Let us start from the arrival at the entrance way to this massive eating facility. I am a native to Reading but rarely traverse the mountain side scaling upward behind the city. Using my GPS we arrived at the entrance to Stokesay Castle and Knight's Pub both of which had somewhat small signs directing which way to go. We followed the well painted parking lot arrows to the designated lot of Knight's Pub, our destination. The rear parking lot was enormous and about 60% full when we arrived at 6:12 PM. It was a busy Thursday night and as I left my car I surveyed the property. A vastly expansive lawn lay in front of my car, well manicured I might add. I assume or hope some of this property is used for weddings or banquets. The parking lot was adorned with many overhead lamps which made me feel good about leaving the place at night. As we approached a very large set of steps, I saw a family and some scattered couples waiting on the exterior property. I knew we would be on a wait. Waits are fine, it's part of the business. We passed by a monolithic Knight carved out of a tree right in front of the entrance which I found to be amazing. We went through the main entrance and waited for the 4 top in front of us to communicate with the host. When we spoke to the host she asked for a name, how many people in the party, and a cell phone #, she did not give us an estimated wait time. This posed as a concern later. Now moving on to the bar. The bar was filled minus about 5 seats. It was $4 Wing night which I noticed was the majority of what the clientele were eating. My companion sat at a couch while I waited for service at the bar. I approached a section of the bar that had two place settings and two glasses of water. Someone must be sitting here, Right? Wrong, it's a common ploy by bartenders to reserve seats for regular customers. Both glasses had condensation all over them to the point where the beverage napkins were soaked, and nearly all the ice was melting. Five minutes went by so I changed my position to seats that had opened. My companion joined us and we sat at the bar. Now mind you the bar was full, but not entirely busy. Our bartender was a female, slim and very tan. She was courteous and got our beers when we got her attention. The bar staff in general seemed stand-offish, we were never asked to see a menu when greeted and almost always signaled them for new drinks. We asked for shots at one point but were told house policy prohibits them! Odd. We also noticed that the POS screen was almost always left at the tip entry screen with the drawer open and unlatched. Now to the wait. We did not actually get sat at a table until 7:20. Therefore from the time we arrived to the time we got sat, we waited over an hour for a 2 top. Had the host told us an estimate, we would have gotten an appetizer at the bar. After my phone call from the host we were promptly sat and greeted by Erica our server. Erica was extremely knowledgable about the menu items and used her own personal script to describe the food. We ordered wings and a trio sampler. Both came out quickly. The wings were Luke warm at best having no doubt been kept in a steam table to accommodate the wing special. The lamb chops in the trio were nearly well done but still tender. The vegetable spring rolls were crisp and nearly bereft of vegetable matter. I have been remiss in speaking about alcoholic beverages because we primarily drank draft beer. On to the menu, the menu is somewhat trite. The entrees were pretty standard when it comes to Berks county faire. I also noticed that in true Berks county form, some specific menu items found at other restaurants were reverse engineered and offered at this establishment. Lobster Bisque, pecan encrusted chicken, (as a salad) and Calimari with pepperoncini oil were all offered and were present years before Stokesay reopened at a local Brasserie, . . . Not bistro. We settled on sandwiches which were both excellent, I had a surf and turf sandwich which I tested the staff on. I ordered the turf medium and on Brioche rather than the sun dried tomato wrap. It came out perfect. We did however leave before our sandwiches arrived to have a cigarette, noting to the server that we would be back. She DID instruct the busser not to clear the table. We returned to our sandwiches on a tray and Erica scurrying to reset our bussed table. Not her fault but the bussers should communicate better. The manager comped a rather low alcohol martini for the drink that was taken and we proceeded. The manager. He was probably late twenties early thirties chewing gum constantly and very, very stern. As I watched him the entire night, I did not see him speak once to a single customer other than to change the channels on the bar TV's. In closing this was a mixed experience, good food, bad bar, good service, surly manager. We'll come back sometime... read more

I remember being to Stokesay as a little girl for my uncles' wedding. Of coarse, as a young girl everything at the establishment was extraordinary. Although Stokesay has only been open since Oct. of '09, I believe they have great aspiring potential. I was very upset to find out that Stokesay had closed down in 2007. But, I do believe Mr. Gulati definitely had his mind in the right when he renovated the magnificent castle. Now, just like my uncle, I am getting married at Stokesay Castle this coming October. Out of curiosity my fiance, his parents and I enjoyed dinner on Thanksgiving day. We got the buffet so we could sample a little bit of everything. The food was superb! It was so fresh and the pasta bar was made to your liking right in front of you. The service was phenomenal! With in 3 minutes of being seated, (and we did not wait long from the point of the valet at the door) we had a full pitcher of fresh water and drinks on the way. We all had a wonderful dinner and drinks. The pricing was very reasonable for all our drinks and dinners. We were kindly greeted by Louis, (Mr. Gulati's right hand man in the development of the new Stokesay.) And yes, Louis is from Florida. But he is an exquisite coordinator and his position could not have been filled by a more appropriate person other than himself. Although he was busy, because they have only been open since October and no new business runs smoothly within the first month, we all found it very courteous that he made it a point to visit with us. Aside from the food and service being wonderful, their professionalism and promptness are also most admirable qualities. I have a bridesmaid from out of town who never had even heard of Stokesay Castle and she was suddenly visiting for one day. Stokesay was not even open to the public yet because the renovations were not yet finished. I gave a phone call and with-in 5 minutes we were greeted and privately touring the castle. We have been informed of everything before it happened and when it would be happening. We had no other ties with any one from there besides the fact we will be getting married there next year. We had no special treatment or VIP services and still all of our experiences thus far have been wonderful. In conclusion, I believe that Stokesay Castle will be one of the more reputable fine dining establishments in our area. People are coming distances to have a taste of what some of the top chefs in the Reading area can serve up. And yes, most of their employees are from the Reading Area. As were most of their contractors. read more

The reason I'm giving two stars instead of one is because it's a beautiful property with a great outdoorsy atmosphere and a fantastic bartender named Marty. If you're just going for drinks, it's a great spot, but the Knight's Pub's food has been consistently disappointing in the past and on a recent visit, I found the management disgraceful. I tried to make a reservation for 16, for my fiancé's birthday. I was told they don't take reservations for the Knight's Pub and when I asked if they would make an exception for such a large group, they said "no". I asked to speak to a manager and waited on hold for 30 full minutes before hanging up and calling back. When I asked to speak to a manager again, the hostess came back to the phone and said "she's busy, can I take a message". After explaining my long wait on hold, I asked why she was so busy on a Wednesday. I was told it's because I called during dinner hours. I asked the manager's name...it was Alicia. I spoke to the GM the next day, and he also refused to take a 6:30 reservation for my party, but assured me we would not wait for more than an hour, and he would take care of us. I arrived @ 6:00 to put our name in, and they had just sat eight people at the table that holds 16. The hostess said "oh, I just sat a group at the community table. I wouldn't have done that if I knew you were coming." I said, "no problem, we will just get drinks and wait outside." An hour into the wait, five more people were seated at the other end of the table. I went to the hostess and asked her why she sat people at our table. She said "I'm so sorry, but my manager told me to do it." I asked if the managers name was Alicia...and it was! I went to Alicia and asked why she sat people at the table we were waiting for, to which she replied " they asked to sit there, and I couldn't tell them no." Needless to say, our party was finally sat at two different tables at 8:00. Then, one of the tables ate, had dessert & paid the bill before the larger table (the one my Fiancé and I were sitting at) even got our food. We finally got our food at 9:55, but they didn't have the blackened mahi-mahi sandwich for the birthday girl. She finally got "a substitute" sandwich at 10:05. Because they had run out of mahi-mahi, they substituted another fish that was anything but blackened and about half the size of the bun it was on. Needless to say, everyone in our group was downright angry, which did not make for a happy birthday celebration for my fiancé. read more

I am back to make another review since a crybaby had mine removed. I am well traveled and have dined in restaurants around the world, my favorite of which has been the many eats up and down the Mediterranean coast line, especially, Croatia. The comparisons I make are based BEYOND local cuisine. I am by no means an expert, but I do think I have some high standards and enough experience where dining is concerned. The Stokesay Castle is doing a remarkable job! They need to bring the Maine Lobster back to the menu, but they are doing a fine job nonetheless. This is my opinion based on 37 years of dining in the Greater Reading Area. The meals there are the best I have had in Berks County so far. I realize that doesn't say a whole lot, but I do feel passionate about mentioning it. Many folks want to see BIG portions in lieu of good taste. The restaurants that other reviewers mentioned, in my opinion, are BIG on servings and low, low, low, on taste and quality. Not to mention they are serving items I myself can cook better at home. I did not find that to be true of Stokesay. Items were cooked properly, paired well, and flavorful. The menu is not just chicken and steak, nor should it be in an establishment of this type. With fine dining comes a limited menu. Afterall, it is not The Cheesecake Factory. The atmosphere was elegant and the service was excellent. It is a major improvement over what was once served there and I am upset that despite those efforts no acknowledgement is being paid. I would encourage people to give it a try and for those of you who really dislike it, then please, stop going - you are ruining it for the rest of us. read more

Working with Stephanie, and Lauren, and the rest of the staff at Stokesay was an absolute pleasure. They couldn't have been more professional or easier to work with and the quality of service was as high as I have ever experienced. The facility is amazing. We were in a larger room and the food and service was excellent, but I can't wait for an opportunity to utilize some of the smaller rooms as well. The atmosphere is unbeatable. This was the first conference event I hosted personally and I couldn't have done it as well without Stephanie and her staff. They provided the AV equipment we needed, the food, seating, water and coffee service and unbelievable support throughout the day. The cost was as good or better than any of the other local options I looked at, but the value blew all the other options out of the water. I can't recommend Stokesay more enthusiastically for anyone looking to host an event regardless of size. I wouldn't hesitate to invite 10 people or 200 to my future events, which I plan to host at Stokesay Castle. Mike Sutton mobilitechs.com read more

Stokesay Castle is an absolutely wonderful restaurant. It was bought in 2009 and re-opened after a really major renovation. This place was really an icon in Reading for fine dining and great banquets and weddings, and it was a real shame when it had to close... but now that it is open again, it deserves a great reputation. I have a friend who held their wedding there recently, and had nothing but great things to say about the service and their overall experience. It really is a great place to hold these events once again. I just recently had the opportunity to take the family there for a meal, and I would echo these sentiments. The food was absolutely top notch, and the service was perfect. I have no complaints, and I plan on visiting again - hopefully soon. To the new owners, you have done a wonderful job bringing Stokesay back to life, and you should be commended. It has so much to offer! If you are in the area and have not seen it yet, it is definitely worth your time. Very impressive!! read more

I am mainly writing a review about their customer service. My fiancee and I were thinking of looking here for our wedding reception. I highly recommend that if you are considering this place to just show up. Do NOT bother calling their wedding coordinator because she will not answer and will not call you back. It wasn't until after two phone calls that she finally called us back in which we began a frustrating game of phone tag where she rudely left us a voicemail stating that she HAD called back before but no one returned the phone call which was a lie. Needless to say it has been about two weeks of this nonsense and we have yet to speak to anyone. The last phone call I returned to her was last Thursday 1/3/13 and I have yet to receive a call back. We have now booked somewhere else. On another note, my fiancee and I have eaten both in the castle and the pub. The pub food is mediocre however the castle food is fabulous. Their customer service, well, that leaves a lot to be desired. read more

Where should I begin? Upon entering the property I found the castle to be beautiful and well maintained. We were greeted at the door by the consierge. The hostess was personable, kind, accomodating and professional. The interior was decorated beautifully and tastefully throughout. The food was phenominal and that is an understatement. Our party of four each ordered different things and everything was perfect! The wait staff was prompt, and professional as well. Never did we need to ask for a refill, or if we needed anything at all. Everytime a utensil had been used, we were immediately given an clean one for the next course. I really can't express how wonderfull our experience was at the castle, but I will say that it was unanimous that we revisit every year for our holiday outing! read more

I am a native of the Philadelphia area and have a good grasp on what is and what is not fine dining. This establishment is right up there with some of the better places I have gone, which include Ruth Chirs, Mortons, Deux Cheminees, The Fountain (Four Seasons Hotel), Dillworthtown Inn to name a few. The wait staff is right on point. The menu is excellent and the food was perfect. Bear in mind this is not the Olive Garden or a Chain restaurant. The menu is going to be somewhat unique and what you see is what you get. Go to there website if you want to view it before going. This is an excellent place for special occasions. You are going to spend a bit of money, so be prepared, but every bit worth it in my opinion. read more

Had dinner here with my wife back in October, we had a great meal and dining experience! The atmosphere is perfect for a intimate night out, our server was great and really accommodating. We thought the prices were good for the quality of food and service, I was pleasantly surprised by the beer selection, they had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap! Berks county needs a place like this, lets hope it stays open! Also in regards to some of the previous posts. If your looking for typical lousy Berks County fare like, Ring bologna, red beet eggs, scrapple and such. Head to a place like "Big John's". read more

We recently had our holiday party at Stocksay Castle and I can't say enough good things about the experience. The staff was amazing to work with and catered to our every need. The food was amazing and the presentation was gorgeous. The drinks that were created for us were the biggest hit of the night. The dessert table was filled with every flavored cupcake and the servers were quick to provide anything we needed. The building was so impressive and the renovations made a huge difference. I would go back in a heartbeat. This place is a hidden gem in reading! I can't wait to go back! read more

Wyat and bryana. I'm looking eight days after your reviews, the website explicitly states reservations required. I am sorry that this occurred and that you both called and got someone that wasn't knowledgeable about it, but it is also on the website clearly IMO. Sounds like it could have been handled better and it was frustrating. Just out of curiosity are you two together? If so then its crappy to both leave a 1 star review. If not then it sounds like they had a badly informed person answering the phone. read more

Variety of themes We went for a luncheon reunion, about 50 people. Service was fast and friendly, food was good, atmosphere warm. The only deficiency I have noticed during my several visits to the main restaurant is that the acoustics are bad and and a constant background noise from echoes is always present. Need to talk to your fellow diners very loudly to be heard. The other - more private rooms - have better acoustics read more

What a amazing place to go for that special night out. From the moment we walked in we knew we were getting very attentive service. We enjoyed drinks at the bar while awaiting our friends arrival. Bartender,Shaye, made our time there quite enjoyable. Dinner was very elegant with amazing attention to detail. Very fancy and equally delicious. Keep this place in mind when you want to be pampered. read more

Heard some bad reviews of Stokesay, but after arriving we were pleasantly surprised! Don't believe the hype...the food and service were amazing ...the Queen salad...yum! A Mouche Bouche, meezed after every course... Amazing! Yeah...it costs a little...but if you want fine dining I highly suggest checking it out for yourself... read more

Our dining experience was superior. The service was top notch, friendly, warm and inviting and the food was excellent. We were extremely impressed that the chef came out to greet our table. It was an all around satisfying experience and I would recommend dining here to anyone. Thank you for a memorable evening! read more

Took a group of thirty to Stokesay Castle today for lunch. It was a fabulous experience. The staff was great and took excellent care of us. The food was absolutely amazing. My crab cake was the best I have ever eaten. And the deserts - oh my. Will go back often! read more

Awesome food and atmosphere! The service was extraordinary, the staff catered to our needs with unbelievable precision.The event planner went out of her way on more than one occasion to please our party. We all enjoyed the entire experience. read more

Relaxed Great food, service and atmosphere, consistently ! Plenty of options. The Knight's Pub is designed to bring the outside right to your table. One of the nicest places in Berks County! Excellent read more