If not for the food being as good as it is, I would definitely only give one star but as a previous employee, this isn't about the food. It's about how the staff are treated which is more like servants then employees. They get yelled at when things aren't perfect and are never given any breaks. The restaurant is the owners life and he expects it to be the staffs as well and yells at them if they can't make it to work. Even if they have a medical issue he still wants them working if they can't find someone to cover their shift. No one is ever granted any time off for a vacation at any point throughout the year. I also don't remember any of the staff seeing a penny of the covid relief that the owner had received either. Having read another previous review, I have to agree with it and some of this is an add on to it read more

Accommodated our family of 4 on a busy Saturday night. Service and food was outstanding. Portions are large. This restaurant is doing an amazing job in a difficult time for many local businesses. Will certainly be back. read more

Great food, especially on Mexican night. Service has improved recently. Would give 5 stars but they should improve their selection of Vermont craft beers on tap read more

Great place in Montgomery where there are not many other food options. It's open later than most places so we didn't have to starve. We were lucky to get in on Mexican night which was a nice surprise in this part of VT. The food was excellent, and the portions were huge. The service was great and they were willing to modify items to accommodate our dietary restrictions. Would definitely go there again if I'm in the area. read more

This is my favorite place to eat in the Jay Peak area. Everything I've had here is amazing, but the chicken carnivale is my favorite. I highly recommend it with the mashed potatoes. It's just the perfect combination. My husband enjoys seafood. For being pretty far away from a normal seafood-y area, he raves about how well it's cooked and how fresh it is. Last time we were there, he had some mussels (those are the things in the clams right? lol) and said they weren't gritty at all, like some places do. The chef owns the restaurant, which is named after his wife. He makes all of the dressings for the salads. They are surprisingly good! I'm a picky eater, but this guy knows what he's doing. It's not easy to please me lol The waitstaff is interesting. You'll either end up with someone who talks too much or is trying to hurry you. There is one waitress in particular that we don't really like because she tends to act impatient if she thinks you're taking too long. Fortunately we go there for the food, not the waitstaff. I'm sure good help is hard to find in that area. The portions are pretty big, so be prepared to eat! The bar has a large selection of drinks, which is nice after a long day of hiking/skiing. Prices are pretty reasonable for the area and way better than eating at the mountain. Once, when we were there, the kitchen was a little backed up and they offered us free alcoholic beverages. Overall, I highly recommend this place to anyone who isn't in a New York/New Jersey rush and knows how to slow down and enjoy life. Otherwise, this place isn't for you. read more

Every year I do a Ski trip somewhere with 15 ppl, this yard we decided on Vermont. The first couple of nights we ate at pricey restaurants which weren't that great, but our last night we were recommended to try Bernie's. And wow we are glad we did. When we first arrived and told the poor waitress that there was 16 of us, she nervously told us that she would accommodate us no matter what. The food was phenomenal and the service was even better. We found out later that we were actually eating at "Bernie's" house.. Her and her husband John, the chef, lived directly above the restaurant. All in all it's a great local place and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's hungry and wants great service. read more

We stopped here on a whim to grab a bite before a concert and we were SO pleasantly surprised at the food and service. Everything was above and beyond our expectations. We live about 3.5 hours away and honestly would consider driving back up just to come here again. read more

I love Bernie's. His Mexican night cannot be outdone within 100 miles and I have tried. His chicken dishes are superb and always consistent. I have never been disappointed. read more

Went to this restaurant recently with high expectations based on rave reviews from our friends. We were highly disappointed when the chef/owner turned us away because my fiancé was accompanied by her service dog She's a veteran of the conflict in Iraq where she was a Marine Sergeant who served during the occupation of Fallujah. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and herniated disks in her back and neck, as a result of being thrown, when an RPG struck close to her. Like many of our veterans, she also battles with PTSD. Her service dog is a highly trained, 70lb lab/golden mix, balance and mobility animal from America's Vet Dogs. He'll crawl under the table and will not move until told. Other patrons, and often our waiter, don't even realize he's there until we get up to leave. We very nicely informed the owner that it was illegal for him to refuse us and, although not required by law, offered to show him the dogs paper work. Told him we wouldn't but, could call the police as he was in violation of the ADA (American Disabilities Act). He retorted that it was his place and he didn't care. In these situations we always attempt to educate those in charge. Sometimes it works. As in this case, we never push it because, after all, they're making your food. Still deciding if we're going to file a formal complaint. read more

We came for lunch as it was the only place open, but it was very good! I got the nachos and the chips were homemade. The cheese was dispersed evenly throughout the dish and the toppings were great. No sogginess. Huge portions also. read more

This was my first visit to Bernie's, and I don't think I will go back. I ordered the clam chowder and salmon Caesar salad. The soup tasted fine, texture was strange at times like chunks of rue that had not been completely stirred. The salad arrived about an hour after I finished my soup. The romaine was soggy due there being too much dressing. The salmon was over cooked and dry. Wait staff was friendly and accommodating. That was the only positive to my experience there. read more

Ordered Prime rib and the food was okay overall. If you like to wait one hour and 30 mins for your meal, and have the wait person get mad at you for pointing that out (instead of simple "sorry for the delay, we'll get it out to you soon as we can"), this place is for you. If you have hungry kids with you, go some where else. The long wait and unprofessional waitperson really ruined the dinner. read more

We had dinner there during our ski trip. Everything was really good! We had salmon, streak and seafood ravioli. Dinner comes with soup or salad. read more

Breakfast was great. Had blueberry pancakes and home fries . Home fries nicely done w lots of fried onions . Pancakes loaded w blueberries. Restaurant is quite small and remodeling but would definitely come back to try more selections. read more

Like some of the other reviews the food was very good but service wasn't the best. It took us one hour to get our appetizer and shortly after that came out we had our salad and food all at once. We were there for 2 and a half hours. It's a small place and the waitresses are constantly running around from the front to the back of the restaurant so seeing your waitress again may take a while so order everything at once unless you want to wait. read more

Short version: I have been to Bernie's about 5 times in the past 5 years. Quality of the food is top notch, service is excellent, a plate runs $10-25. They know how to do breakfast, lunch and dinner right. Long version: Recently we had a repast for my grandfather at Bernie's. John, the owner, could not have been more helpful in planning the event. He offered a variety of options as far as space, choice of table service vs. buffet style, and bar options. We ended up taking the whole restaurant with a buffet of 4 entrees: baked penne, chicken francese, sausage, as well as rice and beans. I personally had the penne and the sausage, which were both excellent. Others reported the other entrees were also well above average, especially given the buffet nature of the event. As for the service, John, his servers and bartender are as good as it gets! They hustled to accommodate the roughly 60 people that were in attendance. Space with this many people was also not an issue. I saw in some reviews that people were unhappy with the decor of the restaurant and while I will admit it is by no means brand new, it IS very clean and neat. read more

Awesome small town restaurant serving excellent quality food in a small out of the way town. I highly recommend it

A nice little restaurant in the heart of Montgomery Center. Nothing impressive yet nothing that blew your socks off. The Service was kind and comfortable but the food just seemed to be lacking a differentiator. But with limited options in this mountain town it makes a solid choice for a nice night out. read more

Wonderful restaurant right in the heart of Montgomery Center, and just 7 miles from Jay Peak Resort. I pity the skiers and other guests who just eat resort food and don't venture out down 242 and check this place out. Steaks, seafood, pasta, salads -- the menu is broad enough that anyone will find what they like. The service is very friendly and the decor is informal -- nothing's super fancy, but it doesn't need to be. The food is the star here. If you come in on Mondays or Thursdays, you'll also have the option to enjoy their Mexican night menu. The enchiladas and taco salad are two choices I highly recommend. There's great seating in the front, but if you'd rather hang out where the locals do, head to the back where the bar is. read more

Great food, great service and awesome desserts! Walking distance from the Phineas Inn and a delight after a long day of touring the area.

Place has great food. They have different specials each night. We've happened to come on Mexican night, which is pretty impressive for a little town in Vermont. Service is very slow but friendly. Not a place to go if you are starving or in a rush. But definitely nice place to go with friends and family to hang out and grab some good food and drinks. read more

Seven friends and I stopped at Bernie's on the way home from Jay Peak a couple weeks ago. We found it online as as there isn't much around in terms of food outside of the actual resort, we decided on Bernie's. Such a cute little place. You can tell a lot of love goes into the food. Krista (or Kristen?) gave us the scoop on the family and how Bernie's came to be, and the stories made us enjoy it even more. We got nachos to share, a few people got onion soup, I got a ruben, and a couple people got burgers and chicken sandwiches. The ruben definitely wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was good! We were the only people in there on a Sunday afternoon, which seems like it's probably a pretty normal thing. We will definitely be back next year! read more

I love Bernie's service is always great and food is fantastic the kids love to the crowed is always kid friendly and Mexican night is alway great I say they have the best Salsa and Guacamole ever But to really enjoy the night you have to try a Margarita they are the worlds best ever =} read more

They have a Mexican night on Mondays and Thursdays that I believe to be the best in Vermont. I have also not had a bad meal here, I would recommend it all...I also enjoy the conversation with the staff. They are always very friendly. read more

If I could give this place no stars I would. We sat down to breakfast at 11:15 the stop serving breakfast at noon. they took our order at 11:55. The food was cold and dry. to call the servers incompetent is an insult to incompetence everywhere. We had to get up and get our own coffee. it took an hour to get our drinks which we had to order multiple times before we received them. Do yourself a favor and eat at gas station. the food will be better and you'll get it sooner. read more

We enjoyed this wonderful little ole town and area favorite as it has a very diverse menu, great specials and even does a Mexican night that many have raved about although we were not there the night they had that running as it changes week to week on which night they do that. The service was wonderful, food was great and we will be going back. It is a local place so many who are there know one another and or the staff so expect that environment and expect looks if you are an out of towner but not in a bad way as this is a tourist area especially in ski season. Menu is very American fare but again many options, good specials and just good all around. read more

Stopped for a big breakfast before hiking. Sat at the counter with the locals. The food was good, the company was good. The real deal in a small northern VT community. read more

horrible. we waiting for over an hour after giving our order for the food to arrive and the waitress kept telling us that it was on its way. not quaint. i also walked in on a lady in the bathroom and was traumatized. our waitress did not even give us a discount on the food after waiting for so long. sucked big time! the food is whatever...nothing special. we will never go here again when up at jay peak. read more

Excellent Food. We went on Mexican night on our way back from Jay's Peak. Very friendly service, and great fresh food. The only downside that we can think of is that it took quite long for our food, but it's acceptable for the quality of the food. Small restaurant but feels nice and cozy. Would recommend but could see the wait times being long on a busy night. read more

We were told to come for breakfast & it did not disappoint. Great homemade bread, pancakes & loved the omelette!

The scrod and prime rib were amazing. The turkey soup was good. Portions were very generous for the price. Service was great and everyone was very friendly. Will definitely return when skiing at Jay next. read more

I recently had the pleasure of having breakfast at Bernie's. I ordered the Western omelet which was perfectly done. Same for the muffin and hash browns. The ambience and service were equally delightful. A wonderful contrast to the corporate mediocrity and sterility of nearby resort food. read more

We were there as a group of 6. I had ordered blackened chicken sandwich cajun style and my wife had the spinach quesadilla with chicken. Both these dishes exceeded our expectation for a restaurant in a very small town. All my other friends also seemed to enjoy their food. Only negative thing was that the service was a bit slow but then we were on vacation so we could enjoy our drinks till the food arrived. read more

Small, nice, home style place. Very friendly stuff. Food was delicious too. The only thing I didn't like - we had to wait for our order Very long time. We were with kids, who can hardly be patient when they are hungry, so it was exhausting for all of us. read more

What a great spot.homemade bread and fresh ground pepper on the breakfast home fries.

This place is just plain fun! It is what you would expect for a local diner, locals hanging out at the counter talking fishing/hunting and a waitress who knows everyone. It is good food and located on the way up to Jay Peak. Great place-a bit of local culture mixed in with good food at a good price. read more

We just left here after spending some time at Jay Peak. What a gem!! The blueberry pancake was incredible. Omelettes delicious. And the homemade cinnamon raisin bread was incredible. The staff is super friendly and accommodating and the atmosphere is clean and adorable. We will be back!! read more

Stopped in while snowmobiling in the area. Food was great, will go back again.

Great local choice with fresh ingredients prepared to order. Wide variety of menu choices and nightly specials. Atmosphere colorful and prices affordable. Owner-operated and it shows. Must visit while in the area. read more