mashed potatoes and green beans) were cold. My husband ordered scallops. He got THREE SCALLOPS. For $35. Also cold. We voiced our disappointment quietly to management so as to not disturb other guests or embarrass the staff. We received no discount or accommodation. Our bill was $278.00 with tip. We felt violated. We went home and made pizza. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Written December 31, 2019

TheTavernCrier

While we certainly never want guests to walk away from our colonial dining experience disappointed, we want to address some of the things mentioned in your review. We are obviously not at all happy that you did not enjoy your meal. I personally stopped by your table and inquired about your evening and you said nothing negative about your meal. Later when your server alerted us to your being unhappy with your food, the manager went to your table immediately to inquire. We noted that you ate 99% of your meal. At that point our manager apologized and offered your entire table complimentary desserts.. You declined our offer. Now to the food itself, our salmon is baked and not grilled, the scallops are Diver size and a portion of 3 is an industry average serving, the lobster bisque is one of the most highly praised dishes at our Tavern. Going forward, if a meal is not to your liking here or at any restaurant,it is helpful to notify the server or owner or manager immediately. Then a remedy is absolutely doable. Michael

Written January 2, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

wctom

New York City3 contributions

There is NO WAY this #2 ranking is real

Aug 2020 • couples

We should have left when they put the complimentary fritters down on the table. Rock hard and NASTY! Caesar salad was mediocre and certainly didn’t look like photos posted previously. The house salad was fine, a highlight of the meal. The fish and scallops were over cooked and tasteless. We also ordered a crab cake mushroom appetizer that was overly salted, with too much cheese and pooling in grease. We shook our heads and thought “how the heck did this restaurant get a #2 rating?” To cap this god awful meal off, we were charged for someone else’s bill even though we were presented the correct bill and it took 20 minutes to adjust. Servers were nice and setting lovely but food BLAH! It was so bad, the next night we were at a different restaurant and a man walked up to our table and said “you will find this food so much better then last night! We were sitting next to you and wasn’t that meal just AWFUL?” I rarely say bad things and post about restaurants and certainly don’t want to hurt someone’s business. But this #2 rating was NOT honestly achieved and or the old chef left the restaurant that earned the #2 rating.

Written August 28, 2020

TheTavernCrier

I appreciate you giving us a shot and would like to apologize for our poor performance. My only wish you had mentioned it while you were dining with us, so we could have reset and made your evening positive. With that being said, this is not who we are on a normal basis and that you ended up missing the real Tavern experience. Rest assured, each review is shared with our staff as a learning tool. I would hope that you will contact me so that we can figure out what went wrong. Cordially, Michael

Written August 28, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

VIrginia T

London22 contributions

Fair

Aug 2020 • couples

I emailed this restaurant a week in advance for a reservation. Showed up and was told that they don’t check their email and they don’t do email reservations. So why offer an email address on the website if you admit you don’t check your email? The food was fine —very good, actually—but service was very inattentive. The previous patrons dropped a cloth napkin under the table. I toed it out into the main walkway, where servers walked over it three times before I finally pointed it out and asked for it to be picked up. Our meals took 45 minute after the salads were served, and our dessert order took even longer. I wouldn’t go back.

Written September 15, 2020

TheTavernCrier

Thank you for dining with us. I am pleased that you enjoyed our food. As to your other points: ***Reservations- Our website reservation page clearly states: "Please call us at (802) 362.0611 to book a table. (We do not accept reservations via email or online booking sites.) If you call after hours, leave your name, your phone number, the requested date and time of reservation, and the number of guests in your party. We will call you back to confirm your reservation." In addition, when emails are received an auto response goes out, again, clearly stating that guests need to call with questions or to reserve a table. All communication is answered within 24 hours. ***Timely Manner- All of our tickets are time stamped so we are able to open the 'check' Orders are punched in and the computer shows the time food has left the kitchen. Forty five minutes does not make sense since our appetizers and salads go out in twelve minute after being punched in for the kitchen. Entrees go out after salads. followed by desserts. Once we start our service, we observe how our guests are faring time-wise when serving each course after the fritters and appetizers. We never want to rush, but we certainly do not hold up a meal. Service is a top priority at The Tavern. We, definitely, will research your comments if you would provide us with the date of your visit and the location of your table. Since Covid, all guests must have reservations while we follow all of the protocols set by the State of Vermont. It is our hope that our guests do, also. Cordially, Michael

Written September 17, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

marbleousfaux

Albany3 contributions

Not what we had expected

Jul 2020 • none

My wife and I were visiting Manchester once again . We love going there,and took a chance during this pandemic to relax and enjoy ourselves .Everyone in town were right on top of everything, to keep things safe for their customers and for themselves .We have gone to the Tavern many times in the past ,and loved it . My wife ordered the baked stuffed lobster ,and i had the shrimp and lobster with penne in a marinade sauce . I have to say,we were very diapointed.we had never expected the meal to be, just maybe ok ,butt it wasn't even close to that .My wifes lobster looked overcooked ,and my shrimp and lobster was rubbery and the sauce had too much pesto and spice. Later on I thought ,maybe the Chef had the 4th off,and had someone fill in for him. $128 later......I am msytified by the outcome of such a wonderful place that we enjoyed over the years

Written July 5, 2020

TheTavernCrier

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your evening at our historic tavern. Our entire teams goal is to be consistently great in everything we do, each and every night. We did not live up to your past experiences and for that we are sorry. If you had brought it to our attention while you were dining with us, we could have corrected the errors and turned your evening around. We look forward to welcoming you back for a better dining experience! Michael

Written July 7, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Happy traveler

Saratoga Springs5 contributions

Very quaint!

Feb 2019 • business

I chose this restaurant from their online site featuring a wide range of menu options. The service was excellent as was my favorite dish of spicy linguini accompanied by a great glass of wine. It is cozy and romantic and still family friendly. Highly recommend!

Written January 5, 2020

TheTavernCrier

I am so glad you found us, liked us and highly recommend us. We look forward to offering you the same great experience when you return. Cheers! Michael

Written January 6, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Hippymaster

Manchester24 contributions

Ye Olde Tavern always pleases

Jun 2020 • none

Minna and Michael are very welcoming, the service is always friendly, and the food is consistently excellent. We had the duck with a wonderful smoky rub and the shrimp scampi. Both came with fresh steamed/lightly sautéed fresh vegetables and wild rice. The bread is piping hot, the side salads are delicious and the freshly cooked cranberry fritters with maple butter are alone worth the trip. Tiffany was friendly, attentive and very professional. All this while relaxing in an atmosphere steeped in Vermont history (circa 1790). We're ready to go again!

Written June 20, 2020

TheTavernCrier

Hippymaster (Great name), Thank you for your fantastic review and spending an evening at our historic tavern We pride ourselves on providing the utmost for our guests and creating a lasting and memorable dining experience. Our team and especially Tiffany will be thrilled to know they accomplished just that. We look forward til' next time. Cheers! Michael

Written June 22, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

suz_brown99

82 contributions

Birthday dinner

Jan 2020 • none

We ate early and there is a special early bird menu (also the regular menu options). The service was great, the decor was great, the appetizers were very tasty, we all enjoyed our salads (green and Caesar) and three of the four meals were excellent. My husband had salmon that came with a topping made with olives. He does not like olives. The waitress told him about the salmon special, but he did not realize the topping had olives. Not a big deal, but he would have preferred something else.

Written January 8, 2020

TheTavernCrier

We are so pleased you chose our historic tavern for a birthday celebration. Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. It would be a pleasure to have you visit us again and hopefully, your husband will stay clear of olives. Cheers! Michael

Written January 9, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

DaisyPrinceton_NJ

17 contributions

Uneven

Jul 2020 • family

We dined on a weeknight early in the evening. Let me first say that they handle the virus rules and execution very well and service was excellent - thanks Lindsay. Our cocktails were very well done and served in vintage glassware. The wine list is excellent and fairly priced. The food was very uneven. The ribeye was cut too thin to get the desired temp.and vegetables were probably fresh from the garden but under seasoned and WAY over cooked. The pot roast was tender but lacked flavor and the mashed potatoes tasted packaged, same over cooked veggied. The Mac and cheese with lobster was very good as were the stuffed mushrooms with crab. Lobster bisque was tasty but too thick. There aren't many restaurants in the area willing and able to serve under the current circumstances so we give Ye Older Tavern points for their service.

Written July 30, 2020

TheTavernCrier

We respect and appreciate your feedback and as this guides us in seeking 100% guest satisfaction. I am thrilled you enjoyed our execution of meeting and exceeding Pandemic protocol, your cocktails, prices, Mac & Cheese and Lindsay's service. When it comes to the food, we dropped the ball and wish you had mentioned it when you were here. This way, we could have turned an 'uneven' evening into a perfect evening. Regarding the mashed potatoes, I assure you they are made from scratch. With all this being said, I would hope you accept our apologies and join us again. Until then, cheers! Michael

Written August 1, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

grace d

6 contributions

Overrated and overpriced !

Oct 2021 • none

Overrated and overpriced ! We made reservations a month before our trip to Vermont to have dinner at this restaurant. When we arrived we were sited first at the worst possible location: right near the kitchen door all the way in the back of the restaurant. Place was small and we were not allowed to move sits around the table due to the fact that waiters needed space to get out from kitchen. Also was not space allowed between our table and the nearest table. So much for encouraging tourists. We objected and asked for a different table . For their credit they did change our table and we were given a new table in other room which was much better. The new room had decent space between tables and our table looked like adults table not kids table who were punished for bad behavior. First, the soup was nothing close to bisque: was very liquid and very sweet: the pumpkin bisque soup was a diluted pumpkin puree with some onions and lots of sugar. Crispy duck and calves liver were ok but nothing special about- maybe a 7 on a ratting scale. The worst was the desert: cranberry apple crisp: nothing crisp about it, just a loose pile of brown puree with ice cream. This desert should be an embarrassment for anybody particular an old tavern. The bill was expensive and frankly the whole experience was a disappointment.

Written October 26, 2021

TheTavernCrier

It is very disappointing to read a review such as this and I am very sorry that your experience was not a good one. This is a very busy season at the Tavern and I am not offering this an excuse, but we were booked with reservations and sit guests accordingly. The comments about Pumpkin Bisque and Cranberry & Apple Crip will be discussed with our chef If you could tell us when you dined with us, this would help in our research, but I wish you had mentioned it when you were here. I am sorry your experience was not what most guests come to expect our historic tavern. Michael

Written October 27, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Judy H

4 contributions

Once again!

Nov 2021 • none

Had dinner at Ye Olde Tavern again last night and once again we were extremely pleased with our meal. Not to mention the ambiance of the place and the cheerful server who made us feel like ours was her only table. We go to Ye Olde Tavern often as it is reasonably priced with good old fashion home cooked meals. I had the liver and onions ( almost always do ) with crab stuffed mushrooms and my wife had shrimp scampi over wild rice with chunks of fresh vegetables. Simply delicious!

Written November 8, 2021

TheTavernCrier

Thank you for your 5 star review and for your continued patronage to our historic tavern. We are committed to continuing our tradition of good food, excellent service and all for a reasonable price. We look forward to many more visits. Cheers! Michael

Written November 8, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

momtrips

138 contributions

Every meal was good

Aug 2021 • none

This place is quaint and cozy, has an interesting history which is written about on the menu, and features good food and good service. When many of the restaurants in the area are closed this one remains open. It's not cheap, but you can dress casually and you will not walk away hungry.

Written August 28, 2021

TheTavernCrier

Thank you for your feedback and dining with us. We hope to see you again soon, cheers! Michael

Written August 29, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Stuart S

Boston393 contributions

Dining in an 18th century house

Mar 2021 • none

Recommended by our bed and breakfast the restaurant was very warm and inviting with a very friendly waitstaff. The menu has something for everyone, aces on the onion soup and chicken pot pie. Did I say friendly waitstaff, great people and welcoming.

Written March 7, 2021

TheTavernCrier

Stuart, Thank you for dining with us and for taking a moment to share your experience. I often boast about having the best team in the business and your review confirms my claim. Until next time, cheers! Michael Until next time, cheers! Michael

Written March 9, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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