Lyons Den
 

We had guests up this past weekend and thought long and hard about where to take them for dinner Saturday night. There are so many choices these days (yay!) but as we ticked through our favorites we settled on the Lyons Den. It was the perfect choice. We came with a well-behaved 3 year old and Lauren immediately set him up with high chair, crayons, paper, even a sippy-cup for his milk. We wanted our guests to have a nice view of the lake and of course we got that overlooking the Glendale docks plus a warm fireplace. The food was excellent: I had the grilled swordfish with a lobster newburg sauce (oh man), my wife had her usual chicken nicole which she loves, guests had duck (with two sauces!) and veal lauren. For the little one: chicken fingers and french fries. There was even live entertainment! A guitar and singing duo that included Lauren's niece and boy can SHE sing. What a great and memorable evening. Here's their link if you haven't been: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/lyonsden/index.html

Lyon's Den is great. We go whenever we get the chance!

Lyons Den
 

We love this place. Great food great people and my favorite Veal Jutta..:laugh:

Hidden Gem ??
 

I know I'm gonna regret posting this because now I'll never get a shot at getting that window seat ever again :laugh:

Lyon's Den (in our humble opinion) is a Hidden Gem !!

My wife & I debated all the usual options for dinner Thursday evening when I remembered hearing of the Lyon's Den on the forum. A place that in all the Season's we've been going to the Lake had never tried. So off we went.

Through pure luck we were able to get a window seat (in fairness however, it was Thursday), which immediately set the tone beautifuly for our first visit.

For those who haven't yet tried Lyon's Den -- the food is Awesome, the menu diverse enough to satisfy both the meat & fish lovers of the group. I happen to be in the meat group and have to confess the "Steak au Poive" was amongst the very best I've ever had. BUT as the menu warns, it truely is not for the "faint of heart" it's HOT !! :eek: My wife, on the other hand is the fish lover, and she raved as well about her shrimp dinner. And the prices are in line with both the atmosphere and excellant food.



The best part of the Lyon's Den is that it is a dine by boat option !!! But take fair warning, the slip availbility I can see would be at a premium. Although it is the Gilford Town Docks (3 long docks) the first two are reserved for the "Islanders" (no disrepect to them) or "permit" holders. and that basicly leaves one side -- (the left side of the right most dock, closest to the boat ramp) for the public. As viewed when you approach.

We loved our first experiance so much that we made Reservations for Saturday night as well and brought our daughter & husband. Two excellant experiances.

So as not to be dissapointed in Your first visit, based on the size of the resturaunt and tables available I would strongly recommend making reservations (especially in-season).

Best Regards to Lauren....... we will see you again -- trust us. The bad news is we won't be back till the end of July so hold our table.


http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/lyonsden/id1.html


.

We went to the Lyon's Den for the first time Sunday night crossing over from Bear Island. After learning about the restaurant from this forum we thought we'd give them a try. We were not disappointed.

The food was outstanding. I had the teriyaki tips and they were cooked to perfection. They were the best I've ever had! My wife ordered the pork roast special and she raved about it. The service was a little stretched as there was only one server and the hostess but they were very attentive. We went without a reservation thinking that it wouldn't be too busy but they were full when we arrived. We only had to wait about 20 minutes. Now that we have been once and know how long it takes to get there we'll be sure to make a reservation next time.

My only concern is parking at the dock. Are the docks policed at night? I'd hate to make a reservation only to find I couldn't find dock space.

Thanks to everyone for their comments about the restaurant. We've found another great place to go.

Rick

Rick -- in talking with Lauren (the owner/hostess you saw) the docks are indeed "policed" but NOT by Marine Patrol as I would have thought. Instead it's local jurisdiction.

I too had the same concerns with Reservations & slipage ....... perhaps Lauren could work something out with the local authorities (hint Lauren). A "Temporary" placard, with the Lyon's Den Logo that has Time & Date similar to many secured business parking lots as a thought.

Fine Dining
 

My new all time favorite “fine’ dining restaurant is definitely the Lyons Den. I went last night with friends and we all ordered something different. The menu is so diversified and the added specials are original. Each dish was cooked correctly with an original taste.
The service was personal and friendly. The atmosphere and view is special.
It is Best of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...laceType w:st=Lake</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Region</st1:PlaceName></ST1:p as far as I’m concerned.
If you want a place for a special occasion try it.
:):):):):)

Having previously praised the Lyon's Den, I'll add that many nights they have an early bird special at the bar, also the lunch (and full dinner) menu is available in the bar in the evening. The crab cakes are as good as I have ever had. :liplick:

BTW, one side of one Glendale dock finger is 3 hour docking, no permit required (pick up/drop off the other side of that finger). The other two fingers are for island residents only.

Tops
 

Ate at Lyons Den last night as our final dinner before ending a great vacation at the lake, everything was outstanding as usual. Between us we had prime rib, filet mignion, and duck all were cooked perfectly, service was the best, and view was tops.

Well, Horsehockey!
 

There goes the neighborhood! Wife and I thought this was our own little secret - word is out...

questions
 

What's the accepted mode of dress? I was thinking about hitting the Lyon's Den before the CS&N concert Wednesday, but have no interest in dressing up for anyone;). How does a table turn there - if I gave us an hour and a half is that sufficient, or should I stretch that to 2?

Concert dress is fine. 1.5hr for dinner would give you enough time. You may want to call for a reservation as they may be quite busy due to the concert.293-8833 That way you won't have to wait for a table...Enjoy!!:)

come to think of it....Is there any restaurant in the Lakes Region that won't take your money if you are wearing shorts and a T shirt?
:confused:

Lol!
 

I agree, mcdude. I just wanted to make sure I didn't find the one place that would frown upon one in concert garb. That would be my luck:D

I love the Lyons Den...
 

Monday 14-July I went there with an aquaintance for dinner... I ordered the Steak Au Poivre and she had the Delmonico.... both dinners were awesome.

Flash forward to yesterday afternoon...

I went to the Lyons Den with the above aquaintance and few of her girlfriends. We had a late lunch in the bar, I ordered the chix salad wrap special and she had the chix cordon blue special. Both were excellent! Notably there was alocal restaurantuer having a lunch there as well.

Unfortunatley the cat seems to be out of the bag when it comes to one of my fave restaurants!

Woodsy

true .. Lyon's Den is awesome
 

What lot's of folks don't know... even when times where hard for Lauren and her husband they held the course. I love Lyon's Den. I run a golf outing every year to raise funds for the Lake Shore Park Scholarship program. ($98K given away and growing) Lyon's Den has always donated "raffle prizes', even when it was hard for them to do so. This place and the owners are a class act in the Lakes Region.

The secret is out and if you don't try it, you are missing a great meal and some of the nicest people you could ever meet.

They even have white linen on the tables for lunch.. :eek:

A good restaurant
 

I have found Lyon's Den to be a very good restaurant with an amazing view. It is clearly deserving of our collective patronage.

Jetskier:cool:

It Is Official
 

The Lyons Den has become my new favorite restaurant on the lake!!!!!

There are not enough adjectives to describe how wonderful a meal we had.

Last night my wife and myself along with my sister decided to give the Lyons Den a try. Based solely on this thread! I was trying to figure out where we were going to eat right up until I read the forum that day. I decided to call ahead even though it was a Monday. We took the boat over to Glendale and we had plenty of spaces to choose from due to the iffy weather. When we arrived the restaurant was pretty quiet HOWEVER, the server had made sure to put a reserved sign on the very best table in the restaurant just because we called ahead. What service!!! We had Lauren (not the owner) as our server. She was EXCELLENT. Right from the beginning she was happy, helpful, funny and gracious. Good help is hard to find and this girl is a gem. She got us our drinks promptly and we were ready to order. I ordered the Veal Marsala and my wife and my sister ordered specials. One was a Lobster stuffed Scallops and the other was a Salmon with Lobster stuffing. The appetizers we ordered were Fried Green Beans and Scallops wrapped in Bacon. The apps came first and were AWESOME! By the way my wife and my sister were thoroughly enjoying their special martini's. I was sipping beer as I had the boat.
Dinner came and while my Marsala was good my wife and sisters specials were RIDICULOUS!!!! HUGE scallops with chunks of lobster for my sis and My wife was raving about her salmon. AWESOME to say the least. The presentation was spectacular. We all polished our plates clean. Desert was a Creme Brulee that we shared. It got decent marks not an A+ but more like a B+. My wife and sis thought it should have been warmed up. I don't know?
All in all at least an A close to an A+ review! The owner herself hung out with us for about 20 minutes after dinner and she is truly a person who cares about her customers. This restaurant is a MUST DO, for ALL OF YOU!!!! For the three of us we spent around $125 for dinner and drinks. Not bad considering the generous portions and excellent service. All in all:

Service: A+
Presentation: A+
Drinks: A+
Food: A
Appetizers: A
Price: A-
Location: A+
Atmosphere : A-
Cleanliness: A
Portion: A

OVERALL: A

A for awesome. About as good as the best in the region. This has jumped to my new top favorite on the lake. I am so glad I went and I am so grateful to the members who guided me to try this place. I ask all of you to give this place a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. Happy eating.:):):):):)

Lyons Den
 

Hazel Nut,
I tried so hard to get my group to go to the Lyons Den last PM. We even drove to the glendale docks so I could show them where it was. I really wished we had. The dinner on the Mount was off a bit as compared to your review of the Lyons Den.

going tonight!
 

We have reservations for 6pm, then we're off to Meadowbrook. I'll let them know the forum sent me;)

Lauren -- be forewarned, we're headed up next week.

I kept my end of the bargain (from Memorial Day week-end)

Be ready for our table request. :D


With all this posting I hope I get a slip !!

Lyons Den - A+++
 

Two thumbs up for this place !!:liplick: Three thumbs up if you can get a window seat and watch the M.P.'s doin' their thing.:rolleye1:

I don't know if they still serve it, but they have the best clam chowda in the lakes region.

P.S. -I don't think anybody on this thread gave a bad review.

If you can find this many forum members that actually agree on something, the place must be really good !!! :rolleye1:

two thumbs up
 

Ahh, what a hidden gem the Lyon's Den is! Like Hazlenut, we also enjoyed Lauren the server at our pre-Meadowbrook dinner last night. Poor gal was swamped with parties but her service was not at all indicative of the number of people she was handling at one time. Our reservations meant a lovely table at the window (viewing a not so lovely stormy evening), reservations pay off, people!!

We started off with the appetizer sampler, which was a nice assortment. The stuffed mushrooms were excellent, they were firm and delicious - I hate overcooked fungi and these were perfect. I loved the citrus sauce that came with the shrimp, the crab cake and it's accompanying remoulade was excellent, and the sauteed artichokes were in a buttery, garlicy heaven that was perfect for dipping the dinner rolls in. I can't quite imagine the sauteed artichokes on their own without rolls or crackers, I'd ask for some if you order that on it's own. As we worked our way through that, my husband also wolfed down some onion soup. As his bowl was completely empty, I have to assume it passed muster:D.

For entrees, I went back and forth and finally just ordered a filet since my mind couldn't be made up. It was a perfect filet, done right on the cusp of rare and medium rare, and the bearnaise accompanied it, rather than overpowered it. I love bearnaise, but it's often heavy and salty and drowns out a nice filet. This was lighter than expected, subtle flavors, almost a touch sweet - it allowed the filet to stand out. My husband had the duck special with boisenberry sauce. He spent all of his time chewing and none of it verbalizing, but he almost licked his plate clean so you can interpret that quite easily. Our entrees were accompanied by carrots which weren't hard and weren't mushy - yum! I had roasted potatoes which were moist and very good, my husband picked his usual rice on the side. Not a grain was left uneaten.

We finished dinner with a good cup of coffee; he had a chocolate bomb which I had to sample for forum review purposes:laugh: and it was wonderful. I had the creme brulee, and will have to disagree with Mrs. Hazlenut as it should not be warmed up prior to eating. If you warm it up, you'll never get your sugar caramelized on top. What good is creme brulee without poking your spoon through the crusty caramelized sugar?:liplick:

I didn't get a chance to chat with Lauren (the owner), but I did tell Lauren (the server) that the forum sent me (and to tell Lauren that McDude said hi!) and how pleased we were that everyone was on the mark. We had a lovely time, and won't be waiting until we hit Meadowbrook to go back again.



On a side note and as someone who works in the industry: if a restaurant takes reservations, you should make reservations. Doesn't matter if it's Wednesday at 6 or Saturday at 8, reservations will pay off in terms of your table and the restaurant's ability to prepare for your arrival. Pick up your phones, people. Or I'll always get the nice table by the window;)

2+2,

I'll have to tell Mrs. Hazelnut she was wrong! :laugh:

Nah, never mind I'll just keep this one between you and I. I for one loved the Creme Brulee. Glad to see another thumbs up. Happy for the owners that they may continue to put out a consistently excellent meal.

Thank You
 

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! It is very heart-warming that our hard work is being met with such wonderful reviews. We truly love our customers and want each dining experience to be a memorable occasion. After 2 ½ years it feels like we have found a wonderful home on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. Hope to see you all again soon, fondly, Lauren (the owner… not the server, but she says ‘thank you’ too!) :)

Simply the BEST
 

We went to Lyon's Den yesterday evening with a party of six. This was the third visit of the year for the wife and I. It was the first visit ever for two of our guests. Two or our children were with us, so the party size was six. We had reservations and were promptly seated. The dining room was full, but the service was appropriately timed and very responsive.

It seems to me that every time I go to Lyon's Den, the experience is better than the last time I visited. This is a hard thing for them to do, since I have always had great dining experiences at Lyon's Den.

Everything we had was outstanding, and we had steaks, veal and seafood. We had "Lauren the server" who did an outstanding job and also said hello to "Lauren the owner" who is always overseeing the diningroom operations. Owners' who get personally involved and take pride in providing their customers a great experience are "priceless" in my opinion. Laureen clearly makes the All-Star list of caring owners!

Our guests were completely impressed with the food, the overall presentation, the diningroom design and the view.

We cannot wait to get back for another great dining experience.

Keep up the great work Lyon's Den team! You are simply the best!

R2B

Couldn't agree with you more, R2B. We had a late lunch at the Lyon's Den last Wednesday and the food and drinks were fantastic. Chatted for a while with "Lauren the owner." What a nice woman. And she knows how to create goodwill with the customers. Not thinking, and missing the gigantic sign at the entrance because we were busy looking at the lake, we parked in a "God forbid anybody but a Gilford resident park here even though there are plenty of places because it's a rainy day" spot and watched as a ticket was written and placed on our windshield. Lauren gave us a 15% off coupon to soften the blow. We'll be back up to the lake this weekend for the Tull/Frampton concert, and we'll also be back to the Lyon's Den. Now only if I could get them to open another one in north-central Mass.

Den Attire??
 

Can anyone tell me if it would be appropriate to dine at the Den in Jet Ski clothing?

Was thinking of jetting over for lunch some day so we went to the web site to check out the menu and it seems a bit too fancy for tanks, shorts and sandals with our jackets on our backs....

Or is the lunch crowd more laid back???:cool:

attire
 

I had the same concern, MaidenCove, as we went prior to the C,S & N concert and I was sporting jeans and a black shirt, but no one was dressed to the nines unless they were over 65;)

The lounge was expectedly casual, so you can always rely on that if you aren't comfy in your water wear in the dining room.

Went to the Lyons Den last night (wife and I), had a great table right by the windows, and the food and service were both excellent.

She had a Chicken Parmesan entree that was huge and I had a blackened swordfish special with a "chunky lobster sauce". The sauce was great, with several whole pieces of lobster meat in it.

I normally sit at the bar in shorts, T-shirt and baseball cap. As I am but 3 weeks from turning 65, I am wondering if I will need a new outfit at the end of the month? I don't have any experience with that "nines" stuff. :D

that was a typo, slick
 

Yeah, that's the ticket. I meant, uhm, 85. :D Please continue wearing the same uniform that's gotten you to 64.9;)

lunch today
 

after all the great review's we had to try..went for lunch today and we were totally pleased the food was great and the service was too!!

:liplick:

Dinner was even better than lunch
 

We went Saturday night with another couple. I watched the other three have a gustatory orgasm when they tasted the blackened Mahi Mahi special.:liplick: My filet mignon with bernaise sauce was wonderful. And the carrots that came with the meals were great. Some restaurants seem to treat the side of veggies as a throw-away, but these carrots were delicious. And, of course, the creme brulee was again fantastic. Jutta was our server, and she was great...attentive and funny. Our friends are totally turned on to the place now.

I'm already planning a trip for my birthday in February, mostly so we can go to the Lyon's Den to celebrate.

Lyons Den - A+
 

Went to the Lyons Den for the 1st time. As previous members posted, it was great. It was our 39th anniversary and had a table right center of large window. Had the crab cakes for an appertizer, which were fresh. I had the tenderloin tips and wife had the stuffed shrimp for the entrees. We both enjoyed them tremendously. My only compliant(minor) was there wasn't enough carrots(agree with Rose) and potatoes to go along with all the meat they gave you. Finished with a lemon square with raspberry sauce, awesome.
Would go back again.

Dave M

Gilford....open up docking for restaurant!
 

Was driving by last night (Friday) around 6 pm and got the last non-reserved table! Reservations highly recommended and they DO hold the tables for the reservations. Dinner, atmosphere, and service were excellent as others have stated.

I am amazed that the only docking available for non Gilford residents is about 4 spaces adjacent to the launch ramp. At the time we were there, the Gilford-only docks, which could easily hold about two dozen boats were virtually empty.

Seems like the town could make an arrangement for patrons of the tax-paying restaurant to park in the other spots for a 2 hr basis. Maybe some sort of permit could be provided for patrons to put on their boat windshield.

Great Food
 

We spent a week at Smith's Cove last week and ate at the Lyon's Den twice. The food and service are great. Lauren, the owner is very nice and welcomed our 8 year old daughter along with us on a busy Friday night even though we did not have a reservation. Excellent food and a great atmosphere. We love it and will return soon for a great meal.

Do the math
 

Special consideration has been suggested for the patrons of one "tax-paying restaurant". The non-public docks are reserved for Gilford's Island Residents. They reside on 19 Gilford islands. There are 240 tax-paying properties on these islands, paying more than 200 times the taxes paid by the restaurant. Do the math.

Check out Lauren's updated Appetizer, Soup, Salad and Dinner Entree menus.

LYON's DEN UPDATED MENUS

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/s...g.w560h204.jpg

Dude that is our favorite table!

We were there (that table) for lunch last Tuesday; it was our anniversary and an evening obligation ruled out dinner out so we went for the best lunch in the area. The appetizer sampler was great, a very fresh salad with yummy dressing made there; crab cakes (my favorite) and a lemon square with the best ever raspberry sauce made for a very nice lunch. :cool:

See you next spring!
 

We made our last trip of the season to the Lyon's Den on Saturday night and as usual the food and service were excellent. I found a favorite in their tips and we may have to make the trek this winter if the withdrawals become too severe. I have to say I was really pleased about finding this great restaurant on the forum. We've been over a few times by boat and this has become our favorite lakes region restaurant. I'll be watching the web cams this spring for ice out and when we can resume our treks to a great restaurant.

As a Gilford taxpayer, I'm not sure if the 240 properties justify in taking over 2 docks and leaving only a quarter of a dock for Gilford non island residents to use. A quarter of it is reserved for boat launching and the other half is for loading and unloading only. I have talk to John Goodhue, who heads the island association about moving the load unload to the other side and share it with the boat launching site. That way the non island residents can have a full half. He just chuckles at me. There are hardly any boats on the loading/unloading side.

The place is on my TOP 5 list at the lake.
 

My wife and I eat there this past weekend, Saturday night. We had a drink and apps at the bar and then dinner in the dinning room. Great attmosphere, great food. Will have to go back and make it a regular stop.

turn about is fair play
 

This is old news.I can't believe people are just finding out about this place.You need to go out in the boat and find other places.:laugh::laugh:

I agree
 

I didn't want to mention in my original message that we had been trying to get into the Den for about a year but every time we went they were having a function and the dinning room was resurved. We must have just had dumb bad luck because every time we went (no less than 4 times) we ran into these funcitons. So it want for a lack of trying or knowing the place was there.

Big fan of the Den!!!!
 

Well this summer, Maiden and Crew finally made it over to the Lyons Den.

Thanks to forum reassurances, we went on the Jet Ski and sat in the bar.

Never actually got to meet the king pins, but tasted their wares, a la Caribbean Jerk chicken wings, French Onion soup, calamari, and burgers.

Nothing disappointed!!! The wings were awesome - that jerk slather was spicy and sweet and the wings were cooked all the way through. We've not had better French Onion Soup anywhere, the calamari was sweet and tender and it's tough to ruin a burger, but a good burger is so satisfying.:liplick:

AND, best of all, they have Leinenkugle on tap!!! Woo Hoo!!:cheers:

We're fans for life. Never been there for dinner cuz the dress up thing is the last thing we wanna do on weekends, but for lunch and lounging, it's perfect!

We'll be back and we recommend the place highly for a casual afternoon.

By all means, go for dinner. Four of us were in shorts, t-shirts and sandals or sneakers when we went on a Saturday night in August.

We're headed up tomorrow to drop the boat off for winterization and wrapping, and we're planning on hitting the Den for lunch when we're done. I think I'll try the tips this time, depending on what the special is.

We're also hitting the Wine'ing Butcher to bring home some tips to carry us over for a while. Of course, they're so darn good (I feel like Sarah Palin typing that) that they'll probably be gone by Halloween.

Well, I guess I should have taken a cue from your post and called before going there for lunch. It was closed for a baby shower. <HUMOR>Jeez, the kid's not even born and it's already ruining my dining experience. ;) </HUMOR> I'm just not used to going to a restaurant and having the main seating area reserved. We could have gone to the bar for lunch, but it was crowded and those stairs are less than inviting...perhaps they should be replaced, painted, something to make them look more welcoming. So instead we bought some tips at Wine'ing Butcher and we're now sitting fat and happy on our couch after partaking in the Steakhouse Tips...they were very yummy.

Tanner4mom
 

It's too bad you feel this way about the BEST restaurant in the Gilford area in a very long time.
You really should give it another try!
We love this restaurant, I don't know where to begin.
Service, price, food, people, etc........... We normally eat the bar because of the convenience of being able to order off either the dinner menu or lunch menu. (not too many places offer this). We have never been dissappointed!

Finally a place we can go to without worrying about wait, service and product.

The owner's Lauren and Roland are by far the most cordial host and hostess you will ever meet. The wait staff is just as stupendous!!!! That includes all of you. The kitchen help - great!!!
Cheers to you all!!

We'll see you soon!!!

Ralph and Maria

Yummy
 

Just had a great lunch at The Lyon's Den. Little snafu getting in as they forgot to unlock the front door. (musta heard we were coming) But, we had fun with that and call from the cell to ask to be let in! Food & service was great as usual. Hopefully, they have a great winter as local events start to pick up! And the view is breathtaking esp now that the lake is frozen over & bob houses are starting to pop up.

Can't wait!
 

If Saturday is as nice as the weathermen say its supposed to be we'll be launching the boat for the first time this season. Almost as exciting is the thought that we may even get to go to the Lyon's Den. I can taste the tips already!

Went to the Lyon's Den last night for dinner after hearing that the place was great. Well the forum is correct. The food is great. The tenderloin tips were melt in your mouth and the chicken nicole has incredible flavor. The service was top notch. We were greeted immediately upon walking in the door. The hostess sat us in the corner overlooking the cove (great view). Our waitress was very attentive, knowledgable and personable as well. The Lyons Den will be going to the top of list as one of our favorite dinner spots. :liplick::):liplick::)

Once Again, Just Great!
 

My wife and I have been frequenting the Lyons Den for a couple years now and have decided it is our favorite place to eat in the area. We went again this past weekend and everything was delicious as expected from the appetizers, to the main course and finally the desert. Lauren, her daughter Nicole and company offer the friendliest service around and are simply just plain nice people to talk to.

If you have never been, you really are missing out on one spectacular restaurant and owners who seriously care about consistent quality of food and service. We hope they are around for a long time.

Dan

Damn .........
keep making posts like that ishoot and I'll never see my window table again !!! :laugh: . :laugh:

Had lunch today at the Lyons Den and it was as good as always. We had the corner table right by the window and enjoyed the sun for a little while. I had the fish and chips and my wife had a grilled chicken salad. Both were excellent.

This time we came by car. Another couple sat down just after us and had come by boat. They were told they would get a ticket at the dock they had left the boat. The husband left to move the boat and the wife stayed at her table. He came back after 5 or 10 minutes and said he was told by the marine patrol (not the folks who usually issue tickets, but the only uniformed folks there at the time) that he couldn't park the boat on any of the docks. He came back to the restaurant, picked up his wife and left. What a shame for the Lyons Den.

We usually come by boat, but I wonder if they are not reserving one side of one dock for out of towners now? It was one of our favorite places to go in the boat.

That's odd. We were just there for lunch on Sunday and it still said three hour docking. I hope they didn't change it. Its not like there isn't enough space for the Gilford residents.

The MPO was wrong (also they have no jurisdiction over the use of the Gilford town docks). The 3 hour section of docking can be used by anyone. Only the 8 and 12 hour sections are reserved for island residents. There is ample signage.

I'm glad they were wrong. It's a great restaurant and I'd hate to not be able to reach it by boat.

Docking confusing and the Glendale Parking Facility
 

I spent a little time in the MPOffice on Friday - trying to get to the bottom of who scared away my customers with incorrect information. Apparently they were not sure so they called the Gilford Police dispatch and were misinformed by the Police Department. So, I called the police department and found out that indeed they were also confused about the new regulations for the Glendale Parking Facility. The upshot is that the Gilford PD sent an officer Bradbury down to speak with me in person and to apologize for all of the misinformation. Indeed the 3 hour dock can be used by anyone for a maximum of 3 hours. The 8 hour and 12 hour docks are reserved for Gilford Island Residents and it clearly - very clearly - states this at the end of the docks. Unfortunately the people who are in charge of monitoring and ticketing the docks and parking facility are not very customer service oriented. We have watched them over this past weekend - they watch people dock their boats where they are not allowed to dock and say nothing to them. They wait for them to leave or come up to the restaurant and then they go over and ticket them. We had 3 people come by jetski to the tavern today - they went out to find 3 $50 tickets on their jetskis. How much better for the local economy would it be to not upset and insult our vacationers? I am sure that they would gladly have relocated to the 3 hour dock had they been asked. I doubt that they will come back to this area any time soon as $150 makes for an expensive lunch.

Just imagine...
 

...the good will the monitor / ticket writers could have established, with a simple "Sorry, those docks are for island residents. You can park over here (and if necessary) if there is space." Of course, maybe the town doesn't want them to be customer oriented, and just write out those tickets.

Sorry, Lauren, lousy for your business. Maybe calls and letters to the selectmen on this will help you.

Dinner at Lyons Den
 

Wife and I stopped by Lyons Den last PM and we got the table right in front of the window. It was our 1st time there together. My neighbors and I visited a couple years ago for brunch but my wife was not available for that brunch. Even though it was raining the view was still nice. Dinner was good. The waitstaff was a perfect 10!!

These bureaucrats all need a lesson in economics and customer service. Why oh why is it necessary for them to treat people poorly (tourists and locals alike) that are trying to spend their hard earned money in the Town? It's another "Ames Farm" situation - kill the local business that's been supporting these bureaucrats' out of control spending for many years.

Gilford island residents.
 

As I posted on another thread, The island residents are upset about the new regulations. They have been parking in the three hour zone to spite the town residents.

I ask the Gilford officer about the situation. There is no rule or regulation that the Gilford Island residents can not park there. I can feel Lyon's Den and Gilford non-island residents pain.

Fact??
 

"As I posted on another thread, The island residents are upset about the new regulations. They have been parking in the three hour zone to spite the town residents."

Do you know this for a fact because I certainly do not see this happening. To the contrary, I see most island residents leaving those spaces open whenever possible. Sometimes there is no choice if all the island docks are full. But I have yet to meet any island person that spiteful.

Dan

This is exactly the reason my wife and I haven't been to the Lyon's Den yet; I haven't been able to figure out IF there's public dock space and where it is!! Thank you nerual721 for getting to the bottom of this! Hopefully, we'll be able to visit your establishment next week when we're up on vacation! :)

I also agree with upthesaukee and seaplanepilot; town officials and/or their representatives should be helping visitors to the area, not ruining their day! :mad:

As you approach the docks by boat there are three docks. From the lake view, right side of right dock is pick up drop off only. The left side of the right dock is public 3 hour docking.

The middle dock and the left dock (again looking in from the lake) are island residents only.

As an island resident, I have never parked in the public 3 hour section nor have I ever seen a island boat doing that.

Enjoy the Lyon's Den, we often do.

This was on July 6 around late afternoon. Two boats with Gilford stickers on it were on the 3 hour side. I am not going to go into details as what the boats look like. One of the boats had people in the boat sitting around. I ask them why they are not docking at the Gilford residents side. As there are people waiting to dock here. They didn't answer. I ask them if they were 'spiting' the town because of the new rules and a man says, 'Maybe'. I spoke to the officer on duty and he says there is nothing he can do. They is no rules that they can't dock there. I have another town resident that was trying to pull his boat out as a witness. Hopefully the officer can remember this situation and explain it to you.

Haven't had a bad meal yet!
 

Great lunch, great dinner, great prices, great service! What else can I say!

We finally tried the Lyons' Den last Thursday and it certainly lived up to the great reviews in this thread. We had a reservation and somehow were given the prime table at the center of the large window pictured below. The atmosphere, wine, food and service were all excellent and we had a very nice anniversary dinner. Lauren came by our table to chat a little and make sure everything was perfect.

Lauren and the Lyons' Den get five stars from us. We'll be back.

Wow!
 

Wow! What a view.

That is the table that we reserve for our anniversary dinner every year (provided that I remember:rolleye2:).

We've always really liked the Lyon's Den, too. We first discovered it years ago, when looking up here for a house. Ended up in the bar, and everyone was really friendly. We've kept coming since then. The food is very good, especially the duck. Just be aware that they stop serving early. We brought guests recently, showed up around 9, and it was too late for dinner. Just a heads up, and our only complaint.

Speaking of the Lyons Den, how is the parking now for non-island boats?

As you face the docks from the water, dock on right has 3 hour public parking on left side of that dock and outer half of right side of that dock. Inner half of right side is pick-up/drop-off.

If you are boating over mid-week, give yourself a good half hour extra. If it's a Friday/ Saturday evening ............ good luck. It's a lottery! sometimes ya win- other times ya lose!

the public portion of the docks only accomadate 4-6 boats ...... always annoys me when there is so much empty on the other piers (but ya will get a ticket)


Hey Laren (I know you watch these threads) .............. Hold our spot, we'll be up the first week of August :)