Great place. Been there a number of times now so thought would write a review. The owner Phil is running a good joint for sure. Almost all starts in the house have a great view. Wait staff is friendly and the food is good. I personally like fish and lamb dishes. My wife being vegetarian could also find enough on the menu or just ask the wait staff. Has local wine and beer - which is how I like it, keeping the carbon footprint low and supporting local business. read more

Very nice place, though I wish dinner portions were a bit larger :) otherwise good food and great service. Last time I was there in Wednesday night and there was this local Irish music band playing - so cute! read more

Wonderful place , our second time back . Brought friends , looking forward for to our next visit .

My daughter got married in Beacon NY on thanksgiving weekend and we had the rehearsal dinner at the Towne Crier which is a folk music venue and restaurant in town. The place has a relaxed and cool atmosphere with a beautiful bar area and lots of tables in the main space. The space is conducive to mingling and there is a small stage with a microphone which was perfect for toasts. The planning process was easy, with owner Phil Ciganer providing guidance and accommodating all our requests. We organized a fun and casual menu and the food was great and beautifully presented. Although we contracted for three hours, it took quite a while longer for everyone to finish up. There was absolutely no pressure to leave and the staff were warm and helpful. From start to finish this was an excellent experience. We would highly recommend it for a private party. read more

Good wait service but disappointing menu. The Beacon Mule was mostly lime with very little ginger beer

Great music venue. Avoid sitting in back when sold out. They sat a herd of water buffaloes in front of us and we were in the traffic alley for the wait staff. read more

Food is five stars, Town Crier chicken under a brick was a true winner, Asian sea bass and Scottish salmon are delicious, black angus brisket burger was bit dry for my son. Wine is good, cheese platter is a nice starter. The chef is very good, you can feel the gourmet Mediterranean influence with fresh oregano and thyme. Highly recommend this place, we will come back :) read more

Low rent and very little class. My GF and I bought tickets for dinner and the show for New Years. $100 for dinner plus music - quite reasonable. But when we arrived around 9 we found out that I had paid for the *buffet* dinner plus the show, and we could not select anything on the regular menu. At that time the buffet was about to close and the food looked like it had been sitting around for a couple of centuries. Not at all what I expected. So I explained the misunderstanding to our waiter who said to talk to the "man at the table. The owner/manager/whatever *knew* that we hadn't eaten anything and could have done the classy thing - refund the dinner part of the ticket and then we would order from the menu. But he chose not to, and wasn't terribly pleasant about it either, even though he knew I had made an honest mistake. Total jerk. We ended up paying for the uneaten/inedible buffet AND ordering from the menu (which wasn't a whole lot better than the slop at the buffet). The only reason I'm giving the place 2 stars is that some of the music was quite good. The rest, not so much. So, if you're in the mood for music I suggest you eat first at a better restaurant (Burger King comes to mind) and then (maybe) enjoy the music. Bad move, dude. read more

The service was excellent. The food was amazing. We definitely had an awesome expiernce. I recommend this to anyone for a good meal and a good time read more

This is a special place in Beacon, especially on Monday nights for Open Mic! Great food, service, art, and entertainment. Even just for a cup a tea or a beer its worth the visit for the good vibes atmosphere alone. read more

We recently held a rehearsal dinner for about 130 guests at the Towne Crier. Phil was excellent to work with and provided really yummy food in a well run buffet for our guests. He also had a great sound system that allowed the many fun speeches to be well heard in all parts of the restaurant. The "vibe" was cool and our guests were delighted with the many photos of the music artists with whom Phil has worked in the past. We give Phil and the Towne Crier as many thumbs up as we can. read more

Just left the crier and it was an awesome night. Celebrated my husband's bday. Service was good as well as food. The meat eater and the vegetarian can be satisfied with the menu . They have a baba gnash that is so amazing. Dinner and live music at a price that is affordable read more

Me and my fiance just moved to Beacon about a year ago. This was one of the first places we eat at. I had a really good steak my fiance had a cheese platter my mother-in-law had quesadilla that she didn't really care for and my father-in-law and brother-in-law both had bacon cheeseburgers which looked really good. They had a great beer and wine selection the atmosphere was good and dimly lit, service was good as well. would definitely recommend this place read more

Nice looking place and comfortable. The food however a bit pricey. I had a plate of pasta with rabe and sausage, gluten free. The amount of additional expense for gluten free pasta was extreme. I wanted to skip the sausage but took waitstaff advice. The sausage meat was crumbled and par boiled. I don't even think the oil was olive. Bar tab, not a shocker, its comparable. Music, great venue for talent, cover charge, outrageous! First a cover of 20.00 for local talent is a bit much when most of the talent also performs two blocks away and no cover, no minimum drink minimum..... Basically, this is Beacon (Dutchess County) we stay in this area and not travel to Westchester for entertainment to reduce cost for great entertainment. Why bring Westchester to Dutchess? read more

This place need to get their act together, the time it takes to get your meal is ridiculous. Our server was very nice and yes understandably it was not his fault the kitchen can not put out food in a timely manner. The owner seemed pretentious and unconcerned that we were not having a good time. Heard the female manager screaming at another co-worker in the kitchen, using language not suitable for our friends six year old. The fact that there was only two or three other tables in the restaurant exacerbated the fact that her voice carried through the whole place. Very unprofessional and an unpleasant dinning experience. Came back with my family for a show thinking I'd give this place a second chance and our previous visit may have been an off night. Was greeted by the surly owner, who was very rude to the people in front of us checking in. That guy needs to learn about the hospitality business, or should remove himself from the equation completely. Again the food seemed to take an eternity. Humus took about thirty minutes to get to the table, drinks even longer. Show was great but thats all on the artist had nothing to do with the restaurant/venue. Really don't seem this place lasting very much longer. Which is a pity as the music artist that play there are great. I now know why every time I walk past this place, the restaurant and bar are a complete ghost town. Final thoughts- Bar is only wine and beer, with not that good of a selection in either area. Many other bars in town have a larger and much better selection of great craft brews. Menu has a nice verity of selections and seems delicious, though the time in which it takes to get to the table, well I should say bring a book. Owner is rude and incompetent, you would think if someone owned a business they would do anything for it to thrive. Not that guy! Will not be coming back and I would never recommend this place to any friends as a destination for a good time out. Maybe they will close down and someone competent enough to make this place what it could be will take over. One can only wish! read more

Went here to see Victor Wooten perform. It was amazing! The inside is spacious and dimly lit. The food/wine/beer is all delicious (especially their burgers). The sound from the artists is perfect. It isn't to loud, soft or overwhelming. The wait staff is also very attentive and friendly. Overall, this is a wonderful jazz cafe and i hope to be returning soon! read more

While the Towne Crier doesn't have an extensive menu, everything I've tried is beyond excellent! I've gone back several times trying something new and every time it's been amazing. Note of warning, beware of the chocolate cake, it's addictive. They also book quality name bands, several levels higher than you would get anywhere outside of NYC. More than a great restaurant, it's a really cool place to hang out. read more

my husband and 2 friends came up form LI on Saturday night 1/4/15 to see Red Molly. we had looked at the reviews on line for dinner. Recent reviews were not great, but we decided to go anyway. Well the service and dinner were very good. Our waiter was very attentive and took good care of us. We decided before we left, we were going to write our review. Well the next morning i realized a left a small black purse on the back of my chair. We went back to the Cafe Sunday morning, and sure enough they had my purse fully intact. We highly recommend this venue for good food, good service, good music and high integrity!!!!!! -- read more

If you're looking for a welcoming, fun atmosphere to go see quality musicians play with quality live sound, go to The Falcon in Marlboro. The owner of the Towne Crier spills arrogance from his mouth and it seeps from his skin and fills the entire establishment. The service was poor and although the food was good, it was nothing exceptional and certainly not worth what it cost (or worth waiting an hour plus for). The sound person knows what they're doing, as the bands sounded great out in the room, but I struggled to enjoy anything else about this place. read more

Ate at the Towne Crier last night. Loved the entrees & dessert, and the atmosphere. Our waiter was a sweetie but they need more staff, long wait for food and drink. read more

Went there for Sunday brunch, while strolling through the very interesting area. Our meals were decent, but too bad we waited 40 minutes for our food to arrive, even though the place was almost empty. Our waiter ignored the long wait and never asked how we were doing. It was nice to have entertainment, but unfortunately, it was so loud we couldn't have a conversation and my ears actually hurt. We loved Beacon, but would not recommend eating here unless you have several hours to hang out. read more

A-ok, BUT... We have loved the atmosphere of Towne Crier for decades... sorry Phill lost his location in Pawling, we do love the new location. Great sound in the room, still a nice intimate setting. Still fantastical desserts! Glad there is beer & wine (no hard liqueur at the new place). BUT... Phil, get a grip! Grumpy and not giving a 'hoot' about customers will go over for but so long. Pay a host/hostess to seat if you're not happy about greeting your clientele! And for goodness sake, don't reprimand the wait staff or other guests for that matter! nobody needs to have that on an evening out. I have mixed feelings about eating here or elsewhere. There are so many terrific eateries in town, but is is convenient to have a bite with an event (food is ok). read more

Went for lunch, the brunch menu was limited but the food was quite good! The place is spotless and the service attentive. I will be back!

Lamb burger was served with ketchup (really?) and was seasoned with way too much pepper. Worst lamb burger I've ever had. I think I had one on our first visit a couple of months ago that wasn't over peppered. My wife had scampi "cioppino" over rice. She liked it okay, but it didn't really resemble cioppino. read more

Came in Sunday and was sat in a section that didn't even have a server on yet. About 10 min later our server walked in and took our order, there was only 2 servers in the entire restaurant with indoor and outdoor seats. That is beyond ridiculous. There were numerous tables sitting waiting for over 10 min to be greeted. It's a busy holiday weekend, you'd think after being open this long you'd have ample staff. The owners were just walking around not helping. My steak was good my moms shasuka egg dish was ok but tasted like it had 2 different sauces. Never got out side of hot sauce, had to ask the owner and she was helpful. waiter never stopped by to see how our food was, then I could've told him my moms latte was terrible. If we do come back it definitely won't be during a dinner/lunch rush. Have had the lamb here and it was really good. I just wish the owners would care enough to put on enough help, it was not my waiters fault. read more

I was not a fan of the mediocre food/menu at the Pawling location, but when there was a long wait at every other restaurant in Beacon I thought that I would give The Towne Crier another try. I wish I would have waited 2 hours for the table at Kitchen Sink instead! The Towne Crier had a nice paintings of Pete Seeger and Elvis and this is the only nice thing about it as far as I can tell. We did not go for a concert, I'm only reviewing the restaurant. The decor screams middle american steak house, totally generic. The menu is boring and weird, what the heck is a cheeseburger egg roll? There were no specials. We ordered appetizers which were horrible. The $12 wings consisted of 6 wings with a costco type sauce. The fig and pig flatbread pizza was tiny and unremarkable. The babaganoush was watery and came with supermarket whole wheat STALE pitas, yuck. The service was super slow, it appeared that a child was our waiter and he stayed in the back the whole time, we got water when we first sat down and that was it. Our entrees were wicked expensive for what we got. My $20 burger was not nearly as good as the $8.50 burger at the Yankee Clipper Diner. I was annoyed that I paid $2 for 1 slice of cheese and $3 for 2 pieces of bacon to be added to the preformed in a factory beef patty, I also was not a fan of the stale bun. No one in our party was happy with their meal. The food also came out sporadically so that some of us were nearly finished while others were being served. Dessert took so long to be delivered that we assumed that the waiter forgot, but after a good 15 minutes one appeared and 10 minutes later the other showed up! It is obvious by the empty dining room, on a night when every other restaurant is packed, that other people do not appreciate the poor service and crappy food. Perhaps some changes need to be made like a better trained staff, new menu, better food quality.....just sayin'! I was furious that they added gratuity, yes we were a party of 6, but I see no reason to be forced to tip for the piss poor service we received. Our meal was wicked expensive and no one left happy. We will not be returning and it is impossible for me to recommend this restaurant to other people. With so many great choices in Beacon I never have to return to the Towne Crier! I hate to see businesses fail, I urge the owners/managers to read your yelp reviews and bite the bullet and make the necessary corrections. read more

Went to. Iris Dement concert. Sound was horrible. Service was poor. Disappointed that they didn't fix the problem after multiple complaints. We came with a group of 6. Dessert was not good. read more

My wife and I enjoyed dinner and a show recently and I wanted to share our experience. We were greeted just inside the entrance by both a very friendly young lady and a very impressive display of desserts. We met the owner Phil at the entrance to the performance/ inner dining area. The place just has a very comfortable feel,original artwork and wooden sculptures on the walls. Our waiter came right over to introduce himself, very polite, knew the menu, and the wine list quite well. Had a bottle of Chilean red that was outstanding, shared hummus appetizer-homemade drizzled with olive oil, tomatoes, red onion,and several Turkish olives with whole wheat pita bread. I had town crier chicken, big portion served over couscous with cherry peppers off to the side, it tasted even better than it looked. Wife had lamb burger that she enjoyed. Make sure to have dessert, we split a hazelnut something one of the best desserts I've ever had. A very enjoyable experience. We visited the town crier when it was in Pawling and the food and service have been taken to q very high level at their new location in Beacon. A great meal in very comfortable surroundings and talented musicians performing live is my idea of an ideal night out. We will be making regular trips to Beacon from now on. Check this place out hope you enjoy it as much as I did. read more

If you like live performance in an intimate space with great acoustics, the Towne Crier should be on your "must see" list. The mix of artists varies across the musical spectrum, but always with an eye to soulful, honest and talented musicians. I've seen a dozen acts there in the past year and was always entertained beyond my expectations. And, oh yes, did I mention they serve wine and craft beers with an ambitious menu offering everything from pub food to serious plates? The service can be tedious when it gets crowded, but they try hard and it's certainly better than what you get in most packed NYC showcase clubs. Go for the music, stay for the food and enjoy the "better than average" wine selections. read more

I've heard so much about this place I was excited to go. I researched the reviews and the menu and the music. We opted for dinner because the music was not what we wanted to hear. Since we found a parking space in the back ( Saturday night) we entered through the rear door which is closest to the music seating area. I went to "take a peak" and was told firmly to stay put. When he finished with the two customers regarding tickets we were escorted to the dinner dining room. It was dark and almost empty. Only one couple seated and they were almost finished. Our waitress, vicki, though nice was not very good. She wanted to bring the appetizers, soup and dinner out all at once. She forgot my arugula and fennel salad, brought out a gran marnier cheesecake when I only asked for a gran marnier. Her excuse was that they don't have a liquor license. This was fine however I didn't ask for cheesecake. My babaganush had too much tahini in it. Since my husband is Turkish we mentioned this to the waitress Vicki who told the chef. Chef put his hands up and said,"I've been told that before." we'll if you've heard it before from different patrons, then maybe you should listen. We were charged for the salad I never received and the cake I never asked for. All in all a great disappointment in food and service especially since we were the only people there after the other couple left. I would not return. There are much better places far better food and fantastic service. It's definitely not what people say it is. read more

The response by Phil is inaccurate. The facility turned away a 2 year old who needed to use a restroom and then then had an accident. We obviously will never visit your establishment and will ensure friends, family, and those who read this review know how rude and unaccommodating you were. read more

Went mostly to see a musician playing there. The entertainment was great, but the service was pretty awful. Waited 1 hr and 20 minutes for our food to come out. My order was a cheeseburger(that was somewhat burned) and fries . My wife had a salad and chicken wings. Well over an hour for that? Thats crazy. My wife ordered a couple of glasses of wine that came not even close to being full. I wish I could rate separately for the entertainment vs the food - the entertainment was 5 stars - the restaurant was awful. My recommendation is that if you want to see a show there, eat elsewhere and make a table reservation for showtime read more

I just enjoyed a great evening of outstanding live music with a brand new sound stage to rival some of the best small venues. The all New Town Crier Cafe under the same ownership of many years in Pawling has found a great new home in Beacon. The place is beautiful from the moment you walk in to the private back area where the live acts find an acoustically sound space to deliver their message. Great food is also offered and don't think that you need to stop somewhere before arriving to get a great meal. This is not a 5 star restaurant, but a very good Four. The staff was very very helpful and always checking glasses and plates to make the evening great. I look forward to returning for an evening with Leo Kotke in just a few weeks. Great job Phil! read more

I visited the Town Crier last night and was so glad I did. The "act" was the "Brothers of the Road" all Allman Brothers tunes. The sound was amazing! They got it down! The venue was excellent from space - food - service. Nice menu - I chose The Hunter's chicken with root vegetables which was simply sublime. Desserts are to die for too. Nice large stage so you'll be able to see perfectly wherever your seated. If your looking for a nice night out w/o the hassle of traveling to the city - this is it. read more

The food was wonderful. The music venue is excellent; all the seats are close to the stage with great views. All the servers were friendly and efficient. read more

Went for a show, bought tickets online & paid a $3 surcharge per ticket & then not one person asked to see the tickets. So why did I have to buy them? Walked right i,n so I resent the surcharge. Someone said "here for the show?" "Go on it." Food: Black bean soup was quite good, flatbread was tasteless & overdone and I'm not a fan of whole wheat. Burger wasn't too bad & desserts were great. Nice selection of beers, bottled & on tap. I know Beacon is trendy & trendy is well, trendy, but Brussel Sprouts as an appetizer, figs? Again, a personal choice, I like basic food, not trendy food. Service: I always observe the waitstaff. A few were quite good & attentive but overall I'd say they need more of a presence in the dining room. I had to practically stand & wave my napkin. They'd zip through into the back door never to emerge, but then be visible (if you had the right seat!) through a little window in a front door. Nifty trick! And lastly, take this as you will. Walked in at 7:00pm restaurant was empty. Went out to car at 9:15pm restaurant was empty. Left at 11:30pm restaurant was empty. I don't mean few people I mean no people. read more

Very nice venue. If you've ever watched those small venue concerts on t.v. and wished you could experience that, then this is the place to go. The food is very good too. Good music, nice venue ... nice way to spend the evening. And the guy that owns the place is friendly and grateful for his customers. read more

Great venue for music! That would've gotten 5 stars but the service was not good. The bartenders looked like it was all of their first nights. Chaos!!! The checking in process for the show itself was unorganized and slow. The place has great potential but they need to get it together read more

overpriced for selections. understaffed. 5 people for brunch, no alcohol or even coffee,only water with lemon. none of our orders came out as ordered.{really? eggs all wrong?} 142.oo 170. with tip. dont bother. oh yes and extra for toast, which came after we had finished eating. read more

Admittedly it's been a while since I've been to the Towne Crier (last time I visited it they were still located in Pawling NY). What holds true for both the former location and now the new and improved Beacon location is the spirit of great entertainment and good food. I was there mid March for a Celtic celebration (Lunasa was playing) and both the crowd and the staff were in good form. I'd say that the menu is an eclectic elite pub grub - which entirely suits the overall atmosphere. The musical offerings are varied and as good as anything you'll find in NYC! read more