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    Ember

    4.7 (54 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Ember Photos

    EMBER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Ember

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    Menu.
    Dennis D.

    This is one of our favorite spots in the Williamsburg area/Embers. It's located near downtown, surrounded by several other great restaurants, but we always seem to find our way back here whenever we get the chance--usually at least once a month. The staff is consistently friendly and welcoming. My wife and I often order the shrimp salad, and it's always outstanding. The drizzle they use is absolutely amazing. We've also enjoyed the scallop risotto, and on this visit, we tried the sushi rolls--every dish has been delicious. It's not just the food that keeps us coming back. The atmosphere is wonderful, the service is excellent, and the overall experience is consistently top-notch. If you're in the Williamsburg area, this place is definitely worth a visit!

    Bread pudding
    Scott D.

    We dinned here twice months ago but I have been traveling extensively for work. The ambiance is first rate, beautiful interior and fantastic bar options. The drinks were very good, so hats off to the bar staff. The first time we went we tried a variety of things but the star of the whole meal was an appetizer. The bone marrow with wagu was so original and fantastic, but so rich. The burrata was a little flat compared to the bone marrow but we will let that slide. Dinner was sushi for my wife and steak for myself. The sushi at this place is some of the freshest you can find, I have only had better in Vegas at Michelin star restaurants. The surf and turf roll is amazing but expensive (the first time), second visit not so much. Someone has forgotten how to season the steak at this place. This happened to my steak on the first trip, my steak had no seasoning. For such an expensive place, I should not be needing to season anything. The deserts were very good but the steak issues have me questioning a return. The first visit everything but my dinner steak was great, the roll with steak was seasoned well but not on the second visit. There is inconsistency here or maybe they are falling pray to people in Williamsburg not enjoying seasoning. I have experienced this was some very well reviewed places before here in Williamsburg. I am keeping my review high as the sushi is first rate but expensive, it might as well be Vegas prices. The steak needs love but I am not going to let that dim the excellent sushi, apps and bar drinks. Overall good experience but minor disappointment from the seasoning issues, should be an easy fix though.

    Lobby
    Sharon W.

    I have been waiting a long time to try this place... The hostess and manager accommodated us being so late in the day .. The waitress didn't really recommend anything special , just kinda took our order and shortly after gave us the check. I got the miso cod and my daughter got the sushi roll but I wasn't wowed . The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated . The seats however are too close for comfort . I don't want to be staring into the eyes of other people when I'm trying to enjoy dinner . Sadly I will not return. I received too many negative stares , and honestly it didnt feel good .

    Shrimp fried rice
    Diamond O.

    Ember is a great new restaurant with a beautiful atmosphere. The ambiance was dark, relaxing, very modern, and chic, making it a great spot for a nice dinner and a more upscale experience. The food was delicious, and there were so many great options on the menu. The scallops, sea bass, and fried rice were standout dishes and definitely must-tries. The service was phenomenal and really elevated the experience. The staff was attentive, welcoming, and made the meal even more enjoyable. Overall, Ember delivered on ambiance, food, and service. Looking forward to coming back!

    Chocolate mousse with salted caramel.. very good. Happy Birthday to me..LOL.
    Dave F.

    Thank You Grace, your service was "top notch" and very friendly and I appreciate your birthday cheer! The food as always, was phenomenal. Espresso Martinis were absolutely perfect. Please keep up the amazing work..Thank You Ember staff.

    Menu
    David O.

    Stopped in on an extremely busy weekend, but fortunately we were able to snag a reservation. Parking is subject to the masses of tourists in Colonial Williamsburg, so be prepared. Very nice upscale setting for Japanese inspired fusion or traditional style. I had my go-to, a chirashidon bowl - one of the best ones I have had. Lunchtime portion was decent, the rice (very important) was cooked properly, had the right amount of vinegar and not too much sugar. It is a delicate balance all too often gotten wrong. They nailed it. Seafood was fresh and tasty, and the accompanying salad with a mango vinaigrette was delicious. My wife had one of their speciality rolls, the Tempo Roll. It must have been good since I didn't get a taste. Nice bar on the way in, and the menu of liquors is fairly extensive. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the restaurant, the cooks and the offerings and was helpful without being pushy. Will definitely return!

    Information on Yelp in regards to Ember.

    Not sure because they are Not Dog friendly. The information on this site needs to be updated.

    scallops and risotto
    Skyler G.

    My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and had a very pleasant experience! We were fortunate enough to get a reservation for Saturday at 6. I have heard that reservations are strongly recommended. As soon as we walked in, the restaurant itself is beautiful with a perfect date night atmosphere. Our server spoke with us almost as soon as we sat down and drinks/food came out very quickly. We were in an out within an hour. The food was absolutely delicious. We started with the crispy rice, which I highly recommend. Both of our entrees were amazing. The umami rush roll was probably one of my favorite rolls I have ever tried. As we were leaving, they gave us a complimentary piece of cheesecake for our anniversary - it was such a special touch. Definitely try this place if you haven't already!!

    Shrimp tempura and spicy tuna roll!
    Caroline J.

    Enjoyed lunch here today! Everything from the beginning to the end was very nice. Greeted warmly and was sat right away. Our waiter showed up just a few moments after being sat and poured us waters. Nice feeling inside the main restaurant dining room. Love the lighting. Food was good. My dining companion and I both had the simple sushi roll lunch combo for $13 and included a nice sized salad. My hubs got the ranch with his salad and I had the traditional ginger Japanese dressing. We both had the shrimp tempura roll and I had the California roll and my husband had the spicy tuna roll. Everything was fresh and delicious. Waiter was great and attentive and made sure we had everything we needed!

    Deb B.

    A very special place with wonderful staff. My husband and I made last minute reservations to celebrate our anniversary and were lucky to get an early table. When we were seated, we were presented with two glasses of champagne. What a nice way to begin our meal. I ordered the miso soup and the sushi combo. While the miso soup was not outstanding, the sushi was. The fish was fresh and delicate and the rolls perfect. I had a glass of apple flavored sake, which went nicely with the fish. For dessert, I had a chocolate dish... rich and delightful. They decorated it for our anniversary. Great staff and food.

    Tomato/buratta appetizer (buratta is under the tomato, we asked for more crostini's)
    Amanda E.

    My friends and I had a lovely Saturday lunch here. Tyler was an excellent server. For an appetizer, I got the tomato and burrata. The tomato/buratta itself was just okay, good but didn't blow me away - but the basil/pesto/balsamic/olive oil mixture on the plate definitely elevated the dish, that part was so good. For an entree, I got the classic burger. I was surprised with how juicy and tasty it was. My only complaint is the thick bacon - I personally don't like fatty meat, so that was no bueno for me but if you like fat, you may like the thick cut bacon. And the sweet potato fries were delish. Also love that they have NA beer options. Food and drinks are slightly pricey but worth the experience.

    Tempo roll
    Cherie O.

    Best and most fresh sushi. The fish looked like it was alive before the chefs prepared our meals. My husband had the Chirasidon which he does to judge sushi places. The fish was incredibly fresh (salmon, hamachi, eel, tomago, and tuna) and the rice was perfectly seasoned. He was served a side salad as well. I got the Tempo roll which was spicy tuna on top of wrapped avocado and mango. Soy sauces were offered as regular, low salt or gluten free. Byron was our server and he was prompt to fulfill our needs. This is a fancy restaurant but the clientele was full of tourists who were not dressed up at this 2:30 lunch. We didn't feel out of place. We will return.

    Bread pudding & Espresso martini
    Kim S.

    An absolutely exquisite dining experience from beginning to end. The ambiance and overall vibe were sophisticated and inviting, with impeccable attention to detail in every aspect of the evening. The service was polished, attentive, and seamless. Every course was beautifully presented and thoughtfully prepared. I highly recommend the surf & turf roll -- it was outstanding. Truly exceptional all the way around.

    Real flowers

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    Food was decent. Felt a little judge since we brought our two younger kids with us and felt like people were upset we had them there.

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    Ask the Community - Ember

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    Second Street American offers a family-friendly atmosphere with a welcoming environment that makes…read moreit a great spot for dining with family or groups. The menu also has so many food options, making it easy to find something for everyone. The food overall was great and very enjoyable. However, I would not recommend the brownie and chocolate sundae dessert. The brownie and cookie were cold and hard, which made the dessert disappointing. On the positive side, the carrot cake was huge and definitely worth sharing -- easily enough for 3-4 people. The service was excellent as well. Our waiter was very attentive throughout the meal and made sure everything was taken care of. Overall, Second Street American delivers great food variety, strong service, and a family-friendly atmosphere, with just a few misses on dessert.

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    Asian chicken lettuce wraps $15. Mostly veggies, not much chicken
    Aberdeen Barn

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    Me and my wife was staying at Club Wyndham Kingsgate for our Anniversary and decided to go to…read moreAberdeen Barn Restaurant in Williamsburg for our Anniversary, June 20th 2026, the food was delicious,Our Server Mr. Harris James, He was very attentive to our needs, I will give Mr. Harris James Thumbs up, and me and my wife will be back again.

    Wanted to take my sweetie for a steak for his birthday and this place didn't disappoint…read more From the moment we walked in, it felt welcoming and cozy. Our server Lorna was delightful. They brought out crackers and spreadable cheese which was a nice surprise. The fresh hot mini rolls were so good with salted butter. Lorna warned us not to eat too many of the snacks before and to save room for dinner. We got salads with blue cheese which was homemade. You can really appreciate a homemade dressing because it was thick and flavorful which made the crisp greens even better. I had a kettle one orange cosmo which was perfect. Not too much alcohol and shaken to perfection. There were many cocktail options and a great selection too of wines to choose from. Hubby tried a Negroni but didn't love it. (Didn't care for the gin) I asked for a different bourbon manhattan and they didn't charge us which was super nice of them. I had my New York strip medium with a baked potato. Hubby got the porterhouse also with baked potato and a side of broccoli. The steaks were cooked exactly how we asked for them. They came with a tray of sour cream, fresh bacon bits and chives for our baked Potatoes. So nice to have that service at the table. We were too full to order dessert, but Lorna brought out a small dish of ice cream a/ brownie and a candle to sing for hubby's birthday. From start to finish, an excellent meal with amazing service and a down home feel.

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    Food For Thought

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    Blue Talon Bistro

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    Ember - sushi - Updated August 2026

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