Considering all the hype my friends gave this place, I decided to go here with a friend to eat out. Service was good for the most part, and the waitress give me some good recommendations or their beer.
Their homebrews are quite extensive! This is the place to go if you're looking to try some great Vermont beers. I had the Lincoln lager and was blown away with its crispness. YUM.
However, the food we ordered I found to be subpar. I ordered the Thai Basil Marinated Chicken Breast and it wasn't very tender and soft. In addition, they put the noodles in the coconut soup and I found the soup to be too salty and ruin my noodles.
The food can be hit-or-miss, but the beer is a must-try.
We drive almost a 90 minute drive from northern VT to eat at the Bobcat as frequently as possible... usually 4 times a year. In my opinion, there is no better restaurant in Vermont or New Hampshire. Their specials are always creatively devised recipes. As a microbrewery, they are also one of the finest in the U.S. If you like Imperial IPA or Stout, you can frequently find one here. The atmosphere is friendly, casual, and relaxed with a bushel full of character. Make reservations on weekends. They are almost always packed. LOVE THIS CAFE. I hope they never change.
Review Source:We live nearby so we eat at the Bobcat often. The food is always good, occasionally great. I'm not a big fan of most of the beer, which I find is not very complex, so I usually drink wine. They have a small, modestly priced but fine wine list. The problem is how busy they always are. If you want to go Thursday-Sunday you'd better make a reservation. There is always a crowd at the bar which makes the noise level very high, but there is still an intimate feel at the tables. The service is usually very good. We always leave feeling like we've gotten our moneys worth.
Review Source:The Bobcat brews great beer! The food is often creative but sometimes becomes too complicated. The atmosphere is loud and cramped. I recently had dinner with some friends so I was able to see and taste a variety of menu items. I miss the variety of breads that were once served before the meal. The bread this time was a plain and slightly stale french bread with ice cold butter. The Gorgonzola cheesecake was a highlight with a balanced flavor of sweet and savory. Our wings were seasoned perfectly with a the Asian inspired sauce. The large bucket was plentiful and certainly a great deal with meaty Misty Knoll chicken. The BLT salad was a bit bland in flavor  with just a trace of bacon. The salad was light but highlighted the fresh vegetables. I enjoyed the taco salad with salmon. The fish was cooked perfectly and the greens were perfectly dressed. The addition of rice and black beans made this pub portion quite hearty. The BBQ chicken was covered in a flavorful and spicy sauce. It would have been nice to see another cut of the chicken as it was served with 3 drumsticks. The cornbread had a delicate crumb but was almost a little too sweet. The reuben sandwich looked fantastic with a pile of onion rings. I did not taste any of  the sandwich but judging by my friend's cleaned plate, it was tasty. Another friend reported that the haddock had a little too much going on. The seasoning on the fish and the mango salsa overwhelmed the flavor of the coconut risotto. We chose to skip dessert as there were limited options on the menu. Overall the food and drinks, especially the beer, were great! The atmosphere is crowded and loud.
Review Source:Bobcat definitely wins for the best food I had in Bristol while on vaca.  Great beers and innovative food.  I had the Farmer's plate for an app, which came with awesome flatbread, local chicken liver pâté, local goats milk cheese, and veggies.  It was fantastic.  Followed that up with the taco salad (with tofu) and it was delicious.  Bobcat, to my surprise, was very kid friendly and offered a solid kids menu.  They were happy, which means we were happy.
Service was friendly but on the slow side. Â I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.
I think this is the best food in Bristol & I cannot believe it took me so many years to buy into the flatlander influence in my home town. Â The feel of the place is a little more upscale, a bit yuppie. Â The beer is excellent (they brew their own), and their food is fresh and delicious. Â I love their local sourced menu. Â It's perhaps not as locally-sourced as Mary's down the road, but I slightly prefer Bobcat over Mary's for the downtown location and social vibe - guess it depends on the goal of your outing! Â More for small groups or dates rather than the family scene because of the limited seating and price. Â The waitresses were fast and friendly. Â I will be making this a go-to when I'm back in town.
Review Source:I think their food is pretty good. A touch above average for Vermont, in my opinion. When I order a pint of beer, I always ask to be sure it's filled to the top. They always short pour. Having been a restaurant owner myself, it's a pet peeve. Every glass that's foam or space at the top, is on average, 4 ozs short. I don't like paying for 16 and getting 12. It's a money maker for them.
They have copped a serious attitude in 2012. We stopped in at 5pm one night and asked the hostess if there was any chance they could seat 3. "Nope." She turned her back on us and walked away.
Finally, they got new chairs that if you're slightly large in the caboose, you ain't gonna like it! I watched 3 different couples try to figure out what to do. Guys, you're gonna get stuck in the lousy chair! I asked for a different one and was told "sorry".
Not a favorite place of mine any longer.
It's the typical plague. Ownership is spread too thin and trusts his place to others. A recipe for disaster and it's happening now.
Excellent food, but the hostess was a little pretentious. Noticed this on a few separate occasions. Coming from Orlando where there are a ton of restaurants like this, I wasn't sure why so snooty? Not sure if this is because it is the only restaurant for miles around and they can be?! Either way, it was amusing.
We were seated at exactly the same time as our reservation time and not a minute earlier. The staff is very firm about reservations on weekends, so be sure to book ahead. Our table was right next to the front window, so it was a nice view and a little more intimate. It was also very hot in the restaurant- not sure if they have a/c or if it was broken. We were all glad to get outside once the meal was over.
We opted for the flatbread of the day as well as a side of fries for an appetizer. If you can't handle spicy sauces, watch out the sauce with the fries. I found it extremely heavy on the spices and we could barely use it. Bread was also brought out. Flatbread was great to share- it looks small but very filling and full of toppings and flavor.
For dinner I had the swordfish with bacon potato chowder. This seemed like an unusual combination and I was very intrigued. Turned out to be excellent- I ate every bite! The other people in my party had the Risotta Cakes, Chicken Lasagna and the Pork Loin. Everything was fabulous- we also cleared our plates.
Great assortment on the drink menu. We tried all of the signature drinks as well as a few of the craft beers. Didn't have enough nerve to try the Brickwall beer, but will next time!
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Â Delightfully limited menu...but still too many mouth watering things to choose from. Â I think this might be my new favorite "local" restaurant. Â You must try the Housemade Sage gnocchi with butternut sqaush. Sooooooo GOOD! Â The restaurant is warm and cozy and small...so you might want to consider making a reservation.
Review Source:I ate here for the first time last night. Â I have to say that my meal was incredible. Â I had the Caribbean jerked pork loin with sweet potato coconut flan, roasted vegetable and kidney bean hash. Â
The pork was expertly cooked and the seasoning was so good. Â The marriage of the spice rub and citrus was perfect. Â The portion was ample and the sides worked nicely. Â
I have only eaten here once but I'm definitely going back.
Nom, bring back the duck spring rolls! Â I was so sorry to see they weren't on the menu the last time we went. Â The ravioli appetizer was also phenomenal. Â All the beer we've had here was great, in some cases, very unique. Â My partner loves the venison/chorizo meatloaf. Â The wings are good too, but the other things we've had were better, so I wouldn't particularly recommend them in comparison to the other dishes. Â The dessert leaves something to be desired - it's nothing special. Â But definitely worth checking out for the savory food and beer!
Review Source:I love love love this place! Have been here a few times now and have never been disappointed. Â Food and drink and service and ambiance are all absolutely amazing. Perhaps a bit expensive for the area, but worth it for the quality of everything. And c'mon, they make their own beer AND serve classy food (not pub grub).
Here's a sampling of what I have tried here so far:
Mushroom/tempeh lasagna- perhaps the best entree I've had here- very filling, delicious flavors, had an arugula/beet salad and some red pepper sauce; took half  the lasagna home for lunch the next day (and it even reheated well!)
Meatloaf- we ordered the meatloaf to split between the two of us, and when it came out, it was on two plates, already cut and divided out for us! I was SO impressed, and it tasted very good!
Duck spring rolls- a very classy verison of the chinese favorite. used to be my fave app here until I tried...
Bison Nachoes- yes that's right, crumbled ground bison meat on nachoes- nachoes that were SO stuffed with toppings (tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce, cheese, etc etc), my only complaint is that there were not enough chips (and that is a complaint I have NEVER made regarding nachoes!). Perhaps the best nachoes I've ever had (perhaps second to my fave nachoes at Sunset)
Flatbread Pizzas- I've tried a few different flavors, and they are always exciting, interesting flavor combinations. Good to split as an app, or alone for a meal.
And of course, the beer. Here are all the different beers I have tried:
(scores are scale of 1 to 5. 1 being the very best beer in the world, 5 being the very worst), so it's a pretty good sign that all these beers are 3 and above!
Whitcomb's Wit: 1.5 belgian white style with orange peel and coriander, banana hef, light Paulaners
Downtown Brown: 1.75 very good malty, caramely flavor, very light
Havenly Hefeweizen: 2 slight banana, light wheat
Octoberfest: 2 very good, very fall/spicy, teeny tiny bit bitter at end
Winona Wheat: 2 thin but wheaty flavored. Good
Scottish 90: 2 is like beer candy, no bitter, caramel and malty
Lincoln Lager: 2.25 very light, but heavy wheat taste
Unrepentent: 2.25 chocolate and pepper flavors, belgian stout
Prayer Rock Pale Ale: 2.25 not bitter, floral/good perfumy and wheaty-amazing that it's not like a PA, no bitterness really
BIL: 2.5 black IPA, roasted coffee flavor, not too bitter, not enough carbonation, dark black color
Kolsch: 2.5 very wheat aftertaste but very plain
Calypso: Double Red 2.5 a little bitter, very good flavor, almost like a red/brown ale (hoppy red with smooth bitter finish)
Dennis Hop'RD: 2.5 very flavorful, floral, not too hoppy, not bitter, carbonated nicely (yeasty flavor with sublte bitterness)
Dry Hop #5: 2.75 LIAC (Love in a canoe) dry hopped with cluster hops. Light flavored, but these hops are not so bad!
Cali-com: 3 IPA, bitter, plain and typical
Dry Hop #6: 3 LIAC (Love in a canoe) dry hopped with wilamette hops. Light flavored, but these hopsare horrible cat pee flavored!
My friend and I went on a VT excursion and ended up at this wonderful place! The charm led us to sit at the bar and grab a beer. Unexpectedly, the meal was the best that either of us had had in years. Seriously. We had the pork chop and the venison/chorizo meatloaf. Awesome! On top of that, Dana (the bartender) was amazing. He had a lot of regular patrons in, but he made us feel the same. I will definitely be bringing my family here when they come to visit. BEST meal in/outside chittenden county.
Review Source:I want to give The Bobcat 4 stars. I really do. But the wait staff drags the experience down. I have always been seated promptly, although I do recommend a reservation Thursday-Sunday evenings. The wait staff is clueless however. One evening my dad ordered a Mt Gay and tonic, pretty self explanatory, and the bartender did not even know what it was. We have ben going to The Bobcat since it opened, they have Mt Gay, and with the clientele, they should know what it is. At least they didn't mess up on the Grey Goose martini.
The food is delicious. Comfort food. If you are looking for fine dining, go to Mary's. The Bobcat is about hamburger's, meat loaf, flatbreads, and chicken wings. On the current menu, I highly recommend the duck lasagna, the lamb burger and the haddock. The Bobcat Burger is always a good option and I was very pleased a few nights ago when it actually came out medium rare! It's hard to get restaurants to actually do medium rare. The French fries are deliciously seasoned, and served with a spicey (I want to say chile) mayonnaise, which has a kick to it, a pleasant change from ketchup and mustard.
If you happen to be at the Bobcat and a large party comes in, be prepared to be ignored by your wait staff. They are immediately more concerned with a large party. It can also get very noisy, but that is part of the experience. Make sure to check out the bar. It was brought over from Plattsburg, NY and I think it is a very cool piece of furniture, if I can call it that.
Overall, it is a fun place to go after a long day on the slopes for hamburgers and a beer. It is not fine dining, and it is not romantic. It's more about locals hanging out at the bar.
What a great little place! Â Not only is their beer out of this world (we attended a beer festival prior featuring their beer prior to making our reservations), but the locally-sourced food is out-of-this-world. Â The atmosphere is lively, the bar is great (as was the bar-tender...no wonder they have a loyal club of patron mug-owners), and the food was not to be believed. Â We tried a smattering of things on the menu and none of it disappointed. Â The waitress was knowledgable and was able to let us know not only where the ingredients from our dishes were from, but generally how they were prepared. Â
Overall, a fantastic experience. Â Can't wait to go back!
This place is a MUST! Great microbrew beer (usually have six or more on tap from lager to IPA to stout!). The place is small and cozy but you feel like a regular from the get-go! The appetizers are yummy and unique! The chili-crusted salmon taco salad is FANTASTIC! I would recommend making a reservation since it a really popular spot (we got there around 6 on a Thursday evening and had to wait about 30 minutes for a table for 2!). Don't let that keep you away, make a reservation and enjoy local vegetables, cheeses, and super food that you won't find anywhere else! Can't wait to go back.
Review Source:The food is pretty good and the atmosphere is nice - a good interior in an old historic building. Â The place seems to have gotten a bit full of itself over time as it has gotten more popular and busier. Â It's best now to have a reservation if you want to get in. Â On a recent visit without a reservation, I was nonplussed to be told there would be a 30 minute wait when many tables were open - and then that we would only be allowed 60 minutes until a reservation party arrived. Â Not, IMO, the best service.
Review Source:This restaurant is located at 5 Main in Bristol. It is in a historic building and has an elaborate but well taken care of old bar as a centerpiece. While this place is part bar, it is more importantly a culinary gem. What makes this more incredible is that it is located in Bristol, a city that proudly puts forward its conventional American values and seems like an improbable location for such an innovative restaurant.
They have one of my standard favorites on the menu, french fries. The fries here are not the highlight. They are somewhat better than McDonalds, herb sprinkled and served with a very good spicy dipping sauce but also have little flavor and no skin.
The best thing I had here was the avocado, green chile cheesecake. I didn't know what to expect with this, definitely not a dessert and both interesting and incredibly good. The corn based crust was a great addition.
Another stand out entree was the succotash. An interesting and innovative combination of fresh vegetable ingredients. Everything here was presented and served in a careful, artfully arranged way with interesting accents and accompaniments.
The other items we tried here were comparably or nearly as good and equally thoughtful and creatively put together. This place is probably the best overall restaurant that I have visited in this state.
I went again just for a drink and dessert. Â I had the porter which was smooth, rich, and delicious. Â My guy ordered a cocktail which was fantastic too. Â It had raspberry puree, crushed lime, simple syrup, a Brazilian liqueur made from cane sugar. Â It was so good!
The dessert was the best! Â A key lime flan with mojito syrup over a house made graham cracker. Â OOhhh so good. Â It was fresh citrusy sweetness with smooth creamy finish. Â Fantastic!
BOBCAT IS GREAT!!!! Â I love their steak and taters... They also have great wings. Â Homebrew beer that is unbelievable. Â Also I would recommend the duck to duck lovers. Â So goood.
Also both bartenders are great too. Â I get pretty rowdy sometimes and they are very classy and respectful.
Try the homebrews.....
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