skip it ... better restaurants nearby. my sister- and brother-in-law wanted to meet and my family at the bidwell tavern for lunch today. we live nearby the bidwell and agreed. when the four of us arrived, in the early afternoon, the bidwell was not busy at all. the four of us asked to be seated while we waited for my brother and sister-in-law, but were told policy was not to seat us until the entire party arrived.
so, me, my wife, and kids, were expected to stand around and not be seated while we waited, instead of sitting, ordering drinks, and getting an appetizer. we told the waitress we were leaving to go somewhere that would seat us, and the waitress was fine with that. we went to http://www.coventrylakeview.com, got seated right away, and spent the next two hours eating, drinking, and relaxing.
what horrible customer service the bidwell has that they won’t let four of us sit while we wait for the remaining two in our party, at a time when the restauarant is not busy and when there are lots of free seats and tables!
this is not the first bad experience we have had with bidwell hospitality.
about a year ago, we went there with our three kids and sat at a table in the bar area. we had drinks and ordered food, and when the food came, we found there was little elbow room to eat, so my wife and i moved to the bar which was exactly next to our table, leaving the kids at the table (our oldest kid is a waitress at a restaurant-bar in a neighboring town). the bidwell bar tender told us we had to sit at the table with our children, or leave, and that parties could not be at tables and the bar both, because the open bar stools are reserved only for bar patrons. we left quickly.
still, all that being said, and poor service and manner understood as being normal at the bidwell, i can speak to the food. on and off, i’ve been irregular to the bidwell for 15 years. the place has gone downhill. burgers, once great, are now merely average – the buns are not good and you should avoid them. the fries are hit-and-miss. other food is average at best. the large selection of beer is good, and some of the music is good, but that’s it – and the bidwell closes between 10 and 11pm most nights, so for a night out it’s not worth a visit.
i recommend the lack of friendliness towards customers is a good reason to avoid the bidwell tavern. go to lakeview restaurant, around the corner, or for good mexican food, visit coyote flaco down the street nearby in mansfield.