TLDR; Not a place for younger couples or foodies. Dinner entrees ($25-45) are all about $10 overpriced. Drinks are average priced $9-12. Food is bland, it is likely that the seasoning in the kitchen is kept to a minimum to cater to a largely older demographic with sodium/dietary concerns. “Small portion” sized pasta plate ($23) was not enough food to be considered a portion. 4 drinks, two entrees, bread, $100+tip. Our server was not pleasant or hospitable.

My husband and I (30s) came in on a Wednesday around 5 pm. We were looking for casual dining near our hotel and our first option was closed, so we pulled in here with no prior knowledge of the menu. It wasn’t too busy at this time, and the hosts gave us the option for inside or outside seating, but before we could answer they kept going back and forth about the patio, like it would be difficult to find space for us since we didn’t have a reservation, so we said inside was fine to make it easy. We ordered artisan bread with an upcharge for cheese and marinara, shrimp scampi, and fish and chips. The bread had a good airy texture, but no flavor or aroma as fresh baked, and the cheese didn’t assist with that much. I like the natural flavors of vegetables and meats, so I am sensitive to over-seasoning, but the marinara was incredibly bland even for my taste. My husband said his fish was bland, and for a $25 fish fry the portions were small. The coleslaw was just gross, it had no salt and the texture and taste of shredded cabbage that was left sitting in water for hours; soft and limp like wet lettuce. Perhaps the portion came from the bottom of the prep container. But, given the lacking flavors of the other items, it would not surprise me that this is just how they make their slaw.

I ordered the shrimp scampi (reg portion $30) and whenever I order a pasta dish I always have leftovers. So I ordered the smaller portion for $23 since I didn’t want to reheat in our hotel’s microwave. I was served 4 large shrimp and a small helping of pasta, barely visible under the shrimp. The shrimp were quality and the cream sauce was great in flavor. But I’m 100 lbs and the ‘small’ portion was so tiny I was still hungry after our meal, even having started with bread. The linguine wasn’t house made, so I found this to be quite ridiculous and ended up at a gas station after our $100 dinner for something else to eat. I have never had to do that before.

The restaurant’s aesthetic is a little weird, like they are trying to keep a classic Cape Cod decor, but while selling $30-$45 plates they wanted modern black table linens to make the food look nicer. The fine dining table setup with homely walls just didn’t match or create a great ambiance.

Our server wasn’t particularly inviting or pleasant. The responses we got were usually single word without eye contact, ‘ok’ , or no acknowledgement at all as she typed the order into her tablet. Not many thank yous or the usual hospitality rhetoric. I have lived the server life and definitely don’t need the whole show, but I expect at the very least not to be made to feel like my presence is an annoyance or inconvenience either, especially given the price points on the menu.

Overall, I think this restaurant is dependent on selling the $40 duck, steak, and seafood entrees. And I’m sure those entrees could be great, as my scampi sauce was quite good. But the entire menu should be executed well, including the simple fish fry, or else don’t offer such product. I do also think Van Rennselaer’s is largely taking advantage of older customers’ vacation wallets and small appetites, charging a full price for less-than-half portions. My husband and I are absolutely willing to pay for quality food and expertise in the kitchen. However, our opinion of this restaurant was that we paid upscale prices and received small upscale portions while sitting in a casual setting with flavors that were underwhelming and a server that would have preferred not to serve us, perhaps because she knew we would feel this way.