My spouse and I visited McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion
Inn for an early dinner on a Sunday evening in early June 2016. We have dined
at McCoole’s two times previously, but this review describes only our latest
experience. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays through
Sundays (closed on Mondays). Reservations are accepted via telephone or by using
their online system. Parking is available in one of several lots surrounding
the property; one parking lot is immediately adjacent to the restaurant, one is
next to their event center, and the last lot is located down the street at the
Quakertown Chamber of Commerce (use the “Mane” Street Shuttle bus if it is
operating). Two area business also allow restaurant customers to park in their
lots after normal business hours. Because of the restaurant’s position at the
intersection of Main Street and Broad Street, on a corner that has a traffic
light, it can be a bit tricky to enter and exit the two parking lots closest to
the restaurant if there is traffic on the streets.
McCoole’s is located in the historic Red Lion Inn in
Quakertown, which opened in 1750. The Inn was used as a meeting place following
the American Revolution during the presidency of John Quincy Adams. It was the site of the organization of the
John Fries Rebellion, which was
an armed tax revolt by Pennsylvania Dutch farmers in 1800. The space
functioned as an inn with lodging for stagecoach and train passengers before it
became a restaurant. (It was called Abel Robert’s Tavern in historic times.) The
inn’s old livery stable (which is now called the “Arts & Entertainment
Place” and previously hosted the Main Street Theatre) is available to rent for
private parties.
The main dining space of McCoole’s has a quaint, rustic
feel, with lots of oak details. One room holds a bar, as well as several
high-top tables. The main dining area is divided into two sections, the larger
of which holds the majority of tables in all sizes and configurations. Pressed
tin ceilings, wood and/or tile floors, stone walls, and fireplaces decorate the
rooms. Outdoor seasonal dining is available on the front porch and patio.
The extensive menu, which arrives clad in a home-made wooden
cover, offers American cuisine. The restaurant’s goal is to offer a fine dining
experience on a casual dining budget. We shared the cheesy, creamy crab dip to
start, which arrived accompanied by toasted/seasoned baguette slices. The dip arrived
a little less hot than we would have liked, and it was covered with a layer of
melted cheese; in addition, we would have preferred that the bread be
unseasoned so that we could taste the flavor of the crab. For our main dishes,
we ordered two casual options: fish and chips (one large piece of deep-fried fish,
accompanied by well-cooked French fries, a bit of coleslaw, and a Creole sauce
in lieu of tartar sauce), and the El Paso mac and cheese (corkscrew pasta with
cheese, bacon, and sliced fresh jalapeno peppers). The fish and chips were
fine, but the amount of jalapenos in the pasta was truly overwhelming; when we piled
them on the accompanying plate, the mound looked as if it would fill more than half
of the oval ceramic dish in which the dish was served, leaving little room for
the actual macaroni noodles. For dessert, we shared the mixed berry mascarpone
cake; while tasty, the portion size was small, and the dish did not seem
house-made. The restaurant also offers entrée choices like steaks and seafood
if you are looking for a more elaborate meal.
If you are in the Quakertown area (where the restaurant
choices are limited), consider dining at McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn.
