Publick House

Recently had my sisters baby shower in Paige hall. The theme was Story Book. We had Sunday breakfast. The food was really good. The 2 wait staff members we had were wonderful.
Would use this location again. They were accommodating for food allergies and room set up requests.

Had reservations for NYE. Staff was great and very friendly. This place does comfort food and does it very well. Our reservation was on time, and service was great! Everyone was in great spirits and accommodated all our requests. The only let down was no mint jelly for the leg of lamb.

Pretty bad. At a 2PM Christmas day sitting the food was barely warm. Nothing was hot. There was no gravy for the turkey and stuffing. The corn bread stuffing was very dry (maybe that’s why they keep the water glasses filled). The ham was low quality. At almost $ 50 a plate very, very disappointing. No more holiday buffets there.

I’d say this place is outstanding for dinner/​food. After a weekend in Boston with big disappointments in food and service, this place was like seeing the light. I was immediately drawn to the decorations and cozy ‘parlor’ room feel the restaurant had. I just loved how friendly everyone was and how eager they were to make sure we enjoyed our meal with them. I had some sort of butterscotch hot chocolate too and the soup… butternut squash soup/​bisque was literally one of the tastiest richest soups I’ve ever had. I was mad the bread was so delicious– I couldn’t stop myself from trying all of them. Finally, I had a salad that was interesting but still pretty darn good. The dressing tasted like some sort of orange creamsicle vinaigrette. I just wish there was a little more lettuce actually. This was just such a nice, Christmas-​y place to stop and enjoy a cozy meal around the holidays. Didn’t hurt that we were seated across from the bar and could watch some football!

Went for an early dinner before attending the Sturbridge Village Candlelight Christmas. We loved it! The atmosphere, the food, and our server were all wonderful. We loved the lobster Mac and Cheese! It’s a bit of a trek through the building to get to the dinning area … Walking through the cocktail hour of someone’s wedding reception was a bit awkward though
The Village Christmas experience was a huge disappointment but our experience here exceeded our expectations!

My biggest regret about my visit to Publick House was that I wasn’t able to stay there. By the time that I decided to attend a wedding which was being held here they were booked up so I had to stay nearby.
The venue itself is fabulous. It’s pretty clear that this is a big wedding season for them with the numbers of excited families walking around and the tents and other wedding signs around the property. I was able to explore a bit and loved everything. Being from CA, every beautiful leaf, doorstep and apple tree took my breath away.
I found the layout a little confusing, I could never really find my way around confidently but I had enough family staying there who were able to direct me.
Hands down, the best dish that I ate on this entire trip was the lobster mac and cheese that I had in their restaurant. Holy cow. This honestly might have been one of the best dishes that I’ve had in my life. The cheese was thick and flavorful with huge shell noodles and chunks of lobster that were just perfect. Thankfully, I ordered the appetizer size and not the entrée size because I really could have eaten this all day long.
The wedding itself was fantastic and it seems as if my family had an easy time with the helpful staff making everything just right.
I’m so glad that I made this rather last minute trip and was able to be apart of something so special, for anyone visiting, go to Sturbridge in the Fall, it will really take your breath away.

Plenty of parking behind the Inn.
The baked good at the entrance look delicious. The breadbasket had what looked like a mini sticky bun. Passable.
The dining room upstairs is very dark and rustic. The other dining rooms looked similar. Some people may find this décor charming.
Service was prompt, friendly and good.
Food was ok. Not a good value. Restaurant has a gluten free menu though. One visit was enough for the experience.
And oh, the average age of the dining crowd appeared to be about 70 years old on the day we had lunch.

I went to the bakery on my way back from the Berkshires. I bought some baked goods, most were yummy and fresh. I bought two loaves of bread and they were MOLDY!
I called and called but never heard back from the manager. How hard is it to refund my money or send a gift card? POOR customer service!

My husband & I stopped to have a quick dinner, my husband had the turkey dinner which was plentiful & delicious, I had the filet which was awesome & perfectly cooked. Wait staff was great & attentive would highly recommend going

It’s time for dinner at this landmark. Had breakfast here in May, while in town for the Brimfield Antiques market. Breakfast was great! Dinner was just as good. Ate in Ebenezer’s Tavern. Had the turkey dinner and it was excellent! My husband had London Broil which was also excellent. We had arugula salad, lobster mac and cheese appetizer, a basket of breads consisting of corn bread, pecan rolls, sticky buns, and pumpkin bread!
Chocolate layer cake for dessert, 3 glasses of wine and a large beer…$ 98.
Worth every cent.

Chad’s eSCAPE review.
I am a long-​term repeat patron to this location. If you are looking for a walk back into history along with great service and food, make sure you stop here sometime!
Service (+). Each and every time I have been there the staff has been very friendly and helpful. This evening Charles was very friendly and after offering the specials went into details about some of his favorites. I ordered a couple appetizers and soup and he recommended a size lower as the amount of food I ordered was quite a bit. He was correct!
Cost (+). You can make it an expensive evening and feast on leg of lamb, scallops and lobster rolls or you can choose a less expensive fare of Mac and cheese and chicken pot pie. Everything on the menu is priced appropriately and there is value in your purchase.
Atmosphere (+). What a neat place. The dining room I was in had old fashioned wooden chairs and tables, decorated very old style with a huge open fire place. The entire establishment has an air of «old town» and «old fashioned». While being a summer favorite, the atmosphere in the winter is even more amazing.
Palate (+). The menu has food for all tastes. The lamb is amazing and the clam chowder is fresh. The pot pie and the home-​style turkey dinner are all amazing. Every time I go it is a new and amazing experience. A neat thing I noticed this evening is that the clam chowder was served in a heated pewter soup «crock». The crock remained very hot until the very end meaning the soup inside never cooled.
Everything Else (+). This is a very neat old «Publick House» that is a combination old style hotel and restaurant. It is worth a walk around the inside and outside before and/​or after your meal. It has a really neat «old-​time» feel to it and multiple dining areas. You need to visit it more than once and in different seasons. The summer motif is much different than the winter motif, but the rating remains the same. This particular time I visited, there was a live band across the street in the park playing jazz making the experience even better.

Beautiful historic estate with rustic charm. They make amazing baked goods especially their pecan sweet rolls. I was there for my best friends wedding and they did an amazing job making it super special for her. The accommodations were very comfortable and clean. Looking forward to going back for another weekend getaway when we get a chance.

Denny’s-caliber dining at Boston prices! Not great. We came in on a Sunday night and the place was full, which bodes well. The building is really charming and that’s what you’re paying for: the rustic, early American surroundings and décor.
As we looked around we noticed that most the other diners were also rustic, early Americans. We were the youngest people in the room by at least two or three decades.
The menu was «gourmet» fare from my childhood (as were the sticky, plastic-​coated menus). Deep-​fried. Cream sauce. Rubber chicken. Cooked-​to-​death beef. Iceberg lettuce. The parsley flakes rained down!
On the good side, it was a chew down memory lane: the kind of place that grandma and gramps takes you on a night out. The bread basket was loaded. Sweet rolls. Pumpkin bread (cake). Corn bread. Yeast rolls. Fill up on these! It’s all down hill.
Salmon was not fresh. Steak was like shoe leather. Waitress was a sweet teenage girl who showed up to take out order and take out plates. While we ate the food brought to us (it took a long time and we’re always wary of revenge spit at factory-​floor place like this), but the tables on both sides of us sent plates back.
Overall, a charming dining room with mediocre service and miserable food. That said, the diners keep coming so unfortunately the mgmt must be thinking «if it ain’t broke».

I was first introduced to Publick House while attending a wedding here a couple years ago. The wedding was so memorable and I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. I am a huge fan of historic inns so this is definitely my happy place. Publick House maintains its authenticity with the wide and well worn floor boards, large walk-​in fireplaces in many rooms, and exposed beams along the low ceilings.
The inn has its own bakery which offers a variety of delicious baked goods from cookies to their signature pecan rolls. These items can be purchased direct at the bake shop located at the rear of the inn. A large basket of pecan rolls, corn bread, and muffins are also served before dinner in the tavern and dining room. My diet is quickly forgotten during every visit to Publick House.
The inn offers guest rooms plus a couple different options for accommodations. There is the Chamberlain House located directly next to the main building and also a motor lodge set on a hill overlooking the inn. Chamberlain House was undergoing renovations during our stay and scheduled for its grand re-​opening summer 2015. We stayed the night in the motor lodge. The rooms are simple, but clean and comfortable. The rooms have a more modern feel, but the wallpaper and furniture styles give it the colonial edge.
I tagged along with two very good friends as they toured Publick House as a possible wedding venue. We had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed two delicious meals during our stay. Breakfast is served buffet style on the weekends. The buffet offers many choices including homemade quiche, pancakes, and scrambled eggs. The bacon was cooked perfectly. There is a tavern and dining room which offers the same menu within two different settings. Both rooms offer the same cozy, rustic feel. The food here is homemade and delicious.
We met with Lisa the wedding coordinator. She was wonderful and super helpful. The tour took us through the inn’s beautiful ballroom and my friends felt very satisfied with the information they received to help plan their wedding. I was so happy I got to tag along and enjoy a weekend at one of my favorite inns.

We had gone there years ago and thought it was mediocre, but someone who eats there regularly told us to go again and order the lobster pie, so we did. It was essentially lobster claw meat sitting in a bowl full of newburgh sauce with bread crumbs sprinkled on top. And it wasn’t cheap.
In truth, this place is old and is a textbook representation of mediocrity in dining. Everything we tried met that unenviable standard.

Historic restaurant from the early colonial days. Hand hewn beams and original low ceilings. Wonderfully worn floors and walls that are not too renovated so you still get the feel of the original antique construction. The table seatings with wing back chairs are so magical you can actually imagine you lived 200 years ago.
The food matches the place perfectly. Hearty and filling old colonial fare. Delicious. I am by heritage an new England yankee and I adore this place and feel like I am dining with my ancestors.
My favorites are the thanksgiving dinner, pot roast and the lobster pot pie which is not always on the menu. A definite winner. Wish I lived closer.

Don’t be fooled by words like «appetizer» or «cup of soup.» ANY item on this menu is big enough to kill George Washington’s horse.
Delicious Crab cakes, Lobster Mac n Cheese, and Clam Chowder.
Historic spot.

The Publick House is a piece of history, and it feels like a piece of history. It’s warm and charming and fireplace lit. The bar is cozy and well equipped. The little pastry shop outside the dining area has lovely options.
But the food at the Publick House is just okay. The goat cheese appetizer is good but two small pieces. Like tiny slices. For 8 or 9 bucks.
The potato chips terrible. Dry. Unsalted. How you you fail at potato chips? They do.
Soup of the day is unmemorable. Seriously. I know I had soup. I DO NOT REMEMBER IT.
And the pan-​seared salmon was edible. Not exciting. Not terrible. Just edible.
This is a wonderful place to take your grandmother.
The cinnamon rolls, however, that they serve with the bread basket and also that you can buy is the bake shop… ARE AMAZING. Like… really really really really really really good. So there’s that.

If you like delicious homemade food, good service, and a classic New England inn dining atmosphere, then you’ll undoubtedly enjoy eating at the Publick House!
Situated inside an inn, the restaurant in the Publick House has a fantastic older New England atmosphere that is extremely comfortable and enjoyable. Some of the tables and chairs wobble; the wooden floors creak; and oil candles burn warmly on each table.
A wide range of meals is offered for guests – those staying at the inn and those stopping by for a bite. Each dish is fresh and made from scratch, from the gravies to the butternut squash to the breads (pecan sticky buns and spices breads included) to the whipped butter. Everything is cooked perfectly, too.
I discovered a new favorite dessert here: a Rumchata hot chocolate. It’s perfect in sweetness, with a clean taste. It’s served with a huge topping of whipped cream. Mine was served with little drips of melting whipped cream rolling down the sides – which I happily licked up before sipping the hot chocolate! This is the perfect treat for a cold autumn day in New England.
The service at the Publick House is just as good as its food. The staff carefully weaves around the grid of tables, across the old wooden (and slightly uneven) floors to pour water and serve the dishes. Our server, April, was wonderful. She was extremely friendly and hard-​working. When I was contemplating dessert, I asked what Rumchata tasted like since I had never had it; she described it perfectly-​and it tasted exactly like she said. She definitely helped to make our first dining experience here a positive and enjoyable one!
So if quaint surroundings and freshly made meals appeal to you, be sure to stop by the Publick House! Though the prices are slightly higher, the quality of the meals and the classic setting make it worth it. You’ll undoubtedly enjoy this old New England eatery!

Met up with one of my favorite girlfriends here — we always pick a place to eat in Sturbridge to meet up because its in the middle. I feel bad giving this a three star review because people usually think that’s bad… but it was really wasn’t a bad time! It was just… A-​OK. Let me explain…
So this place is also a hotel. We went to the downstairs dining area, I think they call it the Tavern. My first impression was, damn, smells stale. Then, as I walk in, I’m pretty sure most people in there were eligible for their pension. As I continue to look, the place looks like my grandmother’s too! The chairs, wallpaper, everything!
The good news is the food was sooo comforting like my grandmothers. And plentiful. I ordered the Chicken Quinn ($ 28). The bread was not ordinary bread (complimentary). There were at least three different varieties and they were all delicious. I particularly liked the sticky buns. I would have preferred it for dessert but I didn’t want to miss out! My friend got the baked scrod ($ 20) which she seemed to really enjoy. We also shared the goat cheese appetizer ($ 9) which was delicious. I forgot how many pieces of cheese there were but I do recall wishing there were more for that price point, especially because there was an extreme excess in jam.
My friend got a mixed drink which tasted like cough medicine (Paige Hall, $ 7). She couldn’t finish it. I tasted it too and I couldn’t finish it.
We had a $ 20 off coupon, yet the bill came to $ 47.08, not including tax. It is not bad for everything we got, but I definitely wouldn’t come here again without a coupon.
Great service. One was training and instead of being annoying (ya know how having both a waiter and trainee can be sometimes) they were very attentive without being intrusive.