This is only a review of the grounds, I didn't see the inside of the hotel. Very pretty, very quiet except for the lone groundskeeper outside. Everything was well groomed and taken care of. I saw people out with their dog, and it does seem like a good place to walk them. There was a shop with cheerful flowers, but I was there too early for their opening read more

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Can't comment on the room because I didn't stay there. It's a beautiful historic site. Used to be a premiere spot for.a wedding. Not any more. We booked a small 15 person wedding luncheon last weekend and received horrible service from the function manager as well as management. Do not book a function there. My meal was rancid but I didn't want to embarrass anyone by saying that at the table. When I called to tell them the manager said I was lying because that's her favorite meal. The stuffing smelled and tasted like it was from last thanksgiving. I noticed many people just pushing their food around on the main entree. She said they would have only refunded the money if I spoke up at the time in front of everyone. But that's the kind of class these people have. Also, very high room rental rate which they lie about on the phone and tell you it is just a deposit to hold the room and will be refunded later on your bill so long as you show up for the event. Then after they get the payment they send an email with a link that says it will not be refunded whether you show up or not. That it's not actually a deposit to hold the room. That it's a room rental fee. Non refundable. Then they insinuate that you should tip on the meal AND the room rental fee that they lie to people about. A shame because they've tarnished a long held good reputation of a charming historic location by employing highly unethical people who lie. read more

Everything was fabulous! I went for an overnight with a friend , had lunch and dinner at the Inn and breakfast the next day . Food and staff are excellent, i use a walker and there is an elevator and the room we had was big enough for the walker. There was music, people dressed in revolutionary war period clothing and we made new friends. I love how authentic the Inn is. Beautiful grounds. read more

Stopped in on a Wednesday evening with my friend to grab a bite to eat in the old bar and enjoy the fife and drum music. Both the cheese board and chicken skewers were very good. Only thing we weren't crazy about was the bar tender. He wasn't personable like Dave or Marvin. We asked him for drink recommendations and he basically acted like he didn't want to talk to us. Other than him, everything was great. read more

The Wayside Inn - Cheese board and chicken satay skewers - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

This historic inn gives off a homey, comforting feel yet there is a timeless elegance made famous by Longfellow. We stopped by while traveling to New Hampshire from the RI area for a late lunch. Despite being a week day, and mid-afternoon, there were several tables inside as well as outside that were filled with diners. The food was very good (hubby raved about the New England Clam Chowder); I had a house salad and we ended up splitting a sandwich. OK, it wasn't a "fine dining" experience but I believe it certainly would have been had we stopped by later for diner. The grounds are gorgeous and needed to work off our lunch. read more

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Awful, overpriced, cold prime rib and a waitress that was way too old to handle our party of 20. Anything we asked for was an inconvenience.

My sister had "BIG SHEBANG" for her 60th birthday, and I flew all the way across the country to go to her party at the Wayside Inn. Well, there were not enough space heaters. (The rooms were not just brisk; they were frigid. It's a very old building) from the 1700s or 1600s and the birthday was in the Fall.) I gave my space heater to my mother who was in her late 80's to keep her room warm. In the meantime I was just trying to get the edge off the freeze in my room so I turned on the iron and placed it on a porcelean sink over a tile floor. It worked a little. My sister came by and I mistakenly bragged about how I was staying warm by keeping an iron on. She flipped out. I don't know why? (She never wants to see me problem solving, and self reliant or happy? she was stressed and unhappy?) and she went to management and claimed I was going to "burn the place down". Management came to the door. and asked me to turn off the iron. But unfortunately they didn't have any more room space heaters. So, the next day I decided I was not having much fun with family and birthday parties and decided to leave. The direct sneer at me on one of the manager's faces is what I remember as I left. Yeah. I think they could use some updating and insulation so the rooms aren't 50 degrees without a space heater. And it would be nice if they had enough space heaters for every room. Snobbery can only get you so far in terms of being a decent service. read more

The menu needs more choices The restaurant needs more parking and needs more help Waited long time for food and food was cold Not the waitress fault read more

Exceptional experience this Sunday for my daughter's baby shower in the Ford Room. Service was warm and detailed, all food was delicious, and the cake was extraordinary in looks and taste!! The onsite bakery uses grain milled on site at the grist mill and the muffins and scones were also moist and fresh! Highly recommend !!! The chef came out at the end to touch base with us!! read more

The Wayside Inn - Baby shower lemon cake - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

We went for a special occasion and it was really a fantastic meal and experience. The service was wonderful, the food was really tasty, and our guests were really pleased too. Highly recommend! Update: still would recommend but not for a buffet dinner. We went on Easter for their buffet and it wasn't worth the cost. Definitely go for a standard dining experience though. read more

Turkey dinner was very disappointing. The turkey was not carved from a turkey but had to be from a turkey loaf that had been injected with gel. it was not what I expected. The mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy very good. Also, the deep dish apple pie was delicious. read more

The Wayside Inn used to be a lovely spot to bring out-of-town guests to share Sudbury's colonial history. Unfortunately, the Inn looks seedy, dusty and dirty. Staff in the pub was quick to serve, but didn't smile or make eye contact when pouring drinks. Plantings in the front of the inn were dying, untended, sparse. Carpeting through the entrance was muddy and needs cleaning. Museum rooms are dusty, unkempt, fabrics are torn and stained. This place is out of touch, needs some good house keeping and a staff trained in hospitality. read more

I've always looked forward to their delicious chicken pie. Well, it's no longer the traditional pie with a flaky crust--it's more like a shepherd's pie with mashed potato and crumbs. I found that to be extremely disappointing. Why ruin a good thing? read more

My husband and I went in on Valentine's Day for dinner! We go there quite often actually we've been there three times in the last week and a half. I always ask for the same server. Her name is Loretta. She is unbelievable. She is so on spot. She's got a great personality. She likes to be little sassy ( in a great way)! Tara the front end manager/hostess such a warm and inviting person. Our dinner was unbelievably fantastic. Our food every time we go there is great, but it was the personal touch as they did for us. It was our anniversary I could go on and on and on, but I just want to tell you these people are unbelievable 28 years of marriage and this was probably No. It was the best valentines anniversary dinner we've had and we go to the Caapital Grille we go to Eddie V's. I thank all of you enough. Lisa & Joe read more

Valentines dinner at the Inn was spectacular. Upon being seated our waitress greeted us and brought a plate of crisp bread and a smooth tasty cheese spread as well as 2 wonderful warm rolls with icing on top. Drink orders placed and comes out promptly with warm pumpkin and cornbread muffins. A harvest salad was great with a nice mix of romaine lettuce, roasted & cubed butternut squash, dried cranberries and crumbled Feta cheese. Our dinners where two of there house specialties, huge portion of Scrod, cooked perfectly with delmonico potatoes and whipped butternut squash. I went with a prime rib (pictured) end cut that was incredible with mashed and squash. Overall a high 5 stars. read more

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This place is a top spot in Massachusetts to feel the history of the 1700's ... few places have this level of history. It really is a must-do if you are visiting from out of town, or if you live in state and love historic and charming inns. Reservations are hard to come by for the dining room ... especially on weekends ... and super especially during the holidays. Atmosphere: One of the big frustrations I've had is that there is no way to book a certain dining room/area. Even if you are in the know enough to request one of the Victorian rooms ( ... why then do they offer a damn virtual photo tour on their dining website?) they tell you that there is no way to guarantee what room you'll be in. To walk past all these cozy Charles Dickens-esque wooden beamed rooms with fireplaces only to be given a table in their large dining room that feels like a community rec center is beyond a buzzkill. Food: The biggest thing to note is that the food is beyond mediocre. This is usually the case with these historic type of restaurants ... but it is clear that corners are being cut in the food quality and the menu variety. The food presently is more what you would expect to find at a banquet facility at best or a Disneyworld restaurant at worst. It all tastes mass produced, slopped onto a plate and served lukewarm and underseasoned. The old staples like roast turkey dinner, pot roast or chicken pot pie are now done cheaply ... yet the prices are in the upper $20's and $30's range. The filet mignon was $39 and tasted as though it was bought from a discount supermarket, overcooked and then covered in gravy from a jar. The duckling was so tough and dry, it took work to chew it and the sticky sweet sauce with canned mandarin orange pieces tasted like wedding food at an American Legion Hall. The clam chowder was served cold and had an odd sour taste, almost like vinegar was added. The green beans had no oil or seasoning on them. They were simply boiled green beans ... more yellow-green than green taken out of the water and put on a plate. I'd be amazed if the mashed potatoes weren't instant made from a mix. The Indian Pudding for dessert was the best part of the meal. The prime rib got okay reviews from one person but it looked a bit dry on the edges to me. Service: These are not professional waiters. Most are college students. My waiter did not check in on us once during the entire meal. The bread basket had no butter and by the time we flagged him down, our meals had come. No steak knives were given despite all of us having meat. Again ... hard to flag him down. Most of the food was served lukewarm at best to begin with. Drink orders were not taken after the first round. We would have ordered a second round ... loss of revenue for the restaurant. Overall, while it is a very charming atmosphere if you get in one of the older, historic rooms, don't expect the food or service to stand out. The staff is a bit prickly and it seems like everyone who works there is just overwhelmed and miserable and can't wait to leave. This is not how it used to be 7 or 8 years ago when the food was good, there were actually professional waitstaff and it was easier to get a reservation. Hopefully, it will go back to those days because as it stands now, it's like going to a wedding reception without the actual wedding reception. read more

Yikes. Sooooo tired. The carpets should have been replaced 7 years ago. Food is average. Service was great. Ambiance isn't enough.

Accommodations, dinner in the dining room, and drinks, both in the dining room and later in the tavern, were all above and beyond expectations. Maureen at the front desk upon arrival was the sweetest and so wonderful with information about the area and the property. Our waitress, Sam, was fastidious about making sure we had everything we needed at night. The bartender, Dave, was a fantastic conversationalist and knew much about the tavern's and property's history. It was a wonderful birth-month celebration. Thank you so much for everything. read more

The Wayside Inn - Front entrance. So welcoming! - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

Everything was wonderful! The food was very good as was the service! Special thanks to the awesome concierge who helped my husband who is 87 get into the car safely on this cold, icy night! read more

We spent a night here in room 9 on our way back from a week long trip in New England. It is a charming inn steeped in history. Kip was very helpful and knowledgeable about the inn and it's history. Ask him to tell you about the inn's development, growth and it's past history. Our room was comfortable and clean. We enjoyed the guest to guest notes and definitely would return. A spectacular hot delicious breakfast was served before we started our travels. I wish we had more time to explore the notable grounds and property, which is meticulously taken care of. You can tell everyone who works here loves the place, thank you for the kind hospitality. read more

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We both enjoyed are meals- baked schrod and fish and chips. Good food, service and lovely holiday atmosphere.

I took my family there for Thanksgiving dinner this past Thursday. Room, we had dinner in was very nice, fireplace, historic, great ambience, but the turkey dinner was inedible. Turkey, was rubbery, salty as though someone took it out of a freezer, microwaved and served. We had gone there years ago for Thanksgiving dinner, and it was terrific. Cannot believe how things have changed there for the worst. Gracious complaint to manager was dismissed. One could tell all turkey "Slices" were the same size. Such an oddity. Will not be back. read more

Okay hear me out. My coworker made a dinner reservation for us during the week night at 4:30pm. I'm from the west coast and she thought it'd be neat to take us to somewhere local and 'famous', her words. The history is cool. It's like 300 years old which is neat. The food however, might also be 300 years old. Everything tasted the equivalent to store brand frozen food that was microwaved. There is no way any of what was served started out as a fresh ingredient in the kitchen. If anyone is claiming to like the food, I can only assume they cannot taste or care for texture or visual appeal or they have never dined in a restaurant before. That being said, the staff was friendly. So staff/building = 4ish, food = -5, and 2 stars because 1 just felt too harsh. read more

I've been going to wayside inn since I was a child. We went tonight (we go every year at this time to celebrate my deceased dads bday). The food took over an hour to come out, our waitress never came over to explain or even ask how our food was. The food looked and tasted like glorified hospital food. I get the same thing everytime so I'm very aware of what it usually tastes like. On top of that, 40 min after we ordered, we were then informed they ran out of mashed potatoes. I've never been so disappointed. I was looking at this restaurant as my wedding venue and no longer will be booking here. What a disappointment & waste of an hour drive there & home. There's no way this was just an off day- the food was AWFUL. In every single way. Don't waste your time or money. read more

I have reviewed this place a couple of times and I keep hoping that they will wake up and make improvements but after a few days ago, I can see they really don't care. The people who work here are obviously miserable, tired, and worn out. The manager is the exact same way. There's nothing quite like coming here with your family for a birthday and being seated right near where the kitchen is when you requested to be seated near a fireplace and hear everybody in the kitchen be loud gab on curse, etc. no music playing either to drown out the loud staff in the kitchen. It is the fall season so I cannot understand why the fireplace inside their bar is lit, but it is not lit in the main dining area. Very disappointing. Crackers were stale that came with the cheese that we had to pay extra for. The soup had definitely downgraded since the last time we had it. Barely any flavor and they charge you for cheese on top of your French onion soup. Chicken tasted frozen and not very well seasoned. Green beans were bland no flavor whatsoever. My father ordered the steak, which was tough as a shoe and not very well flavored for him as well. Pot roast was absolutely terrible. Turkey was incredibly dry with an over abundance of gravy on top of it only to disguise how terrible it was. Also, I do understand that this is an in and we want to keep an nostalgic feel to this. In all honesty for the love of God they need to change their steak knives. They need new ones that have an old look to them. These things were so flimsy they could not cut through anything not to mention their handles were all wobbly like they were going to break it any second. It's very sad and unfortunate because I had said in previous reviews how much I wanted this place to succeed because it is a beautiful building with a huge history behind it. But I think it is incredibly overpriced and a rip off for people who want to come here and enjoy a good meal. Do not charge people for cheese and crackers when this was a free service you offered before. Get a different chef and get better quality meat. And above all if the manager is fed up from working here, then for goodness sake's, please get a different manager that actually cares about their customers and knows what they're doing because this is just pitiful. read more

Ok. For the record, the wait staff was very good - hard working, knowledgeable and professional. Though I didn't see a manager hovering around to manage the flow or pick up the slack. That would have been helpful as our server got a 5 top and 12 top after we received our entree and we saw very little of her after that. Additionally, the Creamed Butternut Squash and Classic Caesar salad (with the requested added anchovies) were excellent, the string beans were good, and the fried calamari was fried perfectly. Now for the reasons why the 3 1/2 stars average Yelp review is probably a tad bit high. The last time I ate there was over thirty years ago. The waitresses wore colonial costumes, the vibe was of an historic inn, and the food was more "old school" New England. Last night, the dinning room had zero style or ambiance. Ugly carpet - uninspiring tables and chairs - nothing beautiful on the walls. I felt like I was at a Denny's or Golden Corral. If an establishment has been around since 1716, one should feel that "vibe" while eating. We didn't. Now for the food. One gets the feeling that they don't know what to do with the menu. Should we offer Colonial food, what about specializing in New England seafood, or maybe modern cuisine? Unfortunately they tried a bit of everything and came up with nothing The oysters were small, tasteless and not very fresh, and I still don't know what type of buttery accompaniment came with the garlic toast brought to the table. The Smoked Bluefish was bland (also not tasting fresh), and the accompanying horseradish sauce had no taste. The sauce that came with the Calamari tasted like thousand island dressing with a little heat, and the sliced leg of lamb was rubbery and seasoned weirdly. It definitely did not look or taste like fall of the bone deliciousness. Overall a disappointment - especially relying on the previous fond memory of 30 years ago Really a 2.75 read more

The Wayside Inn - Front Sign - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

Stumbling upon this gem was such a pleasant surprise coming from the city. It was as if I had traveled really far out of Boston to see such a quaint and charming place. Luckily, the drive was only 30 min out of the city. Be sure to admire the mill up close and from afar. The running water really brought the place to life. Walk up behind the mill to see the pond that feeds into the stream that probably powered the wheel. There are also some trails on the grounds to explore. The grounds were fairly large and very pleasant to walk around. There were a couple of parties doing photoshoots and having picnics. Free parking was available along the roadside. read more

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My sister and I went for lunch as this restaurant was always a favorite of our mom's. classy with cloth table cloths and napkins, china, quality service and delicious food. Our experience today was just as fine. We ate in the large dining room. there were several other older couples and families there when we arrived and more arrived afterward. There was a fire in the fireplace and a lovely holiday tree. We ordered from the three course dinners. Our server Nancy was delightful - warm and attentive. She brought us a carafe of piping hot fresh coffee and rolls. The rolls at Wayside are a treat in and of themselves as the grain comes from the grist mill down the street. the basket includes whole wheat rolls and sweet corn muffins. we started our meal with a cup of tasty chowder, followed by a prime rib dinner. The prime rib was excellent and was accompanied by a judiciously salted baked potato. My sister opted for mashed butternut squash, a favorite of mom's and I chose green beans. when it came time for dessert, we opted for ice cream but you could also have chosen apple pie a la mode or indian pudding (an Inn specialty) accompanied by a dollop of ice cream. I chose peppermint stick ( my seasonal favorite) and my sister chose vanilla topped with fudge sauce. I cannot recommend the Wayside Inn highly enough for a holiday treat or a special event. read more

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It's been years since I dined at the Wayside Inn. I finally went back last night and I was so leased I did. Our server was the sweetest lady! We had hot apple cider (spiked or plain) with the fresh and hot bread rolls and mini muffins that arrived on our table. I enjoyed the rustic ambience complete with festive holiday decorations that kept with the rustic 18th century vibe. The dining rooms are so cozy, but I was missing a crackling fire. Maybe there was one in another room, but the fireplace in our dining room wasn't in use. The menu has all the comfort food favorites: baked scrod, chicken pie, prime rib, and baked chicken to name a few. French onion soup was a work of art that tasted as good as it looked. The beet and apple salad was good, but I didn't care for the stinky cheese. No room for dessert (I ate too many mini muffins) but I have to go back soon for the Indian pudding. read more

We've been here multiple times and always love staying here. The setting is scenic and the buildings and grounds are beautifully maintained. You are close to Boston but yet in a Country setting. There is a pond that you can sit at, a grist mill from the 18th century, and a path in the woods, all within the grounds. The food and dining area (outside patio in summer) are very good. We had excellent seafood, Salmon, chowder, plus stuffed chicken breasts and a variety of salads. Breakfast is included and you have a large variety of choices. Service was excellent. The Pub is fun and has the feel of a long ago era. The rooms are basic and in keeping with the overall feeling of another time. They are comfortable and clean but not modernized. There was no TV in the room but there is a living room, usually empty, that has one. read more

The Wayside Inn - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

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This used to be a sensational restaurant. We dined here in 2018 and the duck (Sunday dinner) was amazing. They served a large portion with a flavorful Grand Marnier sauce, fresh cranberry sauce and sides. It's now completely tasteless and devoid of any flavor. They served it with gravy, not the old Grand Marnier sauce, and a few small single cranberries, no fresh cranberry sauce. The bread basket was scaled down and so/so. The butternut squash used to be delicious, but is now bland. They eliminated the flavorful chocolate mousse from the menu and now serve small tasteless deserts. The dining room needs to be upgraded and painted. It felt like the restaurant went downhill since COVID. Prices are up but there is absolutely no flavor in any of the food we tasted. It was a huge disappointment. What happened?? Did the property get sold? What was once a destination is now a huge miss. read more

Last night, I may have had one of the worst dining experiences in a very long time. We were seated for a 6pm reservation and our waitress didn't come to our table until almost 20mins later to introduce herself and didn't offer to take a drink order; she awkwardly walked away and we ended up waiting another 10 minutes to place just the drink order. This cycle of long periods of wait times between ordering food/drinks and not seeing our waitress occurred during the unnecessary 2 hour meal. The worst of all, which could not have been controlled by any means, was an older woman suffered a medical emergency right next to our table. Two servers immediately raced to the other table to assist the poor man trying to wake up his wife. It was quite upsetting to see. There was a taller waitress that did the right thing and immediately called 911. The next thing we see is a woman who was either a manager or hostess rushing over and began to berate the poor young waitress for calling for an ambulance. That was quite disturbing to see. Finally, not one person from the restaurant came to our table to see if we wanted to move tables or if we were even OK from what we had just witnessed with the medical emergency. We will never come back for lunch or dinner, which is a real shame because we are locals (not tourists) and would assume the owner/operator wants to be able to maintain a sense of decorum to keep locals coming back. We love the history of Wayside since we live minutes away and this experience was truly a real shame. read more

Had lunch at the wayside inn. It was amazing!! Our server Leanne and her son were probably the best servers I have ever had . Highly recommend the onion crock and scrod. A must place to stop by and have lunch or dinner and if you do ask for Leanne you won't be disappointed. read more

For starters, we went for dinner and were served breakfast muffins. Ordered a glass of merlot that came out hot like it had been in a car parked in the sun all day (strange). Apparently there isn't a wine cellar. Waited much too long for the main course (baked scallops) which weren't great. The mashed potatoes were too salty. For dessert. We ordered strawberry shortcake. It was horrible! Moldy strawberries and the biscuit was awful! Like eating a container of salt. Worst shortcake I've ever eaten. I should say tasted because we couldn't eat it. The waiter asked if he could get us something else which we refused but did not offer to remove it from the bill. Was going to use the restroom on the way out but turned around and left because the carpet leading in/out of it was black (disgusting). Never going back... read more

The food was terrible and bland. There's dust and cobwebs everywhere and the place smells like a musty basement. They gave me ketchup from a bowl?? read more

Wonderful place to stay & dine . Beautiful grounds & very amenable staff . I had my wedding here May 2022. Reception was small but still lovely . My only critique is let the bride eat . I was a nervous wreck & couldn't eat before . Every time I went to make the rounds or chat with guests . The waiter would take my untouched plate . Also kitchen closes by 10 pm . So I went from happy to starving @ 10:01 pm. read more

The Wayside Inn - Cake - Hotels Near Me - Sudbury, Massachusetts

Reserved 1st Fri, Dec, dinner for 2 @ 7 P. Requested Tap room & was told no guarantee. Explained it was my husband's bday. Arriving we found Tap rm was fully occupied plus ALL small dining rooms were filled. The hostess could not even promise an opening likely in the Tap room. She wanted to seat us in LG rm but we declined. We felt we should have been told at 7 it was highly unlikely we would get a table we would have liked & would have welcomed a suggested switch to a different time perhaps. When I spoke to Sarah, a manager, she said she hoped we'd give them a 2nd chance. Guess she was unable to offer anything to console us, such as a breakfast voucher, gift certificate?? We have been celebrating this bday many years there, staying overnight, in fact, once. I recall the unbelievable breakfast! What happened to the day when the customer was valued? read more

Have been coming here since I was a little kid when Frank was the innkeeper over 40 years. The food is always great with terrific value and excellent service. The history of the inn and the great care with which its maintained and respected makes it a true treasure. Whenever someone from out of town visits or one of my college classmates this is the place I want to bring them to give them the feel of traditional New England. Whether its a graduation or special occasion the Wayside Inn has never let me down. read more

Always a great experience. Food is always delicious and service top notch. Have been here many times and always look forward to going back each time. Wish they would serve breakfast to non-Inn people. read more

The food is improving tremendously. Their steaks are very well prepared and the ambiance is quite interesting. A real 18th century inn with tavern. Henry Wadworth Longfellow spent quite a bit of time here . The grounds are beautiful. The mill wheel is still operating and the chapel is classic. read more