Vinola’s Restaurant and Bar

This place is poorly managed, and needs to be checked out by the health inspector! There is no manger just an owner who is never there and doesn’t know anything that is going on!

We went in tonight at 7:45pm and were seated right away at a nice booth. There were perhaps 6 others tables and at least 2 if not 3 servers present. We sat until 8:10 without anyone approaching our table at all, no drinks, no nothing. So we left, I’ll be darned if I’m going to tip a staff that treats customers like that. They spent a lot of the time we sat there in the small alcove I assume is the waitress station. Very unhappy, the place smelled great and was nice but the service was obviously non-​existent.

Entered and the hostess sat us right away. Came by a couple of times to let us know the waitress would serve us soon… we were sat at 5:15 pm.
The waitress eventually came and took our drink and food order. 15 mins later our drink and appetizers show up. The drink, apple martini, was okay. The soup would have been great if it wasn’t cold. The gin and tonic… well I guess you can’t mess that up.
35 minutes later (after soup and apps) our main dishes hadn’t showed up. By this time we had been there an hour and needless to say I was ready to go. My husband asked the manager to provide us the check because we wanted to leave. After some running around she comes to our table and starts talking real low saying this isn’t McDonalds you have to wait for the food.
Hold on… A. I know where I am. B. You are going to force me to stay somewhere I do not want to be. We told her that we wanted to pay for the soups and drinks we had and to leave. She said again… this isn’t McDonals you going to eat this food.
Oh hell no. I went to the hostess stand and asked for the check. Poor hostess. She was the only one who provided good service.
So after 45 mins waiting, yes we counted, no main dishes yet. We asked the manager for the check for the drinks and soups. She then proceeded to yell at us saying this isn’t McDonalds you’ll have to wait.
Overall this place has very poor management, lackluster food and is not worth the time. Avoid like the plague.

Disclaimer: I was super excited to try out this restaurant.
This was probably the worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had. Granted I’ve waitressed for 3 years in NYC, so I feel like I’m more than understanding when it comes to restaurant service.
Party of 7, we sat– 3 different people asked us if we wanted a booster seat for the baby and no one ever brought it. We ordered. Our food took legit 50 minutes, people that had ordered after us were getting their food. This restaurant was not full, and it wasn’t like everyone was ordering food at the same time this clogging up the kitchen. Our waitress was avoiding us, at least tell us the situation and make sure our drinks are full. My sister had to leave bc the food took so long. The kids food took the longest which is ridiculous bc if you know anything about making a table happy get the kids food out first! So everyone had their food except a kids order of chicken fingers. They came out about 7 – 8 min later piping hot which leads me to believe they forgot it entirely. All the other food was lukewarm and so salty. The rest of the meal the staff avoided us and didn’t even ask if we needed more drinks/​refills. What a joke. Finally we asked for the check and refills and 15 minutes later we get our check, no refills… She completely forgot.
I thought initially this was just a kitchen problem, but it’s also a service problem. And a management problem. Who was on the floor managing? Even a host could’ve seen the problems. Never going here EVER again. Would not recommend this place to anyone.

I decided to stop here for lunch after hearing they were good. I have been driving past this location regularly for the past few years. The interior is dim. The bar looks nice. They have several taps including a few crafts. You can also purchase six packs to go. Their menu includes apps, salads, burgers/​wraps/​sandwiches, and flatbreads. Many items on the menu hover around $ 10. The burgers and sandwiches include fries which can be substituted for slaw and chips (free) or black & tan onion rings ($ 2). The Hunter’s Grinder looked interesting because of the tarragon sauce they put on over beef tips. The waitress was knowledgeable about the menu and recommended the grinder. She noted that the crab cakes are made in house. The portions are sizeable and I felt my crab cake was worth the price. The fries were soggy though so I would suggest requesting they cook to crispy upon ordering, if you like them that way of course. This place is average but I will return at some point to try the Hunter’s Grinder. Unless it blows my mind I most likely will not return due to it being out of the way most times. It is a good spot for the true locals as dining options are severely limited where this restaurant is.

We’ve been enjoying Vinola’s for years, but the last two times leave something to be desired. Seems like all their dishes are chipped which leads to a poor presentation. I think it’s probably not very sanitary either. We stopped in for supper on Friday and I ordered their Wedge, my favorite. The wedge was small, the bacon was limp, the bleu cheese dressing non-​existent. When the water that was served before our dinner tasted like it came from a less than fresh bar gun, we should have lowered our expectations. Luckily we had a case of water in the car and quickly brought in our own two bottles. I ordered the Thai chili wings off the torn menu and was told they were unavailable. We ordered the BBQ as a second choice and they were very tasty. Our other meal was the hot roast beef open-​faced sandwich, and that was ok, not great, but ok. Oh, Vinola, where has all the quality gone?

Skip this place unless you have a long time to wait for mediocre food and service. Worst salmon I’ve eaten in a long time. They charge you for salad with dinner??? What’s up with that??? Not like their entrees are cheap by any means. A few years ago this place was great. Don’t know what has happened.

Working at a clients facility in Leola, PA so went here for lunch. Client said it was the best lunch place in town in his opinion.
Will need to try more places to prove that, but Vinola’s was really good. Full on bar with several beers on tap and a decent wine list that was reasonably priced with several options by the glass… but alas… I couldn’t sample any during working hours… bummer :)
So it was Diet Coke as I looked over the menu. Looks of good looking sandwiches and I settled on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Bacon, Cheddar, Lettuce and Tomato on a Toasted Kaiser Roll.
But I am a P.I.T.A. and like things my way, plus I am on a Chicken Pesto Sandwich kick right now so I asked for Pepper Jack cheese instead of the Cheddar and Pesto instead of Mayo and hold the Tomato. Our server said «No Problem» and that was that. The sandwich came with fries for like $ 8.95.
Well, it was a great. The toasted Kaiser Roll was perfect, chewy but not overly thick to where it was too much bread. They made a Pesto Mayo and brought it on the side and I applied it liberally to the bun. The bacon was thick, chewy and tasty. I really, really liked the Sandwich. The fries looked to be cut fresh on premise and were good. I don’t know why but I have never had house cut fries come out really crispy which is how I like my fries but they were good even though not as crisp/​crunchy as I would like.
We sat at the bar and Ola the bartender took great care of us. Food came out fast and she was refilling my diet coke as fast as I consumed them. We have to split our checks for our party of 4 because of business rules and even though it is a pain for the servers Ola once again said «No Problem»
Only been here once but it will be a regular stop for me without a doubt. Our hotel is about 10 miles away but sometime I am going to stop here after work before heading to the hotel and try them for dinner.
My client did well with recommending Vinola’s…usually I look at Unilocal and then make my decision. This time I went based on my client’s recommendation and was curious to see what my fellow Unilocalsters thought and it looks like they agree it is a very good place.

Not from the area and stopped by chance. Excellent food, presentation, and price. Very nice atmosphere. Had the snapper with walnuts, tomotes, onions and wine sauce. Perfectly delicious. Will come back again.

A++++ must try place! Fun friendly service! Great food!
Beautiful rooms for any special occasion:)

Fresh salads. Warm bread. Okay wine selection. Ahi tuna is fatty. Nothing spectacular…

I’ve probably been here a hundred times over the past 3 – 4 years, so maybe I’m a little biased, but I think Vinola’s is great. Food is fantastic, selection of beer and alcohol is good, bartenders and waitresses are friendly and helpful. My go-​to spot and everyone I’ve ever taken here has agreed. Unbeatable happy hour specials — $ 3.95 appetizers!

The food here is pretty darn tasty, thankfully for them. I say this because if the rating were based on speedy service, there would be only one lonely star up there.
That being said, if you’re not in a big rush, this is a good choice out of the limited lunch options in the New Holland area. The staff is friendly enough, however, one of the times we visited we were left alone in one area of the restaurant and the waitress checked on us sparingly.
My suggestion when visiting is to make sure you’re in the main area of the restaurant (close to the front door, which is ironically on the side of the building farthest from the road) to get the best service. Also, making your food decision quickly was helpful because even when there aren’t many other customers the servers don’t check on you frequently enough. Don’t be hesitant to wave them down in order to get refills and other necessities.

Crab dip is amazing!!! Most of the food is pretty good, chicken tends to be bland. It’s more of a bar setting so we don’t being the kids after 7pm.

I was actually really impressed with Vinola’s. I’d never been so far out in Leola and had no clue what was out there; and then, as if by fate, stumbled upon this really awesome restaurant. We stopped in for a weekday lunch and there were a ton of cars in the parking lot (always a good sign!). We were seated right away and had a super friendly and personable waitress whose name unfortunately escapes me. I ordered the special, a grilled buffalo chicken wrap with lettuce, tomatoes, and blue cheese, served with French fries. My boyfriend had the crab cake sandwich. I loved my wrap! Really good and tasted very fresh. I especially liked that the chicken was grilled and not fried. My boyfriend thought the crab cake sandwich was good, but that mine took the cake (why would you order seafood in Leola anyway? I digress). The prices were very reasonable, the restaurant was very clean, and the service top notch. A real find!

I’ve dined at Vinola’s at least four times, most during the happy hour. The food is always great and the drinks are always better. I’m a big fan of martini’s here. They really make a strong martini and everywhere I go I’m constantly comparing the martini to Vinola’s. When I’m in Lancaster again I will go back.

We had our wedding rehearsal dinner here over the summer and everything was amazing — special thanks to Ola for all of her help in making it a special evening!
That being said, tonight we were unfortunate to meet the other owner — and I hate to give Vinola’s a 2-​star rating because of such a great previous experience, but his behavior was competely inappropriate — if not borderline sexual harassment.
Otherwise, the food and general atmosphere get a 4 and the service (outside of what I just mentioned) get a 5.

Lost our reservations for 8 made to celebrate a birthday, but quickly got us a table as they were far from full. Server did not really seem like she wanted to be there. Drinks were not refilled without asking, food was okay but nothing special. Probably won’t be back.

My second time here and it has gone downhill – my friends say maybe it was an off-​night. The wings made my friend sick, and the (Canadian-​style) bacon in the chicken quesadilla was overwhelming, The golden-​brown stuffed mushrooms ended up being a portabella cap with a mushy crab cake on top. My drunken scallops were stinky and the pasta didn’t have much flavor to the sauce which was thin and runny – yet somehow it stank up the whole fridge. The beef au jus sandwich didn’t get a good review either. Ambiance is nice, particularly for a place so far out in the country, and the pinot grigio by the glass was $ 5. The food was just disappointing. Perhaps a little ambitious for its own good. Better to stick with the pizzas and burgers probably.

Slow Service…
First visit it was extremely crowded which can be a good sign that it is good. They told us it would be a half hour wait but we waited almost an hour. It took our server 15 minutes to get us drinks and another 15 to take our order. Our appetizer came out in a half hour and good thing we got one because we waited another half hour for our food. From beginning to end, we were there at least 4 hours!
Very expensive…
The appetizers were priced right but the entrees were way out of line. The food was good but my burger was well-​done not medium like ordered.
Crowded…
I attribute the crowd to the great atmosphere. It was a really nice place with a second floor and huge bar.
Would I go again?
Yes, for a drink or just dessert or and appetizer. I would definitely call ahead for Reservations.