Wow! This is a small place but an absolute GEM in Burlington. We got 3 small plates between 2 people and it was plenty of food for us. Everything was amazing - we genuinely couldn't pick a favorite because each small plate provides THE perfect bite. Bartender was friendly and service was great despite being packed. No reservations... but this is worth the wait!!! read more

Restaurant Poco - Grilled peanut chicken - New American Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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Restaurant poco always has great food options (large and small plates) and unique cocktail offerings. The last time my bf and I went we ordered a special which was Dan Dan noodles with pork, the cheeseburger, and burrata with bruschetta to start. All of the food was full of flavor and fair portion size. Restaurant poco does not take reservations in advance. It's easier to get a seat in spring summer or fall when they open up their outdoor seating and so can host more guests. You have to go to put your name on the wait list regardless of the season and even in summertime with more seating it can be a 20-40min wait. They play good funky music which can sometimes be overwhelmingly loud inside (I.e. a jock jam will be playing at club volume level), that's one of my few complaints. You can be at a two person table and only a few feet away from your dinner date but not always hear them. This happens mostly just during the winter. Outdoor seating is nice with outdoor lights and easy to see and hear whomever you're dining with. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone as they always have great tasting food and good drinks. A little on the pricier side, but worth it. read more

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Rotating menu, no reservations. Stopped by Wednesday around 6:30pm, got our table around 7pm. Surprised we greatly enjoyed the roasted mushrooms ($17) - crispy and tossed in a delicious Japanese goma dare sauce. Not the largest in quantity, but the tastiest. Pork Bolognese ($19) came with hand rolled pasta in a creamy tomato sauce with ground pork. Tuna tataki ($17) was a bit disappointing, sesame crusted and seared but extremely salty. Small plates, not the largest portions, but very cozy spot with friendly staff. Overall, not a bad choice for Burlington. Prices as expected compared to other spots in the area. read more

We were really looking forward to trying this small, cozy spot during our trip to Vermont. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so we were pleasantly surprised to be seated right away around 7:30 PM. That was, unfortunately, where the positives ended for us. After placing our order--including a clear request for no onions in any of the dishes--we settled in with a couple of cocktails and looked forward to our meal. We started to notice that tables who ordered after us were receiving their food, and after about 30 minutes with no sign of ours and no check-in from our server, we began to wonder what was going on. Eventually, our server came over and told us--somewhat casually--that he had accidentally thrown out our order and asked us to remind him what we wanted. We were shocked but stayed patient and reordered everything, assuming the kitchen would prioritize our food given the error. Instead, after another few minutes, he returned to tell us that one of the items we ordered had sold out. When we expressed disappointment, his response was simply, "We're a small, busy restaurant and we run out of things." What was most frustrating was that there was no accountability--if our original order had been put in properly, we likely would've received that dish. When our food finally did arrive, it took just as long as the original would have, with no sign that it had been prioritized. To add to the frustration, one of the pasta dishes was topped with chives, despite our earlier discussion about avoiding anything onion-related. No one checked in to see if our food was okay, and nothing was offered or comped despite the experience. I understand mistakes happen, but how they're handled makes all the difference. Sadly, this felt like a missed opportunity to turn things around. read more

Hands down the worst hospitality experience I've had in Vermont which is insanely saddening because of how kind the folks are here. Tonight the waiter or manager Matt or "long haired dude" in other post was insanely rude to me this evening. We waited an hour to get a table, expressed discomfort with the table and wanted to move. He told us no multiple times due to a waitlist- how is that possible when the website shows "first come first serve" concept. Anyways we wanted to switch to the bar, told us the bar stools were reserved (how can you reserve a bar stool if you don't accept reservations), then noticed a three top leave as I asked asked to move there as well, he rudely said he had another three top going there and there is no where he could put us, then finally more guest left and I was able to get us a seat at the bar. I was excited to finally change seats and he rudely put his arm out and said "we have to clean it first!!" There are ways you can go about things but he was insanely rude and unprofessional. Then I saw other guest who sat at that uncomfortable table also want to move (that's how shit of a table it was) and then to top it all off this person sat other two tops at three top tables that we were denied because we were a two top. For $70 for a cheeseburger, potato's, and soda I expect kind service. If I can stretch my arms out and touch the backs of guest at the bar and guest to my other side.... The tables are too close together. read more

If you could only choose one place to have dinner in Burlington, I would say this is it. We came in on Wednesday night at around 7pm. We must have had really good timing, because we got a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. We walked in and for just 2 of us we had an immediate option to sit at a table or at the bar. It is quite an intimate spot, so I thought the bar would be nicer than a small table in the middle of the room sandwiched between other tables. This is a tapas style restaurant so you order all your dishes upfront and they come out in no particular order as it's made. There is a variety of different styles but we chose to stick to the Asian style dishes for consistency. They suggest about 2 dishes per person due to the tapas style portion sizes. We ordered the Five Spice Porkbelly, Dan Dan Noodles, Grilled Shrimp, and Wok Fried Green Beans. As each dish came out, we were extremely impressed by the presentation and flavors of each dish. We realized really quickly that no matter what you order, the flavor profiles of each individual dish will be on point. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I would say that I can taste the difference when there is passion and care that goes into making food. It's not just good, but the symphony of flavors and textures really makes you excited. I appreciate the thoughtful balance between, savory, sweet, acidic, and umami. The Dan Dan Noodles were my personal favorite. I could have that over and over again easily. After we enjoyed those 4 dishes and a cocktail (from the back of the menu), we were already stuffed but we didn't want the meal to end because we were having so much fun. We ended up ordering the Thai Basil Chicken. And then my husband tasked the bartender Ronan with making us some of his signature drinks. Ronan is an expert mixologist. He made me a drink he calls the Hillflower (I think), that is gin based, very citrusy with fresh mint. Amazing. He made my husband his version of a whiskey sour. I've had whiskey sours before and I would say Ronan's is the most well-balanced I've had maybe ever. Truly impressive. As far as the ambience, we enjoyed it. The music is loud, which may not be for everyone. We liked it and felt like it fit the vibe of the restaurant. Also because my husband and I were sitting next to each other at the bar, we didn't have a problem leaning in for conversation. I could see how with larger groups it would be harder to follow a conversation with the level of noise. I've been to a good amount of tapas style restaurants and Restaurant Poco is doing it all very well. Restaurant Poco makes me a believer that there are tapas restaurants where you can get exceptional food and experience without being pretentious. Between the food and our interactions with Ronan, we had a blast. Unfortunately, we were only in Burlington for a short stay, but it was a great last meal in the area to complete our trip. read more

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9:29 pm and they said they are closed. Post the correct hours please. It's very disappointing and misleading

I'm so glad I found this restaurant! My boyfriend and I went on a Saturday night and upon arriving at 5:20 - 10 minutes before they opened, there was already a decent line. The doors opened at 5:30 and the first wave of people were sat. When we got up to the front, we were asked the number of people and told to come back at 7:15 and they took our number in case we could be sat earlier. We started walking away and got about a block away when my phone rang telling us to come back as a table decided not to dine there. I was so happy! We perused the cocktail menu and I decided on the Coconut Girl - a coconut rum based cocktail that was perfect for sipping, and my boyfriend got a local beer. We ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, vegan noodles with cashews and mushrooms, the Five Spice Porkbelly and the Grilled Ribeye with corn cojita spread. Everything came out at different times, which they do so you can share the plates and enjoy them as they're ready. Everything was absolutely delicious! Our favorite was the ribeye. The corn cojita spread was incredible! Unfortunately, they didn't have any desserts that night other than ice cream. It was a great dining experience and I can't wait to come back and try more things as their menu is constantly changing! read more

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We don't often go to places that are as popular and trendy as Poco. Even rarer is to go to the 'it' place and come away totally convinced that the buzz is well founded. Poco was absolutely as good as the ratings suggest. We had 4 items... Grilled Carrots, Elote fritters, Dan Dan Noodles and wok fried shrimp. The carrots were multi-colored, gorgeous, and surrounded by delicious flavors and accompaniments including a yogurt-based sauce and a spicy chili oil. The Elote fritters were spicy and crispy, served moments after coming out of the fryer and topped with a chipotle blueberry sauce. The Dan Dan noodles were amazing. Typically Dan Dan noodles are made with ground pork but Poco's was made with mushrooms. The noodles were tender and a little thicker than I'm used to but felt freshly made. The flavor overall was savory and umami filled with a gentler heat than other Dan Dan's I've had. This was tied for the very best Dan Dan I've ever had and I try Dan Dan anytime it's on the menu at places I eat at. The wok fried shrimp were not a favorite of any of the 3 of us that had them but they were still quite interesting with a bracingly acidic sauce and crispy rice that had a texture that left me wondering how they did it. We dined on a Tuesday in April and were in a line waiting for them to open. The entire dining room was essentially seated immediately when they opened. Despite this, dishes and drinks started arriving very soon after we ordered and the pacing was great throughout the meal. If you go on a weekend or even a busy summer weekday you should be ready for a substantial line and they don't take reservations. Desert was ice-cream made in house and both the cinnamon and strawberry ice creams were beyond decadent and rich. The serving of 2 little golf ball sized scoops might look skimpy but this is powerful rich stuff and the serving is really all you probably want of such intense high fat ice cream. read more

Small local restaurant serving tapas style dishes. First come first serve, they don't take reservations. My party of two were lucky to be seated as soon as we arrived but we saw several people have to check back multiple times to be able to get a spot. Had a whiskey cocktail which was expertly mixed and delicious. Their lemonade style mocktail was also tasty and not overly sweet like many mocktails tend to be. The food was scrumptious. The mushroom dish was an explosion of umami flavor. The ribeye steak was perfectly cooked and tender. The pork belly paired excellently with the runny fried egg, rice, and kimchi. Finished the meal with their only desert of the night: cinnamon ice cream. Felt like the ice cream was churned to order with how fresh and creamy it was. Would definitely come back and would recommend going early to avoid waiting. read more

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They do not take reservations. Went there on an early Friday evening at about 6pm. Had to wait for 45 minutes to get seated. There's an indoor and outdoor seating. Cinnamon Girl mocktail was good. Serving size of the shared plates was decent sized, appropriate for sharing between two people. Halloumi was curry, onion jam and some pomegranate served with naan. This was good. Thai basil chicken was bland. The five spice pork belly was alright. The 4 thin strips of crispy pork belly were fine but the rest of the other ingredients were not. Not sure why a lot of people are giving this 5 stars. Because of waiting times, the noise, food and service, I would give this restaurant 3/5. If there's an open table, go for it; otherwise, it is not worth the wait. read more

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No couldn't get in Redon three more words. They were crowded. Always seems to be the case.

I really enjoyed my experience here! The food was amazing, the service was great and it was a groovy little spot. Highly recommend. read more

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What an awesome and cozy spot. Was up in Burlington for work and stopped in here on a friend's recommendation. Definitely get there when they open at 5:15/5:30 because I'm told it gets packed. As for the food and drinks, everything we had was excellent. I had an old fashioned which was perfect. We couldn't decide on food because everything looked awesome, so we ordered scallops, ribeye, and the burger. Also ordered grilled broccoli and carrots (carrots? yes correct). Both vegetables were prepared with a myriad of ingredients making them absolutely delicious. The winner was the burger, it's a sous vide burger and is an absolute show stopper. Stop by here and you won't be disappointed. read more

Loveeeeeeee this spot! Smaller. No reservations. We walked in had about 30 minute wait. Nbd. All tapas style! Bolognese yum!!! Mussels I think were the best I've ever had. Asian style green beans wow! Seriously go if you're local!!!!! So yummy!!! read more

We walked by shortly before their 5:30pm opening time on a Wednesday & saw a line of about 10 people waiting. At 6pm we came in, & felt lucky that we only had to wait 30 mins for a table. Once we tried the food, we understood why the line formed before opening Kung Pao Cauliflower - omg. Incredible, like veggie wizardry. Garlicky, savory, spicy, tender. It smelled as amazing as it tasted! This dish would turn a meat eater vegetarian. Poco Burger - perfectly medium rare Kobe beef patty, American cheese, generous on the special sauce, pickles, greens. The squishy bun & the patty were both slightly charred. Another incredible dish - one of the best burgers I have ever had. Ricotta Gnocchi - roasted mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano in a creamy sauce with hints of lemon zest and nutmeg, these tender gnocchi had texture & roasty tasting accents of the tiniest toasted pinenuts. So incredible it should be eaten with the serving spoon, to get every last drop of sauce. Katsu Fried Chicken - crispy outside tender white meat chicken, white rice, sesame nori mayo, soy chili sauce, scallions. Delicious! Heaven or Las Vegas & O.P.P. mocktails were both delightful. The coconutty HOLV was especially yum with the spicy Asian dishes. Cinnamon ice cream & Cookies & Cream ice cream - both made in house. A rather large scoop of some of the richest and creamiest ice creams I have ever had. Everything was so amazing, we came back the next night & scored bar seating right when they opened. We had to get the Poco Burger again bc it is THE BEST, & the yummy Heaven or Las Vegas mocktail. We also tried these: Ribeye - rare w/charred crust, duck fat butter made it deliciously oiled, lots of flaky salt on top, served w/potato croquettes. Heaven! Meatballs - so tender, in a perfect tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano shaved on top. I could eat a dozen of these! Cioppino - mussels, grilled shrimp, scallops, sausage, fennel, in a delicious broth w/grilled bread to soak it all up. Delicious! Since then, we have been back a couple more times. We always get the Poco Burger, & try a couple of new things, and it's always a fabulous dinner! read more

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So what a surprise! Coming from Houston and Austin, Texas, we did not expect to find such amazing food in a "small" town! My husband and I actually stumbled across it by accident when driving by in our car rental to the hotel. I said, "hmm...that place must be good! It's 5:30 and already has a line out the door!" I'm definitely a planner so I already had the restaurants we were going to be eating at each night while in Burlington--but this one didn't show up when doing any of my research! So...was it worth breaking with my planned itinerary? Oh Gosh Yes!! We arrived at around 7 PM and were told to come back at around 8:30/9:00 PM. There were a number of bars in the area that you can go visit in the meantime (we went to 2 to kill time). The food was worth the wait! It all came out so fresh and hot and quick! I normally am great at getting photos of each dish before eating them but that didn't happen this time. The menu changes all the time, so don't fall in love! Thai Basil Chicken 10/5 Dan Dan Noodles 5/5 Woke Fried Green Beans 5/5 Lamb Ragu 5/5 Pei Mussels 5/5 Amarillo Shrimp 4.5/5 So our fav was the Thai Basil Chicken...but everything was delicious...even the green beans. Owner was present and cooking in the kitchen with his crew. Amazing experience. I wish they were open on Sunday's so we could have visited again before leaving. Literally no other restaurant compares to this place in Burlington. Cancel your other dinner reservations and come here. It's down hill from here when it comes to great food in Burlington!! read more

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Excellent food, atmosphere and service! I can't remember the last time I said "five stars" on so many different dishes. Loved it!

Fabulous! A small tapas restaurant that is literally out of this world. They do not take reservations but worth the wait. One of the best meals we have had on our three week vacation. Can be a little loud inside but they have both inside and front patio seats. read more

This place's vibe is amazing. Whoever picks the music deserves a raise because every song was on point. The food was good. I loved the scallop linguini the best but my husband preferred the burger. We also tried the shrimp and the dan dan noodles were okay but not my favorite. The menu is super eclectic and everyone is bound to find something they like. Our waiter was great but very busy as was the bar and it took a while for drinks to come out. If you are looking for something different I would def give them a try. read more

I never leave reviews but I had to for this situation. We didn't even get to eat their food. Stood in the tiny restaurant for a very long time as workers in the restaurant continued to ignore our presence completely and not even acknowledge we were there once even though eye contact was made and they weren't attending to anything dire either. Coming from a hospitality background it was unreal to watch. We just left after a while. I honestly wish I said something. We were upset because we heard their food is great and the ambiance in there is awesome. Oh well. They need to figure out whatever that was though because my partner and I are never going back and it was bad enough that we felt the need to write a scathing review. If you have a paying customer, next time don't make your first impression being stand offish a-holes! read more

It's unfortunate because the food here is incredible but the service I received this evening by the long haired waiter is the reason I will not be back. He is very unpleasant and unprofessional. He made my friends and I feel like a burden and uncomfortable even though we tipped him well read more

Honestly one of the best meals I've ever had! I went here with my girlfriend and so happy we got the last table open at the time because they don't take reservations. Ordered 2 amazing cocktails that were so unique and refreshing. Ordered 4 dishes for the 2 of us and everything was exceptional. Even the vibes were great I loved the ambiance. Will be recommending and going back! read more

Restaurant Poco - Ribeye and carrots - New American Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

This restaurant was incredible. First of all, we showed up at 7 and it was pretty busy, but they told us they could get us in at 830 (and they did). It was completely worth the wait. The inside is super cute and the server was so nice. We were from out of town so probably looked a little confused. She was really quick to help us navigate everything. The food came out at a great pace. The mushrooms are...beyond amazing. I don't even know what that was about. We cannot figure it out. Major compliments to whomever put that magic together. The duck fried rice was excellent. Love love loved the dumplings and the peanut chicken. I wish I'd had room for dessert because I bet it would have smashed. read more

Tiny restaurant with 6 tables and some bar chairs. Very cozy atmosphere. Service was efficient. Some great dishes, full of originality and surprises. Each dish had its distinctive combination of flavors. Presentation of the dishes were excellent. Overall a great dining experience. A very trendy-foodie spot. 3*Crispy cauliflower: tasty wish it were crispier. 4*Fried Halloumi: tomatoes , jalapeños, onions, radishes, lemon sherry, vinaigrette, and mint. Halloumi was fried nicely; the rest formed a nice combination of flavors (light and spicy). 4*Baby zucchini: lemon ricotta was delicious, and the grilled zucchini was nice. 3*Ricotta gnocchi: pretty standard. 4*Crispy pork belly: pork belly was nice and juicy. 3*Scallop cakes: it was like crab cakes. read more

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This establishment is run by the most arrogant cocky people who don't care about customer service or hospitality at all. This is my second attempt to go to poco, the first attempt I was turned away 45 minutes before close in the dead of winter because they wanted to close early..,no apologies.. just sent me back in the cold (I was walking) and said "try again tomorrow" fast forward 3 months, I decide to give them another chance. I show up a little before 830, bar was full but there was a 2 too open but I guess single diners are relegated to the bar. After sitting in my car contemplating my next move I decided to ask about the 2 top Someone went inside to talk to someone, came out and said yes, but not for food, only drinks, we are winding down" I then said this is my second time turned away .. and they immediately said "and you sent us an email" (remembering my email from my last visit) and I replied " yes and you didn't even have the decency to reply to my email" they literally laughed at me and said "we are doing fine without you" I have been running restaurant kitchens for over 30 years and the attitude of the staff/ownership at poco is as bad as I've seen. Yes they are busy and the food must be good, but the pompous "you need us more than we need you" attitude goes against everything hospitality should stand for one star only because I had to pick something .. these people need to be humbled and start to treat every customer as a treasured asset Please stay away read more

Cute little restaurant. Service was great. Food was ok. It was very very loud in the space, so don't expect to be able to have easy conversation. We each got 2 drinks, and we shared the Dan Dan noodles, Poco burger, grilled broccoli, and fingerling potatoes. The noodles were by far the best. Great flavor. The burger was too rare for my liking, but even though it was cooked to my husband's preference, he didn't care for it. Bread and butter pickles don't belong on a burger. Broccoli was different, but quite expensive for some broccoli on top of peanut butter. Fingerling potatoes were on some mystery white sauce that seemed like an afterthought- no added flavor there. The potatoes themselves were nicely cooked though so salty they were nearly inedible. We left more than half the plate uneaten. They don't have a dessert menu, though they offered some ice cream. The cinnamon ice cream with affogato was superb. We poured some of the espresso over the ice cream and it was delicious. The drinks were nothing memorable. Not terrible, though not something I remember much even two weeks later. Overall, although it was a fun night out, I'm not sure I'd return. My husband is an adamant no on returning, as he feels if we can make it at home, it's not worth paying someone else to cook. read more

The food is fabulous. The service is great except for the noise level. The level is controlled by Poco through the music sound level. The music is loud so people talk louder. My Apple Watch had the decible level at 85+ the entire time we were in there. "If it's too loud you too old." But hearing loss and tinnitus are not fun. Your staff will suffer and so will the under 1 year old customers that were at the table next to us. Eat outside! read more

My kids took to me to Restaurant Poco for my birthday in June and I LOVED it! I travel for work so last night was the first I've been able to go back. I've been raving about the broccoli and carrot dishes since June and was beyond excited for my friend to experience them as well. I was sooooo disappointed to learn not one, but both of those dishes have been removed from their menu. I'm hoping it's only seasonal and they'll be bringing them back, they were exquisite and beyond worthy of a full time position. All the other dishes we had were very good as well (chicken basil, scallops with linguini and green beans), but not as memorable as the broccolini with peanut sauce and carrots with whatever phenomenal sauce they were in. Please bring them back! I'll definitely return (to see if they put them back on the menu..ha!). Awesome atmosphere and vibe and great service too. Just get there early, no reservations and not a lot of tables. Highly recommend! read more

This place full on rocks. Full stop. Everything is great. Veggies for days, great drinks. read more

Let's see; it's 6:30 on a Wednesday in February and I'm having a great time. Ronana, the bartender, is crushing it at both service and bartending. The rest of the staff is very attentive and also crushing it. Had the Broccoli (incredible, peanuty, the perfect dish) and "fried chicken," which was a really fantastic and flavorful take on this classic dish. There are tons of regulars in & out, the atmosphere is popping, everything is good. Please get rhe chocolate mousse, it's goddamn mind blowing. read more

Cute outdoor seating but food was over sauced, tuna tartar was over done and not very fresh, we ordered 3 small plates and didn't finish anything nor did we take it home, yuck read more

Since this place doesn't take reservations we showed up right after opening. We chose to sit at the bar, I like a more casual experience. I had three different cocktails over the course of the evening and all three were delicious. The mixologists/bartenders have a nice fun flair. They recommend two dishes per person but since I know my limit we ordered three to split between the two of us. The gnocchi was incredible. I loved it so much, light, melt in your mouth perfection. The sauce was also just so tasty. Next was the roasted carrots with pistachios. These were roasted to perfection and the accoutrements were a wonderful compliment to the vegetables. I didn't try the popcorn chicken that we also ordered but was told it was excellent. read more

There are no reservations, so come in early, it's worth waiting in line. Poco is a game changer and will make for a memorable evening. inventive tapas, great craft cocktails, great beer selection. To top off everything the service is superb! This is one of our special go-to dining experiences. read more

Each dish was delicious! The service was top notch. Even one guy signed thank you to me! The ambiance was somewhat romantic for our date. Thank you for a lovely time! I only have one suggestion - use something like open table, so we don't have to wait for a long time after arrival. There's hardly any space for a waiting area. read more

reccomended this place by our bartender at hotel vermont and what a gem! everything from the service to the food was top notch! limited seating but its worth getting there early to make sure you get a table! we went with the dan dan noodles, gnocchi, green beans and pork belly and everything was amazing! possibly best gnocchi that i have ever head, green beans sauce was out of this world, a taste that i will be forever craving until i go back. This place takes pride in all flavors and it shows, possibly my new favorite spot in burlington! read more

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Excellent food and service. Everything was great; love buzz cocktail, roasted mushrooms, Sardinian dumplings , Creole shrimp and wok fried green beans were all so tasty. read more

Opens at 5:30, no reservations. Joined the line at 5:20. The hostess was very nice, let us know we could be seated at 7:00. OK fine, it's Burlington, we found a bar and some drinks. Returned at 7:00, were seated soon. Inside the dinning room is cramp. The decor boho eclectic. Staff very helpful and service prompt. The three of us sat at a small high top. All meals are served to be shared. We ordered felafel and hummus, a burger, cauliflower and a steak. All were excellent They arrived in no particular order as they were prepared in the kitchen. Since they're for the table, no problem. Very good. The felafel was good, the cauliflower, steak and burger were very good. read more

One star for the greeter/waiter Matt Absolute ridiculous excuse of an individual, Matt, mentioned in many post as the "long haired, rude" type should not be able to meet, greet or provide any customer service. Obnoxious doesn't even begin to describe this person. Rude? Not even a start. He has to be either an owner or friend of the owner as no respectable owner and member of the community would allow this person employment. Food: 5 stars Service: less than zero and would never, ever come back. Matt..go find yourself ..somewhere else .. read more

Great food and great service but dance hits of the 80s and 90s is the wrong vibe musically.