We stopped in here for dinner after some Christmas sightseeing. The atmosphere is super comfortable and cool. Very laid back. They have an excellent selection of beers and wines. The food is really good pub food! We tried the Haggis sampler and it was really good! Worth a try! Everything we had was very good. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Would definitely recommend!!! read more

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Owners are wonderful people. Staff is friendly and always go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Highly recommended!!

We have lived in Chester for 22 years. Each time we visit MacLaomainn's, we feel more estranged. Food is OK, beer is OK, wait staff downright rude. They don't need us and we don't need a hostile environment . read more

Beer was about the best thing about this place. Vibes were terrible, staff was rude to customers and looked nothing but miserable.

We've been going past this pub for years but just never stopped. I mean, a Scottish pub in Chester, Vermont? Aye, but what a mistake! Grub is tasty and plentiful (and well priced!), the service is friendly, and the atmosphere just about right! Put some 'real' footie on the teller and have some pipes playing in the background and ye may well be in Aberdeen (not Maryland).wife's chicken pie was great, my Auld Reekie(cabbage and sausage was peppery and true ( just needed a bit more of the banger; or was it toad?). Next time we come back and me stomach is feeling better at the start and I'm not on meds, I'll do a flight or two. Now if I can only figure out what 'skirlies' are, maybe I'll try them with the haggis! read more

The food, service and ambiance is 11/10. I almost hesitate writing a good review because I don't want everyone to flock to my and my boyfriends newfound favorite place to go. I can't say enough good things. I love MacLaomainns! read more

Found this while staying in the area over Presidents' Day weekend. What a hidden gem! The owners and staff were so kind and helpful. The food was authentic and delicious. Definitely recommend! read more

We were searching desperately for a place to watch some playoff football during MLK weekend. While they didn't have the volume on, we got seats at the bar with the game on TV and enjoyed a yummy better-than-grilled-cheese sandwich and some high quality beer and cider (they had my favorite, Citizen Cider Dirty Mayor!). Staff and patrons were friendly and vibes were great. Definitely worth checking out! read more

MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chester, Vermont

We were in Chester, VT and found the Scottish restaurant, the draft beer selection was fabulous! Scottish beer's are fantastic, had the Wee Heavy and Twisted Thistle IPA which are outstanding! And had the Steak Pie which which is out of site! I want to go back but it is a 2 hour trip for me, guess we will have to do a road trip! Even bought a tee shirt with their logo on the back... read more

DELICIOUS meat pie!! WONDERFUL staff. We have traveled to Scotland many times, once with our 24 year old son. Food was so good we even got our son take out that we will be bringing home on our hour drive....he may even cry when he see it!! Very reasonable prices. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

We arrived there one recent evening for our 6:30pm bar rseat reservations. A nice enough hostest asked if we had reservations and seemed slightly dissapoint that we, in fact, did. We had been previously informed by a local Chester resident that the pub was very particually about not serving walk-ins even at the bar. What really struck us was the museum-like atmosphere. I mean, everyone seemed to be under a wishpering mandate. Even the staff was very soft-spoken. Quite. It creates a strange environment. It's definitely not a local apres ski and eat and have fun place. However, that's probably what they are going for. And the food was good. If there was a 3.5 star option here, that is what I'd give it. read more

Terrible customer service! Three waitresses and all of them had attitudes. The waitresses all seemed like they couldn't stand each other and their attitude made the whole atmosphere solemn. The main hostess seemed like she would rather be anywhere but there. Plus they made us wait over 40 minutes for food that when brought to our table clearly had been sitting out. The pea and carrots on the side of my steak pie were clearly frozen from a bag. The only reason for one star was the steak pie tasted decent. read more

This won't do much for my Marin county California contingent but if you're in the area from wherever I highly recommend stopping here to get off the road, take a break from looking at trees or buying moccasins or whatever other reason you're cruising these backroads. The main attraction for me wasn't the extensive selection of Scottish/Irish draft beer, or the haggis, or even Kim the bonnie lass who served us. What's really cool is that this place has character and it isn't about Vermont fall folliage, maple syrup and aged cheddar. Our little group of 3 had various things to eat, all well done and none tasted the same. Beefsteak pie, haggis, fish pie, Scotch egg, fish and chips...all great. Locals know and seem to come often. For me it's likely a one shot but one I'll remember. read more

Cozy little pub with a wide selection of beers and Scotch. Comfort food served with a smile. Highly recommend the shepherds pie. read more

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We really liked this place. We had a couple of pints and some hot, tasty comfort food which was perfect on a cold, rainy night. I had the stew, which was a cabbage based dish seasoned with spicy sausage. My dining companion had the steak pie which was delicious, too. We ate every bite! Our server was attentive and our food and drink was served quickly and promptly, with a smile. We recommend this place to anyone who is hungry for a comforting meal. read more

Get the haggis! Sticky toffee pudding & bread pudding were great too. Quick & polite service, delicious food. Lovely little pub.

My bf and I came here while on a trip to Okemo. I had never really had Scottish food before so we tried to order all of the staples: the haggis, tatties, and neeps, scotch egg, fish pie, and steak pie. The fish pie was delicious as was the steak pie but I enjoyed the fish pie a little more. The scotch egg was better than I had even imagined. Definitely try the scotch egg. The haggis, tatties, and neeps were very good. I liked that they had a taster option as an appetizer so it was a small serving. I don't particularly like turnips so I enjoyed the haggis and tatties more. We had no room for dessert but they looked like they had good dessert options. Great meal and relatively inexpensive. With Covid they only had one room open but all tables were very spread out. The only complaint that I had was that the restaurant was closing at 8 and we sat down at 715. They brought out our meals after having just gotten our appetizers a minute before. They took them back and brought them out warm when we were done. read more

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If your looking for a friendly place with great beer and pub food this is for you . The Scottish Ale is amazing and they have some traditional and American food which is very tasty . The staff walk around in quilts and are very attentive. read more

Awesome amazing Scottish egg. The food is great. Who would think the food would be really good at a pub. Well it is. I got a soup also that had chicken I it and veggies . I forget the name of it , outstanding. I drank the Bellhaven beer which I love. Also we had a dish with chunks of beef like a shepherds pie but with beef chunks. Sooo good. Barmaids wear kilts . Great air conditioning and boy it was hot out that day.Fantastic all I can say. read more

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Cozy Scottish pub with very comforting comfort food -- welcoming for one or a party. Reasonable prices, friendly non-intrusive staff.

I can handle either bad service or bad food but both prompts me to write a review to spare others. Waitress never greeted us when we came in, nor said a thing when we left. No formalities what so ever. I had ordered food that never came then when checking the bill was never written down to be ordered. When mentioned no "sorry" or anything. The food I had ordered a grilled cheese how one can possibly mess this up is beyond me. I have better ones made by a four year old. Another person got the nachos, again these were terrible, absolutely looked microwaved, tasted like that was about right. Spare yourself and go anywhere else. read more

Wow, this is the place to be when in Chester, VT on a weekend night! The whole town is very quiet so we were shocked to see a full house at 6:30pm on a Saturday night. The food was great, and they were playing rugby on the tv's. Our waitress seemed like a strange fit for the establishment, though. When we asked for her recommendations for food and drink, she replied that she was a vegetarian and that she didn't drink. Hahaha, still a nice lady. The haggis was surprisingly good (I think it's some sort of intestine - but it doesn't look like it). My favorite was the fish pie - all sorts of delicious seafood covered in mashed potatoes and baked together. Yum! The steak pie also looked good. Warm atmosphere, most entrees are between $6-$14. read more

I've been to a lot Irish pubs in my life, but this is probably my first Scottish pub! During Covid the atmosphere was leaner than usual, but the food was still spot on. Don't be afraid of the haggis. It is wonderful. Get the $6 taster before your meal. The staff is lovely and friendly. read more

Been there a few times for lunch and dinner, never disappointed. We like the pub atmosphere. The few times we were there the owner was behind the bar and v-e-r-y friendly. We have no aversion to organ meats so we had haggis, bangers & mash, stew and steak pie. Nice beer selection I may add. If your into trying something different, give MacLaomainn's a try. read more

Love this place. Who would have thought yours find a Scottish pub in Vermont. Great Pub atmosphere and authentic Scottish dishes. Some outdoor seating for a nice evening. Sports are generally on the TV. It's a small place, maybe 10 tables and a bar for about 8 folks. Friendly atmosphere, so come by and check it out. read more

Came with kids for early dinner on recent ski trip at Okemo. The ambience is charming and cozy. The food we ordered was good and flavorfull but for the price portions were tiny. The portion on wing is only 6 small peices for $ 9 and steak pie had 3 pieces of meat even though it cames with mash and puffed pasty my 8 year old son still hungry. I do not like places that cheap out on portions so there for we will not be back plus no one ever checked on us if we wanted beer refil or soft drink refil. Since its family owned business I think they should care little more for their customers read more

Very cool authentic Scottish pub. The bartender has a Scottish accent and sense of humor. We asked him where they got the a "Dirty Penny" sword that was mounted over a door. He said.... "Olde Burnside Brewery"....[obviously. ] I ordered a cup of the soup of the day which was pea soup. It was very flavorful but had an almost tiny granular consistency. There was plenty of bits of real bacon and had a dash of garlic flavor and black pepper. I got the Scotch Egg which is on the Starter part of the menu. It comes with a generous, rich salad that has real, greens, diced red peppers. I got the balsamic vinaigrette which had an interesting viscosity. My fiancé ordered the plate of bangers and mash. The sausage comes from a local market and the gravy was rich with slivers of delicious rendered fat. My beverage was an amazingly creamy black and tan made with "Belhaven Black stout" They will also provide you with the wi-fi password if you ask . I bought a pair of the artfully concoted socks that they sell to help facilitate the sales of the snowboarder who sustained a traumatic injury in 2009. They are "comfy chillin' socks" with a watermelon color scheme. read more

MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub - Taps and the menu - Pubs Near Me - Chester, Vermont

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Great small menu of fresh, not fried pub food. It's super hard to come by pub food that's not coated in grease and deep fried and I am very happy we found this gem! Awesome selection on draft and to-go is just as good as dine-in. read more

Went to MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub twice this past weekend while leaf peeping. I cannot say anything negative about both times we went. The pub is on the small side, although there is outside seating on the deck for when the weather is nice. It is decorated in the Scottish theme, of course. We sat at the (full-service) bar both times. The employees are all super friendly and helpful. Shout out to Alan & Brieanna. There is a selection of Scottish beer on draft as well as a few other drafts. I like the option of a shorter pour on the draft beer. This was my first time having a Scotch Egg and it was delicious! It came with a side salad that was pretty big, so very substantial in size for lunch. My sister had the Jac-O-Bite. She really enjoyed it. Our 2nd trip was also delightful. We did sharesies with the Mary Queen of Scots (with Ham) and the MacLaomainn. Both came with potato chips and were very good. There is a parking lot. And some merch for sale. I will surely return when in the area and I recommend ManLaomainn's without hesitation. read more

MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chester, Vermont

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Horrible place the food was nasty the worst food ever! Fish and chips must have come out of freezer or what!!! The chili was the worst ever! The scallops well spoiled !! He The whole meal was the worst ever!!! I will never go there I will make sure to tell everyone about it!!! Spend the word the place is a nightmare. The Heath department should check the place out read more

Went for lunch on a Friday, very busy, seems to be a popular spot. Great beer choices. I had the mince and tatties which was good. It came with a side of skirlie which was very good as well. Very nice staff. read more

Four stars for the food but 2 stars for the service. We weren't greeted with a smile and we were definitely neglected as we ate. We asked for refills and never got them as our waitress sat down on the other side of the restaurant. We were never checked on and we were not brought our bill until we had to get up and ask another waitress. We prob wouldn't come back or suggest it to a friend. read more

We stopped here for lunch after I ffg found them on Yelp and didn't know we was supposed to have a reservation, even though we didn't have one they said give us about 5-10 minutes and we can seat you and we was glad they did, we sat outside on the deck in the warm sunshine and it was awesome. A couple of our party had personal pizzas that they loved, a m.j mother had the highlander, it's a roast beef sandwich with provolone, red onion and a creamy horseradish sauce, nothing was left of it on the plate, they loved it, Pop I had the Auld Reekie Stew, it was awesome, a definite must try. And the beverages were excellent and. We was all impressed by the the price of the bill.. definitely a must try and the service was great.. if you are ever near give them a try! read more

Cute place in Chester. Hard working staff. Food is good.Not too many options within 10-15 miles so if you get a table take it!

We decided to try this pub since it was one of the only places open late and were glad we did! The service was great, our food was delicious and the atmosphere was inviting and made us feel like we were in a quaint Scottish Pub across the pond :) I had the scotch egg, which was delicious and came with a good sized salad. My friend has the feta, cranberry and walnut salad with balsamic dressing. Both salads were very fresh and used spring mix- not iceberg. We also tried a traditional Scottish dish called skirlie (oatmeal cooked in butter and onions) and were pleasantly surprised. The owner, who is Scottish, was very nice and friendly. We were also pleasantly surprised by the prices! Def a must go if you're in the area! read more

MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub - Scotch egg with garden salad - Pubs Near Me - Chester, Vermont

This is the fairest review I can write.... we recently stayed in Chester, VT and ate here both nights and also made reservations both nights- definitely make a reservation!! The food, the beer, the atmosphere are all top notch- I can't fault anything on those fronts! We had such a great experience the first night, that we made a reservation for the second night of our trip. The second night... started out well... but we waited a REALLY long time to order. I didn't really care at the time, they were obviously busy and short staffed and I thought- 'well I'm not in any particular hurry, I'm on vacation.' Had I known then how the evening would end I would have been wavy down the staff insisting on ordering right away. We had a great meal with great drinks and decided that we wanted to have their amazing sticky toffee pudding for desert only to be brought the bill and told that the next reservation would be there in 10 minutes and that we had to leave. This policy actually didn't bother me at all- it's pretty popular, but normally you're told before you sit down that you would be limited to 90 minutes and there should be some grace time, if the wait staff is responsible for you being there so long because they're very slow. In addition, there was a table of regulars next to us, who ordered a few drinks, never ordered food, and were just allowed to be there all night while they shoved the "tourists" out as quickly as they could. Because of this, we will never go back, I understand that regulars are important, but it doesn't feel very nice as a tourist to be treated this way. read more

MacLaomainn's has been an excellent pub with each visit that I've had. High quality pub food whether you're looking for a classic burger or are interested in going for some more adventurous Scottish dishes. I've been satisfied every time. How about the draught beer selection? This is what always entices me. It's not often you can find a place that serves Belhaven, so geez, I am just all jazzed up to pop on over for a pint or two of their variety of Belhaven brews. Of course they have other classics, but those Scottish beers are what you really want. They put a jingle in your step. The decor, always fun to look at. There is plenty going on aesthetically. They've also pretty much always got some game on the TV. I've watched tennis, baseball, soccer, and curling matches, so you can always bet that if some match is going on, chances are it'll be watched there. The staff is wonderful, from top to bottom, they are all quite delightful. I've had great experiences here. If you're looking to grab some food, drink a nice Scottish ale, and maybe catch a sporting match, you can't go wrong here. Close enough to Okemo but also just far enough away so that it is not overpriced and jammed up. read more

Yummy Scottish food and homey pub atmosphere. Great Scottish beers on tap like Tennants and Bellhaven, as well as local beers. Had the fish pie --a good portion, but not so big it was hard to finish. read more

Terrible service and attitude of staff. I understand that everyone is short handed because of COVID but common curtesy should be used by everyone. No welcome or please or thank you passed the staffs lips once. We waited for over 35 minutes for simple meals. The food was decent at best. Someone should explain to the staff that customers are what keep them in business. People should be treated with simple curtesy. If you can't do that you should not be in the service industry. read more

Accidentally discovered this amazing place while driving through Vermont. We pulled up our location on Apple's map app and selected "food" then "favorites" and it was one of the pins that populated the map. Lucky for us, we selected that pin out of the others. Now, I've never been to Scotland so I can't comment on the true authenticity of the place, but it sure worked for me - right down to the Scottish accent of the Owner/server. From the selection of draft Scottish brews, single malts, and authentic Scotch food, to some traditional "American" food it was an amazing find. We ended up having the Mince and Tatties, the Beef Pie, and a Blue Cheese Burger. All were very good. And I now have a new love for Scottish Stout and Wee Heavy!! Cheers!! read more

MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chester, Vermont