MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub in Chester - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We came here on a Sunday afternoon to try Scottish food and this pub did not disappoint. We tried the little haggis plate with neeps and mash. The haggis was delicious. The mash was creamy and the neeps (turnip puree) was tasty. We had the steak pie with mash and carrot and peas. The steak was melt in your mouth with the delicious hearty and savory gravy. The puff pastry was served on top. It would have been nice if it was baked in a crust but that is minor. The carrots were sliced and so fresh and flavorful. We also had the mince and tatties with skirlie, which is oat based grain side dish. The sauce that the mince was cooked in had a slight sweetness to it. The grain side dish was great and like nothing we ever tasted before. For dessert we tried the sticky toffee pudding which was something we always wanted to sample. The sponge cake was soaked in treacle and the toffee sauce had a nice finish tasting of brown butter. We also ordered the bread pudding which was extra special because it had apricots, and cranberry’s along with the standard raisins. There is a good offering of interesting beers on tap. We had the Downeast Cider and Old Engine Oil, both delicious. The service was prompt and friendly. The man behind the bar (maybe the owner?) was from Scotland and I enjoyed listening to his accent. The atmosphere was comfortable. It’s not a large place, maybe 12-15 tables plus seating at the bar. I expect they get very full on nights and weekends. It’s a great spot. We’ll be back for sure.

We absolutely loved the food, service and atmosphere! Dinner on a Wednesday evening was a big plus due to live music on the deck. Matt & Friends were awesome, guitar & songs by Matt, Paula on cello and Mike on beatbox made our visit perfect!

It was almost funny to pay $16 for a slice of bread and a small bowl of lukewarm soup that a layer of oil on top. There are so few dining options in Chester- but just don’t go here. You will be disappointed.

Amazing pub! Loved the atmosphere and the food and beer was awesome!

I really liked the atmosphere, the conviviality but also the food offered. We are a small French family passing through this charming little town and we were very happy to find something to eat on a Sunday evening. I recommend.

First time here. We absolutely loved it! The stuffed mushroom caps are probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten! The food was amazing and staff was incredible! Lady Jane’s shop is also not to be missed. We plan on making this restaurant a regular dinner place. Everything was just so good! Highly recommend!!

Food was delicious and filling. The staff was friendly!

Excellent meat pies, excellent beer, excellent decor, and outstanding staff. Highly recommend.

What a lovely hidden gem. The food is wonderful and the people are friendly and welcoming. I tried the haggis because why not? I highly recommend their haggis, tatties, and neeps! Incredible!

The place is small, good if you just want a few drinks. The food is not good, very plain

Always great atmosphere with great food and drinks.

I'm so glad we found this place! Inviting atmosphere, top notch hospitality and service, and delicious food. Portions are perfect and everything is well prepared. We got to try new foods while enjoying the Vermont landscape. Highly recommend, will certainly return!

I wish there was a spot for a zero on the service. Food was sub par at best they couldn’t even get a burger done correctly. The service was absolutely horrible. Worse customer service that I have ever experienced. You won’t be missing anything but disappointment if you waste your time going here. I don’t usually post on Google but I’m hoping I can save others from making the same mistake we did by eating here. What a terrible mistake we made today by coming here. Worst of the worst. How they stay in business is beyond me!!!!!!!

Truly a hidden gem in our little town of Chester. The food is fantastic, highly recommend the steak pie, the beer selection is unique (and Scottish) and the owners are kind, genuine people. 100/100.

This was an awesome find after skiing at Killington! Small, quaint, cozy, and welcoming - everything you'd want in a pub atmosphere. We had the haggis taster, scotch egg along with our sandwiches. Definitely try the haggis if you've never had it. It's absolutely delicious. If you're not as adventurous, the scotch eggs are also fabulous. Loved the Scottish stout too. We were here for lunch, but we'll definitely grab dinner here next time to get the full experience.

We arrived in Vermont early, expecting huge eclipse crowds. Since it was pretty low key in the Okemo area, we decided to go out for lunch. Having a home at Okemo for 26 years, you would think we would have discovered this restaurant years ago, but we had not. I wish we had. It was wonderful! The atmosphere, service and food were all terrific. We will definitely go back often!

The food is delicious and the menu was varied even with the note about having to reduce the menu due to staffing challenges.

i love everything about this pub no complaints the owners are wonderful food is amazing what can i say the joint is top 1 in Springfield Vermont .

Authentic Scottish pub with good beers and food! A little slow due to being understaffed but always busy! Definitely worth a stop on the way from the slopes!

Quintessential small town Vermont pub experience.

What a nice surprise to find this gem on our way up to the mountains! Quaint, warm and inviting…lovely staff. We had the chicken pie and the steak pie which were delicious and their peanut butter pie was fabulous. Will definitely stop in again!

Went here for Valentine's Day they had good food and good service. We did need a reservation for that day.

The Mrs. and I have found the pub to be cozy and affectionately warm. I STILL miss their fish pie, which mysteriously vanished from their menus last year, and mention it every time we go back to enjoy other Celtic delights! Just one thing remains, make reservations or you'll find yourselves eating at the bar (if you're lucky enough they have stools for yourselves). Then again, it's great fun conversing with the Scottish charm of the proprietor and bartender, Alan (sp?).

Great food. Not too many places in the area take reservations, so it was nice to be able to plan dinner after a long day of skiing.

So good!!! We had the scotch egg, chicken and mushroom pie, steak pie, bread pudding… all amazing. We planned a last minute trip to Vermont and just happened upon this place for dinner on New Year’s Eve, and it was perfect!

Excellent food, drink and service.

Awesome place for something different!!

We love this place, the food is always fresh and delicious while giving you a taste of Scotland. It's a must try.

Some of the best haggis we’ve ever had! The food was excellent, quite inexpensive and delicious. We plan to return! Reservations are recommended, we didn’t have any but they graciously found a table for us anyway.

This is such a cool little place! Just came in for a quick drink and scotch eggs, and we were not disappointed. The staff is kind, friendly, and attentive. I'll definitely be back!

My mom and I had lunch here last week. We tried to eat here the last time we were in Chester. Last time, we arrived at the restaurant around 5pm on a Friday and it was empty. We asked for a table for two but were told they had several reservations about to arrive and sent us on our way. My mom had eaten here before and raved about the food so I definitely wanted to check it out. Thus, since we were planning to be in the area, I called the restaurant and made a reservation. The reservation was for 3pm. We arrived at 2:55pm and every table in the restaurant was empty. The owner greeted us and asked if we had a reservation. I said yes and he seated us. We enjoyed a very tasty lunch. However, we couldn’t understand why they asked if we had a reservation. No one else came in to eat the entire 45 minutes we were there. We gave them the benefit of the doubt last time and assumed they were being honest in that they had several reservations about to arrive (after all, it was nearly dinner time). However, this time we came for a late lunch at 3pm. Yes there were a few people at the bar, but all the tables were empty. Do the owners want to be exclusive? Would they have turned us away (again) if we didn’t have a reservation? It’s a shame because this place is great otherwise. It takes a lot for me to write a negative review when the food and ambiance was actually quite good. Just the attitude… I don’t get it. 🤷‍♀️

Great little hidden gem. Fantastic food. Try the Haggis!

Great Pub - cozy, inviting, food outstanding, people running it were exceptional. I will definitely visit again whenever I get back to Chester VT. Flora Haff-Cranmer

Had the haggis and a Belhaven Wee Heavy (on tap) - Well tidy scran! Really hit the spot. The place was nicely decorated with all the trappings of a trad pub but was quite a bit smaller than I imagined.

Delicious food, the owner was a pleasure to talk to at the bar. Wanted try everything. Maybe next time.

This place nailed it from the haggis, steak pies, bangers and mash, chicken and mushroom pie and bread pudding. Well worth the stop and every penny spent. With a Scottish MIL in tow pointing out her clan, this place did not disappoint any of us and is the first out of many restaurants claiming to be Irish/Scottish food we've been to. Excellent job MacLaomainn's!

Was up for the annual BMW event and as always the food is great, staff are fantastic and always welcoming. Can’t wait to see you next year

So glad we tried this place. We had steak pie and stew. It was excellent.

Great location, and the food and service were impeccable.

Never really got to eat there. Went in on our way to Jersey very hungry, saw a sign "Wait to be Seated" so we went to sit at the bar, little did we know "wait to be seated" included the bar. The Owner was pretty rude and say can't you read the sign? Says it at the bottom of the sign and kept going on about it, would not let it go! So we left! Never to return again!!!

One of us had the Bangers and Mash; the other Fish Pie. Service was great add well as the ales. We happened upon this pub while traveling and would recommend.

We were searching for an interesting place for a day trip and lunch, and happened upon this establishment. The information we had said it was 'near' Manchester, but I guess 'near' is a pretty vague term. But it turned out to be well worth the additional distance. The pub was great - service was outstanding, and the food was excellent. Prices were unexpectedly low for what we got. Wife chose the garden salad, and remarked that she had never had a salad with the greens as carefully cut into bite-size pieces. I chose the steak pie and it was very good. We also walked around the village a bit after lunch, and discovered both a really neat knitting/yarn shop and a nice bookstore (which unfortunately, is closing - the landlord chose to not renew their lease).

If you are ever in Chester Vt. don't miss the opportunity to eat at MacLaomainn's Scottish Pub. Food, service, and atmosphere were all outstanding. Making reservations is advised.

Great beer, great food, nice owner. A gem in the country. I went here a second time. Tried the scary haggis. It was not scary at all and so delicious. Also, Belhaven beer on tap is nothing like American beer; so smooth and delicious.

Such a great experience! I felt like I was in a Scottish pub, and the food was delicious! My goal was to try new things. Got the haggis starter with mashed and neeps ( turnips). Everyone who has told me about horrid haggis was wrong - it was so tasty and had a great mouth feel. And I wanted to lick my plate clean of the neeps and mashed. The scotch egg was everything I'd imagined from food shows. Yum. I didn't know what to expect from skirlie - but now I'm only sad I can't get it near me! Highly recommended for soul- pleasing food in a comforting atmosphere.

Food was excellent and everyone on the wait staff was friendly and a pleasure to be with. Would recommend this restaurant to everyone.

Good is always good. Good local spot in a town in need of more restaurants. This has become a go to for us.

Met my family here yesterday for an early dinner. It was a 3 1/2 hour drive for me but well worth it. 3 of us started with a cup of the Cock-A-Leekie soup which was delicious despite the name. One sister and I ordered the fish pie while my brother had the Mince and tatties and my other sister ordered the Mary Queen of Scots turkey sandwich. My brother-in-law had the Scotch egg which came with a side salad. Everyone enjoyed their meals. The portions were a perfect size.. For dessert we shared the Sticky Toffee pudding and the bread pudding, both were excellent. Our server was fantastic and the restaurant definitely a pub atmosphere. It was quiet when we arrived (4pm) but got busy quickly. The do offer patio seating but we chose to eat inside. For the price this place cannot be beat and Chester VT is a quaint town to walk around and shop. I highly recommend the town and this restaurant.

Was driving from New Jersey to New Hampshire and came across this gem. A genuine Scottish pub, realy great food, and owned by a real Scotsman, in the middle of nowhere Vermont

It is a quiet place, it has many options to choose your favorite food, the service is great and it has a calm atmosphere to enjoy with friends or family

Food and drinks were both very tasty!!! Staff was kind and attentive. Very cute little pub. They are in need of more staff, but who isn’t? Good amount of parking and easy to find.

A little different from the other options. Everything we had was great. Service was excellent. Absolutely would return.

The food here is incredible! Place is cozy and the staff are always friendly. I’ve been coming here for years and have never been disappointed :)

Great place to chill, drink a pint of ale and have some haggis!

Food was exceptional. I had the Chicken and Mushroom pie and my son had the Work of Art Burger, both were delicious. As the sign says there is a new pandemic Staffing Shortage. As I noted that upon entering I had patience and had a drink and good conversation while awaiting food. Would recommend these two dishes however I heard others compliment on their food choices too.

A truly unique local gem. This place has solid drinks and food with a lovely atmosphere and great staff. The prices were really good too. I even tried haggis and liked it! Give it a try if you are in the Chester area.

Love coming here. It's been awhile for me unfortunately. Stopped in today for Father's Day. They were unexpectedly short-staffed, but food still came out in a timely manner and was AWESOME! Our three bellies left their establishment full and happy. Noticed no Guinness on the drinks menu anymore, but the Scottish Stout scratched my itch and then some. My wife praised the Fish Pie, I enjoyed the Neeps, Tatties and Haggis taster, as well as the Auld Reekie Stew. My 3yr old was also quite pleased with her grilled cheese (upgraded with bacon). Couldn't find anything to complain about even if I tried. I'll definitely be making an effort to keep returning.

Charming Scottish pub with excellent Scottish entrees and beer.

My hubby is from Aberdeensire, this was such a delight to find. After a long 3 weeks on the road leaf peeping, to round the bed and see the sign, ! We had a delightful dinner and was sorry not to meet the owners.

Was there 3 days ago...everything great...very unfriendly server/bartender Update was there back on February 24, 2023....my wife and sister in law walked in at 1127am...they open at 1130...you would have thought they committed a crime the way the male hostess/owner was...if it was that big a deal you should have kept the door locked...my god...lighten up...smile...female hostess/waitress/maybe owners wife idk wasn't much better...no personalities. Food wasn't that good either. No more.

I really enjoyed my time there. Good atmosphere and the Scotch Eggs are awesome!!

After all these years this still the #1 place I'll go to eat/drink in the area. Great beer and whisky selection, special food and a welcoming and efficient staff.

We loved this little Scottish pub slightly off the beaten path in Vermont. They had different kinds of Scottish beer on tap that you can rarely find anywhere, including certain regions of Scotlan. We enjoyed the haggis, neeps, skirlie, and tatties. I had the fish pie for my lunch also very good. We also liked the wall hangings and Scottish trinkets. All in all, lots of fun, good food and drink, too! We would recommend making a reservation, this place gets very busy.

The food and atmosphere there is wonderful. The service is good too.

Always a wonderful experience. Food and atmosphere. Staff is always friendly

Passing through Chester on our way to NH. The reviews are what drove us to stop in for lunch. We weren’t disappointed. The food was delicious and the decor amazing. You can tell each piece on the walls and ceiling had a story. The owner even told us of one. We will definitely be going back to this place sometime soon.

The soup and stew were the best I have ever had. Staff was very friendly.

We come here every chance we get!!! Lovely food, Atmosphere, And staff! If you are hungry and want something different and delicious hop on in!

A really charming spot, small and cozy. Awesome, hard working local staff. Great drafts beers, scottish food, and stuff for the people who aren't quite brave enough for haggis.

A lovely atmosphere and friendly people. A tad small, but nice and cozy.

great atmosphere, friendly staffs

Awesome decore, great food and the best service.

From the first moment we walked in, our waitress was unfortunately rude. In a nearly empty restaurant, we were told our group of six could not sit together. This was very offputting. Temperatures were at 20 below, so we stayed anyway. The food was good enough. I enjoyed my tomato soup, and the scotch egg was decent. My friends liked their haggis. Vegetarian options are slim beyond grilled cheese and salads. Atmosphere was enjoyable! Staff in kilts.

Absolutely brilliant place for food and drink. Great Scottish beer selection on draft, and the haggis, tatties and neeps were spot on. Highly recommend a visit!

Super slow service but the food is worth the wait. They were slow to seat me (party of 1), even though there were seat available. Even slower to take my order. The longest wait was for my food. Judging by the hour it took to get my food, apparently the haggis, neeps and tatties are not sitting in a chafing dish waiting to be scooped out, but are cooked to order...very slowly. Luckily this place attracts great customers so I had a bar full of interesting people to chat with while I waited. Also, the food was delicious and left me with a warm belly full of happiness. Not a bad way to spend an hour and forty minutes. I do recommend that you try MacLaomainn's, just don't think you're going to be quick about it. Expect to spend the better part of your evening there.

Always worth a stop when traveling through the area. The Scottish beers on tap are different than the normal microbrews you normally find.

Great food and great selection of beers. Burgers, steak pie, salads and bangers and mash were all very good. Only challenge was slow service, bit it was a holiday period. Great friendly staff though.

Stopped at this place on the way home from a family Christmas get together. Small but unique as we learned it is 1 of only 3 Scottish pubs in New England. If you are skiing (Magic or Bromley) just visiting or driving by like us, I highly recommend this hiidden spot. I had the Auld Reekie strew and a Scottish ”Twisted Thistle IPA”. Both very tasty and priced right!

The food was wonderful, and the company GRAND! Fully enjoyed myself at the Lodge Christmas party!

Stopped in briefly for lunch with my family on the way home after visiting friends nearby and absolutely loved the look and warmth and ambiance of the place. Very homey and unique with a vibe that makes you feel like you've stepped into an old pub somewhere across the Atlantic. The staff were polite and kind too, despite being short-staffed at the time. Tasty food overall and a nice selection of beers and scotches as well, and a decent kids menu (and high chairs) if you've got some little ones with you. I can happily recommend it, and we'll definitely try to stop in again on our next venture into southern VT.

MacLaomainn’s Scottish Pub was recommended to us by a good friend and local. We came in the restaurant and first thing that was said to us was, “Do you have a reservation?” There was 2 people sitting at one table and few guys at the bar and the rest of place was empty. We didn’t get a welcoming vibe. It didn’t help that my daughter asked for sweet tea in the north. We asked many questions about the menu because there were some different things on it. Our server highly recommended the Scottish Egg and it was actually awesome, way better than we expected. I ordered the Auld Reekie Stew and it was delicious. I wanted to eat it all and I just couldn’t eat the whole thing. My husband was so happy to find one of his favorite rare beers, Heady Topper Beer. He said it has to be fresh to be good and looked at the bottom and was made in 12/21. He said that was a long time to be sitting on the shelf or cooler. He drank two despite that. My husband ordered the Steak Pie. He loved it, just thought it was interesting that the ingredients are separated. Our server was attentive, very thorough and had great recommendations. We would definitely try it again.

Whenever my parents come up here, they eat lunch and dinner at this place the whole trip. When I decided to vacation, I was told 8million times that I had to visit and was even given hand written instructions on how to get there “just so I remembered.” I rolled my eyes and promised to go….and they were right! I ended up here two nights in a row. The food was amazing! So many dishes that I had never heard of or had the opportunity to try. Plus it was inexpensive, easily the most affordable meal I had my entire trip. Basically, if I lived closer, my kitchen would be decorative. I’d just come here every day! Bonus, it was across the street from the pottery place on ladies night. So we had good food and drinks, followed by a fun night of painting.

Great pub. Great atmosphere....

MacLaomainn's is an authentic Scottish restaurant in an interesting small town in Vermont. A Scottish accent, a kilt, authentic haggis and Scottish ale, and tasty Steak Pie and Auld Reekie Stew. If you are anywhere near Chester VT it's an excellent and fun place for a meal, and the price was surprisingly lower than expected.

Awesome pub. When you stop by, gotta try the haggis!

Showed up Friday night after a long day of driving and getting settled in our B&B. Ended up sitting at the bar, sounds like reservations are a good idea, the place was filled up. Delicious food! I got the meat pie. Full of flavor, the carrots and peas were yummy with creamy potatoes.

Great food and atmosphere! Best haggis ever!

That was an amazing experience and very tasty and quality food to the whole family. Very nice atmosphere and kind lady who served us. Will come back on our next trip :)

Food, service and atmosphere are all super.

We stopped in on our way back to NY from vacation and just wow. They received one star just for the Belhaven Ale, it was amazing.The rest was just an awful experience. We sat there for about 30 minutes before our order was taken, another 30 before we even received our beer because they forgot. Seemed like they forgot our appetizer as well seeing as all the tables around us recieved their appetizer and meal before we got our appetizer. Food took just as long. Service was just not great and the waitress didn’t seem to care much about us at all. They also seemed very disgruntled that we didn’t make a reservation. Glad to say they will never receive another penny from us.

Food wss amazing. Service wad very friendly.

Good food and the service was great.

I wasn't looking for this place but I'm glad I found it. My wife and I were out on the motorcycle and ready for a pitstop and this place was perfect for that. We only got an appetizer and a drink, both were good and the bartender was great. We'll definitely be back for lunch/dinner, drinks and good conversations. Check this place out.

Vacationing and staying in Grafton, hard to find a place to eat! Looking for outdoor dining so I could bring my dog. Although they have a deck, no dogs are allowed. I got my meal to go, it was quick and delicious. I went to the nearby Catholic Church, spread my blanket and enjoyed my meal. Tender chicken and vegetables in a tasty gravy with a nice puffy crust. Would definitely return!

The food was excellent, the service was great, and all around good place to be.

My local haunt. Love it. Always good. Go there at least once a week.

Great service and the food was top-notch!

I LOVE this pub. The food is incredible. Be brave and try the haggis, it's much more palatable than people think! Save room for the sticky toffee pudding because it's not too be missed. Combine this with a great beer and scotch list and it's a true winner... and remember to haste ye back!

Really nice place! Good food,lovely atmosphere! And friendly people! Would recommend to anyone visiting Chester Vermont!

Always a great lunch stop on our way to and from Vt.