***Edited: Was 1 star but changed to 4 stars due to restaurant response. The manager called right away to apologize and address my concerns. She explained that the "No Free Refills" thing is NOT restaurant policy, and said that she would talk to her staff about this. I'm leaving up my previous review, though, just in case the waiter in question tries to do this again to other diners. Warning: Double-check your bill!*** The food is ok, if a bit overpriced. Live music for Sunday brunch, which is a plus. This place lost my business, however, when our server decided to charge me for refills of iced tea ($3 EA - which can quickly add up, esp if you aren't aware that you are being charged until you get the bill). Three of us came in today and ordered entrees which cost $15+ each, but they apparently also felt it necessary to nickel and dime us for DRINK REFILLS-- something that I have never experienced before in the United States. These were not alcoholic or specialized drinks. They were plain, unsweetened iced teas. I order iced tea at every restaurant I go to, and have never been charged for refills. Not once. At first, I thought it was a mistake on our check, and brought it up to our server. He said "That's just the way it is." and refused to remove the charges. I don't know if it is restaurant policy to inflate the checks like this, or if it is just this one waiter who is trying to get bigger tips. It is certainly interesting that the waiter reached across the table to take my husband's credit card from his hand before offering the check for us to review. Too bad. Like I said, the food is alright, and the ambiance is nice. But at the end of the day, we felt ripped off. If you want to go here, be sure to check your bill carefully before handing over your card. read more

I recently had an event at the Aviary's event space. We had Jennifer for our event coordinator. The event space and team were fabulous, but Jennifer was difficult to deal with. She was new to the team in the middle of planning our event. I had to repeat things to her multiple times in emails, when I got to the event she did not have the tables set up the way we had agreed on, she asked us to buy more food because she was nervous the party would be overserved even though it is the Aviary's responsibility to not overserve guests with drinks, and she threated to charge me more for something she had previously approved. During the event, she yelled at me in front of my guests, she yelled at my photographer and threatened to charge me a fee because the decorations weren't down by the time the event was over even though the photographers had nothing to do with it, she included herself in the celebration by being the first one to sign our guestbook, she denied some of my guests access to the restaurant for dinner because she said my event group was "rowdy", and she handed us the bill to sign as we were talking to our guests. After the event, she emailed us saying she forgot to charge us for part of the open bar and needed to charge us more money. Overall, we had a great time at the event and that is why I am giving 4/5 stars, but Jennifer did not have a hand in that at all, the bartenders and wait staff were fantastic. read more

This restaurant has since improved from my last review, it's waitstaff and hosts are polite & experienced and prompt with their service. The food is wonderful, the bacon wrapped dates are a favorite! The establishment has definitely made some positive improvements with staff and menu. Great job! read more

5 star COVID times review. We choose outside seating and it was perfect. They have so many space heaters I actually stripped down to just my tee shirt! This is a classic place for brunch. We know I love anywhere that lets me book online, and you can head right on over the open table! The Beignets are a must! Our waitress was so nice and sweet literally starting with "and are you getting the beignets to start" she knows they're why we're all here!!!! I had the sweet Chile chicken but on a croissant for breakfast! Highly recommend its soooo good. I went with a French mimosa that went down smooth and gave me the bubblies and the cappuccino came with a little cookie and was perfectly warm. A little higher priced because this place is a little fancier than your normal hipster brunch place but definitely worth a treat every so often! Very close to providence only a 10 min drive so don't let the Swansea address scare you away!!!! read more

Excellent spot for dinner or Sunday brunch. They've done a great job with the outdoor patio. Rhonda is a rockstar and always makes us feel at home. Almost forgot - the pretzel bread dipped in chowder is A+ read more

I've had three entrees so far here. The Lemon chicken dish is very good. I moved to the area from the Italian area in RI, both the bolognese and the chicken parm dishes were smothered with overpowering thyme. Def do not recommend Italian dishes here. read more

The scallops here are amazing, melt in your mouth! I had the bacon wrapped dates that were delicious. My girlfriend had to duck wings. I finished off the dinner with the crème brûlée that was delightful. I will definitely be going back and highly recommend this restaurant! Beautiful inside & outdoor dining! read more

Still really good! Haven't been here in a while but came here last night for my mom's birthday. I ended up trying the Shrimp Mozambique and it wasn't what I was expecting, but very good. It was about 5-6 pieces of jumbo shrimp on top of rice that was all coated in the Mozambique sauce, that wasn't exactly "Mozambique", it was a little different because it had more of a tomato sauce texture and flavor. Still really good though. The side of fries it came with were delicious although I feel they weren't needed, given that the portion of rice and shrimp was rather large. In addition to great meal, I had a great experience. read more

See all

Beyond amazing was so impressed with the spiced old fashion best old fashion i have had in the southcoast area and the flatiron steak made it even better definitely will be back read more

I finally made it to the Aviary and really enjoyed my dinner here. The space is light, bright and airy with a few different rooms to sit. We were seated in the Garden room on a very busy Saturday night. For how busy the place was, we were not rushed at all, which is impressive considering we lingered for 3.5 hours. Huge kudos to our waitress, Sarah, who gave us all the time we needed to chat and catch up. The food was definitely good. I had the scallops with asparagus and mashed and enjoyed them. Others at the table had the baked pasta and the flat iron steak and also enjoyed their meals. The apple cider beignets for dessert were also tasty. While this is in Swansea, as far as the pricing goes, expect Providence pricing, not Fall River pricing. There is a lovely patio that I look forward to enjoying a cocktail on in the warmer weather. read more

Top five best lunches I've ever had. We split the wings and the marg pizza to start. Wings were possibly the best tasting wings I've ever had. Pizza was solid with a nice "grilled flatbread" type taste. I then had the turkey wrap. I was stuffed but it was so good I powered through. And to top it off, the fruit that came with it was fresh and nothing short of amazing. 100% chance I will be back. Absolutely loved it! read more

Very disappointed,before was very good ,now they change bathe menu is not good,beautiful place very good drinks but we hen come to the food is better they make some changes before the older costumers living,Sad read more

Apps: Calamari was tender and cooked perfectly. The duck wings were delicious ( nice and spicy). Charcuterie app was also well done. Loved the roasted garlic and chilled onion. The meat and cheeses were very good (based on others in my party). Main course: I had the crusted scallops 5 good sized broiled scallops encrusted with chourico. A saffron butter sauce to add some flavor. Tender and cooked just right. The fingerling potatoes were crispy and the asparagus was crisp and fresh. I tasted the strip steak. It was cooked as ordered tender and flavorful. read more

The Aviary - Stopped in for a quick drink and to check out the ambiance. I'll be back to try dinner. - New American Near Me - Swansea, Massachusetts

I brought a friend for my birthday. It has been some months since, but Yelp keeps asking me to finish and post this review. I made reservations and they sat us at the first table going into the dining room from the bar. I requested another table and they did not have one. One of my pet peeves is people walking back and forth around me while I am eating, and there was a steady flow of them. I felt uncomfortable. There should not be a table 12" inside a room! As to the food. We had littlenecks. There were seven, all very small. Not little necks, but Manila clams. There are pics. Look for Simona. My friend's butternut soup was very, very thick. A purée and a thick one at that. She took two little spoons and left it on the table. I had fish tacos which I liked, and I gave her one. I had scallops over white beans with butternut squash. She took one bite of a scallop and said "salty." Yes. Both of us thought it was salty, the scallops were over cooked, and the cubes of butternut squash were nearly raw. She had lobster Mac and cheese. We also thought it was salty and dry. It was all stuck together. She took two bites and left it on the table. Again, pics are up. Not once did anyone ask how it was. When our waitress came, she asked if we wanted to bag the food. You see two full plates of food sitting on a table. Ask if something is wrong? No? $120 with a tip, and half the food went home. We went to Gregg's for dessert on the way home. The last thing I will mention is that my date brought a little cake for me because it was my birthday. They refused to serve it to us. It made her cry and it was a middle finger in the face after a disappointing evening. I called and complained to the management and she was defensive. Said we had an excellent server. She also said it was policy not to serve cakes brought by patrons and said they had an excellent pastry chef. She offered us a gift certificate. I declined and I told her I would not return. There are pics up if you look for them. read more

Ok so I love the atmosphere in this place, the bar is great. Here is my problem every time I come here ( which is not that often because of the issue I'm about to write) I love martinis and they do make a good one here BUT....BUT..... THEY DO NOT FILL THE GLASS!!!! It comes to you like someone took a drink from it!!! It drives me ?%}}}^ nuts !! I'm actually here right now and I'm pissed because it happens all the time and that's why I avoid this place and why this bartender ( although she doesn't know it) is going to get short on a tip. I'm not sure if intentional but it happens read more

The Aviary NEVER disappoints! It's our favorite go-to place for a delicious dinner. The service is INCREDIBLE, menu is fantastic and ambiance is a ten! We feel so lucky to have such a beautiful restaurant so close to us! read more

Great Food, Amazing Service I have been to this restaurant twice in the past month: for dinner, with coworkers to celebrate a Birthday and for Brunch with my wife and a great friend. I was not disappointed either time. For Dinner: I ordered a medium NY Strip Steak which was excellently prepared. I don't remember the sides, which is not a good sign, but I did eat them. I enjoyed my meal and my drinks: a Whiskey cocktail and a glass of Pinot Noir. I would give this time a 4.5 For Brunch: I loved my brunch cocktail and meal. I ordered 'Is it Spring Yet?', a Watermelon Mimosa, which was very refreshing with a nice balance of champagne. I would have preferred if the last sip did not contain all the watermelon syrup that was meant to be mixed throughout my drink. As for my entree, I had chicken and waffles! As a southern girl who knows a thing or two about fried chicken, I loved my chicken. It was crispy outside and juicy inside. Plus, there was a good amount of chicken: It was half a chicken with a pile of white and dark meat on my waffle. And what a waffle it was! The waffle was caramel pecan, which was a perfect accompaniment to the chicken. I was sad that the chicken and waffle combination was missing the peach cobbler that comes with the a la carte waffle, but the syrup was great. I loved my meal. Because my eyes are bigger than my stomach, I ordered a side of Hog Heaven Hash, which contained sausage and smoked ham. If you eat pork (and have no gluten allergies), do yourself a favor and order this hash! I ended up taking my hash home (along with a second order of said hash) and it was the best dinner I had all week. The mix of onions, potatoes, and meat was simply perfection. My wife, who is not a Yelper, reports that she enjoyed her ham, Swiss, and avocado three-egg omelet with a side of fruit (she is gluten-sensitive, seriously). The omelet was fabulous she reports (I don't like eggs unless buried in other food) and the watermelon, orange slices, and berries in her fruit medley were delightful. She would give The Aviary four stars: she was hoping for a better option for sides with her omelet and, like me, she wished that the watermelon syrup in her mimosa was mixed in the drink. Now, I will tell you about the service! Both times, I thought the servers were friendly and helpful, always nearby without hovering. Our dinner server was patient with our large group and was very friendly to us. My wife was able to get all of her questions asked in regards to her allergy and our server (I don't remember her name- it was a week ago!) was very patient with us at brunch. Needless to say, I have made my June reservation for five people so that I can have my Birthday Brunch with people I love. I have been on the lookout for a great Brunch place and I think I may have found it. Next stop will be dinner with my wife because, sometimes, it should be just the two of us. read more

Beautiful for Sunday brunch. Good menu options. The seasoning for their home fries is out of this world! Only complaint was the price of cocktails - $10 for a classic mimosa in a regular sized champagne flute?? A bit steep. read more

We have been here many times, with most of the time flawless experiences. Tonight we went there for an early dinner. The food was good as usual, the place very pleasant. Unfortunately, our server, "Kristen M." was less than attentive and efficient. She took our order and then we didn't see her again until much later. We waited a long time to be able to order a second drink. Needed something else, and waited another long while. She was nowhere in the dining room, not even serving other tables. We were very unpleasantly disappointed with the service. read more

This is our second visit to this very attractive and welcoming restaurant. Fireplace a- flame and beautiful murals along with tapestry decor was just an autumn delight. Our friends enjoyed the cheese board and we were delighted with the Fig Pizza, which consisted of fig jam and Brie cheese with honey and prosciutto, finished with arugula and a fig balsamic glaze. Our entrees were varied. The scallop entree, the chicken piccata and the cod were all perfect. One guest at our table was rather disappointed in his order of swordfish as it was rather chewy and seemed to also have a lot of skin on the underside. The accompaniments of roasted butternut squash, kung pao spaghetti squash, haricots verts, butternut squash puree and pineapple salsa were tasty, however. I truly have to exclaim over the Mustard and Herb Crusted Cod with Lemon and dill aioli, black garlic glaze and served with fingerling potatoes and roasted broccoli. The entire dish was scrumptious. Our dining partners also relished the seared scallops with roasted Farro, kale, sherry glazed cipollini onions, and orange and carrot puree with a shaved carrot salad. The chicken piccata, was pan- seared with lemon and capers, and served over linguini pasta and deemed to be very tasty! Dessert had to be in liquid form for me as I had eaten my entire entree after enjoying some of the fig pizza, so I decided to try the Godiva hot chocolate which was the perfect ending to an excellent meal. Our friends also were quite happy with the expresso martini and the chocolate martini. And fortunately, my date loved his apple crisp served in a hot skillet and topped with ice cream and whipped cream. All in all, it was most enjoyable. read more

A great find while up here for a night. The food was plated nicely, bartender was awesome, host was very pleasant and food was good. Clam chowder was delicious, with big chunks of clam at every scoop. I had the crabcakes. Although the outside, in my opinion, was fried extra crisp overall cakes tasted delicious, not bready at all. The salad and dressing was good. Hubs had the pan seared salmon. Huge serving for lunch. He enjoyed the salmon. Huge pieces of broccoli and mash potatoes was swirled onto plate under the salmon...looked pretty cool. Place was nice. read more

The Aviary - New American Near Me - Swansea, Massachusetts

See all

Great restaurant. Very eclectic menu. Highly recommended. Nice ambiance. Great selection.

Tonight we were a party of seven ranging in age from 5 to 87 years old. Aviary is a great venue to celebrate. It is kid friendly, senior friendly and everyone in between friendly. Aviary is a pretty restaurant with a well trained, friendly serving staff and very well prepared dishes. I was impressed when our server asked the 5 year old member of our party how he liked his pizza and was not thrown off by the brutally honest answer only a 5 year old can give, "eh, it's okay." In fact he came right back with "what can I do to make it better"...great answer! We began with the hummus platter which was good but the pretzel bread in the breadbasket stole the show! Our main courses included steak, trout, and pizza. Personally I had the ahi tuna and seaweed sandwich was was seared rare to perfection and included a grilled (in butter) roll which, as much as I wanted, I could not resist! Also worth mentioning were the lobster fritters which were like clam cakes with good size pieces of lobster in them. The restaurant provided us with a tasty chocolate and white birthday cake which was the perfect way to end such a flavorful meal (along with some brewed decaf coffee). Thank you Aviary for a great dining experience! read more

The drinks were good but changed glasses to smaller martini glasses. Reduced menu and got rid of alot of dishes that were tasty. Chicken wrap had no flavor bartender noticed it wasn't eaten and took off bill. read more

YAY!! Chef Corey is such a breath of fresh air. Chef James was great, but seemed unwilling to try anything new. We have been regular diners here for years and while always good, we were getting bored with the same old everytime. We actually started to explore other options (gasp!). We recently returned for lunch and were so pleasantly surprised by new meal options. We have since heard that many patrons rejected anything new and still wanted the same old. Well too bad for you as this new chef has a visible passion to create some fantastic farm to table, and yes SEASONAL menu changes. Kudos to the Tickle Family for opening their hearts to this young man. His passion and direction, combined with the unparalleled attention to detail the Aviary is known for, with the best bar game around, we are so excited for this next chapter. The new salmon dish is amazing, no raisins(?) in this one. The Airline chicken quickly made me forget about their famous lemon chicken. Chef Corey is just getting started, give the man a chance to see what he can do. Can't wait to return to this amazing jewel right here in Swansea! read more

Usually very good food, staff is always friendly and polite. Have been several times and usually consistent.

Lunch on a misty Wednesday afternoon. Mammoth bar area with high tops, somewhat smaller dining area. Both much larger than expected. Bar area had one person. Dining room 70% filled but not overwhelmingly noisy. Varied menu of apps, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and a few dinners. I had a pizza with fig jam, honey, Prosciotto, Brie cheese and Arugla. Odd combo for red sauce loving me but I really liked it, tangy, sweet, crispy and much bigger than I would have thought. Half came home. Spouse had chicken wrap on whole wheat option and half of that came home too. It's the kind of place where I might have expected smaller, more dainty meals. Restaurant is attached to a retail store catering to women, I.e. Clothing, jewelry, gift shop items. I think, because of that, the patrons at lunch were mostly women. Restaurant was new, clean, bright, nice woodwork, extremely clean and roomy restrooms, (not generic " one Holers "), outdoor seating in season surrounded with nice plantings to shield the parking lot, handicapped accessible, all in all, a very pleasant environment. Staff very helpful, friendly and efficient. I think this is a fine place for a nice lunch and I've put it on my list for return visits. read more

My husband and I have eaten here a few times within the last 2 months and I have to say we loved the food and the atmosphere. Our server has been Lori the last couple of times and she's great! Our favorite appetizer is the stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. For entrees my husband loves the salmon Veronique and I love the flat iron steak. We also had apple cider sangria and apple cider mule, both equally delicious! We'll definitely be returning soon since this is quickly becoming one of our favorite restaurants. read more

I came here for Sunday brunch with my family and was pleasantly surprised by the wide selection of options and the restaurant itself. The grounds are beautiful (and I'm sure even prettier in the summer time!) and the decor inside is as well. Staff was very friendly and even with a full restaurant, we received our food quickly. No kids menu, but kid friendly options which makes it doable. Plenty of parking too which was a bonus. I had the crab cakes and the ratio of crab to breading was definitely pro crab which I feel is hard to find. Everyone in my party was happy with their food choices too. This is a great spot for a date night, family get together, or girl's time. read more

Another great experience at this restaurant. Food was outstanding, service was impeccable. Could not have asked for better. Flat iron steak was cooked PERFECTLY! Calamari and mussels apps were delicious. Calamari was nice and crispy and the sauce with the mussels app was great! Mouth is watering writing this review. Will be back real soon! read more

One of my daughters and I decided to stop by to enjoy a spontaneous dinner out together. When we arrived and noticed there were all of the tables held for reservations since it was Mother's Day, we were hoping we would be able to dine at the bar since we wanted to visit my own mother on this special day . I asked the hostess and she let me know that it was fine to sit at the bar even though I was with my 15 year old daughter. My daughter and I sat at the bar to enjoy a great new experience as well as good food. We were greeted quickly and given a few drinks. Quickly after our order was taken and that was pretty much it for us. The bartender stated he would be right out with bread and butter for us. We waited for the bread , since our day was busy and we were very hungry...we continued to watch an older couple in the corner of the bar served their bread ...I eventually asked the bartender and he stated he would see if there was any left . There was a good ten minutes that not one bartender was behind the bar at all , I watched one leave ( hopefully cause he needed some type of liquor to finish making a drink or maybe they ran out of wine or beer , keg kicked ... etc) ..then the second bartender left and bar was completely unattended.. which should NEVER happen. Long story short .. my daughter and i were made to feel that because our " check average " would not be as high as the couple to the right of us enjoying their high priced wine and cheese plate or the couple to the left with martinis and calamari or perhaps even the family members who were clearly the priority at this bar and also were poured about a 5oz pour of a fine cognac. Every single guest that comes into your establishment should be treated the same and given the best service no matter what regardless if their check is $10 or $100. My daughter and I were made to feel that we were not worth the time or effort at all to your bartenders. The unfortunate part is that if my check was $10 , my tip would have been $20 with the proper and deserved service that we all want and deserve . I have been in the restaurant business my entire life and I currently still am as a bartender Treat every guest as if they are in the business , like they are important and that what they say matters! A huge part of your job is listening to people as well as making a kick ass drink ! I do not think I would visit The Aviary again. read more

Another restaurant that is not consistent with its food! First 2 times I have been here the braised short rib was amazing. Brought some friends there to try this same dish and it was about half the size and zero flavor - it was as if it was a completely different meal! The ambiance is great though read more

I drove by once and thought it looked cute so fast forward to this weekend when we needed a restaurant in that area. My girlfriends and I had a 6:30pm reservation and were immediately seated. The ambiance is gorgeous, but the fireplace was just a tad too warm. I was wearing a sweater and the heat/air just kept bouncing around. The service was wonderful....everyone so friendly and welcoming. I also felt like they weren't trying to rush us in any way which is such an added bonus when catching up with friends. The food? GREAT. We started with the calamari, yummy but not the best I've ever had. I had the cod over gnocchi-- oh my goodness this was such an amazing dish and SUPER plentiful. I ended up taking home half. All in all, a great night! read more

The Aviary had been recommended to us by long time Warren/Bristol friends and we finally got there this evening. The parking lot was packed and we were concerned we would have to wait and were pleasantly surprised we were immediately seated. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Our server was attentive and also very welcoming. My wife ordered a Boston mule which is their own variation of a Moscow Mule and she liked it very much. The bread and butter was very good and appreciated the pretzel bread. We both ordered burgers which came with fries. Often nicer restaurants do a poor job with French fries however these were light and crispy. We liked our burgers and the toppings very much. I had the meltdown and my only complaint, and it is a small one, is I ordered the burger medium rare and it was not pink at all. The way the chef cooks the burger is unique and it has a pleasant burnt effect. Looking forward to our next visit and might try the fish and chips! read more

I've been to The Aviary about half a dozen times now and it's becoming one of my favorite stops. It's great for a causal night out with friends or celebrating a special occasion. The food is delicious, the kitchen is quick, and the staff actually cares about your experience. The menu has a nice selection. You can grab a burger or pizza, or treat yourself to a nice steak. I'm not a seafood fan myself, but I've heard good things from friends. I love deviled eggs and The Aviary has a great deviled eggs starter. In my opinion, The Aviary is a great new(ish) spot with a little bit of everything. And if you get there early for your reservation, you can always spend some time in Tickle's gift shop. read more

My boyfriend and I arrived here on a Friday night, 6:00. This place opened last Sunday, I have noticed the building process for a while and was happy to finally dine here. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and seated promptly. The place is beautiful! Every detail is perfect. It's not overly decorated, but every detail they chose is just right. They have two dining areas, one in the bar area, the other off the kitchen. We were greeted promptly by our server, Lori. Friendly and very informative about the chef and the menu choices. I wanted to select many items, but will be going back to sample other menu choices. I started with a Pinot Grigio, my boyfriend, a Bud Light. I ordered the Caesar salad to start and they also have fresh warm bread. The Caesar salad really could be shared, it was a great size. the bread was warm, crusty, but not hard to chew and the butter tasted home made. I ordered the Meltdown Burger (the waitress mentioned they make their own burgers with short ribs and brisket), it was topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions and Gruyère cheese. It was accompanied by fries. My boyfriend had the Cubana, accompanied by fries. The ketchup they offered was homemade and it was delicious, a little kick to it (they also have plain if you prefer). Our server, Lori was very professional, very knowledgeable and very courteous and friendly. For a new restaurant, they seemed to get it right, no kinks noticed at my first experience. I highly recommend a visit here, whether you are close or far, you will not be disappointed! read more

Not impressed. The food was alright - nothing great, nothing bad. My problem here was the server. I asked for the "aviary burger" without a bun or cheese because of allergies. I asked for mushrooms to be added to the burger. I ordered the mixed greens as my side. When the food came out, all I had was a pile of lettuce and a hamburger with mushrooms on it. There was no avocado, lettuce, or onion. I didn't get the salad dressing either. The server didn't ask if I needed any condiments either. When she checked with our table it took 3 times for our server to bring me the proper things. As I asked her for the missing items, she was already walking away. She did this three times...she didn't even let myself or another person at the table finish our sentence. It was quite ridiculous. read more

Absolute fantastic restaurant. When you walk in the service is amazing. The food is some of the best my wife and I have had. The Duck Wings are tremendously delicious. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the crab cakes and her scallops entree. My duck entree was better than the duck I had in Paris. The dessert of beignets hit the spot. The facility is beautiful. No stone was left unturned. We feel it is one of the best restaurants we have been to. We highly recommend an evening at The Aviary! read more

Great service...loved Andrea! Great food and atmosphere! The crab cakes and turkey burger were a 5 out of 5.

This is one of the best restaurants around. We have been here for dinner and again today for brunch. The food has been nothing short of amazing. The service is welcoming and inviting and the atmosphere is incredible. Carlos at the bar, is one of the friendliest and most professional bartenders around. We can't wait to come back for our next visit. read more