My wife and I have gone here for years: for dinner before a play; for Sunday brunch and other special events. We've never had a bad meal, nor (unlike some comments) have we been made late for a play. Yes, the waitstaff varies in quality, but the food is consistently excellent. Among my favorites? Shrimp and grits, the oysters and French toast. It is worth your time to take an historic tour or stay for a play. read more

I came here for dinner and a play. The play was spectacular, but i would not recommend coming here solely for dinner or brunch. We arrived to dinner an hour and forty-five minutes before the play was set to begin. We got to our table and it was over twenty minutes before the waitress got to our tables, and by that point the hostess had already gotten us drinks and wine. We ordered everything at once, but after going to put in the orders, the waitress came back to tell me that the only vegetarian option on the menu was unavailable. Luckily i am not a vegetarian, it just looked the most appetizing on the menu, so i feel sorry for any vegetarians who may have come in after me, as she did not recommend an alternative as i expected her to, as i would have assumed that the customer who ordered a vegetarian option was in fact vegetarian. I ordered the steak medium rare instead. It took over an hour for our food to get to the table, and the steak i ordered MEDIUM RARE was still bright red and bleeding when i cut into it, but i had no time to send it back as the play was starting so soon that we asked for the check with our food, scarfed it down in 7 minutes and went downstairs. I have worked in food service before, and i understand a backed up kitchen, but the dining room wasn't even full and people who got there well before us also waited an hour for their food. Beautiful building, amazing okay, i wouldn't eat here again though unless the play seemed really good, and i would show up two and a half hours early. read more

The staff was amazing and very accommodating. We had our rehearsal dinner in the Veranda. The food was great, especially the fried green tomatoes! They ordered special beer and Dr.Pepper to have on hand for our guests. They were very quick to bring out the food and were very kind to our guests. Highly recommend for other events. read more

This review is specifically for their Easter Buffet - if I had reviewed them after their Thanksgiving meal last year, I'd have rated them far higher. One star might be harsh, but I can't overstate our disappointment coming from the high quality Thanksgiving meal. I've had better buffet food at a Golden Corral - and for at least a third of the cost! First of all, our party had been guaranteed a table in a room in the main house. Instead, when we arrive, we find our party has been split into two tables in the Carriage House. This was a disappointment because when I went into the main house, the buffet there looked immaculate. It was 1:30, and the buffet was supposed to remain open until 3. The state of the buffet in the Carriage House at this point was inexcusable. Many dishes were either totally empty or down to the dregs, and the buffet itself was just dirty. There was so much spilled food everywhere that my mother was trying to clean it up as she went down the line so she wouldn't be embarrassed when the in-laws came to the buffet. The soup, Brussels Sprout soup, was so low that you couldn't scoop it out, there were no soup spoons, and the soup itself was barely lukewarm. The mac and cheese was crusted and mostly empty, and the deviled egg bar had three sad looking and mangled eggs left. No item on the bar that was supposed to be hot could truly be called warm. For patrons with reduced immune systems, food safety was a real concern. Funny enough, several items were refilled - after we had already eaten! I remember hearing a few of the workers comment on the full tray of eggs - well, if they had been refilled while we were actually eating, we may have had some! Our particular server was really fantastic - she was on top of drinks and drink refills quite often - but the quality and cleanliness of the buffet means that my family will not be returning to the Hanover Tavern. read more

We hadn't been to the Tavern in a while and decided to take advantage of burger night. We were seated promptly - right next to a large group celebrating someone's birthday. Yep, it was loud. Not the fault of the Tavern but really impacted our experience. We ordered burgers and were asked as we ordered how we would like them cooked. We all had a slightly different request from medium well to medium rare. They all were cooked the same when they got to the table. The fries were cold. But the kicker was when the waitress returned after cashing out the bill and we were informed that "this restaurant doesn't do change" and she had rounded the bill UP to the next dollar amount to make it work. Just added a little to the bill....really? because you couldn't make change? How about rounding down? How about telling the customer the issue and giving them a chance to find the "correct change". Bottom line - not great food and if you go, bring the correct change if you are paying with cash. read more

We held a post-rehearsal dinner party at Hanover Tavern and many commented that they'd really enjoyed the event. The staff was great to work with from planning through the night of the event. read more

My husband and I just happened upon this place and really enjoyed the food, service, and historical atmosphere. We had a very attentive server who was very sweet. We ordered the crab dip for an appetizer and it was amazing! My husband had the crab cakes and I had the filet mignon for our entrees, both dishes were very flavorful and well prepared. For dessert we had creme brulee and it was perfect! If we ever pass through again we will definitely stop in and next time will be sure we get there in time to have dinner then hit up the play afterwards. After eating we walked around the open rooms upstairs and enjoyed viewing the historical aspects of the house. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, not just a dinner. read more

Love their home made strawberry cake during strawberry season. Great meatloaf, salmon cakes and banana pudding

Unique historic tavern with excellent lunch menu. This was a pleasant stop. Recommended.

First and foremost, I appreciate fully the historic value of the tavern. I was honored to be having a meeting in the upstairs facility and could feel the beckoning of the past. On the other hand, that was about all I was impressed with. Before our meeting started, many of us wanted to log into the wifi supposedly provided. None of us had luck, and that was a real letdown, considering they "offer" it. Lunch was terrible. It was probably the worst meal I've had in a long time. The price was kind of high for the food quality. I ordered a fried green tomato BLT. It came and was dry (no mayo or anything served with it), the bacon was very chewy, and just overall it was a bad sandwich. I love fried green tomatoes, but not this. I realize our waitress was a little busy, but I asked for mayo, and only got it 15 mins later after my sandwich was cold. It gave me the WORST indigestion I've had in ages. I was really hoping to give this place a better review, but it only got two stars because I liked the history and atmosphere. read more

We went to Kings Dominion and wanted really good food! Hanover Tavern is great! Everyone is really nice and friendly. Food amazing! We would definitely come back again! Thank you! read more

8 of us have been going to the Hanover Tavern Theater & eating dinner in the restaurant for ~ 7 years. However, the food & service have been consistently deteriorating to the point where we will not eat there again. On the last occasion we went (3/4/16) one lady's Scotch & soda had no Scotch, a bottle of wine was place on the table unopened for about 15 minutes, the fried oysters were overdone on some orders, raw with raw batter on others. The tuna was grievously overcooked. It took so long to serve the meal, that we were told dessert would be boxed for us & we could take it home! So sad. It used to be great. read more

southern elegance thats quaint, refreshing, and worthwhile. classy service, pricey, top notch cuisines motivated by tradition. i appreciated the dining experience but nothing really stood out here. only complaint, dined during late fall and was shivering while i ate. not fun! heat please? read more

It is a pleasure to dine at the Tavern. It has so much history - such a rich and interesting past. I have had meals there several times and have had very good food and courteous, friendly service. I have invited guests to join me (and my husband) and have truly enjoyed delicious meals that were beautifully presented especially New Year's Eve. We enjoyed eating downstairs as well as upstairs for lunch and dinner. We will certainly continue to patronize the Tavern Restaurant. read more

The best fried green tomato sandwich around. The atmosphere is quiet, quaint, and brightly lit with natural sunlight. A great place to eat lunch. read more

This review is in line with the other negative reviews here. I can't understand the good reviews. The service is poor, the food mediocre, and the prices sky high. I ordered a vodka gibson (martini with a bermuda onion instead of an olive) and was served a gimlet ( a drink with lime juice). An understandable mistake, so I explained what a gibson is. The waitress came back with a bermuda onion in a gimlet. On the third try, I got the drink I ordered (but weak). We ordered a bottle of wine with dinner, and got a glass of wine instead. The waitress said she's also the bartender. The menu selection is poor. The food was OK but certainly not great. The food we ordered was not the most expensive, but the bill was over $100. The food and service was like Denny's, but the bill was like Ruth's Chris. read more

Cool atmosphere, our waitress Halley was great. Food was hit and miss, potatoe soup was good , fries were good and the fried chicken was great. The steak, shrimp and grits were very plan and no flavor read more

My sister and I just finished having the beef petit tenders (hers was medium and mine was medium rare) and it was absolutely delicious!! As well as the potatoes. Definitely a little busy but very good service. Also recommend the buskey (Ashland) cider. read more

Made reservation for 6 pm to accommodate attending the theatre following dinner. Received the limited menu as expected and ordered an appetizer. Bread was never offered during the meal unlike the other tables around us. Water glasses weren't filled unless requested. Ordered a pork tenderloin which was delivered marginally warm and over-cooked. Ordered a dessert of pumpkin pie which was too sweet, strongly spiced, and served cold. I suggest eating early in the main dining room to take advantage of the full menu or elsewhere. Overall the $ 90 tab for two was far too much for the quality of food and service delivered. read more

Great service and ambiance. Food mediocre. Shrimp and grits were bland, ny strip not impressive, fried chicken breast with gravy really good. Fried green tomatoes average, sides just ok. Potato soup of the day - good. read more

This place was terrible. Food had bugs in it. Food was subpar at best and they round their checks so everyone was shortchanged because no bills come out at $xx.49 or lower read more

One of my favorite spots in Hanover!! Worth a drive if you live in the city. Great beer prices also, Stone IPA on draft. Love the BBQ.

My wife and I are traveling for 3 months from Calif., across the south and up thru Virginia to Gettysburg. We have had dinner at 86 restaurants on our travels. Our dinner at the Hanover Tavern had to be the worst I have ever had. First the good things, our server was the most hospitable and friendly server did an excellent job. We ordered green fried tomato's they were delicious. The green salad was also good. This is were things go down hill. We ordered a bottle of Reisling off the wine list, @$35.00 a bottle. But they were out so it was substituted for their single glass wine Reisling in a bottle that sells for $5.00 a glass. We were able to get 4 glasses out of the bottle, but still charged the $35.00 rate. They were out of blackened chichen, mashed potatoes, pork loin,. We ordered petite fillet's with green beans, and mash potatoes. Since no mashed potatoes, we got red potatoes that were way under cooked, the meat was so tough I could hardly cut it with a steak knife let alone chew it, it had so much grissle it's hard to describe.The green beans were so over cooked they wer like mush.My wife's steak was just as bad. In fact the table next to us had the same steak, the lady made the comment when asked if she wanted a box, her reply was yes mabey my dog can eat it. But let me say this the Ambience was great, and our waitress was out standing. We will be in Ashland for another 8 days and may give them another chance. Sorry my wife just read that and said no way will we ever go back. I guess we will try the Iron Horse in Ashland next. Last comment the noise(music) coming out of the kitchen, we thought there was a private party going on. But our waitress explained it was the kitchen help and their radio making the racket in order to get them to do their work. I think they to clean house in the KITCHEN AND HIRE A NEW COOK AND CREW read more

We ate at the historic tavern Sunday evening and the food and service was great. We arrived ahead of the crowd so had time to enjoy the surroundings. The food was great and was better then it looked in the pictures. I had the blue plate fried chicken and my wife had the meat loaf....was as good if not better then home cooked but don't tell my mom. We will definitely go back!! read more

1 Oct- Nice atmosphere. Service was great! Our server was very sweet & fast! $5 burger nite is definitely a good value. The deserts are good, I recommend the coconut custard pie. Nice place to relax. The classic music adds a wonderful ambience to the experience. read more

Not a very good experience. We waited about 10 minutes before getting offered water. Two parties that arrived after us were helped prior to us before we finally asked a passing waitress if we could give her our order. The pork was tough, the rice was cold and the salmon overcooked. I'm thinking the owner or manager needs to read some of these reviews and work on the service and quality of the food. It's such a neat venue, it's a shame they don't do a better job. On the back end, the theater show was very enjoyable but I would go somewhere else and have dinner before showing up. I was hoping for better but left disappointed. Unless they improve, don't do it.... read more

We had our son's rehearsal dinner at Hanover Tavern 5 years ago and it was a wonderful experience. So when we went back for the Mother's Day brunch we were very disappointed. Service was slow and food mediocre at best. Staff was very friendly and pleasant, it seemed to be the kitchen that over or under cooked the food and our dessert. Then they tried to add a 25% gratuity on when the menu said 18%. Our kids overpaid much to our chagrin, for a poor meal at a place we reccomended and we will NOT be back. read more

I wouldn't go back. We went to enjoy a Mother's Day brunch. The food was just ok. The service was slow and we ate and felt rushed. On the food bar they ran out of food several times. Maybe I'm a bit confused they required a 20 percent tip for our waitress. read more

Variety of menu choices and polite staff. My grilled veggie sandwich and potato salad were perfect for lunch! (Some veggie sandwiches have zero flavor, but not this one!) My friend went back for dinner and got the filet mignon; he said it was the best steak he's ever had! We loved the atmosphere! Such a great place for a date or ladies luncheon. read more

My, oh my. We had made reservations for 15 people for last Saturday, October 12 a week in advance. It took TWO hours to get our food. Our waiter was new, and he was doing his absolute best. I never felt so sorry for anyone in my life. He did a good job taking the orders, but the kitchen failed miserably! The kitchen was preparing for a wedding at the same time, so our food evidently took a back seat. My grilled cheese sandwich and my granddaughter's mac and cheese were the last two meals served. Everything was cold! After we went to the manager several times, FINALLY someone came up to help. Our bill was reduced $50, but the experience was one that we will NEVER repeat at the Hanover Tavern. Too bad...because the place is charming. I will say, though, that I actually hugged the waiter at the end of the meal because he looked so frustrated and crestfallen. Not his fault! And I hope he didn't get blamed for it. Goodbye, Hanover Tavern. read more

Actually, we ended up at this restaurant by pure mistake. We were looking for a fast food breakfast and took the wrong turn. Ended up on Rt 301 North, and literally bumped into the Hanover Tavern road sign. By the way, another name for the same road is "Virginia Historical Trail" full of historical sites. Great area for educational tours. At the Tavern I ordered the "Hanger Steak Arugula Salad , with mushrooms, tomatoes, goat cheese, and other herbs. It was excellent. My other half ordered a fried oyster sandwichwhich he said it was "good but salty to his taste". The place is clean, welcoming, nice ambiance, nice food, and with good potential to become a full blown Inn as it apparently was in the mid 1700's thru mid 1800's. They do welcome events, and already have theater functions & other entertainment. Nice atmosphere for "outdoor eating". I suggested to them to get themselves in the list of "Around Me" so that people can find them. If you dont know they are there, this place is VERY easy to miss. Supposedly they have free WiFi, but neither of our devices (Verizon nor ATT) could get a signal. Otherwise I would rate it "a 5". read more

What a HORRIBLE experience from start to finish. We went for Mother's Day Brunch. Long wait to be seated despite having made reservations. Once seated by the host, it was a lengthy amount of time before any waiter even acknowledged us or took our drink order. She shows up finally and is very kind and apologetic, and brings drinks. But then our drinks are completely empty with no return from the waitress to place a food order or even refill drinks. My husband literally has to flag her down to refill and order. We finally placed our order, and we should have known to expect this: the waitress arrives at our table close to an HOUR later 'surprised' that we had not yet received our meal. More apologies, and off she goes to "find" them. Minutes shy of a full hour later, the entrees are placed on our table along with the 3rd round of apologies and FINALLY a drink refill. Folks, the shocking part is: they are NOT slammed! Only at half capacity for customers. I don't get it. The aesthetics and presentation of the plate are *okay*, appetizing, but no real wow factor. We're starving and tired at this point and dig in. I ordered the Eggs Benedict as I saw it had been a recurring dish on surrounding tables and was 'recommended' on the menu. As if we hasn't had enough 'experience', mine tasted as though it had been left under a heat lamp for the hour it had been "missing". The toast was well done, the meat had crisp, black edges and was dry, the 'poached' egg was hard boiled, and the drizzle of halendaise sauce was nothing more than a teaspoon worth and literally dried into the egg surface from sitting too long under heat. The fruit cup had WARM fruit- lightly heated chunks of canned pineapple which had also formed dried 'skins' on the outside from the heat lamp. Even the asparagus spears were chalky with black, shriveled edges. I try NEVER to send food back because of waste and fear of spit returning to the table, but after our ridiculous wait, hunger level, patience level, price level, and the fact that this was a Mother's Day date- a special meal for me and my husband to enjoy alone while our toddler was with Grandma, and me being pregnant with twins, we wanted this meal to be special and worth our time and money. We had made a special trip specifically for the Hanover Tavern experience! Well, it was just such a disappointing, inedible plate, I just had to send it back. Our waitress had now made a routine of apologizing, and even made mention that the food on my plate was "not supposed to look like that" and was "unacceptable". I was thinking we were finally on the same page. I just knew the replacement Eggs Benedict would be on point; the redeemer of the day! By the way our drinks were empty again, and hubby had to do some arm waving for refills. A very short time later, the new plate arrived. My pregnant self was so ready to dive in as we had been there for 2 hours already. I did, and, all of the problems were exactly the same. Dry, burnt, overdone, warm, shriveled. At this point my body was just getting stiff in the chair, our afternoon date time was wasting away, I was tired and angry, so I decided against complaining and picked at it as best I could, which wasn't much as some was so dry or burned it was unappetizing to swallow. I finished by placing my napkin over it, and here comes the waitress to collect my thoughts and 'check on us'. She offered a box for the full plate left behind, and I declined. Hubby didn't let her leave the table before half begging to end our misery and being the check. She did, apologized a few more times about all of it, we paid and we were out of there! They offered no discount based on our negative experience- not that we asked or expected- it just would have been a classy and appropriate move on the part of their business as now the waitress, manager, and kitchen were aware of the shaky situation. Please know that we remained patient, polite, and attempted understanding throughout the whole ordeal. The manager never once addressed us in person, instead communicating only through our waitress. "Let me let the manager know", "The manager said...". Need I also mention that hubby ordered some sort of steak entree which he also found to be sub-par but edible. Not worth the price or wait he said. His patience was wearing thin and he decided to eat just to get it over with. He didn't come close to finishing, which is unusual for him. The happiest moment of the experience was walking into the parking lot and leaving. We'd missed our movie now almost 3 hours later, and decided to go have a late lunch elsewhere. We will not be returning or recommending. Diners beware. read more