This is such a hard review to write as the Spaulding Steak and Ale holds a special place in my heart growing up and as a place I used to work. However, now I feel like I am forced to write Dear John letter due to my most recent experience . Both myself and my husband came in at 4:30 on a Sunday (date of this review) and already the staff were not set up for success with the bar tender being the only server there as well as having an outdated POS system, that we were sitting in front of and witnessed the struggle, that glitched and made it difficult to put correct orders on correct tickets that slowed down production. The bartender, whose name I think is Cora, was a rockstar who did her best to keep it together and was the saving grace to our dining experience (that and an amazing espresso martini). However, what was the real nail in the coffin was the food quality we received in our dishes. Out of the two dishes we ordered the best part was the corn side dish I got on the side to my cold and anemic tacos (which were wrong as I ask for no cilantro but didn’t have the heart to add to the already stressful situation I was witnessing). My husband’s Spaulding Sampler was probably the most disappointing as we could have gotten a better sampling of dishes , for the same price, at the frozen section of the local grocery store. I would like to say this was our first negative experience here but then I would be a liar.In all honesty, the upper management and owners should be embarrassed by what they are producing and either need to really reconsider their business model or shut their doors. This truly feels like a death knell to a once great business and a place they once brought me so much joy. I do not think I will return and will no longer recommend it as a place to go in Rochester. It breaks my heart.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Robert B.
Just walked in and was sat right away, and ignored for 15 minutes. There were 3 servers going to the same tables that already had food, and then walking in circles the rest of the time. Trying to support local spots but this one ain't it.
Nick K
Ordered the steak tips and tacos. They were delicious. They had a friendly staff as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jan H.
Definitely skip this place. Similar experience as the last reviewer... 6 pm reservation, order taken for appetizers and dinners. No food delivered in the next 45 minutes - appetizers were both soup so did not expect that would be so difficult. We had tickets for an 8 pm show down the street so we decided to go elsewhere. Let the hostess know the situation on our way out. She was very apologetic, tried to check on our food, and offered to mail us a gift card to come back and try again. Never got that gift card either. Also noticed the last 5 star review was from that hostess.
Diane Morrison
We went here before going to the Rochester Opera House to see the Christmas Carol. It was our first time eating here. The food was excellent. The service was very slow because there was a party going on in their function room and it took a while before we got our dinners. I would highly recommend but be sure there aren't any functions going on before you make reservations. Plenty of parking in the back and handicap accessible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops Wrapped in Bacon These Guys Know How to Do It, Certified Angus Ribeye
Using Commonsense
Terrific haddock. Super
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Diane Babineau Jousset
The worst dining experience we've ever had. Food was pretty good but still won't be going back. We had a reservation, it took 30 minutes before anyone came to our table so we put in food order at the same time as drinks. It took another 15 minutes for a few of the drinks to arrive, and 10 more minutes for the rest. It was literally an hour and a half before any food came out, and two meals were missing. These two meals arrived 20 minutes later as we packed up to go because we had tickets to an event. We had to take them to go in styrofoam, not the best way to eat a steak dinner. Several sides never arrived, the bill was screwed up, noting items we never ordered. The manager didn't seem to care at all when we asked why the long delays. No apology. I would have sworn we were on some TV show that punks people.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Michelle Randolph
Place is awful! We were charged three times and three different amounts and the manager had no answers. My husband and I had to get new debit cards and took the loss of over 320.00. Not a friendly place and their employees are not honest!!
Diane B.
The food was good, that's why it gets a 2. Service was the worst I've ever had. And we had a reservation. It was thirty minutes before anyone took drink and food orders, and another 15 mins before drinks , incorrectly. Fifteen minutes later some of the food arrived. Last 2 meals arrived as we were getting ready to leave to catch a show and had to be taken away in containers. No apology or offer to compensate. The bill was screwed up, items on it that we never ordered. Some sides never arrived. It was the most unbelievable dining experience I've ever had. A nearby table had a similar experience.
Chris ChestnutHillAuto
Took my parents here for dinner last night. Love the charm! Steak tips with scallops were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tips and Scallops Johnny Walker
Excellent place, food and service!!! Plus the live entertainment is always good!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
charles creteau
What are the best places to go to in Rochester? Great staff, great food, great drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amy Boyce
Stopped at the Spaulding Steak and Ale inside of the Governors Inn in Rochester NH for dinner with my guy. It was a fun atmosphere with a lot local high school memorabilia.They started us off with a bowl of popcorn (I love popcorn!) that could have been more fresh.We saw a salad on the menu with a Spicy Thai shrimp and we asked if we could just get the shrimp as an appetizer and they happily accommodated the request. I didn’t get a picture but it was very good.I had the honey bbq chicken wrap (no onions) with the sweet potato fries. The bbq sauce was a tangy sauce that was not on the sweet side. I’m thinking it was homemade. It was good. The fries were excellent! Not salted, which I prefer. My guy ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and took half home because it was a large serving. He thought the eggplant could have been cooked more for his liking.I appreciated the William Hill Chardonnay on the wine list and my guy enjoyed the Sam Summer on draft.The server was very attentive and I appreciated that she asked if we were finished with our plate before reaching to take it. We were still working on those yummy fries.After we paid, we decided to sit at the bar and have a dessert cocktail. We had espresso martinis. A little more chocolate than I’d normally expect but it was good.If you are in the area, it’s a place I would recommend stopping and trying!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
bster48
Quaint restaurant in the Governors Inn. Pleasant ambience and sufficient menu choices. I had the Madeira chicken , which was excellent and my wife had the crumbed eggplant and linguini florentine, which she thoroughly enjoyed. They were ample portions , well presented and reasonably priced. Our server, Kelsey, was knowledgeable about the menu offerings, pleasant and efficient. Oh I’d be neglect if I didn’t mention cute, too!? Having an excellent restaurant choice available right in your hotel is the best!!
EL H.
The atmosphere and cleanliness of Spaulding Steak House is reminiscent of an old tavern or pub. It takes you back to a time before modern amenities like neon lights and TVs in every corner. While the decor may be a bit dated, they manage to make it work. The restaurant appears to be very clean, with no visible signs of grime, dust, or overall nastiness. However, the parking situation at Spaulding Steak House is horrendous, especially for handicapped individuals. The driveway and parking area are very narrow, making it difficult for cars to fit properly. If you're handicapped, it's nearly impossible to find a good parking spot without having to squeeze into a tight space and risk scratching your vehicle. The narrow driveway also causes issues with cars trying to enter or exit simultaneously, potentially leading to vehicle damage. Moving on to the food and drinks, we had a small party of two. The French onion soup was reportedly delicious, but the potato skins I ordered were lukewarm and barely heated in the middle. Our drinks, margaritas, were a disappointment as well. They tasted like straight sour mix, and we struggled to finish them. In terms of service, our bartender was friendly but lacked attention to detail. She never provided us with cocktail napkins or place settings, and she didn't check in on us after delivering our drinks and food. We sat there with barely touched drinks and an untouched appetizer. Eventually, I had to ask for a to-go box, and we decided to leave. The cost of the meal wasn't too bad, but considering the quality of the food and drinks, it could have been better. Despite the disappointing experience, I am willing to give Spaulding Steak House another chance. Hopefully, the restaurant manager will read this review and address the issues mentioned, improving the overall dining experience.
This is such a hard review to write as the Spaulding Steak and Ale holds a special place in my heart growing up and as a place I used to work. However, now I feel like I am forced to write Dear John letter due to my most recent experience . Both myself and my husband came in at 4:30 on a Sunday (date of this review) and already the staff were not set up for success with the bar tender being the only server there as well as having an outdated POS system, that we were sitting in front of and witnessed the struggle, that glitched and made it difficult to put correct orders on correct tickets that slowed down production. The bartender, whose name I think is Cora, was a rockstar who did her best to keep it together and was the saving grace to our dining experience (that and an amazing espresso martini). However, what was the real nail in the coffin was the food quality we received in our dishes. Out of the two dishes we ordered the best part was the corn side dish I got on the side to my cold and anemic tacos (which were wrong as I ask for no cilantro but didn’t have the heart to add to the already stressful situation I was witnessing). My husband’s Spaulding Sampler was probably the most disappointing as we could have gotten a better sampling of dishes , for the same price, at the frozen section of the local grocery store. I would like to say this was our first negative experience here but then I would be a liar.In all honesty, the upper management and owners should be embarrassed by what they are producing and either need to really reconsider their business model or shut their doors. This truly feels like a death knell to a once great business and a place they once brought me so much joy. I do not think I will return and will no longer recommend it as a place to go in Rochester. It breaks my heart.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Just walked in and was sat right away, and ignored for 15 minutes. There were 3 servers going to the same tables that already had food, and then walking in circles the rest of the time. Trying to support local spots but this one ain't it.
Ordered the steak tips and tacos. They were delicious. They had a friendly staff as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Definitely skip this place. Similar experience as the last reviewer... 6 pm reservation, order taken for appetizers and dinners. No food delivered in the next 45 minutes - appetizers were both soup so did not expect that would be so difficult. We had tickets for an 8 pm show down the street so we decided to go elsewhere. Let the hostess know the situation on our way out. She was very apologetic, tried to check on our food, and offered to mail us a gift card to come back and try again. Never got that gift card either. Also noticed the last 5 star review was from that hostess.
We went here before going to the Rochester Opera House to see the Christmas Carol. It was our first time eating here. The food was excellent. The service was very slow because there was a party going on in their function room and it took a while before we got our dinners. I would highly recommend but be sure there aren't any functions going on before you make reservations. Plenty of parking in the back and handicap accessible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops Wrapped in Bacon These Guys Know How to Do It, Certified Angus Ribeye
Terrific haddock. Super
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The worst dining experience we've ever had. Food was pretty good but still won't be going back. We had a reservation, it took 30 minutes before anyone came to our table so we put in food order at the same time as drinks. It took another 15 minutes for a few of the drinks to arrive, and 10 more minutes for the rest. It was literally an hour and a half before any food came out, and two meals were missing. These two meals arrived 20 minutes later as we packed up to go because we had tickets to an event. We had to take them to go in styrofoam, not the best way to eat a steak dinner. Several sides never arrived, the bill was screwed up, noting items we never ordered. The manager didn't seem to care at all when we asked why the long delays. No apology. I would have sworn we were on some TV show that punks people.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Place is awful! We were charged three times and three different amounts and the manager had no answers. My husband and I had to get new debit cards and took the loss of over 320.00. Not a friendly place and their employees are not honest!!
The food was good, that's why it gets a 2. Service was the worst I've ever had. And we had a reservation. It was thirty minutes before anyone took drink and food orders, and another 15 mins before drinks , incorrectly. Fifteen minutes later some of the food arrived. Last 2 meals arrived as we were getting ready to leave to catch a show and had to be taken away in containers. No apology or offer to compensate. The bill was screwed up, items on it that we never ordered. Some sides never arrived. It was the most unbelievable dining experience I've ever had. A nearby table had a similar experience.
Took my parents here for dinner last night. Love the charm! Steak tips with scallops were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tips and Scallops Johnny Walker
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent place, food and service!!! Plus the live entertainment is always good!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
What are the best places to go to in Rochester? Great staff, great food, great drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stopped at the Spaulding Steak and Ale inside of the Governors Inn in Rochester NH for dinner with my guy. It was a fun atmosphere with a lot local high school memorabilia.They started us off with a bowl of popcorn (I love popcorn!) that could have been more fresh.We saw a salad on the menu with a Spicy Thai shrimp and we asked if we could just get the shrimp as an appetizer and they happily accommodated the request. I didn’t get a picture but it was very good.I had the honey bbq chicken wrap (no onions) with the sweet potato fries. The bbq sauce was a tangy sauce that was not on the sweet side. I’m thinking it was homemade. It was good. The fries were excellent! Not salted, which I prefer. My guy ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and took half home because it was a large serving. He thought the eggplant could have been cooked more for his liking.I appreciated the William Hill Chardonnay on the wine list and my guy enjoyed the Sam Summer on draft.The server was very attentive and I appreciated that she asked if we were finished with our plate before reaching to take it. We were still working on those yummy fries.After we paid, we decided to sit at the bar and have a dessert cocktail. We had espresso martinis. A little more chocolate than I’d normally expect but it was good.If you are in the area, it’s a place I would recommend stopping and trying!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Quaint restaurant in the Governors Inn. Pleasant ambience and sufficient menu choices. I had the Madeira chicken , which was excellent and my wife had the crumbed eggplant and linguini florentine, which she thoroughly enjoyed. They were ample portions , well presented and reasonably priced. Our server, Kelsey, was knowledgeable about the menu offerings, pleasant and efficient. Oh I’d be neglect if I didn’t mention cute, too!? Having an excellent restaurant choice available right in your hotel is the best!!
The atmosphere and cleanliness of Spaulding Steak House is reminiscent of an old tavern or pub. It takes you back to a time before modern amenities like neon lights and TVs in every corner. While the decor may be a bit dated, they manage to make it work. The restaurant appears to be very clean, with no visible signs of grime, dust, or overall nastiness. However, the parking situation at Spaulding Steak House is horrendous, especially for handicapped individuals. The driveway and parking area are very narrow, making it difficult for cars to fit properly. If you're handicapped, it's nearly impossible to find a good parking spot without having to squeeze into a tight space and risk scratching your vehicle. The narrow driveway also causes issues with cars trying to enter or exit simultaneously, potentially leading to vehicle damage. Moving on to the food and drinks, we had a small party of two. The French onion soup was reportedly delicious, but the potato skins I ordered were lukewarm and barely heated in the middle. Our drinks, margaritas, were a disappointment as well. They tasted like straight sour mix, and we struggled to finish them. In terms of service, our bartender was friendly but lacked attention to detail. She never provided us with cocktail napkins or place settings, and she didn't check in on us after delivering our drinks and food. We sat there with barely touched drinks and an untouched appetizer. Eventually, I had to ask for a to-go box, and we decided to leave. The cost of the meal wasn't too bad, but considering the quality of the food and drinks, it could have been better. Despite the disappointing experience, I am willing to give Spaulding Steak House another chance. Hopefully, the restaurant manager will read this review and address the issues mentioned, improving the overall dining experience.