We come here a few times a year for special occasions. The service is always wonderful and the food is quite good. It is a very relaxing atmosphere and good for family dining as well. read more

Great for family events - - - - - - - - November, 2025 Visit We were in town for a family baby shower and the event was hosted at the William Penn Inn - how nice! For this event, we were in the Carriage Room and the many tables of ladies were graced with the tables of the brothers and uncles. The Penn Inn team hosted us well - open bar, fantastic beef and chicken for lunch; a great time with the baby shower itself. Plenty of room to move about and socialize - nice. And they have been doing this - providing wonderful events hosting and service and more - for well over 300 yards... may it last at least another 300! ----- ----- ----- read more

When we went there in March neither their food or service was as good as it was during previous visits, though still at a premium price. Ambience was unchanged - reminiscent of a colonial pub. read more

William Penn Inn is a tremendous landmark Inn and restaurant serving traditional American cuisine since the 1700s. We were here for our annual Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family. Their waitstaff does a great job handling the large turn-out of patrons every year. The food is quite good. We each had many choices besides turkey to enjoy. Wishing you and yours a blessed healthy happy Thanksgiving! Thank you! read more

See all

We had a wonderful time at the William Penn Inn. This is an establishment that has been around for a very long time. Many of our parents would visit this restaurant on anniversaries and if we were lucky they would bring us along for special occasions. Years later I can see what all the fuss is about. The bartender made my boulevardier just the way I like it. Our server was on point all night. Everything was delicious from my lobster schnitzel to the seasonal bread pudding. Still as exceptional as I remembered, I'll be back again soon. read more

See all

I've been to several banquets here. In my experience, banquet food always suffers compared to individually prepared meals. I was pleasantly surprised every time as the food was well prepared. Service was good. The facility has a huge parking lot and a gift shop where you can buy a loaf of their fabulous zucchini bread. read more

This has been and still is best traditional brunch spot. I always know what to expect and they al we always deliver. White tablecloths, soft music , medium energy and courteous staff. The mimosas were delicious, French toast station was the best! Gnocchi, omlets, shrimp cocktails and salad were so good. read more

Excellent dinner at this historic location. We had seen this spot several times as all the trees surrounding the restaurant is always fully lit up with small bright lights. Finally got a chance to visit, as we were hosting friends who were visiting from out of town. This restaurant has been in service for over 300 years. We made reservations at the Monet room. Room has rich wood finish with lots of wall paintings Our server was nice. Got the soup of the day ( chicken), seafood and tiramisu. As a group, we also got crab dip, which was delicious They have two banquet halls for private parties. The parking lot is huge, so there is no issue with finding parking spots. Pricey place, but worth a visit for special occasions read more

See all

Breakfast buffet was excellent. Food was excellent quality and the service was top notch. Brian was very attentive, personable and efficient. We will definitely be back just for his conversation. Thank you! We are looking forward to bringing back family! read more

I have dined at the William Penn Inn on several occasions over the past few years; and, interestingly enough, each has been characterized by some quirky little incident that sticks out in my memory like the proverbial sore thumb. On one occasion, for example, I attended a private celebration for a friend's son who had just graduated from law school. Once all the guests had been seated, along comes a young woman to take our beverage orders. When asked what I would like to drink, I responded: "A glass of pinot noir, please." A blank stare... "What's that?" Needless to say, I don't think it's too far-fetched to expect that someone employed as a server at an upscale restaurant like the William Penn Inn have at least a nodding acquaintance with wines. Not that he/she needs to be an expert, but they should, at the very least, be familiar with the types of wines the restaurant has available. This is obviously the fault of management for improperly training its employees. During another visit, our group of three couples decided to enjoy a cocktail at the bar before being seated at table. The bartender was a mature woman who was - to put the matter as delicately as possible - downright rude. She never cracked a smile, never uttered a greeting, she just stood in front of us and barked out a "Yes?" I mean, it was like we were intruding into her private space. There was no one else at the bar at the time, so she certainly wasn't overwhelmed by other responsibilities. Her attitude was just so caustic, so downright nasty - and for no apparent reason - that we simply looked at each other and then quietly got up and left. Certainly not the most pleasant way to begin an evening. On my most recent sojourn, the question of accessibility became something of an issue. Our party of five checked in at the main hostess desk. From there we were shuffled off to another hostess desk, where we were informed that we were to dine in the upstairs dining area. And while no one in our party was handicapped, two members did have some difficulty with stairs. Could we possibly be seated on this floor, we inquired. Hemming and hawing... and they would have to check... No, sorry, not in the main dining room, we are very busy this evening, but we could seat you in the tavern... And we were promptly shuffled off to a third hostess desk at the tavern, where we were finally allowed to be seated. Get the picture? Shuffle is the definitive key word here. An individual restaurant is certainly well aware of its own spatial idiosyncrasies, and the possible difficulties these may pose for potential diners. In the case of the William Penn Inn, the downer is an extremely steep stairway leading to a second-floor dining room. Therefore, if there is the possibility that patrons may be consigned to this area, the matter of accessibility should immediately come into play, and it should be initiated by the restaurant itself. This means at the moment of reservation (whether by phone, in person, or online), so that diners will not be treated to the indignity of a game of musical chairs, as we were, at the time of arrival. As luck would have it, however, the gentleman we encountered at the tavern managed to secure our party a cozy corner in what I consider the coziest room in the house. Our excellent server was also an added plus. And that leaves the cuisine... which, in my opinion, has always been eminently forgettable. But on this occasion, unfortunately, it was very nearly beneath contempt. Starters like the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and East Coast Oysters received pretty good marks. The Petite Caesar Salad less so. The real disappointment, however, arrived with the entrées. Those that ordered various renditions of beef seemed to fare the best. On the other hand, the Maryland Crabcake lacked flavor; and Penn's Seafood Plate - baked crab imperial, filet of Atlantic salmon, three shrimp scampi, baked potato, sautéed garlic spinach - was the bland-leading-the-bland, the chief culprit being the significantly less than exciting overcooked salmon. Bad enough, to be sure... but my Sautéed Calves' Liver was nothing short of horrible. Drowned beneath a viscous sea of what tasted like the saucier's revenge, the liver itself was a minefield of tough, barely cuttable fibers and was, therefore, disgustingly chewy... a sure sign of overcooking. Simply inedible. Our server was very accommodating and immediately asked if I would like to order something else. I opted for the Chicken Marsala, which, as it turned out, wasn't much of an improvement over the liver, as it, too, was drowned in sauce and also rather tough and overcooked. The evening was not a total loss, however, as the one redeeming gastronomic feature was the extraordinarily delicious Peanut Butter Mousse Pie. read more

See all

This is my mama's favorite restaurant and we took her for her birthday. It is truly classy and the food is delish. They offer a prefix menu as well, which has a lot of the menu favorites. The attire is casual to dressy, no jeans or sweatshirt type attire. The service is excellent and professional. The ambiance is high class. Definitely a great place for special occasions. I recommend this place and prices are reasonable. read more

See all

Had my mother's 85th birthday celebration at the William Penn Inn. Was truly amazed from the very beginning to the actual day how attentive everyone was to make her celebration a success. The Carriage Room is a great space, food was on point and the staff went above and beyond to accomodate our needs. Will certainly host another event at the William Penn Inn. read more

Girl night out dinner with friends. Food is delicious and the service is great. Will definately go back for the prefix menu. read more

William Penn Inn - Seafood special - New American Near Me - Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

See all

Hubs and I attended a friend's wedding fairly recently. It is a shame that I am just now getting to try the historical restaurant. I gobbled up all the hors d'oeuvres served during cocktail hour. The bartender graciously made me a stiff espresso martini although it was not part of the drink menu. The main course I had was the short ribs w/ mash and asparagus. I cleaned my plate, it was so good. The staff were exceptional. read more

William Penn Inn - Short ribs - New American Near Me - Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

We went with 9 family members on Sunday 12/28 @ 1:30. The food was good for a buffet. The cooks at the omelette and other stations were nice. Ryliee was fantastic. She was super sweet, friendly, and professional!! Sadly her partner was not. She was curt. It felt like we were a big enough group that the tip was decided and she knew it. Ryliee keep up the great work. You are the reason I'd come back. read more

Historic restaurant over 300 years offering fine dining and a great experience. Our first time here for a special occasion that ending up being a memorable dinner. Our waiter was professional, patient and knowledgeable of the menu. He had his hands full as we were a table of 8 that were all over the place in conversation. The menu offered a varied number of choices from seafood to steaks. The salmon I ordered was perfectly cooked and the presentation was perfect. Everything on the plate worked together and was delicious. Definitely and experience we hope we can enjoy again. read more

See all

Beautiful venues especially the Christmas decorations. When our group was seated, my chair was cracked next to my right thigh. It pinched my leg and a replacement chair was never brought. My fiancé had a cold baked potato, discovered after she cut it open and applied butter. They reheated it and returned it, still cold. We felt a fresh potato was in order. Portions were expensive as expected, but small. Soups were over salted and lacked flavor. Overall, a big disappointment! read more

Talk about fine dining! William Penn Inn you did not disappoint! Everything tasted so good. I was thoroughly impressed with my crabcake dish. The mashed potatoes were so creamy and you can tell that they piped the mashed potatoes on the plate like it was icing. It was THAT creamy! The way that the mashed potatoes melted in your mouth was perfection. And I can't even begin to go in on the rest of the plate. Each part of the meal we had was so good! The lobster bisque was so so so tasty! I will say there were a few things that weren't really my jam. The escargot was not my favorite and the assorted breads that they provided at the table were good but some of them threw me off a little bit. I was expecting savory bread. But they added I n some sweet bread like banana bread in the assorted bread basket. The bread was good but it felt odd having sweet bread so early in the dinner. There's still other rolls in the breadbasket and the nice thing is they can customize the basket to exclude items you're uninterested in--ask and you shall receive. Overall I had a great experience and I would come back again. This is a very popular place for birthdays and while we were there, there were so many people around us who were celebrating birthdays. I would recommend this place as somewhere to go if you have a celebration. If you go after the buffet rush, it will be a little bit more relaxed They have seating upstairs and downstairs. But when it's not too busy, they only open the downstairs seating. I haven't been upstairs, but I heard that seating area is a vibe! read more

See all

Angela was a wonderful server . She really was so attentive, and really took care of us. Such a wonderful recommendations.. We ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the crab cake . Pumpkin cheesecake for dessert . Everything was fresh and flavorful and very, very delicious . Being in such a historic place was also so delightful. We had a nice time looking at all the hard work and seeing the different rooms. . What a treat to have the slice of history here in Bucks County . Such a wonderful evening read more

See all

My graced me with an outing at my favorite restaurant, William Penn Inn. It was "Amazing ". The food was delicious. We were seated in a very quiet area and waiter was the best. I can never complain about the excellence of this place. The ambiance is incredible. read more

See all

The food is expensive but has good flavor. The restaurant has nice and very experienced servers who can assist you. The pasta is quite expensive for the portioning sizes however the taste is good, shrimp was slightly undercooked, and the plating is nice. The bread at the restaurant is good. I think based on the atmosphere, you are sitting in a historical building made from a long time ago. But inside feels large and nice, very spacious in some areas. It also has a hotel connected, I believe it's small so I didn't try it. read more

See all

We had dinner there last evening for our daughter's birthday. it's an impressive place with interesting history and was comfortable. Our server was great and did an excellent job. The food was awful. The quality of the beef was poor, tough and overcooked, everything around it was poor as well. Our meal was mediocre at best and our bill including tip was about $420. Avoid this place like the plaque. There are a lot of really great places out there in this price range. We had hoped this was one of them. It clearly is not. read more

Service was AWFUL, took over 30 minutes to get 1 drink on the rocks, 1 beer and a special of the day drink. Some of the entrees were ok but several were straight from a Food Vendors supply Company. We have eaten at William Penn numerous time and it's been great but clearly it has fallen off of that path. The management team was totalyl Non responsive, called twice, left messages both times but no call back, the third time someone called me back 4 days after I left my message. And it was very clear from that length of time and the message she left me, "Please call me back to discuss your "experience with us"....really clearly the message was "we don't care what happen and your displeasure" but thank you for spending $1500. for your dinner. read more

We have been so often for dinners, brunch and the special events of murder mystery shows. It is a staple for the holiday season. Years ago we met the a gentleman who was a master at telling stories about the history of the restaurant. The elegance of the the dining rooms and hospitality is never compromised. read more

This is an interesting place, it's been at the location for over 300 years ! We were a party of 11, 6 adults and 5 children, and visited for Sunday brunch. There were a great array of choices, all quality foods. Breakfast, salads, seafood and carved meats as well as a dessert table. They definitely made most items in house, it wasn't your frozen warmed up items which was nice to see. While I've been to other buffets with more choices we did not leave hungry!! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, I believe his name was Rudolph but I do forget, however he was outstanding!! The restaurant also hosts events and weddings and has a hotel attached so the decor is a little typical of that but nice done. read more

They have a class system for their patrons and they allow rich children to run rampant...I received a call from Rachel the Director of Operations who informed me the maître d', who was a young man in his early 20's, was provided coaching but they did admit that the situation occurred and they were not able to get it under control and instructed him on what he could do next time. That doesn't save a ruined birthday dinner for an 80 year old - let me say that again, an 80 year old. They offered us NOTHING. Not a free drink, app, no offer to refund a portion of our meal. This call from the restaurant added insult to injury. I was essentially informed that the father of the party blew off their request to keep the children from running wild. So be warned. If The William Penn Inn staff feels someone else is more well off than you are, or they know the people are well off, they will allow them to do whatever they want. Sounds VERY familiar. Even though my money spends the same and we chose the restaurant due to its reputation. It's definitely a class issue with them, confirmed by the phone call I received, and I'm appalled by their behavior. Rachel even had the audacity to suggest they could have moved OUR table. Why not move THEIR table since their children were ruining the experience and we weren't doing anything to anyone. I'm not sure why they called to tell me that yes, we admit this all happened but nothing we could do because they were rich and celebrating their five year olds birthday at an upscale dining establishment. This NOT fine dining any longer. Original Post: Very disappointed. Food was good but not at the level I expected. Our server was great. They post a dress code everywhere inside the restaurant yet allowed three small children to run circles around our table in the main dining room, continuously running in and out of the dining room and could be heard shrieking from the hall on several occasions. The parents went back and forth past our table what felt like 100 times chasing them. It was a very stressful, not at all relaxing, yet extremely expensive meal. Not one single person at this so-called upscale fine dining establishment said one single word. We were celebrating an 80th birthday and I was so upset. No one in our party will ever return. We will celebrate our milestones at the Joseph Ambler Inn. Do not recommend. They run their main dining room like it's McDonald's and despite their dress code, allowed JEANS. The atmosphere does not match the price tag. Go elsewhere. read more

We received a gift card for Christmas, and since we live in Arizona, we needed to use it quickly. To my surprise, they had a reservation available the day after Christmas, for lunch. The Christmas decor was as beautiful as I remembered, and the food and the service were impeccable. I had chicken marsala and the sauce was delish and the zucchini bread was extra special. They sent me home with enough extra bread to last a few days. This lunch made my, already busy Christmas celebrations, extra special. read more

My husband and I went for their Valentine's Day buffet. Every single thing was amazing. Even the salad and fruit were extremely fresh and tasty. Our waiter was very attentive and helped answer various questions since it was our first time. My only disappointment was the temperature. We were back in the corner by the back door and I could feel the cold draft from the outside down my neck. I ended up putting my coat on to finish our meal. We have wanted to visit this restaurant for many years and are so happy we finally did. We'll definitely be returning. Maybe in the warmer weather so I can avoid being cold. read more

William Penn Inn - View from side parking lot. - New American Near Me - Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

Ordered the Crab cake and they were burnt on the bottom and top. Inside was dry with no seasoning. Potatoes were bland. Snapper soup was good. Desert was tasty. Probably should have gotten a meat dish. read more

My review is only for the Sunday Brunch Buffet. We have been there twice, and it is excellent. Lots of good food, attentive service, and I feel it is appropriately priced ($38 per person). There are not too many Sunday Brunch places around anymore, and we have to drive 45-50 minutes for this place. It's a real "throwback" kind of place, where there is actually a bit of a dress code! They prefer at least "business casual." I don't know if they would throw someone out if they came in wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but the dress code does contribute to a more elegant atmosphere. Their regular lunch and dinner menus are pretty expensive, but we may try their dinner sometime going with their prix fixe dinner. If not, I'm sure we'll be back for Sunday Brunch again in the near future. read more

William Penn Inn - Some of their buffet options. They will also make you omelettes, as well as Eggs Benedict. - New American Near Me - Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

The service was excellent and the food was excellent too and the people are excellent too

I have visited William Penn Inn many times over the years. But it has been some time since my last meal there, until last Friday. I was sadly disappointed with the food. The server was the best part of the experience. She was kind, attentive and doing her best to battle what was obviously an issue in the back of the house. I ordered the Burrata caprese salad and the cauliflower steak entree. The tomato on the salad was only one paper thin slice and it was surrounded by dry crushed breadcrumbs. It took 1 hour to revive e our salad course after ordering. My cauliflower on the entree was cold when it got to me and the plate was so hot you couldn't touch it, meaning it likely sat under heat lamps for a long time. We waited 45 minutes after finishing our salads to receive our entree. The black lentil cassoulet I was expecting was merely boiled lentils with spinach mixed in. The carrots were not glazed at all as it stated on the menu, in fact they appeared to have been cooked in the microwave, they were also cold. It's a shame I wasted $100 and my birthday there. Certainly won't be going back read more

It was great. They have brunch sat and sun in December. Food and service was great. We celebrated my birthday and I got 30% off.

What happened to fine dining. Dec 9th party of 6 in the Monet room for lunch. The waitress was abrupt. What do you want to drink. When meal came the Hot bacon dressing for the spinach salad was ice cold. The chicken pot pie had hardly any chicken in it. Then to top it off she handed us 6 cardboard boxes for left overs that did not seal. You could not move to put thm in the box. When got home all were wet. This is due to management training. On the good side. Dec 3rd and 12the We had lunch in the Lounge. What an honor to ham KIM FOR OUR WAITRESS. She had a smile from beginning to end. She ran the whole lounge with grace. At the end she took our leftovers, and she placed them in sealed plastic containers and bag. It was such a pleasure She is Gold. Thant is what Fine Dining is about. anne Vogt read more

Had a very enjoyable Easter brunch here with the family. Plenty of incredible tasting food. Will definitely return to have the brunch again.

If you want to have a good quality brunch, I definitely recommend this place. It has upscale atmosphere, great service, lots of selection. I recommend making reservations. Upon entering, go to your right. The hostess were very friendly and we weren't directly taken to our seats. Our waitresses stopped by right away to take our drinks orders. We were seated near the cold food station, which served salad, fruit, burrata, lox, cocktail shrimps, oysters. Next to it you would find bread and bagels with toaster. As you are heading to the main dining area you would find dessert stations. The dessert size is small, beautifully presented, very enticing. The main dining area is for large groups. The main dish is at the center of the room. You can find carving station and waffle station, brioche French toast, toppings, tater totes, chicken tenders, shrimp tacos on the right. On the left, you can order your omelette, eggs Benedict and huevos rancheros. The main buffet station offered scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beef burgundy, potato and peppers, roasted potatoes, corn, sour and sweet chicken, edamame dumplings, blintzes, rice, tortellini Alfredo, shrimp scampi. Blintzes are filled with fresh cheese served with cherry topping. Brioche French toast : soft bread, I topped it with banana foster. Customized omelette is perfectly cooked. The huevos rancheros was made to order, the guacamole was fresh, the poached eggs were already cooked, served in a hard tortilla cup. Very delicious. Roast beef was medium well but very tender. Beef burgundy is very tender too, I could cut it with my fork. Items that you can skip: sweet and sour chicken, shrimp tacos, edamame dumplings. They were mediocre. Salad was fresh with several topping options. Burrata was also fresh. Dessert: lemon tart was very sour. The eclair had creamy custard, I enjoyed the strawberry covered chocolate. I enjoyed all of the food. My only input for this place is the bathroom. It's very clean and has three stalls which are well covered with large doors. However, there's no indicator whether they are vacant or occupied. I felt uncomfortable knocking on each door to find out. read more

See all

This review is for Sunday brunch buffet and it is the best in the area. I haven't been to one in suburban area that had the variety and elevated items such as raw oysters that this buffet provided. I will go section by section: Salads/seafood: 10/10. The salads were amazing strawberry pecan and Caesar were a real highlight. The chicken salad and artichoke salad would also eat a whole plate of. Pasta salad was solid but nothing special. Shrimp was okay...small but hit the spot. Raw oysters were delicious. Egg/meat/waffle station: 10/10....flake steak was delicious as was the horseradish sauce. Delicious light waffles...did not get a made to order omelet Breakfast/lunch station 10/10: so not everything was 10/10 but the variety/uniqueness and overall quality hit it there. First, it had regular sausage AND TURKEY SAUSAGE which I really appreciated. Breakfast potatoes 2 ways, Cheese filled Gnocchi (yes, you read that right and it was delicious), shrimp scampi (good to do a surf and turf feel), chicken tenders, Mac and cheese and beef bourguignon, rice, corn....overall very well executed but the variety was phenomenal. Dessert: unqualified 8/10. I only ate the creme brulee which was good. Cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants were liked by the table but not "loved." My husband LOVED his Bloody Mary and gave it 10/10. I will also say a special shout-out to management. They were clearing tables and I didn't look up and tried to give a drink re-order and I stopped when I saw it wasn't our waitress and said, "I'm so sorry, I thought you were our waitress" and she was like"no, what did you need?" And not, I'll send your waitress over. I like management who supports their staff just don't "manage" their staff. read more

Having been regulars at the Sunday breakfast buffet, we had high expectations for the Thanksgiving meal. We decided to invite our family from out of state for a table of 12. Salads were wet and mushy, shrimp and oysters were inedible, and the main course Turkey carve was dry, salty, overcooked, and made us question whether it was even turkey. The sides were like something from an senior living home. The desserts were right out of the freezer. Unfortunately its our last time at William Penn Inn...​​ read more

Went to Thanksgiving buffet. Expecting a real Turkey instead it was a Turkey breast that was left over from 1979. So disappointing!!! Hard tasteless meat. The buffet had cheap institutional food. Instead of ketchup bottle on the table they had packets of ketchup. Real classy. Never again. Don't waste your money. read more

Hire a new hostess. Never got a meal, never got a table, even though a reservation was made and confirmed. A woman who we assume is the hostess was rude and condescending, have never been treated so badly at restaurant as we were here. We even tried to reach out to the manager the next day, no satisfaction from that. We have eaten here many times and treated many people to gift certificates. Will never return and will never recommend to anyone. It's also a shame because we always enjoyed our meals here. read more