Shady Glen — Restaurant in Montague

I dont think I could possibly rate this place in a manner it deserves. If you have not stopped for food here I promise you will want too. I do not take that comment lightly either for if you could see any of my lengthy reviews I am typically quite destructive in my critiques as I am very blunt and honest about how food should be served, priced, and taste. So please enlighten me for just a moment. My family and I were in a new area just traveling through and were very hungry for breakfast before we continued our endeavor home. We came across a small place that to be honest doesn't look like much from the outside. From the lack of customers inside I was almost even more skeptical. None the less we entered and were greeted with such a friendly welcome. We where seated and to my surprise the waitress doesn't just bring crayons and a place mat. She brings out coloring books one for each of my kids. As well as the crayons to doodle. If that wasn't a little humbling. How kind we thought. Well onto the next part we ordered and the process was easy she was respectful asked clarification did her job in every way I'd of expected. The food arrived hot and with in a Minimal wait time. Not to long but maybe a few minutes later then expected considering how few others were there. But besides this the first bite relieved any doubts of the time. The food was most definitely some of the best I've had. And the goes for every party involved the kids meals were fun and exciting for them. My wife's special requests met in full and exceptionally so. Now what happened at the end it just mind blowing. After we eat as well get ready to cash out the sky opens up from the heavens and let's out a rain so hard I have not myself seen a river of water unleashed from the sky so fierce in some time if I do not say so myself. But this man comes out from the back with this giant patio umbrella noticing the rain and the kids. He escorted us to our car walking my wife and kids to their side first as to keep us dry. The kindness shown to us by strangers was remarkable. So if I have a choice to return i will do so. I may even go out of my way about 2 hours to do just that because of the experience I was able to have. I thank you shady Glen for your amazing pursuit you are the real...

I NEVER leave reviews on places but this one is a must. I got up wanting to grab some breakfast with my partner and after attempting 3 times to find some where to go, we settled on this place and it was an utter mistake. The atmosphere was calm but everything looked grungy and dirty. Windows hadn't been wiped down or cleaned in a while, I could tell. The coffee is absolutely awful. Not even mediocre at best. I had 2 over medium eggs, corned beef hash, "home fries" (weren't even half way cooked, drier than a nuns hooha, and just tasted gross like they were old and outdated), and white toast. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The hash was alright. The toast.. well... how do you really screw up toast? My partners breakfast burrito looked like dog food and he couldn't even finish half of it because he said it wasn't good. The waitresses were nice. But now on to the cook. This gentleman was of large stature, bald, Caucasian, and not hygenic at all. He did not wear gloves which would be fine if he washed his bear paws before touching food. I watched a waitress bring a ticket over to him after he had been leaning on the counter, playing on his phone, and touched and scratched his face numerous times. He grabbed the ticket and immediately started raw dogging all of the food without washing his hands or putting gloves on. I had just finished what I could eat of my food and saw all of this and immediately got nauseous. We will NEVER be going back. And for wandering/wondering minds... I have been a cook myself for almost 18 years and I would NEVER let this stand. I would NEVER serve people this food. And I would NEVER let the lack of hygiene in this place fly. I'm incredibly disappointed and praying we don't get food poisoning. Lastly, the prices are definitely not worth it. Please don't eat here. Save yourself from this disgusting...

This will be a tough one to write. I've eaten at the Shady Glen regularly since 1983. Problem is, from 1964 to 2004 it was owned and operated by John and LInda Carey; and during this time the Shady Glen was easily the best cheap eats within at least 100 miles in any direction. Those who were there will remember! John Carey was a modest man who knew his customers and ran the Shady Glen with the attitude and panache appropriate to a much more upscale eatery. John sold the restaurant and retired in 2004, and he left some impossibly big shoes to fill. Since then, it has gone through a few changes in ownership and has experienced its ups and downs. During the ownership just prior to the present (c. 2011), the Shady Glen was a sad and dismal place indeed. But, happily, the present owners for the last few years are a committed lot who now operate a clean place with predictably good diner food. Although I will keep coming back, and strongly recommend the Shady Glen to my readers, I can't imagine that it (or, to be fair, any other diner!) will ever rise to its pre-2004 level. For another perspective, Anthony Bourdain stopped here a couple of years ago and you will find his predictably cogent commentary in the Massachusetts episode of...