Whately Diner - Étlap

Whately Inn

➤ 193 Chestnut Plain Rd, Whately, Massachusetts, 1093, United States

Fish • Pasta • American • Ice cream

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"On 8/6/23, I brought my parents to the Whately Inn for dinner to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. More recently, it seems that an extraordinary dining experience is an exception, rather than the norm. For this reason, as well as the fact that it was such a milestone celebration, I emailed the owner(Stephen) beforehand and shared that I was considering bringing my parents to his establishment for a special dinner and wanted reassurance that we would not be disappointed. He acknowledged my initial email and evidenced a certainty that left me feeling confident enough about moving forward and making a reservation(He even noted a server he recommended). In his return email to me, he had asked me a couple of questions, which I responded to in a return email, followed by one more email after I secured a reservation, but I never heard back from him thereafter. I telephoned the restaurant on 7/30/23 to make the reservation. I explained to Krista(I believe that was her name) that I had exchanged emails with the owner and that the reservation was for a very special occasion, being it was my parents ' Anniversary. Our initial call was disconnected and when we re-connected(I called back), I made a point of telling her a couple more times that the reservation is for a special celebration and we would be coming for my parents ' 60th Anniversary. She acknowledged this. When we arrived on 8/6, it was not very busy(reservation was for 4:30), we were promptly seated and our waiter Liam was timely greeting us and taking our drink order. From there, the customer service left a lot to be desired. We learned that Liam was the bartender that day, which was consuming his time, and likely the reason for our lackluster service. Never having personally been to the restaurant, it would have been helpful to receive a little tour of the menu, which we did not. We needed a napkin that I had to take from another table--we needed silverware replaced that had been taken away and I also had to take from another table. Our bread plates were taken and we had nowhere to put the family style veggie. I had to wait for a water refill, which is a biggie for me, but Liam did redeem himself there when he brought a pitcher of water(which I requested). After we received our meal, there was never a check back to see how the food was. Then, after we finished our meal, we sat with our dirty dishes for at least 20-25 minutes before a different server came and told us he was sent by Liam to take our dessert order. We then commented how that should have occurred a while ago. Things happen and we understand. Given it was necessary for Liam to tend to the bar that day, you 'd have thought a different server would have been provided to us. We would have been more than happy to have someone who was going to be attentive. The dirty dishes still remained on the table until the dessert was brought and we had to point out that we would like them removed. To top it all off, there was never ever any mention of Happy Anniversary to my parents. Nothing!! Interestingly enough, when it came time to pay the bill though, Liam resurfaced quite promptly and started talking to my parents as though they were his regular customers, which they were not, and in fact they have only been to the restaurant one time, years ago. As for the food, it was good!! Sadly, the service is part of the whole experience and the fact that it fell short, overshadows everything. Very disappointing, especially having done my due diligence ahead of time, researching the restaurant(I read reviews) and having contacted the owner in an effort to avoid the very reason I am writing this review. I 'd have thought he would have communicated something to his employees, particularly the fact that it was an anniversary dinner. Just like a thank you goes a long way, acknowledging a very special day, would have meant a lot to me. I really expected more."

The Whately Inn Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

➤ 193 Chestnut Plain Rd, The Whately Inn Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews, United States Of America

Soup • Fish • Pasta • Coffee

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"This is like stepping back in time with an all inclusive dinner menu. By that I mean the meal price includes the appetizer, salad, main course and dessert. Good drink menu from their full bar. Spent just over $100 before tip for the two of us, but could have spent less on different meal choices. We dined on a Saturday night and it was packed. It was good to see the business doing well and fully staffed for the crowed. If you found this review helpful, please tap the thumbs up to let me know. Thanks!"

Waxwings

➤ Rt.5, Hatfield, Massachusetts, USA, United States

Fish • Seafood • American • Cocktail

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"Fantastic food, exceptional service, and a romantic ambiance make this restaurant a standout. We recently visited for the vegetarian mushroom tasting and were truly impressed by the chef's imaginative and delicious use of local mushrooms. The staff was, as always, outstanding. This is some of the finest cuisine in the valley, making it the ideal choice for a date night."