This is a nifty product that works for most Medieval or slightly later campaigns (can work with steampunk stuff too)...

It gives a nice flavor to your inns or restaurants that your party may continue to return to. Very useful.

Recently, I was pleased to be able to review a couple of products for Small Niche Games. Today's review is of Tavern Menus: Fantasy Food and Drink, which is a short (8-page) pdf consisting of 6 different menus suitable for use in a fantasy inn/tavern sort of backdrop.

If you are anything at all like me, sometimes you get stuck on what's being served when your players' characters stop over at an inn for the night. Tavern Menus solves that problem, as each of the 6 menus are unique, with bills of fare ranging from the high-end to the bottom of the ladder (dining at the The Dead Boar, anyone?).

The visual design is nicely done, with the relative quality of dining establishment clearly evident. Prices are not included, since I believe the author recognizes each game is going to have its own cost ratio, but suggested prices are given a brief introduction elsewhere in the document.

It'd be nice to have a fill pdf where you could enter and customize the name of the establishment, but really, that's the only gripe I have with this product. It does exactly what it sets out to do, and at $2.99, is a great bargain for adding a bit more immersive flavor to your session.

A short review for a short product, but hey, what do you want? My players were wowed by this product, had a lot of fun picking out their orders (though thankfully not to distraction), and I feel like Tavern Menus fulfilled its side of the deal. I'll happily recommend it to anyone looking for the same sort of experience/prop.

I have fallen in love with the shows by British Chef, Gordon Ramsey. No, not the American reality show inspired fake drama fest shows he is producing in the states, but the British Broadcast of America exports produced in England. Ramsey has built his empire of exquisite cuisine off of his signature saying, keep it simple and fresh. Whereas I doubt any of the dishes in Tavern Menus: Fantasy Food and Drink, produced by Small Niche Games and designed by Rick Hershey, taste like Ramsey’s 5 star cooking, Tavern Menus does follow his niche advice by making a simple and fresh gaming device that will come in handy by any DM.

Tavern Menus is the product I needed but did not know that I needed it. Just last weekend, my PCs walked into a city went to the Wicked Owl and ordered dinner. I can give you the adjusted AC of a Juvenile Silver Dragon but I can not tell you what these people eat. I named some made up dish but I loss a bit of the emersion I like to create. Tavern Menus fixes that.

Tavern Menus is only eight pages long and contains six menus. The menus are very creative and each uses artwork and typeface designs that sing medieval. You can not find more authentic looking menus unless you go to a renaissance fair. There are no prices on the menus, as the author leaves room for the DM to adjust for his economy. A very nice touch that so many designers forget. Every campaign is not the same. The DM does include a box of suggestions for prices to give the DM a ball park figure.

For the DM: Each Menu is extremely different. You can identify them easily. One is good for a very upscale palace retreat where as one is really good for that hole in the wall.

The Iron Word Tavern Menus is the must buy document you store on your computer and print up when you really want your PCs to fill immersed in the setting. If you enjoy handouts and spend hours making documents to give to your PCs, you will enjoy this PDF.