Stottsville Inn - Coatesville

We enjoyed a lovely anniversary dinner at this charming old inn. The selection of craft beers was impressive, and I sampled a few excellent IPAs. For our appetizer, we ordered calamari, and for our main course, we both chose the chicken marsala. It was served with mashed potatoes and broccoli instead of pasta, and it was absolutely delicious. We arrived at 8 PM on a Saturday, and the bar area was quite busy, but it had mostly emptied out by the time we finished. While a guitarist played for diners in another room, we opted for the quieter space, where only three other tables were occupied.

Rooms: 3 Service: 4 Location: 3 Hotel highlights: Romantic atmosphere

Our group of three was seated in the main dining area, where the live music was painfully loud, making it nearly impossible to have a conversation. The high ceiling and large windows only amplified the noise, creating a frustrating echo. Adding to the discomfort, I noticed someone filming in the dining area, intruding on the space of diners by leaning on tables, which felt quite invasive. The restaurant might also benefit from having an electrician fix the flickering lights, as it was quite distracting. I was disappointed that the bartender couldn't mix a proper dirty martini, which should be a simple cocktail with just three ingredients. Additionally, I began to worry about the kitchen’s efficiency when my order for a basic dry house salad took an outrageous 45 minutes to arrive, alongside a martini that was way too salty from the olive juice. The salad itself was subpar, featuring wilted arugula and bruised cucumbers. However, the wait staff did their best and showed remarkable professionalism, which made up somewhat for the restaurant's other issues. Our waitress, in particular, was exceptional and worked tirelessly, and I sincerely hope she is paid fairly for her hard work. Still, the kitchen clearly needs better management. It was particularly troubling that there were no vegan options for one of our guests, who couldn’t even order fries due to cross-contamination risks. The incident involving a raw burger, which was ordered medium-rare but arrived cold in the center, highlighted significant shortcomings in the kitchen. Although the restaurant quickly removed the charge for that item, it raised genuine concerns about food safety. I bear no ill feelings toward our waitress, as the blaring music made it hard for her to communicate effectively. All in all, my experience here was quite disappointing. It seems to cater to an older crowd looking to recapture their past, but the food quality did not meet my expectations. The establishment could benefit from reevaluating and possibly retraining both the bartender and kitchen staff. If not for my review commitment, I wouldn’t feel inclined to return. Please take my honest feedback into account. Rooms: 1 Service: 3 Location: 1

I ordered chicken wings, fries, and a draft beer. Unfortunately, my wings and fries took a long time to arrive, and I noticed that guests who came in after me received their drinks and meals before I did. When my food finally arrived, both the wings and fries were lukewarm at best. On the bright side, the beer was cold, which I appreciated. The wings were dry and tough, almost reminiscent of burnt cardboard, while the fries were just okay—better if they had been served hot. To make matters worse, my server was inattentive and seemed unsure of what to do. I had to flag them down for drink refills, as they didn’t check on me at all. I thought I would give them one last chance with their $10 cake and a scoop of ice cream. After waiting 15 minutes for it, the server simply walked by and asked if I needed anything else. Wow. Overall, I can only give Stottsville Inn one star—mostly for the nice ambiance and the cold beer; even that feels generous. Looking around at the packed parking lot, it seemed clear that most people were there for the bar's extensive drink selection, not for the food. I won't be returning unless I'm just looking for a drink at the bar. As for the food? No thanks.

Charming old building with plenty of parking available, even when it's busy. We've only dined here twice and have enjoyed our visits, but we do have a few concerns. On Sunday, October 8, 2023, we specifically chose this restaurant because their online brunch menu featured eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. Unfortunately, when we arrived, that dish was no longer available, nor was the standard eggs Benedict with ham that was also listed online. My wife opted for the eggs Benedict with bacon, which was cooked beautifully, while I chose the chicken wings. They were satisfactory, but a bit on the dry side, and I've definitely had better in the past. The service was decent, though the food took a bit longer to arrive than expected. Despite these issues, we plan to return as the bar area has a really nice atmosphere. Overall, I would rate the service a 4 and the location a 4.