Pond House Cafe

Disappointed. Went for brunch/​lunch today and neither the food nor the service was good at all. There was a wedding going on at the same time which may have impacted it — but then don’t take a reservation. Restaurant wasn’t even full otherwise. Ordered the brûlée french toast and specifically said no bananas on top. Got the order and clearly the bananas had been added and then scraped off. The entire dish tasted of banana and there were still remnants on the plate. Just gross. My friend had to ask three times to get another iced tea — server somehow didn’t notice the empty glass. Eggs florentine were served on a soggy (that’s being nice — it was soaking) english muffin. Side order of bacon was ordered as «extra crispy» and showed up greasy and rubbery like it had been nuked in the microwave before being served. My husband ordered a garden salad and had to ask to have it delivered about 20 minutes after ordering. Also found a hair and avocado stems in the crab salad. Really not a great experience at all. Bill was credited for french toast but for the price paid for everything else we were ripped off. Think twice before coming here — or at least confirm there isn’t a wedding or big party that will get all the attention.

This place is so hit and miss, and it’s not cheap, so it really should be more consistent.
I’ve had one good meal here, the fried chicken, waffles, and mac n cheese risotto were tasty.
Other times, I had a tuna melt that tasted like a wet paper towel. A crab/​avocado salad that was 90% greens /​10% a fishy smelling crab, and a burger w/​mushy, mushy fries.
The service is the same way.
I had a bad experience w/​a grumpy server named Tammy. She took 20 minutes to even take our drink order then forgot our drinks. She likely wanted to go home, made apparent when she brought our meals before we took two bites of an appetizer, and w/​her neglect to offer us coffee/​dessert. It was midday, and my friend and I were among the last people there for lunch.
See, I’m no expert, but since the place serves lunch till 5pm. Don’t make guests uncomfortable when they’re paying to be there within the designated time just b/​c you want to leave early.
I used to work in a restaurant, and I know it’s not ideal when there are some stragglers and you just want to get home, but it’s your job, either do it properly or find another job.
Cool Jackie Onassis painting on the wall, though, nice décor.

This place was Fantastic! We went to the Park to see the roses for my birthday excursion. Since we were hungry we decided to eat at the Pond House instead of hitting the road first. My son loved the Grilled Cheese Sandwich; my husband had the Chicken Saltambucca sandwich; and I had the two egg breakfast. We were all very impressed. We ate outside because it was first available seating, so a little warm on this June day. We will definitely go back sometime but it is not convenient to where we live in Connecticut. Wish it was! We have eaten at many larger restaurants and have not had food half as good as the Pond House food.

It was a beautiful weekend and my friend and I decided to meet at The Pond House for drinks and appetizers. We met there. I came in and went to the Hostess stand. The woman was a little strange, almost confused when I asked if there was a table for 2 on the patio. She finally said yes, started getting our menus and then my friend walked up behind me. Apparently, the same woman told my friend just a few minutes before that would be a 10 minute wait. Very strange since only 2 outside tables were occupied. At any rate, we finally got seated on the patio. We ordered cocktails from our server, Derek and started looking at the menu. We decided to share a Brussels sprouts flatbread on Derek’s recommendation. It was not good. Basically, it was a caramelized onion flatbread with like a total of one sliced up Brussel sprout on the entire flatbread. I wish I had taken a photo. It was ridiculous. Literally hardly any Brussel sprouts. And certainly not worth the $ 13.00. Derek really slowed down on delivering our second cocktail and then a check. I thought the service was quite poor, and I certainly wouldn’t go running back there. It’s too bad, since it’s such a beautiful environment, but I just never have good luck there. I think the entire place is outdated and kind of tired. Next time, I’ll just brings apps and wine and have a picnic on the grass. Disappointing.

A GREAT PLACE TO GET MARRIED, BUT YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO EAT THERE.
My husband and I were married at the Pond House last June. We decided to celebrate our one-​year anniversary by having dinner there last night.
The Pond House couldn’t have made it less special. The long wait to order, the inattentive staff, the mediocre appetizers… all leading up to the very disappointing entrees taken away mostly uneaten. No one checked in with us during our meal or asked why we were returning our meals largely untouched.
I was most bothered by the collective shrug of the staff.
Nothing can dull the great memory of our wedding there, but we definitely won’t return to the Pond House.

Very pretty location right in Elizabeth Park. I had the Pond House Benedict and it was DELICIOUS. Oh my God, the cornbread was the perfect touch and the crab cake was extremely tender (mostly crab meat, not much breading). Service was friendly and attentive in spite of a fairly busy brunch time. The staff was all courteous and helpful. The only negative comment I really have is that I tried to make a reservation (during open hours) a few days in advance and no one answered the phone or called me back after I left a detailed voicemail. I called back and was able to reach someone and was told there were no more available reservations. I am sure they fill up quickly but it would have been nice if someone had returned my call so I could have planned accordingly. Other than that, a great experience!

I have nothing but amazing words for the Pond House Café. I had such a lovely time that I visited on Saturday AND Sunday. I simply refused to go to another brunch spot during my weekend stay in CT. I found the location to be clever and so cute. It sits within a large park which I found to be brilliant, and the scenery just adds to the experience. There is a pond (of course) with lots of colorful flowers, rustic structures, and cobblestone pathways surrounding the small building. There’s a gazebo right by the pond where you can sit and enjoy your meal. My husband and I sat inside right next to the gazebo so we still got to watch little ducks floating in the cute pond.
Inside the restaurant, the style is quite modern and artistic. They make good use of the room they have. Tables are pretty close together, but not to a point where you feel like you’re intruding on the people next to you. When it comes to brunch it’s a lovely scene to be in. There’s hustle and bustle for sure. It’s quite lively. Each day that I went there was a wedding/​party going on in their event room. I went with just my husband and it was pretty intimate. A lot of guests were there with their families and friends, so I’d say the place attracts larger groups but we were comfortable.
The service was fantastic, I’m telling you. I was greeted by warm welcomes and smiles from a friendy woman as soon as I walked in. The waitresses were friendly, helpful, and super sweet. I regret not asking for all of their names so I could give them high praises. When I returned the next day, everyone remembered me and were pretty excited! The executive chef even came to our table to chat with us because we couldn’t stop raving over the food. That was extremely sweet of her.
Now the food. The number one reason why I visited twice. I am confident in saying that this was THE BEST brunch I’ve ever had (and I’m from NYC– land of the brunch). I tried out their Spring Sangria one day. Fruity, bright, and not overly sweet. Their coffee was delicious. I got the Pond House Bennedict: Poached eggs and hollandaise over a crabcake and cornbread with roasted potatoes on the side. A bunch of my favorite eats put into a single dish. It worked beautifully. The crabcake was fresh and tender. The cornbread was thick and not too sweet. Pairing this with a creamy poached egg creates such a decadent bite. And I don’t really love potatoes, but they roasted and seasoned them so well that I actually didn’t mind it. My husband got the Meatloaf Bennedict. Yes, it was a hearty dish. I took a bite of the meatloaf and it was seasoned so well. He’s a huge meatloaf fan, and this dish really impressed him.
If I ever visit CT again, I am definitely returning here for brunch. Now being back in NY, I miss the Pond House Café. Thank you all for the great time!

Our family is a FREQUENT long time customer of the Pond House. Today, (Saturday, we called to make sure that they were serving lunch until 5pm). The receptionist who answered our phone call replied «YES, we serve lunch until 5pm». We arrive at 4:57 (I have an APPLE WATCH to buzz me when 5pm arrives). Upon our arrival our waitress whom we always also for over the years said «NO, we aren’t serving lunch any longer because the kitchen has changed over already». I replied «We called and were assured that we could order off of the lunch menu». She asked the kitchen and they said no «Dinner only menu».
We left and went elsewhere where we could get a sandwich and soup.
Now hear this POND HOUSE: WE ARE DONE AS YOUR CUSTOMER !
You should have served us off of the lunch menu because it wouldn’t have been a big deal (It wasn’t like we had 10 guests with us !!!)
WE ARE DONE WITH YOU POND HOUSE !

My husband and I had our wedding here on New Year’s Eve and we couldn’t be happier. Diana, Susan, Kelly and the rest of the staff were amazing! They worked within our budget and helped make our ideas become reality for our night. The room was gorgeous without our having to do anything to it, the food was amazing and the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. The communication with Diana and Susan prior to our event was second to none. Our guests have been raving about it and have said it is not only the best wedding they’ve ever been to, but the best New Year’s Eve they’ve ever had. I would 100% recommend the Pond House Café and will definitely use them again for future events.

What a delightful surprise! Tucked in a suburban/​rural neighborhood, we were desperate for some lunch mid road trip. This place delivered! I got a delicious lentil salad — a tad stingy on the lentils. — with beets and other veggies and we split some yummy sweet potato fries. The prices were super random but totally reasonable and I left fully satisfied! Not necessarily the venue for my wedding but a great stop along spot nonetheless!

I take brunch very, very seriously, so seriously that I don’t go out for it very often because, you see, few places do it right. Soggy fruit cups, over-​cooked eggs, yogurt too sweet; maybe I’m a brat with nothing but First World Problems. Indeed I am, but, Pond House Café makes a mean brunch!
All natural, local, organic; Pond House does it right. Be it the delicious breakfast quesadilla, or specialty eggs benedict, or one of the many omelettes or scrambles — Pond House Café offers up simple and a well-​made brunch menu.
Despite the good food, the pricing is oddly funny and the service is spotty. Scrolling down the menu, you’ll see things strangely listed at $ 9.21, $ 10.24, $ 8.59, $ 9.73 And service can be spot on or downright unavailable.
Relaxed, cozy, fresh — these are just some of my favorite things when I think of the Pond House Café. I’ve never tried the lunch or dinner menus, but their award-​winning brunch is Saturday and Sunday Brunch: 930am — 230pm.

What a lovely experience. I attended a real estate education course here in the main room. Which, is one reason to go to this place. It’s breathtaking. You honestly just have to take a look at the photo. I asked and of course they do weddings here all the time. High ceilings with lights wrapped around and subtle pieces of cloth creating a dreamy setting. Then, imagine a real fireplace to the side leaving the smell of fall/​winter and emitting a comforting warmth.
So, not only is the setting just absolutely beautiful the food is pretty spot on. I had breakfast which included eggs and potatoes and some sweet treats. The potatoes were awesome. The perfect breakfast potatoes, the little potato chunks with a yummy seasoning. Then for a lunch I tried a soup, salad, and the Mac ‘n’ cheese. THAT Mac ‘n’ cheese. It was shell pasta a few crunchy crumbles and the creamiest tastiest cheese surrounded it. It was a light cheese but also full of flavor, where you just wanted to keep eating it.
I’d love to have an event here. The staff were very nice and helpful. And the lunch I ordered was not expensive at all (it came out less than I expected)!

We went to the Pond House at Elizabeth Park for lunch. The menu was most eclectic with wonderful offerings, different from most other restaurants. I had a veggie burger made with all fresh veggies and grains, no additives. It was excellent but too much for one person to eat. The sweet potato fries were hot, crispy and oh so tasty! This is a must go to restaurant, you’ll love it!

My friend and I went for bruch today, slightly before 2 pm. The hostess was quite nice and we had reservations, so we were seated quickly.
Upsides: Bloody Marys were awesome. Perfect amount of spice and salt. The view is incredible, and I loved the Halloween decorations!
Downsides: Our server was sweet, but scattered. She did bring out complimentary veggie chili while we waited. But, she got my order wrong and then blamed me. I ordered the basic eggs bendict, she brought one with crab cakes. I told her I didn’t order that, she insisted that I did. I explained that I don’t eat seafood, so I would not have ordered that. She huffed away. She regained her composure though. But every time she passed my table she bumped in to my arm. My friend almost got a bloody Mary in the face! She also flirted with him, lol, he’s just not into her type, ha! The food ended up being mediocre at best.

Came to Pond House Café with a Groupon last weekend and enjoyed a nice meal here. It is small space but really cute and we managed to get a seat right away. All of the waitstaff was dressed up for Halloween which was amusing and the outdoor area was decked out in elaborate Halloween decorations.
I got the seasonal sangria and it was tasty but seemed a little watered down. For my meal, I got the crab cake and couscous appetizer (described as: jumbo lump crab meat, lemon scented Israeli couscous, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and basil aïoli). The couscous claimed to have olives and artichoke hearts in it but I didn’t see any. There were chopped pieces of something in it but it looked more like squash and didn’t have any particular flavor to it. Overall, it was yummy, especially the crab cake, but not what I expected. With it, I had the fig and goat cheese salad (described as: pickled mission figs, maple goat cheese, toasted walnuts, arugula, spiced honey vinaigrette). The figs and goat cheese were AMAZING. There was a ton of goat cheese and it had a nice spice incorporated into it. It was supposed to have arugula, which I am very familiar with. It has a kind of peppery taste to it. This arugula looked slightly different and had no peppery taste. I don’t know if it was a different type or more adult leaves??? but it, too, was not what I was expecting.
My husband got the burger which was deliciously done medium. The fries were not very crispy though and the coleslaw tasted like it was made with just raw potato slices, not cabbage, and barely any carrot.
Overall, good service, nice space — would love to be here on the patio when the weather is warmer — but the food was just okay, tasty in many respects but not what I expected.

Love this place! Food is awesome and the service and view fantastic! The Bloody Mary is fabulous!

I’ve been here for both dinner and brunch. If I were rating on dinner alone, this place would get 4 stars, as the setting is amazing and my dinner meal (was so long ago I can’t remember exactly what it was, but it was a salad of some kind) was quite good. However, the brunch — Greek goddess omelette — I had here yesterday was just OK, bringing the rating down to 3 stars. Service was excellent both times, however.

My first visit here was almost exactly 15 years ago — July 15, 2000 — for my cousin’s wedding. They got married at the gazebo in the park, which was entertaining as there were random people playing chess right behind the officiant. I don’t remember much from the reception other than dancing.
My latest visit was for a friend’s wedding on July 17, 2015. During the cocktail hour, the servers walked around with delicious bites (Beets and goat cheese on a cucumber slice? Yes please! Friend chicken and waffles? Lobster mac&cheese?!) with vases of flowers on their trays — I honestly don’t know how they didn’t lose their balance. They were consummate professionals, engaging in just enough small talk to be friendly and personable without ignoring another hungry guest. The bartenders had their hands full and smiles on their faces at all times.
Walking inside, I was prepared for a dated function room and was pleasantly surprised all around. The venue was decorated tastefully and looked huge even with 12 tables, the bar, a dance floor, and everything else all around. I loved the big canvases hanging on the walls with the Christmas lights behind them. The buffet offered chicken, fish, veggies, an amazing salad, and when they discovered they were out of the beef, they sent someone to our table to hand-​deliver freshly cut pieces. The «house» wine at the open bar was good quality as well.
I haven’t been here yet for a standard meal (I see that they do brunch, lunch, and dinner!) but hope I can find someone to join me to test it out.

After some volunteering in one of the many rose gardens that adorn Elizabeth Park, myself and some of my co-​volunteers headed over to the Pond House Café for a bit of brunch.
It has been many years since I have been to the Pond House Café — 12 years to be exact (my husband and I had brunch here after he proposed to me in Elizabeth Park) and was excited to see if their menu was as good as I remembered it to be.
We did not have a reservation but were quickly seated — given it was a bit windy and cloudy we opted to eat in but had the day been a bit calmer I would have been outside, on the patio, in a heartbeat.
I was given both a brunch and what appeared to be their regular menu and scanned their substantial menu before deciding on the Green Goddess Omelette (no cheese — as I had a race the next day) which came with roasted potatoes and an English Muffin in place of the corn that comes was listed on the description. Both menus have lots of great options for whatever strikes your fancy including several vegetarian and gluten free options.
People and the waitstaff flowed in and out of the dining room with easy and I had enough time with my companions to have a pleasant conversation while waiting for our meal. When my dish was brought out, my first impression was that for the price it was on the small side — don’t get me wrong every bit of my meal — from the perfectly seasoned and non greasy roasted potatoes to the omelette filled with kale, brussel sprouts and other green veggie goodness — was wonderful. It was a perfect portion and left me content and not stuffed but it was still, in my opinion, overpriced.
However for a special occasion (and spending the time at Elizabeth Park would certainly warrant that) — this would definitely be a place I would go and recommend to others. The entire staff of the Pond House Café was exceptional and it’s the perfect place to eat at after seeing the beauty that surrounds it in Elizabeth Park.

I’ve been here for wedding receptions and brunch and they never dissapoint.
The service, price, quality and taste of the food can’t be beat. There are many options on the brunch menu and the portions are just enough to fill you up, yet leave you wanting more.
I would recommend making reservations for brunch. It tends to fill up quickly.

I was very impressed with this restaurant. I was here for a recent wedding reception and they did a very nice job organizing everything. The baristas were fantastic, Adam and Jess (?) were great sports throughout and extremely friendly. They had no problem making my special drink that I requested and even searched out Limoncello even though they were so busy. The room was decorated very beautifully, and the outside cocktail area is very relaxing looking out over the pond. Our three choices were beef, chicken, and salmon. I can’t remark on the salmon, chicken portion was small and dry, however the beef was large and delicious. Beyond that all of the wait staff were very friendly and willing to take special requests. I would like to come back just for a normal dinner and try the actual dining area.