Jean Bonnet Tavern

Food is well prepared & many items are excellent. Were I to judge on that alone I’d give 5 stars. By local standards they are incredibly overpriced. Prime rib at Slick’s Ivy Stone is better & priced at less than ½. Bedford Springs crowd & probably local yuppies can afford these prices; I can’t. By comparison, Finelli’s in Altoona is best restaurant I ever ate at, prices notably lower than Bonnet, and service 6 steps above. A few things are reasonably priced [read menu carefully] & again food is good. Portions are fair, infinitely larger than yuppie ¹⁰⁄₀₉ & atmosphere 111 times better than ¹⁰⁄₀₉. None of main entrees in my book come close to being a fair value against price. Attractive old huge building. Modern expensive «gift shop» added.

Great historic place food was awesome, first time I ever ate scotch eggs, really good. Soup we had the stuffed pepper soup, tasty very, had the bison burger very well cooked, excellent flavor, service was on point, the root beer on tap was amazing. Highly recommend you come here. Not only for the food but for the history.

Once we found it ( Unilocal-​linked directions were way off) it was charming & cozy. Hearty crab & corn chowder but the crab cake sandwich was just ok. We would come back though because it beats the chains every time!

We stopped for lunch and ate in the tavern. Wonderful historical feel although no ghosts joined our luncheon. The food was delicious. The filet mignon sandwich was tender and perfect. Definitely don’t miss it.

Ive been here a dozen times and it’s really hit or miss, lately there have been more misses. I get the french onion soup every time because its my favorite, but honestly, I was really disappointed the last few times I got it — really greasy and barely any bread/​cheese on top — I mean barely. I got the autumn squash ravioli’s that were so sweet it felt like it was a dessert, I couldnt finish them because they were so sweet (and my friend got sick directly after eating hers. P. S.) I don’t know — I love giving good reviews and I give everyone the benefit of the doubt if it is a bad night, or a new cook, or whatever… But I’ve spent $ 50+ here only to wish we wouldve just stayed home and ate hot dogs over the fire.

A group of us stayed here for a night on our way to the Maryland Wine Festival and we loved it. The Tavern serves like a historic bed and breakfast. There are four rooms upstairs and they are all unique and different. The porch upstairs makes for a great place to catch up with friends. Breakfast is included in the cost of your stay. They make one thing for breakfast and that is what you get. It was delicious and very farm to table. In the rooms, because of the historic nature of the building, there are no refrigerators or TVs. They do have a coffee pot in the hallway for in the morning. Even thought they have a bar on the main level, they do allow you to bring in coolers for your stay. We ate dinner downstairs and it has that rustic feel that you would expect (and what we wanted.) The food was very good and very reasonably priced. Wine and beer were also very reasonably priced. Be sure to walk around the grounds during your stay and check out the gift shop. This is a very nice alternative to the other options we could have gone to. The owners are often on site, our server (and the bartenders) were nice, personable and knowledgeable.

A friend and I found this place on Unilocal and decided to give it a try. Glad we did; you will not be disappointed. The facility itself is stunning. We ate in the tavern (charming enough; this place was built in 17 hundred and something), but the dining room is one-​of-​a-​kind.
We ordered the artichoke and spinach dip for the appetizer. Nice heft and was not runny at all… perfect. I had the filet sandwich… my friend had the burger topped with crab cake. Both were excellent. The homemade buns were very tasty. The cheese on my sandwich was nice and thick. Steak was cooked perfectly. We both got the crab and corn chowder as sides. Very thick and not watery; I highly recommend it. Nice change from my usual side when dining out (fries). Prices very reasonable.
Our server was very good. Excellent people skills, plus made some great recommendations. We met the owner, too. Nice to meet someone who appreciated both our business and feedback.
This is where you want to eat. This is where you’ll return. Trust me.

Jean Bonnet is an excellent alternative to the plethora of chain restaurants lining the Pennsylvania turnpike. While it’s a little ways off of the Bedford exit, it’s not too far out of the way to get a really good meal. I had the bacon bbq burger and it was fantastic. The onion rings were great too. Aside from burgers and sandwiches it seemed like they had a lot of other full dinner options. This is definitely more of a local spot, but the waitresses were extremely nice and welcoming. Good beer list too.

This restaurant is a hidden Central PA gem. They have a fantastic menu and enjoy it everytime we dine here. In the winter they have actual fire places burning which is really nice. I highly recommend stopping for a bite to eat if you are passing through the area. It has quite a bit of history and also has a small gift shop with unique items.

Went here with my girlfriend on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. I heard about it through work because the place has a ton of history and had some decent feedback. It’s a fun feeling to walk into a building that has been around since the 1700’s. The inside décor was modern yet kept an old feel to it. The layout was a little different because it was not built as a restaurant (obviously).
We ordered wings for an appetizer. I got the habanero BBQ wings which I thought were a very mild compared to what I expected (not really spicy, just a tiny kick). It was really good; could tell it was a homemade BBQ sauce which I really appreciated. Caitie got the sweet and tangy which I tried and thought were fantastic! All food came on old heavy plates which played up to the atmosphere we were in. I ordered the bison burger and Caitie got the Fall salad (chicken, apples, pears, pecans, pear dressing). Both were delicious! The pears were a little hard for a salad, but besides that the food was decent.
An interesting experience dining here. Would definitely take people back here just for the experience alone. It’s right off the turnpike and just an interesting place to eat. Food is good. I’m sad I didn’t get to try their fall drink menu because it looked like they had a pretty nice page of fall cocktails and beer.

Important note: Unilocal lists this restaurant as in Bedford. It is really in Manns Choice. Don’t follow Unilocal directions!!!

We stopped here for dinner on a cross-​Pennsylvania drive, based in part on positive feedback by other diners. We dined in the tavern (rather than the dining room), where the friendly, casual atmosphere suited our school-​age kids. Side salads and a very nice stuffed tomato appetizer were highlights. Prices were reasonable. The menu offered good variety.
The very slow kitchen service was a problem. Our entrees took about 45 minutes to arrive, making for a much longer dinner stop than we would have liked. Our table server twice apologized while we waited, but he could have done better by offering a bread basket or some other small item to hold our hungry kids over. When our main courses arrived, my bison burger was overcooked to medium-​well. All in all, we stopped here with high hopes, but we were disappointed by mediocre quality and slow service.

Nice looking tavern built with thick stone walls and chestnut beams — the inside reminds me of the tavern area (bottom floor) of the Dobbins House in Gettysburg. There is a really large fireplace built into the wall. This tavern is at the intersection of two roads.
The oyster gumbo was decent, with rice, okra, and a bit of tomato. The taste of the oyster was a bit too strong throughout the soup.
The side salad had rather stale bread crumbs, and was a mix of romaine, some other green, and iceberg lettuce. It was ok.
The chicken bruschetta was a thick chicken breast with pesto, over linguine with some cooked cherry tomato halves and green beans. The linguine noodles were cooked just right. The chicken breast was a little too thick, the green beans ok. The dish was decent, but rather oily — I think it used a oil/​butter sauce.
The oatmeal pie was so-​so, it had a good sweetness to it, though I found the texture a bit soft and mushy. It came with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.
The service and people are quite nice!

I enjoyed this place but it does get quite busy. Don’t worry about sitting in the bar it’s still nice and the fireplace is an amazing piece to look out. I believe I had the fish sandwich and the sauces they use are so delicious.
The staff was really nice and the atmosphere is perfect for just a get together.

I’ve driven past this place for years, without ever stopping for dinner (I was here once years ago for drinks with one of my friends). When my brother who shared the same problem recommended we stop in, we all stopped by for some dinner.
The building itself is historic and has a wonderful old feel to it. The dinnerware is made of locally made pewter and a natural stick candle is lit at each table, adding a nice touch. They could dump the neon lights advertising beer makers from the windows; this only takes away from the historic vibe of the tavern. I’m pretty sure they didn’t have these at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion.
As a tavern they have a few signature seasonal cocktails. During our visit, my fiancée had the lemon basil martini, which she gave a meh rating. In general, the service refilling drinks and tending to the table was attentive.
As for the food, they had a gluten free menu, which is a big plus and a pleasant surprise.
My fiancée ordered their French onion soup, one of her favorites, and the summer rolls. She wasn’t overly impressed with either dish. Her description was the rolls were too doughy outside and the additional dough inside, so she opened them and ate the vegetables inside. As an appetizer, I had the spinach & artichoke dip with tortilla chips, The dip was good, but nothing beyond what you’d get at other pubs.
The server appeared to note my gluten restriction and order of a buffalo burger, medium well, with mushroom and swiss very nicely. However, the food delivery missed the mark with a bacon cheeseburger, with a bun. I quickly asked they return the dish and they re-​fired another burger for me. It took a long time to get my replacement out, so my 4 co-​diners finished their meals while I waited. When the burger came, it was charred and cooked past medium, but did include the mushrooms and swiss I originally ordered. For the inconvenience, the server and the management went out of their way to offer free dessert. Not being dessert people, I declined, but they reduced the price of the burger in half for the inconvenience.
I commend their attempt to make up for the miss on the experience. However, both my fiancée and I didn’t think the food was spectacular. The ambiance is historic and interesting, the service is good, but the food was lackluster.

The history is pretty cool and you definitely feel like you’re back in the Revolutionary War times when you dine here. Pewter plates were an interesting touch. I split a crab cake sandwich and prime rib with a coworker and both were excellent. One coworker got the Irish cream cheesecake that was a real winner. My carrot cake was skippable.
All in all, perfectly pleasant and serviceable food out in the boonies, with a side of history for added spice!
Oh! And there are goats in a pen near the parking lot. Very cool, but I kinda wished there was goat on the menu, too!

Even though I’ll never remember how to pronounce Jean Bonnet, it’s a must stop whenever I’m in the area.
I don’t know if Jean rhymes with «mean» or «john». Bonnet could be pronounced like the thing babies wear or like Lisa Bonet (who played Denise Huxtable in The Cosby Show).
My in-​laws leave around these parts, and they are kind of surprised how Bedford Springs has influenced the menu at this long established regional institution. I’m a lover of eating local, and it was a real treat to have a bison burger from the bison farm just up the road and pair it with some hard to find Pennsylvania craft beer. What I didn’t expect from the place was that all of the desserts were made from scratch. That was an added bonus, and the one we had was mighty tasty too.
The fries were just okay, and the bun was kind of toasted haphazardly. But the whole experience was fantastic. Especially how the waitress, really really wanted to make sure we found a beer we loved, and practically insisted on bringing us tastes before placing our drink order.
It’s a solid tap list, and occasionally we’ll run out to JBT from the farm just for a growler. But it’s also a good place to hang out a nurse a pint or two. However now that I’ve had the bison burger, it’s going to be pretty hard to resist.

Such a cute little place, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Stopped here on a trek from Phila to Ohio and had an awesome experience. From the ambiance to the food, everything was top notch.
Their «signature» sandwich is a French Dip, we both ordered it, and both enjoyed every ooey, gooey, cheesy, au jus-​y bite. Paired with some french fries, a side salad and some coleslaw, it made the perfect, just-​filling-​enough meal. We finished the meal with peanut butter cheesecake, it was rich and fantastic.
The service was awesome and the atmosphere was super cozy and warm. Don’t forget to hit up their gift shop for homemade soaps, lotions and candles (among other nik naks), which are reasonably priced and very cute.
Love this place and will definitely stop in on our next roadtrip!

Best restaurant in the Bedford area (or at least of the places we stopped). The food was great, reasonably priced (two drinks, two meals and an appetizer for $ 50 with house salads and bread with a tasty cinnamon butter) and the ambiance was perfect. I also liked that they had the regular menu and then a fall seasonal food and drink insert.
We ate downstairs and it felt like we had stepped back a few hundred years and were eating in a colonial tavern. That’s a good thing, by the way. The walls are stone, with roaring fireplaces and they have a haunted history! They were so welcoming. Great food for a reasonable price.

Oooooh! Haunted! Nothing like dinner and a show!
One is instantly captivated by the ambience of this place — colonial and dark! We were greeted and seated as soon as we arrived, and we were there at a time that was not busy, so we chose to sit in the back room (which is even darker!). The sweet smell of burning firewood permeates the restaurant… because there’s a giant fireplace all ablaze while you are dining! :)
The waitress asked if we’d ever been there before, and because we said no, she gave us the chilling tale of the tavern/hotel’s history. She was kind enough to ask us if we wanted to hear it first, though. She brought over photo albums of sightings and strange phenomenon that had occurred in both the hotel and restaurant, and my whole group couldn’t stop looking into the corner of the restaurant where sightings occurred regularly.
Now, let’s get to the food! Yum! I ordered the French onion soup to start, and it was for real! Everything in the soup was authentic. No canned broth here. Then I ordered the cheeseburger with gruyère… Gruyère!!! This was a first-​time combination for me, and I loved it! The burger was done just right, and was very filling.
The group topped off this marvelous meal with their signature oatmeal pie. My tastes have changed for the better over the years, and I prefer desserts that are more comforting than in-​your-​face sweet. This creamy, savory, lightly sweetened dessert will make you feel like you’re home.
I can’t wait to go back!