Wolfeboro Inn

Coolbreeze · 09-16-2006, 03:36 PM

Owners and operators should always "stealth their operations" sometimes it is by pulling a group of customers aside and tell them they are the test table for the night, maybe comp them some wine for the honesty and work. The lessons learned may be worth the bottle.

Nadia · 09-16-2006, 09:53 PM

Rose,
I can completely comprehend your feelings during this situation. I don't want to say I don't like kids, that's not true. More so I'm not used to kids. I don't have any children yet and I was raised an only child. My tolerance for children tends to be a bit lower. Although I run into just as many wonderful, well behaved children. The problem with situations like this is, it's certainly not your fault, it's not the resteraunts fault, and it's not the kids fault either. It's the parents fault.

When I visit a high end establishment I ask the hostess to be seated away from children and babies, most of the time I opt for the lounge or bar area. I'll take a smoke filled lounge over a screaming kid any day, but that's just me.

If I were you I would have let the server know I was unhappy with the disruption, and asked to be moved. It wouldn't hurt to tell the manager either in a polite way. The only problem is, like I said, it's really the fault of the parents. The best way I think, is to make a suggestion to the actual owner or manager to implement a policy like Nadia's and Canoe both have in regards to young children in certain areas of the resteraunt. I believe Canoe has a certain dining room that is 13+. One half of our establishment is "adults only", including the bar area as well. Let the owner know this is something you'd like to see in the future. I know there are people who strongly disagree with me, but in a higher end establishment where guests are spending considerable amounts of time and money, they should be able to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing meal.

Generally most places are big enough that they should have ample space to put between you and the disruptive table. If not then I think it's definately the responsibility of the owner or manager to ask the adults to keep the children seated and as quiet as possible. Other than that, like I said, it's really the parents fault. I was never allowed to run around any resteraunt. The things I see people doing even in my own dining room blows my mind. There are times when we've had to step in and ask parents and/or children to please keep their children seated, to not draw on the specials board, to not pull the curtains down, and even once, to stop spitting spit balls. In all honesty I watched a woman sit there and watch her two sons spit spitballs back and forth at eachother until a staff member asked them to please refrain from doing so. Absolutely disgusting. If I ever spit a spitball at my parents table...

On the same token I think sometimes it's unfair for parents to bring young children in higher end establishments and expect them to sit still. Kids generally don't like the food, don't want to sit still, and get frustrated and cranky. Upsetting the experience for those at the table, and even those seated around them at times. I think it's totally unfair to the kids, not to mention having them wait for tables and food in busy resteraunts. Basically, I think the responsibility really rests with the parents. The only thing you can do is suggest to the owner what I mentioned above, and certainly voice your complaints for a case in point.

Rose · 09-17-2006, 07:39 AM

Thank you, Nadia, for your well-thought response. I'll try your advice the next time I'm in a high-end restaurant.

Rose

luna · 11-15-2006, 09:31 PM

My one major complaint about the Wolfe Tavern, which will make me never go back, was the cigarette smoke from the bar. The place is so small you can't even breathe. The food was fair.

Zee · 11-17-2006, 12:36 PM

I agree, the cigarette smoke in the front "no-smoking" section is too much. We usually request non-smoking in the room near the salad bar. It isn't affected by the smoke.

The Big Kahuna · 11-18-2006, 09:34 AM

I would like to add that when I go out to dinner, and have one bad experience, I will usually give the place we went to a second chance. If I have a second bad experience, they are off my list of places to go. So far I have been to just about every place mentioned on this Forum. I have had one bad experence at every place mentioned (except for Waldo's), but have gone back and had two or three great experiences. I look at going out to dinner like playing baseball, if I only have one bad experience out of 4, I am batting .750, and that is all star stuff. I figure when you go 0 for two or three, its time to call it quits on that place and know that you a least gave it a chance.

MaidenCove07 · 06-08-2007, 12:52 PM

Well I've been up here all my life and am ashamed to say, I haven't been too adventurous with my dining selections....SO I made a pact to venture out some more this summer.
I started at the Wolfeboro Inn and am already thinking I should stay put.
I'd never been to the Inn and was dining alone this particular evening. I entered through the pub and was overwhelmed by the smoke (thanks goodness THAT won't be a problem anymore come September). I waited at the bar for a bit while the bartender chatted with 2 patrons then wandered through the place trying to find a hostess station as not a single staff member (waitress/bartender/etc.) asked to help me.
I was quickly seated in the Maple room after asking to sit in a non-smoking section. My waitress was friendly and attentive, but the food....YIKES. For the prices, I expected much better.
The foods at the salad bar must have been there all day with no attention as there was a dry crust on all of the salads, the cukes were dry, the bread was rock solid, and the dressings were all separated (like in the bottle when you need to shake it first). Even the cole slaw was tough and dry.
The menu offered a Sea Scallops, Haddock or Baby Shrimp plate and described the combo platter as some of each of these. I ordered the seafood combo plate without shrimp as I don't care for baby shrimp and the waitress said they would just give me more haddock and scallops. I took that to mean that my meal was supposed to consist then of Sea Scallops and Haddock. I was wrong. What I got was 6 bay scallops (one of them was almost as big as a quarter) and some fish flavored crunchy batter with a baked potato (which was good) and some sweet, but obviously all day soaked baby carrots. I was too hungry to send it back so I suffered through it, but for my money in this high end restaurant, I was terribly disappointed and won't return.

I'll keep you posted on my other dining excursions if I dare!!!

09-16-2006, 09:53 PM	#2
Nadia Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Laconia/Vegas/Florida Posts: 160 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 24 Thanked 19 Times in 10 Posts	Rose Rose, I can completely comprehend your feelings during this situation. I don't want to say I don't like kids, that's not true. More so I'm not used to kids. I don't have any children yet and I was raised an only child. My tolerance for children tends to be a bit lower. Although I run into just as many wonderful, well behaved children. The problem with situations like this is, it's certainly not your fault, it's not the resteraunts fault, and it's not the kids fault either. It's the parents fault. When I visit a high end establishment I ask the hostess to be seated away from children and babies, most of the time I opt for the lounge or bar area. I'll take a smoke filled lounge over a screaming kid any day, but that's just me. If I were you I would have let the server know I was unhappy with the disruption, and asked to be moved. It wouldn't hurt to tell the manager either in a polite way. The only problem is, like I said, it's really the fault of the parents. The best way I think, is to make a suggestion to the actual owner or manager to implement a policy like Nadia's and Canoe both have in regards to young children in certain areas of the resteraunt. I believe Canoe has a certain dining room that is 13+. One half of our establishment is "adults only", including the bar area as well. Let the owner know this is something you'd like to see in the future. I know there are people who strongly disagree with me, but in a higher end establishment where guests are spending considerable amounts of time and money, they should be able to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing meal. Generally most places are big enough that they should have ample space to put between you and the disruptive table. If not then I think it's definately the responsibility of the owner or manager to ask the adults to keep the children seated and as quiet as possible. Other than that, like I said, it's really the parents fault. I was never allowed to run around any resteraunt. The things I see people doing even in my own dining room blows my mind. There are times when we've had to step in and ask parents and/or children to please keep their children seated, to not draw on the specials board, to not pull the curtains down, and even once, to stop spitting spit balls. In all honesty I watched a woman sit there and watch her two sons spit spitballs back and forth at eachother until a staff member asked them to please refrain from doing so. Absolutely disgusting. If I ever spit a spitball at my parents table... On the same token I think sometimes it's unfair for parents to bring young children in higher end establishments and expect them to sit still. Kids generally don't like the food, don't want to sit still, and get frustrated and cranky. Upsetting the experience for those at the table, and even those seated around them at times. I think it's totally unfair to the kids, not to mention having them wait for tables and food in busy resteraunts. Basically, I think the responsibility really rests with the parents. The only thing you can do is suggest to the owner what I mentioned above, and certainly voice your complaints for a case in point.

09-17-2006, 07:39 AM	#3
Rose Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 498 Thanks: 62 Thanked 71 Times in 32 Posts	Thank you Thank you, Nadia, for your well-thought response. I'll try your advice the next time I'm in a high-end restaurant. Rose

11-18-2006, 09:34 AM	#6
The Big Kahuna Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Gilford Posts: 148 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Bad experience I would like to add that when I go out to dinner, and have one bad experience, I will usually give the place we went to a second chance. If I have a second bad experience, they are off my list of places to go. So far I have been to just about every place mentioned on this Forum. I have had one bad experence at every place mentioned (except for Waldo's), but have gone back and had two or three great experiences. I look at going out to dinner like playing baseball, if I only have one bad experience out of 4, I am batting .750, and that is all star stuff. I figure when you go 0 for two or three, its time to call it quits on that place and know that you a least gave it a chance.

06-08-2007, 12:52 PM	#7
MaidenCove07 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Manchester in Winter, Weirs Beach in Summer & Fall Posts: 132 Thanks: 29 Thanked 17 Times in 7 Posts	My Critique of the Wolfboro Inn Well I've been up here all my life and am ashamed to say, I haven't been too adventurous with my dining selections....SO I made a pact to venture out some more this summer. I started at the Wolfeboro Inn and am already thinking I should stay put. I'd never been to the Inn and was dining alone this particular evening. I entered through the pub and was overwhelmed by the smoke (thanks goodness THAT won't be a problem anymore come September). I waited at the bar for a bit while the bartender chatted with 2 patrons then wandered through the place trying to find a hostess station as not a single staff member (waitress/bartender/etc.) asked to help me. I was quickly seated in the Maple room after asking to sit in a non-smoking section. My waitress was friendly and attentive, but the food....YIKES. For the prices, I expected much better. The foods at the salad bar must have been there all day with no attention as there was a dry crust on all of the salads, the cukes were dry, the bread was rock solid, and the dressings were all separated (like in the bottle when you need to shake it first). Even the cole slaw was tough and dry. The menu offered a Sea Scallops, Haddock or Baby Shrimp plate and described the combo platter as some of each of these. I ordered the seafood combo plate without shrimp as I don't care for baby shrimp and the waitress said they would just give me more haddock and scallops. I took that to mean that my meal was supposed to consist then of Sea Scallops and Haddock. I was wrong. What I got was 6 bay scallops (one of them was almost as big as a quarter) and some fish flavored crunchy batter with a baked potato (which was good) and some sweet, but obviously all day soaked baby carrots. I was too hungry to send it back so I suffered through it, but for my money in this high end restaurant, I was terribly disappointed and won't return. I'll keep you posted on my other dining excursions if I dare!!!

09-16-2006, 03:36 PM	#1
Coolbreeze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 332 Thanks: 0 Thanked 51 Times in 26 Posts	Owners and operators should always "stealth their operations" sometimes it is by pulling a group of customers aside and tell them they are the test table for the night, maybe comp them some wine for the honesty and work. The lessons learned may be worth the bottle.

11-15-2006, 09:31 PM	#4
luna Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My one major complaint about the Wolfe Tavern, which will make me never go back, was the cigarette smoke from the bar. The place is so small you can't even breathe. The food was fair.

11-17-2006, 12:36 PM	#5
Zee Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Union Wharf, Tuftonboro Posts: 173 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 1 Post	I agree, the cigarette smoke in the front "no-smoking" section is too much. We usually request non-smoking in the room near the salad bar. It isn't affected by the smoke.