The service was wonderful. Very prompt and gracious. The food was good. Not great, but good. Basic, good food. Overall, we were pleased.

We came here for lunch. I had elk steak and broccoli. My wife had chicken quesadilla and onion rings. Her dish was delicious. The elk steak was excellent. it was medium rare so I was able to taste the meat. I had Montreal seasoning applied to the elk. The service is good. We came here for lunch just before it became extremely busy. This is a very popular place in Derby Vermont. The total cost of lunch was $47 which was very reasonable. This is a highly recommended place to eat in Derby Vermont. It is popular with the local population. read more

Driving home from Québec, we found this gem a few miles into the US. There's a field of bison behind the building, which made my husband very happy. There's definitely a hunter's theme here, starting with the antler archway and a buck standing inside the doorway! The main dining room had lots of taxidermy around, including a polar bear in the hallway near the restrooms. We sat in the backroom near the bar. We overheard a customer say he eats there everyday! We hoped it would be good food! The place is very bright and woodsy. Both the server and the bartender were really pleasant, helpful, and efficient. We ordered potato skins and we each ordered a burger. The potato skins were delicious with crispy bacon and melty cheese. We finished them all! Our burgers were also delicious, cooked as ordered, and a good size in thickness. The price was less than expected also! We had a great lunch for under $40. Of we ever travel this way again, we will be back to try something else! read more

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We were visiting the area and saw this place when we searched up restaurants near me. So glad we chose this place. Staff was super sweet and the food was outstanding, even though we ordered for a pick up and had to drive 20mins back to our rental. Plus they had bison's behind the restaurant. read more

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Lisa was absolutely phenomenal! She kept us laughing and very entertained! We look forward to going back this snowmobile season to see her again! read more

So far- the menu looks great. We got poutine and their ultimate BLT! Both quite tasty. The beacon was nice and crispy, just like it should be. The poutine gravy has meat right in it. read more

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Plenty of parking...Elk and Buffalo to greet you.. rustic decor.. was hoping to order one Buffalo burger and one Elk burger and split them...but they only serve one at a time (in season) so we each tried the Buffalo burger medium rare. Wasn't a HUGE burger but was just the right size! Very very tasty and cooked exactly as ordered. Fries were perfect!! Had the unsweetened iced tea..was good and readily refilled! Not usually a poutine fan but (and they're a stone's throw from Canada so it should be) this was delicious..and the fries retained crunch under the gravy. Will be back again...especially to try the Elk! read more

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I have to say, reviews are very hit or miss, but we really enjoyed it a couple of days ago! We stopped because we saw the Elk, went back to the campground we were at, changed out of swimsuits and went straight back to try dinner there. All the food was very good and ridiculously affordable. I was actually worried it wouldn't be any good because the prices were so low- king prime rib with potato for $23???. Would I have liked a vegetable? Yes. Was it the end of the world? No. Everyone was very nice, you more than get what you pay for and it has a kind of standard comfortable rural feel. read more

Cow Palace - Buffalo burger - American Near Me - Derby, Vermont

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We were on vacation in the Vermont Northeast Kingdom this summer and I decided to bring the family to one of my favorite places when I'm snowmobiling in the winter with the boys. I have to say, Cow Palace never disappoints. My son loved the elk in the pasture and the antler entrance. All of the taxidermy animals inside were really cool for us as well. My son and I both had buffalo burgers, unfortunately elk was not available this day, and my wife had the fried chicken sandwich. All 3 of our meals were spot on perfect and so very tasty. The price was incredibly reasonable, so much so I had to get a Cow Palace tee-shirt as a souvenir. Our waitress, Jen was super pleasant and let us take our time with the menu as we continued to check out the venue, she answered all of our questions and always was great with us. We love the Palace and hope to be back soon. read more

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Stopped here en route to Montreal. The wait staff was lovely and the food was really good! We enjoyed the fried pickles, burgers, and chicken sandwiches. Be sure to take a look at the elk next to the parking lot. :-) read more

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Had heard people talking about The Cow Palace, so I looked at their website and it looked interesting. Went there today for lunch ( party of 4 at around 11:30AM. First and most important: the waitress was very friendly and efficient. The menu was lack luster - for a place called the Cow Palace, I expected more beef dishes on the menu, it was your typical American restaurant food. I ordered the Parmesan crusted haddock special since there was a lack of beef dishes other than a burger or a steak. When the meal arrived, it was coated with melted American cheese with chopped tomatoes and Broccoli smothered in the melted American cheese. The haddock, I was told, was fresh - highly doubtful. The best part of my meal was the side of fries. The others in my party said the food was "OK". The condition of the restaurant gets a "poor" from me... The fake plants scattered around were covered with a thick layer of dust, the carpeting looks like it hasn't been replaced since the 1970's, the ladies restroom was horrible: no hand sanitizer in sight! A communal roll of paper towels to wipe your hands on, it was dark and gloomy, and the lock on the door was a slide bolt that someone had put on, rather than fixing the actual door knob. I The entire restaurant needs an update or to be CLEANED. Old and dated.. The Elk and Buffalo came over the fence on the back end of the parking lot after being called by a gentleman and his family with a bag of carrots to give the creatures a treat. The animals are beautifully magnificent! Had it not been for this family, they probably would not have been in view of the patrons of the restaurant. In short, we will NOT being going back to The Cow Palace. read more

Oh so terrible. There was something growing in the vinegar bottle. The waitress had on flip flops. The food was worse than if I had microwaved my dinner and then tried to air fry it. High price for terrible food and downright dirty restaurant. read more

I had such a good experience I went back the next night! Fantastic steak, cooked perfectly with a baked potato and salad bar, plus 2 beers- $20!! Second night I had the Bourbon smothered Steak tips. Again, fantastic, and $15.99! And (for you single gentlemen...), if the bartender was any hotter she'd leave burn marks in the floor when she walked. Adding on 10/23/15: I'm looking forward to having the best steak of my year next week!! I'm staying on Lake Willoughby , and looking forward to the nice drive to The Cow Palace. and Salad Bar!! read more

This is the place to go for one thing: ELK! My friend in Hawaii (yes, 5,000 miles and 48 states away) specifically recommended this restaurant (and this quiet corner of America) to visit. She had grown up just down the road from Derby and was keenly familiar with the restaurant. So believe it or not the Cow Palace was high on our list of things to see and do in Vermont. At first we thought we had entered some dude ranch in Texas as we walked under a huge arch of antlers piled at least 8 feet high in front of the main door. Upon entry you're immediately greeted by a huge stuffed elk followed by stuffed polar bear, birds, and other things formerly known as "alive". The dining hall is fairly good sized while still preserving its rustic feel and the side bar area was wood-cozy yet well lit. The two times we dined-in we were seated promptly without wait. Don't come here for anything but to eat local ELK meat. Fine dining, this is not. But good, solid food, it is. On our 2 visits (plus 1 takeout for our drive out), we enjoyed their poutine (a heart-clogging mix of fries, cheese, and gravy enjoyed heavily north of the border) and French onion soup and found both delicious, hardy, and quite filling. The elk burgers were juicy, deep with flavor, and a lean meat. Although I have to admit it's kinda unnerving watching your lunch wandering amiably about just outside the window as you're enjoying one of their brethren on your plate. I guess it'd be worse if the shoe was on the other foot and you were the one on the outside looking in wondering what happened to Uncle Joe. Hey, if you can't handle seeing your meat walking around - hooves, fur, antlers and all - maybe you should consider being a vegetarian, right? HINT: Seriously, though, if you think this kind of thing will bother you, go at dinnertime when the herd is bedded down for the night and you can't see what's outside anyway. Cow Palace is a good experience! We enjoyed our food but most of all enjoyed this unique menu and style of restaurant - a little slice of the variety which makes America so great! read more

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Absolutely love this place. The first time we went I had prime rib. It was perfectly cooked and awesome. The second time I had butternut raviolis in a maple Alfredo sauce. It was the best thing I have had in a long time. We brought a friend from out of town with us and he had the Delmonico steak. It was cooked perfectly as well. We had a great time with great food and will be back again even if it is an hour travel from our house! Came back again and still great! read more

I have given this place about ten chances and never have enjoyed a decent meal. You get what you pay for. I mean the arbor of antlers outside is kind of cool but I'm not eating the decor. read more

This is a place to pass by Pros: Hey I can see elk Cons: anything that has sauce on it of any kind just sucks (gravy, what ever they called that on the baked stuffed haddock, chicken alfredo) wow and just wow. Really was a horrible experience and the service was horribly slow and they forgot a few thing Sorry guys but you have some serious tweaks to do because if you do you will shine right now cafeteria food is beating you senseless. read more

Actually, this place saved me. I was starving when I was in Montreal, because I couldn't find a restaurant that I'd love...(coming from London & L.A. -- both places with amazing food) We were just driving through the city, and saw that this was the nearest place to eat, so we parked next to the Bison n' gave it a shot. When you walk in, there are all sorts of animals taxidermeeeed (lol) and one HUGE polar bear in particular near the front. I thought, oh great, this is going to suck, but actually it didn't! The french onion soup was surprisingly flavorful, not salty, and the right amount. Had the corn nuggets, a little temperature hot, but again, great like the ones in Florida. The sweet potato fries were good, not greasy or soggy! AAAAAAAND, the pecan pie a la mode was a great way to say good bye to Vermont. I'd go here again! read more

This is another small town restaurant with big flavor! And to boot there's an elk farm right next to it with its denizens coming right up to the fence to say hello (one of them let me give her head scritches!). The food was served hot and promptly (not quickly, after all, this is a small town. Food is served when it's done!). The service was wonderful and polite! read more

Excellent steak. Friendly staff. The locals at the bar were loud and obnoxious but whattaya gonna do? But for Bernie's sake, turn down the damned lights, place looked like a lamp store in five thousand watt glory. And turn up the thermostats, will ya?! read more

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Food was great and our waitress was attentive and friendly. I had a Queen cut Prime Rib which was cooked exactly as requested. I was hoping that there would be more Elk cuts to choose from. The only cut available was a Sirloin which is a leaner cut from cattle never mind Elk so I was hesitant to try it. Other than that I was happy with our visit and would definitely return! Good place read more

My favorite place in town for comfort food. Love the food and atmosphere. Have never gotten a bad meal. Will recommend to friends and family. read more

The elk steak and the prime rib were both over cooked, and under seasoned. The appetiser player was the best part of the meal, but it literally came about two minutes before the entrees. Service was quick and friendly. read more

Noticed the all you can eat Tuesday night special of fried shrimp sign today while driving through Derby. At $11.95 I was expecting frozen breaded popcorn shrimp. Lo and behold I was blown away when large, plump, freshly hand breaded and piping hot fried shrimp arrived accompanied by an excellent baked potato. (Potato choices besides baked were fried, garlic mashed or twice baked). Some of the best shrimp I have ever eaten. Service was spot on and friendly. I highly recommend this place! read more

I read review on a northern Quebec online paper about this Cow Palace built on an elk farm in northern VT near the Quebec border. So I made an attempt to check it out. This "Colorado Lodge" of a palace is decorated with stuffed deer, elk, moose, and even a polar bear!!! The menu is pretty standard American steak/ chops/ burgers with some bison and elk added. I also enjoyed the large salad bar with hot bread bar. Prices are pretty reasonable. They have a full bar. Minis one star for only having 1 VT micro brew (Long Trail). We also enjoyed the nice view of the elk grazing in the field next door. read more

This is a restaurant that attracts locals as well as tourists. If you are a meat lover, then this is definitely a good place for you. They also serve some nice salads if you don't want all that meat. Try the elk burger if you want something a little different. The scallops are always a good choice. They come fried with tartar sauce and a side of French fries. There is a full bar with a small selection of draught beers. In the summer there is outside seating on the deck. The only problem with that is it is next to a very busy road. The food quality is sort of up and down depending on who is cooking. Don't let my review scare you away. The burgers are always good and the beer is always cold. read more

Best thing is the live ELK right outside the restaurant! We had a pleasant dinner and my personal policy is not to write bad things about independent restaurants and hotels because this is how people earn their living. However, my complaint is so easy to fix. The place needs a good scrub down. Some simple green and cleaning rags. The table and bench was sticky and the whole place needs a good window washing, dusting and wipe down. The same goes for the restroom as every surface is dusty. One thing to be old and another to be dirty. It's DIRTY. Our meal was pleasant and tasted fine. I had prime rib and my husband had brochette. Salad bar is included and prices are fair but I won't be back until cleaned. Our waitress was personable and prompt, nice. FYI/ADA... the walkway/ramp is dangerous as the flagstones are loose, broken or missing. If you walk with a cane, are unsteady or use a wheelchair take care. Did not see handicapped parking near door. read more

First of all, the couple that was seated after our party was ready for their check before our food was brought out. The burgers were over cooked. The garlic mashed were horrible. The poutine was the worst ever. The alfredo was mushy. Waitress never came by to ask how everything was. We ate there when they first opened for business and it was great. Has gone down the toilet along where the food should go. read more

I've driven by this place a few times and last week we finally decided to check it out. The appetizers were pretty lousy. The sampler platter was extremely greasy and the taste was pretty lousy. The poutine was pretty bad and cold. The sweet potato fries were sub par and nowhere nearly as good as I've had them at other restaurants in vermont. The entrees were nothing spectacular either. Poor flavor, not particularly fresh, greasy. The service was about average, not particularly friendly, not rude either. I wouldn't come back, there are far better restaurants in the Newport/Derby area. read more

I was very disappointed and wanted to give it a one star, but then thought the live music was nice so I gave it two stars. Maybe I was overly harsh because I am used to eating fresh organic, local, minimally processed food, and I was disappointed, but maybe I have a higher standard than most. Can't remember the last time I encountered a salad bar. This one had lettuce (not iceberg, a plus, but very wilted and limp, a minus), fresh sliced mushrooms, olives, cucumbers and red onion, canned sliced beets, canned 3 bean salad, pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, cottage cheese...I felt like I was back in the 70's at a Sizzler. I ordered a burger, medium rare. It arrived medium well. But worse then that was the quality of the meat. I just couldn't eat it. My husband also had a burger. It came with a plastic slice of American shingle cheese glued to the top and sauteed onions and bacon. Maybe all the added flavors disguised the bad meat, because he was not as disappointed. The place was friendly and filled with the whole town. Everyone knew each other and everyone was drinking beer - Coronas for $2.50! The live music was great - 70's rock. And how can you not try a place called The Cow Palace? read more

Pros: Elk viewing free of charge in the barnyard. Elk burger, made from elk roaming outback, with home-made sweet potato fries are a must try. Servers are friendly and competent. Cons: Expect a long wait for your food if a tour group is present. read more

Excellent service, Beef Tidbits are always yummy! My once a yr snowmobiling stop never disappoints:) Thank you Cow Palace! Thank you Sonya and Ericka! read more

Worst meal I've ever eaten in a restaurant. Overcooked greasy mess. Seafood casserole with crab stuffing-should read "imitation seafood" stuffing. Salad bar was wilted greens and crocks with cross contaminated ingredients swimming in them. When we returned to our hotel, the front desk person said "I never send people there". I can see why!!! read more

A very comfortable and casual place to grab a meal. I tried the elk burger, because when else can you eat for dinner what you can look out the window and see wandering around outside?! A lot of locals here, as the waitresses were able to identify many of the patrons here by name. As a out of towner, we felt very welcomed. read more

Nice place for good food and a few drinks. You can tell it's been around awhile and that they have some regulars. Nice for those that aren't regulars either. read more

Food is usually delicious. Lots of menu options and drink options. Outside deck area. Service friendly and speedy

I got the VT Maple Chicken for the second time and it was not nearly as good the second time compared to the first time. The chicken was dry and overcooked and when I got my soda it had a bug in it and it was very flat. I guess next time I will get poutine and an ice tea. I wish their food was as great as the service. read more

After a long drive down from Montreal, this was an amazing dinner. I went with my parents. I had a prime rib steak and cheese sandwich that was hands down the best meal I'd eaten all week. Staff was friendly and service was quick. Highly recommend! read more

The decor is fabulous and exactly what you'd expect for this type of restaurant. Large stuffed animals everywhere including bison, moose, elk, turkey and even a polar bear. The restaurant is surprisingly light though and not the dark deep atmosphere you'd normally associate with stuffed animal restaurants! The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Explained the menu expertly. For appetiser I had the popcorn chicken which was a generous portion. It arrived fairly promptly too as did other peoples meals. For main course I had the Elk Burger. Again it came out promptly and was piping hot. The fries looked hand cut an there was an extremely generous portion of them which I was unable to finish. The burger was cooked to perfection and tasted great. Just what you'd expect from a gamier meet such as elk. I deliberately didn't finish the fries so I had room for dessert. They had a selection of home made pies and I chose raspberry. It was delicious although could have been a little warmer. The only fault in an otherwise excellent meal. Cow Palace is certainly not fine dining and doesn't purport to be. It is good American style food at a decent price with excellent service. I gave it 5 stars because it met or exceeded all the requirements for its class of restaurant. read more

Great place. I come here every time I am town on business. The sandwiches are excellent and I highly recommend the French dip.