Some restaurants impress you the first time you walk through the door. The Dudley Chateau isn't one of them. Known locally as "The Chat," it's tucked away in a neighborhood overlooking Dudley Pond, in what began life as a private fishing lodge nearly a century ago before becoming a speakeasy and eventually the local institution it is today. It definitely shows its age--and I mean that affectionately. (The Dudley Chateau) The building is well worn, it gets packed, it can be loud, and yes, the restrooms have seen better days. None of that has stopped us from coming back several times a year. Why? Because the food is consistently excellent, and so is the service. The menu goes well beyond what you'd expect from a neighborhood pub, and we've yet to leave disappointed. The staff somehow manages to stay friendly, attentive, and efficient even when the place is buzzing. The Dudley Chateau isn't trying to be trendy or upscale, and that's part of its charm. It's comfortable in its own skin, and so are the people who keep coming back. If you're looking for spotless, quiet, and polished, this probably isn't your place. But if you're looking for great food, friendly service, and a genuine local institution with plenty of character, it's absolutely worth the visit. read more

The Dudley Chateau - The view from the bar. - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

The lake is gorgeous. I don't think they are seating people outside right now, although they could be. Inside is very dark and dingy, enormous fly flying around. Menu is super basic, takes a long time to find anything to eat here. Settled on an iced tea, fish sandwich, and side salad. Iced tea was solid, fish sandwich was good, but the bun was lacking. Salad was low brow, but tasty enough, homemade blue cheese dressing, not offensive. The place could use a cleaning, and some feminine energy, and the menu needs a lot of help, if we are going to move away from seed oils. No need to rush back. But if I do come back, I will probably have dessert only, which looked decent. read more

The Dudley Chateau - Fish sandwich, side, salad, iced tea - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

The place is so noisy can't hear myself speak! The place wasnt packed but the noise level was so high that i was going to leave!!!?? There was a young couple behind me that were on their 3rd beer and in the process of getting more......not good!!!!! The service was good, the burgers were just ok, bit overcooked, under spiced and greasy as were the onion rings. Not returning read more

The Dudley is a rustic pub located on Dudley pond. It is extremely popular with the locals. From the outside it looks like a shack. On the inside it looks like a shack. It's just so fun and comfortable and it's gotta a certain vibe. It boasts friendly service and really good food. The portions are generous. The fries are crispy. The burgers are huge (if not a bit under seasoned). Prices are reasonable. Just a great low key place to sit down for a burger and a beer. Can't wait for patio season! read more

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Still the best onion rings in the land. Lots of things have changed, but the Chat is untouched by time. Go, grab a beer, chat with some locals, and cheer on the Sox. read more

The Dudley Chateau - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

Love this Place Most generally think of the Chateau has a hamburger joint or neighborhood bar. But, in the past year, it has upgraded to a full fledged lunch and dinner eatery. And the food is good, whether you have the renown mini-burger or a grilled chicken/salad wrap. We eat lunch there after a doctors appointment and we drop in for a drink or burger now and then. The atmosphere is comfortable and funky- feels almost like a throwback to a college hole-in-the-wall hang out of the late 1950's and 1960's. A very comfortable and memorable experience which you will like. The bar will accommodate you with a satisfying drink of your choice. Throw in the fact that this place is basically in a neighborhood right on a lake. One thing to know is there are very few bar seats if that is your thing and the place is always busy because the prices are affordable for the drinks and food that you get. Thanks read more

The Dudley Chateau - Burger - Delicious - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

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The Chat is a go to local place that the locals need to stop chatting about because they have the best burgers and it's always crowded. So good. Dive bar family feel in the best possible way! read more

If you like a rustic place with good pub food this is your place. He owner is not a nice person but the staff is great

Have wanted to go here for years and finally made it - what a hidden gem! From the location, to the decor, to the charm , to the service , food, and drinks , this was an A+ dive bar experience for me. This is charming and homey and 100% will be back . read more

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A pleasant surprise. A top 10 5 star dive bar hidden away in a neighborhood. I visited with my young grandson. He enjoyed the chicken fingers from the kids meal. I had the fish and chips which is available in two sizes. It was very good. Service was prompt. Both exterior and interior are interesting. Outside dining is available. Parking is ample. There is a staircase that leads to the interior dining with well worn steps. read more

The Dudley Chateau - Interior dining area - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

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This place is amazing. Perfect mix of cool dive-bar vibe and spectacular food. Get the wings and a burger and a Maine Lunch on tap. You won't be disappointed. read more

superb dive bar with best fish and chips around cold longnecks and great fried food - crunchy onion rings and wings deliver waitstaff are friendly and patient with kids doing dinner and also with grownup children loading up the table with beer bottles at night burgers are a weak spot and not advised read more

LOVE THIS PLACE.....Great people and great food. Service is also top drawer. And a great vibe

Small local charm complimented by rustic vibes, excellent staff and delcious food. High value.

Food is great and quite reasonably priced. The drinks too. When the weather is seasonally warm the outside area is magnificent. Parking sometimes a problem. read more

Love the Dudley Chateau!! I've visited a few times with coworkers for our annual holiday party. Each time we come looking for a relaxed atmosphere, good service and tasty food. The Chat had it all. Formerly a dive bar and still a bit dive-y, they now serve food and drinks at once starting around noon on weekdays. I've gotten the cheese steak sandwich, buffalo chicken wrap and the grilled chicken sandwich - all are reasonably priced and very tasty. Serving staff are kind and get the job done quickly. Definitely a fun no frills establishment for a quick bite or a long conversation. :) read more

Place was quiet sat at the bar no issues .Very good wings, burger was good , ( bacon was scarce ) and not a fan of a Kaiser roll for burgers ... Service was good from bartender .. prices getting a little high ... Will be back read more

Went here with friends it's thier favorite place they live close by ,, the town is cute and quiet folks actually walk there , it's a pond with surrounding homes as a view ,, bar vibes ,, bar food ,, family oriented read more

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Food is good and reasonably priced Tucked away in a neighborhood with a water view! Beer selection is decent and they do carry a gluten free beer as well read more

3.5 stars. Went for lunch with friends - it's definitely an institution that feels like the inside of a wooden boat at the end of a street in a residential neighborhood on a pond. Had a steak and cheese sandwich which was good but not very memorable. I think this would be a fun place to have a few drinks with friends. It's not accessible at all if anyone has mobility challenges - you have to walk up a pretty tough staircase. There is outdoor seating. I thought our server was very nice. read more

- great burgers: they're huge, juicy, and tasty! Asked for a medium rare but got more of a medium, so keep that in mind - great beer choices and cocktails - has a marina/ski lodge type feel - staff are super friendly - nachos were excellent, onion rings were large, and they ran out of ice cream for dessert (fail) Overall, hidden fun gem with great burgers and brews. read more

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This is an average dive bar/restaurant (and I LOVE dive bars that serve food!) ... lots of local support, very rough around the edges and the food is average to good. 3 stars is okay ... and this place is just okay. The prices are pretty high ... don't go by the ones on menu pictures, like everywhere they are 25% higher than they were a few years ago. A burger is $16.95 and the stuffed ones are $18.50. But, you can tell that the meat is quality and they have that chargrilled taste that burgers used to have in the 1980s. Just wish they were bigger. Burgers are what they are known for ... and for the most part, they are okay. For $17 - $19, I felt the actual burger could have been a little bigger. The buns were huge, tasted very 'yeasty' and made the burgers taste pretty bland, despite cheese and toppings. The burger was smaller/blander than I had hoped it would be and I was left a bit hungry after eating it ... which at $19 was disappointing. It was cooked well, exactly as I had ordered it. I upgraded to the onion rings, which were fantastic. They aren't anything special ... and cost $2.50 more than the unexciting shoestring fries the burger comes with. (Or $10.50 for a full order) The onion rings and fries are both frozen and bagged/not homemade ... but the thick, panko crust was tasty when covered in ketchup. Always upgrade to the onion rings. The salads are pretty average. Nachos are orange liquid cheese pumped onto tri-coloured nachos. If you want to add meat to the nachos, you can ... it would be nice if they had taco meat or meaty chili vs. the chopped steak tips or chicken which aren't really nacho-worthy. They have surprisingly good beers on draft for a dive bar. I was expecting to see Budweiser, Miller and Coors ... but there were actually IPAs and local beers. It wasn't ice cold ... but it wasn't lukewarm, either. The waitstaff was friendly, even to a non-local and very capable. Those looking for a clean and tidy dining space, look elsewhere. This is dive bar central ... it's been around since Babe Ruth lived in the area ... and the downstairs doesn't look like its been cleaned since then. You go upstairs and that is where the small dining area and bar are. The bar is made of the hull of a ship and the tables are kind of scattered through the postage stamp-sized restaurant. This is a local institution and there are regulars who come here all the time. It's not going anywhere and some people love it, even though it wasn't my cup of tea. In a wealthy town like Wayland where most people drive Range Rovers and likely prefer Poke Bowls, a dive bar famous for burgers is right up my ally. However, I felt underwhelmed by the small burger for the high price. Honestly, I'd prefer eating a Shake Shack burger in this wonderful dive bar atmosphere. Give it a try though because it is historic and many people love it. read more

Don't be put-off by the exterior - this is a PUB with good food. ;) We were a little confused about whether we were overlooking the entrance - it isn't really clear. The interior can be described as dark tight pub - but not too tight (our party included former Army Warrior's who do not like tight places - they weee comfortable here). We could talk & hear each other w/o having to yell - that's always nice. My Mexican grilled cheese was surprisingly delicious. I say "surprisingly" because I assumed same-old grilled cheese, but there was much flavor!! The dragonfruit margarita was not flavorful...in fact, all I tasted was the margarita mix. Disappointing. Waitstaff was friendly & very attentive - we never waited for refills read more

Awesome little dive spot with great views, service and atmosphere. Had been here before years ago pre-Covid and happy that they survived and still thriving It's a little out of the way from me now but will definitely be back when I'm in the area. read more

We originally discovered this place only because it showed up on Apple Maps on car play. Our curiosity piqued, we turned down the road to see what it was. So happy we did! We have been twice and both times the food has been fantastic. The fries are always hot and fresh and the sandwiches are amazing. The bartender Stephanie is great and very friendly! We will be going back very soon. Great good, great atmosphere, great service! read more

A classic place to go in Wayland. The inside is wonderfully decorated and cozy. The food is as expected. Good burgers and sandwiches. Staff is nice and food comes out quick. Definitely a staple for those who live in or around Wayland. read more

Awesome beer on draft and everything from the firecracker shrimp salad, The Dudley burger, fish and chips are amazing! The truffle fries are also to die for! The staff is super friendly and is great about checking in with guests to be sure their food is cooked to their specifications. Always a great time and always a great meal:) read more

The Dudley Chateau - Firecracker Shrimp Salad - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

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I almost didn't want to write this review because I don't want people to find out about this great place. My wife and I were traveling back from Connecticut to Maine and wanted to split up the trip and eat somewhere different. I found an article about the Dudley Chateau and heard that Babe Ruth and Ted Williams used to eat here on their off days and fish in Dudley Pond. The rustic pub/cabin atmosphere offered tons of historic memorabilia to look at. The bar is fashioned after a wooden boat hull. The food was amazing as was the staff. Great place! Bravo. read more

Burgers were grilled just right. Enjoyed them sitting inside, with a view of the lake.

Overall great ambiance. Location is at the back of the neighborhood next to the pond. The food was ok. Typical bar type food. The clam chowder was not very good - like out of a cheap can. The wings were pretty dry and the flavor was pretty average. Good list of draft beers. The service was excellent and our waitress was very pleasant. read more

The Dudley Chateau - Menu - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

I've been coming here since I was young. I've always enjoyed the food. The white stuff is excellent, and the prices are good.

Fun dive bar in a house, near a pond that serves very tasty chow. Super friendly staff and relaxing atmosphere.

Service and ambience was wonderful. The burger was overcooked and tough to chew, even though it was ordered medium rare.

It just feels like a pretty average burger place with greasy food. The inside is kind of danky and doesn't feel very clean. The food is greasy. We got fish tacos and grilled cheese and a Caesar salad. My fish tacos were ok; I just wish there were more options on the menu that didn't include fried stuff. They were a little bland. The salad greens weren't the freshest. The patio seating was quite nice though. read more

The Dudley Chateau - Fish tacos - Bars Near Me - Wayland, Massachusetts

Nice relaxed pub ambience. Good fish and chips and nice beer. The server was very kind and attentive with salt pepper and tartar sauce too.

We had a reservation for 9 as my daughter graduated from Brandis. ( her masters) We had appetizers & drinks . The waitress w the blonde hair had a major attitude. She kept rolling her eyes at us. We decided to leave and give our business elsewhere where.We are the nicest group of people.. Bad news travels fast then good read more

Excellent hidden local spot. Great fish and chips, burgers all good. The warrior burger or blue cheeseburger? How can you eat a burger at a chain after these burgers priced reasonable. Shrimp Tacos excellent, Chicken wings too. Reasonable beer prices. Locals like and nice place to overlooking lake front on a rainy day for lunch and brews.... Not a fancy ordeal... but friendly locals know where to go... steak tips good here as well... food reasonable and all good. Need a compass with GPS to find it in neighborhood on Lake ... watch for little sign on post off main road. You'll be a regular after first visit... i've been going there forever and will be there forever going forward ... I stop in for lunch when out and about . Not a large place so sitting limited especially on a game day .. Patriots or Sox, Bruins.... Employees and all a pleasant environment... real New england especially in winter on snowy days on Lakefront. No inflation here and good place for family outing and save some coins too. read more

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Got steak tips and fish and chips the other night fish and chip was good. Steak tips were a little small. service was good ambience it's a dive read more

Heard about the burgers and visited to check it out. Started with the special potato skins (meh) and we all really enjoyed the burgers! I think I liked the huge, crunchy onion rings more! Great selection of tips, burgers and entrees. We got there at 5pm and waited 10 minutes for a table. Luckily to get one of the last parking spots when we arrived. It is an upstairs setting with a bar, TVs, keno and music. Solid casual dining tucked away in a neighborhood on the water. read more

The food is really good here but if you try to place an order online it doesn't always work and even worse if you call they tell you to hold on and never come back to the phone! I waited 15 minutes twice before I hung up. Both times I had to drive to the place to make an order and wait for the food. Ive also placed an order and got home to find some of the order missing. I think they need more help. read more