Potters Tavern

I hope the owner/​management read these Unilocal reviews! The place has such potential– perfect location, charming atmosphere, outdoor dining & interesting menu choices.
Alas, the reviews are true! Service is ridiculously slow & frustrating. We stopped here at 3:00 on Columbus Day & the restaurant was totally unprepared, even though there were only a handful of people eating there. Two tables walked out due to delays after ordering. Our server apologized for the delays but the bottom line is that IF YOU ARE IN A SERVICE BUSINESS MAKE SURE YOU STAFF IT PROPERLY. Being short a Chef or waiter on a traveling holiday is just poor business common sense. The food was just OK– pizza & Reuben inedible though. If I don’t see an «Under New Management «sign here, I won’t be returning.

Ignore the signs. So much about this place is bad. We ordered before three other tables. Nothing crazy, burgers. And everyone else got food before us. Everyone ended up getting checks well before us. I had to hunt down the waiter to get the check. The food wasn’t awful but no where near good. The burgers were basically burn pieces of meat on a Ciabatta. Fries were bland and tasteless. Sad because this is an awesome spot.

Came here with my family on our way to Vermont. I was wary because of the reviews, but business was slow so the server was quick to serve us. I ordered the Vermont Mac and Cheese with mushrooms, my brother ordered the chicken scampi, my dad got the Vermont cheddar melt, and my mom got the Reuben sandwich. All of the food was very good! My mac and cheese was served in a bread bowl which was a bit carb heavy for my taste, but the Mac and cheese was very good! The mushrooms had a very nice flavor. My brother’s pasta was good, too. My dad’s burger was cooked medium rare just like he ordered and the fries were nice and crisp. My mom’s Reuben was also juicy. Our server was very nice and accommodating! The only complaint I would have is that the atmosphere seemed a little dim and seedy.

Stopped here on a sunday on our way home from New Hampshire famished, we were welcomed by a very pleasant restaurant but when seated we waited over 10 mins before a server came to get our drink order and when another 15 mins went by with no drinks we decided we were no longer going to wait for food when we were sitting waiting we witnessed at least 2 other tables get up and leave and another complain and go to the bar themselves to get a drink.

We stopped here enroute from Maine to Troy. Reuben and fish were pretty good. The young server had a good attitude and made up for lack of experience with eagerness.

Worst service ever! Waited 45 minutes to have our order taken (with kids) after I asked the waitress if she could. And we had a reservation so it’s not like they didn’t know we were coming. Food was okay but not anything to write home about. The server waited on all other tables that came in after us first then added gratuity to the bill. Awful!

Run, run far away and as fast as you can. This place is dirty from floor to ceiling and the food, well I am not sure you can call it that. My boyfriend and I waited over an hour for our food and the place was almost empty. When it was finally severed one look at it and we left without ever touching it. I think someone needs to contact the board of health, this place should be shut down.

My dude and I were very, very hung over when we rolled up to Potters Tavern. What we needed was cheeseburgers. And we saw the sign that promised we’d find those burgers «just ahead» at Potters Tavern.
So we walk in and no one’s there to greet us. Several old white people wearing high-​waisted jeans are eating sandwiches. The music is something like Josh Groban meets Muzak, and the volume level can only be described as «aggressive.» We walk farther into the restaurant, trying to figure out if we’re in a «sit where you want» situation. Finally, a lady comes out of the kitchen, tells us to sit where we want. Great.
The items on the menu are standard for an American «family restaurant» but they’re kind of on the pricey side, for what you get. The burger was $ 10 and we both ordered them with bacon, but the bacon didn’t come, which was disappointing because as I was just saying we were up all night partying at a wedding in Vermont. But whatever. There were also flies crawling around on the table and the food, which, I get it, sometimes that happens, but it was pissing me off anyway. I had, after all, been charged $ 2 for a substitute side salad instead of fries that was all iceberg lettuce and just, ugh.
Look, aside from the blaring Groban, the zzzz food and the condescending waitress, the dirty green carpet and awkward acoustics make this place feel like a tomb. Every single person in the place — you can tell — is a Republican. We couldn’t wait to get out of there, and I’m so happy that I never have to go back in my whole life.

Good turkey sandwich. Rod had a Reuben. Sandwiches were huge and good. Picked up a piece of cheesecake made by the cloistered nuns at a local convent. I’m guessing it’s pretty good.

We stop here very frequently on our way to vt. The food is definitely about the best on rt 7. But sometimes not quick and if you deviate at all from the description on the menu, they will probably not get it right. Had more free drinks because of this. Menu has not change at all in the past few years. And often the «specials» are something that’s already on the menu so not so special… but probably gonna stop again on the way up or down.

Such a great place. Service is excellent. Food is fantastic. I highly recommend the buffalo chicken mac & cheese. To die for!!!

Terrible service — appetizers were not ready until after our entrees were already eaten. Then did not comp us at all. We waited over 45 minutes for food.
Food was mediocre. Fish was dry baked potato seemed like it was sitting around for 12 hours.

Late night driving from MA to Niagara Falls to pick up my Mom & Dad. 4hrs in we saw the sign and thought this would be a good place to eat. We had a great dinner and the bartender was so nice and the waitress was great! The bartender and one of the cooks came out and swapped magic tricks with my husband. It was like being home. I would recommend this place to anyone! Next time we are on a road trip and close by we will make a special trip to this place:)

After a somewhat disappointing trip to a craft show but a very enjoyable light lunch in Great Barrington, MA., we ventured on North on NY route 22, the old NYC to Canada road, enjoying the wonderful country views and the lack of traffic on the highway. Upon reaching the outskirts of Hoosick, NY we turned West on NY 7 to head for home. Passing the Man of Kent, we were surprised at the lack of cars and motorcycles for such a beautiful Saturday evening. But we were starting to think about where we might have dinner.
Eventually we started discussing that we hadn’t been to the Potters Tavern outside of Troy in a few years and that it would be interesting to visit again. The last time we stopped at this little strip mall was to visit the Bennington Pottery shop at the opposite end of the strip mall. It was about 7 PM and there weren’t many cars outside. Walking inside, the first thing we noticed was a number of tables that had not yet been cleared from previous diners. A gentleman, who we later found out to be the bartender, approached us and offered to seat us at a table that he also cleared and cleaned for us. He informed us that the waitress would be right with us.
There was one other occupied table next to us with a party of four that was being served by the waitress as we were seated. We noticed that there were bits of food (e.g. French fries) on the floor near our table and theirs like you might find if a family with young children had previously been eating in this area. The waitress disappeared and we were left with just the menus provided by the bartender.
After maybe 5 minutes or more the bartender returned and asked if the waitress had stopped to see if we needed water or drinks. Since she hadn’t, he took our drink order and brought us water. Another 10 or 15 minutes passed and the waitress still hadn’t come to our table. She had served some food to the table next to us however. Once again the bartender stopped by to see if she had taken our food order. He apologized that she hadn’t and offered to take our order. It should be noted that there were no customers at the bar for him to be serving at this point.
Finally we can start talking about the food and drink. We started with pints of Otter Creek Cooper Ale ($ 4) and Adirondack Bear Naked Ale ($ 4.50). Nice choices from among about 8 taps. They also went well with the Fried Calamari ($ 12) — coated in a spiced flour and served with a choice of either Marinara or Fra Diavolo sauce. While the calamari was cooked perfectly, we were not asked to specify our sauce choice and were served what we think was the Marinara since it was not at all spicy.
For her entrée, my wife ordered the Mediterranean Crêpe ($ 10) — filled with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, capers, roasted red onion, black olives and garlic with a side salad. When she began to eat her entrée she realized that the crêpe also had grilled chicken and grilled shrimp. These additional items were noted as available on the menu with added charges of $ 5 for the chicken and $ 7 for four shrimp, but she was never asked if she wanted the additional items nor did she request them. Our bill included the full $ 22 charge for her entrée. The dish was tasty and our only comment to our bartender/​server when he checked to see how our meals were, was my wife saying she was surprised to see the chicken and shrimp in the crêpe.
My choice for the entrée was the «House Specialty» «Jim Beam» Bourbon & Maple-​Glazed Pork ($ 17) — French tip pork tenderloin roasted in a sweet and tangy bourbon and maple syrup glaze with mashed potato and seasonal vegetable. The menu said my entrée also came with soup or salad and «our French bread and butter.» I had a nice cup of soup but never received any bread or butter. Also, while the pork was very flavorful, I don’t believe the cut was a French tip tenderloin; it looked like a typical chop.
While there were some surprises with all of the rest of our courses, there was no surprise with a Nuns from New Skeet Cheesecake ($ 4.75). I don’t recall what flavor I had ordered, but it really doesn’t matter since I’ve always enjoyed any of their flavors that I’ve had.
Bottom line, the food and beer are OK, the service can be questionable. Maybe the waitress would have been better with our order, but were it not for the friendly bartender going out of his way to see that we were served in a reasonable period of time, I would not have been surprised if the kitchen closed while we were still waiting to order. Only because of this bartender am I willing to give 3 stars. Otherwise it might be 2 ½.
FWIW, all the cups and plates used in the restaurant come from the Bennington Pottery store next door.

We stopped here in the late evening on a Monday night during a road trip. The service was attentive and the food was good. One of us had the Parmesan-​crusted salmon, which was delicious. The mac & cheese is available with lots of additions (bacon, ground beef, lobster, veggies, etc.). It is made with a selection of Vermont cheeses. We got it with bacon & ground beef, and it was very good. One of us has a gluten allergy, and the kitchen readily prepared the salmon in a gluten-​free form. Again, it was delicious. One of us topped off the meal with a chocolate cheesecake made by local nuns (no kidding). Very good.
In summary, Potters Tavern is a gem in the middle of nowhere.

What a great place! I found Potters Tavern via a Groupon deal and I am so glad I did! They have a nice menu of standard tavern food and beer, which is great. We came here on a Sunday afternoon and they had a great special — a burger and beer for 10 bucks. You can’t go wrong with that, especially when it’s local microbrew beer (pretty good!) and a ½ lb burger. Also, their regular fries and sweet potato fries are probably the best I’ve ever had in my life. I will definitely come back here whenever I’m around the area and I would definitely encourage everyone to go as well!

Stopped on the way to NH. What an awful place. We came in for lunch and the food was terrible. My son’s hamburger was so well done it couldn’t be eaten. I had a seafood/​lobster roll and it was on a hotdog bun! None of us finished our meal.
I paid the bill and swore I would never go back! Each year when we drive by we cringe! Don’t waste your money!

My boyfriend and I stopped by here on the way home from skiing Vermont after passing by it on numerous trips, and I have no idea why we didn’t stop sooner.
The atmosphere was very casual — we had no problems going in our ski clothes — and very inviting. We were seated immediately and though the menu was small compared to the Jersey diner tomes I’m used to, it had a great selection. I opted for the Vermont mac and cheese with bacon and a garden salad, the boyfriend got the four cheese eggplant with a cup of the broccoli cheddar soup.
I’m not kidding when I say this may be the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had. It was made with all local cheeses (including a local marscapone!) and was served in a crusty bread bowl. Carb overload, maybe, but delicious nonetheless. The honey vinaigrette for the field green salad was zesty. The boyfriend reported back that the eggplant was also excellent, and the local fontina on top was a great touch. Portions were generous and both of us ended up taking home our leftovers.
The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. The only problem we encountered all night was that the tap system was down so no draft beer was being served, but we were informed that the repairman would be in the next morning to take care of things.
Next time we’re up skiing we’ll definitely be stopping by — and hopefully trying some of the cheesecake!

Been there 2 more times and going back this Wed. Still excellent prime rib. Staff more than helpful and great at being cordial hosts. We travel around for good restaurants and this one is on our hit list of 10 favorites!
Andy and Donna

Formerly the Tavern at Sterup Square, Potters Tavern is conveniently located between Troy and Bennington on Route 7 in Raymertown and is open for lunch and dinner (Wednesdays through Sundays).
The lunch menu offers soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches and burgers for under $ 10. The dinner menu offers soups, salads, appetizers, tavern fare, dinner entrees (pasta, steaks, meatloaf, turkey) including salad & bread (from $ 12.95 to $ 18.50), and desserts. The dining room is furnished like a classic American pub with a well-​stocked bar of liquor, wine, 32 beers including 12 draft beers on tap, 2 TVs, bar stool seating, wood table seating, and a fireplace. There is also outdoor patio seating with umbrellas.
I had a pretty good lunch here on a recent Saturday afternoon. I ordered the Tavern Warm Meatloaf Sandwich ($ 7.25) and a tall glass of ice water. The thick Meatloaf Sandwich had cold meatloaf, lettuce, tomato,& honey mustard on grilled sourdough bread served with crispy fries, creamy cole slaw, and dill pickle, a generous portion of tasty food with good flavors. The service here for lunch was friendly and quick.