Enjoyed a birthday brunch for four. Wonderful atmosphere, fantastic service, great food. I had the Standard, eggs, delicious home made sausage and potatoes. Also great we're the crab cake eggs Benedict and the eggs & eggs (scrambled hen's eggs and flying fish roe). We'll be back! read more

I am an area local, so I have never stayed in the Inn itself. Instead, I want to review the restaurant, because I really am a big fan. I always ask my husband to take me there when we have a special occasion to celebrate. It is one of the nicest fine dining establishments in the area, if you are a visitor and want to find a worthwhile place to spend your money on dinner, or are a local like me who wants to experience fine dining without driving to Manchester or Nashua. The service has been good every time we've gone, although I have to say that on busy holiday nights (Valentine's Day), I have experienced slower-than-average service. I understand that they're busy though, and they don't have a very large waitstaff, so keep that in mind if you run into this too. The food, while on the pricier side, always seems to be freshly prepared and from local sources when possible. An example from my own experience is a fruit and cheese platter I ordered there last winter, which had cheeses representing the tri-state area, paired nicely with a variety of fruit and nuts. The menu also does a nice job of recommending wine pairings for the meals you are interested in, for people who like a good wine with dinner but are not necessarily connoisseurs. Desserts I think are homemade, and are delicious! I'm always stuffed when I leave the Inn restaurant because I always have to have dessert. I really have never been disappointed here. read more

Do I ever feel foolish! I've lived within easy range of this gem for over a decade and never had tried it. Fabulous meal, attentive service, lovely atmosphere. The cold soup (cucumber and cilantro, with thick texture like gazpacho) was divine, crab cake crispy and delicious. Lamb (from local farm) was best my wife has tasted, my filet mignon also perfectly prepared. Wine list has good range of geography but could use some mature French offerings, the food is that good. And the cocktail menu is great reading with some inspired traditional offerings from history of mixology. And, yes, the resident golden retriever made an appearance at the end of our meal, super friendly. Can't wait to come back! read more

Went to dinner here with my fiancée before heading off to a show at the Peterborough Players. The Hancock Inn is the definition of beautiful New England charm, and the food is outstanding. The munk fish special that I had was one of the best meals that I have had in years. To top it off the owners are visible and working to ensure that all of the customer's needs are being met. WELL DONE!!! read more

This reviews both the Inn and the restaurant. Bigtime kudos to Marcia and Jarvis for taking this project over last August. The Inn is a delight, even though requiring two beds we had the least interesting room. Amazing for this location how varied the food at the restaurant how and how pleasant the wine list is. I would avoid the Moses Eaton room, a front corner room, which has two beds that creak with every move, a teeny bathroom and teeny toilet, surprising road noise if you open the window for ventilation and no reading light for the two overstuffed chairs. I figured that was an anomaly and didn't downgrade it for that. read more

Loved this inn and the whole experience! We rented three rooms for a girl's weekend getaway. The Hancock Inn is a historical B&B in the tiny town of Hancock, NH. While the town is quite rural and small, we found lots of fun things to do. We had dinner at the Inn one night, which was fantastic. They also provided us with a small wine-tasting and informational session. The Inn provides cooking classes as well. We were also able to find a teacher to do a group yoga class in the nearby town of Peterborough. In all it was a fantastic experience. Innkeepers, Robert and Nancy, were wonderful hosts and gave great advice of things to do in the area as well as provided us with great accommodations, food, wine, cooking. We couldn't have asked for anything more! We will surely go back again! read more

After chef Benjamin Harwood took over the kitchen the inn has become one of my favorite dinner places in the area. Last night was no exception. With all fireplaces aglow the place was incredible "hyggelig". We had perfectly cooked swordfish (special), haddock and scallops. Chef Benjamin has also been making me some amazing vegan dishes and I can't wait to go back next time we are in the area. Also the two desserts we had were amazing. There is an emphasis on taste from the ingredients and not on sugar and other sweetners. We had the cranberries & walnut tart (special) and goat cheesecake with caramelize watnuts on top. read more

Very disappointed. Again. I keep trying to like this place because I live locally. Food is dry and tasteless. Overpriced for the selections. At this point I recommend that you skip this place and drive to Peterborough for a decent meal. read more

This was our first time at the Inn. It was expensive. It was good. Everyone was pleasant and I have no real issues. I will go back for sure. A couple of things I didn't care for...1. The lobster role entre came with a hot dog bun. For $20, I was expecting something more, more ...artisanal. So, yes it was very small and not very exciting. 2. The lobster bisque...except for the few chunks of lobster, the bisque tasted more like cream of chicken soup, with barely a hint of lobster flavor. So, I cannot recommend the lobster meals. However, the steak and risotto were fabulous, as well as the desserts...Go and enjoy! read more

I live in a neighboring town and have eaten at the Hancock Inn/Fox Tavern many times. Their menu is limited but their dishes are always simple, honest, well executed, flavorful and taste good. They don't serve the bland generic commercial fare you find in most New hampshire restaurants even when their dishes sound similar to what you find elsewhere. Their cuisine is traditional American cooking (pot roast, roast beef, meatloaf), Everything served is freshly cooked, authentic and their chef tries hard to prepare honest flavorful dishes. You will often find unusual dishes like oyster and mushroom pie. It is the kind of food you would expect to find in an quality tavern a hundred years ago. The Inn is a beautiful old building. The service is warm friendly, helpful, polite and very accommodating though service may become a bit slow if the restaurant gets crowded or some dishes need a long time to cook. By New Hampshire standards, their food is expensive but reasonable given the quality of the food, the quality of the decor and the warm atmosphere of the Inn. read more

We stayed on night and wished we could have stayed longer. Everyone we dealt with was genuine. Our room was quiet, airy, cool and impeccably decorated and spotless. We enjoyed the homemade breakfast, excellent eggs, hash, homemade bread toasted.. lovely area to walk around... read more

Tonight we had the opportunity to go to the Hancock Inn and enjoy there four course taste testing. As soon as you walk in you are warmly greeted by the team and they give you a time to decide which menu we wanted to try. I am so glad we decided on the four course tasting. There are no words to describe how amazing the food was! The service was outstanding making sure we had what we needed and allowing us the opportunity to enjoy the whole experience. This was the most amazing experience and want to let everyone know they should go to the Hancock Inn. read more

Regarding the restaurant- Fox Tavern. Very marginal meal, over priced, 8 ounce ribeye for 37.00. I've never seen a ribeye sliced so thin. This used to be a great place to eat......., not now. read more

Read reviews and looked at the menu....went for Valentine's day.very nicely decorated place! Looks like a great bed and breakfast. We walked in and my boyfriend was scolded by the hostess: "you are not going to read a paper at the dinner table, are you?!" My boyfriend likes to get the local paper when we travel and explore. This was over an hour drive! I thought, ok, maybe not on Valentines day, but to scold him upon entering! A classy place would not scold "bad manners"! Service was ah, ok...slow...the menu sounded great, and I thought it was neat that they served Venison, since I love venison! I decided to try it...plus it came with roasted winter root vegetables! Nice! When it was served, I nearly died! It was the shank portion! Two bones(which I wouldn't mind) with the fattiest little pieces of meat which had the texture of either grizzle or liver! Yuck! Note to self: ask what cut! Silly me to assume it would be a decent cut of meat! Then, where were these delicious roasted winter root vegetables they advertised? I found one tiny! Piece of diced green celery and one tiny diced piece of carrot in the broth...the saving grace was the cannelloni beans which ended up being my meal. The venison was totally unpalatable! Now, doesn't a well trained server give you a little time to try your meal , then come back and ask how it is? Nope! Not here! She couldn't be found for a good 20 minutes! We needed more water and the water boy couldn't be found either! Meanwhile, the hostess and host were walking around asking other patrons how their meals were! Hmmmm? The other peculiar point: the host was addressing everyone as "team". .??? Team of what? Oxen? Since it's the oldest inn maybe this is all how it was back in the 1700's? To end the night, we went into the beautiful, relaxing?! Front parlor so we could relax and my boyfriend could read his paper. The hostess came over and in a loud voice said, "you were going to read that paper come hell or high water,eh?" Wow! Really?she couldn't ask how our meal was? Wow! When we left no one said goodbye! Come again! Well, we won't be going there again! Deceiving menu, poor hospitality and service! Very sad! read more

We were very much looking forward to our dinner at the Inn. We were seated in the Tavern, and the food was tasty and plentiful, and the surroundings were beautiful. The staff was courteous, friendly and attentive. Now for the 'but'. Once seated, we were inundated with - flies! We have all been in restaurants with one or two flies but a dozen? We asked to move, and the response was - they are everywhere, and good thing you weren't here during "black fly season". Good thing! When the owner, and one of the staff took out their fly swatters we couldn't help but laugh. Swat! "Just stunned him" says the owner. Yikes! How quaint and charming.....did the flies originate in the kitchen?. Again, everything else was great but the flies did ruin the expereience. read more

the place was very quaint. i was there for a 31 person wedding celebration. the bar was fully stocked. my friend ordered a long island and got charged $20 while i got a ginger ale and crowne and paid $10. kind of weird. the room we were in was almost crowded, but it's a small place for a large party. wait staff were nice. none of us were staying in the inn though. but the best part had to be the food. it was amazing....the bread with butter was warm and crunchy on the outside. i think it was whole wheat too. the salad i got was good and not too much dressing. i loved...let me repeat LOVED my entree. it was baked chicken with crab cake and this sauce with burned onion for flavor. i tried my friend's butternut squash ravioli, which tasted like candy. it was also very very good as well. my other friend had pot roast in a red glaze sauce. i loved it. the entrees were really really really good. then the dessert was a tasting of chocolate mousse, strawberry dipped in chocolate and a tart but sweet ice cream. i ate all of mine and then ate my friend's as well. the food tasted like someone put thought and time into preparing it as well as flavors that aren't seen. yum yum. read more

Truly had a wonderful dinner last weekend. Stayed at the inn as well. The owners really put a personal touch to the experience at the Hancock inn. Dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was cozy and relaxing. read more

We just enjoyed our 3rd visit to the Hancock Inn and it feels like home away from home. The innkeepers are warm and friendly; the colonial ambience of the Inn just so unique and special for these Southern California visitors. It's a bit off the beaten path but well worth the visit. read more

A very enjoyable evening, food and service were very good. A definite "do over". Looking forward to staying in their pet-friendly room!

I came here with my close family after my daughter died. She was 25 years old. My family has the usual amount of difficulty: one of us has down syndrome, my mother has very mild (early onset) Alhzeimers. I thought everything was going well, and as an M.D., I was very concerned that no one be overtaxed by the interactions. Perhaps I was overly solicitous, and too friendly by asking about the owner's family pictures displayed and on the wall? I do not know, but he came marching in after our sweet but embarrassed waitress, declaring I could not order another alcoholic drink. He stated: "we have the power by law" to deny more than three drinks to someone we feel had had too much to drink. I asked, over and again to my group: had I been inappropriate in some way? They said emphatically: no. I do not understand this establishment. The owner seemed very nice and open.. But then, he landed hard, and meanly, against a patron who never interrupted him, I never raised my voice, I honestly do not know what caused so much offence. But he hurt me terribly. And I am outside the Inn, now, while I make light of this unfortunate situation, hoping my family will simply enjoy their dessert. This proprietor is deeply unhappy in his choice of vocation. The food is great, but do not speak directly with him. read more

Make sure you tip the staff well. They work very hard to keep the place clean and enjoyable.

While we live in town and never stayed over I am sure it is a wonderful experience. The owners are very friendly and have done a beautiful job reviving the inn. The food is exceptional local fresh food prepared perfectly. There is not much more to say other than that great food, great service and like previously mentioned golden retriever! read more

I treated my friend to her birthday dinner last night at the Hancock Inn. I have been going there at least once or twice a year for many years now, living about 40 minutes away and living in a state where I am hard pressed to get good food. I go to Brooklyn too often. The Hancock Inn has been a place for quite a number of years now where one could get decent food, and enjoy it in the charming, attractive, warm, friendly environment of a beautiful country inn. Well, it seems to me, who had not been there for almost a year, that they got a new chef. My expectations for warm friendly decent food experience were exceeded last night. My friend and I did the tasting menu and we were mghtily impressed. Each dish was exquisite. The variety-of-lettuce salad had fresh baby carrots and radishes with their tendril roots on. There were vegetables on that plate that I was not sure what they were. The dressing was delicious. But their corn soup was something I would have to call divine. I trust they will read this review so I can shout out, please keep making that. Then, the lamb. We cook a lot of lamb at home and do it quite well. This was some of the best lamb au jus I have ever had. The spiced carrot cake with crisp pecans was out of the world. The whole experience was a pleasure. I am close to giving them 5 stars except that - some mistake was made and we didn't get our punch bowl of sangria for an inordinate time. Clearly a mistake was made because no other table had that problem, as we watched around us. And frankly, they deserve 5 stars, because the establishment did the right thing. When I moaned, they gave it to us gratis. Hurrah for the Hancock Inn! I am writing because I have a self interest. What is it? I want people to go so they will prosper and this chef will stay! read more

My husband and I have been dining at the Hancock Inn annually to celebrate our anniversary since our wedding day in 2000. Over the years we have seen several changes in ownership and restaurant concept. Being in a very rural area, the Inn has been trying to find a good blend of traditional and up to date menu offerings. Their newest idea is a 4 course tasting menu (alternately you may still order ala carte menu items). After perusing both options, we elected to try the 4 course meal although we were a bit leary of the price. However, by the end of our evening, we were blown away by the incredible quality, freshness, and taste of each food item brought to us. Of note, there are more than 4 "courses" brought to you and each is delectable. The Inn is making a conscious effort to provide a memorable and delicious experience for its patrons, and not only did it not disappoint, it was a spectacular meal. Give the tasting menu a try...you're in for a real treat! read more

My husband and I have been dining at the Hancock Inn annually to celebrate our anniversary since our wedding day in 2000. Over the years we have seen several changes in ownership and restaurant concept. Being in a very rural area, the Inn has been trying to find a good blend of traditional and up to date menu offerings. Their newest idea is a 4 course tasting menu (alternately you may still order ala carte menu items). After perusing both options, we elected to try the 4 course meal although we were a bit leary of the price. However, by the end of our evening, we were blown away by the incredible quality, freshness, and taste of each food item brought to us. Of note, there are more than 4 "courses" brought to you and each is delectable. The Inn is making a conscious effort to provide a memorable and delicious experience for its patrons, and not only did it not disappoint, it was a spectacular meal. Give the tasting menu a try...you're in for a real treat! read more

Excellent creative cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. One of our favorites in New England.

Where else but in the oldest Inn in New Hampshire could you expect to meet other people who relish experiences not to be found on the Internet? Try the Hancock Inn for conversation, hospitality,real laughter (not LOL), and all of that good stuff. For example, in early October of this year my sister and I joined friends at the Hancock Inn for supper. Our guests Meng Chi Ysen and his wife Sue Hastings, an artist/landscape gardner became chatty with a couple at a neighboring table. The gentleman is French with business interests in Boston. His Austrian-born wife had come with him to New Hampshire for the first time to experience Fall foliage. While both were beautifully turned out for rural fine dining, they also had climbed Mt. Monadanock earlier that day. He said they packed their hiking gear. Invited to drinks in the front room by the Europeans, in no time at all we were being entertained by both gentlemen singing German drinking songs (you had to be there). From time to time Potter, the Inn's dog, and Jarvis, the Innkeeper, checked on our festivities. Following a hearty breakfast the following morning, our two new best friends went to visit Meng Chi's world-class collection of military uniforms in nearby Stoddard. Then on to Paris. My sister departed for the beaches of southern California while I took in the colors of the Berkshire Mountains as I drove back to upstate New York, all the while thinking of the hundreds of thousands of other travelers--since the stagecoach days--who came to marvel at the hospitality of this amazing landmark. I've never visited an Inn more welcoming. And the food is excellent. Too bad the town's namesake, John Hancock never got there himself. read more