Weathervane

jetskier · 09-03-2015, 08:22 PM

I have made it a practice to post favorable comments about restaurants when we have a good experience. As such, I have no trepidation about posting a negative comment when the experience is very poor.

We went to the Weathervane this evening; the restaurant was quiet (about 6 tables occupied). We know that this is typically a changeover period for restaurants, but we were not expecting to be treated this poorly.

After being seated, we were completely ignored. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, after 15 minutes, we flagged down one of the staff who indicated that someone would come right over. Another 5 to 10 minutes of waiting and we walked out.

It appeared that no one was really getting much service and the staff pretty much did not care. I heard that they are shutting down in a couple of weeks; maybe they should just do it now.

Jetskier

upthesaukee · 09-03-2015, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetskier

I have made it a practice to post favorable comments about restaurants when we have a good experience. As such, I have no trepidation about posting a negative comment when the experience is very poor.

We went to the Weathervane this evening; the restaurant was quiet (about 6 tables occupied). We know that this is typically a changeover period for restaurants, but we were not expecting to be treated this poorly.

After being seated, we were completely ignored. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, after 15 minutes, we flagged down one of the staff who indicated that someone would come right over. Another 5 to 10 minutes of waiting and we walked out.

It appeared that no one was really getting much service and the staff pretty much did not care. I heard that they are shutting down in a couple of weeks; maybe they should just do it now.

Jetskier

I assume you are talking about the Concord venue. We stopped in there some months back, in the spring I believe. Service was ok, nothing spectacular, but I didn't really expect stellar service.

I know the Bedford NH venue on rte 101 closed several months ago, maybe even more than a year ago.

With all that being said, it is certainly inexcusable to have that kind of bad service. Hope you went to Makris and had a good meal.

Descant · 09-03-2015, 10:38 PM

The Weathervane website lists locations in Bedford, Salem and Nashua, and says
"closed" for all three. There are other sites that seem to be open.

Last January, there were newspaper articles about 4 locations closing, three in Maine and the Bedford NH one. Bedford has been torn down. Nashua and Salem apparently followed.

jetskier · 09-03-2015, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

I assume you are talking about the Concord venue. We stopped in there some months back, in the spring I believe. Service was ok, nothing spectacular, but I didn't really expect stellar service.

I know the Bedford NH venue on rte 101 closed several months ago, maybe even more than a year ago.

With all that being said, it is certainly inexcusable to have that kind of bad service. Hope you went to Makris and had a good meal.

Sorry about the lack of specificity. It was the Laconia (Weirs Beach) location. We have had good luck there in the past and it had become our "go to" locally for lobster.

GodSmile · 09-04-2015, 05:03 AM

We've had similar experience this summer. Went during a non peak time. Sat upstairs for 20 minutes, were completely ignored. Left. Unfortunate because I liked having this option in the Weirs... we like to visit by boat. Not anymore.

thinkxingu · 09-04-2015, 05:55 AM

To be totally honest, I'm thrilled to hear the Weathervane will be closing at the Weirs (edit: just discovered not closing for good, but for the season--dang). I cannot stand how America has let chains take over, and I absolutely HATE visiting vacationy areas to find chains.

And here's why: chain restaurants and stores all follow the same recipe--they start out fabulously as a local concept, begin to grow as a result of that greatness, expand, and, ultimately, get bought out by some investment company that eventually destroys what was originally great about them in the name of making money.

What I LOVE about the Lakes Region is that it has, for the most part, resisted this, and supported mom-and-pop businesses. I'll gladly, SO VERY GLADLY, pay a bit more for this.

Eat on!

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

thinkxingu · 09-04-2015, 06:00 AM

PS The Weathervane fits the above perfectly--when there was only one near us, in Salem NH back in the 80's, it was AWESOME and we went every Friday night, when the wait was over an hour.

PPS Worse than local venues being destroyed by financiers is when "fake unique" chains are opened. It was always sad to hear my students blown away by how unique Hollister's stores were, until their homework was to visit the three local malls and they discovered they're all the same!

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

GodSmile · 09-04-2015, 06:25 AM

agree wholeheartedly about chains.... however it was the only semi clean eating establishment near the docks (with apologies to Faro, I just don't like eating Italian food out, mine is better)... I liked having a clean place to eat that wasn't falling down around me

GodSmile · 09-04-2015, 06:50 AM

I like my Italian cooking better than anything I've had out.... should not have said mine is better than Faros....

Just Sold · 09-04-2015, 07:13 AM

I know that the Bedford Weathervane has been torn down and the Waterville, ME location is closed and up for lease. Not sure of any other closures.

Here is the list from their web site of open Weathervane's:

~ All Locations ~

WEATHERVANE RESTAURANT
Kittery, ME
Dover, NH
Chichester, NH
Salem, NH
West Lebanon, NH
Nashua, NH
LOBSTER IN THE ROUGH
Weirs Beach, Laconia, NH
Badgers Island, Kittery, ME
THE ORIGINAL SHACK
Kittery, ME (Closed for the Season

upthesaukee · 09-04-2015, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descant

The Weathervane website lists locations in Bedford, Salem and Nashua, and says
"closed" for all three. There are other sites that seem to be open.

Last January, there were newspaper articles about 4 locations closing, three in Maine and the Bedford NH one. Bedford has been torn down. Nashua and Salem apparently followed.

I always think of it being Concord, but it is actually Chichester, near the east end of I393 on 4/9/202/Dover Rd.

chipj29 · 09-07-2015, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

I always think of it being Concord, but it is actually Chichester, near the east end of I393 on 4/9/202/Dover Rd.

You are correct.
My son and I ate there last week. Service was great, and food was excellent.
Believe me, I am not one for "chain" seafood, but I think they have decent food. It's not like I am a regular, I have been there like 5 times in the 20+ years that I have lived in the Concord area.

SIKSUKR · 09-08-2015, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Sold

I know that the Bedford Weathervane has been torn down and the Waterville, ME location is closed and up for lease. Not sure of any other closures.

You beat me to it.I drove by the Bedford location and it was not there.

09-03-2015, 08:22 PM	#1
jetskier Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Reading, MA and South Down Shores Posts: 850 Thanks: 57 Thanked 183 Times in 114 Posts	Weathervane I have made it a practice to post favorable comments about restaurants when we have a good experience. As such, I have no trepidation about posting a negative comment when the experience is very poor. We went to the Weathervane this evening; the restaurant was quiet (about 6 tables occupied). We know that this is typically a changeover period for restaurants, but we were not expecting to be treated this poorly. After being seated, we were completely ignored. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, after 15 minutes, we flagged down one of the staff who indicated that someone would come right over. Another 5 to 10 minutes of waiting and we walked out. It appeared that no one was really getting much service and the staff pretty much did not care. I heard that they are shutting down in a couple of weeks; maybe they should just do it now. Jetskier

09-03-2015, 10:38 PM	#3
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,262 Thanks: 1,313 Thanked 1,599 Times in 1,035 Posts	Concord? The Weathervane website lists locations in Bedford, Salem and Nashua, and says "closed" for all three. There are other sites that seem to be open. Last January, there were newspaper articles about 4 locations closing, three in Maine and the Bedford NH one. Bedford has been torn down. Nashua and Salem apparently followed.

09-04-2015, 05:03 AM	#5
GodSmile Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 91 Thanked 56 Times in 36 Posts	Same Experience We've had similar experience this summer. Went during a non peak time. Sat upstairs for 20 minutes, were completely ignored. Left. Unfortunate because I liked having this option in the Weirs... we like to visit by boat. Not anymore.

09-04-2015, 05:55 AM	#6
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6,168 Thanks: 1,164 Thanked 2,038 Times in 1,261 Posts	To be totally honest, I'm thrilled to hear the Weathervane will be closing at the Weirs (edit: just discovered not closing for good, but for the season--dang). I cannot stand how America has let chains take over, and I absolutely HATE visiting vacationy areas to find chains. And here's why: chain restaurants and stores all follow the same recipe--they start out fabulously as a local concept, begin to grow as a result of that greatness, expand, and, ultimately, get bought out by some investment company that eventually destroys what was originally great about them in the name of making money. What I LOVE about the Lakes Region is that it has, for the most part, resisted this, and supported mom-and-pop businesses. I'll gladly, SO VERY GLADLY, pay a bit more for this. Eat on! Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk Last edited by thinkxingu; 09-04-2015 at 06:52 AM. Reason: Accuracy/info discovery

09-04-2015, 06:25 AM	#8
GodSmile Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 91 Thanked 56 Times in 36 Posts	agree but agree wholeheartedly about chains.... however it was the only semi clean eating establishment near the docks (with apologies to Faro, I just don't like eating Italian food out, mine is better)... I liked having a clean place to eat that wasn't falling down around me

09-04-2015, 06:00 AM	#7
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6,168 Thanks: 1,164 Thanked 2,038 Times in 1,261 Posts	PS The Weathervane fits the above perfectly--when there was only one near us, in Salem NH back in the 80's, it was AWESOME and we went every Friday night, when the wait was over an hour. PPS Worse than local venues being destroyed by financiers is when "fake unique" chains are opened. It was always sad to hear my students blown away by how unique Hollister's stores were, until their homework was to visit the three local malls and they discovered they're all the same! Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

The Following User Says Thank You to GodSmile For This Useful Post:
thinkxingu (09-04-2015)

09-04-2015, 06:50 AM	#9
GodSmile Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 91 Thanked 56 Times in 36 Posts	let me clarify.... I like my Italian cooking better than anything I've had out.... should not have said mine is better than Faros....

09-04-2015, 07:13 AM	#10
Just Sold Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Suncook, NH, but at The Lake at Heart Posts: 2,612 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 433 Times in 209 Posts	I know that the Bedford Weathervane has been torn down and the Waterville, ME location is closed and up for lease. Not sure of any other closures. Here is the list from their web site of open Weathervane's: ~ All Locations ~ WEATHERVANE RESTAURANT Kittery, ME Dover, NH Chichester, NH Salem, NH West Lebanon, NH Nashua, NH LOBSTER IN THE ROUGH Weirs Beach, Laconia, NH Badgers Island, Kittery, ME THE ORIGINAL SHACK Kittery, ME (Closed for the Season __________________ Just Sold At the lake the stress of daily life just melts away. Pro Re Nata