I love the bar here. They have a good selection of beers, knowledgeable staff, a very reasonable happy-hour, and great atmosphere. Personally, I love their Bloody Mary's. You wouldn't think of it from the outside but it's a great place for a younger college crowd to go have some fun and pretend to be adults...hehehe.
(3)
Bob L.
Group went to Buck Hotel last night for dinner before the dance party in the bar. Over the years have enjoyed the bar/ bands and drinks in the bar with groups of friends . Made the mistake of wasting money at the Buck on food, as it was, at best mediocre. 13 of us and I admit not the easiest group as some ask for separate checks but finally the orders were placed. Salads came out over a 5 minute span. I ordered a small Ceasar to go with my veal parm as the menu offered salad with 2 sides. Hardly any dressing and mostly wilted lettuce. Dinner followed with again inconsistent timely service. The veal was very tough, too much breading and the pasta had a glob of sauce on one side and nothing on most of the pasta. Poor presentation and poorly prepared. Doesn't seem as anyone is checking in the kitchen. One person ordered a grilled chicken breast which came out plain, in soup plate, with nothing on the plate. The waitress did not ask if the person wanted sides. On the positive side , I ordered a cake for my wife's birthday and it was very good and served properly. Back to the bad. Instead of the checks coming out all at once , they came out in stages. Confusing. Finally my check came out 10 minutes after the others. They charged me for 2 Ceasar salads & 6.00 each. When I questioned it they said they are extra, although we were not told and not on the menu. The waitress lied and said she told both of us. When I got the manager the waitress obviously knew she lied. The manager took it off. Paid my 70+ dollar bill, left a fair tip and went to dance. Had a great time with our friends at the Halloween Dance Party.
(1)
paula c.
We had my step father funeral lunch here it was a disaster. Our biggest complaint of all was they were bringing plates out to the buffet table that still had food on them. We were sending back stacks at a time. Beer was warm. Tables were not cleared stacks of dirty plates on tables till everyone left. We explained how unhappy we were to the sever! that brought out our bill and we were told to call the banquet manager back the next day and she would take care of it. My Mother did and spoke to the banquet manager and we were told that more people came than they had expected so they could not leave the dishes in the washer as long as they needed to be and had to pull them early!!!! I called back and also spoke to the restaurant manager and was suppose to receive a call back for the over all manager and never did. This is an awful was to handle business. I Would never return again and feel like my mother was clearly robbed and mistreated. Shame on You!!!!!
(1)
Zach V.
It was a warm Thursday night in May when my girlfriend and I stopped into the Buck. We sat a table along the edge of the bar area. Since it was nice out the doors that make up the outer wall were open. They have an outside seating area that borders the bar area. After getting settled I couldn't help but notice the small packs of divorcee's prancing around the bar like a bunch of peacocks during the mating season. There were short skirts and teased bangs as far as the eye could see. I'm sure the local TJ max was completely sold out after looking at some of the clothing combinations. I couldn't resist writing a few words about the crowd at the Buck. If you like people watching or frequent Michaels in Bensalem you will love this place. The layout is actually pretty good and the bar is huge. The dance floor must get replaced once a year due to all the moving and shaking that takes place on it. We had a late dinner so we only had a few options to choose from. I had a chicken salad sandwich and my girlfriend had the roast beef sandwich. Both were actually very good. The chicken salad was fresh and was made with large pieces of chicken. The roast beef was tender and they didn't put so much au jus on it to make the roll soggy. One thing that I was curious about was their large Sushi selection. The whole back page of the menu was all sushi. Sushi is one of my favorite things but I have never heard the Buck Hotel and Sushi in the same sentence. As curious as I was to see what kind of quality they were turning out I decided it probably wasn't worth it. The rotating draft list had a few decent selections. They had Leffe Blond and its one of my favorite Belgian beers so I had to grab one. I'm ok with paying a higher price for imported craft beers. I'm not ok with paying $6.75 for a Blue Moon which is what my girlfriend was drinking. Overall this isn't a bad place to hang out at. The food is decent & the beer selection is ok.
(3)
Terry G.
Attending a small banquet after our Grandmother's funeral. The Buck is beautiful and the ambiance is very nice. Our banquet room was elegant and very spacious. The food was buffet style and very good. Our server was very nice and attentive. She receives bonus points for bringing our toddler chicken fingers and french fries as he is a fussy eater. The main bar is nicely lit and has a wide variety of draught and bottled beer. The bartender on duty was excellent.
(5)
Arlene K.
Been coming here for NYE for years, but never again. My son got sick from spoiled sushi (yes, bad fish at a seafood restaurant!). Owner and manager rude, changed our reservation several times. Just plain awful.
(1)
Kelly C.
The Buck Hotel has been a landmark I have grown up around. It's just one of those spots that everyone knows. I've enjoyed going there for dinner with my family .. They're known for the seafood and had previously been offering a great dinner special $12.95 full course meal.. decent selection of options to choose from for each course and economically friendly!
Visited Ruhlings on Sunday evening, the swordfish was cooked perfect, my wife ordered the veal Parmesan which came with penne, the veal was very thin and had no taste, my daughter ordered the kids penne and sauce, she got spaghetti not penne, also my wife ordered the snapper soup which she found a bone in, also with our meal came dessert my wife's cake had a hair or a string in it. Very under par for the price, it's not the resturant I remember which was located on riding sun years back, don't think I will go again. If you like fish it's good, otherwise stay away, also my stepmother ordered top necks on the half shell and received little necks
(3)
Michael F.
Being told that The Buck Hotel is known for seafood, I decided to make sure to sample plenty for my review. I started with oysters, which were fresh and rather exceptional I might add. Had a round of sashimi and then my entree (stuffed shrimp). The sashimi was also well prepared, while the stuffed shrimp were just average. More so, with the stuffed shrimp, the entree size was no where near the size of some of my few diners plates, only coming with 4 shrimp! I ended the evening with their pina colada-type dessert. While the food was excellent and offered at reasonable prices, I was a bit disappointed at the liquor selection carried at the bar. Still, I was able to find something to drink and ended the night satisfied with my meal.
(4)
Kathy l.
Please don't get over excited about this place, but in a nutshell, this place SUCKS! our food was lukewarm, the shellfish(clams&oysters) was lingering in the danger zone(not chilled) . when we inquired about why the food was sub par, we were directed to the manager who kindly (but slightly intoxicated) informed our party that frankly he did not give a shit. We later learned that this"manager" was in fact the owner Brian. Go figure...So we tried to proceed along like normal as so not to draw attention to ourselves, until my nephew got the most wicked heaves.. we had to take him to the bathroom & lo & behold ...there was no freak'in toilet paper! This place is a ghetto!!! I would not eat here again if it was free.The mngmt. is down right dirty, only out for their own self gain, & the food is basically...well.. dried out old school seafood dogshit that my 86 yr. old mother did not want to eat.. she wanted to go to RED LOBSTER which we ended up doing the next day. WE GOT SICK AT THIS PLACE!! BEWARE OF THIS GODFORSAKEN RUNDOWN SO CALLED HOTEL...IT'S A DUMP..SPEND YOUR MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!
(1)
DJ M.
Meridith B, I finally ate a raw oyster! The Buck Hotel is huge and multifaceted for both the decor and the food offerings. This time we entered the tall white French doors and walked into a huge foyer with shiny marble floors, chandeliers, well polished and in prime condition antique tables and stands holding massive beautiful fresh floral arrangements. Off from this were two more sets of open French doors leading into immaculate well dressed rooms sporting a gorgeous fireplace. In front of us were large white French doors which would lead us into the grand ballroom. The ceilings before these doors were as high as the sky and light shined in from the tall windows above. Right off from the vestibule was a very unique service bar, dark polished wood, dimly lit, no stools or tables, you walked up, ordered your cocktail and stood to mingle or sat on one of the velvet tufted antique settees with ball and claw feet. The Mother's Day Grand Buffet was not quite ready for us but I had my dirty martini so I was fine chit chatting and people watching. We were one of the first tables to be seated and rather than wait for instructions I was starving and knew what to do. Many of the chafing dishes did not have the utensils but they readily brought those out when I suggested they may be helpful. Now mind you they had an earlier brunch buffet, which had to be cleaned up and ready for the Grand dinner buffet. I do not remember seeing the chicken wings or the cocktail meatballs because I was concerned with the mushroom imperial and the clams casino and both were very good. I enjoyed pick and peel shrimp and get this, they ran out of snow crab legs during the earlier brunch so we were treated to king crab legs and people flocked to them like flies. They were not cracked and there were no crackers to break open the shells so I took my dinner fork just driving those shells open like that fork was a pair of scissors. I then brought back marinated mozzarella, olives and grape tomatoes along with a few raw clams and oysters. Hubby who has been trying to get me to eat raw clams for years said you will like the clams, but he mentioned he had never liked oysters. I guess it is true that opposites attract because I did not care for the clam but I did like the oysters! I ignored the pasta station but I did cave into fish which featured swordfish, tuna, Mahi Mahi and Unagi BBQ. The only thing I tried was the crab stuffed flounder which were fillets rolled and stuffed and they were delicious! I so wanted to try the Unagi but I had forgotten all about it. The carving station had rare prime rib, turkey, ham and rare leg of lamb. They will cut as much of it as you like and as thick as you like it. I had the rare lamb and found it a bit chewy and lacking in flavor, I am not a big fan of leg of lamb, give me a rack of lamb any day. Hubby loved the leg of lamb and kept going back for more. They had veggie options of haricot vert, glazed carrots, red bliss potatoes, mac and cheese and a lot of salad options. The only thing that I tried was a chilled shrimp and rice dish with a kicked up red sauce which was good. The sweet tables and the ice cream bar presented a beautiful display with tiered dishes of little squares and rounds which were picture perfect surrounding the chocolate fountain. I dove into the chocolate fountain with speared chunks of pineapple and filled my bowl. Many items were available, come to think of it I saw no strawberries. I filled a small plate with a few of the tiny pastries and then went back to check out the flambe section with bananas foster, southern comfort peach melba and I enjoyed both. You may be saying to yourself what a pig and I'm telling you now, I wish that I had ate more king crab legs, they were so good and what a treat. My only complaint was the service. I brought in my martini and finished it and then ordered a glass of wine. Some very young punk girl asked me every five minutes if I wanted coffee and each time I said no thank you, until I finally said to her listen, it's Mother's Day and I'm a lush and if you ask me if I want coffee again then I'm going to trip you! ( I didn't really, but I wanted to). A huge last minute party without reservations came in right after we got our first plate of food, so the staff, as loud as they could rolled in huge tables, opened metal chairs ( we were sitting in gorgeous upholstered chairs) and made as much noise as they could, after several glances from each patron, a few people got up and ran out to complain. I'm a big tipper, this was $40.00 per person, which was a fantastic price including tax and 20% gratuity for a buffet, we overheard our server grumble as we left that we had not left more. All of the servers were babies and I do mean young. Up one star with the Buck Hotel and I will be back, try to polish up those servers or replace them with a few antiques who have some class and know how to serve the public.
(4)
Will C.
"Yuck Hotel". Typical Friday night dilemma....deciding where to have dinner with your wife but wanted to try something else other than your usual favorites. As we drove we took a wrong turn and ended up at this locale. As you enter you are welcomed by a host and the aroma of a dirty old bar, but the food was fine. Large portions make the pricing reasonable, but too large for an average adult to eat. You could get three meals out of their salmon entree. If you like old stuffy American restaurants this is the place for you. Note... I usually only yelp around the Newtown area but this place was an easy target for a lighthearted review. Look out! I can see chef Robert Irvine coming through the door any minute!
(2)
Fracesca T.
Giving this restaurant 1 star was more than generous!! Firstly, you have to pass through a cloud of smoke, with people smoking right outside the door. The salad was meager with a paper cup of dressing. The soda was filled with ice, which was replenished without the waitress stating that each refill was being charged at full price! My husband ordered a cheese steak. It was so GREASY that he couldn't discern the taste of meat. It was sitting in a pool of oil. When he told the waitress how it was greasy, she responded "is that bad?!" We will NEVER return!
(1)
Marlene V.
Well, I will NEVER go to The Buck Hotel again... and I make it my life long goal to give The Buck Hotel as much bad publicity as I can! I heard the owner, Brian, was a jerk... 'jerk' does not do justice to Brian!!!! ---- Before I brought the 15 people for happy hour there, I called ahead to ask about happy hour specials and Neil (the manager) said if I was to bring that many people in he would hook me up with a few drinks. So, after 6 hours I only had 3 glasses of wine (pathetic, I know). I told the bartender that Neil said he would write my few drinks off the tab. She said he left but would ask Brian, the owner. ---- Brian said I was getting on his nerves and the manager had no right to tell me that. I was still very nice saying, "sorry, that is not my problem... and you are going to give me a problem over 3 glasses of wine?". "It is not a point over the money. It is the point that you are being so arrogant and nasty over a few silly dollars after we just spent hundreds". ---- We spent 100's of dollars there. The guys were doing shots. 100's of dollars! and to be a jerk over 3 glasses of wine! ---- I said to Brian, "You would rather be nasty over 3 glasses of wine and to not have these 15 people ever come in again? He said he didn't give a shit. I was a bitch and (again) I was getting on his nerves. Again, it is not the wine. I have the money. It is the principal. What happen to the customer always being right? My goodness, It was 3 glasses of wine! ---- As I was leaving, The bartender said "Sorry, you know the way Brian is". How does one get away with being a Dic# his whole life? My only assumption is that he is just totally miserable in his life and has to take it out on others. I have heard about people getting stiffed with wedding there. I have heard about the 'Drunk Owner Brian sitting at the bar drinking' (which he was). But this was my first experience... and Last!!!! ---- So, a word of advice to all my dear friends... Steer clear of The Buck Hotel!
(1)
Brenden H.
A couple of friends and I stopped by here for a late lunch on their wedding anniversary, enroute to dropping me at the Philly airport. I found this place to be a lot of fun, good beer selection as many other yelpers have noted, but the menu was really interesting as well, especially if you're a fan of local seafood. There was a smoked bluefish sandwich, blackened snapper (assume they mean the fish, rather than the turtle!?), oysters, sashimi, halibut, fried clams, crab cocktail. So I had the albacore nicoisse and crab cocktail. Salad was really pretty good, interesting vinagrette dressing and good sized chunks of fresh fish. Crab had been frozen for a while, sort of tasteless, but texture was decent and overall it was ok. Bluefish was good, and beers were cold, service was friendly. Overall I'd come back, although the idea of a sushi chef named Alex, serving sushi in a room that looks and feels like a hunting lodge, would take some getting used to! Our bill came out to about $110 with tip, for 3.
(3)
Ree M.
My husband won a gift certificate to,this restaurant so we thought we'd give it a try. It was our wedding anniversary an decided to do brunch Prather than dinner, I think dinner would have been a better choice after visiting this location. The decor was nice, but seemed to mix fall with Christmas. The wait staff was very nice and accommodating, the hostesses sat us right next to a party of six and right behind two long tables set up for party of 20 or more. Mind you we were the second people in the restaurant I should have asked to more right then and there. The party of six couldn't have been more obnoxious if they tried. I feel if the menu price is over $35 per person then you shouldn't be wearing sweatpants/shirts, it disgusts me when people wear ripped jeans and sweatpants to a restaurants, anyway this party yelled across their table and carried on as if they were so home, I mentioned to the waitress that they were over the top, she did apologize but didn't ask them to quiet down. Meanwhile they let their kids (10-12 year old) run amuck in the buffet area, I lost my appetite quickly when the younger girl was unattended at the chocolate fountain and did all but wash her hands in it, grabbing the fruit and cake with her bear hands. I mentioned this to another employee and all she said was oh I'm sorry -didn't offer to bring fresh fruit or cakes so I did not get to sample the dessert after that experience. I thought the main entrees were ok, nothing had me running back for another plate. It was sub par. On my way out I mentioned to the hostess that a sign at the buffet tables that children should be supervised and she said that would cause a law suit. I think the lack of safety near open sterno flames and unsanitary food handling would be more of a concern for law suit. First and last time at this place.
(2)
Jon L.
A multi-faceted eating center. I'll split my review into three: 1. THE BAR: is an okay place to catch an Eagle's game. They have a bunch of televisions, so you're bound to get a seat with a good view of Donovan McNabb's latest injury (and the Eagles' latest failed season). The appetizers are killer, since they're made by guys that staff the restaurant. However, don't come here for night time socialization on the weekend, not if you're younger than 40. The place is a hangout for divorcees. 2. THE RESTAURANT: has plenty of class, although I've only been there for the weekend brunch. All the seafood is the great stuff you know from the other Ruhlings location. The breakfast staples (potatoes, pancakes, sausage, etc.) are all as you'd expect from a first class buffet-style brunch. They also, I believe, have live music on the second floor. 3. THE SEAFOOD SHOP: is not something I you should take my advice on---because I really know nothing about how to pick out a nice piece of salmon. But I'll say this: everything they serve in the restaurant is from the seafood shop, and I've had nothing but positive experiences there.
(3)
Mommy G.
This should be listed as a SEAFOOD restaurant primarily - and it's great! We've tried this restaurant twice in the past 10 days. Had no idea it was even there because they are not on OpenTable. That's a shame because they would have many more customers. Food each evening was really delicious and high quality. I had broiled shrimp and crab meat with almost zero "filler". My husband had a fantastic lobster one time and prime rib the other. Prices are reasonable. They sell fresh seafood on site. Husband loved his oysters. Lots of good side dishes to select from. Loved the cole slaw, eggplant, grilled asparagus - pepper hash not so much. Beautiful dining room. Good cocktails and wine avail and quite nice white linen dining. Great service. Better seafood and much better priced than at the shore! Even my mother loved it. Easy parking and access. I don't understand Yelp reviews - truly awful places get raves and this which is the best it can be for the type of food being served is not rated appropriately. This is not a like a Zahav, or Vernick or Amada but they are not trying to be. I am married to a foodie and gourmand and he can appreciate both types of establishments. Years ago I used to eat at Ruhlings on Rising Sun Ave - had no idea they had moved up to the Buck - I live in the area, and I learned they have been here for 12 years!
(5)
Renee F.
unless you are going to hear a band..or hang in the bar..DON'T DO IT. The buffalo shrimp is the only thing I will order..and I have tried..I really want this place to be great being it is practically a landmark. But if it weren't for its shear "presence".and the 50+ crowd that didn't get into to Michaels.it would go out of business Note..I did not add the link
(2)
Andrea m g.
Went to a baby shower in one of the upstairs rooms.It was the room with the picture of Lincoln and is burgundy colored with leopard trim.The room and the entire place is attractive but I found the food very average.I am friends with the mother of the soon to be dad who hosted the shower and she said it was on the costlier side but she just wasn't up to hosting the party in her home so to her it was worth it.If you are looking for an impressive glitzy atmosphere and are happy with ok food it will work out fine.I for one will prefer less glitz ,more homemade sauces,larger portions and a little bit of soul in my food.
(3)
Aaron D.
This place is actually very nice looking from the outside. It looks like an old hotel that probably has a nice upscale restaurant inside. My wife and I decided to bring our families there one day for an early dinner. Inside is very nice, decorated like an old hunting lodge. The bar is immediately on the right when you walk in, and there is a seafood counter (to go) in front. We sat down to eat, all ordered apps and dinners (and ordering was a hassle, believe me) and began eating. I myself ordered oysters, which are one of my favorite shellfish. The oysters themselves were pretty small for blue points, and the cocktail sauce.... oy. Usually I can scoop the sauce with a fork and put it onto the oyster, but the sauce was so runny it went right through the fork. Gross. I forget exactly what I got for a dinner, but it was some sort of sandwich. I remember that not being so great either. Since we ate there a while ago and I just decided to review, I forget a lot of the details, but I know I wouldn't eat there again. Now let me look at it from the bar/lounge angle. The bar there is great. Awesome staff, great atmosphere, and when the weather is nice a patio with tables. On the weekends they have live music as well, and I believe karaoke. I would go here again just for the bar. But again, I ordered food from the bar, and it was so-so. I've had better. But you can't screw up a beer! Or can you....
(2)
Jim K.
Not worth the money..we have eaten here often in the past and it's been a good place, but these last few times, you could feel it sliding away.Prices have slowly increased menu has changed a few times and the food is subpar as mentioned in another review, "dinner food",good service.This night I had the red snapper w/ a red pepper sauce, not really.. the fish wasn't fresh, served over some chopped red peppers & cherry tomatoes and floating in some kind of oil..yuck, for 28 bucks.This will be our last dinner here but we did have a nice nite at the bar which now has a great selection of craft beers always rotating, good wait staff,very friendly and attentive.They also added an extensive sushi menu and new chef,so my wife suggested a return visit to the bar for sushi and beer,we shall see.
(2)
Cd H.
Having grown up eating at Ruehlings in Lawndale I decided to try the Buck Hotel. Other then the crab imperial mushroom caps, the entire meal was weak. The oysters Rockefeller were the smallest oysters ever. I swear one was the size of a dime. The dressing for the salad came in a paper cup. I felt like I was in a school cafeteria, not a historic hotel/restaurant. The final insult was the bread, it had to be day old potato bread from the local wawa. The bar must be driving this business, it's certainly not the food.
(1)
Reid F.
My review is only regarding the Sunday Brunch, which was loaded with excellent (and normally expensive) items like fresh oysters, smoked salmon, trout almondine, rack of lamb, and a slew of other foods, each of which would have made for a good meal. At a cost of $29 per person, it seemed very reasonable. In addition, the service (for which they add a 20% gratuity on the bill) was excellent, with many servers there to remove plates, bring whatever was needed, and refill drinks (one alcoholic drink and endless beverages were included).
(5)
Paula L.
very dissapointing meal old smelly seafood
(1)
Brian R.
What a place! In a word, COUGARTOWN. My brother had his wedding reception here, it's actually a really nice location with a nice upscale feeling to the ballroom. The food and staff were all great. That being said . . Come 10 the bar area is completely transformed into a crazed dance floor stuffed with horny 50 something year olds that are bumping anything and everyone. Needless to say, the wedding afterparty was one continuous laugh, an intense dance off that lasted long into the night. Certainly a memorable night, we all had a lot of fun despite one girl from our party getting her purse stolen :(
(3)
Scott S.
The Buck Hotel has been somewhat of a landmark to me for the majority of my life. For years it sat deteriorating at the corner of a major intersection, the large deer sculpture standing proudly before the restaurant becoming more and more dilapidated as the years went by. When it finally reopened a few years ago, I was excited to discover what they had done with the infamous building. I must admit, the decor is quite nice. The main dining hall is decorated in a cabin-like fashion, equipped with a large stone fireplace and mounted animal heads. I was even lucky enough to dine in the topmost tower room, which is reserved for well-to-do patrons. The bar is also nice, and it is often packed in the event of an Eagles game. The food is mediocre, at best. The prices are fairly inflated and the meals are substandard. Even the dessert menu is unimpressive. I do not want to give the impression that the food is bad, it is simply not as good as one would expect from such a fancy place. Also, I believe it would be prudent for me to mention that four members of my family, including myself, have gotten violently ill following meals from the Buck Hotel. In the end, the Buck Hotel is nice to look at, but with very little payoff.
(3)
Will D.
I came to "The Buck" on a Thursday with my boys and was the youngest person in here by a long shot. One older gentlemen decided coming dressed as Elvis (not a joke) would increase his chances of landing a Priscilla... It didn't. This place was PACKED. Lots of people dancing to the "Geater with the Heater". One of my friends was taken against his will into the middle of the dance floor and not seen again. If you bring a woman under 45 here, hoards of eligible mustache clad bachelors will supply all of her beverages for the evening. One thing you have to keep in mind: There is a thin line between cougar and codger... It is usually located around the ear from a facelift. PS We need a friend to take the place of Brian... Must have an automobile that can seat 7.
(5)
Foodie 1.
i ate there once monday night buffet and though it was quite good for 20 per person. they had rack of lamb, snow crab legs. cehfs experiment with molecular gastronomy and some apetizers were impresiive. I also thought that it was too much selection especially at desert table. Recently owners removed all quality items such as rack of lamb and crab legs and raised prices to 25 per person. I asked owners to consider havong less choice such as pastas and few other things and consider bringing quality back. was told is just too expensive for them. Obviously making things that logical and pleasing customers is not their priority. so i am not going there again
(1)
Allison B.
I don't have any real complaints about my experience at Buck Hotel, but I wasn't wowed. The server visited our table for refills and to take our orders, and our food arrived as ordered. We were in on a Saturday afternoon during a lot of college football games, so I was surprised to find that there were no drink specials. While the fried chicken fingers my friends got smelled good, everything looked kind of so-so and the oysters I ordered were just okay. A few shell pieces and they just didn't taste or look that fresh to me. They were fine but not great. You'd leave satisfied if you went to the Buck Hotel with tempered expectations, but this place probably won't become a go-to spot for many people.
(3)
Von M.
The Buck is a nice venue for a party. The party room was beautifully appointed with a fireplace, richly colored drapes and sumptuous chairs. One could have easily forgotten that this room was a banquet hall and not a cozy room in a (large) residence. The food was not particularly memorable (generally true of banquet halls) but it was well-presented and served by a well-trained and responsive waitstaff. The bar at the Buck was hopping and the patrons spanned many age groups. Who knew that Feasterville was a hub of real-life social networking?
(3)
David P.
Very disappointing. Overpriced and marginally prepared dishes. Reminded me of a low-end restaurant at the shore. Don't waste your time or money.
(2)
Rebecca F.
No thank you. I'd consider this to be the unsatisfactory attempt at creating a fancy dining environment, but instead resulting in an overpriced, unwelcoming bar staffed with unfriendly personnel. The exterior and interior design suggests a laid back, comforting, perhaps even a cordial meeting place for drinks and food, but within the first few minutes, the experience suggests an atmosphere of a mediocre diner longing for the old days. I am only giving this restaurant 1 star merely because 0 stars is not feasible. Sitting down, we were given the happy hour bar menu, and were surprised to find exorbitant pricing for every dish. (the main menu is even more outrageous). This mere factor would be only justifiable had our dining experience been satisfactory, but the quality of our dishes suggests that a grade schooler could make our food with a mere few pennies. Nachos consisted of oily cheap quality cheese atop store bought tortilla chips. Clams casino (clams stuffed with peppers, bacon, shrimp, and onions tasted like pure salt. The pizza had a presumably frozen shell, topped with overly salty tomatoes, and another layer of cheap cheese. We had clams in a white wine sauce, along with some garlic bread, but it only came with a few pieces of which we asked for more. They charged $4 for 5 measly pieces of bread the size of a silver dollar, which were, in fact, again too salty and oily. We then mistakenly ordered lobster "egg rolls", but in all actuality, I think we received cabbage rolls with lobster flavor, dripping in oil. By the time we left, I felt like I had to go eat a salad, after all the oily food we just consumed. One could come here to watch sports or buy overpriced drinks, but then again, you could save a lot of money and do that at home.
(1)
Joe A.
Went there on Saturday May 16 2015, Arrived at 4,their start time for dinner. Upon walking thru the front door, there were people all over the place, went to the reception desk, asked for 2 for dinner. Was told by the lady that they had just had a funeral reception that afternoon,and it would be a half hour wait. It appeared they had that reception downstairs, the upstairs looked empty, so they were cleaning up the downstairs tables,and the buffet table. Took 5 minutes off to the side to regroup,Went back to the desk, the bald headed guy was there now,I think he's the manager, Very nicely, I told him we were canceling.and were leaving ,He told us if we wanted ,we could eat at the bar, I told him If I was going out to eat and wanted to go to a bar(which we do fairy often) I'm not coming here. We came here to have a sit down dinner. He told me for a 2nd time we could get dinner at the bar,or wait till 4:30, I told him, you don't have a half hour wait at a 4pm dinner opening. Had been there a few month's earlier on a Saturday at 4pm,we usually always eat early. A few months ago,when we ate there, of course at 4 its never crowded, I think there were maybe 6 other people there ( 3 other couples) .The service we got and the time it took was teter tottering on not good. I noticed at the time that bald headed guy around talking to the waitresses. I just remember mentioning to my wife,this place must be mayhem in another 2 hrs or so. Last time I got the Prime Rib,my Wife got lobster.The food was "Good", It wasn't bad,and it wasn't great,Everything is pricey I'm a mechanic,not a restaurant manager, but I've eaten out for a long time,in many different places, I know you don't shut down your entire operation for a standard reception, and then let people walk out the door for dinner service, and he really didn't care we left Probably won't be going back anymore
(1)
Lily L.
One word sums up my visit to dining at the Buck Hotel: PUTRID. That word would apply to service and especially the food. To say the food is mediocre would be an understatement. Everything that we ordered was awful. First, our waitress had a nonchalant attitude, showing hints of impatience and surliness. Whose fault is it that you're working there, missy? The Happy Hour menu consists of $6 items, most of which are normally priced at $7 anyway so no real deal there. The food was unbelievably awful and I can't believe any restaurant would try to pass it off as being edible, much less tasty. Each dish was worse than the previous one. The pizza was tasteless and seemingly made with those 4-in-a-pack make-it-yourself pizza kits with the dried out pizza crust. Even pizza made in a lightbulb-cooked EZ Bake Oven tastes better than this! From the tavern menu, we ordered lobster egg rolls which were obviously cooked in too-low heat and were crunchy on the outside but were dripping in oil with each bite. As Clara Peller would say about the beef, I wanted to shout "where's the damn lobster?!?" There was not one shred of lobster present in these oily, soggy and tasteless egg rolls - perhaps they were still in the kitchen or at the store? The overall taste of these egg rolls suggested that they were fried several times over. That $10 cost could have tasted better spent on Mrs. Paul's frozen seafood, something that I normally eschew. Clams in white sauce seemed promising. We asked to buy extra bread to sop up the sauce and the waitress retorted that it would cost extra. WTF. Um, we didn't ask her to make, knead and bake the bread herself, we asked wanted to BUY extra bread, for chrissakes! We also made the mistake of ordering the $16 appetizer sampler from the tavern menu which was quite a scant dish for the price. The chicken fingers were tasteless and bland, the buffalo wings were of the frozen variety and the onion rings were a joke - not a single onion ring had a complete layer of coating. Rather, the coating was all broken and in pieces, an obvious sign of being freezer burned. The french fries were scant but the most edible thing on the plate, albeit ridiculously expensive given the other crap on this dish. Our food was ordered from the happy hour and tavern menus. I wouldn't dare order from the ridiculously expensive dinner menu given the quality of the food at this establishment. I'm surprised that they're still in business! Their calendar shows dance nights and music during midweek, ostensibly to attract the cougars and geezers who most likely care more about landing their next fling than the food. The Buck Hotel is definitely not a place I would recommend spending/wasting my hard earned money. The only thing which could have made this dining experience even worse would have also been afflicted with explosive diarrhea or other gastrointestinal distress, which didn't happen but I was definitely afraid, very afraid. Save your money and eat the week-old leftovers from your refrigerator - believe me, it would certainly taste better!
(1)
AJ J.
Food is bland and overpriced. Still edible, but pretty bad. The bar is full of Cougars and watered down drinks. Would not recommend.
(1)
Gerald S.
I guess I picked the wrong night to see all the hubbub at the Buck Hotel. No cougars. Not even a stray pussycat. The barroom feels like a hunting lodge with a large angular bar, large TV's and curiosities hanging on the walls. Most pronounced; a 12' nutcracker standing guard over the operation. This was a quiet Sunday night. No complaint. I had a Chicken Salad sandwich and a glass of red. Both were fine, but certainly I was not in search of the sweet spots on the food nor liquor menus. They were enough for the moment. It had been many years since my last visit, and but for the suggestion of meeting someone there for a conversation, I would not have chosen it this time. Still, I was curious to see what had changed, and I could not detect much alternation. Not a bad place for a Sunday evening, but to taste the full flavor it would likely require a return on a busier night.
(3)
Irina K.
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. If I could leave 3.5 I probably would. On one hand there is the brunch which is totally excellent! The raw bar and the meat carving station are just great! You really get your money's worth right there. They also have a nice selection of little gourmet dishes with a one bite appetizer. They do run out quickly and those are not replenished. And then there is the regular breakfast fair. Bagel and lox/whitefish is also great and plentiful. Desserts consist of little pastries and a chocolate fondue fountain with fresh fruit and such. I've done this with my family 4 or 5 times in the past couple of years and they always leave happy, satisfied and impressed. It's a little pricier than the rest of the brunch pre-fix in the area, but totally worth with the seafood alone. We went here for a large party dinner for my husbands birthday. The meal was mediocre at best. We had ten people order a Boston clam chowder which everyone agreed was completely inedible. It tasted like pure flour. French onion soup on the other hand was delicious. My husband got a prime rib and it was cooked to perfection and really yummy. My crab cakes on the other hand were very very average. Most of the dinner was either hit or miss. The place itself is large spacious and grand. The staff is very friendly. I've head the pleasure of dealing with Kim, who is the hostess on more than one occasion. She is very helpful and organized. Made my party planning a breeze with pre ordered appetizers. Overall I would probably recommend the brunch over dinner.
(4)
Mandy E.
We've been here twice for dinner - both times eating in the bar to assure good seating for a band we came to see. The food both times has been delicious, and the service excellent. I think the only thing they could improve upon here are their drinks. They're quite expensive and extremely light on the liquor, if you know what I mean.
(3)
Rob Z.
MONDAY NIGHT SEAFOOD BUFFET AMAZING So simply just look at the menu of the seafood buffet monday night for $30 and you will be very curious to go. I am a huge fan of oysters and clams and seeing it was a buffet, l was eager to go and when l finally went, it was everything l hoped for. The food quality and quantity is amazing. There was never a wait for anything l wanted and all the food was presented very nicely. Coming here was a little adventure of its own and l was somewhat immature because of how happy l was to eat. If you like seafood, this is a great location to splurge.
(5)
Melissa P.
Now that all my friends are tying down their boyfriends looks like I'm gonna be showering a lot. Bridal showering that is. I guess the other kind too, if we're being technical. Was here for a bridal shower yesterday and it was a great spot! Gorgeous chandeliers, great space, friendly and helpful staff, delicious food! We did buffet style with crudite, cheese and crackers, salad, rigatoni, roasted potatoes, green beans, chicken picatta, salmon, and roast beef carving stations, and a million cakes and desserts, and of course, champagne punch and wine. There was a large table to accommodate all her millions of gifts and even a throne-like chair for her to sit on while she unwrapped said gifts. The huge space accommodated I would say at least 50, with some tables even squeezing 11 (all the bridesmaids and bride obviously had to sit together). We had the room from 1 to 5 and were there at 12 to set up and it was a perfect amount of time. Definitely recommend as a venue for this type of thing, or bar/bat mitzvahs/sweet sixeens, and I'm sure a wedding would be gorgeous here too.
(4)
Joey R.
I came here for the Monday night seafood buffet, which I must say was completely average. The starters were pretty good (salads, cheeses, etc.) but the seafood itself lacked finesse and freshness. The staff was attentive and definitely was understanding to my friend and I who stayed for two and a half hours. But I have to say--the crab legs (which is why we came) left a lot to be desired.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Federico M.
I love the bar here. They have a good selection of beers, knowledgeable staff, a very reasonable happy-hour, and great atmosphere. Personally, I love their Bloody Mary's. You wouldn't think of it from the outside but it's a great place for a younger college crowd to go have some fun and pretend to be adults...hehehe.
(3)Bob L.
Group went to Buck Hotel last night for dinner before the dance party in the bar. Over the years have enjoyed the bar/ bands and drinks in the bar with groups of friends . Made the mistake of wasting money at the Buck on food, as it was, at best mediocre. 13 of us and I admit not the easiest group as some ask for separate checks but finally the orders were placed. Salads came out over a 5 minute span. I ordered a small Ceasar to go with my veal parm as the menu offered salad with 2 sides. Hardly any dressing and mostly wilted lettuce. Dinner followed with again inconsistent timely service. The veal was very tough, too much breading and the pasta had a glob of sauce on one side and nothing on most of the pasta. Poor presentation and poorly prepared. Doesn't seem as anyone is checking in the kitchen. One person ordered a grilled chicken breast which came out plain, in soup plate, with nothing on the plate. The waitress did not ask if the person wanted sides. On the positive side , I ordered a cake for my wife's birthday and it was very good and served properly. Back to the bad. Instead of the checks coming out all at once , they came out in stages. Confusing. Finally my check came out 10 minutes after the others. They charged me for 2 Ceasar salads & 6.00 each. When I questioned it they said they are extra, although we were not told and not on the menu. The waitress lied and said she told both of us. When I got the manager the waitress obviously knew she lied. The manager took it off. Paid my 70+ dollar bill, left a fair tip and went to dance. Had a great time with our friends at the Halloween Dance Party.
(1)paula c.
We had my step father funeral lunch here it was a disaster. Our biggest complaint of all was they were bringing plates out to the buffet table that still had food on them. We were sending back stacks at a time. Beer was warm. Tables were not cleared stacks of dirty plates on tables till everyone left. We explained how unhappy we were to the sever! that brought out our bill and we were told to call the banquet manager back the next day and she would take care of it. My Mother did and spoke to the banquet manager and we were told that more people came than they had expected so they could not leave the dishes in the washer as long as they needed to be and had to pull them early!!!! I called back and also spoke to the restaurant manager and was suppose to receive a call back for the over all manager and never did. This is an awful was to handle business. I Would never return again and feel like my mother was clearly robbed and mistreated. Shame on You!!!!!
(1)Zach V.
It was a warm Thursday night in May when my girlfriend and I stopped into the Buck. We sat a table along the edge of the bar area. Since it was nice out the doors that make up the outer wall were open. They have an outside seating area that borders the bar area. After getting settled I couldn't help but notice the small packs of divorcee's prancing around the bar like a bunch of peacocks during the mating season. There were short skirts and teased bangs as far as the eye could see. I'm sure the local TJ max was completely sold out after looking at some of the clothing combinations. I couldn't resist writing a few words about the crowd at the Buck. If you like people watching or frequent Michaels in Bensalem you will love this place. The layout is actually pretty good and the bar is huge. The dance floor must get replaced once a year due to all the moving and shaking that takes place on it. We had a late dinner so we only had a few options to choose from. I had a chicken salad sandwich and my girlfriend had the roast beef sandwich. Both were actually very good. The chicken salad was fresh and was made with large pieces of chicken. The roast beef was tender and they didn't put so much au jus on it to make the roll soggy. One thing that I was curious about was their large Sushi selection. The whole back page of the menu was all sushi. Sushi is one of my favorite things but I have never heard the Buck Hotel and Sushi in the same sentence. As curious as I was to see what kind of quality they were turning out I decided it probably wasn't worth it. The rotating draft list had a few decent selections. They had Leffe Blond and its one of my favorite Belgian beers so I had to grab one. I'm ok with paying a higher price for imported craft beers. I'm not ok with paying $6.75 for a Blue Moon which is what my girlfriend was drinking. Overall this isn't a bad place to hang out at. The food is decent & the beer selection is ok.
(3)Terry G.
Attending a small banquet after our Grandmother's funeral. The Buck is beautiful and the ambiance is very nice. Our banquet room was elegant and very spacious. The food was buffet style and very good. Our server was very nice and attentive. She receives bonus points for bringing our toddler chicken fingers and french fries as he is a fussy eater. The main bar is nicely lit and has a wide variety of draught and bottled beer. The bartender on duty was excellent.
(5)Arlene K.
Been coming here for NYE for years, but never again. My son got sick from spoiled sushi (yes, bad fish at a seafood restaurant!). Owner and manager rude, changed our reservation several times. Just plain awful.
(1)Kelly C.
The Buck Hotel has been a landmark I have grown up around. It's just one of those spots that everyone knows. I've enjoyed going there for dinner with my family .. They're known for the seafood and had previously been offering a great dinner special $12.95 full course meal.. decent selection of options to choose from for each course and economically friendly!
(4)Sydney C.
By far one of my favorite restaurants in the area! The atmosphere and friendly staff brings you in and the food keeps you coming back. I've been frequenting The Buck for years now and each year I am amazed at how they are continuing to grow. The daily happy hours, live bands, DJs and karaoke make coming here a difference experience every time. I've tasted just about everything on the menu, but I'd have to say that the crab cakes, the veggie burger and the Buck burger are my favorites. Usually restaurants use frozen burgers, but The Buck's are homemade and are absolutely delicious. As for the crab cakes, there is little to no filler and they melt in your mouth. They are on top of mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach, which is the perfect combination. Really, all of the seafood is amazing because it is all fresh and locally caught. Every year The Buck hosts and caters our family's Christmas Eve party in one of their private banquet rooms and it's fantastic each time. They have various catering menus to choose from, but they are very accommodating to specific requests. I also had my high school graduation party in the ballroom, which accommodated my 200 guests and provided us with a large dance floor. Again, the staff were very attentive to our requests and the night was amazing. I would definitely recommend using their services as there were no mishaps and every left happy, including the graduate!
(5)Steve H.
Visited Ruhlings on Sunday evening, the swordfish was cooked perfect, my wife ordered the veal Parmesan which came with penne, the veal was very thin and had no taste, my daughter ordered the kids penne and sauce, she got spaghetti not penne, also my wife ordered the snapper soup which she found a bone in, also with our meal came dessert my wife's cake had a hair or a string in it. Very under par for the price, it's not the resturant I remember which was located on riding sun years back, don't think I will go again. If you like fish it's good, otherwise stay away, also my stepmother ordered top necks on the half shell and received little necks
(3)Michael F.
Being told that The Buck Hotel is known for seafood, I decided to make sure to sample plenty for my review. I started with oysters, which were fresh and rather exceptional I might add. Had a round of sashimi and then my entree (stuffed shrimp). The sashimi was also well prepared, while the stuffed shrimp were just average. More so, with the stuffed shrimp, the entree size was no where near the size of some of my few diners plates, only coming with 4 shrimp! I ended the evening with their pina colada-type dessert. While the food was excellent and offered at reasonable prices, I was a bit disappointed at the liquor selection carried at the bar. Still, I was able to find something to drink and ended the night satisfied with my meal.
(4)Kathy l.
Please don't get over excited about this place, but in a nutshell, this place SUCKS! our food was lukewarm, the shellfish(clams&oysters) was lingering in the danger zone(not chilled) . when we inquired about why the food was sub par, we were directed to the manager who kindly (but slightly intoxicated) informed our party that frankly he did not give a shit. We later learned that this"manager" was in fact the owner Brian. Go figure...So we tried to proceed along like normal as so not to draw attention to ourselves, until my nephew got the most wicked heaves.. we had to take him to the bathroom & lo & behold ...there was no freak'in toilet paper! This place is a ghetto!!! I would not eat here again if it was free.The mngmt. is down right dirty, only out for their own self gain, & the food is basically...well.. dried out old school seafood dogshit that my 86 yr. old mother did not want to eat.. she wanted to go to RED LOBSTER which we ended up doing the next day. WE GOT SICK AT THIS PLACE!! BEWARE OF THIS GODFORSAKEN RUNDOWN SO CALLED HOTEL...IT'S A DUMP..SPEND YOUR MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!
(1)DJ M.
Meridith B, I finally ate a raw oyster! The Buck Hotel is huge and multifaceted for both the decor and the food offerings. This time we entered the tall white French doors and walked into a huge foyer with shiny marble floors, chandeliers, well polished and in prime condition antique tables and stands holding massive beautiful fresh floral arrangements. Off from this were two more sets of open French doors leading into immaculate well dressed rooms sporting a gorgeous fireplace. In front of us were large white French doors which would lead us into the grand ballroom. The ceilings before these doors were as high as the sky and light shined in from the tall windows above. Right off from the vestibule was a very unique service bar, dark polished wood, dimly lit, no stools or tables, you walked up, ordered your cocktail and stood to mingle or sat on one of the velvet tufted antique settees with ball and claw feet. The Mother's Day Grand Buffet was not quite ready for us but I had my dirty martini so I was fine chit chatting and people watching. We were one of the first tables to be seated and rather than wait for instructions I was starving and knew what to do. Many of the chafing dishes did not have the utensils but they readily brought those out when I suggested they may be helpful. Now mind you they had an earlier brunch buffet, which had to be cleaned up and ready for the Grand dinner buffet. I do not remember seeing the chicken wings or the cocktail meatballs because I was concerned with the mushroom imperial and the clams casino and both were very good. I enjoyed pick and peel shrimp and get this, they ran out of snow crab legs during the earlier brunch so we were treated to king crab legs and people flocked to them like flies. They were not cracked and there were no crackers to break open the shells so I took my dinner fork just driving those shells open like that fork was a pair of scissors. I then brought back marinated mozzarella, olives and grape tomatoes along with a few raw clams and oysters. Hubby who has been trying to get me to eat raw clams for years said you will like the clams, but he mentioned he had never liked oysters. I guess it is true that opposites attract because I did not care for the clam but I did like the oysters! I ignored the pasta station but I did cave into fish which featured swordfish, tuna, Mahi Mahi and Unagi BBQ. The only thing I tried was the crab stuffed flounder which were fillets rolled and stuffed and they were delicious! I so wanted to try the Unagi but I had forgotten all about it. The carving station had rare prime rib, turkey, ham and rare leg of lamb. They will cut as much of it as you like and as thick as you like it. I had the rare lamb and found it a bit chewy and lacking in flavor, I am not a big fan of leg of lamb, give me a rack of lamb any day. Hubby loved the leg of lamb and kept going back for more. They had veggie options of haricot vert, glazed carrots, red bliss potatoes, mac and cheese and a lot of salad options. The only thing that I tried was a chilled shrimp and rice dish with a kicked up red sauce which was good. The sweet tables and the ice cream bar presented a beautiful display with tiered dishes of little squares and rounds which were picture perfect surrounding the chocolate fountain. I dove into the chocolate fountain with speared chunks of pineapple and filled my bowl. Many items were available, come to think of it I saw no strawberries. I filled a small plate with a few of the tiny pastries and then went back to check out the flambe section with bananas foster, southern comfort peach melba and I enjoyed both. You may be saying to yourself what a pig and I'm telling you now, I wish that I had ate more king crab legs, they were so good and what a treat. My only complaint was the service. I brought in my martini and finished it and then ordered a glass of wine. Some very young punk girl asked me every five minutes if I wanted coffee and each time I said no thank you, until I finally said to her listen, it's Mother's Day and I'm a lush and if you ask me if I want coffee again then I'm going to trip you! ( I didn't really, but I wanted to). A huge last minute party without reservations came in right after we got our first plate of food, so the staff, as loud as they could rolled in huge tables, opened metal chairs ( we were sitting in gorgeous upholstered chairs) and made as much noise as they could, after several glances from each patron, a few people got up and ran out to complain. I'm a big tipper, this was $40.00 per person, which was a fantastic price including tax and 20% gratuity for a buffet, we overheard our server grumble as we left that we had not left more. All of the servers were babies and I do mean young. Up one star with the Buck Hotel and I will be back, try to polish up those servers or replace them with a few antiques who have some class and know how to serve the public.
(4)Will C.
"Yuck Hotel". Typical Friday night dilemma....deciding where to have dinner with your wife but wanted to try something else other than your usual favorites. As we drove we took a wrong turn and ended up at this locale. As you enter you are welcomed by a host and the aroma of a dirty old bar, but the food was fine. Large portions make the pricing reasonable, but too large for an average adult to eat. You could get three meals out of their salmon entree. If you like old stuffy American restaurants this is the place for you. Note... I usually only yelp around the Newtown area but this place was an easy target for a lighthearted review. Look out! I can see chef Robert Irvine coming through the door any minute!
(2)Fracesca T.
Giving this restaurant 1 star was more than generous!! Firstly, you have to pass through a cloud of smoke, with people smoking right outside the door. The salad was meager with a paper cup of dressing. The soda was filled with ice, which was replenished without the waitress stating that each refill was being charged at full price! My husband ordered a cheese steak. It was so GREASY that he couldn't discern the taste of meat. It was sitting in a pool of oil. When he told the waitress how it was greasy, she responded "is that bad?!" We will NEVER return!
(1)Marlene V.
Well, I will NEVER go to The Buck Hotel again... and I make it my life long goal to give The Buck Hotel as much bad publicity as I can! I heard the owner, Brian, was a jerk... 'jerk' does not do justice to Brian!!!! ---- Before I brought the 15 people for happy hour there, I called ahead to ask about happy hour specials and Neil (the manager) said if I was to bring that many people in he would hook me up with a few drinks. So, after 6 hours I only had 3 glasses of wine (pathetic, I know). I told the bartender that Neil said he would write my few drinks off the tab. She said he left but would ask Brian, the owner. ---- Brian said I was getting on his nerves and the manager had no right to tell me that. I was still very nice saying, "sorry, that is not my problem... and you are going to give me a problem over 3 glasses of wine?". "It is not a point over the money. It is the point that you are being so arrogant and nasty over a few silly dollars after we just spent hundreds". ---- We spent 100's of dollars there. The guys were doing shots. 100's of dollars! and to be a jerk over 3 glasses of wine! ---- I said to Brian, "You would rather be nasty over 3 glasses of wine and to not have these 15 people ever come in again? He said he didn't give a shit. I was a bitch and (again) I was getting on his nerves. Again, it is not the wine. I have the money. It is the principal. What happen to the customer always being right? My goodness, It was 3 glasses of wine! ---- As I was leaving, The bartender said "Sorry, you know the way Brian is". How does one get away with being a Dic# his whole life? My only assumption is that he is just totally miserable in his life and has to take it out on others. I have heard about people getting stiffed with wedding there. I have heard about the 'Drunk Owner Brian sitting at the bar drinking' (which he was). But this was my first experience... and Last!!!! ---- So, a word of advice to all my dear friends... Steer clear of The Buck Hotel!
(1)Brenden H.
A couple of friends and I stopped by here for a late lunch on their wedding anniversary, enroute to dropping me at the Philly airport. I found this place to be a lot of fun, good beer selection as many other yelpers have noted, but the menu was really interesting as well, especially if you're a fan of local seafood. There was a smoked bluefish sandwich, blackened snapper (assume they mean the fish, rather than the turtle!?), oysters, sashimi, halibut, fried clams, crab cocktail. So I had the albacore nicoisse and crab cocktail. Salad was really pretty good, interesting vinagrette dressing and good sized chunks of fresh fish. Crab had been frozen for a while, sort of tasteless, but texture was decent and overall it was ok. Bluefish was good, and beers were cold, service was friendly. Overall I'd come back, although the idea of a sushi chef named Alex, serving sushi in a room that looks and feels like a hunting lodge, would take some getting used to! Our bill came out to about $110 with tip, for 3.
(3)Ree M.
My husband won a gift certificate to,this restaurant so we thought we'd give it a try. It was our wedding anniversary an decided to do brunch Prather than dinner, I think dinner would have been a better choice after visiting this location. The decor was nice, but seemed to mix fall with Christmas. The wait staff was very nice and accommodating, the hostesses sat us right next to a party of six and right behind two long tables set up for party of 20 or more. Mind you we were the second people in the restaurant I should have asked to more right then and there. The party of six couldn't have been more obnoxious if they tried. I feel if the menu price is over $35 per person then you shouldn't be wearing sweatpants/shirts, it disgusts me when people wear ripped jeans and sweatpants to a restaurants, anyway this party yelled across their table and carried on as if they were so home, I mentioned to the waitress that they were over the top, she did apologize but didn't ask them to quiet down. Meanwhile they let their kids (10-12 year old) run amuck in the buffet area, I lost my appetite quickly when the younger girl was unattended at the chocolate fountain and did all but wash her hands in it, grabbing the fruit and cake with her bear hands. I mentioned this to another employee and all she said was oh I'm sorry -didn't offer to bring fresh fruit or cakes so I did not get to sample the dessert after that experience. I thought the main entrees were ok, nothing had me running back for another plate. It was sub par. On my way out I mentioned to the hostess that a sign at the buffet tables that children should be supervised and she said that would cause a law suit. I think the lack of safety near open sterno flames and unsanitary food handling would be more of a concern for law suit. First and last time at this place.
(2)Jon L.
A multi-faceted eating center. I'll split my review into three: 1. THE BAR: is an okay place to catch an Eagle's game. They have a bunch of televisions, so you're bound to get a seat with a good view of Donovan McNabb's latest injury (and the Eagles' latest failed season). The appetizers are killer, since they're made by guys that staff the restaurant. However, don't come here for night time socialization on the weekend, not if you're younger than 40. The place is a hangout for divorcees. 2. THE RESTAURANT: has plenty of class, although I've only been there for the weekend brunch. All the seafood is the great stuff you know from the other Ruhlings location. The breakfast staples (potatoes, pancakes, sausage, etc.) are all as you'd expect from a first class buffet-style brunch. They also, I believe, have live music on the second floor. 3. THE SEAFOOD SHOP: is not something I you should take my advice on---because I really know nothing about how to pick out a nice piece of salmon. But I'll say this: everything they serve in the restaurant is from the seafood shop, and I've had nothing but positive experiences there.
(3)Mommy G.
This should be listed as a SEAFOOD restaurant primarily - and it's great! We've tried this restaurant twice in the past 10 days. Had no idea it was even there because they are not on OpenTable. That's a shame because they would have many more customers. Food each evening was really delicious and high quality. I had broiled shrimp and crab meat with almost zero "filler". My husband had a fantastic lobster one time and prime rib the other. Prices are reasonable. They sell fresh seafood on site. Husband loved his oysters. Lots of good side dishes to select from. Loved the cole slaw, eggplant, grilled asparagus - pepper hash not so much. Beautiful dining room. Good cocktails and wine avail and quite nice white linen dining. Great service. Better seafood and much better priced than at the shore! Even my mother loved it. Easy parking and access. I don't understand Yelp reviews - truly awful places get raves and this which is the best it can be for the type of food being served is not rated appropriately. This is not a like a Zahav, or Vernick or Amada but they are not trying to be. I am married to a foodie and gourmand and he can appreciate both types of establishments. Years ago I used to eat at Ruhlings on Rising Sun Ave - had no idea they had moved up to the Buck - I live in the area, and I learned they have been here for 12 years!
(5)Renee F.
unless you are going to hear a band..or hang in the bar..DON'T DO IT. The buffalo shrimp is the only thing I will order..and I have tried..I really want this place to be great being it is practically a landmark. But if it weren't for its shear "presence".and the 50+ crowd that didn't get into to Michaels.it would go out of business Note..I did not add the link
(2)Andrea m g.
Went to a baby shower in one of the upstairs rooms.It was the room with the picture of Lincoln and is burgundy colored with leopard trim.The room and the entire place is attractive but I found the food very average.I am friends with the mother of the soon to be dad who hosted the shower and she said it was on the costlier side but she just wasn't up to hosting the party in her home so to her it was worth it.If you are looking for an impressive glitzy atmosphere and are happy with ok food it will work out fine.I for one will prefer less glitz ,more homemade sauces,larger portions and a little bit of soul in my food.
(3)Aaron D.
This place is actually very nice looking from the outside. It looks like an old hotel that probably has a nice upscale restaurant inside. My wife and I decided to bring our families there one day for an early dinner. Inside is very nice, decorated like an old hunting lodge. The bar is immediately on the right when you walk in, and there is a seafood counter (to go) in front. We sat down to eat, all ordered apps and dinners (and ordering was a hassle, believe me) and began eating. I myself ordered oysters, which are one of my favorite shellfish. The oysters themselves were pretty small for blue points, and the cocktail sauce.... oy. Usually I can scoop the sauce with a fork and put it onto the oyster, but the sauce was so runny it went right through the fork. Gross. I forget exactly what I got for a dinner, but it was some sort of sandwich. I remember that not being so great either. Since we ate there a while ago and I just decided to review, I forget a lot of the details, but I know I wouldn't eat there again. Now let me look at it from the bar/lounge angle. The bar there is great. Awesome staff, great atmosphere, and when the weather is nice a patio with tables. On the weekends they have live music as well, and I believe karaoke. I would go here again just for the bar. But again, I ordered food from the bar, and it was so-so. I've had better. But you can't screw up a beer! Or can you....
(2)Jim K.
Not worth the money..we have eaten here often in the past and it's been a good place, but these last few times, you could feel it sliding away.Prices have slowly increased menu has changed a few times and the food is subpar as mentioned in another review, "dinner food",good service.This night I had the red snapper w/ a red pepper sauce, not really.. the fish wasn't fresh, served over some chopped red peppers & cherry tomatoes and floating in some kind of oil..yuck, for 28 bucks.This will be our last dinner here but we did have a nice nite at the bar which now has a great selection of craft beers always rotating, good wait staff,very friendly and attentive.They also added an extensive sushi menu and new chef,so my wife suggested a return visit to the bar for sushi and beer,we shall see.
(2)Cd H.
Having grown up eating at Ruehlings in Lawndale I decided to try the Buck Hotel. Other then the crab imperial mushroom caps, the entire meal was weak. The oysters Rockefeller were the smallest oysters ever. I swear one was the size of a dime. The dressing for the salad came in a paper cup. I felt like I was in a school cafeteria, not a historic hotel/restaurant. The final insult was the bread, it had to be day old potato bread from the local wawa. The bar must be driving this business, it's certainly not the food.
(1)Reid F.
My review is only regarding the Sunday Brunch, which was loaded with excellent (and normally expensive) items like fresh oysters, smoked salmon, trout almondine, rack of lamb, and a slew of other foods, each of which would have made for a good meal. At a cost of $29 per person, it seemed very reasonable. In addition, the service (for which they add a 20% gratuity on the bill) was excellent, with many servers there to remove plates, bring whatever was needed, and refill drinks (one alcoholic drink and endless beverages were included).
(5)Paula L.
very dissapointing meal old smelly seafood
(1)Brian R.
What a place! In a word, COUGARTOWN. My brother had his wedding reception here, it's actually a really nice location with a nice upscale feeling to the ballroom. The food and staff were all great. That being said . . Come 10 the bar area is completely transformed into a crazed dance floor stuffed with horny 50 something year olds that are bumping anything and everyone. Needless to say, the wedding afterparty was one continuous laugh, an intense dance off that lasted long into the night. Certainly a memorable night, we all had a lot of fun despite one girl from our party getting her purse stolen :(
(3)Scott S.
The Buck Hotel has been somewhat of a landmark to me for the majority of my life. For years it sat deteriorating at the corner of a major intersection, the large deer sculpture standing proudly before the restaurant becoming more and more dilapidated as the years went by. When it finally reopened a few years ago, I was excited to discover what they had done with the infamous building. I must admit, the decor is quite nice. The main dining hall is decorated in a cabin-like fashion, equipped with a large stone fireplace and mounted animal heads. I was even lucky enough to dine in the topmost tower room, which is reserved for well-to-do patrons. The bar is also nice, and it is often packed in the event of an Eagles game. The food is mediocre, at best. The prices are fairly inflated and the meals are substandard. Even the dessert menu is unimpressive. I do not want to give the impression that the food is bad, it is simply not as good as one would expect from such a fancy place. Also, I believe it would be prudent for me to mention that four members of my family, including myself, have gotten violently ill following meals from the Buck Hotel. In the end, the Buck Hotel is nice to look at, but with very little payoff.
(3)Will D.
I came to "The Buck" on a Thursday with my boys and was the youngest person in here by a long shot. One older gentlemen decided coming dressed as Elvis (not a joke) would increase his chances of landing a Priscilla... It didn't. This place was PACKED. Lots of people dancing to the "Geater with the Heater". One of my friends was taken against his will into the middle of the dance floor and not seen again. If you bring a woman under 45 here, hoards of eligible mustache clad bachelors will supply all of her beverages for the evening. One thing you have to keep in mind: There is a thin line between cougar and codger... It is usually located around the ear from a facelift. PS We need a friend to take the place of Brian... Must have an automobile that can seat 7.
(5)Foodie 1.
i ate there once monday night buffet and though it was quite good for 20 per person. they had rack of lamb, snow crab legs. cehfs experiment with molecular gastronomy and some apetizers were impresiive. I also thought that it was too much selection especially at desert table. Recently owners removed all quality items such as rack of lamb and crab legs and raised prices to 25 per person. I asked owners to consider havong less choice such as pastas and few other things and consider bringing quality back. was told is just too expensive for them. Obviously making things that logical and pleasing customers is not their priority. so i am not going there again
(1)Allison B.
I don't have any real complaints about my experience at Buck Hotel, but I wasn't wowed. The server visited our table for refills and to take our orders, and our food arrived as ordered. We were in on a Saturday afternoon during a lot of college football games, so I was surprised to find that there were no drink specials. While the fried chicken fingers my friends got smelled good, everything looked kind of so-so and the oysters I ordered were just okay. A few shell pieces and they just didn't taste or look that fresh to me. They were fine but not great. You'd leave satisfied if you went to the Buck Hotel with tempered expectations, but this place probably won't become a go-to spot for many people.
(3)Von M.
The Buck is a nice venue for a party. The party room was beautifully appointed with a fireplace, richly colored drapes and sumptuous chairs. One could have easily forgotten that this room was a banquet hall and not a cozy room in a (large) residence. The food was not particularly memorable (generally true of banquet halls) but it was well-presented and served by a well-trained and responsive waitstaff. The bar at the Buck was hopping and the patrons spanned many age groups. Who knew that Feasterville was a hub of real-life social networking?
(3)David P.
Very disappointing. Overpriced and marginally prepared dishes. Reminded me of a low-end restaurant at the shore. Don't waste your time or money.
(2)Rebecca F.
No thank you. I'd consider this to be the unsatisfactory attempt at creating a fancy dining environment, but instead resulting in an overpriced, unwelcoming bar staffed with unfriendly personnel. The exterior and interior design suggests a laid back, comforting, perhaps even a cordial meeting place for drinks and food, but within the first few minutes, the experience suggests an atmosphere of a mediocre diner longing for the old days. I am only giving this restaurant 1 star merely because 0 stars is not feasible. Sitting down, we were given the happy hour bar menu, and were surprised to find exorbitant pricing for every dish. (the main menu is even more outrageous). This mere factor would be only justifiable had our dining experience been satisfactory, but the quality of our dishes suggests that a grade schooler could make our food with a mere few pennies. Nachos consisted of oily cheap quality cheese atop store bought tortilla chips. Clams casino (clams stuffed with peppers, bacon, shrimp, and onions tasted like pure salt. The pizza had a presumably frozen shell, topped with overly salty tomatoes, and another layer of cheap cheese. We had clams in a white wine sauce, along with some garlic bread, but it only came with a few pieces of which we asked for more. They charged $4 for 5 measly pieces of bread the size of a silver dollar, which were, in fact, again too salty and oily. We then mistakenly ordered lobster "egg rolls", but in all actuality, I think we received cabbage rolls with lobster flavor, dripping in oil. By the time we left, I felt like I had to go eat a salad, after all the oily food we just consumed. One could come here to watch sports or buy overpriced drinks, but then again, you could save a lot of money and do that at home.
(1)Joe A.
Went there on Saturday May 16 2015, Arrived at 4,their start time for dinner. Upon walking thru the front door, there were people all over the place, went to the reception desk, asked for 2 for dinner. Was told by the lady that they had just had a funeral reception that afternoon,and it would be a half hour wait. It appeared they had that reception downstairs, the upstairs looked empty, so they were cleaning up the downstairs tables,and the buffet table. Took 5 minutes off to the side to regroup,Went back to the desk, the bald headed guy was there now,I think he's the manager, Very nicely, I told him we were canceling.and were leaving ,He told us if we wanted ,we could eat at the bar, I told him If I was going out to eat and wanted to go to a bar(which we do fairy often) I'm not coming here. We came here to have a sit down dinner. He told me for a 2nd time we could get dinner at the bar,or wait till 4:30, I told him, you don't have a half hour wait at a 4pm dinner opening. Had been there a few month's earlier on a Saturday at 4pm,we usually always eat early. A few months ago,when we ate there, of course at 4 its never crowded, I think there were maybe 6 other people there ( 3 other couples) .The service we got and the time it took was teter tottering on not good. I noticed at the time that bald headed guy around talking to the waitresses. I just remember mentioning to my wife,this place must be mayhem in another 2 hrs or so. Last time I got the Prime Rib,my Wife got lobster.The food was "Good", It wasn't bad,and it wasn't great,Everything is pricey I'm a mechanic,not a restaurant manager, but I've eaten out for a long time,in many different places, I know you don't shut down your entire operation for a standard reception, and then let people walk out the door for dinner service, and he really didn't care we left Probably won't be going back anymore
(1)Lily L.
One word sums up my visit to dining at the Buck Hotel: PUTRID. That word would apply to service and especially the food. To say the food is mediocre would be an understatement. Everything that we ordered was awful. First, our waitress had a nonchalant attitude, showing hints of impatience and surliness. Whose fault is it that you're working there, missy? The Happy Hour menu consists of $6 items, most of which are normally priced at $7 anyway so no real deal there. The food was unbelievably awful and I can't believe any restaurant would try to pass it off as being edible, much less tasty. Each dish was worse than the previous one. The pizza was tasteless and seemingly made with those 4-in-a-pack make-it-yourself pizza kits with the dried out pizza crust. Even pizza made in a lightbulb-cooked EZ Bake Oven tastes better than this! From the tavern menu, we ordered lobster egg rolls which were obviously cooked in too-low heat and were crunchy on the outside but were dripping in oil with each bite. As Clara Peller would say about the beef, I wanted to shout "where's the damn lobster?!?" There was not one shred of lobster present in these oily, soggy and tasteless egg rolls - perhaps they were still in the kitchen or at the store? The overall taste of these egg rolls suggested that they were fried several times over. That $10 cost could have tasted better spent on Mrs. Paul's frozen seafood, something that I normally eschew. Clams in white sauce seemed promising. We asked to buy extra bread to sop up the sauce and the waitress retorted that it would cost extra. WTF. Um, we didn't ask her to make, knead and bake the bread herself, we asked wanted to BUY extra bread, for chrissakes! We also made the mistake of ordering the $16 appetizer sampler from the tavern menu which was quite a scant dish for the price. The chicken fingers were tasteless and bland, the buffalo wings were of the frozen variety and the onion rings were a joke - not a single onion ring had a complete layer of coating. Rather, the coating was all broken and in pieces, an obvious sign of being freezer burned. The french fries were scant but the most edible thing on the plate, albeit ridiculously expensive given the other crap on this dish. Our food was ordered from the happy hour and tavern menus. I wouldn't dare order from the ridiculously expensive dinner menu given the quality of the food at this establishment. I'm surprised that they're still in business! Their calendar shows dance nights and music during midweek, ostensibly to attract the cougars and geezers who most likely care more about landing their next fling than the food. The Buck Hotel is definitely not a place I would recommend spending/wasting my hard earned money. The only thing which could have made this dining experience even worse would have also been afflicted with explosive diarrhea or other gastrointestinal distress, which didn't happen but I was definitely afraid, very afraid. Save your money and eat the week-old leftovers from your refrigerator - believe me, it would certainly taste better!
(1)AJ J.
Food is bland and overpriced. Still edible, but pretty bad. The bar is full of Cougars and watered down drinks. Would not recommend.
(1)Gerald S.
I guess I picked the wrong night to see all the hubbub at the Buck Hotel. No cougars. Not even a stray pussycat. The barroom feels like a hunting lodge with a large angular bar, large TV's and curiosities hanging on the walls. Most pronounced; a 12' nutcracker standing guard over the operation. This was a quiet Sunday night. No complaint. I had a Chicken Salad sandwich and a glass of red. Both were fine, but certainly I was not in search of the sweet spots on the food nor liquor menus. They were enough for the moment. It had been many years since my last visit, and but for the suggestion of meeting someone there for a conversation, I would not have chosen it this time. Still, I was curious to see what had changed, and I could not detect much alternation. Not a bad place for a Sunday evening, but to taste the full flavor it would likely require a return on a busier night.
(3)Irina K.
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. If I could leave 3.5 I probably would. On one hand there is the brunch which is totally excellent! The raw bar and the meat carving station are just great! You really get your money's worth right there. They also have a nice selection of little gourmet dishes with a one bite appetizer. They do run out quickly and those are not replenished. And then there is the regular breakfast fair. Bagel and lox/whitefish is also great and plentiful. Desserts consist of little pastries and a chocolate fondue fountain with fresh fruit and such. I've done this with my family 4 or 5 times in the past couple of years and they always leave happy, satisfied and impressed. It's a little pricier than the rest of the brunch pre-fix in the area, but totally worth with the seafood alone. We went here for a large party dinner for my husbands birthday. The meal was mediocre at best. We had ten people order a Boston clam chowder which everyone agreed was completely inedible. It tasted like pure flour. French onion soup on the other hand was delicious. My husband got a prime rib and it was cooked to perfection and really yummy. My crab cakes on the other hand were very very average. Most of the dinner was either hit or miss. The place itself is large spacious and grand. The staff is very friendly. I've head the pleasure of dealing with Kim, who is the hostess on more than one occasion. She is very helpful and organized. Made my party planning a breeze with pre ordered appetizers. Overall I would probably recommend the brunch over dinner.
(4)Mandy E.
We've been here twice for dinner - both times eating in the bar to assure good seating for a band we came to see. The food both times has been delicious, and the service excellent. I think the only thing they could improve upon here are their drinks. They're quite expensive and extremely light on the liquor, if you know what I mean.
(3)Rob Z.
MONDAY NIGHT SEAFOOD BUFFET AMAZING So simply just look at the menu of the seafood buffet monday night for $30 and you will be very curious to go. I am a huge fan of oysters and clams and seeing it was a buffet, l was eager to go and when l finally went, it was everything l hoped for. The food quality and quantity is amazing. There was never a wait for anything l wanted and all the food was presented very nicely. Coming here was a little adventure of its own and l was somewhat immature because of how happy l was to eat. If you like seafood, this is a great location to splurge.
(5)Melissa P.
Now that all my friends are tying down their boyfriends looks like I'm gonna be showering a lot. Bridal showering that is. I guess the other kind too, if we're being technical. Was here for a bridal shower yesterday and it was a great spot! Gorgeous chandeliers, great space, friendly and helpful staff, delicious food! We did buffet style with crudite, cheese and crackers, salad, rigatoni, roasted potatoes, green beans, chicken picatta, salmon, and roast beef carving stations, and a million cakes and desserts, and of course, champagne punch and wine. There was a large table to accommodate all her millions of gifts and even a throne-like chair for her to sit on while she unwrapped said gifts. The huge space accommodated I would say at least 50, with some tables even squeezing 11 (all the bridesmaids and bride obviously had to sit together). We had the room from 1 to 5 and were there at 12 to set up and it was a perfect amount of time. Definitely recommend as a venue for this type of thing, or bar/bat mitzvahs/sweet sixeens, and I'm sure a wedding would be gorgeous here too.
(4)Joey R.
I came here for the Monday night seafood buffet, which I must say was completely average. The starters were pretty good (salads, cheeses, etc.) but the seafood itself lacked finesse and freshness. The staff was attentive and definitely was understanding to my friend and I who stayed for two and a half hours. But I have to say--the crab legs (which is why we came) left a lot to be desired.
(3)