This is a great lunch place in a nice off the radar (to me) town in Western Vermont…read more Everything was great about this meal. The service staff seemed genuinely happy to be there which speaks volumes. The food was tasty- I had the Jalapeño Smash Burger which had good flavor and a side of seasoned fries which were great also. I had a cup of the chili which tasted really fresh and clean- no fillers and the right amount of spices and nice chucks of chuck or brisket I think. They had Switchback on draft and it was a lovely day sitting outside on the porch. There are outdoor tables as well as a fun interior dining area with Diner style red booths. I'm not sure how far out of my way I'd drive to get here but if I'm in the area - Rutland to Middlebury or even Killington, I'd give it a strong thought. If I'm ever in Brandon again, this is going to be my first stop.

Love this spot! The outdoor seating is so cute. The food was great with lots of options! Very…read morefriendly service.

Great cocktails. Very friendly service. Full bar with a wide range of liquors. I had a last word…read morecocktail.

Staying in Woodstock for the weekend and we decided to check out Rutland. My husband wanted to pop…read morein here spontaneously on Halloween 2025, despite knowing how much I rely on yelp reviews before walking into any establishment , and I am glad we checked it out! The cocktails are great and the bartenders are really friendly.

Started with the fondue which never disappoints! The sweet…read morepotato hash is so unique and always order it! The bonus of the night was the dessert. Menu stated it was a double chocolate brownie but more like a blondie brownie served warm and crispy with housemade ice cream. It was DELICIOUS!! Server and atmosphere was very relaxing. TVs for game viewing, nice bar area. Same owner as Roots Restaurant in Rutland!

Visited the River Bar & Grill again today for lunch...and to much my surprise there is a new…read moremanager and new staff ! Yay !!! Was not happy with the former manager Emily and her lack of customer service and attitude... I stopped going to the River because of Emily ! New manager Madison is personable, professional and just what the River and owner Donald needed I'm sure to restore the faith of many ! I'll be back for sure !

If you've been following my reviews this season, you probably noticed that I've been hanging out a…read morelot in winter spots! That's b/c I love skiing!! And this year was THE YEAR to hit up Vermont for skiing b/c they got more snow than they've gotten in almost a decade--so the skiing was the best east coast skiing I've experienced ever! And, if you're in Vermont skiing, you must drop by Main Mountain Bar & Motel. We weren't staying there as motel guests, but we heard that Main Mount was the place for fancy cocktails... and whoever told us this information was spot on!! Every cocktail we tried at Main was unique and super tasty. My favorite was the Good 'Ol Boy cocktail, but I also recommend the New England Sour--it's like a Whiskey Sour but with Mulled Wine and Cocoa on top. As for atmosphere and service, both are great! The interior decor is more like a cozy (but slightly modern) mountain house library (an atmosphere you might expect in a hip Brooklyn bar), and it's very inviting! And the bartender and servers are amazing and really friendly. As for food, we didn't try any on the first visit, but we ended up going back to Main Mountain on our last night of the trip b/c we found out that, on Sundays, they host a burger night! Ummm... yes!!!! So, we went back, I had another Good Ol' Boy, and we downed some yummy Smash Burgers and French Onion Mac & Cheese! Oh, and PLEASE order a side of their pickles! They are life-changing! Bottom line = check out this bar if you are in Ludlow, Vermont for skiing at Okemo or just visiting for some other reason. You are sure to love it like we did.

If you're looking to fulfill your après vibe after a day at the mountain this is the place to go!…read moreKiller cocktails, great apps, and awesome vibes!

My second visit to Mystico Cucina Italiana, and somehow it was just as impressive -- if not better…read more-- than the first. Consistency like this is rare, and it says everything about the standards they keep. I started with the Pomegranate Granita Oysters, and wow. Bright, refreshing, unbelievably fresh, and balanced perfectly. They were the kind of oysters you slow down for because you don't want the bite to end. I ordered the duck ragu again because I couldn't stop thinking about it from my last visit -- and once again, absolute perfection. Rich, comforting, layered with flavor, and yes... I cleaned the plate spotless. Not a drop left behind. From the hospitality to the execution of every dish, everything about this restaurant screams class, quality, and a superb dining experience. The team makes you feel welcome, the food exceeds expectations, and you leave already planning your next reservation. Manchester is lucky to have a place like this.

We heard really good things about Mystic Restaurant in Manchester Center, VT. We were in town and…read morewanted to give it a try. I had the Rigatoni Alla Carbonara. My friend had the Bucatini Cacio E Pepe. He said his dish was fine. Mine, on the other hand, was pasta coated in this thick orange paste (no sauce), which was absolutely tasteless (no exaggeration). It's as if they didn't even taste it for seasonings. I asked for salt. They offered to remake it, but I opted to try to make it edible adding my own seasoning. With quite a bit of salt, it was "ok", but the consistency left a lot to be desired. I probably should have sent it back and ordered a salad. A restaurant is only as good as it's food. Two stars is the best I could give them. The atmosphere was nice, and the service was good. But the food...

My husband and I love this place. Pete always has a great wine to recommend, and the food is…read moredelicious as well. We always run into local people we know and have an enjoyable time. It is a great date night outing.

We (three adults) went to Brix on a whim after the Vermont State Fair. We did a quick Google search…read moreof restaurants in the area and the menu looked good. We left so glad that we picked it! The restaurant is small with a limited number of high tops inside, a bar, and a few tables outside. The decorations and vibes are adorable. We were impressed from start to finish. Peter, our waiter, was friendly and chatty (without being too chatty), which we really appreciated, and he definitely nailed small-town Vermont charm. One of us ordered the Salty Chihuahua drink. It was tasty and very well priced. One of us started with a small green salad which was loaded with olives and feta- yum!! There was not a single bite of food that wasn't delicious. It blew us away. We ordered three entrees: chicken sliders, grande salad, and a special: the summer squash skillet, which we added meatballs to. We will be talking about and figuring out what was in those meatballs for years to come. The dishes were on the smaller side, but the prices reflect the amazing quality of the food. We are three New Yorkers with lots of opinions and high standards when it comes to what we eat. Brix exceeded those standards. We have a ski condo on Stratton and don't often make the drive into Rutland, but any time we do, it's guaranteed we will be eating at Brix.

There is no place in the Upper Valley that has seen more of a revitalization than downtown White…read moreRiver Junction. What used to be a sketchy area is now filled with boutique shops, bustling businesses of tech and industry, arts, culture, and restaurants. One such upscale craft cocktail bar is Wolf Tree. If you didn't know it, you might feel as if you'd stepped into a hipster cocktail lounge in Brooklyn as you walk into Wolf Tree. They offer a variety of playful and inventive drinks. My friend was able to get a virgin cocktail but I just wish they had more than one single cocktail on the menu with vodka. With my choices somewhat limited, I went with a drink called "Friday I'm In Love": vodka, citrus, strawberry, mint, and bubbles. It looked beautiful when it arrived to the table and was a palate pleaser with sour, sweet, and minty flavors. They have weekly specials, classic-type cocktails, and what they call "happy meals" - a beer and shot combination. Don't fear, though, they still have Budweiser, Bud Lite, Miller High Life, and other draft beers for those feeling more traditional Upper Valley. We also ordered one of their charcuterie boards that featured local selections of cheese and meats, olives, pickled vegetables, cured mustards, and a baguette. A great selection but like most of Wolf Tree, a little on the expensive side. Overall I enjoyed my first trip to Wolf Tree and I'm glad hip places like this exist in the Upper Valley.

TLDR: great drinks for the area, but no air conditioning so keep that in mind!…read more On a visit to Dartmouth, I had the chance to stop by this bar. The interior and the cocktail menu reminded me of the cocktail bars that I frequent in NYC. It's quite cute, dimly lit. I think it's a great place for a date. I enjoyed the Night Vision. It's a rum based drink with carrot, ginger and pineapple juices as well as sesame. My friends got the Knife Fight which was a bourbon based drink with lemon ginger pineapple. Tasted like a gingery whiskey sour. If I'm in town again I'll stop by and try something else. Not sure if this is normal or if their AC was broken but it was super hot inside.

We met friends for dinner at Cleome with very high expectations due to lots of positive chatter…read moreabout it. The bar area and wall garden are extremely cool. It's a fairly small space so definitely make reservations if you're planning on going during busier dinner hours. Service was decent - it was a little confusing and disjointed at times but I chalked that up to some inexperience (the server seemed a bit green) and that it's a fairly new restaurant. We had read somewhere that it was small plates - more like tapas...but then was explained that it's "family style". This is what caused said confusion at the table since "family style" to the four of us meant large, sharable portions. So, we just ordered a bunch of stuff in waves since we didn't really know how much food we were going to need. Some items arrived quickly, others took a very long time. Standout dishes to me were the Brussels sprouts and the apple cobbler dessert (which I just had a little taste of). I found some of the accompanying crackers odd - I think they were Ritz brand or something like that? We did request a few gluten free crackers and were brought a few. The swordfish was on the dry side - that's a tricky protein to get right. The fried chicken was served as cutlets - so some of the items were more difficult to share vs. others. The shrimp salad cups were somewhat unremarkable and a bit too loaded with mayo (in my opinion). The shishito peppers were nice - I think I was the one at the table that enjoyed those the most. We did linger at our table for a long time - a combination of wait times and good conversation with friends. We never felt rushed or pressured to leave (there wasn't a wait or line for tables). All in all, we had a nice time at Cleome and will likely give it another try at some point - now that we know what to expect

Back to Cleome with the family and for dollar oysters which were fantastic. I mean you can't screw…read moreup oysters but they didn't have cocktail sauce. Why? I have no idea. Three entrees: Tried the Lobster Mac and Cheese again and it was MUCH better than previously reported! That was great as was the fried chicken- soooo good. My burger unfortunately didn't arrive until after everyone else at the table was done with their meals. Oh bother.... it tasted meh and it's clear they are using a very low fat ground beef which made the burger more like a tasteless hockey puck. Still, everything else was wonderful and the background music was audible and made the experience even better. The Egg nog cocktail we had at another visit a few days before was delish. Despite my burger, we were please with our experience. I can only hope that they reconsider their low fat ground beef for something a little more tasty and juicy. Recommended.

Located at Vermont Spirits Distilling Co, Harry's Cocktail Lounge opened in a separate building…read moreserving craft brews, wine, signature cocktails and mocktails, most elements sourced locally. This space is very cozy which has seating at the bar, regular table seating, high top tables, and soft armchairs in the back corner. It is mostly standing room when it's busy. They also feature live music in here and there is more seating outside next to fire pit tables. There was also a food tent outside where you could buy some hot food, separate from Harry's, but enjoy your food with your drink. I stop by Harry's Cocktail Lounge during their grand opening. They were giving out gift bags with samples for 21yo+ customers. I also got drinks at the bar, which was extremely busy earlier in the evening and waits close to 10 minutes for drinks. Had the 1791 ($12 plus tax): Rye whiskey, Eden's Orleans herbal cider, raw honey, cranberries, club soda and the Lavender Haze ($6 plus tax): Lavender syrup, fresh lemon juice, club soda. I enjoyed some live music by a great regional musician as I sip on my drinks. After I was done, I headed over to their other main building to enjoy some live bluegrass music.

Happened upon this place by accident, and it ended up being the only place open while everything…read morearound it was closing up for the day. Tried some cocktails made with alcohol from the distillery next door. First of all, the smoothest vodka I've ever had. The cocktails were fantastic, and bartender Wendy (I think was her name) was great to talk with and indulged my lemon habit. Will be back! Also, bathrooms were super clean, and I take bathrooms very seriously.

Mamma Mia, that was a good meatball! I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs dinner, which brings…read moregarlic bread and a side salad for just $11. They were out of side salads so the woman working the counter graciously gave me a free full-size House salad. All of the salad's veggies were fresh & crisp. At first glance, the spaghetti looks pretty ordinary, but don't judge a dish by its cover! The sauce and meatballs were very flavorful! The restaurant's interior was welcoming, especially with the arcade games!

Awful customer service, mediocre food I never had a bad…read moreexperience while under original owners, but will never come back after one recent experience.