Tag Archives: restaurants

have you been to the eagle tavern lately? GO!

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The Eagle Tavern is Chester County History. Love that after centuries (literally!) they are still standing! It was built in 1702 and the liquor license dates from 1727. We weren’t even a country yet officially! The current building was built over the original structure circa 1799 according to what I was told. It’s survived what could have been a devastating fire in 2010 that was tragically accidental.

It closed for a while when the old owners decided to sell. In 2018 it opened under new ownership. I wrote about it then (click HERE). PA Eats also wrote about it back then (click HERE.)

If I have a story right before the current owner as of 2018 it was owned by the original family that had it for decades and then maybe the people that owned Carmines up the street had it for a while?

Anyway back in 2012, the Daily Local wrote:

The Eagle Tavern

Receiving a liquor license in 1727, the Eagle Tavern was once a hangout for pre-Revolutionary War outlaws the Doan brothers. Located at the fork of two main thoroughfares, it’s been run by owner Lois Jones and her family since the country’s Bicentennial in 1976. Lois can be seen today greeting guests and serving up hearty fare in the restaurant’s casual, friendly atmosphere.

The Eagle Tavern has a colorful history that I would love to learn more about. (Some of it is on their website.)

I used to go to the tavern under the old owners mostly for lunch over the years. I didn’t live in Chester County until a few years ago so back in the day it was truly a haul to get there.

When the Eagle Tavern first reopened in 2018 we went a few times. The first time was March, 2018. That is when I wrote my initial review. At that time the meal was awesome and we really enjoyed it. We went back a few other times later in 2018 and didn’t really like it as much. I never updated my review, I just went other places. The problem was the place was inconsistent. It got to be that it was never really horrible but it wasn’t so fabulous either.

So until today, we hadn’t been there in forever, literally. We had wondered for a while if they were still open because the parking lot was always empty. Then recently a friend told me that they were under more appropriate management, better management and they were doing their own beer and other things.

So this afternoon after taking a detour after attending a funeral, my husband and I decided to go back for a late lunch.

I am so glad we did! And I hope all of you go back to the Eagle Tavern, especially if you haven’t been there in a while!

The difference is remarkable! The inside has been further refined without losing its wonderful historic tavern feel. The menu has been revamped and is like a more modern version of what it originally was years ago. And the bathrooms have been done over and so has the staff. We had amazing table service today and an awesome lunch!

I know it sounds dumb, but I have been on the hunt for a traditional, old-school club sandwich. I don’t know what it is about that sandwich but that is a summer sandwich to me. Probably because growing up when you went to certain clubs and places that was always on a summer menu.

The sandwich was amazing. My husband enjoyed his lunch too and said that their home brewed beers were nice! Here are screenshots of the lunch menu:

Here is the link to all of the menus: CLICK HERE. The Eagle Tavern has upped their game considerably and remained true to the history. I like that they do not pretend to be other than what they are. And it’s lovely inside. Anyone can buy architectural salvage to dress up a new build restaurant, but you can’t imitate centuries of history.

We actually took the time to speak with the manager. Chester County residents who have lived out here a long time you will know his name immediately – Chip Nye. Yes, the old manager for years came back! And the difference is remarkable! And he’s excited to be there and his energy is echoed by the rest of the staff.

The Eagle Tavern is running again like a well-oiled machine, and the menu works and is well-prepared coming out of the kitchen and the staff is amazing. I actually look forward to future meals there. And I think it looks better than ever inside which is why I snapped a few photos.

Anyway I encourage folks to go and check it out. They also have music some of the time.

An old school tavern is so much better than a Disneyesque modern version of a pub. The folks from the Ship Inn should go check it out. The Ship is also tradition around here, but they need a makeover in parts of their restaurant, and the kind of aesthetic makeover at the Eagle Tavern and feel of it would also work at the Ship Inn. No, not to create twinsies taverns, I just think it would be good inspiration. Especially in that big dining room that screams 1970s banquet hall.

(Now don’t get out the pitchforks at me because I said the Ship Inn needs a makeover. It’s a cool place but Robert Irvine needs to visit and Restaurant Impossible is looking for places.)

Back to the Eagle Tavern: Today was lovely, look forward to future visits! Let me know what you think if you go!

don’t judge a restaurant by its strip mall

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Don’t judge a restaurant by its strip mall.

One of the things I have to get used to about Chester County are all the strip malls.  Face it, pick a road, there are lots of them.  One thing most people don’t think they will find in a strip mall is a fun place to eat.  Usually strip malls have fast food or chain restaurants.

Our plans changed yesterday and we decided to go out to dinner.  I wanted Mexican, but real Mexican, not the Taco Bell interpretation.

So I saw a place that got good reviews on both Urban Spoon and Exton Dish.  In a strip mall.  Called Buho’s.  It is in the Fairfield Place Shopping Center – 484-872-8840 – 115 Swedesford Rd, Exton, PA 19341.

We had an amazing meal.  I have not had Mexican so good since there was this little hole in the wall place years ago in the town of  West Chester that was in a store front across the street from what was Gilmores.  My friend Louise had introduced me to this place years ago (at least a dozen years ago), and since then, I had been looking for something as good.

Buho’s is terrific.  It is a BYOB.  Not fancy, but the murals on the walls are pretty cool.  They are also part market, so you can buy some fun Latin American stuff if you so choose – and if you want a piñata for a birthday party, they have quite the selection.

Buho’s was incredibly clean – including the ladies’ room. According to Yelp, Buho’s used to be in Lambertville, NJ before Exton.  If you check out the reviews on Yelp there is an annoying ad above the actual reviews.

Our waitress was so nice and knew her menu.  She spent time with us helping us choose.  We started with a Buho Mixto since it was our first time there – that was a sampling of a lot of things and could have been a meal in itself (we didn’t finish it) There is an extensive menu for dinner, including things like “Bistek a La Mexicana”.  They also do lunch and I think breakfast.  They have vegetarian options too. 

The food was not only more authentic than you find around here, but very fresh and flavorful.  And not super greasy like the food a lot of chain Mexican places put out. And the portions are very generous, so keep that in mind when you order. We came home with lots of yummy leftovers.

They also have a catering/take-out menu.

I hope I am raving enough, because the food was indeed rave worthy and we will go back!  I encourage others to try it too!

Again:

Buho’s- Fairfield Place Shopping Center – 484-872-8840 – 115 Swedesford Rd, Exton, PA 19341.

Buho means owl in Spanish, so there are lots of owls hanging out in the restaurant.  But they aren’t scary creepy like all the clowns that used to be in Gillaine’s in Ardmore.

what restaurants are favorites for valentine’s day in chester county?

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Hearts galore from Picket Fence Confections on Esty

Valentine’s Day is but a week away, so I thought I would ask what your favorite Valentine’s Day restaurant is in Chester County?

I have written about restaurants before (click here), and two of my favorites are Gilmore’s in West Chester and Birchrunville Store Cafe.  Both of these places are very romantic – one in a country spun sort of way, and the other more traditionally romantic.  And the food never disappoints.  Both are BYOB, so take a bottle of what you love with you.  I have been discovering that the wine selections in the Chester County State Stores are quite good – like the one in the shopping center with the ACME Market on Paoli Pike. (Mind you I am not encouraging anyone to drink, or drink and drive.)

The fabulous cookies in the photo are from Picket Fence Confections.  They can be found on Esty, and are baking tomorrow February 8th for Valentine’s Day so if you have the desire to buy your sweetie a treat that is much prettier than the average box of chocolates, check them out before NOON on February 8th.

My final note is this: you can check out restaurant reviews and dining suggestions on West Chester Dish.  I love this site and think it is very fun, and I have used their recommendations to do some culinary exploration!