This was our first visit! We went for an early dinner, and the whole experience was terrific! The decor is warm, comfortable and New Englandy/Mediterranean, without being kitschy. Our server Lynn was friendly and efficient, and we were very pleased with our dinner choices. I would have liked anchovies on the Caesar salad, but it was super fresh, chilled, and LARGE-next time I'll add a protein and make it dinner. The cavatelli, broccoli rabe & sausage tasted very homemade, and not oily & salty like others I've had. All told, we will definitely return, and can highly recommend! read more

Glad they are back , service fantastic as usual so Nice to get back to normal love this place read more

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The food is delicious. I've had fish and chips which are just delicious. Service is great and the ambience is lovely. Great place for lunch or dinner. read more

Two pieces of tasteless bread with foil wrapped butter. Asked for olive oil. Received olive oil with no garlic no parm no nothing. Meatballs were tender but bland. Little flavor. Short ribs were NOT short ribs. They tried to pass off a thick cut roast beef for short ribs. Little flavor. Was more of a stew. Husbands chicken scarpiello was mediocre at best. All dinners coming out of kitchen looked like frozen tv dinners. Not sure what the hype is. Would not go back for free. Very much a diner rather than a restaurant. We wanted to love it. read more

Had lunch with family. Between the 6 of us we shared an order of fried calamari and an order of Brussel sprouts. For our entrees we had fish & chips, ravioli, shrimp tacos, burger and 2 orders of pork chops with peppers/potatoes. The apps were excellent. Everyone loved their entree except for the burger...it had a pretty thick bun so it depends on your preference. Had cheesecake and a couple orders of ice cream for dessert. All delicious. It was pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon. Our waitress was handling a lot of tables. She was really hustling, very pleasant and gave us excellent service. Will be back again! read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Pork chop with peppers/potatoes - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

I used to go to this restaurant over 20 years ago and it was always excellent. After the floods of 2024 I was hoping that it would open again and I would have a chance to get dinner there. The food was always excellent and last night was no exception! My wife and I had Shrimp Lucia and Chicken Monteleone with Marsala gravy and spinach over mashed potatoes. The place looked great. The waiter, Michael was a perfect gentleman and the food was like coming home. I'd strongly encourage people to eat here. Only wish we had a chance to thank its owner Gary Morgatto personally - we use to be neighbors on Washington Ave. read more

I've been here a few times before. Came for a birthday dinner. I ordered the Scarpellio and it was seriously one of the best dishes I ever had. Chicken breast in a light sauce, broccoli rabe, cherry peppers and fried potatoes. It was perfect, would not change anything. The portion was great. Our server Samantha was awesome and very sweet. Love this place. read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Scarpellio - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

We went back after a few years and it was still really good food. We won't take so long to go back again.

It's been a number of years since my first review of The Brookside, and it's about time I updated. What started as a 'meh' experience has, after many visits, has become my go-to place whenever I need to get out and either have a few glasses of wine, or food, whether a quick snack, or a full meal. Writer Friend and I stopped here again (she was with me at my first visit in a long time) while we were driving past and were in need of a glass of wine. The vibe on weekends was much different than that during the week, and sitting at the bar, we were made to feel comfortable and welcome by Nicole, the bartender. After that, it wasn't a hard choice to pick Brookside as our regular place when we are out and about in the area. I think we're now there at least two to three times a month, and I have been known to stop in whenever I'm driving past. The food is always on point; I don't think there isn't anything on the menu that Writer Friend, Bestie, or I haven't tried. Special occasion? Yep, reservations made and always a great experience. Even now, the staff is masked, tables well-distanced, and when weather permits, outdoor seating. I could go on and on about the food. Specials are that--special, unlike some restaurants who keep the same specials for months; you never know what they have until you look at the menu. I have yet to have a bad meal there. Seafood is always fresh (they even get deliveries on Sundays) and while most are 'market price', it's still reasonably priced. There's a good selection of wines by the glass, and Wednesdays is "half-priced bottles" day (and, admittedly, I've availed myself of that offer not a few times). I've reached "regular" status, and all the bartenders (Nicole, Jen, Tracy, Alycia) know me and my drink preferences. A lot of the other regulars know me (and I, them), and it's always fun to hang out there for an afternoon or evening. If you haven't tried The Brookside Inn, I would suggest that you do so at your earliest convenience. read more

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Absolutely amazing all around! My first time at this establishment. I love how you walk in and can instantly feel the history with the creaking in the wooden floors, wooden bench seating and metal tile ceiling. Definitely has a cozy ambience with a beautiful dining area and separate bar with lounge seating area. There is also a downstairs room that can be rented with its own private bar and bathroom. The food was seriously delicious. We ordered fried calamari as an appetizer. It wasn't chewy which, unfortunately you typically get at restaurants. It melted in your mouth. They drizzled a balsamic glaze and sprinkles blue cheese as well with hot peppers. I ordered the open faced lobster casserole, which was phenomenal! So much lobster and so very tasty. My aunt and uncle both ordered the Capellini Pescatore, which was also very good. No I typically don't like cheesecake because it's too heavy for me especially after a meal, but... we each ordered a Limoncello cheesecake which was out of this world!! it was so creamy and lighter than a typical cheesecake so you didn't feel bloated after eating it. I honestly can't even describe the full flavor, but it was the best cheesecake I have ever had. The best way I could describe it was it seem to have a caramelized, sugar coating, or some thing that added to the flavor. Of course, that as well is homemade. I would go there for a dress that desert alone. They have a nice patio as well. The service was just as amazing. Crystal was so friendly, pleasant and attentive! The business has stayed in the family, which makes it that much more amazing. I always try to support local businesses as much as possible. I will definitely be coming back to this one for sure. read more

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I really haven't been to this restaurant since covid and they got rid of the salad bar. I'm sour, I really liked the salad bar. So today I needed lunch and stopped in. The menu had a lot of Choices I liked. The bartender was attentive and helpful. I asked for a special order and she made it happen without a flinch. I ordered the onion soup, it was delicious. I ordered the chix pot pie. It was ok, I didn't like the thick pastry on top. But it certainly wasn't frozen and someone took the time to make it. My drink was ice cold and tasty. I'll def be back to try another dish. read more

Food! Service! Views! Decor-ceilings are tin-beautiful, warm/comfort classy! The dining at the Inn was fantastic! I was concerned at how close everyone was in the dining room-although half way through the appetizers it felt like one big happy gathering. The staff was engaged, witty and familiar with all the dishes, drinks and desserts. I recommend the Lobster Rav, stuffed shrimp and calamari! Carrot Cake and Creme Brûlée! A bottle of Sauv was in a table side chiller, so nice. On the wish list for next time....Salmon, Chicken Parm and the special menu I'm sure will have something dreamy to add! Lemon cello Shots for the table were a lovely ending to a beautiful meal! BRAVO! read more

We stumbled upon this gem when we were screwed out of a reservation at another local restaurant and I'm glad we were. Calling around frantically for a restaurant that would seat a large party The Brookside Inn was very accommodating. Not familiar with the place we where just glad we would be seated. Our waitress was very attentive and pleasant. We ordered several appetizers for the table and all where delicious. Calamari, meatballs, Brussel sprouts and salads. All where fresh and prepared perfectly. We all ordered different entrees and everyone commented that their meal was delicious. The portions were enough to bring home leftovers. We where told that the pasta and breads are made in-house and you can tell the difference. We will definitely be making a return visit. read more

We go here 1-2 x a month. Food is always very good and servers are great. Normally we don't have to wait long for our food, which is why we keep going back. Only during party season is there a problem. Certainly it doesn't stop us from eating there. read more

Drove by this place 1000 times in my life and never once stopped for dinner but we were in the area and it was a Sat night, we figured anywhere else would be packed for dinner. Well! It was pretty crowded here too, which is a good sign versus being dead. It's old, could use updating but it also gives the place some charm. We sat in the bar side versus the main dining area because we felt it was a little cooler. The staff is really great, the hostesses and the waitress were so helpful and friendly! refreshing! There was lots to pick from on the menu and the waitress told us some of her favs. I got the chicken gusto and my bf got the gnocci with sausage and peas in a pink cream sauce. We both loved our dinners and felt so satisfied. The flavors were great and you could tell the ingredients were really fresh. My chicken dish had sausage and so much garlic, my fav. There was a guy being rude and loud at the bar which was a turn off when trying to enjoy dinner but I so appreciate the staff asking him to leave versus letting it happen. Thank you we will be back! read more

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Burgers and service is outstanding, Appetizers, fresh made chips are Awesome. Will definitely go back.

Just wandered in here on the way back from Danbury, so it's not my normal haunting grounds. It feels very much on the inside like an old British pub; but due to Covid they've opened up the upstairs outside deck for dining. The full menu had a lot of rich offerings. Seemed mostly of the home made Italian kinds of entrees with some seafood too (bc we are still in New England...). Not so great for vegetarians, but if you're not, you'll love it. I ordered a pork chop with peppers and balsamic glaze for lunch - lots of food for the price too! Very spicy in a good way. No problems with service, it was attentive and fast. Though you do need to go out to the deck and make a little noise, since it's also a lodging house. read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Specials Menu - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

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This is the last place I'd eat at.When I saw the booth was too small for me to fit she humiliated me by loudly saying in a crowded restaurant on Easter if you don't fit in this booth I have no place to seat you. I asked for a chair and she said for all to hear your going to have to wait a while for us to give you a seat and we will have to move everything around as she rolled her eyes.I walk with a cane and need a little leg room but She brought me no seat so I took one from a empty table After reading others review I know that I'm not the only person who was mistreated by the owner . She is not nice to people and after being treated so poorly I'd never return here again. Also I felt bad for the nice waitresses they did not have enough help and were being over worked and spoken to poorly . Seeing this really bothered me . Those girls are working hard they don't deserve to be scolded by the owner.My thoughts are if you cannot give respect to people then she is in the wrong business. She's just not a people person. read more

Last night was the last time I'm going to be disappointed by the quality of food and portion size. I live right down the road from Brookside and eat there every month or so and over the past few years I can tell you the taste of the food has gotten worse, and the portions are almost half the size of what they used to be when I first started going. And it's a real shame because I loved their margarita pizza and gypsy chicken. What a shame read more

The food was very good and the service was prompt. The interior has dark wood paneling and a very relaxed and refined ambience. The cavatelli tuscano and grilled burger are both delicious and from the specials menu. read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Grilled burger - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

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The best food in town. The most consistent. Beats most of the newer restaurants in town hands down. Tried & true. Staff & bartenders are wonderful too. read more

This place is really really good. Classic New England decor, huge portions and very well prepared meals. The menu is diverse, yet everything that they make has excellent ingredient and recipes. Good food, good atmosphere and a good selection. And I don't know anybody who works here. Just have had an excellent dinner every time. read more

Very nice staff, good food, cozy setting. All the Food came out super quick. Only reason I rated it 4* is that I'm a mechanical contractor so I constantly check out mechanicals & the building. The lighting, ceiling & vents need major updating & cleaning. We would come back. Thank you! read more

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Let's start by saying Brookside Inn used to be one of our go-to places. The keywords here are used to. We decided to take my father in law out for his 77th birthday to celebrate. There is nothing like bringing someone to a restaurant to have their favorite dinner on their birthday, especially being without power since last Tuesday. We arrived at Brookside around 5:40 pm after looking over the menu for about 5-10 minutes; we order our dinners and an appetizer. When the appetizer came, about 30 minutes later, the waitress expressed the kitchen was behind, which was alright with us, and we expressed that to her. As time passed, which was more than an hour later, we noticed that people that came in behind us were receiving their dinners or had eaten and were leaving. I questioned the waitress, who then showed her true colors. She blurted out across the dining area that there were "linemen" power workers in the restaurant who needed to be severed first because they were on a timeframe. She also yelled as opposed to coming over to us that our food will be out next. I have never seen someone be so disrespectful and unprofessional in a restaurant establishment. I do not blame the patrons who were severed before us. I blame the waitress and/or owner of the establishment. What makes line-workers more important than people in your community? I understand they were there to restore power, but they should not be treated any differently than any other patron, especially since there were other elderly people (over 70) waiting to be served. God bless them. They likely didn't get their dinner until midnight. How do you know, I was not a first responder or healthcare worker; who just spent the day caring for someone with COVID 19 & now is trying to enjoy a nice dinner with my family? YOU DON'T! When you take on the job of a waitress, you know what the job entitles, if you don't like your job, then find something else, but DO NOT disrespect people. Especially when we are coming into Brookside to contribute back after, the restaurant was closed during the pandemic. This not only goes to the waitress who was serving us, but to the waitress behind the bar, who was complaining that there was not enough coverage and telling me to wait when I asked for the check. I get it if you are overwhelmed, but don't take it out on other people. Talk to your boss. The question is... In the long run, who is going to be here supporting your business, your local community, or the power company? The story does not end there... As I was waiting to pay the bill waitress appeared with our food and the same attitude. I told her we were leaving and would like to pay for the drinks and appetizers. She told me to get out of the restaurant; nice people working here, no apology, no nothing just get out. I still thanked her and told her to have a goodnight because that is the right thing to do; regardless of how people treat you. The moral of the story here is.... Get a job with Eversource or UI and you will be severed first otherwise DON'T GO TO BROOKSIDE INN. read more

They accommodated a party of 18 last minute (after a disappointing situation at another restaurant in town). The waitress was wonderful, and the food was good! read more

Went here with a friend (who had been telling me about this place for a while). All of Oxford was without power for days but this place was running on generators and slinging out some amazing food I got the Chicken, broccoli rabe, garlic, and homemade tagliatelle pasta. It was AMAZING. The lunch specials were all around $11-14 and I would say dinner size portions. I can't wait to go back and try some more dishes! read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

First time here our dinners are delicious portions were pretty big and very tasty Would come back

If this was in October, I'd say 5 stars as our server Tanya was amazing. Went recently for my birthday and not only was my birthday not acknowledged like the person in the bar area but although the waitress was friendly, she acted like she was already done with working..... it was 7:00-7:30 pm as we waited out the storm and !!!! we were only table in the dining area. As usual, I always try the " specials" and I was not impressed. My fish was so overcooked!!! Dry..... I was so disappointed to say the least. My child also remarked she was kinda unimpressed after I sang praises to the establishment in the past (egg on my face for the boasting of food and service) meh I was so looking forward to this meal for my day especially after two long weeks of stress at home and work..... I only left feeling like my day wasn't important. I didn't dare complain to my family nor waitress...... I will not return there for sure and will most likely not recommend. Made me say...... why go out to dinner anymore and waste money!? I own a small Local business and taking care of patron's important . Sadly not feeling welcomed and kind of a burden on my day, my birthday a bummer. Funny though, hubby mentioned to waitress multiple times it was my birthday No sentiment toward it, the bar crowd and their bday acknowledged ha ha Ok, well, in 8 months my 5 star a 2 and that's being generous. Period. read more

Just a wonderful restaurant. The staff, owners and chef treat guests like family. We had a birthday party lunch for our Mom and it was so special. We could not have been more pleased at how much we enjoyed the experience. The owners were so accommodating to us and it was so special. If you are looking for a terrific local restaurant this is one not to miss. Having a family event they will make it a special occasion for everyone!! read more

My family has been going here for years because of the great service and food. We typically go on a week night special. The special includes an entree (about 10 to choose from), an appetizer (maybe 5 to choose from), and the salad bar. My family loves the salad bar - it has our favorite dressing and we wish we knew how to make it so we could have some at home! There is also fresh bread provided. I like getting the chicken parm. My father likes the zuppa di pesce. Last time my fiancé tried the veal ravioli which was very full of veal. I also really like their French onion soup as my appetizer choice. read more

Covid must have hit them hard... you need to be dressed nicely to sit and eat but definitely don't want to eat here; chicken is like rubber. Sauces if some oil is good, then a layer on the whole plate must be better. The apps aren't any better. read more

This is our go-to place whenever we're looking for a nice dinner. The food is always superb and the atmosphere is just right...something in between formal and casual. The staff is attentive and the portions are generous. We've never had a bad meal there--it's always a great experience! read more

The Inn is located on a two lane CT state road in the country. We have traveled by the restaurant many times over the past several years, and always made note to stop some time. It is located about 45 minutes from New Haven. My husband and I finally decided to check the place out and made plans to meet another couple there for a relaxing Sunday lunch. The place was not crowded when we arrived. There were a few folks at the bar and at a couple of tables. There was plenty of on site parking and a choice of seating. They have booths plus tables. The pub is situated in the middle of two separate dining rooms. The dining room that we sat in had a salad bar. The menu was extensive plus there is a separate sandwich menu and a special price fix menu that gives you a pick of about 8 entrees plus soup and salad bar and our choice of two deserts. $16.95! My husband and I joined the other couple who were already seated and served drinks when we arrived. Our server was slow in coming over to get our drink orders, she seemed a bit put out that she had to come back to ask us if we wanted drinks to start before ordering. Once we had our drinks, she was ready for us to place our orders immediately. Since we just traveled an hour join our good friends we wanted to talk a bit, relax for a few sips and peruse the menu. Again, the place was not crowded, there were plenty of seats for other guests but our server came back several times asking us to order even after we told her that we needed a little time. Finally, in the middle of our first drink we placed our lunch orders. I decided to have the price fix chicken with spinach, mashed potatoes, salad, soup and desert. We started with salad bar. I did not find the salad bar to be very appealing because the staff who filled it did not pay much attention to the way the food looked, just dumped in to the different containers. No attention to detail. this was my only complaint because the food was very good and all four of us enjoyed our lunches. We will return but I will check the salad bar before ordering. i enjoy a tidy and good looking display! My meal was so large that both my husband and I had a meal from the leftovers! read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Sunday Specials - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

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The food was really good. I had the blue cheese burger, without bread, the cook was very accommodating.My husband got the turkey sandwich... Delish. Portions were large so we left full and satisfied. Our waitress was wonderful! read more

First tried coming on a Monday night. It was so busy we couldn't find a parking spot so we went elsewhere. Came back on Friday night and it was practically empty. We ordered the arancini balls which were tasty but still a little cold in the middle. Loved that the entrees came with a salad bar but it was a little strange that the "fresh baked bread" had mold on it. We ordered soup that wasn't brought out to us and would have been on our bull had I not pointed it out to the waiter. Dinner itself was fantastic. I got the Gypsy which was basically chicken scarperiello which is one of my favorite dishes. My fiancée got some mushroom and pasta dish she loved. After dinner they offered a complimentary shot of limoncello which was a nice touch. Even though it wasn't perfect it was a good meal that left a good impression and we will definitely go back. read more

Antipasto di Marie; to die for with a side of Angel pasta. Sat at the bar with Tom enjoy drinks and dinner with friends would definitely come back again. Four Stars read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - came back for more on the appetizer menu, mmmmmgoood - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut

We have been going to this restaurant for 20 years no problems. Now 2023 walked in and saw no more Salad Bar. How sad but we sat and watched the waitress chatting with workers sitting in a booth. Approx 10 mins asked if we wanted something to drink we ordered our usual soda. I then asked about the lobster I don't see any on the menu ..they don't have their twin lobsters any more she suggested the lazy man lobster ok it was m/p never was told and shame on me for not asking it was terrible I had to ask 2 times for melted butter. Anyway my husband had the chicken parm he always go to anywhere said it was just ok. No SALAD BAR. we ordered side salads and shrimp Coctail ..the salad was a bowl full of large prices of lettuce a few cut up tomatoes a couple cuckes and a couple olives. How awful. We got our food and thanks to the host we put her to work we never saw our waitress again till she walked by and we asked for the bill..she acted surprised. We did not eat the bowl of lettuce we didn't finish our meals and the check came to 130 we never mind paying for good food but it sucked and the waitress was rude and to busy chatting with a few customers to even ask us for boxes or dessert. The salads now are 9 dollars so 18 for lettuce and ready for this 65 DOLLARS for a small dish of lazy man lobster. we Will NEVER go back. WE CHECKED this place OFF our list. The waitress really needs to go somewhere else to work. The menu is now a 1 side for pizza and the other side for a few dished. I guess the pandemic lillef this place. Very Sad. We use to love it now never to return. Bye read more

I have never had a more disappointing Mothers day than I had at the brookside ithnn. We live in Oxford Ct therefore are very limited in our choice of available and having been to the brookside inn in past experiences our grandkids were comfortable reserving a mothers day buffet for us. that's where is will say the offerings of a buffet at a cost of 45.00 per person left me feeling not only that the person paying for the meal for 7 of us but all those attempting to enjoy a mothers day experience were seriously ripped off - the offerings of the meal were very limited for that price - there was 1 salad-1 dressing - shrimp coctail - stuffed mushroom - 1 roasted pot - 1 green bean- 1 slice of boneless prime cooked rare no matter what you wanted - there was also a chicken and fish served in a very unappetizing tray. desserts were cut in tiny portions and limited to first come first served - so they ran out of desserts---would not allow us to take home the one piece of prime rib the kids took and did not eat - all in all a RIP OFF read more

Went to celebrate my husband's birthday and was VERY disappointed!! The LOBSTER ROLL was very small and the chicken parmigiana was dry and tasted old!! The waitress was EXTREMELY RUDE and when I asked to speak to a manager regarding the way I was treated, I was told they don't have a manager!! REALLY??!!! NO WONDER the food was bad and service RUDE, there is FRONT OF THE HOUSE MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

We been visiting Brookside for years it is a Local restaurant and bar for us . The salad bar use to be better years ago but it's always fresh and clean. The bread is great. Every dinner I've ever had is excellent. The pasta is homemade. The bar is friendly so we find we enjoy Dining there. I had the best expresso Martini here. So I recommend sitting in the bar read more

Brookside Inn Restaurant - Expresso martini - Italian Near Me - Oxford, Connecticut