Wolfe Trap Restaurant

KonaChick · 05-26-2008, 07:25 PM

We finally got to try the WolfeTrap restaurant in Wolfeboro this Sunday night and I'm sorry to say were so disappointed! Started out fine with some great margaritas and a table fairly quickly but things went downhill shortly. Our waitress brought the Specials Board over and then did a disappearing act for about 20 minutes before she came back to take our order. I orderd the lobster bisque which came cold 20 minutes after that. At this point it's 40 minutes into the meal and with the slow service and cold bisque I wasn't happy. I tell the waitress about the bisque and she says she'll be happy to "zap" it in the mircro for me. Are you kidding....zap it?? Anyway it comes back hot which was better than before. The waitress then comes back to the table to ask my husband if he needs another drink and promptly turns and walks away when he says sure. I call to her "excuse me I'd love another drink too"!! She was like "Oh, sure"...HUH?!?!? So 20 MORE minutes into this our dinners finally arrive. My baked stuffed haddock, husband's haddock, son's swordfish, daughter's spaghetti and other son's fries COLD! The rest of my crew is so starving they dig in but I call the waitress back over to tell her now my meal is cold (fish, carrots and potatoes). She promptly "zaps" it again and it comes out so hot and dried out it's inedible. I call her over and ask her at this point to see a manager and she says she's sorry but she can't get him it's too busy. OK about to lose my "cookies" now, and I tell her she needs to go talk to him to see what they are going to do to fix this situation. She comes back with a $50 gift certiciate and says sorry. In the end I applaud them for taking a bad situation and trying to do something about it but I was so sorry this restaurant didn't live up to my expectations. Anyone else have anything good, bad or indifferent to say about WolfeTrap? To be honest to be it's just an upscale Town Dox with bad food in my opinion.

camp guy · 05-26-2008, 07:54 PM

I'm sorry, KonaChick, that you had a bad experience dining in Wolfeboro, but I am not at all surprised by your report on the Wolfe Trap. Over the years "the Trap" has cultivated a 'cult of diners' who frequent the place regularly, who, apparently, find their style of service acceptable. Most people I talk with stay away - too noisey, too pricey, and too dirty. Again, I'm sorry for your bad experience.

wildwoodfam · 05-28-2008, 02:42 PM

First off - it was a major holiday weekend - and the first weekend of summer breaking in new staff - etc. Making excuses? Perhaps, but I stand by the Trap and I stand by many restaurants up at the lake where the food is good - but the atmosphere may be better. And isn't that what many of us go out to these restaurants for - a dinner we dont have to cook - but for the atmosphere of dining lakeside with friends.

Had Kona left the Trap without any kind of resolution - and I'd say a $50 Gift Cert is pretty good resolution - I'd be feeling differently perhaps.

At the very least go back on a not so CRAZY weekend like Memorial Day - and give them another try.

FYI - You'd be amazed at how many restaurants "COOK" your food by "ZAPPING" it!!

We eat at the Trap no less than half dozen times each summer - for the past several summers now and we have NEVER experienced any of the issues Kona raised in her post. Never disatisfied with service - although on a busy weekend night it can take a bit longer - but we go in expecting that!! Never any complaints about the food - and I am troubled to hear everything served was distasteful - that indeed worries me.

Give them another chance - just don't go back on FOURTH of JULY WEEKEND!!

KonaChick · 05-28-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwoodfam

First off - it was a major holiday weekend - and the first weekend of summer breaking in new staff - etc. Making excuses? Perhaps, but I stand by the Trap and I stand by many restaurants up at the lake where the food is good - but the atmosphere may be better. And isn't that what many of us go out to these restaurants for - a dinner we dont have to cook - but for the atmosphere of dining lakeside with friends.

Had Kona left the Trap without any kind of resolution - and I'd say a $50 Gift Cert is pretty good resolution - I'd be feeling differently perhaps.

At the very least go back on a not so CRAZY weekend like Memorial Day - and give them another try.

FYI - You'd be amazed at how many restaurants "COOK" your food by "ZAPPING" it!!

We eat at the Trap no less than half dozen times each summer - for the past several summers now and we have NEVER experienced any of the issues Kona raised in her post. Never disatisfied with service - although on a busy weekend night it can take a bit longer - but we go in expecting that!! Never any complaints about the food - and I am troubled to hear everything served was distasteful - that indeed worries me.

Give them another chance - just don't go back on FOURTH of JULY WEEKEND!!

Thanks for the reply. We would consider going back for lunch and to be honest the lobster rolls that were being served around me looked fantastic. I think that you can make the excuse it was a major holiday weekend (albeit a slow one in my opinion) and they were working out the kinks but like you said the most worrisome part was the distasteful food. That can't be fixed and wasn't due to it being a major holiday weekend. The $50 gift certificate did make me feel validated that I had ligitimate complaints and that they were heard. I guess it was just the hype I'd been hearing about this place from some dear friends of ours in Wolfeboro. I think I may have set my expectations too high. Once again thanks for your reply!

Patiently Watching · 05-30-2008, 03:16 AM

I have to agree with Kona Chick. I had dinner with some guests this week and had a similar experience. I guess I should have expected it because last summer on three occasions different groups that we brought had issues with food and service throughout the summer, not just opening weekend.
In years past the food was consistent and the service of good quality, but given last year and my first experience this year, I guess I'll be going elsewhere.

beagle · 05-31-2008, 07:18 AM

We went there twice last summer in August. First time was good, second time, slow service and cold food. Not sure if 3rd time's a charm?

secondcurve · 05-31-2008, 08:32 AM

I've never had an outstanding experience at the Trap either. It's a good place for a couple of beers but that is as far as I would go with this establishment.

Cristen · 06-01-2008, 06:28 PM

I have not been to the Wolfe Trap since last year, but I thought it was OK. Not great, not bad. They seemed to have a decent bar seen for the Wolfeboro area....I'll give them that.

nj2nh · 06-02-2008, 09:00 AM

We went to the Wolfe Trip a few years ago with friends from Jersey. One of them has a very bad peanut allergy.

When dessert rolled around, he asked the waitress many, many times as to whether the dessert he wanted had any peanut ingredients. She left, came back and told us that the chef said that it did not.

He could taste the peanuts. We could see the peanuts in the crust, but didn't look for them before he took that first bite. We ended up at Huggins Hospital.

The waitress said she thought our friend was joking. They have a list of menu items with peanuts posted in the kitchen. This item was on it, but, like I said, she thought he was kidding. I can't imagine why she thought that since he asked about everything he wanted to order.

Adding insult to injury, the waitress didn't want us to leave until we paid the bill. We left anyway, but my husband came back and paid it. Couldn't believe it.

Never, ever again.

nj2nh

Frdxplorer · 06-03-2008, 10:36 PM

The Wolfetrap has seemed to decline in recent years. I think at this point, it is best for afternoon beers and appetizers such as oysters or clams. The dinner situation leaves quite a bit to be desired.

SusanBKellom · 07-22-2008, 12:09 PM

We waited so long -- almost 20 minutes -- for anyone to even come to take a drink order, that we just got up and left.

It looks like the wait staff spends its time with people they know.

05-26-2008, 07:25 PM	#1
KonaChick Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 518 Thanks: 19 Thanked 62 Times in 15 Posts	Wolfe Trap Restaurant We finally got to try the WolfeTrap restaurant in Wolfeboro this Sunday night and I'm sorry to say were so disappointed! Started out fine with some great margaritas and a table fairly quickly but things went downhill shortly. Our waitress brought the Specials Board over and then did a disappearing act for about 20 minutes before she came back to take our order. I orderd the lobster bisque which came cold 20 minutes after that. At this point it's 40 minutes into the meal and with the slow service and cold bisque I wasn't happy. I tell the waitress about the bisque and she says she'll be happy to "zap" it in the mircro for me. Are you kidding....zap it?? Anyway it comes back hot which was better than before. The waitress then comes back to the table to ask my husband if he needs another drink and promptly turns and walks away when he says sure. I call to her "excuse me I'd love another drink too"!! She was like "Oh, sure"...HUH?!?!? So 20 MORE minutes into this our dinners finally arrive. My baked stuffed haddock, husband's haddock, son's swordfish, daughter's spaghetti and other son's fries COLD! The rest of my crew is so starving they dig in but I call the waitress back over to tell her now my meal is cold (fish, carrots and potatoes). She promptly "zaps" it again and it comes out so hot and dried out it's inedible. I call her over and ask her at this point to see a manager and she says she's sorry but she can't get him it's too busy. OK about to lose my "cookies" now, and I tell her she needs to go talk to him to see what they are going to do to fix this situation. She comes back with a $50 gift certiciate and says sorry. In the end I applaud them for taking a bad situation and trying to do something about it but I was so sorry this restaurant didn't live up to my expectations. Anyone else have anything good, bad or indifferent to say about WolfeTrap? To be honest to be it's just an upscale Town Dox with bad food in my opinion.

05-26-2008, 07:54 PM	#2
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,168 Thanks: 298 Thanked 516 Times in 288 Posts	Wolfe Trap restaurant I'm sorry, KonaChick, that you had a bad experience dining in Wolfeboro, but I am not at all surprised by your report on the Wolfe Trap. Over the years "the Trap" has cultivated a 'cult of diners' who frequent the place regularly, who, apparently, find their style of service acceptable. Most people I talk with stay away - too noisey, too pricey, and too dirty. Again, I'm sorry for your bad experience.

05-28-2008, 02:42 PM	#3
wildwoodfam Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Andover, MA & summers up at the BIG lake Posts: 285 Thanks: 5 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	I guess I am one of "those" people who swear by the "Trap!" First off - it was a major holiday weekend - and the first weekend of summer breaking in new staff - etc. Making excuses? Perhaps, but I stand by the Trap and I stand by many restaurants up at the lake where the food is good - but the atmosphere may be better. And isn't that what many of us go out to these restaurants for - a dinner we dont have to cook - but for the atmosphere of dining lakeside with friends. Had Kona left the Trap without any kind of resolution - and I'd say a $50 Gift Cert is pretty good resolution - I'd be feeling differently perhaps. At the very least go back on a not so CRAZY weekend like Memorial Day - and give them another try. FYI - You'd be amazed at how many restaurants "COOK" your food by "ZAPPING" it!! We eat at the Trap no less than half dozen times each summer - for the past several summers now and we have NEVER experienced any of the issues Kona raised in her post. Never disatisfied with service - although on a busy weekend night it can take a bit longer - but we go in expecting that!! Never any complaints about the food - and I am troubled to hear everything served was distasteful - that indeed worries me. Give them another chance - just don't go back on FOURTH of JULY WEEKEND!!

05-30-2008, 03:16 AM	#5
Patiently Watching Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 184 Thanks: 2 Thanked 42 Times in 34 Posts	Wolfetrap I have to agree with Kona Chick. I had dinner with some guests this week and had a similar experience. I guess I should have expected it because last summer on three occasions different groups that we brought had issues with food and service throughout the summer, not just opening weekend. In years past the food was consistent and the service of good quality, but given last year and my first experience this year, I guess I'll be going elsewhere.

05-31-2008, 07:18 AM	#6
beagle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 175 Thanks: 182 Thanked 25 Times in 21 Posts	we too had mixed results We went there twice last summer in August. First time was good, second time, slow service and cold food. Not sure if 3rd time's a charm?

05-31-2008, 08:32 AM	#7
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,113 Thanks: 1,312 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	I've never had an outstanding experience at the Trap either. It's a good place for a couple of beers but that is as far as I would go with this establishment.

06-01-2008, 06:28 PM	#8
Cristen Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 143 Thanks: 25 Thanked 11 Times in 6 Posts	I have not been to the Wolfe Trap since last year, but I thought it was OK. Not great, not bad. They seemed to have a decent bar seen for the Wolfeboro area....I'll give them that.

06-02-2008, 09:00 AM	#9
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 524 Thanks: 63 Thanked 44 Times in 24 Posts	We went to the Wolfe Trip a few years ago with friends from Jersey. One of them has a very bad peanut allergy. When dessert rolled around, he asked the waitress many, many times as to whether the dessert he wanted had any peanut ingredients. She left, came back and told us that the chef said that it did not. He could taste the peanuts. We could see the peanuts in the crust, but didn't look for them before he took that first bite. We ended up at Huggins Hospital. The waitress said she thought our friend was joking. They have a list of menu items with peanuts posted in the kitchen. This item was on it, but, like I said, she thought he was kidding. I can't imagine why she thought that since he asked about everything he wanted to order. Adding insult to injury, the waitress didn't want us to leave until we paid the bill. We left anyway, but my husband came back and paid it. Couldn't believe it. Never, ever again. nj2nh __________________

06-03-2008, 10:36 PM	#10
Frdxplorer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: York, PA Posts: 234 Thanks: 2 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	The Wolfetrap has seemed to decline in recent years. I think at this point, it is best for afternoon beers and appetizers such as oysters or clams. The dinner situation leaves quite a bit to be desired.

07-22-2008, 12:09 PM	#11
SusanBKellom Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	We just got up and left We waited so long -- almost 20 minutes -- for anyone to even come to take a drink order, that we just got up and left. It looks like the wait staff spends its time with people they know. __________________ Susan