Chillingsworth

When you see my rating, you best believe it. I am a former employee of this place as a busboy and have worked on both sides of the restaurant. Chills Bistro and the fine dining area. Both I must say crank out some incredible food and I can only sing high praises (fine dining side especially). The chef truly loves what he does and puts love into his beautiful preparations. At the end of the night, you can often see him out and about conversing with customers to ensure they are enjoying their meals. On the Bistro side, you can get a 3-​course meal deal if you arrive before a certain time and that is always worth it. I haven’t been back in a couple years, but I am of course very familiar with the hard-​working staff behind the scenes and the quality of the food. A must try if you are on the Cape and Zagat praised!

This is an amazing place! Came here for my 5^th Anniversary and months in advance (during the off season) I reached out to the owners via email as it was a surprise for my husband. They were SO accommodating! They even asked what some of our favorite foods were and created the ULTIMATE dining experience for us. They seated us in a private dining area (a romantic library) and took care of our every need. We stayed upstairs and the rooms are beautiful! This place is very expensive, yes, but worth every penny! We come with my parents for the Game Dinner in the fall and it’s always magnificent! Will come again! Highly recommended!

When my grandparents had a summer house on the Cape, they used to treat me to this restaurant. I vacationed on the Cape recently and was happy to see that it still exists after all these years. That is the proof of a great restaurant, and I highly recommend giving it a try. It is definitely the place to spoil yourself for a memorable dining experience. Expect to pay for the high quality food and service.

Had a very mediocre meal at this restaurant. Don’t order the Tuna… it was not prepared well… could not even identify the side that came with it… everything looked very black on the plate. My partner ordered the duck… also not special.
We had not been there in years and just expected the fine dining we experienced then… we definitely expected more for the pricey meal we paid for… save your money and don’t go there!

We had an amazing dinner here this evening! The staff is out of this world friendly and fun, we had a very sweet waitress and the bartender (who is also wonderful and makes a fabulous espresso martini) gave us a tour of the hotel attached, which was very charming. I had the special steak for dinner with blue cheese popovers and my boyfriend had lamb chops-​both were sooo good. We had a seasonal berry cobbler and sticky toffee pudding for dessert, and a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which our server recommended. It was a perfect romantic dinner and the staff was so hospitable. Thank you so much for the wonderful evening, my only complaint is that you’re not closer to where we live! Fabulous. :)

Four of us attended a Pinot Noir dinner at the Chillingsworth on August 8^th. We are unanimous that it was one of the best experiences that we have enjoyed anywhere. Along with her husband/​chef, Nitzi, co-​owner Pat was an organized and wonderful hostess for the evening. The service was gracious and attentive. From the cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres through the fifth course, it was a luscious, unique and creative dining experience. They have certainly earned their New York Times accolade as, «…the best restaurant on Cape Cod.»

Ok. We live on the cape since October. Have not been to this restaurant. A friend recommended it. I generally try and be nice with reviews. But if I can save someone the pain it’s my pleasure to post here .
We had 7:45 reservations. We walked in and were greeted with confusion and loud noise. There is no way to know where to check in. The waitress station is located on a shelf. At 8:00 we were acknowledged and a table was prepared. I felt like I was at friendlies or an upscale captain frosties. Sandwiched in between very pleasant couples on the table to our left and right bumping elbows it was interesting to note that everyone was complaining about the delay in service.
After fifteen minutes our waitress can up and said «are you ready to order?» Not would you like a drink. Sorry sorry for the wait. Can I get you water. Bread ?? Etc. We ordered a half bottle of Kim Crawford. It came out and then we ordered appetizers. The fig app was delicious. Lucky I had tweezers to pick it up to eat .(the guy next to me noted that his oysters must have been stunted at birth).
The crab cake was awesome !!! We then waited another fifteen minutes before our harried server came back for our order. We ordered. An hour later we cancelled the order. Said we had to work in the morning. It was going on 9:30 and didn’t want to make a career out of dinner. The hostess said «ok. Well get the bill. Sorry. We’re very busy tonite. (the empty tables were most noticeable). The guy next to us also cancelled his meal. It was brought out in three minutes so they were captives.
The half bottle of wine and two apps cost $ 52. We paid and left a nice tip breathing a deep sigh of night air thinking that we will never have to go back ever again. Run away and do not look back.

Eclectic old school ! The atmosphere is very relaxing surrounded by antiques in a comfortable setting.
We really enjoyed our dinner here. Lobster bisque was the highlight. Service was excellent, very friendly and on point. If you are in the area check it out. Well worth it.

We sat in the Bistro portion of the restaurant. I ordered the seared tuna, which was over-​cooked and possibly frozen. It was probably the worst seared tuna I have ever had. My husband ordered the duck which was supposed to come medium-​rare but was also overlooked and arrived luke-​warm and his drink was made with the wrong mixer and had to be sent back. The service was poor (our server was disconnected), the ambiance was tacky and the tables were too close together and our meals were overpriced. I do NOT recommend wasting your date night on this place!

What a lovely way to spend my 40^th birthday dinner. We chose the fine dining restaurant and the 5 course meal. Between my husband and I we tasted quite a bit. Here’s the lowdow:
Cocktails:
Pair of pears– too sweet but tasty.
Appetizers:
Crab cake — delicious small but lots of lump.
Foie gras salad: oh my god so good and beautiful.
Soups:
Lobster bisque. So rich. Stuck to your spoon. Yummy!
Consume. Unreal. Amazing flavor. So glad I ordered this.
Salad: came out and I thought «it’s nothing» but it was perfect. Perfectly dressed with a small ball of goat cheese on endive.
Sorbet: anise flavor. Overly sweet but refreshing.
Dinner:
Yellowtail tuna with foie gras. Outstanding. A hit of wasabi in the potato. Perfectly seared tuna and foie. So decadent.
Duck Breast: wild rice and cherry reduction. Lovely. The snap peas were a bit tough but that was the only downfall.
«Amusements». From now on I’m going to call cookies amusements.
Dessert:
Apple tarte: unreal. So darn good I could have licked the caramel off the plate
Trio of crème brule. The only downfall of the evening. The dishes were too shallow do the custard was Melted and soupy. The flavored way over sweet w way too much sugar on top. Good crackle but too much sugar.
The owner was so kind and told us the history of the property. And how Julia child and Tip ONeil preferred a specific table. She showed me the «good morning» staircase and the history of the wallpaper.
A charming and wonderful evening with the loveliest sunset from our window.

Great food and atmosphere. Had shrimp with fish shell sauce which was great! wine selection was also good; had scallops over a bed if rice and it was great as well! bread was very different; perhaps baked locally or in– house; dessert tray was great as well!

The lobster bisque was exquisite. My salmon was perfect. The desserts put me over the moon. Walking into the place, with the décor, the sagging ceiling, and the floor that wasn’t quite level, I was a little skeptical (came to know the building is 300 years old!). Reading the correspondence from Julia Child (Actually it was a shrine) led me to realize we’d be having French food. We had 20 people for a group/​corporate dinner, coming from all parts of the world — NONE of us were disappointed, EVERYONE raved.

Very eclectic place. It looks like a house so we weren’t sure if it was open. There are antiques and different styles of décor throughout. We sat in the bar area and ordered from the small plates menu. I had the truffle Mac and Cheese and my mom had the braised short rib. For dessert we had the apple blueberry cobbler. Portions weren’t very big for the high prices you pay, but we were actually looking for something smaller. The bartender was very nice and the service was fast. I would be interested in trying their dining menu.

Best. Meal. Ever.
Most glorious historical setting, with practically private rooms for many of the tables. Absolutely gorgeous ambience.
Each course was better than the last. I’m a serious foodie and I honestly can’t remember another meal this wonderful.

I’ll start by saying this was the best restaurant experience we had on our cape cod vacation. I’m very happy that I was not dissuaded by the one and two star reviews under this listing –they have no basis in reality compared to our experience.
The tone for the evening was set when we arrived a bit early for our 7pm seating and stopped for a drink in the bar. Billy, the bartender, could not have been more professional or friendly, making us feel right at home.
This sort of service, professional yet friendly, continued into the dining room where we were greeted by what seemed to be the entire waitstaff waiting for us to arrive. It was an old fashioned touch, but a very nice one.
All of the waitstaff, from our waitress, whose name I am sorry I cannot remember because she deserves a special mention, to the wine steward, right down to the gracious young lady who kept our water glasses full, made us feel like special guests.
As for the food, we opted for the 5 course option, which is wonderful because it allows you to choose from any item in each category of appetizers, soups, main courses and desserts.
My boyfriend had the special lobster, which was really good. It was a whole steamed lobster removed from the shell and presented with a butter sauce. I had the veal tenderloin, served with truffle risotto and mushroom sauce, which was also very good. Our appetizers were cape scallops for him and foie gras for me. The soups were also very good. I had the amazing lobster bisque and he had the 4 bird consommé. For dessert we had the raspberry soufflé and the cherries tartin. The soufflé was the lightest I’ve ever tasted –a berry flavored cloud.
Aside from being a great dining experience, the value for price was very good as well –our 5 course dinners were around $ 70 each. I was fully expecting about twice that. The wine list is very good and it was a pleasant surprise that the recommended wine pairing for our meal was one of the less expensive options on the list.
Oh, and one more thing that we did not know beforehand but certainly added to our experience is that this was one of Julia Child’s favorite places on the cape, and she would often stay at the Inn and dine in the restaurant. As a huge Julia Child fan this was a fun thing to know.
Overall, I would recommend Chillingsworth to anyone spending some time on the cape and wanting a memorable, high quality fine dining experience.

I can see how «maybe» this place was better than good at one point, however, that is not the case as of today. The only positives were the service and truffle fries. The clam chowder doesn’t compete with «any other» place on the Cape, the fish was just okay and sauces that are supposed to accentuate the fish’s flavors could make a person send the entire dinner back to the kitchen ASAP. This place needs a refresher on the menu and in its décor.

Terrible treatment.
We have been to the Bistro many times, with pleasurable experience in past years. More reasonably priced, nice atmosphere/​menu. Often crowded, nice seating outside if you get there early (even with a reservations).
Made reservation for our visiting family last night, but change of plans decided to leave early from Cape instead (Sunday). Called to cancel, and told they needed 36 hours and would charge our credit card. We responded that they had not notified us of the 36 hour policy when we made the reservation last night, and then rudely hung up on us.
Unbelievable attitude ! I cannot recommend this place, and after looking at the reviews below, notice the same attitude problem throughout.

One of the better meals I had in a long time. Found staff very accomodating and food correctly priced (coming from NY anyway). Cocktails were good and both apps and main courses were excellent. I particularly enjoyed the Lobster Bisque. Out of this world! I def say try it if you are in or near the Brewster area.

Food not worth the attitude. The female owner (Pat I believe was her name) was as drunk as a skunk when we walked in around 7:30 pm in October and she made it more than apparent she was put out because my husband and I didn’t have a reservation for their «oh so exclusive restaurant» even though they weren’t busy and they looked like they could use the business. We should have left then because the attitudes from the waitstaff only got worse. Took over 10 minutes to get 2 drinks even though there was only 2 people the bartender was tending too. Everyone and everything was completely disorganized. Yes, the food was excellent but overall it was one the most awkward and pretentious dinning experiences of my life. Maybe when the faux pas making owner kicks the bucket of alcoholism and stops poisoning the rest of her staff with negativity I’ll give it another try but until that happens I will gladly take my money anywhere else but here.

This review is for the Bistro. We arrived for a family dinner to celebrate my in-​laws anniversary. It’s hard to say if the restaurant is on par with other French restaurants simply because I don’t go out for French food ever. However — we ordered a couple appetizers and six different dinner selections. Everything was cooked perfectly. Personally I had the boneless chicken which was executed perfectly. I wish I could always cook chicken that is succulent and not under or overcooked. The potatoes on the side were so creamy but not too buttery or salty. Other hits from the menu include lobster pizza, duck, scallops, angel hair pasta, and veal. Everyone finished their plate so it’s fair to say that it was all worth the calories! 3 stars simply because the atmosphere was a little off for me.