Restaurant at Church Landing

[The Eagle]

Hi Guys and Gals,
Has anyone tried the resturant at the new Church Landing in Meredith? My wife and I have walked through and it's a beautiful building, but we have not heard of anyone who has eaten at the new resturant. How is the food and how are the prices? We were going to try it last weekend, but wanted to hear from others first. Anyone? (Only seven more months until MAY)!
"The Eagle"

[Old Hubbard Rd]

It is GREAT!! The prices are resonable. You'll love it!!

[tricia1218]

Food and service was great, prices were resonable, we are looking forward to going back.

[SAMIAM]

We find that it has the same relaxed atmosphere as the old Boathouse Grille and the food and service were great.

[BroadHopper]

I attended a wedding and reception Satuday at Church landing. A tent was pitched on the shore for the wedding. It's a good thing as it did rain. It was a fabulous wedding.
The reception was nice with a nice jazz, top 40's band. I think the hall was in the original church building as the outside walls is brick in the form of the old church. The food was not up to Common Man's par. My salmon was dry and the vegetables were not cooked. I don't mind uncooked string beans but they should be hot for a meal. My date select rare Filet mignon. It was well done, and I mean WELL done. We complained to the waitress and we did not get a satisfactory answer.
Generally I find the interior a bit funny. Everything looks fake.

[JG1222]

My wife and stayed at Church Landing and had dinner in the restaurant towards the end of August. The place was fantastic!

The atmosphere was great, food was excellent, and the prices (I thought) were reasonable (actually a little less than Canoe - another great place!)

I'd highly recommend it to anyone and look forward to another visit this winter.

[Cookie]

WOW! Well going to the Bar at Church Landing after having a wonderful meal there! The Bartenders for the most part are great,however to see the bar manager in the bar intoxicated is a real turn off. Even off the clock everyone knows faces. Also to have a person in management sitting at the bar bad mouthing other local resteraunt is also a turn off! There is to much talent here to be wrecked by people that can not clearly control there Alc. intake!

[BlackCatIslander]

We had a pleasant meal there earlier in the summer. I am curious as to whether others were as uncomfortable as I was with the wooden backs of their chairs. I think that their interior designer went too far in carrying the rustic theme onto the chairs.

[T.H.E. Binz]

I believe that this restaurant goes by the name of Lakeside Grille or Lake House Grill or something - I've been twice . . . Excellent atmosphere and food, but plan on waiting at least 45 minutes if you go on a weekend . . . as with the old Boathouse Grill, prices are a little steep, especially for alcohol.

[jetskier]

Hi all,

We have been there several times over the past year or so. The overall atmosphere is very rustic which is in accord with the theme of the hotel. Personally, I did not find the chair uncomfortable, but I can see how they might be.

The view is absolutely wonderful; there is a panoramic view of the harbor.

We have generally found the food to be very good. Over the span of the year, we have had 3 very good experiences and 1 off night. So, the likelyhood is that the food will be outstanding, but they do seem to have their off nights. Might be associated with chef staff.

[mcdude]

I went to the Lakehouse Grille this past summer on a rainy Monday night and was surprised there were so many diners there. (I had wanted to go to East of Suez but then found out they are closed on Mondays). There was no hostess when we arrived but someone else stepped up to the plate and seated us immediately in one of the best seats next to a window overlooking the gloomy, foggy bay. The wait person was very friendly and welcoming. The food was pretty good....no complaints. It was a bit pricey but it was a special occasion. The atmosphere is inviting and they have put much work into decorating to capture the lakehouse feel. (What all the twinkly lights on the ceiling had to do with this is beyond me.) We toured the place after our meal and it is quite impressive. As I was waiting for the car to come around and pick me up, some boss-type person had to come down and retrieve two kitchen workers who were smoking something inside the dumpster enclosure. Could this be the reason they occasionally have an off night? Overall we had a nice time.....check it out for sure. However, if I am driving all the way from Alton to Meredith, next time I'll go back to the Cliff Lodge, one of my favorite places over on Newfound Lake where you can dine al fresco and watch the sun go down over the lake.

[mets3007]

I went there once during the summer and they charged what I think was 6 bucks for them I thought that was high since you can get pancakes for 4.50 at some other places, yes the atmosphere, food, and service was great, but, I thought the prices were high. I am not the exact one to judge since I visit 3 weeks a year to the Lakes Region and I prefer to save money so I can have fun at other places like , trains, scenic cruises and mini golf.

[Lakewinniboater]

Well, I will say that the food at Lake House Grille was fantastic. Service on any given night varies considerable. However, that can happen at just about any establishment.

We had our wedding, rehearsal dinner and basically the entire guest list staying at the Inns. I can not at all complain about the bar, wait staff or event staff. It was a wonderful wedding.

There were hiccups don't get me wrong. Most were fixed, however, the worst problems were handled VERY badly.

I have made complaints in person, phone and writting. I am hoping that the ownership takes them seriously and gets some new management. That is really their only problem. She is extremely defensive and rude. (wouldn't doubt if the above comments might have been her.) Absolutely and completely unprofessional.

Should you be planning a wedding or event there. Feel free to email me and I will let you know what to look out for.

BROADHOPPER - as for the wedding you attended.... I for one wanted the filet and salmon. Fortunately we went to a food tasting event before chosing the menu and I found the SAME thing you did.

Therefore, we had the Lobster stuffed Haddock and Prime Rib for guests and my husband and I had Filet. Food was perfect. It is tough for any establishment to get 150-200 filets cooked properly. Prime Rib is a bit easier.

Being an Ex-Banquet Manager, can say that it is a tough business. For me to not have any complaints EXCEPT for HORRIBLE management..... they did a great job.

Our favorite restaurant is the Woodshed in Wofeboro.... however, Lake House Grille is a close second!!!!!

[mcdude]

Anyone who may have been interested in my recommendation for the CLIFF LODGE can regretfully forget about it since they will be closing their doors FOREVER this Saturday.

[jkjoshuatree]

Love it...try the lobster quesadillas.

[Lake Lady 6]

Thanks for all the input. We are going to try it this weekend & possibly book Thanksgiving, depending on our experience. I can't see how you can beat the views and the ability to walk off your meal on the shores of Lake W. We will also give a little allowance for being a holiday - not the best time to eat in a restaurant but time for mother to have a break. Our experience with any Common Man restaurant overall has been good - everyone has an off night.
Canoe is/was great but does not have the faciility to accomodate a party of 12 - 14 comfortably/

[canoe]

actually canoe has tables and a private room for large parties with seating for up to 20 for a family gathering. We also have a heated glassed in porch where tables can be put together to handle larger parties also. And yes we are open for thanksgiving and are taking reservations for all size parties.

[jeffk]

I attended a wedding in September. We had the rehersal dinner downstairs at Canoe. There were over 40 of us and we had a great time. We had the downstairs bar to ourselves and a choice of several of selections from the regular Canoe menu.

The wedding and dinner was at Church Landing. Over a 100 at the wedding and we had a good time there as well. The only complaint was that the pork dish was served cold. When I asked, I was told it was intentional, it was chilled pork. I enjoy a wide range of foods and preparation but cold pork was a surprise. If I had known I would have selected something else. This could easily have been a SNAFU by the wedding couple (invitations didn't indicate COLD pork) but usually wedding meals are pretty mainstream to appeal to a majority of people.

As to views and space to enjoy yourselves I don't see how Church Landing can be beat. There is lots of wandering around space, you're on a beautiful point and the boardwalk along the docks is very nice.

[The Big Kahuna]

I have been there several times. The food has always been great along with the service. The place they fall down is wait times. They tell you one thing and it is always a lot longer. We called ahead with the party of 8, were told they could seat within the hour. We there in 45 minutes, the hostest told us it would be another hour. They have done this to us at least 2-3 times. I do not appreciate that game, just tell us how long so we can plan accordingly. Its not like once you get there you get into that tiny bar or seating area. Next time it happens, I am done with that place.

[Lake Lady 6]

It was the best! There were eleven family members for early Thanksgiving dinner at the Lake House Grille. We arrived a bit early (allowed time for driving in the snow) and lounged in the many areas of the hotel with fireplaces and cozy nooks with chairs, even checker boards set up. We were among the early diners and the service was excellent - two wonderful waitresses, Cindy & Marcie. A variety of dinners among the group, salmon, turkey, lamb, prime rib & duck - all were great. Some of us even had dessert including my 92 year old dad.
The snow was falling when we arrived and the lake was not visible and before we left the sun came out and it was a spectacular sight.
The only complaint was from a couple of grandkids who said "how come you didn't tell us to bring our bathing suits - they have a pool here". Guess next time they want to book a room!
Hope everyone on the forum had a wonderful family holiday.

[rrr]

Big Kahuna- same thing happened to us. I called ahead and was told an hour, got there 45 minutes later and was told an hour. Ended up being seated about two hours after we arrived. Loved the atmosphere, the food looked great - unfortunately I was way past hungry.

[speed]

The chairs in this resturant are ridiculous. Very uncomfortable. I can understand trying to create a certain atmosphere but they could have done better with the comfort. Does not make me want to eat there. BTW, the food is not that good also. Been there many times and usually go out to eat.

[camp guy]

It has been several months since this restaurant appeared on this site. My wife and I have had two very fine experiences at this restaurant. Both times the food was delicious. We went for the Easter Sunday buffet and it was just wonderful. We went just a couple of weeks ago and had an equally fine time. There is some construction/renovation going on, and, if there is a wedding, well, you just have to roll with the punchess and enjoy everything. I strongly support going there. (I would have said 'recommend', but I can't spell that word.)

[B R]

i'm not going to go on and on, but we thought the Lake House brunch on Sunday's would have been the same as Lagos always was. Same price, terrible brunch. 25 minute wait on eggs, no egg benni, no cut roast beef, just a small ham (how much pork product can you actually eat in one sitting).

it showed, we left there at 12:30 on sunday and there were two other tables being taken. This was sunday, july 2.

[mets3007]

I went there for once 2 years ago. I wont go back the prices are outrageous for breakfast. It was like something like 7 bucks for pancakes and they werent anything to brag about. The only thing good was the view and also the decor is nice but thats about it.

[codeman671]

Or should I call it the "Late House" ??

We spent 3 1/2 hours there on Saturday night, not the best of experiences...It took forever to get drinks, they actually forgot our orders a few times. Each time we wanted a round it took 30+ minutes. My rare Filet came back well done and took forever. They were nice enough but did not have their act together in any part. I will not rush back even though they did buy us a round and give us a $40 gift card for the experience.

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Or should I call it the "Late House" ??

We spent 3 1/2 hours there on Saturday night, not the best of experiences...It took forever to get drinks, they actually forgot our orders a few times. Each time we wanted a round it took 30+ minutes. My rare Filet came back well done and took forever. They were nice enough but did not have their act together in any part. I will not rush back even though they did buy us a round and give us a $40 gift card for the experience.

I've had the same experience there, service is slow and disorganized. Maybe I'm just picky but I eat out 4-5 nights a week and have to say service as an industry has gone way downhill the last 5 years or so to a point where I keep telling my wife I'm going to have cards printed to hand to them giving them the basic function of their job I expect them to be able to do including some hard ones like, acknowlege that I'm sitting there, make sure my drink is filled when it's empty and write down the order because when it comes out wrong 50% of the time you obviosuly aren't skilled enough to remember it. None of these things seems hard to me but lately 75% of the time that doesn't happen.


My only 2 good dining experiences this summer were at Canoe and Lago both of which had good waitresses with attention to detail and food quality was good.

[mets3007]

The best experience I had this past week at the lake was at Galley they are fast and accurate. I had 1 good experience at Ames Farm Inn Tuesday but then Friday 20 minutes for pancakes is a little slow I can get faster dinners than that < Jts bbq rt3>. I cant complain about most of the places we eat at.

[tmm366]

My daughter took me to church landing for my birthday. I ordered the prime rib special. It was terrible. Extremely tough and cold. The service was good, the drinks were good and its a pretty place. So I reccommend going there for a drink with a view but avoid eating there. MHO

[B R]

has anyone else been to brunch there lately?

[jetskier]

You know I am wondering about the Common Man Restaurants these days. We have gone to the Camp twice and the food was improperly prepared. I have contacted Common Man on their website and they said that they would talk to the staff. My sense is that the Camp and Restaurant at Church Landing are both suffering from variable (read bad) quality. I would expect that the parent company would be more concerned and proactive about this. Personally, I am not going to patronize them until I start hearing more positive feedback on this forum. There are just too many good restaurants in this area to spend money on badly prepared food. If there is anyone out there from Common Man, it would be good to hear a response.

Jetskier

[bobio]

The first time I went the food was good. That was when it first opened. Since then I have been back 4 or 5 times and it has progressively gotten worse. This place is a lake gem. I wish the owners would read this forum and attempt to make corrections. I realize that this business is a very difficult one to operate, but I enjoy taking guests there and at some point we will have to give up on it. At one time colleges like Johnson and Whales were putting out fine graduates in the cullinary field. Is this profession gone away like so many others these days? Seems like there are more complaints than compliments on most restaurants these days.

[tricia1218]

As you can see from my earlier post, the 1st time (2004) we went to Church Landing the experience was great, but after that it went down hill and we have not been back this season and after reading all these post we do not plan on it.

[JoeP]

Went to the Lake House on Saturday - Hostess told us she could not accomodate us (9) as she had three other large parties. Clearly understandable, but she then proceeded to rudely remind us that "this is a hotel, maybe you should try a restaurant". Guess they really don't want repeat business from those of us who are around to support them all year. Will be awhile before we go back.

[phoenix]

We had just the opposite time last week . We went for lunch and had their lobster corn chowder and i had the crab sandwich( very reasonable at $7) and wife had lobster salad. Great food and good prices and great view

[SteveA]

We had Mom up the lake today for her 79th Birthday...

We had Lunch at Church Landing..

Service was excellent, food was excellent, service staff was excellent...

We had:

Cobb salad... very good and VERY Big... $7.00
Turkey Spinach Wrap with a cranberry/mustard sauce... $7.00
Roast Beef Deli sandwich.. $7.00

We got out of there for less than $38.00 with tax and tip.

We had problems with the service and food when we went there with a big group on several occasions, at a busy time...

I think this is a place that you need to try at lunch.. or early dinner..

And... before I get beat up on taking Mom out for a cheap Lunch on her birthday... we stopped at Pepi Hermans and got her some really nice crystal.

SteveA

[holiedonut]

Would love to try it. How is the docking over there? When the public docks are full we head somewhere else.

[Old Hubbard Rd]

We have always enjoyed our meals at Church Landing. Check out their
Sunday buffet it's great!!

[carguy]

This past weekend, I made my first trip to the Lakes Region since 2000. On the way to the Lake, I stopped at the Tilton Diner for lunch. Their Shepard's Pie, an old favorite of mine from there, was better than ever. A large portion served in a large crock with lots of homemade mashed potatoes on top. It was great. I like diner food.

Later that day for supper, I had a double-stuffed lobster roll at Waldo Peppers. I was not disappointed. The half pound of Canadian lobster was delicious. Pepper does a real nice job with this.

Saturday morning, I had a delicious omelet at the Paugus Diner in Lakeport and Saturday night, I had dinner at ther Naswa. The filet mignon that I had could be cut with a fork, it was so tender. I had a nice glass of red wine and the atmospher and service were great.

It is nice to see that you can still get good tasting food, expertly prepared, at a decent price in a resort area. All in all, I had a good eating weekend.

[camp guy]

Hey, Carguy, very tastey post, but, did you get any lake time in between gastronomic delights ?