I love the Brasserie. I always get fantastic service, the atmosphere is great (they normally don't play typical bar music), they have good draft beer, and their food is FANTASTIC for the low prices. Most meals stay below $12 (bar/lunch menu), and it tastes great. The restaurant side is classy with a fantastic menu and amazing atmosphere.
(5)
Kristin O.
Stopped by this weekend because we were looking for an outdoor venue for food and drinks, close to home. On a Saturday night, around 9pm, their deck was already closed. Not only disappointing, but surprising because it was a beautiful night! Yet we persevered and went inside for a round of drinks and appetizers. Food and drinks were, again, nothing to write home about.
(2)
Carolyn C.
My fiancee and I took his grandfather here for a nice dinner and to see if we wanted to have our rehearsal dinner here. Due to the rather polarizing reviews on yelp I was skeptical about the food but I was pleasantly surprised. We all ordered the shrimp and crab chowder and it was delicious. The soup was creamy, smooth, and had just the right amount of spice. Gramps ordered the crab cakes and everybody really enjoyed them. There wasn't too much breading and they were large enough to be an entree. My fiancee ordered the steak and it was good but I wished it has a little more seasoning. I ordered the chicken neopolitan and it was amazing. The portions were huge so make sure to go hungry. The resturaunt was decorated with lights and greenery for Christmas which was nice. The server was new which meant she was a little skittish but she was pleasant, quick, and attentive. Since everything was so nice we decided to use The Brasserie as our venue for the rehearsal dinner. The packages at the Brasserie for banquet meals range from $24-$32 dollars a head and include a lot of food. I think it will be an enjoyable place for our rehearsal dinner.
(5)
Joe G.
The service was exceptional and the ambiance was very cozy. The soup was pretty good and the food was good as well. The major problem was the control over flavor. For example, I ordered the Prime Rib with crabmeat and a cream sauce. The crabmeat and sauce flavor, served on top of the meat, ruined the flavor. The cut of prime rib was superb and ruined under the sauce. It would have worked butter with crab cakes on the side. Yet, due to the pretty good food and the amazing service, i would definitely return.
(3)
Dan E.
Very nice place and great food. Great for everyone.
(4)
Judie N.
We're really liking this restaurant these days. Lots of great improvements. The food is awesome and we get great service at the bar. Sorry I didn't get the bartenders name but he does a nice job. The lady that works behind the bar is very nice also. I really have to get their names. Only suggestion I have is upgrade the wine list which the bartender informed me is in the works. We'll definitely be returning.
(4)
Kevin M.
First time visit. Not a bad place. Quiet early afternoon. I suppose the bible folk were still in church. We sat at the bar area. Fast service. The bar wench was very attentive and attractive. ( nice rack ). We had the Nachos and cheesesteak quesadilla. Very very good food. The soda was cold and my woman enjoyed her Cap'n & Coke and Cool Hwhip flavored vodka & coke. I would most certainly recommend this place to anyone.
(4)
James R.
Eaten here a bunch mostly during football games. They have a very large TV for one game much smaller for additional games in the bar area. not sure if they serve the same menu in the dinning room area which looks much fancier then the bat area but the food and service are always good not great. Steak & fries / french dip sliders awesome! Nachos & buffalo dip not so much. But I keep coming back
(4)
Blue M.
Come here for lunch occasionally. Drinks are good and the lunch menu isn't bad at all. I've seen a wide variety of people here from the group of old ladies meeting for lunch, to busy business people's power lunch, to students to I'm really not sure. It works for me...the drinks nor the food have yet to kill me.
(3)
Charles H.
Confusion among the staff started it off wrong. No one at the deck entrance so we went to the main entrance and were told to go back to the deck entrance and they would send someone. A slow walk by the host left a poor impression. We think he may have been eating fries behind the register cubby. He misnamed the waitress that was to serve our table. The menus he left were in old and wrinkled. I ordered a Shiner Bock beer from her list of available beers. She returned with my wife's soda and said they were all out of the Shiner. All of this occurred at a slow pace so I asked for the check. She took the soda and we left. I feel that there needs to be some serious training for the wait staff.
(1)
Nick J.
Traveled on business, found this place through Yelp. Great vibe, above average bar food. Great service.
(4)
Angela H.
Delicious food. Great service. We started with the tomato bisque which was really creamy and full if flavor. Then we got house salad with a slice of toasted artisan bread. I got the steak Oscar which was amazing and my husband got the crab cakes and he says they were somene of the best he has had.
(5)
Kristina B.
We are from New Jersey and were visiting the Red Caboose Motel in Ronks, PA. From Strasburg, we got lost in the maze of cornfields and quiet roads. A thunderstorm was fast approaching (yes, black apocalypse skies) and we turned into the driveway of the first restaurant we found. That was the Brasserie. We had no expectations, didn't care, as long as they had an area suitable for children. On the ambiance: It was cozy, with dark polished wooden floors, pleasing to look at. My little boy loved the aquarium by the foyer that had two sizeable fish. The bar dining area was family-friendly and had big glass windows with a panoramic view of the highway below. Loved the wooden tables and chair and floors. And the back area (by the restrooms) had a lovely, homey scent that reminded me of my grandma's house. Many points for that. On service: The young lady at the front desk was welcoming and offered us both the casual bar area and the dining room, and she warned us that the bar area would be noisy, and if we didn't like it, she can always switch us to the dining room. I found her manner nice and genuine. When we sat down, we were immediately greeted by a server who took our orders promptly, came out with drinks and food in time, I didn't feel like anything was lagging. And when it was time to go and I couldn't find our server, the one I flagged down was helpful, didn't look annoyed like "you're-not-my-table-why-are-you-asking-me", and she brought our check and a paper bag I asked for. On food: I ordered the Grilled Steak Oscar which was divine! The sauce, the crabmeat, and the tender steak. What a treat. My husband ordered the Linguine di Vognole. Tasty, fresh clams. Even my boy's chicken nuggets and fries were different from average. I ended up eating most of the fries :) I also like the variety of food on the menu. On price: I agreed with the prices of the food we ordered except the extra $0.25 for Parmesan cheese. That is usually free here in NJ but maybe it's different in PA. (Even in the Red Caboose Dining Car, we were charged $0.50 for poached eggs - another thing that we take for granted here in NJ). The menu items were reasonably priced too. I had a good time and will seek this restaurant out when we return to the area.
(4)
Sara Z.
I've been here a couple times, both times were at night for a bite to eat and some drinks. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the clientele is wide-ranging...there were younger people drinking, and older people having a nice meal. It wasn't overly-loud, and the food was very good. The staff was friendly, we normally get a table with a waiter or waitress instead of sitting at the bar. The big draw for us was the fact that it was one of the only places in the general area where you could both eat something and drink booze after a certain time at night...I would come back next time we are in town.
(4)
Katherine N.
The food tastes great, prices are reasonable and ambiance is great. We went on a Saturday night without reservation and sat outside. The waitstaff is very friendly but can be slow at times. We ate their delicious steamed clams and calamari. Their calamari is seasoned well and not bland like 90% of the restaurants. The chef really pays attention to detail and even their side vegetables are seasoned well. I would highly recommend the Brasserie.
(4)
Mindy K.
Margarita tasted like watered-down sour mix. Chopped salad wasn't chopped. Nachos looked good and tasted bland. Service slow--and we had to summon our waiter several times. He couldn't remember lemon we asked for and never refilled drinks or came to check on us. I come back every few years, thinking it will be better, and it never is.
(2)
GingerSnap G.
Had no expectations. Liked the place. Sat in the bar area. Had an interesting range of food on the menu. Chicken w/Lavender in a marsala sauce? but then burgers and wings and sandwiches. The burger I got (med-rare) was EGG-cellent (topped w/fried egg, bacon and cheese)... and was really really good. someone else in the party thought their burger (different selection) was just okay... but had also gotten it well done. Hmm. The waitress was friendly and nice. and while not perfect, communicated everything really well, such as the delay but assurance that the bills for our large group would be separated... or assisting us in organizing our drinks etc.. did I mention they had at least two if not three TV's playing sports in the bar. I always think that is a plus too. 3.5 stars... I would definitely go again! *dreaming of my burger.
(4)
Nick B.
Service was friendly and fast. Had appetizers. Cheesesteak quesidilla was great. My wings were average. Had better wings at dive bars. Maybe wings better on a non wing night
(3)
Teresa S.
Been here a handful of times. Usually before the dinner rush. Service is always good and food is delicious. Can't complain about anything just didn't feel like giving five stars because nothing stood out. Would go back but only if I was in the area.
(4)
Pao P.
I've been here 3 times, burgers are good. Small small place with a bar. When u enter it's self seating. Wasnt busy all 3 times i was there so service is pretty fast with only 1 server and a bartender.
(4)
Monique H.
This is my favorite restaurant in Lancaster. Not only do they have Dogfish head IPA on tap but they also serve a delicious meal and offer friendly service. For lunch I had a burger topped with an over easy egg. I had skipped breakfast that day and figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. I think it may have been the best burger I've ever had in my entire life. The restrooms weren't up to par but the place is old so I'll give them that.
(5)
William P.
Food was good. Service wasn't. They forgot our salads and my friends bar drink took 30 minutes to come. They weren't overly crowded, staff just didn't seem to care. Food was very good though. Would have gotten 4 stars had the service been better.
(3)
Mark L.
Great pub restaurant for lunch when in Lancaster. Good food & great beer. Perfect for lunch today or any day.
(4)
Claire L.
Went their with my family on a recent trip to Lancaster. I had the tips hoagie sandwich which was good but I wasn't crazy about the sauce so I ate the beef off the sandwich and my father ate the rest of it. We had lots of great appetizers. Nachos which were great and the buffalo dip! Yum! The dinner that has the steak and crab meat was delicious I don't remember what it is called. Overall good meal and everyone enjoyed themselves.
(4)
Tony H.
After we had been to the American Music Theatre I thought it would be a good idea to have a glass of wine and talk awhile. That's when I turned the car around and we went back to Brasserie R&B......it appeared to be closed but as we walked up we were invited in and delightfully greeted. It was 11:00ish and both young ladies were going about the the business of running the business. It was clearly closing time but a football game was still being played and we were so clearly welcome even tho it was closing time/ or close. I noticed they had Penfolds Shiraz ( not the Grange ) ( if you wonder why it isn't the Penfolds Grange just Google it ;-)..... I was so impressed w/ how welcome my wife and I were treated we couldn't help but ask a number of questions...one of which was their names.....Laun was our server and Erin was serving the bar patrons. So professional, so nice and that should make for a very happy owner to have TWO ladies running the restaurant truly like it was their place! Kudos! We were there and accommodated beautifully ......all the stars are on service...I could buy a Penfolds in many places but we couldn't have gotten such great service w/ a smile and great attitude in many places just before closing! Thank you Laun and Erin!
(4)
S C.
Went on a weekday evening for a special Christmas dinner with friends. Waited an exceptionally long time for drinks, nothing fancy, off the drink menu. When the drinks arrived they were not mixed & tasted like straight alcohol. The dinner order was finally taken & we requested rolls only to be told they did not have any. We had to seek another employee to see if there was a problem with the meals since an unacceptable amount of time had past. When the dinners arrived some were cold, others slightly warm. Not only was the service horrible but the manager on duty was extremely unprofessional when we requested to speak with her. Do not go!
(1)
Fred L.
This was a really fine dining experience. Tomato Bisque was divine and the BBQ salmon was one of the best salmon dish I ever had. Tidbit to Pittsburgh Steeler fans- they have a room dedicated to Steelers!!
(4)
Christina W.
Checked this restaurant out with my staff for lunch. I got the sausage and chicken bruschetta with homemade potato chips and a cup of french onion soup. It was delicious. I would have liked to have seen a heartier broth for the French onion, but very tasty, nonetheless. The chicken and sausages were delicious as well. The chicken was seasoned just right and the sausage was a great pairing with the bruschetta to really bring out the flavor. The food was reasonably priced, and enough for a take-home container. The vibe of the restaurant is pretty laid back. Suitable for a casual business lunch or a happy hour.
(3)
Greg O.
It looked so much better in the reviews and on their website. The atmosphere inside is interesting- it feels like you are eating in someone's mansion. The hostess was very nice throughout, but our waitress was unfriendly and forgetful to say the least. As for the food, they have a big menu- just make sure to get the bar menu in addition to the dinner menu. I had a chicken wrap that wasn't bad. The other dishes ranged from great to terrible- there didn't seem to be much consistency in terms of the food served to our group. Overall an interesting visit, but not sure I would come back.
(3)
David F.
Had our annual neighbor's Christmas get-together here on Saturday, 12/15/2012. Requested and received separate checks--with absolutely NO problems. The drinks were perfectly poured. The soup (a few had the tomato bisque--a few the french onion) was excellent. Meal presentation was superb and the meal tasted excellent! A great night. Even though it was a Saturday night--near the holidays--we were not rushed. Very enjoyable evening.
(4)
Dan R.
I've been in Lancaster for the better part of a year now and tried a lot of bars, this is one of the "upscale" if you will bars not located directly in the city. However, I'm confused as to what this bar is going for. They have Steelers decor all over the place like it's a sports bar, yet they put a less than sports bar menu out there. The menu is all over the place, I mean if you are indecisive or with a group of people who don't mind paying high prices for food that just isn't that good, then come here. Usually dead on weekends so this is more of a dinner and go somewhere else place if you are looking for a good place to spend a Friday or Saturday night, draft selection is mediocre at best and bartenders were not very skilled at all (nice, just not skilled). I will however say they had Yards on draft with being from Philly is a plus. Overall, take the trip to the city and get better food for better prices.
(1)
Phil E.
Good selection of sandwiches and bar food. Just right for a Friday night with a couple of cold ones. Burger, chicken souvlaki and turkey wrap were all good.
(3)
Muncie K.
I was in in town overnight on business and decided to try this place as most of the restaurants in the main area are chains or buffets. I travel quite a bit and have come to really appreciate good servers and good service. My server was just terrible. She was of the type that I have come to dislike the most-the ones who feel that their job is to simply show up and breathe and for that they should be given 20% of the check. They were not busy at all but the food took forever. I ended up having to ask for just about everything and a few things I went and got for myself off of empty tables. The food arrived luke warm, was dropped off and I never saw my server again until I was done eating as much as I could stand. The food was just okay and the room temperature did little to enhance the mediocre flavor. I wrote a review of my experience on Trip Advisor. Apparently the server was able to identify herself from my description "worse Waitress Ever" and she sent me a scathing email in which she stated that returning to the restaurant was "one thing you would never want to do." In my review I stated that I would not recommend or return to the restaurant. So I would suggest that you all think twice about eating there since someone clearly has an axe to grind and it involves the food you are about to eat.
(1)
E Peter D.
Delicious food. My steak baguette was perfectly cooked medium rare and it was very tender. The caramelized onions were sweet as sugar. My daughter's buffalo chicken wrap was the best she's ever had. Good selection of beers too!! Nice looking place. It used to be someone's huge home. One of the few places to eat that's open late in the area.
(5)
Lindsay B.
I love going here for lunch. The tomato bisque soup is amazing!
(4)
Laura A.
The service was outstanding! Warm and friendly staff which is hard to find when you're dining with three kids. The food was delicious. The portions at large and fairly priced. I will defiantly be returning if I'm in the area again.
(5)
Stacie R.
We've been the Brasserie many times before and had decent food, so we stopped on our way home from a family trip last Saturday. The food is still decent, albeit with some odd twists, but the service and the atmosphere need professional help. When we walked in, there was no one at the hostess station for several minutes. A guy walked by after a few minutes and said someone would be right with us. When she finally arrived, our teenage hostess asked if we would like Fine Dining or Bistro (ie in the bar area). When asked what the difference was, she replied "we have a new fine dining menu. There's 2 different menus and you can only order from one." Oh. That's right, I'd forgotten this was the place that apparently has an invisible barrier that prevents some food from crossing specific door frames. Try ordering the famous tomato bisque outside sometime. So bizarre. Anyway, we decided on Fine Dining since the high top bar tables weren't going to cut it with our three year old and I'm a fine dining kind of girl and it was my birthday, so why not? I thought perhaps we'd see some upgrades in the decor to go with the "new fine dining" menu, but as the hostess led us back to the very small table in the farthest back corner next to the emergency exit, I sadly realized no, those are the same chairs and lamps and tablecloths that have been here since the 80's. My husband's first comment after we were seated was " wow, Gordon Ramsey would have a field day with this place. Our very young but very nice server appeared 5 minutes later to take our drink order, which took 15 minutes to fill. A draft beer, an iced tea, and milk. Difficult stuff, I know. She then timidly asked if we were ready to order. I noticed an entry for Risotto di Jiourno on the bottom of the menu and asked what the risotto of the day was. Her response: " it's a small white flat rice shaped pasta." Seriously. Clearly the serving staff was about as fine dining as the decor. After I resisted the urge to educate the poor girl about arborio rice and politely said, thank you, I know what risotto is, and pointed out the menu item, her next response was " oh, I don't know. We just got this menu a few days ago so I don't really know it." Really. Shocking. " But I could go back to the kitchen and check?" Hmm. Considering the previous long time to fill the drink order, it was already after 8pm, and my husband was about to start gnawing on his own arm, I refrained and ordered the "classical bouillabaisse."'He ordered the steak oscar, with the lobster sauce on the side. We ordered the grilled cheese and fries for the kiddo. Individual bread plates arrived first, classy rectangular app plates with potential, until you realize it's a dinner roll with a scoop of green and red tapenade likely made from cocktail olives on the side. Not so much. Next up are the salads, a nice little mesclun mix with finely grated carrot, which could have been picked through a bit more but sure, I'll pick out the brown lettuce pieces myself, no problem. My real problem with the salad was the really strange pile of cubed and shredded pepper jack cheese on the corner of my plate. What is that and why is it on my salad? Pepper jack is not fine dining, my friends. I'm still baffled by that. Husbands response: " Gordon won't be happy about that mess." Apparently they're friends now. I waited with trepidation for our entrees to arrive. First up, grilled cheese. It looked amazing, albeit so huge that a half sandwich was bigger than my child's head. We cut it into smaller pieces and she was in fried food heaven. Next was the steak, which also smelled fantastic, and the bouillabaisse. The plates were huge and we had to rearrange everything to fit on the small table. The steak was plated on top of green beans. Hmm, no asparagus? Interesting substitution with no comments from the wait staff. The bouillabaisse was delicious. The mussels were bountiful and tasty in the broth, although pretty sure it was missing fennel. I had 3 shrimp, 5 tiny clams and a lot of fish hunks, including salmon, another interesting addition. It might have been nice to have a bowl for all of the empty shells. Instead, I had to heap the empties along the side of my bowl, which became really fun when I had to empty my shell and broth filled bowl into leftover containers myself. The grilled steak seemed to be cooked medium as requested, but we're still wondering what cut of meat it was as it curled up on both ends. The crab was tasty but the "lobster" sauce was overly salted and clearly made from commercial base so glad it on the side. We kept our sense of humor, thankfully, because after we declined dessert, and stood to put on our coats, our old friend the hostess came back and turned the lights off." Oops." Icing on the cake. The food is decent, but before you try to call yourselves "fine dining" make sure you can provide the correct ingredients, quality of service and atmosphere to back it up. We won't be back.
(2)
Steven I.
The food is good but the menu is getting old, time for a change.
(3)
Nate K.
I've been to the Brasserie for many different occassions, so I'll try to break it down: SIT-DOWN DINNER: The atmosphere is unique, and the food is great. There's not a wide selection from the menu, but definitely enough to please everybody. I had a steak that was cooked pefectly (I ordered medium rare). They don't have an extensive wine list, although that may have changed... The menu prices were normal, about $19-$35, typical for a good bite in Lancaster. It's not too fancy, but you could dress up if you wanted to. I also heard from others that had their rehearsal dinners there, that it was great. OUTSIDE DINING: The deck is awesome. Great for groups of friends in a relaxed atmosphere on a nice-weather night. They have a very good menu for the deck that is very reasonable. Highly recommend. LATE-NIGHT BAR RUN: They recently renovated the entire bar area (ok, it was like 3 years ago), and now it's one of the nicest places around. The bar menu is great, and they have a lot of good specials like taco tuesday. One warning, and my only complaint about this place - Try to avoid going there on a late Saturday night. For some reason, they have these guys playing and singing guitar in the middle of the bar area, and you can barely hear yourself think, let alone talk to somebody that's sitting next to you. I don't mind loud places, like a nightclub or something, but this it's really annoying more than anything. Just my opinion. Some people may love these guys, but still, you can't hear anything besides them. Ok, got that out. Overall, it's a fantastic place for any occasion besides Saturday night.
(4)
Tracy B.
Well. Lets start with its a Wednesday evening. Trivia at 7:00. We got here at 7:20 and no trivia going on. At least not inside. The outside deck was full so we couldnt sit out there. Inside, first thing we noticed was the smell. Odd. Almost like a nursing home or hospital. Not appealing at all. Beer on tap includes Sea Dog. I typically enjoy that but they were out of blueberries to put in the beer. The rest of beers on tap were normal selections. Two little televisions at the bar were so dark and muted because 80's music was playing loudly in the background. Clientele was older aged. Quiet. Boring. Smell is really bad in here. Going to leave. Not likely to return.
(2)
Peggy I.
Went on a slow weekday evening. Server was pleasant but service was abominably slow despite the almost-empty building. I got the tomato bisque a lot of folks raved about on reviews, and it was good. My partner got the onion soup which was flat tasting and also lukewarm. We returned that and I recommended he get the tomato bisque also since mine was flavorful and...not lukewarm. . I am a vegetarian just so you know there are not many choices unless you like pasta. A review mentioned a veggie burger, but it was not offered on the menu, and the server said "well most of what we serve here has meat in it". She recommended something on the menu, but we had to correct her that it did have meat in it...We had salads which were "grilled". I am not a great fan of wilted lettuce so it was not as interesting as I thought it would be, not to mention the meaty flavor of the grill which totally turned me off. Bleu cheese salad dressing was forgettable and I asked for vinegar with my salad which was forgotten. There were other customers who our server apologized to for forgetting something or another, so I felt like we were not alone. My partner got the ribs which were advertised dry with sauce on the side. It was not on the side and it was too spicy. We returned that as well, and shared the bruschetta appetizer. The server told us she would "try to remove the ribs from your bill" which was appalling to say the least. I fully expected to have a talk with the manager, but she gave us a few items free and a "discount" to make up for what we did not eat. I guess if you have a couple of beers or drinks it's a decent place to eat but I would not recommend it to anyone.
(1)
Natalie M.
I've been to the Brasserie a few times when I'm visiting my family in Lancaster County, and I'm always pleased. My two grandmothers and I generally meet here for lunch, and while most of the food isn't anything fantastic, it's all pretty good and reasonably priced. The signatures tomato bisque soup is seriously TO DIE FOR. We always order a cup to go with our entree, and most times I wonder why I didn't just get a bowl and call it a day! Anyway, this restaurant is set in a huge home that has been converted into a restaurant. The story goes that it was originally the home for a wealthy Mennonite family in the area, and if you know anything about some of Mennonite families in Lancaster County, you won't be surprised at how big this place is! Many of the rooms have been converted into dining rooms, which gives the whole place a cozy, lived in feel. It also means that even when the restaurant is busy, you can still be tucked away in a private little corner. They also have an AMAZING deck outside that they open in the warmer months. I haven't gotten a chance to eat out there yet, but definitely will this summer! The bar is in the front of the "house" and is super spacious with a ridiculous number of wide screen TV's plastered across the walls. Seriously, I think there must be at least 8. I'd imagine that in the evenings, they are all showing various sporting events. Although I've never been there in the evening, the bar seems like it would be a pretty cool place to have a drink. They have nightly specials, a solid bar menu (sandwiches, salads, soups in addition to regular pub fare). Finally, the staff that works here is always great. The bartenders and the waiters do a fantastic job and make everyone feel welcome and relaxed.
(4)
Judy T.
Pretty nice outside & inside-service a bit slow-calamari no one at our table liked-way too much breading-crab cakes were just ok-all in all, not great & expensive for the quality.
(2)
Garry R.
Went to the Brasserie for a dinner on a Friday. Knew to expect a wait. Walked in and was told by the hostesses to find a seat at the bar if we liked. Sat at the bar. After twenty minutes, a waitress came around and delivered menus/ordered drinks. Both ordered waters thinking that we would get drinks later. Waitress delivered waters ten minutes later and ran off to seat a "regular" family of three. When ready to order, waitress ran over to table of three and waited until their meals were ordered. Finally ordered appetizers of two half dozen chicken wings, a salad with steak meat on top, and a sandwich.. After another half hour, my fiances' wings came out which were cold. The family of three had already gotten their appetizers and were halfway through their entrees. A younger dressed up gentleman walked around the bar not caring about the customers and what was on the table. Walked passed our table to which we had a dirty dish and empty drinks. At this time, the family of three were promptly greeted by other servers and a dessert tray was given to them to decide what they would like for dessert. After an hour and fifteen minutes, I had enough. Walked up to the bar and politely waited for our waitress. I told her that I would like our check for our drinks and the chicken wings that were eaten. She said that it would only be a second, that our food was behind due to the steak being cooked. I told her I would like our check and told her that the family that came in thirty minutes after us. After this, she brought a tray of our food that was sitting in the back. I told her that we didn't want it. The cocky young gentleman came over and apologized. He asked if anything was wrong. We told him of our situation. He ran off and tried to figure out the problem. He came back and blamed the waitress saying that she only put in the order ten minutes before we said something. This place is appalling. I've driven past many times on my local commute and I will not be coming back. The communication is terrible between the kitchen staff, waitstaff, and managers. Also, I can't stand a manager that takes credit for their employees miscommunication and bashes them. He should of helped expedite and get the orders out to the customers. I certainly won't be coming back.
(1)
Danielle C.
He says: We decided to have lunch here after a recent news article reminded us that it existed. She says: I looked forward to the fireplace, and was pleasantly surprised at the horse-country decor. He says: I wanted to go for the tomato bisque and see how it looked post-remodelling. She says: We were seated immediately. He says: We began to peruse the interestingly qwirky combinations on the menu. She says: We ordered the fried martini olives, which seemed lacking in prosciutto, but were tasty nonetheless. I could have had 10 more! He says: According to the menu description, it sounded like an interesting antipasto, but what we got were 8 fried olives filled with flavored cream cheese for $8. They tasted like fried olives with cream cheese. She says: he let me help myself to the Bon' Appetite-famed tomato bisque, and it was superb! We discussed taking some to-go. He says: I liked the soup/ it was very good. For the main course, we got sandwiches. While intrigued by the Pittsburgh sandwich, it seemed a bit too much; overkill in a combination of favorites that should be left separate. This truth was to play out later in my sandwich choice. She says: I wouldn't let him get the Pitts sand b/c, among other things, it had french fries and fried egg on it! I got a ham and brie sandwich on raisin bread!- and totally digged it! He says: (-sigh-) I got the California sandwich, with turkey, smoked gouda, sautee'd onions and honey mustard on a white roll. It had a solid, rich flavor of blandness; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good (or satisfying). It was slimy, difficult to eat, and rich, without being cultured. In short, a disappointment. We chose waffle fries and their house-mad potato chips. They should replace the chips with a store brand. She says: He talks too much. Our server was lone, and adequate. He says: Our server was fine. OVERALL: He says: all in all, it was a mediocre lunch. She says: I enjoyed the experience and want to go back b/c my new favorite thing is to take pictures of the wallpaper everywhere I go.
(2)
Linda T.
Ate there for the first time recently. The food was very good and the portions were large. We were there early on a Sunday afternoon, and were the only people in the place. The tomato bisque is the best I've ever had, and the grilled Mediterranean salad was excellent and large enough for two of us to share. The service was pleasant and efficient except for one thing. I ordered the Vegelicious Burger, which is made in-house and there was an ingredient I could taste but not place. I asked our server exactly what was in the burger and her response was "I don't have any idea." Then she walked away. This is absolutely my pet peeve at a restaurant. A server should know the ingredients in the dishes she's serving. If she doesn't, she should offer to find out. Other than that one complaint, we really enjoyed the meal and would definetely go back.
(3)
Haboo Z.
I have been here a couple times, and recently stopped for lunch with my hubby on a Sunday afternoon. It was not busy at all, which was a welcome change ( and very relaxing) for a weekend. We both really enjoyed our sandwiches. I had the cajun tilapia and he had the buffalo chicken wrap. Both portions were a good size, and were very filling. The atmosphere is really nice and they have a lot of indoor seating and a deck outside as well. I will definitely go back again. The menu is reasonably priced and they have a lot to choose from. Our waitress/bartender was great as well!
(4)
Justin K.
Went there for my Wedding Rehearsal dinner 2 weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. We had about 16 people so we did a pre-fix menu, and everyone enjoyed it, not one complaint. We ate in a private room by ourselves so we didn't get to check out the deck everyone raves about, which ironically is one of the reasons my Mother picked the place. We had a Soup course (everyone went insane for the Baked Tomato Bisque), my French Onion was also very tasty. The Cesar salad was ok, nothing special, just a presentable Cesar salad as most are. I also liked that the courses didn't come out one right on top of the other, they weren't rushed at all. For the main course we had Jack Daniels Strip Steak, The Crab Tower (a mountain of a crab cake dish that is apparently what the restaurant is known for), and Penne Pasta with Chicken. No one chose the Pasta, and almost everyone went for the Crab Tower including me. The Crab tower was PHENOMENAL. Seriously awesome. It was gigantic though, even I couldn't finish it off. It's 8oz of crab cake on top of a bed of rice and fresh spinach. It could easily feed two if one is a woman who doesn't eat much to begin with. Big beautiful pieces of lump crab are strewn throughout, its not much filler, which makes it even more impressive. People who got the Steak also had good things to say. For desserts we chose the Cheesecake and Creme Brulee...My Creme Brulee was excellent, I did find room to finish every last drop of it. Overall I would highly recommend The Brasserie for a bigger party, and I would love to go have another Crab Tower on their beloved deck sometime.
(5)
Steve C.
One of my favorite restaurants. I'd go out of my way for just the fries!
(5)
Stacie D.
Their Tomato Bisque is AWESOME! It's not a regular stop of mine and not one of top places I think to visit. We were just there Friday nite and everything went well, I recommend it.
(4)
kenneth r.
Wow, just loved this place. Atmosphere is great, since it was new years Day was not too crowded. Service was excellent. Wait staff was friendly and nice, and even offered help with the Tv. Yes there are TV's in the booth. So got to see PSU play in our booth, while wtaching orther games on the bigger screens above the bar. Food was excellent, the nachos as an appetizer would have been enough for a meal for the two of us. I also had the fish and fries, and the bowl was heaping with fries, so much so the huge pieces of catfish looked like they were a top a mountain. A more than fair price for the amount of food, and the deliciousness of it all. I ordered a diet soda, and ebing very thirsty, kept the glass always near empty. Still the waitress, never wavered, and was always there to refill before the vessel was dry. Would gladly go back to this fine establishment again and again.
(5)
Amanda P.
This was the second time in 2 months that I went. The first, my father and I both got the Snapper and really enjoyed it. The dinner salad was also excellent. This past weekend, however, was a very different story. Friday night at 7pm and no wait? Probably a sign but it went unheeded. We ordered beers (blue moon on tap) & the French Bread Bruschetta. Enjoyed both- the brushetta had a bit of olive tapende with the mixture and it was quite good. I had the famed Tomato bisque- great. My husband ordered the French Onion soup- bad choice. It tasted like they just mixed hot water with the Lipton flavor packet; onions were still crispy. Panera makes a better soup(!). Dinner salads great again. Dinner- disapointing! Dad got catfish, which he said was pasty and bland. I ordered the shrimp & scallop quinoa. it was smothered (an understatement) with what was to be lemon butter sauce. it seemed like bad hollandaise you'd get at a cheap diner. Seafood was fine but nothing to sing about. Husband got chicken ceasar salad and was disapointed with the dressing (rest of salad was fine). Service was fine. The bill was $90- not a fun payment when the food is utterly lackluster. next time we will suffer through the wait at a better restaurant.
(2)
Scott W.
We went here on Saturday night after reading the reviews on Yelp. First off it is a very nice place, and after we arrived we saw that the dining area was a little stuffy and not quite kid friendly. So we suggested to the hostess that we move to the bar area that was a little louder. Great decision except for one problem. The waiter we had was the worst waiter I have ever experienced. I think he was really trying not to get a tip. He acted like he didn't care and would come over and take the order and go back to his cell phone. He forgot to put an order in for my wife's soup. I will give him credit as he didn't lie about forgetting, he just said my bad I forgot. This kid shouldn't be in this business and if it was my restaurant he would have been fired on the spot. That being said the food was okay. The wings were cooked well but the sauce left something to be desired. My Father had a burger and it was good. My Wife and Mother had the Tomato, Mozz and Avocado Sandwich and was okay. I had the steak sandwich and it was a little better then average. I would not go here again unless I sat at the bar for drinks. Bartender seemed real friendly.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Zachary R.
I love the Brasserie. I always get fantastic service, the atmosphere is great (they normally don't play typical bar music), they have good draft beer, and their food is FANTASTIC for the low prices. Most meals stay below $12 (bar/lunch menu), and it tastes great. The restaurant side is classy with a fantastic menu and amazing atmosphere.
(5)Kristin O.
Stopped by this weekend because we were looking for an outdoor venue for food and drinks, close to home. On a Saturday night, around 9pm, their deck was already closed. Not only disappointing, but surprising because it was a beautiful night! Yet we persevered and went inside for a round of drinks and appetizers. Food and drinks were, again, nothing to write home about.
(2)Carolyn C.
My fiancee and I took his grandfather here for a nice dinner and to see if we wanted to have our rehearsal dinner here. Due to the rather polarizing reviews on yelp I was skeptical about the food but I was pleasantly surprised. We all ordered the shrimp and crab chowder and it was delicious. The soup was creamy, smooth, and had just the right amount of spice. Gramps ordered the crab cakes and everybody really enjoyed them. There wasn't too much breading and they were large enough to be an entree. My fiancee ordered the steak and it was good but I wished it has a little more seasoning. I ordered the chicken neopolitan and it was amazing. The portions were huge so make sure to go hungry. The resturaunt was decorated with lights and greenery for Christmas which was nice. The server was new which meant she was a little skittish but she was pleasant, quick, and attentive. Since everything was so nice we decided to use The Brasserie as our venue for the rehearsal dinner. The packages at the Brasserie for banquet meals range from $24-$32 dollars a head and include a lot of food. I think it will be an enjoyable place for our rehearsal dinner.
(5)Joe G.
The service was exceptional and the ambiance was very cozy. The soup was pretty good and the food was good as well. The major problem was the control over flavor. For example, I ordered the Prime Rib with crabmeat and a cream sauce. The crabmeat and sauce flavor, served on top of the meat, ruined the flavor. The cut of prime rib was superb and ruined under the sauce. It would have worked butter with crab cakes on the side. Yet, due to the pretty good food and the amazing service, i would definitely return.
(3)Dan E.
Very nice place and great food. Great for everyone.
(4)Judie N.
We're really liking this restaurant these days. Lots of great improvements. The food is awesome and we get great service at the bar. Sorry I didn't get the bartenders name but he does a nice job. The lady that works behind the bar is very nice also. I really have to get their names. Only suggestion I have is upgrade the wine list which the bartender informed me is in the works. We'll definitely be returning.
(4)Kevin M.
First time visit. Not a bad place. Quiet early afternoon. I suppose the bible folk were still in church. We sat at the bar area. Fast service. The bar wench was very attentive and attractive. ( nice rack ). We had the Nachos and cheesesteak quesadilla. Very very good food. The soda was cold and my woman enjoyed her Cap'n & Coke and Cool Hwhip flavored vodka & coke. I would most certainly recommend this place to anyone.
(4)James R.
Eaten here a bunch mostly during football games. They have a very large TV for one game much smaller for additional games in the bar area. not sure if they serve the same menu in the dinning room area which looks much fancier then the bat area but the food and service are always good not great. Steak & fries / french dip sliders awesome! Nachos & buffalo dip not so much. But I keep coming back
(4)Blue M.
Come here for lunch occasionally. Drinks are good and the lunch menu isn't bad at all. I've seen a wide variety of people here from the group of old ladies meeting for lunch, to busy business people's power lunch, to students to I'm really not sure. It works for me...the drinks nor the food have yet to kill me.
(3)Charles H.
Confusion among the staff started it off wrong. No one at the deck entrance so we went to the main entrance and were told to go back to the deck entrance and they would send someone. A slow walk by the host left a poor impression. We think he may have been eating fries behind the register cubby. He misnamed the waitress that was to serve our table. The menus he left were in old and wrinkled. I ordered a Shiner Bock beer from her list of available beers. She returned with my wife's soda and said they were all out of the Shiner. All of this occurred at a slow pace so I asked for the check. She took the soda and we left. I feel that there needs to be some serious training for the wait staff.
(1)Nick J.
Traveled on business, found this place through Yelp. Great vibe, above average bar food. Great service.
(4)Angela H.
Delicious food. Great service. We started with the tomato bisque which was really creamy and full if flavor. Then we got house salad with a slice of toasted artisan bread. I got the steak Oscar which was amazing and my husband got the crab cakes and he says they were somene of the best he has had.
(5)Kristina B.
We are from New Jersey and were visiting the Red Caboose Motel in Ronks, PA. From Strasburg, we got lost in the maze of cornfields and quiet roads. A thunderstorm was fast approaching (yes, black apocalypse skies) and we turned into the driveway of the first restaurant we found. That was the Brasserie. We had no expectations, didn't care, as long as they had an area suitable for children. On the ambiance: It was cozy, with dark polished wooden floors, pleasing to look at. My little boy loved the aquarium by the foyer that had two sizeable fish. The bar dining area was family-friendly and had big glass windows with a panoramic view of the highway below. Loved the wooden tables and chair and floors. And the back area (by the restrooms) had a lovely, homey scent that reminded me of my grandma's house. Many points for that. On service: The young lady at the front desk was welcoming and offered us both the casual bar area and the dining room, and she warned us that the bar area would be noisy, and if we didn't like it, she can always switch us to the dining room. I found her manner nice and genuine. When we sat down, we were immediately greeted by a server who took our orders promptly, came out with drinks and food in time, I didn't feel like anything was lagging. And when it was time to go and I couldn't find our server, the one I flagged down was helpful, didn't look annoyed like "you're-not-my-table-why-are-you-asking-me", and she brought our check and a paper bag I asked for. On food: I ordered the Grilled Steak Oscar which was divine! The sauce, the crabmeat, and the tender steak. What a treat. My husband ordered the Linguine di Vognole. Tasty, fresh clams. Even my boy's chicken nuggets and fries were different from average. I ended up eating most of the fries :) I also like the variety of food on the menu. On price: I agreed with the prices of the food we ordered except the extra $0.25 for Parmesan cheese. That is usually free here in NJ but maybe it's different in PA. (Even in the Red Caboose Dining Car, we were charged $0.50 for poached eggs - another thing that we take for granted here in NJ). The menu items were reasonably priced too. I had a good time and will seek this restaurant out when we return to the area.
(4)Sara Z.
I've been here a couple times, both times were at night for a bite to eat and some drinks. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the clientele is wide-ranging...there were younger people drinking, and older people having a nice meal. It wasn't overly-loud, and the food was very good. The staff was friendly, we normally get a table with a waiter or waitress instead of sitting at the bar. The big draw for us was the fact that it was one of the only places in the general area where you could both eat something and drink booze after a certain time at night...I would come back next time we are in town.
(4)Katherine N.
The food tastes great, prices are reasonable and ambiance is great. We went on a Saturday night without reservation and sat outside. The waitstaff is very friendly but can be slow at times. We ate their delicious steamed clams and calamari. Their calamari is seasoned well and not bland like 90% of the restaurants. The chef really pays attention to detail and even their side vegetables are seasoned well. I would highly recommend the Brasserie.
(4)Mindy K.
Margarita tasted like watered-down sour mix. Chopped salad wasn't chopped. Nachos looked good and tasted bland. Service slow--and we had to summon our waiter several times. He couldn't remember lemon we asked for and never refilled drinks or came to check on us. I come back every few years, thinking it will be better, and it never is.
(2)GingerSnap G.
Had no expectations. Liked the place. Sat in the bar area. Had an interesting range of food on the menu. Chicken w/Lavender in a marsala sauce? but then burgers and wings and sandwiches. The burger I got (med-rare) was EGG-cellent (topped w/fried egg, bacon and cheese)... and was really really good. someone else in the party thought their burger (different selection) was just okay... but had also gotten it well done. Hmm. The waitress was friendly and nice. and while not perfect, communicated everything really well, such as the delay but assurance that the bills for our large group would be separated... or assisting us in organizing our drinks etc.. did I mention they had at least two if not three TV's playing sports in the bar. I always think that is a plus too. 3.5 stars... I would definitely go again! *dreaming of my burger.
(4)Nick B.
Service was friendly and fast. Had appetizers. Cheesesteak quesidilla was great. My wings were average. Had better wings at dive bars. Maybe wings better on a non wing night
(3)Teresa S.
Been here a handful of times. Usually before the dinner rush. Service is always good and food is delicious. Can't complain about anything just didn't feel like giving five stars because nothing stood out. Would go back but only if I was in the area.
(4)Pao P.
I've been here 3 times, burgers are good. Small small place with a bar. When u enter it's self seating. Wasnt busy all 3 times i was there so service is pretty fast with only 1 server and a bartender.
(4)Monique H.
This is my favorite restaurant in Lancaster. Not only do they have Dogfish head IPA on tap but they also serve a delicious meal and offer friendly service. For lunch I had a burger topped with an over easy egg. I had skipped breakfast that day and figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. I think it may have been the best burger I've ever had in my entire life. The restrooms weren't up to par but the place is old so I'll give them that.
(5)William P.
Food was good. Service wasn't. They forgot our salads and my friends bar drink took 30 minutes to come. They weren't overly crowded, staff just didn't seem to care. Food was very good though. Would have gotten 4 stars had the service been better.
(3)Mark L.
Great pub restaurant for lunch when in Lancaster. Good food & great beer. Perfect for lunch today or any day.
(4)Claire L.
Went their with my family on a recent trip to Lancaster. I had the tips hoagie sandwich which was good but I wasn't crazy about the sauce so I ate the beef off the sandwich and my father ate the rest of it. We had lots of great appetizers. Nachos which were great and the buffalo dip! Yum! The dinner that has the steak and crab meat was delicious I don't remember what it is called. Overall good meal and everyone enjoyed themselves.
(4)Tony H.
After we had been to the American Music Theatre I thought it would be a good idea to have a glass of wine and talk awhile. That's when I turned the car around and we went back to Brasserie R&B......it appeared to be closed but as we walked up we were invited in and delightfully greeted. It was 11:00ish and both young ladies were going about the the business of running the business. It was clearly closing time but a football game was still being played and we were so clearly welcome even tho it was closing time/ or close. I noticed they had Penfolds Shiraz ( not the Grange ) ( if you wonder why it isn't the Penfolds Grange just Google it ;-)..... I was so impressed w/ how welcome my wife and I were treated we couldn't help but ask a number of questions...one of which was their names.....Laun was our server and Erin was serving the bar patrons. So professional, so nice and that should make for a very happy owner to have TWO ladies running the restaurant truly like it was their place! Kudos! We were there and accommodated beautifully ......all the stars are on service...I could buy a Penfolds in many places but we couldn't have gotten such great service w/ a smile and great attitude in many places just before closing! Thank you Laun and Erin!
(4)S C.
Went on a weekday evening for a special Christmas dinner with friends. Waited an exceptionally long time for drinks, nothing fancy, off the drink menu. When the drinks arrived they were not mixed & tasted like straight alcohol. The dinner order was finally taken & we requested rolls only to be told they did not have any. We had to seek another employee to see if there was a problem with the meals since an unacceptable amount of time had past. When the dinners arrived some were cold, others slightly warm. Not only was the service horrible but the manager on duty was extremely unprofessional when we requested to speak with her. Do not go!
(1)Fred L.
This was a really fine dining experience. Tomato Bisque was divine and the BBQ salmon was one of the best salmon dish I ever had. Tidbit to Pittsburgh Steeler fans- they have a room dedicated to Steelers!!
(4)Christina W.
Checked this restaurant out with my staff for lunch. I got the sausage and chicken bruschetta with homemade potato chips and a cup of french onion soup. It was delicious. I would have liked to have seen a heartier broth for the French onion, but very tasty, nonetheless. The chicken and sausages were delicious as well. The chicken was seasoned just right and the sausage was a great pairing with the bruschetta to really bring out the flavor. The food was reasonably priced, and enough for a take-home container. The vibe of the restaurant is pretty laid back. Suitable for a casual business lunch or a happy hour.
(3)Greg O.
It looked so much better in the reviews and on their website. The atmosphere inside is interesting- it feels like you are eating in someone's mansion. The hostess was very nice throughout, but our waitress was unfriendly and forgetful to say the least. As for the food, they have a big menu- just make sure to get the bar menu in addition to the dinner menu. I had a chicken wrap that wasn't bad. The other dishes ranged from great to terrible- there didn't seem to be much consistency in terms of the food served to our group. Overall an interesting visit, but not sure I would come back.
(3)David F.
Had our annual neighbor's Christmas get-together here on Saturday, 12/15/2012. Requested and received separate checks--with absolutely NO problems. The drinks were perfectly poured. The soup (a few had the tomato bisque--a few the french onion) was excellent. Meal presentation was superb and the meal tasted excellent! A great night. Even though it was a Saturday night--near the holidays--we were not rushed. Very enjoyable evening.
(4)Dan R.
I've been in Lancaster for the better part of a year now and tried a lot of bars, this is one of the "upscale" if you will bars not located directly in the city. However, I'm confused as to what this bar is going for. They have Steelers decor all over the place like it's a sports bar, yet they put a less than sports bar menu out there. The menu is all over the place, I mean if you are indecisive or with a group of people who don't mind paying high prices for food that just isn't that good, then come here. Usually dead on weekends so this is more of a dinner and go somewhere else place if you are looking for a good place to spend a Friday or Saturday night, draft selection is mediocre at best and bartenders were not very skilled at all (nice, just not skilled). I will however say they had Yards on draft with being from Philly is a plus. Overall, take the trip to the city and get better food for better prices.
(1)Phil E.
Good selection of sandwiches and bar food. Just right for a Friday night with a couple of cold ones. Burger, chicken souvlaki and turkey wrap were all good.
(3)Muncie K.
I was in in town overnight on business and decided to try this place as most of the restaurants in the main area are chains or buffets. I travel quite a bit and have come to really appreciate good servers and good service. My server was just terrible. She was of the type that I have come to dislike the most-the ones who feel that their job is to simply show up and breathe and for that they should be given 20% of the check. They were not busy at all but the food took forever. I ended up having to ask for just about everything and a few things I went and got for myself off of empty tables. The food arrived luke warm, was dropped off and I never saw my server again until I was done eating as much as I could stand. The food was just okay and the room temperature did little to enhance the mediocre flavor. I wrote a review of my experience on Trip Advisor. Apparently the server was able to identify herself from my description "worse Waitress Ever" and she sent me a scathing email in which she stated that returning to the restaurant was "one thing you would never want to do." In my review I stated that I would not recommend or return to the restaurant. So I would suggest that you all think twice about eating there since someone clearly has an axe to grind and it involves the food you are about to eat.
(1)E Peter D.
Delicious food. My steak baguette was perfectly cooked medium rare and it was very tender. The caramelized onions were sweet as sugar. My daughter's buffalo chicken wrap was the best she's ever had. Good selection of beers too!! Nice looking place. It used to be someone's huge home. One of the few places to eat that's open late in the area.
(5)Lindsay B.
I love going here for lunch. The tomato bisque soup is amazing!
(4)Laura A.
The service was outstanding! Warm and friendly staff which is hard to find when you're dining with three kids. The food was delicious. The portions at large and fairly priced. I will defiantly be returning if I'm in the area again.
(5)Stacie R.
We've been the Brasserie many times before and had decent food, so we stopped on our way home from a family trip last Saturday. The food is still decent, albeit with some odd twists, but the service and the atmosphere need professional help. When we walked in, there was no one at the hostess station for several minutes. A guy walked by after a few minutes and said someone would be right with us. When she finally arrived, our teenage hostess asked if we would like Fine Dining or Bistro (ie in the bar area). When asked what the difference was, she replied "we have a new fine dining menu. There's 2 different menus and you can only order from one." Oh. That's right, I'd forgotten this was the place that apparently has an invisible barrier that prevents some food from crossing specific door frames. Try ordering the famous tomato bisque outside sometime. So bizarre. Anyway, we decided on Fine Dining since the high top bar tables weren't going to cut it with our three year old and I'm a fine dining kind of girl and it was my birthday, so why not? I thought perhaps we'd see some upgrades in the decor to go with the "new fine dining" menu, but as the hostess led us back to the very small table in the farthest back corner next to the emergency exit, I sadly realized no, those are the same chairs and lamps and tablecloths that have been here since the 80's. My husband's first comment after we were seated was " wow, Gordon Ramsey would have a field day with this place. Our very young but very nice server appeared 5 minutes later to take our drink order, which took 15 minutes to fill. A draft beer, an iced tea, and milk. Difficult stuff, I know. She then timidly asked if we were ready to order. I noticed an entry for Risotto di Jiourno on the bottom of the menu and asked what the risotto of the day was. Her response: " it's a small white flat rice shaped pasta." Seriously. Clearly the serving staff was about as fine dining as the decor. After I resisted the urge to educate the poor girl about arborio rice and politely said, thank you, I know what risotto is, and pointed out the menu item, her next response was " oh, I don't know. We just got this menu a few days ago so I don't really know it." Really. Shocking. " But I could go back to the kitchen and check?" Hmm. Considering the previous long time to fill the drink order, it was already after 8pm, and my husband was about to start gnawing on his own arm, I refrained and ordered the "classical bouillabaisse."'He ordered the steak oscar, with the lobster sauce on the side. We ordered the grilled cheese and fries for the kiddo. Individual bread plates arrived first, classy rectangular app plates with potential, until you realize it's a dinner roll with a scoop of green and red tapenade likely made from cocktail olives on the side. Not so much. Next up are the salads, a nice little mesclun mix with finely grated carrot, which could have been picked through a bit more but sure, I'll pick out the brown lettuce pieces myself, no problem. My real problem with the salad was the really strange pile of cubed and shredded pepper jack cheese on the corner of my plate. What is that and why is it on my salad? Pepper jack is not fine dining, my friends. I'm still baffled by that. Husbands response: " Gordon won't be happy about that mess." Apparently they're friends now. I waited with trepidation for our entrees to arrive. First up, grilled cheese. It looked amazing, albeit so huge that a half sandwich was bigger than my child's head. We cut it into smaller pieces and she was in fried food heaven. Next was the steak, which also smelled fantastic, and the bouillabaisse. The plates were huge and we had to rearrange everything to fit on the small table. The steak was plated on top of green beans. Hmm, no asparagus? Interesting substitution with no comments from the wait staff. The bouillabaisse was delicious. The mussels were bountiful and tasty in the broth, although pretty sure it was missing fennel. I had 3 shrimp, 5 tiny clams and a lot of fish hunks, including salmon, another interesting addition. It might have been nice to have a bowl for all of the empty shells. Instead, I had to heap the empties along the side of my bowl, which became really fun when I had to empty my shell and broth filled bowl into leftover containers myself. The grilled steak seemed to be cooked medium as requested, but we're still wondering what cut of meat it was as it curled up on both ends. The crab was tasty but the "lobster" sauce was overly salted and clearly made from commercial base so glad it on the side. We kept our sense of humor, thankfully, because after we declined dessert, and stood to put on our coats, our old friend the hostess came back and turned the lights off." Oops." Icing on the cake. The food is decent, but before you try to call yourselves "fine dining" make sure you can provide the correct ingredients, quality of service and atmosphere to back it up. We won't be back.
(2)Steven I.
The food is good but the menu is getting old, time for a change.
(3)Nate K.
I've been to the Brasserie for many different occassions, so I'll try to break it down: SIT-DOWN DINNER: The atmosphere is unique, and the food is great. There's not a wide selection from the menu, but definitely enough to please everybody. I had a steak that was cooked pefectly (I ordered medium rare). They don't have an extensive wine list, although that may have changed... The menu prices were normal, about $19-$35, typical for a good bite in Lancaster. It's not too fancy, but you could dress up if you wanted to. I also heard from others that had their rehearsal dinners there, that it was great. OUTSIDE DINING: The deck is awesome. Great for groups of friends in a relaxed atmosphere on a nice-weather night. They have a very good menu for the deck that is very reasonable. Highly recommend. LATE-NIGHT BAR RUN: They recently renovated the entire bar area (ok, it was like 3 years ago), and now it's one of the nicest places around. The bar menu is great, and they have a lot of good specials like taco tuesday. One warning, and my only complaint about this place - Try to avoid going there on a late Saturday night. For some reason, they have these guys playing and singing guitar in the middle of the bar area, and you can barely hear yourself think, let alone talk to somebody that's sitting next to you. I don't mind loud places, like a nightclub or something, but this it's really annoying more than anything. Just my opinion. Some people may love these guys, but still, you can't hear anything besides them. Ok, got that out. Overall, it's a fantastic place for any occasion besides Saturday night.
(4)Tracy B.
Well. Lets start with its a Wednesday evening. Trivia at 7:00. We got here at 7:20 and no trivia going on. At least not inside. The outside deck was full so we couldnt sit out there. Inside, first thing we noticed was the smell. Odd. Almost like a nursing home or hospital. Not appealing at all. Beer on tap includes Sea Dog. I typically enjoy that but they were out of blueberries to put in the beer. The rest of beers on tap were normal selections. Two little televisions at the bar were so dark and muted because 80's music was playing loudly in the background. Clientele was older aged. Quiet. Boring. Smell is really bad in here. Going to leave. Not likely to return.
(2)Peggy I.
Went on a slow weekday evening. Server was pleasant but service was abominably slow despite the almost-empty building. I got the tomato bisque a lot of folks raved about on reviews, and it was good. My partner got the onion soup which was flat tasting and also lukewarm. We returned that and I recommended he get the tomato bisque also since mine was flavorful and...not lukewarm. . I am a vegetarian just so you know there are not many choices unless you like pasta. A review mentioned a veggie burger, but it was not offered on the menu, and the server said "well most of what we serve here has meat in it". She recommended something on the menu, but we had to correct her that it did have meat in it...We had salads which were "grilled". I am not a great fan of wilted lettuce so it was not as interesting as I thought it would be, not to mention the meaty flavor of the grill which totally turned me off. Bleu cheese salad dressing was forgettable and I asked for vinegar with my salad which was forgotten. There were other customers who our server apologized to for forgetting something or another, so I felt like we were not alone. My partner got the ribs which were advertised dry with sauce on the side. It was not on the side and it was too spicy. We returned that as well, and shared the bruschetta appetizer. The server told us she would "try to remove the ribs from your bill" which was appalling to say the least. I fully expected to have a talk with the manager, but she gave us a few items free and a "discount" to make up for what we did not eat. I guess if you have a couple of beers or drinks it's a decent place to eat but I would not recommend it to anyone.
(1)Natalie M.
I've been to the Brasserie a few times when I'm visiting my family in Lancaster County, and I'm always pleased. My two grandmothers and I generally meet here for lunch, and while most of the food isn't anything fantastic, it's all pretty good and reasonably priced. The signatures tomato bisque soup is seriously TO DIE FOR. We always order a cup to go with our entree, and most times I wonder why I didn't just get a bowl and call it a day! Anyway, this restaurant is set in a huge home that has been converted into a restaurant. The story goes that it was originally the home for a wealthy Mennonite family in the area, and if you know anything about some of Mennonite families in Lancaster County, you won't be surprised at how big this place is! Many of the rooms have been converted into dining rooms, which gives the whole place a cozy, lived in feel. It also means that even when the restaurant is busy, you can still be tucked away in a private little corner. They also have an AMAZING deck outside that they open in the warmer months. I haven't gotten a chance to eat out there yet, but definitely will this summer! The bar is in the front of the "house" and is super spacious with a ridiculous number of wide screen TV's plastered across the walls. Seriously, I think there must be at least 8. I'd imagine that in the evenings, they are all showing various sporting events. Although I've never been there in the evening, the bar seems like it would be a pretty cool place to have a drink. They have nightly specials, a solid bar menu (sandwiches, salads, soups in addition to regular pub fare). Finally, the staff that works here is always great. The bartenders and the waiters do a fantastic job and make everyone feel welcome and relaxed.
(4)Judy T.
Pretty nice outside & inside-service a bit slow-calamari no one at our table liked-way too much breading-crab cakes were just ok-all in all, not great & expensive for the quality.
(2)Garry R.
Went to the Brasserie for a dinner on a Friday. Knew to expect a wait. Walked in and was told by the hostesses to find a seat at the bar if we liked. Sat at the bar. After twenty minutes, a waitress came around and delivered menus/ordered drinks. Both ordered waters thinking that we would get drinks later. Waitress delivered waters ten minutes later and ran off to seat a "regular" family of three. When ready to order, waitress ran over to table of three and waited until their meals were ordered. Finally ordered appetizers of two half dozen chicken wings, a salad with steak meat on top, and a sandwich.. After another half hour, my fiances' wings came out which were cold. The family of three had already gotten their appetizers and were halfway through their entrees. A younger dressed up gentleman walked around the bar not caring about the customers and what was on the table. Walked passed our table to which we had a dirty dish and empty drinks. At this time, the family of three were promptly greeted by other servers and a dessert tray was given to them to decide what they would like for dessert. After an hour and fifteen minutes, I had enough. Walked up to the bar and politely waited for our waitress. I told her that I would like our check for our drinks and the chicken wings that were eaten. She said that it would only be a second, that our food was behind due to the steak being cooked. I told her I would like our check and told her that the family that came in thirty minutes after us. After this, she brought a tray of our food that was sitting in the back. I told her that we didn't want it. The cocky young gentleman came over and apologized. He asked if anything was wrong. We told him of our situation. He ran off and tried to figure out the problem. He came back and blamed the waitress saying that she only put in the order ten minutes before we said something. This place is appalling. I've driven past many times on my local commute and I will not be coming back. The communication is terrible between the kitchen staff, waitstaff, and managers. Also, I can't stand a manager that takes credit for their employees miscommunication and bashes them. He should of helped expedite and get the orders out to the customers. I certainly won't be coming back.
(1)Danielle C.
He says: We decided to have lunch here after a recent news article reminded us that it existed. She says: I looked forward to the fireplace, and was pleasantly surprised at the horse-country decor. He says: I wanted to go for the tomato bisque and see how it looked post-remodelling. She says: We were seated immediately. He says: We began to peruse the interestingly qwirky combinations on the menu. She says: We ordered the fried martini olives, which seemed lacking in prosciutto, but were tasty nonetheless. I could have had 10 more! He says: According to the menu description, it sounded like an interesting antipasto, but what we got were 8 fried olives filled with flavored cream cheese for $8. They tasted like fried olives with cream cheese. She says: he let me help myself to the Bon' Appetite-famed tomato bisque, and it was superb! We discussed taking some to-go. He says: I liked the soup/ it was very good. For the main course, we got sandwiches. While intrigued by the Pittsburgh sandwich, it seemed a bit too much; overkill in a combination of favorites that should be left separate. This truth was to play out later in my sandwich choice. She says: I wouldn't let him get the Pitts sand b/c, among other things, it had french fries and fried egg on it! I got a ham and brie sandwich on raisin bread!- and totally digged it! He says: (-sigh-) I got the California sandwich, with turkey, smoked gouda, sautee'd onions and honey mustard on a white roll. It had a solid, rich flavor of blandness; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good (or satisfying). It was slimy, difficult to eat, and rich, without being cultured. In short, a disappointment. We chose waffle fries and their house-mad potato chips. They should replace the chips with a store brand. She says: He talks too much. Our server was lone, and adequate. He says: Our server was fine. OVERALL: He says: all in all, it was a mediocre lunch. She says: I enjoyed the experience and want to go back b/c my new favorite thing is to take pictures of the wallpaper everywhere I go.
(2)Linda T.
Ate there for the first time recently. The food was very good and the portions were large. We were there early on a Sunday afternoon, and were the only people in the place. The tomato bisque is the best I've ever had, and the grilled Mediterranean salad was excellent and large enough for two of us to share. The service was pleasant and efficient except for one thing. I ordered the Vegelicious Burger, which is made in-house and there was an ingredient I could taste but not place. I asked our server exactly what was in the burger and her response was "I don't have any idea." Then she walked away. This is absolutely my pet peeve at a restaurant. A server should know the ingredients in the dishes she's serving. If she doesn't, she should offer to find out. Other than that one complaint, we really enjoyed the meal and would definetely go back.
(3)Haboo Z.
I have been here a couple times, and recently stopped for lunch with my hubby on a Sunday afternoon. It was not busy at all, which was a welcome change ( and very relaxing) for a weekend. We both really enjoyed our sandwiches. I had the cajun tilapia and he had the buffalo chicken wrap. Both portions were a good size, and were very filling. The atmosphere is really nice and they have a lot of indoor seating and a deck outside as well. I will definitely go back again. The menu is reasonably priced and they have a lot to choose from. Our waitress/bartender was great as well!
(4)Justin K.
Went there for my Wedding Rehearsal dinner 2 weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. We had about 16 people so we did a pre-fix menu, and everyone enjoyed it, not one complaint. We ate in a private room by ourselves so we didn't get to check out the deck everyone raves about, which ironically is one of the reasons my Mother picked the place. We had a Soup course (everyone went insane for the Baked Tomato Bisque), my French Onion was also very tasty. The Cesar salad was ok, nothing special, just a presentable Cesar salad as most are. I also liked that the courses didn't come out one right on top of the other, they weren't rushed at all. For the main course we had Jack Daniels Strip Steak, The Crab Tower (a mountain of a crab cake dish that is apparently what the restaurant is known for), and Penne Pasta with Chicken. No one chose the Pasta, and almost everyone went for the Crab Tower including me. The Crab tower was PHENOMENAL. Seriously awesome. It was gigantic though, even I couldn't finish it off. It's 8oz of crab cake on top of a bed of rice and fresh spinach. It could easily feed two if one is a woman who doesn't eat much to begin with. Big beautiful pieces of lump crab are strewn throughout, its not much filler, which makes it even more impressive. People who got the Steak also had good things to say. For desserts we chose the Cheesecake and Creme Brulee...My Creme Brulee was excellent, I did find room to finish every last drop of it. Overall I would highly recommend The Brasserie for a bigger party, and I would love to go have another Crab Tower on their beloved deck sometime.
(5)Steve C.
One of my favorite restaurants. I'd go out of my way for just the fries!
(5)Stacie D.
Their Tomato Bisque is AWESOME! It's not a regular stop of mine and not one of top places I think to visit. We were just there Friday nite and everything went well, I recommend it.
(4)kenneth r.
Wow, just loved this place. Atmosphere is great, since it was new years Day was not too crowded. Service was excellent. Wait staff was friendly and nice, and even offered help with the Tv. Yes there are TV's in the booth. So got to see PSU play in our booth, while wtaching orther games on the bigger screens above the bar. Food was excellent, the nachos as an appetizer would have been enough for a meal for the two of us. I also had the fish and fries, and the bowl was heaping with fries, so much so the huge pieces of catfish looked like they were a top a mountain. A more than fair price for the amount of food, and the deliciousness of it all. I ordered a diet soda, and ebing very thirsty, kept the glass always near empty. Still the waitress, never wavered, and was always there to refill before the vessel was dry. Would gladly go back to this fine establishment again and again.
(5)Amanda P.
This was the second time in 2 months that I went. The first, my father and I both got the Snapper and really enjoyed it. The dinner salad was also excellent. This past weekend, however, was a very different story. Friday night at 7pm and no wait? Probably a sign but it went unheeded. We ordered beers (blue moon on tap) & the French Bread Bruschetta. Enjoyed both- the brushetta had a bit of olive tapende with the mixture and it was quite good. I had the famed Tomato bisque- great. My husband ordered the French Onion soup- bad choice. It tasted like they just mixed hot water with the Lipton flavor packet; onions were still crispy. Panera makes a better soup(!). Dinner salads great again. Dinner- disapointing! Dad got catfish, which he said was pasty and bland. I ordered the shrimp & scallop quinoa. it was smothered (an understatement) with what was to be lemon butter sauce. it seemed like bad hollandaise you'd get at a cheap diner. Seafood was fine but nothing to sing about. Husband got chicken ceasar salad and was disapointed with the dressing (rest of salad was fine). Service was fine. The bill was $90- not a fun payment when the food is utterly lackluster. next time we will suffer through the wait at a better restaurant.
(2)Scott W.
We went here on Saturday night after reading the reviews on Yelp. First off it is a very nice place, and after we arrived we saw that the dining area was a little stuffy and not quite kid friendly. So we suggested to the hostess that we move to the bar area that was a little louder. Great decision except for one problem. The waiter we had was the worst waiter I have ever experienced. I think he was really trying not to get a tip. He acted like he didn't care and would come over and take the order and go back to his cell phone. He forgot to put an order in for my wife's soup. I will give him credit as he didn't lie about forgetting, he just said my bad I forgot. This kid shouldn't be in this business and if it was my restaurant he would have been fired on the spot. That being said the food was okay. The wings were cooked well but the sauce left something to be desired. My Father had a burger and it was good. My Wife and Mother had the Tomato, Mozz and Avocado Sandwich and was okay. I had the steak sandwich and it was a little better then average. I would not go here again unless I sat at the bar for drinks. Bartender seemed real friendly.
(2)