I love tavern dining at Colonial Williamsburg! Taverns probably have the best food in Williamsburg!! They have a "Groaning Board" that gets you a bit of each entree + you get all the sides! It's a lot of food, so come hungry! Our waiter Cameron was excellent!! The ambience was fantastic and felt very authentic especially when they have the original fireplace there from the 18th century. I wish we chose more of the grilled vegetables side because they were delicious! The mushrooms and asparagus were so fresh! I look forward to coming back. They are only open to the public for lunch Tuesday-Saturday. No reservations necessary either. read more

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Good meal. Felt like an authentic Williamsburg experience. Staff was entertaining and informative

The whole experience was unique. We were early enough to be seating when they opened at 5pm. We sat near the kitchen in the basement to experience the tavern environment. Started off with their warm homemade rosemary bread with butter compound. For appetizer: an apple and candied walnut with local white cheese and 2 different dressings: herbed and buttermilk dressings. Added both to the salad to add dimension of flavors. Next up: fried chicken pieces (crispy, delicious and juicy chicken-the crust was so crispy and not greasy at all) mashed potatoes and in-season vegetables (mushrooms & squash) with an herbed buttermilk sauce. Had seconds of this because it was so delicious...creamy, herbal and had a bite to the vegetables. Last up, homemade whipped cream with strawberries and strawberry purée topped with a spiced (cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar) donut. The best donut I've ever tried! read more

Shields Tavern - Cream mouse with strawberries and strawberry purée topped with a delicious spiced donut. The dessert part of the family-style dining. - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Shields Tavern Taste southern comfort food in the charm of Shields Dining in the 18th Century setting is provided at the following: * Christiana Campbell's Tavern® * Chowning's Tavern® * King's Arms Tavern® * Shields Tavern® 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. Reservations are highly recommended. We like Shields Tavern, and we arrive at our Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony during our colonial visits, and enjoy a Williamsburg immersion. Servers for all Williamsburg taverns are well trained, and can speak to people. Shields is pleasant, and we like the period furniture. Both lunch and dinner menus are limited, and select a three course dinner: soup, fried chicken, and pie - all is fine. Close your eyes and it is 1740's. Always excellent service, and ambience is that of a 1740's Virginia tavern ( with ac of course.) We like the furniture, decorations, and lighting. Servers are on period dress. The tariff is appropriate for the fare. read more

Where do I even start? I've eaten at some pretty bad restaurants in my time, but this one stands out as the absolute worst dining experience I've ever had. I went into this place with high hopes, based on some questionable reviews I found online, but I quickly realized I had made the gravest of mistakes. To say it was a disaster would be an understatement. If you value your time, your money, and, most importantly, your sanity, I beg you to take my advice and avoid this place at all costs. Let me take you through the series of unfortunate events that transpired during my visit. Ambiance: A Confusing Mix of Discomfort and Neglect The moment I walked through the door, I felt as if I had entered some strange parallel universe where everything was off. The restaurant was a mess. To start, the smell. Oh, the smell. It hit me as soon as I walked in--a suffocating combination of stale grease, burnt food, and an unidentifiable sour odor that I can only describe as "forgotten cleaning supplies." I tried to ignore it, thinking maybe it was just a one-time thing, but it lingered in the air throughout my entire meal. I can't even tell you how many times I found myself involuntarily covering my nose with a napkin to block it out. Then, the lighting. It was harsh, cold, and completely unflattering. Instead of the warm, welcoming glow you might expect from a restaurant, it felt like being interrogated under a fluorescent bulb in a police station. If they were trying to make the environment feel sterile and uncomfortable, they certainly succeeded. The decor was a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture, cheap plastic plants, and what appeared to be a sad collection of artwork from a local thrift shop. There was no sense of style or cohesion whatsoever. In fact, the whole place felt like it had been thrown together in a hurry without any thought put into how it looked or felt. The chairs were hard and uncomfortable, and the tables were sticky. The walls looked like they hadn't been painted in years, and there were visible signs of wear and tear all over the place. And let's not forget the noise. It was like a combination of a poorly designed dining space and a complete lack of control over the atmosphere. The walls were so thin that I could hear every word of conversation at neighboring tables, even though the restaurant wasn't particularly crowded. Every clink of silverware, every scraping of chairs, every conversation was amplified tenfold. The noise level was so high that it was impossible to hear the person sitting across from me without practically shouting. I'm not even sure how it was possible to get that much noise in one room, but somehow, they managed to do it. Service: A Complete Catastrophe I've had slow service before, but this was something else entirely. As soon as we were seated, it took nearly 20 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us. We sat there, staring at the menu in front of us, wondering if we were even going to be served. When a server finally approached, she looked visibly annoyed to be there. I've never encountered such an unfriendly, disinterested attitude in a restaurant. She barely made eye contact and muttered something under her breath about specials, which I didn't hear because she didn't seem to care enough to speak clearly. We ordered our drinks, and another 10 minutes passed before they arrived. And by arrived, I mean they were delivered wrong. I ordered a simple iced tea, and what was brought to me was a soggy, watered-down cup of what I can only describe as brown-colored water with a slight hint of sweetness. I asked the server if this was supposed to be iced tea, and she just shrugged and said, "Yeah, that's what we have." No apology, no effort to correct it. I didn't even bother to try to drink it; it was so bad, I just left it sitting on the table. When we finally placed our food order, things only got worse. The server was inattentive, distracted, and appeared to be handling multiple tables at once, none of them well. I noticed that she wasn't just rude to us--she was rude to everyone around us. She had zero patience, and when we asked a simple question about the menu, she responded with a condescending tone and an eye roll. At one point, I even overheard her making sarcastic remarks about another table's request. Is this supposed to be "service"? The Food: A Complete Horror Show If the service was bad, the food was nothing short of appalling. I've eaten at fast food joints with better quality food than what I was served here. I'll start with the appetizers. We ordered the bruschetta, thinking it would be a simple, classic dish. What arrived was a soggy, lifeless plate of mush. The bread was so wet that it fell apart the moment I tried to pick it up. The tomatoes on top were mushy and lacked any flavor or seasoning. There was no garlic, no fresh basil--just bland, tasteless tomatoes on a read more

Nice atmosphere. No bathrooms, no electricity. The food is appropriate for the era, but lacking in originality. One plus, the place is haunted! read more

The food at Shield Tavern was downright revolting. It was so bad I couldn't even take more than one bite. From what i tried it tasted old and off, the mash potatoes tasted strange and like it was from a packet. The cake was dry, stale, and completely down right gross. I wouldn't eat here again if you paid me 100k read more

50/10 stars this was absolutely incredible, the second I put my eyes on the thanksgiving dinner I thought it was heaven. The water was so very crisp and thirst quenching. If I was able to grub to some of The Tavs( as the locals say) I would instantly get the beef stew. The service was so great it was in the blink of an hiccup. The atmosphere was incredible making me feel like I was from the amazing time of early America. After drinking so much of that mystery juice the bathroom was amazing having personal experiences like the 1800s. These bathrooms look like they haven't been renovated, it's amazing! EVERYONE MUST GO. read more

The atmosphere and delicious food make a great dining experience. We eat here every time we visit CW.

this food was something indescribable it was so absolutely disgusting and awful that after consuming such substance feeling it slide down my throat a chill went down my spine knowing in a few minutes I would be consuming more of this indescribably vile substance, kings arms was lit though go there would recommend read more

Shields Tavern - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We came here with a school group. This is my third visit while on a field trip. I have witnessed a decline in service and food quality. I am gluten free and the one choice of soggy vegetables and roasted chicken or turkey, not sure, isn't something I enjoyed. My gluten eating coworkers really did not enjoy their pot pie either. Although they did like the puff pastry it really is not what they remember having on previous visits and the filling was over salted. read more

Shields Tavern - Gluten free meal - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Huge disappointment! Excited to return after our last stay in Williamsburg, only to be seated in the dark and dingy basement with minimal lighting and virtually no air movement or relief from the heat with the lack of adequate air conditioning. No review on the food, we departed immediately! read more

chicken was very good, but portions are not equal. Friends received large chicken breast and leg. others including myself received a small thigh and wing. There was almost no meat on those portions. Meal also included lemonade, bread with garlic butter, small cuts of mixed veggies and small portion of mashed potatoes. Dessert was a parfait with cinnamon donut. This was a set meal for a bus group. read more

Shields is one of the four tavern located on the Colonial Williamsburg grounds. Shields is also located right on DOG street, very close to the capital, so it's easy to find. In addition, there is parking just a block over if you are only visiting CW for your meal. I highly recommend visiting shields if you are wanting the Tavern experience. The rooms and restaurant as a whole is meant to be as close to the style of the times as possible. The dining location I was in had no lights, just candles on the tables for light, and very minimal decor. There was also a man playing the violin throughout the restaurant. There are 4 to 5 dinner options to choose from, including a vegetarian option. I opted for the pork shank that came with a polenta and stewed cabbage. My food tasted pretty good, but it was quite expensive, I believe around 28 for the plate. If you want the best bang for your buck, get the fried chicken meal. That meal is around 27 bucks and it includes a soup, your giant chicken meal with potatoes and veggies, and a dessert of your choice. I think it's the best way to get the most for your money, and that meal had a much larger portion size compared to the others. Overall, I'm happy I went, and enjoyed my meal. My service was a little on the slow side, but that was no bother. It was just so hard to pay so much money for such little food. read more

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But they did not have any alcohol..... the dinner would have been better with beer or wine The service was great and the food was good but..... the candle lit room was romantic! read more

I recommend you skip this restaurant entirely. They do not have a liquor license so do not serve wine, beer or liquor, which would have been absolutely fine if the food had been anywhere near acceptable. There is no choice, just a fixed menu consisting of fried chicken and some pounded and rolled meat dish that was filled with corn meal. There was nothing that appealed to our 12 year old grandchildren, although the chicken was good. The meal came with a salad, mashed potatoes and green beans. We wanted the kids to experience a late 1700's tavern experience but would have gone back a second time to Kings Arms which was very good. Avoid this place. read more

Nice to be able to eat in the historic district with a reasonably priced meal, good service, and very tasty food. Kept us fueled all day. Atmosphere added to our day in Williamsburg. read more

During a work trip to Williamsburg, I was limited to eating in my hotel or Colonial Williamsburg. While exploring, I found this place for lunch one day. I enjoyed the food and the service. The pulled pork sandwich was really good. The pork was tender and the fries flavorful. I really liked the sauce. Not sure what else you could want in a sandwich, but I definitely enjoyed. My apple pie was also really good. I'm not a Williamsburg fan, but if I needed somewhere quick and delicious for lunch, I'd go here. read more

Shields Tavern - Pulled pork sandwich - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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We went to Shields Tavern while visiting Colonial Williamsburg. It was good but just good. I wouldn't say the food and service was anything more than I could do. I ordered the Shepherds Pie and it was the best entree out of the whole group. It was very rich and good and the potato's were nice and crispy! However I think I could have made it at home. The restaurant also offered beers from the colonial time period which is fun. I read reviews where the waiters didn't break character and I don't think ours was ever in character? The atmosphere fit the time period so that was fun. Also be expected to wait an hour or more to be seated. This was also during the winter when it is slower so be sure to get your name down fast when you do go. And be sure to come back and check where you are on the waitlist, because they don't call you and will skip over you if you're not there. read more

Shields Tavern - Side of chips - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Colonial Williamsburg is an immersive experience, so while visiting, we had to try a tavern. I was part of a large group and a special dinner was arranged for us, so dinners that you order off of the menu may look different. Though this tavern isn't completely original, it does have some original features. The foundation is original, and they've taken great pains to make the interior as historically accurate as possible, even using candlelight for our dinner. The plate design was from a shard that was excavated and recreated for today. All servers and entertainers are dressed in period wear which adds to the experience exponentially. This wasn't just a meal, it was truly an experience. We were seated with our large party in a private room in the basement. It was lit only by the candles in the wall sconces and on the tables and there were minstrels playing in the corner. I was seriously transported back to the 18th century...until I pulled out my cellie to take pictures of all the delicious food. Worth it. Oh, and...it's haunted. Could not have been a more perfect dining experience. We began the night with cocktails and tray passes of nibbles. Seriously, I could have been content with these if that's all they had. We had small sandwiches with pimento cheese and bacon jam. They were incredibly well seasoned, tasty and filling! There were also caramelized onion and blue cheese crostini. Those were yummy, but the onions were cold, almost like a pickle, and it wasn't my favorite. The best of the nibbles was the beef pasty with mango chutney. The beef was highly seasoned with west African spices and the pastry was flaky and delicious. If you ever get the opportunity to try those, take it. For the first course, we had Shrimp and Crawfish stew. The broth was so deeply flavored and the potatoes provided body to the thin stew. While I loved this dish, the name is misleading. It is a soup with potatoes, and there are no chunks of seafood to be found. Still delicious, but I can see how others might be let down. For the main course, we were served Beef Tenderloin with haricot verts, baby carrots and roasted potatoes. The beef was some of the best I've had. It was topped with a cabernet sauce that was perfect, not too tart or sweet. The potatoes were fingerlings, and delicious as were the vegetables. Dessert was also a delight, but I could only eat one bite. I had a mixed berry crumble, and it was simple, but truly nothing special. Maybe I was just too full to properly enjoy, but a scoop of ice cream would have gone a long way. This night was truly an adventure and unlike most "event" dining places, the food was absolutely stellar. I recommend this to everyone, even your kids will find something they love here. read more

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Like the others in this area, this restaurant caters to those that want to experience an old style dining experience. Unfortunately, besides the outfits, and the house you are eating in you don't really get that feel. Maybe if you come at night, you might be stuck in one of the many dining rooms that only have candles as their sole source of light. That might make it a bit more enjoyable, for us we came around 615pm so the sun was still out during our dinner. Food was o.k. I had a sample of the Ale Roasted Beef and if was tasty although salty as hell. I ordered the Tavern Meatloaf $24.95 - Bacon-wrapped seasoned beef served with a cauliflower mash, three sisters' vegetables and herbed claret reduction. This dish was a bit dry but the cauliflower mash was on point. If they didn't tell me I would have sworn I was eating potatoes. I just paid $24 for freaking meatloaf, dry or not, I am going to eat it. This place is a little pricey for what you get but, not too many can say they dined in an establishment that was built in 1709. Another positive way to look at this, is that some of the profits go to the educational mission of the Williamsburg Foundation, which is the non-profit organization that operates the historic area. read more

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While in Williamsburg I wanted the kids to eat in a tavern. We ended up getting seated in the basement area, which was nice, but was looking for something a little more since it was not all candle like other areas of the restaurant. Still - it was nice. Hubby and I opted for the punch bowl that was like a sangria. It was delicious and we really enjoyed it. The kids had grilled chicken and they both liked it. I ordered the pot roast which was AMAZING and full of flavor. The hubby ordered the meatloaf. I tried it and it was good, but too much bar-b-que flavor on it for my liking. We were there later so the entertainment was done for the night, but it was enjoyable evening for us all. read more

Back in 2013 we did a road-trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Wanting to dine at a traditional restaurant to stay in the theme we chose this tavern. You have to make reservations. Upon walking indoors you have stepped back in time and you are now dining in a traditional kitchen with all the fixings. The servers are all dressed in the era clothing, the tables are kid with gas lamps no electricity in the dining room area. The menu is really good although very pricey but it is due to the experience. If you are in the area, it is a must try at least once. Great experience, atmosphere, food, entertainment! There was gentleman that walks around in character and tells stories(although, that day, being summer and extremely hot, he was a little smelly). Anyways, awesome experience! read more

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We have been to Shields Tavern a couple of times. Both times we've been seated in the basement (aka wine cellar) at the same back table with very low light. The basement is unique because it's all lit by candles just like they were served in the 1700's. However, I really dislike eating in the basement. It's dark and taking any picture is difficult. I've read there are musicians at this tavern but we have yet to see them. Perhaps, they only play upstairs. Our server, Jennifer, was quite efficient. However, she was difficult to hear when taking our order. Why? Normally servers are right at the table when conversing with guests. However, she was about 3 steps back in the middle of the aisle while she told us about the specials. Since I was at the other end of the table, I couldn't hear her. It would have been nicer if she'd actually stepped up to our table. This is what she seemed to do at all the other tables too. The crayfish and shrimp stew was wonderful. We loved the pastry, chicken and dumplings and even the ham and cabbage soup. However, the hot turkey sandwich was a big disappointment. It was pretty expensive for what we received considering there wasn't a lot of turkey. There were a few very thin slices of turkey in the sandwich and I'm thinking the turkey was just deli turkey. At least that's what it tasted like. I wouldn't order it again for sure. read more

Shields Tavern - Shields Tavern - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Not done eating yet and I just want to move in to this tavern!! Everything has been amazing so far. I've tried a few cocktails, all of which are delicious. There's live entertainment, a bard singing colonial songs! Waiter told us all about the history of the building, which is fascinating. Bean soup is delicious, especially when used as a dipping sauce for the rolls. 10/10 would recommend the carrot cake! read more

We came here for lunch with a big teachers group and the staff handled the situation well. I ordered the Impossible Burger and it was delish. Although the plant-based patty is patented, depending on where you get it, it is dressed different. The bun here was really soft and it came with the classic lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese. I enjoyed the Shields Tavern Impossible Burger, it was better than the one I had at the Cheesecake Factory. read more

Shields Tavern - Hurricane lamp with reall beeswax candle. - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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It was .... fine. Had reservations via OpenTable. Seated promptly. Service very nice and attentive. Kinda expensive, and to be honest, food nothing to rave about. I had the butternut squash soup, which was good, but not very hot and not very much of it for $10 a bowl. Date had the beef pasties, which were clearly removed from a wrapper and microwaved. We shared the "Colonial Sampler"; a skewer of small shrimp, two tiny buscuits with a slice of ham each and three wings in some kinda BBQ sauce. The kind of thing you get for free at a hotel buffet, to be honest. Ambiance was kinda cool, and like I said: service was good. ... but don't go for the food or the value. I'm a local, so I have options when eating out in Williamsburg. There's plenty of great places to eat in town where you get good food, good service *and* good prices; Shield's Tavern just isn't one of them. read more

Idk whats up with the mediocre food reviews but i had the braised beef and I thought it was exceptional. And the service was stellar! (Thanks Heather!) is it over priced? Sure, but your paying for more than the food, this is not just a regular place. This is colonial williamsburg! And the brown ale was gud! Get the pint mug with it! read more

It's wonderful to step back in time and walk the path of our forefathers, to dine in the taverns they frequented, and to experience the ambiance. read more

Shields Tavern - Braised beef, garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables. Absolutely delicious!!! - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We initially wanted to try a different tavern but this was one of two restaurants open on the only day we were going to be visiting. We didn't wait at all to be seated, which was nice. Our table was in the basement which was a relief from the 90 degree heat, and it was candle lit, which I thought was an appropriate touch. The waitresses are all in period costume, and ours gave us a brief history of the tavern (original brick, only tavern that is still on its original foundations etc) My husband ordered the house lager to drink and loved it, he also loved his beef pie. They bring you free biscuits and butter with your meal, and they areI ordered chicken breast in a mustard sauce with carrots and potatoes as a side - we noticed there was no salt on the tables and the food wasn't particularly seasoned (which I weirdly kind of prefer), which may have been an attempt at more historical accuracy. read more

Shields Tavern - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Really enjoyed lunch in this quaint colonial restaurant. Friendly staff with entertainment. We had lunch. A burger and a sampler that contained coconut shrimp, chicken tenders and short ribs. (Delicious). Their punch bowls are fun and good to share. read more

Shields Tavern - Sampler consisted of coconut shrimp chicken wings and slaw - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

I truly don't know sometimes why I put myself thru situations that I know are going to be giant wastes of time and money. Coming here qualifies as both a waste of time and a waste of money. What's good: 1. That finally a year or two ago CW put all (with one exception) of their taverns on Opentable as that makes the reservation process a million times easier than the byzantine way you had to do it prior. 2. We got in and out in around ninety minutes. Considering the glacial pace of affairs here that's not too bad. What's not good: 1. According to our server they are no longer doing specials. She said that they no longer offer specials but not to worry since eating at Shields was "special enough." Insert groan, here. 2. The price in correlation to what is being served is Disneyesque in terms of being overpriced. Ten dollars for hot dog and fries. This isn't some footlong monster like you could get in Vegas or at a Sonic or at a state fair. No, this is more or less a slightly larger version of a regular dog and fries for ten bucks. Let's also not forget the over seven dollar pudding for dessert. I believe those would be called Ye Olde Ripoff. I also can't forget the fifteen dollar French Dip that was highly undersized and the bottom half of the "artisan bread" came out totally wet and spongy like it had been sitting it water. At these prices actually having some standards and actually having someone look at what's been plated before it leaves the kitchen would be ideal. 3. The service is way, way, way too slow. Were initially seated in the room all the way to the left in the tavern by ourselves. We're not given menus for a good ten minutes then it's even longer until the drink order is taken. Let's also not forget the blank stare on asking for a kids menu. We needed two but they could only find one which we eventually shared with another table that got seated after us since they couldn't find anymore copies. Once the table of twelve is seated in the same room we're mostly forgotten about as is the other table of four. While there are only three groups in the room, the table of twelve totally monopolized our server's time. 4. When you ask for no fries with the kids meals, why do fries still come out with the order? Did our server forget a brain dead thing like that? Is the kitchen that incapable of doing anything other than each menu item only one standard way? I don't know but it's yet again another little PIA. 5. While people mention the live music that happens here, we got zippo. We briefly heard some type of lute (I'm guessing) music going on in another room but even though we were at Shields for around ninety minutes no one ever came in our room. When we left the lute player was sitting at a table by the front door talking with the group of staff all congregated around the host stand. If you have never been before then I guess it might be worth giving CW tavern dining a try. But, know that no one is acting "in character" as was the custom many years ago just like the menu here is far from colonial as it's more like something from a sports bar or a Friday's just thirty percent more expensive. In the future we'll be back since we have an annual pass but our days of doing tavern dining at CW are more than likely done. No ROI for your dining dollar as it's all style over substance. read more

Came here on a downpour day after the place next door was closed. We got a non-alcoholic punch bowl, the mixed plate starter that had chicken wings, some ham and a shrimp skewer, ham and bean soup, mac and cheese and chicken strips for the kids, a Caribbean beef pasty and pot roast. Everything other than the starter plate was delicious (the starter plate was just not what we expected). Unusual that the bathrooms are in the sub-basement down two flights of stairs - so be prepared for a hike! read more

Total tourist trap but our 13 year old was dying to eat here and we had great service and a decent if overly priced and "fakey-fake historic" meal. Said 13 year old devoured the fried chicken platter with green beans (so buttery - drowning in salted butter) and mashed potatoes. Husband had meatloaf (is that a Colonial thing?) and I had a nice salad with fresh strawberries and goat cheese. While there, the fife and drum kids (Junior High?) passed by - and they were very good and a strolling minstrel (starts after 5 PM) sang 17th Century tunes. Catchy. Bring money. read more

The wait was only a few minutes:) They took us downstairs to the cellar where we got to eat by candlelight. Excellent atmosphere with waiters in costumes and in character. Someone came and played authentic instruments from the colonial period for us right there in the restaurant:) The food was excellent. We ordered the roast beef Swiss dip sandwich which was heavenly. The tavern fries were hot and delicious. The best part was the Mixed Berry Crumble with a recommended Cinnamon Ice Cream... Will definitely go back for that. Crust was thick but so tasty I ended up loving it! Food was expensive but that's to be expected in Williamsburg. read more

I have to chuckle when people complain about "all the Colonial fare" in Williamsburg tasting the same or being the same. It's Colonial food. They weren't living in our post-modern-macrobiotic-pan-Asian-French-fusion-vegan-chic world. Choices were somewhat limited and, frankly, sometimes a bit foreign to us (mmmm, calf head and fried pork fat, yum). The reason you go to Williamsburg, and the reason you dine at the taverns, is to experience 18th century life in the colonies. If you're not after that in a dining experience, try the Trellis or Fat Canary instead. Diatribe over, Shields is a great tavern in which to experience authentic Colonial food, ambiance, and entertainment. When we went in mid-March, Shields and King's Arms were the only taverns open since it was technically pre-high-season. I've eaten at all the taverns, so I picked Shields over King's Arms because the menu appealed to us more and seemed to have more selection and variety. For appetizers I chose the crawfish bisque which was was creamy and decadent with plenty of chunks of tender crawfish. Husband had the Welsh rarebit over garlic "snippets" (toast, Colonial style). Put cheese on it, I'll eat it. The sauce was tangy, creamy, and smooth and the crunchy garlic toast, softened a bit by the sauce, was a great compliment. For dinner, Husband selected the ale-potted beef. Judging by the satisfied "mmmm"s and "yummm"s, he very much enjoyed it, said the meat was fall-apart-tender and very tasty. I sampled the cornmeal-crusted fried oysters with chutney slaw -- I couldn't resist ordering local! They were great. Before dinner we sampled some of the authentic Colonial drinks one would find in 18th century taverns. Husband had the Rummer, dark rum with apricot and peach brandy, a "sipping drink" as our waitress said. It was strong but really good. I tried the Pimm's Cup, made with Pimm's No. 1 (a spiced gin-type liquor) and ginger ale. It was so tasty and refreshing I had to resist guzzling the whole thing. The ambiance at Shields is wonderful. We dined at night, and the whole place was candlelit. The furnishings are rustic 18th century, and the waitstaff dresses in Colonial garb. A fiddler wanders the restaurant playing wonderful little pieces and educating diners about tavern life. We really enjoyed our experience at Shields and will definitely return on future trips to the 'Burg. read more

Shields Tavern - American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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The location is really cool. It's unique and you go downstairs and so 2 stars for the vibes. The food here is.... below average? But, when you go with a big group it's efficient so I get it. read more

The four of us ordered different items for lunch and we were all well pleased. The butternut squash was outstanding - a perfect fall appetizer. I greedily enjoyed the beef pastry as an appetizer without sharing. The pastry is two pies is could easily be shared. The BBQ pork sandwich was as tasty as it was described. I enjoyed the Cranberry Almond Chicken Salat but was a little disappointed that the chicken was more like "chicken salad" than a salad with chicken. The Ale Potted Beef Pye was large, filling and fantastic. The hot buttered cider was another good choice. We were too well satisfied to consider dessert. This was our misfortune judging from what our fellow diners were enjoying. read more

Stopped here for lunch during our visit. I'll start with things I didn't like so much, and move on to things that were great. First of all, any restaurant or tavern in Colonial Williamsburg is going to be expensive. Just plan on it. I asked for my chopped beefsteak medium, it came well done. The tavern fries were good. Done right, with just enough salt. The wife asked about their special of the day, a chicken sandwich (she has allergy issues). The server was able to come back with the entire list of ingredients, because they made it in-house. It was awesome, by the way. The beers produced in Colonial Williamsburg are great. I got a sampler flight - each glass was at least six ounces of beer. Each one I tried was good. Old Stitch seemed to be everybody's favorite. The staff is all dressed in period clothing, and there was a woman walking through the restaurant singing period songs. Great entertainment. I have several other places I want to try before I come back to this particular tavern, but it was a good experience. read more

Soo I went here with a school group in the 8th grade for our washington DC trip. I wanted to go to the sweets shop in the marketplace area with 5 minutes on the clock. I dropped my camera while attempting to run there and decided to turn back with frustration... I entered the restaurant late and sat down besides some of my buddies. They served me salad as I left to wash my hands (get into the habit ppls). When I came back, the salad was GONE! WTF I hadn't even started eatin and they took it away? So I asked for another one and one server just got another salad and plopped it on my table with annoyance...(he deserved it since someone took it away when it was untouched). Plus there was no bread for me and butter...sadly. I was already too annoyed to ask for it again. The main course was a chicken with some type of sauce similar in texture and taste to alfredo. On the side were some string beans and mashed potatoes. Chicken was ok, string beans were good for the american standard. (some how not steamed) and who can go wrong with mashed potatoes. The only thing that gives this place two stars is good lemonade and nice salad dressing ( they took the salad away again as they served the main course...) :( Otherwise...they better improve on service...( its even worse than asian restaurants) or else im definetely not coming back. I should've skipped the meal ( if i could) and snuck over to the sweet shop. Then I might not have lost more saliva staring at my classmates delish candy and broke my camera. ARGGGGGHHHH read more