Old Drovers Inn

We went there for a birthday dinner. We liked the calmness and quiet feel of the restaurant, the staff was friendly. Our food was good, we did feel it had been so hyped up though that we were not as impressed as we thought we would be. We thought the prices were fair and reasonable. It is a nice addition to the town for a special place to eat, but don't over think it, it was good but not the best place we had ever been. The most impressive dish was the GIANT pretzel topped with pulled pork and the tastiest thing we ate was the cheese soup and sweet potato fries.

We had a big multi-generation family gathering here in April 2024. The food and drinks (dinner and breakfast) were excellent. Service was incredible. The rooms all had so much character and were so well cared for, I would recommend highly. My daughter forgot her favorite stuffed animal and they let me know as soon as the found it and generously helped us reunite them.

One of my absolute favorite places! The pub and restaurant provide incredible hospitality as well as a wonderful dining experience. The cheddar cheese soup is legendary and the steak frites will absolutely put a smile on your face. Beautiful bar and a wonderful wine list to boot!

This review is about the management only. The staff, drinks and food are always great in the tap room. Unfortunately after we enjoyed Easter brunch in the barn the bill came and it was much more than the advertised price per person than listed on the website.( We only knew they offered the Easter brunch because of the menu listed on the website, which is still there). When the price was questioned the gentleman that came to the table offered excuses about how much it costs to get the website worked on. He did not offer an apology and obviously does not care about false advertising. We paid the inflated bill and will not be returning.

My wife and I wanted to get re-married (we'd been divorced for five years), and wanted an intimate, quiet place that was convenient but off the beaten path to renew our love for each other. We had been to the Inn a few times in the past, so we contacted Jeff (the owner) and Helene (the wedding coordinator) to see about availability. They could not have been more welcoming and open to any and all of our ideas. We just loved the ambiance of the place, as did our small group of 26 guests. We rented the lovely four bedroom home they own just down the street for our kids and grandkids, and that was perfect! Food and service was excellent, we felt their prices were quite reasonable, and all in all we had a wonderful start to our renewed life together!

Best decision we made! Helene and her staff were amazing!! The venue is breathtaking and staying on-site was so convenient. Helene was an absolute angel and had everything covered before we even asked. Her staff is exceptional and took extra care with our guests to ensure they were taken care of. If you’re looking for a beautiful venue with the best staff, food and lodging, The Old Drover’s Inn is it!

Such a truly memorable experience staying at Old Drovers Inn for a wedding this past weekend! The grounds are absolutely gorgeous during the Fall season, and the customer service is top-notch (special shout out to Jeff for consistently going above and beyond). The breakfast was also delicious. I highly recommend this Inn for those looking for a unique, historic location with dedicated and caring staff that pay attention to the finer details.

Had a small family wedding/ceremony here and it was fantastic. They went above our expectations and put it all together in less than a week. Can't wait to go back again for another event or just for a dinner out.

Food price / quality rating (value) 8.5. The atmosphere is early American historic Inn. This place is like stepping into a time machine! A beautifully maintained Colonial American farmhouse/Inn built in the 1700's. This place is so old you could surf on the rolling floorboards. Leave the stiletto's at home ladies! We came here for dinner, but did not stay at the Inn. We certainly would like to return and enjoy the full experience at some time, however. We made reservations (recommended) to eat at the bar. Dinners are served in the Rathskeller type pub in the beautifully reconstructed basement area of the Inn. The staff was fantastic, the customers were mostly local & friendly. For entrees, I had the pork chop and the wife had the salmon. Both were middle-of-the-road choices, but very good. The dinner menu is a well chosen selection of unique twists on Continental cuisine. They offer some unique cocktails (some of them invented by Randy, award winning Hudson Valley bartender). Our server, Andrea, was also very attentive and friendly. For dessert, we split a combination of my two favorite desserts, called..... "Pecan Pie Bread Pudding"!!! Fantastic! This place is one of the most charming historic Inns I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Highly recommended and I'd give them one of my rare "rave reviews".

Met dear friends here for New Year's Eve dinner and we stayed here as well. The meal and staff were wonderful. Every course was delicious and we closed the place. The place was built in the 1700's, so if have to have level floors, this isn't for you. For being built in the 1700's, the rooms were all appointed and we enjoyed our stay. The absolute highlight was breakfast the next morning. The scones were the best we've ever had, hands down! We had not seen our friends for over 20 years and The Old Drovers Inn made it very special! Thank you!!!

We stayed here this weekend, all was superb. Beautiful 200 year old inn, beautifully decorated, top notch service and amenities. We ate dinner in the Tavern downstairs, the food was Superb, I had the Prime Rib pictured, it was like butter, great sauce reduction and mashed potatoe's, and roasted veggies. My wife's had the Halibut, she said it was delicious. All others enjoyed there meals, drinks, service. Nice fire going as well. We highly recommend and will go back, its pricey, but it was worth it.

This place is amazing. The decor is amazing. The surroundings are amazing. The food? I happened to get the pork schnitzel they had on their special menu and loved it. It had a side salad with a mustard dressing, it was so good. They just went together ! The waitress was nice. We went on a Thursday evening so the place wasn't busy, which I liked. Please go and experience it. It's worth it.

How our evening went from a ZERO to 5 stars over 2 martinis. Settle in. We've been Hudson Valley residents for over 25 years and the Old Drover has always been on the bucket list. Busy family and careers have kept us away until now. With the approach of Valentines Day, my husband called and made a 6 pm reservation with fireplace seating. The manager and he spoke on the phone and confirmed, so we were well assured of the pleasant evening ahead. As it was a beautiful day, unseasonably warm for February, we got there over an hour early with the intention of walking the grounds and having a cocktail prior to dinner; seems reasonable, right? In fact, the catering hall was set for an event and the hostess let us in to see the surroundings (stunning!) and we even brainstormed regarding a future event we might plan there. We then strolled over to the restaurant; checked in with the hostess and went to the bar. It was cozy, inviting , candle lit with the warmth of the crackling fire, inviting smells from the kitchen, the clinking of glasses; all sense ignited, utterly divine. We waited. And waited. The bartender side eyed us, all but rolled his eyes. Still ignoring us. 5 minutes. 10. A waitress took pity and hurried over a drink menu. There was murmuring between the hostess and bartender. He gestured and pointed at us. We looked at each other trying to figure out what was wrong. It was a bar. There were bar stools. We held a drink menu in our hands. What was going on here? We started to consider walking out, but then thought, "Are we on a reality show?" "Is this a test?" The conference at the end of the bar escalated to a hand wave and a hiss from the bar tender of "They can't sit here!" I finally spoke up; "Are we doing something wrong? Should we leave? What is happening here?" Another waitress approached and handed us a dinner menu and reassured us all was fine (God bless those patient women who must deal with this work environment). The bartender FINALLY approached us to explain that as it's a holiday evening and the tables are booked back to back, that we had to "get to our table now!" Imagine me, eyes wide, mouth open; "WTF? An HOUR early?" And there you have it. A complete misunderstanding. He assumed we were a 5 pm reservation. A tiny bit humbled, he didn't necessarily apologize, blamed it on the hostess for "she didn't make that clear", but mixed us the best cocktails we ever had in our lives and laughed at my suggestion that he really needed to make one for himself to take the edge off. Turns out he is the manager who assured us of the fireplace seating and proudly shared he was voted Hudson Valleys best bartender last year in the local foodie mag. Onto my second brilliant cocktail I noted it was "Good thing they weren't voting on the FRIENDLIEST bartender", and got almost a chuckle. But we all emotionally moved on after that; got to our table at 6 on the dot; and had an absolutely fabulous three course meal. Kudos to the kitchen. The wine list was just enough to not be overwhelming, and the waitress staff continued to be professional and friendly. The setting is incredibly romantic and has rich background if you are a history buff. So go and enjoy, for God's Sake be prompt, and tip your waitresses well. Tell Randy we will never forget him

Great dining experience - cosy atmosphere and cocktails are amazing. Would highly recommend.

Definitely a hidden gem. Off the beaten oath in Dover, this quaint little restaurant houses so much charm and warmth. Very cozy inside with elegant dishes. The chips and dip were great as an appetizer. My short ribs were so tender and flavorful, as were the accompanying potatoes and vegetables. The drinks were fairly strong and tasty as well. I loved walking into the roaring fireplace on a cold winters evening. Staff was friendly as attentive as well. Will definitely be back!

Old Drovers Inn Restaurant is a hidden gem! We visited it for the first time yet it will not be our last. We were greeted by a warm cozy fire, holiday decorations throughout and an inviting staff. Donna waiting on us all evening and meet all of our needs. There were speciality seasonal drinks and foods on the menu. We opted for a WHITE CHRISTMAS and their signature old fashion. For our meal, we ordered the scallops and braised short ribs and the hazelnut chocolate dessert. Presentation of the food was right out of a magazine and tasted just as good! Thank you for a memorable evening!

Cross the threshold of the tap room at the Old Drovers Inn and you've walked back 100 years in time. This charming old restaurant, in my mind, delivers in every possible way. The ambience is sensational... Rustic, aromatic, dim and romantic. The food was Traditional, hearty and wonderfully prepared. I had the trout cooked to perfection and my husband had steak frites and he could hardly find the very delicious steak under the mountain of skinny fries. Biscuits and apple butter absolutely melted in our mouths and I would go back just for some of those biscuits! I give the Old Drovers Inn an unreserved five stars.

Loved the cozy atmosphere and the food and service was great, will definitely keep this on our list of best places togo

This restaurant a must when in the Pawling Dover area...st lover the above board service....fair prices, the food is over the top...best fish and chips i ever had...they have a prime rib special on thursday with a salad...the wine was on happy hour...we will definitely be back and have told our friends...opened thurs thru sunday brunch...

Amazing, historic, infamous inn. The architecture alone is worth coming for. Buildings like this, even in this area, are unfortunately rare. What a gem! It was recently refurbished and a beautiful flag stone patio was added. Small basement level bar with a cozy intimate dining room w massive granite block walls, exposed beams, huge fireplace, which opens to the patio. We had a recent family gathering here. The buffet was excellent: Golden, crunchy yet moist fried chicken, perfectly roasted Rosemary red potatoes, Yankee pot roast, fresh salad w red raspberries & candied almonds. Very nice wine selection. Friendly professional staff. A perfectly lovely setting w mature trees & landscaped grounds. A MUST if you are in the area!

As with many places, COVID kept us away from the Old Drover's for over a year. As soon as we had the chance to travel up from Red Bank, NJ to have dinner, we grabbed it. I made reservations for July in May and we circled the date. We wanted to stay at the inn as well, but they were booked for a wedding, this is a truly special place. The dining area and bar are straight out of the 1700's. The service is tops. Our bartender and waitress were friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. They weren't afraid to give solid, definitive advice. All our food was a special experience. Shout out on the steak frites and the lamb chops. Carrot cake was great. I know not very original. There's more imaginative deserts on the menu. Please go to this unique spot if you're anywhere near it.

This place is a hidden gem, I can't say enough about it from the ambiance to the people to the antiquated feel walking through its doors, it was a piece of history sandwiched by the utmost refinement. There is a great deal of detail here if you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of NYC this is the place it exceeded my expectations, furthermore the drinks and food were as good as a 5 star restaurant at a fraction of the cost. Beautiful place to stay for a romantic getaway or just a great place to have dinner either way you won't be let down.

A disappointment. Was a big fan of the "Old" Old Drovers Inn. The new Inn was not available for Saturday night dinner, due to Covid restrictions, not even to get a look. Pics on website look great, so I wanted to see if they kept the charm. The Barn was available as well as the outside patio which is beautiful. Menu is on the limited side. It is not the same as the Online menu, no duck confit, and many others. I had a medium rare steak that was cooked properly, but not a great piece of meat, $25. Online menu has a Prime Strip for $35. The Old place had great drinks, but at a high price point. New place has good drinks at a much lower price point, but I miss the huge Martini they had. Hope they make it in the Covid era.

Amazing food, great presentation, wonderful wait staff and the grounds are lovely. Easy for all walkers. They have just bulit a new "barn" for large gatherings and it is wonderful. The charm of the place alone is worth the trip. Rooms have all been redone and are very traveler friendly. Enjoy your meal and/or your stay.

very rustic setting the food was outstanding I had strip steak mashed potatoes great service if ur in the area an excellent place

I spent a night in late March at the Inn and it was lovely. The innkeepers could not have been nicer or more accommodating - we arrived at 11 o'clock at night, with an unexpected extra guest, and they welcomed us and found another room on the spot. Our breakfasts the next morning of fresh juice, oatmeal, croissants and omelettes were hearty and delicious. The Inn was so charming and comfortable, I wish we'd had more time there, but I'm looking forward to going back.