The Red Lion Inn

The Red Lion Inn reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. C

   Christopher

   New York City4 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The Red Lion Inn is dowdy and unimproved in all the best ways. I hadn't been there in decades, and feared it might have been redecorated in faux-country, and the menu updated to faux-sophistication. Not at all! It's the same charming, slightly frumpy décor I remember: overstuffed chairs and shelves of antique teapots. And most of the menu is late-70s vintage and none the worse for that. Burgers! Wedge lettuce salad! New England Clam Chowder! Chicken Pot Pie! (All very good.) There are a few bows toward current fashion: a grain bowl here, an Artisan Greens Salad there. But the general ambience takes you (happily) to an earlier moment. Nice white napery, and (best of all) NO PUMPED IN MUSIC. A table of five had a real conversation with no shouting. Service is friendly and skilled. I'll be back more often.
   

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2. P

   Patricia

   New York City7 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   It's been two years since my first visit when I had the shrimp bucatini and the return visit did not disappoint! Everything was delicious, including the wine recommendation from our server! Will always stop for a meal whenever I'm in the Berkshires!
   

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3. J

   Joshua

   New York City3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I finally had a chance to eat at a place that I have always looked at with admiration and I was definitely not disappointed. My wife and I celebrated our first anniversary and I decided this was the perfect time to eat at the red lion Inn. The inside of the facility is absolutely beautiful, and period correct with much of its original charm. The restaurant staff went out of their way to make us feel special. They brought out champagne for us, congratulating us on our first anniversary. We ordered lamb and filet mignon, and the meals were perfectly executed. They also surprised us at the end with a candle in chocolate mousse and a chocolate coated toffee wafer. We simply cannot wait to go back!
   

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4. D

   Dean

   New York City10 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   This is consistently very good. It's a nice setting in a historic inn. Some of the menu prices seem a bit high, but the food is always very good.
   

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5. D

   Dave

   Southwest Florida4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on May 19, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Our waiter, Godfrey, was attentive, professional and exteremly competent. We had the lamb special and the food was wonderful.
   

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6. C

   Constance VIP

   Greater Boston26 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on May 18, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   The best part of going to the Red Lion is the history and charm of the place. It takes you back in time. We ate a light lunch in the tavern. We were greeted and served promptly. The soup of the day, lobster corn chowder was excellent. A wedge salad was shared, which was just the right amount. Crispy onions, blue cheese crumbles with goddess dressing made it a bit different from the usual.
   

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7. D

   Dr . Joelle VIP

   Connecticut3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on May 17, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   What a lovely and delicious meal! The ambience, staff, and food were all outstanding! What a treat
   

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8. S

   Scott

   Greater Boston4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on May 17, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent dinner and service. A+ Also the breakfast was very good we were pleasantly surprised how great the dining experience was compared with 10 years ago.
   

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9. A

   Ann

   Massachusetts1 review

   5.0

   Dined on May 15, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Relaxing yet historic setting, delicious cuisine with attentive service. Really wonderful experience all around.
   

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10. R

    Richard

    Greater Boston9 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 12, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4

    We dine at the Red Lion Inn to celebrate special occasions. This time the experience was good but not great as it usually is. The service was missing "the little things". The table lamps are a nice touch but ours was dim. I suspect the battery is low. I tried all the switch settings but I saw someone at another table take it on himself to switch his dim lamp with a fresh one at an unoccupied table. Lamps at other tables didn't seem to be on at all. Someone should keep on top of that. It looks odd if some of the lamps aren't working the same. Our server took a long time, especially with dessert, and did not seem as attentive as we are used to from the Red Lion Inn. We needed a water refill and many times he passed by our table without checking. We saw other servers go to other tables proactively with water pitchers and we have had this done for us on previous visits. On a less personal note, I heard people at two different tables react to the restrictiveness of the menu and at least one person at each of these tables ended up ordering from the tavern menu, which has much more approachable options. We might well have done so ourselves as none of the first courses appealed to us. I might have needed it if the special hadn't appealed to me as a main course. The issue is that people don't know that this option is available. The only reason I knew it was available was because on a previous visit I asked the host/hostess when I noticed the turkey dinner was absent from the menu for the first time. I would suggest a single line on the dining room menu (and on the online menu on the web site) that says something like: "The tavern menu is also available in the dining room; please ask your server if interested." Having that option clearly present would make it feel less like the customer is asking for something special.
    

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