N KV
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We stopped in for a drink while celebrating our 10-year anniversary weekend. It was a rainy day, and the place looked cute online with decent reviews, so we figured it’d be a nice spot to check out before dinner. The parking lot was full, so we expected it to be busy, but when we walked into the brew house, it was nearly empty, just one other couple inside.
The vibe was awkward right from the start. The two staff members behind the bar gave us a quick “hey” but didn’t say anything else or offer any guidance. Since it was our first time and there were no signs, we weren’t sure if we were supposed to seat ourselves or wait. We had to prompt them and ask, and the response wasn’t exactly welcoming. We chose a table and sat down, but it already felt a bit off and we were ready to try another place but wanted to give it a shot.
After getting our drinks, we asked if we could move to the outdoor tent area since it was so empty and quiet inside, and one of the staff just said, “Sure, I guess, it’s kind of cold though,” which didn’t feel super friendly either. A bit dismissive. Sitting outside ended up being the best part. It was peaceful under the tent with the rain coming down and gave us a break from how uncomfortable the inside felt. We were checked on a couple times, which we appreciated, but no one offered anything more or to turn on one of the 4-5 heaters that were right next to us under the tent which just felt lazy.
What made this experience extra disappointing is that my husband is a former brewmaster for a brewery on Maui and on the seacoast of NH, so we always look forward to trying new local breweries when we travel. We were genuinely excited to stop here, but unfortunately it just didn’t deliver. The atmosphere was uninviting, the service felt cold, and the overall experience just wasn’t worth it.
We spent close to $50 on four drinks (1 cider and 3 beers) and tip, and for that price, you at least hope to feel welcomed. I get that it’s a tourist town and staff are probably burnt out, but that’s all the more reason to show up with some warmth and hospitality, coming from someone who works in hospitality in the tourism industry. We don’t go out often anymore, and this visit reminded us why. If the welcome was a little warmer, we probably would’ve stayed a tried some food and ordered more drinks, but it truly felt like we were not wanted there.