Whinstone Tavern

Just had my wedding ceremony/​reception here. The restaurant is beautiful, the scenery is beautiful and I understand why there is the saying «kiss the chef» because the food was absolutely delicious. Not one unhappy guest. The manager went above and beyond to make our day special and her and her staff succeeded. She allowed us to have our dream wedding without breaking the bank. This place is definitely one of new britains best kept secrets. Thank you Ashley and staff!!! You will see us again!

Terrible! Cold soup that was supposed to be hot. Nachos that had awful liquid cheese and arrived cold, (sent back) and a buffalo Caesar salad that lacked anything yummy. There is so much missed potential here…

A much needed update:
My wife’s bridal shower last October was excellent. The Whinstone has a banquet room, and the event of approximately 40 guests was reported to be wonderfully fun, and professionally executed. Hot food, good coffee, friendly service.
As the groom, my job was «gift mule,» of course. Graciously, the staff allowed me to pull my truck up to a spot not ordinarily designated for vehicles, so I could easily load the bridal shower bounty from the restaurant. Thank god I own a pickup truck :).
Still baffled by the negative reviews, by the way. The Whinstone is a good place, period.

I’m scratching my head on some of the reviews because I am a fan of this place and I have been there many times. The food is so good and reasonable that I am having my bridal shower there later this year.
Jason M. and I were regulars when we lived at the nearby Pebblebrook Apartments (and when they participated in
). I love that you could order a side salad with your sandwich instead of fries or chips. When I went there on Saturday after MOB dress shopping at Westfarms, the weather was perferct and we sat on the patio overlooking the beautiful golf course. I wondered why shoppers eat at generic Chili’s or Ruby Tuesday when they can drive a short distance and have lunch with a view.
Try it for yourself!

Had my aunts wedding shower here, October 2013. Food was excellent. Beautiful fall day, view of golf course was a plus! Cart shuttles from the parking lot to the restaurant came in handy for the older guests that have difficulty walking. Will be having future party’s here! Thanks for everything!

The Whinstone Tavern is such a charming, cozy place and it is on a lovely public golf course. In the fall, the foliage is in all of its splendor and taking in its beauty on that spectacular patio is just magnificent. You will find the owner and manager very accommodating and eager to make it all work. They are great people.
We recently had a very large event there and everyone had a fabulous time connecting with old friends from New Britain. The layout of the facility was perfect. There is a ballroom where people can dance, a side room where people can get away from it all to chat and a separate bar area. They are apart but yet together so that the flow works well.
There was only one major problem… poor quality food. I understand that when the venue first opened, the food was outstanding. Unfortunately, I was told that the original chef is no longer there and the current chef is new to the Whinstone Tavern.
The food and its presentation was totally unappealing. I would suggest to the owner and his lovely daughter who manages the place to hire a top notch chef. If it isn’t cost effective, hire a catering service to provide food and service for big events held there. Good quality, healthy food, presented beautifully (not fried, soggy unappealing type food) would be paramount because the ambiance of the place commands it. The place is charming — why not have great food artfully presented to enhance the ambiance? People in general are eating healthier these days. I’ll give you an example; the dessert that night came from either a grocery store or a large food club like Sam’s. There were some purchased boxed chocolate cookies/​candies being passed around but nothing that even appeared to be homemade. The Food Club stores have some great desserts but these were the least expensive that they sell. The cake had no flavor and had cheap tasteless frosting on it. When poor quality food is served, it gives one the impression that profit is more important than food for your patrons. There should be a balance between the two and caring about what you serve to people should always come first. You know, the way your Italian grandmother taught you how to eat.
The reason why I am giving you this feedback is not to be negative. It is because the Whinstone Tavern has such great potential. There isn’t anything quite like it in all of New Britain. Please, please, please revamp your food. Bring it up at least three notches and it will be the première place to eat and have events. If it is too expense, concentrate on hiring a chef who makes fabulous pizza — better than Wooster Street in New Haven and people will patronize the place because they will know that they are getting the best pizza out there. If that’s something you aren’t equipped to do, find a chef that makes good Spanish tapas and have a tapas bar. People all over the region will be talking about how great it is to eat there and the place will be packed. Have an outside caterer do your big events. Honestly, if you introduce good food, you will be booked solid for years and it will make all the difference in the world for you.
«Uno non può pens are bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se non ha mangiato bene.» (One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one hasn’t eaten well.)
Go, New Britain! Good luck and please know that I care.

Um… noooooo. Went here for Mother’s Day brunch yesterday and was very disappointed. The brunch selection was not very good. While there were some tasty options (custardy french toast, sundae making station, cake bites and decent vodka sauce) they didn’t even have scrambled eggs… which I find odd. They had an egg making station that had one guy on it, the line was insane and the eggs were not even good! You wait in line for runny nastiness. Service was also poor… asked for a Mimosa twice, 15 minutes go by, still noting, ask for it again, got it but not even an apology was given. Unprofessional staff swearing like crazy by the dessert station. which of course is where the kids usually hang out. yet they acted like they were in their living room as opposed to at work. Over priced as well. Definitely will not be back!

[This review describes an experience from some time between 2002 and 2005]
Baaaaad fooooood! I made a terrible face and embarrassed myself, in front of gf-​at-​the-​time and her entire family — but that’s how rotten those clams tasted! I just couldn’t control myself. I was 22 or 23 then. Maybe now, if I were given rotten clams, and I was eating with my girlfriends family, I would maintain more of a stiff upper lip. But rotten clams are rotten clams — it doesn’t matter how much breading and butter you mix in to cover up the taste.
[Update, 10/​03/​2013]
Local intellectual Jason M. Is very upset by my review.
«So, you had a restaurant experience that was at least eight years ago, and you come to Unilocal to write a one-​star smear review about it? Comes off as a bit vindictive, don’t you think?
Whinstone has changed ownership, perhaps multiple times, since your experience. I really don’t think it’s fair to mar their online business reputation because you had some bad clams a decade ago.
And before you get any ideas, I’m not an employee, nor a friend of the business, nor related to the Whinstone in any way. I’m simply a concerned Unilocaler, and I think the nature of your review is entirely unfair. I respectfully suggest that you remove it, due to its utter irrelevance. Thank you.»

tried to go here with my family. First problem, the long walk to the front door up the long hill. Not very inviting for older patrons and down right impossible for the handicapped. Next problem, no one at front to greet you (sat at 6.00 p.m. mind you) we walked around to find someone to help us. Strike three, no high chairs or booster seats for children. For a place that is advertising new ownership and family restaurant they might want to rethink their business plan. Don’t go here if you have children there is no were for them to sit. The waitress could care less that we had to leave because of the lack of high chairs. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR SKIP THIS PLACE!!!