The Quarry — Restaurant in Monson

Absolutely the worst dining experience I’ve ever had. We arrived with reservations at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday in late September. Everything started off fine. We received our salad and appetizers with out any noticeable issue. Two hours in, we still hadn’t received the third of our five courses—and every table around us, many seated earlier, was in the same situation. No food had come out of the kitchen for an hour. This included two 8 top tables that had ordered ahead of us.

Before anyone addressed the delays, the “chef” made a grand appearance, acting like a celebrity as she chatted with two large tables, never acknowledging or explaining why the entire dining room was stalled. When we finally asked about the delay—at that point not just the main course but even the soup—the soup was rushed to us served stone-cold (not by design) and below safe serving temperature. Water glasses remained empty and no one came to the tables.

After 45 more minutes, we were told our entrées and desserts were being packed to-go and handed a bill for over $500 for four people. Important to note, we had not requested this but this apparently was their solution to the delay. We agreed to have the dessert to go but the entrees to go was not a reasonable option. We had no issue with the price for a quality fine-dining experience, but after 2 hours without even an explanation or apology, it was unacceptable.

Our server was kind and visibly distressed—she even offered to pay for our drinks out of her own pocket to make up for the delay, which not course we did not accept, as it wasn't her fault. I asked to speak with a floor manager, but a person identifying herself as a “liaison” arrived instead, offering no explanation and no apology. One nearby table left entirely—without paying—because of the lack of service and outrageous delay.

As we left, we overheard the “chef” berating the poor waitress. We departed with no entrées, only tiny pre-filled desserts in plastic to-go containers—hardly what you expect from a supposed fine-dining establishment.

As a former fine-dining waitress and with a former chef in our party, we were shocked by the lack of professionalism and basic hospitality. Save your money—this was a two-plus-hour ordeal ending with cold soup, no main courses, and a thoroughly disappointing experience for which no one at the restaurant acknowledged or took...

I personally had low expectations, due to our experiences here in Maine, my wife was VERY excited.... WELL let me tell you, it's safe to assume the restaurant is awesome if they win a James Beard award!!!

So food, service and ambiance ....

Food - Everything we had was awesome! I think you can say it is an 8 course diner including the roll with the whipped maple butter. You're given a few options for your appetizer, entree and desert, while the rest of the courses are standard for the night. I believe the menu, at least in part, changes thru-out the year. All of the dishes were a good size for a bigger menu. Flavors, textures and seasonings for each dish were very thoughtfully crafted, the effort and love is unmistakeable. Our meal was about 3 hours and it really didn't feel like it, everyone left full!!! It's priced at $115 per person, not including drinks or gratuity. Well worth it!

Service - while the service was good, our server was prompt and mindful of drink refills as well as getting the order correct, however my one criticism of our dinner was that the service did not meet the standard of dining like this. At this level, you're paying for more, food costs more so the gratuity costs more and the expectation is higher for BOTH! No-one is okay paying for a BMW and getting a KIA. There really is an art and expertise needed to work as a server for a high end restaurant, you cannot serve people like your working at the Olive Garden. It reflects poorly on the restaurant when one of the team doesn't preform to meet the standard, and can affect the dining experience. We didn't care but certainly an area for improvement.... maybe just an off night.

Ambiance - the restaurant is tastefully decorated, clean, plain and very spacious. It's not a $30 million building with fancy marble, it's got a small town feel and very comfortable. They don't have the tables packed in there. No-one likes getting their chair kicked or elbow rubbed while eating...

Towards the end of the meal we met the chef and owner lulu, who was so down to earth, easy to talk to and very humble... such a nice person. If you're looking for quality fine dining in Maine then I absolutely recommend you make a reservation and take a drive. The Quarry is absolutely...

Not to sound dramatic- but this would be my death row meal. My husband and I agreed that we have NEVER had a better meal in our lives. Course after course we were absolutely blown away by the skill and wizardry of the chefs. The portions were generous! Our service was equally as outstanding (shout out to waitress Emily and bartender Richard!) and we observed the owner coming out and chatting with all of the tables. The staff genuinely seem happy to be here and are not only kind to guests but kind to each other! Do not let the lack of website fool you- this restaurant is cranking out the highest level/quality food I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. I am gluten free and mentioned this when I booked our reservation because I was concerned that I might not have many options with a set menu. Much to my surprise- the kitchen had made accommodations to make EVERY SINGLE ENTREE safe for me to eat. They even made gluten free pop overs in place of the complimentary bread course. I couldn't believe it . Every plate is an actual work of art and the taste is like nothing I've ever experienced. This place is an absolute gem and I can very easily see why the owner has been nominated...