Sat outside on the patio since we had our dogs with us. Patio sits under large overhangs (protected from rain) plus many tables around the perimeter have Sun umbrellas. It seemed as if most people on the patio were there for the trains. We were able to watch an engineer switch tracks so he could pick up a load of cars stored nearby. We also were able to watch a long freight train go by. Lots of people were photographing, videoing, many with professional cameras and tripods. They gave a dog friendly menu. And bring water bowls for the dogs. We ordered burgers. Choice was "pink or no pink". I think they were understaffed. It took 90 minutes from arrival to departure. read more

I like trains. I like historical stuff. And, well, I like food, too. So, this placed seemed like a no-brainer. Me and some friends recently took a trip from Boston out to Palmer just to check-out the infamous Steaming Tender restaurant. The place was so beyond what I could have expected. A really, really, really amazing experience. We mostly went for the "train" stuff, but the food was incredible, too. We had a server named Jennifer who was so awesome, and she helped make the whole evening even better. HIGHLY recommend this place. read more

Who knew? If it wasn't so far away I'd be there every night! You got to check out the whiskey bread pudding! read more

Steaming Tender - Whiskey bread pudding - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

Great dinner with friends. This is a great place eat and watch trains as they rumble by. They have a large menu and friendly staff. Nice selection of micros, wine, and cocktails. I had the braised short rib with potatoes and carrots. Excellent The owner talked with me about the building. She told me how she and her husband renovated the building over 17 years. Solid stone walls and beautiful wood throughout. Awesome renovation. Lots of railroad memorabilia throughout the station including a cool shoe shine station. read more

Steaming Tender - Braised short rib. - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

This restaurant has the best bar and the best bread pudding in the entire state, hands down, no questions asked. You should try it

A very enjoyable evening with my siblings tonight. Five o'clock on Thursday was the perfect timing with very plenty of tables to be seated at. I came here more regularly when I was younger, also remember when this use to be an antique store so have seen the changes over the years. The inside is beautifully done and when trains roll through it really ties everything together. Have enjoyed everything I have ever eaten here. Burgers are large and filling, never can go wrong with a cup of chowder, and the Steaming Tenderloin I had tonight was mouthwatering. Ordered rare and came medium rare which is what I was hoping for. Carrot cake is a top five in my book. The table enjoyed their meals; mac n cheese with pulled pork x2, salmon, and scallops. Worth a visit if in town. Certainly one of the better dining options in the area. read more

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Another great meal with the family and another chance to have an attentive Amanda be our waitress. She draws the most amazing take away box covers for Randy Raccoon :) Tonight I had the delicious turkey dinner with fixings. Large pieces of fresh turkey, wonderful gravy and perfectly mashed potats. I miss having brussel sprouts and hope they come back to the menu. I also really miss the better quality of boxed teas they used to have versus Lipton, to me it's so bitter. Otherwise. They were very busy Saturday night but the bathrooms were clean, the floors in the dining room were great and Amanda really is attentive and kind. Thank you read more

Steaming Tender - Enjoying a cuppa - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

Love the building, love the food. We enjoyed everything about this place! Had a great server who told us history of the building! Nice individual tables with high back chairs! For an app we had the bacon lobster dip, outstanding! I had the Reuben sandwich , which was very good! Real toasted bread not done and finished on a flat top! Tasty! Especially loved the loaded mash potatoes! Wide variety in the menu! And reasonably priced! Will be back!! read more

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Food is amazing prices are pretty high I felt especially because of the location but the waitress we had was fabulous

Great looking room, and a very good selection of beer. Kind of a weird upscale novelty restaurant. The servers are called engineers, and they wear overalls and some wear train engineer's caps. Our server was a bit terse, but very very efficient. I'm not asking for the server to be our friend, I am very happy with efficient, but uneffusive service. Pretty extensive menu. Unfortunately, the kitchen does not live up to the menu. I ordered the rib-eye medium rare, as did a friend (medium), and my other friend ordered the veal osso buco. Unfortunately my steak came out med-well, as did my friends. They were basically done exactly alike. Not a touch of red to the steak, not really any pink either. To make matters worse, when I mentioned it to the server, she said, "It looks medium rare to me". The correct answer is, "Oh, I'm sorry, would you like to send that back?" I had no intention of sending it back, I had had a long day, and was very hungry, so I just dealt. I just wanted her to know the steak was overcooked. I suspect they overcook a lot of steaks. And it was not an inexpensive steak. But like I said I was hungry. It just made the dining experience not ideal. The vegetables were also overcooked and gray, and seemed to have been sitting in a steam table for a good long while. Mashed potatoes were fine. My friend said his osso buco was excellent. We ordered some cornbread which was also excellent, which came with some blueberry butter, and honey butter. They did comp us a single dessert to split 3-way, which was excellent. All in all, it was OK, it would have been 5-stars if the grill station knew how to properly cook a medium-rare steak, and the server did not try to argue the point. read more

We were really looking forward to having dinner here, like for years and it was highly recommended by a friend so we made a point of going. This restaurant is really beautiful and very authentic decor as it was a train station in a previous life. Our dinners were a turkey dinner, a steak dinner and I got the lobster Mac and cheese. The dinners were good, but we weren't overly impressed, especially my lobster Mac and cheese was disappointing. Our service was good, but we noticed other servers were telling patrons about the history of the building and we had to eavesdrop to get the scoop. If I happened to be in the area I would stop and order something like a sandwich if I was hungry, but I won't make a special trip there again. read more

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So... we have not been to the Steaming Tender in over a decade. I did a bit or research, called a friend in Monson who reported the food was good. Today I met my cousin there for lunch at 12:00 (they opened at noon). I figured that it would not be too busy at noon.... WRONG! Line out the door to be seated! Ugh. But ... no ugh as we were sat with in 2 minutes!!! Truly beautiful inside this old train station decorated for Christmas! There was a huge decorated tree in the middle of the restaurant! The atmosphere was a 10. Our server greeted us, brought drinks, appetizer quickly. Food arrived with in a proper amount of wait time. Food was absolutely AMAZING!!!! We shared garlic shrimp appetizer, my Cousin enjoyed a huge order of fish n chips (was unable to finish ) My wife and I both ordered the scallop special. Eight broiled scallops on a garlic red potato mash!!!! Oh my soooo good. I had a side of coleslaw and she had butternut squash. Both excellent. Nate got his usual "grilled cheese & fries", which he devoured. Today they were offering house made corn muffins with brown sugar butter.... We got three to try!! Super delicious! Amazing food & great service The Steaming Tender receives a FIVE MAI TAI rating We highly recommend it! read more

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Always a go to place! Love the buffalo Mac and cheese. The place is so cool, unique! It's always busy when dining but the start is very efficient, always go above and beyond. Would highly recommended, must always try the corn bread and butter! To die for!!! read more

Our train club rented the Dining car for a personal event and we arrived by bus, all 27 of us. It was a tight fit but we managed. The train car is surrounded by railroad tracks on both sides including one set about 10 feet away, and throughout our meal we watched trains rumble and clank back and forth. We took it with stride though people who prefer a quiet, intimate meal might not enjoy it as much. We had a custom, limited menu for our group and while the offerings were diverse (pasta, chicken, duck, fish, etc.) there were several typos on the menu including one that listed steak and chicken (though only chicken was included). My tablemate and I split their "Train Robber nachos" which were tortilla chips, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, steak, Cajun fried chicken, scallions, spicy plum sauce, and wasabi sour cream. They were very good though we tasted no wasabi and I wonder if its inclusion on the menu was another typo. I ordered the fried fish with fries and the daily vegetable of ginger glazed carrots. It took over an hour from the time I placed my order to receive my food, though admittedly I was one of the last to get it. I thought they forgot about me to be honest. My order was mostly correct though apparently the carrots I ordered (and which they said "yup" to) wasn't included. They later brought me a dish of them for free though which was nice. My fish was a bit overcooked but it might have been due to the large number of people being served at the same time. Oddly, my meal arrived on a metal sheet pan and everyone else's came on actual chinaware. Desserts were ordered by some including me and their whiskey bread pudding was amazing. Our meal took 3 hours, which isn't bad considering on server had to handle 27 separate checks, drink orders, meal orders, dessert orders, and refill drinks along the way. Her name was Sara and she was absolutely wonderful! I definitely will come back with my family! read more

Great ambiance especially for train buffs . Went for a Sunday early dinner . Had ossa bocco and my husband had beef short ribs . Both meals came out quickly but were barely warm . Potatoes under the beef were tasty but Also just lukewarm . Our veggie was Brussel sprouts . Barely warm . We opted to try dessert of whiskey bread pudding . Again it was tasty but I was expecting something warm . Our waitress was attentive . I m not sure if we will be back as we both enjoy food that when served it is hot . read more

The steaming tender should not be doing fried seafood. The clam strips were very chewy and the french fries were lukewarm at best. The honey chicken my husband had was pretty tasty as I was able to get a bite of that. One other thing I will say is pretty good, but probably not worth the price is the pork belly appetizer. read more

I love The Steaming Tender. Each and every time I have dined there, it was an awesome experience with delicious food and excellent friendly service. I highly recommend this restaurant to anybody. read more

Steaming Tender exceeded my expectations big time! I've been wanting to go since moving to Belchertown in 2023 and now I'm kicking myself for not getting my butt there sooner! First of all, the vibes are so COOL. The old train station vibes and details are just amazing. And the waitstaff are called conductors and rock old school train overalls or jumper dresses and that's just so stinking cute. I love a good theme. Sara G was our conductor and we adored her. She was so genuine and you could tell she cared - the girl memorized what seemed like an endless specials menu and dessert menu like a boss! She was so much fun and absolutely added to our experience. Shout out to meeting another Sara without an H (h's are ewwwww!). But the FOOD! My boyfriend got the steak tips on Alfredo and the steak was the most tender, juicy steak we maybe have ever had. It was SO good. I had the whole belly clam special and while the clams were good, my side of mac and cheese was the star. It was so decadent and gooey and cheesy and rich and just what you want with a mac and cheese splurge. Cannot wait to come back AND check out some of the awesome events and tours coming! Love to see this kind of stuff happening locally, it's a great area and we need more of this!! read more

Steaming Tender - Homemade dill and garlic chips with garlic aoli - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

1st time there service was great and so was the food. Only complaint would be the parking lot in the winter is rough. Lol

Food and service is Excellent. Can get quite noisy during dinner hours to the point of problematic. If we can't talk across the table without almost yelling, I define that as a Hugh problem. There are noise dampening solutions. read more

Food was great, I ordered the buffalo chicken mac and cheese and the flavor profile was excellent. Service was extremely friendly and fast despite our large group. Also just love the overall ambiance and vibe of the repurposed depot station turned restaurant. Very on brand! read more

Steaming Tender - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

Service and ambiance are always wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed the new cucumber dill salmon dinner!!!!!!! I HIGHLY recommend it!!!! read more

I have been to a thousand restaurants in my life and this was the best food, the best service and the best vibe I have been to in many years. This will be my new "go to" place from now on. read more

My husband who is a railroad enthusiast stopped here for dinner on the return leg of a trip from Texas to Massachusetts. It was the highlight of the trip other than viewing Graceland after hours. We split the Limoncello Haddock, which was delicious! The old train station was pristine relic of the past. read more

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I've been to Steaming Tenders a handful of times and it's always been very good. Today was no exception. we arrived at 11:45 for lunch but we're told that it doesn't open until Noon. We waited in the lobby which is quite cute and decorated as a shoe shine area of a train station. By the time Noon came around the lobby was full. It's December, so the dining room was nicely decorated with a Christmas tree and Nutcrackers all around and on each table. It was quite festive. I ordered one of their signature mock-tails, with orange juice, a sweet pear syrup and rosemary. It tasted like orange juice that had turned.. I would not recommend that. The waitress asked me if I liked it and I told her I didn't care for it. It would've been a nice gesture to take it off the bill since I didn't drink it but she did not. My mother-in-law and I both had the Rubens. I am celiac, so I had mine on gluten-free bread. Both Rubens were very good. The meat was lean and very tasty. We both had coleslaw, which was also very good. The coleslaw has raisins in it, which is different but I liked it. The dining room was full, but our food came out quickly. When I checked in on Yelp, we received a coupon for a free sample of their whiskey bread pudding. The waitress brought out two samples, which was nice, but she must've forgotten that I am celiac. My MIL was happy enough to finish off both samples. She said they were very sweet, but very good. She wouldn't want any more than the sample size because it was so sweet. Our waitress was very nice, but may have been a little overwhelmed with the full restaurant. My MIL ordered a side salad, then switched to coleslaw when ordering. When the Reuben arrived, it had sweet potato fries. ?When she delivered the food, she gave my MIL my meal with the gluten-free bread, so I had to correct her. And bringing me the whiskey bread pudding sample after being told that I'm celiac. I would recommend Steaming Tenders. The atmosphere is great, and the food is good. read more

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We ate as this restaurant for the first time. The old train station is provides a great environment. We were greeted by a hostess who told us to take pictures and look on around. We enjoyed our entrees and drinks and the complimentary bread pudding which you definitely need to leave room for. We will definitely go back when we are in town again! read more

we only have positive things to say about the steaming tender! delicious, well-prepared, and well-presented dinners; excellent, friendly, and attentive service; and a large variety of menu choices. the historical train station is always a treat to visit and live music with passing trains make it even more special. we especially love having the whiskey bread pudding to finish our meal! read more

If I could rate 10 stars I would ! Best restaurant in western MA . My favorite place to go if I want a nice hot home cooked style meal . My favorite appetizer would be the trainrobber nachos . A unique dish for any nacho lover . My favorite entree would be the lemoncello haddock packed with flavor nice and creamy . If you are looking for a swell place to eat , look no further . Amazing meals coming out of that kitchen while having the feeling of dining in a museum . 10/10! Enjoy the view of locomotives passing you while you eat your warm meal .and don't forget that whiskey bread pudding for desert !!service is amazing and the owners are too ! read more

Great menu Turkey dinner was special High ceilings in building make it noisy and not conducive to intimate dining Service is very good and prices are reasonable read more

what an interesting spot, have not been here for a while, still pretty much the same....huge old rr depot/station, once in the 5th largest in the us....must have been a chore to heat as the ceilings are way up there...service by nyeia was great, drinks good and as ordered, sandwiches which we shared, a chicken and a reuben and the critics liked them both, we did not see any trains go by but there are 3 tracks outside so trains a request sight read more

I've been coming here for years and have always been pleased with the food, service and the atmosphere . I posted earlier about the veggie burger but one shouldn't assume that I'm a vegetarian . The veggie burger is just that good. I've also had the hamburgers, steak , prime rib ( end cut if you well done ) haddock. Mac and cheese etc.. like I've said I've been going there awhile. It is a great night out with friends and family. A not so hidden gem so we sometimes to resort to take out! Try the desserts!!! read more

I really like this restaurant and I think the food is really good but I really like the people who work at this restaurant so much

Food was great, price was ridiculously high, portions were small. We had an amazing server, Sarah. Sign said "seating limited to 90 minutes" and we weren't served our dinners until 85 minutes after being seated. Charcuterie board ($27) offered only prosciutto as the meat, 6 rolled slices. There were two mini brie wedges and two mini smoked Gouda wedges and a house cranberry chutney cheese that was amazing... about 6 candied walnuts, a quarter of a pear in slices, 4 green olives, about a dozen cooked cranberries and little mini pots of mango and fig jam. And 12 crackers. Ate in what felt like a large cafeteria, though the old train depot it's located in is fascinating. read more

Steaming Tender - Lava cake - American Near Me - Palmer, Massachusetts

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I visited Steaming Tender with some out-of-town guests on a Saturday evening. Since we had a party of 5, we tried to call ahead (as is suggested on their website,) but all of their reservations for the day had been previously booked, so we were instructed to just show up and see what the wait-time was upon arrival. We got to the restaurant at 5pm on a rainy Saturday evening. We lucked out in that we were seated right away, despite not having a reservation. Upon entry, we were greeted with the old-time charm that is Steaming Tender. It's such a cute place! The interior was all decked out in Christmas décor, so it made the experience all the better. Our waitress was super friendly, and we loved that the entire waitstaff dresses the part in vintage railroad attire. It definitely adds character. For an appetizer, we got the Train Robber Nachos to share, and MY OH MY, were we in for a treat. These nachos were different than any other nacho we've ever had before. The plum sauce is something else. I'd go back for the nachos and the ambiance alone. We also ordered a slice of their cornbread (daily special,) and it was the best cornbread that I've had other than my grandma's homemade recipe. It's more like a soft cake rather than a dry bread. If they ever mention having cornbread as a daily special, order it! My friends all ordered a different sandwich from the menu. None of them were really blown away, but they all said that their food was decent. I had the Hobo Bowl, and I enjoyed my meal. To be honest, the interior and ambiance wow'd me so much that I didn't even care what the food tasted like. For dessert, we had their Graham Cracker Sundae, and it was delicious! For my next visit, I'll definitely order the Train Robber Nachos, the Cornbread, and the Graham Cracker Sundae (if they have them.) read more

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This was actually the second time I've dined here. Both times the food was very good. The service is a little slow due to the high volume of customers, but we were not in a rush. If you're a a fan of railway nostalgia this is the place for you! read more

Went for early dinner today. Super friendly server and food was excellent. They have the best hot lobster of anywhere. The Newburgh sauce is the perfect addition. Always get the corn muffin with the honey butter, delicious as always. Locomotion drink is my go to. My last experience here was disappointing but they really made up for it tonite. read more

Went with some friends at Christmas and truly enjoyed the experience. We sat by the window and watched the trains go by. We enjoyed it so much that we now go every year around Christmas. The service is wonderful and the ambiance during the holidays makes you feel like you're part of a Hallmark movie. I highly reccomend that if you are visiting the area you make it a point to stop in and dine at Steaming Tender. read more

I always love restaurants that are unique and who take pride in not only their food but motif. This is one of those places. Thou having been a train station they had this pre-existing advantage. There's not allot of modifications you can do - and the main dinning area does resemble the main dinning hall on a cruise ship except for the extreme height of the beamed ceiling. We sat in the bar area and although our table was a bit small we made due. The service was excellent and the waitress was up for witty banter - always a plus. The drinks were tasty, strong and reasonably priced. We weren't overly hungry so we only got sandwiches. My wife got the Goat Fidgety Wrap - which was amazing. I stuck with a burger and it was good but nothing fancy - a standard . In fact their menu is being standard fare (except for something called a hobo bowl). I love how accessible the train engines, train cars and buggy are. Plenty of picture taking opportunities. If I'm in the area - or even just passing thru - I'll plan accordingly for our "next stop Willoughby". :) read more

I love trains so when we read about the Steamng Tender, we just had to visit. We were there when they opened; they have come a long way since the early days. One thing that hasn't changed is the quality of the food. we have enjoyed many delicious meals, never a bad one and that's saying something. The service has always been exceptional. Courteous, prompt, and delivered with a smile. The restaurant is an open plan with many tables. It has been restored with care to keep the station authentic. They have memorabelia perfectly placed around the restaurant and near the bathrooms. There are stage coaches on a cement patio in the front, just outside just outside the entrance. Tables are scattered between them for patrons can enjoy lunch or dinner in the nice weather. I highly recommend The Steming Tender. read more

We chose Steaming Tender for our New Year's Eve anniversary celebration. Since we are not much for crowds, we chose a reservation for noon. It was a great experience from start to finish. Perfect atmosphere, music, drinks, food, and service. For drinks we had a Smoke Signals and a Pineapple Express. Lobster Crocker for an appetizer, Red Jacket Filets and Switchman Scampi for entrees. I think we've found our permanent anniversary place! Our server Bethany was fantastic. Thank you for a great anniversary meal! read more

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