Jim Thorpe parking was awful, so a local recommended Circa 1898 if we didn't mind a 10 minute drive out of town. What a great decision! First, what a gorgeous renovated building. It felt like 1898! Our party ate in the downstairs bar area so that we could get items from both their fine dining and their bar menu! Scallops were perfect, everyone that had wings loved them, and the cocktails were perfect. What an amazing bourbon collection this place has. There was live music in the 2nd floor bar, but it was packed when we went up after our dinner so we decided to try again another time. Great food, super-friendly staff, and incredible setting! read more

Enjoyed brunch at the tea room this morning and it was absolutely amazing and the chocolate chip cookies I took home were shear perfection! Amy executed our orders perfectly. We were a group of four so and it was already fairly full so we were seated in the fine dining area of Circa 1898. read more

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Oh, man. This was... bad. Giving two stars (it could have been one) because the spot is really cute and has loads of potential. But yeah. This was pretty bad. Lemme back up. We wanted to enjoy it. We wanted to love it. We are up here all the time and it's always great to have a nice spot to go to for dinner. We *wanted* to love it. We did not. Let's look at where things went wrong. The service: SLOW. Friendly enough, but S-L-O-W. It was relatively early on a Sunday and there were only a few tables occupied. And there were four servers. The appetizers: we got the clams casino (they were fine--too bready but the flavor was good) and the burrata. I've never had burrata that you had to struggle to cut through. Puzzling. And it was served with what was clearly store-bought pita bread (an odd choice for burrata)... which was cold. The entrees: I ordered the 4 oz. filet with mushroom risotto and asparagus. My partner ordered a bone-in ribeye with a twice-baked potato and green beans. My MIL got the short ribs, and also got the risotto and asparagus. The short ribs were good. Everything else? Marginal, at best. My filet was cooked to order, but was mostly flavorless. I ordered Bernaise sauce to go with it--there are three sauce choices on the menu--and it was ice cold and coagulated. The "risotto" was just rice (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they made it from scratch) with a few mushrooms in it (loose grains, no creaminess; this was not risotto). I received four spears of asparagus (which was overcooked and largely inedible). My partner's FIRST ribeye, which he ordered "medium rare, leaning toward rare, was cooked to well-done (it was straight up brown through and through). He sent it back, and the second one came out cooked slightly less (there was a little pink in there) but the meat was in three pieces and the server just scraped it onto the plate where they had left his sides. Speaking of... the twice-baked potato was definitely cooked (more than twice) and reheated. He had to ask for a side of sour cream to get it to just "okay." I'm told the green beans were cooked perfectly. Win? The desserts: there was a "lemon tart" which tasted a lot like the cherry cheese pie recipe from the side of a Philadelphia cream cheese box (not bad, but anyone can make that at home), and then THE CINNAMON BUN, which had been built up to be the best thing on the menu. Now, it was HUGE--the size of my head. But it was dry and cold and not remotely worth the calories. Oh! We each ordered coffee--two cappuccinos and one espresso--and each was barely lukewarm when it got to the table. To be fair, the coffee *was* good, but it would have been better if it was, you know, hot. Did I say how much we wanted to enjoy this? The building is beautiful and the owners have clearly spend a lot of time and money on it and the dining room, which was lovely. But if they plan to make a real go of this, they have A LOT of work to do. They've only been open for a month or so, so maybe all of this can be chalked up to "kinks in the system." I really hope they work it out. read more

We stopped here on a whim after a day at Mauch Chunk Lake. It's a quick 7 minute drive from the lake. We had wings, nachos and shrimp tacos. My wife had the best cocktail of her life she said. Everything was delicious. The staff were all so nice and the remodelers did an amazing job and the place looks great. Thank you so much! read more

Circa 1898 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Lehighton, Pennsylvania

The chicken breasts sandwiches were made in 1898! Seldom have we ever had such poor service( well over one hour ) followed by chicken breasts sandwiches that were tough( could not eat) . SIMPLE ADVICE, DO NOT GO HERE ! read more

Ate in the upstairs bar dining room. Wings were fantastic, burgers / chicken sandwiches were really solid, but the $3 add-on fries (burgers normally come with chips, I guess) were god awful - it was honestly shocking. All four of us initially received fries that were cold and stale despite our sandwiches being hot and fresh. Our server was nice enough to bring us new fries without giving us a hard time, but when she did they were completely soggy. No crisp whatsoever. At least they were warm, though? Not sure what was going on, but we would have stuck with the free chips had we known this would be such an issue. Just seemed really out of character given that the food was really good otherwise. Building was cool, staff was nice, service was pretty slow. Sandwich prices were ok, but any higher wouldn't be justified. Might go to 4/5 rating if they fix the fry issue. Will probably be back at some point to try the more formal dining room. read more

April 19,2025 - This was a family of 5 for a Pre Easter dinner. The place is so elegant and impressive. Tables are beautiful . I love the Table lamps, they add an upscale atmosphere. \ We had a 6pm reservation. I am glad I made it 3 weeks ago. 3 members got chicken and loved it. My husband got Salmon and said the sauce used was exquisite. I being a vegetarian was so undecided. I did not want pasta- I eat that to much at home. The server suggested the Roasted Mushroom Portabella. . I gave it a try and I was glad I did. Cooked top notch for a picky vegetarian . I took the Mushroom Risotto (Gosh that was good)and carrots as a side and also were so good. We also had been served Honey rolls when we arrived and they were so delirious... Appetizers were The cheese and fruit plate which was wonderful for all 5 of us and we did try the Warm Burrata. My son is from Philly and said it is very good and told us to give it a try and we were glad we did. A new Experience. Desert: 4 of us order that: My husband had Creme Brulle- done as well as the one's we had in Paris. My daughter and boyfriend had the Chocolate Cheesecake and enjoyed it. {I took the Cinnamon Bun with ice cream and can say it was heaven! - that was the Best Cinnamon roll I ever ate. This place will be known for IT! } We had a few drinks- I was hoping for a Frozen strawberry margarita as it was 80 today but they could not do it. So I had 2 plain ones which were OK. I am just of fan of the frozen Strawberry ones. Our bill was 298.00 NOT bad for the quality and atmosphere. Well worth eating here. If you like a bit of upscale then go here. We are local and noticed some wrote it is expensive. The Owners put a great deal of money to fix the is place up. It is gosh darn fabulous- and is like going back in time with elegance. If you want that you can find it a local bar with greasy food. We have plenty here. What we did not have is Places like this and I say THANK GOODNESS Now we do Glad, They will have lunch as we are Not late eaters. So we will be earlier lunch visitors. We have traveled the World and Know when we see good service. Love the water in the Bottle upon sitting down- Just like being in Paris as they serve the water that way. My Son who is from Philly said it was classy and in par to the many up scale Restaurants he frequents in the City .except it would have been 80-100 dollars a person in Philly. 10 Stars. read more

We've been here several times and are always happy to return! We've had the fine dining and the bar menu--never disappointed! Our personal favorites are the crab cakes, exceptional circa burger, and the hot wings! We've also enjoyed drinks at the bar and found the unique drinks exceptional with so many fresh additions that this is a divine experience! In addition, they offer a large selection of bourbon to satisfy all bourbon lovers! I have never met friendlier staff from the hostess at the door, the servers, bartenders, and manager. Everyone works together to provide a fabulous experience in an exceptional environment . We cannot ask for more and highly recommend Circa to everyone! Whether you are seeking fine dining in an elegant atmosphere, casual dining on the patio or in the bar, or hanging out at the bar this is THE PLACE to be! This is such a breath of fresh air to all looking for a unique experience in our small town! read more

We went to try the tea service and it was awesome. Served beautifully and was delicious! Service was awesome. We will definitely visit again. read more

My entire family went for 2 birthdays. It was really neat to see the inside. The food was awful. My husband and son were sick all night. Everyone in our large party ordered different dinners and each one was over cooked and awful. Completely over priced. For the prices you would expect a decent chef. Everything seemed pre-made and microwaved. Will never go back and would definitely recommend saving your money. read more

Circa 1898 - Overcooked and barely any crab in the crab cakes. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Lehighton, Pennsylvania

Beautiful decor and excellent food! The Lemon Herb Chicken, Penne alla Vodka, and Crabcakes were fantastic! And you have to get the Crème Brûlée or cinnamon bun for dessert! All of the staff were very friendly and helpful as well! We will definitely be back! read more

Had a wonderful birthday dinner here last night... Food, service (Ericka was our server!) & ambiance were terrific!will definetely return!

We visited this place for dinner on our way home from vacation. It was beautiful but we never got to taste the food. We waited at least an hour and finally left after my wife heard a girl screaming in the kitchen on her way to the bathrooom. The waitress said she was sorry but didn't know what to do and had taken food back numerous times. What a shame because the decor was beautiful. We come to Jim Thorpe often but I cannot even pass this place along to our friends. It was very unorganized and mismanaged. read more

Soft opening attendees - There are 2 doors on the entrance side - please be sure to use the door on the right as it isn't marked specifically. We were greeted at the door as we were part of the first grouping of guests for the evening. We were seated immediately and our water glasses filled. Our server was welcoming and helpful. The menu doesn't offer a lot of variety since they are still in the opening stages. They brought us some warm rolls and butter and I ordered a Strawberry Basil Lemonade Mocktail. The mocktail was mostly ice. I didn't taste any lemonade or basil...just some strawberry flavoring. We also ordered 2 sodas without ice. Of course, they arrived with ice...but light ice at least. I got a refill later in the meal and it was nothing but ice. This restaurant seems to love the use of ice. We ordered dinner and waited for its arrival. The atmosphere of the room is lovely with many original characteristics emphasized. Suggestion: change the paintings to something that coincides with the rest of the decor. The current paintings just seemed placed there without thought. So much thought was put into other areas, so, it would be awesome for that touch as well. Maybe house some local artists? Dinner arrived. I ordered crab cakes, broccoli and potatoes au gratin. My husband ordered Lemon Herb Chicken, asparagus and roasted bourbon glazed sweet potatoes. Overall, the food was "meh" - especially for the price point. As you can see from the photos, the servings are not large portions. I found the crab cakes undercooked, but the accompanying sauce was fantastic. The broccoli was very firm and understeamed and cold with no flavoring. I would suggest a bit of lemon butter be added for flavoring. The potatoes au gratin were good and the highlight of the meal. For the next entree, the chicken was very dry...there was no flavoring of lemon or herbs of any sort. Instead of sweet potatoes, he was brought carrots, so we requested a correction. He stated the carrots and asparagus were ok, but the sweet potatoes had an odd aftertaste (likely from the bourbon). I would suggest serving lemon chicken with a slice of lemon...the same with the crabcakes. Lemon is a fantasic addition to just about any seafood entree. We were offered dessert, but passed on it. We paid via credit card. They are using a new system, of course, so it isn't without it's hiccups. It took some time and some help to get the payment through, but they remained calm throughout the entire process. The service was great. Before leaving I noticed a sitting room off of the main entrance decorated with rabbits. Attached to the sitting room looks like the making of a quaint cafe. What a nice addition and I look forward to seeing it complete. I'm rating it a 3 because of the food exclusively. I'm hopeful that will improve with time. :) read more

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We had a group of 9. Everyone's food was great. Service was exceptional(Elizabeth was our waitress). Atmosphere was very nice. Overall experience was terrific. Ready to return. read more

Very impressed with dinner at this soft opening. Service was great with no timing issues that you might expect at a new restaurant. Our waitress, Emily, was genuinely happy, friendly and attentive. Food was excellent. Our table had fork tender pork chops, scallops, pasta, crab cakes, various sides for dinner and there were no complaints. Specifically to note, my wife felt it was the best pork chop she ever ate and the crab cake was delicious. We had several mixed drinks and I would definitely recommend the Smoked Old Fashioned. The Lemon Tart and Cinnamon Bun were exceptional for dessert. The environment is very comfortable and didn't feel crowded or noisy. Love the clean, elegant decor and hearing the stories of how it came together from the owners Dean and Cheryl. Full disclosure, they are friends but I don't think it biased my review. I was more than impressed. The current restaurant is a great place for a nice dinner. Not pompous, just simple, slightly elegant and nice. I'm looking forward to the next phase for more casual dining. If they have the same friendly atmosphere and quality, it's going to be very popular. read more

Unfortunately I had a horrific experience at Circa. The dining experience started off wonderfully with a very nice hostess and an excellent waitress, beautiful decor. Our appetizers were fine but my entree, "Bourbon-Glazed Salmon, Tender salmon fillet brushed with a rich brown sugar and Buffalo Trace bourbon glaze" had some sort of cajun or red pepper rub which immediately burned my lips and mouth from one bite. I tried to scrape off the rub, took another small bite, and it was still red hot. I drank my water to help stop the burning but quite frankly, my mouth was still burning. I then checked the menu online to see if I missed something as I'm allergic to peppers. Entre in quotation marks is copied above and there is no evidence of any peppers or hot, spicy seasoning. My sister-in-law then took a small bite to confirm and experienced hot, spicy, burning in her lips and mouth. I then asked our waitress if the entree was supposed to be hot and spicy. She said that she had this entree and was not hot and spicy. She then spoke to her manager to tell her the issue. I was not offered a replacement or credit for the salmon that was intact except for 3 small bites from the ends. The waitress only could tell her manager who I had to request to speak to about this horrible spicy entree. The manager, Jen, came over and basically accused me of lying and insisted it was a brown sugar coating. She did not take it back to the kitchen and I doubt talked to the kitchen to find out what happened. Instead, in a very arrogant, condescending tone, told me that she does not "comp" meals and was not having the salmon tasted even though the whole piece was intact. I then told her that I would be contacting one of the owners and writing a review. She said, "go ahead". She then started to walk away and repeated to me it was a brown sugar coating. I believe someone made a big mistake in the kitchen or they changed the entree without changing the menu. Of course, this manager, Jen, did not investigate. Subsequently, approximately 1-2 hours later, I developed mouth sores. I'm just grateful, I didn't go into anaphylactic shock at the restaurant. This manager, Jen, needs a substantial amount of training or perhaps she is the wrong job position. I do not recommend eating at this restaurant as this manager does not care about the customer and did absolutely nothing to investigate the issue. It's about experiences and this was truly the most awful experience I have ever had at a restaurant. It's a shame as the place is beautiful and our waitress was excellent. read more

Was a fantastic setting. Food was pretty good, but atmosphere made up for any shortcomings.

Ambiance great everything new Food portion was not as described. Steaks cut too thin and small. Table for 4 had 3 rolls size of a golf ball, when asked for an additional roll was told all out of rolls. Waited too long for service and drinks, definitely not high end nor fine dining. Not recommended. read more

Went for dinner and was told when I entered the kitchen was backed up and they couldn't place my order for half an hour. I appreciated the notice. In the room I entered 6 people were at tables with food and drinks and 2 were at the bar with drinks. Two more came in and sat at the bar and were immediately served. No one came to me for nearly 20 minutes to take my drink order. When I asked if my food could be ordered the server said he would check. Fifteen minutes later he said, believe it or believe it not, he could place the order but there was no guarantee I would get it. My cheeseburger did arrive, with an apology for the delay. It was a small, thin patty overcooked nearly to being charred with a cheese I couldn't identify. At least the roll was fresh. About 10 minutes after trivia was supposed to start someone announced there would a brief delay before it would start. I left nearly two hours later, no trivia, no explanation, no apology, never having been offered a refill on my drink. I had eaten there before and it wasn't great but it was okay. read more