Food was pretty darn good if I'm being honest, and she was good about refilling my coffee too, but…read moreI don't go out to eat to be waited on by someone who looks miserable, barely acknowledges me, didn't even smile when I asked her to compliment the chef (We got the loaded potato fries and a French dip, which, I've never liked anywhere, but it's what my wife wanted and we share as she's had the bipass surgery and can only eat a few bites)...I admitted to her that I don't like French dip, but it was PHENOMENAL. I don't even like au jus, but it was so good, I would've been happy just to drink it. Who doesn't even smile at a compliment like that? Especially as I later found out she was one of the owners. She should have been over the moon. I'd say it wasn't technically a bad experience, but it also wasn't a good one. Also, it was right at the end of their first open mic and we knew the host personally. You'd think after seeing we knew their entertainment, she could have, at the very least, faked a smile. Kind of her loss as I'm a DJ and could have easily boosted their clientele, but I'm not going to recommend a place that makes it seem like it's a chore to wait on you. Even though she didn't know that, as someone who has also been in the restaurant industry for a large portion of my life, the very first rule of customer service is to make them feel wanted, no matter how you're feeling, and smiling at them is the easiest way to do it. Even if you're only doing it for the tips, being nice to people is one of the easiest things you can do. And being nice to others, will almost always make you feel good in return. It's a win win. As for the ambience, top notch. It's a very comfortable and relaxed atmosphere and it's not crowded like a lot of other restaurants (meaning the tables are properly spaced and you're not on top of other customers)

Food was very good; wine too; services appeared great, if you're a regular! but not so much for…read moresomeone new. The place was busy with happiness through, Gail and Dennis, tending bar, were busy, I knew, but to see them check on all the regulars several times through and through, but never once asked me 'how was your stew?' I think if this place treated everyone like a regular they knew, it will be a five star. But what are you gona' do. So with that, I'd say ambiance could improve.

My first time back since the new owners took over. It was still very loud inside even though we…read morearrived on the earlier side for dinner the bar was pretty full already. Maybe with some rugs layed down it would help the noise? The name and the vision inside don't match, nothing really special to see inside. I ordered nachos as my meal last night, they looked yummy but once I started eating i realized that the chips were very toasted from the oven and crispy and any specks of cheese were dried and burned into the chips (see photo). Not until I dug to the bottom did I find any cheese. Really I could have just done that at home. I didn't send it back because my husband & daughters meals were there and they were enjoying and didn't want theirs to become cold. Being our second time trying the restaurant we decided we wouldn't make it a third. The waitstaff were very pleasant and attentive.

Excellent food at a reasonable price. The Smashburger's are great at lunchtime. Also the fish…read moresandwiches.. Salad is fresh and wonderful assorted greens.

Besides Hannah Devine's on Main, Mimi's CoffeeHouse of Hardwick, and possibly Janine's Frosty down…read morethe street, you're going to want to make Crystal Springs a destination restaurant diner for your daytime brunch or breakfast needs, plus milkshakes and ice cream. Crystal Springs brings a consistency of food quality, time, and care that has kept the restaurant in good hands in the last decades. Walk in and walk beside the bar, noting the diner is cash only, and into the two booth sections near the back so that your waitstaff can have easy access to take your order. The diner, near the back, updates specials and has a few consistent winners that keep recurring. The wall opposite your entry has a wall with a blown up photographed depiction of the town of Ware from the air many decades ago. One of the pluses of this all-day breakfast diner is that they also are a dairy bar, serving ice cream and milkshakes specifically. Expect Crystal Springs to be busy with locals and other out of town travelers at the corner of the plaza strip they're located at. They're near a busy entrance and exit way, and there's parking near enough to that ingress to be mindful of. Thank you for many meals, Crystal Springs, and I hope I find great photos I took of your diner one day to fit a review for a staff as reliable at 5am as you'd want in a diner.

This little resto is a hidden gem that packs a lot of surprises. Who would have guessed that a man…read morefrom Egypt would have chosen Ware MA to set up a kitchen/business. But Yasser has and we are so grateful that he did. His cultural take and techniques when applied to some of the American diner classics makes one sit up and take notice. I think we can all agree the fried fish sandwich and fish and Chips is a New England classic. Imo, Yasser's fishfry technique and eerily light coating is truly something special; you will be hard pressed to find a better fried product anywhere. I'm not gonna tell you much, other than give this place a try and discover for yourself what hidden treasures this little restaurant holds.

Every time I go, I have enjoyed it! The coffee is excellent, I have tried every cookie and they are…read moretoo die for!! Cute, clean little place with great service!! Love it!!

These beans. THESE BEANS!…read more This is a black woman owned small business with amazing coffee. You can pop in and buy a bag of beans or you can get a freshly brewed cup to go. Joy also sells pastries and such from small local bakeries. There isn't much seating yet inside but Joy has specific plans to grow the space over the course of this year. But the seating that is available is cut and comfortable. Unless she's at a festival, this is the only place to get Joy's beans. They don't sell them in any other shops and aren't likely to soon so if you're in the Brookies on the weekend (or check hours to see if she's extended to any days M-Th in the future) swing by and grab yourself a cup or some beans to go. And if you're friends with me, yes, I will deliver beans for you while I'm out visiting my mom.

OMG!! The food at the new Whistle Stop was beyond my expectation. To be truthful, it took awhile…read morefor the food to arrive (think working on my 2 nd cup of coffee) BUT it was well worth the wait. Our waitress Brittany was very sweet and attentive. When I asked if the onion rings were frozen she said yes, but she thought the chef would be glad to make fresh, handcut onion rings for me. He did and they were fantatstic. I got the classic burger a which was huge and juicy. My husband got the Reuben sandwhich and could only eat half - it was so huge and yummy. The atmosphere is small town friendly. Oh , did I mention the coleslaw? It was incredibly fresh and creamy. What a wonderful addition to our little town. Please stop by and.support this restaurant - its worth the trip and.prices are very reasonable. Linda J. Long time resident of Hardwick

Good food great service just takes a long time to get your food 45 minutes to an hour in the home…read morefries are usually not cooked

My family ordered takeout from this place. We ordered burgers, Texas toast BLT's, Texas Toast…read moregrilled cheese, Buffalo chicken tenders, potato skins, fries, and onion petals. The food was really good. We haven't really found a lot of good restaurants out here in mid- Mass so this one is probably the best so far. When I called the order in, the person was friendly and accurate. She also took the time to ask the kitchen how long the order would take to make. 25 minutes. That's not bad considering anything out this way is a bit of a drive in comparison to where we live. So hats off the Russo's. We will be back!

The scallops smelled like ammonia…read more Just got back from dinner at Russo's Lakeside in Palmer. I ordered the fried seafood combo. According to the internet, when I searched to see if they were safe to eat, it says "No -- throw them out. The ammonia smell is a clear sign of spoilage, and eating them puts you at risk of foodborne illness (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, etc.). Even if they were fried and look/taste okay otherwise, the decomposition has already started." The rest of the meal was "ok" but when I brought the potentially spoiled scallops to the attention of my server, she discussed it with her boss. The boss said they comp me a beer I had drank. Now, I don't own a restaurant, but I would assume that those scallops were a much larger portion of my bill than the draft beer. I mentioned that to the server and she went back to the boss lady, only to come back and offer a $10 discount. Perhaps if the boss lady would have come out and talked to me about it, I would have been ok with that but she stayed in her office because she was "very busy". This is when I started to get annoyed. I could hear them talking on the other side of the wall and mentioned to the server that I was really surprised she didn't come out to talk to me about this problem. She reiterated that the boss lady was very busy. However, the server wasn't able to apply the $10 discount so boss lady had to come out and do it. To add insult to injury, the woman completely ignored me as she stood about a foot or so in front of me. I had to ask her if she was the manager or the owner and her reply was just "I'm married to him." Then began telling me that the scallops my wife had were from the "same batch". I had smelled those scallops and they did smell fine but that doesn't mean there wasn't a problem with the ones in my order. I said I was surprised she didn't come out to talk to me and she just said "it's been a very long day!" I replied with "You serve FOOD to customers." Then she just threw her hands up and walked away. I wasn't rude, didn't raise my voice and was still disrespected as a customer. First time there, and will never return not do I recommend anyone else does. Hopefully I don't get sick from eating there.

I've got to say this place is always busy busy busy! Love seeing local places packed!!! Placed an…read moreonline order and evrything was spot on and ready at the designated time! The ambiance is super cute and cozy! A really cool spot to get great food! If you're in Hardwick stop and give them a try!!! You won't be disappointed!!

This is a must to get pastries from when we visit home. They are only open Thursday thru Saturday…read more They are packed out the door. Good for a small town. Got apple danish a few others items. Also cheddar cheese and something else biscuit. That biscuit was very good along with the apple danish. Of course we well be back. My son loves their coffee as well there

Incredible experience. From Cindy at the desk who got us a window seat as promissed, to our…read morewaitress all very professional, even funny. The food was incredible. To die for lobster bisque with meat and a bread built in! Portobello mushroom as a solid cap side dish! I've eaten around the world and I can say... "I just had the best swordfish I have ever tasted in my life." The chef is Wayne Taylor. I am very picky about my gimlets. Rebecca knew the bartender nailed it when she saw the look in my eye before I even tasted it. My wife had the shrimp linguine it was delicious and there was so much of it she took it home! We're going back next week. I'll let you know. BTW, this is on the historical register. It's an old working farm, country estate. A true treasure! You might want dress nicely. I noticed most folks did!

It was a fun experience watching the fritters being fried. The fritters, steamers, lobster and…read morestrawberry shortcake were my favorites. Lovely evening outside enjoying a cocktail while waiting for the lobster feast to be served. Dinner was served in the old barn, which is nice and cozy. I highly recommend booking the lobster feast before all of the dates sell out.

Fantastic food, which is very reasonably priced for the massive portions that they give. Definitely…read morenot for the person that's on a diet.

Good food, good service. My only gripe is the bacon last time, tasted like it had been reheated…read more Good atmosphere.

Got the Dennis sandwich that came with delicious home made corned beef hash and a generous helping…read moreof home fries. The fries were a bit bland in my opinion but could easily be jazzed up.

Food is delicious, service is great, ambiance has a great country feel! Prices are great and…read moreportions are big! If you're hungry for a big breakfast, this is the spot!