Beautiful views and a very pretty patio, great for summer dining! If I lived in the area I could even see myself coming here for a cocktail in the evening. I'd definitely recommend coming here before or after going to a show next door! We came for lunch on a hot day so it wasn't crazy busy, but we had good service and enjoyed the meals we got. My friend and I split the bang bang shrimp tacos and chipotle cheesesteak egg rolls. Both were very good and full of flavor! The kids enjoyed their meals and my boyfriend's fish and chips was very fresh. Nice spot with great views and a very good selection of food options. read more

Gelston House - Bang bang shrimp tacos - Seafood Near Me - East Haddam, Connecticut

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We ordered the mussels and they were ok, nothing special. Tasted like the frozen kind you get from the grocery store. We followed that with the lobster ravioli which was so nasty I couldn't eat more than one bite. It had a very fishy smell. The server came over and asked if we wanted dessert, which honestly surprised me that she didn't say anything about how I hadn't eaten hardly any of my entree. We declined and left. It's a cute building, and this was the off season, so maybe it was just an off night. Based on my experience, there are better places to eat in the area. read more

Gave Gelston House another shot after having visited more than 7 years ago and had a much better experience. My husband and I enjoyed a beautiful summer day on the patio! Gorgeous views, and the menu had some nice choices. Tasty Brussels and a huge poboy! Our server was friendly and attentive. We appreciated him refilling our waters often since it was so hot. This made for a nice lunch before heading down to the casino! read more

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We went on a beautiful evening and sat on the patio. The view of the river is one of the best. I rarely eat burgers but had a bit of a craving for one so I ordered the Gelston burger. I might have to say this was the best burger I've ever had. Buttery bun. Huge patty and bun. Good special sauce. Just really enjoyed it. We went inside and it's a different experience. Totally posh and much higher priced. I did think the patio prices were a bit high and really no free ice tea refills. That's a no class move. Service was friendly but it does matter when you go how fast you are seated. read more

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I expected to see only rave reviews, as we had a wonderful experience here, just the other evening. Keeping it simple, our dishes included halibut, lobster, chicken and calamari. All of our meals were A+ dishes. Our lovely, attentive and sweet waitress was another A+. Finally, the restaurant's waterfront setting helped create the relaxed atmosphere that allowed us to savor the whole experience. Thank you!!! read more

The food is not the greatest really over priced and just not good. The last visit, the service was okay, not great, just okay. This place could be so amazing if they would invest in some great chefs. The views are beautiful, it's right next to the Goodspeed, which I think is why this place is still going. It breaks my heart every time I drive by it. I really want it to be fantastic. read more

Beautiful setting on the river adjacent to the Goodspeed Opera House. We enjoyed a glass of wine on the patio while waiting for our dinner reservations. It was so pleasant that we asked if we could remain there for our meal, and were cheerfully accommodated. The food was excellent and our server great. We enjoyed shared appetizers of crab cakes & calamari. I thought the crab cakes were small for the price ($19 for 2). I was a bit surprised that the sauce was served on the crab cakes rather than on the side, but they were delicious so it wasn't a problem. The fried calamari ($17) was plentiful and also delicious; in this case the red sauce was served separately. A bottle of crisp, cold Matua Sauvignon Blanc ($40) was the perfect accompaniment. My dinner was the Gelston chicken ($27), a breaded boneless chicken breast with a lemon sauce, served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. I was able to substitute asparagus for the mixed veggies with no upcharge. The biggest problem is, if there's a show at the Goodspeed next door, parking is nearly impossible. read more

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The last time we visited the Gelston House (probably 2 years ago), we decided we were never going to return again - it was the 3rd time the food and service severely disappointed us. We have now learned never to say never! We were given a gift certificate to the Gelston House, as we are subscribers to the Goodspeed Opera House. Made a reservation for Saturday, May 23 at 5:30pm to be sure to get to the show on time. We were seated immediately and our server, Sarah, was great! Very attentive to all of our needs. We started with the lamb lollipops, served with Mango Salsa and mint jelly. Delicious! I had the baked seafood trio - Scallops, Shrimp, and Sole stuffed with lobster. This was served with fingerling potatoes and green bean/carrots. Everything was perfectly cooked and was excellent. My partner had the lamb loin chops - there were 4 meaty chops cooked just the way he likes. This was also served with the potatoes and green beans. He loved this dish! For dessert we split the Limoncello cake - very light and yummy! We were finished by 7:05pm, enough time to walk over to the theater and be comfortably seated before the show started. I highly recommend the Gelston House! read more

I bought the dinner and show tickets. We enjoyed dinner at the gelston house. Choices were limited for this package special, but it were able to find something to our liking. read more

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The restaurant is beautifully decorated for the holidays! We ordered the short ribs which came with mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans. The portion was generous although my friend thought the meat could have been cooked another hour. We also tried the bourbon glazed salmon which was flavorful. The highlights of the meal were the delicious cranberry filled vodka drink with an orange sugar rim and the freshly baked rolls hot from the oven . read more

What a great restaurant and right next to the Goodspeed Opera House! It has a great ovation in good weather and great views of the River! The service was awesome! I had a small appetizer of sautéed seared shrimp with plantains. My only comment was that I expected slices of thicker plantain to add to the sweetness and it was instead 2 dehydrated long thin crispy plantain slices and they had no flavor. Our other appetizer was the fried calamari and that was so so good and plentiful. For people reading this - they have a regular dinner menu and if you arrange it you can combine a meal with a show and dinner for a pkg deal just ask the Goodspeed when making a reservation at the show. Definitely make reservations for dinner! read more

Food: glorified cafeteria Service: could care less Ambiance: the restaurant is on a gorgeous river. You would think that the windows would be sparkling clean. Sadly, they are streaky and cloudy. Oh well, won't be going here again read more

The Gelston House is a gem; was warmly greeted by Abagail. She is a perfect choice as a matre'd -- her kindness and interest in each guest radiates. My server was Emma; and I will be sure to request her the next time I return to the Gelston. I started with a aperol spritz; perfect balance and lots of ice! I loved my window seat and the opportunity to see the water -- it really enhanced my quiet and peaceful night and dinner. I must admit to being in a Gelston House rut with their beet/cranberry salad and Emma recommended changing things up with the fig dressing; OMG -- the best! And my new favorite. Just delicious -- and I so enjoy that salad. . .it really now is my most favorite. With my dinner being their amazing crab cakes that are full of crab meat and seasoned to perfection and severed with a salsa side. While I would love dessert; I was stuffed -- and ended with a cup of coffee. Abagail circulated around the room checking to ensure that dinner was going well for all -- and it was for me. Emma is an excellent server and charming ; Abagail ever so lovely and gracious. The Gelston a gem -- and not to be missed and a true favorite of mine. read more

Been eating at Gelston House several times a year for a long time. Two or three meals over many (about 36) years have been very good, but mostly it's pretty mediocre. Today my friend and I had the worst experience ever. Our server was quite inattentive -- my friend had to finally get up and get us water refills herself. We asked to have our salads first and the main course later, but they arrived together. When I suggested to our server that it might have been nice to notice my empty water glass, he looked at me as though I was speaking another language. The salad was very large -- but that was mostly greens that were completely wilted, and there were pockets of slimy leaves. The quesadilla we ordered was unevenly cooked, with a couple of wedges brown and dry. The filling was flavorless, and there was no salsa or guacamole with it, only sour cream. The service was so slow that we were almost late for the Goodspeed show, with no time for coffee or dessert. Used to be that the server would ask if we were going to the show, but apparently the niceties (like offering more water) were foreign to this young man. He offered that the fact that he was a student excused him from these good serving practices. read more

Good lunch adjacent to the GoodSpeed opera house. Good service and food is nicely prepared. Expectations were not very high so very satisfied. Enjoyed the salad and burrata. read more

Went with friends prior to seeing a show next door. the inside is very nice ... however the food lacked . I ordered the seafood risotto ( $40.00 ) when it came there was an off taste to it. it tasted like it was cooked in a tire, nasty had one of my friends tasted to be sure and she made a face .... send it back she said. So I did I got instead their house burger. This was good... BUT not cooked the way I asked for it to cooked. I wanted med rare ...got well done. Now the kicker ..... when the bill came the risotto was still on the tab and so was the burger. The waitress said oh sorry. Right, (I swear she kept it on there to make her tip larger), bad service and bad food I got SORRY. nope not going back. And I think you shouldn't either. read more

My daughter and I went for lunch before seeing the play next door at the GoodSpeed Opera House. I got the fish and chips and she got the NY stip steak. I had fries and she had mashed potatoes and vegy. She said her entire meal was so good she wished it was cold out side so she could bring her leftovers home. I felt the same way. The breadcrumbs on my fish were very crispy just the way I love them. The fish was haddock and was so good but because the left overs would be sitting in a warm car for hours couldn't happen. The place is beautiful and our young waiter was so friendly and accommodating. My daughter has severe gluten allergy and he made sure the kitchen was aware of that. It was our 1st time here and because of the gluten free options available and the wonderful food we will definitely make this a must do again. Give it a try you will love it but again it is very pricy but worth the money. The atmosphere was very old and nostalgic. Very clean and attractive. They have a bar and make holiday specials, she got the apple juice mule. I got wine. You get plenty of food. read more

Gelston House - MY strip steak - Seafood Near Me - East Haddam, Connecticut

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Love the small cozy dining room with fireplace. Food and service pleasant as always. It's our "go to" place in the village.

The Pub was closed and the patio was 85° in glaring sun. We sat in the Dining room and could not order off the Pub menu unless we sat outside. So Silly. I won't be back. From the conversations I heard a few other diners also won't return. read more

Stopped in for dinner before the show. Greeted and seated at a table over looking the river. Server appeared immediately to take our drink order. Menu appears to have changed since the last time we had been there. More 'formal' entrees rather than the casual dining that we had seen previously. Ordered the skimp cocktail (very expensive), a side salad, and the rib eye. Food showed up quickly and looked good. Vegetables weren't correct in that we asked for asparagus instead of the mixed vegetables so the plates had to go back for the change. The shrimp cocktail was 4 shrimp (large, for the cost would have expected colossal), and cocktail sauce. Salad was fresh with plenty of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. The rib eye came with fingerling potatoes and the asparagus. Seemed to be plenty of butter used on the potatoes and asparagus with garlic tossed in. The rib eye was large, 14 ounces, and was boneless. As is with rib eyes there were some good sized fat pieces to cut away but the seasoning on the rib eye was very good with plenty of pepper and a good char. Only problem is that it was tough but still had good flavor. Server was very helpful and very pleasant. And with a view of the river you can't go too wrong. There will be return trips as we attend shows often so we'll try other things on the m read more

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Came here for lunch and had a positive experience. They have a lot to offer on their menu, but being so close to the water, oddly, they didn't have a ton of sea food options. I had the BBQ brisket'dilla and it was delicious. The brisket was well cooked and the mango habanero sauce was tasty, but could be more spicy. The food portions are decent, but the one thing I would say is service is a little bit slow. I get it's supposed to be "finer dining", but a quick lunch turned into two and a half hours. My family and I sat on the porch overlooking the CT River and it was absolutely beautiful. The town is so quiet and the it's so lovely during the summer. Would absolutely come back. read more

Elegant dining with quality food and excellent service. Great for special occasions. Wonderful riverside location and views too.

Not good for such an upscale restaurant. My husband had the fish and chips and the fish was less than 1/2" thick perfectly flat fillet which we all know there is no such thing as a flat cod fillet . (Was it even cod)? Was it Mrs Snows from the frozen food section in the grocery store? Had absolutely no taste. It HAD to be from a box. I had the Ahi Tuna sandwich which I could have used as a hockey puck. The hardest, over cooked piece of tuna I ever had. Way over priced for the food you get. The beer was good and the scenery of course, is what you pay for. Definitely not the food. read more

The food is just ok here. The restaurant itself is in a great location with fantastic views. We went on a show night so it was crazy busy but our waiters were able to keep up. They did however bring a couple plates that were wrong, but they whisked them away and briskly brought the right dinners. I had the Gelston chicken based on reviews, and it was good. From what I saw for the scallop dinners, I'm glad I stuck with chicken! read more

Pretty sure I ate at Gelston House more times (FIVE!) prior to writing this review than any other place. I am giving 3 stars and one of those stars is for the location. Specifically they're getting a star for the fact that you can dine outside on a patio with a full, lovely bar overlooking The Connecticut River and across to The Goodspeed Opera House. Which is the only reason to dine at Gelston House. The restaurant is directly next to/adjacent to the Goodspeed. So if you are seeing a show at Goodspeed you can just walk across the sidewalk and dine at Gelston House before or after. And that is why I found myself at Gelston House 5 times between September and October this year. I had a friend performing in "The 12" at Goodspeed and I attended the Wednesday matinee every week of the two month run. He and I had lunch together at Gelston House after the matinee. One week my parents attended the matinee and we all had lunch out on that LOVELY patio. Which was the only time we sat at a table. Every other time we sat at that outdoor bar. When the weather "turned" the outdoor bar was closed for the season and we had to decamp to the indoor bar. I DO NOT recommend that indoor bar. Really terrible, tiny, outdated, sad furnishings/design/vibe. I did not eat in the dining room. Food is okay. Solidly mediocre. Twice I was served dishes that contained visibly "not fresh" greens. Which, you know, is easy to avoid: just pick the yellow and brown out before you send it out. Running a restaurant is neither easy nor cheap. I know, I do it. Charge what you need to charge, but your prices should also reflect quality of food and dining experience. Mainly they do not at Gelston House. God Help Me that I should say anything about a restaurant's pricing. You should just know that if I am saying something about it that means I actually noticed it. Bad Sign. Because I dine out every chance I get and will pay whatever I need to pay to eat where and what I want... The "underlying problem" at Gelston House is the place is being operated on the completely outdated, hierarchical, "top down," restaurant management system: There is a visible lack of leadership on the floor. They are not even remotely understaffed. There were people everywhere working every time we ate. But it was a STRUGGLE to be served. Even sitting at the bar. Which is usually a "hack:" If you sit at the bar the bartender is right there so you can always get what you need. Not here. This comes down solely to training and management. In a restaurant every, single thing that is wrong with your experience comes from The Top. Believe me. I do not want to have to struggle to get more water or another drink or a napkin. Every. Visit. Banging Shrimp: zero "bang." LOL Weird, battered, fried little shrimps with zero seasoning. Lobster Tacos: not bad. Also not great. Fish Tacos: IMO the best thing on the menu. Full of fresh, tasty ingredients and 3 to the order. Salad Nicoise: Very good, if you get fresh greens. Ceviche: skip it. A dish like this is beyond the capabilities of this restaurant. Tina's Garden Salad: GREAT SALAD. Again, someone needs to pay attention to the greens. Overall Dining Experience: semi soul killing. read more

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It's so convenient for the theatre. Hard to believe they won't take advantage of this and put some effort into their food. Overcooked, salty seafood (the seafood trio), store bought pre-battered fish for the fish and chips(cold chips btw). The "risotto" that came with the entrees was inedible. The broccoli and carrots that came with the entrees was mushy and gross. The cavatappi and the wedge salad were good. The white wine, however, was room temperature. The service was fine. Sooo many unforced errors. Wouldn't it be great if the beautiful Gelston House would put some pride into their fare. I will come back for cocktails and maybe appetizers. I might even risk a burger, but that's about it. read more

Gelston House - This is what we didn't eat. You think they might ask if everything was okay. But they definitely know that it wasn't. - Seafood Near Me - East Haddam, Connecticut

Service is horrible and non existent on a slow lunch shift. Over an hour for food to come out. When we requested a manger, nobody ever came by. When we paid the check, it took an additional 10 mins to come back with the cash change. Awful service. read more

Attended a retirement seminar session with a dinner included and the dinner was excellent and very fresh. This restaurant is along the Connecticut River and across the street from the Godspeed Opera House. My 1st time having dinner here and it's a very romantic location and they have a good size bar area for drinks. The vegetables were fresh green beans and carrots. I had the Parmesan Encrusted Cod that came with the risotto and I have to say that the risotto was over cooked and mushy to eat. The bistro steak was very tender and perfect temperature. They gave a very large amount of greens for the salad which was very fresh. After our discussion they came out with a chefs choice for dessert which was a cheesecake with raspberry sauce. It was a final touch for a nice evening. I will make my way back down here for maybe a dinner and show. read more

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I have not eaten here in ages, but was pleasantly surprised. All of our meals were good. I had a killer salad, with a gorgeous, large, perfectly cooked piece of salmon on top. I liked the menu choices, they seemed to be a little more casual than they used to be, and the prices were a little more down to earth than I remember. While at the same time still maintaining a bit a a fine dining flair. The views on the patio were killer! The bathrooms could have been nicer. But overall it was a good time had by all. read more

Gelston House - Seafood Near Me - East Haddam, Connecticut

Improve hostess interaction with guest. Improve server pronunciation of day specialty menu. Improve meal. Don't serve risotto with mash potatoes at the same time. read more

Friday night, food and service was subpar for the price you pay. It will be a long time before we come back. read more

We came on a warm summer night and sat at the outside patio. If was cooler by the river and the views are spectacular. Our server was excellent and attentive. The food arrived I a reasonable amount of time, and it was timed well with our appetizer Our food was good but we felt it was overpriced for the portion size. We would recommend for the location and service. read more

Excellent Food, & service for a party of 7 before seeing 'A Chorus Line' @ the Goodspeed - our server Mackenzie was awesome. Great team!

They ran out of wine glasses - granted this was before the theater, but things were really slow slow slow, and the food was mediocre. Mediocre mediocre. They are saving grace is their closeness to the theater. read more

I enjoyed this place . The food was ridiculously good! I will absolutely visit here again read more

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I'm starting to lose count of how many times I've had an excellent meal at Gelston House. I'd love to return to stay here (hard to do with family so close by) just to hang out in the bar and enjoy the area on foot. On this last visit for lunch we had the fish tacos (huge portion and excellent!) and the Tuna sandwich. Tuna was prepared perfectly and was delicious. I didn't eat all the bread but it was too good not to enjoy most of it! Service was very good and the ambiance is unbeatable. This visit in mid-November had us dining indoors, but we've been on the patio in summer and it's tremendous. Making a reservation (recommended) is easy on their website. I've never had any issues. You get an email confirmation within 12 hours or so. I park in the theater parking lot behind and across the footbridge. It's a nice little walk and pretty along the river. You may find closer parking, but it is limited. If you have guests with mobility issues, just drop them at the front door first. There are plenty of places for them to relax outside (or even inside) while you park and catch up to them. The food comes out fairly quickly and service is likewise prompt so expect a one course meal to be about an hour if you're planning to go to a show next door. I like to arrive 2 hours before the show and relax on the porch of the GOH overlooking the river beforehand in the time between when we finish our meal and the show opens. Just my suggestion... If you read my other reviews, you'll see that 5 stars is an exceptional review from me. It means that everything was excellent on multiple visits. That's the true magic of a great restaurant, to be able to consistently deliver an excellent experience. Gelston house has never failed to do so. If you get the chance I hope you'll give them a try! read more

we give this restaurant five stars. Don't believe the 3 1/2 stars on yelp. New ownership. The food was simply amazing. Our server was so friendly and welcoming. She even double checked some of the ingredients on the menu for us. We will be coming back to this restaurant for sure. if you go, please get the lemoncello cake for dessert. You will not be disappointed. The atmosphere was simply majestic. When you go to sit on the patio. It was breezy and cool read more

We stopped by the Gelston House for drinks and an appetizer. The burrata appetizer was good- with balsamic and toasted garlic breads and arugula. I had wine and my husband enjoyed his draft beer. The outside seating was enjoyable on such a lovely fall day. Inside seemed rather quiet, but otherwise fine! Only downside was that service was a little on the slow side, but I feel like they just didn't have enough help that day. Overall a decent spot to grab a drink with a beautiful view. read more

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May 2025 Lunch before show. Keep it very simple, if you must go here. My companion ordered burger, which seemed fine but my stuffed pork "special" was basically INEDIBLE. Typical restaurant with beautiful setting, corner on the market near a venue, that tries to pass itself off as something it isn't. 3 'medallions' of "stuffed" pork, I could not tell what the stuffing was, basically some kind of mush, w/ some kind of overly sweet sauce AND I COULD NOT EVEN CUT two of the medallions. The once 'medallion" I could cut was dry and tasteless, but at least I could cut it. Small and medium sized oblong plain boiled potatoes no seasoning at call, called "fingerling" . and some somewhat overcooked vegetables. Disgraceful. Would've been sent back by some diners. And this was a SPECIAL! $81 plus $14 tip for a soda, a plain iced tea, 2 coffees, burger and fries, my terrible dinner/there is no lunch menu. There is a brunch menu, maybe be safer. Also shared dry chocolate cake bc I was still hungry. I know this review won't make a difference, but if you have a choice, go somewhere else. read more

Came here for dinner with the girls. Gorgeous waterfront views and a lovely outdoor dining area with fire pits. I ordered a pizza and beer, was yummy! Nice spot for a date night or to relax and have a drink. read more

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