The food is always amazing and the service is top tier. I never had a meal there I didn't like. I got the catfish and it was delicious. You won't be disappointed. read more

We tried this place for the first time after receiving a gift certificate and we were not disappointed. The service was excellent - Mariah was attentive and accommodating. We tried the buttermilk biscuits, crab toast, salmon and grits, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, blackened salmon, and beignets for dessert. Everything was seasoned to perfection and so tasty. The drinks were also very good. Loved the vibe of this quaint little restaurant - what a hidden treasure in our backyard. We will definitely be back! read more

Great laid back atmosphere. Great drinks and especially great food. Always made reservation before showing up. You won't regret it.

3 stars was a hard pull off. Inconsistent food! Has the potential to be great but a lot of mishaps along the way. The menu isn't honest: 1. Beignets were PILLSBURY flaky biscuits with some sort of caramel sauce. NOT BEIGNETS. I've had them in New Orleans and don't expect anything to surpass N.O.'s beignets but please don't insult my intelligence by serving me PILLSBURY biscuits! 2. The banana pudding described on the menu is not the pudding that was sold to me. It was some version of a banana Foster's meet banana pudding. However, it was all caramel sauce and the pudding looked like it curdled. The bananas were fresh (that's a plus). Nonetheless we did not completely eat any of the desserts. A waste of money. Now if you wondering why the 3 stars. One week ago, I had the Calypso burger (plant based) and it was SOOOOOO DELISH! I have a history with this place and it appears to be a roller coaster ride! Had dinner here for my bday in 2018 and the food was superb! Everything ordered was superb! I went back several times in 2018 and always perfection. Albeit, the menu was slightly different in 2018. In 2019 before the New Year, I went for a friend's bday and the food and service was SOOOO AWFUL! We left and went to Two Stones. I continue to have high hopes that the menu will live up to the descriptions. It's a quaint spot and can do great things if they pull the cooking together. read more

I was in Galena, MD, and my dad wanted to take me out to dinner. Galena is not known for its cuisine, and known even less for its vegan options, so I searched high and low on Yelp to find some place close that would work. I was thrilled to find 1861 just a 15 minute drive away in Middletown, DE. The menu isn't very vegan-friendly, but thanks to the reviews here, I got the sense that they were very accommodating and up to the challenge. I made a reservation and gave them a head's up that I'm vegan. We parked in the back lot and were seated immediately. Our server started by helping me find something to eat, pointing out what's already vegan on the menu, and letting me know the chef was able to make tofu tacos that night. Tacos?! YES please! I was thrilled to be given three fully stuffed tacos filled with tempura fried tofu and salsa. It could've used something creamy, like avocado, or even a wet salsa instead of the dry one, but oh my gosh, that tofu. It was cooked to perfection. Tofu is so often treated like an after thought and this was not at all. So they're not on the menu, but our server says she's trying to get them on there because she loves them too. If nothing else, it shows the chef's ability to make a delicious vegan dish, so do not hesitate to come here and give them a try. I think letting them know ahead of time that you'll need to be accommodated is helpful so they can prepare. I had no idea what they'd be able to make me and I was really impressed. If you find yourself out in the sticks around here, I have a feeling 1861 will quickly become your favorite place. It's definitely my new go-to! read more

Times are tough for everyone right now. We're making an effort to support local restaurants and order take-out from them whenever possible. I know local businesses appreciate that. But at the same time I think these local businesses should make the same effort to ensure they're delivering quality meals. Last night we ordered dinner for take-out. Two grilled cheese sandwiches - Slow and Low and French Onion. I would think a restaurant with a menu that's so grilled cheese heavy wouldn't serve a customer drastically burnt sandwiches. But both of them the top looked fine, bottoms charred to an inedible degree. The person who cooked the order was aware... the person who packed the order was aware. It seems they just didn't care. Small businesses are hurting... but so are their customers. We don't have the money to waste on businesses that don't deliver the value we deserve. read more

It's a really cool atmosphere- feels like Philly or NYC- great drinks and interesting entrees. I've always had a good meal here...

I had the pleasure of visiting 1861 for the first time and was blown away. Just walking in the door it is impossible to notice the ambiance. All around warm feeling/ atmosphere. I met the owner who introduced us to the cook (whom I wanted to kiss after tasting the food). The waitresses were kind, attentive, and friendly. I was in a party of 3 and we ordered different items so we could try a variety of the menu. Bayou fries, drunken muscles, chicken and French toast, shrimp and grits, crab and lobster ravioli- FOODGASM. LITERALLY FOODGASM! Drinks were perfect and tasty! 100% recommend and I cannot wait to make my boyfriend take me here for round 2. read more

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This food and service was AMAZING! Our server was hands the best we have ever seen! The food was fabulous the chef cooked for my family like I cook for my family! There is a lot of care and love put into those dishes. Then the drinks were absolutely superb! I will definitely be recommending and going back again! Parking is a bit tight but so worth it. I can't say enough about this experience, it was really the best. read more

Great food and wonderful ambiance . We will def be back for drinks and will recommend

New owners have totally revamped the dining experience at this restaurant. This restaurant has always had atmosphere but it took a hands on owners approach to bring it to life. Solid drinks. Solid food. Entertainment also has returned. It's nice to have a more mature place to go that is local. I'd really like to see the craft cocktails expand beyond the traditional offerings. I'd also like to see themed nights like jazz and blues with some tasting menus to go along. Other than those few wishes, I am really enjoying the new 1861! read more

We went there two days for brunch. There were no problems that I was aware of. The owner makes a disparaging comment about us, in front of my granddaughter. I went to her to talk about the comment and she refused to discuss with me. No I was not nasty or loud just wanted to find out what caused her to make a disparaging remark. She said she was talking about the chef--NOPE DON'T THINK SO! read more

We moved to Delaware about a year ago and are missing the food scene we left in Red Bank NJ. Found this gem of a place not far from us. Fabulous service, if you go ask for Adanda, she's knowledgeable and so welcoming. We had the Nola dip which was amazing, I had the lobster po boy and it was great! Had to bring some home. My husband had catfish, collards and grits. He was in heaven. And did I mention the bourbon? Was a cute tucked away little spot. We will be back very soon! read more

Great place to eat and drink with a progressive menu. The atmosphere and drinks were wonderful. Thanks for a great evening.

We enjoyed wonderful meals tonight! The waitress was excellent and the entire staff were accommodating to our work party. We had drinks and food in a beautiful atmosphere! Definitely a great time! read more

Food served was burnt and while the plate construction was original, the presentation and execution was not in accordance to the effort made to innovate Good idea, bad execution read more

Good food with extremely small portions. An ambiance that does not do justice the the pricing either. I get the vibe they are going for but there are place out there that hit the right tone in a much more efficient way. The portion size use to be great but it has gone down off late and I believe that is something that bothered me the most. read more

The restaurant itself is unassuming and we drove past it at first. The parking lot is small and tight. The restaurant is down a small flight of stairs and you walk into a place that it immediately cozy between the fireplace, the decor, and the close quarters. It was lovely! The cocktail menu has plenty of options and several looked delicious. The sazerac was a treat we haven't had since NOLA. We started with the quesadillas which had a fair amount of meat in them and were served with a sauce. With and without the sauce, they were delicious. The voodoo chicken was a recommended dish and it's easy to see why! The spices were perfectly paired with the tender chicken, the sausage, and the long grain rice. The burger itself was cooked perfectly but the bacon, where many restaurants go wrong, was also perfect. It was thick and crunchy but not over cooked. The same can be said for the house cut fries. They were more like potato wedges so I was nervous that the inside would be hard but it had the perfect crisp on the outside and fluffiness on the inside. Unfortunately we didn't have room for dessert but we will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu! Also want to add that the service from when we were greeted, through dinner, to when we left was friendly and helpful! read more

Drinks were good here. The sweet breakfast was banging! The peach bingets, peach French toast, and captain crunch French toast was good! But the savory breakfast could use some work. The salmon and grits, short rib and grits could use some more flavor in grits. You could tell the grits were made with just water. No chicken broth or nothing. I didn't like that they shut down their kitchen so early at 1:30pm. read more

Our friends were in town and we wanted to take them to a restaurant we knew would have pretty good food. We arrived late on a Saturday but got seated quickly. The place was cozy with a fire going and a guitarist playing and singing hit songs. It was a fun environment! We ordered a variety of items. I ordered the small plate of scallops with pork belly and champagne broth. The scallops is to die for !! Perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious! I also got the broccolini flat bread that had chunks of pork belly, broccolini and mozzarella/parmesan cheese blend. The flat bread was pretty good but I wished there was more toppings on it. My friends got the crab cake and duck (both pretty delicious) and my husband got another flat bread. Our waiter was very nice and accommodating to our requests we made to substitute​ or add items to the food. A great dining experience compared to our last visit! Will def. Return to try more food :) read more

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Woooooof dude. I came here with 9 people for a work dinner. Most of us have never been here and the people who have had only positive things to say so our experience came as a surprise. When we first ordered drinks, they brought the wrong drinks to 2 people. A beer that no one ordered was also brought to the table then just left there as a 'freebie' when they determined their error which was fine. Also one person never got the drink they ordered. This was a theme throughout the night. Appetizers came out timely. All tasted good and were fresh. We all either ordered the steak or the gumbo. These are not cheap dishes here at $36 a plate for the steak. All the temperatures were handed out randomly (the person who ordered well done got my medium rare). Also one plate didn't come out at all and it wasn't acknowledged until the person who ordered pointed out they were never served a plate. 20 minutes into service they were served a burnt gumbo. The manager came by to apologize which was appreciated. On top of that, they brought her two of the one drink she ordered. At this point we were getting really tired of the lack of attention to detail by the 2 servers who were supposed to be waiting on us but it was understood that they were relatively new so we were rolling with it. The only disturbing part was what happened after we spoke to the manager to express our frustrations. Within 2 minutes, the server came over to the person who had the worst experience out of all of us and said 'which drink didn't I bring out?' in an accusatory tone. Maybe she expected her to be intimidated but she wasn't playing and told her straight up what she forgot. It was soooo awkward for the other 8 people of the party just sitting silently praying this would all be over soon. Then when she dropped the bill off, which I'm sure was NOT cheap with gratuity included, she gave this pissed off double peace signs and walked away lol. It was so unprofessional we all had to laugh at it. Honestly one of the weirdest rudest experiences at a restaurant for me personally. A lot of our table have worked in the service industry for years so we get the whole rough day scenario, but it's another beast to not be apologetic or accountable and then be outwardly combative when we're not happy. I don't think any of us will be back. 2 stars for well-crafted cocktails when they actually figured out who ordered what, for ok food, and for the manager showing empathy and professionalism. Thank you for that! read more

The food was delicious and our waitress was nice. But our hostess experience was not good, we arrived 10 minutes early, we were not permitted to sit at the bar and we were not seated until 15 minutes past our reservation time. Entrance was very crowded and not conducive to be stuck waiting. Our table was pushed up against a pole, we could not enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant and it was difficult for our waitress to serve our slightly overpriced drinks, they were a very short pour in our opinion for $14 We were given only one menu, honestly they should run fresh copies. The food and the prices are not enough of a draw for us to want to return. A party of 3 with one drink each, two shares, one salad and two entrees $153 read more

Came here last night with a party of 10...food and drinks were pretty good! They have a very diverse cocktail menu to choose from, which was a lot of fun to try! Really liked the pimiento cheese dip, the white flatbread, and the filet I had for dinner was okay. They were out of a lot of their draft beers, which was also a bummer. I didn't enjoy the live music because it was super loud....so loud that I could barely hear the server and none of us at the table could even hear each other. Our server seemed very overwhelmed with our party. She was very nice, but overall I would say she wasn't very warm or timely. I still think this place is awesome and would definitely come back. I like the rustic/prohibition feel of this restaurant, and the food is delicious! read more

Delicious food, great service and cozy ambiance! The owner, Ashley, is so friendly. She taught her staff how to make amazing drinks. I love getting the smoked glass for my old fashioned!! read more

Absolutely discriminatory. Walked in with my girlfriend for a drink(sober) and the manager had the nerve to say she was "too drunk and something was off" and refused to serve us even though we had nothing to drink. Will not go back ever. read more

They need replace the ripped chairs they had at the bar. Such a nice place to looking like that. There was no entertainment while there

In an unexpected location. This little gem is cozy with great food and atmosphere. Our server Mariah made great recommendations, it was our first visit but surely not our last. read more

We decided to check out restaurants in Middletown which is a growing community. Nice location but limited parking. We went for brunch. It took a minute to place our order but started with topless mimosa. Then chose the chicken Benedict as a appetizer to share and it was delicious. I had the catfish and grits and my husband had the steak and eggs. Too much cheese for us in the grits but the catfish was crispy and tasty. The steak was just ok. The winner at the end was the sweets. The beignets were delicious, sauce was awesome. Would definitely return but no grits. read more

We were treated horribly. Female hostess on Saturday night was rude and hostile in her behavior! We will never return and will spread the word about what a unwelcoming and crass environment this restaurant presents. read more

Shrimp and grits was delicious, fried chicken sandwich was the best! Beignets were fabulous!!

Dope restaurant with an interesting selection of seating. Sit at the bar, on the side where the beer taps are. That way, if anyone strolls in and elects to sit on the opposing end of you, you can people watch. It's pretty fun after a few drinks, trust me. Plus, you'll be situated on an higher elevated platform so it'll feel like you're towering over them (in case you elect to go the "do.we.have.a.problem" route). Very unlikely. Fries were pretty memorable, very similar to KFC's wedges. Thick, heavily seasoned and extra crusty. Your friends may reach every now and then so be sure to carry some protection. I love my food so I always do. Also sat in the dining area by the fireplace, perfect for a party. We separated into the cool table and not so cool table. Obviously, we know who won. Chicken wings and crab cakes were enough to make me pack some in my pocket for a late night snack. We had other items but I forget. I blame the Fireball(s) - please note the plural. Attentive staff, always willing to schmooze here and there. They also check up on you enough, without being borderline creepy. The tvs at the bar keep you occupied if you're just looking to drink solo (if you're in the f-the world type vibe). Luckily for me, I love the world. read more

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Hadn't been there for a few years but my husband saw they had a beer on tab that he had wanted to try from Levante Brewing. Pleasantly surprised by the selection of craft beers on tab and selection of mixed drinks. Burger was very good and while I normally don't like thick fries -these where quiet good. Nice and crispy with good dipping sauce. Another night they had music trivia which was fun to play while we enjoyed our meal. Not a huge menu but nice selection. read more

Everything was pretty good . Beignets could use some work , was more like a fried biscuit.

Went today for their new brunch menu. We ordered the Captain Crunch French toast and short ribs and grits. The French toast came with a praline sauce rather than syrup. A very large portion, which I couldn't finish. Sugar overload, but a good dish. The short ribs and grits also included 2 eggs. This was a very good dish and again a nice portion size. Our server was named Zoe and she checked on us several times to make sure we didn't need something. Friendly greeting when we arrived from the manager and a thank you when we were leaving. We were very satisfied with our meal and service. Definitely will return. read more

Love the ambiance and the food is great! Would love to see a little more variety. Service is good.

The service by Ananda was phenomenal and she was very helpful. And the food was delicious and fresh. And overall it was definitely a good place to go eat. My family and I loved the place and service read more

Last night Kaitlin and I had dinner at 1861. We hadn't been there for years and had heard great things about it so we decided to celebrate by giving it a try. I started with a Hertiage Brown Suger Bourbon on the rocks.outstanding! Then I had the stuffed lobster tail and grits. It was stuffed with jumbo lumb crab meat and shrimp in a creole sauce. I'd match it against any New York restaurant. It's not inexpensive but we'll worth the cost if you're celebrating something. read more

Food is good ambience is nice , prices area little high for the value. Tetanus drink , the bartender is awesome and talented.

Came from Wilmington about 45 min away. Had reservations for 2 at 7:15, arrived on time and was greeted. About 17 minutes later asked if we had a reservation again and still not seated while they decided where to put us. 8 open bar seats and counted 9 open tables. Not getting off to a great start. where we sat was so cold my wife had to suffer because she had no sweater or coat. Was told menu was different from the one we found on the website that we studied so we would know what we wanted to eat. Ordered the hush puppy with brown sugar bourbon butter, Came with regular butter. Big letdown as had to purchase it as an appetizer since it was no longer a side dish as stated in menu. My wife had the smothered salmon and couldn't find any crab on it. I had the shrimp with grits and sausage ( only 3 small sausages slices) Both meals in a bowl and portions small for the cost. Finished with a praline baguette that was good It was our second time coming to this restaurant but the first post Covid and I have to say our last. Bill totaling $98 with no drinks. read more

AWESOME! A great casual place that offers amazing opportunities to try some great tastes ata fair price. The Staff is top notch - a nice mix of helpful but not obtrusive. The Bar Menu. - Second to None! The Bartender really knows her drinks including fun flights of cocktails! A wonderful offering of appetizers. We tried the Cauliflower- WOW! A nice mix of sandwiches and entrees. You can't go wrong. The Chicken Sandwich was perfect. And Dessert - make sure you try it! We had a Smore Tiramisu- outstanding. We understand it has a new chef and new owners. Visit - Give this place a try - you will not go wrong. read more