"Granted Christmas Eve afternoon is a popular time to have a family get together and the crush of customers a given, we hoped that our luncheon would still be special as it had been during our numerous other visits to Cooperage Inn. But unfortunately, not this time. The food quality, ambiance and sense of being welcomed was not realized during our lunch on 12/24/24. Although we had a reservation made three weeks in advance and confirmed on-line and later by phone the day before, requesting to be seated near the fireplace and in the more decorative seating area, and were told that wouldn’t be a problem. But that day we were no where near it. We felt like we were in steerage, being shuttled off to the back room with no holiday atmosphere, no decorations or music just a corner table with no view, certainly no holiday spirit, just a rush of servers and over-worked waitresses, covering one another’s tables. The food was plain, nothing special, no special seasonal offerings, but inordinately costly. The Christmas spirit was largely absent, at least where we were. And the 18%, 22% and 25% suggested gratuity for largely absent servers really was unwarranted. Sorry, Cooperage Inn, next year we’ll find somewhere else for our family’s Christmas luncheon."
Paella
