Ship Inn

And Michael P,
Negative the points I listed. One by one?
I think not, sir.
Micheal,
I was BEYOND respectful.
As Michael P was NOT at the venue when the event occurred, and there was NEVER a threat of a negative review if we «did not get a discount» we appreciate you playing.
I went up to your «owner» as a man and asked him to remedy the poor service and worse food.
I stand my review of your less than professional and inedible food.
Contact me directly for more feedback. Or not.
MAYDAY! MAYDAY! This ship is sunk!
Food is horrible. Staff is inattentive, amateurish, and unskilled. Except for Keisha. Why she stays, I will never know.
By the numbers:
1. Mothers’ Day 2016, place is ½ full. Should have been a red flag.
2. Server is impatient when we try to take our order of cocktails/​beverages. Martini was room temp. Felony.
3. First course took too long to hit the table. Oysters not shucked.
4. Bused tabled myself.
5. Ordered second martini directly from bartender as waitress had vanished. Bartender response: I did shake it…
6. Main course dropped (insert loud sound here as china hits wooden table) in front of all 6 guests.
7. Immediately asked waitress what we had done to offend her. Received mumbled, unintelligible retort.
8. Went up to her in the bar to get a clear explanation and she complained that I ordered my second drink directly from bartender… and that the plates were hot. I handed her my napkin and recommended she use similar when delivering food.
As you can imagine, it only got worse from here. To spare the sordid details, I’ll just move along to the food itself.
1. Salmon was overcooked and hard.
2. Scallop & chicken: Under-​cooked scallops overcooked and rubbery chicken… in watered down tomato soup. House specialty?!?
These are the only two entrees I recall as fireworks ensued.
Lastly, the «owner» in a cheap brown polyester suit and an over-​dyed comb-​over had the audacity to mock my attire. From top to bottom, I was wearing: blue-​checked French cuffed shirt with antique Queen of Hearts cuff links, checked navy blazer, cream-​colored walking shorts, and tasseled Bass loafers. I could not have been dressed more preppy for this establishment that claims it’s roots to the Revolutionary period.
My group has had MANY events and meals at this restaurant. But, no more. Always vote with your dollar.
This place is a disaster. Not even the Coast Guard can save it.
…MAYDAY! MAYDAY… What the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the Nixon presidency could not accomplish, current management has: The Ship Inn is sunk…

Very disappointed, Waaaaayy over priced. The food is ok at best. nothing to write home about. I had the crab cakes. I have had better from the frozen section in the grocery store for an ¹⁄₈ of the price. The ambiance is not the best either, very hectic, not soothing at all. Don’t waste your money, go elsewhere.
Per the argumentative owners comments:
The ambiance I am referring too is your staff arguing with several tables and, other customers using profanity (for the entire restaurant to hear) while addressing your staff. The price is within my budget but the food we received is not worthy of the price you charge. The portions are small and was lukewarm and doesn’t taste that good. You should also state your «dress code» on you webpage and outside the establishment if you are going to try to maintain a pompous environment. FYI, I was wearing «clean» blue jeans and a t-​shirt (both were hole free). So anyone looking to waste you money on this establishment don’t wear blue jeans or t-​shirt as you will be out of compliance with their dress code. But the comments from the owner pretty clearly state how customers are treated there and why I will never come back and will tell everyone I know NOT to go there.

Sorry to give a negative review this time. But we went for my brother’s birthday. He picked the place. It had been about 20 years and last time we went, we were kids last time and we got kicked out twenty years ago. He just wanted to know if our pictures were on the wall on not being invited again.
Well back to the dinner. First off, our waiter was not really that nice, kind of ticked off. It seemed he had something else on h is mind. Our food took forever to get here and it was noting to be desired. It was just inedible. We had to wait over forty five minutes for our check but believe me we still had a good time, just a horrible meal. My brother did apologize over dozen of times. On the plus side, the appetizers and the rolls (although they gave us just one) were edible. We’re still not coming back.

We used Ship Inn for a Mother’s Day brunch several years ago. HORRIBLE SERVICE. Decided to give them another shot this. Confirmed reservation yesterday for a table for nine. Then got a call back today saying they do NOT have room for us and they don’t know who took my reservation. As I was explaining my unhappiness with this, the women on the phone RUDELY dismissed me at hung up on me. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. LAST time ever even considering it a place to go!
Interesting response from Ship Inn. Most businesses would say «sorry for your poor experience we look forward to seeing you sometime in an effort to remedy the situation». Rather than the response of me, the customer, was wrong. Thank you Ship Inn for reinforcing my position that patronizing your establishment would be a waste of my money.

We lived in the area for years and decided to try the Ships Inn for our anniversary. We split an appetizer (mussels), my wife had a soup (mushroom) and we split an entrée (veal and pork spaetzle) since we both had a large lunch. The waiter split everything on separate plates for us without us asking. The food was excellent served by a very professional waiter (Jack.) He was obviously very busy earlier in the night but as things slowed down he was able to stop by the tables and talk. Looking foward to our next trip back but I will hesitate to order anything different only because we enjoyed everything we were served.

staff isn’t overly friendly. our waiter was a bit of a dud.
we ordered the calamari– i wish the waiter would have asked if we wanted the spicy thai sauce or the marinara sauce. yes, it says it on the menu, but my 15 year old daughter missed it. drenched in thai sauce was fine for me, but too much for her.
the wedge salad was good– when asked if i wanted fresh ground pepper, i said yes. he gave me a very quick shake and left. the dish was good but the waiter seemed bothered that i actually wanted pepper.
crab cakes were very good as was the chicken dish.
desert and cappuccino were very tasty.
prices weren’t an issue as they were expected.
with this type of restaurant, i expect being greeted with a smile and not being waited on like we are an inconvenience.
the owners need to take their staff to our local Chick’fila to learn how to smile and treat people!

Would not recommend this restaurant. Too expensive for the food you receive. Food was not hot and too much sauce applied to the seafood and meats… Would not go again

This was our first time at the Ship Inn on NYE. I was disappointed with the Maitre d. I found her to come off as very rude and snobby. We had reservations and were waiting to be seated. A group of 4 that came in after us also had reservations and were seated before us. She also took her sweet time to get people seated. It was not a good first impression.
Once we were seated, it took awhile for my husband to get his wine. When the wine came it was just dropped off in the carafe. We had to ask a separate waitress for a wine glass. Our esteemed maitre d sat us at a table that was not completely set.
Our appetizer was very good. I was not impressed with the 4 Ritz crackers that came with it however. My crab cakes were delicious. My husband on the other hand was very disappointed in the prime rib. It was very stringy and hard to cut.
Overall, very disappointed. Not worth coming here on NYE. There are many other restaurants in the area that provide a better meal and atmosphere. Someone should teach the maitre d how to seat people and that she is the face of the restaurant and to act like it!

my family and i had a wonderful, cozy dinner. filet mignon was grilled very well and the seafood platter was packed with fresh, perfectly cooked scallops, shrimp, and salmon. our server, Julia, was such a great server and went above and beyond to make sure we were happy. the toffee pudding was the best dessert, followed by apple pie.

Had dinner there last night. Salad and mushroom soup was good but high priced rib eye entrees were a disgrace. Way overpriced thin sliver and over drenched work sauce to disguise the gristle. Lump crab cakes were ok. Desserts were not great either. Avoid until they find a new chef

Really good meal at ships inn I have the surf and turf with crab cake. It came with seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes. The filet was cooked perfectly and the crab cake had large chunks of carb meat. The warm chocolate cake was also very good. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the excellent service we received. Oh and the ships inn coffee is awesome

Caesar salad was pretty basic but solid. Had the steak Diane (which in full disclosure did not know what it was) and it was also above average. The place looked interesting and bartenders/​waitstaff were great.

Went to dinner at ship inn on a Friday night. Upon walking in we found out it was karaōke night. Due to past experiences, we were not too excited to eat dinner during other patron’s singing. However, we were pleasantly surprised! Everyone who got up to sing had a pretty good voice and we basically got a dinner and a show! To add to the night our waitress was attentive and friendly to everyone in the room… The night was full of great food, good karaōke and a super friendly crowd. I’m sure we’ll be making it back sometime soon!

There are some very low star reviews on here so I made sure to read very carefully before going to the ship inn. Most of these bad reviews were not warranted, people complaining about not being able to order off menu and complaining that after changing their seating preference last minute on Christmas Eve they didn’t like their tables. I had a great experience at the ship inn, very welcoming with great food. I saddled up to the bar and was greeted warmly and quickly. I had the crab spinach artichoke dip and it was excellent, and it didn’t have that layer of grease you would expect to see if they used cheap cheese. I ordered the NY strip steak next and it was perfectly cooked. A nice crust on the outside and rare on the inside it almost looked like they had sous vide the steak it was so perfect. Two beers and an espresso later I walked out only spending $ 55 before tip. All in all great meal and great folks, good work ships inn!

Went here over the summer on Monday night for my birthday. It was our first time but had heard good things about the food. We had the crab and artichoke dip as a sampler, and then steak and seafood options for our meals. All of it was delicious. Our server was well informed and very attentive. Afterwards we had another drink at the bar, which was actually surprising full for a Monday evening, the bachelor was on the TV per one of the other customers requests (which frankly I enjoyed), and it was just a nice relaxed atmosphere despite the more formal dining area.
After filling out a comment card we got a hand written thank you from our server, and a coupon for a appetizer on our next visit, nice and unexpected.
They have a nice patio that we definitely plan to visit when it warms up. They’re worth a visit in my opinion.

I wholeheartedly agree with many of the comments here on Unilocal about the Ship Inn Restaurant in Malvern, Pa. We made reservation through Open Table for Christmas Eve. We reserved a table for 5. A couple days prior Ship Inn called to confirm a table for 2 (not a big deal) Then this:
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2014 2:18 PM
To: Colin
Subject: Your Ship Inn Seafood and Steak Reservation Cancellation
Dear Colin,
Ship Inn Seafood and Steak has canceled your reservation for 5 on Wednesday, December 24, 2014.
If you have questions about your canceled reservation, please contact Ship Inn Seafood and Steak at (610) 363‑7200.
We hope to see you on OpenTable soon!
Sincerely,
OpenTable Member Services
As you can imagine had a somewhat panicked reaction and immediately reached for the phone so I could spend twenty minutes on hold while they figured it out. Our reservation had not been cancelled. No one knew why I got the e-​mail. In retrospect I would have been better off just going elsewhere.
We arrived on time. The greeting upon entry included blank stares from staff in the foyer. The Manager Lady asked my name and began setting up a table in one of their «fancy» rooms with a fireplace. I had my kids with me, and prefer their less fancy dining room so I asked if that would be OK. She said «let me check»…and then sat us in the bar. My Mother-​in-​Law was not pleased.
The table was not fully set, and one side had you sitting with your back to the actual bar and the door where bar patrons could come and go. The waiter came over looking as though he had just learned he was responsible for a table outside of his section, and was even more disappointed when we answered «why yes we would like to see menus» My mother-​in-​law was not pleased.
If you have kids, the Ship Inn would like you to know that they do not like children. I know this because when I bring my children to a restaurant I don’t feed them beforehand. This being the case they tend to be hungry. I know the Ship Inn does not like children because they do not offer hungry children anything hungry children would remotely consider eating. Those of you with children will know what I mean. The waiter was very clear in explaining their menu was unalterably complete in its offerings. If your child isn’t into steak or seafood exactly as it is listed on the menu too bad. (way to maximize your per seat sales oh bean counting guru) I would have gladly paid a fixed amount in excess of the typical cost for the option of something my kids could eat. I get it, it’s a holiday, and you need to keep the doors open. Charge a flat $ 19.95 for kids and give me a couple choices! As it was my son ate NOTHING so how’s your genius per seat sales plan look now?
To the food:
Greatest quote ever: My eight year old daughter (forced to order the Shrimp Lejon) said «dad, you know that Chinese takeout place we go» «Yeah honey?» «I’ve had better shrimp there» She wasn’t talking about the sauce or flavors. The shrimp was skinny and overcooked.
My medium rare Steak was still mooing while my wife’s medium rare steak was on the well side. Crab Ravioli were wonderful… all three of the cutest little, teeny tiny pieces you’ve ever seen.
The rest I want bore you with but $ 240 later I have one last thing to convey:
pre*ten*tious
/​prten (t)SHs/
Adjective:
Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
«A pretentious literary device» (like what I’m doing now)
Synonyms: affected, ostentatious, showy;

I have a rule to not work with businesses that make bad first impressions. I broke my own rule with Ship Inn, so I probably shouldn’t be surprised at the results. This review is based solely on our one experience, and we understand it may be a unique situation.
We called to get some basic information about the menu and forgot to check on a detail, so we called back. The second person we talked to contradicted the first and wasn’t particularly friendly. We made a reservation anyway, thus breaking our own rule.
Showing up a few minutes before our reservation, a medium size group was in front of us, and we all waited several minutes without being acknowledged. When we asked for a hostess, the response was curt, and when the hostess arrived, her attitude was poor, almost as if we had been rude by asking for someone.
We were seated in the restaurant, but had made a reservation for the lounge, based on information we had received from the phone call. The concern was whether we were able to order all items from the menu in either or both places; because it appeared we were indeed able to order everything from the main restaurant menu, we were okay with staying. The hostess came over to inquire whether we would prefer to be in the lounge, and we stated we were comfortable staying where we were. I’m not sure if she had a problem with that, because it seemed to bother her.
We waited several minutes for a server, and for our water glasses to be filled. My glass was greasy. The server was not knowledgeable about the wine selection. Our two glasses (of different wines) were unsatisfactory and tasted like the bottles had been opened a long time.
Our order of calamari was all breading with no «meat» to speak of. The preparation of the chicken special was heavy-​handed, with a brown sauce that did nothing to bring out the flavors of the spinach and mushrooms. The pasta, crab, and shrimp entrée was thrown together with a flavorless pasta, only a little bit of crab, and shrimp that tasted like fried chicken. The Chicken Francaise was extremely lemony and overcooked.
Even though we left most of our meals and appetizer unfinished and provided direct feedback on how bad the calamari was, no attempt was made to address this, nor was the calamari removed from the bill. So, we left utterly disappointed and most certainly will not return.

Don’t take my three stars as a bad experience. In my opinion they are trying to hard. Everyone was nice and food was good. The menu selection was not what I would of expected and the prices were higher than were necessary. I’m visiting from out of town and like to try local places as opposed to chains. I probably wouldn’t go back again but only due to price and menu.

Went for Happy Hour last night with a group.. The bartender was obnoxious. Acted as if we were bothering him being there at all and then having the temerity to order a drink. Not friendly. Downright rude at times. I spoke to other patrons who said he was always like that with people and that of old patrons won’t go any longer because of him.

I ate at the Ship Inn on Sunday evening… It was overall pretty average. Nothing special. I had a caeser salad, which had tomatoes and the lettuce was a little old. The bread was rationed… They only allowed us to have a piece of bread per person. We had to ask for more… They gave us to much butter, not proportioned well with the bread. We also ordered the Spinach and Crab dip with pita bread, which was very tasty. But we were also rationed on the pita bread which was agitating also.
For main courses i ordered a filet mignon with a lobster tail add on. The lobster was good. But the steak was overcooked for my liking, and quite bland. The other two people I was with ordered steaks also and they said they were bland too. The potatoes were yummy, and so was the «spatzle» special, which was also good.
The atmosphere was interesting. It is an old building, and it is cozy, but some of the wallpaper is not fitting to the restaraunt. Also the music is very uncalled for. It is a random mix of songs that do not go well with the restaraunt either. It was very expensive for 3 people it was $ 140.
Overall sub-​par.