I dine here every chance I get. Just stumbled over the place about 30 years ago, and Michael has never disappointed, with his creative plating of local & organic offerings. The service is as good as the food, and always worth the wait! I have recommended T J Buckley's to many friends,and they have all come away just as as happy with their dining experience as I have. Absolutely a "hidden gem",...so make a reservation ahead of time! read more

Perfect perfect perfect perfect. I am not exaggerating when I say this restaurant is at least the equal to the finest meals I've enjoyed in Paris and Barcelona. The presentation is visually mesmerizing. The tastes are intoxicating. My rating is increased from 4 to 10 stars. read more

Warning: Don't do this to yourselves! It was our 45th Anniversary. My husband tried to find a beautiful, unusual experience for our special dinner. We are elderly and, although the restaurant was a bit of a drive, we thought that dining in a railroad car would be exciting and intimate. When we arrived, we were seated by the kitchen. Our waitress announced that she had just been called to fill in as a substitute and that she did not know much about the menu or the dishes. There were two noisy tables of people dominating the room. It was hot and stuffy inside and the only fan was placed down by the two large tables. The service was terrible and the food was very underwhelming. Even though they knew about it, there was no acknowledgement of our anniversary. The check was plunked down on the table and the waitress walked away. It was not the experience of our dreams in regard to food, service, or ambiance. What an over-priced, over-hyped disappointment. We would give it a zero rating if possible. Beware! read more

What a wonderful experience. The server was phenomenal - very friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The Chef was out of this world! The presentation of each dish from appetizer to dessert made the experience THAT much better. I ordered the Hanger Steak, which was cooked to perfection and the gnocchi that came with it paired so well. The environment speaks for itself, it wasn't too bright or too dim, the music set the scene, and being able to watch the Chef work his magic made it feel like I was in a movie. While it is pricey, it is so worth it. Highly recommend!! read more

T J Buckley's - Salad from Appetizer Menu - New American Near Me - Brattleboro, Vermont

I love a hidden, ticked away, unassuming gem. The intimate setting was beyond unique as you could watch the chef work his magic right from your table. Each dish was beyond creative and left your tastebuds wondering how the next bite could top the last, but it always did. The service was outstanding. read more

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Expensive, but WAY worth the indulgence; the appetizers and courses were beyond superb! My choice for true indulgence!! Bravo!!!

A lovely evening, interesting surroundings and beautiful, delicious food. I had read the reviews and they were raves, although some mentioned it was expensive. I also looked at the website, the food looked delicious but there were no prices. We enjoyed our dinner but 2 people, each with a glass of wine, an app and an entree, one shared dessert with tip $320.00 is a little more than expensive. I'm not saying they should change, but diners should know going in. read more

This is an outstanding place. Small but mighty in food and service in a very intimate setting. Everything was top notch and tasted fantastic! read more

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One of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Everything was exquisite. We went for New Year's Eve--which can be risky, but they're clearly pros. The place was a little dining car with just 8 tables...and you felt like you stepped back in time, from the lighting to the music. The service was perfect--quietly attentive without being intrusive. Food rundown--crab cake delicate and flavorful; halibut melted in the mouth; scallops cooked to perfect texture and flavor (and I don't like scallops). Creme Brule not too custardy and had the crack. We loved being able to watch the chefs. I agree about the Michelin Star. Such a special place. read more

Always great atmosphere food and cocktails. Highly recommend for a nice meal and great cocktails

Good food and a nice place - cost was reasonable...I would recommend...go ahead and enjoy!

Service! Food! Atmosphere! You definitely get what you pay for! We'll worth the splurge!

I don't write many reviews but our dinner was so memorable and so delicious that I felt I had to. We travel extensively and visited Brattleboro on a swing through New England. We were lucky to secure a reservation in this very small, very busy, 17 seat gem. The service was friendly and top notch but the food was really the star of the show. Each of our plates were both extremely beautiful and delicious. My wife had the pate as an appetizer and the scallops, which she loved, and I had a smoked trout and chèvre tart the rabbit as a main course, which was remarkably good. I have rarely had a meal so good and so memorable and would recommend Buckley's very highly. read more

What a beautiful evening with a master of detail Chef Michael Fuller. The scallops and Wagyu beef dishes were delicious and flawless. Thank you for making a great birthday dinner memorable. We will be back. read more

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Food was wicked good and service was also wicked good. Really cool atmosphere too. Small but cool place. I dig it.

A delightful experience. Very understated from the outside. Once in side OMG cozy, elegant, romantic with superb service and exquisite food. read more

Not what it once was. Rabbit was not tender and my mom has had better swordfish. Be prepared to drink a lot and order every course or you will not receive good service from the single, rushed waitress. Tiny place is more easily accepted when everything else is superb. read more

One of the best dinner experiences of my life. The most tender steak and succulent rabbit. Burrata salad with flowers and nuts and herbs. Amazing apple cake and flourless chocolate cake. Try the sour cherry aperitif if you like a port. read more

This place is one of those places you need to experience at least once. Michael prepares each meal to order with only the freshest ingredients. The limited seating makes for a very intimate dining experience. read more

T J Buckley's - SMOKED TROUT AND CHEVRE TARTLET - New American Near Me - Brattleboro, Vermont

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We just had an AMAZING meal here- everything I tasted was delicious and perfectly prepared, from the rosé to the rabbit to the gelato. Our server was lovely and checked on us just the right amount. It is pricey but the ambiance, in the 7-table refurbished dining car, was just right and again, I couldn't fault anything in the meal! Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

This is a special place! Delicious, locally sourced food that is lovingly prepared and beautifully presented. This is the kind of place that you bring friends from out of town to impress them or for your birthday or anniversary because it's one of the best places in the region to have a special dinner. read more

What can I say that hasn't already been said about the magnificent TJ Buckley's? Yes, quaint, romantic. Very much a special occasion spot. My sweetie and I have dined at Buckley's probably half a dozen times. I'm from Philadelphia (so, hey, I know great food) and he's in Connecticut -- that's how much we love it. Watching the chef go about his business feels like watching Van Gogh paint. Everything extraordinary. Divine. Pay no mind to the occasional naysayers who clearly haven't got a clue about the art of cooking (or dining). One of the most memorable dining experiences ever -- you'll be talking about it for years. read more

I saw so many good reviews I knew we had to try it. Finally got there recently. Here's the deal in short. Good service, unimpressive food. So my wife and I got there when they opened at 5:30 PM. Nice interior, very cozy. Parking is ample on street. Sitting inside we saw only 7 tables and only two set for 4 people. We were two and had our choice of the other tables. Server was attentive and prompt and friendly. She came to the table and brought a menu that had only beer, wine, and appetizers on it. She told us the entree menu and there was a choice of only four: scallops, black bass, rabbit, or Wagyu rib-eye. My wife and I both had a crab cake app and the Scallop entree. The chef cooks the meal in view of the entire seating area and clearly everything is made to order. We were very excited and were anticipating a great dining experience. The server asked if we would like a 'slice of bread'. I thought she just misspoke but nope. She brought each of us a single wedge of bread from a local bread shop. A small wedge with a small tab of butter. I thought that was really strange. But ok. We ate our small bread wedges. The apps then came out. The crab cake was acceptable but nothing out of the ordinary. It had a nice tartar sauce version and a very small portion of greens with it. Both of us were kind of disappointed. The crab cakes were soft and somewhat mushy, but tasted ok. We both ordered scallops for the main. When they came there were six 1/2" thick by 1" round scallops set atop a square cake of something (I forgot what it was). We make scallops at home with scallops from Hannafords and they are ten times better than the scallops this restaurant served us. They were relatively tasteless, and I'm being kind in this review. Total disappointment. Every entree is a $50 hit and the Wagyu entree was an additional ten dollars. Way, way overpriced. Desert was a chocolate almond cake for me and a crème brûlée for my wife. Both were good and tasty. Total bill for the two apps, two entrees and two desserts: just under $200. If you pay cash you get a 6% discount. I thought if we were paying by food taste we should have gotten a 60% discount. But, I digress. Needless to say we were both crestfallen at our experience here. Doubtful that we will be returning. read more

The restaurant was a bit hard to find....though we knew it was in a train car, the web site pictures make it look bigger. We were able to score a reservation (call and get one) and we're excited to go. The restaurant is a bit cramped but because it is only a dozen or so people it is not loud. You can see the kitchen completely and that is something to watch. The service is fairly rote, but at the same time warm, affable and friendly. They seem thrilled to have you. The waitress is extremely knowledgeable and helpful....happy to give a POV. The food was selection was amazing and the wine selection while limited offered plenty of variety. The starters were quite varied and the entrees -- while few in number-- changed on a regular basis (daily?) and each felt very special! A really lovely evening! read more

T J Buckley's - From the outside! - New American Near Me - Brattleboro, Vermont

I might be a little biased because my parents got engaged here 35 years ago (!!), but TJ Buckley's is a very special dining experience! My parents have gone many times before but my first visit was this week. The setting is truly unique-- an old dining car that has been adapted to be a swanky dining space with full view of the chef at work. There are only a few tables so you definitely want to make recommendations. We got there a little early and caught the chef foraging outside for fresh herbs and garnishes! Each entree is served with a side salad but you have the option to add an appetizer for a fee. I tried the burrata appetizer and loved it! The greens and fruit they paired it with was spectacular. For an entree I had the halibut which was cooked perfectly. The only thing I didn't like here was the assorted pickles the dish came with. It just didn't pair well for me but that could be a personal opinion. For dessert I tried the local berry shortcake and the chocolate gateau, both to rave reviews. This place is pricey but the service and food are great-- a solid option for a special occasion in Brattleboro. read more

Excellent tiny restaurants downtown. The menu is very specific and based on available sources for that time. Expensive but totally worth it for really fabulous creative and delicious meals read more

When we first pulled up to it I asked my if she was kidding. It's a very small Trolley Car that has been converted into a restaurant with about 7 tables. Don't let the cover of this book fool you. It was one of the best meals we have had in a very long time. I had the Halibut and it was cooked perfectly, not an easy task. My wife had scallops and they were done perfectly as well. The salads and appetizers were creative works of edible art. Wine list is small but diverse and not overpriced at all. Service was very good without being overbearing. Really enjoyed this place. If you are in Brattleboro, or the surrounding area, do yourself a favor and check it out. read more

Phenomenally over priced. The food & the presentation, ambience etc. great but it is simply not worth what's being charged

Adorable little restaurant. You are quite literally in the kitchen. Presentation was unlike anything I have ever seen. Delicious, locally sourced and fresh! Great for a special occasion. read more

T J Buckley's - Burrata Salad - New American Near Me - Brattleboro, Vermont

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Meal was amazing. Great wine choices,cozy atmosphere. Service just right, not overly crowded

I was visiting my brother in Brattleboro and he made reservations here. Necessity because it's a converted train car! Cool! Kitchen is in full view, which I also like. The food was great, came out in the proper order and it was fun to chat with the Chef. Overall great experience on a snowy Vermont evening! read more

Quite possibly the best meal I have ever had. Twenty-fifth annnivesary dinner, May, 2023. My wife had scallops, I had halibut. We started with the burratta and finished with creme brulee and some ginger gelato. It sounds pedestrian, doesn't it? It was anything but. And in an eight-seat restaurant, with steep prices, and high quality local ingredients I feared it might be a pretentious experience, but it was not. Excellent, attentive, knowledgeable service but not smothering. Watching the chef work was part of the experience, which was top-to-bottom, worth every penny. The halibut was remarkably rich and delicate. On the plate with our burratta was a cube of quince paste and some beet sprouts along with a fan of thinly sliced pears... so many layers of flavor on every dish. A wonderful culinary experience. read more

Exceptional food in a clever setting. Expensive, but you get what you pay for. Perfect for a special occasion.

Best birthday, date night, vermont date night.. excellent quality fresh locally sourced

The best in the area to be sure. We dine at Michael's when something special is needing to be celebrated. One always feels Michael is cooking just for you. And it always seems as if he and the service are totally in sync. read more

One of the finest meals we've ever had. Most attentive and happy enthused server Abby. Chef Fuller's assistant created a work of art house salad from the restaurants own garden and local farms. Chef Michael Fuller was true to his reputation as a Master over his kitchen. Hangar steak with roasted locally harvested vegetables and potato gnocchi, stuffed rabbit with bacon and charred onions. An obvious signature dish of seared scallops with an indescribably phenomenal sauce ! Shared some kind and pleasant conversation. Chef Fuller is all about exquisite subtleness in cuisine. read more

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Every single meal at TJ Buckleys has been outstanding. I highly recommend this restaurant. The chef and owner Michael is amazing and Amy who is the best server is top notch and always so nice and welcoming. Don't miss TJ Buckleys on your next stop in Brattleboro. read more

Dinner for two people cost about $200, which we would not mind paying for an extraordinary meal. However, the food did not rise to anywhere near that level. The rabbit was only mediocre and, although my husband's hanger steak was better, it just did not justify the price. We shared the flourless chocolate cake and that was okay. Frankly, the best part of the meal was the bread, which was over the top! read more

Amazing dining experience both times i went. Both visits were several years apart and i would say the quality of service and food just as good if not better the second time. read more

A delicious gourmet dinner served in this intimate restaurant with a warm, cozy, elegant ambience! Choice of four entrees served with an artistic flair. We truly enjoyed the evening! read more

T J Buckley's - New American Near Me - Brattleboro, Vermont

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