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Bee and Thistle Inn
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
3 reviews for Bee and Thistle Inn
So, I went here for a rehearsal dinner, bonfire and a wedding so that is 48 hours of Bee & Thistle. The inside of this place is adorable. They served us moretti beer & red wine with these adorable pizza's that were made in house. Nice. The holiday aesthetic was perfection. The best gingerbread houses I have ever seen in my life (and I have been around). Tree's in every room. Embellishments and ornaments, menorah's. It was nicely done. The bonfire was fun and a perfect excuse to keep drinking.
The actual wedding reception was nice. This is the perfect place if you don't want your family to sit in the same room and argue. The bride and groom precisely arranged each table and it showed. Dickensian carolers greeted us and top hatted guitarists serenaded us with Van Morrison and whatever the choosy guests wanted to hear. It was an intimate yet formal event that was a nice respite form the DJ "hoobladadoo" watch grandma crunk & get busy weddings that I usually frequent up and down the CT shore (not that those aren't great). The meal was good. It is a small old fashioned space. There was a lot of bumping into servers and guests. But, I guess that just adds to the "intimate" affair aspect. I think the freddie Krueger vs. Edward Scissorhands statue made of hay (by the woods) is terrifying- but something tells me it's there to protect us ( I hope). I also would have liked for some of the servers to smile a little more but maybe their just ready to freak out from bumping into drunk guests?
I think it's weird that the other review is so mad about their 'vegetarian meal' snafu. I live with a chef, (so I am sadly, more than privy to their disdain for suggestion and menu adjusting) and well, I don't know but If you are in a structure that is older than dirt with Dickens worthy characters walking around (authentically dressed) I think strict meal requirements are tossed out the window..I mean, have you sat through Oliver? Just kidding.
But we did have a raw foodist in our midst and he seemed perfectly happy with his meal. I bought 3 of his cook books, but that's because he's my lifelong pal: http://rawfoodfrank.wo...
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this is easily the BEST restaurant in Connecticut. I've been to quite a few over my years there, and not one tops the food and beauty that this restaurant/inn has. there is something special about this place. the weekends are filled with wonderful songs by local musicians, who play for you as you dine near a warm fire, overlooking beautiful gardens. the menu is perfect, and changes a few times a year to get the best of whats fresh and in season. the preparation is perfect, not too much food, and not too little. the portions are JUST what is needed to fill your belly, and make you want a tasty dessert to follow it.
aside from dinner, there are nice hings to do on the property. there is a beautiful river in the back of the beautiful 5 acre lot, where you can canoe and kayak down and see all the rare and beautiful birds that live in the area.
the town is filled with small town charm, and has many famous museums and art galleries.
i highly recommend this place!!!!!
My girlfriend and I went to the Bee and Thistle for their highly advertised New Year's Eve party for New Year's 2008. I made reservations over 8 weeks ahead and clearly stated that we are both vegetarians and asked if special meals would be made for us - the representative I spoke with assured me that there would be vegetarian options made available. The price was over $100 per person, so I was excited about a fine evening out with my gal. Now, I made it clear on the phone that my gal doesn't like mushrooms (hey, I think she's missing out on some amazing fungi, but that's her business, gnomesayin?) and I don't like onions. Again, I was assured that the chef(s) would be able to prepare something to our liking.
We got gussied up for this evening, knowing that we'd be around the snobbish of the snobs and headed off. The place is simply beautiful - and no expense had been spared in prepping for the evening. We took our seats, ordered cocktails and waited for our meal to begin.
Now, for over $100/person, I can understand that the omnivores around us were scarfing down foie gras or various seafood plates for their first platter. Our first platter was a giant pile of arugula with some shaved fennel. Now, that wasn't so bad - but guess what the salad plate was? THE EXACT SAME THING. There was a really nice gelato for the intermezzo, but then the main course came out. Mind you, it took a little longer than everyone else's, but that's to be expected; we're the ones who wanted the "different" meal. I think I've blocked the most painful parts of the memory at this point, but it was just a pile of roasted veggies with some sad attempts at accoutrements. This meal plain sucked, and we told the server we weren't happy. She was busy, it was shortly before the New Years' Countdown and she was mostly indifferent.
I shelled out over $300 for a lousy meal at the Bee and Thistle with my girlfriend, and we'll never make that mistake again. I've had more imaginative, artfully created and flavorful meals that have cost less than 1/8 of the price for two people. Now, I understand that making vegetarian meals can be a bit of a challenge - but come on. If you've had formal culinary training, you should be able to come up with something much better than this. I was extremely disappointed by our visit and would not recommend it for any large seasonal event. The experience may be better for average nights, but this left a very sour taste and ruined our NYE.
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