That "The Chat" is a dive bar is a given. Â It's a mile from our house and is always rife with people-watching opportunities. Â The food and beer selection definitely make up for the ambiance of cheerful neglect that permeates the place. Â What made for a less-than-satisfying experience was the poor service. Â It took about 20 minutes for someone to acknowledge us - and it turned out to be the bartender, not our server. Â From appearances, she was trying to finish her shift and leave, but that sort of thing should be transparent to the customer. Â It wasn't.
Review Source:GREAT food. Not a huge menu. But that's probably why they get it right. Good service. Cold beer. Affordable prices. Could use some updating on the interior. Doesn't look like it has changed since the first (only) time I was there 20 + years ago. Didn't return until 2 years ago. Have been back 3 times in last year for lunch and dinner. Best burgers anywhere.
Review Source:We decided to give this place a try after reading all of the rave reviews..and who doesn't like a great dive bar?
The place was pretty busy when we arrived...but luckily we found a small table by the door.  It took the waitress quite a while to get to us..she was working the whole room by herself.  And pouring drinks.  Apparently someone called in sick and she was alone. The juke box was blasting out country western songs  and people at the bar were singing along. The place was pretty loud and hard to hear over the background noise.
We eventually got our drinks and was able to order our food about 15 minutes later. Â We had the 'gourmet' onion rings, chili, and fish tacos. I think our order got screwed up because the wrong food was delivered to the table and then the waitress was back at the computer placing another order...which came out 20 minutes later.
There really wasn't anything gourmet about the onion rings ($8.00) although they were hot and crispy and arrived with three dipping sauces (bbq, honey mustard and chipolte mayo). Â The chili was bland and tasteless, nothing a little tabasco couldn't fix. Â The fish tacos were good and had a nice sauce and relish with them. Â
The juke box had some interesting songs and the locals (male & female) were playing, and singing along with, music from Flashdance, Grease, and Whitney Houston. Â Quite the show.
This is the epitome of your hole in the wall bar. It escapes being called a  'dive" as it's set in lovely Wayland on Dudley Pond...although it looks like the decor is from the 50's :) but who cares as the people make the place and the owners and staff are great and really make you feel welcome. Everyone seems to have a good time- I know I do.
They have maybe 6 beers on draft with a wide enough range to satisfy the spectrum of beer drinkers. Â My favourite is Narragansett which is tasty and a fantastic price for a pint. Â
Foodwise: You shouldn't expect cordon bleu but it's very good. Â Their fries are excellent and I am quite content with the bargain mini Chat Burger for $5. (reg burger=$9-10) Â Fish and chips are great. My girlfriend is veggie and she says they have the best ever veggie burger -- firm, succulent and tasty. Onion rings are fantastic too with multiple dips.
Only two things stop me from giving it a 5 star....it can get very loud as it is essentially a bar with an open dining area and the bar denizens can get a tad rambunctious but its a bar so sit back and enjoy the hub bub...but much worse they oddly stopped providing malt vinegar because some of the bar staff "didn't like the smell". Â Uh? Â As we all know malt vinegar plus fries/chips = a joyful flavour explosion. That decision just does not compute.
My new favorite place. It's set right on the other side of Dudley pond, if we only had a boat we'd be there twice as fast! lol.
I had fish and chips, delightful. The hubs had a burger, also delightful. Fantastic neighborhood bar and i'm psyched they have takeout. The prices are totally affordable and the staff is just how you want them to be - no funny business, super duper nice. I'm just lovin' it.
Why would anyone consider going to The Morse Tavern when you could go to The Dudley Chateau !! The Chat is almost the perfect neighborhood bar. Good beer selection and all around reasonably priced drinks. Being from Natick, I am somewhat jealous of my fellow Waylanders only by the fact that I have to drive a little further to "hang at The Chat ".
Now.. here is the hidden secret ... The food is GREAT ... Let me clarify, it is Bar/Pub food but they do a fine job preparing it and it tastes very good. Â The burgers are big and juicy and the buffalo wings are top notch. Â Also, don't be afraid of the specials menu. I had the fish tacos the other night and holy cow was I surprised how tasty they were. Â Do I dare say possibly the best fish tacos I have tasted in the area ! I will definitely be going back soon to try out some other menu items.
Its not on the menu but if Ken the owner is there, ask him if he can whip up some of their homemade chicharones ( pork rinds ) -- its a rare treat!
So, if you are in the neighborhood, I recommend you give it a try. You will not be disappointed....
We went to the Chateau last week with a few buddies from Wayland, which was a good thing considering its residential location!
It was snowing and the pond adjacent to the restaurant was beautiful and the restaurant itself emitting a warm (if not worn-in) vibe. The decor is pretty dive bar classic (mostly nautical) and the floors rutted from plenty of patrons, which gives you the sense that you're participating in a Wayland tradition (which my buddies told me I was). It was a Friday and the crowd was pretty mixed, equal parts young folks (college-age) and older folks (40+), all having a good time together. Given what looked to be a small (maybe, just a galley?) kitchen, I had low expectations for the grub--but was shocked by the delicious hand-formed mini cowboy burger (bbq sauce, onion rings) that I was served. The burgers come in two sizes, which is a nice perk. The fries were also pretty good and I think next time I'll order some onion rings. One of my buddies ordered fish tacos made from fresh white fish that the friendly waitress told us came each day from a local fish market, which were also pretty delicious. Another diner at our table ordered a fried burger, which though massive, looked great. We started off the meal with a few drinks (I had a great IPA) and some cheese steak egg rolls, which were great (certainly above average!!). All ten of us ate for $110 bucks including tip with two appetizers, drinks all around, and one entree each. Maybe, I'm jaded by city prices, but this seemed pretty damn cheap to me for what was a pretty great meal in an interesting location!
I have been twice to the chat, once for dinner and once for lunch both times the food was very good and food and beer are very reasonably priced. It's perfect for a casual, completely non-portentous, intimate, local pub-like place. The service is friendly, albeit stretched thin, and apologetic for any wait you may have. The view is lovely, especially during the day, the only thing that would make this place better is an outdoor dining area for the sunny warm days, but I believe the neighborhood has building restrictions. At any rate, I highly recommend the burgers! They even have a small version of each burger for smaller appetites, but you'll want a big one!
Review Source:Just 6 and a half miles away from us for 12 years, and I only just found out about this place today on Phantom Gourmet. Â We were looking for a nearby casual Sunday supper and decided to give it a try.
Hidden away in a neighborhood of what were tiny summer cottages back in the day, the Chat dates back to an earlier era. Â Cozy and dive-y with low wooden ceilings, shingles on the walls and summer lake house decor, it probably hasn't changed in 50 years and fits like a comfy old sneaker. Â Well, maybe not exactly comfy with wooden pews for chairs, but they just go with it all. Â Sunday night football on the TVs, but not really a sports bar, this is a neighborhood jeans-and-a-baseball-cap kind of place. Â The booth next to us had a family with 2 pre-teens, and on the other side, a couple of guys with some beers.
I had a "mini" burger--5 ounces--with blue cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion. Â $5.20, for crying out loud. Â Plus a dollar to upgrade from fries to really good onion rings. Â On a recommendation from the waitress, my husband got skewered steak tips. Â For me, those are iffy--usually dry and stringy, but these were tender and a perfect medium rare. Â They came with sauteed onions and peppers and rice.
My only drawback was that we sat next to a window, and I was chilly. Â Well, what should I expect from a once-upon-a-time summer shack? Â I kept my sweatshirt zipped, and it was nearly OK. Â All in all a big surprise and a fun date. Â We'll be back.
Went there with a couple coworkers on a quiet sunday between shifts. Not more than 2 other tables there. Â We ordered 1 meal and 2 apps with some iced teas. The waitress was completely rude for no reason to the extent of dropping off waters to one of us to serve to the rest of our party. We left her a $5 tip on a $40 bill and she had the balls to walk out to the parking lot, throw the money at us, and storm away. Â Really! She followed us the our cars and threw the money at us, said keep it, and walked away.
Completely disgraceful. If you're looking for any service don't go there. If you like crappy service, have fun.
If you want to experience what a real speakeasy was like and not a hipster fest, this is your jam.
It is tucked far away in Wayland and was the drinking grounds of the likes of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Â It sits perched on a pond and it looks like a New England Summer house. Â
Wednesday nights are open mic night. Â Roll up a bit early and saddle up to the big boat bar. Â They have a decent selection of beers and liquor all at good prices (like 3 bucks or so for a brew). Â The food selection was pub far with a serious emphasis on Burgers. Â I had the Bacon and Blue Cheese stuffed burger. Â It was really good, the fries were great and the portions are huge. Â I ordered the special: Turkey Burger. Â It is not on their regular menu and I suggested as nicely as I could that they should probably take it off. Â It was a super thick patty that came out the same time as the regular burger. Â It was raw, sent back, then raw again. Â They took it off of our bill, which was nice and greatly appreciated.
The locals here are friendly and it is a good hideaway.
Went for the 2nd time today. Â Both experiences the same. Â Food OK - service not.
One bartender trying to serve ten tables and the bar all by herself. Â Not acceptable.
Owner needs to understand that maximizing staff earnings may be in conflict with what customer wants. Been there myself - owned 3 restaurants in my earlier life.
The food was avg+, but the restaurant is a dump. I'd rather eat PB&Js on a log in the forest. I'd rather get a salad from stop and shop and eat it in my car. the list goes on and on.
Luckily it's hidden away so I don't ever have to see this place again. I wish the owners and patrons the best of luck...away from me.
Visited on a bright and sunny day with friends. Fantastic view of the lake with a comfortable atmosphere.
The onion rings were amazing and the sauces hit the right note! They have draft and bottled beers to go. All of us ordered their grilled veggie burger, which was juicy, but I was expecting more from the reviews.
Two beers, an appetizer and a burger for under $20 per person. Great value for the money.
It was like hell and back trying to find this place, being in the corner of nowhere. But my fiancee finally gets there, and we figure it's worth the aggrivation. We walk up to the first floor of the restaraunt, and it already looks like a pirate's lair. Wooden stairs, solid wood tables, signs and stickers on the walls. Ok maybe not for pirates, but still seems like a college dorm or something like that. We were seated at a table that was near a window (plus) The table we sat at was overall uncomfortable, and the burger I ordered was charred.
Review Source:After a long day at my job as a girl Friday, I ganged up at this juke with my virgie friends (except one, she'd been here before). Â I must say it was quite the dilly, but not quite the same as I imagine it once was. Â More tellys and less mojo. Â It would have been better if it harkened back, for me. Â The sports theme was a bit schmaltzy.
But this was anything but a flopperoo! Â Hot damn! Â It was sure swell in here. Â We were all slap-happy with our food and our drinks and I was a bit starry-eyed over a certain fella who was full of oomph.
This fella and I shared a burger that was full of pizzazz (and blue cheese, yum) and, whammo! Â The fries were great too.
Some of the gang ordered fancy-schmancy drinks and were a bit in a snit about them. Â But I said "don't be cheesed! Â That's just a lot of malarkey; this isn't a fancy-schmancy kind of place!" Â This is no clip-joint either; it's as inexpensive as it is delicious, and that's good, especially with drinks, since I can be a bit of a swigger. Â
So leave your up-dos and hepster gear at home and head over to the Dudley Chateu. Â Sure, it looks sketchy from the outside. Â But, why, jeepers, it sure is killer-diller inside!
Dear Dudley Chateau,
I know this is really early in our relationship, but I have to tell you that I love you. You make me tingle in special ways I didn't think were possible.
I found you hidden away, chilling next to your lake, just cool as a cucumber. Pretense be damned, you are so secure in your dirt parking lot and random door on the side of a house. From the first course touch of your dim foyer and rope railing I was hooked.
Your ambiance tickles me in a particular way that makes me completely and immediately comfortable. The eye candy is also quite special as well. What I'm saying is you, my little duddles, are hot, and cool. Rawr.
You could have served up reheated chili at this point, and I still wouldn't have blinked while gazing longingly into your tv. But no. You bust out the serious gourmet on me.
That burger you made me, you know, the one with the special little pocket of cheese in the middle, that thing made me quiver. That burger was cooked perfectly. The fries were even better, but I think by then, I may have crossed the line into complete bias. All my friend's meals were also cooked perfectly, and tasty, and ranged from sandwiches, salads, and burgers.
I know you cooked mine special. I could tell.
I can't wait until we can get together again. It won't be soon enough.
Love, Eric. xoxo
Great food. Â Cheap drinks. Â Swimming in history. Â The only thing that holds this joint back from 5 stars is Velveeta on the nacho plate. Â Cripes, everything else is 5 plus, already. Â Â Use REAL cheese, please!
In other words, everything you order OTHER than the Nachos, is grand. Â Superlative, even. Â Salads, burgers, the fish and chips.....
Just don't order the Nachos, unless you like Velveeta cheese food product. Â Even the name makes me ooooooogie.
I have to mention, that the night we attended; the bartender was also our waitress, and she was one busy gal; but she did her best to keep up with us. Â And, she was awesome at it. Â Kudos!
"In .1 miles turn right onto Crest Rd." Â "HOLY COW, GPS! Â I'm glad I don't drive a Suburban. Â Where are you taking me? Â Over a cliff?! Â This place can't be..." Â "Arriving at destination". Â "What? Â Where? Â That!?"
Yes, the Dudley Chateau looks like a big ol' wood shingled house on an overgrown lakeside (on what may be the most narrow road in Massachusetts). Â Luckily, as you turn the corner there is ample parking. Â Walk in (use the little door to the right, with the laser-printed sheet of paper that says "entrance") and you enter the past. Â It really has a 'lodge' sort of feel. Â Painted wood floors greet you, and stairs with a fraying, rope-wrapped railing invite you up. Â
At the top of those steps are some really cheap drinks and some excellent food. Â It was a UYE that introduced me to this place, and Roni and I agreed to trade half of our burgers with each other. Â I can tell you that both were delicious, and cooked nearly perfectly (both more medium than medium rare, but not bad at all for a tiny pub that looks like a house). Â The beer is cheap, and the selection is well chosen, but not expansive. Â
I am hoping that there's another staff member there on most nights. Â Our bartender was harried, as she was also playing waitress for the whole place. Â Granted, it's quite small (the windows out to the lake make it feel nice and open), but that was a lot to ask of one employee. Â She did a fine job, though, despite our disjointed order (we had 2 groups ordering at 2 different times at one table) and large party of 9. Â To be fair, they probably didn't expect a large contingent of metrowest yelpers to show up on a Tuesday evening, either, which was probably the reason for the low staffing.
All in all it was a delicious, fun time. Â I'm looking forward to going back!
I had seen the Dudley on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a>, and was always intrigued by the look of it. It's also nearby. After being reviewed favorably on Phantom, I figured it was time to give it a try.
The room smells of a country cottage, and the window looks out onto a lake. Is this really Wayland? Feels like we're in New Hampshire.
We started with some chicken fingers. Not a huge order and somewhat overcooked, but respectable. The onion ring plate was better. Huge rings, nicely cooked, not greasy. I had a burger with blue cheese cooked right into it, and a side salad. The burger wasn't huge, but nicely grilled, on a tasty bun. The salad was generous. My wife's veggie burger was good.
Overall, a fun experience. It's moody, a great way to escape the city for a few moments.
Service was attentive and friendly. There's plenty of parking. Make sure you use a map or a GPS to get here - it's in the back of a residential area.
It's a miracle this place is here at all. Super nice service. Weird VFW like building right on the pond. Before they resided, it looked like it was condemned. Defines "hole in the wall". I say this affectionately, it's a dive, in the absolute best sense. Excellent, relaxed hangout kind of place that just doesn't exist in this area. Good burgers and beer selection! Go at least once and watch the sun set. Gotta love the incongruity of the name too.
Edit: they've redone the outside so it's nicer, but the inside is still musty after it rains (charm!). Also, the burgers are good, but the steaktips are great! Love the sassy servers.
As a Wayland townie who grew up knowing The Chat as a ramshackle looking dive bar for worn down fishermen and DPW workers, it's been awesome to see it transform over the last 2-3 years. Don't get me wrong, the crowd is still mostly locals, with the group of late 40's moms yucking it up while the grizzled old dudes stand around the bar.
Cheap and cheerful food that you'd expect at a gastro-pub, with a decent selection of beers. I'm naturally conditioned to avoid those on tap here since the old management rarely would keep them clean, but might be worth a shot now. Plenty of seating, lots of big screen tvs to watch any of the baseball, football and basketball games, and cheap cheap cheap wings during the games make this a nice and easy place to go and grab some beers to catch up with friends.
This has quickly become one of my favorite places in the Metrowest Area. The 'CHAT' burgers are the best around, they have one that is stuffed with Blue Cheese and is just amazing - also keep an eye out for their specials including the Smokey Burger - it's fantastic.
In addition to their delicious burgers, they have a good draft list, currently they have Left Hand Milk Stout on tab, before that they had a Brooklyn Imperial Stout, and back around Thanksgiving had Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin which is the Pumpkin Ales big strong brother at around 10%. Drinks are very reasonable at around 4.00 - 4.50 for the crafts and much less for the standards.
The owner is a great guy and has made many upgrades especially in the kitchen and menu, while keeping the charm of the place in tact.
Via la Chat!
I've been living in the MetroWest area for almost my entire life and I had no idea this place existed until a few weeks ago. Â
After work one night I decided to meet up with a friend for some late night drinks. Â Off of Route 30, sitting behind a quiet neighborhood alongside Dudley pond is the Dudley Chateau. Â A freestanding, white house-like structure serving up food and great inexpensive drinks.
Passing through the entrance of the heavily wooden structure I was reminded of the Union Oyster House in Boston. Â Similar large beams suspend overhead and uneven floors that creak with each footstep are some of the unique features you'll find at this establishment. Â Ascending up the staircase my friend and I were brought into the main bar and dining area. Â We sat ourselves at a table made from slabs of thick wood with a glossy texture bound together by metal links.
Quickly we were greeted by a friendly waitress who took our drink orders.  Feeling a bit hungry I had the "'Chat' Sliders," four little mini hamburgers  arranged on a plate satisfy my hunger craving.  Drinks arrived in a timely fashion: Jack n' Coke and a Sam Adam's Light.  After two round it was time to head home and we received out bill. Â
Normally, at the chain restaurants one round of drinks could run diners almost $10-15. Â But here two rounds of similar drinks barely came to $20.00! ! ! Â Talk about a great deal! Â The Dudley Chateau doesn't offer any of the high class bells and whistles of most bars but successfully delivers a solid atmosphere to sit with friends and enjoy a round of drinks.
It is great to see a place that serves its purpose. Â I'll be back soon!
In 1817, a ship traveling around the world became lost and crashed along the shores of Lake Cochicuate. Rather than attempting to repair the ship, the captain and first mate salvaged the ship's wood and used it to build the Dudley Chateau. The ship's coal engine was moved into the kitchen, allowing the creation of delicious meals with appetizing titles beginning with the past participle 'Chat.' 5th mate Doug sold his ability to be mean to the devil for eternal life . His unofficial role as social director was made official this year.
The Chat is fun and affordable and has friendly staff and patrons. Its history is so impressive that it almost seems made-up. Recommended.
After reading the news that the chat had been taken over by new mgmt, I was excited to try it out.
I stopped by on the night of the Pats 1st preseason game and was surprised by the good crowd in attendance. Sat at the bar and ordered a Dudley burger with bacon and cheddar with fries and a local craft beer.
The atmosphere is still funky and friendly and the food is head and shoulders above the old chat. In fact, I had one of the best burgers I have had in the burbs for years. The fries were crisp and hot as well.
I would like to see a wider selection of craft beers but i wont complain since the Chateau is in my neighborhood.
Let's support our local businesses and restaurants
Man, you gotta love the Chateau. Or the Chat (pronounced "shat") as it's known. The place looks like a run-down place you'd find in some New England coastal town that never quite made it as a tourist destination. The bar is mostly local business types and/or old men who revel in the dirt-cheap PBRs available.
The food is decent. The Chat Burger is solid, though if someone in your party asks for well done, you ALL get well done. Discourage these people from asking for their burger a tasteless brick. The fries were good, and as one would expect, the food is not at all expensive. The staff was friendly when some food was sent back for being inedible in their well done-ness.
Anyway, the Chat is great for a solid lunch. I'd go back any time. And you can't beat that lake view.
If you are looking for an unassuming eating and drinking experience, the Chat is the place for you. Â The new management has done a wonderful job of upgrading the facility without sacrificing the place's old-school charm and its sense of local history. Â
The Chat has long been the subject of controversy in town, some Waylanders decrying it as a disruptive scourge on an otherwise idyllic community. Â I see this place as having the potential to become one of the town's greatest assets. Â The new management has already done a lot to make this a reality, having added an array of good beers and family-friendly food options. Â
Currently you can go to the Chat during a Sox game and get wings (buffalo or BBQ) for $.25 each! Â Their standard 10oz burgers are delicious, but customers with smaller appetites might consider ordering the smaller version. Â The staff is very friendly and attentive.
The Chat was a favorite treat for lunch in Natick for me. Â The old speakeasy thing with Babe Ruth history and the really out of the way location all speaks loudly in there. Â Food isn't special (though cheap with friendly staff) but the atmosphere/history/experience is. Â I don't know about any renovations, but I'd be sorry to see it TOO renovated. Â However, I'm glad someone is taking care of it, as it could use a little TLC.
Review Source:This place is unbelievable. Â Words can not really do it justice.
It's a former speak-easy that has somehow held on via support from the locals of Wayland and Natick. Â Babe Ruth and Ted Williams used to fish on Dudley Pond, and whet their whistles inside the Chat.
It's cheap and the bartenders are friendly. Â You have to see it for yourself.
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