The atmosphere, menu, and service of The Circular provide a versatility of dining experiences from small plates and drinks at the bar with friends, to an intimate meal for two overlooking our magnificent gardens.
Here, you’ll enjoy history with a twist of innovation. Try our signature cocktails, taste the new flavors of our menu, and enjoy the bustle of activity in our chocolate pastry gallery, where decadent desserts are created to order while you dine.
"We were looking forward to the re-opening of the Circular. We were disappointed. The place was one step up from a fancy cafeteria. They had so much potential with the tall ceilings etc to make this place cozy and warm but quite the opposite occurred. the walls are stark white and the noise is deafening since they could have used some of the walls as sound barriers. the wine closet which would be beautiful in a room with 10 foot ceilings but gets lost in this giant room.
The food was just average. We at salmon which was average. Devon in Hershey does a much better job. Their special was shrimp and grits..we are not in the south. There is nothing more creative than shrimp and grits at the Circlular?? WAY OVERPRICED FOR THE QUALITY RECEIVED."
Dined on 5/12/2013
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"The 're-modeled Circular Dining Room' has lost the pizazz. The decor/tables/chairs are very pedestrian. The bar in the center of the room is attractive. The menu is ordinary and limited. The special for the night was 'shrimp and grits'. I suppose they will garner more business from hotel guests by being less formal. They called me to confirm the reservation and refresh me on the dress code. As we watched, the dress code was not enforced, from ball caps and jeans, to students in shirts with tails out over jeans who were eating with mom and dad - hotel guests. Either you have a dress code or you don't. Sorry, this effort has not garnered my return business."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: notable wine list, scenic view
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"The new Circular is different from the old Circular Dining Room. Each provides a good eating out experiences, but each in a different way. The new bar in the center of the room is nifty. on the down side, It appeared that the restaurant was being lax in enforcing its dress code; that's a real shame. Diners shouldn't wear pants or dresses that require dry cleaning because the heavy flatware keeps falling off the artsy plates ... we entertained ourselves by experimenting with the balance point of the flatware; nevertheless, this problem needs to be fixed right away."
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: scenic view, special occasion
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"Wonderful from start to finish...relaxed , but attentive atmosphere with beautiful crafted cocktails. An innovative menu with excellent wine pairings followed by spectacular desserts. Gorgeous bar to mingle at with a delightful view of the grounds. Bravo!"
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, vibrant bar scene, great for brunch, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, hot spot, special occasion, kid-friendly
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"Hershey still has a way to come to be rid of the attitude. For example, we were not permitted to enter the restaurant until exactly the clock struck twelve. Hershey may have made physical changes to the interior of the restaurant, but the food and atmosphere and vibe are still the same. An establishment should not tout themselves as casual if they are not truly striving for that impression. I was expecting big changes and improvements. The only big changes were the new furniture, new coat of paint and a circular bar. There was nothing on the buffet that I myself could not prepare. If you are looking for an innovative & exciting & creative selection this is not the place. However do expect the same food and same high price. Not casual"
Dined on 5/09/2013
Special Features: special occasion
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"After many years of wonderful dining in the Circular Dining Room, great disappointment this week with food, service and decor. It has lost the special class of the past!!!!!"
Dined on 5/08/2013
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"We visited The Circular as long time customers of the Circular Dining Room. Whereas I was not pleased with seeing jeans and t shirts in what was once a high class dining environment, they did a nice job making it more New York contemporary chic. The great views remain as do the stained glass. Wait staff was attentive. New menu offers many more possibilities than the old, reminding me a great deal of the menus at other Hershey owned establishments like The Harvest or the Forebay. The onion soup- exceptional. The balance of the meal, good but not great. Pricing at par with before. Overall, a nice experience. I will close by saying the Circular Dining Room was my "special" place. I am not sure if the new Circular does that for me."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: great for brunch, scenic view
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"Disappointing menu selection, only one special in addition to the menu. My Filet mignon was not of the quality that warrants a Thirty Eight price, with everything else extra. My wife had Salmon that was very good."
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: scenic view
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"Delicious food. Very friendly servers and staff however we felt it took a little long to get our order taken when it wasn't that busy. Fondue desert was fantastic."
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"Rid yourselves of the hip hop tracks to provide air of sophistication. We are not going to a club but to a fine dining establishment in pastoral Hershey PA. At least broaden your horizons with a few more selections. I must have heard the same music thirty times."
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: special occasion
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"Although a renovation was much needed at the circular dining room at Hershey, the changes made removed the elegance that we came to enjoy over the years. The food as always is excellant, however the ambience and attention to detail that is most definitely included in the price is lacking. The laxed dress attire and addition to a bar in the center of the dining room has changed the atmosphere"
Dined on 5/05/2013
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"Prices were average for an upscale place here. Appetizers were great: crab louie salad & french onion soup. We were seated at 8:30 and done with our apps and first round of drinks before 9:00. Yet at 9:30, we were still waiting for our entrees. Our server was sweet, and oodles of them were moving about, even with the room only a 1/4 occupied. Baffling! I had a burger, since others recommended. Good but not special. Also truffle broccoli mac & cheese, which was bland, barely warm (though served in a cast iron dish) and sadly blah. He ordered tilefish--good but a seriously small portion for dinner and thoroughly unremarkable. For dessert, we had chocolate fondue--happy they let us swap fruit for carby stuff. In sum: has potential, needs work!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
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"We had a fabulous experience at The Circular. The old dining room was lovely but we like this update as well.....it was timely and very nicely done. The decorators managed to take away the stodginess and replace it with old time romance. The service was outstanding, the food was expertly presented and prepared and the deserts and drinks were top notch. Most importantly, we were not rushed. We were made to feel like we were the only ones in the room. We highly recommend and will definitely return."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, romantic, scenic view, late-night find, notable wine list, special occasion
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"I was skeptical that things may have changed with the redesign of the Circular. Our meal was as usual outstanding! Service was attentive and added to the overall pleasant nature of the meal. Yvonne our main server and Raymond the Sommelier were terrific . The food was outstanding."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic, notable wine list
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"I surprised my wife for her birthday - deciding to eat at the Circular. I had never been to the Circular - but she was many years ago. We both were excited to give the new Circular a try. We were not disappointed one bit . . . however, she noted that the music seemed to be a bit of a misfit for the restaurant. Perhaps the Circular is trying to change their image . . . . but thought this observation from one eating in the restaurant may be helpful to hear.
The food was very tasty - not a huge selection on the menu though. However, I would highly recommend eating there! The wait staff were very supporting and friendly."
Dined on 5/01/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic, scenic view, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"We truly enjoyed our dining experience. The food was very good. I had the wild bass (the chickpea broth/base was ok) and my husband had the king salmon. The broccoli and truffle mac and cheese as a side was fantastic! The chocolate and peanut dessert was fantastic as well. The "new look" of The Circular is a bit more contemporary ... not stodgy anymore. The view of the outside is as beautiful as ever and when the daylight fades, the inside lighting enhances the ambience. As expected, it is a bit pricey, however, if you are looking to treat yourself every once in awhile, The Circular is a great place to accomplish this! The dining staff go out of their way to make your visit enjoyable!"
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"The new Circular has the feel of an urban hotspot that you would find in NYC/Philly/DC. The drink list was different to what one would expect in Central PA, yet it continued to temp us to order more drinks..the steaks were perfect, I would recommend the dry aged burger as well. The only thing lacking was the dessert selection, everything was heavy on the chocolate (as one would expect at Hotel Hershey) however there were no lighter choices or fruit/sorbet options."
Dined on 5/01/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list, special occasion
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"There is no ambience now. Prior to the renovaitons, it was a beautiful, enchanting dining room. It looks as if they tried to invoke a masculine "club" atmosphere. The square and rectangular shaped tables are not conducive to conversation in groups larger than 4. The surrounding gardens and the existing stained glass on the windows was apparently ignored in the decorating of the dining room. Our view consisted of women in bathrobes reclining on patio furniture. The quality of the food remains as delicious as it had been. However the serving areas for Brunch were very congested, not enough plates/serving ware. Guests using fingers to serve. Service was great."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2005
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"Great update from what was the Circular Dining Room. Those that may have been turned off by the dated and somewhat uptight feel of it before should certainly give it a try. The specialty cocktails are excellent, the service is solid and the food shows a lot of potential. I look forward to seeing how it progresses over timer."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, hot spot
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"We celebrated our anniversary at the Circular. Both of the appetizers we ordered were outstanding especially the cocoa dusted scallops. The arugula and roasted beet salad was also perfect with just enough dressing to not wilt the greens. We each ordered a fish entree, one the special and the other was the fish on the menu. The sea trout was a little over cooked but the sauce and sides were a great complement to this meaty fish. The striped was was cooked perfectly but the chickpeas just seemed to be thrown on top as a garnish. We ordered one dessert to share and were also surprised with 2 chocolate covered strawberries for our anniversary, a very nice touch! We will definitely dine here again!"
Dined on 04/28/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"I had dinner at The Circular with the love of my life and we both enjoyed it very much. The food was fantastic and the staff was very courteous. We are looking forward to coming again soon. Thank you."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2013
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"The food and and ambience was excellent. The help was very nice and polite. We ate lunch and next time we will do breakfast. My wife and I enjoyed our tenth anniversary. Three things we suggest: We didn't see a name for the place. Maybe put the register at the bottom of the steps when one enters. Make the dessert smaller bite size so one can try all of them without sugar shock. We give you outstanding marks for everything. Thank you for a great experience."
Dined on 04/26/2013
2013
Special Features: special occasion, great for lunch
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"Food was good but overpriced for the quality. I expected food to be exceptional and found it to be on par with my neighborhood restaurant for quite alot of money."
Dined on 04/26/2013
2012
Special Features: special occasion, scenic view
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"We were very excited to check out the remodeled Circular Dining Room. The dress code has been relaxed which is nice and makes it much more approachable. The new bar is beautiful and we're excited to go back just to hang out there to enjoy the new drink menu as well! The fresh bacon cheddar biscuits and salted butter was delicious! I ordered the Ocean Cocktail (smoked shrimp, crab meat and lobster meat over a mango salsa), Shrimp and Scallop skewer as my entrée and a side of the mushrooms. I can't say enough how delicious it all was! My husband got the spare rib appetizer and the Prime Rib entrée with the double baked potato and creamed spinach; it was all fabulous too although the potato was not the best. Our desserts were also fabulous!"
Dined on 04/26/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, special occasion
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"We had a wonderful dinner and got to overlook the gardens by sitting at the Hershey table. What a nice surprise when the server brought over a plate wishing my parents a happy birthday in chocolate complete with chocolate covered strawberries. I always knew it was a special place and really enjoyed the upgrade in decor. We will be back. Thank you for a memorable evening with my family."
Dined on 04/25/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"My wife and I wanted to have an away night before I took off for a 20 day mission trip to Uganda. Our experience was terrific and outstanding! Everyone treated us like we were special guests!"
Dined on 04/26/2013
2013
Special Features: great for brunch, romantic, special occasion
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"The Circular Dining Room is a very special place to dine. The room and expansive scenic views to the grounds of the Hershey Hotel is a joy to be in. They have installed a circular bar to the middle of the room. They have a terrific wine list. We ordered the Rack of Lamb with Fava beans with an Eggplant- Pomegranate reduction sauce and the Wild Mushroom Wellington. It was suburb. The staff are very friendly and attentive. Well worth the trip."
Dined on 04/22/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"Great Sunday brunch! We have always liked going to Hotel Hershey and the new dining accommodations in the Circular are very nicely done! The brunch menu variety is always a real treat. We love trying all of the different items their creative chefs come up with!"
Dined on 04/21/2013
2012
Special Features: great for brunch
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"We have dined before at this restaurant but it was known as the Circular Dining Room what was a formal dining experience (e.g. jackets, china set on the table upon arrival, etc.) It's now "upscale casual." The food quality is extremely poor for a Hershey venue. Very bland and minimal considering the prices. The chef needs a lesson in seasoning and presentation. For the price, this restaurant is not worth the visit. $32 for a 6 oz filet mignon with 3 grape tomatoes and NO starch. Ala carte sides were awful (rubber mushrooms and coated onions). Shrimp and scallops had absolutely no flavor and again no starch, only three grape tomatoes. Don't waste your time or your money..Sorry Hershey, change the chef, not the restaurant!"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2009
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"Although this newly renovated local landmark had not officially re-opened, our reservation was accepted, and we were treated to a most gracious, dining experience. The entire waitstaff was attentive and responsive; when the specially fresh-baked rolls were revealed to have bacon in them, the chef baked a new meat-free batch for us. The dining room is beautiful, with wonderful views of the hotel grounds, especially if you have a window table. The delicious entrees were well prepared, with wonderful fresh ingredients. Save room for dessert! There was a noisy event overflowing the hotel lobby and balconies. Yet, none of that noise reached the dining room, and the ambience in The Citcular remained serene and inviting."
Dined on 04/11/2013
2011
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Ratings-Only Reviews for The Circular at The Hotel Hershey