Galliford's Restaurant & Tavern — Restaurant in Mendon

UPDATE: after a long time avoiding this place (several years), we decided to try it again this weekend (Labor Day weekend 2023). Our experience this time around was a very noticeable improvement and we were very happy with everything. We started with the fried pickles which are done with spears instead of chips. The breading was perfect and the chipotle aioli was light and complimentary. My son had the thin crust Meat Lovers pizza which was great. I had the grilled chicken tacos, which I highly recommend! Our server, Joshua, was professional and timely with his service. It is clear that the management and staff have finally found their rhythm and are providing a proper dining experience. Thankfully all the issues noted below in my initial review have been resolved beyond expectations. Thus, I have adjusted my ratings accordingly. Please consider dining here if you're in the area, and be prepared to be stuffed when leaving!

The wait is absolute horrendous. When we put our name in, we were told it was a 20 minute wait on a Saturday at noon. we didn't get seated until 45 minutes later (the restaurant was only at half capacity, so I'm baffled as to why it took so long to get seated). Then it took another 15 minutes for anyone to say anything to us after we were seated. We ordered our food and drinks as soon as our waitress decided to show up. It's been 25 minutes and we're still waiting for our appetizer. Our waitress finally came by after 25 minutes of us waiting asking how everything is and seemed shocked when we were upset that not even our appetizer had come out. She then said that they are greatly short staffed in the kitchen. The saving Grace was the food tasted good. The manager came over several times to apologize, but he felt it was appropriate to repeatedly leave his hands on my shoulder and arm the entire time he was talking with us. You should never assume it's OK to touch a customer, especially when they aren't happy.

On a side note, they very much need to invest in sound dampening as the noise level is deafening to the point where we have to tell across the table to have a conversation.

Don't bother coming here unless you are fine without eating for at least 2 hours. I'll never come back here, especially given how expensive...

I have eaten at Galliford's many times and never been disappointed. The atmosphere is fun and the food is always great.

In May 2025 I rented the restaurant's Upper Lounge for a graduation party. The rental process took some back and forth with their Wilds Events coordinator to confirm all the contract details, but it was totally worth it.

The space: The Upper Lounge was the perfect space for 30ish adults - it was a bright room overlooking the zoo; came with a dessert table; gift table; water station; couches for comfy seating; a small bar; and a private and clean restroom. Elevator access was a bonus. Galliford's provided a nice soundbar to connect via Bluetooth for music.

The food: There were a lot of great food packages to choose from with the rental. We ordered their classic buffet. This option came with an assorted cheese platter and we opted to add a few passed apps. The apps were a HUGE hit - especially the buffalo cauliflower. It was addicting! For the main meal, we had the steak tips, baked haddock, green beans, potatoes, and a salad. The steak tips were AMAZING - guests were raving about them! The chef was also able to easily accommodate two guests with gluten allergies. The staff did a great job explaining the gluten-free options to my guests and making sure they felt comfortable.

The staff: Heather, Nick, and Pam absolutely crushed it! Heather (day-of coordinator) was the sweetest and really anticipated our needs! She helped set up the room, carry things in for us, and made sure the night ran smoothly. When we needed to adjust the timing of the dinner, she was able to make arrangements with no issue. And during a speech, I noticed she intuitively lowered the music so all could hear the person talking. Nick (bartender) made several customized cocktails and mocktails based on guests' preferences. Pam (waitress) attentive with the passed apps, water, and general needs of our group. Together, they could not have been more professional, accommodating, and kind. I would 100% request them all for another event.

Overall: 100% recommend Galliford's, whether just for lunch/dinner in the restaurant or...

Definitely glad that we went to Galliford's as we plan to come back again. The place is absolutely beautiful! It has an exotic, almost African feel to it, with the use of dark wood, tall grass features, and of course the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the zoo. I wish we were there when they turned on their icicle lights as I'm sure it looks beautiful. We could see a couple alpaca from where we sat.

One minor concern is after a while, the seats became uncomfortable as they are wooden and the back sort of turns in. We did have a long dinner which was nice, and I know the wooden seats go with the theme. They are wide and sturdy, but I wish they were a little more comfortable to lean back on. Also I want to mention that the restrooms were exquisite! I know it sounds weird but I couldn't get over how pristine they were. Every single stall looked brand new (yes I checked inside haha) and it was impressive.

We were there on a Friday night, arrived around 530pm and there was a small amount of people there, most of them were at the bar - which is gorgeous by the way. Around 630pm the place began to fill up.

Our server, Caitlin, was excellent and very attentive. She checked on us often but not too frequently. She was very friendly!

Ok, onto the food!

We tried the spinach and artichoke dip which was better then most. They definitely use fresher ingredients and there was a bunch of artichoke hearts inside which was awesome! The chips were a bit stale, but all in all it was very good.

I ordered the special that night which was a NY Strip Steak topped with a crab and onion sauce, served with rainbow carrots and mashed potatoes. Steak was cooked a perfect medium rare and I really like the crab topping and sauce. Husband got the cowboy steak, cooked the way he likes it, which is rare. He got the risotto as a side and it was perfectly cooked and tasty, and had a good cheesy taste to it, very packed with flavor and not bland at all!

The portions are huge, and so we happily took home leftovers. Will be going back in a couple weeks for a family members birthday and I'm sure they...