We've had a few great meals here. We came here first for the convenient location between Hartford and Boston. We're never disappointed by the food or the service. This week, dining with friends we hadn't seen for a while, we lingered for several hours. Our server, Tammy, was gracious and attentive. My tagliatelle with short rib was delicious. We'll be back! read more

Before we even spoke, the hostess was rude to us. We made a reservation a few days ago and asked for an outdoor table and she was annoyed we even asked. She checked and came back and said we can wait because there's no way to reserve an outdoor table. My dad is high risk so we can't eat out unless it's outdoors. So we went downstairs to wait. The other host (manager?) asked us if we wanted to wait so I said let me call my dad first (we were waiting for him to arrive). We ended up deciding to put in our name for an outdoor table and went up to the hostess. The hostess then said to my boyfriend, "as I said before, you can't put in a reservation for an outdoor table" but we were literally standing right there to wait for one??? We were being perfectly nice so I don't know what called for the rudeness. We ended up leaving, and clearly from other reviews, we didn't miss out. read more

Great restaurant and great food, a little pricey but it's was doable. Our server Tammy helped our group and she did an amazing job taking care of us, by providing great customer service and experience. Come here and try the different local craft beers. Four stars just because the price is a little high. read more

Had lunch with a few friends and our meals all lacked flavor and sauce. The Caesar salad had zero taste to it. Roast beef sandwich and the short ribs were very dry. The atmosphere was extremely hot. But they were accommodating and turned it off. Staff was nice and friendly however the food was bland and will not be going again. read more

From the moment I walked it to the moment I left this place was hitting on all cylinders I am well traveled - have been to every continent except Antarctica and had meals at the finest restaurants in every city I visited. I CERTAINLY didn't think I'd be wowed in Sturbridge MA! The place has a much well above average ambiance. It was reservations only. It seemed like they didn't over pack and sell the place to the gills - therefore the kitchen doesn't get swamped. Appetizer was Duck Poutine. I lived in Canada for 2 years and I know poutine. This is not like Canadian poutine in that the gravy is not dark brown and it has duck - succulent duck - and of course cheese curds. I WAS IN HEAVEN! It was an ample enough serving for 2. Ask for the bread - it is wonderful dipped in the gravy. My daughter had veal piccata and I had the braised beef short rib. It was picture perfect on presentation. And - a full 10 out of 10 again on both plates. We were too full for desert and both of us came home with doggy bags. I just ate mine and it was so good I wrote this review. MAKE RESERVATIONS! This place is as I say - hitting on all cylinders!! read more

Three words: Duck Confit Poutine!!! It's off the hook, you have to try it.This place has a rustic atmosphere. The staff is friendly, sometimes the food can be slow, but you get it you won't be disappointed. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great dinner!! Sometimes you can find a coupon for this place in the local news paper. read more

Just tried The Duck for the first time and I'll definitely be coming back! The drinks, entrees, and dessert were amazing. The service was incredible as well! Our waitress Jillian went above and beyond and truly gave us an amazing lunch experience!! read more

Although we love the indoor atmosphere at The Duck, we chose to eat outside. It was still a pleasant experience. Our food was delicious. I had the Brie grilled cheese and enjoyed every bite of it. read more

Moved here a year ago and it was my favorite spot in town. The menu changed a few times like most places but it lost something every time. Food is still good but it's not what it was a year ago in my opinion. Last time i was there with a group 3 of us ordered the same drink. None were the same though! One was awful, one was very good and one didn't taste anything like the other two so I'd say it's lacking consistency read more

Decent food. Had the steak and fries. Fries were limp and undercooked. Everything was tasty and would have been 4 or 5 stars if the fries were cooked. read more

The service was ridiculously slow and forgetful and the food was very bland. Would not recommend.

Let me just start by saying we love this place and we go here A LOT. Last night was a really off night and we were really disappointed. I posted a comment about their sushi roll on their Facebook page and they deleted it which is what prompted this review. We were told the souse chef had recently been promoted to chef so maybe there are just going to be some growing pains. We were also told he had a sushi background and was trying to incorporate some of that into the menu. So my husband ordered the special sushi roll. The presentation was beautiful but that was the best part unfortunately. There was so much rice that you couldn't taste anything else in the roll. And it wasn't the good seasoned sushi rice that is usually on sushi. We LOVE sushi and this was just terrible. The people beside us ordered it as well and hated it. On to the entrees. I have ordered the scallops at least 10 times the risotto is usually awesome. Tonight it was so thick and like glue. It was formed like a meatloaf underneath the scallops. Maybe it was just a bad night for rice! My mother had the haddock again had it many times and this time there was an herb in it that was WAY overdone. I should also note that my husband got the special Mahi Mahi and he loved his dinner. And as usual the service at the bar was perfect! We are hoping this is just some growing pains for one of our favorite places in Sturbridge. We will wait awhile ...and try it again and if it's back update this review. And hey guys stop deleting honest comments on your Facebook page you need to learn how to take some honest Criticism from people who eat at your restaurant a lot and grow from it. read more

We came here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. I love the inside of this place - big windows, exposed beams and the place lets in lots of light. Plus it looked so nice all decorated up for Christmas. They had signs on the table for upcoming beer dinners that looked like fun. I only wish we lived closer so that we could go. Beer selection is pretty good. They had a lot of local things on tap and even more so in bottles. Any place with a good beer menu is good in my book. For lunch we ordered the Loft grilled cheese and the house chicken wrap with crispy chicken. The grilled cheese was excellent. There's a good mix of cheese and bacon on the sandwich. The bread is interesting, as it's brioche, but still really good. Apricot jam is a little messy - but so good. Also, this sandwich is good cold. The chicken wrap was great - good mix of flavors. And the sweet potato fries? Excellent! read more

My husband and I agree that this was, hands-down, one of the best dining experiences we've had in our lives. And we've had a lot of meals. We came to The Duck looking for a romantic dinner during our weekend getaway and found it. The ambiance was spot on- the exposed wood rafters, the lighting, the very cool 'sunken bar'. They also have local musicians come play live Thursday-Saturday nights, and the musician last night was very good and his volume was just right, not overpowering so we had to scream across the table. The local live music is a great touch! When we arrived, we were told we would have an hour wait (in retrospect, we should have made a reservation), but we went to the bar and sat for maybe 10 minutes, and a table opened up because of an abandoned reservation. The food was phenomenal, and ridiculously filling. We ordered mac and cheese for a starter and it was TO DIE FOR, and that's not a compliment I dole out lightly about macaroni and cheese. Even splitting it, my husband and I had to stop halfway through the dish because we wouldn't have room for our entrees otherwise. My husband ordered steak tips and I had wild mushroom ravioli. We both loved our dishes and ate them very slowly, stopping between just about every bite and saying "Wow....THIS." We ended up taking most of our entrees and half of our starter home, so we are excited to do it all over again for dinner tonight : ) Some people have complained about the length of time it takes for food to come out, and I agree that it takes a while- we waited maybe 30 minutes for our starter, and then another 20 for our meals? But I count it as a plus because a) we needed the time between the courses to digest, and b) it added to the ambiance. It felt like a great dining experience instead of just sitting down to eat quickly and having the staff rush to turn tables. Bottom line: don't go to The Duck if you're short on time. We've vowed to stop by any time we drive past Sturbridge on our way out of MA! read more

We went on Saturday night and as we arrived the parking lot was full but we lucked out and got a spot. It was interesting to see that there were two restaurants in the same building; one upstairs and one on the main floor. As we walked in, we walked upstairs and went to the hostess. We arrived a few minutes early for our reservation so we waited at the bar. A nice surprise was that there was live music, it added to the lively but somewhat loud atmosphere. Once we were seated our waitress came over and took our drink orders. She was very pleasant and friendly. We started off with the clam chowder and house salad. The soup could have been hotter but was tasty and full of clams and potatoes. We both ended up ordering the Chicken Pot Pie which was huge. It had a nice homemade crust on top and came out scorching hot! It was full of white meat chicken and vegetables. My only complaint is that it could have used some salt. Lastly, for dessert we ordered the ice cream of the night. Perfect way to cap off the night. We stayed a little longer to listen to the music. Overall, it was a decent night out. Not overly expensive depending on what you order as there are two sections of the menu you can order from. A cozy and casual atmosphere. read more

We met family here first Saturday of new year for lunch as it is half way between our home and theirs. We did a little antique shopping on the 20 first then arrived here on that cold rainy day. Our family members are real foodies had heard about the place from other friends and wanted to try it. It was very attractive from outside but first thing we noticed is entrance is at BACK of bldg and the driveway to parking lot is one lane wide...a not so nice feature. But we venture forth park the car etc and get to entrance Once inside we learn lunch is being served on 2nd floor... If you have mobility issues of ANY KIND be aware. There was NO ONE to greet on 1st floor main level and it took us a bit to figure out if you want to eat....keep walking UP. So I'm the family member WITH those pesky foot issues. The stairs were numerous and I thought a bit steep. Finally reach the top and you guessed it the host station was EMPTY yet AGAIN. I'm also the self admitted cranky one in the group and I'm ready to turn around and go find somewhere else for lunch....but cooler heads prevail and we learn we can seat ourselves. So the in-laws choose to sit at a high top table and we proceeded to wait and wait and....wait some more. By now the husband knows I've had it but I say nothing to keep the peace. FINALLY and after 20 minutes the young thing comes over and gets a glance at my face and says is everyone ready to order. You betcha little sister! Granted it was busy and the room was full but the wait alone told us they were seriously understaffed. We ordered fun sounding sandwiches and burgers and some interesting craft beers but all in all nothing really special or extraordinary. The prices were also fairly high ... I thought ...$15 for their version of a fancy cheeseburger and $14 for some grilled chicken sandwich. The big wide windows overlook the parking lot. Food maybe 2.5 stars but inattentive waitress and lack of any welcome drop my rating to 2 stars period. We liked the area and village overall but DON'T recommend this overpriced ordinary restaurant read more

I see this type of restaurant a lot. The food is good, but not great. Kind of expensive but not toooo expensive. Yummy options but not interesting or inspired. Lunch was certainly a more inexpensive way to try this spot. Lobster Mac and cheese? okay, not great. Salad a little wilty. I'd certainly rather eat here than a lot of other places, but only if this were the best option. read more

Coming off the highway after sitting in traffic, we came across The Duck. The food was excellent (had soup, salad and a sandwich), the spot was cozy, welcoming and everyone was nice. We sat in the dining room upstairs and had a baby along for the ride - the bar/lounge area looked awesome. Will be stopping here again. read more

Found ourselves in Sturbridge, MA and decided to go to The Duck for lunch based on a previous experience. The duck poutine and pork belly apps were very good. read more

We love this place for date night! We also had our wedding reception there (super small second wedding) before they changed the side room a bit and tried to turn into a burger place (only momentarily - so glad they went back to the previous menu style). They always have such great music (like amazing musicians really) and the food is delicious! Try the Mac and cheese or the chicken cordon blue, you shouldn't be disappointed!! read more

The Duck - Our wedding at The Duck! - New American Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Very loud and crowded which is typical of all Sturbridge restaurants on a weekend. The server didn't have much of a personality. The food is moderately priced for pub food. Appetizers are ok, you get small barely shareable portions. The beer menu is decent If you don't mind the noise and want to spend more than average this is your place read more

I meet a childhood friend from the Boston area here as its a half way place from western MA. It's become a favorite in the Sturbridge area. In the warm weather we sit outside, which is always a sell for me. Today, too cold. I've only gone for lunch so can't comment on the dinner menu. But for lunch the prices are reasonable and the food is fresh. We are both partial to a chicken pita with tzatziki sauce. My friend gets a side salad with it. I get sweet potato fries that rock! Like nibbling candy. Because we're visiting, we usually sit for up to 3 hours and no one has ever rushed us. And so we keep going back. She's a teacher so we meet every school vacation. Check it out, you might see us there. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in New England. I've never had a bad meal here and they once had a stuffed cheeseburger which was probably top 5 burgers i've ever had in my life. Everything down to the cocktails are made with fine quality and the service has been excellent. I've been about 6 times and never had bad service so I would think that any bad reviews about service could be a fluke. You have to try The Duck if you're in the area. Even if you're not - go for the drive. read more

Ninja Edit: The manager of the restaurant group contacted me about the incident at the restaurant and has a plan to educate staff about what is and is not appropriate and to use out situation as a training tool for the future. Im hopeful that an incident like ours will not happen again. Went to the Duck on 26 July with a large group of people (15 I think). The food was decent; the macaroni and cheese was pretty bland but the burger (hold the bun) was juicy and the greens were fresh. The atmosphere was great. Our server was Kathleen and her service was pretty good throughout the night - pretty attentive but did have to be reminded of a few drinks. With a large party that's to be expected sometimes. HOWEVER!!!!! At the end of the evening we were told she couldnt seperate checks but that she could accept up to 12 different credit cards. Some of group paid with cash and the rest used cards and it was all in the same book. After folks signed their receipts we started filing out so staff could begin bussing and resetting the tables. When only three from our group were left, she bombarded them with claims that we failed to tip 20%. First, there is no requirement to tip 20% on a large party or a two top. Tipping depends on service - not food, not that there was no TP in the restroom - on service. Period. Second, there is no way she closed out all the credit card slips in that time in order to have been able to count how much she was actually tipped. Third, even if you didnt get the tip you felt you should have gotten, you don't bombard the party and ask to be tipped. You address your manager and have them approach the table and ask how service was and find out what could be improved. Kathleen ended up getting an additional $40 out of those guys because they were so caught off guard. She counted the cash in the book without counting the tips left on the credit cards reciepts and ended up taking home at least $130 for a tip on an almost $400 tab. Seriously? Never in my 10 years of being in the service industry would I have ever considered agressively approaching a table about how much tip they left. Whine about it to your coworkers (in the back of the house) and then be a boss server for your next table to make it up. We have told everyone about our visit in our program (60 people) and no one will be coming back for the remaining two weeks of our program which is really disappointing because did enjoy the visit outside of that. I hope management addresses this behavior and I hope Kathless feels crappy that she jumped to conclusions and cheated people. read more

Have been here many times over the years but tonight the food was lacking and for the price was pretty disappointing. The corn chowder soup was bland and served luke warm. The onion soup was average. The crab cakes, 2 small ones under cooked and mostly breaded with very little shredded crab, were terrible. They were not completely browned and were each about the size of a Hostess powdered mini donette. Sadly disappointed for $12 a plate. read more

My boyfriend and I had dinner at The Duck to celebrate our anniversary. It is often difficult for us to find a place we both enjoy because he is a vegetarian and I am not. Everything was amazing from start to finish. The service was excellent. There was always someone around making sure everything was perfect for you. We started with the appetizer special - spinach and artichoke Rangoon with plum sauce - and they were to die for! My boyfriend ordered the wild mushroom ravioli and said that it was one of the best dishes he had ever had. I ordered the bacon wrapped filet which was cooked to perfection and the spicy pecan butter in top was a creative and delicious addition. For dessert we tried the white chocolate mousse. It was impeccable. All in all, a great meal with great service in a really cool relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone! read more

The Duck - Bacon wrapped filet with spicy pecan butter, fingerling potatoes, and braised spinach. - New American Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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Been here a minimum of 50 times over the years. Always experience a great, make that experience very good meals. Rustic wood open barn feeling, comfortable seats, competent staff, and complete bar with a number of draft offerings spell a pleasurable dining. Casual and yet refined, does that make sense? Like the place enough to frequent over and over again. read more

This is a must for dining in Sturbridge MA. Wonderful food, stunning rustic upscale atmosphere and gracious staff.

Stopped for lunch with two friends. The Mac and cheese appetizer was hot and tasty. We waited at least 20 minutes between appetizer and the arrival of the entrees. My friends both ordered the loft grilled cheese and I ordered the chicken pot pie. The pot pie consisted of cubed chicken and assorted veg, topped with a loose (as in you can lift it off) and completely dried out and crumbly piece of puff pastry. Both grilled cheeses were cold. The two small pieces of cheese on each sandwich had not melted and the bread was tepid as well. My friends thought it tasted stale. The truffle fries, however, were hot and crisp. Our server was relatively inattentive even though it didn't seem particularly busy. We assumed she forgot our food under the heat lamp. read more

We weren't quite sure if the Duck was our place for a lunch after frisbee golf in town. At first we weren't sure we were in the right spot everything was labeled as the Whistling Swan or Avellinos. Set up in the second floor of an old bar great exposed beams. Made it seem cozy, the bar was bright next to a huge window that looked out over the ... parking lot. The leather chairs were pretty interesting to sit in. Beer selection was pretty surprising I enjoyed the Hoppy wonderfulness from Wormtown, She was tempted by the Bloody Mary and it lived up to her expectation. Food was fine, nothing special and nothing awful. Started with the calamari, nicely fried with some sweet and hot peppers. A nice start for the meal. Ruben was solid, the pickles on the side were the highlight though. Buffalo chicken wrap and a burger rounded out the group. Certainly a place to check out on another trip through Sturbridge. read more

This is my wife and my go to place for a great night out! The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is perfect. The lobster Mac n cheese is my personal fave along with the scrod. Every time a family or friend comes to visit us we nestle up to the bar for a wonderful night out. read more

Definitely improved. Food is excellent. Good beer selection and the service is great.

There were 4 of us for lunch on a Saturday. We got there early (11:45) and were asked if we had a reservation. We looked curiously at the hostess as the restaurant was empty. Within 1/2 hour of our arrival , there was not an empty seat. 3 of us ordered the chicken pot pie and 1 the turkey panini. Both were excellent. I would highly recommend. read more

The Duck - Chicken pot pie was outstanding - New American Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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I meet me friends from Connecticut and western Massachusetts here for lunch frequently. The lunches are delicious. I have tried every salad they offer and you cannot go wrong with these offering especially coupled with the soup of the day. The service is excellent, the decor is rustic and lovely. The prices are appropriate and not excessive. read more

What a find!!! I'm leaving a restaurant completely satisfied and that says a lot for me. First, the employees. Rachel, thank you for being so professional. From order taking to delivery on time, your service was spot on. To the kitchen staff, great menu, great choices, amazing food. I had the poutine, the mascarpone cheese with sweet pea ravioli in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. Some spinach and radishes in the sauce made it perfect. I had the house salad and the dressing is to die for. I personally can not wait to come back. Thank you for an amazing meal. read more

I walked into The Duck with high expectations based on the other reviews. I walked out disappointed and certain that I won't be back. They stuck us in a back room that had a large party in it. It was very tight and very loud. If you are coming here for some reason, try to get a seat in the main dining room or at the bar. For a starter, I got the "Seafood Stuffed Mushroom Caps". I felt like I got cheated. There was actually ZERO seafood. It was just a wet bread stuffing. I'm not exaggerating. There was in fact no seafood or even seafood flavor, artificial or otherwise. It borders on fraud, and was gross. As many other reviews have noted, the service is very slow. A decent list of local beers is the only redeeming quality here. With so many great dining options in this immediate area, I would highly recommend you try one of the others. read more

We had take away this evening. The burger was Ok, the grilled Brie sandwich was also ok, but based on the descriptions on the website we expected much better. The Brie sandwich tasted mostly of the fig jam, and I didn't find or taste much of the Brie, and the tomato and arugula were just a distraction. I've had a version of this sandwich elsewhere that was much better. We also tried dessert - the chocolate cake was nicely moist, but just didn't taste like much. There was supposed to be Nutella in the frosting, but there wasn't enough for me to taste. The Duck is better than going out for fast food, but we won't be going back. read more

*UPDATED* We were contacted directly by the owner who addressed our grievances and comped our entire bill! We was apologetic and it's nice to know they actually listen to their customers and work hard to address their complaints and prevent a similar situation from happening again. I can't begin to express our disappointment after hearing such great reviews. We sat out on the patio. We started our night with specialty cocktails that left more to be desired. It took nearly 45 minutes for a replacement cocktail or even the waitress to come out and take our app orders or refill our water. Drink orders wee forgotten and time passed waiting on food. A party that came in without a reservation left HOURS before we even got our check. After two hours it started to rain and we asked to move inside for our comfort. They informed us that they could "TRY" to "SQUEEZE" us in but we might sit with another party. When we finally seated insight after we went inside and insisted to be acknowledged we were surrounded by 4 empty tables. So much for the squeeze in the other adjacent restaurant. It took nearly an hour to get our main course which was three apps and a plate of Mac and cheese that was clearly premade. When we requested to speak to the manager she was very dismissive and unapologetic. She blamed it on the kitchen being slow- despite the later party leaving hours before we even received our meal. She very unapologetic and unprofessional. She has no business being a manager. When we finally got our bill nothing was even comped at an attempt to address our grievances. I understand things are difficult in the setting after COVID 19 consider that I work in healthcare - but this was gross mismanagement with zero apologies. Even with the compensation our bill was still not cheap. I hope management and ownership reads this review and changes its practices to better accommodate their clientele. Unfortunately these two restaurants will never receive our patronage again. read more

Went for Lunch, it was good. I had a cup of French Onion soup, a Arugula, Brussel sprout salad with goat cheese and apple cranberry. Nice staff a little slow but we weren't in a rush. Did covid distancing very well! read more

This place gets 3 stars only because we really like this bar atmosphere. Super comfy chairs and friendly bartenders We ordered the onion strings and tuna for apps. The onion strings were crispy and light. Sadly, the tuna was over cooked. For dinner we ordered the Korean flank steak...which had to be sent back because it was WAY over cooked. The chicken cordon blue was tasty but it was deep fried. The menu never specified that and I couldn't eat it-a couple bites and I was done but those bites were good. The best part of this meal is the white chocolate mousse. We live in town but haven't been here in three years. It will be another three years till we visit again. Ugh... been trying to pay the bill for 15 minutes and can't. Please get more help so your bartenders can take care of their customers. read more