Chowning's Tavern This family-friendly tavern offers lunch and dinner; of course Colonial Williamsburg is family friendly and we recommend Chowning's Tavern for families. We have taken care to frequent Colonial Williamsburg for decades; Probably the Christmas season is our favorite, and the long hot humid summer is the season we avoid. Any frequent visitor to Greater Williamsburg is in for a culinary treat; we focused our first few years on Colonial Williamsburg dining, and we still recommend the historical taverns. Dining in the 18th Century setting is provided at the following: * Christiana Campbell's Tavern® * Chowning's Tavern® * King's Arms Tavern® * Shields Tavern® Over the years Chowning's Tavern has evolved to "please families" with a fast food backyard grill. Limited menu and service hear. Caveat: avoid the backyard if desiring an authentic Colonial Dining experience. Please read reviews prior to visiting Colonial Williamsburg. We recommend above stairs dining; servers have had some training. Great tavern ambience. Chowning's Tavern may offer the best economy dining experience. In the 1960's we "discovered" Brunswick Stew, and this is still on the menu; moreover, my wife has added this stew to her offerings in her kitchen. Take care in personal review of colonial dining. Chowning's Tavern may or may not be a best bet for romantic dining. The tariff is appropriate for the fare. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Came here three days in a row only to find out that the tavern is closed. It says open both in Yelp and the website. Not good for tourists read more

Terrible food for the price. Buns were dried out, sausage sandwich was ridiculously bad. Definitely would not eat here again.

With an 18th Century inspired menu I was still so grateful the flavors are seasoned for modern tastes and not the boring old English ones! There are no reservations here, and there may often be a 20min or more wait because there aren't more than maybe 20 tables inside. If you can't wait, there is a sandwich stand next to the building, and a hot dog, burger, and beer garden in the back of the tavern- just walk around the side of the building to the fenced yard. It would serve the host if she mentioned these alternative options regularly to people who can't seem to wait- as a way to placate their hangry vibes. However, if you're in for a sit down experience and like what you see on the menu outside, the wait isn't too bad when there's plenty to see on the Main Street and shops nearby, just make sure your entire party is with you when you want to be seated. We went for the Welsh Rarebit which ended up being a bit like a deconstructed ham & melted cheese, the BBQ Virginia Pork with Cole slaw, mashed potatoes, and seasonal asparagus, the Onion Pie, and a flight of 4 beers (cider, wheat, porter, spiced ale). I'd have all of it all over again and because it was all tasty and portioned well without being too much or too little, I'd try more on the menu in the future. Service was friendly and very kind when I made a mess of myself and the table with an accidental spill, and it was nice to have the musician wander in and add some atmosphere during our meal. Bathrooms are on the upper level, which may be tricky for those who have issues with stairs. read more

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Great food. Best barbecue I've ever had! Great service! Outdoor seating only is available it was a beautiful day, so we lucked out. read more

A great place to get a snack or drink for your journey around Colonial Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg is a wonderful place to visit that really brings American history to life. It offers visitors a unique glimpse into 18th-century America with real shops, people dressed in period costumes and buildings maintained as they would be in Colonial times. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, this living history museum spans over 300 acres and includes restored buildings, interactive exhibits, and costumed interpreters. The site is an immersive experience where you can walk along cobblestone streets, interact with blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and even participate in colonial-era activities. I would recommend starting your experience at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center but you can go directly to the city where there is plenty of parking in parking garages along the outer streets. You can see lots of different working places in the city like bookbinders, silversmiths, gunsmiths, dress shop etc. This is located outside on the lawn to the west of Chowning's Tavern. The name is Chowning's Tavern Cider Stand. It is a small wood structure covered by canvas with a wood counter and limited selections. Do not let that fool you. I stopped by this 3 different times. Twice to get hot apple cider as I was walking around and once for the apple tart. Next visit I plan to try the "pasty" which sounds like a beef pie. The prices are about $10 for the tart and pasties , about $5 for the beverages and about $4 for the brownies, cookies and cakes. I will say that I tried the ginger cake and was not a fan due to the toughness but otherwise I very much enjoyed this place and would recommend it for other visitors. read more

I stopped here for a bite on a blazing hot day in July. The staff were friendly, although it took several minutes of standing around at the entrance and trying to get anyone's attention before I was noticed. I ordered the burger, which was brought out super fast. I appreciate that fresh fruit is a side option--note that it's a $3 upcharge if you want fries. The burger was average, along with the fairly dry potato bun. I enjoyed the live traditional music in the courtyard, which was a nice touch. The house wine was...house wine, served a bit too warm. For reference, cocktails are $12 and house wine $8. Super fast service with socially distanced picnic tables. The staff were all wearing masks as well. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Burger - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

There is always something special about visiting a Colonial Williamsburg Tavern. Chowning's has reinvented itself in the past five years and had done well before the closure of the historic district due to COVID-19. They may not be my favorite but do a good job. One of my favorite things about the taverns is the entertainment. It has scaled back in the past few years unfortunately. The last time I dined for lunch Wayne played his fiddle and Billy the Barkeep told his story. They also produce their own brew and have a good tap list. The decor is colonial era, so expect a lot of wood and staff dressed in period garb. My waitress Dakotah did a great during my last visit. From beginning to end she was on top of all my needs, my order was a Beef Trencher with side of slaw. For dessert a three layer raspberry chocolate cake. The main was tasty, but the dessert was the bomb. Prices tilt up, expect tourists prices no different than like visiting Disney. Hopefully in the near future Chowning's will reopen and all can enjoy a solid Summer season. I have visited them around a half dozen times during my residence in Virginia of 14 years and my kids always enjoy the experience too! Find them on the main drag Duke of Gloucester. 3.5 rounding up. read more

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We stopped here while visiting Colonial Williamsburg and had a wonderful experience. The servers were amazing, super attentive, friendly and personable. The food was off the chain. I had the beef stew, and it was the most amazing thing ever. The sauce was exquisite. The mashed potatoes was creamy and delightful. The vegetables were also really good cooked just right. The main dish was just so flavorful, tender, and so delicious. We had the chocolate cobbler with ice cream for dessert, and it did not disappoint. It was the right size the right amount of sweetness it was perfection. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - View from second floor seating - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We were at the immersive colonial museum and stumbled upon Chowning's Tavern. I was excited just to try this tavern based on the 1800's. We already had reservations at the colonial winery, so we stopped by and grabbed an appetizer and a drink. We had the crock of cheese paired with bread and it was quite tasty. There was also live entertainment which made it even more enjoyable. I liked that they had an assortment of dishes on the menu based on cookbooks from that era. read more

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I was told you go here for the experience, not necessarily for the food...but I say the food ain't that bad either. Although not amazing, still enjoyable. But the experience is definitely one to be had! All the staff wore period colonial outfits, our tables were small and wooden, the lights were candles, and we were serenaded by a musician! He was the highlight of the night...interacting with the customers and sharing about the instruments he played, etc. The appetizers we shared were the wings and potato chips and both were pretty good, especially the sauce that came with them. For dinner, I had the soup trio and pasty dinner. The small cups of different soups gave you a sampling of what they had to offer and the beef pasty was delicious, but the vegetable pasty was mushy and not great. My friends really enjoyed their butter rum cider and I enjoyed local brews with a beer flight. Oh and the pecan pie was small, but to die for! Visiting a tavern in Colonial Williamsburg is definitely a good decision. Bring some friends and have a good old colonial time! read more

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My wife and I were really looking forward to eating at a historical spot in Colonial Williamsburg. Chowning's Tavern is located right in the heart of the living museum and maintains the charm of an 18th century tavern. It offers a classic, home style menu that is limited and somewhat diverse. I ordered the Virginia Pulled Pork and my wife tried the Stewed Beef. Both were good but nothing was sensational. If I was rating the food and waitstaff I would have given the place 4 stars, however the lack of proper children's high chairs, and rudeness of the hostesses turned me off. When asked what the wait/availability for a table was we received a rude response where the hostess seemed like she was ready to go home and was bothered by us asking for a table. Upon leaving after we ate we saw that same attitude towards another couple who was inquiring about a table. Overall not a bad spot to get out of the heat and try an 18th century style dish in a historical tavern setting, but it was expensive and I did not enjoy the attitude of some of the staff. read more

We were visiting and stopped here for a quick bite to eat. Our waitress was really friendly and we loved the live music entertainment. Our food choices were pretty good. WELSCH RAREBIT- cheddar cheese, mustard and good wine. Served with country ham and Mr. Chowning's bread VIRGINIA PORK BBQ Shoulder of pork seasoned with Mr. Chowning's spice blend & smoked slow over apple wood, served with tavern slaw and manchet bread Drinks- Mint Julep read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - WELSCH RAREBIT and VIRGINIA PORK BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

I am, very generously, giving Chowning's four stars, not for the quality of the dining experience, but for the entire revolutionary performance. Everything from the menus to the furnishings is authentic 18th century, including the server costumes. The food is mostly authentic, although there is a hotdog on the menu and fries are available. The food is okay and not egregiously overpriced, considering the location inside Colonial Williamsburg. The choices are 18 century recipes, so they tend to be heavy, meat and bread oriented dishes. We had shepherds pie, a lamb stew with a scoop of mashed potatoes in the middle of the bowl. It was pretty good and the portion was about right for lunch. We also had a small spiced rum drink, which was very good, but severely overpriced and probably responsible for my liberal rating. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Shepherds pie - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

The inside of the restaurant was closed when we went last weekend(maybe due to covid) but the outside area was pretty nice too. It was convenient to have a quick bite and a beer while taking that history tour. However, the food was sub bar. I had a chicken sandwich. The chicken was pretty tough, overcooked. The portions were good. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

The positives: Air conditioning, clean bathrooms, friendly staff, reasonablypriced. The negatives: burgers are well done, adult burger is $13 and kids burgers are $7 and they are the same size; the trenchers recipe has changed and I added a new photo, it is an open face sandwich, not a pita bread sandwich. Nothing amazing. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Trenchers - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We came here a few months ago when we were exploring Colonial Williamsburg. We sat outside in the courtyard as it was less of a wait than to sit indoors. It was such a nice experience and I can't wait to come back in the warmer months to sit in the courtyard again. We were able to peruse a menu in line outside the gate. Due to pandemic procedures we had to wait to get in, and then we were able to walk up to the outdoor bar counter to order our food and drink. They give you a number that they shout when your food is ready, and you walk up to pick up at the counter. The courtyard is quite nice to sit in, and really spacious. The outdoor musician was FANTASTIC! I honestly thought the music was piped in but then I saw him performing, and his skill was phenomenal! Food was good as well, although I was slightly disappointed in my "trencher", but maybe that was me not understanding what exactly I was getting. Still tasty nonetheless. read more

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This place was amazing!! The building is beautiful ,the food was amazing, and the ambience was lovely. My only complaint was that the menu could've been a little more diverse, but otherwise it was amazing!! Pictured is the chicken hash. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Burger was grossly overpriced. It has the quality of a burger king burger, but 5x the price. The fries were pretty good, very crispy but also very oily. The service was mediocre, but they were very kind. The restaurant had a good atmosphere that did feel pretty immersive, but it wasn't very immersive to have the staff wearing whatever they pleased. Overall not terrible, but the ludicrously overpriced food and low quality of the food makes me rate this so low. read more

Delicious! Perfect spot for lunch when visiting colonial Williamsburg! The shrimp boil is great if you're splitting for a light lunch. Highly recommend Martha Washington's rose! They also offer beer flights. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Martha Washington's rose + beer flight (stoutd, spiced ale, seasonal ipa, Vienna lager) - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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My husband and I wanted to experience one of the "authentic" colonial taverns while in Williamsburg, and as our schedule allowed, Sunday was the only day we could visit one. Our options were limited to 2 of them, with one closing at 2:30pm. We opted for the one open all day, Chowning's Tavern, as we were visiting at an "off-time", around 2pm. We were immediately seated upstairs. We ordered iced tea and coffee (his) to drink plus two waters. Waters were never received, iced tea was served with zero ice. A promise to bring ice was never fulfilled. We saw our server for our drink order, food order, delivery of food, and to get the check, which we had to flag her down. She had 2 other tables so it is not like she was busy. We found her rolling her silverware, which, as a former server I know, is the last thing you should do on your shift. Service was 1.5 stars. The food was a solid 3 stars but nothing above that level. My husband ordered the beef trencher-Warm beef brisket, caramelized onions, aged cheddar cheese, and beer spread, horseradish sour cream, served on hearth-baked bread. He enjoyed it, although he thought it was heavy on the onions. I tasted it as well and confirmed it was pretty good, although the beer spread was pretty runny. The home-made chips, however, were excellent! Very well flavored and crisp. I ordered the Virginia pork BBQ sandwich-Slow-cooked pork on a brioche roll, served with tavern slaw. The pork was semi-dried out, although I did like the spice in the bbq sauce. The slaw was about a teaspoon worth in a ramekin. I had a side salad as my side item, which was fine-typical side salad. The blue cheese dressing was runny and seemed bottled instead of homemade. I am glad we tried the "authentic" colonial tavern experience, but I would probably leave the historic area for Duke of Gloucester street and eat there instead the next time I am in the area. read more

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Chowning's Tavern is located on Duke of Gloucester Street where you can find a cozy restaurant done in full Colonial style and american and southern cuisine. Upon walking up and putting our name down, I really appreciate they waitress asking if we'd like to be seated with others or alone. We opted to sit alone as I am just recovering from a cold, but we were still seated very quick! The table was small but we didn't mind as it was just the two of us. We could hear music playing from another room but it was very quiet in the room we were seated. The waiters were friendly and our food was brought out very fast after ordering. I will say my husband and I both felt the menu was small, even with it being a tavern there wasn't a lot of options as far as entrees go. They did have some very cute punch bowls to share, we happily admired another tables from afar. The pros of this place was the food! Though there weren't many options, my husband and I were both pleased with the portion size and taste of our meals! He got the chicken and shrimp gumbo for $16 and I got the meat trencher also for $16, we both got a side of homemade chips but had the option of chips, coleslaw or potato salad. We ordered and received our food very quickly which we were happy with as we were pretty hungry from exploring Colonial Williamsburg. If you order a pop it's free refills and they bring you plenty of water! The cons were that the room we were seated in had no music and only one other family, and it was as quiet as a library. My husband and I both felt like we shouldn't be talking and if we did the people around us would be able to hear every word. While our waiter was nice, she seemed like in a hurry to serve us and never checked in with us about the food. She would stop by to give us refills, ask about dessert and to give us the tab. We also noticed there were some fruit flies that were very persistent. Overall we had a good experience, we got to choose to sit alone or with others, fast service and good food. The waiter seemed preoccupied, the room we were in was so so quiet, and the flies were a bit of a turn off. Would we come back? Maybe if we came back to Colonial Williamsburg, but we would definitely ask to be in a different room, and would probably order the same thing. read more

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Do not try to eat here if you have food allergies. Asked about an allergy for my child, and David who was working the Garden was incredibly rude and smug and refused to try to find out if a food contained a common allergy. Shockingly bad service. David is not someone who should be interacting with customers. read more

I regret how long it's taken me to enjoy the food and atmosphere at one of Williamsburg's historic taverns. It was in fact the ambience and service that really struck me as top notch. Our server was attentive and gave us excellent suggestions. A violinist strolled about the tavern, playing various tunes while we ate. Because the rooms are not overly crowded, there was a low level of chatter that was pleasant and we could enjoy the music no matter what room the musician was performing in. The player made certain to never overwhelm the room with too much song, and frankly did a stellar job at enhancing the experience: patrons were often stamping their feet and clapping along to livelier jigs. While the food was fairly priced and of good quality, I was somewhat disappointed in how basic a few of the offerings were, such as the wedge salad and the various trenchers. It was my fault for not asking, but I had assumed the trenchers would be a hunk of bread with the various ingredients built atop it with gravy ladled over. Rather, it was a well constructed sandwich (see photo). However, the shepherd's pye was excellent. The drink selection was perfect for a tavern, with all of the local Alewerks brews on tap that said brewery creates specifically for Colonial Williamsburg. Our party of five was also quite excited to share a punch bowl at the end of the day. It was perfect. Overall, a festive and enjoyable evening! read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Turkey Trencher and Rum Punch - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Charming and delicious part of Colonial Williamsburg. Homemade Root Beer is good too. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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This was a good dining experience in Colonial Williamsburg. It was a Monday evening and the only restaurant open in the historical area. The beef stew was excellent and the onion pie was also very good. It was pretty busy. We put our names in at 4:45pm in the afternoon, returned around 5:30pm and were probably seated around 5:45pm. They did tell us it was about an hour wait when we first checked in. When we showed back up, they had closed the wait list. Overall, we were please with the experience. The waitress was very good and we enjoyed ourselves. read more

We had a blast in Williamsburg, VA! Such a beautiful and neat town that really takes you back in time. We stopped at Chowning's for dinner and it was a cool experience. A neat selection of food that they would have served back in the day paired with a delicious glass of wine. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - two glasses of wine - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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I wasn't confident about going here as I feared it was so touristy that the food wouldn't be good. Wrong! I had the barbecued ribs & they were great. Very meaty & very flavorful. The hand-made chips that came with the ribs were terrific as well. My husband had the brisket sandwich, & he was happy with it. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

This is ok. You can do way better in Willamsburg. This basically a tourist trap in the historical part of town. The wait to get a table can be painfully long. If you do go there I recommend the brunswick stew of young fowl, smoked brisket and fresh garden vegetables topped with pickled okra. Wash it down with the Old Stitch is a American Brown Ale from local craft brewery AleWerks Brewing Company. read more

I am so glad we decided to try the tavern. The shepherd pie and Brunswick soup were excellent. The pie is sufficient for two people and the soup can comfortably be an entree for one. You can taste the freshness of the vegetables. We paid $32 for both in addition to a side of fries. It was an extraordinary culinary trip to the past read more

This place is terrible overall - when there is already a waiting list when it opens you need to open your patio. Also we were on the waiting list and they text us the table is ready and we are still waiting for our table 20 minutes later - we lost our seat in the shade- do NOT text people until the table is actually ready. Williamsburg needs to work on getting more food options this is ridiculous- also their menu sucks most options you see in the Yelp pictures aren't on their menu - they don't have the larger menu right now as of April 2022. The food was good but again what most of us wanted wasn't on the menu- the punch was good read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Family size punch - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

For a tourist trap, it isn't half bad. I had the lamb stew and it was peachy, but the home made potato chips are addictive, and I very much enjoyed the dip they came with. I really appreciated that they had beers that kind of sorta approximated old timey beers. The Old Stitch is good, the Dear Old Mum is mediocre. We had a 15 minute wait, but there's lots to easily check out around the block. The service was fine; I imagine it's difficult to serve tourists non-stop and in a funny uniform. I would have a hard time staying positive. Why are all the chairs different heights? And are they so low, because people were shorter back then? read more

I'll start off with this. Be prepared to walk a bit to get to this restaurant. There isn't parking near. And there are no signs to direct you there on foot. Personally, I felt like this place was a little overpriced. But it makes sense because it is in a touristy part of the town. My Uncle suggested this place while we were in Williamsburg, VA so that's why we came here. I loved that they had a live guitar player, playing old colonial music. That and the lighting made the place a good place to feel the colonial experience. The staff was dressed in a colonial montage. However, they were quiet bah-humbug. All of there kid menu items are 7$ they come with a side and a soft drink. I got the Garden wedge. It was nice with a good amount of blue cheese which was nice. The soup my wife got was good she says. The ribs were good my mom said. But she's had better. Overall, like I said. It's touristy spot. If you want to come for the experiment then come. But it wasn't amazing. read more

Really enjoyed our meal at Chowning's Tavern. Right in the middle of Historic Williamsburg VA a great option for a meal (I have to admit I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality, quantity, taste and price - I know all the things that SHOULD be good but unfortunately usually are not when your in a vacation spot like this) - highly recommend giving Chowning's a try! Excellent service, very pleasant and attentive even in the crush of a Saturday lunch. They have a fiddle player walking around taking requests - just a great atmosphere. The food is really good! Again really good sized portions and very tasty - everything that we tried (6 of us including a 19 year old and a 3 year old so we ran the spectrum). Really good prices - again for someplace that has you "trapped so to speak" because once your in, they are the only options you have. Nicely done! read more

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First come first served. We ate lunch here twice. The food was delicious. Service was pleasant & fairly quick. The first time there was a lady who was eating alone so my daughter & I invited her to sit with us! We had a great conversation. She was visiting on business from Seattle Washington so we had a great conversation about our different states. The food was really great. I had the beef trencher & wings. Also tasted my daughters shepherds pie (not my cup of tea- very little meat). Reasonable prices compared to sit down restaurants you normally visit $12-16 entrees. Recommend this place ! read more

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Outdoor dining only due to covid, the line formed long before they opened. The back patio was nice. I got a veggie pasty (meh) and beef pasty (5 stars!), plus a very expensive cider. Also ordered one dessert that they ran out of so we were given 2 ice creams instead. read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Pasties, cider, and ice cream - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

My wife and I were looking forward to this experience, we arrived at 5 o'clock on Thursday, October 13. The reception we received as we were putting our name on the waitlist was less than friendly. I actually felt like I was inconveniencing the hostess. In addition, we were put in the upstairs room. It felt more like an attic. I have no complaints about the food. However after such a cold reception I had lost my appetite a bit. Fortunately, our waitress was very friendly. read more

Had a group of 8 and they didn't allow us to push tables together and didn't even tell us why. Waitress seemed like she didn't want to be there. She wouldn't let us order our food and drinks at the same tkThe roast chicken had zero flavor and was dry as hell. I didn't expect a 5 star meal at a tavern in colonial Williamsburg, but I didn't expect the food to be cooked in the 1700s and just left out until I came 250 years later. Rarebit looked like it was cheese wiz topped with lunchable ham. read more

Everything was very good! And the service was GREAT. Definitely recommend getting in line around 11:00 if you are wanting to eat lunch and around 2:00 if you want supper. It's a great experience and great food! read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Sweet corn - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Had a nice dinner here.  I got the soup sampler: Brunswick stew, corn chowder, and ham & bean read more

Chowning’s Garden Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia