I’ve been to the Rose Tavern twice — the first time in December while staying at the Lake House for a wedding, and again two days ago for dinner. The food quality is great, and I loved the atmosphere. I also liked the service, but servers need to be more careful when handing out hot plates. My sister tried to help the waiter by grabbing a plate, but he didn’t warn her it was hot, and she burned herself and had to drop it onto the table.
Also, we had specifically asked if the chicken cutlets were thin, and we were told they were — but they ended up being a thick, chunky piece instead.
Aaron Miller
Disappointing decline in quality and service
We were genuinely looking forward to dining at Rose Tavern, especially given its strong reviews and our past positive experience staying at the Lake House. Unfortunately, this visit was a letdown from start to finish.
Cocktails took 30 minutes to arrive, and when they did, my dirty martini tasted like it was poured straight from a bottle of vermouth. The tuna appetizer was fine, but the accompanying mayo-based dip was overwhelming and mismatched—something like soy sauce would’ve made far more sense.
The burger was the most disappointing part of the evening. For $26 (with no sides), expectations are understandably high. I ordered it medium rare with sauce on the side, but it came out well done and clearly made from a frozen patty—not a proper smash burger. When I sent it back, it returned slightly less overcooked but this time with the sauce added on. Our waitress’s response? “Well, it’s closer to how you wanted it cooked.” Not exactly what you hope to hear at a restaurant aspiring to be upscale.
The garlic whipped potatoes weren’t whipped and barely warm. We skipped dessert entirely—not just because of the food, but because the check was dropped off without even asking if we were interested.
This experience is especially disappointing because we had such a good impression of Rose Tavern in the past. Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone expecting good service or food that matches the price point.
Trey Flores
The Rose Tavern on the Lake offers an elegant dining experience with modern farmhouse charm and stunning lake views. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the open-concept kitchen adds a nice touch of transparency and energy to the space.
Unfortunately, despite the beautiful setting, our visit fell short of expectations. We had a reservation for a party of ten, yet service was disappointingly inconsistent. It took 45 minutes just to place our drink orders, and when the drinks finally arrived, our server dropped them off and immediately left without taking our appetizer order.
One of our guests ordered the ribeye medium rare, but it was served well done—not once, but twice. While we understand that mistakes can happen, the lack of attentiveness and follow-through from our server made the overall experience frustrating.
At a restaurant of this caliber, attentive service should be a given. While the ambiance and setting were exceptional, the service unfortunately did not meet the same standard—hence the 3-star rating.
Danielle Altamura
Beautiful restaurant with gorgeous views. Service started out fairly well but fell off when our server went on break. I suspect we were forgotten about as when our server came back 30 minutes later, he assumed we had gotten our food and was shocked when we hadn't. We waited at least 45 minutes for our brunch entrees. All 6 of our entrees came out of the kitchen cold. Eggs Benedict tasted good but would've been better warm considering it's an egg dish. Breakfast potatoes were good. Cheeseburger was well done and dry, no condiments, lettuce, tomato, nothing. Fries were ok. Drinks were good but pricey. Food portions are small for the price.
Kim Walker
The atmosphere is beautiful. Food was cold and it took an hour to come out. Disappointing for the cost.
Chris Parnell
I was really looking forward to dining at Rose Tavern as part of a special birthday celebration, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to expectations.
To start with the positives—the staff greeted us with a birthday card at the table, which was a nice touch. But that’s about where the good ended. The service overall lacked the professionalism and attentiveness you would expect at a restaurant positioning itself as upscale.
The food was the biggest disappointment. I ordered a steak for $65, and it arrived as just a plain piece of meat on the plate—no garnish, no sides, no presentation to speak of. Any sides were additional charges which of course we added but they were as just above average. Brussel sprouts were well overdone. For a bill that totalled $275 for two people, we left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. The atmosphere also didn’t match the price point—it felt more like casual café seating than a fine dining setting.
Our server seemed inexperienced and lacked the attentiveness and polish you’d expect from a restaurant at this price point.
We’re food enthusiasts and have no issue paying for a truly memorable meal, but Rose Tavern missed the mark. Unfortunately, this experience would make us think twice before dining here again.
Amber Backes
Incredible, attentive team (Brett is a dream), fantastic food, and views you can’t beat. I’d come back in a heartbeat and highly recommend.
Reginald Everdyke
Always a nice stop for a quick lunch and an old-fashioned.
Jamie Peskor
Delicious and great service! A bit expensive but well worth the beautiful view and great atmosphere!
Susan Ross
Did the sweet spot dessert tasting. It was a blast. Small intimate setting excellent service. Desserts were beautiful and drinks were fantastic.
Absolutely extraordinary experience from start to finish. From the hostess greeting, to the view, to the exquisite cocktail menu, to the food perfectly delicious and cook your perfection, this is five star all the way. Will definitely go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lorraine Tyra
My daughter and I had a very nicely prepared lunch. We split an appetizer an small entree. The cost was too high for the amount of food. We left hungry but what we ate was very tasty.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Nicholas Audi
Eating here feels like a bizarre prank. Roasted carrots are boiled and then heated over a flame with no seasoning, brussels sprouts are deep fried and then not seasoned, steak is overdone, the burger is not a smash burger at all but is fine, clam chowder was very thin tasted like it was from a can with a couple cubes of pancetta added. Even the soda just came from a can and not a fountain. Every choice is just so odd and off putting.
Suzanne S
We chose this place as we thought it would have great Christmas decorations and lovely ambiance. The decorations were certainly tasteful but not outstanding. The ambiance was lovely as the fireplaces were blazing and the sun was shining in the glassed-in dining section facing the lake, where we sat. I found the food to be fine for the most part but overpriced for the average quality. I asked for a regular coffee but was served an espresso, which was then given to my companion, who was happy to get a double. I then received a tepid cup of coffee with grounds in the bottom, so that was disappointing. We both ordered omelets, which were served with roasted potatoes. The omelets were cooked well, but not fluffy. I had mushrooms and saysage in mine. The mushrooms tasted like they were from a can. The sausage was well-seasoned and tasty. The potatoes were seasoned quite well, but I was hoping for some crispy edges to no avail. My companion wanted dessert, but I avoid gluten and sugar, so there were no suitable choices. My companion asked if I could get a bowl of strawberries with chocolate sauce, and they obliged. I didn't expect very red strawberries this time of year, but these were especially pale and so not as flavorful. One piece seemed to be rotting, so I avoided that. The chocolate sauce was yummy, though, so I judiciously dipped my strawberries in it. We walked around the water-side perimeter of the property after that, which was lovely. However, the boardwalk along the small canal was narrow and made my companion anxious of falling in the canal. We also visited the very small giftshop, but they just had a few hotel insignia items and some children's items. Overall, it's a very lovely place, but the food didn't match up to the quality of the facility.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Benjamin Myers
The onions in the French Onion soup were crunchy and not soft at all. The salmon skin was incredibly salty to the point of being nearly inedible.
I’ve been to the Rose Tavern twice — the first time in December while staying at the Lake House for a wedding, and again two days ago for dinner. The food quality is great, and I loved the atmosphere. I also liked the service, but servers need to be more careful when handing out hot plates. My sister tried to help the waiter by grabbing a plate, but he didn’t warn her it was hot, and she burned herself and had to drop it onto the table.
Also, we had specifically asked if the chicken cutlets were thin, and we were told they were — but they ended up being a thick, chunky piece instead.
Disappointing decline in quality and service
We were genuinely looking forward to dining at Rose Tavern, especially given its strong reviews and our past positive experience staying at the Lake House. Unfortunately, this visit was a letdown from start to finish.
Cocktails took 30 minutes to arrive, and when they did, my dirty martini tasted like it was poured straight from a bottle of vermouth. The tuna appetizer was fine, but the accompanying mayo-based dip was overwhelming and mismatched—something like soy sauce would’ve made far more sense.
The burger was the most disappointing part of the evening. For $26 (with no sides), expectations are understandably high. I ordered it medium rare with sauce on the side, but it came out well done and clearly made from a frozen patty—not a proper smash burger. When I sent it back, it returned slightly less overcooked but this time with the sauce added on. Our waitress’s response? “Well, it’s closer to how you wanted it cooked.” Not exactly what you hope to hear at a restaurant aspiring to be upscale.
The garlic whipped potatoes weren’t whipped and barely warm. We skipped dessert entirely—not just because of the food, but because the check was dropped off without even asking if we were interested.
This experience is especially disappointing because we had such a good impression of Rose Tavern in the past. Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone expecting good service or food that matches the price point.
The Rose Tavern on the Lake offers an elegant dining experience with modern farmhouse charm and stunning lake views. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the open-concept kitchen adds a nice touch of transparency and energy to the space.
Unfortunately, despite the beautiful setting, our visit fell short of expectations. We had a reservation for a party of ten, yet service was disappointingly inconsistent. It took 45 minutes just to place our drink orders, and when the drinks finally arrived, our server dropped them off and immediately left without taking our appetizer order.
One of our guests ordered the ribeye medium rare, but it was served well done—not once, but twice. While we understand that mistakes can happen, the lack of attentiveness and follow-through from our server made the overall experience frustrating.
At a restaurant of this caliber, attentive service should be a given. While the ambiance and setting were exceptional, the service unfortunately did not meet the same standard—hence the 3-star rating.
Beautiful restaurant with gorgeous views. Service started out fairly well but fell off when our server went on break. I suspect we were forgotten about as when our server came back 30 minutes later, he assumed we had gotten our food and was shocked when we hadn't. We waited at least 45 minutes for our brunch entrees. All 6 of our entrees came out of the kitchen cold. Eggs Benedict tasted good but would've been better warm considering it's an egg dish. Breakfast potatoes were good. Cheeseburger was well done and dry, no condiments, lettuce, tomato, nothing. Fries were ok. Drinks were good but pricey. Food portions are small for the price.
The atmosphere is beautiful.
Food was cold and it took an hour to come out.
Disappointing for the cost.
I was really looking forward to dining at Rose Tavern as part of a special birthday celebration, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to expectations.
To start with the positives—the staff greeted us with a birthday card at the table, which was a nice touch. But that’s about where the good ended. The service overall lacked the professionalism and attentiveness you would expect at a restaurant positioning itself as upscale.
The food was the biggest disappointment. I ordered a steak for $65, and it arrived as just a plain piece of meat on the plate—no garnish, no sides, no presentation to speak of. Any sides were additional charges which of course we added but they were as just above average. Brussel sprouts were well overdone. For a bill that totalled $275 for two people, we left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. The atmosphere also didn’t match the price point—it felt more like casual café seating than a fine dining setting.
Our server seemed inexperienced and lacked the attentiveness and polish you’d expect from a restaurant at this price point.
We’re food enthusiasts and have no issue paying for a truly memorable meal, but Rose Tavern missed the mark. Unfortunately, this experience would make us think twice before dining here again.
Incredible, attentive team (Brett is a dream), fantastic food, and views you can’t beat. I’d come back in a heartbeat and highly recommend.
Always a nice stop for a quick lunch and an old-fashioned.
Delicious and great service! A bit expensive but well worth the beautiful view and great atmosphere!
Did the sweet spot dessert tasting. It was a blast. Small intimate setting excellent service. Desserts were beautiful and drinks were fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Absolutely extraordinary experience from start to finish. From the hostess greeting, to the view, to the exquisite cocktail menu, to the food perfectly delicious and cook your perfection, this is five star all the way. Will definitely go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My daughter and I had a very nicely prepared lunch. We split an appetizer an small entree. The cost was too high for the amount of food. We left hungry but what we ate was very tasty.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Eating here feels like a bizarre prank. Roasted carrots are boiled and then heated over a flame with no seasoning, brussels sprouts are deep fried and then not seasoned, steak is overdone, the burger is not a smash burger at all but is fine, clam chowder was very thin tasted like it was from a can with a couple cubes of pancetta added. Even the soda just came from a can and not a fountain. Every choice is just so odd and off putting.
We chose this place as we thought it would have great Christmas decorations and lovely ambiance. The decorations were certainly tasteful but not outstanding. The ambiance was lovely as the fireplaces were blazing and the sun was shining in the glassed-in dining section facing the lake, where we sat. I found the food to be fine for the most part but overpriced for the average quality. I asked for a regular coffee but was served an espresso, which was then given to my companion, who was happy to get a double. I then received a tepid cup of coffee with grounds in the bottom, so that was disappointing. We both ordered omelets, which were served with roasted potatoes. The omelets were cooked well, but not fluffy. I had mushrooms and saysage in mine. The mushrooms tasted like they were from a can. The sausage was well-seasoned and tasty. The potatoes were seasoned quite well, but I was hoping for some crispy edges to no avail. My companion wanted dessert, but I avoid gluten and sugar, so there were no suitable choices. My companion asked if I could get a bowl of strawberries with chocolate sauce, and they obliged. I didn't expect very red strawberries this time of year, but these were especially pale and so not as flavorful. One piece seemed to be rotting, so I avoided that. The chocolate sauce was yummy, though, so I judiciously dipped my strawberries in it. We walked around the water-side perimeter of the property after that, which was lovely. However, the boardwalk along the small canal was narrow and made my companion anxious of falling in the canal. We also visited the very small giftshop, but they just had a few hotel insignia items and some children's items. Overall, it's a very lovely place, but the food didn't match up to the quality of the facility.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
The onions in the French Onion soup were crunchy and not soft at all. The salmon skin was incredibly salty to the point of being nearly inedible.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
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