Steaming Tender Restaurant

Set in the run down town of Palmer where the movie Deliverance was filmed, is The Steaming Tender Restaurant. An amazingly renovated old train station turned restaurant. It’s like stepping back in time. Stopped in around dinner time, and it was a full house, with a 15 minute wait. That was no problem, but the majority of people I seen had made reservations, and that would be a good idea too also. We were seated in a huge vaulted wood room that was probably the waiting room for your train way back when. Our server was very nice and punctual. Ordered mozzarella sticks and fried pickles for apps which both were decent, and Kind of it is what it is type foods. There is a lot to choose from on the menu, and also from the daily specials. I ordered the old standby, The New England turkey dinner, and my wife the fried clam platter with hand cut steak fries. Food came out quicker than expected, and the portions were very big. I was served a generous amount of turkey, that I could tell was sliced off of a pre made source. The stuffing tasted just like Stove top, and gravy was either canned, jarred, or prepackaged. Mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and undercooked carrots finished my dish. Everything was good, but was overly salted, and lacked that «homemade» taste and feel. My wife enjoyed her clam strip dinner with homemade tartar sauce. Overall, it was a nice time, and I would go back, especially for the breakfast buffet someday.

We went because the food looked amazing on Phantom Gourmet. The setting/​atmosphere was what we were looking for. I really liked how they converted the space while keeping the history and made it into a pleasant restaurant and bar space. Our server was attentive, but anxious enough to make us try to accommodate him… not really what I’m looking for in service.
We ordered the homemade potato chips for appetizers — they are great! The dip that came with seemed to detract from their flavor rather than compliment it. I ordered a pomegranate martini hoping the flavoring would compensate for a poor vodka selection… it tasted like warm cough syrup. My second drink was a red wine to compliment my meal, but to be honest, the wine list is sub-​optimal.
Both of us were gave our meals a lackluster rating; the food was prepared adequately, but underseasoned. He had the Baked Fisherman’s Combo Platter and said the haddock was great, but the scallops and shrimp were under-​done. I had the Bluebeard tenderloins (steak tenderloin with blue cheese, portobello mushrooms, and cream sauce). The steak was decent, mushrooms had the consistency of canned veg, and the cream sauce… Wait, what cream sauce? The blue cheese was good. The chocolate obsession value was pretty good, but we were glad we ordered ice cream with it.
I would try this place again, but for lunch, and would stick to pub or tavern style dishes on the menu.

Even if the food wasn’t good I’d come here because it’s SO COOL. I had no idea what I was getting into when someone sent us here, but I fell in love upon arrival. It’s so neat that I don’t know why anyone would sit outside! Most of our food was GREAT, however the lobster roll was really wet and soggy, so I wouldn’t get that again. Their famous bread pudding was out of this world, I’m glad we got it to go even though we were full.
One complaint from a friend is that it’s very hot inside during the summer, so I’ll probably stick to three-​season visits.

I really like it here — it is an old converted train station with traditional American fare; nothing fancy, but the fish is fresh and they have plenty of variety.

Love the ambiance, pretty cool to eat dinner in an old train station and watch train go by. Food is really good as well, we have only been her a couple of times but will definitely go back.

This building is beautiful. It’s an old rail road station which has been turned into a restaurant. Seeing the structure is worth the visit.
We first went to the restroom to wash up. The water in the sink faucet barely worked. It’s one of those motion sinks, where you have to wave your hand under it to turn the water on. When the water did come out, it barely trickled. Most of the time, the water just wouldn’t turn on.
The pleasant hostess said it does that sometimes. So they are aware that there’s a problem.
We had broiled haddock, which was supposed to be fresh, not frozen. It sure tasted like frozen. Our meals were room temperature when served. The fish and carrots were not hot at all, closer to cold that warm. The baked potato was, though.
We had home made potato chips, which were fantastic! The spicy mayo served with them was really good!
Our waitress was great!
One of my pet peeves is when the waitstaff tries to remove my plate when I am not finished with my meal. The waitstaff (a youngish woman) tried to remove my husbands plate THREE times. Each time she would rush up to our table, put her hand on the edge of his plate and try to take it away. There was plenty of food on his plate to indicate he the was not done eating. And the dining area was almost empty, so there was no need to rush us through our meal. Each time he put his fork down, she was on that plate like a hawk.

Went there with a friend for lunch. Excellent food beautiful décor and just all over great the service was also excellent. I recommend it to anyone passing by on the Pike.

A group of us stopped into Steaming Tender restaurant this past Sunday at 12:00 noon for lunch.
Very nice atmosphere in an old train depot. Space was clean and inviting.
Service was decent.
Menu was American– from soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and seafood. Nothing interesting or stood out too much.
I has a fish (haddock) sandwich. ($ 8.99) which was quite small on a brioche hamburger bun. It came with 1 side, which was fries (frozen) even though the menu offered hand cut.
Beet selection was below average.
I would go back but I it would not be my first choice.

I have visited the steaming tender a few times. The good had always been good, but the building is so cool. This is set in an old train station and has a ton of charm. We have seen trains pass each and every time we have dined here.
This is a great place for children and only minutes off the mass pike exit 8. My loves to sit on the antique bulldozer in the parking lot as well.

The fried fish sandwich– very good! The carrot cake– decent. The famous bread pudding– meh. Not great.

I’ve been coming here since I was little. The food has always been great! I love their burgers and just recently today I tried their fish and it was pretty great!
It’s been a little over a year since I have been there but the staff is still very friendly and polite. No outdoor service right now because of the cold but when it’s warm it’s still great out! The trains to watch during the summer and such!
I didn’t get desert this time but my sister got some ice cream and it was still pretty good.

Love this place! I grew up nearby but never got the chance to come. So when my rail fan boyfriend came to town, we had to stop in!
The place is beautiful. Tall ceilings with the original dark wood. Beautifully decorated for Christmas. Cool old photos of trains, too!
The service was good, and the food only slightly better. Enjoyed my fish and baked potato but it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, this place is definitely more for the setting.

Went tonight for the novelty and stayed for the food. The restaurant is in an old train station, at the time it was built it was the third largest in Massachusetts, that did between two sets of live rail. That means the trains rumble past periodically. A 1909 Pullman dining car is outside and available for functions and a 1919 Porter steam locomotive and tender are lit up in yhe parking lot to add to the ambience. The servers all wear white shirts under blue-​and-​white stripped «engineer» overalls. Very cute uniforms.
But what if you are not a rail enthusiast? Go inside and look at the menu. It is a solid Americana menu that suits all tastes, including a few vegetarian items.
For starters we split fried pickles. This are sliced, not wedged, and lightly battered. They are served with a honey mustard dipping sauce made in house. We paired those with drinks; a Hendricks Gin and Blackberry Bramble for me (so good!) and an Almond Joy Martini for my wife.
I had the pistachio crusted salmon with teriyaki glaze and julienne vegetables. It was done perfectly. Not overdone but cooked just so and vegetables were also just right.
My wife had the pot roast with butternut squash and garlic potatoes. Aside from being a generous portion, the food was also perfectly prepared. She claims the squash was the best she has had at a restaurant.
Dessert was hot teas for each of us, Lipton’s black tea which was the only disappointment of the evening. But the Whiskey Glazed Bread Pudding soon made us forget the tea. It was delicious and is, according to our server, a local favourite.
I saw lots of families with kids as well as adults on date nights. The food was terrific and the drinks were well made. All for a reasonable price. We are already planning a trip back with the entire family.

This place is so good I’m quitting my job, breaking my lease and moving to Palmer. I want to eat here every day! Will definitely make the trip back here for the breakfast buffet. Highly recommended

Pleasantly surprised, although I should not have been as I went here based on Unilocal reviews.
We stopped in the middle of the week, between lunch and dinner, so it wasn’t busy. Service was prompt and friendly, with all servers working as a team. They all seemed to be experienced or trained well. Although it was a slow, weekday afternoon, everyone was professional and cheerful.
Both my wife and I broke my standing, personal rule and ordered seafood, which I usually do not do during the week. I was glad I did. Broiled to perfection, I had scallops, fish, and lobster, lots of lobster. I figured it out; if I had gotten just the lobster for that price, I would have been satisfied. Bottom line, good deal.
I was impressed with the building/​museum. Cool stuff. I wonder, though, what the sound level is like when it’s busy. But I will probably check it out for myself, anyway.

Friendly and accommodating service, especially with two small kids. Very unique atmosphere and quiet outdoor patio. The lobster roll was fantastic — big chunks of well cooked meat. Sweet potato wedges were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and fluffy and moist inside. Lobster mac was very good and a huge portion. Potato and tuna salads were a bit dry and could have had better seasoning. Kids loved the trains, of course.

You should check this place out. For the atmosphere alone, it’s worth a try. Is it the best food you’ll ever have? No. Is it the best in the area? Being from NY I wouldn’t know.
They offer some good looking dishes. Their sandwiches are priced well, and they all look very good. The only problem I had with this place was their prices. In my opinion, most of the food seemed a little overpriced. And from what I saw coming out of the kitchen, it didn’t look phenomenal. Again, everything looked very tasty, but for the price point I wonder how much of that is just going into the atmosphere.
Bottom line; good food, great atmosphere, a tad expensive, but worth a try.

Good service, a little green but they did okay for being new in the industry (my guess). We had the Mother’s Day buffet and although very busy it was a lovely experience and the drink service was quick. They didn’t remove empty bar glasses when they would come over, which I believe to be a very important part of service. The food choices was broad and all very tasty. Good for families and those with children and those who are not looking for a high end dining experience but rather a traditional meal with a cool environment (train station). We had fun after a few drinks too taking pictures around the station. The waiters in conductor outfits is a cute touch too! Great place to take Nana or your Nephew for sure!

Date of service: Dec 31, 2014
Meal: Lunch, Eat in
All Ratings out of 10:
Quality of food: 10
Food to Spend Value: 9
Quality of Service: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Steaming Tender is part restaurant, part train depot antique museum. From the moment you drive up, to when you walk in, to when you see a train go by during your meal, you realize you are in for a special experience. I had never been before and thought it would be a great spot for a parent’s anniversary celebration, so we had a fairly large group go for lunch.
They brought out rolls to the table which were soft, fluffy, and very tasty. We ordered fried pickles as an appetizer, and the pickles were perfectly done, with a really tasty batter that was light and crispy. Good rolls and appetizers are generally a good indicator of things to come, so I was excited for the main course.
There a ton of choices on the menu, making it difficult to decide what to order. I will highlight three items that were ordered from the table. My son ordered the kids mac and cheese with hot dogs, and my brother in law ordered the lobster mac and cheese. The lobster mac and cheese had liberal amounts of lobster chunks in it, with broccoli, penne pasta, and bread crumbs, and an ultra creamy cheese sauce throughout that was simply to die for. The kids version of mac and cheese is simpler but still way fancier than what you get most places (this wasn’t Kraft!), and it came with a hot dog sliced up on the side. It was also delicious, and it was easily one of the highest quality kids menu items I have seen in a while.
I ordered the Broiled Fisherman’s Combo Platter. It contains a sampling of haddock, scallops, and shrimp broiled with white wine and butter and topped with buttered breadcrumbs. Many restaurants, especially seafood restaurants, offer these types of broiled platters, but generally when you receive them they contain very tiny portions of each item, making for a disappointing entrée even when prepared well. This couldn’t be further from the truth here. The menu describes the portions as hearty, and they are spot on. And to describe it as delicious would actually be an understatement. The sauce that the seafood was broiled in was so rich and tasty that I found myself grabbing rolls after finishing the seafood just to soak up the sauce. I practically licked my plate clean, and I could savor that flavor on a daily basis. The entrée also came with a starch and veggie, and I chose rice pilaf and butternut squash. Both were great, but the butternut squash was especially well prepared and provided a flavor explosion in my mouth. I was thoroughly impressed with every aspect of my meal, and that is a rarity for me.
If I had one disappointment, it was with dessert, but it had nothing to do with the quality or taste. I have heard wonderful things about the carrot cake and had my mouth set for it, only to find out that they were out, denying my desire for cream cheese frosting and cake goodness. They are also known for their Signature Whiskey Bread Pudding, so I ordered that instead. And though it wasn’t carrot cake, boy was it delicious. It was super rich and indulgent and came out hot, and it is easy to see why they are known for it. Just don’t think about how many calories one piece contains! Someone else at the table ordered the Chocolate Obsession Cake, and it was creamy rich chocolate decadence. Steaming Tender just seems to do it all well.
The service was amazing, particularly for the size of the group we had. I want to give a specific call out to Jen H, our waitress, who was always on top of things and made our dining experience awesome. Request her if you can, and you won’t regret it. As I have already raved, the food is amazing, the portions are huge, and the prices are very good, particularly considering both the amount and quality. With the variety on the menu it is fairly easy to find something for anyone, and the quality of the food combined with the neat ambiance of the restaurant make Steaming Tender a place to visit for sure!

Love this place. It has a ton of character. Great historical building that was tasteful remodeled. I always feel like I’m stepping back in time when I enter!
The food is great as well. I have tried many of the menu items. My favorite has to the their Reuben with the potato logs (big thick fries). Their Mac and cheese, burgers and fish are all great as well. They have good beers on tap and the service is always friendly.
Don’t be surprised if you feel the building shaking while eating, if you do look outside and you’ll be treated to a passing train.
Just a fun place to eat. Would be good for the family or even for a date night. We always look forward to going here!