September 2026: FINALLY A GREAT replacement for the Red Hen. Highly recommend!! Exceptional food, talented pianist, caring and attentive staff, elegant presentation of the dishes, big portions, and a classy ambiance. After the Red Hen closed in 2023, I struggled to find a delicious, fine-dining restaurant in Lexington on my annual visits to see my aunt. This time I took her for her 92nd birthday to Haywood's, and we felt like they rolled out the red carpet for us. I was annoyed over the last few years by lousy meals in Lexington, but no longer!! Thank you, Haywood's! read more

Quite an unfortunate waste of $200. Three of us dined in without a reservation right at 5, and were told our only option was the back corner. That was fine, but that was the only thing that was fine. Service was slow but okay, the menu was rather limited, and there were limitations to your orders. Want a salad? Fine, but no protein. Bread was only one per person. The steak was poor quality, and the "black garlic butter" was very reminiscent of movie theater butter. For popcorn. We only ate half of it. The restaurant was empty the entire time we were there, so I was disappointed to not get to sit in the main dining room. There was a piano player, which was a nice touch. We left disappointed and hungry, still. Ended up going to a diner down the road to finish the night. read more

We had an exceptionally delightful brunch. The menu offerings are diverse, though you wouldn't know it looking at our table. Four out of the five guests in our party were so excited about the Eggs Benedict with a Bernaise sauce instead of the more traditional hollandaise sauce. We loved the option of the crabcake over Florentine choices although I think all of us wish we had gotten the crabcake option after seeing it delivered to our table. The Bloody Mary's were absolutely to die for (not overdone, simple and easy to go thru a few during our breakfast) and I'll be back just for this combination again of the eggs Benedict with Bernaise and a Bloody Mary. The ambience of Heywoods was easy to enjoy. We had a lovely breakfast full of lots of laughter and never felt like we were disturbing others nor did anybody else seem to be disturbed or disrupted by the fun we were having at our table. The server was absolutely wonderful and attentive. read more

Haywood's - Eggs Benedict with roasted tomato Bernaise sauce. - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

Dinner was excellent. I came back in the morning for "pastries" and was very disappointed. They only had a croissant, cheese danish, blueberry muffin, or bagel. The croissant was fine - wish they had more. What ticked me off though was the fresh squeeze orange juice. They told me they use about six oranges to prepare it. When it was given to me, it was in a normal size cup that was filled to the brink with ice and I was able to drink all the orange juice and forceps. Price: $7 before tax. The orange juice was complete rip off and left me questioning their business practices. Maybe they only use clementines or mandarin oranges to make the juice. Again, I had a great time at dinner the night before, but I would not encourage anybody to come here for any of the breakfast offerings read more

Haywood's - That is not ice floating. It is jampacked. - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

The food itself was actually very good and we genuinely enjoyed the quality of the dishes. Unfortunately, the service was extremely disappointing and honestly made the entire experience uncomfortable. I am not sure whether this was discrimination or simply poor service toward non-American guests, but it definitely felt very different from how other tables were treated. We were not served bread until after we had already finished our steaks. What made this especially frustrating was that I clearly saw two tables that were seated after us receive bread -- one table once and another table twice -- while we had not received any bread during most of our meal. When I asked our server about it, we were told the bread was "still in the oven," which was difficult to believe because other tables were already eating bread at that exact moment. Another disappointing part was that throughout our entire dinner, no one checked on us. No one asked how the food was, whether we needed anything, or if everything was okay. It genuinely felt like we were invisible. Considering the price level of this restaurant, the lack of service was surprising and disappointing. The food deserves credit, but the service experience seriously needs improvement. read more

Haywood's - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

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The food was not good. The quail was so bad it couldn't be eaten. The steak was tough. The seafood risotto featured two shrimp. The crab cake appetizers were mushy. The bread was tasty only positive. The service was decent. Would not return. read more

We've traveled to the U.S. many times, and this was honestly the first time we felt so blatantly ignored at a restaurant. We were a party of three and seated at a high-top table by the door. The restaurant was busy, so we were understanding. What followed, however, was hard to excuse. We were told bread would be served, but two tables seated after us received bread twice while we received none. After asking, the bread finally arrived after our main courses were finished. From the moment our salads were cleared, we waited around 20-30 minutes for our mains. Throughout the entire meal, no one checked on us, no one asked if everything was okay, and no one apologized for the delays. We were essentially left to sit there with no service. The only explanation given was that the bread needed more time in the oven -- without any acknowledgment of how poorly the situation was handled. At $60-70 per person (no drinks), this is not acceptable. A busy restaurant is understandable; being ignored is not. We left feeling unwelcome and disappointed. read more

Well, let's just say that our visit ended quicker than expected. Despite contradictory business hours being posted, it was confirmed that they had Saturday brunch/ lunch hours. Upon arrival at 11:30 am, a staff member mentioned that the kitchen closed down early for the day. Say what?! They didn't even cross-promote their sister establishment across the street as a backup plan. We later learned that their GM was on Holiday. Uh-oh! Beautiful building, tasteful interior and intriguing menu(s) await for another time, maybe. As Vivian Ward once said, "BIG Mistake....Big. HUGE!" read more

Ate dinner at this high-end restaurant two weeks ago. The service was excellent. The food was quite disappointing. I enjoyed the sea bass that I was served, but my partner ordered a vegetarian dish that was mostly rice with veggies mixed in priced at $28(!!). It was barely OK by her standards, certainly not worth the price. Ditto for a side of sautéed mushrooms priced at $18(!!), adequate but hardly worth that price. There are several much more reasonably priced restaurants in town with better food on the menu. read more

Horrible now that the chef Xavier left.... Totally inconsistent food the owners need to get a clue and get a better chef or bring the old one back! read more

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I came to this place because it was one of the few options I have. I wasn't particularly interested in any item on the menu, so I ordered grilled chicken for nutritional reason. To my surprise, it tasted amazing! After the first bite, I was liking "WOW". I never thought a grilled chicken can be so tender and so flavorful. They are doing the right thing totally upgrading the "I can do it at home" type of dish to a different level. It's a bit pricy, but I think it worth the money. The grilled chicken come with roasted sweet potatoes, and barbeque sauce. Not a fan of the sauce. The service is great, and I love their dessert too. read more

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My daughter went here for her birthday and really enjoyed it. The only complaint that she expressed twice was, "They acknowledged my birthday with a card signed by the staff but not a dessert. Isn't that strange?" I would agree with her. A tiny dessert would have made a world of difference.... And added to the celebration as she just moved to Lexington. read more

We had amazing experience at the Heywood. Both dinner and brunch were fresh, full of flavor, and comforting. The live piano in the background create a lovely ambiance, and the service staff make this experience one we will come back too. The food quality can compete and win any fancy restaurant in DC/NYC major cities. read more

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I loved it here. Amazing food. Almost everything was just out of this world. We had oysters for appetizers, I had fillet mignon which was so good, and creme brûlée for dessert. The drinks were some of the best I've had. And the ambiance is great. Service was top notch. read more

Amazing food and amazing ambiance! The servers are always so polite and they all signed a card for me and my partners anniversary. They also often have live piano! read more

Lexington has great food here. Big graduation party of 10;and we promoted own age of this place. Just a good night. read more

Haywood's - VMI Class of 1986 and 2021. - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

We came to explore Lexington and the surrounding area for a day. Made a reservation at Haywood's for their Valentine's Day prix fixe menu, and I'm so glad I did. First, the service was so friendly and charming. While I can not remember our server's name, he was doubling as a very capable bartender in the piano bar area. He has a great energy and recommended cocktails that were delicious. Our host and food runners were also very nice and helpful. Second, the entertainment. I LOVED the piano player. The songs were great, the volume low enough to have conversations with each other yet loud enough to hear. I've read other reviews that didn't like the piano, but not me. And frankly, there are other places to sit to not hear it. To me, it helped make a darn near perfect evening. Finally, the food. It was just DELICIOUS. The radicchio salad was deliciously balanced between the dressing, sweet nuts, and bitter leaves. The foie gras was in the most delicious mushroom sauce, the lobster sweet and soft, the filet perfectly seasoned and cooked, and the molten lava cake delicious. We couldn't finish it all. I also should mention the space. It was so cozy and lovely. If you're considering Haywood's, do it. You won't regret it. read more

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The food was amazing, but the service was lacking. My husband is very tall and we were sat at a table that was behind a small wall with very little room even though we had made a reservation in advance. Our coffee and water were never refilled, our waitress came for our original order, to serve the meal, and then asked us how the meal was before we had even eaten anything. The waitress asked If we wanted more coffee after we were given the bill, we replied with no thank you. She then sternly said to my husband that's just how to be polite. Again, the food was so delicious. The yogurt parfait was light and full of flavor and the beet hummus was a lovely surprise! The wait staff just needs a bit more class. read more

We had brunch reservations for 11 and showed up right on time. After being seated in a relatively empty dining room, we watched all the surrounding tables fill up and waited on. After 20 minutes, I had to approach the bar and ask for service. The server that eventually came over was kind and helpful. I don't know if someone called in sick or whether this short-staffing is the norm, but it marred an otherwise fab brunch. The piano is lovely and the food is delicious, but the slow service results in losing two stars. read more

The food was amazing, however, the renown French chef is no longer there, so who knows if the food will be as good as what we had. The atmosphere could definitely be a bit more relaxed, and welcoming. We are just average people and feel slightly uncomfortable when we are there, but not enough to not return. The meter D and the waitresses and waiters are absolutely wonderful people very welcoming and attentive to your every need. read more

Haywood's - A divine chocolate cake with fresh blackberries from the previous chefs farm, I sure will miss his personal touches - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

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went with my dad and it was a very cozy atmosphere and they had live jazz music which was great. they brought out bread before the meal which we loved and the service was very friendly. my veggie pasta was lovely and the chocolate cake was awesome read more

Haywood's - vegetarian pasta - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

Filet was wonderful, ribeye was good but a thinner cut than expected. Shrimp ceviche was perfect. Mushroom salad was a bit olain. Will def be back to taste the rest of the menu. read more

After this dining experience, I'm searching for some superlatives. First let us compliment Sandra, our waitress. A beautiful smile. Obviously someone who loves her work. Sandra was quite attentive and took good care of us. We started the evening out with a few starters: chicken ravioli and asparagus with egg, followed by two steak entrees, chicken breast and tomato linguine with shrimp. Between the two starters, the chicken ravioli was the clear winner. I thought the asparagus and egg was rather bland and didn't offer a whole lot to crow about, though the presentation was above average. On the other hand, the ravioli dough was well prepared, well presented and the filling was very tasty. The two beef entrees looked great. My wife had the filet and my friend had the ribeye. According to them, all well prepared, tender and delicious. I had the chicken breast with wild mushrooms. I enjoyed every bite. The chicken was cooked to perfection, and I enjoyed the sauces and presentation. Our last entree, tomato linguine was also highly rated. II failed to mention that our wives started out with drinks--voluptuous fizzes, and ended with lemon mousse and espresso martinis! Wow, what a fine experience! Nice job Haywoods! read more

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There's a reason why this was the only restaurant we could get last minute reservations at. food doesn't seem fresh maybe even partially prepared in advance. Service is lacking and the very young manager really doesn't seem to care. Never will return! read more

Not sure why Haywood's isn't more highly rated. For us, this was the best meal we have had in Lexington thus far. Inventive chef who clearly cares a great deal. The filet with beet purée was one of the best versions I've had. And Ive had a lot of great steak over the years. Definitely recommend. read more

Grand slam home run! Went on a lazy Sunday night when Lex seemed dead. Staying at George's (great) , walked across street at 800 pm and figured we'd be only people there. But restaurant had great crowd and things Could not have gone better. Sat outside in charming patio, started with well executed drinks and a phenomenal pork belly appetizer that easily makes my top 10. My wife's tenderloin was outstanding and I went for the cauliflower steak with pine nuts and a sauce that was killer. We split the chocolate torte as perfect ending. Blown away by the quality food and our waiter Chris was knowledgeable, super friendly and spot- on. Just bummed they are closed on Mondays read more

1st visit to Haywood's and I was visiting with a local friend. Had celebratory plans with my friend who had a negative exp. Here before, but few choices for upscale dining in town so he decided to give it another try. Charming building architecture and cozy light filled interiors. We arrived early for our resv. & took time in the bar for a cocktail. Bartender was very pleasant. We ord. 2 top shelf martinis. The olives were sub par for an upscale bar. The Bartender knew we had resv. & kindly brought us the "new" menu that just started 2 days before. We chatted w/a guest having dinner at the bar. She ord. The salmon & I asked what she thought and she said the peas were good! Enough said about the Salmon. Table was ready on the enclosed back porch with a lot of windows overlooking the back patio... quite nice. JJ the server brought us water & bread. Bread was very basic white rolls warmed in a warming oven 5 feet from our table. I asked if he had any bread that was not raw in the center. He said "no this is all we have to work with, it comes this way we just place it in the drawer". REALLY.. you know there is a kitchen next to us? Again, "this is all we have". After that comment he was very curt. We ord. The tuna tartare app. Which was nicely prepared & had a very nice spice kick. On the 2 day old menu the tartare explained it came with crispy rice. We asked about the crispy rice that was not on the app. Plate, JJ said they were out of it. Ok the menu is 2 days old! I Really wanted seafood but after the guest at the bars comment I went with the Skirt Steak with beet root ketchup & it did not disappoint. Standard sides were fingerling potatoes and lightly sautéed spinach. My friend ord. The filet with blue cheese sauce and same sides came with it. The filet should have been melt in your mouth tender...it was not. There was too much gristle for this to be a $45.00 filet. JJ wasn't very attentive so sending it back with him flying by our table handling some front dining room tables & the now 6 top on the patio was not easy. We pointed out the gristle to another server and he removed the plate and disappeared. We believe he was in training. No comments from JJ either. Bill was presented and we paid. We finally had to ask for the manager to have the inferior steak addressed. He removed that with a credit back to the card. Just not the kind of night we had hoped for. I may try brunch the next time in Lex. But not for dinner. I noticed the owners do not comment on positive or negative reviews, so to me this is a misstep in building their connection to prospective guests. Happy Grazing! read more

The staff was very nice and the food excellent. We had the lobster bisque and the duck both perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Our meal was absolutely delicious. We had the the cold zucchini soup with hummus, shrimp risotto, and the ribeye. Absolutely superb, and there was live piano, it was very quaint. My mom and I were passing through Lexington on a road trip and are so glad we found this place. We would absolutely recommend and if we pass through again will be stopping here. read more

My wife and I had a delightful experience at Haywood's the cocktails and tuna tartare we're on point. The ribeye was juicy and tender. Service was excellent and we were well attended to despite them having a large party that evening. Haywood's is a great place to grab a fine meal. We will certainly have to stop in again. read more

Came here for my graduation dinner with my parents. It was a relaxing dinner and the atmospheric here isn't too loud to hold conversations. There's a pianist playing soft jazz music while you are enjoying your meal. The filet I had was wonderful, as well as the desserts. For dessert I highly recommend the flourless chocolate cake and the carrot cake. Both were tasty. I would come again! Thanks for a great graduation dinner! read more

The food not superb but good. My halibut was disappointing as it was dry and the strange side dishes did not compliment it. My husband's lobster pasta very rich but he enjoyed it. The portions are quite substantial, we are glad we did not order appetizers. We had excellent service on a very busy Sunday night. The biggest problem for us was the noise level. Forget conversations! We felt sorry for the piano player as his music was drowned by the noise. We sat in the back of restaurant in a small atrium which was a bit better but my Apple Watch recorded over 80 decibels at times. Outside patio was the place to be. Next time, maybe. read more

We stopped in late on Sunday night after having dinner at another establishment just to have a cocktail. Haywoods is so cozy and beautiful inside. There was no room at the bar so the host let us sit at a small table close to the front of the restaurant. There was live jazz music and the cocktails were delicious!!! The staff was very pleasant and efficient! We are sad that they are closed Monday and Tuesday and we will not be a blessed to come back for dinner! Haywoods is a "sister" restaurant to Taps across the street which we had an awful experience at so we were pleasantly surprised that Haywoods was so great! We can't speak for the food, but service and cocktails are on point! read more

First of all, the atmosphere can't be beat. This place is beautiful. It is open and elegant without being fussy. We called ahead and asked Chef to prepare as tasting menu for us. Chef's Choice! Everything was superb- from the salads to the entrees to an amazing chocolate torte. Wonderfully curated wine list. Attentive service. We will be back! read more

This was our first time at Haywoods as we visited family that lives locally. They were taking us to light up night and for hosting us this holiday, we took them to Haywoods for dinner. The Pre-fix menu looked great but we had many issues. First they divided our party of 7 into two tables which we were not aware when we made a reservation. Once seated our tables got served at separate times and it took 2 hours for one table to get their salad appetizers. Mind you the menu is fixed with 2 starter choices and 3 main options. We do understand the difficulty at this time with employee turnover however the shortened menu should have helped. The final straw was after the food came out it was all cold to luke warm. For $55 a person excluding drinks we expected a much better meal and experience. The second star is for the drinks as they got us through the night with some great cocktails. read more

Haywood's - Bars Near Me - Lexington, Virginia

Haywoods is a great option for special occasions. The staff (Patrick, Brenda) are attentive but you do need reservations on busy weekends (W&L drop off, parents weekend, etc). Please don't expect to walk in on busy weekends. They book up months in advance. read more

Beware, the menu was set at $65-$75 per person and they added 20% gratuity. The fish was undercooked nothing special. I wish I would've read the reviews before. read more

I appreciated that with no notice, the chef was able to not only merely comply, but impress with my request for a vegan meal. What he brought was creative, fresh, fun and beautifully plated. Given all the meat centric menus about town, this alone makes Haywoods stand out as a top notch option rather than the yawn -worthy pasta plates around. read more

Small plates with big flavor. The mushroom cheese grits had a delicately creamy corn base, contrasting well with the texture of wild mushrooms and braised greens. This dish was shared with the small plate of sirloin steak with grilled whole peppers. Unless requested by the guest, the steak is served medium rare. It was perfectly crisped on the outside and completely tender and lean within. Prior to the main course, I shared a plate of pickled vegetables, including pickled grapes. All were mildly fermented, just enough to taste the sweet and sour brine but still the distinctive flavor of each vegetable. The swiss chard was my favorite due to a strong earthy flavor. Another cute touch is that the menu reads like a program for a theatre show, thanking the farms that contributed to the dishes. Indeed, fresh and varied fruits and vegetables seem incorporated into every dish. Even the alcohol selection carried a handful of wines, ciders, and beers derived from local wineries and breweries. This was my first visit, but it seems like like the menu changes according to the availability of local produce. This adds excitement for future visits. I want to emphasize this is a "small plate" restaurant. For two people, you are expected to share several plates, or about 1.5-2 plates per person. This applies for even the "larger portion" choices. read more

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After getting turned away from the Red Hen we decided ongoing to Haywoods and are glad we did. Haywoods was actually my wifes first choice. Even though they were crowded we did get seated soon by and met by a friendly staff. The food was excellent. I had the blacken snapper and my wife had the shrimp and grits. It was a little noisy but expected for the size of the crowd. No complaints. We will definately return to Haywoods when we visit Lexington again. read more