Sylvester's - Northampton

This is one of my favorite brunch places in Northampton. The restaurant is family-friendly and the service is impeccable. I am so sad to see them close.

You know it’s amateur hour, when your egg Benedict is served hard boiled with no runny softness. Tipping your waiter before eating, for an experience that requires going to another room and standing in que is deceptive and greedy. This place may have a charming presentation, but the food is sadly subpar.

If you want to have a good, user-friendly eating out experience, maybe avoid Sylvester’s while they run this awkward experiment of trying to be a cafeteria in a restaurant’s body.I didn’t particularly enjoy the quality of my breakfast, which is ok… it happens. I can forgive that, especially if I still have a nice time.But coming in, not seeing a single employee, and being faced with a long list of instructions on how to do the job of a server for my own experience was very, very awkward and off-putting. It was confusing. I ended up just ordering online after reading and re-reading what i was expected to do. I had a mug brought to me, but I had to get up to get my own coffee. I had to clean up my own food waste and dishes. I used to try to eat here whenever I visited Northampton, but this will be my last time.Advice for the business owners: please don’t dismiss your customers, or the customer’s experience. It sends a message that you don’t want them there.

It used to be the best breakfast in western Ma. They used to serve the most wild Belgium waffles; I still dream about the Elvis style waffle with peanut butter, banana, bacon, whipped cream cream (and one other topping that was the piece de resistance but I just can’t seem to remember what it was). It’s decadence was made even sweeter by the irony of eating it in the historic home of Sylvester Graham.I get it… times they are a-changin… prices are up and staffing is down… I get it. But $50 for seat yourself, counter service, get your own coffee water, and a significantly reduced menu? Outrageous. Breakfast was good, but not anything I’m going to dream about. I won’t go back. I’ll buy 10 dozen eggs and make 5 dozen breakfasts.One star because the food isn’t bad. And one star because some aspects are not their fault.Pro tip: no one wants a side of fancy lettuce with their breakfast.

Here 's the deal. I know the food at Sylvester 's is excellent. What happened to me.....? I had planned to go there on Easter Sunday for brunch. I checked their Facebook page and got their hours. I made the 20 mile trip only to see a sign in the window Closed for Easter . To say I was disappointed was an under statement! I will give them another chance at another time. Let 's just say they need to stay up on their social media accounts.