For my birthday and my 100th review, I decided to go to Beardslee Castle. I first heard about this place, oddly enough, through the show Ghost Hunters. As it turns out, the Ghost Hunters team didn't find any paranormal activity there. I was on the hunt for a good meal, not ghosts, so I've been dying to give it a shot. It did not let us down, although at first I was concerned. It was odd that we did not get a wine list when we were seated. The waitress assumed we would want to order from the small selection of wine by the glass printed on their normal menu. Also, we wanted to start with a Gouda appetizer that they had run out of, so we went for the fried ravioli instead, which had a few areas for improvement. The use of pine nuts is a bit superfluous. They should consider mixing a pesto in with the ricotta and then the pine nuts would have made a bit more sense. In general it didn't pack a lot of flavor. That being said, I thought everything else was fantastic. Our waitress was very eager to get things out to us promptly. Their wine list is very good and is reasonably priced. My entree, the strawberry chicken, was one of the most creative dishes I've seen in a while. Strawberries, lightly sauteed onions and melted brie over chicken breast with a side of wild rice and vegetables. The chicken was very moist. The only thing I would recommend is switching out apricots instead of strawberries. Apricots tend to hold up against other powerful flavors, whereas hot fresh strawberries can get a bit muted. Still very good. My husband got the lamb and was very happy with it. I thought the small dollop of sweet potatoes on top of the mashed potatoes was a really nice touch. The sweet potatoes were so creamy that they were almost like butter on top of the potatoes. Very nice. We ended the night with the banana madness. This was truly madness. For all of its complexity, I don't think the English language contains the right words to describe how good this thing is. If bananas foster and banana bread had a torrid love affair, the result would be banana madness. Amazing. Even though I was full I could not help but finish off the very generous portion of dessert we shared. It's also worth noting that they must have a problem with customers complaining about the amount of time food takes to come out. Our waitress constantly apologized for the wait. Honestly, we did not feel like we waited a long time for any of our food. I'd say things were timed perfectly. We didn't feel rushed but we didn't get hungry between courses. I'd say that's pretty successful timing. They were so paranoid about this, in fact, that they took our dessert off the bill as an apology. I promise, we did not complain or look impatient at any point. I was truly perplexed. Even though Beardslee is over an hour away, I would definitely come back. It's a nice drive and worth the time and gas it takes to get there!
(4)
Michael T.
As a paranormal researcher I've always wanted to visit Beardsley, I was not disappointed at all. The cuisine is definitely 5 star, the appetizers were strategically timed with the main course as to not leave you too full for dinner or desert. I had the duck and it was culinary heaven. As a side note, the paranormal activities were quite interesting. The candle at our table fell out of the holder, which was quite secure. I am always very aware of my surroundings and I saw the waitress light the candle and noticed it being quite secure in the holder. I also saw a shadow in an area that was unoccupied and away from the parking area or road to have possibly caused by outdoor lights. We were quite inundated with an above average amount of snow at the time and only the parking area was plowed, so the chance of someone walking around outside was nearly impossible. I look forward to visiting again, the bar menu looked very inviting and the atmosphere is the best.
(5)
Emily T.
My review will sound like everyone else...good food, slow service, beautiful setting, horrible tasting water. Seriously, just order another bottle of wine. That water is awful. Not sure about the prices since I didn't see the bill, but they seemed reasonable from what I saw on the menu. I'll go back again I'm sure, but I'll make sure I'm not ravenously hungry since you do wait a while for your food.
(3)
Sara A.
This place has both good and bad things about it. You'll have to decide for yourself if it's worth it. I would recommend going just for the experience of eating in a "haunted" castle. The food is great, but the service was pretty poor. Also, the seating is kind of bad if you're shy. You might end up staring right at a group of 10 people and it's awkward. All the tables are crammed into one area: Unless you end up in the weird side room with the ancient, dusty oriental rugs. I swear I almost had an allergy attack from those rugs. They looked like they hadn't been changed since 1944. Anyways... Our food took over an hour to arrive. When it finally did arrive, it wasn't as warm as it should have been. But it was delicious. I didn't want to complain about the not-so-warm meat because I know what they do when you send your food back to restaurant kitchens. When you pay almost 30 bucks a plate, you expect the food to be hot. No matter how good it tastes, no one wants a lukewarm meal. The water was WEIRD and I didn't even want to drink it. The soda was tainted with the foul sulfur water as well. Ick. They need to invest in some bottled water, or at the very least a filtration system. I felt like I was drinking puddle water from the inside of a casket. Like I said before, the service was less-than-stellar. Our waitress wasn't very friendly, and the food took ages to come. We were so bored. At least there were plenty of tacky decorations and bizarre, clashing light fixtures to stare at. The place has the potential to be really great, but right now things are rough around the edges. They should hire an interior decorator and make the place look like a castle instead of a gothic opium den.
(3)
Breanna B.
Beardslee Castle was a sanctuary for us while our campsite was being pummeled by rain. An unfortunate situation for sure. Although, I was so glad to have a nice place to share a drink with my bf despite our awful camping getup (read: I was wearing a dress and rainboots... my sandals were whisked away in the creek). Since we were not wearing appropriate attire, they sent us to The Dungeon. And, there I gladly went. We sat down at the bar, with a view of band stickers lining the walls, creepy skeletons and trolls perched on the shelves. This was the right place for us. We grabbed drinks and decided to have a lapse in our lets-only-cook-over-the-fire weekend ordering a dozen buffalo chicken wings. For a moment we stepped back into reality. It was a fun place, great people, and lots of ghosts hanging around. It was definitely an eerie spot to have a drink. You really are in a basement, it's dungeon-like, including a terrifying room for a table of 6 with no windows and wrought-iron gate as a door. I walked in there and felt the spirits, if you know what I mean. The schtick is hilarious, fun, and adds to the experience. If you're in town or just passing through it's worth a stop in. The castle is beautiful as are the grounds (they host weddings there too).
(4)
Alexandra G.
We went out with great expectations. No its not a real castle. I know if it has a turret it can be called a castle. We are locals and have been reading about beardsley for awhile. The menu online always seems so avant garde, in this small town environment. So our kids came up to visit and we thought we would try. They do have a great selection of drinks. From wines to beers and all the in between drinks from the bar. We ordered beer and had the owner supposedly recommend a few for us which we enjoyed. All the people saying how wonderful the ambiance is.. I don't get it. The chairs were horribly uncomfortable. We were being bit by some type of bugs that were relentless and painful. Yes it had candle light, I am assuming so you couldn't see what you were eating. The food was ok at best. Nothing to merit the expensive price tag that went along with it. Food was warm when brought out, I like mine hot. I wouldn't go back.
(1)
Ryan M.
Food is good but pricey. Ambience is worth it. Everyone should try it once. Heard the mystery dinner theater is a blast as well.
(5)
Victory G.
We recently came for our anniversary, after not having visited in 12-13 years. Pros: - The food was generally very good, particularly the appetizers. The eggplant dish was delicately fried without that oily aftertaste you tend to get, with a nice tomato sauce on top. Buffalo mozz caprese salad was probably the highlight of the night, with beautiful, low-acidity heirloom tomatoes, delicate mozz, fresh arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic. - The ambiance, if you've never been there, is amazing. It's a genuine castle, with smoke coming from the fireplace and everything. It's got a great feel to it - something I've never experienced at another restaurant in the greater CNY area. - Price - seemed OK to me. Some posters mention overpriced dishes, and while that may be true for the area, I don't think it's accurate for the caliber of food they're trying to put out. I'd say prices were about accurate, particularly the lower-priced appetizers (which are small - FYI - but still reasonably priced). Cons: - The service was disappointing. Generally, I don't care too much about service, as long as it is competent, and I despise the "Applebee's fake charm" style of service. However, when I to a supposedly finer place like this, I have higher expectations. This woman was not interested in any pleasantries whatsoever, nor did she routinely check to see how we were doing or if we needed anything. The woman who provided water and took plates was far more polite. We're very low-maintenance guests, but this really turned me off. I think the lengthy suspicious glare at my wife when she ordered wine (if you want to check her ID, just ask for it and she'd be happy to oblige) set the tone. - Someone else mentioned the sulfur-tasting water...I noticed that as well - they must be using a well. If you're not used to that, it can be quite off-putting. - The restaurant was cold. I am generally warm anywhere, and my hands were cold for most of the meal. - The dishes were cold - particularly a steak and mashed dish, which seemed like it had been sitting for a while before being picked up. - The salads were very lackluster - wilted greens, and a flavorless, watery roasted red pepper dressing. Overall: I stand by calling it a 3-star experience even though it seems there were more cons than pros. The atmosphere is quite charming and bolsters things quite a bit. The other gripes (aside from the water) are likely different if you return on a different night (different server, warmer spot, different cook putting salads together and someone on-the-spot expediting, etc.) I'd love to repeat in the next year and see if they improve.
(3)
Alex T.
Super cool place for a relaxing little date night if you're ever in the area. My ex and I were up here at a B&B for the weekend, and we managed to get here for dinner one night. The food was very good, the ambiance was cool, and the staff was very friendly.
(4)
Scott G.
Good ambiance and great beers, but mediocre and insanely priced meals and appetizers.
(2)
Monia K.
Frankly, I wasn't really expecting much - I wanted to go for dinner with my husband, based solely on the fact that it was a "castle" - needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised! The portions were generous & the food was quite good (brussels sprout appetizer was excellent - try it even if you think you don't like brussels sprouts). The gator cake, on the other hand was a miss - more filler than gator, a little tough, however, the sauce it was served with was excellent! I had the steak that was cooked & seasoned well, however, I found it a little tough, but the sides (blackened green beans & creamy mashed potatoes were right on the money). All in all, the meal was pleasant, the walk around the grounds was lovely & because we were early for dinner (5:00) we were able to explore the dungeon and main dining room which both have a lot of character before sitting down to dinner. It was a fun night out & with 3 appetizers, 1 gin & tonic, 1 glass of wine & 2 mains the bill was about $93 - not an unreasonable sum. I took away a star only because communication was a bit of a nightmare - they are only open Thursday - Saturday. I requested my reservation date and time via email (as instructed on their website), followed up with 3 more emails (no response to any of them) & finally just showed up on the appointed date 3 hours early (I'm a 6 hour drive away) & hoped for the best. The wait staff was accommodating and attentive - needless to say, I would have been very disappointed if I couldn't have dinner there after driving all that distance!
(4)
Tom M.
My fiance and I went here while scouting for locations for our wedding/reception. The grounds were nice, and the castle was very neat. The wedding planner left a lot to be desired. First off- she had clearly been drinking throughout the day. She smelled of alcohol and was not very interested in meeting with us. We had driven an hour and a half from Syracuse to have our appointment. She hastily showed us around the grounds, brought us upstairs, where she told us she wasn't "comfortable" with the amount of people we were inviting. That is fine, but the website advertises far more than they are capable of hosting. She then slid the folder with wedding packages across the table and told us to read it, while she sat there. Usually they try to "pitch" the site. She must have thought we were just wasting time she could have had at the pub downstairs. Overall, very very uncomfortable. I would be back for dinner though!
(2)
Willie W.
After life kicked us in the teeth all winter and spring, my wife and I found ourselves looking for new plans to spend our 10th anniversary. We still wanted something unique, special and memorable. I happened to read Kimberly W.'s list of best places within an hour of Albany and we decided to give it a try. Beardslee Castle was everything we wanted. Part of the charm of Beardslee Castle is the location and the trip to get there. It is almost like driving to another world. My wife says my face lit up like a school kid when seconds after seeing a road sign cautioning care around horse and buggies one appeared right beside us. The rest of the ride added to the quaint scene with an Amish shop, a few road side antique dealers and even kids pulling each other in a red wagon. Maybe I am a still a city kid, but little bits of country charm really do amaze me. When we arrived there was a wedding starting just outside. I found a place to park without getting in the way and the smell of the wood fire grill greeted me warmly. Not wanting to cross the wedding precession and get in the way of their video filming, we stayed in the garden. The grounds are gorgeous, flowers and trees of all types surround the place. Oh, and bugs. I imagine there's a couple dozen bugs writing their reviews of dining on Willie's tasty bits. All part of country charm. We were seated next to a gentleman, and I use the term lightly, who decided his worth as a human could only be expressed with how much he could complain. Two hundred year old construction and antique furniture can sometimes cause a table to wobble. They use small blocks of wood to keep this from causing a problem. After the man repositioned his table, he lost the benefit of his shim and started complaining endlessly. He was asked more than once if he would mind if they just reset the shim, or if he preferred a different table, but on and on he complained. This started with 5 to 10 minute complaints about everything, the wine not being perfect, the potatoes being too cold and a 10 minute dissertation about why the waitress should not have bothered to ask if he wanted something for dessert. Each of these rants had a visible impact on our waitress and certainly delayed our dining. We were in no rush and once the trouble passed our waitress really appreciated our patience. I wrote in a couple weeks early to ask about gluten free options and the owner confirmed they had plenty to offer. My wife loved the gluten free bread, it was so fluffy she was worried to taste it. We shared clams casino and a fire grilled stuffed portabello for starters. I had a perfectly grilled NY strip with Saranac beer and mustard sauce. The wood flavor really comes through and created the perfect crust. My wife had Texas shrimp and scallops on a plate of gluten free fettuccine which she loved. We ended the night with dessert, my wife having the sauteed bananas without the banana bread and I had the cheesecake. Not a great piece of cheesecake, was very loose, but the bananas were right on the money. Overall the food was good, but the feel of Beardslee Castle is really what makes the place stand out. They offer historical information about the castle and invite you to walk around. With the weddings going on we decided to skip the self guided tour for fear of walking into someone's gathering. Apparently the TV show Ghost Hunters filmed there recently and they expect the episode to air in the fall.
(4)
Tara B.
I don't want to be the downer in these reviews, but my Valentine's 2010 experience was not at all what I'd expected. I read the reviews and did my homework on the place before making reservations, and I was confident that my significant other and I would have a nice, romantic dinner in a castle. And I was willing to take the hour long drive to make this happen. As soon as we sat down, I noticed cobwebs hanging from the few light fixtures and the corners of the room. As if the staff couldn't be bothered to clean the place any more than was absolutely necessary before a possible Valentine's Day rush. Since dinner was from 4pm to 8pm that night, we made our reservations for 6pm thinking that was a good time to get there. Apparently not. All we both really wanted was the filet mignon, and they were already completely out once we got there. And it's not like the place was packed. There was hardly anyone there. To make matters worse, as if our second-choice meals weren't bad enough (his grilled shrimp had barbeque sauce on them and my baked lobster was the toughest piece of seafood I'd ever laid eyes upon), the water, of all things, was awful! There was a distinct (and strong) smell of sulfur coming from the water. If it were only the glasses of water, we could've easily just not drank the water. But no, it was in the water that the dishes were cleaned with, so our wine/soda glasses also reeked of sulfur as well. It was overwhelming. Needless to say, I was not impressed. And I have no intention of returning.
(1)
Kimberly W.
Beardslee Castle is one of my very favorite restaurants of all time, anywhere! The place is *gorgeous* and beautifully restored, the ghost stories surrounding the place are fascinating, the service is top-shelf, and the food is *beyond* amazing! Whether you're coming from Utica or Albany, this is *the* best place w/in 100 miles to bring a very special date, an awesome friend or group, or just about anyone up for a wee road trip! The menu changes daily, but I've never had anything there I didn't adore. However, I recommend getting a couple of appetizers for dinner instead of an entree; the appetizers are the most delicious and unique part of the menu, IMO! Also, the complimentary hummus and tapenades are to die for, the atmosphere is sumptuous w/o being overbearing, and you're encouraged to walk around the place and enjoy all the lovely historical details of the building and grounds. Grab a game of pool downstairs in the pub if you'd prefer, and watch the fish in their tank, wander around the grounds and see the gorgeous landscaping, admire the nearly 150 year old stonework... and watch out for spirits!
Danika A.
For my birthday and my 100th review, I decided to go to Beardslee Castle. I first heard about this place, oddly enough, through the show Ghost Hunters. As it turns out, the Ghost Hunters team didn't find any paranormal activity there. I was on the hunt for a good meal, not ghosts, so I've been dying to give it a shot. It did not let us down, although at first I was concerned. It was odd that we did not get a wine list when we were seated. The waitress assumed we would want to order from the small selection of wine by the glass printed on their normal menu. Also, we wanted to start with a Gouda appetizer that they had run out of, so we went for the fried ravioli instead, which had a few areas for improvement. The use of pine nuts is a bit superfluous. They should consider mixing a pesto in with the ricotta and then the pine nuts would have made a bit more sense. In general it didn't pack a lot of flavor. That being said, I thought everything else was fantastic. Our waitress was very eager to get things out to us promptly. Their wine list is very good and is reasonably priced. My entree, the strawberry chicken, was one of the most creative dishes I've seen in a while. Strawberries, lightly sauteed onions and melted brie over chicken breast with a side of wild rice and vegetables. The chicken was very moist. The only thing I would recommend is switching out apricots instead of strawberries. Apricots tend to hold up against other powerful flavors, whereas hot fresh strawberries can get a bit muted. Still very good. My husband got the lamb and was very happy with it. I thought the small dollop of sweet potatoes on top of the mashed potatoes was a really nice touch. The sweet potatoes were so creamy that they were almost like butter on top of the potatoes. Very nice. We ended the night with the banana madness. This was truly madness. For all of its complexity, I don't think the English language contains the right words to describe how good this thing is. If bananas foster and banana bread had a torrid love affair, the result would be banana madness. Amazing. Even though I was full I could not help but finish off the very generous portion of dessert we shared. It's also worth noting that they must have a problem with customers complaining about the amount of time food takes to come out. Our waitress constantly apologized for the wait. Honestly, we did not feel like we waited a long time for any of our food. I'd say things were timed perfectly. We didn't feel rushed but we didn't get hungry between courses. I'd say that's pretty successful timing. They were so paranoid about this, in fact, that they took our dessert off the bill as an apology. I promise, we did not complain or look impatient at any point. I was truly perplexed. Even though Beardslee is over an hour away, I would definitely come back. It's a nice drive and worth the time and gas it takes to get there!
(4)Michael T.
As a paranormal researcher I've always wanted to visit Beardsley, I was not disappointed at all. The cuisine is definitely 5 star, the appetizers were strategically timed with the main course as to not leave you too full for dinner or desert. I had the duck and it was culinary heaven. As a side note, the paranormal activities were quite interesting. The candle at our table fell out of the holder, which was quite secure. I am always very aware of my surroundings and I saw the waitress light the candle and noticed it being quite secure in the holder. I also saw a shadow in an area that was unoccupied and away from the parking area or road to have possibly caused by outdoor lights. We were quite inundated with an above average amount of snow at the time and only the parking area was plowed, so the chance of someone walking around outside was nearly impossible. I look forward to visiting again, the bar menu looked very inviting and the atmosphere is the best.
(5)Emily T.
My review will sound like everyone else...good food, slow service, beautiful setting, horrible tasting water. Seriously, just order another bottle of wine. That water is awful. Not sure about the prices since I didn't see the bill, but they seemed reasonable from what I saw on the menu. I'll go back again I'm sure, but I'll make sure I'm not ravenously hungry since you do wait a while for your food.
(3)Sara A.
This place has both good and bad things about it. You'll have to decide for yourself if it's worth it. I would recommend going just for the experience of eating in a "haunted" castle. The food is great, but the service was pretty poor. Also, the seating is kind of bad if you're shy. You might end up staring right at a group of 10 people and it's awkward. All the tables are crammed into one area: Unless you end up in the weird side room with the ancient, dusty oriental rugs. I swear I almost had an allergy attack from those rugs. They looked like they hadn't been changed since 1944. Anyways... Our food took over an hour to arrive. When it finally did arrive, it wasn't as warm as it should have been. But it was delicious. I didn't want to complain about the not-so-warm meat because I know what they do when you send your food back to restaurant kitchens. When you pay almost 30 bucks a plate, you expect the food to be hot. No matter how good it tastes, no one wants a lukewarm meal. The water was WEIRD and I didn't even want to drink it. The soda was tainted with the foul sulfur water as well. Ick. They need to invest in some bottled water, or at the very least a filtration system. I felt like I was drinking puddle water from the inside of a casket. Like I said before, the service was less-than-stellar. Our waitress wasn't very friendly, and the food took ages to come. We were so bored. At least there were plenty of tacky decorations and bizarre, clashing light fixtures to stare at. The place has the potential to be really great, but right now things are rough around the edges. They should hire an interior decorator and make the place look like a castle instead of a gothic opium den.
(3)Breanna B.
Beardslee Castle was a sanctuary for us while our campsite was being pummeled by rain. An unfortunate situation for sure. Although, I was so glad to have a nice place to share a drink with my bf despite our awful camping getup (read: I was wearing a dress and rainboots... my sandals were whisked away in the creek). Since we were not wearing appropriate attire, they sent us to The Dungeon. And, there I gladly went. We sat down at the bar, with a view of band stickers lining the walls, creepy skeletons and trolls perched on the shelves. This was the right place for us. We grabbed drinks and decided to have a lapse in our lets-only-cook-over-the-fire weekend ordering a dozen buffalo chicken wings. For a moment we stepped back into reality. It was a fun place, great people, and lots of ghosts hanging around. It was definitely an eerie spot to have a drink. You really are in a basement, it's dungeon-like, including a terrifying room for a table of 6 with no windows and wrought-iron gate as a door. I walked in there and felt the spirits, if you know what I mean. The schtick is hilarious, fun, and adds to the experience. If you're in town or just passing through it's worth a stop in. The castle is beautiful as are the grounds (they host weddings there too).
(4)Alexandra G.
We went out with great expectations. No its not a real castle. I know if it has a turret it can be called a castle. We are locals and have been reading about beardsley for awhile. The menu online always seems so avant garde, in this small town environment. So our kids came up to visit and we thought we would try. They do have a great selection of drinks. From wines to beers and all the in between drinks from the bar. We ordered beer and had the owner supposedly recommend a few for us which we enjoyed. All the people saying how wonderful the ambiance is.. I don't get it. The chairs were horribly uncomfortable. We were being bit by some type of bugs that were relentless and painful. Yes it had candle light, I am assuming so you couldn't see what you were eating. The food was ok at best. Nothing to merit the expensive price tag that went along with it. Food was warm when brought out, I like mine hot. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Ryan M.
Food is good but pricey. Ambience is worth it. Everyone should try it once. Heard the mystery dinner theater is a blast as well.
(5)Victory G.
We recently came for our anniversary, after not having visited in 12-13 years. Pros: - The food was generally very good, particularly the appetizers. The eggplant dish was delicately fried without that oily aftertaste you tend to get, with a nice tomato sauce on top. Buffalo mozz caprese salad was probably the highlight of the night, with beautiful, low-acidity heirloom tomatoes, delicate mozz, fresh arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic. - The ambiance, if you've never been there, is amazing. It's a genuine castle, with smoke coming from the fireplace and everything. It's got a great feel to it - something I've never experienced at another restaurant in the greater CNY area. - Price - seemed OK to me. Some posters mention overpriced dishes, and while that may be true for the area, I don't think it's accurate for the caliber of food they're trying to put out. I'd say prices were about accurate, particularly the lower-priced appetizers (which are small - FYI - but still reasonably priced). Cons: - The service was disappointing. Generally, I don't care too much about service, as long as it is competent, and I despise the "Applebee's fake charm" style of service. However, when I to a supposedly finer place like this, I have higher expectations. This woman was not interested in any pleasantries whatsoever, nor did she routinely check to see how we were doing or if we needed anything. The woman who provided water and took plates was far more polite. We're very low-maintenance guests, but this really turned me off. I think the lengthy suspicious glare at my wife when she ordered wine (if you want to check her ID, just ask for it and she'd be happy to oblige) set the tone. - Someone else mentioned the sulfur-tasting water...I noticed that as well - they must be using a well. If you're not used to that, it can be quite off-putting. - The restaurant was cold. I am generally warm anywhere, and my hands were cold for most of the meal. - The dishes were cold - particularly a steak and mashed dish, which seemed like it had been sitting for a while before being picked up. - The salads were very lackluster - wilted greens, and a flavorless, watery roasted red pepper dressing. Overall: I stand by calling it a 3-star experience even though it seems there were more cons than pros. The atmosphere is quite charming and bolsters things quite a bit. The other gripes (aside from the water) are likely different if you return on a different night (different server, warmer spot, different cook putting salads together and someone on-the-spot expediting, etc.) I'd love to repeat in the next year and see if they improve.
(3)Alex T.
Super cool place for a relaxing little date night if you're ever in the area. My ex and I were up here at a B&B for the weekend, and we managed to get here for dinner one night. The food was very good, the ambiance was cool, and the staff was very friendly.
(4)Scott G.
Good ambiance and great beers, but mediocre and insanely priced meals and appetizers.
(2)Monia K.
Frankly, I wasn't really expecting much - I wanted to go for dinner with my husband, based solely on the fact that it was a "castle" - needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised! The portions were generous & the food was quite good (brussels sprout appetizer was excellent - try it even if you think you don't like brussels sprouts). The gator cake, on the other hand was a miss - more filler than gator, a little tough, however, the sauce it was served with was excellent! I had the steak that was cooked & seasoned well, however, I found it a little tough, but the sides (blackened green beans & creamy mashed potatoes were right on the money). All in all, the meal was pleasant, the walk around the grounds was lovely & because we were early for dinner (5:00) we were able to explore the dungeon and main dining room which both have a lot of character before sitting down to dinner. It was a fun night out & with 3 appetizers, 1 gin & tonic, 1 glass of wine & 2 mains the bill was about $93 - not an unreasonable sum. I took away a star only because communication was a bit of a nightmare - they are only open Thursday - Saturday. I requested my reservation date and time via email (as instructed on their website), followed up with 3 more emails (no response to any of them) & finally just showed up on the appointed date 3 hours early (I'm a 6 hour drive away) & hoped for the best. The wait staff was accommodating and attentive - needless to say, I would have been very disappointed if I couldn't have dinner there after driving all that distance!
(4)Tom M.
My fiance and I went here while scouting for locations for our wedding/reception. The grounds were nice, and the castle was very neat. The wedding planner left a lot to be desired. First off- she had clearly been drinking throughout the day. She smelled of alcohol and was not very interested in meeting with us. We had driven an hour and a half from Syracuse to have our appointment. She hastily showed us around the grounds, brought us upstairs, where she told us she wasn't "comfortable" with the amount of people we were inviting. That is fine, but the website advertises far more than they are capable of hosting. She then slid the folder with wedding packages across the table and told us to read it, while she sat there. Usually they try to "pitch" the site. She must have thought we were just wasting time she could have had at the pub downstairs. Overall, very very uncomfortable. I would be back for dinner though!
(2)Willie W.
After life kicked us in the teeth all winter and spring, my wife and I found ourselves looking for new plans to spend our 10th anniversary. We still wanted something unique, special and memorable. I happened to read Kimberly W.'s list of best places within an hour of Albany and we decided to give it a try. Beardslee Castle was everything we wanted. Part of the charm of Beardslee Castle is the location and the trip to get there. It is almost like driving to another world. My wife says my face lit up like a school kid when seconds after seeing a road sign cautioning care around horse and buggies one appeared right beside us. The rest of the ride added to the quaint scene with an Amish shop, a few road side antique dealers and even kids pulling each other in a red wagon. Maybe I am a still a city kid, but little bits of country charm really do amaze me. When we arrived there was a wedding starting just outside. I found a place to park without getting in the way and the smell of the wood fire grill greeted me warmly. Not wanting to cross the wedding precession and get in the way of their video filming, we stayed in the garden. The grounds are gorgeous, flowers and trees of all types surround the place. Oh, and bugs. I imagine there's a couple dozen bugs writing their reviews of dining on Willie's tasty bits. All part of country charm. We were seated next to a gentleman, and I use the term lightly, who decided his worth as a human could only be expressed with how much he could complain. Two hundred year old construction and antique furniture can sometimes cause a table to wobble. They use small blocks of wood to keep this from causing a problem. After the man repositioned his table, he lost the benefit of his shim and started complaining endlessly. He was asked more than once if he would mind if they just reset the shim, or if he preferred a different table, but on and on he complained. This started with 5 to 10 minute complaints about everything, the wine not being perfect, the potatoes being too cold and a 10 minute dissertation about why the waitress should not have bothered to ask if he wanted something for dessert. Each of these rants had a visible impact on our waitress and certainly delayed our dining. We were in no rush and once the trouble passed our waitress really appreciated our patience. I wrote in a couple weeks early to ask about gluten free options and the owner confirmed they had plenty to offer. My wife loved the gluten free bread, it was so fluffy she was worried to taste it. We shared clams casino and a fire grilled stuffed portabello for starters. I had a perfectly grilled NY strip with Saranac beer and mustard sauce. The wood flavor really comes through and created the perfect crust. My wife had Texas shrimp and scallops on a plate of gluten free fettuccine which she loved. We ended the night with dessert, my wife having the sauteed bananas without the banana bread and I had the cheesecake. Not a great piece of cheesecake, was very loose, but the bananas were right on the money. Overall the food was good, but the feel of Beardslee Castle is really what makes the place stand out. They offer historical information about the castle and invite you to walk around. With the weddings going on we decided to skip the self guided tour for fear of walking into someone's gathering. Apparently the TV show Ghost Hunters filmed there recently and they expect the episode to air in the fall.
(4)Tara B.
I don't want to be the downer in these reviews, but my Valentine's 2010 experience was not at all what I'd expected. I read the reviews and did my homework on the place before making reservations, and I was confident that my significant other and I would have a nice, romantic dinner in a castle. And I was willing to take the hour long drive to make this happen. As soon as we sat down, I noticed cobwebs hanging from the few light fixtures and the corners of the room. As if the staff couldn't be bothered to clean the place any more than was absolutely necessary before a possible Valentine's Day rush. Since dinner was from 4pm to 8pm that night, we made our reservations for 6pm thinking that was a good time to get there. Apparently not. All we both really wanted was the filet mignon, and they were already completely out once we got there. And it's not like the place was packed. There was hardly anyone there. To make matters worse, as if our second-choice meals weren't bad enough (his grilled shrimp had barbeque sauce on them and my baked lobster was the toughest piece of seafood I'd ever laid eyes upon), the water, of all things, was awful! There was a distinct (and strong) smell of sulfur coming from the water. If it were only the glasses of water, we could've easily just not drank the water. But no, it was in the water that the dishes were cleaned with, so our wine/soda glasses also reeked of sulfur as well. It was overwhelming. Needless to say, I was not impressed. And I have no intention of returning.
(1)Kimberly W.
Beardslee Castle is one of my very favorite restaurants of all time, anywhere! The place is *gorgeous* and beautifully restored, the ghost stories surrounding the place are fascinating, the service is top-shelf, and the food is *beyond* amazing! Whether you're coming from Utica or Albany, this is *the* best place w/in 100 miles to bring a very special date, an awesome friend or group, or just about anyone up for a wee road trip! The menu changes daily, but I've never had anything there I didn't adore. However, I recommend getting a couple of appetizers for dinner instead of an entree; the appetizers are the most delicious and unique part of the menu, IMO! Also, the complimentary hummus and tapenades are to die for, the atmosphere is sumptuous w/o being overbearing, and you're encouraged to walk around the place and enjoy all the lovely historical details of the building and grounds. Grab a game of pool downstairs in the pub if you'd prefer, and watch the fish in their tank, wander around the grounds and see the gorgeous landscaping, admire the nearly 150 year old stonework... and watch out for spirits!
(5)