I've visited this place two winters in a row and it didn't disappoint. It's really a great find away from the hustle and bustle restaurants in that area. It has atmosphere, family feel, quality food, and drinks. The food is amazing at thsecret gem in VT. Try the stuffed artichokes, escargot, a half duckling. The half duckling comes with raspberry chambord sauce and Bavarian Sauerbraten. read more

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I've been told Countryman's Pleasure is NO Longer working???? I haven't been there in years! It used to have FANTASTIC Food! We were stationed in Germany & when my husband retired we were so happy to find Austria & German dishes on their menu!!! Note: my review was from awhile ago! read more

Fun and totally different from other area options. Hosts couldn't have been more welcoming too

An Excellent Ethnic Option Because I honestly have nothing negative to say about this fabulous restaurant in what I am going to call the Greater Rutland area, I will keep this review short and to the point... Whether you are skiing/riding one of the nearby mountains, staying in Rutland for business, or live locally, you would be missing something special if you didn't give Countryman's Pleasure a try! Food and beverages to accommodate everyone are plentiful (I was able to order an excellent sweet German white wine while my father and wife shared an exquisite bottle of a French dry red). Definitely try the Grilled Bratwurst and Alaskan Crab Cakes appetizers and the Chocolate Linzer and Sacher Tortes for dessert! Service was relaxed, but prompt and everyone from the host to our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Atmosphere is warm and inviting... Like we were visiting someone's (very large) country home (complete with a wood burning fire). Oh, and just a note about the parking... Drive past what appears to be the main entrance to find the larger parking lot on the other side of the building. read more

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Our dear German Mom, on her deathbed in hospice, wished for sauerbraten, red cabbage and kartoffelkloesse for her final celebratory meal. We discovered the Countryman's Pleasure, and we are so deeply touched by how the chef and staff honored her wish with such reverence and generous kindness. They really went above and beyond! She was thrilled when we brought the meal to her, and she savored every morsel. So thankful for her dream come true! We look forward to dining there in person another time. Thank you Countryman's Pleasure! read more

The review you are about to read is more about the service than it is the food. We enjoyed our meal, however due to the service, or lack there of, from our waiter, we will not be dining here again. The food was good. However, our waiter was non existent. There was apparently a large party which was the excuse given for his lack of service. The hostesses was apologetic and nice, but that didn't make up for the disappearing act out waiter pulled. The worst part was when we actually had to ask the hostess to wrap up our food and ask the waiter to bring our check. He didn't even do that! He never came to check in on our meal once. No one did. The serving tray from our meals was hanging off the table next to us. We ran out of beverages half way thru our meal and no one was around to help us. It's disappointing to write this because I was truly excited to go there. But that won't be happening again. read more

I have been coming here for a long time but this was my first time with the new owners. I started with the Squash soup. It was flavorful but nothing exceptional. I ordered the Bavarian meatballs over spaetzel. The tavern size was small and had a sweet sour tomato sauce that was very disappointing. It was loaded with sugar. I told my server that it wasn't my favorite experience here. Although we weren't looking for anything free, it would have been nice if we were offered a complimentary dessert. We ended up just leaving without feeling satisfied. We won't rush back. read more

Dining here was a real treat for me and my husband. We had just finished a long day of skiing at Killington (about 15 minutes away) and were happy that this restaurant was across the street from our hotel. The restaurant wasn't too crowded when we got there at 6:30 but it had filled up by the time we left about 2 hours later. First of all, hats off to our waitress. She had wonderful and very professional timing: when we were ready to order, she was there. When we had (both) finished our entrees, she was ready to take away our plates. We never had to wait more than a minute or two for the next step. The food was delicious. The chef / owner is a pastry chef by training, and you could tell from the rolls that were brought out with the water. Two of the rolls were typical rolls, but the other two had either a lemon or orange zest topping. My husband ordered "the complete meal," so he got a soup, entree and dessert. He seemed to really enjoy his split pea and bacon soup. The dessert, authentic apple strudel with homemade whipped cream, was a great way to end the meal. I can't recall what my husband's entree was (other than it came with garlic mashed potatoes), but I really liked my entree: veal medallions with crab meat in a hollandaise sauce, served with vegetables and a side of spaetzel. It was mouthwatering! This restaurant gets bonus points for having a type of beer that brought back fond memories of studying abroad in Germany. Specifically, it's a "Berliner Weisse" and it comes with a raspberry syrup. The waitress brought out the half liter bottle of beer, a shot glass full of syrup, and a beer glass, so that I could mix to my taste. I would happily go to this restaurant again. Mahlzeit! read more

Very disappointed with tonight's meal! - To charge $215 for 5 people means that the food/service should be excellence. Unfortunately exactly opposite was the case. To start, it took over 20 minutes for us to receive bread for the table. (The bread was good). It took over an hour for us to receive our food (and the restaurant wasn't crowded). ---- I do have to say that my spit pee soup and the raw oysters that we ordered were very good. The rest of our food came out less than warm. I ordered the stuffed baked shrimp with the optimal crap (I paid additional for the crab that was forgot. Then when I questioned the missing crab it was brought out in a side dish. Unfortunately it wasn't properly cleaned as tiny pieces of shell found its way into my mouth.) All 5 of our salads were completely soaked in salad dressing. (I love lots of dressing and it was still a little much for even me.) Also, the waitress had to ask us to repeat which dressings we wanted..... 40 minutes after we ordered them! Also, the side dish that we ordered wasn't ready when our entrées came out so the chef sent out a substitute side dish until our request was ready..... would have been fine but sadly I could tell that the pan that the dish was cooked in wasn't cleaned after cooking a seafood dish because the entire thing tasted like seafood. Multiple of us at the table agreed. Other than that, generalized bad service. Took extra long for drinks, check, etc. LOOK, I hate to write a bad review.... and I understand that every good restaurant has its bad days. This was just too much. Especially at the price that we were paying. read more

With a German family background, I was thrilled to be introduced to this place a few years back while visiting Killington. The food is truly authentic and ALWAYS outstanding. Chef owned and operated, this is my 5th time dining at the CMP, and I look forward to the 6th. We made reservation's for Friday night a week earlier, and our table was ready when we arrived. Sitting in the enclosed porch of this charming establishment, we were able to enjoy conversation and feel as though we were in a private room. There are two options, main dining room and tavern. I suggest the main dining room for a little more of a formal and intimate feel. Two of us ordered the house specialty WIENER SCHNITZEL , the other, lemon veal medallions. Both dishes were superb, served at the right temperature and quite possibly the most tender pieces of veal I have ever tasted. With very classic accompaniments, garlic mashed potatoes, carrots and red cabbage, each flavor complimented the next. The only downfall was a very inattentive server who seemed to always be busy but never doing anything. I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon was delivered. Several of the other staff members including the hostess seemed to be picking up her slack, and thankfully, this is the first time we have had so-so service. It will not keep me from going back... although I would move quickly if seated in her section. I commend the other staff members for recognizing the issue and seemingly working as a team on every other table she was supposed to be serving. read more

So my husband and I stumbled onto the Countryman's Pleasure when we were vacationing in New England last week. What a great place! It was reminiscent of a Swiss restaurant in the Alps. Loved the atmosphere, fireplace, cozy wood trim and attentive wait staff. We even got there in time for the early bird specials but the portion size was as large as a regular dinner portion. Very generous. What impressed us most was the food and how it was prepared. Everything tasted as if alot of work was put into it. I had the sauerbrauten (sp--sorry I'm not German!) with my favorite red cabbage. From the orange marmalade topped dinner rolls to the apple strudel dessert, the food was perfection! Our compliments to the chef! After picking apples in the cold, this was a warm, welcome meal. We'll be back! read more

Excellent brunch w great service. Cozy atmosphere and great cocktails. Eggs Benedict were perfect . Nice homemade pasTries. We will b b-ball! read more

If you want something different and your in the Killington/Pico Rutland area this place is a find! Great Austrian/German food. Austrian Chef owned. Bavarian Sauerbraten, Wiener Schnitzel, Escargot in Mushrooms, Clams Casino, Fois Gras, Roast Duck, Baked stuffed Shrimp... what could be better than that after a long day of skiing! definitely check this place out if your'e in the area, totally different and the food is fantastic! http://www.countrymanspleasure.com/ read more

For a 2nd year in a row - same weekend - I was deeply disappointed with the food. For a restaurant billed as German cuisine, one would think the sauerbraten with traditional trimmings to be great. Right? Wrong!! Last year, without prior notice, the sauerbraten was served with mixed vegetables, instead of the traditional red cabbage, and kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings) or spaetzle (Bavarian-Austrian pasta). This past Saturday, the beef was likely marinated for all of 10 minutes, instead of the minimal 48 hours; and spaetzle (replacing kartoffelklöße) was a tasteless pile of mud. The new owners have taken this (formerly) wonderful restaurant sharply downhill. I won't return!! "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!" read more

Went to Octoberfest last night fully expecting to have some schnitzel and spetzle with some German beer. I was surprised when all they had was cold potatoes, sad corn, some chicken, and some pretty decent brats. They did have some really great pretzels and a apple strudel kind of thing. The beer was good. The venue was ok. I love German food and was really looking forward to a good old fashioned German party. The beer glasses I got with admission were really cool and the band was pretty decent as well. If they had thrown in some long wooden tables and benches for seating and actually served schnitzel and kept the food warm then this would have been an awesome event. I gave it a 2 but I like the glasses so much had to give an extra star. I'll try them one more time just because I haven't eaten inside yet. I'm suspicious that it is a little overpriced but I'm hopeful. read more

Consider being out in the middle of nowhere. OK, so maybe not really no where, just not many choices. The Countryman's Pleasure came recommended by the hotel clerk as a nice place to eat. It has two entrances, one on each side of the building. On the left is parking for one or two cars, handicap accessible. The right side of the building has stairs that are precarious to say the least. Once inside however the diner is taken to a countryside inn in Bavaria. The menu is your typical choices were you lucky enough to be abroad. Schnitzels, wursts, braten, potato pancakes and späetzle. Rolls were warm and delicious delivered before the salad which came dressed without being overdone. Side vegetables were perfectly cooked, tender without being mushy. Also included with the meal is a side of red cabbage. SO had the sauerbraten, I enjoyed the Wiener Schnitzel. Dinner was delicious and so filling that we skipped the dessert. read more

Unfortunately the countryman's pleasure has new ownership. The food leaves a lot to be desired. Our menus were xerox copies of paper written in sharpie. The bar area filled with smoke. Me, my wife and our two children were coughing from it. My French onion soup cheese was burnt in places cold in others. I was told my duck was boneless. It was not. I was then told that the bones could be removed. There were still bones in my duck. My wife's sauerbraten was burnt on the edges. The hostess tried to tell us that burnt food was the same as roasted food. Stay away. It's a shame. We have been coming to this restaurant for over a decade. read more

The business is under new ownership, no longer owned by Hans. The food was disappointing as was the service. I ordered the sauerbraten. Unfortunately the beef had no flavor and was chewy. The sauce was ok. The red cabbage was flavorless. The waitress behaved as she did not care about us and she only had 2 tables. On the other hand, the french onion soup was some of the best I've ever had. read more

This place was great. My husband got the schnitzel, I got goulash, daughter got a burger and son got the macaroni and cheese. We also had a pretzel and strudel for an appetizer, and carrot cake and Apple strudel for dessert. It was up and down one of the best meals we have had in a long time. We are Midwestern and know good German food - this is it. We will be back again and again. Yum! Also great and attentive service. read more

This restaurant is truly a pleasure as the name suggests! My family went for Mother's Day and both the food and service were terrific. The apps to entree timing was perfect. The presentation and flavors equally matched. I wouldn't hesitate to come back for a fine meal in an area where fine meal quests typically come up short. Nice job, CP! read more

Superb German restaurant within walking distance of the Best Western, if you are careful crossing the street. Allagash wheat beer on draught was refreshing and mixed well with the schnitzel and wurstplate. Salad was fresh, with tasty house made dressings. Surprisingly they only had one mustard, a sweet variety. Some of their online menu was not available, including the gravlox. Comfortable,somewhat upscale dining area - but not pretentious. Casual dress. If you take into account the lack of good dining in the area, this is worthy of 5 stars. Expensive for the area, but worth it. Waitresses are inexperienced but friendly. read more

I had the filet mignon and It was off the chart good. Service was decent. Presentation was "ok" Atmosphere was "ok" Price was high. Slightly higher than what you get. So the food was top notch, everything else was mediocre... hard to score it. read more

A treasure, a little on the way up the road towards Killington, barely outside Rutland. Real German food, prepared really well, plus other excellent dishes/shrimp/etc. The Bavarian pea soup is a delight. Atmosphere is homey, welcoming. read more

Such a let down from when Hans owned it. Sat at the bar for 10-15 minutes, bar keep kept letting the wait staff interrupt her from making us drinks. Other couple showed up to join us for dinner, she asked for 3 different drinks due to alcohol selection being nil, said she'd have water, was told she'd be made a champagne drink instead. We were seated at a booth only to be told we need to move because the booth was requested. Seated at what we were told was the "best seat in the house", right outside the kitchen swinging door! Crab cakes were fried and burned on the bottom, and charged $15.00 for one! Main dinner, once it finally arrived was good. Had to ask for bread, asked for a glass of wine that never came, creme brulee was runny like soup. When a complaint was made, they only removed $4.00 from each of our bills. Charged for the original drink, and when we said we should get some sort of discount for the overall experience that they fell short on, we were told "we can't legally discount alcohol" Who cares! Where was the customer service? Reservations for 6:30, left a little after 9:00, $153.00 later for us and $130+ later for our friends. TIPS stands for "to insure proper service"...... service was terrible! Excuses were aplenty! Never going back. So disappointed. Sad...........Wasted our money. Still upset about it 3 days later. read more

why are you still reading this? go to countryman's already! We stumbled upon this local gem based on yelp's review, and boy are we glad! We arrived as a group of 8 around 9pm, that's an hour before they close. The main dining room was full with locals, and they promptly seated us in a private dining room, that's one door away from the kitchen. The host was very friendly and honest, the waitresses were very helpful, all of the food we had ordered were made to perfection. The ambiance was very warm, welcome, intimate, and homey. This is now one of our must go places whenever we are in the area. read more

Great food, excellently made, sloooww service. I was alone and it took an hour and a half to get to dessert... And I am still here. Something important to note is I am literally only 1 of 2 tables!!!! Great saurbraten, excellent and extensive German food menu. Don't come hungry, tired, or in a hurry though. read more

Never ever go here. I made a reservation. Called one hour in advance to confirm, which they did confirm. Showed up at our scheduled time and they told us that they could not accommodate us. I would never ever recommend going here. Staff was not helpful or accommodating at all. read more

I'm done with Countryman's Pleasure. I come to VT 3-4 times per year and typically try to make a visit here but I can't seem to figure out when the EFF they are open. The web site says Tues- Sat. So I call today on a Tues and I'm told they aren't open today - that the days are Wed - Sat. Back in the summer I swear I drove up there on a Wed and they were closed! With nice restaurants such as Southside Steak House or Table 24 in town I think I will just go there. Sucks because I like the atmosphere and the food is good but good grief it would be nice if you had a consistent schedule. read more

Wonderful service by Kim, unique plates that we have never tried before... always helping out when we had a question and we are so full! Looking forward to another plan to come back to this area just so we can have another meal there! 5 stars! read more

My friend and I went here based on these reviews. Excellent food, service and atmosphere! We both had the wiener schnitzel and were very happy. For an appetizer we had the stuffed mushrooms. Also good. We tried the house martini, but found it too strong...they took it away and let us exchange it for a Pinot. Had a great time. Also, we had the strudel, which was wonderful. We drove two hours each way to try this place and it was worth it! read more

I've now dined at the Countryman's Pleasure several times over the past 2 winters. The food, beverage & service never disappoint. That said, if you are in a rush, this is not your place. This is really old world / European dining at it's best. You can grab a cocktail at the bar or when you're seated and you won't be rushed to put in your dinner order. It's really quite relaxing...and the same goes at the end of your meal if you'd like coffee, dessert or a digestif. The cadence of appetizer & entree arriving at your table is perfect. Plenty of time to eating slowly, converse and enjoy your evening with others. Wife list is decent. Cocktails & beer offerings are better. read more

We have been going to Countryman's Pleasure for over 7 years and each visit has been outstanding. The food prepared by Hans is excellent and we do not have to worry about GMO's which are devastating to my wife's health. The service is exquisite and the atmosphere is charming. The onion soup is to die for and the rest of the menu cannot be topped anywhere. We go there for special occasions and we invite our special friends to join us. Just a wonderful place to dine. read more

One of the best, classiest restaurants around. Fine dining. Awesome spaetzle! Veal dishes the best.

This is an excellent restaurant with a good German menu; they include many other items as well. I had the Filet Mignon, which was excellent and everyone else had German dishes. The service is always wonderful and the ambience very nice (little things like lighting the old fashioned lanterns goes a long way with me!) This is not an inexpensive restaurant but my family comes here for special and not-so-special occasions. read more

Based on the reviews we read, we were very excited to go here for dinner. However, the meal turned into a real disappointment. We made a 7 p.m. reservation online, but when we arrived at 6:50 p.m., they didn't have the reservation even though we received an e-mail confirmation. The onion soup was delicious as were the rolls, the salad was fresh but just OK. My husband ordered the filet mignon medium well and I ordered sauerbraten. Mind you, the place is only open 5-9 p.m., so we were quite incensed when our food didn't arrive until 8:45 and my husband's filet was raw. Numerous times throughout the meal, the waitress kept telling us our food was coming ... and that the food was worth the wait. We never got to try the supposedly delicious desserts. read more

Where should I start? Waitress, very sweet, but first day on job. Kept leaving us to get answers. Alert!!! - menu online NOT menu in restaurant! Was planning on getting steak advertised at approx $21, that steak not even on menu. Only beef $32 filet mignon. Many other prices not comparable to online. Dinner 2!! Hours long. My filet not cooked correctly. Waited 20 min. just for check. Atmosphere nice, but no acknowledgment from Hostess as we were leaving. They need to get their act together, for these prices! Overheard another waitress, explaining to others that they were suffering staff issues. read more

As a large group we had an opportunity to try several of the dishes. The Wiener Schnitzel was dull and nothing like a real Schnitzel. The duck was overdone but the sauce was good. The side salad was fresh. The rest of the sides were tasteless. Pepsi goes for $4.50 and a tiny kids meal for $17. Priced as gourmet but lacking any refinement. We will not return. read more

I would not advise to order Roast Half Duckling. It was well seasoned but rubbery. Not something that you would want to pay almost $40 for and not being able to chew. read more

In the Rutland Vt area, do yourself a favor and have dinner at Countrymans Pleasure, just up the street (Rt 4) in Mendon. Hans, owner and excellent chef, will make your visit well worth your while!! read more