Cuckoo's Nest — Restaurant in Old Saybrook

I've been going to the Cuckoo's Nest on and off for over 30 years. The last time I was there was probably 10 years ago and I thought that the quality of the food was slipping a little but nothing drastic.....I wrote it off to the years, both mine and theirs. However, last week, when my wife and visited, we were very disappointed.

We started off with the soup special - Lobster bisque (4.95 & 7.95). I'm being a little picky but when you're serving lobster bisque, I think it should be noted when you deviate from what's considered the norm. This particular bisque was definitely done in a Cajun style with a flavor that reminded me more of a gumbo than a bisque. Fine for me, I loved the variation, not so much for my wife who wasn't expecting the spice........just saying, if you're going to spice it up at least call it "Cajun style lobster bisque"

Next up, we tried the black bean cakes (6.95) which were described as "served with avocado slices and sour cream" The plate came with 3 smallish sized patties which were quite good but the two minuscule slices of avocado were below expectations as was the lettuce and tomato garnish. C'mon guys, it's black bean, how about a little pico de gallo or cilantro on the side? It would have been nice if they could have spared a half an avocado if they're going to include it in the dishes description.

Still, mostly minor complaints until the main course arrived. We both ordered the special combo. (16.50) Chicken taco, beef taco, cheese enchilada w/rice, beans and guacamole. Usually a safe bet at most Mexican restaurants and usually representative of the food in general. That's where it fell apart. The tacos were hard shell and looked like they could have just been unwrapped from a Taco Bell bag. The stuffings were stingy, the chicken chunky and my wife swears that the chicken was dark meat ......I couldn't tell but I thought the flavor was odd. The enchiladas were OK but small as well and really, how can you goof up a cheese enchilada. The rice was dried out and the beans overcooked.

This review may sound a little harsh but we're talking Mexican food here. Mostly cheap ingredients so where's the harm in serving decent portions or using quality ingredients? Without alcohol or tip, our bill came to 63.65. Our drinks (soda and Iced tea $2 each) were charged for refills at a buck each in an ice laden glass. Really? The two of us could have eaten 4 gut busting fast food Mexican meals each for the same price and gotten our drinks refilled for free.

The ambiance was great, the service, very attentive but these folks need to step up on the food end Big time. Unless we can catch a $10 all you can eat brunch, we will not be returning to the Cuckoo's Nest again. Next time we're craving Mexican, we're headed...

Having grown up in East Lyme, I've been going to the Cuckoo's Nest for as long as I can remember. Although I've moved multiple times, I always make it a point to come back and treat myself to their food. So, naturally, when I was heading home for a visit this past Friday I stopped to get some tacos.

Since it had been sometime since my last visit, I noticed their small upgrades to the front entrance of the building, menu, and some of the decor right away. Fortunately, these changes enhanced the experience but kept the same eclectic atmosphere and tasty food I've come to love.

The most notable part of our visit was the very friendly and attentive staff, particularly our servers Claire and Phil. Both were extremely friendly and welcoming, and made sure we were well taken care of. They were very personable, and honestly I wished we had more time to stay longer as it was such a pleasure to have them as our servers!

The food was, of course good. So good - in fact - that I didn't think to take a picture until after I had eaten it all! Everything was flavorful and cooked well. We also tried the margarita flight, I particularly liked the Cuckoorita and our server was kind enough to bring two marg glasses with salted rims so both myself and my boyfriend could try the drinks. The only thing I would detract is there are a few dishes I really enjoyed that are no longer on the menu, but thats just how things work I suppose!

Overall, I am happy to see that the Cuckoos Nest has been able to weather the times well and remains the staple Mexican food restaurant I've known my whole life. I look forward to our next visit and I'm hoping we'll be lucky enough to have Claire or Phil...

I wish I could rate this place higher, when they get the food right it’s great. But, they rarely get the food right. I have ordered so many meals from Chuckoos Nest and every single time the people I’m with take bets on how many issues there will be. Without fail, at least one order is always missing something and at least one order is entirely incorrect. I have also received entirely raw vegetables in cooked dishes far too many times. Mushroom quesadilla with raw mushrooms and onions? Are they just letting random folks come in the kitchen and cook? The chicken has historically been great, but is also sometimes so clearly from 1-2 days prior due to how stringy and dry it is.

To add to that, Cuckoos Nest recently simplified some of their menu items and won’t allow for basic customizations in things like their quesadilla. Hopefully these changes culminate in a more consistent ordering experience, but given the last time 3 out of 6 dishes still included missing, or incorrect items as well as once more including raw vegetables, I’m not holding out hope.

Mess up once or twice and it happens… but having ordered over 10 times from here and never once having a correct order, I’m unfortunately done. I’ll just skip Mexican food when I’m in this area, or pickup the basic ingredients they use here to make it myself and at least have solace in knowing it’ll be done correctly.

The reason I’m giving this place 2 and not 1 star is because the front of house and bar staff are always super nice, and I do feel like the drinks are always...