The Red Lion Tavern & The Cave at The Red Lion Inn

“This was such an unexpected delight. Myself, family and another family of four stopped in to have dinner late on Fathers Day. Unbeknownst to us the kitchen was set to close shortly. The entire staff made us feel like we were at home and treated us with such kindness and not like a burden of getting there at the 11th hour. Allison was out waitress and she was outstanding. The food was incredible and the atmosphere was great. I really appreciate everyone accommodating us and making our experience truly exception. Very well done all around.”

“In 1704 this tavern opened and it is still going strong. Whether you stay overnight or just visit for dinner, The Red Lion Inn Tavern in Cohasset will impress. The tavern side is cozy and the dining room side has and open kitchen and additional bar space. But the elevated New England cuisine is the star. And it is almost impossible to pick favorites but the Bolognese is a crowd pleaser, the steak was impossibly tender, and the cocktails were dangerously smooth.”

“What a treat! Date night! Great experience at one of the oldest restaurants in the Town of Cohasset. Wife and I decided to try the Red Lion Tavern since they advertised a new chef and a new menu plus $1 oysters special on Wednesdays starting August 28, 2024. Tried to make reservations the night before but the online reservations did not work. Decided to go anyway figuring if we were early enough as they opened, we’d get a table. As we walked in, right away we were greeted at the door by one of the (I think) manager who held the door opened for us. As we walked through the bar towards the hostess check in, we were pleasantly greeted by the staff and bartender. Checking in with the hostess with a cheerful conversation, we were escorted to a table. The restaurant maintained a colonial rustic charm as it did when we visited many years ago, BC (before children). Very clean, well lit and comfortable. Once seated, we were welcomed by Laura, our waitress for the evening. She made all the difference making the whole evening and experience perfect and excellent. She was friendly, professional, attentive, courteous and helpful. Absolutely 5 star service. Took the time to explain the menu including some of the popular, new and special items featured. Throughout the whole evening, the waitstaff and managers also checked on us. Perfect timing in bringing out our order, clearing dishes, replacing utensils and replenishing drinks. For appetizers, we ordered the Korean bbq ribs, cornbread lobster and a dozen oysters on the half shell. For entrees, wife ordered the Caesar salad with salmon and I ordered the steak tartar (it was listed on the appetizers but wanted it as my entree after devouring the other apps and 2 dozen oysters). For dessert, we shared an espresso on chocolate mousse. Delightful! All the dishes cooked and prepared perfectly. Awesome presentations and delicious. Highly recommend! Will definitely return to try the other items on the menu plus more $1 oysters.”

“Great old tavern with great food. We went there for Valentine's Day dinner and loved it. The oysters and shrimp as starters were great. We had veal and salmon for the entree and a baked Alaska for dessert! I made reservations over a month in advance but they did get cancelled out of the blue but the hostess took care of the issue when I called about it. This place gets very busy on Friday and Saturday evenings....I strongly recommend main reservations. We highly recommend the Red Lion Tavern.”

“The overall experience at this restaurant was underwhelming. The food was just average and left room for improvement. The caesar salad was disappointing, as the dressing was overly diluted and lacked flavor. The steak frites also fell short—it was too oily and didn’t meet expectations. While the service was acceptable, it wasn’t particularly memorable or attentive. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything that stood out during the visit.”