Gardner Ale House

Went here to eat after our day at the Great Wolf Lodge. My husband is a brew pub fan. Tried this place out on blues night. Service was quick. The atmosphere was very nice. Food was good but nothing special. I had a ginger beer which was good. I also had swedish fish martini. My husband had 2 beers and he didn’t like either of them. I enjoyed myself. Good place for ambiance and quick service.

Great experience! Family came here looking for some decent food while staying at the Great Wolf Lodge, and we weren’t disappointed! Beers were great, menu was unique and appetizing. I had some kind of duck grilled cheese sandwich which was great! Wife loved her meal (which I surprisingly don’t remember) and sons loved their chicken fingers and grilled cheese sandwich. My youngest son’s (kid’s) grilled cheese sandwich was not only huge, but probably one of the best prepared grilled cheeses we’ve ever seen. My wife was super jealous and more than happy to help him with it (he’s 2). Wish we were in the area more so we could come and try it again. We really had a hard time deciding what to get — everything seemed so good. Highly recommend!

Always a winner. Priced on the higher end. Food always has been good to great. Not a beer drinker but you can find any kind there. Parking great. Staff fast and attentive. Scallop salad and Mustang burger are my favorite lunch items.

Cozy bar atsosphere with a wonderful back deck. We arrived at 8 and were told it would be 30 – 45 minutes for a table but the back deck was open. 10 or so tables covered by large green umbrellas. My niece got the chicken parm and said the chicken was yuuummmmm! My sister and her beau had the ring of fire pizza and loved it. Very attentive and friendly staff, definately can’t wait to go back!

The food has gone downhill the past year.
Chicken lettuce wraps are horrible! Very salty in a heavy greasy sauce.

Cool place, great vibe and awesome I house made beers. Food is pretty unique and tasty as well. Mediterranean platter we started with was awesome. So was Soba noodle bowl with chicken and veggies. Kids had buffalo chicken pizza which was loaded with cheese and crunchy crust and they had some mac & cheese with kielbasa which they liked.
Fish tacos are huge and loaded up. Just the right amount of each flavor.
Live it or leave it IPA was great too. Recommend for just about everyone.

First time going here tonight. We were told a 35 – 40 minute wait. We waited over an hour and a half so we left. Parties of 6+ were walking in and getting a table. I understand you have reservations, but lying to someone and making them wait 3 times as long is completely unacceptable and unprofessional. I will never go again.

Great food and the dessert is delicious! Had to get the m&m cheesecake to go because it looked too good to pass up!

Service is good. Staff is friendly. They have a fun selection of different kinds of food. I personally love the salmon burger. My husband enjoys the different beers as well. Overall, I think this place defiantly deserves a chance. I’d eat here again.

Went for Sunday brunch. The food is great! There were so many items to choose from. It was well worth the money. I shortchanged a star because of the service. After we got our coffee, our server was MIA for the rest of the time. I had to go ask the hostess to find someone to bring us our check.

Came here for beers one night and brunch the next morning. Good beer, good food, good atmosphere. Will definitely come back. Longer review coming soon.

Just passing thru and chanced upon this gem. Home brews were delicious! Food was impressively good too! Bowl of soba noodles, salmon and bok choy cooked perfectly. Veggies crunchy and salmon tender. Bustling with lots of locals and had a great vibe. Worth the jump off route 2 to check it out.

I’ve been here a few times so far. It’s packed each time. The customer service is good and waitresses are friendly. There is always a variety during brunch. I believe twice during my visits there were musicians and, the inside is welcoming with a warm touch of maybe a cabin style but, slight country atmosphere. The only cons are, the food is not consistent.

The food @ GAH is ALWAYS excellent in quality and quantity! The service is pleasant, effecient, knowledgeable and friendly. The atmosphere is pleasant. We LOVE the art displays that they have hanging regularly. The displays change regularly, so you’ll never get bored with the surroundings. Really, our only complaint is that you can have a long wait @ busy times (weekend evenings), but that’s not something that GHA has control over, especially when you’re one of the best restaurants/​pubs in the area. The waitresses certainly can’t approach your table and say, «Hey, old folks, do you mind chewing faster? We have 8 hungry, thirsty people waiting.» Of course, another way to control the crowds would be to have crappy food, beverages, AND a waiter that suggested we chew and scr… scram (hey, what did you think I would say on a family-​friendly app/​website? shame). We tend to do the smart thing in these situations, and plan our trip to GAH around those busy times. It just makes sense.
They recently changed their menu, which concerned us initially; however, after trying some of the new dishes, we had no more worries. The ones we’ve tried so far have been amazing! Actually, it is a good idea to change it up once in a while.
AND finally, the beers… which is what I should have started this mini-​rant with for sake of continuity. (In my defense, I didn’t profess to be a «writer.») So, the beers… I personally have never been a «beer person»… until I tried the GAH fare. Well, I have never been so impessed with a beverage until trying one of their beers… I must say here… WOW! I used to be a Chardonnay or Merlot person, but now I say, bring on the Wicked Big Stout, the Face Off Double IPA, or, when availabe, the Belgian Tripel! Of course, if you’re not sure on a beer, you can always request a sample. If you do try a couple, and then you’re faced with the delemma of which delicious beer do I order? You don’t have to make up your mind that moment. They make it easy for you. … order the 5 beer sampler! This way you get a nice variety of the sweet golden nectar, making ALL your taste buds happy. Why satisfy only some of your taste buds? Why not give them all fun and flavor?!
On a final note, we have noticed how involved the GAH has been over the years with community affairs. Frequently we’ll see a local group in the restaurant, a flyer on the dining room tables for fundraising, or a sign hung for an upcoming event @ GAH to raise money for the homeless and unemployed. This demonstrates a commitment to the community. This is what all local businesses should be doing as a way to give back to the folks who have helped them become a success in their locale.
If you have not tried the GAH, then we must say, try it! We know you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Great place for family, fun, food, and beer! I really dug this place and can’t wait to go back. Note, they get busy and seats are hard to find. get there early if you expect to find a place to squat. Wish we had one of these places around my town!

I live in Gardner and the Ale House is my favorite dinner spot. Their Cajun blackened salmon Caesar salad with sweet potato fries on the side is a good mix of healthy and delicious. They have the best burgers and beer in town. Also – it’s a lively place where there’s always something happening (blues Monday, live bands, chair luge, Oktoberfest, midwinter beach party, etc…) but it’s also a nice place to watch the game with a buddy.
The waiters, hostesses, and bartenders are friendly and efficient. Good food, good prices, lots of fun!

The ale house is a family favorite. From the fantastic beers for me, to the gluten free menu for my wife and the excellent service.
It can get crowded during peak times, like a Friday evening, but it’s a great place to go for a quick lunch at the bar, or a dinner after a busy day.

Traveling in Western Mass. Found this place on Unilocal.Good fresh food. Tasty Greek salad (tho a little heavy on red onions & feta). A very yummy side dish. Charred green beans w/​fresh corn and grilled onions w/​a tomato BBQ sauce! Fantastic!

What a great place to visit. If you happen to within 30 minutes of this place, be sure to stop in for a beer tasting.
I was recently visiting a nearby town and wanted to find a «locals» bar or restaurant. I was lucky to find both at the Gardner Ale House.
Draft Beer Selection: 5 of 5
Atmosphere: 4.5 of 5
Outdoor Patio: 5 of 5
Staff: 4.5 of 5
Menu Choices: 4.5 of 5
Since I was visiting an Ale House, I definitely had to sample the beer selection. There were a variety of beers to choose from (10 – 15 at any given time), so I tried the «suggested» beer sampler and found it to be excellent.
The staff was young and friendly, and the bar scene was non-​pretentious and had a good vibe. There were locals everywhere, eating, drinking and being merry. The food menu was large and seemed to have everything you would ever need. I didn’t get to eat any food items since I was going to a catered dinner later that evening, but the dishes I saw looked great.
If you are ever nearby, be sure to stop in!

we had been wanting to try Gardner Ale House for months and finally were able to come on girls night (Thursday). What a great deal. Half off all appetizers.
We stuck with appetizers and tried the calamari, coconut shrimp, buffalo chicken strips, and crab cakes. The coconut shrimp were amazing! We wished there were more in the order because they were the best thing on our table. The buffalo chicken and crab cakes were both good. Calamari on the other hand was quite a disappointment. Very bland and chewy. we were confused by the random slices of bread around the plate.
Drinks were great. We tried the Swedish fish and Sour patch martinis. Unique and tasty. The main reason I only gave 3 stars was the poor service. Our waitress was low energy, unfriendly, and left us with empty waters for about 20 minutes (my pet peeve). If the service were better, I believe our entire experience would have been much more enjoyable.