We were planning a wedding luncheon for 6 and had visited approximately 8 Lehigh Valley restaurants, looking for a menu that would please our party who ranged in age from 18 to 84, a unique and intimate atmosphere, great food and service, and ease of walking for our mothers. We were surprised to find that having a reasonably warm room on a December day is pretty tough to come by. One upscale French restaurant in Center Valley, PA, with a lovely setting actually told me that the manager "keeps a close eye on the thermostat" when I asked if the temperature could be raised a little for our luncheon. After all, I can have 64 degrees in my own house. I wanted at least 68 on my wedding day in my little ivory dress! Needless to say, upscale French was off the list.
Internet searching led us to the Black Bass and we took a drive along the river for a visit. We were greeted by Grant, the general manager, and I explained what I wanted. He smiled and waved me along with him and stated, "Come with me," and escorted us into a room with a massive fireplace. He pointed and said, "There will be a BLAZING fire in that fireplace!" Two other locations within the restaurant were offered as well. This was the beginning of what proved to be consistent efforts by staff to provide excellent customer service. Our waitress for our luncheon was Lorna, who was attentive, pleasant, knowledgeable, professional, and unobtrusive. Timing was wonderful. The food was fantastic, with selections and preparation that pleased everyone. My husband and I had dinner along the windows by the river. I expected it to be cold on this windy, December evening, but it was not. Karin kindly assisted us in transitioning from the restaurant entrance to the bar area and to our table while it was readied (we had arrived for dinner spontaneously), bringing us champagne and congratulatory words. Our waitress Jody, specifically placed me so I could enjoy the full moon reflecting off the water. She was a terrific waitress and will be in our memory of this wonderful meal. I overheard her giving the same friendly attention to her other tables. She obviously loves what she is doing and loves the Black Bass. We stayed the night in the Grover Cleveland Suite, which was immaculate throughout. I only gave 4 stars for sleep quality due to the fact that there is some noise, SOME noise, not a marching band, due to room location. We had no trouble falling asleep and remaining asleep, however. The next morning we returned to the dining room for our included breakfast and we attended to by Mara, who also was hostess. The excellent, pleasant service continued, as well as the delicious food. There were only 3 other people present that morning and we were free and encouraged to explore the restaurant and other unoccupied rooms. We also visited the General Store across the street for some goodies for the trip home. All in all, this was a perfect experience. We will definitely be returning and are planning to bike the towpath that runs directly in front of the Black Bass. Wish I was there now!

We were on a day trip so we did not stay in the hotel, however we dined there for lunch. I love eating or staying in historic places and the ambiance here did not disappoint. In addition to the historic feel of the place, the view from the huge windows overlooking the river are terrific. It is nicely located along the river in an area with parks, trails, covered bridges and so on.

Service was polite, the lunch prices reasonable, the food was good but not memorable. I had a crab cake - I've had better and I 've had much worse. My husband had a bbq beef brisket - he said the roll was dry, almost stale but fortunately was toasted which helped.

For us, eating there was probably a one time event. It was nice, but not nice enough to make us want to go back. We have other favorite spots and places we'd like to try.