Probably the best restaurant in the Berkshires. I have to say that my first visit to this place was long overdue - hands down the best meal I've had since I moved to the area. I only had the intention of going in for a drink or two, but it was dinner time and I was hungry, so I needed little persuading to order some food. I decided to go with a pan-seared trout served over red quinoa with a meyer lemon/butter/nut sauce. It was absolutely divine. I typically don't eat the skin on fish, but I devoured every last morsel. When I saw people near me with a cool looking dessert, I knew I had to try that too. It was a sort of deconstructed ice-cream sundae, presented beautifully with all sorts of crunchy and chocolatey bits. Again, this was phenomenal. The bartender tried to talk me into getting their tempura-battered angel food cake (which he said is amazing, and definitely sounded amazing), but I knew I needed chocolate. I also ordered a specialty cocktail that had lime juice, gin, and egg whites. It was fantastic. The bartender perfectly paired my trout with a nice white wine too. Definitely need to check out their sister restaurant, Allium, in Great Barrington. I'm sure that place is also great.
(5)
Michael S.
Chick peas pbj foie gras super wine Great at bourbons
(4)
Frida K.
Simple and elegant space without the pretext of a "fancy" restaurant. Dinner with my sis-in-law, who has a few food allergies, was divine and they were accommodating without losing their integrity. A few of the dishes were on the salty side (Chanterelle mushrooms, fingerling potatoes), but the overall flavor of the food was incredible. I appreciate the chef's attention to keeping the true flavors alive in each dish. Fried Octopus...wish there were a few more pieces than the TWO tentacles. The soft egg was surprisingly light but robust in taste. Dessert was great without being overpowered in sweetness.
(4)
Chris S.
tl;dr Good food; awkward service. --- Reasons why you dine at Mezze: 1. You are visiting Williams and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. 2. You are visiting the Berkshires and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. 3. You are a Williams student and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. My sister is a student at Williams so we stopped here to eat when I visited her back in October. For a place that has a monopoly on fine dining near Williams, I'm surprised at how good the food was, since they literally could serve subpar food, charge exorbitant prices, and still get away with it. Instead, the food was actually pretty good and the prices reasonable (NYC prices but they get a lack of slack because they have to import a lot of the food). We came in a group of 3 so we sampled a fair share of the entrees - my sister got a pasta dish that was less memorable, my girlfriend got a sous vide chicken entree that's reminiscent of a porchetta, and I got the steak frites with chimichurri. We also got a side of the maitake mushrooms that are supposed to be harvested locally. We finished with an almond cake with olive oil gelato. The food was really well prepared. My steak was cooked expertly and the chimichurri complimented the richness of the beef. The wild maitake was really the only disappointment - it was $8 and it wasn't anything out of the ordinary - tastes like maitake that I buy at the supermaket and saute myself. The only downside to the experience is that since my sister is a Williams student, she knew that the servers were also alums/students at Williams. We were served by an extremely awkward recent Williams grad - most of the time he didn't know what to say (or what the dishes tasted like) and when he attempted to make small talk he would make tangential comments that just made it even more awkward. Additionally, he made a big fuss about checking our IDs for drinks (we were all 21+ and he was doing his job, so it's OK), but it really just made the situation even more strained since I had to go back into the car to get my gf's ID, he had to come back to check her ID after checking mine already, and then he cautioned my sister from drinking any of our drinks because she didn't bring her ID. Basically, 4/5 for the food, and though I rarely deduct for service, I think that if Mezze wants to use younger servers they should at least go the distance and train them better if they want to serve a more upper-end clientele. The maitre'd was excellent, however. We will be back! (because this is not Spring Street and the food was fairly good) We'll see how the service is the second time around. ps. We were a bit confused on attire initially, but basically you could pretty much wear whatever you want that's not super casual. The restaurant itself is actually fairly laid-back - so nice casual or semi-dressy would be fine.
(3)
Tom L.
We arrived on Sunday evening without a reservation and were seated at the bar. We were cheerfully greeted by a very pleasant bartender who was very friendly, helpful and attentive. She helped us place an appropriate order for 2 given the small plate options and recommended a wonderful wine. The food was excellent and the service continued to impress throughout our meal. The spicy chick peas and the pork/veal meatballs are highly recommended. The only drawback was a couple who arrived and loudly and repeatedly made sure everyone knew that they worked and or managed the sister restaurant, Allium in Great Barrington. If they are in fact connected with the establishment they should know better than to act as if they are in a corner bar. They were generally loud and annoying. The bottom line is a generally pleasant quiet atmosphere with excellent food and wine and wonderful service. Just be careful who sits next to you as is the case anywhere.
(4)
Tricia M.
Pros: Beautiful location, fantasticly creative menu, modern interior. Cons: a wee bit pricey, service was a bit unattentive. Above said, amazing meal! I'll be back.
(4)
Anne N.
Terrible Service!! Arrived on time for 6:45 pm reservation and were seated immediately. After 10 minutes and no waiter, we asked a passing waiter to please help us find our waiter. He agreed and nicely offered to take a drink order. 5 minutes later, no drinks and no waiter. We asked the maitre d', who happened to pass by, if he would please find our waiter. He said he would. 5 more minutes went by with no waiter and not drinks. We got up and left. (I think we saw our drinks coming as we walked out.) No apologies from anyone.
(1)
M D.
Enjoyed a dinner here while visiting Williams College. Delicious meals for all three of us including a winter soup and fried sunchokes
(5)
Santiago A.
We were hiking for our anniversary and a group of locals said this was the "only place" to go for a nice dinner. We made the reservation that same day with no problem. The place is a little hard to find and I felt a bit under dressed but no body seemed to mind. (I was wearing shorts and a T-Shirt). The food was amazing. Imaginative and tasty with great portion sizes. Everyone was great and since we said it was our first anniversary we got some freebies in addition to the very nice attitudes. Highly recommended.
(5)
Alvin H.
What a great find! We happened upon this place on yelp while in the area for the weekend. It was really spur of the moment, as the only table we could get was about an hour after I called. The place didn't disappoint. I think the ambiance can be as formal or casual as you make it. The space is perfect. We sat next to a family with small kids, so the fact that I was wearing shorts didn't seem so out of place. We ordered a couple drinks while we looked at the menu. Honestly, nothing jumped out at me immediately. I had been in the mood for a steak, but the only one on the menu was a steak frite. Not what I wanted. We ordered a porchetta appetizer. This was an interesting and good dish. The porchetta was creamy and fairly fatty, but a nice salty contrast to the micro greens (I think) garnish. A little hard to eat, but we managed to make quick work of it. We ended up going vegetarian on the entrees. She ordered the pasta with zucchini, while I got the giant lima beans. Both were very good, but honestly the lima beans were amazing. It was a sort of stew with chunky cuts of carrots...and other stuff. I don't remember very clearly now. But it was awesome. For someone who had been hankering for a steak to get a vegetarian dish and love it, that is saying something. It was warm, savory, lima beany goodness. No desserts but we did get a couple of lemon cookies at the end which were perfect for a sweet note at the end of the meal. Finished off with a shot of fernet branca. I can't recommend this place enough. The prices are a bit high, but I don't really know the area that well. Coming from NYC, they weren't crazy. The bar area was very nice and would probably be a great spot to have a drink or a meal.
(5)
Randall R.
This was a perfect evening and a perfect meal. The Williamstown Theatre Festival is in full swing, so I wasn't sure I could get until after the theatre crowd had left. The person who answered the phone first wanted to know if I was going out to see a show - and when I said I wasn't she got us in just 15 minutes later than I originally asked. Too late for us to make the curtain, but just fine for a couple who was just looking for a great, relaxing dinner. And dinner was great. The wait staff was VERY attentive, polite and knowledgeable. We started off with a delicious bowl of popcorn infused with truffle oil. My wife had a cold parsnip soup she raved about. And our waiter directed us to two wonderful dishes: I had a perfectly roasted chicken breast with mushrooms, kale and farro, and my wife had a pasta dish that she loved. We had driven all day to get to Western Massachusetts, spent the afternoon at MassMoCa - which I highly recommend - and our dinner at Mezze was the perfect ending to the day. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Pierre S.
If you are looking for high end dinning and don't mind spending some money in Williamstown, this is the place. Lots of widely spaced tables in an open and sleek dining room. Wide ranging menu of inventive and well prepared dishes utilizing local and seasonal ingredients. Good wine list, although our $60 bottle of 2012 St. Joseph Rhone was a little disappointing. Great service - attentive but not overbearing.
(4)
Pat H.
Really good food - pretty good service -- a little pricey for what it is though.
(3)
Sam Y.
Food was way over-priced with small portions. What's the deal with the waitress coming over to give everyone just ONE little slice of bread... this restaurant was simply that stingy! And the food itself was bland with the hanger steak tough like rubber even though it was very red inside and the duck undercooked and gamy. We had two small plates which were decent but one piece of octopus and an egg over a thin layer of veggies? I would not go back again. Spent about $60 a person (no alcohol) and was left still hungry. What a disappointment!
(1)
Sasha B.
A nice atmosphere in the Berkshires... Interesting wine list, not your typical choices. Wasn't in love with the actual wines, but I give them credit for originality. The food was very good, fresh, local...
(4)
Stanley R.
We used to be regulars at the original Mezze when it was first established years ago. It was one of our favorite restaurants of all time. We searched them out their latest location after coming into the area again. We were so disappointed with the limited menu, the non spectacular small portions of food. The unfriendly "aloof" service and the high prices closed the deal. We will never be back again! Look for another local restaurant and avoid getting ripped off.
(2)
jennifer S.
My new favorite place. Food: great, creative, local and fresh without being ridiculous about all the "creative, local and fresh" food descriptors. Service: polite, generous, warm, professional. Exactly what you want from your waitstaff - when they were doing 'nothing' they were standing in the back of the room surveying the diners. Bread & Olive oil (a key factor for me): phenomenal. The bar: a likeable, creative and talented bartender made us feel like a spot at the bar was the very best best seat in the house. When we asked him if he liked the "pork belly pastrami". He described it in detail and said that it was what he'd ordered the night before on his day off. You've got to love a bartender who chooses to come to his own restaurant on his day off. A perk, I'm sure, but not every restaurant inspires that sort of loyalty. As I've read in other reviews, they go out of their way, even from the first phone call, to make you feel like a special customer. My husband and I will be back.
(5)
Jennifer J.
Great meal, atmosphere and staff. If you are in the Williamstown area, this is a must!
Terrific place with great food and service. Three of us showed up early on a Friday nite and scored a table despite having no reservation. The food was fabulous; for apps we had two kale salads and a watermelon/tomato gazpacho. Mains were an outstanding sea bass and two pastas that were out of this world. Both pastas on the menu are terrific, especially the garganelli with lamb, sausage and tomatoes. Desserts included a peach tea sherbert and a cocoa cake and were wonderful.
(5)
Macie B.
The experience at Mezze was so great I will definitely be going back again and again. All the staff were extremely accommodating and our waitress was elegant and also was able to make us laugh. I LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE. The only downside was a rude customer who was complaining about the music (which was lovely) and the manager must have handled the situation extremely well because I didn't hear from him for the rest of the night and we still were able to listen to the holiday music. Best of all the food was so delicious!!
(5)
Donna K.
PROS: The server was very good to see that we were done at the appropriate time to make the show at the WTF. The main course, we both had the Atlantic Char as it was the only dish that did not contain something we could not eat, was tasty. CONS: The menu struck me as pretentious and very limiting for people who prefer offerings that sound more familiar. There were no additions to the menu that night--I don't know if that is always the case. I was put off by the refusal to accept substitutions on any dish. People with specific food needs might need to take out a meat or shellfish component to the dish. All of the desserts, except for the sorbet, contained dairy so not appropriate for the lactose intolerant. We ordered the sorbet and were surprised that it was one small scoop served in a very plain white bowl (rather than a goblet or nicer dessert dish). I would also have expected it to come with a biscotti or gourmet cookie instead of the tasteless, 4 tiny wafers that were tossed on a plate. I just think there should be an offering or two for people with plainer tastes.
(4)
Sossy B.
Mezze was delish. We started our warm summer night by visiting the ducks by the stream outside the restaurant. In expected fashion, Mama Duck quacked and scared us off when I took a step towards one of the ducklings. Onto dinner... We split the summer vegetable appetizer and truffle popcorn to start. The vegetables were amazing - fennel, striped beets, carrots, etc. with pesto oil. I ordered the diver scallops and my husband ordered the vegetable ragout for our main courses. The scallops were seriously the most amazing I've ever had. Amazing. The vegetable ragout was also great - amazing pesto, local vegetables. Wine was good, dessert was good (s'mores tart) and the service was pleasantly attentive, especially considering our waitress was handling easily eight tables. We would totally come back. Really fab.
(4)
Alane H.
I wanted to like Mezze as much as I did when they were located on Spring Street, but unfortunately, in my recent two visits, the new iteration just doesn't cut it. The entree menu is too small. When we were there last week, there were two pasta dishes, one fish, no chicken and a couple of others which just didn't appeal. My arctic char was OK, but would it kill them to put a tiny bit of green on the plate? Other members of the party had one each of the pasta and sausage dishes. Yikes! The sausages were viciously over salted. Does the chef taste the sourced material? The portions are stingy and precious. One piece of bread placed on a bread plate, and no refills, apparently. The service was adequate, and quite understandably overwhelmed with a crush of theatergoers but we didn't mind. They upgraded our wine selection in recognition of a rather long wait. Williamstown is a restaurant desert in my opinion. I'm very hopeful that the new Clark Art Institute will have a good restaurant during the season that will give an interesting alternative.
(2)
Elizabeth D.
This is a very lovely restaurant tucked on a hillside just outside of downtown Williamstown. Here for a graduation dinner, the place was pretty packed, but the service was very good and the ambiance, though crowded, was very laid back. The decor is modern and simple, and matches their food aesthetic. Great wine, beer and cocktail list. We ordered a bottle of white, but I heard the Old Fashioned was very good and the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout. The menu focuses on local foods. Highlights were the orecchiette with sausage, and the Mighty Food Farms garden salad. Our table also loved the BBQ Beef Sandwich and the burger. The only complaint about the burger was that it was very overcooked. But the toppings were amazing - especially the ramp aioli!
(4)
Janet P.
Delicious meal, but ... We enjoyed everything we ate on a recent Saturday night (after the theater crowd had departed) but the service was lacking somewhat. There was an air of tension at the front desk as we waited to be greeted; the couple in front of us had apparently cancelled their reservation online inadvertently. The restaurant was half empty at that point, and the hostess said there was plenty of room, so why was a fuss being made? When we were seated, it took too long to get a glass of wine (and too long to get a refill later when my glass was empty, after my entree was served). Our server was pleasant but a bit clueless. Even when I asked for another glass of wine, she made the circuit of other tables before going off to order it. Still, great food. I would definitely go back. (And I would sit in the bar area, where there is a lively, upbeat energy.)
(4)
Frances G.
Great atmosphere, super attentive, polite, knowledgeable staff, excellent wine, great food, which at times was trying too hard to be too much. I left feeling a little hungry, though I did have a wonderful experience.
(3)
Sara T.
We were pleasantly surprised by the ambiance at Mezze, given that the sign gave the impression of a 1980s-inspired place. The exposed wood beams gave it a homey feel, but it was also upscale in the decor. The bread and olive oil was a nice start. The mussel appetizer was tasty and creative, with dots of uni butter as a garnish. I ordered a bean-based soup which I expected to be a heart cassoulet, and was disappointed to find the broth quite thin. I was happy to see large pieces of local feta cheese in the mix, though. My husband had the pork filet and thought it was quite good, though had many streaks of fat that prevented him from eating a fair amount of it. The donuts were a creative and extremely tasty finale--though the menu led us to believe we would receive 5 mini donuts, they served only 2 (apparently the other 3 flavors referred to garnishes related to the donuts).
(4)
Sarah S.
My girlfriend and I went here on our first trip together to stay at Porches in North Adams. Our dinner at Mezze was, basically, perfect. Nice enough to feel like a real treat, but not at all stuffy or uncomfortable. Helpful, friendly, knowledgeable wait staff. Great menu with options for both me (meat eater) and my gf (vegetarian). I would go back in a heartbeat.
(5)
Dana R.
I know farm to table restaurants are all the rage now but I was hoping to experience a good example of that in NW Massachusetts at Mezze. Unfortunately, while they do conform to the farm to table concept, the execution and presentation are greatly lacking. The service was very nice and friendly. The atmosphere is also fine, nothing special though. The wine list is shallow, although my husband enjoyed his (by the glass) Chateauneuf du Pape and my (by the glass) California Cabernet Sauvignon was fine. I had high hopes after tasting a bit of my husband's heirloom tomato salad - the tomatoes were delicious and flavorful and were paired with some nice yellow watermelon and cantaloupe and a nice light but flavorful olive oil dressing. The mozzarella cheese in the salad was not as soft as I would like to see it. My starter, the warm corn soup with pork croutons (?) and browned butter (!), was deliciously sweet, but lacked texture - it was too watery - in fact, it seemed the soup was starting to "break" between the drizzled brown butter and the water in the soup (the server told us there is no cream or diary outside of the butter drizzle); and, I didn't know what to do with/make of the pork croutons - I tried one with the soup and it was just too rich and the pork overpowered the corn flavor. The remainder of them went back to the kitchen. My husband ordered the housemade tagliatelle with a Bolognese of lamb and veal. My bite of his dish gave me undercooked (not even al dente) pasta and a nicely flavored sauce. My husband said the remainder of the pasta was well-cooked and that he liked the flavor of the sauce. However, the sauce was really oily and left an unappetizing orange film all over the bowl. My rib eye (off the bone) was cooked to order, but the cut was tough and overseasoned (and for me that takes a lot of doing!). The stock based sauce with the steak was nice. The sides consisted of overcooked small wedges of zucchini and yellow squash and halved roasted shallots. The portion sizes for both of our entrees were ridiculously large - even if my steak hadn't been seasoned to the point that I didn't want to eat anymore, I couldn't have eaten much more - and incredibly, I still would have had enough meat to feed 2 other people. Some people find large portion sizes to be a good thing and give high ratings for it - I don't, to me, it's either unhealthy for the diner to eat the entirety of such a large portion or a dishonor to the animal who gave its life if not completely or even mostly eaten. Usually, farm to table restaurants are more conscientious of portion sizes for this particular reason. Presentation - there was none; very disappointing. The vegetable sides were just slopped onto my plate next to the slab of meat and there weren't any garnishes or any organization to the plate. My husband's Bolognese had grated cheese over the top, which brought back shades of both of our childhoods with the green cardboard containers of Kraft "Parmesan" cheese - they could have shaved a couple of nice pieces of Parmesan and added a couple of fresh basil leaves (or some other unchopped herb) to dress it up a bit. Overall, just okay food/execution; good, friendly service; and an absence of presentation. I've definitely had better renderings of this type of food.
(2)
S S.
Classy decor and nice ambiance inside. Service was very attentive and our server was great - nice and extremely knowledgable about all menu items, featured cocktails and wines by the glass. Offered appropriate and accurate info and suggestions in response to menu questions. Food was very fresh, presented and prepared well. Spicy fried chick pea "snack", skinless cherry tomatoes in pesto broth - both delicious and unusual. Pasta with braised meats and bone marrow breadcrumbs, duck breast with sauce w/fresh corn - both served hot, good portion size, robust flavors. Fresh, farm to table style experience. The one negative was the hostess upon arrival. We were slightly early and offered to wait if it was a problem, waited while hostess checked to see if table was available yet. Were seated immediately but at worst table we saw in the house - table for two between two doors and placed over an A/C vent in the floor covered by a menu. The menu at least blocked enough air so that we didn't get blasted with freezing air unless we accidentally kicked it out of place during the meal. There were plenty of tables available when we were seated and virtually none were filled during the rest of the night. There were plenty of better options in both dining rooms - even allowing so that servers not be overbooked or slammed with tables all being seated at the same time. Maybe hostess seated us there because we were a parent and child looking at nearby Williams college - so only one person of age to order alcohol and maybe considered a low budget table? Really unfortunate. Didn't complain when we were seated as we assumed all other tables were reserved after her comment about checking to see if our table was free when we arrived 15 min early. Would go back to Mezze but would specify seating in main room with bar (more fun room) or table by window or along wall with bench seating in the quieter dining room. The table we had should not be used for seating anyone if the HVAC system is in use - unless maybe its January and its blasting heat on a frigid New England night.
(4)
Steven K.
We last year had a memorable dinner at Mezze and returned today with great expectations, which unfortunately were not met. I understand a chef being strict about substitutions when you are serving a prix fixe meal or tasting menu for the table but when ordering ala carte and you would like the spinach that is featured with the liver instead of the kale that comes with your salmon, come on, give the customer a break. But no... no substitutions for you! Some of the plates we ordered were fine: the pork pate, but not the chicken liver pate, for example. The menu suffers from being too vague: banyulis vinaigrette sounds nice but why not specify that this is a mustard based dressing/ And mention that the sausage that is in the pasta dish is hot for those of us who expect sweet, unless told otherwise. If you go, make the server carefully explain each dish to avoid unpleasant surprises. Pricing: check the website for details. Good luck
(2)
Joe C.
Mezze is the best restaurant in the Northern Berkshires. The chef crafts creative dishes that feature local ingredients, the setting and ambiance are pleasant and sophisticated, and the bar is a great place to eat and get a fancy drink or a draft beer. No, you're not in an eating hotspot of the world, so don't go with those kinds of expectations. But Mezze is an excellent place. Make reservations on busy weekends (e.g., leaf season or whenever local Williams College has a function where parents are in town).
(5)
Lou Ann B.
When I made a reservation for the weekend at Porches in North Adams (highly recommend this place!), they warned me to make dinner reservations in advance due to the busy season. I found Mezze on Yelp and am so glad I did. The setting and ambiance are lovely-- sophisticated/cozy in keeping with the university town location. On Saturday evening the place was pleasantly buzzing with activity. Menu offerings of both traditional starter and entree combos as well as small plates meant that our party had no problem finding something to please all. There is a strong emphasis on both seasonality and locally-sourced product. Among us, we ordered a salad of gorgeous local leaf lettuces, a house-cured charcuterie plate, an heirloom pea and kale soup, butternut squash arancini, peppery greens and apple salad, beef steak in a delicious sauce, maple-pecan tart and a pear turnover. The house breads-- potato and a focaccia with concord grapes and rosemary-- were perfection. There appeared to be ample options for vegetarians. There is a nice list of interesting wines-- Austrian reds, for example, and the after dinner drinks list is extensive. French press coffee and an assortment of whole leaf teas round out the experience. Service was friendly and unpretensious, but well-informed and thorough. Only reason this review is four stars rather than five! Five stars is a standard I have not encountered yet-- I have to leave room for perfection when I find it!
(4)
Sean W.
Very cozy restaurant, quite charming on a hill, pleasant staff. Our dinner was delicious. The charcuterie plate was a perfect starter to share. My seared scallops were perfect and the pan-roasted salmon was heavenly. I didn't expect such good food in Williamstown, I was so wrong.
(4)
Molly P.
This restaurant, for all its hype, just didn't measure up. We knew it was going to be an expensive dinner, but it was a special occasion. Can't say anything about the bar, the drinks were typical. While looking at the menu, however, my heart sank. I appreciate "farm to table" restaurants, and understand that local produce will always cost more than the stuff from Safeway. However, paying $22.00 for a beet entree was beyond the pale. We all ordered the steak, which was quite good, but came to the table pre-cut. My real gripe was with the side potato terrine, which, although delicious, was literally the size of a small box of matches... not acceptable for a $30. entree. We all left feeling pretty ripped off.
(2)
lisa l.
2013. August My family joined my husband and myself for another wonderful dinner at Mezzo on Tuesday . The food was terrific and the desserts were as great as we remembered... The cobbler was the best ( as per my son) but I had the coffee cheesecake and so did my husband..several at our table got the pork loin and loved it to the end where I was waiting for them to lick the plates.. I had the bluefish with leeks and loved that also... Again I wish the place was closer...
(5)
Matt C.
The best restaurant in the area. Very smart and savvy staff and kitchen. The menu is always changing with in-season, farm-to-table offerings. They do it right at Mezze.
(5)
ilene r.
I gave this three stars since the place was clean and pretty.... My husband made reservations over a month before we went since this was my birthday and we were directed to one of the worst seats... Only after saying that we were not pleased about this were we directed to a somewhat better table ( but not the window that we requested even though it sat empty for our entire time we were there.... The waitress explained none of the dishes and said that her policy was to respond to direct questions only.... We had a mushroom, duck egg appetizer which was tasty if you overlooked the lack of duck... My husband had the char which was ok but nothing special... I had pasta with sausage that was supposed to be spicy but was only tasteless... I had dulce de leche ice cream that was so overloaded with salt ( which in limited quantity is a good thing) that it was in edible .... I do wonder if this is the same restaurant that people have been raving about...
(3)
Erin G.
Disappointing at best! Reading reviews of this place makes me wonder if I went to a different restaurant! Service was slow and snooty. The hostess told us we couldn't sit at the bar while we waited for our table( we were twenty minutes early for our reservation). The options on the menu were disappointing. My pasta was over cooked and mushy. The $24 kale "salad" consisted of a tiny pile of miniature kale strips with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. The waitress never asked or seemed to care if we wanted another glass of wine. My friend couldn't even get a soda refill! I have friends who enjoyed their meal here last year, but it has clearly gone down hill. Is it so much to ask for good food and friendly service? We will not be back.
(1)
christi c.
Really disappointed by this restaurant but giving extra star because they were understanding. From what I remembered ordered whole wheat gnocci ( I know usually potato) When it came out it was cold and had a hair in it. We explained and the waitress took it back and took it off of our bill which I appreciated. I ended up splitting dinner with my fiance. He had scallops and they were pretty good but of course portions are small so we left hungry.
(3)
Kimberly C.
My partner & I had a stellar meal on New Year's Eve. The service was excellent-our bar tenders hooked us up with an outstanding bottle of wine and the food was fantastic! We started with the brown butter truffle popcorn- which we devoured! Then we had the kale salad & fish of the day. The meal finished with rich coffee & chocolate truffles. All in all- Fantastic!
(5)
Matt B.
I ate at Mezze this past weekend and had one of the better meals I've ever eaten at a restaurant. I ordered the cassoulet and my partner had the steak frites and both were excellent. I'd never had cassoulet in my life before and decided to take a gamble, which paid off excellent. The serving size was huge, and the summer sausage in the dish was some of the best sausage I've ever had in my life. For dessert I had bread pudding with pears and ice cream, which was out of this world. This was also the first time I've had bread pudding, and I'm afraid the chefs at Mezze set a bar for excellence that other dessert makers will have a hard time reaching in the future! In addition the staff was very helpful and the wine was excellent. If you are in the area and looking for a great meal definitely try Mezze.
(5)
Chris P.
Ahhhh - the art of fine dining isn't dead after all. After a great day discovering at MassMoca we Yelped for dinner in Williamstown, MA filtering by highest rated. Oh my Yelp friends, you never let me down. This place rocked. Beautiful, in fact we thought at first a bit too fancy for our casual day but the atmosphere with the Talking Heads playing lightly in the background worked. I had the roasted Arctic Char and my friend had the Amish roasted chicken. I don't even have a word that can capture the perfectness we experienced with our dishes. Both chocolate desserts blew us away too. Thank you again Yelpers - I'm so happy to be a part of this community.
(5)
Sara N.
So good! This little house on a hill in the middle of the Berkshires was a big surprise! The ambiance was fabulous and cozy (not at all what i expected from what this place looks like on the outside). Great, creative menu, and not excessively expensive. Beautiful presentation of the food and good cocktails! The only thing that was off was that we felt a little rushed to order our mains, when we wanted to wait for our app, then order. And when the bill came the price of the veal that was listed on the menu was not the same as on the bill (somehow my fiance noticed it was $10 more on the bill!), we asked the waitress to check and she easily fixed it. Overall a great experience, such delish food, I would 100% recomend! Just keep an eye on your bill ;)
(4)
Ralph G.
Good place to eat and take your you're doing so
(4)
David P.
We had a GREAT meal here. Wonderful service and the place had a nice buzz.
(5)
Patrick J.
Mezze holds court as the chic- fancy restaurant in Williamstown. And while that's great, you need to plan for that.... like make reservations. My wife and I wanted to see a movie at 7:00pm, got to the restaurant at 5:45 and were told we couldn't get a table. So we sat at the bar and had a very pleasant meal (despite there being 2-3 empty tables the entire time we were there). Very annoying. The food more than made up for it. My wife got the scallops with pureed cauliflower and hen-in-the-woods mushrooms, and declared them to be "Perfect." (and also expensive, when you divided the cost of the dish by number of scallops, it came out to $7/scallop). I got the rabbit and pasta, which was very tasty. Having walked the Williams campus and seen many rabbits frolicking around, I had to wonder if the chefs had snared a couple of cotton-tails out the back door. If I were in Williamstown again, I would probably eat dinner here again, but would definitely make reservations.
(4)
Kim D.
the space, the waitstaff, the drinks and most importantly, the food, was perfect! we started out with an old fashioned and the rye sour off of their specialty drink menu. both were spot on. we collaborated with our very knowledgeable waitress on our food choices. we opted for the ribeye, the bluefish with miso and beet puree, a side of swiss chard and a side of hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and kale. they were all absolutely delicious! the au jus for the steak was amazing - i wish i could have swam in a pool of it. the bluefish - the miso sauce and roasted beet puree balanced the perfectly cooked fish. we had the spring stone fruit cobbler for dessert. as i connoisseur of cobblers, i can say confidently that this was the best i've ever had. definitely, definitely check out mezze. you will enjoy it.
(5)
Patricia K.
We've eaten here several times and yet to leave unimpressed. An ideal dining experience for locavores.... Dining on locally grown dishes in season is the way to go. A serene dining room adds to it all.
(5)
Nancy H.
Lovely room, attentive and pleasant service, good wine by the glass list. The marcona almonds and the olives, on the snacks list, were ideal. Who knew olives could be that special? I love kale salads and this one was excellent, beautifully balanced. Nightly special halibut prepared nicely, delicious, good-looking plate with lemon-grass infusion and matchstick veggies.
(4)
Carolina D.
I was an every-other-month happy diner at Mezze, but won't be going back. While the food is still very good, the prices for what you get are out of control. When I pay $34 for a sea bass entree that says it comes with 'carrot puree and a carrot salad" am I wrong in expecting the "salad" would be more than a garnish? Before the sea bass (about 6 oz.), which was delicious, I had a $9 cup (not more) of lackluster cucumber and avocado soup that certainly didn't fill me up. I spent over $50 and would have left hungry if I hadn't had two pieces of bread--which were superb, but I shouldn't have to eat bread to fill out a meal. Clearly to be satisfied, I should have ordered a vegetable or salad in addition, and perhaps split a dessert--and I'm a small person with a small appetite, for whom American portions are usually overwhelming. Otherwise the service was great and the place is charming, if a little fussy.
(2)
Laura R.
We had a lovely meal at Mezze. As we drove up at 7:30 the pre-theater crowd was leaving, so we were part of a leisurely second seating. Everything was delicious. The beautiful art on the walls was a plus. Service was a tad erratic, but not so bad as to mar a great meal.
(5)
Evan G.
Better than expected - and delicious food. We had a great meal at Mezze. There's a familiar feel to Mezze, and the accommodating staff make you feel truly at home. The pork loin with fava beans was amazing and the scallops were tender and flavorful. We also enjoyed an amazing French pinot noir, which was much less complex than the Oregon pinot noir on the list. The owner, Nancy, is opening a third restaurant near the 1896 House (just down the road a bit), and bless her - she knows how to put together a menu.
(4)
Lacey B.
My brother and I went here last week - had a great time and the food was delish!!! So i was in albany for work and lil bro is riding his bicycle to montreal and was in some small town near willamstown. We decided to go to mezze for a relaxing dinner to catch up. Upon our arrival, the hostess told us there was a wait but that we could wait at the bar if we wished, she said we could eat at the bar, but that she would follow-up on us in a few minutes to see what we decided. Well the bar was great! Bartender was better! but the hostess never checked on us again!! (minus 1 star!!) it was almost as if she was trying to say that we werent dressed or looked the part of their clientele!!! Hello - my bro has been camping for a week - yes he took a shower but we are not dressed in finery here!!! (btw - i looked great! haha!!) anyways we ate at the bar - ordered local olives to start & bread w olive oil was also served as a starter, being somewhat of an olive oil snob, i have to say i loved theirs!! We also ordered the tomatoe mozzarella salad to start - delicious - all ingredients were very fresh. For entrees i had the pork loin and my brother had the salmon, both were amazing - cooked just perfectly, not overdone (as most places do!).The dessert was the best!!! Some type of cobbler - strawberry rhubarb or strawberry raspberry i cant remember but it was sooooo magnificent!! It was amazing!! We also had a lot to drink (ok actually my bro was downing them! - me not so much!) the cocktails were innovative, well-poured and the bartender (from the czech republic) was great!! If we lived in the area we would go here regularly - despite the snobby hostess!!!
(4)
Michael S.
Believe the reviews that say this place is hit-and-miss. The martini selection is very unique and there is a nice wine list. Some dishes were very good (split-pea soup) but some dishes were not edible (the raviolis were oily and mushy). Great wait staff but the kitchen needs more quality control.
(3)
Herb B.
Excellent atmosphere in an old house on a hill. The tables are nicely separated so there is no overcrowding. The salads are extremely fresh and the dressings properly handled. Everyone in my party of eleven enjoyed their main courses and we were all impressed with the mushroom side made with fanlike mushrooms sauteed perfectly. Add cocktails that are full measure along with French press coffee and the evening was very enjoyable....
(5)
Spence H.
A really exquisite dining experience. Lovely room with large windows showcasing the green trees of Williamstown.... friendly and expert wait staff... The food is truly special... we had Orchiette appetizer, Beet-Ginger soup and the Blackfish. Amazing desserts. Our only disappointment was the ordinary fried chicken.
(4)
Lisa W.
Fantastic service, cocktails and food!
(5)
David L.
Well, my wife and I visited Mezze after taking in a great show at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and had a very mixed experience. Her salad was bitter (arugula), and her scallops salty. I was much luckier. Everything I ordered was amazing. Warm beets over goat cheese was incredible, as was the pork loin with fava beans, mushrooms, and potatoes. Also ordered (on a whim) a glass of "sparkling red wine" from Italy which was totally worth the risk. Things got really busy when the "pre-theater" crowd arrived, so it took a bit longer than we had hoped to get our check, but otherwise service was excellent. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Art R.
This is a truly outstanding restaurant! It is exactly what I like in a restaurant: fine dining with very pleasant decor and attentive but not intrusive service, an adventurous menu that avoids weirdness, and a kitchen that produces extraordinary flavors and treats vegetables as key players, not as accompaniments or afterthoughts. The wine list was not extensive, but based on our selection (an excellent Sancerre) it was well chosen. We had a stunning dessert (pear turnover); the coffee was quite good. And as an extra bonus, the price of the meal was quite reasonable for the quality and ambience. For a special night out, or whenever you want a really superb meal out in the wilds of northwest Massachusetts, this is the place.
(5)
Frau W.
On a snowy and windy night in the Berkshires during our honeymoon getaway weekend, we decided to venture farther down Route 2 West into the cozy college town of Williamstown. Tucked away on Water Street, with a frozen garden out front, was Mezze Bistro & Bar. Earlier that day, before checking out Mass MoCA, we had lunch at Mezze's sister restaurant Cafe Latino and were impressed with the decor and the food. Thus, we knew that Mezze had to be just as good, if not more pleasurable. Our (positive) experiences were just as different as the restaurants are from each other. I was thrilled with my appetizer choice of red, gold, and candy-striped roasted beets arranged in a circle around warm goat cheese. I am in love with beets and goat cheese! Both were so warm and soft and had touches of sweetness. My husband chose the frissee salad with apple slices, duck confit, and bacon vinaigrette. He liked the salad, but thought it was heavy on the bacon. My entree featured two HUGE sea scallops. We've never seen sea scallops so big! But they were moist and juicy. Thank God there were only two of 'em on the plate, because I couldn't eat anymore. On the side, there was a cauliflower puree and roasted hen-of-the-woods mushrooms drizzled with a truffle vinaigrette. Regarding my husband's meal, all I recall is a beef dish in which he did not need to use a knife, because the meat just melted. It was so yummy! Moist and succulent for the beef and the scallops! After dinner, we asked to meet the wine buyer, since my husband works in the wine industry. Turns out, the wine buyer (Nancy Thomas) is actually the owner of Mezze Inc., the parent company of Mezze Bistro, Cafe Latino at Mass MoCA, Mezze Catering, and a new restaurant, allium, in Great Barrington. She was very courteous and knowledgeable about wine. Another great dining experience in the Berkshires. We shall return!
(5)
Heather C.
fantastic food and attentive service. great for a special occasion!
(4)
Cynthia C.
Writing not to critique the food... We arrived at 4:50... We were told not open til 5:00. I said in a stage voice... Well... I guess we could go somewhere else...thinking we would be invited to the bar for a drink... Front desk just said...nothing.. Just goodby. So our party of two went to hops and vines and spent $200.00 there...which included a fine bottle of wine . P.s. We ate at the bar which we prefer . I guess mezze's business is good and their Indifference showed
(1)
John R.
We used to love Mezze in their old location on Water Street, and had visited 4 or 5 times. We stopped going to Williamstown for awhile (young children) and now are just getting back into going for WTF. I read the reviews of Mezze to check up on them and saw high, then low, then sporadic. I thought we'd give them a chance and hope things were back up to par in the new location. The spot itself is beautiful. It's bright and spacious. The menu is small, but reasonably imaginative. Wine list is nice and the wines by the glass a bit pricy, but decent. The waitservice was attentive, but the kitchen was very slow. We waited about 20 minutes from appetizers to entrees. Of course, we were really there for the food, which was acceptable, but disappointing. The cold cucumber/kohlrabi soup was very bland. The charcuterie was nicely presented, but only 2 of the items had real flavor. The scallops with cauliflower and some type of sausage and the ribeye steak were both very salty. The steak, which I ordered rare, came medium well to well done; no pink at all. It was replaced graciously, but the second one wasn't really rare either. The meat was good, but the salt overpowered the flavor. Also, this wasn't the cut of meat you would expect for $44. One expects exceptional food at those prices, and this wasn't it.
(3)
Cathy W.
I've been coming to Wiliamstown for three years and finally tried Mezze. I wish that I hadn't waited! But now the restaurant has a new beautiful location with gardens and more space, so an even better excuse to go. Everything I ate was sublime: I started my meal with a smooth and savory white gazpacho, made with celeriac and parsnips. My main dish of pork loin and haricot vert and leeks was complimented by an unusual white wine recommended by our server (Cote de H'eux). I had cheesecake for dessert which I remember as quite delicious, even though I'm normally not a cheesecake fan - so it must have been pretty special! You'll really like Mezze - it's the cream of the crop in Williamstown.
(4)
Kerri B.
The place is/was beautiful, I'm sorry to see that they are moving their location. Anyways the food was delicious. They got me hooked on maggie's round cheese and everything else was prepared very well..
(4)
Megan M.
Oh, YUM. I loved that I saw this little place, tucked back off of Water Street, and convinced my mom that we needed to go here. The exterior of Mezze is slightly misleading, I think. There is a beautiful overgrown garden out front, but you can't really tell from the street if it's even open. Which I love. It's like a secret spot (but not really, judging from the crowd on a Wednesday night)! We didn't have a reservation when we went (didn't think we'd need one), but opened the front door to a full restaurant! Well, at least, the side they were using. Evidently they only use the entire restaurant on weekends (or so I'd think). We decided to eat at the bar, rather than wait for a table. The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable, he easily suggested a good red wine for me when asked. Their menu is on the small side, but we were both able to pick out something almost immediately. My mom had a salmon appetizer as her meal (she does this all the time), which looked good. I had the tagliatelle with an English pea pesto and prosciutto. It was wonderful. My mom kept picking off my plate, so I'm assuming she was just as big a fan. The saltiness of the prosciutto perfectly offset the pesto sauce. I would most definitely go back here, though probably not with a big group. A bit on the pricey side for the area, I'd prefer something more low-key with a bunch of people.
(4)
Elizabeth P.
Moving to Williamstown from Chicago - a lack of good restaurants has been rough! Mezze has fresh, organic foods from local farms. The wine selection is excellent. The service (well we always sit at the bar) is outstanding!
(5)
Rebecca H.
Had a wonderful dinner here tonight. The restaurant and grounds were lovely. The service was superb. The food was amazing. From a memorable bleu cheese from Vermont on the cheese plate to the little cookie given after the check, every bite was nearly perfect.
(5)
Anne W.
Cool old building, professional yet quirky staff, creative and high quality food. The bar is a comfortable spot for dinner as well as for the interesting mixed drinks and wines available. I have been visiting the purple mountains for about six years and this place is always on my to-do list.
Stellar Meats AND A Vegetarian Treasure Chest: Mezze in Williamstown If you have the opportunity to eat this chef's "Beet Soup" , it may well be the best you will ever have- silky smooth essence of beet that just simply sings. And I have to laugh because My Love and I have finally broken our secret "noooooo kale salad" rule with Mezze's Kale Caesar, with its authentic robust dressing and crispy toasted bread crumbs.Chewy but not bitter; a delight. In urban bistros, Duck confit is certainly overdone in recent years, and also rarely done well. But at Mezze, this chef turns out a perfect duck confit- the way it was MEANT to be.Spice rubbed duck, long braised in a duck fat bath, with delightfully crispy skin and succulent tender thigh and leg meat. It sits in a "crazy French hat" bowl in a summer stew of sweet local corn and chanterelles.(We BOTH ordered it- how could we not? ) For 'side dishes ', we ordered the Fried Sunchokes and the Duck fat smashed potatoes. Little did we know that these plates were really entree portions, topped with greens ( too bitter for us.)The nutty sunchokes were the must-haves of the night ; the frying brought forth a caramelization that was irresistable. Table bread was a great local sourdough. And for dessert, the Basil Lemonade Sorbet was totally amazing. This was not a flavor for the faint of heart. Rather than play in the background, the fresh height-of-the-summer basil took front and center, in both flavor and hue, brightened by the lemon high notes. Our server was Hollywood-lovely, knowledgeable and helpful.She seemed a natural fit for the place itself. A summer cottage on a verdant hillside, Mezze's charming decor and soothing colors, lit throughout by votives, made for a lovely and memorable setting that capped off a most enjoyable evening. Were the menu larger, we would have returned the next night, but then again, we can hope that this talented chef will still be there for our next visit. . . . . .
(4)
Edward M.
There were four of us with a reservation for dinner. Although it was disappointing to learn that there were no specials on a busy summer evening, clearly someone here knows how to cook; unfortunately, the front of the house doesn't really care and there was no visible management. The bottle of wine didn't arrive until after the first plates were on the table, and speaking of first plates, the waitress who hadn't wished to take a hint and had come by three times to rush us into ordering while we tried to discuss the menu and wine list, had offered that the two salads we selected would be split in the kitchen, but the runner unceremoniously dumped them on the table with extra plates. When questioned about it the runner acknowledged knowing that they were supposed to be divided, but made clear that they wouldn't be and that she resented being asked to at least bring a couple of serving spoons since we had to do it ourselves. Water glasses went unfilled, we were left to pour our own wine and later coffee, bread was only replenished upon request, and to top it all off while we were waiting for the desert menus another runner dumped (another table's!) desert on our table, and then argued with us about taking it back when we alerted him that it wasn't ours! (Yes, we mentioned it to the waitress when she next found time to grace us with her presence, and no, she made clear she didn't care!) That said, both salads were fresh and lively, and salmon, chicken, steak and garganelli mains were all nicely done (although hard to see in a room with the lights turned down way too low such that other tables were visibly using their cell phones to try and read the menu--yes, we mentioned that to the waitress too, but she just smiled, walked away, and did nothing about that either). The deserts were noticeably skimpy for the price; although the menu credits a pastry chef they were chiefly notably for their absence of pastry, consisting primarily of fruits and chilled confections. We would have shared our experience with the hostess on the way out, if anyone had been there! No manager was ever visible in the dining room and although there were still other dinners finishing up their meals the entry room (and dark steps down to the parking lot) had no one tending them when we exited. Nonetheless, with some work this could be a destination fine dining restaurant (the words bistro and bar in its title are both misleading).
Definitely recommend Mezze. Everything was excellent. Great staff, great old house (used to be Le Jardin), great food, great views. Excellent place for a date night. We had the Hen of the Woods mushroom appetizer (egg yolk, fava beans, duck confit, ham crumbs) and it was perfect for two people to split and was really delicious. We never did receive any bread. The Garganelli Pasta (I called it Gargamelle Pasta, get it, from the Smurfs?) was really yummy. It had braised pork, beef shank, Italian sausage, and tomato sauce. All the ingredients were fresh and local so I was glad they kept it simple. My husband had the duck breast and loved it. I was a little confused by the "small plates" concept, since the prices seemed to match big plates, and the portions were huge. We didn't have room for dessert, but it's always good to have a reason to go back. :) It's best to make a reservation, since every table was taken, even on a Sunday night.
(4)
Carol H.
An amazing meal, starting with hen of the woods mushrooms, kale Caesar salad and savory broccoli with puffed rice and chicken confirm. Our main courses including octopus and duck confit and delicious pasta dishes were all excellent. Basil lemonade sorbet was a happy revelation. An incredible meal, excellent service, wonderful evening!
(5)
Jerry L.
Came here with a few friends and we all had an amazing experience. My main course dish (Salmon) was fantastic. The use of kimchi gave the dish a extra dazzling quality. We tried all of the desserts and while you can't go wrong my favorite was definitely the banana bread (my friend loved the chocolate on chocolate choice). The only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 is because the appatizers did not share the same food quality. We ordered the Chips and Dip, Octopus and Oysters to start and none are very memorable.
(4)
M V.
Wonderful farm-to-table restaurant. The setting is beautiful and elegant but the atmosphere is relaxed and informal. Thoroughly modern. The staff is friendly and attentive but the star of the show here is clearly the food. Great local ingredients, ethically produced and thoughtfully prepared. We had beet soup, kale salad, pasta in a spicy red sauce with assorted meats, hanger steak with duck fat potatoes. All scrumptious. The steak was an event in itself--sublime. Bourbon cherry ice cream? Wow! A terrific experience and a very good value. Will definitely come again.
(5)
Harry E.
Excellent. Get the sriracha fried chickpeas, the cherry strawberry gazpacho, and the broccoli w/ fish sauce and puff rice for sure. I'm thinkin I'm gonna make an attempt to reverse engineer that shite. Halibut entree was also dank, but not as standout as the previously mentioned starters. Dope service. Dope environment (feels just like a big country house, with a waterfall on the walkway up the rolling hill to the building) If you're tryna have a nice expensive meal in this lil town, this place is certifiably dank and should not be missed. Great job, y'all.
(5)
Wendy S.
If you love inventive and delicious food in an elegant yet casual setting, this is your place! We had a truly wonderful meal. The hen of woods with chicken confit, and mokum carrots ( apps) were amazing!!! Not to be missed. The meatball entree was so delicious. The kingfish was just ok. My fist time with kingfish so it's the fish not the preparation. Excellent service too. I highly recommend it.
(5)
Shannon D.
Went to this place after reading many positive reviews on Yelp. The setting is very nice, looks like an old house set on a hill. The decor was sharp and included a nice patio out back. Staff was friendly as well. Service did end up being on the slow side and uncoordinated. Our bread came after we finished our appetizers and water refills were slow. Menu is super limited and no substitutions allowed! As a vegetarian I did not have many choices at all! It was on the pricier side as well and portions were small. Food was good and fresh, but not sure I'd say its one of the best in the Berkshires...
(3)
Jim G.
Our two entrees (garganelli and hanger steak) were prepared to perfection. All the meats in the pasta worked together without interfering. My wife chose to add a little heat with pepperoncini flakes to good effect. The hanger steak was the exact medium rare requested. Incredibly juicy with intense flavor. What a nice combo with the gorgonzola, salad and smashed potatoes. For those with sodium issues, be aware the Chef is not light-handed with salt for seasoning, although the olive appetizer was very tasty despite this. It all paired nicely with the one Chianti (2012) in their cellar. Be advised that the basil lemonade sorbet is heavy on the BASIL. The one disapointment was a slow start up of the wait service. It appeared for about fifteen minutes that two other tables arriving after us were much more important than us ...
(5)
Martina C.
Definitely one of the best restaurant of the Berkshires! If you are heading to Williamstown or North Adams is a must. The place is lovely, with a garden and small lake in front of the entrance. The restaurant is sort of a house, and the atmosphere is really homie. Service is excellent, and the food is really tasty. I went few times and I never been disappointed; plus all my guests were really impressed! I usually share different small plates, all delicious, fresh and with local ingredients (they actually can tell you from which farm they got what! Seriously.) Don't miss the dessert! They are way worthier and always amazing tasty surprises! Last, great artworks on the wall. You can read bio and resume on the artists and actually buy great pieces from local artists.
(5)
True R.
After the work conference & camping, my coworkers & I felt we needed to treat ourselves & we were not disappointed. Pros:The employees were really nice, friendly, not overbearing & provided tremendous service. I had the veal, that was tasted fresh & nicely prepared. For drinks, I actually left it up to their bartender to make me her favourite cocktails & all i can say to her is THANK YOU! Cons: NONE
(5)
Diana L.
I loved this place and the guy who worked here was SO nice to me and my mom, we talked to him for ages (he also gave us a free glass of wine and a free glass of ballast point sculpin that they had on tap...beer geek me was impressed). The dessert and everything was PHENOM! The only critique I have is that everything had too much meat-ness added to it, it got kind of overwhelming. The BLT salad - heirloom tomatoes, some green that I forget, and aioli made with bacon lard - delicious!! Some charcuterie that was local and home smoked and cured (but it was mostly fat!) it was like beef carpaccio except only fat A risotto with chicken but it was also injected with some kind of animal fat, also the portion was far too large (not a common critique maybe but it was almost too much for me to finish). I thought the dessert was the best part probably exclusively because I was mad sick of meat anything by the time I finished. I would give this place 5 stars because it was delicious and MGMT treated me and my mom like royals but I woke up vomiting at like 2 am because my body couldn't handle all that animal fat so, 4 stars.
(4)
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Address :777 Cold Spring Rd
Williamstown, MA, 01267
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Liz L.
Probably the best restaurant in the Berkshires. I have to say that my first visit to this place was long overdue - hands down the best meal I've had since I moved to the area. I only had the intention of going in for a drink or two, but it was dinner time and I was hungry, so I needed little persuading to order some food. I decided to go with a pan-seared trout served over red quinoa with a meyer lemon/butter/nut sauce. It was absolutely divine. I typically don't eat the skin on fish, but I devoured every last morsel. When I saw people near me with a cool looking dessert, I knew I had to try that too. It was a sort of deconstructed ice-cream sundae, presented beautifully with all sorts of crunchy and chocolatey bits. Again, this was phenomenal. The bartender tried to talk me into getting their tempura-battered angel food cake (which he said is amazing, and definitely sounded amazing), but I knew I needed chocolate. I also ordered a specialty cocktail that had lime juice, gin, and egg whites. It was fantastic. The bartender perfectly paired my trout with a nice white wine too. Definitely need to check out their sister restaurant, Allium, in Great Barrington. I'm sure that place is also great.
(5)Michael S.
Chick peas pbj foie gras super wine Great at bourbons
(4)Frida K.
Simple and elegant space without the pretext of a "fancy" restaurant. Dinner with my sis-in-law, who has a few food allergies, was divine and they were accommodating without losing their integrity. A few of the dishes were on the salty side (Chanterelle mushrooms, fingerling potatoes), but the overall flavor of the food was incredible. I appreciate the chef's attention to keeping the true flavors alive in each dish. Fried Octopus...wish there were a few more pieces than the TWO tentacles. The soft egg was surprisingly light but robust in taste. Dessert was great without being overpowered in sweetness.
(4)Chris S.
tl;dr Good food; awkward service. --- Reasons why you dine at Mezze: 1. You are visiting Williams and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. 2. You are visiting the Berkshires and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. 3. You are a Williams student and this is the only place to go for a "classier" meal. My sister is a student at Williams so we stopped here to eat when I visited her back in October. For a place that has a monopoly on fine dining near Williams, I'm surprised at how good the food was, since they literally could serve subpar food, charge exorbitant prices, and still get away with it. Instead, the food was actually pretty good and the prices reasonable (NYC prices but they get a lack of slack because they have to import a lot of the food). We came in a group of 3 so we sampled a fair share of the entrees - my sister got a pasta dish that was less memorable, my girlfriend got a sous vide chicken entree that's reminiscent of a porchetta, and I got the steak frites with chimichurri. We also got a side of the maitake mushrooms that are supposed to be harvested locally. We finished with an almond cake with olive oil gelato. The food was really well prepared. My steak was cooked expertly and the chimichurri complimented the richness of the beef. The wild maitake was really the only disappointment - it was $8 and it wasn't anything out of the ordinary - tastes like maitake that I buy at the supermaket and saute myself. The only downside to the experience is that since my sister is a Williams student, she knew that the servers were also alums/students at Williams. We were served by an extremely awkward recent Williams grad - most of the time he didn't know what to say (or what the dishes tasted like) and when he attempted to make small talk he would make tangential comments that just made it even more awkward. Additionally, he made a big fuss about checking our IDs for drinks (we were all 21+ and he was doing his job, so it's OK), but it really just made the situation even more strained since I had to go back into the car to get my gf's ID, he had to come back to check her ID after checking mine already, and then he cautioned my sister from drinking any of our drinks because she didn't bring her ID. Basically, 4/5 for the food, and though I rarely deduct for service, I think that if Mezze wants to use younger servers they should at least go the distance and train them better if they want to serve a more upper-end clientele. The maitre'd was excellent, however. We will be back! (because this is not Spring Street and the food was fairly good) We'll see how the service is the second time around. ps. We were a bit confused on attire initially, but basically you could pretty much wear whatever you want that's not super casual. The restaurant itself is actually fairly laid-back - so nice casual or semi-dressy would be fine.
(3)Tom L.
We arrived on Sunday evening without a reservation and were seated at the bar. We were cheerfully greeted by a very pleasant bartender who was very friendly, helpful and attentive. She helped us place an appropriate order for 2 given the small plate options and recommended a wonderful wine. The food was excellent and the service continued to impress throughout our meal. The spicy chick peas and the pork/veal meatballs are highly recommended. The only drawback was a couple who arrived and loudly and repeatedly made sure everyone knew that they worked and or managed the sister restaurant, Allium in Great Barrington. If they are in fact connected with the establishment they should know better than to act as if they are in a corner bar. They were generally loud and annoying. The bottom line is a generally pleasant quiet atmosphere with excellent food and wine and wonderful service. Just be careful who sits next to you as is the case anywhere.
(4)Tricia M.
Pros: Beautiful location, fantasticly creative menu, modern interior. Cons: a wee bit pricey, service was a bit unattentive. Above said, amazing meal! I'll be back.
(4)Anne N.
Terrible Service!! Arrived on time for 6:45 pm reservation and were seated immediately. After 10 minutes and no waiter, we asked a passing waiter to please help us find our waiter. He agreed and nicely offered to take a drink order. 5 minutes later, no drinks and no waiter. We asked the maitre d', who happened to pass by, if he would please find our waiter. He said he would. 5 more minutes went by with no waiter and not drinks. We got up and left. (I think we saw our drinks coming as we walked out.) No apologies from anyone.
(1)M D.
Enjoyed a dinner here while visiting Williams College. Delicious meals for all three of us including a winter soup and fried sunchokes
(5)Santiago A.
We were hiking for our anniversary and a group of locals said this was the "only place" to go for a nice dinner. We made the reservation that same day with no problem. The place is a little hard to find and I felt a bit under dressed but no body seemed to mind. (I was wearing shorts and a T-Shirt). The food was amazing. Imaginative and tasty with great portion sizes. Everyone was great and since we said it was our first anniversary we got some freebies in addition to the very nice attitudes. Highly recommended.
(5)Alvin H.
What a great find! We happened upon this place on yelp while in the area for the weekend. It was really spur of the moment, as the only table we could get was about an hour after I called. The place didn't disappoint. I think the ambiance can be as formal or casual as you make it. The space is perfect. We sat next to a family with small kids, so the fact that I was wearing shorts didn't seem so out of place. We ordered a couple drinks while we looked at the menu. Honestly, nothing jumped out at me immediately. I had been in the mood for a steak, but the only one on the menu was a steak frite. Not what I wanted. We ordered a porchetta appetizer. This was an interesting and good dish. The porchetta was creamy and fairly fatty, but a nice salty contrast to the micro greens (I think) garnish. A little hard to eat, but we managed to make quick work of it. We ended up going vegetarian on the entrees. She ordered the pasta with zucchini, while I got the giant lima beans. Both were very good, but honestly the lima beans were amazing. It was a sort of stew with chunky cuts of carrots...and other stuff. I don't remember very clearly now. But it was awesome. For someone who had been hankering for a steak to get a vegetarian dish and love it, that is saying something. It was warm, savory, lima beany goodness. No desserts but we did get a couple of lemon cookies at the end which were perfect for a sweet note at the end of the meal. Finished off with a shot of fernet branca. I can't recommend this place enough. The prices are a bit high, but I don't really know the area that well. Coming from NYC, they weren't crazy. The bar area was very nice and would probably be a great spot to have a drink or a meal.
(5)Randall R.
This was a perfect evening and a perfect meal. The Williamstown Theatre Festival is in full swing, so I wasn't sure I could get until after the theatre crowd had left. The person who answered the phone first wanted to know if I was going out to see a show - and when I said I wasn't she got us in just 15 minutes later than I originally asked. Too late for us to make the curtain, but just fine for a couple who was just looking for a great, relaxing dinner. And dinner was great. The wait staff was VERY attentive, polite and knowledgeable. We started off with a delicious bowl of popcorn infused with truffle oil. My wife had a cold parsnip soup she raved about. And our waiter directed us to two wonderful dishes: I had a perfectly roasted chicken breast with mushrooms, kale and farro, and my wife had a pasta dish that she loved. We had driven all day to get to Western Massachusetts, spent the afternoon at MassMoCa - which I highly recommend - and our dinner at Mezze was the perfect ending to the day. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Pierre S.
If you are looking for high end dinning and don't mind spending some money in Williamstown, this is the place. Lots of widely spaced tables in an open and sleek dining room. Wide ranging menu of inventive and well prepared dishes utilizing local and seasonal ingredients. Good wine list, although our $60 bottle of 2012 St. Joseph Rhone was a little disappointing. Great service - attentive but not overbearing.
(4)Pat H.
Really good food - pretty good service -- a little pricey for what it is though.
(3)Sam Y.
Food was way over-priced with small portions. What's the deal with the waitress coming over to give everyone just ONE little slice of bread... this restaurant was simply that stingy! And the food itself was bland with the hanger steak tough like rubber even though it was very red inside and the duck undercooked and gamy. We had two small plates which were decent but one piece of octopus and an egg over a thin layer of veggies? I would not go back again. Spent about $60 a person (no alcohol) and was left still hungry. What a disappointment!
(1)Sasha B.
A nice atmosphere in the Berkshires... Interesting wine list, not your typical choices. Wasn't in love with the actual wines, but I give them credit for originality. The food was very good, fresh, local...
(4)Stanley R.
We used to be regulars at the original Mezze when it was first established years ago. It was one of our favorite restaurants of all time. We searched them out their latest location after coming into the area again. We were so disappointed with the limited menu, the non spectacular small portions of food. The unfriendly "aloof" service and the high prices closed the deal. We will never be back again! Look for another local restaurant and avoid getting ripped off.
(2)jennifer S.
My new favorite place. Food: great, creative, local and fresh without being ridiculous about all the "creative, local and fresh" food descriptors. Service: polite, generous, warm, professional. Exactly what you want from your waitstaff - when they were doing 'nothing' they were standing in the back of the room surveying the diners. Bread & Olive oil (a key factor for me): phenomenal. The bar: a likeable, creative and talented bartender made us feel like a spot at the bar was the very best best seat in the house. When we asked him if he liked the "pork belly pastrami". He described it in detail and said that it was what he'd ordered the night before on his day off. You've got to love a bartender who chooses to come to his own restaurant on his day off. A perk, I'm sure, but not every restaurant inspires that sort of loyalty. As I've read in other reviews, they go out of their way, even from the first phone call, to make you feel like a special customer. My husband and I will be back.
(5)Jennifer J.
Great meal, atmosphere and staff. If you are in the Williamstown area, this is a must!
(5)christian C.
Interesting dishes that are well prepared. One of the best meals I've had in the Berkshires. Began with two appetizers because the menu was so intriguing. One was house marinated sardine - they were very lemony - over salad. That kinda ruined the wine. The second, pastrami porchetta (? can't remember the exact name - something pork/prosciutto like). The pork was a plate with thin slices of pork (like deli ham) arranged all around the plate. It was topped with clothbound cheddar chunks, crispy pieces of thinly sliced rye toast, and pickled Kohlrabi. It was essentially a deconstructed brushetta. Loved the bread too that was provided between courses. It had good crisp, charred crust, with a soft interior perfect for sopping up the olive oil. The veal entrée was excellent. It had a nice, assertive flavor, much more like lamb than beef. Every piece was eaten. It was over a mixture of quinoa and asparagus, which sounds good, but had way too much lemon flavor and was a jarring accompaniment to the veal. But because the veal was so good, I'm sticking with the four star review. The other entree was the pork loin with farro and some asparagus. Got a side dish of the fiddlehead ferns, which were rather boring on their own. We mixed them into the entrees, and they were much better that way. The wines by the glass list was small - only 5 choices, and consisted of wines not commonly seen. We enjoyed the Portuguese red and the Tempranillo. The service was good, which was a bit surprising considering there were at least two rather large groups in the restaurant celebrating birthdays. I'm looking forward to returning.
(4)james h.
Terrific place with great food and service. Three of us showed up early on a Friday nite and scored a table despite having no reservation. The food was fabulous; for apps we had two kale salads and a watermelon/tomato gazpacho. Mains were an outstanding sea bass and two pastas that were out of this world. Both pastas on the menu are terrific, especially the garganelli with lamb, sausage and tomatoes. Desserts included a peach tea sherbert and a cocoa cake and were wonderful.
(5)Macie B.
The experience at Mezze was so great I will definitely be going back again and again. All the staff were extremely accommodating and our waitress was elegant and also was able to make us laugh. I LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE. The only downside was a rude customer who was complaining about the music (which was lovely) and the manager must have handled the situation extremely well because I didn't hear from him for the rest of the night and we still were able to listen to the holiday music. Best of all the food was so delicious!!
(5)Donna K.
PROS: The server was very good to see that we were done at the appropriate time to make the show at the WTF. The main course, we both had the Atlantic Char as it was the only dish that did not contain something we could not eat, was tasty. CONS: The menu struck me as pretentious and very limiting for people who prefer offerings that sound more familiar. There were no additions to the menu that night--I don't know if that is always the case. I was put off by the refusal to accept substitutions on any dish. People with specific food needs might need to take out a meat or shellfish component to the dish. All of the desserts, except for the sorbet, contained dairy so not appropriate for the lactose intolerant. We ordered the sorbet and were surprised that it was one small scoop served in a very plain white bowl (rather than a goblet or nicer dessert dish). I would also have expected it to come with a biscotti or gourmet cookie instead of the tasteless, 4 tiny wafers that were tossed on a plate. I just think there should be an offering or two for people with plainer tastes.
(4)Sossy B.
Mezze was delish. We started our warm summer night by visiting the ducks by the stream outside the restaurant. In expected fashion, Mama Duck quacked and scared us off when I took a step towards one of the ducklings. Onto dinner... We split the summer vegetable appetizer and truffle popcorn to start. The vegetables were amazing - fennel, striped beets, carrots, etc. with pesto oil. I ordered the diver scallops and my husband ordered the vegetable ragout for our main courses. The scallops were seriously the most amazing I've ever had. Amazing. The vegetable ragout was also great - amazing pesto, local vegetables. Wine was good, dessert was good (s'mores tart) and the service was pleasantly attentive, especially considering our waitress was handling easily eight tables. We would totally come back. Really fab.
(4)Alane H.
I wanted to like Mezze as much as I did when they were located on Spring Street, but unfortunately, in my recent two visits, the new iteration just doesn't cut it. The entree menu is too small. When we were there last week, there were two pasta dishes, one fish, no chicken and a couple of others which just didn't appeal. My arctic char was OK, but would it kill them to put a tiny bit of green on the plate? Other members of the party had one each of the pasta and sausage dishes. Yikes! The sausages were viciously over salted. Does the chef taste the sourced material? The portions are stingy and precious. One piece of bread placed on a bread plate, and no refills, apparently. The service was adequate, and quite understandably overwhelmed with a crush of theatergoers but we didn't mind. They upgraded our wine selection in recognition of a rather long wait. Williamstown is a restaurant desert in my opinion. I'm very hopeful that the new Clark Art Institute will have a good restaurant during the season that will give an interesting alternative.
(2)Elizabeth D.
This is a very lovely restaurant tucked on a hillside just outside of downtown Williamstown. Here for a graduation dinner, the place was pretty packed, but the service was very good and the ambiance, though crowded, was very laid back. The decor is modern and simple, and matches their food aesthetic. Great wine, beer and cocktail list. We ordered a bottle of white, but I heard the Old Fashioned was very good and the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout. The menu focuses on local foods. Highlights were the orecchiette with sausage, and the Mighty Food Farms garden salad. Our table also loved the BBQ Beef Sandwich and the burger. The only complaint about the burger was that it was very overcooked. But the toppings were amazing - especially the ramp aioli!
(4)Janet P.
Delicious meal, but ... We enjoyed everything we ate on a recent Saturday night (after the theater crowd had departed) but the service was lacking somewhat. There was an air of tension at the front desk as we waited to be greeted; the couple in front of us had apparently cancelled their reservation online inadvertently. The restaurant was half empty at that point, and the hostess said there was plenty of room, so why was a fuss being made? When we were seated, it took too long to get a glass of wine (and too long to get a refill later when my glass was empty, after my entree was served). Our server was pleasant but a bit clueless. Even when I asked for another glass of wine, she made the circuit of other tables before going off to order it. Still, great food. I would definitely go back. (And I would sit in the bar area, where there is a lively, upbeat energy.)
(4)Frances G.
Great atmosphere, super attentive, polite, knowledgeable staff, excellent wine, great food, which at times was trying too hard to be too much. I left feeling a little hungry, though I did have a wonderful experience.
(3)Sara T.
We were pleasantly surprised by the ambiance at Mezze, given that the sign gave the impression of a 1980s-inspired place. The exposed wood beams gave it a homey feel, but it was also upscale in the decor. The bread and olive oil was a nice start. The mussel appetizer was tasty and creative, with dots of uni butter as a garnish. I ordered a bean-based soup which I expected to be a heart cassoulet, and was disappointed to find the broth quite thin. I was happy to see large pieces of local feta cheese in the mix, though. My husband had the pork filet and thought it was quite good, though had many streaks of fat that prevented him from eating a fair amount of it. The donuts were a creative and extremely tasty finale--though the menu led us to believe we would receive 5 mini donuts, they served only 2 (apparently the other 3 flavors referred to garnishes related to the donuts).
(4)Sarah S.
My girlfriend and I went here on our first trip together to stay at Porches in North Adams. Our dinner at Mezze was, basically, perfect. Nice enough to feel like a real treat, but not at all stuffy or uncomfortable. Helpful, friendly, knowledgeable wait staff. Great menu with options for both me (meat eater) and my gf (vegetarian). I would go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Dana R.
I know farm to table restaurants are all the rage now but I was hoping to experience a good example of that in NW Massachusetts at Mezze. Unfortunately, while they do conform to the farm to table concept, the execution and presentation are greatly lacking. The service was very nice and friendly. The atmosphere is also fine, nothing special though. The wine list is shallow, although my husband enjoyed his (by the glass) Chateauneuf du Pape and my (by the glass) California Cabernet Sauvignon was fine. I had high hopes after tasting a bit of my husband's heirloom tomato salad - the tomatoes were delicious and flavorful and were paired with some nice yellow watermelon and cantaloupe and a nice light but flavorful olive oil dressing. The mozzarella cheese in the salad was not as soft as I would like to see it. My starter, the warm corn soup with pork croutons (?) and browned butter (!), was deliciously sweet, but lacked texture - it was too watery - in fact, it seemed the soup was starting to "break" between the drizzled brown butter and the water in the soup (the server told us there is no cream or diary outside of the butter drizzle); and, I didn't know what to do with/make of the pork croutons - I tried one with the soup and it was just too rich and the pork overpowered the corn flavor. The remainder of them went back to the kitchen. My husband ordered the housemade tagliatelle with a Bolognese of lamb and veal. My bite of his dish gave me undercooked (not even al dente) pasta and a nicely flavored sauce. My husband said the remainder of the pasta was well-cooked and that he liked the flavor of the sauce. However, the sauce was really oily and left an unappetizing orange film all over the bowl. My rib eye (off the bone) was cooked to order, but the cut was tough and overseasoned (and for me that takes a lot of doing!). The stock based sauce with the steak was nice. The sides consisted of overcooked small wedges of zucchini and yellow squash and halved roasted shallots. The portion sizes for both of our entrees were ridiculously large - even if my steak hadn't been seasoned to the point that I didn't want to eat anymore, I couldn't have eaten much more - and incredibly, I still would have had enough meat to feed 2 other people. Some people find large portion sizes to be a good thing and give high ratings for it - I don't, to me, it's either unhealthy for the diner to eat the entirety of such a large portion or a dishonor to the animal who gave its life if not completely or even mostly eaten. Usually, farm to table restaurants are more conscientious of portion sizes for this particular reason. Presentation - there was none; very disappointing. The vegetable sides were just slopped onto my plate next to the slab of meat and there weren't any garnishes or any organization to the plate. My husband's Bolognese had grated cheese over the top, which brought back shades of both of our childhoods with the green cardboard containers of Kraft "Parmesan" cheese - they could have shaved a couple of nice pieces of Parmesan and added a couple of fresh basil leaves (or some other unchopped herb) to dress it up a bit. Overall, just okay food/execution; good, friendly service; and an absence of presentation. I've definitely had better renderings of this type of food.
(2)S S.
Classy decor and nice ambiance inside. Service was very attentive and our server was great - nice and extremely knowledgable about all menu items, featured cocktails and wines by the glass. Offered appropriate and accurate info and suggestions in response to menu questions. Food was very fresh, presented and prepared well. Spicy fried chick pea "snack", skinless cherry tomatoes in pesto broth - both delicious and unusual. Pasta with braised meats and bone marrow breadcrumbs, duck breast with sauce w/fresh corn - both served hot, good portion size, robust flavors. Fresh, farm to table style experience. The one negative was the hostess upon arrival. We were slightly early and offered to wait if it was a problem, waited while hostess checked to see if table was available yet. Were seated immediately but at worst table we saw in the house - table for two between two doors and placed over an A/C vent in the floor covered by a menu. The menu at least blocked enough air so that we didn't get blasted with freezing air unless we accidentally kicked it out of place during the meal. There were plenty of tables available when we were seated and virtually none were filled during the rest of the night. There were plenty of better options in both dining rooms - even allowing so that servers not be overbooked or slammed with tables all being seated at the same time. Maybe hostess seated us there because we were a parent and child looking at nearby Williams college - so only one person of age to order alcohol and maybe considered a low budget table? Really unfortunate. Didn't complain when we were seated as we assumed all other tables were reserved after her comment about checking to see if our table was free when we arrived 15 min early. Would go back to Mezze but would specify seating in main room with bar (more fun room) or table by window or along wall with bench seating in the quieter dining room. The table we had should not be used for seating anyone if the HVAC system is in use - unless maybe its January and its blasting heat on a frigid New England night.
(4)Steven K.
We last year had a memorable dinner at Mezze and returned today with great expectations, which unfortunately were not met. I understand a chef being strict about substitutions when you are serving a prix fixe meal or tasting menu for the table but when ordering ala carte and you would like the spinach that is featured with the liver instead of the kale that comes with your salmon, come on, give the customer a break. But no... no substitutions for you! Some of the plates we ordered were fine: the pork pate, but not the chicken liver pate, for example. The menu suffers from being too vague: banyulis vinaigrette sounds nice but why not specify that this is a mustard based dressing/ And mention that the sausage that is in the pasta dish is hot for those of us who expect sweet, unless told otherwise. If you go, make the server carefully explain each dish to avoid unpleasant surprises. Pricing: check the website for details. Good luck
(2)Joe C.
Mezze is the best restaurant in the Northern Berkshires. The chef crafts creative dishes that feature local ingredients, the setting and ambiance are pleasant and sophisticated, and the bar is a great place to eat and get a fancy drink or a draft beer. No, you're not in an eating hotspot of the world, so don't go with those kinds of expectations. But Mezze is an excellent place. Make reservations on busy weekends (e.g., leaf season or whenever local Williams College has a function where parents are in town).
(5)Lou Ann B.
When I made a reservation for the weekend at Porches in North Adams (highly recommend this place!), they warned me to make dinner reservations in advance due to the busy season. I found Mezze on Yelp and am so glad I did. The setting and ambiance are lovely-- sophisticated/cozy in keeping with the university town location. On Saturday evening the place was pleasantly buzzing with activity. Menu offerings of both traditional starter and entree combos as well as small plates meant that our party had no problem finding something to please all. There is a strong emphasis on both seasonality and locally-sourced product. Among us, we ordered a salad of gorgeous local leaf lettuces, a house-cured charcuterie plate, an heirloom pea and kale soup, butternut squash arancini, peppery greens and apple salad, beef steak in a delicious sauce, maple-pecan tart and a pear turnover. The house breads-- potato and a focaccia with concord grapes and rosemary-- were perfection. There appeared to be ample options for vegetarians. There is a nice list of interesting wines-- Austrian reds, for example, and the after dinner drinks list is extensive. French press coffee and an assortment of whole leaf teas round out the experience. Service was friendly and unpretensious, but well-informed and thorough. Only reason this review is four stars rather than five! Five stars is a standard I have not encountered yet-- I have to leave room for perfection when I find it!
(4)Sean W.
Very cozy restaurant, quite charming on a hill, pleasant staff. Our dinner was delicious. The charcuterie plate was a perfect starter to share. My seared scallops were perfect and the pan-roasted salmon was heavenly. I didn't expect such good food in Williamstown, I was so wrong.
(4)Molly P.
This restaurant, for all its hype, just didn't measure up. We knew it was going to be an expensive dinner, but it was a special occasion. Can't say anything about the bar, the drinks were typical. While looking at the menu, however, my heart sank. I appreciate "farm to table" restaurants, and understand that local produce will always cost more than the stuff from Safeway. However, paying $22.00 for a beet entree was beyond the pale. We all ordered the steak, which was quite good, but came to the table pre-cut. My real gripe was with the side potato terrine, which, although delicious, was literally the size of a small box of matches... not acceptable for a $30. entree. We all left feeling pretty ripped off.
(2)lisa l.
2013. August My family joined my husband and myself for another wonderful dinner at Mezzo on Tuesday . The food was terrific and the desserts were as great as we remembered... The cobbler was the best ( as per my son) but I had the coffee cheesecake and so did my husband..several at our table got the pork loin and loved it to the end where I was waiting for them to lick the plates.. I had the bluefish with leeks and loved that also... Again I wish the place was closer...
(5)Matt C.
The best restaurant in the area. Very smart and savvy staff and kitchen. The menu is always changing with in-season, farm-to-table offerings. They do it right at Mezze.
(5)ilene r.
I gave this three stars since the place was clean and pretty.... My husband made reservations over a month before we went since this was my birthday and we were directed to one of the worst seats... Only after saying that we were not pleased about this were we directed to a somewhat better table ( but not the window that we requested even though it sat empty for our entire time we were there.... The waitress explained none of the dishes and said that her policy was to respond to direct questions only.... We had a mushroom, duck egg appetizer which was tasty if you overlooked the lack of duck... My husband had the char which was ok but nothing special... I had pasta with sausage that was supposed to be spicy but was only tasteless... I had dulce de leche ice cream that was so overloaded with salt ( which in limited quantity is a good thing) that it was in edible .... I do wonder if this is the same restaurant that people have been raving about...
(3)Erin G.
Disappointing at best! Reading reviews of this place makes me wonder if I went to a different restaurant! Service was slow and snooty. The hostess told us we couldn't sit at the bar while we waited for our table( we were twenty minutes early for our reservation). The options on the menu were disappointing. My pasta was over cooked and mushy. The $24 kale "salad" consisted of a tiny pile of miniature kale strips with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. The waitress never asked or seemed to care if we wanted another glass of wine. My friend couldn't even get a soda refill! I have friends who enjoyed their meal here last year, but it has clearly gone down hill. Is it so much to ask for good food and friendly service? We will not be back.
(1)christi c.
Really disappointed by this restaurant but giving extra star because they were understanding. From what I remembered ordered whole wheat gnocci ( I know usually potato) When it came out it was cold and had a hair in it. We explained and the waitress took it back and took it off of our bill which I appreciated. I ended up splitting dinner with my fiance. He had scallops and they were pretty good but of course portions are small so we left hungry.
(3)Kimberly C.
My partner & I had a stellar meal on New Year's Eve. The service was excellent-our bar tenders hooked us up with an outstanding bottle of wine and the food was fantastic! We started with the brown butter truffle popcorn- which we devoured! Then we had the kale salad & fish of the day. The meal finished with rich coffee & chocolate truffles. All in all- Fantastic!
(5)Matt B.
I ate at Mezze this past weekend and had one of the better meals I've ever eaten at a restaurant. I ordered the cassoulet and my partner had the steak frites and both were excellent. I'd never had cassoulet in my life before and decided to take a gamble, which paid off excellent. The serving size was huge, and the summer sausage in the dish was some of the best sausage I've ever had in my life. For dessert I had bread pudding with pears and ice cream, which was out of this world. This was also the first time I've had bread pudding, and I'm afraid the chefs at Mezze set a bar for excellence that other dessert makers will have a hard time reaching in the future! In addition the staff was very helpful and the wine was excellent. If you are in the area and looking for a great meal definitely try Mezze.
(5)Chris P.
Ahhhh - the art of fine dining isn't dead after all. After a great day discovering at MassMoca we Yelped for dinner in Williamstown, MA filtering by highest rated. Oh my Yelp friends, you never let me down. This place rocked. Beautiful, in fact we thought at first a bit too fancy for our casual day but the atmosphere with the Talking Heads playing lightly in the background worked. I had the roasted Arctic Char and my friend had the Amish roasted chicken. I don't even have a word that can capture the perfectness we experienced with our dishes. Both chocolate desserts blew us away too. Thank you again Yelpers - I'm so happy to be a part of this community.
(5)Sara N.
So good! This little house on a hill in the middle of the Berkshires was a big surprise! The ambiance was fabulous and cozy (not at all what i expected from what this place looks like on the outside). Great, creative menu, and not excessively expensive. Beautiful presentation of the food and good cocktails! The only thing that was off was that we felt a little rushed to order our mains, when we wanted to wait for our app, then order. And when the bill came the price of the veal that was listed on the menu was not the same as on the bill (somehow my fiance noticed it was $10 more on the bill!), we asked the waitress to check and she easily fixed it. Overall a great experience, such delish food, I would 100% recomend! Just keep an eye on your bill ;)
(4)Ralph G.
Good place to eat and take your you're doing so
(4)David P.
We had a GREAT meal here. Wonderful service and the place had a nice buzz.
(5)Patrick J.
Mezze holds court as the chic- fancy restaurant in Williamstown. And while that's great, you need to plan for that.... like make reservations. My wife and I wanted to see a movie at 7:00pm, got to the restaurant at 5:45 and were told we couldn't get a table. So we sat at the bar and had a very pleasant meal (despite there being 2-3 empty tables the entire time we were there). Very annoying. The food more than made up for it. My wife got the scallops with pureed cauliflower and hen-in-the-woods mushrooms, and declared them to be "Perfect." (and also expensive, when you divided the cost of the dish by number of scallops, it came out to $7/scallop). I got the rabbit and pasta, which was very tasty. Having walked the Williams campus and seen many rabbits frolicking around, I had to wonder if the chefs had snared a couple of cotton-tails out the back door. If I were in Williamstown again, I would probably eat dinner here again, but would definitely make reservations.
(4)Kim D.
the space, the waitstaff, the drinks and most importantly, the food, was perfect! we started out with an old fashioned and the rye sour off of their specialty drink menu. both were spot on. we collaborated with our very knowledgeable waitress on our food choices. we opted for the ribeye, the bluefish with miso and beet puree, a side of swiss chard and a side of hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and kale. they were all absolutely delicious! the au jus for the steak was amazing - i wish i could have swam in a pool of it. the bluefish - the miso sauce and roasted beet puree balanced the perfectly cooked fish. we had the spring stone fruit cobbler for dessert. as i connoisseur of cobblers, i can say confidently that this was the best i've ever had. definitely, definitely check out mezze. you will enjoy it.
(5)Patricia K.
We've eaten here several times and yet to leave unimpressed. An ideal dining experience for locavores.... Dining on locally grown dishes in season is the way to go. A serene dining room adds to it all.
(5)Nancy H.
Lovely room, attentive and pleasant service, good wine by the glass list. The marcona almonds and the olives, on the snacks list, were ideal. Who knew olives could be that special? I love kale salads and this one was excellent, beautifully balanced. Nightly special halibut prepared nicely, delicious, good-looking plate with lemon-grass infusion and matchstick veggies.
(4)Carolina D.
I was an every-other-month happy diner at Mezze, but won't be going back. While the food is still very good, the prices for what you get are out of control. When I pay $34 for a sea bass entree that says it comes with 'carrot puree and a carrot salad" am I wrong in expecting the "salad" would be more than a garnish? Before the sea bass (about 6 oz.), which was delicious, I had a $9 cup (not more) of lackluster cucumber and avocado soup that certainly didn't fill me up. I spent over $50 and would have left hungry if I hadn't had two pieces of bread--which were superb, but I shouldn't have to eat bread to fill out a meal. Clearly to be satisfied, I should have ordered a vegetable or salad in addition, and perhaps split a dessert--and I'm a small person with a small appetite, for whom American portions are usually overwhelming. Otherwise the service was great and the place is charming, if a little fussy.
(2)Laura R.
We had a lovely meal at Mezze. As we drove up at 7:30 the pre-theater crowd was leaving, so we were part of a leisurely second seating. Everything was delicious. The beautiful art on the walls was a plus. Service was a tad erratic, but not so bad as to mar a great meal.
(5)Evan G.
Better than expected - and delicious food. We had a great meal at Mezze. There's a familiar feel to Mezze, and the accommodating staff make you feel truly at home. The pork loin with fava beans was amazing and the scallops were tender and flavorful. We also enjoyed an amazing French pinot noir, which was much less complex than the Oregon pinot noir on the list. The owner, Nancy, is opening a third restaurant near the 1896 House (just down the road a bit), and bless her - she knows how to put together a menu.
(4)Lacey B.
My brother and I went here last week - had a great time and the food was delish!!! So i was in albany for work and lil bro is riding his bicycle to montreal and was in some small town near willamstown. We decided to go to mezze for a relaxing dinner to catch up. Upon our arrival, the hostess told us there was a wait but that we could wait at the bar if we wished, she said we could eat at the bar, but that she would follow-up on us in a few minutes to see what we decided. Well the bar was great! Bartender was better! but the hostess never checked on us again!! (minus 1 star!!) it was almost as if she was trying to say that we werent dressed or looked the part of their clientele!!! Hello - my bro has been camping for a week - yes he took a shower but we are not dressed in finery here!!! (btw - i looked great! haha!!) anyways we ate at the bar - ordered local olives to start & bread w olive oil was also served as a starter, being somewhat of an olive oil snob, i have to say i loved theirs!! We also ordered the tomatoe mozzarella salad to start - delicious - all ingredients were very fresh. For entrees i had the pork loin and my brother had the salmon, both were amazing - cooked just perfectly, not overdone (as most places do!).The dessert was the best!!! Some type of cobbler - strawberry rhubarb or strawberry raspberry i cant remember but it was sooooo magnificent!! It was amazing!! We also had a lot to drink (ok actually my bro was downing them! - me not so much!) the cocktails were innovative, well-poured and the bartender (from the czech republic) was great!! If we lived in the area we would go here regularly - despite the snobby hostess!!!
(4)Michael S.
Believe the reviews that say this place is hit-and-miss. The martini selection is very unique and there is a nice wine list. Some dishes were very good (split-pea soup) but some dishes were not edible (the raviolis were oily and mushy). Great wait staff but the kitchen needs more quality control.
(3)Herb B.
Excellent atmosphere in an old house on a hill. The tables are nicely separated so there is no overcrowding. The salads are extremely fresh and the dressings properly handled. Everyone in my party of eleven enjoyed their main courses and we were all impressed with the mushroom side made with fanlike mushrooms sauteed perfectly. Add cocktails that are full measure along with French press coffee and the evening was very enjoyable....
(5)Spence H.
A really exquisite dining experience. Lovely room with large windows showcasing the green trees of Williamstown.... friendly and expert wait staff... The food is truly special... we had Orchiette appetizer, Beet-Ginger soup and the Blackfish. Amazing desserts. Our only disappointment was the ordinary fried chicken.
(4)Lisa W.
Fantastic service, cocktails and food!
(5)David L.
Well, my wife and I visited Mezze after taking in a great show at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and had a very mixed experience. Her salad was bitter (arugula), and her scallops salty. I was much luckier. Everything I ordered was amazing. Warm beets over goat cheese was incredible, as was the pork loin with fava beans, mushrooms, and potatoes. Also ordered (on a whim) a glass of "sparkling red wine" from Italy which was totally worth the risk. Things got really busy when the "pre-theater" crowd arrived, so it took a bit longer than we had hoped to get our check, but otherwise service was excellent. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)Art R.
This is a truly outstanding restaurant! It is exactly what I like in a restaurant: fine dining with very pleasant decor and attentive but not intrusive service, an adventurous menu that avoids weirdness, and a kitchen that produces extraordinary flavors and treats vegetables as key players, not as accompaniments or afterthoughts. The wine list was not extensive, but based on our selection (an excellent Sancerre) it was well chosen. We had a stunning dessert (pear turnover); the coffee was quite good. And as an extra bonus, the price of the meal was quite reasonable for the quality and ambience. For a special night out, or whenever you want a really superb meal out in the wilds of northwest Massachusetts, this is the place.
(5)Frau W.
On a snowy and windy night in the Berkshires during our honeymoon getaway weekend, we decided to venture farther down Route 2 West into the cozy college town of Williamstown. Tucked away on Water Street, with a frozen garden out front, was Mezze Bistro & Bar. Earlier that day, before checking out Mass MoCA, we had lunch at Mezze's sister restaurant Cafe Latino and were impressed with the decor and the food. Thus, we knew that Mezze had to be just as good, if not more pleasurable. Our (positive) experiences were just as different as the restaurants are from each other. I was thrilled with my appetizer choice of red, gold, and candy-striped roasted beets arranged in a circle around warm goat cheese. I am in love with beets and goat cheese! Both were so warm and soft and had touches of sweetness. My husband chose the frissee salad with apple slices, duck confit, and bacon vinaigrette. He liked the salad, but thought it was heavy on the bacon. My entree featured two HUGE sea scallops. We've never seen sea scallops so big! But they were moist and juicy. Thank God there were only two of 'em on the plate, because I couldn't eat anymore. On the side, there was a cauliflower puree and roasted hen-of-the-woods mushrooms drizzled with a truffle vinaigrette. Regarding my husband's meal, all I recall is a beef dish in which he did not need to use a knife, because the meat just melted. It was so yummy! Moist and succulent for the beef and the scallops! After dinner, we asked to meet the wine buyer, since my husband works in the wine industry. Turns out, the wine buyer (Nancy Thomas) is actually the owner of Mezze Inc., the parent company of Mezze Bistro, Cafe Latino at Mass MoCA, Mezze Catering, and a new restaurant, allium, in Great Barrington. She was very courteous and knowledgeable about wine. Another great dining experience in the Berkshires. We shall return!
(5)Heather C.
fantastic food and attentive service. great for a special occasion!
(4)Cynthia C.
Writing not to critique the food... We arrived at 4:50... We were told not open til 5:00. I said in a stage voice... Well... I guess we could go somewhere else...thinking we would be invited to the bar for a drink... Front desk just said...nothing.. Just goodby. So our party of two went to hops and vines and spent $200.00 there...which included a fine bottle of wine . P.s. We ate at the bar which we prefer . I guess mezze's business is good and their Indifference showed
(1)John R.
We used to love Mezze in their old location on Water Street, and had visited 4 or 5 times. We stopped going to Williamstown for awhile (young children) and now are just getting back into going for WTF. I read the reviews of Mezze to check up on them and saw high, then low, then sporadic. I thought we'd give them a chance and hope things were back up to par in the new location. The spot itself is beautiful. It's bright and spacious. The menu is small, but reasonably imaginative. Wine list is nice and the wines by the glass a bit pricy, but decent. The waitservice was attentive, but the kitchen was very slow. We waited about 20 minutes from appetizers to entrees. Of course, we were really there for the food, which was acceptable, but disappointing. The cold cucumber/kohlrabi soup was very bland. The charcuterie was nicely presented, but only 2 of the items had real flavor. The scallops with cauliflower and some type of sausage and the ribeye steak were both very salty. The steak, which I ordered rare, came medium well to well done; no pink at all. It was replaced graciously, but the second one wasn't really rare either. The meat was good, but the salt overpowered the flavor. Also, this wasn't the cut of meat you would expect for $44. One expects exceptional food at those prices, and this wasn't it.
(3)Cathy W.
I've been coming to Wiliamstown for three years and finally tried Mezze. I wish that I hadn't waited! But now the restaurant has a new beautiful location with gardens and more space, so an even better excuse to go. Everything I ate was sublime: I started my meal with a smooth and savory white gazpacho, made with celeriac and parsnips. My main dish of pork loin and haricot vert and leeks was complimented by an unusual white wine recommended by our server (Cote de H'eux). I had cheesecake for dessert which I remember as quite delicious, even though I'm normally not a cheesecake fan - so it must have been pretty special! You'll really like Mezze - it's the cream of the crop in Williamstown.
(4)Kerri B.
The place is/was beautiful, I'm sorry to see that they are moving their location. Anyways the food was delicious. They got me hooked on maggie's round cheese and everything else was prepared very well..
(4)Megan M.
Oh, YUM. I loved that I saw this little place, tucked back off of Water Street, and convinced my mom that we needed to go here. The exterior of Mezze is slightly misleading, I think. There is a beautiful overgrown garden out front, but you can't really tell from the street if it's even open. Which I love. It's like a secret spot (but not really, judging from the crowd on a Wednesday night)! We didn't have a reservation when we went (didn't think we'd need one), but opened the front door to a full restaurant! Well, at least, the side they were using. Evidently they only use the entire restaurant on weekends (or so I'd think). We decided to eat at the bar, rather than wait for a table. The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable, he easily suggested a good red wine for me when asked. Their menu is on the small side, but we were both able to pick out something almost immediately. My mom had a salmon appetizer as her meal (she does this all the time), which looked good. I had the tagliatelle with an English pea pesto and prosciutto. It was wonderful. My mom kept picking off my plate, so I'm assuming she was just as big a fan. The saltiness of the prosciutto perfectly offset the pesto sauce. I would most definitely go back here, though probably not with a big group. A bit on the pricey side for the area, I'd prefer something more low-key with a bunch of people.
(4)Elizabeth P.
Moving to Williamstown from Chicago - a lack of good restaurants has been rough! Mezze has fresh, organic foods from local farms. The wine selection is excellent. The service (well we always sit at the bar) is outstanding!
(5)Rebecca H.
Had a wonderful dinner here tonight. The restaurant and grounds were lovely. The service was superb. The food was amazing. From a memorable bleu cheese from Vermont on the cheese plate to the little cookie given after the check, every bite was nearly perfect.
(5)Anne W.
Cool old building, professional yet quirky staff, creative and high quality food. The bar is a comfortable spot for dinner as well as for the interesting mixed drinks and wines available. I have been visiting the purple mountains for about six years and this place is always on my to-do list.
(4)Roger M.
This is my favorite restaurant in the Berkshires -- and I eat at a lot of restaurants in the Berkshires. Like many of my favorites, it seems that most things are locally sourced. But, Mezze simply brings it up to a level of excellence in preparation and service that others do not match. As a result, it tends to be our restaurant of choice for birthdays and special events. (The other one is Chez Nous in Lee.) The menu at Mezze changes daily. I loved the appetizer of heirloom tomatoes with melon. It gave the meal a nice summery touch. The Chicken Breast with Cauliflower Pureé, New Potatoes, Mushrooms, Leeks was tender and delicate. Who knew that cauliflower could taste so good? I have been a fan of Mezze for years -- including in their old smaller Williamstown center location. It just keeps getting better.
(5)Opinionatedchef 1.
Stellar Meats AND A Vegetarian Treasure Chest: Mezze in Williamstown If you have the opportunity to eat this chef's "Beet Soup" , it may well be the best you will ever have- silky smooth essence of beet that just simply sings. And I have to laugh because My Love and I have finally broken our secret "noooooo kale salad" rule with Mezze's Kale Caesar, with its authentic robust dressing and crispy toasted bread crumbs.Chewy but not bitter; a delight. In urban bistros, Duck confit is certainly overdone in recent years, and also rarely done well. But at Mezze, this chef turns out a perfect duck confit- the way it was MEANT to be.Spice rubbed duck, long braised in a duck fat bath, with delightfully crispy skin and succulent tender thigh and leg meat. It sits in a "crazy French hat" bowl in a summer stew of sweet local corn and chanterelles.(We BOTH ordered it- how could we not? ) For 'side dishes ', we ordered the Fried Sunchokes and the Duck fat smashed potatoes. Little did we know that these plates were really entree portions, topped with greens ( too bitter for us.)The nutty sunchokes were the must-haves of the night ; the frying brought forth a caramelization that was irresistable. Table bread was a great local sourdough. And for dessert, the Basil Lemonade Sorbet was totally amazing. This was not a flavor for the faint of heart. Rather than play in the background, the fresh height-of-the-summer basil took front and center, in both flavor and hue, brightened by the lemon high notes. Our server was Hollywood-lovely, knowledgeable and helpful.She seemed a natural fit for the place itself. A summer cottage on a verdant hillside, Mezze's charming decor and soothing colors, lit throughout by votives, made for a lovely and memorable setting that capped off a most enjoyable evening. Were the menu larger, we would have returned the next night, but then again, we can hope that this talented chef will still be there for our next visit. . . . . .
(4)Edward M.
There were four of us with a reservation for dinner. Although it was disappointing to learn that there were no specials on a busy summer evening, clearly someone here knows how to cook; unfortunately, the front of the house doesn't really care and there was no visible management. The bottle of wine didn't arrive until after the first plates were on the table, and speaking of first plates, the waitress who hadn't wished to take a hint and had come by three times to rush us into ordering while we tried to discuss the menu and wine list, had offered that the two salads we selected would be split in the kitchen, but the runner unceremoniously dumped them on the table with extra plates. When questioned about it the runner acknowledged knowing that they were supposed to be divided, but made clear that they wouldn't be and that she resented being asked to at least bring a couple of serving spoons since we had to do it ourselves. Water glasses went unfilled, we were left to pour our own wine and later coffee, bread was only replenished upon request, and to top it all off while we were waiting for the desert menus another runner dumped (another table's!) desert on our table, and then argued with us about taking it back when we alerted him that it wasn't ours! (Yes, we mentioned it to the waitress when she next found time to grace us with her presence, and no, she made clear she didn't care!) That said, both salads were fresh and lively, and salmon, chicken, steak and garganelli mains were all nicely done (although hard to see in a room with the lights turned down way too low such that other tables were visibly using their cell phones to try and read the menu--yes, we mentioned that to the waitress too, but she just smiled, walked away, and did nothing about that either). The deserts were noticeably skimpy for the price; although the menu credits a pastry chef they were chiefly notably for their absence of pastry, consisting primarily of fruits and chilled confections. We would have shared our experience with the hostess on the way out, if anyone had been there! No manager was ever visible in the dining room and although there were still other dinners finishing up their meals the entry room (and dark steps down to the parking lot) had no one tending them when we exited. Nonetheless, with some work this could be a destination fine dining restaurant (the words bistro and bar in its title are both misleading).
(3)Roger K.
I'd been receiving weekly emails from Mezza ever since I decided I really enjoyed its sister, Allium in Great Barrington, more than five years ago. They even relocated from "downtown" Williamstown to a beautiful location just South of the town since I first wanted to try them out. This was now the perfect opportunity as we were also joining friends for a matinee play at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Five of us arrived and informed the hostess that the sixth in our party was not able to attend. The hostess politely informed us that she would reset the table for five and return to seat us. I think they may have even changed the table that was planned for us, because we passed one long empty table set for six and arrived at a round table that was perfect for a party of five. Water glasses were constantly refilled by the roving water-person. While I let the other four of our party study the wine menu, I asked our server if they had any draft beer. She said they had two, a Jack's Abby Leisure Time wheat lager ($6/pt.) and a Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin IPA ($8/pt). I decided to start with the IPA even though IPAs are not my first choice of beer. But neither is a wheat larger. It was our server's description that the grapefruit flavor was very light that encouraged me to try it. In fact, it was a great Summer beer for sitting by the pool or lake and enjoying all by itself. It probably would have gone well with my entrée, but I think I finished it during our sharing of appetizers. Speaking of appetizers, the ones I was able to taste were: the Gazpacho ($10) with strawberry, cherry tomato, radish, jalapeno, and borage (a flower herb), it was a favorite of others at our table; the Mushrooms ($23), an egg yolk and ham crumbs on top of chicken confit, peas, and corn and of course mushrooms (hen-of-the-wood), one of my favorites for the apps; and finally, Carrots ($14) with pork belly pastrami, maggie's round cheese (Google this delicious cheese), pickles, and rye, my other app favorite. My entrée was Kingfish ($28) with a chorizo puree, charred broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. While this was described to us as a whitish fish similar in texture to swordfish, I would agree it was lighter in color, but not as firm as swordfish. I actually liked it better than swordfish and all of the dish was delicious. I had the Jack's Abby lager while I was eating the Kingfish and I would have thought it was the best choice to complement the fish, but it turned out that the beer seemed to lack any noticeable flavor at all. Ironically, it's described as brewed with wheat and a blend of spices including lemongrass, coriander, orange peel, and chamomile. I guess I don't know Jack's. Two other entrées that I had the opportunity to taste were the Garganelli ($25) which is a pasta with braised pork, beef shank, Italian sausage, spicy tomato sauce, and bone marrow, and the Duck Breast ($28), boneless and sliced with succotash of summer vegetables, and corn puree. Both of these entrées were very good, but they didn't want to make me go ooh and aah. But thinking back, none of the dishes got that response from me. I say this because Mezza's sister restaurant, Allium, did generate that response the last couple of times I was there. To cover all bases, I should mention that one person in our group ordered the Hanger Steak ($28) because he was pleased with it on his previous visit to Mezza. It was served with beef fat potatoes, bill's lettuce, blue cheese, and bordelaise. He was still pleased, and I didn't sample it. It's foolish to go to a restaurant with this level of renown and not try dessert prepared on site by a pastry chef. The three desserts ($8.50 each) that I was able to sample were the Buttermilk Panna Cotta with strawberries, the Blueberry Galette with cherry thyme syrup and vanilla ice cream, and the Lemon Poppyseed Cake with lemon curd, sweet milk ice cream, and milk crumble. The panna cotta was my least favorite as it lacked excitement. The lemon poppyseed cake was good enough that I'd order it if I wasn't supposed to be limiting my intake of poppyseeds. The blueberry galette was not only my favorite, but the vanilla ice cream was super creamy and full of flavor. You could even see the bits of vanilla seed. The French press coffee is excellent. A truly nice ending to out meal. As busy as the restaurant was with the handling, at the same time, of pre-evening-performance diners and post-matinee-performance diners, everything was coordinated in a very timely fashion. If you have the time, also enjoy the gardens and pond on the property while you're there.
(4)Emily H.
Definitely recommend Mezze. Everything was excellent. Great staff, great old house (used to be Le Jardin), great food, great views. Excellent place for a date night. We had the Hen of the Woods mushroom appetizer (egg yolk, fava beans, duck confit, ham crumbs) and it was perfect for two people to split and was really delicious. We never did receive any bread. The Garganelli Pasta (I called it Gargamelle Pasta, get it, from the Smurfs?) was really yummy. It had braised pork, beef shank, Italian sausage, and tomato sauce. All the ingredients were fresh and local so I was glad they kept it simple. My husband had the duck breast and loved it. I was a little confused by the "small plates" concept, since the prices seemed to match big plates, and the portions were huge. We didn't have room for dessert, but it's always good to have a reason to go back. :) It's best to make a reservation, since every table was taken, even on a Sunday night.
(4)Carol H.
An amazing meal, starting with hen of the woods mushrooms, kale Caesar salad and savory broccoli with puffed rice and chicken confirm. Our main courses including octopus and duck confit and delicious pasta dishes were all excellent. Basil lemonade sorbet was a happy revelation. An incredible meal, excellent service, wonderful evening!
(5)Jerry L.
Came here with a few friends and we all had an amazing experience. My main course dish (Salmon) was fantastic. The use of kimchi gave the dish a extra dazzling quality. We tried all of the desserts and while you can't go wrong my favorite was definitely the banana bread (my friend loved the chocolate on chocolate choice). The only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 is because the appatizers did not share the same food quality. We ordered the Chips and Dip, Octopus and Oysters to start and none are very memorable.
(4)M V.
Wonderful farm-to-table restaurant. The setting is beautiful and elegant but the atmosphere is relaxed and informal. Thoroughly modern. The staff is friendly and attentive but the star of the show here is clearly the food. Great local ingredients, ethically produced and thoughtfully prepared. We had beet soup, kale salad, pasta in a spicy red sauce with assorted meats, hanger steak with duck fat potatoes. All scrumptious. The steak was an event in itself--sublime. Bourbon cherry ice cream? Wow! A terrific experience and a very good value. Will definitely come again.
(5)Harry E.
Excellent. Get the sriracha fried chickpeas, the cherry strawberry gazpacho, and the broccoli w/ fish sauce and puff rice for sure. I'm thinkin I'm gonna make an attempt to reverse engineer that shite. Halibut entree was also dank, but not as standout as the previously mentioned starters. Dope service. Dope environment (feels just like a big country house, with a waterfall on the walkway up the rolling hill to the building) If you're tryna have a nice expensive meal in this lil town, this place is certifiably dank and should not be missed. Great job, y'all.
(5)Wendy S.
If you love inventive and delicious food in an elegant yet casual setting, this is your place! We had a truly wonderful meal. The hen of woods with chicken confit, and mokum carrots ( apps) were amazing!!! Not to be missed. The meatball entree was so delicious. The kingfish was just ok. My fist time with kingfish so it's the fish not the preparation. Excellent service too. I highly recommend it.
(5)Shannon D.
Went to this place after reading many positive reviews on Yelp. The setting is very nice, looks like an old house set on a hill. The decor was sharp and included a nice patio out back. Staff was friendly as well. Service did end up being on the slow side and uncoordinated. Our bread came after we finished our appetizers and water refills were slow. Menu is super limited and no substitutions allowed! As a vegetarian I did not have many choices at all! It was on the pricier side as well and portions were small. Food was good and fresh, but not sure I'd say its one of the best in the Berkshires...
(3)Jim G.
Our two entrees (garganelli and hanger steak) were prepared to perfection. All the meats in the pasta worked together without interfering. My wife chose to add a little heat with pepperoncini flakes to good effect. The hanger steak was the exact medium rare requested. Incredibly juicy with intense flavor. What a nice combo with the gorgonzola, salad and smashed potatoes. For those with sodium issues, be aware the Chef is not light-handed with salt for seasoning, although the olive appetizer was very tasty despite this. It all paired nicely with the one Chianti (2012) in their cellar. Be advised that the basil lemonade sorbet is heavy on the BASIL. The one disapointment was a slow start up of the wait service. It appeared for about fifteen minutes that two other tables arriving after us were much more important than us ...
(5)Martina C.
Definitely one of the best restaurant of the Berkshires! If you are heading to Williamstown or North Adams is a must. The place is lovely, with a garden and small lake in front of the entrance. The restaurant is sort of a house, and the atmosphere is really homie. Service is excellent, and the food is really tasty. I went few times and I never been disappointed; plus all my guests were really impressed! I usually share different small plates, all delicious, fresh and with local ingredients (they actually can tell you from which farm they got what! Seriously.) Don't miss the dessert! They are way worthier and always amazing tasty surprises! Last, great artworks on the wall. You can read bio and resume on the artists and actually buy great pieces from local artists.
(5)True R.
After the work conference & camping, my coworkers & I felt we needed to treat ourselves & we were not disappointed. Pros:The employees were really nice, friendly, not overbearing & provided tremendous service. I had the veal, that was tasted fresh & nicely prepared. For drinks, I actually left it up to their bartender to make me her favourite cocktails & all i can say to her is THANK YOU! Cons: NONE
(5)Diana L.
I loved this place and the guy who worked here was SO nice to me and my mom, we talked to him for ages (he also gave us a free glass of wine and a free glass of ballast point sculpin that they had on tap...beer geek me was impressed). The dessert and everything was PHENOM! The only critique I have is that everything had too much meat-ness added to it, it got kind of overwhelming. The BLT salad - heirloom tomatoes, some green that I forget, and aioli made with bacon lard - delicious!! Some charcuterie that was local and home smoked and cured (but it was mostly fat!) it was like beef carpaccio except only fat A risotto with chicken but it was also injected with some kind of animal fat, also the portion was far too large (not a common critique maybe but it was almost too much for me to finish). I thought the dessert was the best part probably exclusively because I was mad sick of meat anything by the time I finished. I would give this place 5 stars because it was delicious and MGMT treated me and my mom like royals but I woke up vomiting at like 2 am because my body couldn't handle all that animal fat so, 4 stars.
(4)