The Maple Leaf Tavern — Restaurant in Wilmington

The first 45 minutes of what would become a nearly 3 hour ordeal at the maple leaf tavern were fine.

Our party of 8 got in after about 20 minutes of waiting, not too bad given the place is small. We got some appetizers (tots were decent) and drinks and had good service until a shift ended and our server changed.

We had already placed our order with the first server which was 6 burgers, and 2 entrees. 8 meals, but not overly complicated.

It took an hour and a half of waiting for us to finally ask what where our food was, at which point we were told it was being plated. Another 20 minutes later, we were brought out burgers looking like the attached photo. Other burgers were just as undercooked and with the incorrect toppings. They were all ordered medium but looked like the attached image. The $22 “lobster” Mac and cheese had just a few morsels of lobster.

At that point, having been there for so long, we did not want to be stuck for even longer waiting for food to be remade, and asked for a check. At some point in there we were brought a beer which nobody ordered. Someone in our party was forced to get up and ask for it removed at which point they took off an additional beer, likely because they knew the service was extremely slow.

It was a bad experience but at least it was over. I worked years in restaurants and know sometimes the kitchen can just get backed up; yet, we were told nothing of the sort, in fact there was no communication at all.

The kicker - I didn’t even want to write this review, until I got informed by my friend that I should take a look at my bank account because they had added extra tip on her card. I found that my tip had been inflated 1.5x, and another member of my party had his jacked up to 25%.

Any one of the things wrong could have been fine alone - slow service, incorrect orders, undercooked food, lack of communication - but when you bring it all together, and defraud people for more money it’s not right.

As stated, I didn’t even want to write this review; it’s tough to run a restaurant, especially now, and I wouldn’t want to knock anyone down for a bad night. But it’s fair to share my story and give a little advice to future guests: stick to beer and tater tots, pay cash, and you just might have...

If I could have, I would have spoken to a manager or an owner but unfortunately, there was nobody I could tell this to so I'll do it here.

I've been coming to this restaurant 1 to 2 times a month for two years now. Tonight there was a new waiter on. He took our order without writing anything down. We ordered our usual appetizer, wings. My wife ordered a burger with cheese and mushrooms and I ordered the skirt steak but I asked if I could have fries. The waiter said mashed potatoes or rice. I asked for rice.

The first problem was that a side of mashed potatoes came to our table and no appetizer. We said we didn't know what that was and so they took it back. We didn't receive the wings but when the entrées came we asked about them and he said they were coming right out.

The burger came with no cheese or mushrooms. The steak came with mash potatoes, no rice. We didn't say anything and just ate our meal but we were still waiting for the wings.

Finally, when we had both finished our meals the waiter came with the wings. We told him to send them back. He came out of the kitchen and said that he wasn't going to take them off the bill and we had to have them. We said absolutely not and he said, "ok, I'll take them off the bill but never come back". When I asked if I could speak to a manager he told me there was nobody to speak to.

After this experience, I would not come back but based on what this waiter said, the restaurant doesn't want us back. So we will accommodate. Its too bad because the food is usually good. But the owner must have enough customers that he can just get rid of loyal regulars.

To the owner: this is why restaurants fail. You give the customer one bad experience and they never return. Do that to enough customers and you don't have a...

What a disappointment!

Cold tasteless food, unprofessional staff, rude threatening “cook”

So here’s the background.

Every year we as a family travel into the beautiful state of Vermont to enjoy the autumn leaves, apple everything and just a ride together and of course lunch.

We vary between Manchester, and Stratton usually but this year we decided on Wilmington. Is such a cute little artsy town! Nice shopping.

We usually research a restaurant in the town we’re going to just to find someplace that we would enjoy.

So the fare.

We started with their Irish Onion soup. Amazing! I totally want the recipe!!

Oops, that’s where the good times end.

We also had the chili, yeah no! It was days old, obviously reheated and served Luke warm. Didn’t even melt the cheese. It tasted gritty and canned. Hormell count have done much better.

On to the main course.

We ordered the turkey club with cheese tater tots and there steak tater tot meal.

Ok folks, we finished our apps, the waitress went in the kitchen and out in seconds. So our entrees had been sitting.

Everything was barely warm and I mean just warm.

The “Steak” tots? Cold… the Steak? Over cooked and obviously a sprinkle on. Not fresh food.

I’m going to stick with the steak tots, the turkey club was dry and the toast stale but we’ll digress.

After a few bits of the steak tots I pushed my meal aside. Cold, tough, no seasoning. A complete disgrace. I told the server that took the dish away that the Chef should be embarrassed serving that to a paying customer.

Ladies and gentlemen, the cook chose to come into the dining room and accost me for my remarks.

Totally unprofessional and threatening!!

We left because we were very worried about food safety for any further items.

Eat...