Buckeye Lake Winery - Thornville

This review is specifically based off our experiences having a wedding there.The wedding planner, Barb, was really great and so sweet and responsive. She got back to us really quickly and was so nice and helpful for all the questions and requests that we asked for. If I was just rating her services, I would give her 5 stars. However, we apparently had our wedding right in the middle of a management change and there were some major issues with the food on the actual wedding day. We paid for a taste testing and everything and ordered specific food items, and nobody communicated or informed us of a chef change. We were served food that was COMPLETELY different than what we tasted at the food testing. The chicken didn’t taste the same, the mashed potato’s were SO nasty, and there weren’t even the same food items, dressing/sauce, or anything. The chicken served at the tasting was so delicious and then what was served at the wedding was super dry and gross and was served with sides that we had never even seen before. Even the kids chicken tasted gross and stale.When we brought this to the managers attention, she didn’t offer any compensation just apologized and said that there was a chef change. I wasn’t asking for it to be free or anything but at the very least they could have refunded the taste testing or offered us a free meal or SOMETHING. It was honestly kind of upsetting that on my wedding day the dinner that was supposed to be served was completely wrong and gross and nothing was done—especially when spending thousands of dollars on this food.Other than the food issue, however, it was a really beautiful wedding and we had a great time and a great experience with all the workers. The red wine slushies were also really good!!

While the food was decent, the background noise was frustrating. The most disappointing part was the bill—my husband paid in cash, and rather than asking if he needed change, the waitress simply took the money and didn't come back. As a result, she ended up with a 20% tip plus an extra $20 without even checking with us. It was shocking that she just assumed she could keep it all. After waiting for a while without any follow-up, we decided to leave because we had simply had enough. This was our third visit to the winery, and unfortunately, it has not been a good experience any time. We will likely not return again.

I struggled on 3 or 4 stars. The food really is what put it at 4 as it was quite good. What was frustrating overall was the service (and I do understand it’s a Thursday lunch and maybe short staffed? . When we first walked in the sign said wait on hostess, a solid five minutes went by without anyone noticing us until someone finally did. Once seated it was just very very slow. They had a large group so again, I’ll attribute it to that large group maybe but there was no real apology or reasoning from the staff for being so slow and what felt like pretty disorganized. If you’re swamped, then let us know, maybe ask a manager if on staff to step in and assist. We live around the corner and it’s the second time in 8 years we have come and both times it was the service that was really lacking. Even looking through your reviews there are many the complain about the service. We will attempt a third time later this summer in hopes it will have improved but if it doesn’t, I can’t say we will come back, even if it is so close. Additionally, if I’m paying cash, it’s awkward having the waitress hover over me watching as a count out my cash I plan to leave. Maybe leave me a paper check and come back after please? That was SUPER awkward.

I understand that it's the busy start of summer, so we were willing to overlook the crowded outdoor area. However, the service inside was a bit disorganized, as the servers seemed confused about who was responsible for our section. That was my only complaint about the place. On a positive note, the wines were outstanding, and the food was visually stunning—definitely worth the stop! **Vegetarian options:** They offer salads, small vegetable plates, and pizzas for those who prefer not to eat meat. **Kid-friendliness:** High chairs are available for families in need. **Dietary restrictions:** Some dishes contain goat cheese for those who are unable to have dairy.

My wife and I visited for a wine tasting around Valentine's Day and ended up staying for dinner as well. The food and wine were both delicious, but the highlight was the fantastic staff! All in all, we had a wonderful evening. To top it off, we were treated to one of the most breathtaking sunsets I've ever seen! Just a word of advice: there's nothing else in the vicinity, so it's wise to have a plan—consider using Uber or a similar service.