I wish I could rate this higher than 5 stars!!! The renovations are gorgeous! Amazing design concept keeping character of this old building. The waitstaff went above and beyond. The drinks were superb... great selections as well. The cod cheek was one of the best things I have eaten in 5 years. I am a big fan of Cato cheese farm so I had to get the cheese board. It did not disappoint. The most amazing dish was something the chef made special for us... diced scallops with black caviar. This is hands down my new favorite place to eat! read more

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Ambiance was nice, the renovations are beautiful. However, food was very slow to arrive (an hour) and was a cooled when served. We were surprised by this, since there was only one other table of three occupied when we ordered. The food was good, I had the salmon, but the portion were small and not the quality I would have expected. We were a group of four adults, celebrating a birthday. When we mentioned this to our server, she just stared at us and said nothing in response and walked away. The other patrons present overheard and said they were celebrating a birthday too, and we shared a little happy birthday song for the birthday ladies at both tables. I'm not usually a picky person, and haven't ever written a poor review, but I wouldn't recommend this place. The service was slow, the waitress we had was not personsble, and the food was pricey but only average quality. read more

We were terribly disappointed with our New Year's Eve dinner experience. A customer was urinating in the parking lot as we pulled into our space... not a great start! The crowd was dressed for a casual night out: (flannel shirts, baseball caps), no festive decor in the restaurant, and the wait staff was young and inexperienced. We felt rushed. After dessert, a server brought two entrees ( obviously meant for someone else) to our table. The prix fixe cost was $10 more than advertised on the website that afternoon. The food is great, but hosting a New Year's Eve should feel special. Brushmill missed the mark tonight. read more

so I've been seeing the Thursday night Burger on Facebook for awhile and finally got to go and try them. We arrived at 5:15, there were two other parties in the dining room. We ordered soft drinks, an appetizer and burgers. Soft drinks came quickly and the buffalo wings and then we waited and waited and waited for 55 minutes for our burgers to arrive. The food was all good, the burgers had great flavor and the toasted bun was perfect. But we sat there for two hours and ten minutes for wings and burgers!!! WAY TOO LONG read more

If I could give zero stars I would . I've never been treated so horribly by an employee of an establishment that prides themselves on their patrons having an excellent experience. When I brought this to managements attention through phone calls and letters , sadly I was met with even worse treatment. Knowing business runs on word of mouth ( being a business / restaurant owner myself for over 30 years you'd think they'd want to make things right. WRONG ! I wouldn't go back to this establishment if it were the last place on earth . Very disturbing to co / sign an employees horrific unsolicited behavior, remarks and personal opinions . I stopped in with friends for what I thought would be a pleasant lunch, it turned into a nightmare . Horrible all around read more

Excellent atmosphere, just had drinks at the wine bar no food eaten. I would return. The menu didn't have anything I found appealing.

Exceptional food and service and the setting is beautiful. Prices are fair. My new favorite restaurant! read more

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We came to the Brushmill by the Waterfall for our anniversary dinner. I made a reservation for 7pm, but we weren't seated until 7:35pm. While we waited, we were not offered a drink menu or even a glass of water. To be honest, we felt "in the way." The food was fine, and our server was attentive once we sat down. But this restaurant did not make us feel welcome or valued as customers. My husband and I were disappointed, especially since it was a special evening for us. read more

The experience of entering the Brushmill is so beautiful, you hear the roar of water from the waterfall(sounds like it's raining, very tranquil) while walking across the rustic looking bridge. Great for photo taking. We were greeted as soon as we entered the building by the hostess. We were brought to a table with a view of the waterfall. They also have outdoor seating, upstairs private chef table and wine bar. Very beautiful, quiet place for dinner. The food was delicious! Their homemade bread was crispy and warm. The Caesar was huge for a full size and the main entrees were great. The drinks were not the best. I ordered the tequila old fashion which was basically tequila on a big rock, was good for sipping not to pair with my meal. Deff will recommend if you are in the area read more

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Not a good experience slow service and overpriced food that isn't worth the money! I will not be going back. Too many other places to eat, my advice is to pass this one by. read more

We had dinner here on a Saturday night on the way from Old Saybrook to Hartford . Make reservations! It was full. I ordered the tenderloin, which was really tender, wonderfully flavored and totally amazing all around. It was a bit cold when they delivered it, but they hastily took it back upstairs and redelivered it cooked at exactly the same temperature, but hot. My husband ordered the burger and said it was very good. Drinks were awesome, and our bartender/server Shamus was tremendous. He managed to deliver excellent service even though he was super busy. Totally recommend. read more

I was really pleased by Brushmill. I feared that it might be a touristy trap. It definitely was not. The ambiance is quaint, the staff is great, and the food was super! Also, the cocktails were spot on. I had the cod with the saffron couscous. Loved it. Can't remember what my wife had, but it was definitely two for two. Can't wait to share Brushmill with out of town guests. read more

Food was great but we had a special occasion my nephew's 27 Birthday. It was family and we had 12 year old too and my brother made reservations and did say about birthday celebration. He was advised to book it able in library but apperently it was booked for special events and instead of seating us in their fine dining area where was plenty of space available they designated to us high table in the bar . They should have called ahead of time or when we asked if we can be seated in different area they were rude and not flexible and coming with every possible excuse not to change the table. We ended up having a good evening and yes restaurant is lovely but not sure why they were so adamant of moving us to other area of restaurant . Also lied to me saying it where my brother booked the table. Hope they improve the situation . read more

Romantic atmosphere and delish food. My boyfriend and I both enjoyed our meals. He got the NY strip and I got the scallops. Excellent. read more

Interesting menu, creative drinks, decent service. Cool ambiance and location. Very popular so plan accordingly.

Been here many times. Always good! They go above and beyond. Very friendly staff and food is excellent. Great job! read more

Brushmill by the Waterfall - Tuna Tartare - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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So it now occurs to me based on this, my third review, that they are inconsistent. I also think how busy they are affects their performance, especially with service. We were here for my mother-in-law's 99th birthday. We were seated upstairs, seemingly near the kitchen. The room was large and we were a party of eight. A party of eight should get the most competent server, but I don't think that we did. She wasn't a disaster but she was stressed. There was another big party nearby, and they seemed a little loud and obnoxious. In addition they put two of their kids on a sofa near our table and they were pretty distracting. Either include your kids in your party or leave them at home with a babysitter. Neither the staff nor us are your unhired help. The menu had changed since our last visit which was disappointing but they're entitled. The food this time was good, but little things were off (meat not cooked to request), food that had cooled, probably while waiting for the rest of the order which still didn't arrive at the same time, wine arriving after the food had etc. I probably wouldn't have bothered with this review recognizing that restaurants have their off nights and this was a memorial day weekend so probably more crowded, if it hadn't been for three things: 1) Our server was stressed which affected her demeanor, 2) our being seated next to someone else's children who were playing not eating (the restaurant should not have allowed this) and a policy our server imposed - you're not allowed to have two servings of alcohol at the same time. In this case we could not nurse our cocktails and have our wine with our meal. So is this so you don't sneak a drink to an underage person (all of our children were in their thirties), or is to prevent inebriation (it did not work because the party whose kids we watched over were plenty soused). So the policy encourages you to slam down that cocktail so you can enjoy your wine with dinner. I'm glad I did come back to review the restaurant because I realized the critical issue here - inconsistency. I'll be back because I have enjoyed this place before, and the problems were not egregious. But their off night negatively impacted our celebration. read more

Very slow service on a not busy night. My feeling was that the kitchen was understaffed. It's an interesting old Mill Building. We had high hopes but were disappointed. read more

We had a very good steak dinner at the tavern but I would like to see changes made in the main tavern room because it has no atmosphere. All the character is in the bar area, entrance, even the bathrooms, but none in the main dining room! Softer lighting, some plants or something to break-up the room are needed so that it doesn't feel like a suburban hotel space. Please elevate the decor to match the food! read more

Not a good experience !! Employees standing around chatting it up with each other, rude manager, slow service and overpriced food that isn't worth the money! Really very sad as this used to be such a great place to go. I will not be going back. Too many other places to eat, my advice is to pass this one by. read more

interesting environment --would have enjoyed it but for an employee with a loud , booming voice who never stopped yelling the entire time we were there. He was standing around the bar talking to everyone so no one could have their own quiet conversations with their parties without seeming rude. We'd love to go back as the menu and wine list are great--just prefer to enjoy a more relaxing, chill vibe. read more

Brushmill was wonderful. My boyfriend brought me for my birthday, and the staff was so thoughtful as to write me a birthday card! I have never experienced a kinder restaurant staff. Ambiance, food, drink and service- all well done. (P.S. - The scallops are amazing) read more

Brushmill by the Waterfall - Birthday card from staff - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

Great ambiance and a wonderful menu! Service was excellent! They have great selection of drinks and cocktails, while their dinner menu had some wonderful crowd pleaser such as the prime rib, risotto, and interesting play on the chocolate mousse! read more

This was by far the best meal and foodie experience I've had in a LONG TIME! For our entrees, I got the duck breast & my husband got the hangar steak. The combinations altogether in one bite was so thoughtfully planned out to make it the perfect mouthful! The house made focaccia with the special black garlic butter was to die for! We got the Indian spiced mussels, as well, for an appetizer and it was such an interesting twist on the typical mussels in butter appetizer! We had Seamus as our waiter & he was so knowledgeable and hospitable. They did an amazing job with the reopening; all of the rooms were beautiful! read more

Brushmill by the Waterfall - Duck breast & hangar steak. - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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We had a wonderful meal at the Brushmill in Chester last night. 8 family members sat at a the private Chef table. We loved the private location and enjoyed the attentive service. All the meals were wonderful and we really enjoyed being able to visit. read more

This is our third visit to the Brushmill, with the last 2 being within the last 2 months. Each visit the same challenges exist. We arrived for dinner at 7:30 and were able to find seats at the bar. We were the only ones seated there, although the lounge areas were filled with guests waiting for dinner reservations upstairs. Bartenders were friendly. Ordered drinks - every vodka I requested they said they were out of and waiting for delivery. Odd for a Saturday but ok. We put in our order for food - 2 entrees. The bartender immediately states "it's going to take a bit for the food, we are backed up in the kitchen." No problem, we aren't in a rush rush, how bad can it be? (Interesting BUT this is where the patterns present as last visit our food took forever and the excuse was that the steak station was slammed. Seeing that the majority of your menu is beef.....ok.). We are offered bread, we said sure, and our order was completed by 8 pm and so we began the wait. In this time, we noticed that there is a significant amount of water ponding on the floor (literally water flowing down the walls to the floor). Staff gave an excuse of why it was occurring but I really didn't want to sit next to an open water hazard on a slippery stone floor so we moved down the bar. Which didn't help because the water was pushing down behind the bar and managed to pool where we moved to. For context - it was likely 25ft from water entry to where we were at the other end of the bar now. It's now 8:15 - no bread. We inquire about it and they go off to check. Bread appears. It's lovely. Continue to wait. By 8:40 our patience is gone and I had to ask for a status on our order, again. They run to check on it, come back downstairs with no plates and state that it's being plated up. Super. Food finally shows up at 8:45. We were a party of 2 and ordered the duck and a hamburger. It was fine. But should this whole adventure to order a couple rounds of drink and straightforward entrees take nearly 90 mins for food that is not that special? No way. The bar staff did as much as they could but there are kitchen issues that need to be addressed. You'd think a manager would be floating around, checking in with people who were sitting for long periods of time. Or that perhaps a manager would be notified of issues. Apparently not. The icing on the cake? As we were packing up to leave, dropped my glasses into the gross puddle that was now under our bar seats. Not sure how that interior "water feature" isn't problematic from a health and safety perspective. 3 strikes, you're out. We gave solid attempts to redeem itself but clearly timing in the kitchen is problematic. read more

Ambiance was cozy, food was good, service was friendly but very slow. The website menu was not up to date to inservice menu.

We were extremley dissappointed with the entire experience. Risotto was not edible, Fish was covered with mustard sauce and 1/2 roasted chicken was a boneless chicken breast. Bad food, inexperienced staff and overpriced. I will be surprised if this establishment is still open within the year. read more

The Brushmill is a very special and charming location. We have been many times over the years, and we are happy to see it given new life with a makeover and new ownership. A former mill, entrance is through a little covered bridge with trellised sides, allowing a view of the brook below, it was roaring and white-capped as we had just had heavy rains the evening before. Just enchanting. We were lucky enough to have a seat for two by the beautiful stone fireplace in the tavern, tastefully decorated for the holiday. The new decor and renovation enhance subtly, elegantly modernizing the historic space, its traditional charm still very much intact. We enjoyed parsnip soup which was deliciously velvety and flavorful, crostini which was also delicious, toasted bread, not hard but pleasantly crisp with creamy whipped mascarpone and flavorful roasted tomato and pesto. Ribeye steak was prepared caramelized, juicy, and rare as requested, with crisp/soft small potatoes and sautéed wild mushroom accompaniment. Piggyback Maple Manhattan was strong and perfect, with $2 off Happy Hour. Dessert was a rich and comforting bread pudding. Service was friendly, cheerful, professional, and attentive. The perfect New England winter dining experience! Will be back often. read more

Brushmill by the Waterfall - Two seats for two are available beside the fireplace in the Tavern dining area. So elegant and cozy! - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

I have no complaints about the food. It's not outstanding, more middle of the road. I am , however very offended by a $5 charge for extra bread. What are they thinking. It cheapens not only the restaurant but the entire experience of dining there. They will not see me again. read more

This newly renovated restaurant is amazingly good. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was huge portions just like the good old days. Honestly the only downside was the drink prices. They were a little pricy for the size. Give it a try. I'm sure you will love it. read more

Brushmill by the Waterfall - Duck special up front prime rib in the back. - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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The setting and overall ambiance was cozy and nice. We had a fabulous server who was attentive, polite and informative. The menu is pretty simple and we knew what we wanted prior to arrival. Extensive wine list was impressive, and overall I had a great time and will definitely be returning when the weather gets warmer! read more

The food at this establishment is tasteless. It is bland and nothing special . The menus is small and has the same offerings as most restaurants in the area. Except Nothing can compare to the fries at Livs oyster bar and the food served there . This food was not even seasoned at all The chef is awful . It's like a place for unsophisticated palate who like unseasoned food and not a gourmet foodie ! If you're in the mood just to get a drink and a burger perhaps . If you're a foodie skip this place it's a cool venue it's a shame they don't have a chef worthy of it . The place needs an amazing chef and a good manager . The servers are awesome that's all that is good about this place .Unsophisticated patrons must keep this place going !! The place was filled witth Polyester crowd and I'm more comfortable with people dressed more sophisticated and groomed better . I like to dine with people dressed for the occasion and have food that taste amazing and every bit is a life changing ! You won't find one bite delicious in this place !! To dine is to have the entire experience be special and the people the food the service should all be outstanding and fun . This is not a place to feel like your dining out it's more like a Fridays with a cool venue . read more

Everything was great. Top shelf. Appys, main courses, desserts, service, atmosphere all excellent. I read more

Wonderful experience! I don't normally give 5 star reviews. The food was delicious. My duck was prepared perfect (my only negative comment was the orzo didn't quite go with the dish) and the chocolate cake was a little dry so I would give them 4.5 stars but chose to go to 5 as they were so warm and accommodating. Plus the owner checked on us a couple of times and our waitress was phenomenal! read more

The Brushmill's food is absolutely delicious. Jen, the bartender, makes awesome cocktails, and the ambiance is very cozy. It's a really great place! read more

The new owners did a great job with this fabulous historic building. The menu is inventive, the cocktails are fantastic. They are really doing a great job over there. It seems like they are trying to do something out of the box in a wonderful way. Our food was cooked perfectly and the staff was very nice. Give this place a try and bring out of town guests here too. A taste of Connecticut. read more

Overall a good restaurant. The food was amazing. The deign of this restaurant is beautiful from the outside to the inside. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. The prices are a little high but you get what you pay for. read more

Great spot in Chester! Amazing food and cocktails. Perfect for a fun date night or fancy night out. The service was awesome and our waitress went above and beyond for us! Also order the crem brûlée! It's amazing. read more

DISAPPOINTING! We had looked forward to our birthday celebration but the Brushmill did not succeed.. The only reason there is a star at all is for the young staff that tried very hard to accomodate us.. Drinks were "sad"..sorry no Absolute, sorry no onions..so sorry no Gibson. Whiskey,soda,bitters..no soda, no bitters, one icecube..lot of time sending things back. Appetizers large but the duck confit appetizer..appeared AGAIN as the shrimp Fra Diavolo..with shrimp dumped on top..for the price!!! All in all, not recommended...not sure if will try again. p.s. the complementary dessert might have been less for birthdays and more a make up for the over $360 meal! read more